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Home My WebLink AboutItem 1EFrom:Mark Foy To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Tree Skirt Removal Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 12:54:01 PM 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 City Clerk, I am writing to urge city officials and council members to oppose palm tree skirt removal around town. The palm tree skirts are beautiful, and are an important habitat for many types of birds, including owls which are needed to help control the rodent population. These 3900 palms should continue to have their skrits. Regards, Mark -- Mark Foy 2800 Cholla Pl, Palm Springs mfoy@vitalita.com 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Dean Varga To:City Clerk Cc:Debra Sullivan Subject:Palm Tree Skirts Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 1:01:23 PM 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 City Council including Grace Garner: Please vote against removing the skirts of our city palm trees. These are important for our wildlife and the unique look of our city. It is an unnecessary expense. Please! Roy Varga and Debra Sullivan 1805 Savanna Way Sent from my iPhone 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Anthony Recine To:City Clerk Subject:Don’t remove the Palm tree skirts! Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 1:02:26 PM 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. Hi As a property owner I request that you DON’T remove the skirts on the palm trees.!!! This will have a huge impact on the wildlife as well as the look of downtown. Please don’t do it…why would you even consider it??? ALR Sent from my iPhone because I use it more than my computer! Thx!! Anthony $ lol 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Rich Pell To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Tree Skirts Palm Canyon Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 1:06:16 PM 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. Please consider keeping the skirts on the downtown palm trees. The environmental issues alone suggest removing them is unsound and the aesthetic value is immeasurable. Richard Pell Palm Springs CA 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Gary Frank Gleason To:Christy Holstege; CityManager; City Clerk Subject:Removing the palm tree skirts Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 1:06:48 PM 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. Christy et al, By all means they should be removed. They are a lethal danger. I’ve seen them fall during windstorms downtown, once when they hit an infant held in his mother’s arms. They have razor sharp edges where they break off, they emit clouds of dust gathered from years, and they are known to be a favorite habitat for rats who love to invade businesses downtown. Fallen skirts have caused more than a few lawsuits to be brought against the City. There are plenty of places where skirts can be left, but on the sidewalks of downtown is not the place. Gary Gleason 2701 E Mesquite Palm Springs CA 92264 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Jennifer Festa To:City Clerk Subject:Please do not cut the skirts on the palm trees Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 1:19:11 PM 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. I am a resident of Palm Springs (full time) . I am asking that you vote NO on cutting the skirts off of the palm trees that are all over our beautiful city. Those skirts serve as habitat to birds (including owls) and they are beautiful and natural. I thank you for your consideration. Jennifer Festa 2355 Miramonte Circle W, Unit F Palm Springs, CA 92264 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Kate Larkworthy To:City Clerk Subject:Please don"t remove the skirts! Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 1:21:32 PM 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 City Clerk of Palm Springs, We have a condo in Palm Springs and are there as often as we can. We heard you are planning to cut the skirts off 3900 palm trees in the city. Please don’t do this. The skirts are beautiful and are home to habitat who help keep rats away. Please reconsider this when the town is full of more residents so a real discussion can take place regarding this issue. Sincerely, Kate Larkworthy Hugh Dwyer Kate Larkworthy Kate Larkworthy Artist Representation 354 5th Street Unit 1 Jersey City, NJ 07302 646.241.6786 larkworthy.com Please Note: My working hours and your working hours may be different. Please do not feel obligated to reply outside your normal working hours. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Michelle Palladine To:City Clerk Subject:Do NOT Remove Palm Tree Skirts on Palm Canyon Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 2:21:13 PM 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. To Whom it May Concern – Please do not remove the skirts from these trees. They add so much charm and ambience to a stroll down Palm Canyon. I’ve been here over 40 years and I’ve always loved this look. Don’t destroy it. Michelle Palladine 471 E Tahquitz Canyon Way, Ste 204 Palm Springs, CA 92262 Sent from Mail for Windows 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Susan Gorman To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Trees Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 2:25:19 PM 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. Hello- I am a home owner in Palm Springs and I've heard that there is a proposal to remove the skirts on the palm trees lining our streets. Please do more research and poll those of us who live in PS before proceeding with this expensive project. The skirts on the palms are habitats for many creatures including birds and I also understand that the dramatic removal of the skirts is damaging to the tree itself. Please DO NOT remove the skirts on the palms. Thank you, Susan Gorman Sent from my iPhone 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Emmanuel Ramirez To:City Clerk Subject:Palm tree skirts Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 2:31:42 PM 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. To whom it may concern, Pruning palm trees is bad for the palm trees and bad for the environment. I understand that most people do it to their palm trees around their homes in this city, but most people are sheep. At a time like this, when our environment is at a critical state, the last thing we should be doing is making it worse. Pruning palm trees is really cosmetic surgery. Some people do it because they think they look better. I would disagree. Who's going to pay for this? Are you really going to waste money on this? For what purpose? The "skirt" on a palm tree provides insulation for the palm. Many animals, such as migratory birds and bats, use that dry brush as a home. With this extreme heat, where are birds and bats supposed to go? Where are they supposed to raise their young? Instead of talking to landscapers, who do not know the scientific reasons why things exist, we should be consulting biologists and ecologists. Mother Nature does not need humans to remove palm tree skits. Leave them alone! Sincerely, Emmanuel Ramirez 1664 S. Calle Marcus Palm Springs, CA 92264 (310) 770-2013 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Cynthia Kramer To:City Clerk Subject:Proposed agenda 1E -city council meeting 7/9/24 please postpone the voting to trimming Palm trees ! Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 2:33:29 PM 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 City Council, Please postpone voting ( on the Trimming of Palm Trees in Item 1–E ) in tomorrow’s agenda 7/9/24. Please pull this item out of the agenda and wait until the fall until the council has been educated on the positives of NOT trimming, shaving, cutting fruit stems, etc which protect and help our wildlife etc. Plus suggestions to help with any negatives. This is too Important of a decision to Group all Palm Trees -almost 4,000. Palm Trees in a final decision with an enormous negative impact. Please postpone. Thank you, Cindy Kramer Resident Sent from my iPhone 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Nocera, Ray To:City Clerk Subject:Skirts Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 2:39:17 PM 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. Do NOT leave us skirtless! Thank you Ray Nocera Bones-n-Scones 760-340-2663 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Kelly Erwin To:City Clerk Subject:Trimming palm trees Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 2:45:08 PM 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. Hello and thanks for reading my email. I was just informed of the plan to trim over 3000 beautiful palm trees in Palm Springs. I write to you today to please ask you not to!!! those those trees are iconic to Palm Springs. Not to mention, home to many birds. I don’t know why the city always wants to tear things down. I can’t see how the skirts can bother anybody as long as they’re not in anybody’s way scalping the trees is also very bad for them. You will actually be damaging them. If you don’t believe me just ask the Master Gardeners or any horticulturist. It seems that it’s always a fight to keep nature natural. I appreciate your time. Please do not do this and at least have a horticulturalist. Give their opinion before you do it. Kelly Erwin Sent from my iPhone - 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Erika Altobelli To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Tree Skirts Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 2:45:54 PM 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 City Council Member, I am writing to express my complete dismay about the proposal to remove the skirts from 3900 palm trees in Palm Springs. In addition to this being an unnecessary expense, when there are so many areas of need in our community (and an additional expense each year- once removed the trees will need to be cut annually), the skirts are beautiful and provide much needed shade and habitat for all of our beautiful Coachella Valley wildlife, from lizards to owls. From a design perspective, they are iconic. There is absolutely no reason to make this change, other than to waste resources. Best, Erika -- Erika C. Altobelli, LCSW 510-910-6121 (confidential cell) More about me: https://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_detail.php?profid=337849 https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-altobelli-lcsw-04817557 The information transmitted (including attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. 2510-2521, is intended only for the person(s) or entity/entities to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient(s) is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Moira Johannessen To:City Clerk Subject:Palm tree skirts - please do not remove them Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 2:46:26 PM 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. You would change the look of Palm Springs. They are very special. Leave them alone!!! Thank you. Moira Johannessen, Palm Springs resident 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Anthony Nemger To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Trees along Palm Canyon Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 3:24:07 PM 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 City Council, Please do not vote to trim the Palm Trees on Palm Canyon. I moved here in 2003 and visited often many times before I moved to here. I thought the fact that the palm trees were part of the Indian culture was really one of the cool parts of our city. Thank you for your consideration and please leave Marilyn where she is and don't let the few wealthy residents dictate how things should go. Regards, Anthony Nemger 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Nancy Hulme To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Tree trimming - Opposition Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 3:40:47 PM 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. Writing to express opposition to trimming the 3900 palm trees in Palm Springs. The skirts on the trees keep the trees hydrated and healthy. They also provide crucial habitat for local birds, reptiles and important insects. Trimming the trees will negatively impact the optics of downtown and will result in the need to spend more money each year to upkeep the trims. Please don't fall victim to greedy landscapers who try to convince us that trims are necessary - they are not. Thank you for your consideration. Nancy Hulme Homeowner 38956 Vista Drive 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Jeffrey Bernstein To:City Clerk Subject:FW: Palm Trees in our city Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 4:03:37 PM Jeffrey Bernstein Mayor City of Palm Springs cell: 442-305-9942 Jeffrey.Bernstein@palmspringsca.gov -----Original Message----- From: Linda Dixon <walker260@me.com> Sent: Monday, July 8, 2024 1:28 PM To: Jeffrey Bernstein <Jeffrey.Bernstein@palmspringsca.gov>; Ron deHarte <Ron.deHarte@palmspringsca.gov>; Grace Garner <Grace.Garner@palmspringsca.gov>; Christy Holstege <Christy.Holstege@palmspringsca.gov>; Lisa Middleton <Lisa.Middleton@palmspringsca.gov> Cc: Scott Stiles <Scott.Stiles@palmspringsca.gov> Subject: Palm Trees in our city 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 Honorable Mayor and City Council Members, It is with great concern that I recently learned that our city is considering removing “PALM” Springs palm trees throughout our city. NO, NO, NO, please don’t do that. What would our beautiful city be without palm trees? It would be just another desert city and would no longer live up to its name. I’m not sure where this suggestion came from, but any move to remove palm trees will be a big detriment to our city. Instead of cutting down and replacing trees, why aren’t you considering planting more tree, not necessarily palm trees, to help clean our air and work towards becoming a member of Tree City USA? If you recall, when the plam trees were removed for the Cody project, there was an uproar from citizens along with great disappointment that the city council would allow that to happen. Please don’t make the mistake of removing trees happen again. If you’re considering improving the look or the landscape of our city why not move to ban artificial turf from all new projects and create an informational format for citizens exposing them to the harm caused by artificial grass and the damage to our environment; such as it emits potential deadly gases into the atmosphere, has a life span of 10 years than it is thrown into our already overfilled dumps and most importantly, it contributes to the heat of our community. It was 124 degrees last week. Artificial turf heated up to at least 180 degrees. Please consider following the city of Los Angeles and their work and consideration of no longer allowing artificial turf in the city. Your vote to leave our palm trees alone and not to remove any of them and your consideration to ban artificial grass and a motion to allow the Sustainability Committee to work to educate community members on the harm coming from artificial turf will be greatly appreciated. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E Sincerely yours, Linda W. Dixon Palm Springs resident. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Janet R To:City Clerk Subject:palm tree trimming Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 4:13:42 PM 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. We are owners of a condo at 505 So. Farrell Drive and are very concerned about the impact of skirt trimming the scads of Palm Springs palm trees. I understand the aesthetics, but the loss of habitat for birds, including rodent-killing raptors and owls, as well as food and shelter from the heat for smaller birds makes this an alarming proposal. Please do not trim the palms. Thank you, Janet Rothfels 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:douglas keeve To:City Clerk Subject:Please do not remove the skirts of the trees. Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 4:19:51 PM 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. I have a house here for almost 30 years and this is one of my favorite part of Palm Springs. Natural look. Not to mention a habitat for owls, which keeps the rodent population in check. Been done this goes along with other things that have been done that have changed the character of this city for the worst. Please protect Palm Springs, his heritage. Douglas Keeve 3165 N. Sunnyview Drive PS CA 92262 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Jean Graham To:City Clerk Subject:Fwd: Palm skirts are habitat for wildlife Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 4:20:30 PM 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. >To the City Clerk: > I am a full time resident of Palm Springs and I want to voice my opposition to the proposed trimming of the palm skirts. The palm skirts provide important habitat for bats, owls and reptiles that provide natural pest control. > Thank you, > Jean Graham 2355 Miramonte Circle W, Unit F > Palm Springs, CA 92264 > > Sent from my iPad 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Colleen Kerr To:City Clerk Subject:Palm tree skirts Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 4:24:21 PM 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. Please do not remove the skirts—they house owls and birds and keep the rodent population in check. Plus, they are historic and very pretty. Thank you, Colleen Colleen Kerr, Ph.D., ACC 1069 E. Marshall Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 206-295-7202 colleenkerr2016@gmail.com 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Joe Rytell To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Tree Skirts Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 4:26:39 PM 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. My wife and I own a home in Movie Colony East and we just found out that the City of Palm Springs is planning to remove the Palm Tree skirts of hundreds of trees. Please do not remove the palm tree skirts. They house birds and we believe that they add character to our streets. Thank you for your consideration. Best, Joe Rytell 1069 E Marshall Way Palm Springs California 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Deborah Elkington To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Tree Trimming Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 1:59:35 PM 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. Hello, I’ve been made aware of the city’s plan to cut away the palms on Palm Canyon- please know that there is environmental impact to this decision & it should not be done until season so more residents can show up @ a planning meeting. Thank you, D. Elkington Sent from my iPhone 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Mine To:City Clerk Subject:Skirts on trees Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 1:56:08 PM 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. Please do not remove these they are iconic as is! Sent from my iPhone 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:danosf13@aol.com To:City Clerk Subject:Palm tree skirt removal Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 1:47:00 PM 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. Hello, I am a year round resident of Palm Springs and I am very much in favor of retaining the skirts on our beautiful palm trees. This is critical habitat for a number of bird species and should be left intact. Thank you, Daniel Cox 682 Axis Way Palm Springs, CA. 92262 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:tanya petrovna To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Tree Frond trimming ordinance Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 1:34:22 PM 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. Not only would this be a blight to the beautiful architecture these trees present to our beautiful City of Palm Springs, they also provide for the health of trees as well as a myriad of safe havens for many species of birds and lizards, many native to our lower desert. Please consider consulting with some experts in the field if you are concerned about mitigating palm frond drop and any dangers you have been told they can impose. Please do so before you make any quick decisions to do this to 3900 trees! Also please don't do it in July when many full time and part time residents are away. The skirts are a big part of the trees' ecosystem and health of the trunk, please learn more before voting to abolish them! We need more nature, not less, please don't destroy the skirts. -- Tanya Petrovna Chef and Founder www.cheftanyaskitchen.com @cheftanyaskitchen Life is short, do it (t)all! 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:MEYER Christophe To:City Clerk Cc:Jeffrey Bernstein; Lisa Middleton; Christy Holstege; Dean Grubl; spcandsd@googlegroups.com Subject:SKIRTS ON ALL OUR PALM TREES IN PS Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 1:26:40 PM 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. Hello all, This is Helene from Peninsula Pastries. I just read this on FB...SO SAD! DON'T DO IT, PLEASE, YOU WILL CHANGE OUR TOWN IDENTITY!!! IT'S A PART OF THE CHARM OF PS! I know there are some problems sometimes, just keep a "maintenance". Our town is changing a lot and not always in a good way! Please think about that! "URGENT! Letters and phone calls are needed ASAP! The City is voting tomorrow to removethe skirts on 3900 beautiful Palm trees! Do you love the look of our city? Do you love itwhen you're driving downtown and seeing the gorgeous majestic palm trees? The CityCouncil is voting tomorrow to remove the skirts on 3900 trees throughout the city includingalong Palm Canyon Drive! This would completely change the character of our city andwould remove all of the habitat that has been used by generations of birds including owls(who are needed to keep rodent populations in check). Why is a decision like this beingmade in July when most people are not in town? This impacts ALL of us. Please write to thecity ASAP! Email CityClerk@palmspringsca.govIf you know any council members call and email them right away. Attend the City Councilmeeting Tuesday at 530pm." text from Facebook! Thank you very much for your consideration. All my best for the good news! HelenePENINSULA PASTRIES 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Krista Burrell To:City Clerk Subject:Palm tree trimming Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 1:26:38 PM 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. Hello, I was asked submit my comment on the city’s palm tree trimming. I understand that vote is coming up. Please trim the trees! While the trees downtown are somewhat kept trimmed the skirts have fallen for whatever reason and have injured people. As for the rest of them around the city they look terrible and in desperate need of trimming. Not to mention the fire hazard. Thank you for your time. Krista Burrell 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Sue Shigenaga To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Tree Policy Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 4:54:50 PM 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. Honorable City Council People, I am writing to encourage the City of Palm Springs to further study the frond trimming policy. Keeping the skirts on palms has a number of beneficial properties. And although most folks are used to seeing the trunks "frond free", there are a growing number of people who find the skirts both attractive and ecologically useful. Please consider further review and revision of the current policy. Thank you for the opportunity to share my opinion. Sincerely, Sue Shigenga City of Indian Wells Resident -- Sue Shigenaga 760.668.3936 Cell sshigenaga@gmail.com 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Christy Holstege To:City Clerk Subject:Fwd: Plans to cut palm trees Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 4:52:41 PM Christy Gilbert Holstege, Esq. Councilmember District 4 City of Palm Springs Begin forwarded message: From: Patty Shenker <pattyshenker@gmail.com> Date: July 8, 2024 at 3:02:14 PM PDT To: Christy Holstege <Christy.Holstege@palmspringsca.gov> Subject: Plans to cut palm trees 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. It has just come to my attention that you’re planning to cut 3900 palm trees along Palm Canyon Drive starting tomorrow and I am outraged at this plan. At a time when the temperatures are so high and will only get worse we need more trees than ever not just for us and our pets but for wildlife too. These palm trees with their skirts are one of the things Palm Springs, and especially Palm Canyon Drive, is known for. These trees are the beauty first encountered as one drives into the city. I think it is unfair that we residence and taxpayers were not given any notice about this awful plan and that you are doing it with so many residents are away. If I were in town, I would be at your meeting tomorrow to urge you to scrape this plan. In addition, I think it is imperative that you consult with tree experts, and environmentalist before you do this. So I employ you to scrape this plan and leave the trees alone! Thank you for your time and attention. Patty Shenker 825 S.Riverside Dr. Palm Springs, Ca. 92264 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E Sent from my iPhone 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Rodney Smith To:City Clerk Subject:3900 Palm tree skirts Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 5:03:04 PM 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. Please DO Not trim off the skirts on the trees, it’s the charm of this little town, about the ONLY charm it has. Thank you Sent from my iPhone 7/9/2024 Public Comment Item 1.E From:Jill Vega To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Tree Trimming Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 5:05:06 PM 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. To Whom it May Concern; I understand the city is planning to remove all of the tree skirts from the palm trees in town. I am very much opposed to this. We are a growing city with so much tourism. People LOVE the palm trees the way they are! Why must we chop, cut and butcher everything? There is zero shade anywhere due to every tree in town being hacked leafless every year....must we also do this to the palms. They're nicely manicured and not only do they provide a bit of shade there are lots of animals that call these tree skirts home. We just keep building and plowing everything leaving birds and owls no place to take refuge. Doesn't anyone like nature anymore?? Additionally...it's STILL nesting season. Please stop. Jill Vega "When I look into the eyes of an animal, I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul." ~Anthony Douglas Williams Check out www.AdoptaPet.com to adopt a homeless pet 7/9/2024 Public Comment Item 1.E From:Jennifer Hudson To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Trees Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 5:07:12 PM 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 Leaders of our community, Please do not trim the palms lining Palm Canyon Drive! I grew up here, and I’m 69. It’s brilliant that our founding leaders lined our Main Street, realizing the beauty and uniqueness of our native palms, as the perfect welcoming to its residents and visitors, even way back then! Thank you, Jennifer Hudson Sent from my iPhone From:Lars Grava To:City Clerk Subject:Do not trim the California fan palm trees Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 5:42:59 PM 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. Hello, As a full-time resident of Palm Springs and a certified California naturalist, I am expressing my opposition to the proposal 1.E. at the City Council meeting on July 9, 2024 to trim the California fan palms (Washingtonia filifera) in Palm Springs. These are natives to the Coachella Valley and their intact skirts and fronds provide shelter for many different native species. They are a special feature of Palm Springs and a symbol of the city. Washingtonia filifera do not drop their fronds unlike the Mexican fan palms. It would be a mistake to remove the fronds and skirts and therefore I oppose the proposed Resolution Approving Palm Tree Trimming. Sincerely yours, Lars Grava Palm Springs 7/9/2024 Public Comment Item 1.E From:Christina Holstege To:City Clerk; Lindsey-Paige McCloy; Teresa Gallavan Subject:Public comment received Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 5:42:48 PM 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. Christy 7/9/2024 Public Comment Item 1.E From:Brian Beneux To:City Clerk Subject:Palm trees Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 9:45:23 PM 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. Please do not remove all of the beautiful skirts on the palm trees along Palm Canyon drive. This will be endangering most of the native desert owls, nesting birds, migratory birds, and lizards. Please reconsider this devastating decision to our beautiful city and to the creatures that live here and rely on those trees. Brian Beneux 173 Desert Song Lane Palm Springs CA 92262 From:Jill Gasparac To:City Clerk Subject:Don’t destroy the palm trees! Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 7:04:14 PM 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. The info that the city council of Palm Springs is going to update the Palm tree ordinance of the city to completely remove all the beautiful skirts along Palm Canyon drive, with 3900 tress to be cut all over the city. The plan is to remove fronds and strip the trunks? If so, this is not healthy for the trees. These skirts are native desert habitat and serve as "critter condos" for owls, nesting birds, migratory birds, lizards. This is being shared on the internet and everyone is upset that this would be done without consulting experts to mitigate this destruction of these trees. The trees have been there since the beginning of Palm Springs. Please gather more info before you choose to do this. Thanks, Jill From:jasperlp3@aol.com To:City Clerk Subject:Palm tree skirts Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 7:53:14 PM 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. I'm against cutting the palm tree skirts. John Ryan 1868 Tamarisk Sent from AOL on Android From:kevinbrandon@twc.com To:City Clerk Subject:Consent Agenda Item 1E, Palm Springs City Council Regular Meeting, July 9, 2025 Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 10:42:54 PM 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, Vice Mayor, and Council Members: I strongly encourage the removal of Consent Agenda Item 1E regarding palm tree trimming. It is misguided ecologically and financially to require 3900 palm trees of two different species be trimmed in the same way. The California Fan Palm strongly retains its fronds, while the Mexican Fan Palm does not. While concerns over clean up, safety, and property are valid, more time should be devoted to an approach that will protect wildlife habitats and be a compromise between trimming and cleanup that would better serve the public. Kevin Brandon Palm Desert, CA From:Kurt Kosek To:City Clerk Subject:1E is on the Consent Agenda for July 9, 2024 - Trimming of Palms Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 9:12:19 PM 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 City Clerk, I am writing to express my concern on this Item on the consent calendar. I am opposed to this item, and should be removed from the agenda for further study. One of my major concern about this item how it impacts wildlife, especially birds. Barn owls do live in the skirts of palm trees. Barn owls eat up to 4 rats a night. They are a bird you want to have around. The other bird of concern for me is the hooded orioles, which only nest in palm trees, using the fibers of the frowns to make there nest. The other concern to me if you are trimming the fruit pods. The fruit of the palms is a major food source for winter migratory birds here in the desert. Birds that be affected by trimming the fruit pods include; western blue birds, cedar waxwings, robins, white-crown sparrows, yellow-romped warblers and other sparrows. Thank-you for your consideration. Kurt Kosek 4970 Eichler Way Palm Springs, CA. 92262 From:Prayer Warrior To:City Clerk Subject:I support justice for the Section 14 Survivors. Date:Wednesday, June 26, 2024 11:45:07 PM 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. City Clerk: Palm Springs has come a long way in recognizing its role in the destruction of Section 14, but there is still more to be done. Palm Springs still needs to make these families whole again by providing them restitution for their losses. Please follow through on the commitment you made in the wake of the city's investigation into the injustice that occurred in Section 14 and grant restitution now to the impacted families and their descendants. Best regards, Kimberly Esse 06/27/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda From:City of Palm Springs To:City Clerk Subject:*NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs Date:Sunday, June 30, 2024 6:38:21 PM 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. Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs Submission #:3306062 IP Address:72.132.103.174 Submission Date:06/30/2024 6:38 Survey Time:4 minutes, 6 seconds You have a new online form submission. Note: all answers displaying "*****" are marked as sensitive and must be viewed after your login. Full Name/Nombre Veronica F. City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia Palm springs, Phone (optional) /Teléfono (opcional) Email (optional/opcional) Your Comments/Sus comentarios I have just been given a notice of renters fee increase and i am just completely baffled as to why landlords or companies can raise the rent taking into consideration CPI but we living there also are going through the inflation. It is so hard for single parents or single people in general who don’t have a significant other to be able to afford anything on their own. How do people expect someone alone to pay over $2000 in rent alone. I think the renters law needs to be looked at a bit more carefully and with some sense. Everyone shouldn’t have to live with a roommate they don’t know. Thank you, City of Palm Springs This is an automated message generated by Granicus. Please do not reply directly to this email. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda Memo To: Palm Springs City Council From: Bill Hatch, Grandfather of two young citizens of Palm Springs Re: Elimination of Palm Springs Youth League Baseball this year Date: February 29, 2024 My name is Bill Hatch. I have two grandsons who live in Palm Springs and are going to be denied the chance to play baseball this year due to some issue between the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Palm Springs Youth League baseball program. I have some questions for the Council. I understand you can’t answer them now but I hope some of them might stick in your conscience. 1.Why can’t Palm Springs manage to have a viable baseball program for kids like they do in Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, La Quinta, and Coachella, in Thermal, and usually in Cathedral City? Not to mention Tri-Valley Little League in Yucca Valley. 2.Is Palm Springs too poor to have a youth baseball program? 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda 3. Why has youth baseball stopped this year, when in past years there has been a viable program? 4. Why would the City want to eliminate a program that brings out so many multi-generational families to the park who enjoy themselves so much watching their kids play baseball? 5. How many of you on the dias have ever gone to a youth-league baseball game with the families of players? 6. Do other cities in Coachella Valley charge youth baseball programs fees for fields or is Palm Springs the only city so poor that it needs to charge? 7. Does the city Parks and Rec Department wish to sideline youth baseball in favor of adult leagues? 8. If there is room for a vibrant Gay Adult Baseball League, shouldn’t there be room for youth baseball? 9. Why has the City recently locked bathrooms in the parks? 10. The Parks and Recreation Department Director states: “We aspire to unify our youth and young-at- heart communities with open arms and open hearts.” We aren’t interested in unification as much as actual youth getting a fair deal in Palm Springs, in baseball, softball, and in soccer along with the “young-at-heart.” In fact we find it difficult to understand why youth do not occupy a 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda privileged position in the heart of the Palm Springs Parks and Recreation Department. They are, after all, defenseless against adults who are crowding them, their mothers, grandmothers and babysitters out of what should be safe space for children in a civilized city. 11. Thank you for your time. Some clips about Coachella Valley baseball players BASEBALL From a cornfield in Iowa to the Olympics in Tokyo, an update on the desert's 11 pro baseball players Shad Powers Palm Springs Desert Sun Sept 1, 2021 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda Two desert baseball products were drafted by Major League teams this year, another played in the Olympics, while still another was on the biggest MLB stage possible this summer — a cornfield in Iowa. The Coachella Valley is quickly becoming a baseball hotbed as 11 players are currently playing at some level of a major league organization. In fact,10 of the 30 MLB franchises are represented by a former desert high schooler -- the Rockies have two -- and that is the most this area has boasted simultaneously. So as the baseball season winds down, let's look at our 11 professional baseball players and see how their 2021 seasons have gone. Note: All statistics are through games of Monday, Aug. 30. Brooks Kriske Franchise: New York Yankees Position: Right-handed pitcher 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda High school: Palm Desert Current team: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple A) 2021 season: Kriske had immaculate timing this summer as he has been brought up to the big-league ballclub on three different occasions, and one of which enabled him to be part of something special. Kriske was called up to the Yankees on Aug. 11. The next day they played in the famous "Field of Dreams" game in Iowa. Kriske was on the Yankees roster that night and walked out on the field through the corn and everything. It was such a special moment that his parents rushed from the desert to Iowa to be there in time for the game. He did not pitch in the game, but he was able to be on the field with his father and share that special moment, just like in the movie. Kriske was sent back to the minors Aug. 16. Talk about great timing. In all, though, Kriske has pitched in seven games for the Yankees this year. He has a 1-1 record, picking up his first career Major League win on July 21 against the Phillies by throwing a scoreless 10th inning. He set a dubious mark the next night when he threw an MLB record-tying four wild pitches in one inning and took the loss against the Red Sox. He has allowed eight runs in 6.2 innings for a 10.80 ERA. When he's not with the Yankees, he's on the Triple A team in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where he's 1-0 with a 3.08 ERA in 22 appearances. Taylor Ward 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda Franchise: Los Angeles Angels Position: Outfielder High school: Shadow Hills Current team: Salt Lake Bees (Triple A) 2021 season: Ward started the season on the Angels' roster and slowly started to see his playing time dwindle before being sent back to Triple A on July 22. He had 204 at-bats with the Angels this year, hitting .240 with eight home runs, 31 RBIs and 31 runs scored in 63 games. Ward is still a valuable player with his multi-positional abilities, but with newcomer Jo Adell finally emerging, it's starting to look like playing time with the Angels may be hard to come by. Will the Angels continue to have him be part of the plan or is a fresh start somewhere else a possibility? This offseason will be telling. He is currently on the 7-day injured list with the club's Triple 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda A team. He has only had 23 at-bats with the Salt Lake Bees this year, but has 10 hits including two home runs. Tyson Miller Franchise: Texas Rangers Position: Right-handed pitcher High school: Shadow Hills Current team: Round Rock Express (Triple A) 2021 season: You may be thinking, oops, you made a mistake, Miller is with the Cubs and not the Rangers. But Miller, who made his major league debut in 2020 with the Cubs, was picked up on waivers by the Rangers on June 4 and has been a member of their franchise since. The start of Miller's 2021 season in Chicago was slowed by an 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda injury, but he's healthy now and pitching for the Rangers' Triple A team. He's appeared in 15 games and pitched 32 innings for the Express. He has a 3.38 ERA and a 1-2 record to go with 30 strikeouts and eight walks. Scotty Burcham Franchise: Colorado Rockies Position: Infielder High school: Palm Desert Current team: Albuquerque Isotopes (Triple A) 2021 season: What a summer it was for Burcham, who took time out of his Triple A season to play for Team Israel in the Olympics. Burcham said he had a blast in Tokyo 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda playing for the team and hanging out in the Olympic Village. He said he would bump into other athletes in the cafeteria, like one time he was eating near NBA star Luka Doncic. On the field, Burcham started at shortstop in all five games for Israel, which went 1-4. Burcham was 2 for 15 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBIs for Israel. Back in the U.S., he was elevated to the Rockies' Triple A team at the start of the season and has been with them since. He has played in 32 games for the Isotopes, hitting .247 in 77 at-bats. Burcham is still waiting to make his MLB debut. Brian Serven Franchise: Colorado Rockies Position: Catcher High school: Palm Desert 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda Current team: Albuquerque Isotopes (Triple A) 2021 season: Serven, like Burcham, has been on the Rockies' Triple A team all season. The catcher has 188 at-bats for the Isotopes and is hitting .255 with 11 home runs, 29 RBIs and 29 runs scored. During the season, Serven had his 1,000th at-bat at the minor league level. Now one step away from the majors, Serven may be in line to be the next desert player to make his major league debut. Travis Moniot Franchise: Chicago White Sox Position: Shortstop High school: Palm Desert Current team: Winston-Salem Dash (High A) 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda 2021 season: Moniot is slowly climbing the ranks in the White Sox organization, starting in Rookie ball, then Low A and now as a member of the High A team where he's spent this season. In 141 at-bats he has 22 hits, but seven of them have been home runs. He has 24 runs scored, 22 RBIs and eight stolen bases for the Dash. Sean Roby Franchise: San Francisco Giants Position: Third base High school: Shadow Hills Current team: Eugene Emeralds (High A) 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda 2021 season: Roby is getting major playing time with the Emeralds, playing in 82 games this year and logging 319 at-bats. He's hitting .232 with 17 home runs, 50 RBIs and 56 runs scored. Jeremiah Estrada Franchise: Chicago Cubs Position: Pitcher High school: Palm Desert Current team: Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Low A) 2021 season: The bad luck continues for Estrada who is again on the 60-day injured list after looking fantastic on the mound this summer. He was finally healthy after 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda multiple surgeries related to his Tommy John surgery and was looking like the player the Cubs thought so highly of on draft day. Check out these numbers: He pitched in 11 games for the Pelicans, and had a 1.57 ERA in 23 innings. In those 23 innings he had a remarkable 38 strikeouts and just six walks. He was put on the 7-day injured list on Aug. 1 and moved to the 60-day injured list on Aug. 12. The nature of the injury was not disclosed. Andrew Bash Franchise: Toronto Blue Jays Position: Pitcher High school: Palm Desert Current team: Vancouver Canadians (High A) 2021 season: Bash has had an excellent summer, starting on the Blue Jays' Low A team in Dunedin before being promoted to the High A team in Vancouver. In a combined 13 games for the two teams, Bash has a record of 6-1 with a 5.70 ERA. He has 41 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched. Travis Adams Franchise: Minnesota Twins Position: Pitcher High school: Palm Desert Signing day: Adams was drafted by the Twins in the 6th round of the draft in July and signed with the team for $253,300 -- the exact amount of money designated for his draft position. Johnny Cuevas 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda Franchise: Tampa Bay Rays Position: Pitcher High school: Palm Desert Signing day: Cuevas was drafted in the 12th round of the 2021 draft in July and apparently, the Rays think quite highly of him. He reportedly signed with the team for $197,500, which was $72,500 more than the slotted amount for a 12th-round pick. 11-6-23 News Channel 3 Coachella Valley native Jeremiah Estrada picked up by the San Diego Padres By Jesus Reyes Coachella Valley Jeremiah Estrada is joining the San Diego Padres. Estrada was removed from the Cubs' 40-man roster on Friday, sending him to the waivers. The Padres claimed Estrada on Monday. Estrada, 25, graduated from Palm Desert High School in 2017. He was drafted straight out of high school by the Chicago Cubs in the sixth round of the 2017 MLB Draft. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda Jeremiah Estrada pitching for the Palm Desert Aztecs Over his six-year career. Estrada recorded 180 strikeouts in 117 innings in the minor leagues and 21 strikeouts in 16.1 innings in the major leagues. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda He's dealt with some injuries in that time period, barely pitching until 2021 after recovering from Tommy John surgery. He also underwent a life-threatening battle with COVID-19 in Aug. 2021 that left him hospitalized. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda After overcoming those struggles, Estrada was finally called up to the Cubs in 2021, making his debut in an impressive showing in Aug. 2022. Unfortunately, he struggled this past season with the Cubs, recording a 6.75 ERA in 12 outings. He'll look to bounce back with a return to Southern California. MAY 18, 2023 Coachella Valley Native Brian Serven Makes MLB Debut With Colorado Rockies https://nbcpalmsprings.com/2022/05/18/co achella-valley-native-brian-serven-makes- mlb-debut-with-colorado-rockies/ 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda From:Dan Gore To:City Clerk Subject:Upcoming City Council Meeting (July?) Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 1:16:41 PM 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. Hello! I am a local business owner in Palm Springs and I am interested in speaking at the next city council meeting. I own Oscar's in Downtown Palm Springs. For several years, but most recently this past year, I have had an issue brewing with another local business regarding aggressive guerilla type marketing. A lot of this is brewing from the overabundance of "drag brunch" shows in the city of Palm Springs. This speech is just going to be a moment for me to express why things should be possibly zoned and or policed in a certain way so all businesses can survive and thrive rather than have all similar businesses on the same street or otherwise. I have addressed the owners of the Saguaro Palm Springs, and they have positioned themselves in a very passive way to protect their revenue from a show that runs there every weekend. This particular Saguaro vendor uses my name and terminology to coerce customers to the Saguaro. I have expressed my sincerest grievance to the executives at SOHO Properties who operate the Saguaro, but nothing is really being done to curb them from this immature way of marketing their vendor's product. My question/comments and theory is what is the main business defining the Saguaro and why is it they feel a need to protect a product they don't own or operate. They are in the business of selling hotel rooms, not drag brunch shows. And that is what the Saguaro applied for as a business within the city limits. But the Saguaro continues to house/protect their vendor that continues to immaturely persuade people to NOT come to Oscar's but to Saguaro for drag brunch heavily, online. All of this bickering and sabotage can and could be stopped by land use permits, policing and zoning, all of which is not being done so far. That is the reason for my public comments. It can apply to many other issues with other small businesses as well in the city. Let me know when I may have a moment to speak at an upcoming meeting. Dan Gore Oscar's 760 422 7465 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda -- Dan Gore Oscar's | Downtown Palm Springs "something good is happening here" 760 325 1188 760 422 7465 Mobile 07/09/2024 Public Comment Non Agenda From:Tamara Hedges To:City Clerk Subject:Palm tree trimming proposed resolution Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 6:39:38 PM 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, Mayor Pro Tem, Councilmembers, and City Manager, I recently learned that the city is considering removing the fronds and skirts from roughly 3,760 California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera) out of a concern for public safety. I am shocked. This is an extreme, over-the-top response to a potential hazard. The California Fan Palm, unlike Mexican Fan Palm (Washintonia robusta), is unique in that it keeps its dried fronds for life. The skirt of the tree protects the trunk from heat and also creates vital habitat for wildlife for a variety of species - owls, finches, wrens, and bats, including the Western Yellow Bat (Lasiurus xanthinus), which is on the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation list. Each tree is its own ecosystem, engineered by nature to survive our harsh desert weather and serve as a protector for other species all year- round, particularly during the heat of the summer months. I understand the need to trim the Mexican Fan palms (they provide little habitat or shade and are water suckers), but please, don’t let fear override good judgement on the California Fan Palms. There are better ways to protect residents and visitors from the hazards of falling fronds, starting with systematic surveying of individual trees to strategically remove loose and dangling fronds, advisory signage, and public awareness. It is not just palm fronds that can become loose during high winds, it is power wires, building materials, and even blowing sand entering our lungs, which is a very real health concern, impacting far many more people than the random palm frond. Extreme weather events, which we are sure to see more of, pose a slew of hazards, particularly heat, for both humans and nonhumans. Now Palm Springs wants to remove the “cooling centers” for wildlife on our California Fan Palms? We have already made it incredibly difficult for wildlife to survive and thrive in our community, consistently focused on what is best for humans, profit, and development, forgetting that we are not separate from nature and we harm her at our own peril. This is an opportunity for Palm Springs to protect humans, trees and wildlife at the same time. Stay calm and keep the fronds and skirts on the California Fan Palms. At the very least, remove this item from the Consent Calendar to allow the community time to weigh in on this proposed action. Respectfully, Tamara Hedges Palm Springs Resident From:Vaughan Davies To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Canyon trees and others! Date:Monday, July 8, 2024 6:27:43 PM 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. To whom it may Concern, Please do NOT cut the skirts on our iconic palm trees. This is a huge mistake with major cost ramifications and other negative impacts. 1.Not only is it costly to do, but needs to be maintained annually. 2.City the skirt promotes increased vertical growth, and therefore the trees meet full maturation sooner, and will need to be replaced sooner. 3.The habitat they now have/promote will be destroyed. 4.The "skirt" provides substantially more shade than the fronds in many cases, so reducing the shade increases the heat island effect and exacerbates our ability to mediate the effects of climate change. I urge you NOT to cut the skirts of our iconic palms. Thank you. Vaughan Davies, resident. "There is no rehearsal for life". - Travel is an investment in memory. “Answers are only temporary” 7/9/2024 Public Comment Item 1.E From:Owens, Chase E To:City Clerk Subject:Vote Yes on Palm Tree Skirt Removal Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 12:21:34 AM 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. I vote yes to the removal of the palm tree skirt removal Get Outlook for iOS *Wire Fraud is Real*. Before wiring any money, call the intended recipient at a number you know is valid to confirm the instructions. Additionally, please note that the sender does not have authority to bind a party to a real estate contract via written or verbal communication. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Ruth Sinfuego To:City Clerk Subject:Do NOT remove even one of our palm tree skirts Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 12:41:33 AM 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. URGENT! Do NOT remove the skirts on 3900 beautiful Palm trees! I was born in Palm Springs. I have spent my life here. Recently I have been so happy and relieved that we had the skirts on and allowed the magnificent character and charm of our village to display it's stylish classic look. We kept our natural lil habitats in tact. I told people look at that gorgeous one, and another, and that one and that one and on and on with great pride! Finally someone with an iota of style and taste and a decent amount of respect for nature and for the preservation and recognition of what Palm Springs was always about and needs desperately to get back to honoring on our city streets' landscaping is actually doing it with the traditional natural grace and grandeur our palm trees and as our citizens and our visitors deserve. It is long over due. Do NOT mess this one up! Preserve our palms as nature intended. Removing the skirts on 3900 trees throughout the city (including along Palm Canyon Drive) would completely change the character of our city and would remove the habitat that has been used by generations of birds including owls (who are needed to keep rodent populations in check). Why is a decision like this being done in July when most people are not in town? This impacts ALL of us. At minimum, this decision should be made when people are in town and can contribute to this decision. Sincerely Ruth Sinfuego 760-534-4581 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:jordan toland To:City Clerk Subject:Fwd: Iconic palms must stay!! Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 5:32:42 AM 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. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: jordan toland <jordantoland@gmail.com> Date: Monday, July 8, 2024 Subject: Iconic palms must stay!! To: Cityclerk@palmsprinsca.gov Thank you for reading my quick email. I beg of you to not trim the iconic palms that make Palm Springs so unique!! No one else has beautiful shaggy palms like this. I understand owls live in them as do lizards. Let’s not displace them. Keep these beautiful trees the way they are!! Keep Palm Springs, Palm Springs with the beautiful “bob cut” palm’s the way they are. Thank you for your consideration. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:rbelshee@hotmail.com To:City Clerk Subject:Trimming of palm trees Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 5:33:50 AM 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. Please do not approve the timing of thepalm trees by consent at the Board meeting tonight. The topic requires discussion and proper consideration. While there can be a safety concern of palm fronds falling in high winds, if you look closely you will note that there are two species of palm. The non-native Mexican Fan Palm (taller, skinnier) will have fronds blown off and should be trimmed. However the native California Fan Palm fronds will stay on the tree and they provide critical habitat - in some cases the only habitat for native birds and bats that keep our insects and rodent populations down. Again, the topic can get complex and requires discussion and careful thought. Please remove it from the consent agenda and allow time for future discussion. Rod Belshee Indio, CA 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Steve Braff To:City Clerk Subject:Removal of Palm Tree Skirts Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 5:48:30 AM 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. I learned a couple days ago that because a palm frond fell and injured a visiting mom & her baby, that the City intends to remove the skirts from almost all the palm trees on city property. Some fundamental questions: - How many such incidents have been reported to the City over the past ten years? - And what would you estimate as the number of tourists who've visited our city over that same period? - So what's that percentage look like? - How many claims have been filed against the City? - How much has been awarded to those claimants? - How much will it cost the City to remove those skirts? - And based on your responses, does this proposal make any sense? - Or is this an opportunist grab on a false pretext for what is an aesthetic vs public interest choice similar to using your false narrative of Section 14 to remove a statue you didn't like? (and look how that turned out- a lawsuit for reparations in the millions) Please eMail me back your response. Thanks. Steve Braff 1757 S Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92264 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:eric durrschmidt To:City Clerk Subject:For 7/9 city council meeting Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 7:02:03 AM 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. I am writing to express my concern about the city trimming the palm trees disturbing the habitat of many birds. Please consider leaving the palm trees as they are, they are an iconic look for the city, and should not be changed. Eric Durrschmidt 767 E Sunny Dunes Rd Palm Springs CA 92264 ericdinla@me.com 323 423 6667 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Susana Bates To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Tree Skirts Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 7:56:06 AM 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. Hello, I heard that you will be voting on the removal of 3900 palm tree skirts. This seems excessive, like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I understand why there is concern for the skirts and believe that some may need to be removed. But all 3900? The trees are beautiful and iconic of Palm Springs. They also provide shelter for birds, owls etc.. Please do not be so extreme in your decision. An evaluation of what needs to be removed and what does not would be a better solution for all. Thank you, Susana Bates 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:City of Palm Springs To:City Clerk Subject:*NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 8:12:33 AM 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. Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs Submission #:3323678 IP Address:76.32.14.137 Submission Date:07/09/2024 8:12 Survey Time:17 minutes, 9 seconds You have a new online form submission. Note: all answers displaying "*****" are marked as sensitive and must be viewed after your login. Full Name/Nombre Michael Finucane City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia PALM SPRINGS, Phone (optional) /Teléfono (opcional) (240) 486-0269 Email (optional/opcional) FINUCANE.MD@GMAIL.COM Your Comments/Sus comentarios Understand the councilmembers will consider an update to the city’s tree-trimming policy allowing for the removal of dry fronds / tree skirts. When I heard about this, I thought, "Finally the city is being proactive for a change." All trees need some level of basic grooming and maintenance. Acknowledging some might not want the tree skirts trimmed, the city cannot ignore the risk of personal injury, property damage, or worse. I support the full trimming of the tree skirts and hope the city take action as necessary to move forward with this maintenance. I would support a phased palm tree skirt trimming plan as a compromise for those who would prefer to leave the palms as is. Thank you, City of Palm Springs This is an automated message generated by Granicus. Please do not reply directly to this email. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:City of Palm Springs To:City Clerk Subject:*NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 10:24:09 AM 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. Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs Submission #:3324257 IP Address:75.85.222.123 Submission Date:07/09/2024 10:24 Survey Time:16 minutes, 1 second You have a new online form submission. Note: all answers displaying "*****" are marked as sensitive and must be viewed after your login. Full Name/Nombre Scott Connelly City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia Palm Springs, Phone (optional) /Teléfono (opcional) (760) 799-5541 Email (optional/opcional) scottdesert@gmail.com Your Comments/Sus comentarios Trimming the skirts of palm trees can have several adverse effects on wildlife: Loss of Habitat • Shelter: The dead fronds, or skirts, provide shelter for various wildlife species: birds, insects, and small mammals. Removing these fronds can displace these animals, leaving them without a safe place to live. The nests are hidden inside and not visible Food Sources • Insects:. Removing the fronds can reduce the availability of these food sources2 for wildlife Ecosystem Balance • Biodiversity:. Removing them can disrupt the local ecosystem balance by reducing the variety of species that can thrive Tree Health • It reduces the number of fronds that produce food through photosynthesis. Maintenance and Cost Historical and Architectural Significance • These iconic native palm trees have lined the streets of Palm Springs for decades and are symbols of our unique landscape and are integrated into our Mid- Century Modern architecture and history and appear on the city logo. Thank you, City of Palm Springs This is an automated message generated by Granicus. Please do not reply directly to this email. From:City of Palm Springs To:City Clerk Subject:*NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 10:10:56 AM 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. Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs Submission #:3324187 IP Address:76.93.235.32 Submission Date:07/09/2024 10:10 Survey Time:13 minutes, 30 seconds You have a new online form submission. Note: all answers displaying "*****" are marked as sensitive and must be viewed after your login. Full Name/Nombre Lucie Arnaz City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia Palm Springs, Phone (optional) /Teléfono (opcional) Email (optional/opcional) Lluckinbill@gmail.com Your Comments/Sus comentarios Wanted to state my concern regarding the trimming of the skirts on all our regal downtown California Fan Palm Trees without more conversation as to alternative solutions to the occasional fronds dropping and possible hitting passersby. This has not not happened a lot and only when there were severe hign wind warnings. There must be a way to preserve these historic, iconic specimens that represent our city so majestically without doing this. I urge the council to take more time to solve whatever problem you are facing with them. There must be a better way. We need to preserve what's unique here and they are a cornerstone of our long admired city's history. It is called PALM Springs, after all! Thank you for considering my views, Lucie Arnaz Thank you, City of Palm Springs This is an automated message generated by Granicus. Please do not reply directly to this email. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Karen Braff To:City Clerk Subject:Please Submit to Council Meeting today, Palm Trees Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 10:17:47 AM 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. What is the underlying motivation to remove the palm tree skirts? Is the motivation to remove the skirts from 3900 palm trees in the City of Palm Springs the fear of injury from falling fronds and the potential for litigation (the odds are about the same as a lightning strike)? Or is it a convenient pretense to implement a desired modern aesthetic in our town, something not so messy, palms that are denuded, neat and tidy? This of reminds me of the first effort to be rid of the bronze statue of a cowboy in front of City Hall otherwise known as Frank Bogert. I was at the City Council meeting years ago when the Palm Springs Art Commission was set to remove the statue and replace it with artwork deemed more suitable for the front lawn of our mid century City Hall. Luckily a crowd of angry residents attended and spoke up and the statue stayed for a while, that is until the cancel culture movement and the Section 14 controversy. I can’t help but think the same thing is going on with our majestic messy palms. I know that whenever I’m at tourist, I most value towns that preserve their unique history along with unavoidable changes that take place. Cities that can strike a balance between the push for the current stylish, aesthetic and preserving a unique history are the ones that maintain their longevity as world class destinations. The palms are part of our history, are beautiful, offer shade and say you have entered PALM SPRINGS, not Miami or Santa Monica. We are different. Please consider; is the motivation to remove the skirts the potential for litigation or is there something more here, because once they’re gone they’re never coming back. Sincerely, Karen Braff 1757 S Palm Canyon Drive 65 years in PS Sent from my iPhone 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Gary Johns To:City Clerk Subject:Council Meeting July 09, Consent Calendar Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 10:40:55 AM 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. I oppose the city trimming of the historic palm trees along Palm Canyon Drive. This item should be pulled from the consent calendar and should be rescheduled as a public hearing. Respectfully, Gary johns Gary Johns 760 327 7290 Realtor, Paul Kaplan Group paulkaplanhomes.com Bennion Deville Homes Palm Springs DRE# 00594206 Modernism Week Board of Directors, Secretary modernismweek.com Palm Springs Preservation Foundation Board of Directors, President pspreservationfoundation.org 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Christy Holstege To:City Clerk Subject:Fwd: Oppose Palm Tree Trimming Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 11:01:26 AM Christy Gilbert Holstege, Esq. Councilmember District 4 City of Palm Springs Begin forwarded message: From: Scott Connelly <scottdesert@gmail.com> Date: July 9, 2024 at 10:43:35 AM PDT To: Christy Holstege <Christy.Holstege@palmspringsca.gov> Subject: Oppose Palm Tree Trimming 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. Trimming the skirts of palm trees can have several adverse effectson wildlife: Loss of Habitat Shelter: The dead fronds, or skirts, provide shelter for variouswildlife species, including birds, insects, and small mammals. Removing these fronds can displace these animals, leaving them without a safe place to live12. Nesting Sites: Many birds use the skirts for nesting. Trimming can destroy these nests, impacting bird populations3. Food Sources Insects: The dead fronds often harbor insects that serve as a foodsource for birds and other animals. Removing the fronds can reduce the availability of these food sources2. Ecosystem Balance Biodiversity: The skirts contribute to the overall biodiversity of thearea. Removing them can disrupt the local ecosystem balance by reducing the variety of species that can thrive4. Tree Health ·Over-trimming can weaken the tree, as it reduces the number offronds that produce food through photosynthesis. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E Maintenance, Costs, Monitoring – The nests are hidden inside thefronds – how will monitors know if nests are present? Historical and Architectural Significance · These iconic native palm trees have lined the streets of PalmSprings for decades and are symbols of our unique landscape and are integrated into our Mid-Century Modern architecture andhistory and appear on the city logo seal. Scott Connelly Palm Springs July 7, 2024 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Jarek Dallos To:City Clerk Cc:Scott Stiles; Jane Garrison; A. Leider; David Lahti; Robert McCann; Tamara Hedges; Katie Barrows; Steve Braff Subject:Comment Letter: 1E - Palm Tree Trimming Policy Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 11:45:03 AM Attachments:Comment Letter - Oswit Land Trust - Palm Springs 1E - Palm Tree Trimming Policy.pdf 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 City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs. I am reaching out on behalf of The Board of Oswit Land Trust to share with you a comment letter regarding: RE: Comment Letter: 1E - Palm Tree Trimming Policy Please confirm receipt and distribute the attached letter and exhibits to the City Council and City Manager. Thank you kindly. Jarek Dallos ING. JAREK DALLOS (He/Him/His) | Administrative Assistant for Executive Office & ACE Division Website: www.OswitLandTrust.Org Email: jarek@OswitLandTrust.Org 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E OswitLandTrust.org | 760.385.8255 Oswit Land Trust, PO Box 4020, Palm Springs, CA 92263 1 July 9, 2024 To: Members of the City Council and City Manager From: Oswit Land Trust Board Re: 1E - Palm Tree Trimming Policy We were dismayed to learn of the proposed Palm Tree Trimming Policy that would remove the fruit pods and dry fronds of all California fan palms within the public right-of- way. Recognizing the iconic nature of these trees which is due in no small part to the skirts that remain attached throughout the life of the tree, the staff report then proposes to remove the skirts from approximately 3,760 trees at the rate of 1,000 trees each year over four years. This seems to be an excessive, and expensive, solution to a potential hazard, the more limited problem of an occasional falling palm frond. We encourage the City Council to pull this item from the consent agenda and direct staff to work with the community and experts to find a more suitable solution. We disagree the cutting of 3,760 trees would qualify for a Class 4 exemption of Section 15304 of the CEQA due to the significant cumulative impacts this will cause to protected species of birds, bats and other wildlife. We encourage the City of Palm Springs to do a full environmental impact report. The impact of this proposal is not insignificant. Palm trees provide a rich array of resources to wildlife - food, nesting sites and nest materials, a place to escape from the heat in those very skirts that this proposal would remove. Wintering birds including western bluebirds, cedar waxwings, and yellow-rumped warblers depend on the fruits of the palm trees that would also be removed through this proposal. Owls, including barn owls and great horned owls, and many bats nest and roost in the skirts; hooded orioles use the dry fibers of palm fronds to build their hanging nests attached to the skirts. The significance of urban trees to wildlife has received growing recognition, especially in the face of increasing temperatures due to climate change. Our wildlife needs these trees and their iconic skirts to find a cooler place to escape from the excessive heat of our summers. Imagine 124 degrees without air conditioning. The California fan palms with their skirts are also more of a benefit than a risk to the human population. Studies have shown the impact of the "urban heat island effect" on temperatures when sunlight is reflected off pavement. The California fan palm skirts help to provide more shade along city streets and sidewalks. The skirts also protect the trees, insulating their trunks. Removing the skirts could impact the health of the trees. We appreciate the concerns of council and staff to protect public safety and avoid the hazards of palm fronds falling on pedestrians or vehicles. Surely a more 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E OswitLandTrust.org | 760.385.8255 Oswit Land Trust, PO Box 4020, Palm Springs, CA 92263 2 environmentally friendly and cost-efficient solution can be found to the potential, but probably limited risk of the occasional falling palm frond. This could include the survey and removal of loose fronds. Palm Springs has stood out for your strong support of sustainability and your efforts to build climate resilience. We strongly encourage the city council to consider a different approach that avoids changing the look and the cool, palm tree vibe that has always characterized Palm Springs. Thank you for your consideration of this request. Sincerely, The Board of Oswit Land Trust 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:dougsky1@aol.com To:Brenda Pree; City Clerk Subject:Agenda Item 1.E. Palm Tree Trimming Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 12:06:36 PM Attachments:Palm Tree Triming7924.docx 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. Good afternoon Brenda- Please provide the Mayor and City Council the attached letter regarding Palm Tree Trimming Policy. Please confrim that the Mayor, a City Counnd staff have been provided a copy. Thank you, Doug 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E July 9, 2024 RE- Agenda Item 1.E- Palm Tree Trimming Policy Dear Mayor and City Council- If you want to destroy a world-famous City’s aesthetic charm, go ahead and STRIP the 3900 Washingtonia Filiferia of their skirts planted adjacent to city roadways. The result is that the City of Palm Springs will be transformed into a series of strip shopping centers that one can find in many ho hum communities in the southland. Additionally, some of the not so pretty buildings located along major throughfares and downtown will be exposed and look like warts. The staff report is written as if the city ’s urban design statement, created by lining important streets with the native palm trees, was not a well thought out urban design. Go to the Indian Canyons and see the majestic native palm trees that have been the hallmark of the city for decades. The staff report mentions that the native palm trees are not located within a state scenic highway. Really, so North, South, and East Palm Canyon Drives, Indian Canyon Drive, and Tahquitz Canyon are pretty darn important local scenic roadways. The Environmental Assessment finding that this is an exempt project, is fatally flawed. The staff report fails to discuss the historic and aesthetic merit of native fan palms with skirts trimmed to 12 feet from the ground. The staff report fails to discuss the significant visual impact of removing native palm tree skirts, fails to address the loss of shade in the downtown and other areas, fails to address the significant heat gain caused by loss of shade, and fails to discuss the historic aspect of the native palm trees and the historic context of changing the urban design of the community forever. Lastly, there is no mention of any meaningful input from the Planning Commission, Architectural Advisory Committee or the Historic Stie Preservation Board regarding this forever change to the city’s major throughfares and downtown. In summary, if the City Council approves stripping the native palm trees of their skirts it will be an un-mitigated urban design disaster. Say NO and save the community from destroying the City’s world class urban design or schedule this item during the season and let the public know what is being proposed. Please don’t do this in the middle of summer and as a consent calendar item. Doug Evans 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E July 9, 2024 RE- Agenda Item 1.E- Palm Tree Trimming Policy Dear Mayor and City Council, For the 54 years that I have lived here, every so often, the topic of trimming the skirts on our beautiful and unique Washingtonia Filifera palms comes up as a topic. Fortunately, over many years, the very wise decision has always been to keep them as reflections of their ancestors back in the canyons. Each one of those palms is a little sample of how beautiful it is back in the canyons. If you strip them, Palm Springs will just look like any other wide spot in the road and urban blighted strip mall from Phoenix to Newport Beach. A decision as significant as this one doesn’t allow for error. Likewise, a decision with this level of a aesthetic impact on the entire City should never be made without the input of Architectural Review, Planning Commission and, most importantly, the residents of Palm Springs. Please do the right thing and leave those beautiful palms alone. A day will come when you are no longer a City Council member or possibly even a resident of Palm Springs. Please, please, please don’t let your legacy be that you destroyed the special character of the wonderful City of Palm Springs! Best regards, David Christian, Architect 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Christy Holstege To:City Clerk Subject:Fw: Urgent. Do Not cut the palm tree skirts!!! Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 1:29:09 PM Christy Gilbert Holstege, Esq. Councilmember City of Palm Springs, District 4 Tel: (760) 323-8200 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Fax: (760) 323-8207 Palm Springs, CA 92262 www.palmspringsca.gov christy.holstege@palmspringsca.gov From: Ruth Sinfuego <ruth92262@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 9, 2024 12:56 AM To: Alyssa Chavez <Alyssa.Chavez@palmspringsca.gov>; Jeffrey Bernstein <Jeffrey.Bernstein@palmspringsca.gov>; Ron deHarte <Ron.deHarte@palmspringsca.gov>; Christy Holstege <Christy.Holstege@palmspringsca.gov>; Grace Garner <Grace.Garner@palmspringsca.gov>; Lisa Middleton <Lisa.Middleton@palmspringsca.gov> Subject: Urgent. Do Not cut the palm tree skirts!!! 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. Honorable public servants, URGENT! Do NOT remove the skirts on 3900 beautiful Palm trees! I was born in Palm Springs. I have spent my life here. Thant my friends is decades of dedication and every single summer here. Dedication! Recently I have been so happy and relieved that we had the skirts on and allowed the magnificent character and charm of our village to display it's stylish classic look. We kept our natural lil habitats in tact. I told people look at that gorgeous one, and another, and that one and that one and on and on with great pride! Finally someone with an iota of style and taste and a decent amount of respect for nature and for the preservation and recognition of what Palm Springs was always about and needs desperately to get back to honoring on our city streets' landscaping is actually doing it with the traditional natural grace and grandeur our palm trees and as our citizens and our visitors deserve. It is long over due. Do NOT mess this one up! Preserve our palms as nature intended. Removing the skirts on 3900 trees throughout the city (including along Palm Canyon 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E Drive) would completely change the character of our city and would remove the habitat that has been used by generations of birds including owls (who are needed to keep rodent populations in check). Why is a decision like this being done in July when most people are not in town? This impacts ALL of us. At minimum, this decision should be made when people are in town and can contribute to this decision. Thank you for your conscientious service Ruth Sinfuego 760.534.4581 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Howard Goldberg To:City Clerk Subject:Resolution approving palm tree trimming Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 1:39:14 PM To the City Council: I oppose the palm tree skirt removals as an overreaction to a few isolated incidents. I would compare this resolution to banning cars because of traffic accidents. A more sensible reaction would be to continue the current policy of shearing, and selectively mitigate any California Fan Palms that are in poor condition based on expert examination. People are notoriously bad at assessing risk, and seeing one news story about a palm skirt falling and hitting someone can create popular sentiment to skin all of the thousands of California Fan Palms in the public right-of-way, endangering nests and natural habitat. I happened to walk by the scene of the notorious recent incident on Palm Canyon Drive and saw the fallen debris myself, and I admit it looked scary. But the Council should be more judicious and not engage in this kind of knee-jerk messing with nature. Howard Goldberg 1193 S La Verne Way Palm Springs, CA 92264 917-692-5873 Howard@goldcat.net 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:margaret badali To:City Clerk Subject:Palm Springs to cut skirts on Iconic Palm Trees - oh NO Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 1:44:36 PM 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. Please do not remove the skirts. If at all possible to make them safer, please do so. These trees are truly one of the most beautiful sights of downtown Palm Springs. Thank you for your consideration. Margaret Badali 500 E Bogert Trl., Palm Springs, CA 92264 Sent from my iPad 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Christy Holstege To:City Clerk Subject:Fw: City Palm tree trimming proposed resolution Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 2:18:45 PM Christy Gilbert Holstege, Esq. Councilmember City of Palm Springs, District 4 Tel: (760) 323-8200 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Fax: (760) 323-8207 Palm Springs, CA 92262 www.palmspringsca.gov christy.holstege@palmspringsca.gov From: Tanya Petrovna <tanya@cheftanyaskitchen.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 9, 2024 2:11 PM To: Jeffrey Bernstein <Jeffrey.Bernstein@palmspringsca.gov>; Ron deHarte <Ron.deHarte@palmspringsca.gov>; Christy Holstege <Christy.Holstege@palmspringsca.gov>; Grace Garner <Grace.Garner@palmspringsca.gov>; Lisa Middleton <Lisa.Middleton@palmspringsca.gov>; Scott Stiles <Scott.Stiles@palmspringsca.gov> Subject: City Palm tree trimming proposed resolution 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. I am urgently requesting council to please remove from the Consent Calendar the resolution of the Palm Tree Trimming Policy until some other remediations can be discussed with professionals and concerned citizens other than this massive pruning of close to 4,000 trees. It seems like both of the Washingtonia palm species are being viewed the same way. We have the California Fan Palm and the Mexican Fan Palm. The California palm holds its skirt tightly. The skirts are also functional, they cool and protect the trunk of the tree from pathogens, and give the trunk strength. A thick skirt shades and cools the ground underneath the tree too! In downtown and the rest of the city this is important with primarily asphalt and concrete as they help curb the urban heat island effect. The skirts provide habitat and safety from storms for many wildlife species. They are amazing. I planted a row of California Palms in my home over 30 years ago with the intention to keep the skirts as part of the landscaping. Grown close together they really provide shade and cooling in the face of the hot sun in summer, I watch nesting birds in spring and bats in the evenings go in and out. I am lucky to hear owls at night and early morning. Their fruit pods provide food for many birds (including migratory species) and the wandering coyote.The Native Americans used the berries to make a delicious cold brew tea. I have given cooking classes using them and people are amazed. I don't know why you would trim the fronds of the California fan palm as they help the wildlife and they are not located near swimming pools where they may be considered a nuisance? I understand safety is a pressing concern with the skirts but it's so rare with a California fan palm. Signage consideration possibly? History of the palm signage making them a landmark 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E and letting visitors know about them? There are so many ways to tie in the positive attributes of these great trees to our community. Jump on a new bandwagon of helping the environment and promoting what nature we have, not the old bandwagon of fear and destruction. They are an iconic symbol of Palm Springs with those skirts! On a safety concern note, I was asked to be escorted to my car by employees at Rite Aid on Ramon and Sunrise last night due to someone making lewd gestures and remarks. Concerns about the trees can be mitigated much more easily! This attached photo shows my palm garden with skirts. There were two fronds that fell during the hurricane we had, it's rare any fall. with gratitude, Tanya Petrovna Chef / Owner / Operator Chef Tanya's Kitchen (760) 832-9007 706 S Eugene Rd, Palm Springs, CA 92264 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:James W. Cornett To:City Clerk Subject:Removal of palm skirts on Palm Canyon Drive Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 2:22:13 PM 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. To the City Clerk, It has come to my attention that the City is contemplating the removal of skirts from palm trees lining Palm Canyon Drive. Please consider the following comments regarding such an action. For nearly a century, Palm Canyon Drive has been lined with desert fan palms, Washingtonia filifera. I have examined many historical photographs over the years as well as being a resident of Palm Springs since 1972. The palms have always had their skirts intact, and I would argue this has dramatically contributed to the famed appearance of Palm Canyon Drive over time. Without the skirts, they are hardly distinguishable from the approximately 2,500 other palm species on our planet. Additional background information might help better understand the uniqueness of Washingtonia filifera. It is the only palm species in the world whose dead leaves typically adhere to the trunk throughout the life of the tree. It is this "skirt" that separates it from all other palm species. Remove the skirt and you eliminate the uniqueness of the tree. Additionally, it is the only species of palm that is native to the western United States. We have no other native palm species. Its presence along Palm Canyon Drive epitomizes our city, indeed our region. It invites visitors to explore our area including the Indian Canyons Tribal Park which protects the largest undisturbed desert palm oasis in the Western Hemisphere. Suggestions that the city remove the skirts, actually butchering both the palms and the City's legacy, represent profound ignorance of the city's heritage. Justifications, of which I am aware, for removing the skirts include (1) the assertion that the skirts will fall off during high winds causing damage to property and pedestrians, (2) that the skirts harbor rats, and (3) that they pose a fire danger. With regard to the skirts falling off, let me say that this is a very rare occurrence and when it does occur there is usually no property damage. Debris falls from all tree species, not just desert fan palms. If this type of concern could statistically be shown to be real, then we might as well get rid of all trees wherever they occur. (As a corollary to this, the former and disgraced mayor of Palm Springs, Steve Pougnet, convinced city staff to give the bottom of the skirts a flattop, not only damaging their appearance but also destabilizing the skirts increasing the likelihood they might collapse. Prior to the flat top, the skirts were more secure because the bottom of all the fronds were either directly or indirectly supported by the trunk. 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E Hopefully, this someday be corrected through corrective pruning, not removal of entire skirts.) With regard to rats living in the skirts, this is completely fabricated. I have studied desert fan palms for nearly my entire adult life, both in natural and ornamental settings. I have never discovered a nest in a palm skirt, have never been shown a nest or rat in a palm skirt, and with but one exception, never spoke with anyone that has found a nest or provided a photograph of any kind of rodent in a skirt. The one exception was a skirted palm next to an abandoned home in Indio, not quite the environment found along Palm Canyon Drive. Palm skirts are flammable. That is why the city decades ago removed any dead fronds below twelve feet in height. To the best of my knowledge, there has never been a palm skirt fire along Palm Canyon Drive. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require further elucidation. James W. Cornett Consulting Desert Ecologist and author of Desert Palm Oasis: A Comprehensive Guide 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Ellen Kahn To:City Clerk Subject:Please save tree skirts Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 3:40:20 PM 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. Hello City Council, The palms with the skirts are filled with natural habitat, look beautiful and are iconic to Palm Springs. Hopefully you will decide to save them. Thank you. Ellen ellen kahn .. TWINART ellen@twinart.com 646.244.9333 ........................................... twinart.com twinart-studio.com 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E 1775 East Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 110-195, Palm Springs, CA 92264 (760) 837-7117 ● info@pspreservationfoundation.org ● www.pspreservationfoundation.org July 9, 2024 SENT VIA EMAIL Scott C. Stiles, City Manager City of Palm Springs Consent Calendar Item 1.E. Adopt a Resolution 3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way Approving Palm Tree Trimming Policy and Palm Springs, CA 92262 Superseding All Previous…Procedures and Policies Dear Mr. Stiles, We would like to register our concerns regarding the subject Consent Calendar item. In reviewing the staff report we have concluded that the detrimental effects of the proposed palm tree skirt trimming plan have not been fully considered. For example: -The palm skirts have become a distinctive characteristic of the Palm Springs landscape as represented in dozens of vintage and contemporary postcards, and photographs. The current “look” of the palms (i.e., skirts trimmed to approximately 12-feet off the ground) have become inextricably linked with our downtown image and may have risen to the level of becoming a “cultural resource.” By way of background, in 1949, Palm Springs' first Councilwoman, Ruth Hardy, spearheaded an effort to get 300 palm trees planted along Palm Canyon Drive, from Tamarisk to Alejo. Planted 35-feet apart, these palms formed a stately allée through the main business district. Neel's Nursery provided the trees, a selection of native California fan palms, as well as Mexican fan palms. -The palm skirts are micro environments for a host of wildlife (e.g., bats, birds, lizards, etc.). Bats, in particular, are essential to controlling the flying insect population. Certainly, a more expert analysis of these micro environments is warranted. -While we understand the city’s desire to avoid litigation, arguably there are far more important measures that could be taken. For example, the city’s continuing support of parklets protruding into the thoroughfare on Palm Canyon Drive pose a greater danger to the public safety and hence represent a much greater potential for expensive litigation. We strongly recommend that the subject item be moved from the Consent Calendar and elevated to a Public Hearing. This will solicit the opinions and views of the many informed citizens of Palm Springs. Additionally, it might be prudent to receive input from the city’s Historic Site Preservation Board to evaluate if significant changes to these trees are impacting a legitimate cultural resource. If you require any additional information, please contact me at info@pspreservationfoundation.org. Sincerely, Gary Johns President 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Michael Taylor To:City Clerk Subject:Public Comment for July 9, 2024, Palm Springs City Council Meeting Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 4:17:08 PM 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 City Clerk, Would you please see that the message below is relayed to the City Council members for tonight's meeting? My comments are related to Item 1E (ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING PALM TREE TRIMMING POLICY, AND SUPERSEDING ALL PREVIOUS PALM TREE TRIMMING PROCEDURES AND POLICIES) on the Consent Calendar. ---------- PUBLIC COMMENT ------------ My name is Michael Taylor, and I am a full-time resident of Palm Springs. I urge a member of this council to pull Item 1E from the consent calendar because the proposed resolution to remove the skirts from our native California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera) is an overreaction. The resolution will destroy crucial habitat that took decades to create. We need discussion on this topic. It is not a routine item that should be put under one umbrella with other city topics. For example, the proposed resolution states that “Palm Springs is world renowned for its distinctive palm-tree-lined streets.” The most distinctive part of our native palm is the skirt, so if you take them away from thousands of trees, our distinctive city landscape will vanish. This is our only native palm tree — and it is the only palm tree in the world that is designed to keep its dried fronds for the life of the tree. Many creatures depend on these skirts. It is the primary nesting habitat for Cactus Wren, House Finch, Barn Owl, Great Horned Owl and Western Screech Owl. Multiple species of bats use the dried fronds for nesting and roosting. These bats are major insect consumers, including mosquitos. The Western yellow bat, which is on the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation list, is among the bat species you will find living in California fan palms in Palm Springs. The skirt you propose to cut down is actually beneficial to the tree itself. A full skirt is an incredible insulating force around the trunk. It keeps the tree cool, which is part of the reason wildlife is attracted to it. Plus, a mature skirt casts a lot of shade, which keeps the ground, and/or sidewalks, and/or buildings cooler. Unshaded pavement can be up to 60 degrees warmer than shaded pavement (https://www.csda.net/blogs/kristin- withrow1/2023/05/08/the-scorching-effect-of-heat- islands#:~:text=In%20general%2C%20unshaded%20pavement%20can,Fahrenheit%20hotter%20than%20shaded%20pavement.) Leaving skirts on palm trees should be part of our climate resilience planning. The proposed resolution also states that “the City Council desires to preserve a portion of heritage quality California Fan Palms located within the Downtown Park.” I urge you to consult the bestselling book “Nature’s Best Hope” by Douglas Tallamy. He writes, “Conservation that is confined to parks will not preserve species in the long run, because these areas are too small and too separated from one another.” Our native oases of palm groves in the Coachella Valley are under stress and some are dying out. We need to do all we can to support the species that depend on these skirts for their existence. I implore the Palm Springs City Council members to take this item off the consent agenda. Respectfully, Michael Taylor 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:Pauli Vanderzijden To:City Clerk Cc:Pauli Vanderzijden Subject:Palmtree skirts Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 4:18:29 PM 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 to whom it concerns. Please do not take away the caracteristics of our palm trees. Leave the skirts on the trees. Certainly on Palm Cyn. Drive. And… I will be happy if the police officers get more authority to take unwilling, non cooperating individuals like vagrants that do not want to be helped or registered out of town. Some locals and visitors do not feel safe with vagrants all over town. Besides, and do not get me wrong, not every homeless is a troublemaker, but if you are poor does not mean you have to make a mess. Also I have been more than 10 times a victim of theft. Down town near the casino. Vagrants jump over gates of our gated community. Thank you for taking care. Pauli van der Zijden. Sent from my iPad 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E From:joanne stoecker To:City Clerk Subject:Palm tree trimming opposition Date:Tuesday, July 9, 2024 5:06:41 PM 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. > > Hello > Am a Palm Springs resident residing at 1154 Pasatiempo Rd. > Asking the city not to trim the palm tree skirts > They provide much needed habitat for wildlife and the birds help keep our ecosystem cleaner by reducing rodents. > Please do not further disrupt our environment > Joanne Stoecker 07/09/2024 Public Comment Item 1E