A fight is underway in court between the Port of Corpus Christi and the City of Port Aransas in Texas.
The Port filed suit this week against the city in an attempt to break a 30-year lease of th Marina at Pork Aransas. The Marina sits on the Port of Corpus Christi property.
The termination of the lease could have an impact into millions of dollars on Port Aransas. The city receives millions in annual revenue from the boat slips and charter services docked at the Marina.
According to the lawsuit, the city is violating Texas law which currently prohibits cities from taking any action to regulate an oil and gas operation.
The council vote also appears to violate a portion of the current lease agreement that expressly prohibits the City of Port Aransas from doing anything to adversely affect the development or expansion of the Corpus Christi ship channel.
Officials with the Port of Corpus Christi are letting their lawsuit do the talking, saying they do not comment on pending litigation.
“We’ve been meeting with our attorneys and we disagree that our marina lease has been terminated as they say. Just to make the point absolutely clear — We intend to vigorously defend our position,” Port Aransas Mayor Charles Bujan told KIII TV.
Officials say the moratorium needed to happen in order for the council to consider changing the zoning on Harbor Island, which is expressly prohibited under the existing lease agreement.
In the lawsuit, the Port of Corpus Christi does not ask for financial compensation. Instead, it seeks a rescinding of the Port Aransas City Council ordinance which they call unlawful.
Currently, there is no word whether Port Aransas council members would be willing to rescind the ordinance according to KIII TV.