East Bay Park Boat Ramp

East Bay Park Boat Ramp in Palacios has passed its final TDLR accessibility inspection, confirming that the renovation work is complete. Located at 533 E Bay Blvd, this project focused on upgrading marine access infrastructure within Matagorda County. The scope included the replacement of 1,360 square feet of dock and pier, the installation of a 75 square foot kayak launch, and the addition of pavement striping across a 24,000 square foot parking lot. The total estimated cost for these improvements was $74,300.

Project Scope and Ownership

The Matagorda County Palacios Seawall Commission served as the owner of record for this renovation and alteration project. Urban Engineering was the design firm responsible for the plans. The work fell under the jurisdiction of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, with Tim Mullins registered as the accessibility specialist. The project was registered in June 2025, and plan review was completed in the same month. Construction began in July 2025, with a scheduled completion date of July 2026. The final inspection was passed in June 2026, marking the end of the construction phase.

This project utilized public funds and took place on public land. The site is situated in a FEMA moderate-risk area, specifically Zone X, which indicates a 0.2 percent annual-chance flood hazard. The total square footage associated with the filing is 25,435 square feet. When compared to other renovation and alteration filings in Matagorda County, this project’s estimated cost is below the county median. The scheduled build window of 365 days is longer than the county median of 123 days. The cost per square foot of $3 is also below the county median of $72.

Local coverage has noted the significance of this location for regional water access. A post by PalaciosBeacon described the East Bay Park Boat Ramp as a facility recently built with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department funding. CrossRoadsToday reported that the park was the site for an event marking the addition of new paddling trails to the statewide network. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department lists the East Bay Park Boat Ramp as an access point for Tres Palacios Bay, providing GPS coordinates for visitors approaching from the north on State Highway 35.

Regional Context

The Matagorda County Palacios Seawall Commission has one other TDLR-registered project, Carl Park in Palacios, which is closed. Urban Engineering has been involved in six other registered projects, including Nautical Landings Marina in Port Lavaca and Bill Sanders Park-Swan Point in Seadrift. In the immediate area, other registered projects include the Palacios Splash Pad and the Palacios Library. Census estimates for the 77465 ZIP code indicate a population of about 7,267, with a median household income of $69,500. The median owner-occupied home value in this area is $170,600. Matagonda County’s unemployment rate was 6.3 percent in June 2026.