HomeMy WebLinkAboutZopolis & Spring - 7_24_2024 Agenda Item 4C.From:thezops@comcast.net
To:Planning
Subject:7/24/2024 Agenda Item New Business C.
Date:Monday, July 22, 2024 11:02:58 PM
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Re: July 24, 2024, Agenda Item; New Business - Request by the Oswit Land Trust, for a minor
amendment to Planned Development District (PDD 153)
Commissioners Weremiuk, Aylaian, Baker, Miller, Murphy, Rotman and Morrill, and Director Hadwin:
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the application for Oswit Land Trust to restore the
Mesquite Golf Course to a nature preserve. Although
we are not necessarily against a nature preserve, we do have concerns.
Pros
The planning department’s list of requirements for “restoring” the land to a nature preserve appears
very thorough and comprehensive and at least
somewhat sets our minds at ease, EXCEPT THAT. . .
Cons
1. There’s nothing about how the items in this comprehensive list will be monitored for
compliance and enforced. One of the primary reasons
for our concern comes from the reference in Attachment E from Christopher Hadwin that
states, “ . . . they are simply not following our guidance . . .”.
1a. Who would we contact to report concerns and suspected noncompliance and what can
we expect will be done?
2. From the viewpoint of public safety, it seems the City should be concerned about the
increased activity of coyotes that has taken place since Mesquite
Golf Course ceased operation. In fact, a few of the many letters written to the City about this
issue are attached to the document, yet we see no mention
of the issue within the document. There is, however, reference to the preserve being for
“native desert wildlife”, which we presume includes coyotes. So
it seems the City is encouraging this increased coyote activity.
Coyotes have always been seen from time to time on the golf course. However, they were
passing through. Now the land has become, as one concerned
homeowner wrote, a “coyote breeding habitat”. We understand the problem was not as
severe this year, and we would like some assurance that it
will remain so, and get even better, in perpetuity.
Understandably, pet owners are concerned about their pets. Perhaps more importantly,
although coyote attacks on humans are rare, they are not
unheard of. A quick Google search shows several incidents of attacks on humans, including
an article in The Desert Sun from 2019 (see link below),
which states in part: “In 2012, two Palm Desert women were bitten by coyotes in separate
incidents, including one in which a state Fish and Game
warden shot and later killed the attacking coyote.”
Also below is a link to a KESQ news story from about a year ago. In it officials from Oswit
excuse a coyote’s worrisome behavior as normal. Well,
that’s exactly our concern about having a preserve in the middle of a residential area.
Having fanged wildlife in the middle of a city makes no sense to us.
Something needs to be done about this safety hazard.
The City has an easement not just for open space on the old golf course, but also for the
community as a whole to use the pedestrian/bike path adjacent
to the former Mesquite Golf Course. In fact, it is advertised on the City’s website as being
part of the Tahquitz Creek Loop (shown on the City’s website), so
we are surprised more concern is not being shown about the coyotes.
Sincerely,
Jim and Becky Zopolis
Jim and Rita Spring
www.desertsun.com/story/news/local/palm-springs/2019/08/29/palm-springs-dog-owners-high-
alert-after-coyote-attack/2135990001/
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=prescott+preserve+coyote