GALVESTON (Galveston County Daily News) – State Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson announced yesterday that the boundaries of the public beaches in Galveston and Brazoria Counties will now extend 200 feet landward of the mean low tide line.

Hurricane Ike wiped out the previous boundary, which was set by the line of vegetation. Since then, property owners have been unsure whether their houses would have to be moved off the public beach.

For the last year, the Texas General Land Office has used a survey line marking the elevation at 4.5 feet above sea level as the temporary public beach boundary. Aware that homeowners were anxiously awaiting the fate of their houses, Patterson decided to use the 200-foot line as an alternative.

“This is definitive, which should please homeowners, and it’s more favorable to property owners than the 4.5-foot line, in most places,” he said.