Proposed surf park in California desert is rejected by La Quinta City Council
By RICH CONLEY
Staff Writer
Posted: 01/15/2013 04:49:18 PM PST
Updated: 01/16/2013 10:06:04 AM PST
A proposal to build a surf-sports complex is on the verge of being rejected out of concern for the environment.
The City Council is scheduled to vote March 6 on a 1-year permit to permit the Surf Park at La Quinta Beach. Last month, the proposal was put on hold because of a public outcry that the building would harm the sand in the area and other problems associated with the site.
The surf park, which is located off Highway 1, would be divided into three separate surf-sports areas.
The facility would have a 100-foot surface area, with equipment, restrooms, water, picnic areas and picnic shelters.
When applied for the permit, the project was estimated to cost around $1 million. It would be owned by the non-profit La Quinta Community Foundation.
The foundation said the park would be built to attract people from all parts of the state.
“We’re not building a theme park-style thing,” said Jim Shute, president of the foundation. “Let’s let the community decide the issue.”
According to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, the city only has three permitted surf sites: Santa Cruz’s South Beach, the city’s Central Beach and the City of La Quinta’s beachfront parking lot.
The city had not authorized any other surf-sports complex, according to the planning department.
Councilman Michael Janssen said that he did not have any problems with the project when it was proposed.
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He said he was concerned with the size of the surface area, and the lack of parking.
“I had issues with the project when it was proposed,” he said.
Janssen said he only had a problem with the fact that the site was located off-highway