HomeMy WebLinkAbout16B Memorandum - Q&As (03-24-22)
CITY OF PALM DESERT
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
To: Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers
From: Heather Horning, Assistant to the City Manager
Date: March 24, 2022
Subject: City Council Agenda (March 24, 2022)
Below you will find questions received from the Mayor and/or Councilmembers and answers provided
by City staff regarding tonight’s Council meeting agenda.
Consent Calendar – Item 7:
• Question: Both 3000K and 4000K were considered depending on location. It is the
recommended standard now solely 4000K?
o Answer: The LED standard was discussed at Resource Preservation Enhancement
Committee (RPEC) where SCE mentioned that Palm Springs is using about 3000K in
residential areas, which started a discussion considering using 3000K or 3500K for
residential and 4000K for arterial streetlights. Currently, in the City of Palm Desert all
intersections and arterial areas with LED streetlights use 4000K. For City uniformity,
staff recommends using 4000K solely. The lights used in San Pablo Phase II are a
good example of 4000k lights. They are a neutral white in color.
Consent Calendar – Item 12:
• Question: Is there a basis to omit the Mountain View house from the City’s Central Inventory
list? Council has expressed support for a disposition method that assures preservation of the
home for its historic and cultural value. Is that a public purpose that supports leaving the
property off the list?
o Answer: The Mountain View property is subject to the Surplus Land Act and does not
meet any of the exemption criteria, therefor it is required to be included in the Central
Inventory list. This does not impede the City’s ability to designate the property as a
historical landmark, and staff is working through this process now with the intent to
bring the historic designation to City Council for approval in June. The Surplus Land
Act requirements have the potential to delay the sale of the property, but it should not
have any other impact.
Question & Answer Page 2 of 2
Action Calendar – Item 16:
• Question: The seemingly required language that a Council majority has approved placing
the draft ordinance on the ballot really leaves the impression that the majority of City
Councilmembers favor the ordinance. Instead of placing an ordinance on the ballot that
makes the change to 5 districts, is it possible to place a measure on the ballot asking for
affirmation of the current system? In that event, "Yes" would mean keep the status quo, and
"no" would mean come up with a change.
o Answer: The language included in the draft resolutions and ordinance is draft
language that could be changed at the City Council’s discretion. The City Council could
put on the ballot an advisory measure asking whether the city should keep the current
system or not; or an actual ordinance in line with what we currently have. Or the City
Council could put on the ballot competing measures, one with 2 districts the other with
5. The measure that gets the most votes would be implemented. If the City Council
desires to