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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Citizens' Advisory Committee for Project Area 4 04/18/2005PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEMORANDUM TO: RACHELLE KLASSEN, CITY CLERK FROM: BETH LONGMAN, SENIOR OFFICE ASSISTANT DATE: May 17, 2005 SUBJECT: SUBMISSION OF MINUTES FOR THE CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO. 4 Attached is a copy of the approved Minutes from the April 16, 2005, meeting of the Project Area No. 4 Committee. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information. Thank you. I Attachment (as noted) G:U?DA%Beth Longman%Commhtees\PA 04WInute Transmhtal.doc PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO.4 MINUTES APRIL 18, 2005 CALL TO ORDER A regular meeting was called to order by Chairman Campbell on Monday, April 18, 2005, at 3:02 p.m. Chairman Campbell welcomed and recognized new members Fred Benford of Palm Desert Country Club, Robert Duncan of Indian Ridge Country Club, Roberta Grubb of Indian Ridge Country Club, and Douglas Luhring of Oasis Country Club. Chairman Campbell then asked others in attendance to introduce themselves for the benefit of everyone in attendance. Rachelle Klassen, City Clerk, then performed the official swearing in of new Members, Benford, Duncan, Grubb, and Luhring. II. ROLL CALL Present: Absent: Russell Campbell, Chairman Harry Church, Member Charles Ash, Member Fred Benford, Member Jane Daugherty, Member Robert Duncan, Member Roberta Grubb, Member Douglas Luhring, Member Frank Proulx, Member Sherry Trevor, Member Also Present: Lauri Aylaian, Redevelopment Manager Randy Case, Palm Desert Country Club Development LLC Phil Drell, Director of Community Development Mark Greenwood, City Engineer Phyllis Harkins, Homeowner & President of Palm Desert Country Club Association Maria Hunt, Secretary to ACM Redevelopment Scott Johnson, Manager of Palm Desert Country Club Richard S. Kelly, Councilmember Shawn Kilpatrick, Code Compliance Officer Spencer Knight, Landscape Manager Beth Longman, Recording Secretary Justin McCarthy, Assistant City Manager/Redevelopment CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO.4 MINUTES APRIL 18, 2005 Carlos Ortega, Executive Director/City Manager Hart Ponder, Code Compliance Manager Robert Spiegel, Councilmember David Yrigoyen, Director of Redevelopment/Housing III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Phyllis Harkins, 77298 Missouri Drive, Palm Desert, California, appeared before the Committee as both a homeowner and the President of the Palm Desert Country Club Association. She stated that she has had numerous conversations and a -mails with Lieutenant Steve Thetford regarding the speeding problems on California Avenue he would dispatch officers to patrol the area and ticket speeders. This has only been a temporary solution because as soon as the patrols diminish, the speeding problem recurs. Speeding has become much worse since road work began on Fred Waring Drive. Ms. Harkins stated that at 6:00 a.m. on April 18 she witnessed 12 cars going at least 40 to 50 mph on California Avenue. The worst times appear to be between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., and again between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. She recently received a telephone call from another area resident who had witnessed a terrible accident at the corner of California Avenue and Missouri Drive on the afternoon of April 15. He asked Ms. Harkins what was being done about the speeding problems to which she replied that the installation of speed bumps and stop signs at various locations had been addressed with the City of Palm Desert, but that the City had declined these suggestions. Ms. Harkins requested that the Project Area No. 4 Committee respond to the homeowners and Palm Desert Country Club Association as to what can be done to eliminate the speeding on California Avenue. Member Benford recalled that this has been an on -going topic at the Committee meetings and Member Ash stated that it has been a problem for a number of years. Chairman Campbell suggested that since Lieutenant Thetford was the person who has been handling the matter, he is the appropriate person to continue to address the potential solutions. Member Daugherty asked to have the speeding issue placed on the Agenda for the next committee meeting. Mr. Yrigoyen stated that the matter would be added to the next Agenda, and that Lieutenant Thetford and Mark Greenwood, City Engineer, would address the matter. IV. CONSENT CALENDAR APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO. 4 MEETING OF JANUARY 24, 2005. MOTION made by Member Daugherty, seconded by Member Ash, and unanimously carried, that the Minutes of the January 24, 2005, meeting be approved as presented. G:\RDA\Beth Longman\Convnttees\PA M4\Minutes\2005 Minutes\Minutes 041805.doc 2 CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO. 4 MINUTES APRIL 18, 2005 V.CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER None VI. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None VII. NEW BUSINESS A. ELECTION OF OFFICERS Chairman Russell requested that Mr. Yrigoyen handle this portion of the meeting. Mr. Yrigoyen then opened the floor for nominations for Chair. MOTION was made by Member Ash to nominate Russell Campbell as Chairman for the ensuing year along with a second Motion to close the nomination, seconded by Member Duncan and unanimously approved. Chairman Russell resumed control of the meeting and opened the floor for nominations for Vice Chairman. MOTION was made by Member Ash to nominate Member Trevor as Vice Chairman, seconded by Member Duncan, and unanimously approved. VIII. CONTINUED BUSINESS None IX. OLD BUSINESS None X. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS A. PROGRESS AT PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB Randy Case, of Palm Desert Country Club Development LLC, appeared before the Committee. Mr. Case stated that he is working closely with the City on a number of issues and highlighted key areas in which work has begun. The clubhouse was previously closed and the golf course closed about two weeks ago. Tree trimmers have been hired and are working on removing 35 to 40 dead trees and are trimming approximately 50 additional trees. Fertilizing has begun and will continue over the next four to six weeks. Watering has been increased and the turf areas are turning green. Grading plans, a drainage report, an erosion control plan, and a soils report have been submitted. They hope to get a grading permit G:\RDA\Beth Longrnen\Commttees\PA 04\Mmutes\2005 Minwes\Minutes 041805.doc 3 CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO.4 MINUTES APRIL 18, 2005 within the next two to three weeks to begin full -on grading on the golf course, the lots around the clubhouse, and on holes nine and eighteen. The irrigation design is approximately 98% complete. They are preparing specifications and bid packages to go out within the next two weeks for a golf course contractor and an irrigation contractor. The clubhouse architect is preparing the final plans for the interior renovation, and they should be submitted for initial review to the City within the next four weeks. An asbestos report must be completed before demolition permits can be obtained. A firm has been hired to prepare a report on the interior of the building and hopefully, demolition will begin in about two weeks. The clubhouse renovation will take approximately four months to complete. Mr. Case hopes to reopen the clubhouse in October 2005 and hold some community activities. They anticipate that the golf course will be reopened in January 2006. He expects to be fully engaged in all aspects of the project in terms of construction by late May. The original plan was to phase the project, however, because of various delays, work will be done simultaneously on all 27 holes, the clubhouse, and the irrigation system. D.R. Horton will build homes on the 95 lots, but due to delays in review by Coachella Valley Water District, finished lots will probably not be delivered to them until March 2006. If improvements are completed ahead of schedule, D.R. Horton may come in earlier for permits for some model homes along California Avenue. Mr. Case commented on the fact that the maintenance of the property has not been the best over the last few years. The efforts they are undertaking to improve the situation are to add new employees and retain current employees, and he stated that Scott Johnson, the Manager of Palm Desert Country Club who reports to Mr. Case, will continue in that role. Mr. Case recognized that security has always been an issue and stated that a letter has been sent to all homeowners identifying whom to call if they notice anything happening on the golf course. An article containing the same information will also appear in the upcoming newsletter. Beginning April 18, a security company has been hired and will be on patrol from 8 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. There is also a Marshall driving around the golf course from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mr. Johnson recently went to the Homeowners' Association and discussed the possibility of sharing the cost to have 24-hour security. Mr. Case acknowledged that this is not going to be an easy process, but they are committed to making the project work. He further stated that they are really trying to make this a golf course, and not merely a park or a place where people walk their dogs. When they get done, they expect it to be a very nice place. Member Benford asked if financing has been received yet. Mr. Case stated that they have financing in place. Mr. Cho, the current owner, is funding the required $12,000,000. Mr. Case further stated that G \ROA\Beth Longman\Comm hees\PA r4\Minutes\2005 MinutesUnutes 041805.doc 4 CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO.4 MINUTES APRIL 18, 2005 Mr. Cho has made no secret of the fact that he intends to sell the property and is currently in discussions with several groups. Mr. Case stated that they are certainly trying their best to find the right buyer and the right operator for the future. Member Daugherty asked Mr. Case to describe the plans for the fairways because at a recent meeting it was indicated that only one and two were going to be completely re -graded. Mr. Case replied that the fairways, for the most part, were in pretty good shape with the exception of one, two, three, and five. Mr. Case added that substantial leveling would be done in conjunction with the installation of the irrigation systems on the entire 27 holes. Also, the fairways will be reviewed on a case -by -case basis with at least four or five of them to be completely redone. All of the greens, tee boxes, and sand traps will also be redone. Member Ash referred Mr. Case back to his comment that he never lied to any of the people in Palm Desert Country Club and recalled that Larry Kosmont stated at a homeowners' meeting in January that Mr. Cho was a 50 percent owner in this project. Member Ash then asked if Mr. Cho was still 100 percent owner of the golf course? Mr. Case responded that Mr. Cho still owned 100% but further commented that he and Mr. Kosmont had always had the intention to buy the golf course. Member Ash stated that Mr. Case had lied. He further commented that all he wanted was to see the golf course get fixed up. Mr. Case stated that he understood and apologized for anything that was misconstrued early on in the process. He further commented that he thought that the project and the area were better off today than a year ago and that in another year it was going to be even better. The City has negotiated a strong maintenance agreement so that no matter who eventually owns the property there is an obligation to maintain it properly and that the property would not revert to its previous poor condition. He further stated that they also want Mr. Cho out of the project but that they continue working to move the project forward. Chairman Russell asked if there were any other questions. There were none, and he thanked Mr. Case for attending the meeting. B. CODE COMPLIANCE RELATIVE TO PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB Shawn Kilpatrick, Code Compliance Office, appeared along with Hart Ponder, Code Compliance Manager, to provide an update. Hart Ponder thanked everyone for their patience with this matter and stated that the City is very hopeful and positive that the progress being made will continue. The current strategy involves the watchful oversight of a court review by way of an injunction that the City filed as a last resort to achieve voluntary compliance. Mr. Ponder asked the Committee to focus G \RDA\Betn LongmantCommtteestPA 94tMinutes\2005 MinutesWinutes D41805.doc 5 CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO.4 MINUTES APRIL 18, 2005 on the current results and to continue being patient because the main point is not who ends up owning the property but rather the quality of life in the area. The careful oversight of a judge and the special condition agreements that will be made as the project nears completion will insure that the property, the structures, and the landscaping will be maintained in a manner that is consistent and compatible with the area. The court hearing is scheduled for May 28, 2005, and we are taking the stance of trust but verify. Progress is being made but we are going to verify under the court review. Member Benford asked if the City had to sue Mr. Cho to get compliance. Mr. Ponder responded that it's a civil action for an injunction and it is against the property owner, Mr. Cho, and also Mr. Case's company. Phil Drell, Director of Community Development, added that it was part of an overall strategy to put pressure on Mr. Cho to cooperate and make sure that the project moved forward. We were at a stalemate in the project, and part of the strategy of the lawsuit was to make it clear to Mr. Cho that he either become a responsible property owner and work to move the deal forward, or the matter would be decided by the court. Mr. Drell continued by stating that what the court action did was to make it clear to Mr. Cho that he needed to move the project forward. Mr. Case and Mr. Kosmont are supportive of our efforts, and if it weren't for them, Mr. Cho would be the only person to deal with on this project. Member Benford asked if Scott Johnson would stay on as general manager under any scenario? Mr. Case replied that he assumed so and further commented that Mr. Cho was out of the day-to-day operations. They were working on removing him completely from the process with the exception of the funding. Member Trevor inquired about the outcome of the lawsuit. Mr. Drell stated that the court wants us to work it out. We've established a set of corrective measures and as long as they are adhering to these we will put the lawsuit in abeyance. If they don't, we go back to the court. C. CODE COMPLIANCE RELATIVE TO LANDSCAPED RIGHT-OF-WAY ON OASIS CLUB DRIVE BETWEEN COUNTRY CLUB AND HOVLEY LANE Mr. Kilpatrick explained that the City had a Development Agreement with Palm Desert Resorter Country Club for the landscaped right-of-way area on Oasis between Country Club and Hovley Lane East. The City put in the landscaping and the country club was suppose to maintain it, but there have been problems. He stated that since issuing the citation to the maintenance superintendent of the golf course, the area has been greatly improved. The general manager, Alan Marrietta, has been put on notice that Code will continue to monitor the area to make sure that they remain in compliance with the Development Agreement. GARDAlBeth LongmantComrrvtteestPA 141Minutes12005 MinutesUnutes 041805.doc l�: CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO.4 MINUTES APRIL 18, 2005 D. UPDATE ON AVENUE OF THE STATES MEDIAN Spencer Knight, Landscape Manager, informed the Committee that the contractor has settled his insurance problem. A pre -construction meeting is scheduled for April 21, and construction is expected to begin before the end of the month and be completed within 30 days. Additionally, there are two more areas that will be landscaped and the condition of the first median will be reviewed for possible improvement. E. UPDATE ON FREEDOM PARK Mr. Drell reported that the plans are in Public Works and they should be ready to go out to bid at the end of April. Lauri Aylaian, Redevelopment Manager, also commented that we were awaiting a plan check on the drawings which was expected to be complete in about two weeks, and then it would be about a month before the plans actually go out for bid. Ms. Aylaian further commented on two recent revisions to the plan: A community garden will be added on the south side of the soccer field; and there is a new approach for the public artwork. The community garden will be approximately 30' x 100' and will be similar in nature to one on San Pablo. One of the differences is that the Freedom Park gardens will not have dedicated restrooms but will share restrooms with the rest of the facility. A decorative block and iron wall will be built around the perimeter and raised planter beds will be installed. The garden plots will be available through a City program that makes community space available to residents who want to garden. Councilman Spiegel stated that Frankie Riddle, Senior Management Analyst in Community Services, is planning to hold meetings at City Hall to determine interest in the community gardens. The approach to the public artwork has changed from the original concept that was going to include decorative red, white, and blue concrete and a pedestal for a statue. The Art in Public Places Commission is now looking at a different approach and will issue a request for proposal for the art. They hope to get an artist with high recognition or renown to design appropriate art for the park. Construction, once it starts, should take about nine to twelve months. Member Ash asked about the budget for the project. Mr. Drell responded that initially only half of the park was going to be constructed. However, because the engineer's original estimate was incorrect the entire park would be built and, even with the changes, the cost would be close to what was expected. G \RDA\Beth Longman\COnmtteas\PA #4Winutes\2005 Minutes\Minute5 041805.doc 7 CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO.4 MINUTES APRIL 18, 2005 Member Grubb asked what was in the park beside the garden, decorative walls, and possibly a sculpture. Ms. Aylaian stated that there are two dedicated ball fields, plus one open space that can be converted and used for T ball. All three of the fields will be lighted so there can be nighttime play. There will be two tennis courts, two sand volleyball courts, playground equipment, a concession stand, three full basketball courts, three picnic pavilions, and one soccer field for little kids. Member Grubb inquired about after -school programs. Mr. Drell replied that a second soccer field was included as part of the shared area with the school similar to the situation with Washington School. Member Ash commented that the concession stand was previously a point of contention and asked if it were still included. Ms. Aylaian stated that there is a concession stand, but that it had been downsized. It will be located to service all areas of the park. XI. REPORTS AND REMARKS A. COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON/MEMBERS Chairman Russell noted that the committee now has ten members and asked if there were any other people to be looked at and approved to be the eleventh member. Mr. Yrigoyen replied that the City Clerk handles that process and he would speak with her to see if there are others interested in participating in the Committee. The names would then be presented to the City Council for approval. Member Daugherty asked when the exterior renovation at California Villas would begin. Mr. Yrigoyen stated that plans were currently in final plan check, and Public Works is also taking their final plan check. As soon as that is completed, we've received authorization to go out to bid. Work should begin approximately July 1 because the bidding process now takes about 45 days. Councilman Spiegel stated that it was approved at the last Council Meeting. Member Ash commented that the storm sewer work seemed to be progressing well. Councilman Spiegel stated that the wall project along Fred Waring was approved at the Council meeting last week. Member Ash commented on the noise issue near Freedom Park that was recently in the press. Disgruntled residents in the area have complaints about the train and freeway noise. Councilman Spiegel stated that these are not the first complaints about that noise in that area. A noise expert is looking at the problem and, if there is a solution available, the City might try to help them get grants. An assessment district is also a possibility if there is a solution and they're G'\HDA\Beth Longnan\Committees\PA 04\Minutes\W05 MinutesUnutes 041805.doc 12 CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO.4 MINUTES APRIL 18, 2005 willing to pay for it. As far as the City providing walls, it doesn't make a lot of sense. Councilman Kelly stated that a study was needed because if there is any possibility to provide grants, we have to show that there is a problem. Chairman Russell again thanked Mr. Case for coming to the meeting. Mr. Case stated that he could come to future meetings to provide updates until everything is resolved at the golf course. Mr. Yrigoyen stated that this would be good and requested that Mr. Case be put on the mailing list for all future meetings. Chairman Russell noted that the next meeting is scheduled for May 16, 2005. B. AGENCY BOARD LIAISONS XII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:55 p.m. Beth Longman, Ftqgprding Secretary G \HDA\Beth Longnen\Commttees\PA Y4\Minutes12005 MmutesWinutes 041805 Doc