Jamaica Beach Boat Ramp

[TTUfisherman]

FYI: Jamaica Beach has closed its boat ramp. Effective June 18th, it is only available to residents/homeowners and their guests with paid permits.

[WestEndAngler]

Pirates has a good launch but you'll pay.

[Robalo]

Alex is correct, except technically it becomes effective June 17th-30 days after the Ordinance ws signed. The City Council of JB passed a new Ordinance OUTLAWING non-residents to use it and FINING residents even. All Jamaica Beach Residents need to vote this Council out of office.

Bunch of baloney by some regular 'complainers' that live there (yes, I'm a resident, but this is just bull). Sea Isle gave residents a Key to unlock the chain-you paid a one-time fee for the key and it was non-reproducible, but NOOOO, these current power-hungry nancys want to charge $ to its own residents. Just idiots IMO.


A. Violations of any parking restrictions as defined by this Ordinance can result in the vehicle, or trailer being towed at the owner's expense and the owner or operator of the vehicle or trailer issued a citation and upon conviction will be assessed a fine of no less than fifty dollars ($50 USO) or more than five hundred dollars ($500 USO).
B. Violations of any launching or removal of watercraft as defined by this Ordinance is considered a misdemeanor offense and upon conviction a fine of no less than one hundred dollars ($100 USD) and no more than five hundred dollars ($500 USD) can be accessed.


So, is Barney Fife and Sheriff Andy going to sit at the launch and write tickets-YES-more revenue. Jerks.

[Robalo]

VOTE THEM OUT!!! Get rid of every one of them from the Council.

[Robalo]

I sent the below to the mayor and City Council. I suggest that each resident of Jamaica Beach copy and send this to the mayor and city council:

Mayor and Council Members:


Why couldn’t you have simply passed an ordinance that allowed RESIDENTS to buy a key to a lock and chain like Sea Isle instead of a fee and outrageous fine? Did no one even consider that? It has worked very well in Sea Isle and allows use by the residents without having to buy a ‘parking permit’. I don’t think you and the Council thought of alternatives, nor do I think anyone considered the resulting consequences of police enforcement of such an Ordinance AGAINST residents-you know, the ones that voted you and the Council into office-a position you chose to run for on your own accord.



Section 3.A. of Ordinance No. 2020-3 states as follows:


A. All homeowners or residents that wish to use the Marina must register their vehicles and or trailers used in the launching, removing and parking at the Marina. The homeowners or residents will be issued stickers or decals for their registered vehicles. These permits must be picked up at City Hall during normal business hours. The annual cost for a parking permit is $25.00. (emphasis added)



I do not ‘park’ my vehicle or trailer at the ‘marina’, so reading Section 3.A. merely states I must have a sticker or decal that I can pick up from the City during normal city hours; therefore, I do not owe $25 just to launch and retrieve my boat. The $25 says it is for a ‘parking permit’ as highlighted above. Since my vehicle is not “parked” but is “standing”, according to the law in the State of Texas versus “Parking”, with the motor running and someone inside to back the trailer down the ramp to load or unload, I merely need to ‘register’ my vehicle and trailer and there is no mention of cost to ‘register’, the only mention of cost is for a ‘parking permit’. I’m certain any competent attorney could argue that this Ordinance involves “PARKING”, not loading and unloading a boat and I could easily have the driver of my vehicle leave the transmission in ‘drive’, not ‘park’ and obviously it is not ‘parked’ in such case. Do you consider a vehicle ‘parked’ when stopped at a red light? I do not, nor would any court.


I will be by to ‘register’ my vehicles and trailers and obtain a ‘sticker’ or ‘decal’, but will not tender $25 since I do not ‘park’ when launching or removing my boats.



You know, in this current MAJOR downturn in the economy, most cities are trying to make life easier for their residents. I do not see that with the new Ordinance. Further, how much police enforcement time will be wasted ticketing residents, especially when that time could be used to fight crime such as burglary, theft, DUI, and other crimes that are impactful to residents? Will the $25 fee cover the extra time spent for our police to sit at the marina and look for ‘parking permits’ 24 hours a day? Again, obviously you all did not think this through and the Ordinance is likely enforceable only against ‘parked’ vehicles or trailers. Further, if one parks a vehicle and or trailer alongside their own house and they reside on the east side of Basin Drive, are they immune from this Ordinance or is that an ‘offense’ subject to a fine?


I’ll be sure to ‘park’ along Jamaica Inn when I need to load or unload my boat should I be by myself. Also, is there any ‘relief’ for emergency situations, such as boat removal for tropical storms or pending hurricanes, or will the Police be standing at the launch writing tickets when you are trying to remove property from Harm’s Way?



I believe I am not the only resident that is against this Ordinance as written. If your intent was to close public access to non-residents at the boat launch, then fine; however, a much more simple solution existed, yet you failed to listen to other solutions and penalized the residents that elected you to office with a poorly written, certainly ambiguous Ordinance.


I have a simple solution. Repeal Ordinance 2020-3 and install two iron posts, a 1" chain and sell residents a non-reproducible lock key for residents' and their guest's access to the ramp. The 24 hour no parking of trailers/vehicles already exists, so no need to modify the current, existing Ordinance regarding same.



I look forward to your response. I have discussed this Ordinance with my neighbors and not one expressed concurrence with this Ordinance, especially as written.



Thank you,

[FlyPelican]

Complete BS, Robalo. I too wonder why they didn't take the Sea Isle approach.

- FP

[coachlaw]

Just FYI, you need to fix, "Reproducible" in the second to last paragraph. Sorry, I'm a teacher.

[Cowcatcher]

Robalo, the way Sea Isle does it isnt as effective as the permit process will be at keeping non-residents out. I think a combination of the two would be best if the goal is to limit access. However, I’m not sure about how enforcement of fines will work. I do know that many non residents still manage to launch here. There are many key holders who are too lazy to lock the chain behind them or they don’t want to lock the chain on another resident that’s in line to launch. It looks like to me that both systems as they stand individually are flawed.

[Robalo]

Robalo, the way Sea Isle does it isnt as effective as the permit process will be at keeping non-residents out. I think a combination of the two would be best if the goal is to limit access. However, IÂ’m not sure about how enforcement of fines will work. I do know that many non residents still manage to launch here. There are many key holders who are too lazy to lock the chain behind them or they donÂ’t want to lock the chain on another resident thatÂ’s in line to launch. It looks like to me that both systems as they stand individually are flawed.

I disagree with you. First off, if a person ignores the Sea Isle rule, why in the heck would they NOT ignore launching at Jamaica Beach where there is no chain and lock? They obviously don't give a darn about rules.

Additionally, so what if a few non-residents launch at Sea Isle by "sneaking in" behind a resident. Chances are pretty high that when the non-resident gets back from fishing, the chain will be in place and locked. I doubt any would do that again after possible either waiting for a resident to return that unlocks the chain or gets so tired of waiting that they have their fishing partner take their vehicle and trailer and meet them at a different launch to retrieve their boat (likely Jamaica Beach since no chain and it's the closest).

It's one thing to have a few 'law breakers" try to bypass the lock and key versus charging RESIDENTS an annual fee under THREAT of fines. Further, will 'warrants' be issued against the non-residents (and Residents) that can openly launch their boat after they get a ticket from JBPD? Will you be arrested while at work because you failed to 'register' your boat and vehicle and obtain a decal (notice I did not mention "parking Permit" since you MUST pay for a "Parking Permit" but the Ordinance fails to mention any charge for the 'registration'). Also, isn't the purpose of the JBPD to enforce true crimes versus being boat launch "attendants"? I prefer the JBPD focus on crimes that affect RESIDENTS, such as theft, burglary, DUI, speeding, not sitting at the boat launch writing tickets while some thief is stealing stuff from my house.

Are you on the City Council? It seems rather ignorant to say the Sea Isle lock and key system doesn't work, but leaving a ramp wide open with some sign saying "Parking Permit Required" will deter a law breaker. My brother lived in Sea Isle for over 12 years and we used the lock and chain regularly and yes, some lazy folks failed to lock the chain now and then, but again, usually we found it locked when we returned from fishing. What would the non-resident do when he returns and it's locked and no one (resident) is around?

Also, the Mayor and City Council passed Ordinance 2020-3 without advance input from the Residents.

You (as a Resident) can only acquire "Parking Permit" and "Registration" during "Normal City Hall Hours". So let's say you have a friend coming down with his boat and you want to buddy fish with him. Well, you'll need a Guest Placard that cost $10 per day which you must mark clearly the date it is effective and can only obtain the "Guest Placard" during normal city office hours which are:

Office Hours:
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (M-TH)
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (F)

You and your buddy better plan ahead-if your buddy was showing up on Saturday, you are sheet out of luck-OFFICE CLOSED or if you are not a full-time resident and actually work for a living to pay the high taxes on your bay/beach house, I guess you better take an extra long lunch (on Monday-Thursday, because they close at Noon on Friday) to go obtain a Guest Placard and pay your $10.

Like I said-the Mayior and City Council did NOT consider other alternatives-they consider this a 'money grab' and revenue maker from the same darn folks that elected them to office. I would like to see the Chain and Lock with Non-reproducible key as a reasonable alternative instead of 'punishing' residents because the Council and Mayor are close-minded and failed to consider any alternative and certainly ignored any input from Residents.

[Curmudgeon]

JB has been like that since it was incorporated.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[WestEndAngler]

Just FYI, you need to fix, "Reproducible" in the second to last paragraph. Sorry, I'm a teacher.

fixed it for you Sandy.

[JT]

Thanks Coe...that’s been bugging me every day since I saw it.

[WestEndAngler]

Thanks Coe...that’s been bugging me every day since I saw it.

There is great need for sarcasm font

[Robalo]

There is great need for sarcasm font

The need is to repeal Ord. 2020-3 and put a lock and chain up and sell residents a non-reproducible key. Bunch of idjits at city hall. They need to be audited also.

[coachlaw]

That's what they do at Treasure Island. I tried to copy the key. No dice.