Coronavirus restrictions on hotels, beach visits to be lifted in Port AransasFree Access


Coronavirus-related prohibitions on short-term rentals and beach visits are being lifted in Port Aransas starting at 11:59 p.m. today – Monday, April 27, according to Mayor Charles Bujan.

About the short-term rental situation: Beginning late tonight, Port Aransas accommodations may begin renting to anyone, Bujan told the South Jetty. Previously, his mayoral declarations have prohibited hotels and other short-term rental operations from renting to anyone other than people engaged in essential work. That left out tourists, the main source of income for short-term rental businesses in town.

Bujan’s previous declarations allowed for beach visits only by people who were there to exercise. Sitting on the beach was prohibited in a move designed to reduce tourism and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Also being lifted are the mayor’s bans on fishing from the beach shore and bringing RVs to town, Bujan said.

All of the prohibitions were instituted a few weeks ago in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

But crowds of people visited Port Aransas and the town’s beach anyways this past weekend, and many of those people didn’t obey the rules requiring that the beach was to be used only for exercise.

Police patrolled the beach. They said they told visitors about the prohibitions, but the relative handful of police on duty couldn’t keep up with the beach crowd that numbered in the thousands.

Bujan said that’s a big part of what drove his decision to lift the prohibitions.

“There’s no way that our police force could enforce any of our rules with the large crowds we had there (on the beach),” the mayor said. “You can only do so much, and we did as much as we possibly could do to protect the people of Port Aransas.”

A mayoral declaration that was issued today doesn’t specifically mention short-term rentals, the beach and other concerns, but Bujan pointed to a specific section of the document that he said addressed those matters.

“This Mayoral Declaration supersedes and revises all prior Mayoral Declarations. Previous Mayoral orders are all removed in this declaration,” the section says.

City Manager Dave Parsons pointed out that Texans remain under certain restrictions that ostensibly prevent tourism travel to the coast, at least for now.

“The governor’s stay-at-home order is still in effect until Thursday at midnight,” Parsons said. “So, vacationing to the coast is non-essential and prohibited.”

Whether people may camp on the beach in Port Aransas after today was unclear. The mayoral declaration prohibiting camping on the beach is being lifted, but Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales’ 8 p.m. beach curfew remains in effect.

Bujan said he wouldn’t rule out possibly re-instituting certain restrictions in town if Port Aransas sees a spike in covid-19 cases.

(Watch for more in the April 30 edition of the South Jetty.)

15 responses to “Coronavirus restrictions on hotels, beach visits to be lifted in Port Aransas”

  1. Donna Bradley says:

    The whole point of the restrictions is to protect AGAINST a spike in Covid numbers. People already are disregarding the social distancing and the wearing of masks while in public. There will be a resurgence in the fall along with flu season. I think it’s a mistake to become complacent now. People from out of town don’t care. They want what they want when they want it. Our surrounding communities DO have the numbers and this is inviting them to bring Covid here.

    • Rob Larson says:

      What an idiotic perspective. Your precious community will collapse without tourist $. Do you really think Port Aransas can actually sustain itself solely on the money spent by locals? What % of tax revenues do you think is generated by tourist property rentals?

    • Renee M says:

      Donna,

      I don’t even know where to start. We are the out out of towner’s with multiple short-term rentals that you speak of. You can love us or hate us but this city lives and dies on tourism dollars and you need to face those facts. How do you think your city can provide top-notch education for their kids without tourism dollars. I doubt very seriously that the county and the City of Port Aransas will cut us some slack on our yearly taxes because of this virus.
      We have come down on multiple occasions with our masks on and brought our own groceries to work on our properties during this shutdown. We have ordered takeout from the safe distance of our vehicle all the while trying to be respectful of the local population. On multiple occasions I have gone to one of our favorite little place to see what appears to be locals sitting on their tailgates, three across ordering drinks. Talk about safe distancing lunacy. No one wants to catch this virus so people are doing their best to practice safe distancing without cowering under our beds waiting for the government cavalry to come tell us it is OK to come out
      Let’s go Texas and let’s get this economy going. People need to work and provide for their families.

      • S says:

        I’m seeing a lot of investment-property owners commenting on their tax dollars and our school district. I just wanted to say that about 80% of our property taxes are redistributed to other school districts, thanks to the Robin Hood plan. Which means unfortunately PAISD doesn’t really benefit from your taxes.

  2. How much longer are people going to logically insist that we stay and hide in a corner while cities and towns like Port A just die. Is it really worth closing everything to save a few lives compared to the big picture? Look at the numbers from FL and then get back to me….wake up people!

    • Robert B. Goldsbury says:

      Moronic; south Florida ix still bad.

    • emily regier says:

      One life is too much–Way are we so low?-because of social distancing -at least you all can wear a mask-money is the driving force now-disregard of lives is another–I know even the leaders in Washington do not wear a mask so why should you? If you can not answer that-We are all at risk because of the uncaring and money hungry people that will cost death in the sake of opening us up too soon. Maybe you get sick or die-well, you will be not opening or shopping any where …I understand people”S lively hoods are at stake-but, what is the value of a human life?

  3. Linda says:

    First, there were Not Thousands of people on the beach this past weekend!
    Second, there are people living in Port Aransas that want to use the beach for fishing, sitting as well as exercise.
    Third, Our businesses are going bankrupt, and our town needs business back to normal soon.
    Fourth, How many cases has there even been in Port Aransas, 10? All survived!
    Fifth, Thank you Mayor for being more realistic and taking care of your town and people.

  4. Cheri says:

    We are Wintering Texans. We chose to stay in Port A when asked to stay put along with quite a few other RV Wintering Texans. We appreciated what the Mayor did for Port A. We felt we were safe here. So thank you Mayor.
    We love Port A and wish all the businesses to come back strong. However we are totally confused. Mayor has dropped all restrictions as of today. Chamber of Commerce says everything is fully open come on down. Judge says beaches closed from 8pm to 6am. Governor says only select companies to open and at only 25% on 5/1. So with all the contradictions we don’t feel safe here and we are all heading back home. Take care and be safe Port A. Hopefully see you next year.

    • Em says:

      I’m a winter Texan & did the same. I’m with you 100 % about the mayor, but now it’s time to go. Unfortunately, am heading back home tomorrow to a governor whose beliefs are similar to that of Abbott.

  5. Victoria says:

    Why would they close the beach at night? What covid only comes out after dark now? I’m so confused all reaturaunts have bars so are bars closed? Can you rent carts still? 25% what if someone in that 25% sat at the table right before me and has covid? I’m so over this. I booked a room there for this weekend but would like to have a nice time. It isn’t cheap there.

  6. Diane Foster says:

    Lots of confusion regarding what is and is not OK. The beach is closed from 8:00 pm til 6:00 am. So camping on the beach is a NO ?

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