2021-08-06 ArroyoFriday, August 6, 2021 at 17:02:03 Pacific Daylight Time
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Subject:Coral Mountain Resort DEIR
Date:Friday, August 6, 2021 at 4:58:45 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From:Sally Arroyo
To:consulGngplanner@laquintaca.gov
CC:Kimberly Cuza, Bob Arroyo
Dear Ms. Nicole Sauviat Criste, ConsulGng Planner, City of La Quinta:
Thank you allowing us again to be part of the process in assessing the suitability of the Coral Mountain Resort "The
Wave."
AYer reading through the enGre DEIR carefully many Gmes it is clearly apparent that although it seems that the
consulGng firms and the City of La Quinta think they have done their due diligence with their studies, they failed to
consider the human factor --- their residents, their consGtuents and this beauGful area. They are apparently only
concerned with development, revenues and the allure of world-wide recogniGon.
We also found the alternaGve comparisons interesGng in that based on the findings there really is only one
alternaGve and that is the alternaGve that the developer and the City of La Quinta want, The Wave Basin and Resort.
We also found that many of the findings were deemed "less than significant." This may be the standard
term/language used within the parameters of Federal, State, County and City study mandates, but we nearby ciGzens
and homeowners and our opinions are not less than significant and absolutely reject the conclusions of these
findings.
The developer purchased this property knowing the current zoning. Promises and projecGons were then made at
meeGngs held for local residents to drum up support for the project. Those who a]ended those meeGngs have
reported that they now feel they were misled. The words in some of the correspondence were "bait and switch." The
City of La Quinta appears to have bought into this bad idea and has gone along with it by moving to allow proposed
zone changes, special events and everything else that nearby homeowners find unacceptable. This development will
have no advantage for La Quinta residents who will not reside in the resort or use its ameniGes, only disadvantages
such as more traffic, more noise, more water usage from our aquifer, more light polluGon, etc. It does feel like the
City and the developer are a]empGng to sell us on what we absolutely don’t want. Let's reject the tourist commercial
zoning as well as this whole project.
In an era of massive climate change the City of La Quinta should sGll be asking the major quesGon of where the water
would come from to sustain the resort. Surf parks require massive amounts of water and this resort will waste even
more. This is irresponsible. We have seen esGmates of 18 million gallons to fill the pool. In addiGon, this project will
have to recover/refill water lost to evaporaGon that nearly equals the amount used to fill the pool. Add this to the
amount of water used by residents, guests and commercial establishments as well as the golf course. Golf courses
have the advantage of being able to use desertscaping and grey water for non-potable uses, resulGng in less water
use. Also, the DEIR did not validly compare best water uses for golf courses. The surf park will not be using grey water
in their pool and while they should have a filtraGon system, that sGll does not lessen the water lost through
evaporaGon. CVWD recommends that two new wells be drilled. These wells would tap into our aquifer, which is not
being replenished fast enough so it is a finite resource that people living here desperately need. CVWD is not thinking
far enough into even the near future. Climate change is drying up the enGre West. We need the aquifer to augment
receiving less river water. We have had recently two of our ho]est days on record for the Coachella Valley.
ProjecGons are that it is only going to get worse and this represents what is happening everywhere in the West.
The light comparison alleging that 17 extremely bright lights, strong enough for water safety and lighGng up waves,
mounted atop 80 foot poles are similar to 17 palm tree landscape lights pointed up at tree trunks is ficGon. Anyone
who has seen the difference will tell you that there is no comparison. Not only will these lights cause light polluGon
for our area and obliterate any California and La Quinta dark sky ordinances, but the toll on wildlife such as bats,
night birds, night wildlife and migraGng birds would be extremely harmful. These lights would be especially harmful
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because the resort borders the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains NaGonal Monument and "flying" wildlife will
conGnue to fly over this project area.
The sound study tries to minimize the impact of noise by asserGng that Coral Mountain will absorb equipment noises.
But Coral Mountain covers a Gny part of the project perimeter so nearly all of the neighborhoods around the
development would get noise from surf-purposed loudspeakers that will be nearly always on and noise from planned
special events. The planned sound from the Wave Basin will travel throughout our corridor from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00
p.m. seven days a week and Coral Mountain will not absorb it. Then add in the sounds from the loudspeakers for the
surfing and for the events and there will be a constant barrage of noise. Combine that with traffic noise. Most of our
traffic is from maintenance workers going to and from work, weekdays early in mornings and aYernoons. One cannot
really call our traffic scenario rush hour traffic. We also have a low level of 24-hour traffic from 58th and Madison and
occasional distant dayGme target pracGce from the range near Lake Cahuilla. At night we get some traffic noise, but
while even that is irritaGng we are fortunate to hear mostly wildlife sounds. We have consistent traffic now which
increases during "The Season" but regardless with a development of this scale, our traffic and noise will be much
worse.
Medical studies have shown that exposure to noises, while subjecGve, is detrimental to one's health. This is especially
true for those who already suffer hypertension. Most older adults have high blood pressure and many of those who
own homes here are older. More noise and the stress related to the noise leads to a host of medical issues.
Simultaneous noise from different sources, like individual cars, crowds and loudspeakers can mulGply many Gmes by
factors of 10. Noise from all the separate sources from this project could increase total noise logarithmically, meaning
by factors of 10, on a constant daily basis, especially in evenings when we all love our desert quiet. Think of living
near a freeway and barely noGcing noise made by a few cars versus the jet engine roar made by many cars. This is the
type of situaGon that this project could cause. It must be noted that this area is generally very quiet so even one
speeding car on 58th or Madison is graGng. It would be totally unacceptable to spoil the general silence of the desert.
In the DEIR it was pointed out that there will be no property tax revenue to the City through 2035. Nothing about this
project will contribute to the enjoyment of life for the residents of La Quinta. What happens, if as one resident wrote,
this ends up being an empty hole in the ground and a failed development. We can see the headlines now "The City of
La Quinta Gem of an Empty Promise and a Concrete Hole." Word to the wise, think before you buy into this fad. If the
City of La Quinta wants the Wave Basin so badly then perhaps they should make arrangements to have the Wave
Basin at their SilverRock Resort.
We could go on and on but will stop here.
Thank you for your consideraGon.
Sally and Bob Arroyo
Coral Mountain Estates
57712 Salida del Sol
La Quinta, CA 92253