Surf park lawsuit emerges from county pipeline

Travis County has harshed Nland Surf Park’s buzz. Last week, after coming out of executive session, the Commissioners Court voted 4-0 to file a civil lawsuit against the park’s parent company, Austin Park, LLC. Commissioner Gerald Daugherty was absent for the vote. At the heart of the county’s dispute with the surf park is a disagreement over the meaning of the word “pool.” As we reported in April, the surf park developers contend that their massive man-made lagoon is, in fact, not a pool and therefore should not be regulated as such. The court’s resolution authorizing County Attorney David Escamilla to file the suit states bluntly that “Austin Park, LLC, is building a public swimming pool.” The suit places extra uncertainty over the surf park’s opening, which has already been delayed due to a construction accident and inclement weather.