HomeMy WebLinkAbout3/20/2002 - STAFF REPORTS (16) DATE: MARCH 20, 2002
TO: CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CREATION OF THE SUNRISE GATEWAY REVITALIZATION PLANNING AREA FOR THE
PURPOSE OF FOSTERING DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CITY'S NORTH END
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the Sunrise Gateway Revitalization Planning Area
for the purpose of creating a unified set of objectives and approaches to development in the north
end of Palm Springs.
SUMMARY:
The City and Community Redevelopment Agency have worked for decades to address the
challenges in fostering development in the north end. Problems such as inadequate
infrastructure and relatively low population densities have plagued commercial and residential
developers alike, resulting in unfinished residential projects and half-leased commercial
properties.
Building on the momentum generated by the Uptown area in looking at street scape and traffic
patterns, staff is proposing the creation of a study area that would encompass a broad section of
the north end of the City, from Palm Springs Country Club to Tramway Road. The area has all or
portions of two Redevelopment Project Areas, and a large section of undeveloped land, which
presents great opportunities. While the City is focused on the downtown as the economic engine
of the community, the quality of the development in this area will have a major impact on the
perceived quality of Palm Springs as a whole.
BACKGROUND:
This Revitalization Planning Area implements the current General Plan and Zoning Code, and no
new taxing, financing or regulatory powers are created. It is meant to constitute an approach to
development in the north end, consistent with our current goals and objectives. The Area is of
benefit to the entire City, as it looks at blighting conditions as well as development challenges.
The goal of the area is to increase t e pace of commercial development in the area, and to
facilit the resi ntial developme there as well.
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Di of Com — itty,& Economic Development
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City Manager
Attachments:
1. Resolution
2. Revitalization Plan /�]
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
SUNRISE GATEWAY REVITALIZATION PLANNING AREA
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND SUMMARY
Purpose
"Revitalization" is a term most-often used when referring to redevelopment that
improves a previously developed and perhaps declining neighborhood. However,
toward the purpose of encouraging development that is consistent with the objectives
of the General Plan, staff believes the designation of a "Neighborhood Revitalization
Area" for the unimproved or under-improved "Sunrise Gateway Revitalization Area" is in
the public interest. This designation could renew developer interest in the area and
thus stimulate growth that is contiguous to existing urban development. Additionally,
staff is aware of at least one funding program that provides additional rating points for
applications that are within such designated neighborhood revitalization areas.
This Revitalization Area plan is a planning study that would work with the existing
General Plan and Zoning designations, as well as the portions of the Redevelopment
Project Areas that fall within its boundaries, attempting to identify the development
opportunities that exist in the area to increase the level and pace of development in the
area. No changes to the General Plan, Zoning designations, or Redevelopment Project
Areas or plans are proposed as part of the creation of the Revitalization Area.
There is also a need for a coordinated and comprehensive plan that details potential
cost-sharing options for infrastructure development, including streets, drainage
improvements, water lines, utility undergrounding, fire hydrants, and sewer
improvements.
Problem Description: Residential Development
The designated area suffers from a number of impediments to development: (1)
Though all of the area is contiguous to the existing developed portions of the City, the
area has not had the same economic vitality that exists in the central or southern
portions of the City, so there is a generalized deficiency in the infrastructure serving
significant portions of the area, as infrastructure in Palm Springs has typically been built
by private developers as development has occurred; (2) Portions of the infrastructure,
including streets, sewer lines, and sidewalks, are deficient or deteriorating and need to
be replaced; and (3) Even if the economy in the neighborhood improved, there remain
significant infrastructure-related cost barriers to development.
Specifically, the economic disadvantage is attributable partly to the proximity of the
Whitewater River and the effects of high wind on the neighborhood for several months
of the year, which has stifled the development of higher-end properties in the area until
recently, as the City has begun to build out other residential land. While there are a
few older properties in the area linked with the early history of Palm Springs, such as
the Racquet Club, as the City grew, the more expensive properties were built near the
central business district or on the south end of the city, in Las Palmas and the Movie
Colony as well as the Canyon, Deepwell, Mesa, and Los Compadres neighborhoods.
Development on the north end is largely constituted of single family tract homes and
condominiums, though generally not custom homes or estates, as can be found in
many other areas of the City. /�
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Problem Description: Commercial Development
In part because the area is zoned mostly residential, relatively little commercial
development is found in the proposed area. The small amount of commercial
development there has suffered either from low population density— in the case of
neighborhood commercial (i.e. grocery), or from being at the very far end of the
Coachella Valley away from the population centers, in the case of destination retail (e.g
factory outlet stores). A small, single-lot-depth commercial corridor exists on Indian
Canyon Drive between San Rafael and Las Vegas Roads, zoned C-M, though an
equal-sized strip of C-1 land between Las Vegas and Tramview Roads is vacant with
the exception of a few derelict properties. A 20-acre C-M parcel at the northeast corner
of Indian Canyon Drive and San Rafael Road remains vacant, partly because of the
expense of undergrounding the overhead utility lines that traverse the property, as well
as constructing the street improvements necessary to subdivide the property.
The key commercial corridor in the Sunrise Gateway Revitalization Area is the area
along Palm Canyon Drive, from Tramway Road to Racquet Club Road. One of the
signature commercial properties in Palm Springs, the Albert Frey-designed Tramway
gas station, is located at the northern end of that strip but has, over its recent history,
never been a successful location for a gas station or any other commercial use.
Nevertheless, its striking architecture has made it a symbol of the local
histuric/architectural preservation movement and is well-known world wide.
With the exception of Tuscany Plaza, a half-leased commercial center (its anchor
tenant, the national discount clothing chain Loehmann's, recently filed Chapter 11 and
closed the store) at Racquet Club and North Palm Canyon Drive, the corridor is
generally characterized by vacant lots and low-density commercial uses and generally
presents an unattractive entrance to the City. The history of Tuscany Plaza is
emblematic of the commercial struggles in the area: once anchored by Loehmann's, it
was home to several upscale factory outlet stores, including Mikasa and Dansk. The
center was squeezed, however, by the tremendous growth in two retail nodes:
Cabazon and Palm Desert. It actually lost most of its factory outlet tenants before the
closure of Loehmann's. Outlet retailers have moved to Cabazon (the 1-10 freeway) to
reach the Los Angeles drive-in market, or to Palm Desert/Rancho Mirage to reach the
maximum Coachella Valley regional retail market.
Development Opportunities
Notwithstanding the slow development history of the area, there is vacant industrial
land as well as a few significant commercial parcels located along the Palm Canyon
Drive corridor in addition to the abundant residential land. Well-designed projects that
would take advantage of the high traffic counts, as well as proximity to the Palm
Springs Aerial Tramway, could potentially succeed as a "welcome plaza." Adding to
that a cultural element that would educate the visitors about the City's rich historical
(e.g. Native American and Hollywood-oriented) heritage and world-class architectural
treasures could potentially make such such a center a true destination point for visitors
from throughout the Coachella Valley.
STUDY AREA BOUNDARIES
The Sunrise Gateway Revitalization Area is described as those properties within the
following area:
Beginning at the intersection of Sunrise Way and Racquet Club Road, the
Revitalization Area is that land on the west side of Sunrise until the intersection of
Sunrise Way and San Rafael Road, where the boundary continues east along the
southern border of Section 36 of Township 3 South Range 4 East until it meets the
boundary of Redevelopment Project Area 9-C, bending to the southeast until it reaches
the eastern border of Section 1 of Township 4 South Range 4 East, turning north along
the east boundary (which it shares with the project area), then turning west at the
intersection of Section 1 and Section 36 and continuing to follow the Project Area
boundary until it reaches the Chino Canyon Levee and the line separating the "W"
(Watercourse) zone from the R-1-C zone, following that zoning line through the
remainder of Section 36 and all the way through Sections 35 and 34 until it reaches the
west boundary of Section 34, where the line turns south along the west boundary of
Section 34 until it reaches Tramway Road in Section 3 of Township 4 South Range 4
East, then turning northeast along Tramway Road until it reaches the boundary of
Redevelopment Project Area 9-A, following the boundary east and then southeast until
it reaches Racquet Club Road, whereby it continues along Racquet Club Road to the
point of origin.
A map of the Area is attached as Exhibit "A."
PUBLIC FACILITIES IN THE AREA
Public facilities within or in the vicinity of the Sunrise Gateway Area include the James
O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center(including a Headstart Daycare Center), Desert
Highland Park, Victoria Park, the Palm Springs Visitors Center, Fire Station No. 4 and
Vista Del Monte School. The General Plan would require that the developers of the
largest potential project, approximately 300 acres north of San Rafael Road and east of
Indian Canyon Drive, be responsible for the development of an additional elementary
school and community park. There is also a Neighborhood Park designation on
approximately one acre north of the Coyote Run project, though the park has not been
constructed.
GENERAL PLAN &ZONING DESIGNATIONS
General Plan
The intent of the Sunrise Gateway Revitalization Planning Area is to help the area
achieve the goals and objectives of the City's General Plan as it relates to that specific
area, within the current zoning code and other development restrictions. The Goals
and Objectives in the Land Use portion of the City of Palm Springs' General Plan, as
well as the implementing policies, are as follows:
Goals
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3.A. A physical environment which provides for the housing, employment,
business, service, recreational, social, cultural, educational and
entertainment needs of the City's residents and visitors, while
maintaining and enhancing the high quality of life as a world-class resort.
3.B. A physical environment through the City's land uses which preserves
existing unique physical, economic and social assets and provides for
new development opportunities which complement and are compatible
with and enhance these assets.
3.C. A physical environment through the City's land uses which maintains and
enhances the City's role as a business, economic and cultural center in
the Coachella Valley and a major tourist destination.
3.D. A physical environment through the City's land uses which establishes
Palm Springs as a unique and special place in the southern California
region with a downtown area which is characterized by its "village"
environment wherein social and pedestrian interactions are promoted to
enhance tourism and the small-town experience enjoyed by its residents.
Objective
3.1 New land use development which is reflective of and complements the
overall pattern and character of existing uses, offers opportunities for the
intensification of key "targeted" sites and mitigates any adverse impacts.
Policies
3.1.1. Ensure that all development in each zone adheres to or exceeds all
requirements and standards specified for that zone. Any lot created in
compliance with applicable laws and ordinances in effect at the time of
its creation may be used as a building site.
3.1.2. Encourage the exchange of public and private lands in order to
consolidate holdings and to eliminate dysfunctional parcels in order to
permit the orderly development and conservation of areas appropriate
for each function of the land.
3.1.3 Limit development, in terms of total numbers of dwelling units and
ancillary uses, to the capacity of the infrastructure needed to support the
City's residents and visitors safely at maximum occupancy.
3.1.4 Allow modification of permitted uses and/or development standards for
(a) development projects which expand existing facilities or introduce
new uses which are considered to be of significant importance
(municipal revenue, tourism, historical use, socially valued use, etc.),
(b) contribute significant benefits to the City, and/or
(c) whose architectural design is of unusual merit and will enhance the
City, provided that:
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a. Impacts of the modifications can be mitigated,
b. the use of additional height will reduce the impacts of bulk along
the sidewalk, street and adjacent properties, increase the ground
level open space, result in a structure of variable heights and/or
create additional view corridors, provided that the additional
height does not adversely impact adjacent uses, and
C. the modifications shall be reviewed with public hearings by the
community and approved by the Planning Commission and City
Council in conjunction with a Conditional Use Permit, Planned
Development District or Specific Plan application.
3.1.5 Require that new development mitigates impacts on the City's housing,
schools, public open space, child care facilities and other public needs.
3.1.6. Ensure adequate public review and input for all development projects
which potentially impact the community.
3.1.7 Ensure that development in each land use neighborhood and district
respects the integrity of that district.
3.1.8. Ensure that development does not overwhelm natural features,
especially the washes and the views of the mountains.
3.1.9. Development regulations and standards shall apply to all lands, whether
located on public or private streets.
3.1.10 No land shall be modified for buildings prior to the approval by the City of
a grading plan for the proposed structure bases on an approved
site/master plan.
Objective
3.2 In-fill growth in those areas which have already undergone substantial
development prior to encouraging development in outlying areas.
Policies
3.2.1 Infilling is to be encouraged within the currently developed portions of
the City; the extension of urban growth (residential development at a
density equal to or greater than one unit per acre, commercial sites in
excess of one acre, and non-agricultural industrial development) into
undeveloped areas will be phased logically according to the following
development criteria:
A) availability of services (including streets, water, sewer and
emergency services);
B) logical extension of services;
C) contiguity with existing development; and
D) conformance with an approved Specific Plan or Planned
Development District or other City approval.
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3.2.2 Potential developable areas of 300 acres or larger(or a portion of such
area) shall be subject to the approval of an area plan prior to
development. Such plan may take the form of either a Planned
Development District of Specific Plan. Proposals for each planning area
shall be designated as a total unit prior to the approval of any partial
development within that unit; individual structures or land uses which
may interfere with proper development of a planning area should not be
approved.
3.2.3. Prior to the adoption of the required Area Plan, non-intrusive, self-
contained and -serviced uses may be allowed where infrastructure
development is not necessary. This allowance may include such uses
as caretaker's residences, limited agriculture, primitive campgrounds,
excursions and very-low-density residential on lots of record of 160 acres
or greater.
The Circulation Element envisions Palm Canyon Drive, Indian Canyon Drive, and
Sunrise Way as major thoroughfares in the north-south direction, with Racquet Club
Road and San Rafael Road as secondary thoroughfares in the east-west direction.
Zoning
Refer to the attached zoning map. The area includes residential, commercial, industrial
and public land zoning districts that are consistent with the land use designations of the
Palm Springs General Plan Land Use Element.
Zoning Districts include almost every zoning category in Palm Springs, including R-1-A,
R-1-C, R-1-D, R-2, R-3, R-G-A (6), R-MHP, C-1, C-M, M-1, 0-5, and U-R. There are
several Planned Development Districts within the area. A portion of the area includes
Indian Land, as well a portion of the Airport noise cone. These calculations do not
include any of the Planned Development Districts (PDD) in the area; there are at least
nine PPDs in the proposed area. A summary table showing approximate acreages by
zoning district and development status follows:
Approximate Residential Land in Sunrise Gateway Revitalization Area
Status R-1-A R-1-C R-1-D R-2 R-3 R-G- R- Totals
A(6) MHP
Developed 15 260 45 40 0 10 30 400
Undeveloped 5 700 15 65 20 20 0 825
Totals 20 960 60 105 20 30 30 1225
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inJn
Approximate NofS-Residen#ial Land in Sunrise Gateway Revitalization Area '
Status C-1 C-M M-1 0-5 U-R Totals
Developed 15 10 30 0 0 55
Undeveloped 15 20 10 60 50 155
Totals 30 30 40 60 50 210
PREVIOUS AND CURRENT DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS
Several subdivision applications have recently been approved within the area, but few
lots have resulted due to the need for infrastructure. There are several other
development proposals that have been approved by the City but have not been
constructed, or that lingered during the recession of the 1990's before finally being built
out. These projects include:
a) Broxmeyer RV Resort. Located at Gateway Drive and Highway 111. A Preliminary
Planned Development District application for a 348 recreational vehicle resort with
36 single family lots, and 18-hole executive golf course and support facilities. A
Preliminary Planned Development District was approved by the City Council, but no
indication was given by developer when the project will be constructed.
b) Odyssey Development. A 60-acre hotel/resort/gaming project proposed at the
northwest corner of Tramway Road and Highway 111. The project was cancelled in
1997 due to lack of financing.
c) Cathton Holdings. Includes Planned Development District 210. A 330- acre master
planned community proposed for San Rafael Road east of Indian Canyon Drive.
Developer interest, based on market conditions, has been minimal until recently.
Project may move forward within next two years.
d) Commercial/Industrial Development on Indian Canyon Drive or in Desert Highland.
New development on Indian Canyon Drive includes Desert Fountain Gas, a
commercial gas supplier, which reconstructed its facility after a devastating fire; a
developer that remodeled a vacant gasoline service station into a mini-mart; and the
development of the closed Lumberman's lumber and hardware store into All-Valley
Document storage. Development on the east side of Indian Canyon Drive has been
less successful, as the costs of installing improvements pursuant to a subdivision
map, as well as dealing with Southern California Edison's transmission and
distribution lines, has made the development too costly for the current market.
e) Vintage Palms. Development was originally approved in 1990 but project was
foreclosed by lender. Project was purchased in 1998 and is finally being built out.
Homes are new, market-rate single-family homes.
f) Palm Springs East, a gated single-family home development proposed by Burnett
Development and located around the Palm Springs Country Club, was submitted
and approved by the City of Palm Springs (Planning Commission approval in
December 2001, Council approval February 2002). The tentative map contains a 1149
„
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total of 238 lots and represents the first large-scale residential venture proposed in
the City in over ten (10) years. Additionally, the developer has proposed an
additional 163 homes in a separate tract, Palm Springs West, located across
Sunrise Way from the first development. Both developments propose market-rate
single-family homes on private streets in gated developments. The developer will
bear some market risk because the area in which it is building was previously
designated for the development of affordable housing, and contains four separate
projects aimed primarily at the affordable housing market: Sunrise Village Mobile
Home Park, Golden Sands Mobile Home Park, Coyote Run, and Sunrise Norte.
g) Garden Springs Apartments. A Tax-Credit funded 60-unit apartment development,
the project faced extraordinary costs for the undergrounding of utilities. The project
faced some additional delays that were not the fault of the developer who, as a
result, was forced to surrender the tax credits. The Agency has entered a
Disposition and Development Agreement that assists with the development of the
project.
INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIENCIES
• Circulation. To accommodate the additional development along Sunrise, the
intersection of San Rafael Road and Sunrise Way shall be signalized. In addition,
Sunrise Way north of San Rafael will get a landscaped median island to help
manage the additional local traffic in the area. Indian Canyon Drive through the
area will undergo a significant increase in traffic over the next ten years as
downtown development, especially the development of a new Indian Casino,
occurs. Several streets in the area, mostly in the Desert Highland neighborhood,
have undergone construction or reconstruction in the past two years: a 400-foot-
long section of Radio Road, which was an unpaved path in the middle of an
industrial park; and the reconstruction of Tramview Road (and the sewers in the
street), which was severely damaged by the tamarisk trees planted on the north
side of the street as a windbreak. Additional street improvements in the Highland
Gateway area, as warranted, could be funded through Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) funds or through redevelopment tax increment.
• Utility Undergrounding. The area lies on one of the main routes for electrical power
to enter the City from the grid, especially from the Dever Station and the Garnet
Substation. Several parcels in the area, especially those located along or near
Indian Canyon Drive, are required by the City's Utility Undergrounding Ordinance to
bury the lines that traverse their property before development can occur. In many
cases, utility undergrounding can cost $400 per linear foot, and developers are
required to underground more than their own frontage, since the requirement is to
underground to "the first pole beyond the property line."
• Flood Control and Drainage. The area is in the City's Master Plan of Drainage
Improvements. Development requires the payment of a $6,511 per acre fee to the
City for flood control improvements. The Area has some proximity to flood hazards
as its northern border is a dike separating the Whitewater River from the rest of the
City. Recently, however, the Army Corps of Engineers "hard-lined" the channel,
creating a concrete dike for additional stability and protection in the case of a flood.
Water. Water line extensions and additional wells and/or storage facilities may be
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needed to provide domestic water and fire flows for the planned expansion of the
largest projects. In addition, there has been an ongoing problem in the Desert
Highland area related to the shortage of fire hydrants in the area; this problems is
being addressed by the City through the CDBG program.
• Sewer. The area is served by the City of Palm Springs' sewer system. The Golden
Sands Mobile Home Park was just connected to the City's sewer system in late
2001, however, after operating on its own septic system for the life of the park. The
Park was the last large development in Palm Springs not hooked up to the City's
sewer system. New development is responsible for the installation of new trunk
lines and laterals.
HOUSING ELEMENT/AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN COMPLIANCE
The City has drafted a revised Housing Element and the Community Redevelopment
Agency adopted a new Affordable Housing Plan on October 17, 2001. Both
documents encourage the removal of barriers to the development of safe and decent
housing in Palm Springs. The City is part of the Southern California Association of
Governments and the Coachella Valley Association of Government's Regional Housing
Needs Assessment process. That process allocated a fair share of the regional
housing needs to each municipality in Southern California. Palm Springs was allocated
a regional fair share of 1,502 new housing units to be constructed in the City between
1998 and 2005.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT COMPLIANCE
The purposes of this Revitalization Plan are to identify opportunities and resources to
assist development in the Plan area. Therefore, it is largely a planning and feasibility
document, with a Statutory Exemption under Article 18 of the California Environmental
Quality Act (Section 15262), related to Feasibility and Planning Studies, which states:
"A project involving only feasibility or planning studies for possible future actions
which the agency, board, or commission has not approved, adopted, or funded
does not require the preparation of an EIR or Negative Declaration but does require
consideration of environmental factors. This section does not apply to the adoption
of a plan that will have a legally binding effect on later activities."
This plan suggests several approaches to revitalization in the area, none of which are
prescriptive or regulatory. It does not amend or suggest amending current zoning, nor
changing any General Plan designations on property. An EIR was conducted on the
adoption of the General Plan, as well as the adoption of the two Redevelopment
Project Areas. Any significant project, such as the development of a subdivision or
master planned community, would be subject to CEQA.
RECENT PUBLIC PROJECTS WITHIN THE REVITALIZATION AREA
Several streets in the area, mostly in the Desert Highland neighborhood, have
undergone construction or reconstruction in the past two years:
• A 400-foot-long section of Radio Road, which was an unpaved path in
the middle of an industrial park was paved by the Community
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Redevelopment Agency in 1999;
• The reconstruction of Tramview Road (and the sewers in the street),
which was damaged by the tamarisk trees planted on the north side of
the street as a windbreak, is underway. The City's Sewer Fund will pay
for the sewer line replacement; CDBG is funding the street
improvements.
• A major remodel of Victoria Park, including $125,000 in new playground
equipment, was undertaken in 2001.
• Golden Sands Mobile Home Park connected to the City's sewer system
in late 2001. While this was a privately-funded project, the Park was the
last large development in Palm Springs not hooked up to the City's
sewer system and was required to do so by the City.
• A significant public art project, an 88' x 13' mural on the wall of the
Desert Highland Unity Center, was funded by the City's Public Arts
Commission and completed in 1998.
• The Community Redevelopment Agency recently completed +he first
round of its Neighborhood Revitalization Program for single-family
rehabilitation. Ten (10) homes in the Sunrise Gateway Revitalization
Planning Area were substantially rehabilitated as part of this program.
• The CDBG program recently completed a program of fire hydrant
installation in the Desert Highland neighborhood. Five additional
hydrants were installed in the neighborhood to increase the level of fire
protection services.
• A traffic signal was installed at the intersection of Racquet Club Road
and Sunrise Way to manage the additional traffic through the area.
FINDINGS
• The Sunrise Gateway Area contains or is conveniently located near schools,
day care centers, parks, employment centers and other necessary public and
quasi-public facilities; and
• Numerous development applications within the Sunrise Gateway Area have
been approved but not occurred, or have only partially developed; and
• Additional commercial development in the area could improve economic
conditions throughout the City by creating additional property tax increment, as
well as new spending power for the commercial facilities located on the north
end; and
• Residential development in the area could provide nearby housing
opportunities for those working within the City or elsewhere in the Coachella
Valley, including the expansion of the downtown and the Spa Casino; and
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• A balance of commercial development and residential development, including
both market rate housing and affordable housing, is essential for the continued
success of the revitalization area and the entire City.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
General
• Designate this Revitalization Area in order for certain grant applicants to
leverage and successfully obtain better grant application funding opportunities.
• Encourage and support residential and industrial development within the
Sunrise Gateway Revitalization Area that is consistent with the goals and
objectives of the Land Use Element and the Circulation Element of the City
General Plan.
• Incorporate the work of the City's Historic Site Preservation Board, as well as
private preservation organizations like the Historic Site Preservation
Foundation and the Palm Springs Modern Committee, in recognizing and
promoting the significant historical and architectural resources in the area,
including the Racquet Club, the Frey gas station, the Donald Wexler-designed
steel homes, and the numerous Alexander homes in the area.
Infrastructure
• Link the design of the Indian Canyon Drive streetscape to a modified version of
that proposed and designed for the Uptown area (Alejo to Vista Chino).
• Develop a priority list for Redevelopment Agency- and CDBG-funded public
improvements in qualified areas, including the portions of Merged Project Area
#1 and low-income census tracts that lie within the area.
• Pursue federal and state funding that could be used for infrastructure
expansion and modernization within the Sunrise Gateway Revitalization Area.
• Work with the development community to develop innovative and equitable
ways to fund infrastructure, including 1913 and 1915 Assessment Districts,
utility undergrounding districts, Rule 20A funding, Community Facilities Districts
and benefit assessment districts.
Housing
• Encourage developers to apply for federal and state funds for the development
of affordable housing, including Low Income Housing Tax Credits, HOME
funds, and HELP (Housing Enabled by Local Partnerships) by requiring the
leverage of other federal and state funds in order to receive Community
Redevelopment Agency Low/Mod Housing funds.
• Use City and Redevelopment Agency resources to acquire land for affordable
housing and other appropriate development uses.
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• Develop a viable strategy of residential single-family infill for the Desert
Highland Gateway neighborhood, using City- and Agency-owned land as a
catalyst to development.
• Develop a viable strategy for converting non-conforming residential land uses
in the Desert Highland Gateway neighborhood
Commercial/Industrial Development
• Make use of the Arts Commission's selection of gateway signage elements at
the key locations of Palm Canyon Drive and Tramway Road, as well as Indian
Canyon Drive and Tramview Road to unify the area and tie it into design
elements found elsewhere in the City.
• Develop a program of unified industrial park signage and identification for
those commercial and industrial properties on Oasis, Del Sol, Radio, San
Rafael and Las Vegas Roads.
Public Facilities
• Give consideration to the area in the location, disposition or expansion of public
facilities or resources in the area, such as the Palm Springs Visitors Center, the
James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center, the Crocker library, or Victoria
Park or Fire Station No. 4.
Page 12���`
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RESOLUTION NO.
OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA,
ESTABLISHING THE SUNRISE GATEWAY
REVITALIZATION PLANNING AREA
WHEREAS, private sectorjobs, are an important component of a diverse and vibrant
economic base for the City; and
WHEREAS, attracting businesses to the City and encouraging existing manufacturing and
commercial businesses to undertake expansion that results in a significant economic benefit to
the City provides a community benefit; and
WHEREAS, the development of housing within the community, for residents of all income
levels, is an objective of the City and is reinforced by the policies of the State of California; and
WHEREAS, it is in the public interest and consistent with the City charter to develop or access
economic incentive programs that diminish the disincentive caused by the cost of developing
or replacing infrastructure, as well as the direct cost of development; and
WHEREAS, such economic incentive programs serve a public purpose and provide for the
general welfare of the community by securing a diverse economic base for the City; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Palm Springs, that the
Sunrise Gateway Revitalization Planning Program is adopted, and that the Council further
finds:
Section 1. The Sunrise Gateway Area contains or is conveniently located near schools,
day care centers, parks, employment centers, and other necessary public and
quasi-public facilities; and,
Section 2. Numerous development applications within the Sunrise Gateway Area have
been approved but not occurred, or have only partially developed; and,
Section 3. Additional commercial development in the area could improve economic
conditions throughout the City by creating additional property tax increment, as
well as new spending power for the commercial facilities located on the north
end; and,
Section 4. Residential development in the area could provide nearby housing opportunities
for those working within the City or elsewhere in the Coachella Valley, including
the expansion of the downtown and the Spa Casino; and
Section 5. A balance of commercial development and residential development, including
both market rate housing and affordable housing, is essential for the continued
success of the revitalization area and the entire City.
/ f
Section 6. The creation of such a Revitalization Planning Area shall be of benefit to
property owners, business owners, and residents in the area.
ADOPTED this day of , 2002.
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ATTEST: CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA
By:
City Clerk City Manager
REVIEWED AND APPROVED AS TO FORM: