Discrimination?: A Geneva beach authorizes access to its residents only

According to a new law passed by the Grand Council Geneva last year, the municipalities of the canton can no longer reserve their public beach for residents only. But a municipality made of the resistance, that of pregny-chambesy, which maintains restrictive access. This is the story that this Tuesday tells this Tuesday “La Tribune de Genève”.

On its website, the commune of Pregny-Chambésy, specifies that its beach “Sise chemin de la Sentue is reserved exclusively for the inhabitants of the town. Access is only possible by means of an entrance badge sold to the town hall ”. This means that this restriction would now be contrary to the law.

But not for the municipality which believes that its beach “is on a plot under the municipal private domain, which allows the municipality to supervise access”. She adds that this bathing place “is not among the official bathing sectors identified in the law on the protection of the shores of the lake. The legal framework mainly aims to protect these bathing sectors recognized against any privatization or excessive restriction. In this context, the policy of access currently in force in Pregny-Chambésy seems to us legitimate, proportionate and adapted to the fragile nature of the place ”.

The sound of bell is different in the territory department (DT), where the assistant secretary general, Pauline de Salis, replies: “It is a non-compliance with the law. In general, differentiated access to a bathing sector according to the place of domicile is contrary to the law. No tolerance or special treatment is provided in the case of pregny-chambesy. From a legal point of view, whether the beach in question is located on the municipal private domain or on the Cantonal Public Domaine does not matter ”.

Legal or not? This access restriction will be the subject of a legal weapon pass between the canton and the municipality.