City of Eagle Pass approves license agreement to use federal property for Ryan Street public parking

By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2015

The City of Eagle Pass City Council approved a license agreement between U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the City of Eagle Pass to expand public parking areas near Ryan Street in downtown Eagle Pass at their special meeting held on Tuesday, October 20, 2015. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection real property sought by the City of Eagle Pass is managed by the federal agency known as the General Services Administration (GSA).

During discussion, Eagle Pass City Attorney Heriberto Morales of Langley & Banack advised City Council that the lease agreement the City of Eagle Pass was seeking was for real property near Ryan Street in downtown Eagle Pass to be used as additional public parking for visitors and customers of downtown businesses and public activities held at Shelby Park.

“ We proposed to GSA (General Services Administration) for them to be able to license it to the City of Eagle Pass so that we can use it for additional parking space. They have now provided it to us and we would like for the city council to consider the following, authorize legal counsel to negotiate the final terms of the licensing agreement that has an indemnity clause and we always try to shy away from the city having to indemnify anybody, and will see if GSA will cooperate with us in that end. We also recommend that the city council authorize the city manager to execute the document, once we finalize the negotiation and address the legal issues,” said Morales to City Council.

Mayor Pro-Tem Rudy Villalpando motioned for approval and Councilwoman Yolanda P. Ramon seconded the motion to approve the license agreement with GSA.

Mayor Ramsey English Cantu called for discussion and there being none, called for a vote. The City Council unanimously approved the motion for the City of Eagle Pass to enter into a license agreement with GSA for a certain tract of real property owned by the federal government near Ryan Street to be used as public parking.

The City of Eagle Pass seeks to use certain properties owned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection as the lawful owner of the property known as Tract numbers DRT-EGT-1006-4, DRT-EGT-1013, DRT-EGT-1012, DRT-EGT-1006-3 and DRT-EGT-1011, situated in Maverick County, Texas.

After the successful negotiation of the license agreement between the City of Eagle Pass and GSA, the City will use the federal property for public parking space for visitors, tourists, and retail customers to downtown businesses, including flea markets, and public events at Shelby Park on the banks of the Rio Grande River.