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Home My WebLink About1/16/2008 - STAFF REPORTS - RA.1. JAN-16-2008 WED 03:04 PM WESSMAN DEVELOPMENT FAX N0, 780 325 5848 F. 02 ' I ? r Wessman Plaza Ternecula West P;ilrn $pri�Pngs DEVELOPMENT COMPANY Trip CCTter 'p r(�fp�jnaf Plaza Meicadu Canyon f"In7a Canyon Plaza North and South Hnsnrgs Palk Shopping Cfantars plaza del Sol TaPiqudz Mc.�,a VIII7r: Date Palen Square Ruhiiloux Plata Indio Plaza i plaLa Ids Flores Halema Joe,s TahquiC2 Squnu•e Rancho Sall Pablo Plaza aI Sunrise. Bansio hlaza January 16, 2008 City of Palm Springs City Council Members U 3200 E. Talrquitz Canyon Way w ' Palm Springs, CA 92262 — 7,_ c.n r, Dear City Cotmuil Members: X represent John Wessman and his affiliated companies. Mx. Wessman owns a major portion of the land covered by the proposed Master Development Agreement for Focused Development Area One. 1. We are concerned about how Nexus, under the proposed agreement, would deal with existing planning efforts by property owners within the affected area, a. We have engaged consultants, architects and engineers to work on a specific plan for the Wessman properties in the downtown area, all of which are included in the area affected by this agreement. ilor the city to' pay a separate consultant to do planning for this area is a duplication of effort. This duplication is a waste of city resources. b. We have been working with the Council subcommittee to develop the proposed specific plan for our properties in the downtown area. When the RFQ was originally issued in March,2007, we provided comments asking for clarification as to how our planning efforts would be treated if Nextts was hired to do the planning for the same area. We have not received that clarification, and therefore ask,that the Council provide-that clarification tonight. Are our planning efforts to be wasted because the City will only approve the Nexus plan? What requirement does Nexus have to coordinate their efforts with the. on-going work done and being done by land owners in the affected area? � • ' I�Q�/rl�lt�R'�. /d/�ff�.�/l�G 300 S. PALM CANYON DRIVE • PALM SPRINGS, CA 92262 PHONE (760) 325-3D50. FAX (760), 325-5848 JAN-16-2008 WED 03:04 PM WESSMAN DEVELOPMENT FAX NO. 760 325 5848 P. 03 c. To date, we have provided Nexus with copies of all of our planning information related to the specific plan we are developing for the Downtown Wessman properties. What requirements will plexus have to similarly share with propertypwners the planning information and data they develop under this proposed agreement? 2. Before giving final approval to,the selection of a consultant, tiic Council Should have before it and the public, the form oI"the agreement so that all can understand (a) what will be achieved, (b)what it will cost, (c) where the funds will come from, and (d) how it will affect landowners in the-area. Because no agreement is available to review at this time, we can hay.'e no assurance on any of these issues. We therefore suggest that this matter be continued until the final form of the agreement is negotiated and can be made public. Sincerely, Michael Brall - Vice-President �QALMSA4 �y c V N ♦ w o `••o.ria• P" Community Redevelopment Agency Staff Renort DATE: JANUARY 16, 2008 CONSENT CALENDAR SUBJECT: SELECTION OF NEXUS COMPANIES OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA AS THE. MASTER DEVELOPER IN THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY'S "DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT" MASTER PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND AUTHORIZING STAFF TO NEOGITATE A MASTER DEVELOPER AGREEMENT FOR FOCUSED DEVELOPMENT AREA ONE FROM: David H. Ready, Executive Director BY: Community & Economic Development Department SUMMARY: This action approves the selection of the Nexus Companies as the Agency's Master Developer Partner in the Design for Development process for Focused Development Area One and authorizes staff to negotiate a Master Developer Agreement for Focused Development Area One. The Agency had issued an RFQ dated November 13, 2006 that sought developer interest in becoming the master planner, master developer, or both for an area established by the Agency on July 5, 2006. Nexus was the only firm to submit qualifications under the RFQ and sought to be both master planner and master developer. They were designated the Master Planner Partner on March 7, 2007. On November 14, 2007, the Agency created Focused Development Area One, an area that includes the core of Downtown through Section 14 to the Palm Springs Convention Center and largely bounded by the Palm Springs Art Museum on the west and the Convention Center on the east. It is the first study area to be undertaken in the planning effort. Staff's recommendation now is for the Agency to select Nexus Companies as the Master Developer Partner and authorize staff to negotiate a Master Developer ti^ e ITEM NO. Agreement, in partnership with the Agency and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians for Focused Development Area One. RECOMMENDATION: 1. Adopt Resolution No. "A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING NEXUS COMPANIES OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA AS THE MASTER DEVELOPER PARTNER IN AGENCY'S "DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT" MASTER PLAN PROCESS FOR FOCUSED DEVELOPMENT AREA ONE, AND AUTHORIZING STAFF TO NEGOTIATE A MASTER DEVELOPER AGREEMENT BACKGROUND: The Redevelopment Plans for Merged Redevelopment Project Areas 1 and 2 contain a provision (Section 617) authorizing the Community Redevelopment Agency to establish more specific design and development criteria for selected portions of the redevelopment project area. Section 617 provides as follows: "Design for Development Within the limits, restrictions, and controls established in this Plan, and subject to the provision of Sections 601 and 607 herein, the Agency is authorized to establish land use, heights of buildings, land coverage, setback requirements, design criteria, traffic circulation, traffic access, and other development and design controls necessary for proper development of both private and public areas within the Project Area." The first step consisted of preparing and adopting Design for Development Master Plan boundaries for portions of the downtown core (in Merged Area #1), Section 14 (Merged Area #2) and some surrounding areas. Under the Redevelopment Plans, the area may cross project area boundaries; in addition, the Master Plan Area includes some areas outside the Redevelopment Project Areas. Upon approval by the Agency of the map on July 5, 2006, it was approved by the Tribe in September, 2006 per the Memorandum of Understanding entered into by the City, Agency, and Tribe in May, 2000. The Agency released the Request for Qualifications in November, 2006 with a January, 2007 deadline. Several major developers expressed interest in the RFQ but only Nexus responded. Nexus is the developer of the Hard Rock Hotel in the Design for Development Area, the Delano (formerly La Mancha) project 00003w adjacent to the project area, and owns a 10 acre fee simple parcel on Tahquitz Canyon Way in the middle of the Design for Development area. On March 7, 2007, Nexus was designated the Master Planner Partner by the Agency. On November 14, 2007, the Agency created Focused Development Area One, an area that includes the core of Downtown through Section 14 and is largely bounded by the Palm Springs Art Museum on the west and the Convention Center on the east. Staff is recommending that the Agency select Nexus as the Master Developer Partner and that the Agency direct staff to negotiate a Master Developer Agreement with Nexus for Focused Development Area One. J hn . Ra m nd, Director of Thomas J. W son CbfhmunityWEconomic Development Assistant CityManager David H. Ready, Exe irector Attachments: 1. CRA Resolution 2. Map — Focused Development Area One RESOLUTION NO. "A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING NEXUS COMPANIES OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA AS THE MASTER DEVELOPER PARTNER FOR FOCUSED DEVELOPMENT AREA ONE, IN AGENCY'S "DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT" MASTER PLAN PROCESS BE IT RESOLVED by the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Palm Springs that the Nexus Companies of Santa Ana, California is approved as the Master Developer Partner for Focused Development Area One in the Agency's "Design for Development" Master Plan process. ADOPTED this day of , 2008. AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ATTEST: COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA By Assistant Secretary Chairman REVIEWED & APPROVED AS TO FORM LA ��;A" yr' . -• ''-��1�•'1 " " Z i yYrl S YQIIiSAY' M vaDMY. �..'. �, y+ l r "' a� er 3 -8q NOIINYJ RiY "., , ,,..,,..,..„ I PPxNYJ WIYd tot •. 1 .J�,- 7, • `` Y .nd. r '