.JIMMATTOX Attorney General

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# TheAttorney General ofTexas
Decmber 13, 1984

Houoreble JimMapel Criminal District Attorney Brezorie County Courthouse Angleton, Texas 77515 Opinion No. JM-246 Be: Whether Brezorie County mey establish a dune protection line along ite coast pursuant to section 63.011 **of** the Natural Resources Code Deer Mr.Mepel: Youhave requasted our opinion es to whether Brezoria County is authorized to cste~~l.ish adune protection line along its entire coast. Section 63.011. of the Natural Resources Code provides:

After notice end hearing. the comissioners court ol’ any county bordering ou the Gulf of Mexico that has within its boundaries a barrier island 0:: peninsula located north of the Hensfield Ship Chzmel may establish a dune protection line on the island or peninsula for the purpose of preserving send dunes that offer a defense against storm water end erosion of the shoreline. “Barrier islend” :Lndefined es “an island bordering on the Gulf of t4exico end entiw!ly surrounded by water.” Section 63.002(2). Brezoria County borders on the Gulf of Mexico end is located north of the Mansfield Ship Channel. The intercoastal canal runs the length of Brazorie County, several miles inland from the Gulf. Yousuggest that

“the intercoastal cane1 in e sense mekes a barrier island of the entire county coe8tline.” In order to accept this argument es valid. we would have to construe “veter” in section 63.002(2) to include e men-made body of water such es the canal. Dr. Robert Mwton. associate director of the University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology, end en internationally kaown expert ou coastal geology WIICI has frequently testified es en expert witness for this office. has furnished information to us which indicates that e “barrier island.” in geological terms. is e lend **form**which fronts on en open oceen. aneiwhich is normally bounded lendwerd by e lagoon or e8tUary. Dr. Mor,:onemphasiees that a barrier island is e naturally occurring geologic:el form created by erosion over e period of time.

p. 1102Honorable JimMepel - Pege 2 ~:.lll-246)

Furthermore. in Padre Islarid Netioael Seeshore: A Guide to **the** Geology, Neturel Environment, end Ristory of e Texas Barrier Island (1980) by Weise, B.R. end While!, **W.A.** the authors define e "barrier island" es
a long, low, nerrow island separated from the

mainland by a lagoon end commonly having dunes, vegetated sonea and rarshy environments extending legoonverd from the t'each. It is clear from this informetl.ca thet aberrier irlend. in geologicel terms, wee not crested by the construction of this ertificiel canal. See also, definitions of "berrier islend' end "barrier beech" in American Geological Institute, Glossary of Geology &Related Sciences, a Cooperative Project (1957). ?'he legisleture we8 presumebly aware. when itenacted the predecessor statute of section 63.002, et seq., in 1973, that e "barrier island' has specific geologicel significence. i.e., thet it is separated fra'n the meinlend by a lagoon or estuary rclther then by amen-mede cene:i.. **For** this reesou, webelieve that the legisleture, in defining "berri,er islend' in section 63.002(2), must have intended 'veter' to reff!r only to weter naturally surrounding such island. Weconclude therefore that, since no 'barrier island" lies within the boundaries of Brezorie Cowaty, that county is not authorized by section 63.011 of the Natural Resources Code to establish a dune protection line *long ite entire coast.

Brezorie County is not authorized under section 63.011 of the Neturc.1 Resources Code to establish a dune protection line along its entire coast.

MATTOX - Attorney General of Texas TOI4 GREEN First Assistant Attorney Geneml DAVIDR. RICHARDS Executive Assistant Attorney Cenerel RICRGILPIN Chairmen. Opinion Co-ittee

1'. 1103 .Ronorable JimMepel - Page 3 (JM-246)

Prepared by Rick Gilpin Assistent **Attorney** General APPROVED: OPINION

COMMITTEE Rick Gilpin. Chairmen Colin Carl Susan Garrison Tony Guillory JimMoellinger Jennifer Riggs Nancy Sutton

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