Federer Family’s Request for Special Use Permit on Public Beach Sparks Controversy in Rapperswil-Jona and Canton SG

The application for a special use permit / public edition was published on Monday, May 6, 2024. The city of Rapperswil-Jona and canton SG together with the Federer family request a special private use of the public beach, knowing that breach of public law.

According to current law, the banks of Swiss waters belong to the public sector. (Art. 664 Para. 1 ZGB). There is a Federal Court decision on this from 2003.

In addition, the structure plan of St. Gallen shows a continuous lakeside path from Kempratner Bay to Feldbach, says Mr. von Wartburg of Rives Publiques.

Apparently the city of Rapperswil-Jona and the canton of St.Gallen interpret the principle of equality in the federal constitution creatively, and they also aim at the spatial planning law. Again it can be said: “Equal among men is equal,” as long as they are knowledgeable and powerful enough.

As is known, an often quoted statement from Stapi von Rapperswil-Jona is: “We are a constitutional state. ” So I expect the city and the canton to act according to the law and the Feder family to behave in a sportingly fair manner.