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Home My WebLink AboutItem 2AFrom:Jeffrey Bernstein To:City Clerk Subject:Fwd: Dream Hotel nightmare Date:Monday, June 5, 2023 12:27:56 PM Jeffrey Bernstein Mayor Pro Tem, Councilmember City of Palm Springs cell: 442-305-9942 Jeffrey.Bernstein@palmspringsca.gov City Hall is open Monday –Thursday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. and closed on Fridays. Begin forwarded message: From: "Domicone, Harry" <domicone@callutheran.edu> Subject: Dream Hotel nightmare Date: June 5, 2023 at 7:03:13 AM PDT To: 'Jeffrey Bernstein' <Jeffrey.Bernstein@palmspringsca.gov> NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you are sure the content is safe. Dear Councilmember Bernstein: Thank you for your response (below) to my earlier message expressing various concerns about preserving the essence of Palm Springs as a community. Your timely, thorough, and measured response is most appreciated. This communication regards the developer of the Dream Hotel and their refusal to respond to the requests to reduce the outrageous building heights that their current plan proposes. Not only are the views of proximate neighbors threatened, but every new building of any height also restricts the views of everyone else who lives, visits, or otherwise spends time in our once low-lying city. It is clear to me that this position on the part of the developer is a negotiating ploy, designed to obtain the maximum possible height of their venture by beginning with a bargaining position of “no change from the previous plan.” I strongly urge you and your fellow council members to strongly protect the views and other esthetics of our city by not caving to the arrogance, insensitivity, and bluster of the developer. To many, our once-beautiful and open-aired city is being choked by increasing density, structure heights, crowding, bows to development and expansion at all costs (including esthetic ones) and more deleterious actions – many approved by a council that doesn’t seem to care about quality of life issues (or increasing pressure on the existing infrastructure). Many in our city don’t even WANT the Dream Hotel, at any height. To approve a tower or any other intrusion onto our skyline would be a further insult to the history and character of Palm Springs and ensure that the Dream Hotel would become just one more Nightmare of blight. Sincerely, Harry D. Harry Domicone Palm Springs, California 06/05/2023 Public Comment Item 2A From:Jeffrey Bernstein To:City Clerk Subject:Fwd: Center Court HOA / Dream Hotel Project Update Date:Friday, June 2, 2023 12:36:17 PM Attachments:CCC Meeting Update - June 2023.pdf Jeffrey Bernstein Mayor Pro Tem, Councilmember City of Palm Springs cell: 442-305-9942 Jeffrey.Bernstein@palmspringsca.gov City Hall is open Monday –Thursday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. and closed on Fridays. Begin forwarded message: From: Tom Boudrot <tboudrot@gmail.com> Subject: Center Court HOA / Dream Hotel Project Update Date: June 2, 2023 at 10:47:10 AM PDT To: Jeffrey.Bernstein@palmspringsca.gov NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you are sure the content is safe. Dear Mayor pro tem Bernstein: Members of the Center Court HOA Board of Directors met with Lauri Kibby this week to discuss our concerns about the northeast section condominium revisions of 2022. The attached letter summarizes our findings. We are hopeful that, upon our due diligence, we will be able to support the recent revisions Ms. Kibby proposes. Thank you for your perseverance as our HOA worked through the mechanics providing input and reaching consensus on the issues at hand. We are grateful for your interest and support of a mutually beneficial resolution. On behalf of the Center Court HOA Board of Directors, 06/05/2023 Public Comment Item 2A Center Court Club Condominium HOA 355 N Avenida Caballeros Palm Springs, CA 92262 June 2, 2023 Palm Springs City Council City of Palm Springs 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 Re: Center Court Meeting Update -- Dream Hotel Condo Revisions (Case 5.1132-PD 333/TTM 35236) Mayor Garner and City Council Members: The Center Court HOA Board of Directors president and secretary met with Lauri Kibby in a 45-minute meeting on Tuesday, May 30, to discuss our concerns about the northeast section condominiums, especially the height of the building closest to our property line. The meeting was informative and productive. In reviewing details of the proposed revisions and documents shared, we are cautiously optimistic that the currently proposed revisions address the height issue impacting our west-facing units and achieve a good balance that enhances our quality of life rather than drastically impacting it. We received all electronic documents from Ms. Kibby and have disseminated that information to Center Court homeowners for review and comment. We do not anticipate any change in our optimism unless some critical element was missed. Though we discovered an error in the renderings provided by Selene PS., we alerted both Ms. Kibby and City Manager Stiles of the issue to ensure correction. With that revision, we hope to support the plan presented at the public hearing on June 5. Thank you for your perseverance in an extraordinary adventure in due diligence and compromise. Best regards - ____________________ Craig Withycombe President ________________________ Don Burkett Vice-President _____________________ Rick Masters Treasurer _______________________ Thomas Boudrot Secretary ___________________________ Mark Elkins Director 06/05/2023 Public Comment Item 2A From:Jeffrey Bernstein To:City Clerk Subject:Fwd: Dream hotel Date:Saturday, June 3, 2023 5:40:50 PM Thank you! Jeffrey Jeffrey Bernstein Mayor Pro Tem, Councilmember City of Palm Springs 442-305-9942 Jeffrey.Bernstein@palmspringsca.gov Begin forwarded message: From: "Ric O'Flynn" <oflynnric@gmail.com> Subject: Dream hotel Date: May 31, 2023 at 5:23:41 PM PDT To: Jeffrey.Bernstein@palmspringsca.gov Reply-To: "Ric O'Flynn" <oflynnric@gmail.com> NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you are sure the content is safe. Council member Bernstein, Having reviewed the latest re-design, I am writing in support of the Dream hotel project. We live in SOL which is located directly across the street from the siteso we have an interest in the outcome. Talking to others around town I find overwhelming community support, but also a sense of frustration with the lack ofprogress. It is essential to acknowledge the economic and social benefits that the project will bring to the entire city, and the positive transformation it willprovide to the Midtown Palm Springs neighborhood. As a construction professional for over forty years prior to moving to Palm Springs, I have a natural interest in local projects but am too often left bewildered by their perplexing snail's pace. On May 11th I listened with empathy as some homeowners from Center Court raised concerns about losing their views. However, I was disappointed when the council decided to table the vote until June 5th and worried that the developer might just give up, as others have when faced with constant delay tactics. Now, less than four weeks later, the north condos have been redesigned in a way that ameliorates the concerns. The speed and collaboration with which this occurred demonstrates the developer's commitment to completing the project and to being a good neighbor. By opening up the view corridors and lowering building heights at the east side of the north condos the design team has achieved what I believe is both a viable accommodation of the homeowner concerns and the best iteration of the overall project to date. I encourage you to not require any further changes. The developer is eager to move forward and has demonstrated good faith throughout the process. The community is frustrated and unhappy with all of the delays. Nearby homeowners have been informed, heard, and accommodated. The city planning department expended countless hours vetting the project and is recommending approval. Overall, this re-design is a well thought out and effective compromise that meets all concerns raised on May 11th. I encourage you to bring this to a vote, and to vote in favor of making the Dream a reality. Thank you. Ric O'Flynn316-393-3516 06/05/2023 Public Comment Item 2A