Hearing planned in Gautier on future of small island

Wednesday, March 8, 2000 | 2:14 a.m.

The session at the Gautier City Hall was requested by Jackson County and Gautier officials. The DMR earlier approved use of the island in a mitigation project without a public hearing because it is private property owned by EnviroSouth of Gulfport.

Plans call for the company to restore portions of the nine-acre island to marshland as part of the wetlands mitigation for the proposed Acropolis Casino to be built on Biloxi's Back Bay. EnviroSouth is an environmental consulting firm specializing in wetlands delineation, permitting and mitigation.

"The island is directly behind my house," said Vivian Adams, who wants the island to be left alone. "I've been living here for 30 years and that island has always been there."

Adams said she has seen sandhill cranes, alligators and otters on the island. She said the wetland mitigation project could drive wildlife away from the area.

"Now it's a quiet buffer zone for all of us. It's a small area across there, a small island inhabited by a lot of wildlife, a lot of trees and some good size pines," she said.

Gautier City Planner Ralph Hode said the city's first notice of the project was a Feb. 3 letter from Gary Cuevas, owner of EnviroSouth, inquiring about a city permit. He said officials were in the midst of an annexation suit and didn't look at the letter until two weeks later.

The city does not require a permit on a state project, he explained.

Hode said on Feb. 22 he responded to Cuevas and also got in touch with Buddy Shamburger, president of the Point Clear Homeowners Association, to let him know of the project.

"We don't know yet what's going on," Hode said. "The package given to us alluded to use of the island. Unfortunately, there's a lot to be desired on what's going to be done."

He said Thursday's meeting was called to find out what the project would entail.

Reports indicate that two acres of the island will be used for the casino mitigation and the remainder as mitigation for other projects.

Cuevas said up to a third of the trees on the island would remain for migrating birds.