Epic Paintball says federal floodway rules are delaying permit; operator reports repeated thefts and broken locks

An Epic Paintball representative updated the board June 16 about permitting and security challenges at a riverfront site, saying the project faces a federal floodway requirement that could add $16,000–$20,000 in study costs and that recurring thefts and vandalism have prompted plans for improved gates and locks.

“...we have a small snag with the federal side of the water uh, floodway … they’re having an issue with wanting me to do a no rise study, which I'm not exactly sure what that is, but I talked to my engineer … and those cost about 16 to $20,000,” the representative said. He told trustees the city’s permitting review approved porous aggregate parking on the city side, but the federal floodway authority was pressing for additional proof that the surface would not cause a rise.

The presenter also described repeated break-ins and theft: a broken U-shaped lock at the entrance within 48 hours, a broken circular lock on a container, stolen generators, a compressor and a 20-foot suction hose used to hook to a city flush meter. He said he filed a police report with serial numbers for city-owned equipment.

To address security, the presenter said he plans to install a more durable swinging gate with an enclosed box for a padlock to make cutting more difficult; he expects that work to be completed in the next month or two.

Trustees and other speakers acknowledged similar lock and theft problems at other river locations and offered mutual support; no board action on permitting or funding for security upgrades is recorded in the transcript.