brerrabbit
Sixth Generation Native Texan
- Joined
- May 12, 2000
- Messages
- 2,609
The press is really jumping on the fact that due to a Texas Law written and enacted in 1959 will effectively block some homeowners from rebuilding their damaged homes. I am a lifetime Texan and since I was old enough to be aware of my world I have been aware of this law. Maybe because I have fished the Texas Gulf Coast my entire life, maybe because my Father taught me about it when I was young, but according to every major news source it is a "little known Texas law". Basically what it says is you cannot build on state land and state land extends from the water to the vegetation/dune line. I am a advocate of not building in these areas and I have always been. I grew up on the unihabited beaches of Galveston Island and have wished for years that they would stay that way.
There are definately two sides to the arguement but one of the better sources for information on why we should not build and the economic costs to all US citizens is found at the Heinze Group Studies. This is the conclusion of one of their many studies done in 2000.
Federal initiatives such as the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, National Flood Insurance Program,
beach nourishment programs, tax incentives for second homes,
and infrastructure projects, as well as relevant state and local policies
and practices, should be reexamined by legislative and executive bodies
at all levels to reduce their role as possible stimulators of coastal
growth and enhancers of vulnerability in known hazardous areas.
Human and social costs should be part of the benefitcost analysis
used to determine any projects viability. Similarly, vulnerability
assessments should be undertaken by all government jurisdictions as
part of regular land use planning and zoning processes.
The full study can be found here:
http://heinzhome.heinzctrinfo.net/publications/PDF/Full_report_human_links.pdf
One of the many articles calling the law "little known" can be found here;
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26780578
Notice in the msnbc article that it says that every person that builds in these areas are told about the law at several points during the purchase process.
What do you think about it all.
There are definately two sides to the arguement but one of the better sources for information on why we should not build and the economic costs to all US citizens is found at the Heinze Group Studies. This is the conclusion of one of their many studies done in 2000.
Federal initiatives such as the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, National Flood Insurance Program,
beach nourishment programs, tax incentives for second homes,
and infrastructure projects, as well as relevant state and local policies
and practices, should be reexamined by legislative and executive bodies
at all levels to reduce their role as possible stimulators of coastal
growth and enhancers of vulnerability in known hazardous areas.
Human and social costs should be part of the benefitcost analysis
used to determine any projects viability. Similarly, vulnerability
assessments should be undertaken by all government jurisdictions as
part of regular land use planning and zoning processes.
The full study can be found here:
http://heinzhome.heinzctrinfo.net/publications/PDF/Full_report_human_links.pdf
One of the many articles calling the law "little known" can be found here;
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26780578
Notice in the msnbc article that it says that every person that builds in these areas are told about the law at several points during the purchase process.
What do you think about it all.
I'm sick of my tax dollars subsidizing the rebuilding of other peoples' foolish ventures.
Not much we can do right? Or can we.
If this was your home and it was gone from a hurricane would you feel the same way.
what parts of LA are you talking about? if you have the balls to post it
