Islanders should just say no to Marquette

Since May, many who have been struggling through the years to hold on to the beauty of the West End of Galveston have been more vigorously appealing to the city council to “back off” and deny the requested zoning changes and special-use permits of Marquette Galveston, Ltd.

The proposed 1,100-acre development, sprinkled with high rises and hotels, is a major threat of extinction to the vitality of the island’s prolific wetlands and coastal prairies.

Some residents established The Cabeza de Vaca Center and made a valiant effort to purchase the major portion of the Chapoton Ranch.

This vision was destroyed overnight by the quiet and hidden execution of the papers for the largest land transaction in the history of Galveston Island — a headline report of $35 million.

We have expended huge amounts of our personal money and time in an effort to persuade the city council to “just say no” to the onslaught of high-rise destruction of the West End.

The city council would be entirely within its legal rights to just say “no.”

There is absolutely no redeeming value in continuing this proliferation of real-estate development on the West End of Galveston Island until the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers completes an environmental-impact statement. The city has refused to abide by the advice of even its own consultants.

My last appeal to the city council is an attempt to see if its members would at least respond to the notion of “fair play.” Just give us a chance.

We promise that we will not ask the city or the local wealthy interests to donate money. There are many well-informed wealthy people throughout the United States who understand our vision and the need for the broader good and to restrain this needless destruction of our wetlands and coastal prairies.

There are charitable foundations that understand the importance of leaving for the ordinary citizens of our country some remaining vestige of what a barrier island looks like.

Galveston can truly prosper and be known throughout the world as a good example of how man and nature can survive together. But the present leadership in our community has had only the single objective of trying to produce profits for the benefit of a few wealthy landowners and to the detriment of the ordinary residents and the working force behind the island’s economy.

I appeal to the council members to just give us a chance!

If they would just back off and deny the present request of Marquette and give us five years to change the composition of our city government into a forward-thinking, more representative body and group that has the overall best interests of Galveston at heart, then we will get it done!

If they just give us a chance, we will get it right.

Is there anyone in this town who would like to show up and help in making Galveston great?

If so, please encourage the city council to vote “no” and to deny the special-use permits being considered Wednesday, and join our great team at our Web site, www.beachtobaypreserve.com.

Robert M. Moore, an attorney, lives in Galveston.