A popular lake in the Inland Empire is at the center of a multimillion dollar water dispute that could leave local residents locked out of the recreation area.
Local residents are outraged by the fight over Canyon Lake, which appears to have nothing to do with the drought.
Many homeowners in the area around the lake have direct access to the water, and they each pay roughly $30 month for that private access.
But now it could be in jeopardy.
"Why everyone else moves to Canyon Lake — the lake," said Christa Paarni, who lives in the community.
Ask just about anyone why they bought a home at Canyon Lake, and the answer will probably be the same.
It’s a private lake for the 13,000 residents to enjoy for boating, fishing and swimming.
But now Paarni, who owns a boat, is worried that her family’s access could eventually be taken away.
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"Being completely honest, I immediately started looking at properties outside the lake because I will not live here if I do not have the lake access," Paarni said.
The issue is between the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, which owns the lake, and the Canyon Lake Property Owners Association, or POA.
Earlier this month, the POA decided not to pay a quarterly $344,000 lease payment and instead file a lawsuit against the water district.
"The Canyon Lake Property Owners Association does want to extend the lease but they want to do it at a fair price," said Scott Levine, an attorney for the group.
Levine said both sides have been renegotiating the current lease that is set to expire in 2022.
He said the water district has been charging far too much money for lake access, and won’t budge on a lower price.
He bases that claim on the passage of Proposition 26 in 2009, which prevents agencies from increasing prices beyond the cost of services or what is considered reasonable for those services.
"Essentially what they are charging is an illegal tax," Levine argued.
A water district spokesman disagrees.
"We think it's been fair and equitable to all parties involved for Canyon Lake residents to have exclusive access to the water," Greg Morrison, director of community affairs for Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District.
The water district board is now deciding if access to the lake should be terminated as the issue now heads to court.
For homeowners, lake access isn’t the only concern.
"It's ridiculous. It's going to kill this community,” resident Derick Spoelstra said.
Neither side is sure when access to the lake could be denied, but the water district plans to discuss it at a meeting Thursday.
"People aren't going to buy a house to look at the lake. They're buying the house on the lake so they can use the lake," said Paarni.
