POA and EVMWD execute settlement agreement

The Canyon Lake POA and Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District have executed a settlement agreement. “The agreement will be filed in court soon and the legal process should end by March,” said EVMWD Division 1 Director Darcy Burke.

The following is a joint statement on behalf of the CLPOA and EVMWD:

The Canyon Lake Property Owners Association (CLPOA) and Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) have worked cooperatively over the last several years and are now pleased to announce that a Canyon Lake Shoreline Improvements Litigation Settlement has been reached. We are awaiting final court approval of the terms of the settlement.

The main details of the settlement are:

• All existing encroachments up to the settlement date on the shoreline/lake will be grandfathered.
• All lakefront homeowners will follow a new process for constructing shoreline/lake improvements. This process will include a License Agreement between the homeowner, CLPOA and EVMWD.
• In order to standardize and clarify property rights regarding the improvements along the shoreline and the lake, the court is considering granting class certification to all lakefront homeowners. If you are a lakefront homeowner, you will be provided details from the court as to your rights.
• While CLPOA and EVMWD are developing a new encroachment approval process, a temporary application moratorium for new encroachments other than docks and seawalls is currently imposed. CLPOA will post updated information on its website once the application process is reopened.

The lake, including the shoreline, is owned by EVMWD. CLPOA leases the lake and shoreline from EVMWD. At the discretion of CLPOA and EVMWD, lakefront homeowners can maintain certain shoreline/lake improvements.

In 2013, CLPOA and EVMWD began negotiations over the terms of an extension of the Lake Lease, which resulted in the addition of the 5th Amendment to the lease in 2017.

Recognizing the importance of this matter for the Canyon Lake residents, CLPOA and EVMWD engaged in many discussions over the boundary of the lease to allow homeowners to request improvements along the shoreline/lake.

Thousands of enhancements along the shoreline/lake were considered and some challenges faced, as many of the agreements were inconsistent or not recorded.

Before signing the settlement, a survey was conducted, identifying existing encroachments. In June 2017, the survey was completed. To review the survey and to learn more, visit canyonlakefacts.com.