HomeMy WebLinkAbout19624 - RESOLUTIONS - 7/28/1999 RESOLUTION NO. 19624
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM
SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING DENIAL
TO THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE REGARDING CASE
NO. 20.146, AN APPLICATION BY VENTURE
PACIFIC, INC. FOR THE INSTALLATION OF 43 900-
1000 KW WIND TURBINES OR 65 600 KW WIND
TURBINES ON APPROXIMATELY 526.2 ACRES OF
LAND (WECS NO. 103) LOCATED IN
UNINCORPORATED RIVERSIDE COUNTY,SOUTH OF
INTERSTATE 10, DIRECTLY NORTH OF WINDY
POINT AND DIRECTLY SOUTH OF WHITEWATER
HILL, SECTION 13, T3S, R3E, SBBM.
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WHEREAS, Venture Pacific, Inc. (the "applicant") has filed an application with the
County of Riverside for the installation of 43 900-1000 kW wind turbines OR 65 600 kW
wind turbines on a 526.2 acre vacant site, located in unincorporated Riverside County,
south of Interstate 10, directly north of Windy Point and directly south of Whitewater Hill,
Section 13, T3S, R3E, SBBM; and
WHEREAS, development of this site is subject to approval by Riverside County; and
WHEREAS, the Riverside County Planning Department has submitted the application as
described above to the City as a courtesy review, due to its potential for creating
detrimental environmental impacts within the City of Palm Springs and because the subject
property was studied in conjunction with the annexation of the northern portions of the city
and the sphere-of-influence in 1991-92 and is near the current city limit; and
WHEREAS, the site was recommended for a designation of "W" (Watercourse) and "D"
(Desert) in conjunction with the annexation study for the northern area of the City in 1991-
92; and
WHEREAS, the application contemplates the installation of 43 900-1000 kW series wind
turbines, generally in three north/south arrays OR the installation of 65 600 kW series
wind turbines in four north/south arrays; and
WHEREAS, the project, in either scenario, does not meet the City's or the County of
Riverside WECS scenic setback requirements from Interstate 10 and no natural features
exist to provide a visual buffer between the northernmost wind turbines and Interstate 10,
thereby creating a significant visual impact to the immediate area; and
WHEREAS, large portions of Interstate 10, between Highway 111 and Indian Canyon
Drive, remain mostly undeveloped and serve as a predominately unspoiled scenic corridor,
with little or no visual impact on the natural desert surroundings, especially looking
southerly along Interstate 10; and
WHEREAS, since the late 1980's, only limited electric transmission lines have been
installed and, with the exception of a few new billboards installed on reservation lands of
the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians (near the intersection of Highway 111 and
Interstate 10), approximately three billboards exist along this section of Interstate 10, all
of which, in all likelihood, have been in existence prior to 1982, all of which are on the
north side of Interstate 10; and
SA
Res. No. 19624 4?Aa6b
Page 2
WHEREAS, only minimal natural features exist in close proximity to the Interstate 10
frontage for screening,thus creating a potentially significant visual irapact to the immediate
area as a result of the proposed scenic setback amendments; and
WHEREAS, the City of Palm Springs has established a minimum scenic setback of 1315
feet (1/4 mile) along Interstate 10 between Highway 62 and the Whitewater River (the
Whitewater Grade); and ,
WHEREAS, the Whitewater Grade, between the Whitewater River and Highway 62
provides a dramatic view of the entire Coachella Valley and San Jacinto Mountains and
development of the subject parcel with 300-foot tall wind turbine generators will
significantly degrade this scenic resource; and
WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed the project at its meeting of July 21, 1999, and
made recommendations to the County of Riverside that there is already considerable Wind
Energy Conversion Sites within the western portion of the Coachella Valley and the San
Gorgonio Pass area and that any additional WECS sites should be located as such to not
reduce or alter the aesthetic quality and scenic beauty of the valley along the many scenic
highways not only in the area of the western Coachella Valley, but also in the eastern
Coachella Valley and throughout Riverside County.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that, based upon the foregoing, the City
Council hereby presents comments regarding of Case No. 20.146 to the Riverside County
Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, finding that the proposed use as described
should be denied for the reasons contained in the above facts, due to the negative aesthetic
impacts Wind Energy Development of this specific site would have on this "Gateway" site
at the west end of the Coachella Valley and the continued precedent of developing new
WECS sites as opposed to retrofitting existing WECS sites with more efficient wind '
turbines. Comments are on file in the Office:of the City Clerk, as forwarded to the County
of Riverside.
ADOPTED this 28th day of _Ju1Y , 1999.
AYES: Members Barnes, Hodges, Oden, Reller-Spurgin and Mayor Kleindienst
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
ATTEST: CITY OF PALM SPRINGS„tNIA
B,y /I;./_c �LlA�t �7
City Clerk C ty Manager
REVIEWED AND APPROVED: —