Loading...
2021-08-06 OPPOSED - VITA CATHOLICAEDear La Quinta City Council I would like to start off by saying that I wish to remain anonymous as many of my clients live in La Quinta and are currently working with the city on building projects and for their sake I wish to avoid any negative impacts to their projects due to my STRONG opinions on the “wave” proposal. I live in La Quinta with my wife who is a CRNA at a few hospitals in the valley and our 8-month-old son. I am a Licensed Architect in 5 states and soon to be a Licensed Architect in California. I have worked in development and construction my entire life. I have worked on several billion-dollar development projects across the United States when I was a designer for a very large mixed used development for some of the largest firms in the United Sates. I have also work on projects overseas for the likes of Ferrari, Fiat, and Iveco. I come from a family of very successful contractors, developers, and business owners. My design projects have been published in many books and publications. I have taught at the University Level. For a short time, I was a residential developer myself and I also have a builder’s license. My life has revolved around development and construction. It is in my blood. I also have three degrees in Architecture, two of which are master’s degrees, one specializing in Sustainable Design from a top ranked University in the east. Having stated my experience, I hope this statement carries some weight with you. The “wave” project is the most inappropriate development proposal I have seen in my entire life. It is insane and even more poignantly it is immoral. I can say that the project is immoral because I have a master’s degree in Theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit where I studied scripture, ethics and a number of other Theological and moral topics. The fact that at its core, the developer wants to create a FAKE ocean in the middle of one of the driest deserts in America, during a historic water crisis where many Californian’s wells are running dry makes this project incredibly immoral. Arizona and Nevada will soon be receiving less water from Lake Meade which is at historical lows. My wife and I were in Big Bear today, the bay which offers lake access to the public is almost dry. The docks have all collapsed into the mud and the channel that connects the bay to the lake will soon be chocked off, eliminating public access to the lake. In case the developer is not aware, California has 3,426 miles of coastline that opens to plenty of waves that are free. The California Costal Commission ensures that all Californians can easily access the ocean and enjoy as many free waves as they can handle. I’m not sure that the business model of charging tens of thousands of dollars for something that anyone can get for free makes any sense. As far as the zoning, this is complete break of public trust. Revising the zoning from low density residential to essentially “Disneyland” is a breach of trust with the existing residents. I don’t think I have seen such an audacious zoning request in my life, and on top of that on one of the most beautiful sites in all Southern California. If La Quinta is the “Gem” of the desert, then Coral Mountain is the Crown Jewel. If you allow this development, the reputation of La Quinta and its most beautiful vista would be forever destroyed. I can only imagine the international headlines discussing such an immoral project permitted in the in the time of such environmental crisis in the Western United States. I think it would be a giant stain on the most beautiful community in the Coachella Valley. You have pure Gold with these sites. Please allocate their use carefully. You are entrusted with the power to do so. Please do not tarnish them with what I would consider complete insanity and immorality. I will be honest with you I have not read the environmental report because I know who paid for it and what the motivation is behind the companies that produce them. It is a complete waste of time for anyone that understands how development works to read them I have not researched this myself but through local social media it was mentioned that this firm is behind some unfinished developments in the city. And it sounds like they left the city holding the bag. Again, I don’t understand why the city is entertaining proposals from a company that has let La Quinta down in such a massive way, especially with a project that from my research, has failed at its three other sites in California, Texas, and Florida. News stories are also emerging of the dangers of experimental wave technologies, including stories very stout and strong individuals being sucked into wave generation engine rooms and being close to losing their lives. The LAST thing we need is for anyone to die because of unresolved wave machine designs. There are MANY cases of wave machine malfunctions that cause serious injury. Your job is not easy, especially if the city like most municipalities needs cashflow. In this case however I think the easy choice is to say NO to the wave project. Saying no to an inferior and in appropriate project I believe will open the door to bigger and better things for La Quinta. Let’s stand together as a community and “wave” goodbye to this dangerous, irresponsible, immoral and really foolish speculative proposal. Here are some news articles I found in my research of this project that were eye opening to me and I hope you find enlightening. Dangers of Wave “technology” https://www.bosshunting.com.au/sport/ufc/ufc-bj-penn-wave-pool-engine-room/ https://www.mmamania.com/2021/8/2/22605896/bj-penn-sucked-into-wave-pool-engine-room-nearly-died- like-movie-saw-mma Wave Pool Malfunction - TSUNAMI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTOE2_dsx98 Terrifying video shows tsunami-sized wave injuring dozens after water park malfunction https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wave-pool-malfunction-china-water-park-video-wave-pool-tsunami-longjing- water-park-viral/ 10 Dangerous Wave Pools You Might Not Want to Visit https://www.thrillinside.com/10-dangerous-wave-pools-you-might-not-want-to-visit/ Wave Pool Business Failures Why did Surf Ranch fail, as wave pool tech and as a contest, so spectacularly? “A dull ache of unrealised desire at the deathless sight of that impossibly perfect wave” https://beachgrit.com/2021/06/why-did-surf-ranch-fail-as-wave-pool-tech-and-as-a-contest-so-spectacularly-a- dull-ache-of-unrealised-desire-at-the-deathless-sight-of-that-impossibly-perfect-wave/ Why is Kelly’s wave pool in Austin not moving forward? https://wavepoolmag.com/why-is-kellys-wave-pool-in-austin-not-moving-forward/ The Surf Ranch Florida Is Declared Dead https://stabmag.com/news/the-surf-ranch-florida-is-declared-dead/ The WSL’s Florida Wave Pool Is Dead In The Water https://www.surfer.com/features/the-wsls-florida-wave-pool-is-dead-in-the-water/ Sorcery: Florida wave pool curse fact or fiction? https://wavepoolmag.com/florida-wave-pool-curse/ Western Water Crisis Lake Mead hits lowest water levels in history amid severe drought in the West https://abcnews.go.com/US/lake-mead-hits-lowest-water-levels-history-amid/story?id=78197478 Lake Mead declines to lowest level in history https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2016/05/19/lake-mead-declines-new-record-low/84597120/ Californians scramble for fresh water as taps, wells run dry https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/california-farmers-scramble-for-fresh-water-as-taps-wells-run-dry As a Hot, Dry Summer Begins in California, More Water Wells Are Failing https://www.circleofblue.org/2021/world/as-a-hot-dry-summer-begins-in-california-more-water-wells-are-failing/ Sierra Snowbank Short on Funds https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148565/sierra-snowbank-short-on-funds