Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCitizen's Advisory Cmte PA #4 - Minutes - 6/20/05X C PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEMORANDUM TO: RACHELLE KLASSEN, CITY CLERK FROM: BETH LONGMAN, SENIOR OFFICE ASSISTANT DATE: SEPTEMBER 20, 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 June 20, 2005, meeting of the Project Area No. 4 Committee. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information. Thank you. L92 Attachment (as noted) G:%RDAXBeth Longman%CommltteWPA WMInute Transmlttal.doc PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO. 4 MINUTES June 20, 2005 I. CALL TO ORDER A regular meeting was called to order by Chairman Campbell on Monday, June 20, 2005, at 3:00 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Absent: Russell Campbell, Chairman Charles Ash, Member Fred Benford, Member Harry Church, Member Jane Daugherty, Member Robert Duncan, Member Roberta Grubb, Member Douglas Luhring, Member Frank Proulx, Member Sherry Trevor, Member Also Present: Michael Adkins, Code Compliance Officer Lauri Aylaian, Redevelopment Manager Randy Case, Palm Desert Country Club Development LLC Phil Drell, Director of Community Development Mark Greenwood, City Engineer Richard S. Kelly, Councilmember Beth Longman, Recording Secretary Justin McCarthy, Assistant City Manager/Redevelopment Carlos Ortega, City Manager & Executive Director/Redevelopment Robert Spiegel, Councilmember Janis Steele, Parks & Recreation Services Manager Ryan Stendell, Parks & Rec. Planning Technician III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Member Proulx inquired about the frequency of street sweeping and stated that he has also received calls from other residents with the same question. Mr. Greenwood stated that the Public Works Department handles the street sweeping program and that he would check on the frequency and report back. CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO.4 MINUTES JUNE 20. 2005 IV. CONSENT CALENDAR APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO. 4 MEETING OF MAY 16, 2005. Member Ash commented that he did not state that there should be stop signs at all golf cart crossings and requested a correction be made to the Minutes. MOTION made by Member Proulx, seconded by Member Trevor, and unanimously carried, that the minutes of the May 16, 2005, meeting be approved as corrected. V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None VI. NEW BUSINESS A. PRESENTATION BY BOB HARGREAVES REGARDING COMMITTEE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Item continued to July 18, 2005, meeting. VII. CONTINUED BUSINESS None Vill. OLD BUSINESS None IX. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS A. PROGRESS AT PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB Randy Case updated the committee on the progress of the work underway at the Palm Desert Country Club and stated that, although it may not physically appear that much is happening yet, a number of notable projects are underway. The tree trimming and removal has been completed, resulting in an improved appearance. Bids have been received for the grading, irrigation, and golf course improvements, and the contractor for that portion of the renovation will be announced shortly. Bids are also being solicited for the clubhouse construction and the maintenance facility. A demolition contractor G:\RDA\Beth Longman\ComniM%sTA 04\Minutes\2005 MinutesUnutes 062005.doc 2 CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO.4 MINUTES JUNE 20, 2005, has been selected and demolition will begin as soon as the loan documents for the funding are filed against the property. Mr. Case expected that the clubhouse demolition would be complete and the grading on the golf course would begin by the first week of July. In anticipation of commencement of the grading work, the sprinkler system is being dismantled in the areas where work will take place. With the exception of those areas, the remainder of the golf course is greening up following several applications of fertilizer, aeration of the turf, and increased watering. Councilman Spiegel asked when the golf course would be playable. Mr. Case replied that this had been an issue in selecting the contractor, and that only those contractors who could complete the work in the time required were considered. With some phasing, it is anticipated that the championship course will be reopened in January 2006. The executive course may lag behind a month or so because of the short time frame. Mr. Yrigoyen asked if the residents were informed of the golf course closing. Mr. Case responded that they had been informed and that updates on the renovation are published monthly in the homeowners' association newsletter. Through this newsletter, homeowners have also been asked to provide these updates to their renters where applicable. It appears that the majority of the people still walking around on the golf course are renters. Member Proulx said he would see if there was anything he could do to assist in getting notification to the renters. Member Ash asked if there were going to be some means of closing off the ends of the fairways to keep people off of the golf course. Mr. Case replied that they were looking at installing metal posts at the ends of some of the fairways, but that another area of concern was vehicles that accessed the golf course through vacant lots. He didn't think that there was any requirement that vacant lots be fenced off, and that this probably created a larger problem than people driving in directly off the street. Mr. Case reported that there was another hole in the fence by the park. There had been a break in at the maintenance facility recently that occurred at about 7:30 p.m. Some kids who were playing basketball nearby reported that they watched two guys walk through this hole into the maintenance area. He will work with the parks maintenance staff to get the fence repaired. B. UPDATE ON FREEDOM PARK Mr. Stendell introduced Janis Steele who is the Parks & Recreation Services Manager. Ms. Steele has replaced Mr. Stendell on the Freedom Park project and will be providing reports to the committee in the future. Mr. Stendell stated that they continue to work on the same schedule and hopes to have construction started by late summer. A nine to 12 month construction period is still expected. G:1RDA\Beth Longman\CommitteesTA r4lMnutes\2005 MinutesUnutes 062005.6oc 3 CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO. 4 MINUTES JUNE 20, 2005, X.REPORTS AND REMARKS A. COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON/MEMBERS Councilman Spiegel asked Mr. Yrigoyen for an update on affordable housing. Mr. Yrigoyen reported that California Villas, which is located on California Avenue almost directly across the street from the clubhouse, was under renovation. This project was previously presented to and approved by the committee. Work on the interior is currently underway with approximately 15 apartments being renovated each month. Plans for the exterior renovation include wider sidewalks, a change in the roof line that will use a clay the type of roof, upgraded parking areas, and new landscaping that provides for a desert scape as opposed to the grassy areas currently in place. In addition to California Villas, the City of Palm Desert has a housing authority that manages about 978 apartment units including properties such as One Quail Place and Laguna Palms. The City also developed the Desert Rose property that is dedicated to homeownership for low to moderate income families. When these homes come up for resale, they must be sold to low to moderate income families so that the mandate to provide a certain number of affordable housing units throughout the City is maintained. The number is adjusted every five years. There was discussion regarding the types of tenants that are sometimes found in low to moderate income housing, and that they can be undesirable and difficult to live near. Mr. McCarthy responded that one of the strategies that the City Council has directed staff to implement is to try to identify properties that are blighted and, where there is a willing seller, to go in and acquire those properties. The City's management team is then brought in and the properties are cleaned up from a physical standpoint as well as the tenant mix. The City has specific prohibitions against renting to felons or allowing them to occupy a unit. Because of these policies, the City's properties are very well managed and the residents are fairly well behaved. Chairman Campbell informed the members that he had recently been at a men's club meeting where Dave Yrigoyen gave a presentation on the operation of a redevelopment agency. He stated that the club members found the presentation extremely informative. Feedback from the club members was that Mr. Yrigoyen was well versed on the topic and that they were very impressed with his ability to answer questions both precisely and concisely. The consensus was that Mr. Yrigoyen did a great job representing the Redevelopment Agency and the City of Palm Desert. Member Grubb commented that she would be interested in learning more about what a redevelopment agency does. Mr. McCarthy asked if other members were interested in learning more about this topic and the consensus was that this would be beneficial to the committee. Mr. G:WDABeth Longman\Commrttees\PA#4\Minutes\2005 MinutesWinutes 062005.doc 4 e CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT AREA NO.4 MINUTES JUNE 20, 2005 McCarthy stated that a presentation on the operations of the Palm Desert Redevelopment Agency, and in particular how it relates to Project Area No. 4, would be added to the next agenda. B. AGENCY BOARD LIAISONS None C. PLANNING COMMISSION LIAISON None D. STAFF None XI. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:35 p.m. G:\ROA\Beth Lonpmen\Comrrinees\PA #4\Minu1es12005 MinuteSI)Ainutes 062005.doc Beth Longman, RCdording Secretary 5