[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6672687,"mediaKeyId","2118548-e2d0a2f5a697d36e3c0b71fb4134fc97","parentId",2118548,"title","Council designates Stillman Landing area for Entertainment and Arts District","audioSeconds",241,"startMs",2434000,"endMs",2675000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118548-e2d0a2f5a697d36e3c0b71fb4134fc97&start=2434&end=2675","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118548-e2d0a2f5a697d36e3c0b71fb4134fc97/thumbnail_2434000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6672687/Texas/Council-designates-Stillman-Landing-area-for-Entertainment-and-Arts-District","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6672687-cbbf0f1628086e82f10a0bd586d093a4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159670&Signature=okQgK5ZYE1NXL6fplpe3f9xRLjG4bMfr-yVvMzh1jxNjfAe8W64icg1G-UGIwPVGAEmuAi6gvuhfkBwMsMLthDcccsBE7uC4w0xyvAns5hS4BpKja~MriG6bFjHhnIW9HX1bPqEeUoxEjVLz9owQBBX2AdFs1utRlwlZn3b1G8eMe4S0xjtC8tGx4J26zNRuZLkCcEdKXhTFFU3SVAezoOMiVhBiOfGDBHYcE75bnYtE5ZD2DN9UuuGv1VWlCWqV4pEstmwycXlxtHdNuVp3WlLPlmEzyiqtLdR~F~ypgOcDwB1zNOG6OiIM7uPj~HLLFg4jTE7xK~JMeUTT0VMlHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South Padre Island","date","2025-01-15T00:00:00Z","article","The South Padre Island City Council approved a resolution to review and designate an area at Stillman Landing as an Entertainment and Arts District.

City staff described the proposed district boundaries as primarily the commercial properties on the east side of Padre Boulevard between Amberjack and Tarpon streets and the area between Padre Boulevard and Laguna between those cross streets; staff noted the designation includes additional nearby lots as listed in the agenda item description. The item had been approved by the Planning and Neighborhood Commission before being forwarded to the council.

Wendy Delgado, director of operations, and staff answering for Alex Sanchez explained the Planning and Neighborhood Commission recommendation and said the council could ask planning staff for further detail or mapping. A council member made a motion to approve the designation and the council voted in favor by a hand-raise voice vote.

The transcript records no additional ordinance text or fiscal impact analysis during the meeting; council members moved to adopt the designation and directed staff to proceed with any necessary follow-up steps.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","South Padre Island - CITY COUNCIL - Jan 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council voted to designate a portion of Stillman Landing as an Entertainment and Arts District covering specified lots between Amberjack and Tarpon streets and sections between Laguna and Padre Boulevard.","taxTitle","South Padre , Cameron County, Texas","taxId",57359,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6672693,"Council approves payment plan after short‑term rental enforcement finds $16,132.97 owed",482,1821000,2303000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118548-e2d0a2f5a697d36e3c0b71fb4134fc97&start=1821&end=2303","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118548-e2d0a2f5a697d36e3c0b71fb4134fc97/thumbnail_1821000.jpg","/articles/6672693/Texas/Council-approves-payment-plan-after-shortterm-rental-enforcement-finds-1613297-owed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6672693-d3018a2a7215c48ab8326eed36d1f286/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159670&Signature=IC-1gnju5uSzpCvOHQN5k7rdm-472vkRhQj9huiJuwcmZnWowyUmVbCOYATotKn0cNgsdvzO4Zh7mQBfLU86eN2BBZ7zetVfzSm-4UizYco7Tz~fY4hQncE7rHTh6JKK7hWlSP8JLm-P0MStZPdE7b-bZ4gQ~P1EnAR1vy6x-l0weSTA5AdsuTqrv9siWphAiQevE-hTtloOXSvjC627ytvLxC3-LJpZEPN0v7nQo-bQFRFnsV-ENodkOMaP3eAdGxl6sZZfuDvh0xS7zItfDny6SKWU9F~QNaemoLtrNHDcl0P5UfX6relQyBBJBvTGTMVO1nbV7UwVxgReOK76kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council voted to accept a staff‑recommended payment plan to collect $16,132.97 in hotel-occupancy tax, penalties and interest from Elizabeth Gutierrez Organization LLC after the liability was discovered through a compliance review by Deckard Technologies.

Rodrigo (staff) explained the business was not registered with the city for short‑term rental taxes and that Airbnb had collected only state taxes. He said Deckard identified the rental, the city sent three letters, and staff later contacted the owner. Rodrigo summarized the balance as about $12,000 in taxes plus penalties and interest, which increased the total to $16,132.97, and said the owner requested a 12‑month payment plan of roughly $1,300 per month.

Council members asked procedural questions about Deckard’s reporting and asked staff to provide a list of properties to which Deckard had sent letters. City staff said a portal exists showing registration information and agreed to provide the requested list for transparency.

Council approved the payment plan by voice vote. Mayor indicated the city’s marshal and the collection process have increased compliance and that staff will continue to work payment plans to recover overdue amounts. Staff noted other delinquent accounts have been recovered and some owners have paid in full when contacted.","The council approved a 12‑month payment plan for Elizabeth Gutierrez Organization LLC to settle $12,000 in back hotel‑occupancy taxes plus penalties and interest, after the liability was identified through Deckard Technologies compliance work.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6672696,"City approves letter of support and MOU for new Family Wellness Clinic to pursue federal rural health grant",380,2580000,2960000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118548-e2d0a2f5a697d36e3c0b71fb4134fc97&start=2580&end=2960","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118548-e2d0a2f5a697d36e3c0b71fb4134fc97/thumbnail_2580000.jpg","/articles/6672696/Texas/City-approves-letter-of-support-and-MOU-for-new-Family-Wellness-Clinic-to-pursue-federal-rural-health-grant","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6672696-adbc6a3625ce61443ab48458ff95e92a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159670&Signature=N4KC0YNjrEtko6wjQQviFuDiOp97n~KhjWTL2zM9OtsZoOSZEF4had09y~bt6DDtSG-8oBtNt631O9NZ1AOU3tHDbljTJvDbxryajo5MZ88h6AaM7BZ3kpa96SBI0KrdO9aiRNvvJL4AGfUeogaSwaqn4sDFNtJB7JFVWYzPBn0pUhezN7OYUn2etBGVYDC-WTNFWgABzZ5qIAgz4Adb2cAhlUVMC~AGVVShUJuZmfxcZuA3XFYUfC7v10qHjjmN10AeHl6U~JVatwm6rw3SOY7feBkKsh4Aa69YDWoED4Zgp5jVm5o-AQTAkRgfjeii5twv83GgvMTEz7ye8aZ9xg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Harlingen Medical Center representatives asked the South Padre Island City Council to approve a letter of support and a memorandum of understanding to help the Family Wellness Clinic apply for a federal Rural Health grant.

Kathleen Avila, regional director for business development, and Michael Schwartz, communications and grant-writing manager for Harlingen Medical Center, described plans to expand the clinic's hours to nights and weekends, add urgent-care capability and introduce imaging services. \"What this grant would do, it would allow us to expand the hours of the clinic to become urgent care clinic, open weekends and at night,\" Schwartz said.

Schwartz said expanding hours and services could reduce nonemergency ambulance transports off the island by giving paramedics an on‑island destination for minor illness or injury during extended hours. The council approved a motion to send a letter of support and to approve the memorandum of understanding; the council also selected Mayor Pro Tem Rees Langston to represent the city on the Rio Grande Valley Rural Health Care Network formed as part of the initiative.

No financial commitment by the city beyond the MOU was described in the presentation. Harlingen representatives said the clinic is currently open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and that grant funding would support expanded hours and services.

The council voted without further discussion to approve the requested letter of support and the memorandum of understanding, and then voted to appoint a council member as the city's representative to the proposed rural health network.","The council voted to approve a letter of support and a memorandum of understanding with Harlingen Medical Center to help the Family Wellness Clinic apply for federal rural health funding to expand hours and urgent care services on South Padre Island.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6672700,"Laguna Madre Water District outlines $72.75M seawater desalination plan, seeks May bond election",739,291000,1030000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118548-e2d0a2f5a697d36e3c0b71fb4134fc97&start=291&end=1030","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118548-e2d0a2f5a697d36e3c0b71fb4134fc97/thumbnail_291000.jpg","/articles/6672700/Texas/Laguna-Madre-Water-District-outlines-7275M-seawater-desalination-plan-seeks-May-bond-election","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6672700-0774f57e37b789014efc38af2d1ee505/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159670&Signature=fVJptzl-Uvxc0ugKRZ-r-apzsR4TjCNjNrdhvfVQwS0E6YICkFDDRIVJ2wq55-vLgFgiLa74fatVde5xvDY-W55FIkSfIM-nfWfHkgzxpgFLtj6jJ3sFKW1s6zK7BQ8vQvsWqr3aJ1GzKFSB9zyjf39XfF3MCtfUDCKTWl9Xz62RulDCuqKf5yD8cf9CU~wpTqt4Q8xFi6BvgeGQAFKBtwb9HR7yG6MugmkWA1G0p8dX2Iup6IAfu5rPNCQc9WHTHlF9UODNaI~E5HifZeF90o2z3FGBa9E~7fYJ7dcS-g8MBEU6C9sTuZqwf3MtetznqPREGYvVMwAkP3lfdDlPLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Charles Ortiz, presenting for the Laguna Madre Water District, briefed the South Padre Island City Council on a proposed seawater reverse-osmosis desalination facility intended to provide a drought‑resistant water supply and reduce reliance on Rio Grande surface sources.

Ortiz said the proposed facility would produce up to 5,000,000 gallons per day (MGD) when it comes online and that a new seawater intake and a second diversion from the Port Isabel Turning Basin to Water Treatment Plant No. 1 are planned. “The goal of the proposed project is to provide a drought resistant, sustainable water supply for the Laguna Madre Water District through the construction of a seawater reverse osmosis facility,” Ortiz said.

He told the council the district plans to place a bond proposition on the May 3, 2025 election and said the district must call the election by its February 12 meeting to meet the timeline. Ortiz said remaining authorization needed to complete construction is approximately $59,000,000, after accounting for prior authorizations and recent commitments.

Ortiz presented an opinion of probable project cost of $72,750,000 and gave a construction subtotal of $62,700,000 from line-item estimates: $18,000,000 for the intake structure, $1,200,000 for the raw water pipeline, $37,500,000 for reverse osmosis additions, $3,000,000 for waste discharge infrastructure, $1,000,000 for environmental mitigation, and $2,000,000 for construction management. He said previously authorized funds from a May 14, 2011 voter authorization reduce the local share.

On funding, Ortiz said the district has secured a $10,000,000 commitment from the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) that will cover planning, acquisition and design work, and that the bureau application to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation had a favorable notice. “We did get the notice that we were a successful applicant yesterday,” Ortiz said, describing a federal cost-share arrangement that will reduce the district’s remaining local authorization. Ortiz cautioned negotiations on the federal financial agreement were ongoing and would need to be closed in coming months.

Ortiz said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in January 2024 issued a final report confirming the viability of using the Port Isabel outfall extension for concentrate disposal, and that microfiltration work now under construction is intended to complement blending of Rio Grande and seawater sources. He said the district has an industrial discharge permit under technical review with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for concentrate discharge.

Ortiz said the intake structure is being sized to handle up to 20 MGD of raw water to allow future expansion (up to 7.5 MGD treated capacity in a later phase), while the initial funded phase would deliver 5 MGD. He also described a tax-rate impact example using a $250,000 property value: under a conservative estimate the bond could equate to about $175 per year for such a homeowner, but he characterized that figure as preliminary.

Council members asked about prior bond funds and the status of Plant No. 1 microfiltration work; Ortiz said the 2020 bond paid for system improvements and microfiltration equipment now staged for startup and that the Plant No. 1 start-up is targeted for November 2025. He said a pilot study and final design remain part of the planning steps already funded from the $10,000,000 state commitment.

Ortiz acknowledged community concerns about environmental impacts, concentrate discharge and cost. He told the council the project would use industry best practices to mitigate impacts and that public voters will decide whether to authorize the tax bond this May.

The presentation did not include a council vote on the desalination project; Ortiz described the project status, funding needs and next steps for calling a bond election and negotiating federal grants.","The Laguna Madre Water District presented plans for a seawater reverse-osmosis facility capable of producing 5 million gallons per day, and said it will ask voters in a May 3, 2025 bond election to authorize additional local funding to close an estimated $59 million construction funding gap.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council designates Stillman Landing area for Entertainment and Arts District

Council approves payment plan after short‑term rental enforcement finds $16,132.97 owed

City approves letter of support and MOU for new Family Wellness Clinic to pursue federal rural health grant

Laguna Madre Water District outlines $72.75M seawater desalination plan, seeks May bond election