Bolivar Holdings, LLC owns a 47 acre tract at the end of Rettilon Road that is surrounded on 3 sides by Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary. It is partnering with Provident Realty Investors to develop the property. Currently they propose to build a 37.95 acre 150+ unit development on the tract. We have had several meetings with Provident and Bolivar Holdings expressing our concerns about the possible impacts that such a high density development could have on the sanctuary.

Bolivar Holdings filed a permit application with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers outlining the wetland impacts of their proposed development and the mitigation proposed for those impacts. Houston Audubon feels the development as proposed would have severe negative impact on Bolivar Flats and has made extensive comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers outlining those concerns, as did many fellow conservation organizations, HAS members and friends.

Many thanks to all of our members, friends, and fellow organizations that recently filed comments with the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to voice their concerns about the proposed high density development by Bolivar Holdings, LLC next to our Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary.

Bolivar Flats with the proposed development

Bolivar Flats without the development

Houston Audubon concerns with development planned by Bolivar Holdings and Provident Realty Investors:

• Six acres of dune-swale wetlands, which are an important source of fresh water for wildlife in coastal systems, are to be filled.
• The proposed 20.7-acre off-site mitigation tract is inadequate in size and quality to replace the high quality wetlands that will be filled by the proposed development.
• Storm water runoff from the proposed development will run directly into the sanctuary wetlands, polluting them with fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and other wastes.
• Infrastructure construction along Rettilon Road will damage sanctuary wetlands.
• Increased vehicular traffic on the beach will impact all wildlife that use the beach including endangered Piping Plovers and Ridley Turtles.