Special Meeting with Lake Marshals and SEMA from April 8

 

Occurred

April 8, 2025

Lake Marshal's office on Surfside

Attendees

Fort Worth Officer Sergio Martinez

Fort Worth Officer Josh Van Brundt

Fort Worth Marshal Sgt. James Wade

SEMA Structures Project Manager Brady Wright

SSNA President Deanne Kearny

SSNA Secretary Adrienne Taylor

Points of Interest

• Developed a protocol for reporting concerning homeless activity, post to come.
• Discussed adding signage to existing different lands to ward off trespassing.
• Discussed future island clean-up efforts.

Summary

The purpose of this meeting at the Lake Patrol office was to ask for directions and advice about when and how to properly report concerning, unsafe and illegal activity in the Casino Beach and bridge construction area.  

Deanne shared the suggested developments for Casino Beach, and acknowledged that some of this will reduce homeless/loitering activity in the future.

We discussed the issue of homeless living/camping in the parkland/city owned property surrounding the new bridge.   Since there is a mix of construction area, park land and city land the rules/laws are different for each area.  

• For all “Action” related issues, issues that are high priority issues (ie you are threatened, you see open fires that are not properly contained) 911 should be called.  You can ask the 911 operator to provide you with a follow up as to how the issue was handled.   

• For all non “Action” related issues, (ie someone camping in the woods, illegal dumping) submit a report on the MyFW App (picture submittal is preferred)

If we report the infractions, there will be a record of them and if they continue to escalate in numbers we will work with the city to determine next steps.  For items such increased illegal dumping on one general area, we can work with code compliance to potentially put up cameras in the area.

There has been an increase in homelessness across the city and they are expanding outside of the areas designated with shelters and foodbanks.  Below is a list of actions that were taken to improve the situation

• The new bridge project manager, Brady Wright, is making signs to post in the construction area noting that trespassing is not allowed.  This will help the police enforce the area.

Brady also informed us that TXDot will be installing "riprap" under the bridge.  Rip rap is a permanent layer of large stones used to protect soil surfaces from erosion. It will be large rocks that will make it difficult for homeless to camp out under the bridge.  

Additionally under the bridge will be a temporary road to get to Love Circle.   Right now there is little movement under and around the bridge which makes it attractive for encampment and this addition road will increase traffic and help deter overnight guests as well as dumping.  

We also discussed Goat Island party activity and littering.  Although the city can’t control the type of music that boats play, there is a noise restriction.  If music is played too loud this can be reported to the marshals.  

Sergio reiterated that there was a Goat Island Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/share/g/163WAQADdN/  and that there was a clean up in March were the parks dept was involved and even with special equipment they were unable to lift some of the large items like old boats.  The marshals office offered to help with a future cleanup, and they would bring their pontoon boat to take trash off the island, if bagged.  We did learn that the island which is park property has the same trash rules as the nature center.  The public is supposed to take home all their trash.  There are no garbage cans on the island anymore as the parks dept has no way of regularly picking them up.