HomeMy WebLinkAboutLahti - Prescott Preserve minor modification of the landscape planFrom:David Lahti
To:Planning
Subject:Prescott Preserve minor modification of the landscape plan
Date:Tuesday, July 23, 2024 2:31:35 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.
My name is David Lahti and a board member of Oswit Land Trust and am writing in support
of the minor modification of the landscape plan for Prescott Preserve. I am also a certified
UCCE Master Gardener and recognize the incredible benefit of returning 90 acres to become
an incredibly beautiful nature preserve minutes away from my home in Los Compadres.
Oswit Land Trust has also written a letter detailing our request to change some specific staff
recommendations on the plan. I won't repeat those here other than to state that many of these
conditions are not applicable to converting a former golf course to a nature preserve, so serve
no purpose here.
First and foremost, there are strong health and wellness benefits to this urban nature preserve.
As we get older, hiking our local mountains gets more challenging and having walking trails
available that are level with no elevation changes are incredibly accessible to all people, from
the very young to the very old. The birding group has already identified 183 species of birds
at Prescott Preserve such that it is already the #2 birding center in the Coachella Valley.
Second, eco-tourism needs to play an increasingly larger role in city planning and Prescott
Preserve fills a niche that otherwise does not exist (except out at the Coachella Valley
Preserve perhaps). Proximity to downtown Palm Springs and a majority of residents and
visitors make Prescott Preserve superior to the Coachella Valley Preserve, which requires a car
to access.
Third, the planting of native trees and plants will have an incredibly valuable impact on the
city of Palm Springs. Residents will be able to see first hand the beauty of native plants and
how this successfully ties to a healthy ecosystem. Hopefully, it will encourage more residents
to tear out their lawns and replace them with low or no water native plants. They'll also
experience first hand the value that trees play in urban cooling.
Thank you in advance for approving this permit modification and for lessening the
administrative burden on our non-profit Oswit Land Trust.