Proposed California surf park is rejected by city council
A developer’s proposal to build a surfing lagoon in the Coachella Valley desert has been rejected by the city of La Quinta after residents raised concerns about noise, lighting and the resort’s substantial water footprint in a time of severe drought. The City Council’s five members voted unanimously Wednesday night against a zoning change that would have allowed the developer to build the resort and surf park. … The wave basin would have stretched across 12 acres and required 18 million gallons to fill. … The uproar parallels a larger debate over how the Coachella Valley — with its 120 golf courses, artificial lakes and developments filled with thirsty grass — should adapt to worsening water scarcity.