California's 'heaviest' wave pool is generating local controversy
The surf club was built on a former water park and is known in the surf world for its ability to create powerful waves. (Mandy M via Yelp)
The Palm Springs Surf Club has quickly gained a following in the surf world for its remarkably large waves that even professional surfers find challenging - and, of course, for its bumping Coachella-adjacent parties. However, the nearly 2-year-old club is now facing a problem that has more to do with sound waves than anything you can ride a surfboard on.
The luxury surf water park has received 66 noise complaints from its neighbors since it opened, according to the Palm Springs Post, resulting in six different noise citations. Nearby residents say the facility creates obnoxious droning noises thanks to the powerful equipment that creates the waves, and so far the problem isn't being solved.
Those powerful machines are part of why there's such a following for the surf club, which was built at a water park that was first opened in 1985. The new facility can create a wide range of waves, from mellow beginner swells to expert-only overhead waves that can break boards and have given the facility the nickname the "heaviest pool slab ever" (a slab is a surfing term for a particularly powerful and fast wave).
The Palm Springs Surf Club has found itself in hot water after dozens of noise complaints from its neighbors. (Mike C via Yelp)
Of course, waves like that aren't for everyone; nor is the price tag. A single surf session at the Palm Springs Surf Club pool can cost over $220. And then there's the park's exclusive annual Goldenvoice Surf Club event, which brings famous DJs to a weekend-long party coinciding with the nearby Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. That party has also generated local controversy, with neighbors complaining that the music is too loud, according to the Desert Sun.
Those sour feelings reached a "boiling point" at a Palm Springs Planning Commission meeting this week, where residents compared the wave pool's sound to semitrucks revving their engines, the Desert Sun reported. The water park's management said they were taking the concerns seriously and agreed to implement a range of mitigation measures, including building a "living wall" that should help reduce the impact of the noise.
FILE: People enjoy the crashing water of a wave pool. (Getty Images)
The club is also considering turning "the bass down" at its annual parties, according to an interview Palm Springs Surf Club director of surf operations Chance Gaul gave KESQ-TV. The Goldenvoice Surf Club has drawn big names in the electronic music scene, including Barry Can't Swim, Bicep, Polo & Pan and Ben Bohmer.
The surf club did not immediately return an SFGATE request for comment. The Palm Springs Planning Commission plans to revisit the noise complaint issue within the next six months.
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