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Home My WebLink About2003-06-12MINUTES REGULAR PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2003 CIVIC CENTER COUNCIL CHAMBER I. CALL TO ORDER - 3:00 P.M. Chairman Benson convened the meeting at 3:00 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Member Buford A. Crites arrived at 4:00 p.m. Member Jim Ferguson Member Richard S. Kelly Vice Chairman Robert A. Spiegel Chairman Jean M. Benson Also Present: Carlos L. Ortega, City Manager/RDA Executive Director David J. Erwin, City Attorney Sheila R. Gilligan, ACM for Community Services Homer Croy, ACM for Development Services Justin McCarthy, ACM for Redevelopment Amir Hamidzadeh, Director of Building & Safety Rachelle D. Klassen, City Clerk Phil Drell, Director of Community Development Paul S. Gibson, Director of Finance/City Treasurer Teresa L. La Rocca, Director of Housing Michael J. Errante, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Richard Twedt, Public Arts Manager MINUTES PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING JUNE 12, 2003 III. ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION Request for Closed Session: Conference with Real Property Negotiator pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8: 1) Property: Entrada del Paseo (APN 640-080-011) Parcels 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of Tract Map No. 30226/12-acre Site) Negotiating Parties: Agency: Justin McCarthy/Lauri Aylaian/Palm Desert Redevelopment Agency Property Owner: Palm Desert Redevelopment Agency Under Negotiation: x Price x Terms of Payment Upon motion by Spiegel, second by Kelly, and a 4-0 vote of the Agency Board (Member Crites ABSENT), Chairman Benson adjourned the meeting to Closed Session at 3:01 p.m. She reconvened the meeting at 4:00 p.m. IV. RECONVENE REGULAR MEETING - 4:00 P.M. A. REPORT ON ACTION FROM CLOSED SESSION. None V. AWARDS, PRESENTATIONS, AND APPOINTMENTS None VI. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES of the Regular Meeting of the Redevelopment Agency of May 22, 2003, and the Adjourned Joint Meeting of the City Council/Redevelopment Agency of May 16, 2003. Rec: Approve as presented. B. CLAIMS AND DEMANDS AGAINST THE AGENCY TREASURY - Warrant Nos. 252RDA, 255RDA, 260RDA, 262RDA, 264RDA, 253-Housing, 256-Housing, 258-Housing, 261-Housing, 262-Housing, and 265-Housing. Rec: Approve as presented. 2 MINUTES PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING JUNE 12, 2003 C. REQUEST FOR APPROVAL of Contract for Lake Improvements at the Desert Willow Golf Resort (Contract No. R21320). Rec: By Minute Motion: 1) Award contract to Pacific Advanced Civil Engineering, Inc., Fountain Valley, California, in an amount not to exceed $15,500 for lake improvements at Desert Willow Golf Resort; 2) authorize the Finance Director to set aside the amount of $1,550 as 10% contingency (use of contingency requires additional action); 3) approve appropriation of contract amount and contingency from Account No. 851-4663-454-4001. D. REQUEST FOR APPROVAL of Grant of Easement to the Coachella Valley Water District for Sewer Services to the UCR/Heckmann Center. Rec: By Minute Motion: 1) Approve the Grant of Easement to the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) for sewer services to the UCR/Heckmann Center; 2) authorize the Chairman to execute the easement documents. Upon motion by Spiegel, second by Crites, the Consent Calendar was approved as presented by a 5-0 vote of the Agency Board. VII. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER None VIII. RESOLUTIONS None IX. NEW BUSINESS A. REQUEST FOR AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF LANDSCAPING AND IRRIGATION IMPROVEMENTS AT THE ENTRADA DEL PASEO PROJECT (CONTRACT NO. R21090). Mr. Ortega noted the staff report and recommendation in the packets. Upon question by Member Crites relative to assurances that things put in by the Agency are not damaged during other building work, Ms. Aylaian responded that throughout the design, there were areas that had been specifically left undeveloped. The Eric Johnson Gardens were focused in an area for which the design had been completed, and there was no contemplated future building development. There were also gardens going 3 MINUTES PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING JUNE 12, 2003 around the perimeter of the site where there was no future development contemplated, with the potential exception that there might be 20 feet of space in front of where the new multi -use building to house the Chamber of Commerce would go. Since that building would be some time in the future, staff proposed landscaping the area, although there would be no significant trees or landscaping that would require relocation when that construction does begin. She said the hotel proposals currently being looked at do not go into the areas that are being landscaped under this contract. Chairman Benson expressed the same concern with spending such a large amount of money and starting the improvements in July. Ms. Aylaian responded that the timing of the construction of the gardens was set so that the completion would coincide with the completion of Cuistot, which should be ready to open approximately November 1, 2003. If the gardens are delayed, they will not be done by the time Cuistot is completed and ready to open for business. Member Kelly asked whether staff had included an estimate for recurring charges every year for maintaining all of the common area being put in by the City. He said he felt it was very important that this be done for projects in the future. Ms. Aylaian responded that staff had been looking at those costs and trying to develop that estimate, although she did not have firm numbers at this point. She offered to report back to Council once a budget has been developed. Vice Chairman Spiegel asked for the expected completion time for the Visitors' Center. Ms. Aylaian responded that the current schedule is that construction will begin around the end of January of 2004, with completion to be the end of the year in 2004. She noted that the City was obligation in its agreement with Cuistot to provide landscaping and to open the public areas at the same time as they open. Member Ferguson asked if it would be possible to put in the landscaping and implement protective measures to make sure we do not lose specimens. Ms. Aylaian responded that that was staff's intention. She noted that approximately 75% of the landscaping was in an area where there should not be any future construction traffic. Member Crites said he wanted to be sure that staff, especially the Landscape Manager, is comfortable about the timing of putting in plants because they are being put in during a time of the year in which there will be high mortality. If that is the case, delaying it by a month may be one of the most beneficial things to do. Ms. Aylaian responded that this issue had been discussed and that it was one of her concerns; both the Landscape Manager and Landscape Specialist were comfortable that when done appropriately there 4 MINUTES PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING JUNE 12, 2003 should not be a problem with mortality. She noted that the trees would be provided under a separate contract, and they were required to be guaranteed for a year; similarly, the landscape contractor who is doing the installation of the shrubs and plant materials was required to guarantee his installation for a year. In addition, a requirement had been added whereby the contractor would maintain the landscaping for 180 days after the end of the project. Member Ferguson moved to, by Minute Motion: 1) Award a construction contract to Mark Logan Landscape, Inc., La Quinta, California, in the amount of $624,690 for the construction of the landscape and irrigation improvements at the Eric Johnson Gardens and Entrada del Paseo development; 2) authorize the Chairman to execute said contract; 3) authorize the Finance Director to set aside the amount of $62,469 as a 10% contingency (use of contingency requires additional action) — funds are available in Account No. 850-4358-433-4001. Motion was seconded by Spiegel and carried by a 4-1 vote, with Member Kelly voting NO. B. REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF WORK ORDERS WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON (SCE) AND VERIZON FOR THE UNDERGROUNDING OF EXISTING OVERHEAD UTILITY LINES ON LUPINE LANE. Member Kelly moved to, by Minute Motion: 1) Authorize approval of Southern California Edison Work Order No. 27105 in the amount of $157,729 for the undergrounding of existing overhead utility lines on Lupine Lane; 2) authorize approval of Verizon Work Order No. 0547-7P001 DJ in the amount of $119,848.49 for the undergrounding of Verizon phone lines on Lupine Lane; 3) authorize the Director of Finance to utilize $277,577.49 in Account No. 850-4255-464-4001, which is already in the budget for this project. Motion was seconded by Crites and carried by a 5-0 vote. X. CONTINUED BUSINESS None XI. OLD BUSINESS None XII. PUBLIC HEARINGS None 5 MINUTES PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING JUNE 12, 2003 XIII. REPORTS, REMARKS, AND AGENCY BOARD ITEMS REQUIRING ACTION A. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR None B. AGENCY COUNSEL None C. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE AGENCY 1. Councilman Kelly asked staff for future updates on various street projects or work being done on the City's streets so that he could adequately respond to constituents' inquiries. 2. Councilman Kelly requested staff look at the Hovley Lane medians between Cook Street and Portola Avenue. He said the ocotillos there appeared to be dead. XIV. ADJOURNMENT Upon motion by Spiegel, second by Crites, and a 5-0 vote of the Agency Board, Chairman Benson adjourned the meeting at 5:55 p.m. ATTEST: AN M. BENSON, CHAIRMAN RACHELLE D. KLASSEN, SECRETAR?' PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY 6