Protect Special-Use Beach Parking in Galveston

In May 2023, the Galveston City Council voted 5-2 to remove the special-use designation and eventually bar motor vehicles from an area adjacent to Stewart Beach. This special-use parking provides year-round beach parking and access for for anglers, disabled people, and boaters with non-motorized watercraft. Either due to long distances or likelihood of getting stuck in soft sand, there are no other practical beaches with access for the beach-goers served by this protected parking lot. This closure has greater repercussions since it is designated specifically for folks with disabilities. The Galveston City Council believed there was “not enough use to justify” the parking designation despite the fact that for the disabled people it supports, it is invaluable, as one of the only accessible beaches in the area.

On October 2, 2024, the City Council reversed course and decided to undo the amendment to remove the special-use area from its Beach Access and Dune Protection Plan, and therefore the special uses provided for in this special-use area will be preserved.