- One item on the Sept 19th Port Aransas City Council meeting agenda caused some confusion for surfers.
- Surfers were worried that the city council would pass a motion to prohibit surfing next to the Horace Caldwell Pier.
- City leaders cleared up that surfing is still allowed next to the pier and they are just updating an old ordinance that dates back to 1983.
- Port Aransas city officials say they will come to a decision about passing the updated ordinance over the next two council meetings.
Swimming and boating within 250 feet of Horace Caldwell Pier in Port Aransas has been against the law since 1983. However, the Port Aransas City Council is in the process of updating that ordinance. When it was on the city council agenda for the September 19, 2024 meeting, some surfers were confused, wondering if surfing near piers and jetties would also be prohibited.
The item on the city council agenda states, "1st Reading Amending Chapter 18, “Public Places, Property and Services,” Article VII, “Public Piers,” Division 2 “Horace Caldwell Pier”, Section 18-231 “Definitions”; And Section 18-232 “Swimming, use of motorboats and vessels adjacent to piers and jetty prohibited."
The word vessel caused confusion among some Port Aransas residents and surfers. Some people did not know if a surfboard was under the category of a vessel. Port Aransas city leaders say a surfboard, is not a vessel. Therefore, surfboards are not prohibited from being within 250 feet of piers and jetties.
“The ordinance was originally written in 1983 that prohibited any kind of surfing, swimming, or vessels, within 250 feet of Horace Caldwell Pier. In 1997, a group of surfers came to the city council and they had been surfing there the whole time. They wanted to make it legal," Nicole Boyer, City of Port Aransas Director of Development said.
Port Aransas city officials say that over the years, the wording of this ordinance has become confusing to some people because the definitions of the words "vessel" and "surfboard" were unclear. Some local surfers agree.
“The ordinance, it was a little confusing with the verbiage or whatnot in there. But, I feel like the way that they are going forward with it, is to the advantage of the surfers, and I’m all about that for sure," Teddy Nicholson, a local surfer and owner of Board House said.
Port Aranas Mayor Wendy Moore addressed some concerned residents at the September 19th 2024 council meeting, clearing up that no rules are changing for surfers near the pier, and that the council is simply updating and clarifying the wording of the ordinance.
“Because the ordinance just says, no swimming or vessels, and the definition for surfboard in that same ordinance, included the word vessels, people thought that surfing was also not allowed there. So, all we’re doing is going back to the ordinance and what the council allowed in 1997, and just clearing it up, so taking out any of the confusion," Boyer said.
The motion to clarify and amend Chapter 18, “Public Places, Property and Services,” Article VII has not passed yet. Boyer said that ordinances have to be approved after three readings at the council, and it has only had one reading at this point.
“It needed to be done, for sure. ‘83 was a long time ago. That’s the year I was born, so I didn’t know anything about that, then. But, now that it's finally come full circle, I’m glad that they’re letting the surfers and the locals kinda get involved in what the outcome is.”
Over the next two months, at the next two Port Aransas City Council meetings, city officials will read the second and third readings, and come to decision to amend the ordinance.
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