MODERN VENICE SUBDIVISION PROJECT TIMELINE
Date
Status
Description
September 14, 2007 n/a

ATTENTION TO PORT ISABEL RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY RESIDENTS IN THE DERRY AND MODERN VENICE (“FINGERS”) AREAS; THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SERVES TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT RLB, CONTRACTING INC. HAS GIVEN THE CITY OF PORT ISABEL NOTICE THAT THEY WILL BEGIN PRELIMINARY SITE WORK BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 14, 2007. INITIAL WORK WILL INCLUDE THE MOVEMENT OF EQUIPTMENT AND PREPARATION OF BERMS AND LEVEES ON THE DERRY SITE FOLLOWED BY DREGING ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE MAIN CHANNEL AND WESTERN INTERIOR CHANNEL IN MODERN VENICE (“FINGERS”). PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT HEAVY MACHINERY WILL BE MOVED IN AND OUT OF THE ABOVE REFERENCED AREA FOR THE DURATION OF THIS PROJECT. ANY TEMPORARY CHANNEL CLOSURES WILL BE SCHEDULED WITH THE CITY AND POSTED TO THE PUBLIC AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SAID DREDGING ACTIVITES SHOULD BE COMPLETED WITHIN Seventy-five (75) DAYS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL CITY HALL AT (956)943-2682.
August 22, 2007 In progress NEW  NOTICE TO COMMENCE DREDGING  RLB Contracting, Inc. has been notified to commence work at the start of business on Monday August 27, 2007. Please note that dredging activities in the Main Channel and Western Interior Channel will begin within 30 calendar days from the Notice of Commencement. The time of completion for this project will be no longer than 75 days or by November 9, 2007. RLB will soon supply the City of Port Isabel with a work schedule indicating periodic closures of the waterways, if necessary. Schedules will be posted for the public at City Hall as well as on this website. Please stay posted for the latest update regarding dredging activities.
*Meeting Update n/a Monthly Modern Venice Committee meetings are temporarily on hold, coinciding with project commencement and receipt of survey work. Stay posted for another meeting in September or October. Date and time will be posted on this site and included on the monthly City of Port Isabel Calendar.
August 15, 2007
<Phase II Update>		 In progress The City is working on obtaining survey work to verify the ownership of all channels in Modern Venice. This information will allow the City to move forward with the potential creation of a Public Improvement District to complete the uniform development of the entire Fingers area. Once the information delineating clear ownership has been obtained there will be a public workshop scheduled to discuss the options and details for Phase II.
August 15, 2007
<Phase I Update>		 In progress Project activities are currently in the works, a contract for services with RLB Contractors, Inc. is being reviewed by the City Attorney. Once the contract is executed by both parties there is a maximum 30 day commencement period. Work is estimated to begin in September and the contractor is estimating that the job will take no longer than 75 days.
July 23, 2007
<Phase I Update>		 n/a Port Isabel City Commission awards the Project Bid to RLB Contracting, Inc in the amount of $188,160. Dredging Project activities will include the following:

Main Entrance Channel: Area size is estimated to be approximately 1000 linear feet extending from the center of the channel into the Laguna Madre Bay. Channel will have an approximate top width of 82 feet, a required bottom width of 40 feet, side slope of 1 to 3 and a minimum depth of 6 feet at Mean Low Tide.

Western Interior Channel: Area size is estimated to be approximately 800 linear feet in length. Channel will have an approximate top width of 35 feet, a required bottom width of 15 feet, side slope of 1 to 2 +I- and a minimum depth of 5 feet at Mean Low Tide.

Refer to the following links for TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS and CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Individual Permit #24482
July 17, 2007
<Phase I Update>		 n/a Modern Venice Committee meets with staff to open received bids. Two bids were received both of which propose to perform the project with a mechanical dredge with placement of spoils on the Derry Park site. Bid amounts are as follows:
I) Rimrock Enterprises, Inc @ $259,000 plus $16.80 for each additional linear foot
2) RLB Contracting, Inc. @ $1 68,160 plus $50 for each additional linear foot.
The Modern Venice Committee recommends that the Contract is awarded to RLB Contracting. They also make a recommendation that we include an additional 400 foot portion for the Western lnterior Channel to fully address the current unsafe navigability of the interior channel.
June 21, 2007
<Phase I Update>		 In progress Dredging project preliminary information <document>
June 7, 2007
<Phase I Update>		 In progress Department of the Army Permit #24482 <document>
June 2007
<Phase I Update>		 In progress City receives approval of Individual Permit #24482 from the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (see link). Dredging Project is properly advertised for bidding with a
submittal deadline of July 17, 2007.
May 2, 2007 May 2, 2007- TCEQ Water Quality Certification, Letter of consent regarding USACE Permit 24482 <document>
April 19, 2007 n/a Notice of a Regular Meeting of the Port Isabel Modern Venice Committee. Location: Port Isabel City Commission Chambers Meeting room. 305 E. Maxan on Thursday, Apri l19, 2007 at 5:30 p.m. Agenda: <http://www.modernvenice.com/agendas/agenda041907.pdf>
April 16, 2007 n/a Phase 1 Update <document>
April 12, 2007 n/a Response to comments from Corps <document>
April 9, 2007 n/a Comments from Corps <document>
April 2, 2007 In Progress Individual permit request for Water Quality Certification <document>
April 2, 2007 In Progress Permit request for Water Quality Certification <document>
March 8, 2007 In Progress Army Corps of Engineers permit out for public notice. Status posted here: http://www.swg.usace.army.mil/reg/pn.asp.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Permit #24482 (Individual Permit covering Channel entrance and east portion of the channel into the turning basin)
- On March 16, 2007 the permit went out for Public Comment.
-The public comment period will end on April 2, 2007. If no negative comments are received that the permit will be issued after that date.
March 8, 2007 Completed Opinion No. GA-0528 Re: Whether a seawall funded from assessments levied pursuant to Local Government Code, chapter 372, subchapter A or B, may be built on privately-owned land.

Opinion from the Attorney General- (Legality of installing seawalls on private property by means of a Public Improvement District)

-The City of Port Isabel Received the Opinion from the Attorney General on March 8, 2007. The opinion was not in the City’s favor. The ultimate determination was that installation of seawalls on private property cannot be accomplished with public funds, even by means of a public improvement district. The only way construction of a seawall on private property can be completed with public funds would be if an easement was granted to the City for this purpose. However, liability and maintenance of the constructed seawall would not make this option feasible, unless the easement is then sold back to the property owner at fair market value. This option would likely not be favorable to the property owners, as they would be paying 1) for their seawall and 2) for the improved easement. The City is currently working with legal counsel to examine the possibility of certificates of obligation or other potential ways to complete Phase II.

- In regards to H.B.673 (the amendment to Public Improvement District’s to allow seawalls) The Attorney General’s Opinion states that no legislative body may alter this determination as it would serve as unconstitutional. Therefore even with this bill’s approval, the City would be unable to complete this project by means of a public improvement district. <document>
February 15, 2007 n/a Public Hearing - Thursday, February 15, 2007 at the Port Isabel City Hall at 6:00 p.m.
In Progress Phase I is an emergency action in response to the shoaling that has caused the subject area to become nearly un-navigable during low tide. Phase I includes dredging of the turning basin (the mouth of the channel, that provides access to the Laguna Madre Bay) and the drag lining of a western portion of the fingers, beginning at the mouth of the channel, continuing along the north side of Tarpon St. and terminating just north of Highway 100. In order to help build up the eroded portion of the undeveloped properties, during this phase, the spoil material will be placed on the undeveloped fingers (Tarpon and Bass St.) with approval of the property owners. <letter>
September 2, 2007 In Progress Phase II of this project is still likely to be accomplished by means of a PID (Public Improvement District) <pid document> Phase II will include installation of seawalls and infrastructure, i.e., streets and utilities to the undeveloped fingers. On September 6, 2006, the City submitted an opinion to the Attorney General verifying the legality of building seawalls on private property through PIDs. A response is anticipated by late March to early April. Our State Representative, Rene Oliveria, has also introduced bill H.B. 673 <bill> which adds authority to use a PID for seawalls on private property. We are awaiting a favorable opinion and/or the passage of this bill prior to Phase II.

Once we have confirmation that we can legally move forward with the development of a PID, a series of public meetings/hearings will be scheduled accordingly. If the method of assessments is utilized then property owners will only be assessed for work that has been done on or affected their property.
February 9, 2007 In Progress The City holds an existing permit (General Permit #15926(02)/064) <permit> to maintain the intracoastal channels within the finger, however this does not include the channel north of Tarpon St., or the turning basin (mouth of the channel). These areas are under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In order to proceed the Phase I the City of Port Isabel must get an individual permit from the Army Corps of Engineers to allow us to work within their jurisdiction. The individual permit approval is pending. U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Project Manager, Mark Patillo Conducted a site visit on February 9, 2007. The permit will be subject to a public review period of 15 days prior to issuance. Tha anticipated date to receive this permit is on or around March 1, 2007.
September 6, 2006 Completed Request for Attorney General's opinion regarding "Allowable Improvements Under Chapter 372 of the Texas Local Government Code. <document>
September 2, 2005
Completed
General Permit - 15926(02)/064 <document>
November 22, 2004 Completed Very preliminary construction cost information
August 2004 Completed Questionnaire results <more>
July 27, 2004
Completed
Mayor Marchan's letter to Modern Venice Property owners <letter>
July 27, 2004
Completed
Modern Venice Improvement District Questionnaire mailed to Modern Venice Property owners (page 5 of letter) <questionnaire>
n/a
Proposed Improvement District <map>
1985
n/a
Modern Venice ca. 1985 <photo here>
early 1960s
n/a
Modern Venice in the early 1960s <photo here>
1928
n/a
The original 1928 plat of Port Isabel created by the Port Isabel Company shows the Modern Venice subdivision <plat here>
early 1900s
n/a
Modern Venice in the early 1900s <photo here>
www.modernvenice.com is for informational purposes only.
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 City of Port Isabel, Texas ~ 305 E. Maxan St. ~ Port Isabel, Texas 78578 ~ (956) 943-2682