CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On Tuesday, Corpus Christi residents filed into the Baker Middle School cafeteria to start planning for their future.
The second open house was held for the Bayside Area Development Plan. This is the blueprint for how the city goes about planning developments, enhancements and changes to this part of the city.
The area of discussion is north of Highway 358 to Ocean Drive and between Oso Bay and the Crosstown Exchange.
Tuesday’s open house was the city’s chance to get feedback on the newly drafted Bayside Area Development Plan.
After an initial meeting with residents earlier in the year and a survey that circulated, the Planning and Community Development Department came up with this plan.
"We're asking the community to make sure this plan is reflective of their hopes and dreams and their priorities for the Bayside study area," Annika Yankee, planning manager for the City of Corpus Christi said.
The city's plan for Bayside hasn’t been updated since the 1990's, according to Yankee
The original feedback gave three vision themes: thriving neighborhoods, healthy living for people and the environment and connected networks.
"We’ve heard a lot from people about wanting thriving and sustainable business activity in this study area," Yankee said. "But also, being able to have the opportunity to bike and walk to different places and enjoy their neighborhoods, to have better connections to parks and to commercial services.”
Yankee said bike paths have been a huge talking point. At the open house, one of the large displays depicted a plan to construct a bike path separated from the roadway on Alameda Street.
"So, there are, we think, some low hanging fruit opportunities to get those installed along drainage areas. Drainage areas like Brawner Parkway, Louisiana (Avenue), Carmel Parkway, Cullen (Street), Golihar ditch," Yankee said.
One of those residents in attendance was 25-year-old Ricky Reid.
“I am pleased to see somebody is at least taking some interest in it so we can see what goes down the road,” he said.
Yankee said the priority of what’s to come is really decided by residents. At the open house, participants are given stickers to indicate their priority level for different projects across a couple big displays.
“We should have a little bit more open (spaces)," Reid said. Need to crack down on some of the guys driving a little too fast sometimes. I like the way they take care of the school zones.”
City staff will take the new feedback that they get and revise the Bayside Area development Plan. They then will create a final draft and release that for comments.
If anyone missed the open house, input still can be given. A survey about the Bayside area plan can be taken on this new city website, and is available until Oct. 23.
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