From: MDA News Release    Lee Youngblood  Filed 9/25/08  GCN 

JACKSON, Miss.  – The Mississippi State Port at Gulfport and the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) have set September 30 as the final day for receiving public comment regarding the Port’s new 2008 Master Plan, which was first revealed September 12.

 “That will enable the Port Commission to act on the new Master Plan concept in early October, and by then it will have given the public almost three weeks to submit comments regarding the proposal,” Don Allee, Port Director, said.

Interested Gulfport residents may view the new proposal and submit comments via a dedicated Port of Gulfport restoration website: www.portofthefuture.com.

The 2008 Master Plan proposal was formulated following a listening campaign conducted jointly by MDA and the Port this summer, an effort to identify and address specific community concerns about an earlier master plan that was first submitted in 2003, before Hurricane Katrina heavily damaged the Port.

The 2003 plan, which was updated in 2005, was criticized by many in the community as being primarily a westward reconstruction, which some felt would hinder views from the beach and West Gulfport community.   Additionally, Gulfport residents expressed reservations about an elevated or grade level transportation corridor connecting the Port to I-10, as well as a proposed Inland Port.

 “The new proposal put forward September 12 is a direct result of hearing what the community wanted and formulating a new plan based around those expressed desires,” Allee continued.   “Since September 12, we’ve heard very positive feedback on the new plan and much appreciation for integrating strategies into the new proposal which address specific concerns.”

Allee said once the public comment period ends September 30, the Port Director and Commissioners will again review all the comments, categorize them and make any alterations to the proposal that are needed.

“We want to adopt a new proposal as soon as possible and begin construction before year’s end,” Allee concluded.  “Our first goal is to protect the Port and community from future storms of Katrina’s magnitude.  Toward that end, we want to first begin elevating the Port above Katrina surge levels.”