CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nueces County has agreed to help the Navy prevent any further development around Cabaniss Airfield.
Today the commissioners court gave the go ahead to join the Naval Air Station in applying for a Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant (DEAAG).
The money would be used to buy a 50-acre easement near the Cabaniss Airfield to stop any further encroachment.
The owner of the property doesn't want to sell so the only thing the navy and the county can do is put a restrictive use easement in place. The Navy also wants first right of refusal.
"We don't have any zoning authority out there in the county right now like we do for Waldron or the other they can zone it and protect our area," said Ben Pollack, Naval Air Station Community Planning Laision Officer.
The Navy says this would benefit the base during any future rounds of base closure.
The county estimates the total cost of the easement will run between $1.125 million to $1.275 million. The DEAAG application deadline is Feb. 28. County officials expect to hear a decision on the grant request some time this year. If approved, the county would have two years to show where the money was spent.
