We oppose this parking lot for the following reasons:
As part of this project, the City negotiated an agreement with the DMR to allow them to use a piece of property on the corner of Jackson Ave and Front Beach as a parking lot. This property was purchased with Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) funds and deeded to the DMR to be preserved in its natural state for perpetuity. A parking lot is not one of the allowed uses for property purchased with CIAP funds. See the letter from Healthy Gulf to the DMR regarding this
A 2013 audit found that the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), which is supposed to be managing CIAP funds, had not performed well and also states that "We have no assurance that FWS, which assumed responsibility for administering and managing CIAP grants at the beginning of fiscal year 2012, has taken the necessary steps to prevent similar deficiencies in the stewardship of these public funds."
Allowing a parking lot on this protected piece of property is exactly the kind of mismanagement the audit was referring to.
There is a historical marker on this property that they want to turn into a parking lot
This property has been left untouched for years and regularly hosts nesting killdeer, This video shows fledglings with a parent. The habitat is being damaged by illegal parking.
There is a similar conservation area on Harbor Drive (McIlwane Park), with the same deed restrictions, also purchased with CIAP funds. The Jackson County Board of Supervisors erected a nautical post and rope fence to preserve and protect the area.
We received a copy of a letter from Fish and Wildlife that tells the DMR they are violating the terms of the deed and to rectify the situation by 15 July 2024.
What we want:
We want the same type of fence (post and rope) that exists at McIlwane Park to be erected on the conservation area at Jackson Avenue and Front Beach Drive. The City should not be allowed to turn the property into a parking lot
Restore sufficient tidal flow to the wetlands area thereby encouraging population and use by wading birds and possibly river otters. The areas on both sides of Front Beach Drive including the conservation property could be incorporated into a public green space-nature park
UPDATE (7/27/24): The DMR has put up a fence in accordance with the Fish and Wildlife directive. This appears to be a temporary fence (see below). We are hopeful that they will come back at a later date with a permanent Post and Rope fence.
