HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/16/2008 - STAFF REPORTS - 4.A. Historic Tennis Qub Heighborhood Organization
July 15, 2008 Y OF PA1 m SP?rc,,
CITY CLER';
Dear Honorable Mayor and City Council Members:
RE: HTCNO BOUNDARTES
Because the Palm Mountain Resort hotel expansion project and The Museum Plaza
Specific Plan will be coming before you in the immediate future, the HTCNO Board
would like to restate our position regarding the Historic Tennis Club Neighborhood
Organization boundaries for our residential and R-1, R-2 and R-3 cones. To quote the
official description of our ON1C documents:
The HTC area is bordered on the north by Tahquitz Canyon Way including
Palisades.Drive, on the east by Belardo Road, on the west by the mountains, and
on the south by Sunny Dunes Road. In addition, the organization includes the
area known as Tahquitz Canyons Estate, an area located at the west end of
Ramon Road from Belardo to La Mirada and the Canyon Gate subdivision.
We have always been very clear about considering Tahquitz Canyon Way our northern
border and Belardo Road our eastern border, and we prefer that these boundaries not to
be violated by Central Business District intrusions. We would like for you to respect the
large amount of time that many members of the community devoted to the creation of the
New Downtown Plan, and we respectively hope that you will not modify the plan without
thorough public review and input by the local community.
Having taken a strong position against changing the boundaries of HTCNO, we do want
you to lrnow that the neighborhood is, in general, supportive of the most recent expansion
plans proposed by Palm Mountain Resorts and as recently approved by the Planning
Commission. We trust that you will honor this process-
Yours truly,
(signed)
Gene Dippel
President
CC. HTCNO Board
Lee Husfeldt
HTCNO 0 711Cv1 Z0 p 6
611 South Palm Canyon Drive#7220
Palm Springs, CA 92264-7453 —Z 1 �/✓I 4-4- -
www.htcno.org 9 2.�/770,WAZ
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CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: July 16, 2008 UNFINISHED BUSINESS
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON SPECIFIC PLAN FOR MUSEUM MARKET PLAZA
FROM: David H. Ready, City Manager
BY: Planning Department
SUMMARY
On April 30, 2008 Wessman Development, Inc. presented to the City a draft Specific Plan for
the Museum Market Plaza. On May 21, 2008, the City Council initiated a Specific Plan review
process and directed staff to report on the conformance of the draft Museum Market Plaza
Specific Plan with the Palm Springs General Plan, Downtown Design Guidelines and Palm
Springs Zoning Code,
On May 28, 2008, the Council adopted a processing schedule for the project. On June 4,
2008, the Council received an initial evaluation of the draft Specific Plan. This memo provides
an update on the Specific Plan's review based on the schedule approved by the City Council.
No action is required; however, the Council may provide direction on either the content or
processing of the Specific Plan.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
According to the approved schedule, all items to date have been accomplished on time:
1. Preparation of Initial Conformance Report / June 4 2008. The report was delivered to
the City Council at the meeting of June 4, 2008. Council provided individual comments.
2. Preparation of Initial Study & NOP / June 13 2008. The Initial Study and Notice of
Preparation were filed on June 13, 2003. These CEQA documents are circulated to the
public to allow for comment on the City's initial assessment of the Specific Plan's
possible effects on the environment. Comments have been received from several
agencies and persons and will continue to be accepted through July 17, 2008.
3. Filina Notice of Intent to Prepare EIR / June 13, 2008. The Notice of Intent to Prepare
an EIR was filed with the State and County on June 13, 2008, This Notice is a public
declaration that the City will prepare an Environmental Impact Report on the project.
ITEM NO. • '', ,
City Council Staff Report July 16, 2008
Update on Specific Plan for Museum Market Plaza Page 2 of 2
4. Scoping Meeting / July 1, 2008. The Scoping Meeting was held on July 1, 2008. The
meeting's purpose is to receive comments from agencies and the public on any issues
that should be covered in the EIR. The meeting was held at 2 p.m. in the City Council
Chambers and about ten persons attended. Comments were noted by the EIR
consultant; however, no significant new issues were noted for inclusion in the EIR.
5. Preparation Draft EIR / 100 days. The consultant has advised staff that the EIR is
underway. As of the date of this memo, the following actions have occurred:
a. Discussion with staff on definition of project alternatives.
b. EIR draft Section 1 / Project Description due to staff mid July.
c. EIR draft Section 2 / Environmental Setting due to staff end of July.
d. Traffic study under way.
e. Visual simulations under way-
f. Cultural resources report underway.
The next milestone is delivery of the draft "screencheck" EIR to staff, which is due October 1,
2008. This and all future schedule items are on track.
In addition, staff has submitted a request to the Desert Water Agency for a Water Supply
Assessment for the project. Staff has also forwarded an "SB 18" notice to eight affected tribes,
including the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. This notice is intended to allow local
tribes to provide comment on the project as it relates to Native American cultural resources
that may be present on the site.
ra' A. wing, AIC Thomas J. W on
Di or of Planni ervices Assistant City Manager, Dev't Svcs
David H. Ready
City Manager
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