4 / 17 / 2012

                          MATRINGA HEARING

In the interest of full disclosure I am in the building materials business & have been for 31 years.  Although Mr Mitrenga is a builder & developer until today I have never met him so I have no personal financial stake in his Deer Island venture.  

I come to you today as a citizen of Biloxi.  I am also an executive board member of the South Ms Tea Party who has been active since Feb ’09.  Mine and the goal of our organization is to curb the overreaching arm of not only the federal government but state, local & non governmental orginizations as well.

To this day Mr Mitrenga has applied for a zoning shift for 8 acres he OWNS on Deer Island from agricultural to water front.  It is my understanding that some residents have objected to his project due to the loss of view.  I’ve tried but I cannot see the water on the south side of Deer Island from hwy 90 across from the proposed site.  Another objection is the FEAR that when a storm comes the debris from the project will wash up and cause additional damage.  That argument would suggest that we shouldn’t have structures south of Howard Ave or Pass Rd!  Ridiculous! Some fear that with the waterfront designation a casino will pop up there eventually.  That process is a separate issue.   

In speaking with various council members I have learned that some state and federal agencies along with non governmental groups, i.e.; the Sierra Club etc. have put undo pressure on the city to deny this man’s right to develop HIS piece of property in a reasonable manner as he sees fit.  It is disturbing to know the city might get caught up in doing these agencies & NGOs biding for them.  If the subject property is that important to them, they should go ahead and pony up $20million and let Mr Mitrenga be on his way.  Otherwise what we have here is several agencies & groups using the City of Biloxi as a conduit to achieve their goals and objectives. 

The city’s only obligation here is to grant the zoning change if it meets the criteria of the designation, not to be an obstructionist agent for the afore mentioned groups, there by regulating the project out of existence. This property is not adjacent to any other private property and has water on two sides.  If this property does not meet the waterfront designation, then no other piece of property in the city does either.  The city is obligated to grant this zoning change. 

If the Secretary of State is against this development, then that’s between Delbert Hosemann & Larry Mitrenga.  If the EPA is against this development, then that’s between Lisa Jackson & Larry Mitrenga.  It’s his fight not the city’s. 

I along with others I have talked with view this project as one that will take not only the City of Biloxi but the entire Gulf Coast to the next level of tourism.  Our neighbors to the east have Dauphin Island, Pensacola, Ft Walton Beach, etc.  Our neighbors to the west seem have developments from camps to neighborhoods on islands far smaller than the 8 acres in question.  This is an opportunity for our area to make a stride at a willing participant’s expense. 

If this project is not given the go ahead then what is expected of the property owner?  Is he to just lie down and pay property taxes?  Is the city, state, federal government or NGO willing to give this property owner just compensation?  As a property owner I ask each of you to examine the facts and ask yourself, “what if I owned 8 acres?”, not on an island but anywhere.  “What if I wanted to develop it and someone ½ mile away or better said no, or I can’t see the sky because of your structure.”  How absurd is that?  It’s clear that the opponent of this development would like nothing better than turn Biloxi into a green space or a nature trail!

The city is obligated to preserve Mr Mitrenga’s or any other citizen their personal property rights.  At the risk of sounding redundant I say to you again, YOU ARE OBLIGATED TO GRANT THE ZONING CHANGE!  

Paul H Boudreaux, Jr.              


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