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Confusion regarding materials about proposed La Quinta Surf Park

The city of La Quinta is trying to clear up confusion about a series of articles, postcards, and surveys being circulated through social media and mailed to residents about the proposed surf park development.

None of these items are from the city or have been paid for with city funds. The materials are from the developer of the Coral Mountain Resort in hopes of generating support for the surf park.

While the mailers are not illegal, the city manager says he's disappointed with how this happened. 

"We did have conversations with the city attorney regarding this matter. It's absolutely within their right. This is a very protected first amendment right they have to communicate with the public, and really our hands our tied on any disciplinary action. There's nothing they violated here," said Jon McMillen, city manager of La Quinta.

The Coral Mountain Resort sent us a statement in response:

To help residents better understand the facts about the Coral Mountain resort, an educational campaign is underway to provide accurate information about the proposed project. The effort includes ads, newsletter articles and postcards delivered to neighbors. These communications address misleading and erroneous statements shared in a mailer that La Quinta Residents for Responsible Development sent to the public in April 2022.

The postcards do not look like notices from the City, nor do they imply any official endorsement. They direct residents to visit the Coral Mountain resort website at coralmountainresort.com for further information and in some cases link to project documents prepared as part of the application process.

Complaints that these materials were designed to look like official communications are solely motivated by project critics trying to prevent residents from making an informed and educated decision about the benefits of Coral Mountain resort.

The city of La Quinta has seen a heated debate on the surf park project over the past year. Numerous public meetings have gone on for several hours as residents made their voices heard on the proposal.

Hundreds of the project's would-be neighbors have loudly objected to the resort because of concerns about traffic, noise, lighting, and perhaps most importantly: water.

In August, News Channel 3's Jake Ingrassia spoke with the project's developer, who revealed they are proposing some changes to the project.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Peter Daut

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