Lawsuits fly over Texas' first Wavegarden!
A week ago, it was reported, here, that Texas’ first Wavegarden was about to be hit with a lawsuit by local authorities for being built without attention to “county and state health and safety codes.”
The problem was, Travis County says NLand Surf Park is a public swimming pool and, therefore, has to be filled with chlorine to keep bacteria from exceeding safe limits. NLand Surf Park says they’re a lake and can skip the chlorine etc.
BeachGrit speculated the sudden decision by Travis County to sue was in relation to brain-eating amoebas that had killed a star kayaker in a man-made river back in June. Who wants kids dying on their watch?
Now, as announced today, NLand Surf Park is suing Travis County right back. Countersuit!
Let’s study NLand’s announcement.
As you might know, the Travis County Commissioners Court authorized a lawsuit against NLand, which was filed yesterday. They believe our lagoon—which is 45 times larger than an Olympic-size swimming pool—should be regulated simply as a “public swimming pool.”
To protect our Constitutional rights, we have filed a lawsuit against the County, its health department and the individuals on the Court.
Throughout its development, NLand has focused on building a state-of-the-art facilities that feature water treatment, filtration, world-class surfing and environmentally-friendly practices. Our efforts have accomplished that goal.
Unfortunately, Travis County officials and the Travis County Commissioners Court have refused to engage in conversation. They have not acknowledged our studies or asked one question to gain perspective in this matter. Instead, they have tried to inflame the conversation by suggested we could have amoebas in our lagoon. If they’re so concerned about amoebas, you’d think they would take a look at the studies or talk to us about our water treatment systems.
Rather than listen, the County filed a lawsuit against us. This is just a bad decision for the county, for its residents, and our employees, including more than 50 teenagers from Del Valle and Cedar Creek who have joined our team. The Court has the ability to change course and meet with us to find solutions that work for everyone in Travis County. In fact, the county health department has the authority to do exactly that.
Believe us, we would rather be on the water with you than in a courtroom arguing about regulations.
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@roverclark:disqus Who really cares what they call it? World class surfing is all you can pick out of this article to comment on?
I live in Austin (recently transplanted) and this is the very first of its kind on the entire continent. That fact is you have brothers and sisters in surfing and they are being unjustly fought by Travis County! Recent research into the actual lawsuit, which i have in hand, shows that they want NLand to use potable water (aka county/city water) because they denied a variance filed by NLand to NOT be categorized a “public swimming pool”. I am not saying it is why but that sounds like someone wants some $$$….
With all due respect, I have surfed several places in California that are complete cesspools!! If you want to throw your moniker around there are a lot of “surfing destinations” that are more deserving. you do not have to love it or even like it but why feel the need throw derogatory comments around about something you obviously have no knowledge of?
@disqus_C8HuPf8Pm1:disqus If you do not like something written here, then why do you read it? You would be surprised how many people actually do care my friend.
Here is to hoping this gets resolved, the park opens and Surfing is shared with landlocked surfers and to those who have never experienced it!
I chuckle at their claim “world class surfing”. Well that, and the mission statement that sounds more like a turd treatment plant than a surfing destination.
Why are you still writing about this? Nobody cares. Please stop.
I’m pretty ambivalent myself, and I live in Texas. That said it’s a surf blog and there are only that can be covered to keep the traffic flowing. I guess they could bring the fake cancer guy…