2015 05 19 CCIIS
City Council agendas and staff reports
are now available on the City's web
page: .la-gWnta. org
CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta
REGULAR MEETING ON TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015
2:30 P.M. CLOSED SESSION 1 4:00 P.M. OPEN SESSION
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL: Councilmembers: Franklin, Osborne, Pena, Radi, Mayor Evans
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA
At this time, members of the public may address the City Council on any matter not listed
on the agenda. Please complete a "request to speak" form and limit your comments to
three minutes. The City Council values your comments; however in accordance with State
law, no action shall be taken on any item not appearing on the agenda unless it is an
emergency item authorized by GC 54954.2(b).
CLOSED SESSION
PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 54954.5(E) AND 54957,
CLOSED SESSION CONSIDERATION OF THE FOLLOWING:
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION:
TITLE: ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE
2. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS PURSUANT TO
GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.8 FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT:
SILVERROCK RESORT (APNS 770-200-026; 776-150-021; 776-150-023;
770-060-056; 770-060-057; 770-060-058; 770-060-059; 770-060-061;
770-060-062; 777-490-004; 777-490-006; 777-490-007; 777-490-012
AND 777-490-014);
AGENCY NEGOTIATOR: FRANK J. SPEVACEK, CITY MANAGER
NEGOTIATING PARTY: SILVERROCK DEVELOPMENT, LLC.
UNDER NEGOTIATION: PRICE AND TERMS OF PAYMENT FOR
ACQUISITION AND/OR DISPOSITION OF THE PROPERTY IDENTIFIED
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
MAY 19, 2015
RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION
RECONVENE AT 4:00 P.M.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA
At this time, members of the public may address the City Council on any matter not listed
on the agenda. Please complete a "request to speak" form and limit your comments to
three minutes. The City Council values your comments; however in accordance with State
law, no action shall be taken on any item not appearing on the agenda unless it is an
emergency item authorized by GC 54954.2(b).
CONFIRMATION OF AGENDA
ANNOUNCEMENTS, PRESENTATIONS AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS - NONE
CONSENT CALENDAR
NOTE: Consent Calendar items are routine in nature and can be approved by one motion.
APPROVE MINUTES OF MAY 5, 2015
PAGE
II
2. APPROVE DEMAND REGISTERS DATED MAY 1, 4 AND 8, 2015 21
3. DENY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FILED BY JASON SULLIVAN, 39
DATE OF LOSS OCTOBER 15, 2014
4. DENY CLAIM FOR FLOOD DAMAGES FILED BY ROGER 41
VAUGHN, DATE OF LOSS SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
5. DENY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FILED BY ANN AND HARRY 43
SCHAFFNER, DATE OF LOSS SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
6. DENY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FILED BY EMIL PACELLI; DATE OF 45
LOSS - OCTOBER 15, 2014
7. APPROVE PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, AND ENGINEER'S 47
ESTIMATE, AND SOLICIT BIDS FOR THE WASHINGTON STREET
PAVEMENT REHABILITATION IMPROVEMENTS
8. ADOPT RESOLUTION GRANTING CONDITIONAL APPROVAL OF 51
FINAL MAP AND SUBDIVISION IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT
ASSOCIATED WITH THE LA QUINTA SQUARE DEVELOPMENT
(PARCEL MAP NO. 36791) [RESOLUTION 2015-0171
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA 2
MAY 19, 2015
9. REJECT ALL BIDS FOR THE LA QUINTA LIBRARY LIGHT -
EMITTING DIODE LIGHTING CONVERSION PROJECT
10. RECEIVE AND FILE TREASURER'S REPORTS DATED FEBRUARY
28, 2015
11. RECEIVE AND FILE TREASURER'S REPORTS DATED MARCH 31,
2015
BUSINESS SESSION
1 . APPROVE LEGISLATIVE POLICY GUIDE UPDATE
STUDY SESSION
REVIEW OF POLICE SERVICES AND CRIME TRENDS REPORT
2. FISCAL YEAR 2015/2016 PROPOSED BUDGET
3. LOGO UPDATE / BRAND REFRESHMENT
REPORTS AND INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
1. CVAG COACHELLA VALLEY CONSERVATION COMMISSION (Evans)
2. CVAG ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE (Evans)
3. CVAG EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (Evans)
4. GREATER PALM SPRINGS CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU (Evans)
5. LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES DELEGATE (Evans)
6. COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT POLICY COMMITTEE (Evans)
7. SO. CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS (Evans)
8. CALIFORNIA JOINT POWERS INSURANCE AUTHORITY (Franklin)
9. COACHELLA VALLEY MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY (Franklin)
10. JACQUELINE COCHRAN REGIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY (Franklin)
1 1 . SUNLINE TRANSIT AGENCY (Franklin)
12. CVAG PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE (Osborne)
13. CVAG VALLEY -WIDE HOMELESSNESS COMMITTEE (Osborne)
14. DESERT SANDS SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMITTEE (Osborne & Franklin)
15. IID ENERGY CONSUMERS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE (Osborne)
16. ANIMAL CAMPUS COMMISSION (Pena)
17. COACHELLA VALLEY ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP (Radi)
18. RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION (RCTC) (Radi)
19. CVAG TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE (Radi)
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA 3
MAY 19, 2015
PAGE
71
73
87
101
123
251
253
PAGE
20. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INFO EXCHANGE COMMITTEE (Radi)
21. COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION MINUTES — MARCH 9, 2015 257
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS
1 . CITY MANAGER
A. COACHELLA VALLEY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS 261
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FUNDING PROPOSAL
FOR THE CV LINK
B. EAST VALLEY COALITION UPDATE 265
2. CITY ATTORNEY
3. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT — APRIL 2015 281
4. COMMUNITY SERVICES REPORT — APRIL 2015 285
5. PUBLIC WORKS REPORT — APRIL 2015 293
MAYOR'S AND COUNCIL MEMBER'S ITEMS
PUBLIC HEARINGS - 5:00 P.M.
For all Public Hearings on the agenda, a completed "Request to Speak" form must be filed
with the City Clerk prior to consideration of that item.
A person may submit written comments to City Council before a public hearing or appear
in support or opposition to the approval of a project(s). If you challenge a project(s) in
court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the
public hearing or in written correspondence delivered to the City at, or prior to the public
hearing.
ADOPT FIVE RESOLUTIONS TO APPROVE 1) MITIGATED 301
NEGATIVE DECLARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND
ASSOCIATED MITIGATION MONITORING PROGRAM FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, 2) GENERAL PLAN
AMENDMENT, 3) SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT, 4) TENTATIVE
TRACT MAP, AND 5) SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT; AND
INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE TO CHANGE ZONING
DESIGNATION FROM MEDIUM HIGH TO LOW DENSITY
RESIDENTIAL TO ALLOW DEVELOPMENT OF 82 SINGLE-FAMILY
HOMES ON 20.8 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED AT THE
NORTHWEST CORNER OF JEFFERSON STREET AND AVENUE 52
[RESOLUTIONS 2015-018, 2015-019, 2015-020, 2015-021 AND 2015-0221
A. TAKE UP ORDINANCE BY TITLE AND NUMBER ONLY AND
WAIVE FURTHER READING
B. INTRODUCE ORDINANCE NO. 525 ON FIRST READING
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA 4
MAY 19, 2015
ADJOURNMENT
The next regular meeting of the City Council will be held on June 2, 2015,
commencing with closed session at 3:00 p.m. and open session at 4:00 p.m. at
the City Hall Council Chambers, 78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, CA 92253.
DECLARATION OF POSTING
I, Susan Maysels, City Clerk, of the City of La Quinta, do hereby declare that the
foregoing Agenda for the La Quinta City Council meeting was posted on the City's
website, near the entrance to the Council Chambers at 78-495 Calle Tampico, and
the bulletin boards at the Stater Brothers Supermarket at 78-630 Highway 1 1 1,
and the La Quinta Cove Post Office at 51-321 Avenida Bermudas, on May 15,
2015
DATED: May 15, 2015
SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
Public Notices
• The La Quinta City Council Chamber is handicapped accessible. If special
equipment is needed for the hearing impaired, please call the City Clerk's office at
777-7103, twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting and accommodations
will be made.
• If special electronic equipment is needed to make presentations to the City Council,
arrangements should be made in advance by contacting the City Clerk's office at
777-7103. A one (1) week notice is required.
• If background material is to be presented to the Councilmembers during a City
Council meeting, please be advised that eight (8) copies of all documents, exhibits,
etc., must be supplied to the City Clerk for distribution. It is requested that this
take place prior to the beginning of the meeting.
• Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any
item(s) on this agenda will be made available for public inspection at the Community
Development counter at City Hall located at 78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta,
California, 92253, during normal business hours.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA 5
MAY 19, 2015
CONSENT:1
CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES
TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015
A regular meeting of the La Quinta City Council was called to order at 3:02 p.m. by
Mayor Evans.
PRESENT: Councilmembers Franklin, Osborne, Peña, Radi, Mayor Evans
ABSENT: None
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON AGENDA
None
CLOSED SESSION
CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR, TERRY DEERINGER,
1.
ASSOCIATION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957.6
MEET AND CONFER PROCESS
COUNCIL RECESSED TO CLOSED SESSION AT 3:03P.M.
MAYOR EVANS RECONVENED THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT 4:00 P.M.
WITH ALL MEMBERS PRESENT. NO ACTIONS WERE TAKEN IN CLOSED
SESSION THAT REQUIRES REPORTING PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT
CODE SECTION 54957.1 (BROWN ACT).
Councilmember Peña led the audience in the pledge of allegiance.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON AGENDA
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Jeanne Gatherum, La Quinta Ms. Gatherum, on behalf of La
Quinta Middle School, thanked the Council for their donation.
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Gregory Mangus, La Quinta Mr. Mangus said that a traffic signal
is needed on Jefferson Street between Indio Boulevard. and Fred Waring Drive, and the
median landscaping is too overgrown for good visibility. He asked that the fund
deposited by the developer for a traffic signal be used, and the City negotiate with the
City of Indio to have them contribute their portion.
CONFIRMATION OF AGENDA
City Manager Spevacek suggested that Public Hearing Item No. 2 be taken up before
Public Hearing Item No. 1. Councilmember Osborne requested that Consent Calendar
Item No. 12 be moved to Business Session Item No. 3 for discussion and separate vote.
Councilmember Franklin requested that consent Calendar Item Nos. 17, 22 and 24 be
moved to Business Session Item Nos. 4, 5 and 6 respectively. Council concurred.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 1
MAY 5, 2015
7
ANNOUNCEMENTS, PRESENTATIONS AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Evans presented a proclamation to Sandy Neja in recognition of April as Mental
Health Month.
Mark Johnson, Director of Engineering for the Coachella Valley Water District,
presented a PowerPoint on Valley water resources.
CONSENT CALENDAR
1APPROVE MINUTES OF APRIL 7, 2015
.
2. APPROVE DEMAND REGISTERS FOR APRIL 3, 10, 17, 20 AND 24, 2015
3. EXCUSE MEETING ABSENCES FOR INVESTMENT ADVISORY BOARD
MEMBER DONAIS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSIONER ENGEL
4. DENY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FILED BY MJP GAL PROPERTIES, DATE OF
LOSS SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
5. DENY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FILED BY HACIENDAS OF LA QUINTA, DATE
OF LOSS SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
6. DENY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FILED BY JANET MAGUIRE, DATE OF LOSS
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
7. DENY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FILED BY MICHAEL AND LUCINDA ROBSON,
DATE OF LOSS SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
8. DENY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FILED BY PAUL AND JEAN FOCHELLI, DATE
OF LOSS SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
9. DENY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FILED BY RON OLSON, DATE OF LOSS
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
10. DENY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FILED BY OMAR ADRIAN VIVAS, et al; DATE
OF LOSS OCTOBER 11, 2014
11. ADOPT RESOLUTION TO REAFFIRM ADOPTION OF ANNUAL
ASSESSMENT FOR COUNTY SERVICE AREA 152, AUTHORIZE RIVERSIDE
COUNTY TO CONTINUE TO LEVY ASSESSMENTS, AND INDEMNIFY AND
HOLD THE COUNTY HARMLESS FOR LEVYING ASSESSMENTS ON CITY
PARCELS
\[RESOLUTION 2015-012\]
12. APPROVE CONTRACT
pulled and moved to Business Session >>>
EXTENSION WITH SANTA FE BUILDING MAINTENANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR
2015/2016 JANITORIAL SERVICES
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 2
MAY 5, 2015
8
13.
SOLICIT BIDS FOR JEFFERSON STREET AT AVENUE 52 ROUNDABOUT
IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT
14. SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 524 AMENDING
MULTIPLE CHAPTERS OF TITLE 1 AND TITLE 2 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE
15. ACCEPT GRANT OF DRAINAGE EASEMENT AND AGREEMENT FOR
DRAINAGE PURPOSES ON HORSESHOE ROAD FROM INDIAN SPRINGS
GOLF CLUB
16. APPROVE AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
AGREEMENT WITH PSOMAS AND APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR ON-CALL
CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES
17. APPROPRIATE FUNDING AND
pulled and moved to Business Session >>>
AWARD CONTRACT TO GRANITE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY TO
CONSTRUCT ADAMS STREET SIGNAL AND STREET IMPROVEMENT
PROJECT
18. APPROVE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION WORK PLAN FOR
2015/2016
19. APPROVE CORRESPONDENCE TEMPLATES FOR BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
20. APPROVE SPECIFICATIONS AND BID DOCUMENTS AND AUTHORIZE
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS FOR PARK LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
SERVICES
21.
pulled for a separate vote by Councilmember Osborne due to a conflict resulting
APPROVE AMENDMENT
from a business relationship with NAI consulting >>>
NO. 1 TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH NAI
CONSULTING FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND CONTRACT
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES
Councilmember Osborne recused himself because of his professional
relationship with NAI Consulting.
22. APPROPRIATE FUNDING AND
pulled and moved to Business Session >>>
INCLUDE MONROE STREET PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROJECT IN
FISCAL YEAR 2014/2015 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
23.
REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015/2016 LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 89-1, AND 2) DECLARE INTENT TO LEVY
ANNUAL ASSESSMENTS FOR LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT
DISTRICT 89-1
\[RESOLUTIONS 2015-013 and 2015-014\]
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 3
MAY 5, 2015
9
24. ESTABLISH ADVISORY
pulled and moved to Business Session >>>
ADVERTISE TO FILL VACANCIES
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Tom Brohard, La Quinta Mr. Brohard spoke in support of staff
recommendation in Consent Calendar Item No. 22 regarding the Monroe Street
pavement rehabilitation project.
MOTION A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Franklin/Radi to
approve Consent Calendar Item No. 21 as recommended.
Motion passed: ayes 4, noes 0, abstain 1 (Osborne).
Councilmember Osborne stated that the Council is well aware of the negative position in
the Landscape and Lighting Assessment District (AD 89-1). He clarified that the cost of
parks maintenance and operation is not included in AD 89-1 expenditures; park costs
were removed from AD 89-1 about fifteen years ago.
Councilmember Radi said it is important to discuss AD 89-1 budget because the deficit
must be addressed. He said that new sources of funding must be found because the
$35 fee established in 1989, still being assessed,
money. He also noted that the $60,000 that AD 89-1 spends on water highlights the
need to repurpose the landscaping.
Councilmember Franklin said that the Community Services Workplan duties should
include more interaction with the Council on items that the Council is trying to promote
in the community. She said that there is a need to strengthen the liaison between the
Council and the Commission.
Councilmember Franklin requested that staff confirm the statement at the end of
consent Calendar Item No. 19 template regarding the Chamber of Commerce. Mayor
Evans said she had minor edit suggestions to the template and will confirm the
statement.
MOTION A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Osborne/Peña to
approve Consent Calendar Items Nos. 1-11, 13-16, 18-20, and 23 as recommended,
with Item Nos. 11 and 23 adopting Resolutions 2015-012, 2015-013 and 2015-014
respectively. Motion passed unanimously.
BUSINESS SESSION
APPROVE AN ART PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH JANE DEDECKER AND
1.
NATIONAL SCULPTORS GUILD FOR DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF A
SCULPTURE AT THE SEELEY DRIVE ROUNDABOUT
Deputy City Manager Hylton presented the staff report, which is on file in the City
Paula Simons, Member of the Community Services Commission,
explained the Commissions review process and selection reasoning.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 4
MAY 5, 2015
10
MOTION A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Franklin/Osborne to
approve the Art Purchase Agreement with Jane Dedecker and National Sculptors Guild
for design and installation of a sculpture at the Seeley Drive roundabout.
Motion passed unanimously.
APPROVE SILVERROCK RESORT FISCAL YEAR 2015/2016 ANNUAL PLAN
2.
Golf, Parks & Facilities Manager Steve Howlett presented the staff report, which is on
MOTION A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Radi/Franklin to
approve the SilverRock Resort Fiscal Year 2015/2016 Annual Plan.
Motion passed unanimously.
APPROVE CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH
3. Consent Calendar Item No 12 >>>
SANTA FE BUILDING MAINTENANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015/2016
JANITORIAL SERVICES
Councilmembers waived the staff report presentation.
Councilmembers Osborne, Radi and Peña agreed that it was preferable to rebid the
contract rather than extend the existing contract for one year in order to give local firms
another opportunity to win the contract.
Mayor Evans and Councilmember Franklin
office is outside the Valley, all the workers are local; in the last bidding cycle, no local
firm had the resources to perform the work; the existing contractor is performing well;
and the contract included the ability to extend the term for one year, after which, it must
be rebid.
MOTION A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Osborne/Radi to
direct staff to prepare and release a Request for Proposals for public building
maintenance, returning to Council with a recommended selection at a July meeting.
Motion passed: ayes 3, noes 2 (Franklin and Evans dissenting)
APPROPRIATE FUNDING AND AWARD
4. Consent Calendar Item No. 17 >>>
CONTRACT TO GRANITE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY TO CONSTRUCT
ADAMS STREET SIGNAL AND STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
PUBLIC SPEAKER: David Drake, La Quinta Mr. Drake said he was speaking as a
representative of the developer, Mr. Shovlin. He expressed concerns that rebidding the
project would cause a delay beyond the November 1, 2015 agreed upon completion
date. He explained that the retail center tenants would suffer if construction was
underway during the last months of the fourth quarter.
MOTION A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Franklin/Radi to
appropriate funding and award a contract to Granite Construction Company to construct
the Adams Street signal and street improvements project. Motion passed unanimously.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 5
MAY 5, 2015
11
APPROPRIATE FUNDING AND INCLUDE
5. Consent Calendar Item No. 22 >>>
MONROE STREET PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROJECT IN FISCAL
YEAR 2014/2015 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Councilmember Franklin said that the Monroe Street pavement is not horrible and it
does not warrant spending City money on a temporary fix that will be ripped up as
developments along the street are completed.
MOTION A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Osborne/Radi to
appropriate funding and include Monroe Street pavement rehabilitation in Fiscal Year
2014/2015 Capital Improvement Plan.
Motion Passed: ayes 4, noes 1 (Franklin dissenting)
ESTABLISH ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO
6. Consent Calendar Item No. 24 >>>
VACANCIES
MOTION A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Radi/Franklin to
vacancies, allowing one member to be a non-resident La Quinta business owner and
in January 2016.
Motion passed unanimously.
PUBLIC HEARINGS WERE TAKEN UP NEXT BY COUNCIL DUE TO THE
LATENESS OF THE HOUR.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
ADOPT RESOLUTION FOR TIME EXTENSION FOR A CONDITIONAL USE
2.
AND SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT FOR A RETAIL AND MEDICAL OFFICE
DEVELOPMENT LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF
WASHINGTON STREET AND FRED WARING DRIVE
\[RESOLUTION 2015-016\]
COUNCILMEMBER OSBORNE RECUSED HIMSELF DUE TO THE
PROXIMITY OF HIS RESIDENCE TO THIS PROJECT AND LEFT THE DAIS
Associate Planner
Office.
MAYOR EVANS DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AT 6:08 P.M.
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Marvin Roos, Developer Representative Mr. Roos explained the
reasons the developer needed an extension.
MAYOR EVANS DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED AT 6:12 P.M.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 6
MAY 5, 2015
12
MOTION A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Radi/Franklinto
adopt RESOLUTION 2015-016 entitled:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA QUINTA,
CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A FOURTH TIME EXTENSION FOR A
MEDICAL OFFICE COMPLEX AND RETAIL STORES LOCATED ON THE
NORTHEAST CORNER OF WASHINGTON AND FRED WARING DRIVE
Motion passed: ayes 4, noes 0, absent 1 (Osborne)
COUNCILMEMBER OSBORNE RETURNED TO THE DAIS.
ADOPT RESOLUTION FOR A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION OF
1.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND ASSOCIATED MITIGATION MONITORING
PROGRAM FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, SPECIFIC PLAN,
TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP, TENTATIVE TRACT MAP, AND SITE
DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, FOR DEVELOPMENT OF 78 SINGLE-FAMILY
HOMES ON 39.8 ACRES, LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF AVENUE 54,
ONE QUARTER MILE EAST OF MADISON STREET
\[RESOLUTION 2015-015\]
Principal Planner Wally Nesbit presented the staff report, which is on file in the City
Councilmembers questioned staff on the specifics of
() approval; the result if canal water is diverted from the project in the future;
City responsibility and liability regarding water supplied to the project; findings regarding
a deceleration lane; number and location of entrances; irrigation plan; and optimum lake
size for irrigation and retention.
MAYOR EVANS DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AT 6:30 P.M.
DEVELOPER: (listed below) summarized the
project.
Paul DePalatis, Director of Planning Services, MSA Consulting, Inc.
Ron Gregory, President & CEO, Ron Gregory Associates, Inc.
Mark Majer, Director, MDM Investment Group
Michael Tidus, Land Use Attorney, Jackson, DeMarco, Tidus, Peckenpaugh
Richard McGuire, Principal, Waterscapers
Councilmembers questioned the Developer on the irrigation consumption calculations;
lake evaporation; lake lining; lake depth; and percentage of lake used for irrigation.
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Lynne Rogers, La Quinta Ms. Rogers said she loves La Quinta
and approval of this project is irresponsible and would make the City look very bad
given the serious drought conditions.
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Doug Hassett, La Quinta Mr. Hassett expressed concern about
possible future diversion of water from this project and land subsidence issues. He
suggested that the science and data need further examination before he would be
satisfied with a project that includes a lake.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 7
MAY 5, 2015
13
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Mishael Patton, La Quinta Ms. Patton said she wants La Quinta
to be a model city and forward thinking. She expressed concern that permitting the lake
will be an embarrassing decision that will be regretted later. She advised the Council to
be cautious and conservative.
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Kay Wolffe, La Quinta Ms. Wolffe provided information and data
about evaporation for the planned lake and pools, and questioned the need for a 4.7
acre lake since the larger to water surface, the greater the evaporation. Ms. Wolffe
questioned the effectiveness of the lake as a retention basis when a large storm event
occurs and the possibility of pumping needed Colorado River water directly from the
canal. She requested that the Council continue the item so La Quinta can get it right
and set an example.
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Jeff Smith, La Quinta Mr. Smith, speaking as a representative of
the Cove Neighborhood Association, asked that the matter be continued because the
image of desert dwellers as water wasters is true to a large degree; the distinction
between potable and non-potable water is not relevant; the true purpose of the lake is
recreation and as a landscape feature, which is untenable in this historic drought; and a
decision should be postponed until the State and CVWD develop standards to address
this dynamic situation .
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Chris English, La Quinta Mr. English questioned why the
Planning Commission and staff approved this project. He provided information on the
Colorado River water levels and suggested the Developer build the
lake but until Colorado River water recovers, use the lakebed for trails or as a
desertscape. In the meantime, he said a small reservoir with pressure tanks for
irrigation can be installed.
reservoir,
-year storm. He said that when stormwater flows into
the lake it will be used for irrigation and canal water will be turned off.
In response to CouMark Johnson explained
process for the project, which is from a water resource standpoint. He said that the
ordinance in California and includes calculations on surface water evaporation.
Regarding potable versus non-potable water, he said the project reduces the demand
on the aquifer, which water management goal of reversing the
aquifer overdraft by 2021. Mr. Johnso
term until February 2016 whereas CVWD has done long term planning to ensure the
Valley has an ongoing supply of water. He explained that an aerial view of the Valley
will demonstrate that newer developments are brown; the developments created in the
1970s and 1980s are where the water is going and what needs to be corrected. Mr.
Johnson pointed out that the Colorado River water is governed by the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation, it is not a California State resource, nor does the State have any
jurisdiction or control over it. Lastly, Mr. Johnson reminded the audience that due to
water agreements dating back to the 1930s and 1940s, CVWD is in a supreme position,
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 8
MAY 5, 2015
14
meaning that water delivering to Nevada and Arizona would be reduced well before
contracted supply.
said that he is confident that
the
the water the Valley gets from the State Water Project. That amount is currently 20
percent, which the State has not cut back.
In response to Mayor Evans, Mr. Johnson explained that this will be the first project in
the district to install dual piping one set for domestic and one for non-potable water
with two meters for each residence. The sizing of the lake for irrigation and retention is
an engineering calculation similar to all the farms in the Valley, which have irrigation
ponds to settle out silt, a filter, and a pressurized system to pump the water to fields.
In response to Councilmember Osborne, Mr. Johnson said that the U.S. Government
agreement dates back to 1934 and 1947 and,
government could impose changes or restrictions, it has never done so and the
first, and then only if the shortage becomes dire, is the Valley required to cut back.
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Doug Hassett, La Quinta Mr. Hassett said that he does not think
La Quinta should wait for the state or federal government to impose restriction but to be
forward thinking now.
DEVELOPER: Mark Majer, MDM Investment Group Mr. Majer explained the
innovation of the project and the substantial potable water savings of the design of
approximately 15 million gallons or 66 percent annually.
MAYOR EVANS DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED AT 7:40 P.M.
In response to Councilmember Osborne, Mr. Johnson said that all 78 homes will be
required to have a sprinkler system and the systems are hooked up to the domestic
water lines.
Councilmember Franklin said she evaluates the project first by the numbers, which
show great decreases in potable water use over the existing 100 percent aquifer water
use; it meets CVWD
around it; continuing the hearing does not accomplish anything because we already
;
-potable water is not threatened.
forward.
Councilmember Radi said he would be more comfortable if CVWD explicitly put the City
in the clear should the non-potable water supply cease or decrease clearance and
assurance is needed from CVWD especially since this is the first of this type of project
and it is the entity controlling the water.
Councilmember Peña said that this project warrants a continuance until we know more
from the Governor and answers to questions raised. He said he da Quinta
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 9
MAY 5, 2015
15
to become the poster child for misuse of water in California, and although the project is
it. The project does not make sense at this time. Mr. Peña said he approaches this
cautiously and would like more answers from the State Water Board. He recalled
certainly did not include 78 homes on his estate. Another 78 homes right next to the
homes at Griffin Ranch is not something the City needs at this point in its development.
Councilmember Osborne noted that the holding pond or lake is a design that has
worked very well for the farmers out here so he can appreciate what the developer is
doing and und-potable water
source for irrigation but questions the need for a 4.7 acre lake to do it. Although the
numbers speak for themselves regarding potable water savings, perception is a huge
issue and the Council cannot be blind to that because the facts regarding potable
versus non-potable will be in the small print. Mr. Osborne recalled the Council meeting
where Mr. Griffin presented his view for an equestrian-centered project on this site, but
times continuance would
accomplish anything for anyone because all involved must follow the rules as they are
known at this point in time and if they change, then all must comply. He continues to
struggle with perception with the country and the state watching the desert and believes
the project could do with a lake half the size.
Councilmember Radi pointed out that farming use is very different from this multi-
purpose lake with a recreation component. He said a continuance may provide time for
more information, which would benefit the Council and the 78 future homeowners. Mr.
Radi said he hoped it would allow the City to obtain legal assurances from CVWD.
MAYOR EVANS DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING REOPENED AT 7:58 P.M.
In response to Councilmember Radi, Mark Johnson said that this project went through
the normal approval process for a development with under 500 units, and received the
regular approval document. Mr. Johnson said he would have to consult CVWD legal
counsel to see if some additional legal assurances could be given to the City.
Councilmember Radi explained that since this is a new system, he is concerned that the
Colorado River water will be discontinued for some reason and 78 homeowners will
march into City Hall blaming the Council for approving the lake design. He thinks this
unique situation calls for more from CVWD beyond the standard approval form.
DEVELOPER: Michael Titus of Jackson, DeMarco, Tidus, Peckenpaugh Mr. Titus
explained Colorado River water rights arrangements and the engineering reasons for
the 4.7 acre size of the lake. He stated that there are four points to consider: (1) when
the water district issues a will serve letterater, (2)
, he is making representations
to the Council, on record that the district has the water forever, (3) one of the conditions
of approval on this project says that if something changes in the future, the Developer
must abide by it, and (4) final engineering has to go back to CVWD for another look and
if staff doesn
the City is de minimis because the City is relying on CVWD to supply the water and its
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 10
MAY 5, 2015
16
judgment that it can do it. Mr. Titus said that a City cannot be expected to substitute its
expertise with a water district
In response to Councilmember Radi, City Attorney Ihrke said that the oral testimony
from the representative of CVWD received by the Council tonight is evidence that
CVWD has affirmatively said it can serve this project, but it is not a legally binding
agreement that addresses what ifs such as a reduction or cut off of non-potable water.
DEVELOPER: Paul DePalatis, MSA Consulting, Inc. - Mr. DePalatis said that should the
Colorado River water source for the lake ever be reduced, there are two backup
sources: existing onsite well and existing domestic water from street lines so the lake
will never go dry. He noted that any development option short of a moratorium will use
more water.
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Kay Wolffe, La Quinta Ms. Wolffe said a continuance would be
an opportunity to answer the questions the Council and community have raised and to
seek compromise. She explained that this is a wonderful project but is out of proportion
with the image desired for the City. Ms. Wolffe suggested that the developer could
rework the lake, perhaps make it a little smaller and deeper.
DEVELOPER: Mark Majer, MDM Investment Group Mr. Majer explained that the lake
must be the size planned because of development constraints such as preservation of
estate at its fixed elevation with four high retaining walls surrounding the property, the
property must drain to the southeast, there must be minimum differences between pad
elevations across the site, and there must be lake capacity for a 100-year storm event,
while maintaining the one-foot buffer between the lake surface during a 100-year event
and the lowest homesite pad.
Councilmember Radi explained that his concerns are all about getting clarity, not about
stopping or changing development.
MAYOR EVANS DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED AT 8:17 P.M.
Mayor Evans said that if this project came before the Council two months ago, the
Council would approve it because the property is zoned for homes in the General Plan,
it meets the high quality standards of design, and the Council would be commending the
developer for this innovation. Two months ago the Council would have been the
stewards, leaders, and trendsetters by approving the first project using this system in
Ms. Evans noted that the City-
owned Civic Center Park is drawing from the aquifer. xtremely
conscious of the perception of what La Quinta represents and how the City embraces
advances such as dark skies, no building on the mountain, rejection of all but high
quality projects, etc. There is no question that the perception aspect is a concern she
said, based on the facts. No guarantees about the
meets current City standards, it
meets CVWD ordinance, and goes above and beyond. Ms. Evans said that approval
of this project takes steps ahead of the Governor; it will be the new norm and will be a
challenge to all future developers. She suggested that the source of water should now
be a question the Council asks of every new development. Regarding safeguards, she
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 11
MAY 5, 2015
17
noted that the project will not be done before February 2016 when the Governor lifts
restrictions, it must still go through another round of reviews and approvals
his project as an opportunity for the
City to be a leader, to go beyond simple water cutbacks, nonuse of fountains, night
watering, etc., because that is not enough. It is a beautiful design; she does not support
a continuance. She pointed out that there is already a 2.1-acre lake that has been
and the person
who built it and wants it preserved as an attraction for the City.
Councilmember Peña clarified planned parking accommodations for the development.
Councilmember Radi noted that this project presents a choice between doing nothing,
an ugly 88-home tract sucking from aquifer or this beautiful project.
MOTION A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Osborne/Franklin to
adopt Resolution No. 2015-015, including the revised language distributed by staff just
prior to the meeting:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA QUINTA,
CALIFORNIA, CERTIFYING A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION OF
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND ASSOCIATED MITIGATION
MONITORING PROGRAM AND APPROVING A SPECIFIC PLAN,
TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP, TENTATIVE TRACT MAP, AND SITE
DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, FOR THE ESTATES AT GRIFFIN LAKE
Motion passed: ayes 4, noes 1 (Peña dissenting).
STUDY SESSION
DISCUSS LOGO UPDATE / BRAND REFRESHMENT
1.
MOTION by unanimous voice vote the Council moved this item to the meeting of May
19, 2015.
REPORTS AND INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
, reported on her participation in the
following organizations meeting:
CVAG COACHELLA VALLEY CONSERVATION COMMISSION
CVAG EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
GREATER PALM SPRINGS CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS
, reported on her
participation in the following organizations meeting:
JACQUELINE COCHRAN REGIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY
SUNLINE TRANSIT AGENCY
, reported on his
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 12
MAY 5, 2015
18
EAST VALLEY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
, reported on his participation
in the following organizations meeting:
COACHELLA VALLEY ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP
CVAG TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
HOMELESSNESS COMMITTEE
RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT REPORTS
office.
None
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, a motion was made and seconded by
Councilmembers Franklin/Radi to adjourn at 8:47 p.m. Motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 13
MAY 5, 2015
19
20
May 19, 2015 AGENDA CATEGORY:
CITY / SA / HA / FA MEETING DATE:
APPROVEDEMAND REGISTERS DATED
ITEM TITLE:
BUSINESS SESSION:
MAY 1, 4, AND 8, 2015
CONSENT CALENDAR:
2
STUDY SESSION:
PUBLIC HEARING:
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve Demand Registers dated May 1, 4, and 8, 2015.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
None.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Demand of Cash: -- City $ 794,507.17
-- Successor Agency of RDA $ 2,360.00
-- Housing Authority $ 4,650.00
-- Housing Authority Commission $ 0.00
$ 801,517.17
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS:
Between City Council meetings, routine bills and payroll must be paid in order to avoid
late fees/penalties. Attachment 1 provides the detail for the weekly demand registers
from April 25 through May 8, 2015.
Warrants Issued:
106864 - 106943} $ 252,509.30
106944} $ 1,740.00
106945 - 107011} $ 221,520.47
Voids} $ (0.00)
Wire Transfers} $ 137,549.31
Payroll Direct Deposit} $ 150,369.53
Payroll Tax Transfers} $ 37,828.56
$ 801,517.17
21
The most significant expenditures on the demand registers listed above are as follows:
Significant Expenditures:
Vendor: Account Name: Amount: Purpose:
Bengal Engineering Design $ 60,094.50 Dune Palms Bridge
CV Rescue Mission CV Rescue $ 50,000.00 Capital Construction
Vintage Associates Landscape $ 42,892.92 Apr-Park Maintenance
NAI Consulting Various $ 41,873.65 Apr-Professional Svc.
PSOMAS Consultants $ 29,428.00 Mar-Inspections
Wire Transfers: Five wire transfers totaled $137,549.31. Of this
amount, $44,615.91 was to CalPERS for retirement costs and $86,731.34 to
CalPERS for health insurance premiums (see Attachment 2 for a full listing).
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council may approve, partially approve, or reject the register of demands.
Report prepared by: Sandra Mancilla, Account Technician
Report approved for submission by: Rita Conrad, Finance Director
Attachments: 1. Demand Registers
2. Wire Transfers
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
AGENDA CATEGORY:
May 19, 2015
CITY / SA/ HA/ FA MEETING DATE:
BUSINESS SESSION:
DENY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FILED BY
ITEM TITLE:
CONSENT CALENDAR: 3
JASON SULLIVAN ; DATE OF LOSS OCTOBER 15,
201 4
STUDY SESSION:
PUBLIC HEARING:
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Deny the claim for damages of Jason Sullivan, in its entirety.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
A claim was filed by Jason Sullivan with a reported date of loss of October
15, 2014 for harassment.
It was forwarded to Carl Warren & Company
administrator.
CW reviewed the claim and recommends denial, as the reported incident
involved the Riverside County .
FISCAL IMPACT:
Stated damages are in excess of $25,000.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS:
The claimant alleges harassment during a probation search on October 15, 2014.
CW , as
they have agreed to indemnify the City against all claims of this nature.
ALTERNATIVES:
County indemnifies the City for any and all claims related to the provision of sheriff
services. Thus, there is no alternative but to tender this claim to Riverside County.
Report prepared by: Terry Deeringer, Human Resources/Risk Manager
Report approved for submission by: Frank J. Spevacek, City Manager
39
40
4
41
42
5
43
44
TO:
Madam Mayor and Honorable Councilmembers
FROM:
Frank J. Spevacek, City Manager
DATE:
May 18, 2015
SUBJECT:
Consent Calendar Item No. 5:
DENY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FILED BY ANN AND HARRY
SCHAFFNER, DATE OF LOSS SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
Additional background information:
Carl Warren recommends denying the claim, stating additionally that the storm
occurring on the date of the damage created such a large volume of water that it
completely overwhelmed the existing storm drain system which was operable
and sufficient under normal storm conditions.
6
45
46
AGENDA CATEGORY:
May 19, 2015
CITY / SA / HA / FA MEETING DATE:
BUSINESS SESSION:
APPROVE PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, AND
ITEM TITLE:
CONSENT CALENDAR:
DMFHMDDQŬR DRSHL@SD+ @MC RNKHBHS AHCR ENQ SGD
7
WASHINGTON STREET PAVEMENT REHABILITATION
STUDY SESSION:
IMPROVEMENTS
PUBLIC HEARING:
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
@ooqnud sgd ok`mr+ rodbhehb`shnmr+ `mc dmfhmddqŬr drshl`sd, and authorize staff to
advertise the Washington Street Pavement Rehabilitation Improvements for bid
contingent upon receipt of Federal funding authorization by Caltrans.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
As part of the Pavement Management Plan (PMP), the Washington Street
Pavement Rehabilitation Improvements will entail placing the pavement on
Washington Street, between Calle Tampico and Avenue 52 (Attachment 1).
Sgd Bhsx BntmbhkŬr `tsgnqhy`shnm sn `cudrtise the project as soon as the City
is in receipt of the Federal Notice to Proceed will help ensure the project is
constructed during the summer months.
B`ksq`mr hr qduhdvhmf sgd BhsxŬr request for funding obligation and is
expected to issue the necessary Federal Notice to Proceed prior to the June
2, 2015 City Council Meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This project is included in the 2014/2015 Capital Improvements Program and is
etmcdc `r o`qs ne sgd BhsxŬr OLO- Sgd enkknvhmf hr sgd oqnidbsŬr `ooqnudc atcfds
and funding sources:
PMP General Funds:$332,089
Federal Surface Transportation Program:$249,507
TOTAL APPROVED FUNDING:$581,596
47
The following represents the anticipated project budget:
Design:$34,384
Professional:$20,000
Inspection/Testing/Survey:$27,479
Construction:$424,133
City Administration:$25,000
Contingency:$50,600
TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES:$581,596
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS:
This project will rehabilitate the pavement on Washington Street, between Calle
Tampico and Avenue 52, which will complete the last of six roadway segments
scheduled for rehabilitation under the current PMP. This project was successful in
its bid for Federal funding in April 2013 in the amount of $249,507; however,
B`ksq`mr hr btqqdmskx qduhdvhmf sgd BhsxŬr request and approval is expected in the
near future. Since the project cannot be advertised for construction until after the
City receives the Federal Authorization to Proceed, staff recommends the City
Council approve the project plans, specifications and dmfhmddqŬr drshl`sd `mc
authorize staff to advertise the project once this occurs. Taking this action now
will facilitate constructing the improvements during the summer months.
Sgd ok`mr+ rodbhehb`shnmr+ `mc dmfhmddqŬr drtimate for the project are now complete
and available for review in the Public Works Department. Contingent upon City
BntmbhkŬr `ooqnu`k sn `cudqshrd sgd oqnidbs for bids, the following is anticipated
project schedule:
City Council Bid Authorization May 19, 2015
Caltrans Funding Approval May 31, 2015
Bid Period June 130, 2015
Award of Contract July 7, 2015
Sign Contracts and Mobilize July 8 30, 2015
Construction (30 Working Days)
August 1 through September 11, 2015
Accept Improvements October2015
ALTERNATIVES:
Council may choose to wait until the City receives authorization to proceed from
Caltrans. Since this might unnecessarily delay project completion, this alternative
is not recommended.
Report prepared by: Ed Wimmer, P.E., Principal Engineer
Report approved for submission by: Timothy R. Jonasson, P.E.
Public Works Director/City Engineer
Attachment: 1. Vicinity Map
48
ATTACHMENT 1
V I C I N I T Y M A P
CALLE TAMPICO
LA QUINTA
CITY HALL
AVENIDA LA FONDA
AVENUE 52
49
50
AGENDA CATEGORY:
May 19, 2015
CITY / SA / HA / FA MEETING DATE:
BUSINESS SESSION:
ADOPT RESOLUTION GRANTING
ITEM TITLE:
CONDITIONAL APPROVAL OF FINAL MAP AND
CONSENT CALENDAR:
8
SUBDIVISION IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT
STUDY SESSION:
ASSOCIATED WITH THE LA QUINTA SQUARE
DEVELOPMENT
PUBLIC HEARING:
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt a resolution granting conditional approval of a Final Parcel Map and Subdivision
Improvement Agreement associated with Parcel Map No. 36791, and authorize the
City Manager to execute said agreement.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
ACM La Quinta IV-B, LLC, the developer of the La Quinta Square commercial
project located on the southwest corner of Highway 111 and Simon Drive, has
requested conditional approval of a Final Parcel Map.
Final Parcel Map approval is a ministerial action once the conditions of
development have been met or secured through agreements. The Final Parcel
Map allows 30 days to execute the Subdivision Improvement Agreement.
Since the developer has agreed to satisfy all conditions of development within
the next 30 days, staff supports the recommended action.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None. Security of sufficient value will be submitted to secure any incomplete
improvements prior to approval of the Final Parcel Map.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS:
La Quinta Square is a commercial development located on the southwest corner of
Highway 111 and Simon Drive (Attachment 1). The developer has started demolition
51
of the existing building; however, the on-site improvements have not been
constructed. The developer, under the conditions of approval, has paid for the
oqnidbsŬr e`hq rg`qd ne sgd nee,rhsd hloqnuements at Highway 111 and Simon Drive and
at Washington Street and Miles Avenue, which will be constructed at a future date.
Sgd cdudknodq qdptdrsr sgd Bhsx BntmbhkŬr bnmchshnm`k `ooqnu`k ne sgd Ehm`k O`qbdk L`o
(Attachment 2) and Subdivision Improvement Agreement (Attachment 3). This will
allow the developer 30 days to submit performance and labor and materials securities.
If the developer fails to submit the securities within 30 days, the map will be
rescheduled for City Council consideration only after the securities have been received.
The Subdivision Map Act specifically allows subdivision of property ahead of
completion of the improvements so long as they are secured by the property owner or
developer (the developer will be providing said security as part of this process). Giving
the developer 30 days to complete this process now expedites recordation of the final
map since no further action is required by City Council.
ALTERNATIVES:
As postponing approval until after the developer has completed all conditions would
unduly delay this project, staff does not recommend an alternative action.
Report prepared by: Bryan McKinney, P.E., Principal Engineer
Report approved for submission by: Timothy R. Jonasson, P.E.
Public Works Director/City Engineer
Attachments: 1. Vicinity Map
2. Parcel Map 36791
3. Subdivision Improvement Agreement
52
RESOLUTION NO. 2015 -
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, GRANTING CONDITIONAL
APPROVAL OF FINAL MAP AND SUBDIVISION
IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH
PARCEL MAP NO. 36791 AND AUTHORIZING A TIME
EXTENSION FOR SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF THE
CONDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS TO VALIDATE THE
APPROVAL
WHEREAS, the City Council conducts only two regular meetings per month
and the time interval between these meetings occasionally creates an undue
hardship for business enterprises and individuals seeking approval of subdivision
maps; and
WHEREAS, the City Council, as a matter of policy, allows a subdivider to
have City staff present a map for consideration of approval when the requisite
items necessary for a final map approval are nearly, but not completely, finished
thus yielding to the subdivider additional production time for preparation of those
items; and
WHEREAS, the subdivider has demonstrated to City staff and the City
Council that it has made sufficient progress with items required for final map
approval, and it is reasonable to expect the subdivider to satisfactorily complete the
items, including City staff review time, within thirty (30) days without adversely
impacting other ongoing work commitments of City staff; and
WHEREAS, Section 66458(b) of the Subdivision Map Act grants the City
Council broad authority to authorize time extensions regarding final map approval,
or disapproval, upon receiving it for consideration; and
WHEREAS, the City Council relies on City staff to review all required items
for conformance with relevant requirements, and it is therefore appropriate for the
City Council to approve the final map subject to review and confirmation of the
required items by City staff within a reasonable period of time.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of La
Quinta, California, as follows:
SECTION 1. The Final Parcel Map 36791 is conditionally approved provided the
subdivider submits all required items on or before June 18, 2015.
53
Resolution No. 2015-
Parcel Map 36279, La Quinta Square
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 2
RDBSHNM 1- Sgd Bhsx BntmbhkŬr `ooqnu`k ne the final map shall not be considered
valid until the City Engineer has signed the map indicating that it conforms to the
tentative tract map, the Subdivision Map Act, and all ordinances of the City.
SECTION 3. The City Engineer shall withhold his signature from the map until the
subdivider has completed the following requirements and any other requirements
not expressly described here to thd Bhsx DmfhmddqŬr r`shre`bshnm9
A.Provide performance and labor & materials securities
SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall withhold affixing the City Seal to the map title
page, along with her attesting signature, until the City Engineer has signed the
map.
SECTION 5. The time extension for satisfying the requirements of the conditional
approval for this final map shall expire when City offices close for regular business
on June 18, 2015. If the subdivider has not satisfied the requirements in Section
3, herein, by the expiration deadline, the final map shall be considered disapproved.
Disapproval does not deny any rights the subdivider may have under the Map Act
to resubmit the final map for approval, or disapproval.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the La Quinta
th
City Council held on this 19 day of May 2015, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
__________________________
LINDA EVANS, Mayor
City of La Quinta, California
54
Resolution No. 2015-
Parcel Map 36279, La Quinta Square
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 3
ATTEST:
________________________________
SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
(CITY SEAL)
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________________
WILLIAM H. IHRKE, City Attorney
City of La Quinta, California
55
56
parcel map no. 36791 la quintasquare
V I C I N I T Y M A P
NOT TO SCALE
57
58
ATTACHMENT 2
59
60
ATTACHMENT 3
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
9
71
72
AGENDA CATEGORY:
May 19, 2015
CITY / SA / HA / FA MEETING DATE:
BUSINESS SESSION:
: RECEIVE AND FILE TREASURER'S
ITEM TITLE
REPORT FOR THE MONTH ENDED FEBRUARY 28,
CONSENT CALENDAR:
10
2015
STUDY SESSION:
PUBLIC HEARING:
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive and file.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
the Investment Advisory
Board and the City Council for review.
This report summarizes all cash and investments of the City, Successor
Agency, Housing Authority, and Financing Authority.
There is sufficient investment liquidity and anticipated revenues available to
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS:
required by the California Government Code and City Municipal Code. It certifies
that all pooled investments are reported accurately and fairly in
compliance with the applicable codes and also certifies that there is sufficient
estimated expenditures. Due to the fact that the City pools all cash and
investments, this report combines all City entities including the Successor Agency,
Financing Authority, and Housing Authority.
73
Cash Balances
with an ending balance of $112.8 million. The primary transactions affecting this
change in balance were:
Before factoring in a $6 million transfer into checking from the Local Agency
Investment Fund (LAIF), checking account payments exceeded receipts by
$8.5 million. $6 million was transferred from LAIF to checking to cover $6
million in bond debt service payments due to the fiscal agent.
-annual
payments (usually January and May). The largest single payment received in
February ($648,900) was for sales tax. The next largest payment received
in February $567,382 was from SilverRock golf course green fees and sales.
The third largest payment, in the amount of $159,538, was related to cable
TV franchise fees.
In addition to the usual monthly personnel costs, larger payments that went out
were $939,246 to the Riverside County Sheri
services from October 16 to November 15, 2014; $323,838 to Coachella
Association of Governments for pass through transportation uniform mitigation
fees; and $268,403 to Doug Wall Construction for construction work related to the
Wellness Center.
Investment Activity
Average investment maturity in February was 269 days as compared to 268 days
in January. During the month of February the LAIF account decreased by $6
million as noted above.
Bank fees for the month of January were $983.52 and the sweep account
earned $36 in interest income.
Portfolio Performance
The overall portfolio performance of .36 percent in February was the same as
January. Based on recent trends, the future rate is anticipated to remain
unchanged. At this time last year, the portfolio yielded .30 percent.
Looking Ahead
hort term, the
Treasurer will invest in negotiable certificates of deposit and LAIF as needed. The
Treasurer will also continue to roll over bond proceeds and reserves into U.S.
Treasury Bills and mutual funds as needed.
74
ALTERNATIVES:
None.
Report prepared by: Rita Conrad, Finance Director
Report approved for submission by: Frank J. Spevacek, City Manager
Attachment: 1 Reports
75
76
ATTACHMENT 1
77
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79
80
83
84
City of La Quinta
Comparative Rates of Interest
February 28, 2015
City of La Quinta
Commercial Paper
Annualized EarningsAverageTreasury Bills/NoteThree Month
YearMonthPooled Cash Fiscal Agent OverallMaturity (days)Three Month Six Month One Year Two Year Non-FinancialLAIF Rate
FY 10/11July 20100.50%0.15%0.47%1190.16%0.20%0.30%0.63%0.28%0.53%
Aug 20100.49%0.15%0.46%1080.15%0.19%0.26%0.38%0.25%0.51%
Sept 20100.55%0.15%0.51%1070.16%0.19%0.27%0.38%0.24%0.50%
Oct 20100.55%0.15%0.51%880.13%0.17%0.23%0.38%0.23%0.48%
Nov 20100.53%0.15%0.49%840.18%0.21%0.28%0.50%0.23%0.45%
Dec 20100.57%0.14%0.52%2650.15%0.19%0.30%0.63%0.23%0.46%
Jan 20110.51%0.14%0.43%2060.16%0.18%0.28%0.63%0.24%0.54%
Feb 20110.55%0.17%0.46%2100.15%0.17%0.31%0.63%0.23%0.51%
Mar 20110.54%0.17%0.45%2180.05%0.13%0.26%0.75%0.23%0.50%
Apr 20110.59%0.17%0.48%1920.05%0.10%0.28%0.63%0.20%0.59%
May 20110.48%0.17%0.41%1560.06%0.12%0.20%0.50%0.16%0.41%
June 20110.53%0.00%0.35%1260.03%0.10%0.20%0.38%0.15%0.45%
FY 11/12July 20110.53%0.00%0.35%1120.07%0.12%0.15%0.20%0.14%0.38%
Aug 20110.60%0.00%0.38%1020.02%0.05%0.10%0.13%0.16%0.41%
Sept 20110.58%0.03%0.39%1240.02%0.06%0.09%0.13%0.14%0.38%
Oct 20110.53%0.03%0.35%1170.01%0.06%0.12%0.25%0.15%0.39%
Nov 20110.52%0.03%0.37%940.03%0.07%0.10%0.25%0.14%0.40%
Dec 20110.48%0.03%0.35%860.02%0.06%0.11%0.13%0.14%0.39%
Jan 20120.45%0.03%0.34%740.05%0.08%0.11%0.25%0.14%0.39%
Feb 20120.49%0.05%0.36%720.12%0.15%0.17%0.25%0.17%0.39%
Mar 20120.44%0.05%0.34%740.08%0.14%0.19%0.25%0.18%0.38%
Apr 20120.44%0.09%0.35%610.10%0.15%0.19%0.25%0.20%0.37%
May 20120.43%0.09%0.34%620.09%0.14%0.19%0.25%0.19%0.36%
June 20120.38%0.08%0.29%470.10%0.15%0.21%0.25%0.21%0.36%
FY 12/13July 20120.41%0.08%0.31%1120.11%0.15%0.18%0.22%0.22%0.36%
Aug 20120.41%0.08%0.29%310.11%0.14%0.20%0.25%0.20%0.38%
Sept 20120.43%0.09%0.33%340.11%0.14%0.18%0.25%0.20%0.35%
Oct 20120.47%0.10%0.36%220.13%0.16%0.18%0.25%0.19%0.34%
Nov 20120.48%0.10%0.36%1610.10%0.15%0.18%0.25%0.20%0.32%
Dec 20120.47%0.10%0.36%1370.08%0.12%0.16%0.13%0.20%0.33%
Jan 20130.44%0.10%0.34%1110.08%0.11%0.14%0.25%0.16%0.30%
Feb 20130.37%0.10%0.29%1050.13%0.14%0.15%0.25%0.17%0.29%
Mar 20130.39%0.09%0.30%1230.08%0.11%0.15%0.25%0.15%0.29%
Apr 20130.31%0.08%0.25%1860.05%0.08%0.14%0.13%0.12%0.26%
May 20130.30%0.06%0.23%1750.05%0.08%0.14%0.25%0.10%0.25%
June 20130.30%0.07%0.23%2120.05%0.09%0.16%0.38%0.10%0.24%
FY 13/14July 20130.28%0.07%0.21%3360.03%0.07%0.12%0.25%0.11%0.27%
Aug 20130.28%0.06%0.21%3030.03%0.06%0.07%0.14%0.09%0.27%
Sept 20130.30%0.07%0.23%3210.01%0.04%0.01%0.25%0.08%0.26%
Oct 20130.48%0.06%0.31%4270.05%0.08%0.16%0.25%0.11%0.27%
Nov 20130.49%0.06%0.31%4440.05%0.08%0.16%0.25%0.09%0.26%
Dec 20130.49%0.05%0.31%3960.07%0.09%0.14%0.25%0.09%0.26%
Jan 20140.44%0.05%0.32%3810.04%0.06%0.13%0.38%0.09%0.24%
Feb 20140.44%0.03%0.30%3570.05%0.08%0.12%0.25%0.10%0.24%
Mar 20140.44%0.02%0.30%3520.05%0.07%0.12%0.38%0.10%0.24%
Apr 20140.47%0.02%0.33%3680.02%0.05%0.11%0.45%0.10%0.23%
May 20140.49%0.02%0.35%3730.04%0.06%0.10%0.39%0.10%0.23%
June 20140.44%0.02%0.33%3100.04%0.07%0.11%0.50%0.10%0.23%
FY 14/15July 20140.45%0.02%0.34%3050.03%0.06%0.11%0.50%0.10%0.24%
Aug 20140.49%0.02%0.36%3130.03%0.05%0.11%0.50%0.11%0.26%
Sept 20140.50%0.02%0.36%3250.02%0.04%0.12%0.50%0.10%0.25%
Oct 20140.51%0.02%0.36%3230.02%0.06%0.10%0.38%0.10%0.26%
Nov 20140.52%0.02%0.37%3170.03%0.08%0.14%0.50%0.10%0.26%
Dec 20140.52%0.02%0.37%3040.02%0.07%0.18%0.50%0.13%0.27%
Jan 20150.49%0.02%0.36%2680.02%0.07%0.21%0.50%0.12%0.26%
Feb 20150.51%0.02%0.36%2690.02%0.08%0.21%0.50%0.12%0.27%
85
86
May 19, 2015
AGENDA CATEGORY:
CITY / SA/ HA/ FA MEETING DATE:
RECEIVE AND FILE TREASURER'S REPORT
ITEM TITLE:
BUSINESS SESSION:
FOR THE MONTH ENDED MARCH 31, 2015
CONSENT CALENDAR:
11
STUDY SESSION:
PUBLIC HEARING:
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive and file.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Board and the City Council for review.
This report summarizes all cash and investments of the City, Successor
Agency, Housing Authority, and Financing Authority.
There is sufficient investment liquidity and anticipated revenues available to
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS:
required by the California Government Code and City Municipal Code. It certifies
nd fairly in
compliance with the applicable codes and also certifies that there is sufficient
estimated expenditures. Due to the fact that the City pools all cash and
investments, this report combines all City entities including the Successor Agency,
87
Financing Authority, and Housing Authority.
Cash Balances
with an ending balance of $106.5 million. The primary transactions affecting this
change in balance were:
Before factoring in a $1 million transfer into checking from the Local Agency
Investment Fund (LAIF), checking account payments exceeded receipts by
$667,000.
venue sources are made in semi-annual
payments (usually January and May). The largest single payment received in
March was a sales tax payment in the amount of $555,900. The next
largest payment received in March was in Measure A funds (designated for
transportation improvement related projects) in the amount of $120,000.
The third largest payment received was from Gas Tax funds, which are
designated for street maintenance costs. Unlike expenditures, which are
fairly consistent over each month, major revenues like property tax, property
tax in lieu of motor vehicle license fees, and property tax in lieu of sales tax
are only paid in two annual installments.
In addition to the usual monthly personnel costs, larger payments that went
out in March were: $1.02 million to Arch Insurance Company for work
related to the Adams Street Bridge; $934,300 to the Riverside County
rvices from November 16, 2014
to December 15, 2014; and, $230,264 to Stotz Equipment for equipment
related to SilverRock Golf Course (mowers and other maintenance
equipment).
Investment Activity
Average investment maturity in March was 261 days as compared to 269
days in February. During the month of March the LAIF (account decreased
by $1 million as noted above.
Bank fees for the month of March were $959 and the sweep account earned
$20 in interest income.
88
Portfolio Performance
The overall portfolio performance of .37 percent in March was slightly higher than
percent. Based on recent trends, the future rate is
anticipated to remain unchanged. At this time last year, the portfolio yielded
.30%.
Looking Ahead
The Treasurer , the
Treasurer will invest in negotiable certificates of deposit and LAIF as needed. The
Treasurer will also continue to roll over bond proceeds and reserves into U.S.
Treasury Bills and mutual funds as needed.
ALTERNATIVES:
None.
Report prepared by: Rita Conrad, Finance Director
Report approved for submission by: Frank J. Spevacek, City Manager
Attachment:
89
90
ATTACHMENT 1
91
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ağƩĭŷ ЋЉЊЎ
Cash Balances
total size decreased by $6.3 million in March; the month closed with an ending
balance of $106.5 million. The primary transactions affecting this change in balance were:
Before factoring in a $1 million transfer into checking from LAIF, checking account payments
exceeded receipts by $667,000.
-annual payments (usually
January and May). The largest single payment received in March was a sales tax payment in
the amount of $555,900. The next largest payment received in March was in Measure A
funds (designated for transportation improvement related projects) in the amount of
$120,000. The third largest payment received was from Gas Tax funds which are designated
for street maintenance costs. Unlike expenditures which are fairly consistent over each
month, major revenues like property tax, property tax in lieu of MLV, and property tax in lieu
of sales tax are only paid in two annual installments.
In addition to the usual monthly personnel costs, larger payments that went out in March
were: $1.02 million to Arch Insurance Company for work related to the Adams Street Bridge;
$934,300 contract police services from 11-
16-14 to 12-15-14; and, $230,264 to Stotz Equipment for equipment related to SilverRock Golf
Course (mowers and other maintenance equipment).
Investment Activity
Average investment maturity in March was 261 days as compared to 269 days in February.
During the month of March the LAIF (Local Agency Investment Fund) account decreased by $1
million as noted above.
Bank fees for the month of March were $959 and the sweep account earned $20 in interest
income.
Portfolio Performance
The overall portfolio performance of .37% in March was slightly %.
Based on recent trends, the future rate is anticipated to remain unchanged. At this time last year,
the portfolio yielded .30%.
Looking Ahead
in negotiable certificates of deposit and LAIF as needed. The Treasurer will also continue to roll over
bond proceeds and reserves into U.S. Treasury Bills and mutual funds as needed.
92
ECONOMY AT A GLANCE
93
94
97
98
City of La Quinta
Comparative Rates of Interest
March 31, 2015
City of La Quinta
Commercial Paper
Annualized EarningsAverageTreasury Bills/NoteThree Month
YearMonthPooled Cash Fiscal Agent OverallMaturity (days)Three Month Six Month One Year Two Year Non-FinancialLAIF Rate
FY 10/11July 20100.50%0.15%0.47%1190.16%0.20%0.30%0.63%0.28%0.53%
Aug 20100.49%0.15%0.46%1080.15%0.19%0.26%0.38%0.25%0.51%
Sept 20100.55%0.15%0.51%1070.16%0.19%0.27%0.38%0.24%0.50%
Oct 20100.55%0.15%0.51%880.13%0.17%0.23%0.38%0.23%0.48%
Nov 20100.53%0.15%0.49%840.18%0.21%0.28%0.50%0.23%0.45%
Dec 20100.57%0.14%0.52%2650.15%0.19%0.30%0.63%0.23%0.46%
Jan 20110.51%0.14%0.43%2060.16%0.18%0.28%0.63%0.24%0.54%
Feb 20110.55%0.17%0.46%2100.15%0.17%0.31%0.63%0.23%0.51%
Mar 20110.54%0.17%0.45%2180.05%0.13%0.26%0.75%0.23%0.50%
Apr 20110.59%0.17%0.48%1920.05%0.10%0.28%0.63%0.20%0.59%
May 20110.48%0.17%0.41%1560.06%0.12%0.20%0.50%0.16%0.41%
June 20110.53%0.00%0.35%1260.03%0.10%0.20%0.38%0.15%0.45%
FY 11/12July 20110.53%0.00%0.35%1120.07%0.12%0.15%0.20%0.14%0.38%
Aug 20110.60%0.00%0.38%1020.02%0.05%0.10%0.13%0.16%0.41%
Sept 20110.58%0.03%0.39%1240.02%0.06%0.09%0.13%0.14%0.38%
Oct 20110.53%0.03%0.35%1170.01%0.06%0.12%0.25%0.15%0.39%
Nov 20110.52%0.03%0.37%940.03%0.07%0.10%0.25%0.14%0.40%
Dec 20110.48%0.03%0.35%860.02%0.06%0.11%0.13%0.14%0.39%
Jan 20120.45%0.03%0.34%740.05%0.08%0.11%0.25%0.14%0.39%
Feb 20120.49%0.05%0.36%720.12%0.15%0.17%0.25%0.17%0.39%
Mar 20120.44%0.05%0.34%740.08%0.14%0.19%0.25%0.18%0.38%
Apr 20120.44%0.09%0.35%610.10%0.15%0.19%0.25%0.20%0.37%
May 20120.43%0.09%0.34%620.09%0.14%0.19%0.25%0.19%0.36%
June 20120.38%0.08%0.29%470.10%0.15%0.21%0.25%0.21%0.36%
FY 12/13July 20120.41%0.08%0.31%1120.11%0.15%0.18%0.22%0.22%0.36%
Aug 20120.41%0.08%0.29%310.11%0.14%0.20%0.25%0.20%0.38%
Sept 20120.43%0.09%0.33%340.11%0.14%0.18%0.25%0.20%0.35%
Oct 20120.47%0.10%0.36%220.13%0.16%0.18%0.25%0.19%0.34%
Nov 20120.48%0.10%0.36%1610.10%0.15%0.18%0.25%0.20%0.32%
Dec 20120.47%0.10%0.36%1370.08%0.12%0.16%0.13%0.20%0.33%
Jan 20130.44%0.10%0.34%1110.08%0.11%0.14%0.25%0.16%0.30%
Feb 20130.37%0.10%0.29%1050.13%0.14%0.15%0.25%0.17%0.29%
Mar 20130.39%0.09%0.30%1230.08%0.11%0.15%0.25%0.15%0.29%
Apr 20130.31%0.08%0.25%1860.05%0.08%0.14%0.13%0.12%0.26%
May 20130.30%0.06%0.23%1750.05%0.08%0.14%0.25%0.10%0.25%
June 20130.30%0.07%0.23%2120.05%0.09%0.16%0.38%0.10%0.24%
FY 13/14July 20130.28%0.07%0.21%3360.03%0.07%0.12%0.25%0.11%0.27%
Aug 20130.28%0.06%0.21%3030.03%0.06%0.07%0.14%0.09%0.27%
Sept 20130.30%0.07%0.23%3210.01%0.04%0.01%0.25%0.08%0.26%
Oct 20130.48%0.06%0.31%4270.05%0.08%0.16%0.25%0.11%0.27%
Nov 20130.49%0.06%0.31%4440.05%0.08%0.16%0.25%0.09%0.26%
Dec 20130.49%0.05%0.31%3960.07%0.09%0.14%0.25%0.09%0.26%
Jan 20140.44%0.05%0.32%3810.04%0.06%0.13%0.38%0.09%0.24%
Feb 20140.44%0.03%0.30%3570.05%0.08%0.12%0.25%0.10%0.24%
Mar 20140.44%0.02%0.30%3520.05%0.07%0.12%0.38%0.10%0.24%
Apr 20140.47%0.02%0.33%3680.02%0.05%0.11%0.45%0.10%0.23%
May 20140.49%0.02%0.35%3730.04%0.06%0.10%0.39%0.10%0.23%
June 20140.44%0.02%0.33%3100.04%0.07%0.11%0.50%0.10%0.23%
FY 14/15July 20140.45%0.02%0.34%3050.03%0.06%0.11%0.50%0.10%0.24%
Aug 20140.49%0.02%0.36%3130.03%0.05%0.11%0.50%0.11%0.26%
Sept 20140.50%0.02%0.36%3250.02%0.04%0.12%0.50%0.10%0.25%
Oct 20140.52%0.02%0.37%3230.02%0.06%0.10%0.38%0.10%0.26%
Nov 20140.52%0.02%0.37%3170.03%0.08%0.14%0.50%0.10%0.26%
Dec 20140.52%0.02%0.37%3040.02%0.07%0.18%0.50%0.13%0.27%
Jan 20150.49%0.02%0.36%2680.02%0.07%0.21%0.50%0.12%0.26%
Feb 20150.51%0.02%0.36%2690.02%0.08%0.21%0.50%0.12%0.27%
Mar 20150.52%0.02%0.37%2610.04%0.14%0.27%0.50%0.11%0.28%
99
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ATTACHMENT1
105
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110
111
2015 TENTATIVE LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR
COMPILED BY THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE SENATE
Revised 01/26/2015
DEADLINES
JANUARY
S M T W TH F S
Jan. 1 Statutes take effect (Art. IV, Sec. 8(c)).
1 2 3
Jan. 5 Legislature reconvenes (J.R. 51(a)(1)).
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Jan. 10 Budget must be submitted by Governor (Art. IV, Sec. 12 (a)).
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Jan. 19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Jan. 30 Last day to submit bill requests to the Office of Legislative Counsel.
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
FEBRUARY
S M T W TH F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Feb. 16 Presidents Day.
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Feb. 27 Last day for bills to be introduced (J.R. 61(a)(1), (J.R. 54(a)).
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
MARCH
S M T W TH F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Mar. 26 Spring Recess
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Mar. 31 Cesar Chavez Day.
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
APRIL
S M T W TH F S
1 2 3 4
Apr. 6 Legislature reconvenes from Spring Recess (J.R. 51(a)(2)).
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30
MAY
S M T W TH F S
May 1 Last day for policy committees to hear and report to Fiscal
1 2
Committees fiscal bills introduced in their house (J.R. 61(a)(2)).
May 15 Last day for policy committees to hear and report to the Floor non-fiscal
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
bills introduced in their house (J.R. 61(a)(3)).
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
May 22 Last day for policy committees to meet prior to June 8 (J.R. 61(a)(4)).
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
May 25 Memorial Day.
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
May 29 Last day for fiscal committees to hear and report to the Floor
bills introduced in their house (J.R. 61 (a)(5)). Last day for fiscal
31
committees to meet prior to June 8 (J.R. 61 (a)(6)).
Page 1 of 2
*
Holiday schedule subject to final approval by Rules committee
112
2015 TENTATIVE LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR
COMPILED BY THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE SENATE
Revised 01/26/2015
JUNE
S M T W TH F S
June 1 5 Floor Session only. No committee may meet for any purpose (J.R.
1 2 3 4 5 6
61(a)(7)).
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
June 5 Last day for bills to be passed out of the house of origin (J.R. 61(a)(8)).
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
June 8 Committee meetings may resume (J.R. 61(a)(9)).
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
June 15 Budget must be passed by midnight (Art. IV, Sec. 12(c)(3)).
28 29 30
JULY
S M T W TH F S
1 2 3 4
July 3 Independence Day observed.
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
July 17 Last day for policy committees to meet and report bills (J.R. 61(a)(10)).
Summer Recess begins
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
has been enacted (J.R. 51(a)(3)).
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31
AUGUST
S M T W TH F S
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Aug. 17 Legislature reconvenes from Summer Recess (J.R. 51(a)(3)).
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Aug. 28 Last day for fiscal committees to meet and report bills to the Floor
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
(J.R. 61(a)(11)).
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Aug. 31 Sept. 11 Floor Session only. No committees, other than conference
committees and Rules Committee, may meet for any purpose (J.R.
30 31
61(a)(12)).
SEPTEMBER
S M T W TH F S
1 2 3 4 5
Sept. 4 Last day to amend bills on the Floor (J.R. 61(a)(13)).
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Sept. 7 Labor Day.
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Sept. 11 Last day for each house to pass bills (J.R. 61(a)(14)).
Interim Study Recess begins (J.R. 51(a)(4)).
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30
IMPORTANT DATES OCCURRING DURING INTERIM STUDY RECESS
2015
Oct. 11 Last day for Governor to sign or veto bills passed by the Legislature on or before Sept. 11
s possession after Sept. 11 (Art. IV, Sec.10(b)(1)).
2016
Jan. 1 Statutes take effect (Art. IV, Sec. 8(c)).
Jan. 4 Legislature reconvenes (J.R. 51 (a)(4)).
*
Holiday schedule subject to final approval by Rules committee
Page 2 of 2
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ATTACHMENT2
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Review of Police Services and Crime Trends
CITY OF LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA
FINAL REPORT
May 1, 2015
127
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
2 OVERVIEW OF POLICE SERVICES AND COSTS 6
3 EVALUATION OF FIELD SERVICES 15
4 EVALUATION OF SPECIALTY WORK UNITS 63
5 EVALUATION OF POLICE OPERATIONS AND THE CURRENT POLICE 80
SERVICES CONTRACT
APPENDIX A Ã SUMMARY OF THE SURVEY OF RESIDENTS 98
APPENDIX B Ã SUMMARY OF THE COMMUNITY FOCUS GROUPS 113
APPENDIX C Ã PROFILE OF POLICE SERVICES IN LA QUINTA 116
128
CITY OF LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA
Final Report of the Review of Police Services and Crime Trends
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In January 2015 the Matrix Consulting Group began working with the City of La
Quinta to conduct a review of police services and crime trends in the City. Police
services for La Quinta are provided through a contract with the Riverside County
SheriffÈs Office (RCSO).
Introductory meetings, interviews, data collection, analysis, and review of interim
deliverables occurred from January through April 2015. After the initial meeting with the
City Project Committee, the Matrix Consulting Group project team conducted interviews
with Riverside County SheriffÈs Department personnel, City of La Quinta management,
obtained and reviewed operating procedures, the contract and budget, calls for service
data, investigator workloads and other data relevant to this study. The information
contained in this report was developed through these interviews, review of internal
policies, procedures, the operating budget, call for service data, investigator workloads
and other data provided to the project team.
The City of La Quinta has seen significant growth and currently has a population
of approximately 39,331 residents (2013 U.S. Census estimate) and covers 35.1 square
miles. The population of has increased over 65% since 2000 when just 23,694 people
resided in the City.
As part of this project, the City also wished to survey La Quinta residents
regarding their opinions of police services. The project team developed an anonymous
survey that was publicized on the CityÈs website and in the City newsletter and made
available online. The survey asked a variety of questions regarding residentsÈ
Matrix Consulting Group Page 1
129
CITY OF LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA
Final Report of the Review of Police Services and Crime Trends
interactions with RCSO staff and regarding residentsÈ perceptions of the provision of
services in the community. Over 500 people completed the survey and the results
provide a snapshot of residentsÈ beliefs and perceptions regarding police services (a
survey summary is in Appendix A).
Additionally, the project team hosted three community focus group meetings on
two days in March 2015 at City Hall. A total of 28 residents participated and provided
their opinions, perceptions, and suggestions (a focus group summary is in Appendix B).
The project team provided several interim reports and summaries of the surveys
to La Quinta management and they were also reviewed by RCSO staff. These
elements yielded the following findings:
(1) The crime rate in the La Quinta is low at 1.74 violent crimes per 1,000 residents
but has a higher property crimes rate at 38.2 crimes per 1,000 residents. The
specific reasons for a low violent crime rate or the higher property crimes rate in
certain years cannot be known exactly but the demographics of the community is
a strong factor with additional factors including the average income level,
employment rate, effectiveness of the police and community programs for youth.
The crime rate in La Quinta has been trending downward for the last 10 years.
Overall, comparing the 2004-2008 five year period with 2009-2013 the number of
violent crimes decreased 9.3% and property crimes decreased 15.9%.
The most significant change in individual crimes over the two 5 year periods was
a 40% reduction in homicides and a 49% reduction in auto theft. Aggravated
Assault also decreased significantly (16%) but robberies have increased over
20%. The property crimes of burglary and larceny also decreased 12% and 13%
respectively.
(2) The number of community generated calls for service (CFS) per resident in La
1
Quinta it is approximately 0.46 CFS per resident (a total of 17,945 in 2014). This
workload level is within the range of the 0.4 to 0.6 CFS typically seen by the
project team in other law enforcement studies throughout the United States. This
indicates that the need for police services is at an average level compared with
other communities.
1
In the 2013 La Quinta Police Department Annual Report the RCSO reported a total of 24,793 call for
service in calendar year 2013 but this also includes Officer initiated incidents as well as community
generated calls for service. The project team evaluated these elements separately.
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(3) Patrol Services provides a very good response time to calls, averaging
approximately 4.2 minutes travel time to emergency calls and an overall
2
response time (call processing and travel time) of just 5 minutes.
(4) Patrol Officers had a very high overall average level of ÅproactiveÆ time level of
58% in 2014 and good levels of proactive time even during peak call for service
workload hours.
The Åproactive timeÆ level is a key factor in the determination of the Patrol Officer
staffing level that is needed in a community à it is the time remaining after an
Officer has handled all of the community generated calls for service, related
bookings of persons arrested and documentation of the incident in a report
(these workloads are counted as Åcommitted timeÆ). Detailed information
regarding the level of La Quinta Police DepartmentÈs level of committed time (i.e.
the work that ÅmustÆ be done) and proactive time is presented in the report in
Chapter 3.
(5) Police services information such as the number of calls for service, Officer
initiated activity and other workload information should be provided to La Quinta
(and also other contract cities) on a regular basis (every three or six months).
LQPD has provided an annual report to the City that contains much of the
information but the project team believes that increased discussion (quarterly or
semi-annual meetings) between LQPD managers and city staff/elected officials
regarding police services is needed to ensure a close working relationship. The
meetings should include information sharing, crime trends and discussion
regarding the effectiveness of the services being provided and also identify areas
that may need focused attention.
This report shows that La Quinta is being provided a high level of police services
by the SheriffÈs Office through regular Patrol Officers which are supplemented with the
work of the Traffic Unit, Special Enforcement Team and civilian Community Service
Officers à these units provide significant and comprehensive services to the community.
Throughout this report the project team provides evaluation and analysis of these
service and, where appropriate, makes suggestions for improvements. The table below
2
For the 223 Priority 1A calls in 2014.
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provides a summary list all of the recommendations and/or opportunities for
improvement that appear in this report.
Recommendations
Modify the contract to allow the Chief and Assistant Chief the discretion to allow patrol staffing levels on
a particular day to fall below the contracted level up to 15% (currently 23 patrol staff hours). Page 21
The City should work with the SheriffÈs Office and management from gated communities to evaluate the
options available to facilitate quick entry of police officers into gated communities. Page 36
The RCSO should quarterly or semi-annually provide La Quinta with data showing the number of calls
for service responded to, response times, calls per beat, Officer initiated activity and other activity of
the Police Department. Page 43
Review the CAD workload data for a second year to determine the level of Patrol Officer committed
time and proactive time; continue annual reviews of Patrol workload. Page 58
Annually review patrol staff workload for each 4-hour time block to ensure that a reasonable number of
proactive hours are available throughout the day. Page 58
Adopt a 45% average proactive time level goal for patrol operations. A workload analysis should be
conducted annually to determine the actual level of proactive time. Page 62
Expand the regular duty hours of the Traffic Unit to provide coverage from 0600 Ã 1900 or 2000 hours
on weekdays. Page 66
Increase the productivity of the Motor Units to average 10 warnings/citations per shift. Page 66
Modify the work schedule of Community Service Officers to only work during the day and evening
hours (0600 hours à 2200 hours) to provide additional alternative call handling options and also
address other police related community concerns. Page 83
Reduce the number of daily Patrol Officer hours from 150 daily to 140 hours daily; this results in an
annual savings à estimated at $581,965 in FY 2015-16. Page 90
La Quinta staff should work with the SheriffÈs Office to establish a goal that 50% of the Patrol Officers
(currently 12 = 50%) and Community Service Officers (3 = 50%) will always be assigned to La Quinta
whenever they are working a regular shift. Page 91
La Quinta should work with the RCSO to modify the contract to provide a field Sergeant that is
dedicated to the supervision of La Quinta field services. Page 92
Adopt a process to enhance delivery of patrol services during the periods when proactive time is
available. The Asst. Chief, Patrol Lieutenant and Sergeants should coordinate the development of
plans that identify specific tasks/projects that can be worked on or accomplished when proactive time is
available during a shift. Supervisors should actively manage Patrol OfficersÈ proactive time. Page 94
City staff should work with the RCSO to reduce the number of Detectives funded by La Quinta to three
Detectives which will result in a cost savings of approximately $586,040 annually; this staffing level will
provide sufficient staff to conduct follow-up investigations for La Quinta while providing a moderate
caseload level for Detectives that provides capacity to absorb future increases in workload. Page 96
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Recommendations
Additionally, City staff should work with the RCSO to revise the methodology of allocating the cost of
Investigation Units (the Lieutenant, Sergeants and Detectives) to an appropriate cost sharing
percentage for each of the three entities. Page 96
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2. OVERVIEW OF POLICE SERVICES AND COSTS
The following information was obtained through interviews with RCSO personnel,
electronic data from the Computer Aided Dispatch system (CAD) and the Records
Management System (RMS) as well as any relevant documents associated with patrol
(e.g., statistical reports, training records, leave time records, etc.). The first section,
which follows, provides a brief introduction and basic overview of law enforcement
services in the City of La Quinta.
1. OVERVIEW OF PATROL SERVICES, STAFFING LEVELS AND COSTS.
The City of La Quinta, through a contract with the Riverside County SheriffÈs
Department (RCSO), provides a wide range of law enforcement services for
approximately 39,331 residents (2013 U.S. Census estimate) and covering 35.1 square
miles.
(1) La Quinta Contracted Positions.
There are two law enforcement managers in La Quinta à a Captain who is
3
appointed as the Police Chief and a Lieutenant who is the Assistant Police Chief. The
Police Chief is responsible for management and oversight of all police services provided
to residents. The Assistant Chief provides the day to day direction to dedicated staff.
Both of these law enforcement managers are supported by additional law enforcement
professionals and supervisors within the Thermal SheriffÈs Station.
Patrol field services account for the majority of the contracted personnel in La
Quinta PD Ã a total of 30.76 Officers. This number is calculated from the 150 hours of
3
La Quinta does not pay any costs for the Captain.
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daily field patrol services (150 hours daily x 365 days = 54,750 total yearly hours / 1,780
annual work hours per Officer).
La Quinta also contracts for other positions to provide supervision and additional
services to the community. Some of the positions are ÅdedicatedÆ positions (La Quinta
pays the full 2,080 annual work hours per position and the benefits cost) and some are
Ånon-dedicatedÆ positions (La Quinta pays 1,780 hours per position). These positions
are:
¥ The Chief (a Captain who is not paid by the City) and a Lieutenant, the Assistant
Chief, who is paid through the CityÈs contract.
¥ Two Sergeants à for the Special Enforcement Team (SET) and for the
Administrative & Traffic Unit (dedicated positions)
¥ Seven Officers for the Special Enforcement Team à this includes the two
Business District Officers (non-dedicated positions)
¥ Four Officers for the Traffic Unit à Motor Officers (dedicated positions)
¥ Two Officers for regional Task Forces à the Violent Crime Gang Task Force and
the Coachella Valley Narcotics Task Force (dedicated positions)
¥ Six civilian Community Service Officers, CSO, (dedicated positions)
The following table displays the ÅdedicatedÆ and Ånon-dedicatedÆ staff positions.
Lieutenant Sergeant Officer CSO
Administration 1
Patrol 30.76 4
Admin / Traffic (Motors) 1 4 2
Special Enforcement Team 1 5
Business District Officers 2
Task Forces (2) 2
Total = 52.76 1 2 43.76 6
There are a total of 52.76 staff directly contracted for by the City of La Quinta for
police services. This number does not include the three School Resources Officers
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working in La Quinta schools as the Desert Sands Unified School District independently
contracts for them with the SheriffÈs Department (La Quinta reimburses DSUSD for part
of the cost for these Officers). This staff requires additional personnel to support the
LQPD that will be discussed in the next section.
(2) Additional RCSO Positions Required to Support the La Quinta Police
Department.
A total of 41.76 of the LQPD positions listed above are designated as ÅsupportedÆ
positions by the RCSO, they are the 30.76 Patrol Officers, 4 Motor Officers and 7
Special Enforcement Team Officers. These ÅsupportedÆ positions means that other
RCSO personnel are needed to provide supervision, administration and other
assistance to carry out their job functions. This includes a total of 14.95 positions which
includes Lieutenants, field supervisors (Sergeants) and Investigations personnel. The
calculations for the 14.95 supporting positions is shown below:
¥ 1.63 Lieutenants (41.76 x 039); for the other Lieutenants in the Thermal Station
.
(Patrol, Investigative)
¥ 6.85 Sergeants (41.76 x 164); primarily for the Patrol Sergeants but also
.
includes the Detective, Training, FTO and Administrative Sergeants
¥ 6.47 Investigators or Detectives (41.76 x 155); for follow-up investigation of La
.
Quinta cases
The multiplying factor (.039, .164, etc.) is determined by the RCSO and is a
calculation of the percent of staff positions (assigned to the Thermal Station) that are
allocated to La Quinta; this represents the amount of time that the supporting position is
working with La Quinta personnel or on La Quinta related case investigations, issues,
etc. The cost of these supporting positions is paid by La Quinta through a Åsupported
rateÆ charge that is added to the basic Office hourly rate (which equals the total hourly
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rate that contract cities pay to RCSO). The following table shows the LQPD staff with
these additional positions that support LQPD operations.
Lieutenant Sergeant Officer Detective CSO
Administration 1
Patrol 30.76 4
Admin / Traffic (Motors) 1 4 2
Special Enforcement Team 1 5
Business District Officers 2
Task Forces (2) 2
Positions Supporting LQPD 1.63 6.85 6.47
Total = 67.71 2.63 8.85 43.76 6.47 6
La Quinta pays for a total of 67.71 personnel to provide police services in the
City. This does not include the three School Resources Officers previously discussed.
The following page shows the organization chart for La Quinta Police
Department. The chart lists the approximate number of supporting positions to LQPD
by function (e.g. 5 Sergeants in Patrol and 1 Detective Sergeant) but not all of the
supporting functions are depicted on this chart (e.g. the fraction of the Administration
Sergeant and the Training Sergeant at the Thermal Station are not shown).
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(3) Hourly Rate Charges and Estimated FY 1014-15 Budget for Police Services.
The RCSO provided the estimated hourly rate costs used to develop the budget
for police services in La Quinta. The following table shows the direct and indirect costs
that make up the ÅsupportedÆ rate for an Officer.
Cost Item FY 13/14 FY 13/14 FY 14/15 FY 14/15
Non-Dedicated Non-Dedicated
Dedicated Dedicated
Patrol Officer - Basic Hourly Rate $ 76.24 $ 65.25 $ 80.50 68.90
Sworn Support 34.80 29.79 38.35 32.82
Classified Support 9.53 8.16 10.21 8.74
Administration 1.00 0.85 1.20 1.02
Personnel & Recruiting 1.05 0.90 1.22 1.05
Information Services 1.06 0.91 1.21 1.03
Dispatch & Telephone Reporting
Unit 10.46 8.95 10.67 9.13
Accounting & Finance 0.74 0.63 0.82 0.70
Technical Services 0.70 0.60 0.95 0.81
Contracts & Grants 0.33 0.29 0.38 0.33
Cost Allocation Plan 1.37 1.17 1.65 1.41
Field Training 1.29 1.11 1.30 1.11
Training Center 0.72 0.61 0.63 0.55
Hourly Rate $ 139.29 $ 119.21 $ 149.09 $ 127.60
Hours Billed per Position 1,780 2,080 1,780 2,080
Position Cost 247,936 247,957 265,380 265,408
It is important to note that the net cost of a Ånon-dedicatedÆ position is almost the
same as the cost of a ÅdedicatedÆ position. The mathematical reason is that Ånon-
dedicatedÆ positions are billed to the contract city at a higher rate but at 1,780 hours
annually while the ÅdedicatedÆ positions are billed at a lower rate but at 2,080 hours. As
shown above the net cost per position is within a few dollars. The RCSO explanation
for the different costing methodologies is that ÅdedicatedÆ positions are extra positions
specific to the requesting city (e.g. the four Motor Officers in La Quinta) and cannot be
used anywhere else by RCSO (i.e. RCSO is not responsible for traffic enforcement in
unincorporated areas) so the city is required to pay for 100% of the annual 2,080 hours.
Additionally, if the Officer staffing one of these dedicated positions were to go off on
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long term disability the city would have to pay for the vacant position for several months
and may not be able to obtain a replacement Officer. However, the reasoning is still not
very clear to the project team and the confusion cause by the different methodologies
seem to outweigh the reason for them.
Some of the tasks and functions included in these charges for the supporting
services are further detailed below:
¥ Communications and dispatching services à emergency call handling and
dispatching.
¥ Records services à report filing and copying, front counter walk-in traffic, general
questions from members of the public.
¥ Evidence and Property à processing and handling of evidence items and
property booked by Officers.
¥ Equipment issuance, maintenance and tracking.
¥ Payroll processing and employee file maintenance.
¥ Personnel recruiting, hiring and basic training; in-service training.
There are other services such as the Captain and forensic services (crime scene
investigation and processing, evidence collection and storage; crime lab examination
and tests) that are ÅfreeÆ and La Quinta does not pay a fee.
The following table shows the hourly rates for other positions in the La Quinta
Police Department; they are the ÅunsupportedÆ rate except where noted.
Position FY 13/14 FY 13/14 FY 14/15 FY 14/15
Non-Dedicated Non-Dedicated
Dedicated Dedicated
Lieutenant $103.77 $111.40
Sergeants (2) 91.60 98.05
Motor Officers (4; supported) 123.88 132.60
SET Officers (7; supported) $139.29 $149.09
Task Force Deputies (2) 66.10 70.75
Community Service Officers (6; civilian) 44.45 47.58
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The above rates are used to develop the recommended budget for the La Quinta
Police Department. The following table shows figures from the FY 2014-15 ÅDetailed
Budget Appropriation RequestÆ, a summary sheet provided by the RCSO. It includes
the original budget request and the adjusted budget which is calculated after the hourly
personnel rates are finalized and other necessary cost adjustments are made.
Cost Item Hours Rate Billing Original Adjusted Increased
or Units % Budget Budget Expense
Patrol Officers
(150 hours daily x 365) 54,750 149.09 97% 7,915,157 7,917,797 2,640
Lieutenant 2,080 111.40 100% 230,951 231,712 761
Sergeant à SET 2,080 98.05 97% 197,749 197,826 77
Sergeant - Admin/Traffic 2,080 98.05 97% 203,038 203,038 0
Motor Officers (4) @
2,080 8,320 132.60 90% 1,005,686 1,005,686 0
SET Officers (7) @ 1,780 12,460 149.09 90% 1,486,434 1,671,895 185,461
School Resource Officers
(1.75) @ 1,780 3,115 83.59 98% 255,072 255,175 103
Gang Task Force Deputy 2,080 70.75 95% 139,757 139,802 45
Narcotics Task Force
Deputy 2,080 70.75 95% 139,757 139,802 45
CSOs (6) @ 2,080 12,480 47.58 90% 534,217 534,419 208
Sub-Total 12,107,812 12,297,151 189,339
Other Expenses
Overtime (Patrol) 2,000 68.97 137,940 137,940 0
Overtime (Detective) 1,000 84.83 84,830 84,830 0
Thermal Station Facility
Fee 240,140 240,140 0
Records Management
System 4 14,125.00 56,500 56,500 0
CAL ID (fingerprint
system) 38,401 1.00 38,401 38,401 0
Booking Fees 0 0 0
Jail Access Fee 39 450.34 17,563 17,563 0
Mileage Cost - Patrol
Units 475,000 0.84 399,000 399,000 0
Mileage Cost - Unmarked
Units 20,000 0.44 8,800 8,800 0
Motorcycle Fuel 12 90.00 4,860 4,860 0
Special Enforcement
Fund 190,000 190,000 0
City Back-end Charges 115,000 115,000 0
Sub-Total 1,293,034 1,293,034 0
Total 13,400,846 13,590,186 189,339
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It should be noted that the cost for the Traffic Sergeant and Officers includes
their specialty pay received for these positions. The adjusted costs increased a total of
$189,339 for FY 2014-15.
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3. EVALUATION OF PATROL FIELD SERVICES
This chapter provides a detailed look at the field staffing levels, Officer
availability, calls for service and other workload as wellas calculating ÅcommittedÆ time,
ÅproactiveÆ time and the overall staffing needs in La Quinta.
1. FIELD OPERATIONS STAFFING AND WORKLOAD.
The following information was obtained through interviews with RCSO personnel,
electronic data from the CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) and RMS (Records
Management System) as well as any relevant documents associated with patrol (i.e.,
statistical reports, training records, leave time records, etc.).
The project team collected information regarding the La QuintaÈs workload
activities relating to field patrol personnel (i.e., regular Patrol Officers and Sergeants).
Specifically, this involved the raw data set that captured all dispatch communication
activity for the La Quinta Police Department in calendar year 2014 and included the
following types of information:
¥ Call or Event Number
¥ Date and Time of Initial Creation of the CAD Case
¥ Location of Call
¥ Type of Call
¥ Priority of Call
¥ Time of Unit(s) Dispatch
¥ Time of Unit(s) In-route
¥ Time of Unit(s) On-Scene Arrival
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¥ Time of Unit(s) Clearance
¥ Beat Unit Identifiers (e.g., unit numbers) for responding unit
¥ Incident Disposition (e.g., report taken, arrest, citation, etc.)
This information serves as the context for analyzing patrolÈs staffing needs and
estimating workload activity, including the identification of community-generated calls for
service, as well as Officer initiated activity. This summary description of patrol services
in La Quinta is organized as follows:
¥ Patrol unit scheduled deployment
¥ Patrol Officer availability
¥ Total calls for service
¥ Calls for service by priority
¥ Calls for service handled by staff
¥ Officer initiated activity
The first section provides the current patrol unit deployment, showing by time of
day the number of patrol units scheduled.
(1) La QuintaÈs Patrol Schedule and Officer Availability in 2014.
To provide services to La Quinta, Coachella and the unincorporated areas of
Riverside County all Patrol Sergeants and Officers are normally assigned to work one of
the following 10 hour shifts, four days a week:
¥ Watch 1 (nights) 2200-0800 hours
¥ Watch 2 (days) 0600-1600 hours
¥ Watch 3 (evenings) 1400-2400 hours
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However, due to staffing shortages in the SheriffÈs Department all of the Officers
in the Thermal Station are assigned to modify the shift schedule to two 12 hour shifts Ã
Watch 1 and Watch 2. Officers work 10 hours of straight time and 2 hours of mandatory
overtime each shift (8 hours weekly or 416 hours in a year):
¥ Watch 1 (nights): 1700-0500 (the early or Åunderlap shiftÆ) or 1900-0700 hours
¥ Watch 2 (days): 0500-1700 (the early or Åunderlap shiftÆ) or 0700-1900 hours
During the two hours where both shifts are on duty (0500-0700 hours and 1700-
1900 hours) the oncoming shift attends a briefing and then works their beat to handle
the calls so the Officers going off duty can have time to finish any reports and
paperwork.
La Quinta contracts for an average of 150 hours of Patrol Officer staffing per day.
Riverside County SheriffÈs Department provides all services for La Quinta out of the
Thermal Station located at 86625 Airport Boulevard.
To provide the 150 hours of patrol each day the RCSO has assigned 12 Officers
assigned to Watch 1 and 13 Officers assigned to Watch 2. There are specific names on
the roster but the Officers assigned to provide patrol services in La Quinta may vary
each day out of the ÅpoolÆ of Officers assigned to the Thermal Station à which also
provides patrol services for Coachella and unincorporated Riverside County areas.
Officers may express a preference for working in La Quinta and the preferences are
reflected on the RCSO roster but they may be assigned to any area on any day.
The following table lists the staff assigned to La Quinta to show a depiction of
Patrol Officer staffing over an average 24 hour day (calculated using the average
authorized staffing level of 25 Officers). Patrol Sergeants also respond to calls for
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service but they are not included in this table as their primary role is supervision; and
they also divide their time between La Quinta, Coachella and the unincorporated areas.
Scheduled Patrol Officer Staffing (25 Officers)
Hour Watch 1 (Nights) Watch 2 (Days) Hourly
1700-0500 & 0500-1700 & Average
1900-0700 0700-1900
0000 6.9 6.9
0100 6.9 6.9
0200 6.9 6.9
0300 6.9 6.9
0400 6.9 6.9
0500 3.4 3.7 7.1
0600 3.4 3.7 7.1
0700 7.4 7.4
0800 7.4 7.4
0900 7.4 7.4
1000 7.4 7.4
1100 7.4 7.4
1200 7.4 7.4
1300 7.4 7.4
1400 7.4 7.4
1500 7.4 7.4
1600 7.4 7.4
1700 3.4 3.7 7.1
1800 3.4 3.7 7.1
1900 6.9 6.9
2000 6.9 6.9
2100 6.9 6.9
2200 6.9 6.9
2300 6.9 6.9
Average 5.9 6.4 7.1
The above table depicts average number of Patrol Officers on duty during the
day if all 25 Patrol Officers work their shift. It is important to note that if all 25 of the
Officers actually worked in La Quinta for the day it would equal 171 hours of patrol
staffing daily (62,517 hours annually) which exceeds the daily 150 hours of the La
Quinta contract by 21 hours (14.3%). However, for a variety of reasons this rarely
occurs à Officers may be off on a variety of leaves (sick, vacation, etc.) or may be
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assigned to training. Additionally RCSO staff balance the work assignments of the
personnel at the Thermal Station between La Quinta, Coachella and the unincorporated
areas to make all reasonable efforts to ensure patrol staffing does not exceed 150 hours
daily or be under 150 hours daily. To show the actual Patrol Officer staffing deployment
the project team reduced the staffing level by 21 hours to 150 hours daily, shown in the
4
following table.
Patrol Officer Staffing à 150 Hours Daily
Hour Watch 1 (Nights) Watch 2 (Days) Hourly
1700-0500 & 0500-1700 & Average
1900-0700 0700-1900
0000 6.0 6.0
0100 6.0 6.0
0200 6.0 6.0
0300 6.0 6.0
0400 6.0 6.0
0500 3.0 3.3 6.3
0600 3.0 3.3 6.3
0700 6.5 6.5
0800 6.5 6.5
0900 6.5 6.5
1000 6.5 6.5
1100 6.5 6.5
1200 6.5 6.5
1300 6.5 6.5
1400 6.5 6.5
1500 6.5 6.5
1600 6.5 6.5
1700 3.0 3.3 6.3
1800 3.0 3.3 6.3
1900 6.0 6.0
2000 6.0 6.0
2100 6.0 6.0
2200 6.0 6.0
2300 6.0 6.0
Average 5.1 5.6 6.3
4
The staffing levels shown in the previous table were reduced the same percentage for each hour of the
day.
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This table depicts the average number of Patrol Officers on duty during the day
to equal 150 patrol staffing hours(54,750 hours annually) Ã it results in an average of
6.3 Officers on duty each hour. The Assistant Chief is tasked with managing the 150
hour staffing level to ensure that the budgeted amount of Patrol hours is not exceeded
for the year. Currently, the only way to not go over the budget is to staff Patrol with
exactly 150 hours per day à this is a very difficult task to accomplish. It is reasonable to
allow the Assistant Chief discretion in managing the daily staffing level so that if the
Patrol staffing level on a particular day will fall under 150 hours that he/she can decide
whether or not to call back Officers on OT to meet the 150 hour goal. The contract
should be modified to allow the Chief or Assistant Chief discretion to allow up to 15%
below the establishing daily Patrol staffing hours (currently 23 Patrol hours). If the
staffing level on a particular day will be more than 15% below the contract hours then
the Assistant Chief should notify the City Manager the reason why the contracted
staffing level could not be achieved.
In La Quinta there are additional field staff that can be used to assist Patrol
Officers during busy times of the day. Two Community Service Officers are assigned to
Watch 1 and Watch 2 that handle certain calls for service and also assist Patrol Officers
as necessary. They work 10 hour shifts (and are not subject to the mandatory 2 hours
of overtime.
Additionally the Motor Officers and SET Officers are sworn staff so they can
assist on any type of call when they are on duty. However, these units do not have a
minimum staffing level so there is not a guarantee how many of these Officers will be
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working on a particular day and no guarantee that these units will always be available.
The work hours for these units are:
¥ Traffic Unit: the 4 Officers work Monday ÃThursday 0600-1600 or Tuesday-
Friday 0700-1700 (they commonly flex their shift to work 1000-2000 hours)
¥ Special Enforcement Team (SET): 5 Officers typically work 1400-2400 hours
Tuesday-Friday; the 2 Business District Officers work 0800-1800 Tuesday-
Friday.
To calculate the average availability of these Officers the project team used
1,780 net available work hours. The following table shows the actual sworn staffing
level for all uniform personnel who are assigned to work the streets à Patrol Officers,
Motor Officers and SET Officers.
Recommendation:
Modify the contract to allow the Chief and Assistant Chief the discretion to allow
the patrol staffing level on a particular day to fall below the contracted level up to
15% (currently 23 patrol staff hours).
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The total average hourly sworn field staff varies from a low of 6.3 Officers on the
weekends to a high of 10.2 Officers Tuesday à Thursday when both the Motor Officers
and SET Officers are working.
(2) Officer Leave Hours, Training and Administrative Tasks.
An employee is scheduled to work 2,080 paid hours in a year. The total number
of hours actually worked on their patrol shift is reduced by leave hours used, in-service
training and other assigned tasks. The RCSO currently factors 300 leave hours
annually per Officer, equaling 1,780 actual work hours charged to contract cities. This
figure is used to calculate the number of Officers needed to provide the 150 hours of
daily patrol staffing. Officers also attend some training as part of their normal duty
hours which reduces their availability in the field à RCSO staff estimate an Officer
attends 25-45 hours of training annually, depending on the number of hours of
specialized training he/she may receive in a particular year.
The following table summarizes the estimated availability of an Officer in 2014
after deducting leave hours, training hours and adding the estimated OT hours worked
on patrol.
Leave, Training and OT Hours Work Hours and Percentages
Total Annual Scheduled Work Hours 2,080
RCSO Calculated Average Leave Usage (300)
Average Training Hours (on duty) (40)
Work Hours 1,740
% Annual Availability 83.7%
Backfill Overtime (2 hours per shift) 416
Net Work Hours 2,156
% Annual Availability 103.7%
Administrative Time (90 Min. x 208 shifts) 312
Net Available Work Hours 1,844
% Annual Availability 88.7%
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The following points summarize the data above:
¥ Patrol Officers leave usage includes time off for annual leave, administrative
leave, compensatory time off, sick leave, etc.
¥ This equals to a total of 1,740 hours, or approximately 84% of the time that a
patrol Officer is present at work and working a patrol shift.
5
¥ For the last two years (in May 2013), due to staffing shortages, Patrol Officers
have been required to work 2 hours OT each shift à this equals approximately
416 hours annually and resulted in Patrol Officers working an average of 2,156
hours in 2014. These hours are added to OfficersÈ net work hours.
¥ During the work shift Officers attending briefing, take meal breaks, attend court,
gas and check their vehicle, etc. These tasks are defined as Åadministrative
timeÆ and take an estimated 90 minutes per shift (208 shifts worked per year).
An Officer is almost always available to respond to calls for service while
performing administrative tasks but they are not out in the field performing street
patrol functions.
During ÅnormalÆ years when RCSO staffing is at a higher level and Officers are
not required to work OT the average Patrol Officer is at work and available to provide
patrol services for approximately 1,740 hours annually, or 84% of their total work hours.
In 2014 the average Patrol Officer was at work and available to provide patrol services
for approximately 1,844 hours annually, or 89% of their total work hours.
(3) Community Generated Workloads.
A critical data for the project teamÈs analysis relates to the number of community
generated events within the City. As a result, this excludes unit-initiated activity, such
as traffic stops, as well as 911 calls that are not responded tobecause they were
cancelled before the dispatch of a unit. Data contained in this sectionreflectsthe calls
for service received in calendar year 2014.Unless indicatedotherwise,the data
5
RCSO will be returning to their normal 10 hour shift schedule in May 2015.
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includes calls that are responded to by any type of unit, including Officers, Sergeants,
and CSO units.
(3.1) Community Generated Calls for Service by Hour and Weekday.
The first table in the series organizes the number of community generated calls
for service by hour and day of the week.
Community Generated Calls for Service by Day & Hour à All Units
Hour Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Total
0000 103524356625776449
0100 94 54 47 48 46 44 86 419
0200 54 55 37 34 45 40 71 336
0300 56 27 28 35 43 39 57 285
0400 38 28 31 25 43 25 36 226
0500 24 38 33 38 35 28 40 236
0600 30 46 48 42 43 43 45 297
0700 43 100 78 87 103 98 66 575
0800 90 128 130 109 95 115 98 765
0900 98 119 143 134 144 132 100 870
1000 121 147 153 166 157 134 136 1,014
1100 111 172 162 141 153 139 153 1,031
1200 121 148 160 154 139 149 118 989
1300 135 160 181 159 156 164 151 1,106
1400 125 156 197 187 160 189 141 1,155
1500 119 161 145 165 183 211 147 1,131
1600 116 151 140 180 153 180 139 1,059
1700 116 149 160 155 155 164 124 1,023
1800 139 135 135 121 146 132 129 937
1900 124 125 126 127 120 164 117 903
2000 121 155 106 132 114 136 139 903
2100 99 103 124 124 126 154 155 885
2200 107 85 85 114 95 132 137 755
2300 61 81 55 79 90 108 122 596
Total 2,245 2,575 2,547 2,612 2,606 2,777 2,583 17,945
Ave/day 43 50 49 50 50 53 50 49
LQPD responded to 17,945 unique community generated calls for service,
approximately 49 calls per day. Except for Sunday the number of calls for different days
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of the week ranged from 49 Ã 53 calls per day, the busiest day of the week being Friday
with an average of 53 calls. The distribution of calls throughout the day was as follows:
¥ 15.7% occurred during the nighttime hours (midnight à 0800)
¥ 44.9% occurred during the daytime hours (0800-1600 hours)
¥ 39.3% occurred during the afternoon/evening hours (1600-midnight)
The following graph shows a graphical depiction of the hourly call volume.
The following table shows the most common types of calls for service in 2014.
Most Common Call Types
Type of Call # of Calls % of Total
20.1%
Audible Burglary Alarm 3,609
8.5%
911 Call From Cellular/Mobile Phone 1,531
4.2%
911 Call From Business 758
2.7%
Disturbance (Noise) 480
2.7%
Disturbance 480
2.4%
Follow Up 432
2.4%
Assist Other Department 437
2.4%
Suspicious Person 425
2.3%
911 Call From Residence 413
2.0%
Suspicious Circumstance 358
50.3%
All Other Calls 9,022
Total 17,945 100.0%
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As shown above, the 10 most frequent calls for service account for 8,923 calls
which is 49.7% of the total number of calls for the year.
(3.2) Sworn Officer Call for Service Workload.
Sworn officers are the primary responding units to the vast majority of calls for
service. The table below shows the calls that were handled by an Officer or Sergeant,
excluding CFS where a Community Service Officer was the primary unit.
CFS Handled by Sworn Staff
Hour Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Total
0000 96 45 39 50 55 43 69 397
0100 89 48 41 44 39 37 78 376
0200 52 54 37 28 42 39 67 319
0300 56 27 26 33 42 39 57 280
0400 38 28 31 25 43 25 36 226
0500 23 38 33 38 35 28 40 235
0600 27 43 47 38 43 43 42 283
0700 39 88 66 74 96 97 60 520
0800 81 116 111 88 88 106 91 681
0900 79 109 129 112 131 116 94 770
1000 104 134 137 143 144 123 124 909
1100 106 159 151 120 144 126 142 948
1200 104 129 147 138 133 140 111 902
1300 121 147 164 144 147 154 141 1,018
1400 120 148 188 173 153 178 139 1,099
1500 113 156 141 154 173 206 142 1,085
1600 115 145 137 179 151 180 139 1,046
1700 116 145 153 150 153 161 123 1,001
1800 134 120 130 108 135 128 116 871
1900 120 121 115 113 112 152 111 844
2000 115 139 95 112 108 125 133 827
2100 93 86 108 106 116 142 149 800
2200 91 78 73 89 88 124 128 671
2300 54 71 44 66 76 105 117 533
Total 2,086 2,374 2,343 2,325 2,447 2,617 2,449 16,641
Ave/day 40 46 45 45 47 50 47 46
LQPD sworn staff responded to 16,641 unique community generated calls for
service, approximately 46 per day. The calls handled by Officers represents 92.8% of
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the total community generated call activity in La Quinta à the 10 most frequent type of
calls is exactly the same order as shown above, only the numbers are a few less.
(3.3) Call for Service Handled by Community Service Officers (CSO).
CSOs were the primary responding unit to 1,304 community-generated calls for
service in the past year, representing approximately 7.0% of all incidents. The following
table displays the calls by hour and weekday.
CFS Handled by Community Service Officers
Hour Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Total
0000 7 7 4 6 7 14 7 52
0100 5 6 6 4 7 7 8 43
0200 2 1 - 6 3 1 4 17
0300 - - 2 2 1 - - 5
0400 - - - - - - - -
0500 1 - - - - - - 1
0600 3 3 1 4 - - 3 14
0700 4 12 12 13 7 1 6 55
0800 9 12 19 21 7 9 7 84
0900 19 10 14 22 13 16 6 100
1000 17 13 16 23 13 11 12 105
1100 5 13 11 21 9 13 11 83
1200 17 19 13 16 6 9 7 87
1300 14 13 17 15 9 10 10 88
1400 5 8 9 14 7 11 2 56
1500 6 5 4 11 10 5 5 46
1600 1 6 3 1 2 - - 13
1700 - 4 7 5 2 3 1 22
1800 5 15 5 13 11 4 13 66
1900 4 4 11 14 8 12 6 59
2000 6 16 11 20 6 11 6 76
2100 6 17 16 18 10 12 6 85
2200 16 7 12 25 7 8 9 84
2300 7 10 11 13 14 3 5 63
Total 159 201 204 287 159 160 134 1,304
Ave/day 3 4 4 6 3 3 3 4
LQPD Community Service Officers responded to 1,304 unique community
generated calls for service, an average of 4 per day, which is 7.3% of the total number
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of LQPD calls for service. This is a fairly low number of calls for service for all four
CSOs and will be further discussed later in this report.
The following graph shows a graphical depiction of the hourly call volume.
The following table shows the most common types of calls for service in 2014.
Most Common CSO Calls
Type of Call # of Calls % of Total
15.8%
Area Check 206
12.7%
Parking Violation 166
9.0%
Traffic Hazard 117
8.7%
Traffic Collision (Non-Injury) 113
6.1%
Petty Theft (cold) 80
5.4%
California Vehicle Code Violation 71
5.4%
Malicious Mischief/Vandalism (cold) 70
4.4%
Public Assist 57
2.8%
Grand Theft (cold) 37
2.6%
Burglary (cold) 34
27.1%
All Other Calls 353
Total 1,304 100.0%
As shown above, the 10 most frequent calls for service account for 73% (951
calls) of the total number of calls during the year.
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(4) Calls for Service by Patrol Beat.
The following table shows the distribution of calls for service handled by sworn
Officers by the beat areas. The beats are numbered beginning in the northern portion
of the City with Beat 40, 41 and 42; Beat 43 is primarily in the ÅCoveÆ residential area
with Beat 44 east of Beat 43 and Beat 45 in the south portion of La Quinta à refer to the
map on the next page.
CFS by Hour and Patrol Area à Sworn Staff
Hour 40 41 42 43 44 45 Unk. Other Total
397
0000 49 66 73142 36 25 5 1
376
0100 55 75 58117 34 30 6 1
319
0200 47 63 5094 19 32 10 4
280
0300 36 61 5273 25 22 11 0
226
0400 26 50 3860 27 20 5 0
235
0500 26 70 4047 23 27 2 0
283
0600 43 77 4766 21 29 0 0
520
0700 89 119 82126 41 53 8 2
681
0800 118 158 105 159 55 66 18 2
770
0900 128 173 125 174 79 61 29 1
909
1000 134 195 157 219 71 96 33 4
948
1100 129 251 144 215 67 102 38 2
902
1200 145 227 150 191 74 83 29 3
1,018
1300 143 267 141 240 91 96 37 3
1,099
1400 150 320 159 264 77 93 30 6
1,085
1500 171 320 163 242 75 71 41 2
1,046
1600 133 321 140 270 74 71 32 5
1,001
1700 151 287 129 274 76 54 21 9
871
1800 138 209 129 267 60 52 15 1
844
1900 123 215 103 267 63 51 20 2
827
2000 136 225 97236 60 57 12 4
800
2100 113 206 111 251 62 42 13 2
671
2200 100 134 88264 37 34 14 0
533
2300 74 121 70179 42 28 11 8
2,457 4,210 2,451 4,437 1,289 1,295 440 62 16,641
Total
14.8% 25.3% 14.7% 26.7% 7.7% 7.8% 2.6% 0.4% 100.0%
%
Patrol beats 41 and 43 are the busiest beats in La Quinta accounting for 52% of
all calls for service.
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The next section examines field patrol workloads by priority type.
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(5) Calls for Service by Priority Type.
The Riverside County SheriffÈs Department used the following six ÅPriorityÆ types
to classify a call for service.
¥ Priority 1 Ã Involve circumstances that pose, or did pose in the immediate past,
a clearly defined threat to human life or property and which involve a high level of
violence or which have the potential for serious injury.
¥ Priority 1A Ã Involve circumstances that pose, or did pose in the immediate past,
a clearly defined threat to human life or property.
¥ Priority 2 Ã Involve circumstances of an urgent but not life threatening nature.
They are generally disturbances with a potential for violence, minor assaults and
batteries, unknown or suspicious circumstances, and certain thefts.
¥ Priority 3 Ã Involve circumstances which are neither urgent nor life threatening.
Many of these calls are simple disturbances of the peace.
¥ Priority 4 Ã Incidents occurring in the past or ÅcoldÆ calls; except some felonies.
¥ Priority 5 Ã 911 cell phone calls without a location (often misdialed calls).
Calls by Priority Type
CFS Priority Number % of Total
1 27 0.2%
1A 223 1.3%
2 7,203 43.3%
3 6,274 37.7%
4 2,902 17.4%
6
5
12 0.1%
Total 16,641 100.0%
As shown above, 1.5% of the calls for service in 2014 were Priority 1 or Priority
1A. The great majority of the calls, accounting for over 80% of the total number, were
Priority 2 (43%) and Priority 3 (38%) calls. These percentages for the different Priority
types are within the ranges typically seen by the project team in other police studies.
6
There was an additional 1,232 calls that came into the communications center that were handled by the
Dispatcher without a response by an Officer.
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(6) Average Times for Response and Handling of Calls for Service in 2014.
The response to and handling of community generated calls for service is one of
the primary tasks of any municipal police agency and one that frequently is the subject
of inquiry from city leaders and members of the community. The project team calculated
the average times using all of the calls for service reported to the RCSO in 2013.
The following table shows three individual time components and two overall time
components for a community generated call for service:
¥ Call processing time à begins when the call was received in Dispatch and ends
when the Officer is dispatched.
¥ Travel time à from the time the call was dispatched until the arrival of the first
police unit; it includes delays Officers may have during nighttime hours getting
through locked security gates of gated communities (Officers do not have keys or
codes).
¥ Call ÅresponseÆ time à the call process time + travel time. This is the time
citizens are most often interested in à from the time they call 9-1-1 until an Officer
arrives at the scene of the reported incident.
¥ On scene time à from the time of arrival to the time the last unit cleared the call.
¥ Call handling time à sum of the travel time and on scene time.
The table below shows the number of Priority types of CFS and the average
processing and call handling times (in minutes) for the calls for calendar year 2014.
Pri CFS Call Travel Response Time On Call Handling Call Handling
Processing Time Time Scene (Travel + On Hours
Time Scene)
1 27 1.0 5.6 6.5 140.1 145.6 66
1A 223 0.8 4.2 5.0 67.5 71.7 266
2 7,203 3.1 9.0 12.1 24.7 33.7 4,049
3 6,274 6.2 10.6 16.8 19.5 30.1 3,149
4 2,902 7.6 11.1 18.7 31.5 42.6 2,061
5 12 3.4 4.0 7.3 5.2 9.1 2
Totals 16,641 5.0 9.9 14.9 24.6 34.6 9,593
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As shown above, the average call processing time for all community generated
calls for service is 5 minutes, and the average travel time is 9.9 minutes. This equals an
overall average ÅresponseÆ time for the first RCSO unit to arrive at the scene of a call for
service of 14.9 minutes à this is an excellent overall response time and shows that even
low priority calls in La Quinta receive a fairly fast response by the PD. OfficersÈ travel
time to the most serious calls for service, Priority 1 and 1A, are significantly faster at 5.6
and 4.2 minutes overall response time à these travel times are very good average
response times to emergency calls and is also within the 4 to 6 minute range commonly
seen by the project team in other law enforcement studies (as are the call processing
times of 1.0 and .08 minutes).
The average ÅOn SceneÆ time of 24.6 minutes for all calls and an overall average
ÅCall HandlingÆ time of approximately 34.6 minutes is within the average range of
handling times for calls for service commonly seen by the project team. The total time
required to handle community generated calls for service by sworn staff was 9,532
hours for the primary Officer (the time required for back-up Officers is shown later).
The following table shows the percentage of calls for service responded to (travel
time) within various time ranges:
Priority Travel Time CFS CFS %
Type
0:00Ã4:59 5:00Ã6:59 7:00Ã9:59 Above No Time
10:00 Stamps
1 2 16 3 2 4 27 0.2%
1A 10 149 38 16 10 223 1.3%
2 1,064 1,930 1,015 1,204 1,990 7,203 43.3%
3 706 1,606 814 969 2,179 6,274 37.7%
4 335 770 320 397 1,080 2,902 17.4%
5 11 1 0 0 0 12 0.1%
Total 2,128 4,472 2,190 2,588 5,263 16,641 100%
% of CFS 12.8% 26.9% 13.2% 15.6% 31.6% 100.0%
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RCSO responded to over 39% of the calls in fewer than seven minutes of travel
time and just 15.6% of the calls resulted in a travel time of over ten minutes. The calls
listed as Åno time stampsÆ are the calls where neither a dispatch time nor arrival time
was listed in the CAD record. The most common reason for this lack of data is a
situation when an Officer is dispatched to a call, but is cancelled while Åin routeÆ to the
call à an ÅarrivalÆ time stamp is appropriately not entered for his or her response.
Additional reasons for missing time stamps in the CAD record also include Officer,
Dispatcher, or equipment errors.
One circumstance that impedes travel time is responses into gated communities
after normal business hours when security officers are not on duty to open the gates for
Police Officers. The responding Officer must call the reporting party to open the gate
and the same process must be repeated for any additional Officers that respond to the
incident. This is not a significant concern on calls of low priority calls but on more
urgent calls and when the reporting party may not be able to open the gate for Officers
(e.g. a domestic violence incident) it is important for Officers to be able to quickly
access the property. A similar problem is encountered by Fire Departments but several
decades ago a solution was implemented (the ÅKnox BoxÆ) that provides keys to enter
gated communities and locked buildings. A similar solution may be possible and the
City, SheriffÈs Office and representatives from several gated communities and should
review the options and technology available to facilitate and allow police personnel
quick entry into gated communities. This should include review of the feasibility of
implementing regulations or an ordinance.
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Recommendation:
The City should work with the SheriffÈs Office and management from gated
communities to evaluate the options available to facilitate quick entry of police
officers into gated communities.
(7) Officer ÅBack-UpÆ Time, Reports Written and Bookings.
Officers also respond as backup units to assist the primary officer on many calls
for service. The backup Officer data was not able to be exported from the CAD system
so the project team used normative values to estimate the number of backup responses
and the amount of time spent by the back-up Officer(s) on the incident. The project
team has developed a methodology that calculates the number of backup Officer
responses at a 50% rate and the time spent on these incidents at 75% of the primary
7
OfficerÈs total handling time. The following table shows the primary Officer call handling
time and the number of back-up OfficersÈ responses to the calls and their handling time:
Responses Call Handling Time Call Handling Hours
(Travel + On Scene)
Primary Unit 16,641 34.6 9,593
Backup Officers 8,321 25.9 3,597
Total Responses 24,962 NA 13,180
As shown above, there was a total of 8,321 responses by backup Officers who
assisted the primary Officer at a call for service. In 2014, back-up Officers spent a total
of 3,597 hours assisting the primary Officer at a call. Combined with the primary unitÈs
handling time, Officers spent a total of 13,180 hours handling community generated
calls for service. The project team considers this figure the minimum number of hours
La Quinta Officers spent handling the Åcommunity demandÆ workload (i.e., calls for
service and related tasks).
7
This methodology is based on the project teamÈs experience in hundreds of other law enforcement
studies.
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In 2014 RCSO reported that LQPD wrote a total of 10,248 reports which is just
under 62% of the number of calls for service. This is an extremely high number of
reports written as a percentage of calls for service as the typical range seen by the
project team in other police studies conducted by the project team is between 25% and
40%. However, RCSO requires reports to be written on more incidents than other
police departments. The project team estimated that Patrol Officers wrote 80% of the
reports (8,139 equaling 6,149 hours of report writing time), Patrol CSOs wrote 15%
(1,537 reports) and 5% of the reports (512) were written by Detectives, Business District
and other SET Officers.
La Quinta Officers also made 912 arrests and booked 512 of the arrestees into
jail. Prisoner handling time is captured in the CAD record (the Officer is still typically
listed in an Åon sceneÆ status). Additionally, Community Service Officers commonly
transport arrestees to the jail for booking which allows Officers to return to an ÅavailableÆ
status. However, the project team included an additional 30 minutes of prisoner
handling time to capture any time that might not have been included in the CAD record
à this equals 256 hours.
These hours of committed time will be used to complete the staffing calculations
later in this report.
The next section provides information on incidents initiated by La Quinta Officers.
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(8) Self-Initiated Field Activity.
In addition to responding to calls for service, Patrol Officers also engage in a
number of self-initiated activities during their work hours, such as vehicle stops,
pedestrian stops, area checks, investigative follow-up, assisting the public, etc. Ã these
incidents are captured by the CAD system. Community Service Officers also conduct
self-initiated activity but as civilian employees their self-activity was almost exclusively
writing parking citations.
The CAD record shows a total of 8,352 self-initiated incidents in 2014 for all
LQPD units à which includes the Motor Officers (4,437 incidents) and CSOs (320
incidents). Patrol and other Officers accounted for the remaining 3,595 incidents. The
following table shows the day of week and hour of day for these incidents recorded in
weekday.
The Patrol Officer self-initiated activity is a fairly low for the high level of
ÅproactiveÆ time that Officers had in 2014 Ã just 21.6% of the number of community
generated calls for service. The project team almost always sees the number of Officer
initiated incidents at least 50% of the number of community generated calls for service
and often at 80% or 90%. However, there must be activity that is appropriate for
Officers to make contact which is most often vehicle or pedestrian contacts/stops.
During proactive time Officers may also make non-enforcement contacts with members
of the public and business owners which is also considered self-initiated activity. It is
important that during available time Sergeants and Officers are active in addressing
crime related problems in the City and residentsÈ concerns (discussion on these topics
follows in the next sections).
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LQPD Self-Initiated Incidents
Hour Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Total
0000 33241420152844178
0100 26 29 12 14 15 25 27 148
0200 24 13 15 13 6 10 12 93
0300 6 8 12 6 3 8 12 55
0400 6128545242
0500 4 7 5 2 2 2 1 23
0600 6 22 51 41 48 39 8 215
0700 15 46 127 158 126 136 27 635
0800 29 89 163 169 170 166 39 825
0900 30 80 131 178 190 127 35 771
1000 44 81 102 133 164 96 45 665
1100 45 91 74 96 94 73 51 524
1200 34 91 120 88 81 87 41 542
1300 39 83 142 90 94 82 51 581
1400 37 92 128 106 112 86 47 608
1500 37 75 82 98 103 100 58 553
1600 34 29 30 71 74 84 61 383
1700 33 18 26 36 41 78 32 264
1800 28 13 25 24 29 52 29 200
1900 25 13 11 24 28 39 29 169
2000 22 24 20 19 22 42 64 213
2100 32 17 24 35 35 39 46 228
2200 36 15 24 25 34 43 57 234
2300 31 13 30 27 21 40 41 203
Total 656 985 1,376 1,478 1,511 1,487 859 8,352
Ave/day 13 19 26 28 29 29 17 23
LQPD staff initiated an average of 23 incidents daily.
The following graph shows a graphical depiction of the hourly call volume.
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The following table shows the most common types of Officer Initiated incidents.
Officer Initiated Incidents
Type of Incident # of Incidents % of Total
Traffic Stop (Citation Issued) 3,057 36.6%
Traffic Stop 2,594 31.1%
Area Check 588 7.0%
Attempt Warrant Service 441 5.3%
Follow Up 326 3.9%
Public Assist 199 2.4%
Health & Safety Code Violation 140 1.7%
California Vehicle Code Violation 123 1.5%
Assist Other Department 83 1.0%
Suspicious Circumstance 72 0.9%
All Other Types
729 8.7%
Total 8,352 100.0%
The CAD data does not clearly specify if incidents are community generated or
initiated by Officers so the project team counted incidents with a travel time of 10
seconds or less as Åself-initiatedÆ incidents (all incidents with 10 seconds or more of
travel time were counted as Åcommunity generatedÆ calls for service). The most
common incidents were traffic stops à a total of 5,651 (a report number was obtained on
3,057 of the stops, indicating that a citation was issued).
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The CAD record shows a total of 8,032 initiated incidents in 2014 Ã for sworn
staff only. The following table shows the day of week and hour of day for these
incidents recorded in weekday.
Officer Initiated Incidents
Hour Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Total
0000 31 22 13 12 8 24 38 148
0100 23 25 11 11 12 17 24 123
0200 23 12 11 11 5 10 12 84
0300 68106281252
0400 6 12 8 5 4 5 2 42
0500 4 7 5 2 2 2 1 23
0600 6 22 51 41 48 39 8 215
0700 15 46 127 158 126 136 27 635
0800 27 88 163 166 170 166 39 819
0900 28 74 130 172 190 127 35 756
1000 36 77 97 129 164 96 45 644
1100 38 86 70 91 94 73 51 503
1200 32 84 111 86 81 87 41 522
1300 37 83 139 86 94 82 51 572
1400 27 89 124 100 112 86 47 585
1500 35 68 82 97 103 100 58 543
1600 33 29 30 70 74 84 61 381
1700 31 18 26 36 41 78 32 262
1800 27 13 24 20 28 52 29 193
1900 25 13 7 17 28 38 27 155
2000 21 17 14 14 21 39 59 185
2100 28 14 20 23 34 38 45 202
2200 33 11 19 20 30 40 53 206
2300 31 13 22 20 19 38 39 182
Total 603 931 1,314 1,393 1,490 1,465 836 8,032
Ave/day 12 18 25 27 29 28 16 22
Sworn Officers initiated a total of 8,032 incidents, approximately 22 incidents per
day.
The following table shows the most common types of Officer Initiated incidents.
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Officer Initiated Incidents
Type of Incident # of Incidents % of Total
Citation 2,741 34.1%
Traffic Stop 2,594 32.3%
Area Check 588 7.3%
Attempt Warrant Service 441 5.5%
Follow Up 326 4.1%
Public Assist 199 2.5%
Health & Safety Code Violation 140 1.7%
California Vehicle Code Violation 123 1.5%
Assist Other Department 83 1.0%
Suspicious Circumstance 72 0.9%
All Other Types
725 9.0%
Total 8,032 100.0%
The following table shows the LQPD work unit initiating the incident.
Officer Initiated Incidents by Work Unit
Unit # of Incidents % of Total
Traffic Officers 4,437 53.1%
Patrol & Other Officers 3,142 37.6%
Community Service Officers 320 3.8%
School Resource Officers 374 4.5%
SET Officers 79 1.0%
Total 8,352 100.0%
The next sections provide information related to best practices for patrol
operations and staffing and also the project teamÈs methodology used to conduct the
staffing analysis.
This call for service information, response times and basic Officer workload
activity should regularly be provided (quarterly or semi-annually) by the RCSO to La
Quinta so City officials have an good understanding of the workload activity level of the
Patrol Officers and other work units such as the Motor Units and the Special
Enforcement Team. It is also important to provide information on specific crime
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problems, special community policing related projects and issues that have been
addressed by the PD.
Recommendation:
The RCSO should quarterly or semi-annually provide La Quinta with data
showing the number of calls for service responded to, response times, calls per
beat, Officer initiated activity and other activity of the Police Department.
2. PATROL FIELD SERVICES PRINCIPLES AND BEST PRACTICES.
The orientation toward the provision of field patrol services in municipal law
enforcement agencies has changed and evolved over the last 60 years. The historic
law enforcement approach to field services involved a Police Officer who walked a
particular beat or neighborhood. A traditional beat officer knew people in the area and
was in a position to know potential problems before they occurred, or likely suspects for
crimes committed on the OfficerÈs beat. As cities grew and metropolitan areas spread
the motorized officer became the normal transportation mode to respond to calls for
service. The Police DepartmentÈs focus changed to one of responding quickly (i.e., in a
patrol car) to all types of calls in a wider geographic area and overall, fewer officers
assigned to foot or vehicle patrol duties. At the same time, society at large and city
residents developed rising expectations of the services that would be provided by the
Police Department, such as increased focus on domestic violence crimes and youth
crimes. Over time these factors resulted in a beat officer having less local
neighborhood knowledge and less frequent contact with the residents in his/her service
area but with a higher expectations among the general public that the Police
Department could address and solve neighborhood crime and quality of life problems.
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Initiatives over the last four decades have attempted to once again provide
policing services more tangible to the community. This law enforcement focus has been
under the general umbrella of Åcommunity policingÆ Ã a return to providing a wide range
of services identified by citizens and more frequent contact with Officers and more
proactive law enforcement in neighborhoods and schools. The project team supports
local community policing efforts, especially ones that involve Patrol personnel when
they have uncommitted Åpro-activeÆ time during their shift. These efforts should also
involve the active participation of supervisors, managers and other specialty units (e.g.
the Special Enforcement Team and School Resource Officers).
Over the course of several hundred Police Department studies the Matrix
Consulting Group has developed a list of key elements in the effective provision of field
patrol services in a community, including the responsibility of Officers to be proactive
during their shifts (to identify and resolve problems) and not just reactive in handling
calls for service. These general policing elements are summarized on the next several
pages.
Task or Item Comments
Patrol Requirements ¥ Responding to citizen requests (or calls) for service is the primary mission
for ÅReactiveÆ Tasks and the most critical element of successful patrol services.
¥ The Department should have clearly defined areas of responsibility (beats)
and clearly defined response policies; including prioritization of calls,
response time targets for each priority type and supervisor responsibilities.
¥ The time spent responding to community generated calls for service and
the time spent on tasks related to these calls (i.e. writing reports, booking
prisoners) is an OfficerÈs Åcommitted timeÆ.
¥ This reactive workload should average between 50% and 60% of an
OfficerÈs time per shift (on average).
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Task or Item Comments
Patrol Requirements ¥ ÅProactive timeÆ is all other activity not in response to a citizen generated
for ÅProactiveÆ call. It includes items such as traffic enforcement, directed patrol, bike and
Activities foot patrol. It is also sometimes referred to as a part of an OfficerÈs
ÅuncommittedÆ time.
¥ The Department should have clearly defined uses for Åproactive timeÆ Ã
Officers should know what they are expected to do with their time when not
responding to calls for service. This may include targeted preventive patrol
for general visibility, traffic enforcement, developing relationships with
members of the community, visiting schools or parks.
¥ ÅProactiveÆ time on Patrol should make up between 30% and 50% of an
OfficerÈs day (on average) as research and experience has shown the 30%
à 50% range to be reasonable Åproactive timeÆ levels:
- Less than 30% Åproactive timeÆ typically does not allow for sufficient
ÅbundlingÆ of available time as the time increments during the shift are in
intervals too short to be effectively utilized for meaningful activity.
- ÅProactive timeÆ of more than 50% results in less efficient use of Officer
resources as it is difficult to have sufficient meaningful work tasks and
manage personnel a significant amount of Åproactive timeÆ.
- A level of 50% Åproactive timeÆ or higher is typically seen in smaller
suburban or rural communities; a level of 35-40% is more common in larger
cities.
Problem Identification ¥ Effective proactive patrol for municipal law enforcement requires the rapid
and Resolution identification of problems and issues, development of an action plan to
address the issue(s), implementation of the potential solution and
evaluations to determine if the approach successfully addressed the issue.
¥ This approach should be used on crime, crime related, traffic and other
quality of life problems reported to the agency or discovered by Officers
during the course of their patrol duties.
¥ Officers have the primary role in accomplishing proactive tasks and field
projects, e.g. Problem Oriented Policing, etc.
¥ Formal and informal mechanisms for capturing and evaluating information
should be used. This should be primarily handled by Officers and
supervisors but managers must also have involvement and oversight.
Management of Patrol ¥ A Åbest practiceÆ supervisor to staff ratio is between 1:6 and 1:9.
Resources ¥ Patrol supervisors and managers must take an active role in management
of patrol. This includes developing and utilizing management reports that
accurately depict activity, response times to calls for service and the
current issues and problems being handled by patrol units.
¥ Resources must be geared to address actual workload and issues. This
includes ensuring that patrol staffing is matched to workload, that patrol
beats or sectors are designed to provide an even distribution of workload.
¥ This also includes matching resources to address issues in a proactive
manner. This may include adjusting Officer responsibilities during a shift to
handle special assignments, assigning Officers to targeted patrols,
assigning traffic enforcement issues, etc.
¥ Staffing should be related to providing effective field response to calls for
service, providing sufficient proactive time and ensuring Officer safety.
¥ Supervisors should be both an immediate resource to field Officers (for
advice, training, back-up) and field managers (to handle basic
administrative functions).
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Task or Item Comments
Measurement of ¥ Data should be used to plan and manage work in Patrol and other field
Success and work units.
Performance ¥ Effective field patrol should be measured in multiple ways to ensure that
the Department is successful in handling multiple tasks and functions.
¥ Examples of effective performance measurement include: response time,
time on scene, number of calls handled by an Officer, back-up rate,
citations/warnings issued, and the overall level of crime and clearance rate.
¥ Managers and supervisors should track and review performance measures
on a regular basis to know what level of service is being provided to the
community and for use as one of the tools to ensure that services are
effective and efficient.
The matrix above summarizes the basic elements of an effective patrol service in
a community à responding to community generated calls for service and proactive work
by Patrol Officers. During these times of limited or decreasing budgetary resources it
becomes critically important for managers of the patrol function to make the best use of
OfficersÈ time to provide effective policing and meet community expectations.
The following points summarize the key elements identified above in the effective
provision of field patrol services:
¥ Effective law enforcement requires a field patrol force which provides both a
reactive and a proactive response to law enforcement issues in the community.
The Department must effectively deploy personnel and other resources to meet
¥
these needs. Between 50% and 70% of an OfficerÈs time should be committed to
handling all of the elements of reactive patrol. The remaining 30% to 50% should
be spent on proactive patrol activities, specific field tasks/projects and other
community policing activities. A lower percentage of proactive time may be
reasonable when the agency has other work units (e.g. the Neighborhood
Response Teams) that also conduct targeted proactive activities.
¥ When an Officer has a block time available (e.g. during a slow day) the activities
planned/conducted during this time should be part of a Patrol plan and not left
unstructured and random. Effectively addressing issues in the community
requires tasks be accomplished as part of a plan à addressing specific problems
in pre-determined ways. The plans should be overseen by management but
planned and accomplished at the Officer, Sergeant or Watch Commander level.
¥ Any effective proactive approach to patrol requires that the information be
managed formally and that a formal effort be put into evaluating that information.
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This evaluation should lead to specific actions to address issues/problems in a
community. In addition, attempts to address problems should be evaluated
formally to determine if the efforts made have been effective.
These basic elements represent the essential ingredients of effective and
efficient municipal field law enforcement in United States today.
3. FACTORS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN DETERMINING AN
APPROPRIATE PATROL STAFFING LEVEL.
The project team uses an analytical approach to determine the staffing level
required in a community such as La Quinta. The approach is characterized by several
key factors that provide the basis for objective evaluation of a patrol force:
¥ Staffing should be examined based on the ability of current staff to handle the
calls for service generated by the community (and the related work such as
report writing and processing arrestees); as well as providing sufficient time for
proactive activities such as directed patrol, traffic enforcement and addressing
on-going issues/problems in a neighborhood.
¥ Staffing is dependent on the time officers are actually available to perform the
work required of the patrol function. In this evaluation, leave hours usage and
time dedicated to administrative functions are examined.
¥ The number of patrol staff deployed should be the result of policymakers (City
leaders) selecting a level of policing that is desired by the community and
coordinating with the RCSO to provide the desired level of service. Establishing
a targeted average level of proactive, or uncommitted, time is an effective
method to determine the policing level that will be provided and provides
appropriate guidance to the police chief.
¥ The project teamÈs analysis does not include the utilization of ratios such as
officers per thousand residents because it does not account for the unique
characteristics of communities (e.g. demographics, workload, unique community
needs, and deployment). Although these ratios are interesting, they do not
provide a comprehensive measure of staffing needs for a specific community, nor
should policymakers use them as a basis to make decisions regarding patrol
staffing. The project teamÈs approach is supported by the International
Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) that views officer per thousand ratios as
8
Åtotally inappropriate as a basis for staffing decisionsÆ.
8
International Association of Chiefs of Police, Patrol Staffing and Deployment Study, 2004, document
7218.
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Other significant factors for policy makers to consider when determining staffing
levels include, but are not limited to, the following:
¥ The type, severity and volume of crime in a community.
¥ The ability of the Police Department to meet response time goals to calls for
service and to solve crimes that occur in the community.
¥ The desired level of Police Department involvement in providing non-traditional
police services such as neighborhood problem solving, graffiti removal,
community meetings and events and teaching/role modeling in the schools.
¥ The desired level of proactive efforts such as traffic safety and parking
enforcement, narcotics enforcement, addressing Åquality of lifeÆ issues,
enforcement of vice crimes such as prostitution and liquor laws.
¥ Providing for basic officer safety and risk management of a patrol force. In some
police agencies, primarily smaller ones, the desired level of proactive time may
not be the primary measure to determine the minimum number of patrol officers
needed. It may be driven by officer safety concerns and the need to provide
reasonable community coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For
example, a staffing level needed to meet basic officer safety concerns may result
in a proactive time that may be significantly above the 50% level for a portion of
the day (when this occurs it is typically during the early morning hours).
The following summary is provided in order to illustrate what may be expected
from a Patrol Operations work group at various targeted proactive time levels:
¥ 25% Proactive Time Level or Below: An agency with this overall average
proactive time level reflects a patrol staff that is essentially fully committed most
of the time (except during the low CFS hours of the day). Estimating this level as
being fully committed is based on the fact that the CAD system does not capture
all work tasks, functions and administrative duties that are performed by officers.
At this high level of committed time (75%) the average travel times to high priority
community-generated calls for service may be above 8 or 9 minutes and on-
scene times may be below 30 minutes due to calls ÅstackingÆ and the need to
respond to other incidents. This may not be enough time to conduct a thorough
investigation of the incident or provide a high quality level of service.
At this level of proactive time during most hours of the shift Officers will be
responding to CFS and will not have time for any consistent proactive or project-
oriented activity. The blocks of time will be generally too short (less than 20
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minutes) to allow meaningful targeted patrol, working on beat projects, or
neighborhood issues.
¥ 40% Proactive Time Level: An agency with this overall average proactive time
level is generally experiencing blocks of time during most shifts when Officers
can conduct targeted patrol and identified beat projects to address community
issues. Average travel times to high priority community-generated calls for
service should commonly be less than 5 minutes and on-scene times should
commonly be above 30 minutes, sufficient to allow thorough investigations and
sufficient time to provide a high quality level of service.
¥ 50% Proactive Time Level: An agency with this overall average proactive time
level on most workdays is experiencing several hours during their shift where
they have the time to conduct targeted patrol, work on specific projects to
address community issues and perform other officer-initiated activities. Average
travel times to high priority community-generated calls for service will still
commonly be less than 5 minutes and on-scene times should commonly be
above 30 minutes, sufficient to allow thorough investigations and sufficient time
to provide a high quality level of service.
¥ Above a 50% Proactive Time Level: An agency with this overall average
proactive time level will be challenged to keep officers busy with meaningful work
and engaged in the job and consistent field supervisory presence and leadership
is critical. For communities that do have this high level of proactive time a very
high level of Officer initiated activity should be expected (100% or more of the
call for service volume) and Officers should be regularly engaging the community
and conducting Åcommunity oriented policingÆ and problem oriented policing
projects. It is important to plan for productive work and measure the results.
Each community can choose an appropriate target level of proactive time desired
for its patrol staff based on its unique needs, available funding, and policing model. An
overall average proactive time level of 40% to 50% is a reasonable target/goal for a
community that desires a patrol force which can provide a consistent level of proactive
services to the community. Policymakers should determine the policing level for their
community and understand the impacts of higher and lower proactive time levels.
Higher targeted proactive time levels will require more staff but also ensure that the
police force is able to provide a higher level of service to the community through
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proactive policing and will also allow patrol officers to be more involved in
issues/problems in the neighborhoods in which they serve.
Communities with a proactive time level above 50% have the luxury of patrol staff
handling more community problems/issues and unique needs. However, in these
situations it is very important for patrol supervisors and managers to plan the use of
proactive time to accomplish identified needs. This requires that Officers and Sergeants
make good use of their available proactive time and have accountability measures in
place for evaluation. Sergeants and Officers on a given shift should be involved in
determining individual productivity goals, receive regular feedback from their supervisor,
and measure accomplishment of those goals throughout the year as part of the
departmentÈs performance evaluation and accountability system. With this system,
supervisors should be provided regular (i.e., monthly) statistical reports showing each
individual officerÈs productivity, such as reports written, investigations conducted, arrests
made, field contacts (e.g., vehicle and pedestrian stops), citations or warnings issued,
foot patrol, problems/issues addressed on their beat, community meetings attended,
and the number of calls for service handled. This information can and should be part of
the information used by the supervisor to evaluate an officerÈs overall performance for
the month and year.
It is important to note that any evaluation of an OfficerÈs performance should not
just be from quantitative statistical/productivity measures but also must include
qualitative measures. Personnel accountability is important, but truly effective policing
is achieved by developing engaged employees who have a positive attitude, build
relationships with community members, project a positive image of the department, and
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provide other intangibles to the community resulting from their motivation to serve
people.
Policymakers should use the above factors to determine appropriate staffing
levels for all functions within the police department. The goal of a patrol staffing
analysis is to ensure sufficient patrol resources on duty 24 hours a day and available to
providing a high level of service to the community. The ability of a police department to
achieve a high level of service depends on knowing and evaluating the community
demand workload à the number of community-generated calls for service, reports, and
bookings of arrested persons. These are the factors used by the project team to
evaluate the number of Patrol Officers needed in a community to achieve a staffing level
that will provide the level of pro-activity desired by a community.
4. PATROL OFFICERS ÅCOMMITTEDÆ AND ÅPROACTIVEÆ TIME LEVELS.
An OfficerÈs committed time is the time he/she spends responding to and
handling community generated calls for service and the tasks related to the calls (i.e.
writing reports, booking arrested persons). Proactive time is the amount of time
remaining after handling the community generated workload.
Determining the workload demand (committed time) during various hours of the
day and the resulting proactive time level of a patrol staff is the most significant factor to
determine the level of staffing needed throughout the day. However, fielding a minimum
number of Officers to provide for basic safety of Officers while on patrol and the ability
of the Department to handle at least one critical incident are also significant factors to
consider in the staffing and deployment of police resources.
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The following sections review the data and assumptions that were used by the
project team to conduct the staffing calculations and determine the level of committed
and proactive time for La Quinta Patrol Officers in 2014.
(1) Data Used to Calculate Committed and Proactive Time Levels.
The table below provides a brief description of the data and assumptions used in
the calculations to determine an appropriate staffing level. These items include some
ÅnormativeÆ values used in this analysis which are based on the project teamÈs
experience in several hundred other law enforcement studies.
Factors in Calculation of Summary Discussion
ÅProactive TimeÆ
Calls for Service Actual call data obtained from the LQPD CAD system allowed the project
team to determine the number of community generated calls for service
(reactive time of patrol officers).
Call Handling Time Generally, an average call handling time of 30-40 minutes is needed to
efficiently and effectively handle a community generated call for service.
The handling time includes an OfficerÈs travel time and on-scene time, not
including report writing time. A handling time that is higher than 40 minutes
may indicate that Patrol Officers are not handling calls in a timely manner;
possible errors in the CAD data or possibly that officers are completing all
or a portion of their report while still logged on the call. A handling time
lower than 30 minutes indicates Patrol Officers may not be providing an
appropriate amount of attention to all calls for service.
Back-Up Frequency / An average of 1.4 Ã 1.6 patrol units responding to handle a community
Number of Units per Call generated call for service.
Duration of Time On-An average of 75% (or less) of the primary/initial unitÈs handling time for
Scene by Back-Up back-up officers is common and not excessive.
Number of Reports For most incidents requiring a report the Officer will gather preliminary
information while on-scene handling the call and spend additional time later
in the shift, at the end of the shift or the next day. The project teamÈs
experience with other municipal law enforcement agencies has found that
some type of report is written on 25% - 40% of the community generated
calls for service.
Time to Complete a An average of 45 minutes is used to determine the time required for
Report completing incident reports resulting from a call for service or self-initiated
activity; this time is included as part of reactive workload time. The actual
report writing time is not captured by the CAD system.
Number of Arrests The number of arrests is based on the level of crime and apprehension rate
in a community. An agency normally tracks the number of arrests made
which is used by the project team.
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Factors in Calculation of Summary Discussion
ÅProactive TimeÆ
Time to Complete an An average of the actual time it takes for an officer to book an arrestee at
Arrest Booking the PD or a nearby jail facility. In La Quinta this time is typically included as
part of the officerÈs Çon sceneÈ time documented in the CAD system. The
project team used an additional 30 minutes per arrest to account for any
undocumented time handling prisoners.
Net Available Time of The number used in the calculations is the average net available hours for
Officers a Patrol Officer à the actual hours worked by an Officer.
Availability of The staffing needs analysis determines the number of Officers needed to
Supervisors to Handle handle the community-generated calls for service. Sergeants are not
Field Workloads included as primary responders to calls for service as Sergeants should
primarily be responsible for supervision, oversight, and other tasks, not
primarily used for response to calls for service.
The methodology of using a police departmentÈs actual workload data avoids the
problems in other comparative staffing models (e.g., Åofficers per thousandÆ ratio
mentioned above) that do not take into consideration the variations in workload from
one community to another. This approach also provides a methodology that can easily
keep pace with future growth that may occur in the city (by factoring in a percentage
growth in call for service demand)and also provides managers and policy makers with
an easily understood measure of the capability of the patrol workforce to provide
proactive law enforcement. Finally, this approach allows managers/policy makers to
select a Åproactive timeÆ target that is desired (e.g., 40%, 45% or 50% proactive time
level) and then determining the number of Patrol Officers needed based on thereactive
work that be done (i.e., community generated calls for service) and the proactive
time level that is desired.
(2)Assumptions Utilized to Calculate Workload Levels.
There are several analyticalassumptions that were utilized in the calculation and
analysis of OfficersÈ committed and proactive time levels
¥Using the actual community generated calls for service obtained from the CAD
data for a 12 month time period. This number excludes: calls handled by non-
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Patrol units and civilian Patrol units, all Officer initiated activities (such as traffic
stops), administrative activities and calls cancelled prior to an Officer being
dispatched (calls where the Officer is cancelled after being dispatched but before
arrival at the scene are included).
¥ A normative value of a 50% back-up rate (i.e. an average of 1.5 Officers per call
for service) was used as CAD data for back-up Officers was not available.
¥ Meals and other breaks are taken evenly across all hours of a shift.
¥ Administrative time is estimated at 90 minutes per shift; including tasks such as
attending roll call, meal breaks, vehicle servicing and meeting with a supervisor.
¥ The volume of calls for service throughout the day (the percentage for each 4
hour time period) was used to allocate the number of reports written.
¥ Patrol Officers wrote 80% (8,198) of the 10,248 reports written in 2014.
¥ Personnel are available on an average hourly basis (i.e. there are no heavy or
light shift days).
¥ The total number of hours of Patrol Officer staffing was assumed to be the 150
hours daily per the contract with the RCSO.
The resulting calculation shows the average level of both an OfficerÈs
ÅcommittedÆ and ÅproactiveÆ, or discretionary, time during a shift. During their proactive
hours they are available to handle general proactive policing efforts in the field, traffic
enforcement, targeted patrol efforts to address a specific problem, walking patrol and
other tasks initiated by the Officer or directed by an OfficerÈs supervisor. Various
administrative tasks are also included in this time category.
It is important to note that although the use of CAD data is the most
comprehensive method to calculate Patrol OfficersÈ work tasks the CAD record does not
capture all of the duties and tasks performed by Officers during their shifts. The
reasons for this include: 1) the fact that sometimes Officers do not report a task they are
doing to Communications so it will not be documented as a CAD incident, 2) human
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error (by Dispatchers and Officers) and 3) incomplete data in the CAD call for service
records (e.g., missing time stamps and sometimes Dispatchers are not able to track all
patrol tasks for all Officers). This is especially true in the first year of thoroughly
reviewing the CAD call for service data and will be true for subsequent years unless the
agency makes concerted and consistent efforts to correct mistakes and improve
accuracy. This is not unique to La Quinta, the project team has found that this is
common in other law enforcement agenciesÈ data. To account for the work not captured
by CAD the project team estimates that 5% - 10% should be added to the Åcommitted
timeÆ percentage (calculated in the next section). This additional percentage should be
9
considered as an additional factor in determining an OfficersÈ workload.
(3) Patrol Operations Committed Time and Proactive Time Analysis.
The following table shows the overall percentage of time that Patrol OfficersÈ
were committed to the various reactive elements and the remaining percentage of
Åproactive timeÆas well as the percentages for four hour blocks of time during the day.
9
The 5% - 10% figure is applicable to La Quinta but it was not specifically derived from the La Quinta
CAD data; it is a general number applicable to all police departments.
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Committed and Proactive Time à Patrol Officers
Patrol Task 0000 -0400 -0800 -1200 -1600 -2000 Ã Total
0400 0800 1200 1600 2000 2400
PatrolStaff Allocation16.0%16.7%17.3%17.3%16.7%16.0%100.0%
Hours Staffed (ST or OT) 8,760 9,127 9,488 9,488 9,127 8,760 54,750
Administrative Time 1,294 1,348 1,401 1,401 1,348 1,294 8,085
Available Work Hours 7,466 7,779 8,087 8,087 7,779 7,466 46,665
Calls for Service (CFS) 1,372 1,264 3,308 4,104 3,762 2,831 16,641
% of Total CFS 8.2% 7.6% 19.9% 24.7% 22.6% 17.0% 100%
1st Officer Minutes / CFS 34.6 34.6 34.6 34.6 34.6 34.6 34.6
1st Unit Hours 790 728 1,905 2,364 2,167 1,631 9,585
Back-Up Unit Responses 686 632 1,654 2,052 1,881 1,416 8,321
Back Up Minutes / CFS25.925.925.925.925.925.925.9
Back Up Officer(s) Hours 296 273 715 887 813 612 3,595
Reports Written 676 623 1,630 2,022 1,853 1,395 8,198
Report Writing Time 507 467 1,222 1,516 1,390 1,046 6,149
Bookings 42 39 102 126 116 87 512
Prisoner Handling Time 21 19 51 63 58 44 256
Total Committed Hours 1,615 1,488 3,893 4,830 4,427 3,332 19,585
Total ÅProactiveÆ Hours 5,852 6,291 4,194 3,257 3,352 4,135 27,080
Committed Time Percent 21.6% 19.1% 48.1% 59.7% 56.9% 44.6% 42.0%
ÅProactive TimeÆ Percent 78.4% 80.9% 51.9% 40.3% 43.1% 55.4% 58.0%
These calculations show that Patrol Officers spent approximately 42% of their on
duty hours handling community generated calls for service and the related tasks,
leaving an overall average of 58% of Åproactive timeÆ. This overall average level is a
significant level of proactive time and exceeds an average targeted ÅproactiveÆtime of
45% thatthe project team believes is appropriate for La Quinta. However, it is
important toadd 5% -10% of work not captured by CAD which equals an overall
committed time of 47% -53%.
In addition to the overall proactive time level it is important to review the
differences in the amount of time committed time for the various four hour time periods
of the day as it greatly varies from the ÅslowestÆ period of the day ÅbusiestÆ time period.
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Overall, the busiest hours of the day for LQPD and almost all other police agencies are
the ÅdaytimeÆ hours from 0800 to 2000 hours. In La Quinta, approximately 67% of calls
occur during these hours, and OfficersÈ committed time during these hours was
approximately 63%, leaving 37% of their time available for ÅproactiveÆ activities (time for
administrative tasks is already included). The following table illustrates the workload
imbalance between the ÅdaytimeÆ and ÅnighttimeÆ hours.
Workload 0800-2000 2000-0800 Day Time Number >
Night Time
Patrol Officer Work Hours 23,953 22,712 1,241
Calls for Service 11,174 5,467 5,707
Calls for Service % of Total 67.1% 32.9%
Committed Time à Hours 13,151 6,434 6,717
Committed Time - % 54.9% 28.3%
Uncommitted Time à Hours 10,803 16,278 (5,475)
Uncommitted Time % 45.1% 71.7%
In 2014 there was 1,241 more work hours scheduled during the day time hours
but the workload during these hours required 6,717 more hours than the nighttime
workload demand. The workload varies by as much as by as much as 40% percentage
points from the ÅslowestÆ period of the day (0400 Ã 0800 hours) to the ÅbusiestÆ time
period (noon Ã1600 hours). This pattern is typical for police departments Ãa higher
volume of daytime calls results in a higher level of committed time during the day.
Correspondingly, a lower volume of nighttime calls results in a lower level of committed
time and a higher level of proactive time. This issue will be further addressed in the
management section below.
At 58% overall proactive time Officers regularly have an exceptionalamount of
time available during their shift to conduct a significant amount of proactive activities
such as preventive patrol, traffic enforcement, neighborhood problems/quality of life
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issues and other problem oriented or Åcommunity oriented policingÆ concerns in La
Quinta (at this level it is reasonable for the number of Officer initiated incidents to be
100% or more of the number of calls for service). LQPD is involved in some of these
tasks but does not have a methodology in place to formally identify community issues,
address them and report back to the community on what they have done to address the
issues, progress made and/or resolution. The desire for this type of process was voiced
by residents in the focus groups and survey. Even at a lower level of proactive time (i.e.
45%) LQPD should have the time available for these activities. Overall, this high
proactive time level is greater than needed in La Quinta and can reasonably be reduced
à options to consider will be presented in the next section.
This information provided by the CAD data workload analysis provides police
managers with valuable information regarding workload demand but
reviewing/analyzing the CAD data for a second and third year is important as it will
show multi-year trends and highly reliable workload results. In subsequent years the
RCSO should continue to evaluate and conduct data analysis for La Quinta to
determine the workload, performance, and productivity level of Patrol Operations staff.
It is particularly important to evaluate the levels of committed time and proactive time
during the 4 hour time blocks throughout the day to assist in decisions on deployment.
Recommendations:
Review the CAD workload data for a second year to determine the level of Patrol
Officer committed time and proactive time; continue annual reviews of Patrol
workload.
Annually review patrol staff workload for each 4-hour time block to ensure that a
reasonable number of proactive hours are available throughout the day.
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5. DETERMINING PERSONNEL STAFFING REQUIREMENTS FOR PATROL.
The tables in the previous section described the current patrol staffing level and
the number of hours required to handle the community-generated work (calls for
service, reports, and bookings) in La Quinta and the current level of proactive time
overall and at various hours of the day.
This section utilizes the same the workload data from 2014 and one normative
10
value to calculate the number of Patrol Officers needed at targeted 50%, 45% and
40% proactive time levels. The results areshown in the following table.
1. Community Generated Workload
Calls for Service (one year) 16,641
st
Handling Time à 1 Unit from Dispatch until Clear 9,585
Handling Time à Backup Officers 3,595
Number of Reports Written (@ 40% of CFS) 6,656
Time for Report Writing 4,992
Number of Bookings 512
Time to Process Bookings 256
Total Hours 18,428
2. Additional Hours for Preventive Patrol & Officer Initiated Activity
Proactive Time Target of 50% 18,428
Proactive Time Target of 45% 15,078
Proactive Time Target of 40% 12,286
3. Total Hours Required for Reactive & Proactive Work
Proactive Time Target of 50% 36,857
Proactive Time Target of 45% 33,506
Proactive Time Target of 40% 30,714
4. Availability of Staff
Annual Paid Work Hours 2,080
Leave Hours and On-Duty Training (340)
Administrative Time (90 minutes / shift) (312)
10
As explained earlier in this report the number of reports written by LQPD was 62% of the number of
CFS which is higher than the 25% - 40% range seen by the project team in other police studies; for the
projected staffing calculations the project team will use a normative 40% value for projecting report
volume.
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Net Available Hours 1,428
5. Officers Required to Handle Workload (12 hour shifts)
Proactive Time Target of 50% 26
Proactive Time Target of 45% 23
Proactive Time Target of 40% 22
6. Officers Required to Handle Workload (10 hour shifts)
Proactive Time Target of 50% 30
Proactive Time Target of 45% 27
Proactive Time Target of 40% 25
This table shows the number of Officers required to handle the call for service
workload and administrative tasks without the use of overtime at three targeted
Åproactive timeÆ levels. When Officers are working 12 hour shifts, a targeted overall
average proactive time target of 40% requires approximately 22 Patrol Officer positions,
a 45% proactive time target requires 23 Officers and a 50% proactive time target
requires 26 Officers. The higher proactive time targets will provide more time for
Officers to conduct proactive patrol, address community identified issues on their beat,
initiate contacts and enforcement stops and perform other assigned tasks.
Although a 50% proactive time target is not unreasonable for La Quinta, the
project team believes the City will be well served with a targeted 45% proactive time
level for Patrol Officers. This level will provide a significant amount of available time for
Officers to address needs in their assigned beatand any additional community needs.
One significant factor in recommending a 45% level is that Patrol Officers are also
assisted by the six Community Service Officers(four assigned to field duties), four
Traffic Units, two Business District Officers and the Special Enforcement Team (1
Sergeant and 5 Officers)that are LQPD dedicated proactive field units. As mentioned
in the previous section the current 58% proactive time level is a very high level and it is
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reasonable to target a lower overall proactive time level, especially with the additional
field work units whose primary duties are proactively oriented.
It is interesting to note that in 2014 the 25 Officers assigned to patrol duties had
an average proactive time level of 58% - the primary reason this was achieved is the
two hours of mandatory OT Officers worked during the year (it takes fewer Officers
working 12 hour shifts to achieve the same proactive time level than Officers working 10
hour shifts).
This patrol workload analysis is a valuable tool for police managers when making
staffing and deployment decisions. However, as mentioned earlier in this report it is
important to analyze a second year of workload data as it will show if patrol workload is
trending up, down or remaining about the same. This is especially true in La Quinta
due to the incomplete call for service data from the CAD system.
In addition to this workload analysis, other factors also need to be evaluated
when determining an appropriate staffing level à these factors include the desired and
planned proactive tasks to be accomplished by Officers when on duty (e.g. traffic safety
enforcement, security checks, foot patrol, addressing issues in their district, etc.), their
involvement in community policing efforts, the size and geography of patrol areas
(districts), the frequency of emergency calls of a serious nature, the number of critical
incidents, the level of criminal activity, the number of new Officers in the field training
program, general community safety perceptions/concerns, recommendations from staff
based on their experience and prudent risk management, additional tasks that may be
required of Patrol in the near future and a staffing level throughout the day that
reasonably meets officer safety requirements.
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Recommendation:
Adopt a 45% average proactive time level goal for patrol operations. A workload
analysis should be conducted annually to determine the actual level of proactive
time.
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4. EVALUATION OF SPECIALTY WORK UNITS
The La Quinta Police Department has other staff that provide services to the City
à both ÅdedicatedÆ positions that La Quinta specifically contracts for and also
ÅsupportingÆ positions such as Detectives (paid for as part of the overhead cost or
ÅsupportedÆ rate). The LQPD ÅdedicatedÆ positions are those in the
Administrative/Traffic Unit and the Special Enforcement Team. The Investigations Unit
is staffed with positions paid for through the ÅsupportedÆ rate.
1. ADMINISTRATIVE AND TRAFFIC SAFETY UNIT.
This unit is staffed with one Sergeant, four Officers and two Community Service
Officers à all of these positions are LQPD dedicated staff. The Sergeant supervises the
personnel, the School Resource Officers, LQPD Volunteers and is assigned a variety of
administrative duties (e.g. complaint investigations, special events, etc.).
(1) Traffic Safety Unit.
The four Officers are assigned full time to traffic safety duties and all are trained
to ride motorcycles and use it as their primary duty vehicle. Motor Officers are assigned
to day shift, either Monday-Thursday 0600-1600 hours or Tuesday- Friday 0700-1700
hours. Although not regularly assigned to later weekday hours (a shift ending at 1900
or 2000 hours is typical weekday coverage) the Motor Officers vary their work schedule
to provide coverage through the commute hours and later into the evening.
The primary role of the Motor Officers is to provide enforcement of the traffic
safety laws and frequently work intersections and streets where there have been a high
number of traffic accidents in an effort to reduce the frequency of motor vehicle
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accidents. They also respond to complaints from members of the public and provide
appropriate traffic enforcement in response to these complaints. Motor Officers also
assist Patrol Officers as necessary in handling calls for service during their shift.
The project team obtained the number and type of citations written by the Motor
Officers in 2014, shown in the following table.
Traffic Citations Issued
Violation Number Average /
Officer
Failure to Yield 23 6
Unsafe Speed 1,802 451
Unsafe Turning 112 28
Signs/Signals 181 45
Pedestrian Violation 43 14
Bicycle Violation 3 2
Other Hazard 85 21
Other (Unk) 2,262 566
Seat Belts 129 32
Child Seats 45 11
Parking 126 32
Total 4,811 1,203
The Motor Officers worked 174 shifts during the year (1,740 net work hours / 10
hour shifts) which equals a shift average of 6.9 citations for each Motor Officer in 2014.
The monthly productivity for the proactive traffic enforcement for this year is
somewhat low à for example a commonly used and reasonable productivity guideline
for a dedicated traffic unit is an average of 10 warnings/citations per shift and typically
Traffic Officers will make 12-14 traffic stops a shift that result in citations/warnings being
11
issued. In La Quinta the Motor Officers also respond to and investigate major injury
traffic accidents and investigate the collisions so this metric should reasonably be
reduced to 10 citations/warnings per shift.
11
The project team recognizes that LQPD does not currently issue written warning notices but initiating
this practice would provide Officers with an option to a traffic citation.
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La Quinta Motor Officers are present at work for approximately 33 hours per
week (or 1,740 hours annually à calculated earlier in this report). Using these estimates
the following table shows the calculations for what the project team believes are
reasonable productivity numbers for the for Motor Officers.
Work TaskPer OfficerUnit TotalCurrent %
Number Increase
Shift Week Month Month Year Year
Warning /
Citation 10 33 132 528 6,336 4,811 32%
If the Motor Officers wrote 10 warnings or citations per shift it would result in an
annual total of approximately 6,336 citations/warning issued which is a 32% increase
over the 2014 average. This is a reasonable productivity level when all four Motor
Officers have received their basic motorcycle training, are assigned to the unit for the
entire year and none of the Officers have been off on extended periods of leave. It is
appropriate to establish reasonable productivity levels for all personnel, including Motor
Officers, however a requirement to write a certain number of citations cannot be set as it
is a violation of the California Vehicle Code.
The following table shows the total number of traffic accidents investigatedby La
Quinta PD in 2014 by accident type. The Motor Officers investigated 37 traffic
accidents during the yearor less than one per week.
Accident Type Number
Fatal 1
Injury 120
Property Damage Only 295
Total 416
The accidents investigated by the Traffic Unit are the most serious crashes and
can consume a significant number of work hours for one or more Officers.
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There is not a specific recommended number of Motor Units in a city such as La
Quinta that comprises a best practice but it is a best practice for the police department
to specifically and adequately address traffic safety in the community. This is most
often accomplished by assigning personnel full time to traffic safety enforcement tasks.
Traffic safety is also very important to La Quinta residents as expressed in the
community focus groups and the community survey as speeding, traffic light/stop sign
violations, enforcement in hot spot areas and traffic accidents were several of the top
concerns of residents. Additionally, residents expressed a desire to see more Officers
patrolling the streets and Motor Officers making traffic stops are very visible to other
motorists driving by and a reminder to follow traffic laws.
The project team recommends that La Quinta continue to contract for four Motor
Officers but if budgetary restrictions require cutbacks the community could still be
adequately served with three or two Motor Officers.
Recommendations:
Expand the regular duty hours of the Traffic Unit to provide coverage from 0600 Ã
1900 or 2000 hours on weekdays.
Increase the productivity of the Motor Units to average 10 warnings/citations per
shift.
(2) Crime Prevention Unit.
This unit is comprised of two Community Service Officers that provide a wide
variety of crime prevention, communication and alternative services to the La Quinta
community. The CSOs have the following job duties:
¥ Event coordination: Tip-a-Cop, Bike Rodeo (March), City Picnic and Birthday
Bash (April), Coffee with a Cop (monthly), Christmas toy drive, Safety Fairs (e.g.
La Quinta Resort, Boys & Girls Club) and other events when LQPD is requested
to participate
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¥ Public Outreach à staffing a booth at the downtown FarmerÈs Market to provide
crime prevention information and interact with the public
¥ Neighborhood Watch program (about one meeting per month) and regular follow-
up with group captains.
¥ Social media coordinator for the PD (Facebook page, etc.)
¥ Business District meetings (quarterly)
¥ Law Enforcement and Private Security (LEAPS) Ã collaboration and coordination
¥ LQPD Quarterly Report and Annual Report Ãobtaining and publishing the
information
¥ Internet crime reports à contacting the reporting party and completing the report
for entry into the Records Management System
¥ Citizens on Patrol (COP) Ã coordination of the program and volunteers
¥ LQPD Volunteers à program coordination
¥ Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) program à also
conducting home and business crime prevention surveys as requested
These two office based CSOs coordinate these programs, assist the PD in field
work as necessary for special events in support of all other work units in the PD. They
also perform any other task that are needed to be accomplished.
It would also be appropriate for these CSOs to formally coordinate with City of La
Quinta code enforcement staff to work on specific neighborhood or business issues
where both Departments should coordinate to resolve the issue.
2. THE SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT TEAM (SET).
One important and fairly unique proactive and investigative functions that La
Quinta staffs is the Special Enforcement Team (SET) Ã it is a team made up of 1
Sergeant and 7 Officers and all are LQPD dedicated positions. Two of the Officers are
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assigned to work as Business District Officers and primarily work dayshift hours
(typically 0800-1800 hours); the Sergeant and other five Officers will be referred to as
the Special Enforcement Team and they primarily work swing shift hours (typically
starting their shift between 1200 hours and 1400 hours).
Their primary duties of the SET involve proactive field policing to provide
proactive patrol during their shift, address specific crime problems, visit and conduct
searches of persons on probation and parole. They also work to address crime trends
in the communities or a series of crimes that may have occurred (e.g. residential or auto
burglary trend) by searching for suspects and/or conduct surveillance over multiple
days. SET Officers also work with the La Quinta Investigators to coordinate
investigations of crimes that have occurred and discuss possible suspects. This
includes conducting time sensitive follow-up in the field (e.g. surveillance of a suspect in
the case) and also being informed of crimes that have occurred where leads need to be
developed on cases where a suspect may not be known but the crime(s) fit the behavior
of known criminal suspects in the La Quinta area.
The following table shows the documented activities for the SET for the year.
SET Activities in 2014
Activity Annual Total Monthly
Programs 20 2
Vehicle Stops 641 53
Pedestrian Checks 453 38
Investigative Follow-up 565 47
City Park Checks 235 20
Citations 138 12
Search Warrants 45 4
Probation/Parole Searches 181 15
Arrest Warrants Served 122 10
Arrests (Misdemeanor & Felony) 350 29
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The above list is not a comprehensive list of all work accomplished by the SET
during the year but a list of items that can be quantified. Appropriate workload levels for
a proactive street crimes unit are hard to quantify as it depends on the workload level
existing in the City and during the hours when the unit is on duty. The main mission of
street crimes unit is to assist in the identification of suspects in criminal cases (which
requires becoming familiar with habitual criminals in the La Quinta area), be very
proactive when out on the streets by initiating many contacts with people, contact
persons on parole and probation to ensure they are complying with the terms of their
parole/probation, attend homeowners association meetings to provide, conduct crime
prevention talks when requested, work with the Narcotics and Gang Task Forces on
related issues and respond to assist Patrol Officers when needed.
The most important factor in a successful unit is selecting a supervisor who is
well suited to coordinate this type of unit à active and energetic to seek out appropriate
work tasks and spend most of their on duty hours working the streets.
The two SET Officers designated as Business District Officers work primarily in
the retail business areas of La Quinta. Their primary goals are to provide high visibility
patrol along the Highway 111 corridor, downtown and other business areas in La Quinta
and handle theft related crimes in the business areas. The following table shows the
activities of this unit in 2014.
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Business District Officers à Activities in 2014
Activity Annual Total Monthly
Programs 69 6
Vehicle Stops 111 9
Pedestrian Checks 160 13
Investigative Follow-up 287 24
Citations 28 2
Search Warrants Served 35 3
Business Checks/Meetings 935 78
Arrest Warrants Served 13 1
Arrests (Misdemeanor & Felony) 71 6
These Officers also speak at community events (e.g. Coffee with a Cop) and
business group / association meetings on a variety of crime prevention and safety
awareness topics such as robbery prevention and loss prevention. The also meet and
coordinate with loss prevention officers working at retail stores. As with the other
Officers in the SET the Business District Officers are also used to assist Patrol as
necessary and provide security at special community events.
The activity levels shown in the two tables above for the Business District
Officers and the Special Enforcement Team indicate that both of these work units were
appropriatelyactive in 2014.
3.INVESTIGATIONS UNIT.
The Thermal Station Investigations Unit is staffed with one Lieutenant, two
Sergeants, 12 Detectives, one Office Assistant, twoProperty Officers (CSOs) and one
Crime Analyst. The City funds through the ÅsupportedÆ positions rate a total of 6.47
Detectives out of the 12 Detectives assigned for FY 2014-15 (in FY 2013-14 it was 5.97
Detectives). These Detectives are not specifically assigned to La QuintaÈs crime cases
but any Detective may work cases from Coachellaor the unincorporated area.
It is more difficult to evaluatethe staffing levels required forcriminal
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investigations because, unlike patrol, more subjective and qualitative determinants of
workload and work practices need to be considered. Patrol operations has the benefit
of several quantitative measures, such as calls for service and proactive time, to assist
in the evaluation of staffing requirements, whereas investigative services have fewer
such reliable measures. Comparisons with other agencies are also difficult given the
vagaries of conducting investigative business among differing law enforcement
agencies. Factors making comparative analyses difficult include:
¥ What is actually investigated varies by agency. The extent to which agencies
assign misdemeanor level property crime cases to Detectives varies. Also, the
extent to which patrol performs preliminary or primary case investigation varies
widely and thereby impacts Detective caseloads.
¥ Approaches used to screen, assign, and monitor cases are different among law
enforcement agencies. For example, La Quinta relies on the Lieutenant and
Sergeant reading through and assigning cases to Detectives where other PDs
may use a crime analysis function to initially screen cases based on various
formalized solvability factors.
¥ Work practices vary tremendously among agencies, relating to interviewing
techniques, mix of telephone and in-person interviews, use of computer
technologies, time devoted to administrative tasks, whether detectives respond to
the initial crime scene in the field, whether they have prosecutorial investigator
assistance, etc.
¥ Complexity of caseloads is also a critical factor to consider when examining
quantitative factors relating to investigative activity. Each case is different in
terms of workable leads, suspect description, evidence availability, victim/witness
cooperation, quality of information provided by the original report taker, and
numerous other factors. The way information in a single case may combine with
information on other cases (e.g., serial crime) also impacts investigative actions.
¥ Additional duties and responsibilities performed by detectives beyond caseload
work. Such activities may include being a specialized trainer, assisting on
warrant arrests or various other administrative duties detracting from casework.
Many agencies assign collateral duties to Detectives and this is the case in La
Quinta.
¥ Finally, the nature of the community itself and its mix of crime types is a factor in
evaluating investigative workload and staffing needs. Citizen expectations
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translate into service levels impacting Detectives in terms of what is investigated
and how investigations are conducted.
Another factor is the joint investigative process used by RCSO where all 12
Detectives may be used to assist with the investigation of a major case. All of these
considerations result in an evaluation of investigative workloads with typically more
qualitative considerations compared to those of quantitatively-driven Patrol workloads.
Analytically, investigative workload and staffing requirements typically employ a
series of broad indicators to determine the extent to which core investigative staffing
and general workload in the Department compare to ranges observed in other
departments. This information is used to determine if the La Quinta Police Department
is within the ranges measured by those indicators. The comparative measures that can
be employed are displayed in the following table:
Comparative Measures for Investigations
Comparative Measures Comparative Industry Patterns
Part I Offenses per ÅlineÆ Detective in core The Average distribution of Part I Offenses per
investigative functions such as persons and ÅlineÆ Detective developed in police services
property crimes Detectives. This does not include studies in the U.S. generally ranges from 200-
those assigned to ÅproactiveÆ units such as 400 Part I Offenses per investigator.
narcotics or vice.
Case Clearance Rate for Part I Crimes. The Uniform Crime Report provides data on
average case clearance by major crime type for
various sized jurisdictions. 2014 clearance rates
nationally for Cities the size of La Quinta
averaged 20.2% for property crimes and 48.5%
for person crimes.
Active cases assigned to ÅpropertyÆ crimes 15 to 20 active cases per month based on other
Detectives (e.g., burglary/theft). law enforcement studies conducted by the Matrix
Consulting Group over the last several years.
Active cases assigned to ÅpersonÆ crimes 8 to 12 active cases per month based on our
Detectives. experience; 3 to 5 active cases for complex
person crimes such as felony assaults.
Active cases assigned to ÅgeneralistÆ crimes 12 to 15 active cases per month based.
Detectives.
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These Åcases per DetectiveÆ numbers are not considered a best practice and are
only one of several factor to consider when determining appropriate investigative
staffing levels. The most important factor is the number of cases assigned to the
investigative unit and Detective workload.
RCSO provided the project team with the number of La Quinta cases assigned to
a Detective for follow-up investigation in 2014. These numbers are shown in the
following table.
Detective Case Assignments
Case Type Annual Total Monthly
Homicide (assigned to Central Homicide Unit) 2 0.2
Robbery 9 0.8
Aggravated Assault 19 1.6
Burglary 7 0.6
Grand Theft 6 0.5
Fraud/Embezzlement 30 2.5
Sex Crimes 25 2.1
Child Abuse 16 1.3
Elder Abuse 7 0.6
Vandalism 3 0.3
Weapons Offenses 4 0.3
Missing Persons/Runaways 26 2.2
Death Investigation (unattended deaths) 15 1.3
Other (Assist Other PD, Suspicious
Circumstances) 12 1.0
Total 181 15.1
A total of 181 La Quinta cases were assigned to Detectives during the year, an
average of 15 cases per month. La Quinta paid for six Detectives to work these cases Ã
an average of just 2.5 cases per Detective per month. This is a very low workload for
six Detectives and an excessive cost born by La Quinta. A staff of 3, and possibly 2,
Detectives is sufficient to handle this investigative workload (in addition to a Detective
Sergeant).
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The cost of the 12 Detectives assigned to the Investigations Unit is paid for by La
Quinta, Coachella and the County (for the unincorporated areas) based on calculations
of the RCSO. The following table shows the number and percent of cases for each of
the three entities and the corresponding number of Detectives (out of the 12 assigned)
that should be appropriated to each entity based on the percentage of assigned cases.
Detective Case Assignments
City Total for Year % of Cases # of Detectives Based on
Caseload
La Quinta 181 20.5 2.5
Coachella 395 44.6 5.4
Unincorporated 309 34.9 4.2
Total 885 100.0% 12.0
La Quinta generated approximately 21% of the cases assigned to Detectives in
2014 but is paying for 54% of the Detectives (6.5 out of 12) which is a significantly
higher cost for La Quinta than is reasonable. La Quinta staff should work with RCSO to
revise the methodology of allocating the cost of Investigations Units (Lieutenant,
Sergeants and Detectives) to an appropriate cost sharing percentage for each of the
three entities (recommendation provided in Chapter 5).
The project team has also been provided the FBI Uniform Crime Reports crime
occurrences and crime clearances by the RCSO for calendar years 2004 thru 2013.
Ten years of data was obtained to evaluate the level of crime that has occurred in La
Quinta over the last decade and any crime patterns or trends. The first two tables show
the number of crimes reported in La Quinta in five year periods.
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Crimes Reported 2004 - 2008
Crime 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Total Avg. Per
Year
Homicide 1 0 1 1 2 5 1.0
Rape 5 9 2 9 5 30 6.0
Robbery 16 21 31 26 31 125 25
Aggravated Assault 73 98 67 172 164 574 115
Burglary 482 621 558 555 526 2,742 548
Larceny & Auto Burglary 1,072 1,290 1,164 943 913 5,382 1,076
Auto Theft 171 164 163 122 124 744 149
Arson 4 1 4 6 7 22 4.4
Total: 1,824 2,204 1,990 1,834 1,772 9,624 1,925
Violent Crime 95 128 101 208 202 734 147
Property Crime 1,729 2,076 1,889 1,626 1,570 8,890 1,778
The following table shows the 2009-2013 five year period as well as the
percentage change in the number of crimes reported.
Crimes Reported 2009 - 2013
Crime 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Total 5 Yr. % Change in 5
Avg. Yr. Periods
Homicide 1 1 1 0 0 3 0.6 -40.0%
Rape 8 9 3 5 5 30 6.0 0.0%
Robbery 22 25 33 45 26 151 30 20.8%
Aggravated Assault 92 102 151 100 37 482 96 -16.0%
Burglary 537 447 477 541 402 2,404 481 -12.3%
Larceny & Auto Burglary 958 777 901 1,033 1,002 4,671 934 -13.2%
Auto Theft 78 64 50 95 90 377 75 -49.3%
Arson 4 12 1 1 4 22 4.4 0.0%
Total: 1,700 1,437 1,617 1,820 1,566 8,140 1,628 -15.4%
Violent Crime 123 137 188 150 68 666 133 -9.3%
Property Crime 1,577 1,300 1,429 1,670 1,498 7,474 1,495 -15.9%
The most significant change in individual crimes over the two 5 year periods was
a 40% reduction in homicides and a 49% reduction in auto theft. Aggravated Assault
also decreased significantly but robberies have increased over 20%. The property
crimes of burglary and larceny also decreased 12% and 13% respectively. Overall,
violent crimes decreased 9.3% and property crimes decreased 15.9%.
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The table below compares the 2013 (the most recent year available from the FBI)
violent crimes (for homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) by type of crime for
selected regional agencies à from the lowest rate to the highest rate.
City Pop. Violent Violent Homicide Rape Robbery Agg.
Crimes Crime Assault
12
Rate
Indian Wells 5,174 7 135 0 0 2 5
Rancho Mirage 17,816 26 146 0 1 8 17
La Quinta 39,150 68 174 0 5 26 37
Palm Desert 50,456 110 218 2 7 30 71
Coachella43,330118272225658
Palm Springs 46,282 255 551 0 19 99 137
Indio 80,243 468 583 1 34 120 313
Desert Hot Springs 27,936 277 992 2 3 63 209
¥ La Quinta has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the region. The only two
cities with a lower rate are Indian Wells and Rancho Mirage.
¥ La QuintaÈs principal major violent crime problem is robbery.
La QuintaÈs experience related to major property crimes (burglary, larceny and
auto theft) is somewhat different, ranking in the middle of the regional cities. The table,
below, summarizes these crimes in the same comparative context as was described for
the violentcrimesÃfrom the lowest rate to the highest rate.
City Pop. Property Property Burglary Larceny / Auto Theft
Crimes Rate Fraud
Coachella 43,330 1,372 3,166 358 634 380
Indian Wells 5,174 172 3,324 48 116 8
Indio 80,243 2,699 3,364 792 1,335 572
Rancho Mirage 17,816 636 3,570 156 443 37
La Quinta 39,150 1,494 3,816 402 1,002 90
Desert Hot Springs 27,936 1,103 3,948 487 475 141
50,456 2,215 4,390 572 1,511 132
Palm Desert
Palm Springs 46,282 2,350 5,078 712 1,342 296
12
The standard FBIÈs Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) reporting of crime rates per 100,000 population from
violent crime and property crimes are used in this report.
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¥ Contrasted to violent crimes La QuintaÈs has a higher rate of property crimes,
exceeded only by Palm Desert and Palm Springs.
It is important to keep in mind that the high number of larceny crimes could be
related to a higher service level provided in La Quinta (by the assignment of two
Officers to the Business District) which results in a higher number of these crimes being
reported.
One primary measure of effectiveness of an investigative unit is the percentage
of crimes the PD is able to ÅclearÆ per FBI-UCR guidelines. The RCSO provided
number of crimes cleared by the La Quinta Police Department for the last 10 years à the
first table shows the number and percentage of crimes cleared in two 5 year time
periods.
Crimes Cleared 2004 - 2008
Crime 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Total 5 Year
Clearance
Rate
Homicide 0 0 1 0 2 3 60.0%
Rape 0 0 0 3 1 4 13.3%
Robbery 2 4 11 7 11 35 28.0%
Aggravated Assault 29 51 30 92 68 270 47.0%
Burglary 49 83 90 146 130 498 18.2%
Larceny & Auto Burglary 93 90 102 117 104 506 9.4%
Auto Theft 15 9 6 5 10 45 6.0%
Arson 1 0 0 0 2 3 13.6%
Total: 189 237 240 370 328 1,364 14.2%
Violent Crime 31 55 42 102 82 312 42.5%
Property Crime 158 182 198 268 246 1,052 11.8%
The following table shows the 2009-2013 five year period as well as the
percentage change in the number of crimes cleared by the La Quinta Police
Department.
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Crimes Cleared 2009 - 2013
Crime 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Total 5 Year % Change in
Clearance 5 Yr. Periods
Rate
Homicide 1 0 1 0 0 2 66.7% -33.3%
Rape 2 2 2 0 0 6 20.0% 50.0%
Robbery 7 8 8 17 6 46 30.5% 31.4%
Aggravated Assault 54 60 100 56 27 297 61.6% 10.0%
Burglary 154 97 92 126 108 577 24.0% 15.9%
Larceny & Auto Burglary 146 117 99 138 184 684 14.6% 35.2%
Auto Theft 8 6 4 10 10 38 10.1% -15.6%
Arson 1 0 0 0 0 1 4.5% -66.7%
Total:3732903063473351,65120.3%21.0%
Violent Crime6470111733335152.7%12.5%
Property Crime 309 220 195 274 302 1,300 17.4% 23.6%
The percentage of crimes cleared by LQPD increased over the last 5 years with
the exception of auto theft, arson and homicide (the number of homicides are so low to
make the percentage change statistically irrelevant). Most auto theft cases are not
assigned to the Detectives but RCSO participates in the regional Auto Theft Task Force
that focuses on these crimes.
The table below shows the most recent year clearance rate comparison between
La Quinta and the national average as reported by the FBI for cities with a population
between 25,000 and 49,999 residents.
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2013 Clearance Rate à La Quinta Compared to National Clearance Rate
Crime 2013 Crimes 2013 LQ Clearance National LQ Clear Rate:
Clearances Rate Clearance Higher or
Rate (Lower)
Homicide 0 0 NA 65.2% NA
Rape 5 0 0% 34.0% (100%)
Robbery 26 6 23.1% 33.4% (30.9%)
Aggravated Assault 37 27 73.0% 59.8% 22.0%
Burglary 402 108 26.9% 14.3% 87.9%
Larceny & Auto Burglary 1,002 184 18.4% 27.3% (32.7%)
Auto Theft 90 10 11.1% 15.4% (27.8%)
Arson 4 0 0% 23.7% (100%)
Total:1,56633521.4%NANA
Violent Crime683348.5%50.2%(3.3%)
Property Crime 1,498 302 20.2% 24.0% (16.0%)
The La Quinta Police DepartmentÈs clearance rate is 3.3% lower than the
national violent crimes clearance rate and 16% lower than the national property crimes
clearance rate. The LQPD Investigations Unit should be expected to have higher
clearance rates considering the number of Investigators available to work these crimes.
Over the last 10 years the total number of Part 1 crimes has decreased by 15%
(comparing the two 5 year periods shown above) and correspondingly the number of
cases requiring follow-up investigation also decreases. The current workload averaging
2.5 cases per Detective per month does not justify the number of Detectives La Quinta
is funding, especially with a clearance rate lower than the national average. The project
team believes that three Detectives working La Quinta cases are sufficient and
recommends La Quinta staff work with the RCSO to reduce the number of Detectives.
The project team will make a recommendation regarding this in the next chapter.
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5. EVALUATION OF POLICE OPERATIONS AND THE
POLICE SERVICES CONTRACT
Police managers have the responsibility to ensure sufficient resources are
dedicated to patrol operations, that the available resources are optimally deployed, that
staff provide high quality services to the community and also proactively respond to
community concerns and issues when time is available during the work shift. However,
managers are often limited in their ability to achieve desired outcomes due to other
factors such as employee contracts and fixed staffing schedules. This chapter explores
several issues and options related to effective and cost efficient police operations in La
Quinta. The first issue is the related to the goal of balancing workload in patrol
operations.
1. THERE ARE SEVERAL OBSTACLES THAT IMPEDE BALANCING PATROL
STAFF WORKLOAD.
One of the primary items managers are responsible for is the optimum
deployment of sworn staff throughout the day to provide balance workload of both
Officers and CSOs. As shown above, there is a significant workload imbalance
between the nighttime and daytime hours. Ideally police managers would deploy staff
to provide a more even balance between committed and proactive time for all hours of
the day but there are several obstacles that make this difficult to achieve. The call for
service workload varies significantly throughout the day and Officers are also assigned
to work a fixed shift with regular scheduled days off. The fixed deployment schedules
used by all police departments do not allow a manager the ability to reduce the staffing
level during a ÅslowÆ night, or routinely call in additional Officers to work if a shift
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becomes busy. Although the highest workload hours still provide a sufficient amount of
proactive time the current two shift schedule (start times of 0700 and 1900 hours) only
provides the same level staffing throughout the day (with the exception of two hours at
shift change). However, this is not the normal RCSO Patrol shift schedule and when
RCSO returns to the normal three shift schedule (start times of 0600, 1400 and 2200
hours) in May 2015 it will provide a more equitable staffing/workload balance. There
may also be some flexibility of adjusting some shift hours to increase the staffing level
slightly during the daytime hours when the workload is higher (e.g. start time of 0700
hours rather than 0600 and a start time of 1300 hours instead of 1400).
Additionally, re-deployment of the two nighttime Community Service Officers to
daytime hours is another workload balancing option.
2. REDEPLOYMENT OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS TO DAYSHIFT
CAN HELP BALANCE WORKLOAD.
There are four Community Service Officers are assigned to field patrol duties full
time à two on Watch 1 (nights from 1700 - 0300) and two on Watch 2 (days from 0700-
1700). They respond to low risk calls for service in place of a Patrol Officer, assist
Patrol Officers at other types of calls, transport prisoners for Officers and conduct a
variety of other self-initiated tasks. The overall workload for the CSOs that the project
team was able to document includes the following:
¥ 1,304 calls for service (average of 34.6 minutes each) required 752 work hours.
¥ 1,537 reports (estimated at 15% of the total number of reports written by LQPD)
required approximately 1,153 work hours.
¥ 320 self-incidents (average of 4.2 minutes each) required 22 work hours.
¥ 384 bookings (estimating CSOs completed 75% of the total number) that took an
average of two hours each required 768 work hours.
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This activity level averages the following daily workload for all four CSOs: four
calls for service, about five reports, one self-initiated incident and approximately one
booking. These tasks equal 2,695 work hours à less than the approximate number of
work hours of 1 full time positions. It is likely that the number of reports written by
CSOs were higher (and also where a CSO assisted Patrol Officers the calls for service)
than is shown by the CAD data as it only documented the primary Officer handling the
incident and did not include secondary units, such as a CSO, that may have assisted
the primary Officer. However, none of the top 10 most frequent types of Patrol OfficersÈ
calls were calls appropriate to initially assign to a CSO, but some of the calls were
appropriate for a CSO to assist the primary Officer.
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Currently two CSOs are assigned to both the day watch and the night watch.
The project team does not see any need to staff CSOs on the night watch (after 2000 or
2200 hours) as the calls for service the CSOs are able to handle are fewer and the low
level of Patrol Officer committed time will easily allow them to handle any calls or
prisoner bookings that would have been handled by a CSO.
La Quinta has two reasonable options to consider Ãthe elimination of the
nighttime CSO positions or re-deployment of the CSOs to other hours where they can
be more productive. The project team recommends deploying all four CSOs during the
daytime and evening hours Ãfrom 0600 to no later than 2200 hours for routine duties.
Deploying CSOs only during the day and evening hours provides additional staff to
handle the higher call for service volume during these hours and also address other
13
The CSOs will also return to their normal shifts of 0700-1700 and 1500-0100 in May 2015 when Patrol
Officers switch back to three shifts.
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issues such as abandoned vehicles, graffiti and police related Åquality of lifeÆ concerns
expressed by residents in the community survey and focus group meetings. This
change will provide a high level of CSO proactive time and to make effective use of the
time it is important for supervisors to manage their time to ensure that it is productive
and addresses the specific community issues and problems that concern residents.
The effective use of available time discussed in the next section regarding Patrol
Officers is also applicable to CSOs.
Recommendation:
Modify the work schedule of Community Service Officers to only work during the
day and evening hours (0600 hours à 2200 hours) to provide additional alternative
call handling options and also address other police related community concerns.
3. PATROL OFFICER STAFFING ALTERNATIVES.
La Quinta currently contracts for 150 hours of Patrol Officer staffing daily. As
shown earlier in this report this equals an average of 6.3 Officers on duty every hour of
the day throughout the year and in 2014 resulted in an overall Officer proactive time
level of 58% with higher proactive levels during the night/early morning hours and lower
levels during the day/evening hours. There is no need to maintain a 58% proactive time
level in La Quinta and there are alternatives available that will reduce the proactive time
level to the recommended targeted 45% and result in significant savings to the City.
The City should evaluate reducing the number of contracted Patrol hours to 140 hours
or 130 hours daily.
The first option of 140 hours will result in the reduction of the average hourly
staffing level from 6.3 Officers to 5.8 Officers as shown in the following table.
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Patrol Officer Staffing à 140 Hours Daily
Hour Watch 1 (Nights) Watch 2 (Days) Hourly
1700-0500 & 0500-1700 & Average
1900-0700 0700-1900
0000 5.6 5.6
0100 5.6 5.6
0200 5.6 5.6
0300 5.6 5.6
0400 5.6 5.6
0500 2.8 3.0 5.8
0600 2.8 3.0 5.8
0700 6.1 6.1
0800 6.16.1
0900 6.16.1
1000 6.1 6.1
1100 6.1 6.1
1200 6.1 6.1
1300 6.1 6.1
1400 6.1 6.1
1500 6.1 6.1
1600 6.1 6.1
1700 2.8 3.0 5.8
1800 2.8 3.0 5.8
1900 5.6 5.6
2000 5.6 5.6
2100 5.6 5.6
2200 5.6 5.6
2300 5.6 5.6
Average 4.8 5.2 5.8
This table shows at 140 patrol staffing hours daily (51,102hours annually)results
in an average of 5.8Officers on duty each hour.This equals approximately 23 Officers
deployed on the two shifts and working the current schedule (10 hour shifts + 2 hours
OT).
The following table shows the increases in the committed time andthe
corresponding reduction in the proactive time levels that can be expected if patrol hours
are reduced to 140 hours daily.
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Time 0000 - 0400 - 0800 - 1200 Ã 1600 Ã 2000 Ã Total
Block 0400 0800 1200 1600 2000 0000
Current (150 Hours)
21.6% 19.1% 48.1% 59.7% 56.9% 44.6%
Committed 42.0%
78.4% 80.9% 51.9% 40.3% 43.1% 55.4%
Proactive 58.0%
Impact of Reduction to 140 Hours
23.0% 20.3% 51.1% 63.4% 60.5% 47.4%
Committed44.6%
77.0% 79.7% 48.9% 36.6% 39.5% 52.6%
Proactive55.4%
Reducing daily patrol hours to 140 results in an overall reduction of proactive
time of approximately 3 percentage points. It also results in an estimated annual
savings of $581,965 (3,648 fewer Officer hours x the FY 2015-16 hourly rate of
$159.53)
A second option of 130 hours daily patrol hours will result in the reduction of the
average hourly staffing level from 6.3 Officers (150 hours daily) to 5.4 Officers as shown
in the following table.
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Patrol Officer Staffing à 130 Hours Daily
Hour Watch 1 (Nights) Watch 2 (Days) Hourly
1700-0500 & 0500-1700 & Average
1900-0700 0700-1900
0000 5.2 5.2
0100 5.2 5.2
0200 5.2 5.2
0300 5.2 5.2
0400 5.2 5.2
0500 2.6 2.8 5.4
0600 2.6 2.8 5.4
0700 5.6 5.6
0800 5.65.6
0900 5.65.6
1000 5.6 5.6
1100 5.6 5.6
1200 5.6 5.6
1300 5.6 5.6
1400 5.6 5.6
1500 5.6 5.6
1600 5.6 5.6
1700 2.6 2.8 5.4
1800 2.6 2.8 5.4
1900 5.2 5.2
2000 5.2 5.2
2100 5.2 5.2
2200 5.2 5.2
2300 5.2 5.2
Average 4.5 4.8 5.4
This table shows at 130 patrol staffing hours daily (47,448 hours annually) results
in an average of 5.4 Officers on duty each hour. This equals approximately 21 Officers
deployed on the two shifts and working the current schedule (10 hour shifts + 2 hours
OT).
The following table shows theincreases in the committed time and the
corresponding reduction in the proactive time levels that can be expected if patrol hours
are reduced to 130 hours daily.
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Time 0000 Ã 0400 Ã 0800 - 1200 Ã 1600 - 2000 Ã Total
Block 0400 0800 1200 1600 2000 0000
Current (150 Hours)
21.6% 19.1% 48.1% 59.7% 56.9% 44.6%
Committed 42.0%
78.4% 80.9% 51.9% 40.3% 43.1% 55.4%
Proactive 58.0%
Impact of Reduction to 130 Hours
24.7% 21.8% 54.9% 68.1% 64.9% 50.9%
Committed47.9%
75.3% 78.2% 45.1% 31.9% 35.1% 49.1%
Proactive52.1%
Reducing daily patrol hours to 130 results in an overall reduction of proactive
time of approximately 6 percentage points. It also results in an estimated annual
savings of $1,164,888 (7,302 fewer Officer hours x the FY 2015-16 hourly rate of
$159.53).
A third option to contract for 120 hours daily patrol hours will result in the
reduction of the average hourly staffing level from 6.3 Officers (150 hours daily) to 5.0
Officers as shown in the following table.
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Patrol Officer Staffing à 120 Hours Daily
Hour Watch 1 (Nights) Watch 2 (Days) Hourly
1700-0500 & 0500-1700 & Average
1900-0700 0700-1900
0000 4.8 4.8
0100 4.8 4.8
0200 4.8 4.8
0300 4.8 4.8
0400 4.8 4.8
0500 2.4 2.6 5.0
0600 2.4 2.6 5.0
0700 5.2 5.2
0800 5.25.2
0900 5.25.2
1000 5.2 5.2
1100 5.2 5.2
1200 5.2 5.2
1300 5.2 5.2
1400 5.2 5.2
1500 5.2 5.2
1600 5.2 5.2
1700 2.4 2.6 5.0
1800 2.4 2.6 5.0
1900 4.8 4.8
2000 4.8 4.8
2100 4.8 4.8
2200 4.8 4.8
2300 4.8 4.8
Average 4.1 4.5 5.0
This table shows at 120 patrol staffing hours daily (43,800hours annually) results
in an average of 5.0Officers on duty each hour. This equals approximately 19Officers
deployed on the two shifts and working the current schedule (10 hour shifts + 2 hours
OT).
The following table shows the increases in the committed time and the
corresponding reduction in the proactive time levels that can be expected if patrol hours
are reduced to 120 hours daily.
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Time 0000 Ã 0400 Ã 0800 - 1200 Ã 1600 - 2000 Ã Total
Block 0400 0800 1200 1600 2000 0000
Current (150 Hours)
21.6% 19.1% 48.1% 59.7% 56.9% 44.6%
Committed 42.0%
78.4% 80.9% 51.9% 40.3% 43.1% 55.4%
Proactive 58.0%
Impact of Reduction to 120 Hours
Committed26.6%23.6%59.3%73.6%70.1%55.0%51.7%
Proactive73.4%76.4%40.7%26.4%29.9%45.0%48.3%
Reducing daily patrol hours to 120 results in an overall reduction of proactive
time of approximately 10 percentage points. It also results in an estimated annual
savings of $1,746,853 (10,950 fewer Officer hours x the FY 2015-16 hourly rate of
$159.53).
The 2014 proactive time equaled approximately 58% (or approximately 53% if
and estimated five percentage points of work not documented in CAD is included) which
is above the 45% proactive time level recommended for La Quinta by the project team.
This leads to a recommendation to reduce the current daily patrol staffing from 150
hours to 140 hours à this change should not result in a reduction in the calls for service
response and other any other policing service as the proactive time level will still remain
at a high level. The project team believes this is a moderate recommendation is a small
step and feasible without any reasonable risk to the community while yielding significant
savings to the City. Additionally, a reduction to 130 hours daily is also a reasonable
step to take if the budgetary restrictions call for it. The project team is not
recommending it at this time to evaluate the implementation of the moderate staffing
reduction to determine if there are any negative consequences resulting from a
reduction in hours.
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Recommendation:
Reduce the number of daily Patrol Officer hours from 150 daily to 140 hours daily;
this results in an annual savings à estimated at $581,965 in FY 2015-16.
4. CONSISTENCY OF PATROL OFFICER STAFF IN LA QUINTA.
As mentioned before in this report the Thermal Station has three service areas Ã
La Quinta, Coachella and a regional unincorporated area of the County. The RCSO
Deputies are initially assigned to all three areas to ensure that they are familiar with the
geography and different policies and practices that may exist. Additionally, Deputies
may express a preference for working in one of the three areas but it is not guaranteed
that they will spend a majority of their shifts consistently working in their desired area.
One of the benefits of a municipal police department is the consistency of staff
that work in the City and develop a familiarity and relationships with members of the
community. In striving toward a goal of Åcommunity policingÆ it is very important that
that the Officers policing the community become very familiar with their ÅbeatÆ. An
Officer that regularly works the same beat for months and years can get to know the
people, their concerns, the crime problems and issues in his/her beat and surrounding
beats. The project teamÈs experience in most contract cities is that the same Officers
are assigned to the contract city for years.
There will always be a degree of rotation and turnover in any agency but a
relatively consistent staff is the ÅnormÆ for almost all police departments and it should be
a goal of La Quinta to work with the SheriffÈs Office to regularly field the same Patrol
Officers and CSOs. A reasonable goal is to have at least 50% of the Patrol Officers and
CSOs always be assigned to La Quinta whenever they are working a regular shift.
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Recommendation:
La Quinta staff should work with the SheriffÈs Office to establish a goal that 50%
of the Patrol Officers (currently 12 = 50%) and Community Service Officers (3 =
50%) will always be assigned to La Quinta whenever they are working a regular
shift.
5. FIELD SUPERVISION IS A SIGNIFICANT NEED IN LA QUINTA.
There is one significant issue and concern regarding the current Patrol
Operations in La Quinta à the lack of a Sergeant specifically assigned to La Quinta on
14
each shift. The Patrol Sergeant(s) that are on duty are equally responsible for La
Quinta, Coachella and the unincorporated area patrolled by the Thermal Station.
Typically there are two Sergeants on duty each shift and they often separate primary
responsibilities for the three service areas but both of them do not necessarily spend
most of their time in the field as they have additional administrative tasks (e.g. shift
scheduling, training) that often keeps at least one Sergeant in the station. This results
in an inconsistent supervisory presence in La Quinta to oversee field operations.
The project team believes that a Åbest practiceÆ supervisor to staff ratio of
between 1:6 and 1:9 is applicable for LQPD and would provide sufficient direct
supervision and accountability for field operations. LQPD should have a dedicated
Patrol Sergeant that spends most of his/her shift in the field supervising and
coordinating the work of the 6Ã7 Patrol Officers, Motor Units and Community Service
Officers (the SET unit does have a Sergeant assigned when they are working).
Important functions of the Sergeant include managing the tasks and projects that
should be accomplished during available time and also appropriately assisting when the
14
There may be a Corporal working in La Quinta and performing some supervisory functions but they are
also primary responders to calls for service.
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workload level is high. During the busiest hours of the day (1200 - 2000 hours) Officers
will have fewer blocks of time to perform preventive patrol and other Åcommunity
policingÆ activities but at 40% - 43% proactive time level will still have time available to
regularly perform many of these activities. During these times of the day when Officers
have more time committed to handling calls for service it is important that Sergeants are
in the field and actively managing response to calls for service to ensure that sufficient,
but not excessive, resources are assigned to handle calls for service; and also maintain
availability of Officers throughout the City for additional incidents that may occur.
Additionally, during these times, Sergeants should be assisting in handling calls as
reasonably necessary, keeping in mind their primary supervision responsibility.
Regular and consistent field supervision is a critical component of effective patrol
operations as it is the SergeantÈs primary responsibility to ensure delivery of quality
services to the community, provide accountability for field units, be accessible to the
public and coordinate the work of Officers when they have proactive time available. The
project team recommends that La Quinta work with the RCSO to modify their contract to
provide for a field Sergeant that is dedicated to supervision of La Quinta field services Ã
this will require five positions to provide one Sergeant on duty 24/7. This should not
result in any significant net cost increase but it will mean that Sergeants will be funded
directly rather than as part of the ÅsupportedÆ rate (the supported rate should decrease
as it will no longer fund the Patrol Sergeants positions). However, this will require a
change in the way RCSO budgets for Patrol Sergeants for a contract city.
Recommendation:
La Quinta should work with the RCSO to modify the contract to provide a field
Sergeant that is dedicated to the supervision of La Quinta field services.
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6. EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF PROACTIVE TIME.
Patrol supervisors and managers should take steps to ensure that current Patrol
staff is used effectively to handle the call for service workload and that proactive time is
planned and managed to address identified needs in the community. This is a best
practice and very important to residents who desire a police force that is responsive to
their needs and concerns. Patrol OfficersÈ proactivity is a very important part of field
operations in communities such as La Quinta, where the call for service volume can
vary significantly during hours of the day and Åhigh seasonÆ and Ålow seasonÆ months.
The higher levels of Åproactive timeÆ from midnight to 0800 and the higher level of
committed time during the day is common in police agencies. During certain hours and
months, very little time may be available for proactive initiatives, while on other days
significant time may be spent on directed and officer-initiated activity.
When the level of proactive time is high it is important that police managers and
supervisors have planned activities for Officers that address crime problems and
community concerns. The regular high levels of proactive time from midnight to 0800
(and during other hours when the CFS volume is low) require that a significant portion of
OfficersÈ time should be used to conduct prescribed, productive tasks rather than
conducting random Åroutine patrolÆ and performing other tasks without a plan or
anticipated results. The on duty Sergeant should be involved in planning and
supervising these activities during the shift. Routine tasks should not be exclusively
enforcement activities but also ÅqualitativeÆ tasks such as visiting businesses that are
open during the night hours, security checks, addressing specific beat problems/issues
and other activities where Officers have an opportunity to meet members of the
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community. Obviously, some of these proactive activities are limited by the hour of the
day.
Planning and establishing patrol goals and specific pro-activity targets are
important for effective management of a patrol operations force and to ensure that
patrol officers are being used to accomplish desired tasks in meeting established goals.
In most communities, the expectations placed on the police department to ensure a safe
and orderly community are fairly high. Effectively managing proactive tasks of all field
personnel is one significant method to demonstrate the department is taking the
necessary steps toward the goal of creating and/or maintaining a safe community and a
perception of safety among residents.
It is important to note that this is the first evaluation of Patrol workload and it was
completed without the actual CAD data of all units responding to a call for service à this
analysis should be done when all call for service data can be obtained from the CAD
system. A workload analysis using 2015 data will augment the degree of confidence
that the results closely reflect the actual patrol workload time commitment.
Recommendation:
Adopt a process to enhance delivery of patrol services during the periods when
proactive time is available. The Assistant Chief, Patrol Lieutenant and Sergeants
should coordinate the development of plans that identify specific tasks/projects
that can be worked on or accomplished when proactive time is available during a
shift. Supervisors should actively manage Patrol OfficersÈ proactive time.
7. THE NUMBER OF LA QUINTA FUNDED DETECTIVES SHOULD BE
REDUCED.
As shown earlier in this report the La Quinta case workload does not support the
assignment (and funding) of approximately 6 Detectives to La Quinta. These
positions are not directly requested by La Quinta but are based on the overall number of
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staff assigned by RCSO to the Investigations Unit. While RCSO is the ultimate
determiner of an appropriate staffing level the appropriate level should only be
determined after consultation and discussion with La Quinta and the other contract
cities that are providing the funding for this unit. It is also important for La Quinta to
understand what services the City is receiving in exchange for the approximately $1.1
million annual cost ($167,440 salary & benefits cost per position).
The La Quinta case investigation workload only justifies, at most, three
Detectives and if staffed at that level would result in an annual cost savings of
approximately $586,040. The project team encourages La Quinta to work with the
RCSO to reduce the staffing level in the Investigations Unit so that La Quinta is only
funding the number of Detectives reasonably needed for the La Quinta workload.
Recommendations:
City staff should work with the RCSO to reduce the number of Detectives funded
by La Quinta to three Detectives which will result in a cost savings of
approximately $586,040 annually; this staffing level will provide sufficient staff to
conduct follow-up investigations for La Quinta while providing a moderate
caseload level for Detectives that provides capacity to absorb future increases in
workload.
Additionally, City staff should work with the RCSO to revise the methodology of
allocating the cost of Investigations Units (the Lieutenant, Sergeants and
Detectives) to an appropriate cost sharing percentage for each of the three
entities.
8. APPROPRIATE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
ENHANCE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
The level of technology uses in municipal and regional law enforcement agencies
has significantly increased over the last several decades. Some of the technologies
and systems have proven to have very valuable uses and others have proven to be
ineffective or too costly to maintain. Several technologies have been mentioned in this
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report and recommendations made (e.g. obtaining backup Officer data from the CAD
system, developing a method to open security gates for police officers) and two other
items being evaluated by many law enforcement agencies, including RCSO, are
discussed in this section.
The first item is Automatic Vehicle Locator (AVL) technology. This system
provides GPS tracking of patrol vehicles and is integrated with the dispatching system
so that the closest police unit to a call for service is known and identified by the
computer system and ÇrecommendedÈ as the police unit to be dispatched to the call.
This technology can help reduce the time it takes for an Officer to arrive at community
generated calls for service. RCSO has completed installation of this system in patrol
cars and is taking the steps needed to move toward implementing it in the field.
The second item is the use of body cameras worn by Police Officers. RCSO is
evaluating their usage and looking to implement them agency wide in the near future.
The use of body cameras has received significant media attention recently and the
widespread interest in quickly purchasing and implementing body camera technology
may appear to be a readily available solution to a complex problem. However, it
requires a cautious and careful approach rather than a reactionary adoption and
implementation of this tool. Recently an article in the Harvard Law Review cautioned
that ÅMoreover, body cameras are a powerful à and indiscriminate à technology. Their
proliferation over the next decade will inevitably change the nature of policing in
unexpected ways, quite possibly to the detriment of the citizens the cameras are
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15
intended to protect.Æ It is very important for law enforcement agencies and
communities to be aware of the use and limitations of this technology.
Proponents of body cameras point out that a camera will provide an unbiased
account of police-civilian contacts and encounters (which will likely lower the rate of
police misconduct and improve resolution of complaints against Officers), improve
training, provide evidence at trials and increase accountability and transparency of
police agencies. Frequently mentioned concerns related to the cameras include
personal privacy, not knowing who will have access to the recordings, costs of the
systems, storage of the data (and for how long) and that the cameras are another form
of increasing government surveillance of citizens.
As RCSO moves forward to implement body cameras there should be significant
discussion with policy makers and members of the public before this technology is
implemented.
15
Harvard Law Review, April 10, 2015, Vol 128, p. 1796
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APPENDIX A Ã SUMMARY OF THE SURVEY OF
RESIDENTS REGARDING POLICE SERVICES
As part of this study for the City of La Quinta the project team conducted a
community survey of the police services provided by the Riverside County SheriffÈs
Office. Citizens were able to access the survey on SurveyMonkey.com through a link
provided on the CityÈs website. The survey, which was anonymous, began by asking
respondents to identify how long they have lived in the community, if they had been in
contact with the police department within the last year, and whether or not this contact,
if applicable, had been the result of a traffic stop. A total of 541 people completed the
survey.
1. INTRODUCTION TO THE PURPOSE AND STRUCTURE OF THE SURVEY
The survey consisted of two sections. The first section contained 14 statements
to which respondents were asked to select one of the following responses: Åstrongly
agree,Æ Åagree,Æ Ådisagree,Æ and Åstrongly disagree.Æ For those that were neutral, this
additional selection was also provided as well as Ånot applicableÆ responses. The
statements in this section of the survey were designed to provide an understanding of
the perceptions, attitudes, and issues according to La Quinta Residents with respect to
level of service, overall responsiveness, and communication with the La Quinta Police
Department.
The second section of the survey asked the residents to identify the kinds of
crimes or services that are of greatest need in the community of La Quinta.
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While the survey was confidential, respondents were asked in the beginning to
indicate their length of residency in La Quinta and other information. The tables on the
following page present the length of residency of survey respondents, whether they
reside in a gated community, if they reside in the ÅCoveÆ area of La Quinta and if theyÈve
had any contact with police staff in La Quinta.
Length of Residency in La Quinta No. of % of Total
Respondents Responses
Less than 1 year 29 5%
1-2 years 48 9%
3-5 years 89 16%
6-10 years 117 22%
11-15 years 122 23%
16-20 years 59 11%
More than 20 years 72 13%
Blank 5 1%
Total 541 100%
Live in a Gated Community? No. of % of Total
Respondents Responses
Yes 195 36%
No 335 62%
Blank 11 2%
Total 541 100%
Live in the Cove area? No. of % of Total
Respondents Responses
Yes 252 47%
No 283 52%
Blank 6 1%
Total 541 100%
Any contact with Police Staff in La Quinta? No. of % of Total
Respondents Responses
No 321 59%
Yes, but only for a traffic offense. 19 4%
Yes, relating to something other than traffic offense. 198 37%
Blank 3 1%
Total 541 100%
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2. OVERALL LA QUINTA RESIDENTS HAD A POSITIVE OUTLOOK
REGARDING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
This section of the survey provided respondents with an opportunity to discuss
issues related to level of service, responsiveness, and overall communicative efforts of
the police department with the community and the table on the following page contains
residentsÈ responses to those statements.
Statement Agree DisagreeNeutral NA
82% 10% 8% 0%
1. I feel safe in my daily activities in the City.
75% 13% 12% 0%
2. I feel safe in the neighborhood where I live.
3. The La Quinta PD provides high levels of law
61% 13% 22% 4%
enforcement services to the La Quinta Community.
4. The level of law enforcement provided the La Quinta
64% 12% 21% 3%
PD improves the quality of life in La Quinta.
5. Residents and merchants have a high opinion of the
49% 11% 32% 8%
work done by the La Quinta PD.
6. La Quinta PD Staff are responsive to our law
61% 12% 22% 5%
enforcement needs.
7. The La Quinta PD does a good job anticipating and
52% 15% 26% 7%
responding to service needs.
8. La Quinta PD staff effectively communicate with the
44% 20% 28% 8%
community.
9. I am aware of crime prevention information and
38% 38% 18% 6%
program offered to La Quinta residents and businesses.
33% 19% 38% 10%
10. Crime Prevention programs in La Quinta are effective.
11. Officers are prompt in responding to complaints and
problems made by residents and those working in the 53% 12% 25% 10%
City.
Answer Only if you have had contact with LQPD
12. Appropriate action and / or follow-up was completed
58% 27% 15%
on my incident or issue.
66% 13% 21%
13. Officers are approachable / easy to talk to.
52% 14% 34%
14. Contract law enforcement is cost effective for our City.
The following chart provides a visual representation of the number of agreeing
(blue) and disagreeing (red) responses to each statement in this section. For each of
the statements all respondents that agreed were assigned a positive value, while the
number of respondents that disagreed were assigned a negative value (for example a Å-
30Æ on the chart reflects 30 respondents who disagreed with the statement).
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As the chart indicates residents generally had a positive outlook towards the La
Quinta Police Department and the services it provides. The following points provide
further detail regarding the sentiments of the community expressed through the survey:
¥ Statements #1 & #2 Ã on feeling safe: The majority of residents stated that they
felt safe in their daily life and also in their neighborhood. A few residents
disagreed but it is interesting to note that more residents felt safer in the city
overall compared their feeling of safety within their neighborhoods.
¥ Statements #3 & #4 Ã levels of law enforcement: Residents generally agreed
that the Police Department not only provides high levels of law enforcement
services to the community, but that the Department also help improves the
quality of life within the City.
¥Statement #5Ãonwork done by La Quinta PD:Nearly half of the respondents
(49%) agreed that residents and merchants have a high opinion of the work done
by La Quinta PD. Approximately a third of respondents (32%) chose to remain
neutral regarding the work done by La Quinta PD, while only 11% disagreed.
¥ Statements #6, 7, & #11 Ã on responsiveness of La Quinta PD: Generally,
respondents agreed that the Police Department was responsive, including
anticipating service needs and promptness of response to resident complaints.
¥ Statement #8 Ã on effectiveness of communication: There was a mixed
reaction to the effectiveness of communication by the Police Department with the
community. Approximately 44% of residents agreed that communication was
effective, but nearly 48% of respondents disagreed or were neutral about the
effectiveness of the communication.
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¥ Statements #9 & #10 Ã on crime prevention: There was no clear consensus
among residents regarding crime prevention information and programs being
effective. An equal number of residents agreed and disagreed (38%) regarding
awareness of crime prevention programs while only 33% of respondents agreed
and 38% remained neutral regarding crime prevention programs being effective.
The mixed reaction of respondents suggests that only some residents in the
community are aware of the crime prevention programs, hence the high
percentage of respondents that chose to remain neutral regarding the
effectiveness of those crime prevention programs.
The following points provide analysis to the statements that only required those
residents to respond that have had contact with La Quinta Police Department.
Therefore, for the purposes of analysis all not applicable answers in this category were
excluded.
¥ Statement #12 Ã on appropriate action or follow-up to incident: The majority
of these residents agreed that in the case of an incident or issue appropriate
action or follow-up was completed by the Police Department. However, 27% of
respondents did disagree with this statement. It is also interesting to note that
there were a higher number of strongly disagree responses compared to
disagree responses for this statement. Suggesting that of those respondents that
disagreed, they had a strong opinion regarding the mishandling of their incident
or issue.
¥ Statement #13 Ã on Officers being approachable: Approximately two-thirds of
residents (66%) agreed that Officers within the department are approachable.
Only about 13% of respondents disagreed. Similar to the previous statement,
there was a higher number of strongly disagree responses compared to disagree
responses.
¥ Statement #14 Ã cost effectiveness of contract law enforcement: Barely a
majority of respondents (52%) agreed that contract law enforcement is cost
effective. For this statement there was a higher number of strongly agree
responses compared to agree. Only about 14% of respondents disagreed, while
34% of respondents chose to remain neutral regarding assessing the cost
effectiveness of contract law enforcement.
Overall, La Quinta residents seem to feel safe within the community and believe
that the Police Department provides high levels of service and is able to be responsive
to their law enforcement needs. Residents do seem to be either unaware of crime
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prevention programs or have some concerns regarding the effectiveness of these
programs. Residents that have had contact with the Police department generally agreed
that the Department handled their issue appropriately, that the Officers are
approachable, and that contract law enforcement is cost effective.
The following subsections examine the survey results filtered on the basis of
whether residents live in a gated community or in the Cove residential area.
(1) Responses from Residents Living in a Gated Community
The following table contains the responses of only the people who self-identified
as living in a gated community.
Statement Agree DisagreeNeutral NA
1. I feel safe in my daily activities in the City. 95% 3% 2% 0%
2. I feel safe in the neighborhood where I live. 97% 1% 2% 0%
3. The La Quinta PD provides high levels of law
70% 5% 18% 7%
enforcement services to the La Quinta Community.
4. The level of law enforcement provided the La Quinta
73% 4% 17% 6%
PD improves the quality of life in La Quinta.
5. Residents and merchants have a high opinion of the
55% 5% 28% 12%
work done by the La Quinta PD.
6. La Quinta PD Staff are responsive to our law
69% 4% 18% 9%
enforcement needs.
7. The La Quinta PD does a good job anticipating and
60% 7% 25% 8%
responding to service needs.
8. La Quinta PD staff effectively communicate with the
52% 10% 26% 12%
community.
9. I am aware of crime prevention information and
41% 27% 23% 9%
program offered to La Quinta residents and businesses.
10. Crime Prevention programs in La Quinta are effective. 44% 7% 37% 12%
11. Officers are prompt in responding to complaints and
problems made by residents and those working in the 55% 5% 24% 16%
City.
Answer Only if you have had contact with LQPD
12. Appropriate action and / or follow-up was completed
72% 20% 8%
on my incident or issue.
13. Officers are approachable / easy to talk to. 71% 5% 24%
14. Contract law enforcement is cost effective for our City. 53% 7% 40%
The following graph presents a visual representation of the number of agreeing
(blue) and disagreeing (red) responses to each statement in this section. For each of
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the statements all respondents that agreed were assigned a positive value, while the
number of respondents that disagreed were assigned a negative value.
Unlike the overall results, the gated community residents seem to have a much
more positive outlook towards the Police Department. Further analysis is discussed in
the following points:
¥ Statements #1 & #2 Ã on feeling safe: An overwhelming majority of residents
(95% and 97%) agreed that they felt safe in the city and within their
neighborhood. Unlike the overall results, a slightly higher number of gated
community residents felt safer in the neighborhood in which they live relative to
the city overall. This would be expected as a gated community is generally
considered to be safer than neighborhoods lacking gates to control outside
visitors and non-residents from frequenting the neighborhood.
¥ Statements #3 & #4 Ã levels of law enforcement: Similar to the overall results,
gated community residents generally agreed that the levels of law enforcement
provided by the Department were high and that they improved the overall quality
of life in La Quinta. In fact, the results show that more respondents strongly
agreed with this sentiment relative to just agreeing with it. Only 4-5% of residents
disagreed with this statement.
¥ Statement #5 Ã on work done by La Quinta PD: Unlike the overall results, a
clear majority of gated community residents have a high opinion of the work done
by the Police Department and only 5% disagreed with the statement.
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¥ Statements #6, 7, & #11 Ã on responsiveness of La Quinta PD: Generally
gated community residents agreed that the Department as a whole is not only
responsive to the needs of the city, but are also prompt in their responsiveness.
A significant portion of residents (18-25%) did choose to remain neutral regarding
the responsiveness of the Police Department which closely mirrors the overall
results.
¥ Statement #8 Ã on effectiveness of communication: Filtering respondents by
gated community residents revealed a slight majority (52%) of gated community
residents believe that the Police Department staff effectively communicate with
the community. While only 10% disagreed, 38% of respondents either had no
opinion or chose to mark not applicable for this statement.
¥ Statements #9 & #10 Ã on crime prevention: Similar to the overall results,
there was no clear consensus among gated community residents regarding
crime prevention programs and their effectiveness à a plurality of respondents
(41% and 44% respectively) agreed with the statements. The lack of awareness
of crime prevention programs among the gated community residents could help
explain the high number of respondents for the neutral and not applicable
categories for the statement evaluating the effectiveness of crime prevention
programs.
The following points provide analysis of the responses from people who had
contact with Police Department staff. Therefore, for the purposes of analysis all Ånot
applicableÆ answers in this category were excluded.
¥ Statement #12 Ã on appropriate action or follow-up to incident: A higher
proportion of gated community respondents (72%) compared to overall
respondents (58%) agreed that the Department completed appropriate actions to
follow-up on any incidents or issues.
¥ Statement #13 Ã on Officers being approachable: Only 5% of gated
community residents disagreed with Officers being approachable. This is another
instance in which the number of strongly agreed responses, far outweighed the
number of agreed responses.
¥ Statement #14 Ã cost effectiveness of contract law enforcement: Similar to
the overall results a slight majority of respondents, 53%, agreed that contract law
enforcement is cost effective. However, it is important to note that approximately
40% of gated community respondents chose to remain neutral about the cost
effectiveness of contract law enforcement which is higher than the percentage
(34%) noted for the overall results.
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Generally, gated community residents seem to have a much more favorable
outlook on the Police Department compared residents living in other areas of La Quinta.
This is especially true considering feeling safe within the neighborhood, their high
opinion of the work done by the Police Department and their positive interaction with the
Police Department. However, even gated community residents are unaware of the
crime prevention programs and could not arrive at a clear consensus concerning the
cost effectiveness of contract police services.
(2) Responses from Residents of the Cove Residential Area
The following table contains the responses of only the people who self-identified
as living in the ÅCoveÆ area of La Quinta.
Statement Agree Disagree Neutral NA
1. I feel safe in my daily activities in the City. 73% 15% 12% 0%
2. I feel safe in the neighborhood where I live. 60% 24% 16% 0%
3. The La Quinta PD provides high levels of law
45% 17% 25% 3%
enforcement services to the La Quinta Community.
4. The level of law enforcement provided the La Quinta
59% 17% 23% 1%
PD improves the quality of life in La Quinta.
5. Residents and merchants have a high opinion of the
45% 15% 35% 5%
work done by the La Quinta PD.
6. La Quinta PD Staff are responsive to our law
57% 17% 24% 2%
enforcement needs.
7. The La Quinta PD does a good job anticipating and
48% 18% 27% 7%
responding to service needs.
8. La Quinta PD staff effectively communicate with the
41% 26% 28% 5%
community.
9. I am aware of crime prevention information and
36% 44% 15% 5%
program offered to La Quinta residents and businesses.
10. Crime Prevention programs in La Quinta are effective. 26% 26% 41% 7%
11. Officers are prompt in responding to complaints and
problems made by residents and those working in the 51% 14% 27% 8%
City.
Answer Only if you have had contact with LQPD
12. Appropriate action and / or follow-up was completed
56% 31% 13%
on my incident or issue.
13. Officers are approachable / easy to talk to. 64% 17% 19%
14. Contract law enforcement is cost effective for our City. 52% 14% 34%
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The following graph presents a visual representation of the number of agreeing
(blue) and disagreeing (red) responses to each statement in this section. For each of
the statements all respondents that agreed were assigned a positive value, while the
number of respondents that disagreed were assigned a negative value.
The results of the Cove Area respondents closely mirror that of the overall
results, as nearly half of the respondents to the survey reside in the cove residential
area. Further analysis is discussed in the following points:
¥ Statements #1 & #2 Ã on feeling safe: While the majority of cove area residents
felt safe within the City and in their neighborhood, nearly 14% of cove area
residents felt safer in the city compared to their own neighborhood.
¥ Statements #3 & #4 Ã levels of law enforcement: Unlike the overall and gated
community residentsÈ responses, the Cove area residents had no clear
consensus regarding whether the La Quinta Police Department provided high
levels of service to the community. However, the Cove area residents agreed
that the current level of law enforcement provided by the Department did improve
the quality of life.
¥ Statement #5 Ã on work done by La Quinta PD: Similar to the overall results,
no category (agree, disagree, or neutral) had a clear majority, as approximately
45% of the Cove area respondents agreed that they a high opinion of the work
done by the Police Department.
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¥ Statements #6, 7, & #11 Ã on responsiveness of La Quinta PD: While the
Cove area residents believe LQPD to be responsive to their law enforcement
needs and prompt in responding to complaints, there is no clear consensus
regarding the Department being good at anticipating the service needs for those
residents. This response pattern is unlike the overall results and gated
community results, but is consistent with the level of law enforcement responses
discussed for the Cove residents. The response percentages suggest that
Department is good at being responsive when the situation or need arises but
there is some concern regarding the DepartmentÈs ability to anticipate the needs
of residents of the Cove.
¥ Statement #8 Ã on effectiveness of communication: Unlike the gated
community residents, Cove residents had mixed reactions regarding the
effectiveness of communication of the Police Department staff with the
community. However, this response pattern was consistent with the overall
results of the survey.
¥ Statements #9 & #10 Ã on crime prevention: Similar to the overall results and
gated community residents, the Cove residents were just as unclear about their
ability to agree, disagree, or remain neutral regarding the presence of crime
prevention programs and their effectiveness. In fact, a plurality of respondents,
44%, disagreed that they were even aware of crime prevention programs, and
41% chose to remain neutral regarding the effectiveness of crime prevention
programs.
The following points provide analysis of the responses from people who had
contact with Police Department staff. Therefore, for the purposes of analysis all Ånot
applicableÆ answers in this category were excluded.
¥ Statement #12 Ã on appropriate action or follow-up to incident: A clear
majority of the Cove respondents, 56%, agreed that the Department completed
appropriate actions or follow-ups to their incidents / issues. This response
percentage (56%) is only 2% lower than the overall results (58%), but is 16%
lower than the gated community residents. This suggests that residents of the
Cove have a less positive experience relative to gated community residents.
¥ Statement #13 Ã on Officers being approachable: Approximately 64% of Cove
area residents found La Quinta Officers to be approachable, which is fairly
consistent with overall percentage and gated community resident results.
However, it is interesting to note that the number of strongly disagreed
respondents far outweighed the number of disagreed respondents for this
statement. This suggests that the residents who found Officers to be
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unapproachable held strong opinions about this compared to the number of
individuals that felt Officers were approachable.
¥ Statement #14 Ã cost effectiveness of contract law enforcement: Similar to
the overall results and gated community residents a small majority of
respondents, 52%, agreed that contract law enforcement is cost effective and
approximately 34% chose to remain neutral regarding the issue.
The response pattern of the Cove residents closely resembles that of the overall
results and varies greatly from gated community Residents. Some of the areas of
concern for the Cove area residents are the lack of consensus regarding the La Quinta
Police Department providing high levels of service, having a high opinion of the work
done by the Police Department, and effective communication of PD staff. However,
similar to gated community residents, there is lack of awareness of crime prevention
programs, and their inability to assess the effectiveness of those programs.
(3) Summary
Overall, examining the responses by gated community residents and the Cove
area residents separately allowed the project team to evaluate the response patterns
from a variety of perspectives within the community. The difference in responses for the
two sets of results showed that residents of gated communities generally felt safer in
their neighborhood and in the City compared to Cove area residents and had a more
positive outlook towards the Police Department. Additionally, Cove area residents had
less confidence in the Police Department compared to gated community residents and
the overall La Quinta community. These differences can help the Department evaluate
the greatest areas of need for the community on a neighborhood level and overall for
the City of La Quinta.
3. GENERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CONCERNS
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Final Report of the Review of Police Services and Crime Trends
In addition to the surveyÈs forced choice questions, the second section of the
survey asked respondents to provide input regarding the types of crime in La Quinta
that concern the community and / or the greatest service needs for the area. The results
of this section of the survey are summarized in the following table, which have been
ranked in order of greatest number of responses to fewest number of responses.
Category Number % of Total
297
Burglary 70%
216
Speeding on Residential Streets 51%
176
Theft from Vehicles 42%
141
Violent Crime 33%
98
Other 23%
94
Graffiti 22%
60
Traffic Accidents 14%
As the table above shows the greatest concern residents have is burglary, which
is followed by speeding on residential streets. Some of the responses noted in the other
category relate to gang violence, drag racing, red light violations, and drug activity.
Overall, residents seem relatively unconcerned regarding traffic accidents, but did
express that there needs to be greater emphasis on crime prevention in the community.
The emphasis on crime prevention is consistent with the responses noted in the first
section of the survey, as many of the residents seem to be unaware of the current crime
prevention programs, or cannot evaluate the effectiveness of those programs.
Similar to the first section, of the survey, the following subsections break out the
law enforcement needs and concerns responses by gated community and the Cove
residents.
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Final Report of the Review of Police Services and Crime Trends
(1) Gated Community
The responses to this second section of the survey were filtered to only reflect
the concerns of residents of gated communities. The following table ranks from highest
to lowest the greatest law enforcement concerns for gated community residents:
Category Number % of Total
83
Burglary 59%
62
Speeding on Residential Streets 44%
47
Theft from Vehicles 33%
37
Violent Crime 26%
31
Other 22%
30
Traffic Accidents 21%
14
Graffiti 10%
The table above shows that for the majority of categories, the concerns of the
gated community residents closely mirror that of the overall La Quinta community. As
for the other category, the respondents discussed red light or stop sign violations and
crime prevention as the source of concern. The primary difference in responses among
the two survey categories is related to the traffic accidents and graffiti. For gated
community residentsÈ graffiti is the lowest source of concern relative to traffic accidents.
(2) Cove Residential Area
The responses to this second section of the survey were filtered to only reflect
the concerns of the Cove residents. The following table ranks from highest to lowest the
greatest law enforcement concerns for gated community residents:
Category Number % of Total
158
Burglary 80%
104
Speeding on Residential Streets 53%
90
Violent Crime 46%
87
Theft from Vehicles 44%
56
Graffiti 28%
50
Other 25%
14
Traffic Accidents 7%
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Final Report of the Review of Police Services and Crime Trends
The table on the previous page shows that priority of law enforcement concerns
for Cove area residents varies greatly from overall and gated community residents.
Most notably there is a significant jump in violent crime response percentage for this
area residents and also for graffiti. This suggests that Cove area residents have
different areas of concern relative to the entire La Quinta community. Additionally, the
other category for this sub-set of respondents primarily relates to gang and drug activity
concerns.
(3) Summary
Compared to the first section of the survey, there is greater consistency among
responses in this second section of the survey across the various different citizen
groups. Clearly, whether residents reside in the general La Quinta area, in a gated
community, or in the Cove area, the greatest concerns are burglary and speeding on
residential streets. However, residents in the Cove are much more concerned with
violent crime compared to residents of gated communities who are much more
concerned with theft from vehicles. Similar to the first section of the survey, the varied
needs of the residents (gated community or Cove area residents), provides the Police
Department with insight regarding the greatest needs for those communities within La
Quinta.
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CITY OF LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA
Final Report of the Review of Police Services and Crime Trends
APPENDIX B Ã SUMMARY OF THE COMMUNITY
FOCUS GROUPS
As part of this study the project team conducted three community focus groups
that were conduct on March 10 and 11, 2015 in La Quinta. The purpose of these
groups was to obtain input from members of the community regarding their perceptions
about the La Quinta Police Department on a variety of topics related to the type and
quality of service provided by the Department and the opportunity to provide their
opinions on any other topic related to police services. City staff publicized these
meetings on the City website and in the local media to inform the residents of the
opportunity to provide their input. This section provides a summary of the input
received at these meetings.
The meetings were hosted by the project team and held at a room in City Hall. A
total of 28 community members attended the meetings:
¥ 16 people attended on Tuesday March 10, 4:30 PM
¥ 7 people attended on Tuesday March 10, 6:30 PM
¥ 5 people attended on Wednesday March 11, 8:30 AM
Group participants were provided an overview of the police services study and
the role of the consulting group. The participants were asked to provide their ideas on
what police services they needed Åmore ofÆ, what they needed Åless ofÆ and what police
services were Åabout rightÆ in the La Quinta community. They were asked to provide
specific positive incidents or items they had experienced and also their opinions on any
other related issues that concerned them.
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Final Report of the Review of Police Services and Crime Trends
At each session participants were asked to register their personal and then
collective views about the issues relating to the La Quinta Police Department. Each
statement was written down and toward the end of the session each participant was
asked to select their most important items. Participants were given 3 dots and asked to
ÅvoteÆ for their top priority issues and their secondary priority issues (they could place all
three dots on one item if they so choose). The following table summarizes the
participantsÈ responses à sorted beginning with the highest number of Åtop priorityÆ
picks.
Item or Issue Top Secondary
Priority Priority
Increased visibility of Officers in neighborhoods and city streets; more 17 5
proactive policing of Officers taking action when they observe incidents
More traffic enforcement at hot spot areas, residential collector and major 13 5
streets (red light violations, stop signs, speeding, bicycles, golf carts)
More Officers on patrol, especially at night 8 3
More enforcement of quality of life issues - abandoned vehicles, furniture in 7 3
yards, on street
More enforcement of drug laws in the parks and throughout the city 6 7
More enforcement of truancy laws in the parks, under-age drinking; graffiti 6 4
crimes citywide
Frequently hear gunfire in neighborhood and helicopters overhead (the 4 1
Cove) which reduces the perception of safety
Officers working in La Quinta to be more familiar with the city, responsive to 3 6
citizens and "invested" / engaged in the community
More current crime information on PD website (able to sort by crime, date, 3 1
etc.)
More information provided to residents on City website, in the "GEM" about 3 1
neighborhood associations, crime trends (e.g. burglary), crime prevention
Improve traffic engineering - narrow wide streets to improve safety; improve 2 7
maintenance (some stop signs obstructed due to overgrowth of
bushes/trees)
Increase communication - obtain residents input more often 2 5
More coordination between the PD and Citizens on Patrol 2 2
More enforcement of vicious dog laws; owner control of dogs 2 0
More communication from the PD on problems reported - provide info back 1 9
to the reporting party; fewer "not your business" responses from Officers
More PD coordination of landlord / tenant situations where the tenant is 1 1
frequently disturbing the neighborhood
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Final Report of the Review of Police Services and Crime Trends
Item or Issue Top Secondary
Priority Priority
Increased use 'reverse 911' system to inform residents more about crimes 1 0
and problems when they are occurring (safety information)
More knowledgeable Officers about animal control and code enforcement 0 3
issues
Provide personal defense training classes 0 2
The following additional comments were given regarding what police services
were Åabout rightÆ and generally positive features about the Department, they are:
¥ Good response times to calls
¥ Coffee with a Cop is a very positive program that provides good interaction
¥ The number of School Resources Officers is about right and they provide a good
presence at the schools
¥ Low visibility of panhandlers, transients and graffiti
¥ Officers are very courteous
¥ The PD has great resources and equipment
¥ Officers are well trained
These are the main issues that the community focus group participants believe
the Police Department and City should address.
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Final Report of the Review of Police Services and Crime Trends
APPENDIX C Ã PROFILE OF POLICE DEPARTMENT
CONTRACTED POSITIONS
This detailed description of the positions in the La Quinta Police Department
provides information regarding the current organization and police services provided to
the City by the Riverside County SheriffÈs Office. The City has a total of sworn and
civilian positions directly funded by the City. There are additional RCSO staff positions
partially funded by La Quinta that provide additional services (e.g. traffic accident
investigation, administrative oversight) that are not listed in the table below. The
authorized positions are:
The table below provides the classification and number of La Quinta Police
Department personnel as well as a summary of their primary roles and job tasks.
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Primary La Quinta Police Department Contracted Positions
Function Classification and Key Roles and Responsibilities
Funded Staffing Level
Office of the Chief (Captain) NA ¥ Provides the overall leadership, guidance,
Chief management and administration of personnel and
Assistant Chief 1 police services for the City.
(Lieutenant) ¥ Oversees and coordinates all police services in the
City to meet objectives set by the City Manager and
Council.
¥ Closely works with the City Manager to meet the
provisions of the contract with the SheriffÈs
Department.
¥ Attends Council meetings and other special meetings
and City events, safety fairs during the week and on
weekends.
¥ Implements Department policies, procedures, goals
and objectives.
¥ Supervises the Admin/Traffic Sergeant and SET
Sergeant.
¥ Develops and maintains good working relationships
with other managers in the City and peers in the
regional and state law enforcement community.
¥ Develops and maintains good working relationships
with local business leaders, community leaders and
school officials.
¥ Attends special events
¥ Performs routine administrative functions in the day
to day management of the Department.
¥ Works dayshift hours and responds 24/7 to
emergency incidents as necessary.
Patrol Officer 30.76 ¥ Respond to all calls for service in the city, including
(30.76 Officers is crimes against persons, property crimes, domestic
the equivalent of disputes, traffic collisions, disturbances.
150 hours of ¥ Provide direct field enforcement of all applicable laws
patrol staffing and ordinances.
daily) ¥ Write reports; conduct preliminary investigations of
crime, conducts follow-up investigations as
appropriate, book prisoners, transport prisoners.
¥ Engage in neighborhood patrols, directed patrol,
traffic enforcement and other proactive activities to
reduce and prevent crime.
¥ Respond to questions, concerns and requests from
the general public and provides information and
problem resolution as necessary.
¥ Identify and address both criminal and quality of life
issues on their beat.
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Primary La Quinta Police Department Contracted Positions
Function Classification and Key Roles and Responsibilities
Funded Staffing Level
Patrol Community 4 ¥ This civilian position responds to low risk calls for
Services Officer service, provides assistance to sworn field staff and
also conducts proactive activities.
¥ Primary duties include investigation of minor crimes
(auto burglary, graffiti), traffic accidents, parking
violations and transportation of low risk arrestees
from the field to jail.
¥ Assist Patrol Officers as needed at crime incidents
and traffic accidents, including traffic direction and
towing vehicles.
Field Services Administrative / 1 ¥ Provides assistance to the Lieutenant on special
Traffic Sergeant events, project and other matters relating to La
Quinta police services.
¥ Supervises the four Motor Units, the School
Resource Officers and two Community Service
Officers assigned to Crime Prevention duties.
¥ Manages the ÅCitizens on PatrolÆ volunteer program.
¥ Performs a variety of routine administrative tasks.
¥ Attends meetings related to special event planning.
¥ Special event coordination for special events such as
golf tournaments and July 4 festivities.
¥ Works with the SROs to coordinate and host the La
Quinta Cadet Academy for five weeks during the
summer.
¥ Other special projects as assigned.
¥ Works 0700-1700 hours Monday à Thursday.
Field Services Motor Officers 4 ¥ Enforce traffic safety laws; provide targeted
enforcement in an attempt to reduce traffic accidents.
¥ Receive and investigate traffic related complaints
made by members of the public and conduct related
enforcement.
¥ Investigate major injury and fatal traffic accidents.
¥ Plan for and work special events throughout the year.
¥ Normally work 10 hour shifts to provide coverage
from 0600-1700 hours M-F and adjusts hours as
necessary to work complaints and traffic safety
projects.
Note: Currently one Officer position is staffed by a
Corporal
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Primary La Quinta Police Department Contracted Positions
Function Classification and Key Roles and Responsibilities
Funded Staffing Level
Field Services Community 2 ¥ This civilian position provides a variety of police
Service Officer related services to the LQPD and community.
¥ Administers the social media sites (e.g. LQPD
website, Facebook) and posts crime and other
updates weekly.
¥ Creates and publishes the LQPD quarterly report that
provides crime, performance and other statistical
information.
¥ Coordinates special events such as the Safety Faire,
City picnic and birthday bash, bike rodeo, Tip-a-Cop
and Christmas toy drive.
¥ Coordinates and hosts regular events such as the
monthly Coffee with a Cop meetings, quarterly
business district meetings; staffs a LQPD information
booth at the FarmerÈs Market.
¥ Conducts CPTED surveys as requested; assists new
Neighborhood Watch groups with information and
attends start up meeting.
¥ Follows up and completes incident reports over the
phone for the people who have reported the incident
on the website.
¥ Assists with the Citizens on Patrol volunteers.
¥ The two CSOs work 0700-1700; Mon.-Thurs. and
Tues.-Fri
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Primary La Quinta Police Department Contracted Positions
Function Classification and Key Roles and Responsibilities
Funded Staffing Level
Field Services à Sergeant 1 ¥ Provide directed proactive patrol in La Quinta that
Special Officers 5 focuses on recent crime trends.
Enforcement Business District 2 ¥ Conducts proactive efforts to address crime trends
Team (SET) Officers and try and solve the crimes; e.g. a series of
burglaries that needed surveillance to identify the
suspects and search warrants to obtain evidence.
¥ Responds to calls for service and provides back-up
to patrol units when needed.
¥ Attends HOA meetings to provide crime prevention
information.
¥ Work in the neighborhoods on quality of life
concerns/complaints such as graffiti, abandoned
vehicles, refuse in vacant lots, etc.
¥ Conducts parole and probation visits/searches;
serves arrest warrants and search warrants.
¥ Conducts time sensitive follow-up on some cases for
Detectives and attempts to locate suspects.
¥ The SET maintains a close working relationship with
the Narcotics and Gang Task Forces to exchange
information on crime suspects that are active in the
community.
¥ Assists Patrol and other units with special projects
such as DUI checkpoints.
Business District Officers:
¥ Work with businesses to reduce shoplifting and other
crimes at businesses in La Quinta; the focus on the
Highway 111 corridor and other business districts
and shopping centers in La Quinta.
¥ Respond to shoplifting crimes and conduct extensive
follow-up to solve the crime.
¥ Conduct proactive patrol in the business areas to
provide a visible police presence to prevent crime.
¥ Conduct quarterly crime prevention related business
meetings.
¥ The Sergeant and 5 Officers primarily work swing
shift hours Tues.-Fri; the 2 Business District Officers
work 0800-1800 Tues.-Fri.
Coachella Valley Officer 1 ¥ Assigned to the regional Task Force to combat
Narcotics Task narcotics crimes in the Coachella Valley.
Force
Gang Task Force Officer 1 ¥ Assigned to the regional Task Force to combat
criminal gangs and gang related crimes in the
Coachella Valley.
Sub-Total à Primary Positions 52.76
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Other ÅSupportingÆ Positions for La Quinta Police Department
Function Classification and Key Roles and Responsibilities
Funded Staffing Level
Patrol, Lieutenant 1.63 Patrol:
Investigations ¥ Oversees the work of the Patrol Sergeants; ensures
there is adequate staffing to handle calls in the field.
¥ Responsible for and supervises the Officers working
in La Quinta, Coachella and the unincorporated
portions of the County to ensure field resources are
being utilized properly to address calls for service
and problems.
¥ Reviews written work and reports of Sergeants.
¥ Trains, counsels, mentors and audits employeesÈ
performance; takes corrective or disciplinary action
as necessary.
¥ Receives and handles complaints from members of
the public.
Investigations:
¥ Review, assign cases for follow-up, coordinate
overall work of the Investigations Unit. Provide
direction to Sergeants.
¥ Lieutenants are subject to call-out as needed.
Patrol, Sergeant 6.85 Patrol:
Investigations ¥ Serves as the shift supervisor during the work shift;
ensures there is adequate staffing to handle calls in
the field.
¥ Responsible for and supervises the Officers working
in La Quinta, Coachella and the unincorporated
portions of the County to ensure field resources are
being utilized properly to address calls for service
and problems.
¥ Responds to major incidents and coordinates field
responses as appropriate.
¥ Keeps the Assistant Chief informed of significant or
newsworthy incidents.
¥ Reviews written work and reports of Officers.
¥ Conducts annual performance reviews.
¥ Trains, counsels, mentors and audits employeesÈ
performance; takes corrective or disciplinary action
as necessary.
¥ Receives and handles complaints from members of
the public.
Investigations:
¥ Review, assign cases for follow-up, coordinate
overall investigation of assigned crimes in La Quinta
and other locations. Conduct follow-up
investigations for all assigned cases, both person
crimes and property crimes, and other incidents that
require follow-up investigation.
¥ Sergeants are subject to call-out as needed.
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Other ÅSupportingÆ Positions for La Quinta Police Department
Function Classification and Key Roles and Responsibilities
Funded Staffing Level
Investigations Investigators 6.47 ¥ Conduct follow-up investigations for all assigned
cases, both person crimes and property crimes,
including: robbery, burglary, rape, sexual assaults,
missing persons, larceny and frauds, and other
crimes that may occur in La Quinta that require
follow-up investigation.
¥ Coordinate with Patrol Officers as necessary to
complete crime reports and investigations.
¥ Detectives are subject to call-out as needed.
Sub-Total of ÅSupportingÆ 14.95
Positions
Total Police Department Positions 67.71
In total, La QuintaÈs police services has a total of 52.76 primary Police
Department positions (46.76 sworn and 6 civilian positions) and 14.95 ÅsupportingÆ
positions for an overall Police Department staff of 67.71 positions.
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FS MeFS Me
is a sans serif
font that includes eight variable typefaces all within the same font family. These
include:
Light
Light Italic
Regular
Regular Italic
Bold
Bold Italic
Heavy
Heavy Italic
For demonstration, the remainder of this report will be written in “FS Me Regular, and
FS Me Bold
.”
Color Palette
Color is an integral part of a visual identity. When used correctly, colors establish a
distinctively unique visual style across all City communications. The proposed color
palette is derived from the PlayInLaQuinta.com website, which is the first point of
contact for many visitors to La Quinta. This color palette includes:
LQ Light LQ
LQ Blue LQ Gray White
Blue Yellow
Roll-Out
If approved, the public roll-out would take approximately three months. This includes
changing all of the letterhead, envelopes, business cards, staff uniform apparel,
255
promotional advertisements, City websites, fleet vehicles, and all other digital files with a
branded masthead. The “FS Me” font would be loaded on all City computers and used
as the default font for all written communications. An unveiling event could be planned
to announce the refreshed brand if the Council requests.
Updates to existing directional signage, parks and building signage, and the entrance
monument signs require significant updates and require additional research and
funding. These updates would be brought back to the Council at a later date.
Next Steps
If approved, staff will create a timeline and coordinate the public roll-out.
Report prepared by: Tustin Larson, Marketing & Events Supervisor
Report approved for submission by:Edie Hylton, Deputy City Manager
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1B
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ATTACHMENT1
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
FOR THE
EAST VALLEY COALITION
This Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) is made and entered into this ____ day of
______________, 2015 by and between the COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE, and the cities of
COACHELLA, INDIO AND LA QUINTA, hereinafter individually and collectively referred to
as the “PARTY” or “PARTIES”.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the PARTIES have determined that there exists a need to stimulate
economic development growth in areas within the boundaries of the PARTIES;
WHEREAS, the PARTIES have determined that there exists a desire to jointly manage,
coordinate, market and administer economic development programs and projects in the eastern
Coachella Valley; and
WHEREAS, the PARTIES desire to enter into an MOU as hereinafter set forth for
matters concerning the conduct of economic development activities;
WHEREAS, the PARTIES have the common power to undertake economic development
activities and pursuant to Government Code Section 6500 et. seq., have the power to enter into
this agreement;
NOW THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants, conditions and
advantages herein stated, the PARTIES hereto do agree as follows:
SECTION I
CREATION, PURPOSE AND GOALS
1.1In undertaking the economic development activities set forth in this MOU, the PARTIES
agree to jointly conduct such activities under the moniker of the “East Valley Coalition”,
hereinafter referred to as the “EVC”.
1.2The purpose of this MOU is to formalize the understanding between the PARTIES and
set forth the terms by which the PARTIES will manage, coordinate, market, and
administer economic development activities, programs and projects in the eastern portion
of the Coachella Valley within the boundaries of PARTIES. The PARTIES agree that
the purpose for conducting the activities as a coordinated group (i.e. EVC) shall include,
but are not limited to the following:
a.Implement a regional marketing program for areas that comprise the EVC;
b.Act as a resource and business center to aid start-up and business expansion
efforts, provide financial assistance information, job creation efforts, and other
economic development incentives;
c.Assist coordination and targeting of available federal, state and local funds
and development programs;
1
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d.Assist development of computerized economic information systems,
establishing and/or utilizing data bases necessary for economic growth;
e.Perform such other functions as may be deemed necessary and appropriate to
meet the objectives of the EVC.
1.3 The Goals of the EVC were developed by PARTIES and are outlined and specified in
Exhibit A, GOALS AND MEASURED OUTCOMES, attached hereto and incorporated
by this reference. The PARTIES agree to put their best effort in accomplishing such
goals.
SECTION II
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
In conducting the economic development activities set forth in this MOU, the PARTIES
individually agree to perform the following tasks or undertaking:
2.1The County of Riverside will:
a.Create and maintain a basic web site for the EVC with links to the
jurisdictions;
b.Provide a lead staff member to coordinate all activities of the EVC;
c.Provide financial support as determined in Section 5.2; and
d.Assist in the development of economic development strategies for the EVC;
2.2The City of Coachella will :
a.Provide staff member to assist in coordinating activities of the EVC;
b.Provide financial support as determined in Section 5.2; and
c.Assist in the development of economic development strategies for the EVC;
2.3The City of Indio will:
a.Serve as fiscal agent for the EVC, producing financial reports and statements;
b.Provide staff member to assist in coordinating activities of the EVC;
c.Provide financial support as determined in Section 5.2; and
d.Assist in the development of economic development strategies for the EVC;
2.4The City of La Quinta will:
a.Provide a staff member to assist in coordinating activities of EVC;
b.Provide financial support as determined in Section 5.2; and
c.Assist in the development of economic development strategies for the EVC;
SECTION III
EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERM
3.1This MOU shall become effective as of the date on which the last governing body
approves this MOU (“Effective Date”).
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3.2The Term of the MOU will commence on the Effective Date and continue for two years
at which point the MOU will automatically terminate unless otherwise extended by an
amendment to this Agreement executed by all of the Parties.
SECTION IV
ASSOCIATE PARTNERS
4.1The EVC, through the PARTIES, may engage other public agencies as partners for the
undertaking of the economic development activities described herein. Public agencies
desiring to become an Associate Partner shall submit minute order from their governing
body for consideration to each of the PARTIES for their individual approval. Unanimous
approval by all PARTIES will be required to grant Associate Partner status, evidenced by
a minute order from each of the PARTIES. Once approved by all the PARTIES and
upon payment of the partner contribution (in an amount determined collectively by the
PARTIES), the Associated Partner status shall be approved. A partner shall be entitled to
participate in the programs of the EVC but is not a party to the MOU.
SECTION V
FINANCING AND BUDGETING
5.1 It is the intent and understanding of the PARTIES to this MOU that the activities
conducted in the name of the EVC will be financed by mandatory contributions from the
PARTIES.
5.2 Each PARTY shall contribute a mandatory contribution of Ten Thousand Dollars
($10,000.00) per fiscal year (“Mandatory Contribution”).The Mandatory Contribution
shall be used only for administrative and other matters of general benefit to all PARTIES
that further the purposes of the MOU and for the activities described in this MOU.
st
5.3 Payments shall be made yearly on July 1. Payments shall be made payable to and
remitted to the PARTY that is the fiscal agent.
5.4 A general administrative budget shall be approved by the City Managers in the case of
the cities of Coachella, Indio and La Quinta, and the Assistant County Executive
Officer/EDA, in the case of the County of Riverside. The budget shall be prepared in
sufficient detail to constitute an operating outline for the use of the Mandatory
Contributions and shall cover expenditures to be made during the ensuing year for the
purposes set forth in Section 5.2.
SECTION VI
ACCOUNTING
6.1 The City of Indio is designated as the fiscal agent.
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SECTION VII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
7.1 Indemnification. Each of the PARTIES agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless
each and every other PARTY and its officers, officials, employees or agents from and
against any damages including, but not limited to, attorneys’ fees, expert and consultant
fees, and other costs and fees of litigation, arising out of the alleged negligence,
intentional or willful misconduct, or other legal fault of the PARTY, its agents, officers,
officials, employees or representatives in the performance of this MOU.
It is the intent of the PARTIES that where negligence or responsibility for injury or
damages is determined to have been shared, principles of comparative negligence will be
followed and each PARTY shall bear the proportionate cost of any loss, damage, expense
and liability attributable to that PARTY’S negligence. In the event a claim or suit is filed
and liability is based on the active conduct of two or more of the PARTIES, then such
parties shall cooperate and contribute to the defense and indemnity of the claim or suit on
an equal basis until such time as comparative negligence is established and damages
apportioned. At that time, the responsible PARTIES shall reimburse the other PARTIES
for their costs in accordance with their proportionate share of liability.
The PARTIES each hereby certify that they have adequate self-insured retentions or a
Joint Powers Authority or other self-insurance program sufficient to meet any obligation
arising under this Section 7.1
7.2 Notices. Any notices, bills, invoices, or reports relating to this MOU, and any request,
demand, statement or other communication required or permitted hereunder shall be in
writing to the addresses set forth below and shall be deemed to have been received on (a)
the day of delivery, if delivered by hand during regular business hours or by confirmed
facsimile during regular business hours; or (b) on the third business day following deposit
in the United States mail, postage prepaid:
City of Coachella
1515 Sixth Street
Coachella, CA 92236
City of Indio
100 Civic Center Mall
Indio, CA 92201
City of La Quinta
78495 Calle Tampico
La Quinta, CA 92253
County of Riverside
Economic Development Agency
th
3403 10 Street
Suite 400
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Riverside, CA 92501
7.3 Entire Agreement. This MOU, and any other documents incorporated herein by specific
reference, represents the entire and integrated agreement between the parties. This MOU
supersedes all prior oral or written negotiations, representations or agreements. This
MOU may not be amended, nor any provision or breach hereof waived, except in a
writing signed by the parties which expressly refers to this MOU.
7.4 Assignment. The parties shall not assign, transfer, or subcontract any interest in this
MOU. Any attempt to so assign, transfer, or subcontract any rights, duties, or obligations
arising hereunder shall be null, void and of no effect.
7.5 Amendments. This MOU may be amended, in writing, from time-to-time by unanimous
vote of the PARTIES acting through their governing bodies.
7.6 Exhibits; Precedence. All documents referenced as exhibits in this MOU are hereby
incorporated in this MOU. In the event of any material discrepancy between the express
provisions of this MOU and the provisions of any document incorporated herein by
reference, this provisions of the MOU shall prevail.
7.7 Independent Contractor. Each party to this MOU shall have no power to incur any debt,
obligation, or liability on behalf of another party to this MOU or otherwise act as an
agent of another party.
7.8 Construction. The validity, interpretation, and performance of this MOU shall be
controlled by and construed under the laws of the State of California. In the event of any
asserted ambiguity in, or dispute regarding the interpretation of any matter herein, the
interpretation of this MOU shall not be resolved by any rules of interpretation providing
for interpretation against the party that causes the uncertainty to exist or against the party
who drafted the MOU or who drafted that portion of the MOU.
7.9 MOU Administration. The City Managers in the case of the cities of Coachella, Indio and
La Quinta, and the Assistant County Executive Officer/EDA, in the case of the County of
Riverside, or their designees, shall administer the terms and conditions of this MOU for
their respective city or county.
7.10 Cooperation; Further Act. The Parties shall cooperate fully with one another, and shall
take any additional acts or sign any additional documents as may be necessary,
appropriate or convenient to attain the purposes of this MOU.
5
271
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the PARTIES hereto have caused this MOU to be executed by their
duly authorized representatives.
Date:__________________________COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE, a political
subdivision of the State of California
________________________
Marion Ashley, Chairman
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
ATTEST:
Kecia Harper-Ihem
Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
______________________,
Deputy
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Gregory P. Priamos
County Counsel
By: __________________________
6
272
Date:__________________________
CITY OF COACHELLA,
________________________
Steven Hernandez, Mayor
ATTEST:
Beatrice Barajas
City Clerk
By: _________________________
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Carlos Campos
City Counsel
By: __________________________
7
273
Date:__________________________
CITY OF INDIO, a municipal
corporation
________________________
Mayor Lupe Ramos Watson
ATTEST:
By: __________________________
Cynthia Hernandez, CMC
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
By: _________________________
Roxanne Diaz
City Attorney
8
274
Date:__________________________
CITY OF LA QUINTA,
a California municipal corporation
Linda Evans, Mayor
City of La Quinta, CA
ATTEST:
_________________________________
SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
__________________________________
WILLIAM H. IHRKE, City Attorney
City of La Quinta, California
9
275
EXHIBIT A
10
276
277
278
279
280
DEPARTMENTREPORT:3
CDD
CDD
OMMUNITYEVELOPMENTEPARTMENT
OMMUNITYEVELOPMENTEPARTMENT
C C
USTOMERENTER
DEPARTMENT
HIGHLIGHTS
281
CityÔs goals and policies.
Planning Activity—Major Projects
Building Activity
282
ANIMAL CONTROL ACTIVITY
(
CODE COMPLIANCE ACTIVITY
(
283
284
DEPARTMENTREPORT:4
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
DEPARTMENTREPORT:5
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Timothy R. Jonasson, P.E., Public Works Director/City Engineer
DATE: May 19, 2015
SUBJECT: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT REPORT FOR APRIL 2015
1.On May 11, Public Works and Community Services staff attended the
Bn`bgdkk` U`kkdx V`sdq ChrsqhbsŬr 'BUVCŬs) briefing on the draft drought
measures presented to their board on May 12. City staff gave input and
received clarification on penalties for exceeding the water budget of the
approximate 150 individual water meters the City has with CVWD for its
facilities, parks, retention basins and landscaped medians and parkways.
Staff is currently working on strategies enq lddshmf sgd ChrsqhbsŬr fn`k ne 25
percent overall reduction in potable water use starting this June.
2.For the month of April, the total for all maintenance expenditures recorded in
GORequest was $85,988, with street sweeping, debris removal,
irrigation/weeds/shrub/tree trimming, traffic signals, and storm drain repair
being among the highest tasks in terms of cost. Public Works maintenance
workers recorded approximately 1,500 task hours associated with this work.
A detailed breakdown of tasks and associated costs is presented in the
attached pie chart (Attachment 1).
3.Residents continue to submit Customer Satisfaction Surveys through the
GORequest system. The Public Works Department received 13 surveys in
the month of April, with residents commenting on how staff handled
reported issues. Employees were rated on their effectiveness, response
time, and courtesy. A summary of responses is provided below and detailed
surveys are provided as Attachment 2:
76-4 odqbdms ne qdronmcdmsr q`sdc Dloknxdd Bntqsdrx `r ŮRtodqhnqů nq
ŮFnnců
74 odqbdms ne qdronmcdmsr q`sdc Qdronmrd Shldr `r ŮRtodqhnqů nq
ŮFnnců
293
66 odqbdms ne qdronmcdmsr hmchb`sdc ŮDwbddcdců nq ŮLdsů tmcdq
Expectations Met
73 percent of respondents rated Emplnxdd Deedbshudmdrr `r ŮRtodqhnqů
nq ŮFnnců
Surveys also include positive feedback from residents such as: ŮKhjdc sgd
ldsgnc ne adhmf `akd sn qdptdrs ehwdr he mnshbdc hm KP-ů ŮUdqx roddcx
qdronmchmf % s`jhmf b`qd ne qdptdrsŴů ŮSg`mjr enq s`jhmf b`qd ne sgd
oqnakdl ů ŮXnt pthbjkx l`cd sgd rhcdv`kj r`ed-ů
4.A pre-construction meeting has been scheduled for May 27 for the Perimeter
Landscaping of City-owned Lots Project, with work anticipated to begin on
June 1.
5.The Avenida Carranza Drainage Improvements Project in now complete and
is scheduled for Council acceptance in June.
6.Granite Construction Company is executing contracts for the Adams Street
Signal and Street Improvements Project and is expected to do the work over
the summer while school is not in session.
7.Bids are due on June 4 for the Jefferson Street Roundabout Striping
Modification Project. Work is anticipated to occur over the summer.
8.On-site construction continues at the Century Theatre Project, located at the
corner of Washington Street and Avenue 47. Contractors are working on
the theatre walls and underground storm water retention chamber.
9.On-site water, sewer, and storm drain construction continues at the
Signature project located within the PGA West development located at
Avenue 54 and Jefferson Street.
10.On-site construction of homes continues at: Andalusia (Madison Street
between Avenue 58 and Avenue 60) and Griffin Ranch (Madison Street and
Avenue 54).
11.On-site sewer and water have begun at the Monterra project located on
Monroe Street just north of Airport Boulevard.
12.The City selected a consultant to perform water quality inspection services
to comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
requirements. A kick-off meeting was held with CASC Engineering and
Consulting on May 13.
Attachments: 1. Maintenance Expenditures by Task for April
2. Customer Satisfaction Survey Details for April
294
ATTACHMENT 1
295
296
ATTACHMENT 2
297
298
299
300
1
301
302
303
304
305
306
RESOLUTION 2015 –
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A MITIGATED
NEGATIVE DECLARATION FORENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT NO. 2014-638, FOR BEAZER HOMES
HOLDINGS (WATERMARK)
CASE NO.: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 2014-638
APPLICANT: BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS
WHEREAS, The Community Development Department has prepared a
Mitigated Negative Declaration (“MND”) of Environmental Impact and associated
Mitigation Monitoring Program (Exhibit A) for Environmental Assessment 2014-638
for this project, in compliance with the requirements of the California Environmental
Quality Act (“CEQA”). The Community Development Director has determined that
although the proposed project could have a significant effect on the environment,
there will not be a significant effect because revisions in the project have been
made by or agreed to by the project proponent and mitigation measures have been
incorporated.
WHEREAS, the Community Development Department did publish a Notice of
st
Intent to Adopt an MND in TheDesertSun newspaper, on the 21day of
November, 2014, as prescribed by CEQA. The Initial Study was distributed to
responsible agencies and was available for review at the Community Development
Department at La Quinta City Hall; and,
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of La Quinta, California, did,
th
on the 9day of December, 2014, hold a duly noticed Public Hearing to consider a
MND of Environmental Impact forEnvironmental Assessment No. 2014-638, and
after hearing and considering all testimony and arguments, did by minute motion
unanimously recommend to the City Council approval of said MND; and,
WHEREAS, the Community Development Department did publish a Public
th
Hearing Notice in The Desert Sun newspaper, on the 8 of May, 2015, as
prescribed by Municipal Code, with public hearing notices mailed to all property
owners within 500 feet of the Beazer Homes/Watermark property; and,
WHEREAS, upon hearing and considering all testimony and arguments, if
any, of all interested persons desiring to be heard, said City Councildid make the
following findings to justify approval of said MND of Environmental Impact for
Environmental Assessment No. 2014-638:
307
Resolution No.2015 –
Environmental Assessment 2014-638
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 2 of 4
1. The Project will not be detrimental to the health, safety, or general welfare
of the community, either indirectlyor directly, in that no significant
unmitigated impacts were identified by the MND.
2.The Project will not have the potential to degrade the quality of the
environment, substantially reduce the habitat of a fish or wildlife population
to drop below self sustaining levels, threaten to eliminate a plant or animal
community, reduce the number or restrict the range of rare or endangered
plants or animals or eliminate important examples of the major periods of
California history or prehistory in that no significant effects on environmental
factors have been identified by the MND.
3. There is no evidence before the City that the Project will have the potential
for an adverse effect on wildlife resources or the habitat on which the
wildlife depends in that in that no significant effects on environmental
factors have been identified by the MND.
4. The Project does not have the potential to achieve short-term environmental
goals, to the disadvantage of long-term environmental goals, as no
significant effects on environmental factors have been identified by the
MND.
5. The Project will not result in impacts, which are individually limited or
cumulatively considerable when considering planned or proposed
development in the immediate vicinity, as development patterns in the area
will not be significantly affected by the Project.
6. The Project will not have environmental effects that will adversely affect the
human population, either directly or indirectly, as no significant impacts have
been identified which would affect human health, risk potential or public
services.
7. There is no substantial evidence in light of the entire record that the Project
may have a significant effect on the environment in that mitigation measures
are imposed on the Project that will reduce impacts to a less than significant
level.
8. The City Council has considered the MND and said MND reflects the
independent judgment of the City.
308
Resolution No.2015 –
Environmental Assessment 2014-638
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 3 of 4
9. The City has, on the basis of substantial evidence, rebutted the presumption
of adverse effect set forth in 14 CAL Code Regulations 753.5(d).
10. The location and custodian of the City’s records relating to this project is the
Community Development Department located at 78-495 Calle Tampico, La
Quinta, California, 92253.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of La
Quinta, California, as follows:
SECTION 1.That the above recitations are true and correct and constitute the
findings of the City Council approving Environmental Assessment 2014-638;
SECTION 2. That the City Council of the City of La Quinta hereby approves the a
MND of Environmental Impact and associated Mitigation Monitoring Program
(Exhibits A and B) for Environmental Assessment 2014-638for the reasons set
forth in this Resolution;
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City
th
Council of the City of La Quinta held this 19day of May, 2015, by the following
vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
__________________________
LINDA EVANS, Mayor
City of La Quinta, California
ATTEST:
____________________________
SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
309
Resolution No.2015 –
Environmental Assessment 2014-638
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 4 of 4
(CITY SEAL)
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________________
, City Attorney
WILLIAM H. IHRKE
City of La Quinta, California
310
EXHIBIT "A"
CIT OF A QUNTA
YYLLII
78-95 Calle ampico
44TT
La QQuinta, CAA 92253
Phone:(760) 7777-7000
ENVIRNMETAL IITIALSTUD
OONNNNYY
ProjectTTitle:
Beaazer Homes,Watermark Villas
Case No:
Genneral Plan Ammendment 22014-127, Zoone Change 2014-145,SSpecific
Plann 2003-069, Amendmennt #1, Site DeevelopmentPermit 20144-942,
Tenntative Tract Map 36762
Lead Ageency
Cityy of La Quinnta
78-4495 Calle Taampico
LaQQuinta, CA 992253
(7600) 777-7125
Applicant:
Beaazer Homes HHolding Corrp.
18000 E. Imperiaal Hwy, Suitte 140
Brea, CA 928211
(7144) 672-7047
ContactPPerson:
Nicole Sauviat CCriste, Conssulting Plannner, City of LLa Quinta
(7600) 777-7125
ProjectLLocation:
NWW Corner of JJefferson Strreet and Aveenue 52
LaQQuinta, CA 992253
APNN: 776-220-012-1, 776-2220-013-2,aand 776-2200-014-3
GeneralPPlan/Zoningg:
Currrent:Mediumm/High Dennsity Residenntial
Propposed: LowDensity Ressidential
Surroundding Land
Uses:
Norrth: Single-faamily housinng (The Citrrus Club)
Souuth: Vacant lands, Avenuue 52
East: Vacant Laands, Jeffersoon Street
Wesst: Single-faamily housinng (The Citruus Club)
ProjectDDescriptionn:
The propposed projeect will resuult in the ddevelopment t of 82 singgle-family ddetached ressidential
dwellingg units to be located on ±±20.84 acress in the Cityy of La Quinnta, Californnia. The projject was
previoussly approveed for 2488 condominniums in 22004 and wwas partiallly built. EExisting
improvemments, incluuding residenntial structurres and parkking podiumms will be deemolished ass part of
the projeect.
311
Watermark Villas IS/MND
November 2014
A General Plan Amendment and Zone Change will change the land use and zoning designations
from the existing Medium/High Residential to Low Density Residential. The Watermark Specific
Plan Amendment No. 1 will be amended to eliminate discussion of the previously approved
condominium project and to allow for the 82 single-family detached homes with three floor plans.
A Tentative Tract Map is proposed to subdivide the lots and create lots for streets, parkways and
other ancillary facilities.
The proposed development includes internal private streets, a community recreation center with
pool, and a retention basin that also serves as passive open space. The project also makes provision
for a possible gated golf cart connection to Fresa Circle to provide access should an agreement be
made with the Citrus Course and HOA.
The majority of the subject property is currently vacant with the exception of several palm trees
and 11 abandoned buildings, some only partially constructed, from the previous development
which will be demolished as part of the project. The existing perimeter wall, primary entry and
retention basin will be retained from the prior development with minor modifications made. Most
underground utilities will be removed and reconstructed within the new street system.
The Specific Plan sets forth General Plan and Zoning amendments from “Medium/High Density
Residential” to “Low Density Residential,” making the project consistent with both the General
Plan Land Use and Zoning classifications.
Project Location and Limits:
The proposed project is located at the northwest corner of Avenue 52 and Jefferson Street in the
City of La Quinta, California. The project involves Assessor’s Parcels 776-220-012-1, 776-220-
013-2, and 776-220-014-3.
Other Required Public Agencies Approval:
None
-2-
312
313
314
315
316
318
319
Watermark Villas IS/MND
November 2014
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED:
The environmental factors checked below would be potentially affected by this project, involving at least one impact that
is a "Potentially Significant Impact" as indicated by the checklist on the following pages.
Agriculture and
Aesthetics Air Quality
Forestry Resources
Biological Resources
Cultural Resources Geology /Soils
Greenhouse Gas Hazards & Hazardous
Hydrology / Water Quality
Emissions Materials
Land Use / Planning Mineral Resources Noise
Population / Housing Public Services Recreation
Utilities / Service Mandatory Findings of
Transportation/Traffic
Systems Significance
DETERMINATION: (To be completed by the Lead Agency)
On the basis of this initial evaluation:
I find that the proposed project COULD NOT have a significant effect on the
environment, and a NEGATIVE DECLARATION will be prepared.
I find that although the proposed project could have a significant effect on the
environment, there will not be a significant effect in this case because revisions in the
X
project have been made by or agreed to by the project proponent. A MITIGATED
NEGATIVE DECLARATION will be prepared.
I find that the proposed project MAY have a significant effect on the environment, and
an ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT is required.
I find that the proposed project MAY have a "potentially significant impact" or
"potentially significant unless mitigated" impact on the environment, but at least one
effect 1) has been adequately analyzed in an earlier document pursuant to applicable
legal standards, and 2) has been addressed by mitigation measures based on the earlier
analysis as described on attached sheets. An ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
is required, but it must analyze only the effects that remain to be addressed.
I find that although the proposed project could have a significant effect on the
environment, because all potentially significant effects (a) have been analyzed
adequately in an earlier EIR or NEGATIVE DECLARATION pursuant to applicable
standards, and (b) have been avoided or mitigated pursuant to that earlier EIR or
NEGATIVE DECLARATION, including revisions or mitigation measures that are
imposed upon the proposed project, nothing further is required.
SignatureDate
-6-
320
Watermark Villas IS/MND
November 2014
EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS:
1) A brief explanation is required for all answers except "No Impact" answers that are adequately
supported by the information sources a lead agency cites in the parentheses following each
question. A "No Impact" answer is adequately supported if the referenced information sources
show that the impact simply does not apply to projects like the one involved (e.g., the project
falls outside a fault rupture zone). A "No Impact" answer should be explained where it is
based on project-specific factors as well as general standards (e.g., the project will not expose
sensitive receptors to pollutants, based on a project-specific screening analysis).
2) All answers must take account of the whole action involved, including off-site as well as on-
site, cumulative as well as project-level, indirect as well as direct, and construction as well as
operational impacts.
3) Once the lead agency has determined that a particular physical impact may occur, then the
checklist answers must indicate whether the impact is potentially significant, less than
significant with mitigation, or less than significant. "Potentially Significant Impact" is
appropriate if there is substantial evidence that an effect may be significant. If there are one or
more "Potentially Significant Impact" entries when the determination is made, an EIR is
required.
4) "Negative Declaration: Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated" applies where
the incorporation of mitigation measures has reduced an effect from "Potentially Significant
Impact" to a "Less Than Significant Impact." The lead agency must describe the mitigation
measures, and briefly explain how they reduce the effect to a less than significant level
(mitigation measures from Section XVII, "Earlier Analyses," may be cross-referenced).
5) Earlier analyses may be used where, pursuant to the tiering, program EIR, or other CEQA
process, an effect has been adequately analyzed in an earlier EIR or negative declaration.
Section 15063(c)(3)(D). In this case, a brief discussion should identify the following:
a) Earlier Analysis Used. Identify and state where they are available for review.
b) Impacts Adequately Addressed. Identify which effects from the above checklist were
within the scope of and adequately analyzed in an earlier document pursuant to
applicable legal standards, and state whether such effects were addressed by mitigation
measures based on the earlier analysis.
c) Mitigation Measures. For effects that are "Less than Significant with Mitigation
Measures Incorporated," describe the mitigation measures, which were incorporated or
refined from the earlier document and the extent to which they address site-specific
conditions for the project.
6) Lead agencies are encouraged to incorporate into the checklist references to information
sources for potential impacts (e.g., general plans, zoning ordinances). Reference to a
previously prepared or outside document should, where appropriate, include a reference to the
page or pages where the statement is substantiated.
7) Supporting Information Sources: A source list should be attached, and other sources used or
individuals contacted should be cited in the discussion.
8) This is only a suggested form, and lead agencies are free to use different formats; however,
lead agencies should normally address the questions from this checklist that are relevant to a
project's environmental effects in whatever format is selected.
9) The explanation of each issue should identify:
a) the significance criteria or threshold, if any, used to evaluate each question; and
b) the mitigation measure identified, if any, to reduce the impact to less than significance.
-7-
321
Watermark Villas IS/MND
November 2014
Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
I. AESTHETICS -- Would the project:
a) Have a substantial adverse effect on a scenic
X
vista?
b) Substantially damage scenic resources,
including, but not limited to, trees, rock
X
outcroppings, and historic buildings within a state
scenic highway?
c) Substantially degrade the existing visual
X
character or quality of the site and its
surroundings?
d) Create a new source of substantial light or
X
glare which would adversely affect day or
nighttime views in the area?
Source: 2035 General Plan, La Quinta Municipal Code, California Scenic Highway Mapping System, project materials.
Less than Significant, No Impact.
I. a-c) Properties in the project vicinity generally enjoy views of
the Santa Rosa Mountains located to the west and southwest. The site is not located near an
existing or proposed state scenic highway and there are no scenic resources, rock
outcroppings, or historical buildings located onsite. However, both Jefferson Street and
Avenue 52 are designated as Image Corridors in the 2035 General Plan and provide valuable
visual character and resources to the City.
Lands to the south, southeast, southwest, and east of the project site are currently vacant
creating very little obstruction to existing scenic vistas. Development of the proposed project
will have limited impact on scenic vistas for the neighboring single-family residences to the
north and west due to the site’s existing perimeter wall and abandoned buildings. In addition,
the proposed project will be developed with single story homes with a maximum height of 22
feet or less. New landscaping will be limited to an approved plant palette consistent with the
surrounding desert environment. Therefore, impacts to scenic vistas are expected to be less
than significant.
Less than Significant.
d) Approval of the proposed project will result in the construction of 82
detached single-family units. Lighting will be generated by vehicle trips, buildings,
landscaping, and is expected to be similar to that generated by existing residential
developments to the immediate north and west, and traffic along Jefferson Street and Avenue
52.
The proposed project will be required to abide by City of La Quinta building codes and
lighting ordinance, which require proper shielding of light sources and prohibit light spillage
on adjacent properties. A lighting plan will be submitted and approved prior to development,
and all standard requirements will be applied. With compliance with City lighting standards,
lighting impacts associated with the proposed project are expected to be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
: None
Monitoring:
None
-8-
322
Watermark Villas IS/MND
November 2014
Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
II. AGRICULTURE RESOURCES:
Would the project:
a) Convert Prime Farmland, Unique Farmland, or
Farmland of Statewide Importance (Farmland),
as shown on the maps prepared pursuant to the
X
Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program of
the California Resources Agency, to non-
agricultural use?
b) Conflict with existing zoning for agricultural
X
use, or a Williamson Act contract?
c) Involve other changes in the existing
environment which, due to their location or
X
nature, could result in conversion of Farmland, to
non-agricultural use?
Source: 2035 General Plan, California Department of Conservation Farmland Mapping, project materials.
No Impact.
II. a-c) The subject property is not designated as Prime Farmland, Unique Farmland, or
Farmland of Statewide Importance according to the California Dept. of Conservation, nor is it
used for agricultural purposes. The subject area is surrounded by both urban development and
open space recreational lands, including single-family housing, golf courses, and vacant lands
zoned for general commercial, major community facilities and open space-recreational.
There are no Williamson Act contracts on the subject property or properties in the immediate
vicinity. The proposed property and immediate area are not zoned for agricultural use and will
not result in the conversion of existing farmland to non-agricultural uses. There will be no
impacts to agricultural resources.
Mitigation Measures
: None
Monitoring:
None
-9-
323
Watermark Villas IS/MND
November 2014
Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
III. AIR QUALITY: Would the project:
a) Conflict with or obstruct implementation of the
X
applicable air quality plan?
b) Violate any air quality standard or contribute
X
substantially to an existing or projected air
quality violation?
c) Result in a cumulatively considerable net
increase of any criteria pollutant for which the
project region is non-attainment under an
X
applicable federal or state ambient air quality
standard (including releasing emissions which
exceed quantitative thresholds for ozone
precursors)?
d) Expose sensitive receptors to substantial
X
pollutant concentrations?
e) Create objectionable odors affecting a
X
substantial number of people?
Source:La Quinta General Plan, SCAQMD CEQA Handbook; 2003 PM10 Plan for the Coachella Valley, SCAQMD
2012 Air Quality Management Plan; CalEEMod Version 2013.2.2; Earthwork Volume Analysis: Watermark La Quinta,
prepared by Earthwork Calculation Services, October 8, 2014.
No Impact
III. a) . The Coachella Valley, including the project area, is located within the Salton Sea
Air Basin (SSAB), which is under the jurisdiction of the South Coast Air Quality
Management District (SCAQMD). SCAQMD is responsible for monitoring criteria air
pollutant concentrations and establishing management policies for the SSAB. All
development within the SSAB is subject to SCAQMD’s 2012 Air Quality Management Plan
(2012 AQMP) and the 2003 Coachella Valley PM State Implementation Plan (2003 CV
10
PM SIP).
10
The project will be developed in accordance with all applicable air quality management plans.
The AQMP is based, in part, on the land use plans of the jurisdictions in the region. The
proposed project will reduce the lot density from a previously approved 248-unit
condominium development, to the currently proposed 82-unit single-family development.
This land use density decrease will result in fewer construction and mobile emissions, thus
having a less significant impact than the previous proposed use. Given its location adjacent to
an existing neighborhood and limited scope, the project will be consistent with the intent of
the AQMP. No impacts associated with compliance with applicable management plans are
expected.
Less than Significant with Mitigation.
b) Criteria air pollutants will be released during both the
construction and operational phases of the proposed project. The California Emissions
Estimator Model (CalEEMod) Version 2013.2.2 was used to project air quality emissions that
will be generated by the project. Table 1 summarizes short-term construction-related
emissions, and Table 2 summarizes ongoing emissions generated at operation.
-10-
324
Watermark Villas IS/MND
November 2014
Construction Emissions
The construction period includes all aspects of project development, including site
preparation, grading, hauling, paving, building construction, and application of architectural
coatings. For analysis purposes, it is assumed that construction will occur over a 3-year period
from January 2015 to December 2017.
As shown in Table 1, emissions generated by construction activities will be reduced to less
than significant levels with implementation of mitigation measures. The data reflect average
daily emissions over the 3-year construction period, including summer and winter weather
conditions. The analysis assumes approximately 53,202 cubic yards materials will be
imported during grading, and will require the demolition of 11 existing buildings totaling
70,378 square feet. Applicable mitigation measures include, but are not limited to, the
implementation of dust control practices in conformance with SCQAMD Rule 403, proper
maintenance and limited idling of heavy equipment, phasing application of architectural
coatings and the use of low-polluting architectural paint and coatings. Adherence to such
measures will ensure construction related emissions would remain less than significant. The
Mitigation
complete list of mitigation measures is provided at the end of this Section under
Measures III (b).
Table 1
Watermark Villas
Maximum Daily Construction-Related Emissions Summary
(pounds per day)
1
CO NO ROG SO PM PM
Construction Emissions
x2102.5
2015 86.14 95.85 9.50 0.15 9.48 6.06
2016 23.90 25.81 3.83 0.03 2.50 2.01
2017 23.06 23.82 29.55 0.03 2.31 1.83
SCAQMD Thresholds 550.00 100.00 75.00 150.00 150.00 55.00
Exceeds? No No No No No No
1
Average of winter and summer emissions, mitigated, 2015-2017.
Source: CalEEMod model, version 2013.2.2 output tables generated 11.12.14.
Operational Emissions
Operational emissions are ongoing emissions that will occur over the life of the project. They
include area source emissions, emissions from energy demand (electric and natural gas), and
mobile source (vehicle) emissions. Table 2 provides a summary of projected emissions at
operation of the proposed project.
Table 2
Watermark Villas
Operation-Related Emissions Summary
(pounds per day)
CO NO ROG SO PM PM
x2102.5
1
Operational Emissions
57.14 10.14 17.62 0.08 6.04 3.15
SCAQMD Thresholds 550.00 100.0075.00 150.00 150.00 55.00
Exceeds?NoNoNoNoNoNo
1
Average of winter and summer emissions, unmitigated, 2017.
Source: CalEEMod model, version 2013.2.2 output tables generated 11.12.14.
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As shown in Table 2, operational emissions will not exceed SCAQMD thresholds of
significance for any criteria pollutants. The data are conservative and reflect unmitigated
operations.
Less than Significant.
c)Historically, the Coachella Valley, in which the project site is located,
has been classified as a “non-attainment” area for PM10 and ozone. In order to achieve
attainment in the region, the 2003 Coachella Valley PM Management Plan was adopted,
10
which established strict standards for dust management for development proposals. The
Salton Sea Air Basin (SSAB) is currently (November 2014) a non- attainment area for PM
10
and is classified as attainment/unclassifiable for PM. The proposed project will contribute to
2.5
an incremental increase in regional ozone and PM emissions. However, given its limited size
10
and scope, cumulative impacts are not expected to be considerable. Under mitigated
conditions set forth in this analysis, project construction and operation emissions will not
exceed SCAQMD thresholds for PMor ozone precursors (NOx). The project will not
10
conflict with any attainment plans and will result in less than significant impacts.
Less than Significant
d). The nearest sensitive receptors are single-family residences
immediately north and west of the project site. Their distance from the building pad ranges
from approximately 20-25 meters.
To determine if the proposed project has the potential to generate significant adverse localized
air quality impacts, the mass rate Localized Significance Threshold (LST) Look-Up Table was
used. The City of La Quinta and subject property are located within Source Receptor Area 30
(Coachella Valley). Given the project’s size and proximity to existing housing, the 5-acre site
tables at a distance of 25 meters was used. Table 3 shows on-site emission concentrations for
project construction and the associated LST. As shown in the table, LSTs will not be exceeded
under unmitigated conditions for CO and NOx. PM and PM, which include best
102.5
management practices and standard dust control measures (SCAQMD Rule 403). Therefore,
air quality impacts to nearby sensitive receptors will be less than significant.
Table 3
Watermark Villas
Localized Significance Thresholds
(lbs/day)
CONOxPM PM
102.5
Construction 86.1495.859.48 6.06
LST Threshold 2,29230414 8
Exceed? NoNoNo No
Emission Source: CalEEMod model, version 2013.2.2 output tables generated 11.12.14.
LST Threshold Source: LST Mass Rate Look-up Table, SCAQMD.
Less than Significant
e). The proposed project is not expected to generate objectionable odors
during any of the phases of construction or at project buildout. The proposed project has the
potential to result in short term odors associated with paving and other construction activities.
However any such odors would be quickly dispersed below detectable thresholds as distance
from the construction site increases. Therefore, impacts from objectionable odors are expected
to be less than significant.
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Mitigation Measures III (b):
The following measures will reduce emission of potentially harmful pollutants and should be
included in project grading and dust control plans, as well as in construction and construction traffic
staging:
1.Construction equipment, delivery trucks, worker vehicles, and haul trucks will limit idling
time to no more than 5 minutes.
2.The grading contractor shall certify in writing that all construction equipment is properly
serviced and maintained in good operating conditions. Certification shall be provided to City
Engineer for review and approval.
3.Diesel-powered construction equipment shall utilize aqueous diesel fuels, and be equipped
with diesel oxidation catalysts.
4.A fugitive dust plan shall be prepared for the proposed project and shall be approved by the
City Engineer. Said plan shall include but not be limited to the following best management
practices:
5.Chemically treat soil where activity will cease for at least four consecutive days;
6.All construction grading operations and earth moving operations shall cease when winds
exceed 25 miles per hour;
7.Water site and equipment morning and evening and during all earth-moving operations;
8.Operate street-sweepers on paved roads adjacent to site;
9.Establish and strictly enforce limits of grading for each phase of development; and/or
10.Stabilize and re-vegetate areas of temporary disturbance needed to accomplish each phase of
development.
11.Wash off trucks as they leave the project site as necessary to control fugitive dust emissions.
12.Cover all transported loads of soils, wet materials prior to transport, provide adequate
freeboard (space from the top of the material to the top of the truck) to reduce PM10 and
deposition of particulate matter during transportation.
13.Use track-out reduction measures such as gravel pads at project access points to minimize
dust and mud deposits on roads affected by construction traffic.
14. Construction equipment and materials shall be sited as far away from residential and park uses
as practicable.
15.The following Best Control Measures (BCM) shall be utilized by the contractor, as required,
to limit impacts to air quality:
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1.BCM-1: Further Control of Emissions from Construction Activities: Watering,
chemical stabilization, wind fencing, revegetation, and track-out control.
2.BCM-2: Disturbed Vacant Lands: Chemical stabilization, wind fencing, access
restriction, and revegetation.
3.BCM-3: Unpaved Roads and Unpaved Parking Lots: Paving, chemical stabilization,
access restriction, and revegetation.
4.BCM-4: Paved Road Dust: Minimal track-out, stabilization of unpaved road shoulders,
and clean streets maintenance.
16. Existing power sources should be utilized where feasible via temporary power poles to avoid
on-site power generation.
17. Imported fill and paving materials, as well as any exported material, shall be adequately
watered prior to transport, covered during transport, and watered prior to unloading.
18.Each portion of the project to be graded shall be pre-watered prior to the onset of excavation,
grading or other dust-generating activities.
19. On-going watering soil stabilization of disturbed soils, especially in the staging area, shall be
employed on an on-going basis after the initiation of any grading activity on the site. Portions
of the site that are actively being graded shall be watered regularly to ensure that a crust is
formed on the ground surface, and shall be watered at the end of each workday.
20.SCAQMD Rule 403 shall be adhered to, ensuring the clean-up of construction-related dirt on
approach routes to and from the site.
21.All grading activities shall be suspended during first and second stage ozone episodes or
when winds exceed 25 miles per hour.
Monitoring III (b):
A. Prior to the issuance of grading permits and authorization to proceed, the City
Engineer shall review and approve project staging and detailed dust management
plans. The dust control plan or equivalent documentation shall also address issues of
construction vehicle staging and maintenance. Implementation of these mitigation
measures will ensure that impacts associated with PM are mitigated to a less than
10
significant level.
Responsible Parties:
City Engineer, General Contractor
B. The City or its designee shall conduct daily inspections of the project and intervene
when contractor deviates from City-approved plans. Daily logs shall be maintained on
the activities and their conformance to the project's dust control plan.
Responsible Parties:
City Engineer staff or designee
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Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
IV. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES --
Would the project:
a) Have a substantial adverse effect, either directly
or through habitat modifications, on any species
identified as a candidate, sensitive, or special status
X
species in local or regional plans, policies, or
regulations, or by the California Department of
Fish and Game or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service?
b) Have a substantial adverse effect on any riparian
habitat or other sensitive natural community
X
identified in local or regional plans, policies,
regulations or by the California Department of Fish
and Game or US Fish and Wildlife Service?
c) Have a substantial adverse effect on federally
protected wetlands as defined by Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act (including, but not limited to,
X
marsh, vernal pool, coastal, etc.) through direct
removal, filling, hydrological interruption, or other
means?
d) Interfere substantially with the movement of any
native resident or migratory fish or wildlife species
X
or with established native resident or migratory
wildlife corridors, or impede the use of native
wildlife nursery sites?
e) Conflict with any local policies or ordinances
X
protecting biological resources, such as a tree
preservation policy or ordinance?
f) Conflict with the provisions of an adopted
Habitat Conservation Plan, Natural Community
X
Conservation Plan, or other approved local,
regional, or state habitat conservation plan?
Source: 2035 General Plan, Coachella Valley MSHCP, project materials.
Less than Significant with Mitigation.
IV. a) Biological resources in the project area have been
affected by area roadways and urban development. Native habitat onsite has been highly
degraded due to previous grading and site development. Several palm trees occupy the site
and may offer limited nesting sites for birds protected by the international Migratory Bird
Treaty Act (MBTA). To comply with the MBTA, any vegetation or tree removal, or other
ground disturbing activities occurring between January 1 to August 31 with the potential to
impact nesting birds shall require a qualified biologist to conduct a nesting bird survey to
determine if there is a potential impact to such species. Conducting construction activities
outside of the breeding season (September 1 through December 31) can avoid having to
implement such measures. If active nests of any native bird are found onsite, they will be
avoided until after the young have fledged. Compliance with the MBTA will ensure impacts
to sensitive species are reduced to less than significant levels.
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The City of La Quinta participates in the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat
Conservation Plan (CV MSHCP), which is a comprehensive regional plan encompassing a
planning area of approximately 1.1 million acres and conserving approximately 240,000 acres
of open space. The Plan is intended to address the conservation needs of a variety of plant and
animal species and natural vegetation communities that occur in the Coachella Valley region.
It establishes a system of preserves outside of urbanized areas in the valley in order to protect
lands with high conservation value. It streamlines permitting processes by implementing state
and federal endangered species acts while providing for land development within its planning
area.
No Impact
b,c). The project site is located in a developed and highly disturbed area and there are
no riparian habitats or wetlands located on the site. The proposed project will have no impact
on riparian species or habitat, wetlands or other sensitive natural communities, including
marshes or vernal pools, or through direct removal, filling, or hydrological interruption of a
natural drainage.
No Impact.
d) The subject property does not serve as a wildlife movement corridor for any
native resident or migratory fish or wildlife species, or as a native wildlife nursery site. The
site is bounded on the east by Jefferson Street (an Urban Arterial roadway), on the south by
Avenue 52, on the north and west by single-family residential. In addition, the site is currently
bounded on all sides by a perimeter wall. The ground surface has been disturbed by previous
grading and other anthropogenic activities. The proposed project is not expected to impact
wildlife corridors or nursery sites.
Less than Significant.
e,f) The City of La Quinta has adopted the Coachella Valley Multiple
Species Habitat Conservation Plan (CVMSHCP). As a result, the City is required to
implement a Local Development Mitigation Fee (LDMF) for projects located within the
CVMSHCP plan area. Although the proposed project site is not within a designated
conservation area, as defined in the Plan, it is located with the general Plan boundaries, and
the developer will be required to pay LDMF. These fees are designed to offset potential
impacts of cumulative projects on covered biological species, and assure that impacts are
reduced throughout the Valley and City to less than significant levels.
Mitigation
.
1.To comply with the MBTA, any vegetation or tree removal, or other ground disturbing
activities occurring between January 1st and August 31st with the potential to impact nesting
birds shall require a qualified biologist to conduct a nesting bird survey to determine if there is
a potential impact to such species.
All vegetation and suitable nesting habitat (including open ground) on the project site,
whether or not it will be removed or disturbed, shall be surveyed for nesting birds. If no nests
are present, this condition will be cleared. Conducting construction activities outside the
breeding season (September 1st through December 31st) can avoid having to implement these
measures. If active nests of any native bird are found on site, they will be avoided until after
the young have fledged.
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Monitoring
A. The City’s Planning Division shall assure that necessary nesting bird surveys are completed in
compliance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and applicable protocol.
Responsible Parties:
Planning Division
stst
Schedule:
Between January 1 to August 31 and no more than 30 days prior to site
disturbance.
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Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
V. CULTURAL RESOURCES -- Would
theproject:
a) Cause a substantial adverse change in the
X
significance of a historical resource as defined in
'15064.5?
b) Cause a substantial adverse change in the
X
significance of an archaeological resource pursuant
to '15064.5?
c) Directly or indirectly destroy a unique
X
paleontological resource or site or unique geologic
feature?
d) Disturb any human remains, including those
X
interred outside of formal cemeteries?
Source: 2035 General Plan, project materials.
No Impact.
V. a,b) According to the 2035 General Plan the subject property has been previously
surveyed for cultural resources (Exhibit III-4). There are no known historic, archaeological or
paleontological resources of significance located on-site. The site is located in a developed
area that has contained residential and recreational development for many years. It is bounded
by Jefferson Street (an Urban Arterial roadway) on the east and 52 Avenue on the south; and
single-family residential to the north and west. The site is also contained by a perimeter wall
on all sides. Given the area’s highly disturbed nature from previous urban development, it is
not anticipated that the proposed project will adversely affect historical or archaeological
resources.
No Impact.
c) According to Exhibit III-5 of the General Plan, the proposed project site is
located in an area of the City of high paleontological sensitivity/significance, underlain by
ancient Lake Cahuilla beds. However, the site has been previously developed and disturbed
though the introduction of surrounding roadways and residential developments. As a result of
these disturbances, the soils within the project site are considered low in sensitivity for
paleontological resources. Implementation of the project will have no further impact on
paleontological resources.
No Impact.
d) It is not anticipated that any human remains will be encountered during
construction of the proposed project because the site and surrounding area have been
previously disturbed to accommodate development. However, should any previously
unidentified or unanticipated human remains be discovered during project construction, state
law requires that law enforcement be contacted, and the remains removed in a prescribed
manner. The project will be subject to these requirements.
Mitigation:
None required.
Monitoring:
None required.
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Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
VI. GEOLOGY AND SOILS -- Would
the project:
a) Expose people or structures to potential
substantial adverse effects, including the risk of
loss, injury, or death involving:
i) Rupture of a known earthquake fault, as
delineated on the most recent Alquist-Priolo
X
Earthquake Fault Zoning Map issued by the State
Geologist for the area or based on other
substantial evidence of a known fault?
X
ii) Strong seismic ground shaking?
iii) Seismic-related ground failure, including
X
liquefaction?
X
iv) Landslides?
b) Result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of
X
topsoil?
c) Be located on expansive soil, as defined in
Table 18-1-B of the Uniform Building Code
X
(1994), creating substantial risks to life or
property?
d) Have soils incapable of adequately supporting
the use of septic tanks or alternative waste water
X
disposal systems where sewers are not available
for the disposal of waste water?
Sources: 2035 General Plan; project materials; “ Geotechnical Assessment, Watermark Project,” prepared by Petra
Geotechnical, Inc October 30, 2013
VI. a) Petra Geotechnical, Inc. (Petra) prepared a Geotechnical Assessment for the proposed project
in October 2013. Petra reviewed the various geotechnical engineering reports/letters and well
as the repot of compaction testing prepared by the previous consultant Earth Systems
Southwest (ESS) for the subject site in addition to conducting site reconnaissance and
laboratory testing.
No Impact
i.. The proposed project site is not located within an Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault
Zone, and there are no known active or potentially active faults on site or within the
immediate vicinity. There will be no impacts associated with fault rupture on the project site.
Less than Significant
ii. . Ground shaking is judged to be the primary hazard most likely to
affect the site. The project site is located in a seismically active area based upon proximity to
four regionally significant faults; the San Andreas, San Jacinto-Anza segment, San-Jacinto-
Coyote Creek segment, and Burnt Mountain. The San Andreas Fault is capable of generating
a moment magnitude 7.4. All structures in the planning area will be subjected to this shaking,
and could be seriously damaged if not properly designed. All construction on the site will be
required to abide be the Uniform Building Code for Seismic Zone 4, thereby reducing impacts
related to strong ground shaking to less than significant levels.
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Less than Significant.
iii. Both Riverside County and Exhibit IV-3 of the 2035 General Plan
indicate the project site is located in an area of low liquefaction susceptibility. This area is
characterized by fine-grained granular sediments that are normally susceptible to liquefaction,
but groundwater depths are greater than 50 feet. The site is located in an area that is
susceptible to high levels of ground shaking and may result in localized impacts related to
liquefaction around saturated foundations or other load-carrying structures. Results from the
2013 CPT data and analysis (Petra) indicate that the site is somewhat susceptible to
seismically induced settlement, with settlement ranging from 0.35 to 0.7 inches during a
major seismic event.
Based on these findings, Petra recommends that the proposed foundations be supported by a
post-tensioned system with consideration given to the installation of flexible joins as the
deformation sensitive utility lines enter the dwellings. Similar consideration should be given
to major utility line fixtures within the proposed development.
The project is required to conform with the City Zoning, Development Code and the Uniform
Building Code Standards at the time of construction, thus further reducing impacts related to
seismically induced liquefaction to less than significant levels.
No Impact.
iv. The proposed project site is relatively flat and is not located within the vicinity of
a landform susceptible to landslides, such as a slope or hillside. No impacts are expected.
Less than Significant.
b) The project site is located within a high to very high Wind Erosion
Hazard zone as identified in the 2035 General Plan Exhibit IV-5. The project area is
susceptible to high winds that can cause wind erosion and soil displacement and
accumulation. As described in the Air Quality section above (Section III), the applicant will
be required to submit a dust control and management plan as part of the permitting process.
Implementation of dust control management practices will reduce impacts associated with soil
erosion and loss of topsoil to less than significant levels.
Less than Significant.
c) Soils in the planning area include alluvial sand and gravel with fine-
grained lakebed deposits such as silts and clays in some areas. The project site is located on
lands comprised of wind-laid dune sand (Qs) as shown in Exhibit IV-4 of the General Plan.
As previously mentioned, the site has been previously graded and partially developed. Petra
Geotechnical, Inc. conducted laboratory tests in 2013 indicating that the fill and/or native
alluvial soils on site are classified as poorly-graded sand to poorly-graded sand with silt that
have a very low expansion potential. Results also indicate that soils tested were found to have
a negligible corrosion potential to concrete materials (soluble sulfate of 0.03 and pH of 7.2),
are moderately corrosive to buried metallic elements (minimum resistivity of 5,500 ohm/cm),
and have a low corrosion potential to metals embedded in concrete (soluble chloride content
of 82 ppm). Maximum dry-density testing had a value of 103 pounds per cubic foot (pcf) at
optimum moisture content of 10 percent.
However, given the limited testing samples, Petra recommends that additional sampling and
testing are warranted during final site grading to ensure that expansion rates of on site soils
pose no substantial risks to life or property in accordance with Table 18-1-B of the 1994
Uniform Building Code, thus reducing potential impacts related to expansive soils to less than
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significant levels. These standard requirements will assure that impacts are less than
significant.
No Impact.
d) The proposed project occurs in an urbanized area of the City. The proposed
project will be required to connect to sanitary sewer lines in the area, and no septic systems
will be permitted. No impact is expected.
Mitigation:
None required.
Monitoring:
None required.
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Potentially Less Than Less Than No
Significant Significant w/ Significant Impact
VII. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
Impact Mitigation Impact
-- Would the project:
a) Generate greenhouse gas emissions, either
directly or indirectly, that may have a significant
X
impact on the environment?
b) Conflict with an applicable plan, policy or
regulation adopted for the purpose of reducing the
X
emissions of greenhouse gases?
Source: CalEEMod Version 2013.2.2, project materials.
VII.
Less than Significant.
a,b) The proposed project will generate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
during both construction and operation. As mentioned in Section III (Air Quality), CalEEMod
was used to quantify air quality emission projections, including greenhouse gas emissions.
Construction related greenhouse gas emissions will be temporary and will end once the
project is completed.Operation of the proposed project will create on-going greenhouse gases
through the consumption of electricity and natural gas, moving sources, the transport and
pumping of water for onsite use, and the disposal of solid waste. Table 4 provides projected
short-term and annual GHG generation for the proposed project
Table 4
Watermark Villas
GHG Emissions from Construction and Operation
(Metric Tons/Year)
CO2 CH4 N2O CO2e
1.234.07 0.23 0.00 1,238.81
Construction Activities
1,454.83 1.39 0.00 1,187.31
Operational Activities
CalEEMod model, version 2013.2.2 output tables generated 11.12.14. Values
shown represent the total annual, unmitigated GHG emission projections for
construction and operation of the proposed project, 2017.
State legislation, including AB32, aims for the reduction of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels
by 2020; however, there are currently no thresholds for greenhouse gases associated with
residential developments. It is recognized that GHG impacts are intrinsically cumulative. As
such, project construction and operation will be conducted in a manner that is consistent with
applicable rules and regulation pertaining to the release and generation of GHG’s. Statewide
programs and standards will further reduce GHG emissions generated by the project,
including new fuel-efficient standards for cars, and newly adopted Building Code Title 24
standards. The proposed project will have a less than significant impact on the environment
from the emission of GHG’s and will not conflict with any applicable GHG plans, policies or
regulations.
Mitigation:
None required.
Monitoring:
None required.
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Potentially Less Than Less Than No
Significant Significant w/ Significant Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
VIII. HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS --Would the project:
a) Create a significant hazard to the public or the
X
environment through the routine transport, use, or
disposal of hazardous materials?
b) Create a significant hazard to the public or the
environment through reasonably foreseeable upset
X
and accident conditions involving the release of
hazardous materials into the environment?
c) Emit hazardous emissions or handle hazardous
or acutely hazardous materials, substances, or
X
waste within one-quarter mile of an existing or
proposed school?
d) Be located on a site which is included on a list
of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to
X
Government Code Section 65962.5 and, as a
result, would it create a significant hazard to the
public or the environment?
e) For a project located within an airport land use
plan or, where such a plan has not been adopted,
X
within two miles of a public airport or public use
airport, would the project result in a safety hazard
for people residing or working in the project area?
f) For a project within the vicinity of a private
X
airstrip, would the project result in a safety hazard
for people residing or working in the project area?
g) Impair implementation of or physically
X
interfere with an adopted emergency response
plan or emergency evacuation plan?
h) Expose people or structures to a significant risk
of loss, injury or death involving wildland fires,
X
including where wildlands are adjacent to
urbanized areas or where residences are
intermixed with wildlands?
Source: 2035 General Plan, CA Department of Toxic Substances, project materials.
Less than Significant.
VII.a,b) The proposed project will result in 82 single-family residential units.
This residential development will not create a significant hazard to the public related to the
transportation of hazardous materials. Small amounts of chemicals for household cleaning
may be transported or stored by residents; however, they will be minimal and cause similar
risks as those associated with existing residential uses in the area. Impacts associated with
transportation, use or storage of these materials are expected to be less than significant.
No Impact
c). The nearest school is Harry Truman Elementary School and La Quinta Middle
School located approximately 1.3 miles northeast of the proposed project. The project is not
located within a quarter mile of a school nor will it result in the emission or handling of
hazardous materials of significance.
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No Impact.
d) The project site is not located on or near a hazardous materials site as identified
by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. It will not create a significant
hazard to the public or environment.
No Impact
e-f). The project site is located approximately 5 miles south of the Bermuda Dunes
airport. The project site is not susceptible to hazards associated with aviation.
No Impact
g). The proposed project will not physically interfere with local or regional roadway
networks, or interfere with implementation of an emergency response or evacuation plan. The
proposed project will have access to the City’s existing street grid for emergency purposes,
including Jefferson Street and Avenue 52. No impacts are expected.
No Impact.
h) The project site is located on the Valley floor, and is in a highly urbanized area.
There will be no impacts associated with wildland fires.
Mitigation:
None required.
Monitoring:
None required.
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Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
IX. HYDROLOGY AND WATER
QUALITY -- Would the project:
a) Violate any water quality standards or waste
X
discharge requirements?
b) Substantially deplete groundwater supplies or
interfere substantially with groundwater recharge
such that there would be a net deficit in aquifer
volume or a lowering of the local groundwater table
X
level (e.g., the production rate of pre-existing
nearby wells would drop to a level which would not
support existing land uses or planned uses for which
permits have been granted)?
c) Substantially alter the existing drainage pattern of
the site or area, including through the alteration of
X
the course of a stream or river, in a manner which
would result in substantial erosion or siltation on- or
off-site?
d) Substantially alter the existing drainage pattern of
the site or area, including through the alteration of
the course of a stream or river, or substantially
X
increase the rate or amount of surface runoff in a
manner which would result in flooding on- or off-
site?
e) Create or contribute runoff water which would
exceed the capacity of existing or planned
X
stormwater drainage systems or provide substantial
additional sources of polluted runoff?
f) Place housing within a 100-year flood hazard area
as mapped on a federal Flood Hazard Boundary or
X
Flood Insurance Rate Map or other flood hazard
delineation map?
g) Place within a 100-year flood hazard area
X
structures which would impede or redirect flood
flows?
Source: 2035 General Plan; FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map Panel #2233G; project materials.; Hydrology Study for
Watermark Villas prepared by Adams-Streeter Civil Engineers, Inc. June 2014.
No Impact
IX. a) . The proposed project will not violate any water quality standards or waste
discharge requirements. The project proponent will be required to implement National
Pollution Elimination System (NPDES) requirements for storm flows by preparing and
implementing SWPPP and WQMP, as required. Project development will be connected to
existing sewer lines in Jefferson Street and or Avenue 52. Wastewater will be transported to
and processed at CVWD’s Mid-Valley Water Reclamation Plant (WRP-4) in Thermal.
CVWD implements all the requirements of the Regional Water Quality Control Board as
they relate to wastewater discharge requirements and water quality standards. Therefore, the
proposed project will have less than significant impact on water quality standards or waste
discharge requirements.
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Less than Significant
b). Water for the proposed project will be supplied by CVWD. CVWD
has prepared an Urban Water Management Plan 2010 Update, which is a long-term planning
document that helps CVWD plan for current and future water demands. The proposed project
is consistent with the City’s General Plan and is therefore addressed in the UWMP. The
UWMP demonstrates that the District has available, or can supply, sufficient water to serve
the proposed project. Impacts on groundwater supplies and recharge are expected to be less
than significant
Less than Significant, Less than Significant.
c-e) The project will result in impermeable
hardscape onsite, which will increase surface runoff and somewhat alter the local drainage
pattern. The subject property does not contain any streams or rivers, and storm water issues
associated with this development will be limited to local drainage. The proposed drainage
system includes an on-site storm drainpipe system that will collect and convey the stormwater
runoff into the existing retention basin located at the southwest corner of the site. Off-site
street flows on Avenue 52 and Jefferson Street will be conveyed into an existing catch basin
located at the entrance of the project and on the street. A storm drain system will collect and
direct these intercepted flows into the existing on site retention basin.
According to the Hydrology Study (Adams-Streeter, 2014), the total storage capacity of the
retention basin is 220,320 cubic feet and the required storage capacity for the site is 211,240
cubic feet (100-year 24-hour runoff). The existing basin utilizes nine sandfilters per the City’s
Standard Drawing No. 307. The applicant will be required to rehabilitate the existing
sandfilters to original specifications.
The project proponent will be required to submit the stormwater drainage plan prior to
construction to ensure impacts to local drainage are reduced to less than significant impacts.
All hydrology improvements will also be required to comply with NPDES standards, to assure
that no polluted storm water enters other surface waters either during construction or
operation of the project. The City’s requirements assure that drainage patterns will not be
significantly impacted by the proposed project.
No Impact.
f-g) The subject property is designated Zone X on FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate
Maps, which is defined as an area of moderate to low risk of flood hazard. The proposed
project will not place housing within the boundaries of the 100-year flood hazard area.
Mitigation:
None required.
Monitoring:
None required.
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Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
X. LAND USE AND PLANNING -
Would the project:
X
a) Physically divide an established community?
b) Conflict with any applicable land use plan,
policy, or regulation of an agency with
jurisdiction over the project (including, but not
X
limited to the general plan, specific plan, local
coastal program, or zoning ordinance) adopted
for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an
environmental effect?
c) Conflict with any applicable habitat
X
conservation plan or natural community
conservation plan?
Sources: 2035 General Plan, 2003 CVMSHCP Figure 4-1: Conservation Areas; project materials. Watermark Specific
Plan Amendment No.1, prepared by MSA Consulting, October 16, 2014.
No Impact
X. a). The proposed project will not divide an established community. The property is
located on the northwest corner of Jefferson Street and Avenue 52 surrounded by vacant lands
and residential developments. The project will be a continuation of residential development
trends in the area.
No Impact.
b) The site has been designated for “Medium/High Density Residential” uses in the
City’s General Plan and Zoning Ordinance. The Watermark Specific Plan Amendment No. 1
will result in a General Plan Land Use and Zoning amendment, allowing for “Low Density
Residential.” Therefore, with approval of the General Plan Amendment and Zone Change, the
project is consistent with the land use goals and policies of the City, and impacts are
considered negligible.
No Impact.
c) The project site is not located within any conservation areas as identified in the
CVMSHCP. However, the property is within the general boundaries of the Plan, and
therefore, the project proponent will be required to pay Local Development Mitigation Fee
(LDMF). There will be no conflict with the Plan. (See Section IV Biological Resources).
Mitigation:
None required.
Monitoring:
None required.
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Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
XI. MINERAL RESOURCES -- Would
the project:
a) Result in the loss of availability of a known
X
mineral resource that would be of value to the
region and the residents of the state?
b) Result in the loss of availability of a locally-
important mineral resource recovery site
X
delineated on a local general plan, specific plan
or other land use plan?
Sources: 2035 General Plan, project materials.
No Impact.
XI.a,b)Mineral resources in the City consist primarily of sand and gravel.The proposed
project site is located in Mineral Resource Zone MRZ-1, which indicates that no resources
occur (Exhibit III-1, 2035 General Plan). There will be no impact to mineral resources as a
result of the proposed project.
Mitigation:
None required
Monitoring:
None required
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Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
XII. NOISE - Would the project result in:
a) Exposure of persons to or generation of noise
levels in excess of standards established in the
X
local general plan or noise ordinance, or
applicable standards of other agencies?
b) Exposure of persons to or generation of
X
excessive groundborne vibration or groundborne
noise levels?
c) A substantial permanent increase in ambient
X
noise levels in the project vicinity above levels
existing without the project?
d) A substantial temporary or periodic increase in
X
ambient noise levels in the project vicinity above
levels existing without the project?
e) For a project located within an airport land use
plan or, where such a plan has not been adopted,
within two miles of a public airport or public use
X
airport, would the project expose people residing
or working in the project area to excessive noise
levels?
f) For a project within the vicinity of a private
airstrip, would the project expose people residing
X
or working in the project area to excessive noise
levels?
Source: 2035 General Plan Noise Element, project materials.
Less than Significant.
XII. a) The City of La Quinta Noise Element of the General Plan provides
guidelines for community noise impacts per land use designation. The current City noise
standards for residential land uses allow noise levels of 60 dBA from 7am to 10pm, and 50
dBA from 10pm to 7am. The primary source of noise in the City and project area is traffic
related. The main source of off-site exterior noise impacting the project will be generated
from traffic along Jefferson Street and Avenue 52. Tables IV-1 and IV-2 of the Noise Element
provide noise analysis of various locations throughout the City. The average daily noise levels
generated from traffic at Jefferson Street and Avenue 52 is is 62.2 dBA. This does not reflect
the noise reduction from the existing perimeter wall.
The proposed project is located in proximity to residential land uses of the Citrus Club,
immediately north and west of the subject site. According to City standards, residential land
uses are considered “noise sensitive” thereby restricting allowable noise levels within the
planning area. The City requires that exterior noise levels not exceed 65 dBA CNEL in
outdoor living areas, and interior noise levels not to exceed 45 dBA CNEL in all habitable
rooms. Noise generated by project operation and related traffic is anticipated to similar to
existing noise of the surrounding residential uses and traffic along Jefferson Street and
Avenue 52. Therefore, noise impacts to surrounding residential land uses will be less than
significant.
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Less than Significant.
b) Development of the proposed project will temporarily generate noise
and groundbourne vibrations through construction related activities, but will cease once in
operation. Impacts are therefore expected to be less than significant.
Less than Significant
c,d). Surrounding land uses in proximity to the proposed site include low
density residential to the north and west, and currently vacant lands to the east and south. The
proposed project is consistent with lands immediately north and west of the site and will
generate comparable noise levels. Impacts are expected to be less than significant.
No Impact.
e,f) The project is located approximately 5 miles to the south of the Bermuda Dunes
Airport. Although an occasional overflight is likely, the approach patterns do not occur in the
vicinity of the proposed project. There are no private airstrips in the region. Therefore, there
will be no impact associated with airport noise.
Mitigation:
None required
Monitoring:
None required
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Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
XIII. POPULATION AND HOUSING –
Would the project:
a) Induce substantial population growth in an
area, either directly (for example, by proposing
X
new homes and businesses) or indirectly (for
example, through extension of roads or other
infrastructure)?
b) Displace substantial numbers of existing
X
housing, necessitating the construction of
replacement housing elsewhere?
c) Displace substantial numbers of people,
X
necessitating the construction of replacement
housing elsewhere?
Source: Project materials. “Report E-5: Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, January 1,
2011-2014, with 2010 Benchmark,” CA Dept. of Finance, Demographic Research Unit, May 1, 2014.
No Impact.
XIII. a) The proposed project will result in the development of 82 detached single-family
residential units. According to the California Department of Finance, the 2014 household size
1
in La Quinta is 2.59 persons per household. Based on this factor, the project has the potential
to add approximately 213 persons to the City’s population. Although the project will directly
induce population growth, it is consistent with the natural growth occurring over time in the
City. Impacts to population will be less than significant.
No Impact.
b,c) The proposed site is currently vacant and designated for medium/high density
residential. The project will not result in the loss or relocation of housing stock. Instead, the
project will be adding 82 single-family units to the City’s housing stock. There will be no
impact to housing.
Mitigation:
None required
Monitoring:
None required
1
“E-5 Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State 2011-2014”, prepared by CA Dept. of
Finance, accessed November 2014.
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Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
XIV. PUBLIC SERVICES
a) Would the project result in substantial adverse
physical impacts associated with the provision of
new or physically altered governmental facilities,
need for new or physically altered governmental
facilities, the construction of which could cause
significant environmental impacts, in order to
maintain acceptable service ratios, response times
or other performance objectives for any of the
public services:
X
Fire protection?
X
Police protection?
X
Schools?
X
Parks?
X
Other public facilities?
Source: 2035 General Plan, Google Earth accessed November 2014, project materials.
XIV. a)
Les than Significant
Fire Protection-
The County of Riverside Fire Department provides Fire Protection for the proposed project.
The nearest exiting fire station (Station #93) that would respond first to an incident is located
approximately 1.5 miles north of the project site at 44555 Adams Street. There are two other
stations located at 78111 Avenue 52 (#32) and 54001 Madison Street (#70). All County-
operated stations feature a minimum of one trained paramedic as part of its three-person
engine company per RCFD policy.The Fire Department also operates four additional stations
in surrounding communities. The Department’s first-in-response times range from two to six
minutes and exhibits an Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection class rating of four
based on the provision of staffing, communication, water system for suppression, building
standards etc. The site will have immediate access to Avenue 52 and possibly Jefferson Street
(at the City’s discretion) for emergency purposes. Project development will be in accordance
with all City Municipal Code and/or Riverside County Fire Protection Standards to assure
adequate fire safety and emergency response. Impacts will be less than significant.
Les than Significant
Police Protection-
The City contracts with the County Sheriff for police services. The addition of 82 single-
family residential units will increase the need for police services for 213 additional persons;
however overall impact to police services is expected to be less than significant. The project
vicinity is currently patrolled and will continue to be patrolled after project development. The
site will be immediately accessible from Avenue 52, and project development will occur in
accordance with City standards to assure adequate police protection.
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Watermark Villas IS/MND
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-Les than Significant
Schools
The proposed project will result in 82 single-family residences and has the potential to
directly increase student population. The proposed project is located within the Coachella
Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) and the Desert Sands Unified School District and
will be required to pay the State mandated developer fee to help address and offset the
potential impacts to local schools. Fees will be collected prior to the issuance of building
permits.
-Les than Significant
Parks
Each residential lot will have a private yard and the development will provide a community
center and several open space components that will serve as both recreational space and a
retention basin. The project is not expected to substantially increase the use of existing
neighborhood and regional parks or other recreational facilities. The proposed project will
participate in the City’s parkland in-lieu fee program to offset impacts associated with parks
generated by the 213 new residents of the project. Impacts are expected to be less than
significant.
Mitigation:
None required
Monitoring:
None required
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Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
XV. RECREATION --
a) Would the project increase the use of existing
neighborhood and regional parks or other
X
recreational facilities such that substantial
physical deterioration of the facility would occur
or be accelerated?
b) Does the project include recreational facilities
or require the construction or expansion of
X
recreational facilities which might have an
adverse physical effect on the environment?
Sources: 2035 General Plan, project materials.
No Impact.
XV. a,b) Residents of La Quinta currently have access to 72 acres of parks, 147 acres of
nature preserves containing recreational parkland areas, 845 acres of regional parks, a 525-
acre municipal golf course, and numerous other private and public recreational facilities.
The City sets a requirement for providing a minimum of 5 acres per 1,000. When this
standard is applied to the estimated General Plan buildout population, a total of 403 acres of
neighborhood and community parks will be required to adequately serve the City and its
sphere of influence.
The development consists of 82 detached single-family residential units, which could
potentially increase the City’s population by 213 persons. The development offers a private
community recreation center with pool, private yards for each dwelling unit, and several
open space components that will serve as both passive recreational space and a retention
basin. The project is not expected to substantially increase the use of existing neighborhood
and regional parks or other recreational facilities. The proposed project will participate in
the City’s parkland in-lieu fee program to offset impacts associated with parks generated by
the 213 new residents of the project. Impacts are expected to be less than significant.
Mitigation:
None required
Monitoring:
None required
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Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
XVI. TRANSPORTATION/TRAFFIC --
Would the project:
a) Cause an increase in traffic which is
substantial in relation to the existing
traffic load and capacity of the street
system (i.e., result in a substantial X
increase in either the number of vehicle
trips, the volume to capacity ratio on
roads, or congestion at intersections)?
b) Exceed, either individually or
cumulatively, a level of service standard
established by the county congestion X
management agency for designated roads
or highways?
c) Result in a change in air traffic
patterns, including either an increase in
X
traffic levels or a change in location that
results in substantial safety risks?
d) Substantially increase hazards due to a
design feature (e.g., sharp curves or
X
dangerous intersections) or incompatible
uses (e.g., farm equipment)?
e) Result in inadequate emergency
X
access?
f) Result in inadequate parking capacity? X
g) Conflict with adopted policies, plans,
or programs supporting alternative
transportation (e.g., bus turnouts, bicycle
X
racks)?
Source: 2035 General Plan, “ Watermark Villas Focused Traffic Memo” prepared by Endo Engineering, June 11, 2014.
Project materials. Engineering Bulletin No. 06-13.
XVI.
Less than Significant.
a, b) A Traffic Impact Memo was prepared by Endo Engineering in June
2014 to provide updated analysis for the proposed project. The previous approved Traffic
Report (Paul Singer, P.E. 2003) was based on the originally proposed 248 condominiums and
traffic conditions present at the time of analysis. The current traffic memo (2014) compares
and analyzes impacts associated with the proposed 82 unit single-family development to the
approved 248 condominiums to determine whether or not a new Traffic Report is required.
According to the Traffic Memo and pursuant to Engineering Bulletin No. 06-13 (EB #06-13),
a focused traffic impact memo may be prepared to compare the trip generation analysis in an
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environmental document prepared for an already approved entitlement to the trip generation
analysis for a proposed or amended entitlement. If there is an insignificant difference (equal to
or less than 50 daily trips or 5 peak hour trips) between the existing entitlement and the
proposed/amended entitlement trip generation, no additional traffic analysis will be required.
Table 5 below shows the reduction in the weekday trip generation associated with the
proposed change in the residential development within the project from the approved 248
condominiums to 82 single-family detached residential units.
Table 5
Watermark Villas
Reduction in Weekday Site Trip-Generation Forecasts
Morning Peak Hour Evening Peak Hour
Land Use Daily
Development Scenario
Quantity2-Way
In Out Total In Out Total
248 DU 18 89 107 85 42 127 1,420
Approved Watermark Villas
82 DU 17 50 67 55 33 88 870
Proposed Watermark Villas
1 39 40 30 9 39 550
Reduction in Trip Generation
% Reduction
6% 44% 37% 35% 21% 31% 39%
As shown in Table 5, the change in land use type and density associated with the proposed
project compared to the previously approved project would result in a decrease in daily trips
as well as peak hour trips. Therefore, the traffic impacts associated with the proposed project
should be less than previously identified.
The proposed project would generate 37 percent fewer trips during the morning peak hour, 31
percent fewer trips during the evening peak hour, and 39 percent fewer trips during a typical
weekday. The main site access would provide adequate capacity to accommodate the site
traffic generated by the proposed project, and do so at acceptable levels of service. Therefore,
impacts related to roadway capacity and level of service are considered less than significant.
No Impact.
c) The nearest airport, Bermuda Dunes Airport, is located approximately 5 miles
north of the proposed site. The project is not located within proximity to an airport and will
not impact air traffic patterns.
Less than Significant.
d) The proposed project is required to meet Development Code standards
for roadway, parking and intersection designs, and is not expected to significantly impact
traffic safety. Impacts will be less than significant.
Less than Significant.
e) Access to the planning area is via major arterial, secondary arterials,
Interstate-10 and a variety of local roads. East-west roadways include Highway 111 and 47th
Avenue, while Washington Street serves as both the north-south roadway and project access.
Design guidelines further ensure that emergency access will be created and preserved for the
proposed project. The applicant may be required, at the discretion of the City, to provide an
emergency only access. The proposed project will not result in inadequate emergency access.
No Impact
f). The proposed project will provide the required amount of parking consistent with
design guidelines for single-family residential. No impact is expected.
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Watermark Villas IS/MND
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Less than Significant.
g) The proposed project will not conflict with adopted policies, plans, or
programs regarding public transit, bicycle, or pedestrian facilities, or otherwise decrease the
performance or safety of such facilities.
Mitigation:
None required
Monitoring:
None required
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Watermark Villas IS/MND
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Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
XVII. UTILITIES AND SERVICE
SYSTEMS. Would the project:
a) Exceed wastewater treatment requirements of
X
the applicable Regional Water Quality Control
Board?
b) Require or result in the construction of new
water or wastewater treatment facilities or
X
expansion of existing facilities, the construction
of which could cause significant environmental
effects?
c) Require or result in the construction of new
storm water drainage facilities or expansion of
X
existing facilities, the construction of which
could cause significant environmental effects?
d) Have sufficient water supplies available to
serve the project from existing entitlements and
X
resources, or are new or expanded entitlements
needed?
e) Result in a determination by the wastewater
treatment provider that serves or may serve the
X
project that it has adequate capacity to serve the
project’s projected demand in addition to the
provider’s existing commitments?
f) Be served by a landfill with sufficient
X
permitted capacity to accommodate the project’s
solid waste disposal needs?
g) Comply with federal, state, and local statutes
X
and regulations related to solid waste?
Source: Project Materials.
No Impact
XVII. a) . Wastewater discharge requirements for the Coachella Valley, including the
subject property, are administered by the Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality
Control Board. All development within the proposed project will be connected to existing
sewer lines in either Jefferson Street or Avenue 52. Project wastewater will be transported to
and processed at CVWD’s Mid-Valley Water Reclamation Plant (WRP-4) in Thermal.
CVWD implements all the requirements of the Regional Water Quality Control Board as they
relate to wastewater discharge requirements and water quality standards. The proposed project
will increase wastewater flows to the treatment plant, but it will not adversely impact water
quality standards or waste discharge requirements.
Less than Significant, No Impact
b-e). The subject property falls under the jurisdiction of the
Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) for domestic water supplies and wastewater
treatment. The project will be able to connect to existing water and sanitary sewer lines in
either Jefferson Street or Avenue 52, and no new regional infrastructure will be required.
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Watermark Villas IS/MND
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Wastewater produced by the proposed project will be processed at the Mid-Valley Water
Reclamation Plant (WRP-4) located in Thermal, which has a capacity of approximately 9.5
million gallons per day (mgd).
CVWD has prepared an Urban Water Management Plan 2010 Update, which is a long-term
planning document that helps it plan for current and future water demands. The Plan
demonstrates that the District has available, or can supply, sufficient water to serve City and
project area. The project will also be required to implement water conservation programs,
including a drought tolerant landscaping plan and the CalGreen Building Code, which
requires that high efficiency fixtures be used. The project will not be required to provide a
Water Supply Assessment (WSA) because it does not meet the “Project” criteria set forth in
State Water Code Section 10912. The project is also consistent with current land use
designations set forth in the General Plan and therefore has been considered in future water
demand projections.
CVWD is also responsible for regional stormwater management in the Coachella Valley.
According to CVWD, the general project area is adequately protected from stormwater flows
by the Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel (Whitewater River), and drainage issues
affecting the subject property are limited to the management of local drainage. To manage
onsite stormwater flows, the project proponent will be required to develop a stormwater
management plan and drainage plan prior to approval of the project. It is not anticipated that
new or expanded off-site stormwater management facilities will be required to serve the
project.
The project will be required to provide electric, telephone and cable service through the
applicable providers. Service is available adjacent to the site. The applicant will be required to
construct connections to these services to the standards established by each service provider.
No Impact.
f,g) The project site will be served by Burrtec, the City’s solid waste contractor. Trash
generated by the project will be hauled to the transfer station located in Cathedral City, west
of the City, and from there transported to one of four regional landfills. All four landfills have
sufficient capacity to accommodate the proposed project. Burrtec is required to meet all local,
regional, State and federal standards for solid waste disposal.
Mitigation:
Not required.
Monitoring:
Not required.
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Watermark Villas IS/MND
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Potentially Less Than Less Than
No
Significant Significant w/ Significant
Impact
Impact Mitigation Impact
XVIII. MANDATORY FINDINGS OF
SIGNIFICANCE --
a) Does the project have the potential to degrade
the quality of the environment, substantially
reduce the habitat of a fish or wildlife species,
cause a fish or wildlife population to drop below
X
self-sustaining levels, threaten to eliminate a
plant or animal community, reduce the number or
restrict the range of a rare or endangered plant or
animal or eliminate important examples of the
major periods of California history or prehistory?
b) Does the project have the potential to achieve
short-term, to the disadvantage of long-term
X
environmental goals?
c) Does the project have impacts that are
individually limited, but cumulatively
considerable? ("Cumulatively
considerable" means that the incremental effects
X
of a project are considerable when viewed in
connection with the effects of past projects, the
effects of other current projects, and the effects of
probable future projects)?
d) Does the project have environmental effects
X
which will cause substantial adverse effects on
human beings, either directly or indirectly?
Less than Significant.
a) The proposed project is located northwest corner of Avenue 52 and
Jefferson Street and is surrounded by developed or previously disturbed lands. There will be
no substantial reduction in wildlife habitat nor will it restrict the movement or range of any
plant or animal. Compliance with the MBTA will ensure impacts to sensitive species are
reduced to less than significant levels.
The project will not impact any important examples of California history or prehistory. In the
event cultural artifacts are uncovered during site disturbing activities, a qualified archaeologist
will be called in to evaluate and, if necessary recover and document such resources to reduce
related impacts to less than significant levels.
Less than Significant.
b,c) Buildout of proposed project is consistent with both the General Plan
and Watermark Specific Plan Amendment No. 1. The project will not have any additional
cumulatively considerable impacts beyond buildout of the General Plan.
Less than Significant with Mitigation.
d) The project’s potential environmental effects have
been mitigated to a less than significant level by the measures outlined in the Initial Study and
development requirements of the City of La Quinta. Further, as mitigated the project will not
cause substantial adverse effects on human beings. This Agency intends to adopt a Mitigated
Negative Declaration based upon the supporting documentation herein.
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References
City of La Quinta 2035 General Plan
City of La Quinta Municipal Code.
CalEEMod Version 2013.2.2
“Watermark Villas Focused Traffic Memo” prepared by Endo Engineering, June 11, 2014
“Report E-5: Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, January 1, 2011-
2014, with 2010 Benchmark,” CA Dept. of Finance, Demographic Research Unit, May 1, 2014.
Watermark Specific Plan Amendment No.1, prepared by MSA Consulting, October 16, 2014.
2003 Coachella Valley MSHCP
FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map Panel #2233G
‘Hydrology Study for Watermark Villas,” prepared by Adams-Streeter Civil Engineers, Inc. June
2014.
CA Department of Toxic Substances
“Geotechnical Assessment, Watermark Project,” prepared by Petra Geotechnical, Inc October 30,
2013
SCAQMD CEQA Handbook
2003 PM10 Plan for the Coachella Valley
SCAQMD 2012 Air Quality Management Plan
Earthwork Volume Analysis: Watermark La Quinta, prepared by Earthwork Calculation Services,
October 8, 2014.
California Department of Conservation Farmland Mapping
California Scenic Highway Mapping System
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356
357
358
359
360
RESOLUTION 2015-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING GENERAL PLAN
AMENDMENT 2014-127, A CHANGE IN LAND USE
DESIGNATION FOR THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF
JEFFERSON STREET AND AVENUE 52
CASE: GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 2014-127
APPLICANT: BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of La Quinta, California did, on the
thth
day of January, and on the 19day of May, 2015, hold duly noticed public
6
hearings to consider a request by Beazer Homes Holdings for a General Plan
Amendment from Medium/High Density Residential to Low Density Residential,
located at the northwest corner of Jefferson Street and Avenue 52, more
particularly described as:
Assessor’s Parcel Nos.: 776-220-012, 776-220-013, 776-220-014
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of La Quinta, California did,
th
on the 9day of December, 2014, hold a duly noticed public hearing to consider a
recommendation on General Plan Amendment 2014-127, and after hearing and
considering all testimony and arguments, did adopt Planning Commission
Resolution 2013-028, recommending to the City Council approval of General Plan
Amendment 2014-127; and
WHEREAS, the La Quinta Planning Department has prepared Environmental
Assessment 2014-638 for this project, in compliance with the requirements of the
California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”). The Planning Commission
determined that although the proposed project could have a significant effect on
the environment, there will not be a significant effect in this case because revisions
in the project have been made by or agreed to by the project proponent and
mitigation measures have been incorporated. Therefore, the Planning Commission
is recommending that a Mitigated Negative Declaration of environmental impact
and associated Mitigation Monitoring Program be adopted; and,
WHEREAS, per SB-18 consultation requirements, the Community
Development Department has forwarded information regarding the proposed
General Plan Amendmentto those Tribes referenced on the Tribal Consultation List
provided by the Native American Heritage Commission and has followed up with all
Tribes requesting information or consultation; and,
361
Resolution 2015 -
General Plan Amendment 2014-127
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 2 of 4
WHEREAS, the Community Development Department published a public
hearing notice in The Desert Sun newspaper on December 26, 2014 and on May 8,
2015as prescribed by the Municipal Code. Public hearing notices were also mailed
to all property owners within 500 feet of the site; and,
WHEREAS, at said public hearing, upon hearing and considering all testimony
and arguments, if any, of all interested persons wanting to be heard, said City
Councildid make the following mandatory findings recommending approval of said
Amendment:
Finding A
The project is consistent with the La Quinta General Plan.
The proposed General Plan Amendment is internally consistent with those goals,
objectives and policies of the general plan which are not being amended. The
proposed Low Density Residential designation is consistent with lands to the west
and north of the parcel.
Finding B
Approval of the amendment will not create conditions materially detrimental to the
public health, safety and general welfare.
Approval of the proposed General Plan Amendment will not create conditions
materially detrimental to public health, safety and general welfare insofar as the
Low Density Residential designation will result in the development of single-family
homes and similar uses permitted by the General Plan in this land use designation.
Finding C
The new designation is compatible with the land use designations on adjacent
properties.
The General Plan Amendment is consistent with the land use designation for
properties located north and west of the parcel.
Finding D
The new land use designation is suitable and appropriate for the subject property.
The new land use designation is suitable and appropriate for the subject property,
insofar as it will allow the development of single-family homes on a site that is
generally flat and rectangular.
362
Resolution 2015 -
General Plan Amendment 2014-127
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 3 of 4
Finding E
Approval of the amendment is warranted because the situation and the general
conditions of the property have substantially changed since the existing designation
was imposed.
Approval of the new land use designation is warranted because the density of the
proposed single-family tract will be less than 4 units per acre.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of La
Quinta, California, as follows:
SECTION 1. That the above recitations are true and correct and constitute the
findings of the City Council.
SECTION 2. That it does hereby approve General Plan Amendment 2014-127 for
the reasons set forth in this Resolution and Exhibit A.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the La Quinta
th
City Councilheld on this 19 day of May, 2015, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
_________________________
LINDA EVANS, Mayor
City of La Quinta, California
ATTEST:
____________________________
363
Resolution 2015 -
General Plan Amendment 2014-127
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 4 of 4
SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
(CITY SEAL)
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________________
, City Attorney
WILLIAM H. IHRKE
City of La Quinta, California
364
EXHIBIT “A”
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 2014-127
RESOLUTION 2015 - ____
CURRENTLAND USE
DESIGNATION:
MEDIUM HIGH DENSITY
RESIDENTIAL
PROPOSED LAND USE
DESIGNATION:
LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
365
366
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING ZONE
CHANGE 2014-145, CHANGING THE ZONING
DESIGNATION FOR ASSESSOR’S PARCEL NUMBERS
776-220-012, 776-220-013, 776-220-014 FROM
MEDIUM HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO LOW
DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
CASE: ZONE CHANGE 2014-145
APPLICANT: BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of La Quinta, California did, on
thrdth
the 6 day of January, 3day of March and 19day of May, 2015, consider a
request by Beazer Homes Holdings fora change in zoningfrom Medium High
Density Residential to Low Density Residential, locatedat the northwest corner of
Jefferson Street and Avenue 52, more particularly described as:
Assessor’s Parcel Nos.: 776-220-012, 776-220-013, 776-220-014
th
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of La Quinta did, on the 9
day of December, 2014, hold a duly noticed Public Hearing to consider the
aforementioned Zone Change; and,
WHEREAS, subsequent to said Public Hearing, the Planning Commission of
the City of La Quinta did adopt Planning Commission Resolution 2014-029 to
recommend to the City Council adoption of said Zone Change; and,
WHEREAS, said Zone Change has complied with the requirements of “The
Rules to Implement the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970" as amended
(Resolution 83-68), in that the La Quinta Community Development Directorhas
determined that the Zone Change could have a significant impact on the
environment but that all potentially significant impacts can be reduced to less than
significant levels, and a Mitigated Negative Declaration has been approved; and,
WHEREAS, at said Public Hearing, upon hearing and considering all
testimony and arguments, if any, of all interested persons wanting to be heard, the
La Quinta City Council did make the following mandatory findings to justify
adoption of said Zone Change:
Finding A
367
Ordinance No.
Zone Change 2014-145
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 2 of 5
The project is consistent with the General Plan
The proposed Zone Changeis internally consistent with those goals, objectives and
policies of the general plan which are not being amended. The proposed Low
Density Residential designation is consistent with lands to the west and north of
the parcel.
Finding B
Approval of the amendment will not create conditions materially detrimental to the
public health, safety and general welfare.
Approval of the proposed Zone Change will not create conditions materially
detrimental to public health, safety and general welfare insofar as the Low Density
Residential designation will result in the development of single-family homes and
similar uses permitted by the General Plan in this land use designation.
Finding C
The new designation is compatible with the land use designations on adjacent
properties.
The Zone Change is consistent with the land use designation for properties located
north and west of the parcel.
Finding D
The new land use designation is suitable and appropriate for the subject property.
The new zoning designation is suitable and appropriate for the subject property,
insofar as it will allow the development of single-family homes on a site that is
generally flat and rectangular.
Finding E
Approval of the amendment is warranted because the situation and the general
conditions of the property have substantially changed since the existing designation
was imposed.
Approval of the new zoning designation is warranted because the density of the
proposed single-family tract will be less than 4 units per acre.
368
Ordinance No.
Zone Change 2014-145
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 3 of 5
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of La Quinta does ordain as
follows:
SECTION 1. The La Quinta Zoning Map is hereby amended as follows:
1. APNs: 776-220-012, 776-220-013, 776-220-014 are designated Low
Density Residential (Exhibit A).
SECTION 2. ENVIRONMENTAL: The Community Development Department
determined that the proposed Zone Changecould have a significant impact on the
environment, but all significant impacts can be mitigated to a less than significant
level.
SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE: This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect
thirty (30) days after its adoption.
SECTION 4. POSTING: The City Clerk shall, within 15 days after passage of this
Ordinance, cause it to be posted in at least three public places designated by
resolution of the City Council, shall certify to the adoption and posting of this
Ordinance, and shall cause this Ordinance and its certification, together with proof
of posting to be entered into the Book of Ordinances of the City of La Quinta.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the La Quinta
th
City Council held this 19 day of May, 2015, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
__________________________
LINDA EVANS, Mayor
City of La Quinta, California
369
Ordinance No.
Zone Change 2014-145
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 4 of 5
ATTEST:
_____________________________________
SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
(CITY SEAL)
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_______________________________
WILLIAM H. IHRKE, City Attorney
City of La Quinta, California
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss.
CITY OF LA QUINTA )
I, SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk of the City of La Quinta, California, do hereby
certify the foregoing to be a full, true, and correct copy of Ordinance No. (enter
number) which was introduced at a regular meeting on the 19th day of May, 2015,
and was adopted at a regular meeting held on the 2nd day of June, 2015, not
being less than 5 days after the date of introduction thereof.
I further certify that the foregoing Ordinance was posted in three places within the
City of La Quinta as specified in the Rules of Procedure adopted by City Council
Resolution No. 2014-013.
__________________________________________
SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
370
Ordinance No.
Zone Change 2014-145
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 5 of 5
DECLARATION OF POSTING
I, SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk of the City of La Quinta, California, do hereby
certify that the foregoing ordinance was posted on , pursuant to
CouncilResolution.
__________________________________________
SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
371
372
EXHIBIT “A”
ZONE CHANGE 2014-145
ORDINANCE NO. ____
CURRENT ZONING
DESIGNATION:
MEDIUM HIGH DENSITY
RESIDENTIAL
PROPOSED ZONING
DESIGNATION:
LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
373
374
RESOLUTION 2015 -
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING SPECIFIC PLAN
2003-069, AMENDMENT 1, FOR THE BEAZER HOMES
WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN
CASE NO.: SPECIFIC PLAN 2003-069, AMENDMENT NO. 1
APPLICANT: BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of La Quinta, California did, on the
thrdth
6 day of January, 3 day of March and 19 day of May, 2015, hold duly noticed
Public Hearings to consider a request by Beazer Homes Holdings for consideration
of an amendment to the existing Watermark Specific Plan in order to allow the
development of single-family homes on the property, more particularly described
as:
Assessor’s Parcel Nos.: 776-220-012, 776-220-013, 776-220-014
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of La Quinta, California did,
th
on the 9day of December, 2014, hold a duly noticed Public Hearing to consider a
recommendation on said Specific Plan Amendment, and after hearing and
considering all testimony and arguments, did adopt Planning Commission
Resolution 2013-029, recommending to the City Council approval of Specific Plan
2003-069, Amendment No. 1; and,
WHEREAS, the Community Development Department published a public
hearing notice in The Desert Sun newspaper on December 26, 2014, as prescribed
by the Municipal Code. Public hearing notices were also mailed to all property
owners within 500 feet of the site; and,
WHEREAS, per SB-18 consultation requirements, the Community
Development Department has forwarded information regarding the proposed
amended Specific Plan to those Tribes referenced on the Tribal Consultation List
provided by the Native American Heritage Commission and placed their
recommendations, if any, in the Conditions of Approval; and,
WHEREAS, at said Public Hearing, upon hearing and considering all
testimony and arguments, if any, of all interested persons desiring to be heard, said
City Councildid make the following mandatory findings pursuant to Section
9.240.010 of the La Quinta MunicipalCode to justify approval of said Specific Plan
Amendment:
375
Resolution 2015-
Specific Plan 2003-069, Amendment No. 1
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2014
Page 2 of 3
1.Consistency with the General Plan
The proposed Specific Plan amendment is consistent with the goals and
policies of the La Quinta General Plan in that the Specific Plan
Amendment follows the approval of a General Plan Amendment to Low
Density Residential for the project site, and the proposed development
standards and guidelines contained in the Specific Plan arecompatible
with the goals and policies of the General Plan for Low Density
Residential land uses.
Public Welfare
2.
Approval of the Specific Plan Amendment will not create conditions
materially detrimental to public health, safety and general welfare insofar
as the impacts of the Amendment on the environment have been
analyzed under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act,
and potential impacts have been reduced to less than significant levels.
3.Land Use Compatibility
The proposed Specific Plan amendment incorporates land uses that are
compatible with zoning on properties located to the north and west. The
design regulations specified in the Specific Plan Amendment are
compatible with the low intensity development adjacent to the site.
4.Property Suitability
The uses permitted in the Specific Plan Amendment are suitable and
appropriate for the subject property in that the property is generally flat
and rectangular in shape, and can accommodate the use.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of La
Quinta, California, as follows:
SECTION 1. That the above recitations are true and constitute the Findings of the
Planning Commission in this case;
SECTION 2. That it does hereby approve Specific Plan 2003-069, Amendment No.
1, for the reasons set forth in this Resolution, subject to the attached Conditions of
Approval.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City of La
th
Quinta City Council, held on this the 19 day of May, 2015, by the following vote:
376
Resolution 2015-
Specific Plan 2003-069, Amendment No. 1
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2014
Page 3 of 3
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
__________________________
LINDA EVANS, Mayor
City of La Quinta, California
ATTEST:
____________________________
SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
(CITY SEAL)
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________________
, City Attorney
WILLIAM H. IHRKE
City of La Quinta, California
377
378
RESOLUTION 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SPECIFIC PLAN 2003-069, AMENDMENT NO. 1
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2015
GENERAL
1.The applicant agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the City of La
Quinta (“City”), its agents, officers and employees from any claim, action or
proceeding to attack, set aside, void, or annul the approval of this Specific
Plan, or any Final Map recorded thereunder. The City shall have sole
discretion in selecting its defense counsel.
The City shall promptly notify the applicant of any claim, action or proceeding
and shall cooperate fully in the defense.
2.Specific Plan 2003-069, Amendment No. 1 shall be developed in compliance
with these conditions, and the approved Specific Plan document. In the event
of any conflicts between these conditions and the provisions of Specific Plan
2003-069 Amendment No. 1, these conditions shall take precedence.
3.Thefollowing changes shall be made to the Specific Plan:
A.A walking path with dog watering and clean up stations shall be added
on the outer (east, west, and south sides) edge of the retention basin
on Figure 2.4. The last sentence of the paragraph beginning “Retention
Basin (Passive Open Space)” on page 19 shall be corrected to state that
pedestrianaccess will be provided on the south, west and east sides of
the basin.
B.The last sentence of Section 2.6 shall be corrected to read: “Phased
development will be accompanied by the orderly extension of roadways,
public utilities and infrastructure consistent with the approved
conditions of approval.”
C.Benches and picnic tables shall be described as requirementsin the turf
area located on the east side of the pool in Planning Area 2 in Section
3.3.
D.The plant palette (Table 4.1) shall be amended to include all the plant
materials included in the landscape plan for Site Development Permit
2014-942.
E.All homes shall be designed with a minimum 18 inch eave/overhang of
the roof.
F.Homes abutting the northern and western boundary of the site, and
Page 1 of 2
379
RESOLUTION 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SPECIFIC PLAN 2003-069, AMENDMENT NO. 1
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2015
homes sited on lots 1 and 50 (adjacent to the project entry) shall be
single story models.
G.Home abutting the northern and western boundary of the property shall
be provided architectural enhancements on their northern elevation
facing the Citrus.
4.Within 30 days of City Council approval, applicant shall provide an electronic
copy (.pdf) and three bound paper copies of the Final Specific Plan document,
as amended by this action, to the Community Development Department. The
Final Specific Plan shall include all text and graphics except as amended by
this action, all amendments per this action, and correction of any
typographical errors, internal document inconsistencies, and other
amendments deemed necessary by the Planning Director.
5.The Specific Plan shall conform to the conditions of approval placed on Site
Development Permit 2014-942 and Tentative Tract Map 36762, and the
Mitigation Measures contained in Environmental Assessment 2014-638.
Page 2 of 2
380
RESOLUTION NO. 2015 -
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING TENTATIVE
TRACT MAP 36762 LOCATED AT THE NORTHWEST
CORNER OF JEFFERSON STREET AND AVENUE 52
CASE NO.: TENTATIVE TRACT MAP 36762
APPLICANT: BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of La Quinta, California did, on the
thrdth
6 day of January, 3 day of March and 19 day of May 2015, hold duly noticed
Public Hearings to consider a request by Beazer Homes Holdings for approval of
Tentative Tract Map 36762, more particularly described as:
Assessor’s Parcel Nos.: 776-220-012, 776-220-013, 776-220-014
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of La Quinta, California did,
th
day of December, 2014, hold a duly noticed Public Hearing to consider a
on the 9
request by Beazer Homes Holdings for approval of Tentative Tract Map 36762, and
after hearing and considering all testimony and arguments, did adopt Planning
Commission Resolution 2013-032, recommending to the City Council approval of
Tentative Tract Map 36762; and
WHEREAS, at said Public Hearing, upon hearing and considering all
testimony and arguments, if any, of all interested persons desiring to be heard, the
City Council did make the following mandatory findings to justify approval of said
Amended Final Map:
1.Tentative Tract Map 36762 is consistent with the La Quinta General Plan,
and Specific Plan (“SP”) 2003-069 as proposed. The Tract Map is
consistent with the Low Density Residentialland use designation asset forth
in the General Plan, and as set forth in SP 2003-069, as amended.
2.The design and improvement of Tentative Tract Map 36762 is consistent
with the La Quinta General Plan, and SP 2003-069with the implementation
of recommended conditions of approval toensure consistency for the homes
proposed on the lots created herein, as well as adequate storm water
drainage. The project density is consistent with the La Quinta General Plan
and SP 2003-069, in that the development density of 3.9 units per acre is
comparable to surrounding single-family home developments.
3.The design of Tentative Tract Map 36762and proposed improvements are
381
Resolution No. 2015-
Tentative Tract Map 36762
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 2 of 3
not likely to cause substantial environmental damage, nor substantially and
avoidably injure fish or wildlife or their habitat. Environmental Assessment
2014-638determined that there are no significant impacts to air or water
quality, biological or cultural resources, geology and soils which cannot be
mitigated to less than significant levels, with incorporation of recommended
mitigation measures into the Project, which has been required.
4.The design of Tentative Tract Map 36762 and type of improvements are not
likely to cause serious public health problems, insofar as the project will be
required to comply with all laws, standards and requirements associated with
sanitary sewer collection, water quality and other public health issues.
5.The design and improvements required for Tentative Tract Map 36762 will
not conflict with easements, acquired by the public at large, for access
through or use of property within the proposed subdivision. All roadway
improvements, easements, if any and surrounding improvements will be
completed to City standards.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of La
Quinta, California, as follows:
That the above recitations are true and constitute the Findings of the
SECTION 1.
City Councilin this case;
SECTION 2. That it does hereby approve Tentative Tract Map 36762, for the
reasons set forth in this Resolution and subject to the attached Conditions of
Approval.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City of La
th
Quinta City Council, held on this the 19 day of May, 2015, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
382
Resolution No. 2015-
Tentative Tract Map 36762
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted: May 19, 2015
Page 3 of 3
__________________________
LINDA EVANS, Mayor
City of La Quinta, California
ATTEST:
____________________________
SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
(CITY SEAL)
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________________
, City Attorney
WILLIAM H. IHRKE
City of La Quinta, California
383
384
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
TENTATIVE TRACT MAP 36762
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 1 of 20
GENERAL
1.The applicant agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the City of La
Quinta (“City”), its agents, officers and employees from any claim, action or
proceeding to attack, set aside, void, or annul the approval of this Tentative
Tract Map, or any Final Map recorded thereunder. The City shall have sole
discretion in selecting its defense counsel.
The City shall promptly notify the applicant of any claim, action or
proceeding and shall cooperate fully in the defense.
2.The Tentative Tract Map shall expire on December 9, 2016. A time
extension may be requested per LQMC Section 13.12.160.
3.This Tentative Tract Map, and any Final Map recorded thereunder, shall
comply with the requirements and standards of Government Code §§ 66410
through 66499.58 (the “Subdivision Map Act”), and Chapter 13 of the La
Quinta Municipal Code (“LQMC”).
The City of La Quinta’s Municipal Code can be accessed on the City’s Web
Site atwww.la-quinta.org.
4.Prior to the issuance of any grading, construction, or building permit by the
City, the applicant shall obtain any necessary clearances and/or permits from
the following agencies, if required:
Riverside County Fire Marshal
Green Sheet
La Quinta Public Works Department (Grading Permit,
(Public Works Clearance) for Building Permits, Water Quality
Management Plan(WQMP) Exemption Form – Whitewater River
Region, Improvement Permit)
La Quinta Community Development Department
Riverside Co. Environmental Health Department
Desert Sands Unified School District (DSUSD)
Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD)
Imperial Irrigation District (IID)
California Regional Water Quality Control Board (CRWQCB)
State Water Resources Control Board
SunLine Transit Agency (SunLine)
385
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
TENTATIVE TRACT MAP 36762
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 2 of 20
South Coast Air Quality Management District Coachella Valley
(SCAQMD)
The applicant is responsible for all requirements of the permits and/or
clearances from the above listed agencies. When these requirements include
approval of improvement plans, the applicant shall furnish proof of such
approvals when submitting those improvement plans for City approval.
5.Coverage under the State of California Construction General Permit must be
obtained by the applicant, who then shall submit a copy of the Regional
Water Quality Control Board’s (“RWQCB”) acknowledgment of the
applicant’s Notice of Intent (“NOI”) and Waste Discharge Identification
(WDID) number to the City prior to the issuance of a grading or building
permit.
6.The applicant shall comply with applicable provisions of the City’s NPDES
stormwater discharge permit, LQMC Sections 8.70.010 et seq. (Stormwater
Management and Discharge Controls), and 13.24.170 (Clean Air/Clean
Water); Riverside County Ordinance No. 457; the California Regional Water
Quality Control Board – Colorado River Basin Region Board Order No. R7-
2013-0011 and the State Water Resources Control Board’s Order No. 2009-
0009-DWQ and Order No. 2010-0014-DWQ.
A.For construction activities including clearing, grading or excavation of
land that disturbs one (1) acre or more of land, or that disturbs less
than one (1) acre of land, but which is a part of a construction project
that encompasses more than one (1) acre of land, the Permitee shall
be required to submit a Storm Water Pollution Protection Plan
(“SWPPP”) to the State Water Resources Control Board.
The applicant or design professional can obtain the California
Stormwater Quality Association SWPPP template
for use in their SWPPP preparation.
at www.cabmphandbooks.com
B.The applicant shall ensure that the required SWPPP is available for
inspection at the project site at all times through and including
acceptance of all improvements by the City.
C.The applicant’s SWPPP shall include provisions for all of the following
Best Management Practices (“BMPs”) (LQMCSection 8.70.020
(Definitions)):
386
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
TENTATIVE TRACT MAP 36762
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 3 of 20
1)Temporary Soil Stabilization (erosion control).
2)Temporary Sediment Control.
3)Wind Erosion Control.
4)Tracking Control.
5)Non-Storm Water Management.
6)Waste Management and Materials Pollution Control.
E.All erosion and sediment control BMPs proposed by the applicant shall
be approved by the City Engineer prior to any onsite or offsite grading,
pursuant to this project.
F.The SWPPP and BMPs shall remain in effect for the entire duration of
project construction until all improvements are completed and
accepted by the City Council.
G.The inclusion in the Homeowners’ Association (HOA) Conditions,
Covenants, and Restrictions (CC&Rs), a requirement for the perpetual
maintenance and operation of all post-construction BMPs as required
and the applicant shall execute and record an agreement that provides
for the perpetual maintenance and operation of all post-construction
BMPs as required.
7.Permits issued under this approval shall be subject to the provisions of the
Development Impact Fee and Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee
programs in effect at the time of issuance of building permit(s).
8.Approval of this Tentative Tract Map shall not be construed as approval for
any horizontal dimensions implied by any site plans or exhibits unless
specifically identified in the following conditions of approval.
9.Developer shall reimburse the City, within thirty (30) days of presentment of
the invoice, all costs and actual attorney’s fees incurred by the City Attorney
to review, negotiate and/or modify any documents or instruments required
by these conditions, if Developer requests that the City modify or revise any
documents or instruments prepared initially by the City to effect these
conditions. This obligation shall be paid in the time noted above without
deduction or offset and Developer’s failure to make such payment shall be a
387
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
TENTATIVE TRACT MAP 36762
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 4 of 20
material breach of the Conditions of Approval.
10.Developer shall reimburse the City, within thirty (30) days of presentment of
the invoice, all costs and actual consultant’s fees incurred by the City for
engineering and/or surveying consultantsto review and/or modify any
documents or instruments required by this project. This obligation shall be
paid in the time noted above without deduction or offset and Developer’s
failure to make such payment shall be a material breach of the Conditions of
Approval.
PROPERTY RIGHTS
11.Prior to issuance of any permit(s), the applicant shall acquire or confer
easements and other property rights necessary for the construction or proper
functioning of the proposed development. Conferred rights shall include
irrevocable offers to dedicate or grant access easements to the City for
emergency services and for maintenance, construction and reconstruction of
essential improvements.
12.Pursuant to the aforementioned condition, conferred rights shall include
approvals from the master developer or the HOA over easements and other
property rights necessary for construction and proper functioning of the
proposed development not limited to access rights over proposed and/or
existing private streets that access public streets and open space/drainage
facilities of the master development.
13.The applicant shall retain for private use on the Final Map all private street
rights-of-way in conformance with the City's General Plan, Municipal Code,
applicable specific plans, and/or as required by the City Engineer.
14.When the City Engineer determines that access rights to the proposed street
rights-of-way shown on the approved Tentative Tract Map are necessary
prior to approval of the Final Map dedicating such rights-of-way, the
applicant shall grant the necessary rights-of-way within 60 days of a written
request by the City.
15.The applicant shall offer for dedication on the Final Map a ten-foot wide
public utility easement contiguous with, and along both sides of all private
streets. Such easement may be reduced to five feet in width with the
express written approval of IID.
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CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
TENTATIVE TRACT MAP 36762
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 5 of 20
16.The applicant shall maintain existing perimeter landscaping setbacks along all
public rights-of-way as follows:
A. Avenue 52 (Primary Arterial) - 20-foot from the R/W-P/L.
B.Jefferson Street (Major Arterial) - 20-foot from the R/W-P/L.
The listed setback depth shall be the average depth where a meandering wall
design is approved.
The setback requirements shall apply to all frontages including, but not
limited to, remainder parcels and sites dedicated for utility purposes.
Where public facilities (e.g., sidewalks) are placed on privately-owned
setbacks, the applicant shall offer for dedication blanket easements for those
purposes on the Final Map.
17.The applicant shall offer for dedication those easements necessary for the
placement of, and access to, utility lines and structures, drainage basins,
mailbox clusters, park lands, and common areas on the Final Map.
18.Direct vehicular access to Jefferson Street and Avenue 52 from lots with
frontage along Avenue 52 and Jefferson Streetis restricted, except for those
access points identified on the tentative tract map, or as otherwise
conditioned in these conditions of approval. The vehicular access restriction
shall be shown on the recorded final tract map.
19.The applicant shall furnish proof of easements, or written permission, as
appropriate, from those owners of all abutting properties on which grading,
retaining wall construction, permanent slopes, or other encroachments will
occur.
20.The applicant shall cause no easement to be granted, or recorded, over any
portion of the subject property between the date of approval of the Tentative
Tract Map and the date of recording of any Final Map, unless such easement
is approved by the City Engineer.
Street and Traffic Improvements
21.The applicant shall comply with the provisions of LQMC Sections 13.24.060
(Street Improvements), 13.24.070 (Street Design - Generally) & 13.24.100
(Access for Individual Properties and Development) for public streets; and
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CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
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BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
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Section 13.24.080 (Street Design - Private Streets), where private streets
are proposed.
22.Streets shall have vertical curbs or other approved curb configurations that
will convey water without ponding, and provide lateral containment of dust
and residue during street sweeping operations. If a wedge or rolled curb
design is approved, the lip at the flowline shall be near vertical with a 1/8"
batter and a minimum height of 0.1'. Unused curb cuts on any lot shall be
restored to standard curb height prior to final inspection of permanent
building(s) on the lot.
23.The applicant shall extend improvements beyond the subdivision boundaries
to ensure they safely integrate with existing improvements (e.g., grading;
traffic control devices and transitions in alignment, elevation or dimensions
of streets and sidewalks).
24.The private street rights-of-way to be retained for private use required for
this development include:
A.PRIVATE STREETS
1)Private Residential Streets measured at gutter flow line to gutter
flow lineshall have a 36-foot travel width.
2)Private Alleys and Emergency Fire Access (Lots H, I, J, K, and
M) – Shall be constructed according to the lay-out shown on
the tentative map with on-street parking prohibited and the
applicant establishes provisions for ongoing enforcement of the
parking restriction in the CC&R’s.
3)The location of driveways of corner lots shall not be located
within the curb return and away from the intersection when
possible.
25.All gated entries shall provide for a three-car minimum stacking capacity for
inbound traffic to be a minimum length of 62 feet from call box to the street;
and shall provide for a full turn-around outlet for non-accepted vehicles.
Where a gated entry is proposed, the applicant shall submit a detailed exhibit
at a scale of 1" = 10', demonstrating that those passenger vehicles that do
not gain entry into the development can safely make a full turn-around
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CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
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BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
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Page 7 of 20
(minimum radius to be 24 feet) out onto the main street from the gated
entry. Pursuant to said condition, there shall be a minimum of twenty five
feet width provided at the turn-around opening provided.
Two lanes of traffic shall be provided on the entry side of each gated entry,
one lane shall be dedicated for residents, and one lane for visitors. The two
travel lanes shall be a minimum of 20 feet of total paved roadway surface or
as approved by the Fire Department.
Entry drives, main interior circulation routes, standard knuckles, corner
cutbacks, bus turnouts, dedicated turn lanes and other features shown on
the approved construction plans, may require additional street widths as may
be determined by the City Engineer.
26.The applicant shall design street pavement sections using CalTrans' design
procedure for 20-year life pavement, and the site-specific data for soil
strength and anticipated traffic loading (including construction traffic).
Minimum structural sections shall be as follows:
Residential 3.0" a.c./4.5" c.a.b.
Primary Arterial 4.5" a.c./6.0" c.a.b.
Major Arterial 5.5" a.c./6.5" c.a.b.
or the approved equivalents of alternate materials.
27.The applicant shall submit current mix designs (less than two years old at
the time of construction) for base, asphalt concrete and Portland cement
concrete. The submittal shall include test results for all specimens used in
the mix design procedure. For mix designs over six months old, the submittal
shall include recent (less than six months old at the time of construction)
aggregate gradation test results confirming that design gradations can be
achieved in current production. The applicant shall not schedule construction
operations until mix designs are approved.
28.General access points and turning movements of traffic are limited to the
following:
A.Jefferson Street – Emergency Fire Access: Right turn out is
permitted. Left turn movements in and out are prohibited.
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BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 8 of 20
B.Avenue 52 – Primary Entry: Right turn in, right turn out and left turn
in movements are permitted. Left turn movements out are prohibited.
29.Improvements shall include appurtenances such as traffic control signs,
markings and other devices, raised medians if required, street name signs
and sidewalks. Mid-block street lighting is not required.
30.Improvements shall be designed and constructed in accordance with City
adopted standards, supplemental drawings and specifications, or as
approved by the City Engineer. Improvement plans for streets, access gates
and parking areas shall be stamped and signed by engineers registered in
California.
FINAL MAPS
31.Prior to the City’s approval of a Final Map, the applicant shall furnish
accurate mylars of the Final Map. The Final Map shall be 1” = 40’ scale.
IMPROVEMENT PLANS
As used throughout these Conditions of Approval, professional titles such as
“engineer,” “surveyor,” and “architect,” refer to persons currently certified or
licensed to practice their respective professions in the State of California.
32.Improvement plans shall be prepared by or under the direct supervision of
qualified engineers and/or architects, as appropriate, and shall comply with
the provisions of LQMC Section 13.24.040 (Improvement Plans).
33.The following improvement plans shall be prepared and submitted for review
and approval by the Public WorksDepartment. A separate set of plans for
each line item specified below shall be prepared. The plans shall utilize the
minimum scale specified, unless otherwise authorized by the City Engineer in
writing. Plans may be prepared at a larger scale if additional detail or plan
clarity is desired. Note, the applicant may be required to prepare other
improvement plans not listed here pursuant to improvements required by
other agencies and utility purveyors.
A.On-Site Rough Grading Plan 1" = 40' Horizontal
B.PM10 Plan 1” = 40’ Horizontal
C.WQMP (Plan submitted in Report Form)
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CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
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BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 9 of 20
NOTE: A through C to be submitted concurrently.
D.On-Site Street Improvements/Signing & Striping/Storm Drain Plan
1" = 40' Horizontal, 1"= 4' Vertical
(Separate Storm Drain Plans if applicable)
The following plans shall be submitted to the Building and Safety Department
for review and approval. The plans shall utilize the minimum scale specified,
unless otherwise authorized by the Building and Safety Director in writing.
Plans may be prepared at a larger scale if additional detail or plan clarity is
desired. Note, the applicant may be required to prepare other improvement
plans not listed here pursuant to improvements required by other agencies
and utility purveyors.
E.On-Site Residential Precise Grading Plan 1" = 30' Horizontal
Other engineered improvement plans prepared for City approval that are not
listed above shall be prepared in formats approved by the City Engineer prior
to commencing plan preparation.
All On-Site Signing & Striping Plans shall show, at a minimum; Stop Signs,
Limit Lines and Legends, No Parking Signs, Raised Pavement Markers
(including Blue RPMs at fire hydrants) and Street Name Signs per Public
Works Standard Plans and/or as approved by the Engineering Department.
“Rough Grading” plans shall normally include perimeter walls with Top Of
Wall & Top Of Footing elevations shown. All footings shall have a minimum
of 1-foot of cover, or sufficient cover to clear any adjacent obstructions.
The applicant shall prepare an accessibility assessment on a marked up print
of the building floor plan identifying every building egress and notes the
2013 California Building Code accessibility requirements associated with
each door. The assessment must comply with the submittal requirements of
the Building & Safety Department. A copy of the reviewed assessment shall
be submitted to the Public Works Department in conjunction with the Site
Development Plan when it is submitted for plan checking.
In addition to the normal set of improvement plans, a “Site Development”
plan is required to be submitted for approval by the Building Official,
Community Development Director and the City Engineer.
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CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
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BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 10 of 20
“Site Development” plans shall normally include all on-site surface
improvements including but not limited to finish grades for curbs & gutters,
building floor elevations, wall elevations, parking lot improvements and ADA
requirements.
“Street Parking” plan shall include appropriate signage to implement the “No
Parking” concept, or alternatively an on-street parking policy shall be
included in the CC & R’s subject to City Engineer’s Approval. The parking
plan or CC & R’s shall be submitted concurrently with the Street
Improvement Plans.
34.The City maintains standard plans, detail sheets and/or construction notes
for elements of construction which can be accessed via the “Plans, Notes
and Design Guidance” section of the Public Works Department at the City
website (www.la-quinta.org). Please navigate to the Public Works
Department home page and look for the Standard Drawings hyperlink.
35.The applicant shall furnish a complete set of all approved improvement plans
on a storage media acceptable to the City Engineer (currently mylars).
36.Upon completion of construction, and prior to final acceptance of the
improvements by the City, the applicant shall furnish the City with
reproducible record drawings of all improvement plans which were approved
by the City. Each sheet shall be clearly marked "Record Drawing" and shall
be stamped and signed by the engineer or surveyor certifying to the
accuracy and completeness of the drawings. The applicant shall have all
approved mylars previously submitted to the City, revised to reflect the as-
built conditions.The applicant shall employ or retain the Engineer Of Record
during the construction phase of the project so that the EOR can make site
visits in support of preparing "Record Drawing". However, if subsequent
approved revisions have been approved by the City Engineer and reflect said
"Record Drawing"conditions, the Engineer Of Record may submit a letter
attesting to said fact to the City Engineer in lieu of mylar submittal.
IMPROVEMENT SECURITY AGREEMENTS
37.Prior to approval of any Final Map, the applicant shall construct all on and
off-site improvements and satisfy its obligations for same, or shall furnish a
fully secured and executed Subdivision Improvement Agreement (“SIA”)
guaranteeing the construction of such improvements and the satisfaction of
its obligations for same, or shall agree to any combination thereof, as may be
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CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
TENTATIVE TRACT MAP 36762
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 11 of 20
required by the City.
38.Any Subdivision Improvement Agreement (“SIA”) entered into by and
between the applicant and the City of La Quinta, for the purpose of
guaranteeing the completion of any improvements related to this Tentative
Tract Map, shall comply with the provisions of LQMC Chapter 13.28
(Improvement Security).
39.Improvements to be made, or agreed to be made, shall include the removal
of any existing structures or other obstructions which are not a part of the
proposed improvements; and shall provide for the setting of the final survey
monumentation.
When improvements are phased through a “Phasing Plan,” or an
administrative approval (e.g., Site Development Permits), all off-site
improvements and common on-site improvements (e.g., backbone utilities,
retention basins, perimeter walls, landscaping and gates) shall be
constructed, or secured through a SIA, prior to the issuance of any permits
in the first phase of the development, or as otherwise approved by the City
Engineer.
Improvements and obligations required of each subsequent phase shall either
be completed, or secured through a SIA, prior to the completion of homes or
the occupancy of permanent buildings within such latter phase, or as
otherwise approved by the City Engineer.
In the event the applicant fails to construct the improvements for the
development, or fails to satisfy its obligations for the development in a timely
manner, pursuant to the approved phasing plan, the City shall have the right
to halt issuance of all permits, and/or final inspections, withhold other
approvals related to the development of the project, or call upon the surety
to complete the improvements.
40.Depending on the timing of the development of this Tentative Tract Map,
and the status of the off-site improvements at the time, the applicant may be
required to:
A.Construct certain off-site improvements.
B.Construct additional off-site improvements, subject to the
reimbursement of its costs by others.
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CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
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BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 12 of 20
C.Reimburse others for those improvements previously constructed that
are considered to be anobligation of this tentative tract map.
D.Secure the costs for future improvements that are to be made by
others.
E.To agree to any combination of these actions, as the City may require.
Off-Site Improvements should be completed on a first priority basis. The
applicant shall complete Off-Site Improvements in the first phase of
construction or by the issuance of the 20% Building Permit.
In the event that any of the improvements required for this development are
constructed by the City, the applicant shall, prior to the approval of the Final
Map, or the issuance of any permit related thereto, reimburse the City for the
costs of such improvements.
41.If the applicant elects to utilize the secured agreement alternative, the
applicant shall submit detailed construction cost estimates for all proposed
on-site and off-site improvements, including an estimate for the final survey
monumentation, for checking and approval by the City Engineer. Such
estimates shall conform to the unit cost schedule as approved by the City
Engineer.
At the time the applicant submits its detailed construction cost estimates for
conditional approval of the Final Map by the City Council, the applicant shall
also submit one copy each of an 8-1/2" x 11" reduction of each page of the
Final Map, along with a copy of an 8-1/2" x 11" Vicinity Map.
Estimates for improvements under the jurisdiction of other agencies shall be
approved by those agencies and submitted to the City along with the
applicant’s detailed cost estimates.
42.Should the applicant fail to construct the improvements for the development,
or fail to satisfy its obligations for the development in a timely manner, the
City shall have the right to halt issuance of building permits, and/or final
building inspections, withhold other approvals related to the development of
the project, or call upon the surety to complete the improvements.
GRADING
43.The applicant shall comply with the provisions of LQMC Section 13.24.050
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CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
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BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 13 of 20
(Grading Improvements).
44.Prior to occupancy of the project site for any construction, or other
purposes, the applicant shall obtain a grading permit approved by the City
Engineer.
45.To obtain an approved grading permit, the applicant shall submit and obtain
approval of all of the following:
A.A grading plan prepared by a civil engineerregistered in the State of
California,
B.A preliminary geotechnical (“soils”) report prepared by a professional
registered in the State of California,
C.A Fugitive Dust Control Plan prepared in accordance with LQMC
Chapter 6.16, (Fugitive Dust Control), and
D.A Best Management Practices report prepared in accordance with
LQMC Sections 8.70.010 and 13.24.170 (NPDES Stormwater
Discharge Permit and Storm Management and Discharge Controls).
E.A WQMP prepared by an authorized professional registered in the
State of California.
All grading shall conform with the recommendations contained in the
Preliminary Soils Report, and shall be certified as being adequate by soils
engineer, or engineering geologistregistered in the State of California.
A statement shall appear on the Final Map that a soils report has been
prepared in accordance with the California Health & Safety Code § 17953.
The applicant shall furnish security, in a form acceptable to the City, and in
an amount sufficient to guarantee compliance with the approved Fugitive
Dust Control Plan provisions as submitted with its application for a grading
permit. Additionally, the applicant shall replenish said security if expended by
the City of La Quinta to comply with the Plan as required by the City
Engineer.
46.The applicant shall maintain all open graded, undeveloped land in order to
prevent wind and/or water erosion of such land. All open graded,
undeveloped land shall either be planted with interim landscaping, or
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CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
TENTATIVE TRACT MAP 36762
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 14 of 20
stabilized with such other erosion control measures, as were approved in the
Fugitive Dust Control Plan.
47.Grading within the perimeter setback and parkway areas shall have
undulating terrain and shall conform with the requirements of LQMC Section
9.60.240(F) except as otherwise modified by this condition. The maximum
slope shall not exceed 3:1 anywhere in the landscape setback area, except
for the backslope (i.e. the slope at the back of the landscape lot) which shall
not exceed 2:1 if fully planted with ground cover. The maximum slope in
the first six (6) feet adjacent to the curb shall not exceed 4:1 when the
nearest edge of sidewalk is within six feet (6’) of the curb, otherwise the
maximum slope within the right of way shall not exceed 3:1. All unpaved
parkway areas adjacent to the curb shall be depressed one and one-half
inches (1.5") in the first eighteen inches (18") behind the curb.
48.Building pad elevations on the rough grading plan submitted for City
Engineer’s approval shall conform with pad elevations shown on the
tentative map, unless the pad elevations have other requirements imposed
elsewhere in these Conditions of Approval.
49.Building pad elevations of perimeter lots shall not differ by more that one
foot higher from the building pads in adjacent developments.
50.The applicant shall minimize the differences in elevation between the
adjoining properties and the lots within this development.
Where compliance within the above stated limits is impractical, the City may
consider alternatives that are shown to minimize safety concerns,
maintenance difficulties and neighboring-owner dissatisfaction with the grade
differential.
51.Prior to any site grading or regrading that will raise or lower any portion of
the site by more than plus or minus half of a foot (0.5’) from the elevations
shown on the approved Tentative Tract Map, the applicant shall submit the
proposed grading changes to the City Engineer for a substantial conformance
review.
52.Prior to the issuance of a building permit for any building lot, the applicant
shall provide a lot pad certification stamped and signed by a qualified
engineer or surveyor with applicable compaction tests and over excavation
documentation.
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ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 15 of 20
Each pad certification shall list the pad elevation as shown on the approved
grading plan, the actual pad elevation and the difference between the two, if
any. Such pad certification shall also list the relative compaction of the pad
soil. The data shall be organized by lot number, and listed cumulatively if
submitted at different times.
DRAINAGE
53.Stormwater handling shall conform with the approved hydrology and
drainage report forWatermark, Tentative Tract Map 36762. Nuisance water
shall be disposed of in an approved manner.
54.The applicant shall comply with the provisions of LQMCSection 13.24.120
(Drainage), Retention Basin Design Criteria, Engineering Bulletin No. 06-16 –
Hydrology Report with Preliminary Hydraulic Report Criteria for Storm Drain
Systems and Engineering Bulletin No. 06-015 - Underground Retention Basin
Design Requirements. More specifically, stormwater falling on site during the
100 year storm shall be retained within the development, unless otherwise
approved by the City Engineer. The design storm shall be either the 1 hour, 3
hour, 6 hour or 24 hour event producing the greatest total run off.
55.Nuisance water shall be retained on site. Nuisance water shall be disposed
of per approved methods contained in Engineering Bulletin No. 06-16 –
Hydrology Report with Preliminary Hydraulic Report Criteria for Storm Drain
Systems and Engineering Bulletin No. 06-015 - Underground Retention Basin
Design Requirements.
56.In design of retention facilities, the maximum percolation rate shall be two
inches per hour. The percolation rate will be considered to be zero unless
the applicant provides site specific data indicating otherwise and as approved
by the City Engineer.
57.The project shall be designed to accommodate purging and blowoff water
(through underground piping and/or retention facilities) from any on-site or
adjacent well sites granted or dedicated to the local water utility authority as
a requirement for development of this property.
58.No fence or wall shall be constructed around any retention basin unless
approved by the Community DevelopmentDirector and the City Engineer.
59.For on-site above ground common retention basins, retention depth shall be
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according to Engineering Bulletin No. 06-16 – Hydrology Report with
Preliminary Hydraulic Report Criteria for Storm Drain Systems. Side slopes
shall not exceed 3:1 and shall be planted with maintenance free ground
cover. An exception to the Engineering Bulletin shall be granted to allow the
basin bottom width to narrow to 13 feet at the east side maintenance
entrance.
60.Stormwater may not be retained in landscaped parkways or landscaped
setback lots. Only incidental storm water (precipitation which directly falls
onto the setback) will be permitted to be retained in the landscape setback
areas. The perimeter setback and parkway areas in the street right-of-way
shall be shaped with berms and mounds, pursuant to LQMC Section
9.100.040(B)(7).
61.The design of the development shall not cause any increase in flood
boundaries and levels in any area outside the development.
62.The development shall be graded to permit storm flow in excess of retention
capacity to flow out of the development through a designated overflow and
into the historic drainage relief route.
63.Storm drainage historically received from adjoining property shall be received
and retained or passed through into the historic downstream drainage relief
route.
64.The applicant shall comply with applicable provisions for post construction
runoff per the City’s NPDES stormwater discharge permit, LQMC Sections
8.70.010 et seq. (Stormwater Management and Discharge Controls), and
13.24.170 (Clean Air/Clean Water); Riverside County Ordinance No. 457;
and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board – Colorado River
Basin (CRWQCB-CRB) Region Board Order No. R7-2013-0011 and the State
Water Resources Control Board’s Order No. 2009-0009-DWQ and Order No.
2010-0014-DWQ.
A.For post-construction urban runoff from New Development and
Redevelopments Projects, the applicant shall implement requirements
of the NPDES permit for the design, construction and perpetual
operation and maintenance of BMPs per the approved Water Quality
Management Plan (WQMP) for the project as required by the California
Regional Water Quality Control Board – Colorado River Basin
(CRWQCB-CRB) Region Board Order No. R7-2013-0011.
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B.The applicant shall implement the WQMP Design Standards per
(CRWQCB-CRB) Region Board Order No. R7-2013-0011 utilizing BMPs
approved by the City Engineer. A project specific WQMP shall be
provided which incorporates Site Design and Treatment BMPs utilizing
first flush infiltration as a preferred method of NPDES Permit
Compliance for Whitewater River receiving water, as applicable.
C.The developer shall execute and record a Stormwater
Management/BMP Facilities Agreement that provides for the perpetual
maintenance and operation of stormwater BMPs.
UTILITIES
65.The applicant shall comply with the provisions of LQMCSection 13.24.110
(Utilities).
66.The applicant shall obtain the approval of the City Engineer for the location
of all utility lines within any right-of-way, and all above-ground utility
structures including, but not limited to, traffic signal cabinets, electric vaults,
water valves, and telephone stands, to ensure optimum placement for
practical and aesthetic purposes.
67.Existing overhead utility lines within, or adjacent to the proposed
development, and all proposed utilities shall be installed underground.
All existing utility lines attached to joint use 92 KV transmission power poles
are exempt from the requirement to be placed underground.
68.Underground utilities shall be installed prior to overlying hardscape. For
installation of utilities in existing improved streets, the applicant shall comply
with trench restoration requirements maintained, or required by the City
Engineer.
The applicant shall provide certified reports of all utility trench compaction
for approval by the City Engineer.
CONSTRUCTION
69.The City will conduct final inspections of habitable buildings only when the
buildings have improved street and (if required) sidewalk access to publicly-
maintained streets. The improvements shall include required traffic control
devices, pavement markings and street name signs. If on-site streets in
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CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
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residential developments are initially constructed with partial pavement
thickness, the applicant shall complete the pavement prior to final
inspections of the last ten percent of homes within the development or when
directed by the City, whichever comes first.
70.All homes shall be designed with a minimum 18 inch eave/overhang of the
roof.
71.Homes abutting the northern and western boundary of the site, and homes
sited on lots 1 and 50 (adjacent to the project entry) shall be single story
models.
72.Home abutting the northern and western boundary of the property shall be
provided architectural enhancements on their northern elevation facing the
Citrus.
LANDSCAPE AND IRRIGATION
73.The applicant shall comply with LQMC Sections 13.24.130 (Landscaping
Setbacks) & 13.24.140 (Landscaping Plans)
74.Landscape and irrigation plans shall be signed and stamped by a licensed
landscape architect.
75.All new landscape areas shall have landscaping and permanent irrigation
improvements in compliance with the City’s Water Efficient Landscape
regulations contained in LQMC Section 8.13 (Water Efficient Landscape).
76.Except as otherwise conditioned in Site Development Permit 2014-942, all
landscaping shall consist of, at minimum, 36” box trees (i.e., a minimum 2.5
inch caliper measured three feet up from grade level after planting), 5-gallon
shrubs, and groundcover. Double lodge poles (two-inch diameter) shall be
used to brace and stake trees.
77.The applicant shall submit the final landscape plans for review, processing
and approval to the Community Development Department, in accordance
with the Final Landscape Plan application process as a minor final landscape
plan. Community Development Director approval of the final landscape plans
is required prior to issuance of the first building permit unless the Community
Development Director determines extenuating circumstances exist which
justify an alternative processing schedule.
402
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
TENTATIVE TRACT MAP 36762
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 19 of 20
NOTE: Plans are not approved for construction until signed by the
appropriate City official, including the Community Development Director
and/or City Engineer.
Prior to final approval of the installation of landscaping, the Landscape
Architect of record shall provide the Community Development Department a
letter stating he/she has personally inspected the installation and that it
conforms with the final landscaping plans as approved by the City.
If staff determines during final landscaping inspection that adjustments are
required in order to meet the intent of the Planning Commission’s approval,
the Community Development Director shall review and approve any such
revisions to the landscape plan.
78.The applicant or his agent has the responsibility for proper sight distance
requirements per guidelines in the American Association of State Highway
and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) “A Policy on Geometric Design of
Highways and Streets” latest edition, in the design and/or installation of all
landscaping and appurtenances abutting and within the private and public
street right-of-way.
PUBLIC SERVICES
79.The applicant shall provide public transit improvements as required by
SunLine Transit Agency and as approved by the City Engineer.
MAINTENANCE
80.The applicant shall comply with the provisions of LQMC Section 13.24.160
(Maintenance).
81.The applicant shall make provisions for the continuous and perpetual
maintenance of common areas, perimeter landscaping up to the curb, access
drives, sidewalks, and stormwater BMPs.
FEES AND DEPOSITS
82.The applicant shall comply with the provisions of LQMC Section 13.24.180
(Fees and Deposits). These fees include all deposits and fees required by the
City for plan checking and construction inspection. Deposits and fee
amounts shall be those in effect when the applicant makes application for
403
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
TENTATIVE TRACT MAP 36762
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2014
Page 20 of 20
plan check and permits.
404
RESOLUTION NO. 2015 -
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING SITE
DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942, ALLOWING THE
DEVELOPMENT OF 82 HOMES ON 20.8 ACREA
LOCATED AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF
JEFFERSON STREET AND AVENUE 52
CASE NO.: SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942
APPLICANT: BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of La Quinta, California did, on the
thrdth
day of January, 3 day of March and 19 day of May, 2015, hold duly noticed
6
Public Hearings to consider a request by Beazer Homes Holdingsfor approval of
architectural and landscaping plans for the development of 82 single-family homes
within the Watermark Specific Plan (Specific Plan (“SP”) 2003-069, as amended),
more particularly described as:
Assessor’s Parcel Nos.: 776-220-012, 776-220-013, 776-220-014
WHEREAS, the Planning Commissionof the City of La Quinta, California did,
th
on the 9day of December, 2014, hold a duly noticed Public Hearing to consider a
request by Beazer Homes Holdings for approval of architectural and landscaping
plans for the development of 82 single-family homes within the Watermark Specific
Plan (SP 2003-069, as amended) and after hearing and considering all testimony
and arguments, did adopt Planning Commission Resolution 2013-031,
recommending to the City Council approval of Site Development Permit 2014-942;
and
WHEREAS, the Community Development Department published the public
th
hearing notice in the Desert Sun newspaper on the 26 day of December, 2014, as
prescribed by the Municipal Code. Public hearing notices were also mailed to all
property owners within 500 feet of the site; and
WHEREAS, at said Public Hearing, upon hearing and considering all
testimony and arguments, if any, of all interested persons desiring to be heard, said
City Councildid make the following mandatory findings pursuant to Section
9.210.010 of the Municipal Code to justify approval of said Site Development
Permit:
1.Consistency with the General Plan
405
Resolution No. 2015 -
Site Development Permit 2014-942
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted – May 19, 2015
Page 2 of 3
The proposed Site Development Permit is consistent with the La Quinta
General Plan, as it proposes 82 single-family homes on 20.8 acres,
consistent with the Low Density Residential land use designation.
Consistency with the Zoning Code
2.
The proposed project is consistent with the Zoning Code and SP 2003-069,
as amended, and complies with the development standards specified in both
of these documents.
Compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act
3.
The Community Development Department has determined that although the
proposed project could have a significant effect on the environment, there will not
be a significant effect because revisions in the project have been made by or agreed
to by the project proponent and mitigation measures have been incorporated.
Therefore, the Community Development Director is recommending that a Mitigated
Negative Declaration of environmental impact and associated Mitigation Monitoring
Program be adopted.
4.Architectural Design
The architecture and layout is compatible with, and not detrimental to, the
homes in the Citrus development to the north and west of the project. The
Site Development Permit was reviewed by the City’s Architecture and
Landscaping Review Board and found to be satisfactory, with conditions of
approval.
5.Landscape Design
The landscaping plans are consistent with the City’s standards, and will be
required to comply with the City’s drought tolerant landscaping
requirements.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of La
Quinta, California, as follows:
SECTION 1. That the above recitations are true and correct and constitute the
findings of the City Council.
SECTION 2. That it does hereby approveSite Development Permit 2014-942 for
the reasons set forth in this Resolution and subject to the attached Conditions of
Approval.
406
Resolution No. 2015 -
Site Development Permit 2014-942
Beazer Homes Holdings Corp. – Watermark
Adopted – May 19, 2015
Page 3 of 3
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the La Quinta
th
City Councilheld on this 19 day of May, 2015, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
_________________________
LINDA EVANS, Mayor
City of La Quinta, California
ATTEST:
____________________________
SUSAN MAYSELS, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
(CITY SEAL)
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________________
, City Attorney
WILLIAM H. IHRKE
City of La Quinta, California
407
408
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2015
Page 1 of 20
GENERAL
1.The applicant agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the City of La Quinta
(“City”), its agents, officers and employees from any claim, action or proceeding
to attack, set aside, void, or annul the approval of this Site Development Permit.
The City shall have sole discretion in selecting its defense counsel.
The City shall promptly notify the applicant of any claim, action or proceeding and
shall cooperate fully in the defense.
2.The Site Development Permit shall expire on December 9, 2016 and shall become
null and void in accordance with La Quinta Municipal Code Section 9.200.080,
unless a building permit has been issued. A time extension may be requested per
LQMC Section 9.200.080
3.Site Development Permit 2014-942 shall comply with all applicable conditions
and/or mitigation measures for the following related approval(s):
Tentative Parcel Map 36762
In the event of any conflict(s) between approval conditions and/or provisions of
these approvals, the Community Development Director shall adjudicate the
conflict by determining the precedence.
4.Prior to the issuance of any grading, construction, or building permit by the City,
the applicant shall obtain any necessary clearances and/or permits from the
following agencies, if required:
Riverside County Fire Marshal
Green Sheet (Public
La Quinta Public Works Department (Grading Permit,
Works Clearance) for Building Permits, Water Quality Management
Plan(WQMP) Exemption Form – Whitewater River Region,Improvement
Permit)
La Quinta Community Development Department
Riverside Co. Environmental Health Department
Desert Sands Unified School District (DSUSD)
Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD)
Imperial Irrigation District (IID)
California Regional Water Quality Control Board (CRWQCB)
409
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2015
Page 2 of 20
State Water Resources Control Board
SunLine Transit Agency (SunLine)
South Coast Air Quality Management District Coachella Valley (SCAQMD)
The applicant is responsible for all requirements of the permits and/or clearances
from the above listed agencies. When these requirements include approval of
improvement plans, the applicant shall furnish proof of such approvals when
submitting those improvement plans for City approval.
5.Coverage under the State of California Construction General Permit must be
obtained by the applicant, who then shall submit a copy of the Regional Water
Quality Control Board’s (“RWQCB”) acknowledgment of the applicant’s Notice of
Intent (“NOI”) and Waste Discharge Identification (WDID) number to the City prior
to the issuance of a grading or building permit.
6.The applicant shall comply with applicable provisions of the City’s NPDES
stormwater discharge permit, LQMC Sections 8.70.010 et seq. (Stormwater
Management and Discharge Controls), and 13.24.170 (Clean Air/Clean Water);
Riverside County Ordinance No. 457; the California Regional Water Quality
Control Board – Colorado River Basin Region Board Order No. R7-2013-0011 and
the State Water Resources Control Board’s Order No. 2009-0009-DWQ and Order
No. 2010-0014-DWQ.
A.For construction activities including clearing, grading or excavation of land
that disturbs one (1) acre or more of land, or that disturbs less than one (1)
acre of land, but which is a part of a construction project that encompasses
more than one (1) acre of land, the Permitee shall be required to submit a
Storm Water Pollution Protection Plan (“SWPPP”) to the State Water
Resources Control Board.
The applicant or design professional can obtain the California Stormwater
for
Quality Association SWPPP template at www.cabmphandbooks.com
use in their SWPPP preparation.
B.The applicant shall ensure that the required SWPPP is available for
inspection at the project site at all timesthrough and including acceptance
of all improvements by the City.
C.The applicant’s SWPPP shall include provisions for all of the following Best
Management Practices (“BMPs”) (LQMC Section 8.70.020 (Definitions)):
410
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2015
Page 3 of 20
1)Temporary Soil Stabilization (erosion control).
2)Temporary Sediment Control.
3)Wind Erosion Control.
4)Tracking Control.
5)Non-Storm Water Management.
6)Waste Management and Materials Pollution Control.
D.All erosion and sediment control BMPs proposed by the applicant shall be
approved by the City Engineer prior to any onsite or offsite grading,
pursuant to this project.
E.The SWPPP and BMPs shall remain in effect for the entire duration of
project construction until all improvements are completed and accepted by
the City Council.
F.The inclusion in the Homeowners’ Association (HOA) Conditions,
Covenants, and Restrictions (CC&Rs), a requirement for the perpetual
maintenance and operation of all post-construction BMPs as required and
the applicant shall execute and record an agreement that provides for the
perpetual maintenance and operation of all post-construction BMPs as
required.
7.Permits issued under this approval shall be subject to the provisions of the
Development Impact Fee and Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee programs in
effect at the time of issuance of building permit(s).
8.Approval of this Site Development Permit shall not be construed as approval for
any horizontal dimensions implied by any site plans or exhibits unless specifically
identified in the following conditions of approval.
9.Developer shall reimburse the City, within thirty (30) days of present of the
invoice, all costs and actual attorney’s fees incurred by the City Attorney to
review, negotiate and/or modify any documents or instruments required by these
conditions, if Developer requests that the City modify or revise any documents or
instruments prepared initially by the City to effect these conditions. This
obligation shall be paid in the time noted above without deduction or offset and
411
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2015
Page 4 of 20
Developer’s failure to make such payment shall be a material breach of the
Conditions of Approval.
10.Developer shall reimburse the City, within thirty (30) days of presentment of the
invoice, all costs and actual consultant’s fees incurred by the City for engineering
and/or surveying consultants to review and/or modify any documents or
instruments required by this project. This obligation shall be paid in the time
noted above without deduction or offset and Developer’s failure to make such
payment shall be a material breach of the Conditions of Approval.
PROPERTY RIGHTS
11.Prior to issuance of any permit(s), the applicant shall acquire or confer easements
and other property rights necessary for the construction or proper functioning of
the proposed development. Conferred rights shall include irrevocable offers to
dedicate or grant access easements to the City for emergency services and for
maintenance, construction and reconstruction of essential improvements.
12.Pursuant to the aforementioned condition, conferred rights shall include approvals
from the master developer or the HOA over easements and other property rights
necessary for construction and proper functioning of the proposed development
not limited to access rights over proposed and/or existing private streets that
access public streets and open space/drainage facilities of the master
development.
13.The applicant shall retain for private use of all private street rights-of-way in
conformance with the City's General Plan, Municipal Code, applicable specific
plans, and/or as required by the City Engineer.
14.The applicant shall offer for dedication a ten-foot wide public utility easement
contiguous with, and along both sides of all private streets. Such easement may
be reduced to five feet in width with the express written approval of IID.
15.The applicant shallmaintainexisting perimeter landscaping setbacks along all
public rights-of-way as follows:
A.Avenue 52 (Primary Arterial) - 20-foot from the R/W-P/L.
B. Jefferson Street (Major Arterial) - 20-foot from the R/W-P/L.
412
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2015
Page 5 of 20
The listed setback depth shall be the average depth where a meandering wall
design is approved.
The setback requirements shall apply to all frontages including, but not limited to,
remainder parcels and sites dedicated for utility purposes.
Where public facilities (e.g., sidewalks) are placed on privately-owned setbacks,
the applicant shall offer for dedication blanket easements for those purposes.
16.The applicant shall offer for dedication those easements necessary for the
placement of, and access to, utility lines and structures, drainage basins, mailbox
clusters, park lands, and common areas.
17.Direct vehicular access to Jefferson Street and Avenue 52 from lots with frontage
along Avenue 52 and Jefferson Street is restricted, except for those access
points identified on the Site Development Permit, or as otherwise conditioned in
these conditions of approval.
18.The applicant shall furnish proof of easements, or written permission, as
appropriate, from those owners of all abutting properties on which grading,
retaining wall construction, permanent slopes, or other encroachments will occur.
STREET AND TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS
19.The applicant shall comply with the provisions of LQMC Sections 13.24.060
(Street Improvements), 13.24.070 (Street Design - Generally) & 13.24.100
(Access for Individual Properties and Development) for public streets; and Section
13.24.080 (Street Design - Private Streets), where private streets are proposed.
20.Streets shall have vertical curbs or other approved curb configurations that will
convey water without ponding, and provide lateral containment of dust and
residue during street sweeping operations. If a wedge or rolled curb design is
approved, the lip at the flowline shall be near vertical with a 1/8" batter and a
minimum height of 0.1'. Unused curb cuts on any lot shall be restored to
standard curb height prior to final inspection of permanent building(s) on the lot.
21.The applicant shall extend improvements beyond the subdivision boundaries to
ensure they safely integrate with existing improvements (e.g., grading; traffic
control devices and transitions in alignment, elevation or dimensions of streets
and sidewalks).
413
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2015
Page 6 of 20
A.PRIVATE STREETS
1)Private Residential Streets measured at gutter flow line to gutter flow
line shall have a 36-foot travel width.
2)Private Alleys and Emergency Fire Access(Lots H, I, J, K, and M) –
Shall be constructed according to the lay-out shown on the Site
Development Permit with on-street parking prohibited and the
applicant establishes provisions for ongoing enforcement of the
parking restriction in the CC&R’s.
3)The location of driveways of corner lots shall not be located within
the curb return and away from the intersection when possible.
22.All gated entries shall provide for a three-car minimum stacking capacity for
inbound traffic to be a minimum length of 62 feetfrom call box to the street; and
shall provide for a full turn-around outlet for non-accepted vehicles.
Where a gated entry is proposed, the applicant shall submit a detailed exhibit at a
scale of 1" = 10', demonstrating that those passenger vehicles that do not gain
entry into the development can safely make a full turn-around (minimum radius to
be 24 feet) out onto the main street from the gated entry. Pursuant to said
condition, there shall be a minimum of twenty five feet width provided at the
turn-around opening provided.
Two lanes of traffic shall be provided on the entry side of each gated entry, one
lane shall be dedicated for residents, and one lane for visitors. The two travel
lanes shall be a minimum of 20 feet of total paved roadway surface or as
approved by the Fire Department.
Entry drives, main interior circulation routes, standard knuckles, corner cutbacks,
bus turnouts, dedicated turn lanes and other features shown on the approved
construction plans, may require additional street widths as may be determined by
the City Engineer.
23.The applicant shall design street pavement sections using CalTrans' design
procedure for 20-year life pavement, and the site-specific data for soil strength
and anticipated traffic loading (including construction traffic). Minimum structural
sections shall be as follows:
Residential 3.0" a.c./4.5" c.a.b.
414
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2015
Page 7 of 20
Primary Arterial4.5" a.c./6.0" c.a.b.
Major Arterial 5.5" a.c./6.5" c.a.b.
or the approved equivalents of alternate materials.
24.The applicant shall submit current mix designs (less than two years old at the
time of construction) for base, asphalt concrete and Portland cement concrete.
The submittal shall include test results for all specimens used in the mix design
procedure. For mix designs over six months old, the submittal shall include recent
(less than six months old at the time of construction) aggregate gradation test
results confirming that design gradations can be achieved in current production.
The applicant shall not schedule construction operations until mix designs are
approved.
25.General access points and turning movements of traffic are limited to the
following:
A.Jefferson Street – Emergency Fire Access: Right turn out is permitted.
Left turn movements in and out are prohibited.
B.Avenue 52 – Primary Entry: Right turn in, right turn out and left turn in
movements are permitted. Left turn movements out are prohibited.
26.The applicant shall construct improvements including appurtenances such as
traffic control signs, markings and other devices, raised medians if required, street
name signs and sidewalks. Mid-block street lighting is not required.
27.Improvements shall be designed and constructed in accordance with City adopted
standards, supplemental drawings and specifications, or as approved by the City
Engineer. Improvement plans for streets, access gates and parking areas shall be
stamped and signed by engineers registered in California.
IMPROVEMENT PLANS
As used throughout these Conditions of Approval, professional titles such as “engineer,”
“surveyor,” and “architect,” refer to persons currently certified or licensed to practice
their respective professions in the State of California.
28.Improvement plans shall be prepared by or under the direct supervision of
qualified engineers and/or architects, as appropriate, and shall comply with the
415
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2015
Page 8 of 20
provisions of LQMC Section 13.24.040 (Improvement Plans).
29.The following improvement plans shall be prepared and submitted for review and
approval by the Public Works Department. A separate set of plans for each line
item specified below shall be prepared. The plans shall utilize the minimum scale
specified, unless otherwise authorized by the City Engineer in writing. Plans may
be prepared at a larger scale if additional detail or plan clarity is desired. Note,
the applicant may be required to prepare other improvement plans not listed here
pursuant to improvements required by other agencies and utility purveyors.
A.On-Site Rough Grading Plan 1" = 40' Horizontal
B.PM10 Plan 1” = 40’ Horizontal
C.WQMP (Plan submitted in Report Form)
NOTE: A through C to be submitted concurrently.
D.On-Site Street Improvements/Signing & Striping/Storm Drain Plan
1" = 40' Horizontal, 1"= 4' Vertical
(Separate Storm Drain Plans if applicable)
The following plans shall be submitted to the Building and Safety Department for
review and approval. The plans shall utilize the minimum scale specified, unless
otherwise authorized by the Building and Safety Director in writing. Plans may be
prepared at a larger scale if additional detail or plan clarity is desired. Note, the
applicant may be required to prepare other improvement plans not listed here
pursuant to improvements required by other agencies and utility purveyors.
E.On-Site Residential Precise Grading Plan 1" = 30' Horizontal
Other engineered improvement plans prepared for City approval that are not listed
above shall be prepared in formats approved by the City Engineer prior to
commencing plan preparation.
All On-Site Signing & Striping Plans shall show, at a minimum; Stop Signs, Limit
Lines and Legends, No Parking Signs, Raised Pavement Markers (including Blue
RPMs at fire hydrants) and Street Name Signs per Public Works Standard Plans
and/or as approved by the Engineering Department.
416
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2015
Page 9 of 20
“Rough Grading” plans shall normally include perimeter walls with Top Of Wall &
Top Of Footing elevations shown. All footings shall have a minimum of 1-foot of
cover, or sufficient cover to clear any adjacent obstructions.
The applicant shall prepare an accessibility assessment on a marked up print of
the building floor plan identifying every building egress and notes the 2013
California Building Code accessibility requirements associated with each door.
The assessment must comply with the submittal requirements of the Building &
Safety Department. A copy of the reviewed assessment shall be submitted to the
Public Works Department in conjunction with the Site Development Plan when it
is submitted for plan checking.
In addition to the normal set of improvement plans, a “Site Development” plan is
required to be submitted for approval by the Building Official, Community
Development Director and the City Engineer.
“Site Development” plans shall normally include all on-site surface improvements
including but not limited to finish grades for curbs & gutters, building floor
elevations, wall elevations, parking lot improvements and ADA requirements.
“Street Parking” plan shall include appropriate signage to implement the “No
Parking” concept, or alternatively an on-street parking policy shall be included in
the CC & R’s subject to City Engineer’s Approval. The parking plan or CC & R’s
shall be submitted concurrently with the Street Improvement Plans.
30.The City maintains standard plans, detail sheets and/or construction notes for
elements of construction which can be accessed via the “Plans, Notes and Design
Guidance” section of the Public Works Department at the City website (www.la-
quinta.org). Please navigate to the Public Works Department home page and look
for the Standard Drawings hyperlink.
31.The applicant shall furnish a complete set of all approved improvement plans on a
storage media acceptable to the City Engineer (currently mylars).
32.Upon completion of construction, and prior to final acceptance of the
improvements by the City, the applicant shall furnish the City with reproducible
record drawings of all improvement plans which were approved by the City. Each
sheet shall be clearly marked "Record Drawing" and shall be stamped and signed
by the engineer or surveyor certifying to the accuracy and completeness of the
drawings. The applicant shall have all approved mylars previously submitted to
the City, revised to reflect the as-built conditions. The applicant shall employ or
417
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2015
Page 10 of 20
retain the Engineer Of Record during the construction phase of the project so that
the EOR can make site visits in support of preparing "Record Drawing". However,
if subsequent approved revisions have been approved by the City Engineer and
reflect said "Record Drawing" conditions, the Engineer Of Record may submit a
letter attesting to said fact to the City Engineer in lieu of mylar submittal.
IMPROVEMENT SECURITY
33.Improvements to be made, or agreed to be made, shall include the removal of any
existing structures or other obstructions which are not a part of the proposed
improvements; and shall provide for the setting of the final survey
monumentation.
When improvements are phased through a “Phasing Plan,” or an administrative
approval (e.g., Site Development Permits), all off-site improvements and common
on-site improvements (e.g., backbone utilities, retention basins, perimeter walls,
landscaping and gates) shall be constructed, or secured, prior to the issuance of
any permits in the first phase of the development, or as otherwise approved by
the City Engineer.
Improvements and obligations required of each subsequent phase shall either be
completed, orsecured, prior to the completion of homes or the occupancy of
permanent buildings within such latter phase, or as otherwise approved by the
City Engineer.
In the event the applicant fails to construct the improvements for the
development, or fails to satisfy its obligations for the development in a timely
manner, pursuant to the approved phasing plan, the City shall have the right to
halt issuance of all permits, and/or final inspections, withhold other approvals
related to the development of the project, or call upon the surety to complete the
improvements.
34.Depending on the timing of the development of this Site Development Permit, and
the status of the off-site improvements at the time, the applicant may be required
to:
A.Construct certain off-site improvements.
B.Construct additional off-site improvements, subject to the reimbursement of
its costs by others.
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RESOLUTION NO. 2015-
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP. – WATERMARK VILLAS
ADOPTED: MAY 19, 2015
Page 11 of 20
C.Reimburse others for those improvements previously constructed that are
considered to be an obligation of this Site Development Permit.
D.Secure the costs for future improvements that are to be made by others.
E.To agree to any combination of these actions, as the City may require.
Off-Site Improvements should be completed on a first priority basis. The applicant
shall complete Off-Site Improvements in the first phase of construction or by the
issuance of the 20% Building Permit.
In the event that any of the improvements required for this development are
constructed by the City, the applicant shall, prior to the issuance of any permit
related thereto, reimburse the City for the costs of such improvements.
35.The applicant shall submit detailed construction cost estimates for all proposed
on-site and off-site improvements, including an estimate for the final survey
monumentation, for checking and approval by the City Engineer. Such estimates
shall conform to the unit cost schedule as approved by the City Engineer.
Estimates for improvements under the jurisdiction of other agencies shall be
approved by those agencies and submitted to the City along with the applicant’s
detailed cost estimates.
36.Should the applicant fail to construct the improvements for the development, or
fail to satisfy its obligations for the development in a timely manner, the City shall
have the right to halt issuance of building permits, and/or final building
inspections, withhold other approvals related to the development of the project, or
call upon the surety to complete the improvements.
GRADING
37.The applicant shall comply with the provisions of LQMC Section 13.24.050
(Grading Improvements).
38.Prior to occupancy of the project site for any construction, or other purposes, the
applicant shall obtain a grading permit approved by the City Engineer.
39.To obtain an approved grading permit, the applicant shall submit and obtain
approval of all of the following:
A.A grading plan prepared by a civil engineer registered in the State of
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California,
B.A preliminary geotechnical (“soils”) report prepared by a professional
registered in the State of California,
C.A Fugitive Dust Control Plan prepared in accordance with LQMC Chapter
6.16, (Fugitive Dust Control), and
D.A Best Management Practices report prepared in accordance with LQMC
Sections 8.70.010 and 13.24.170 (NPDES Stormwater Discharge Permit
and Storm Management and Discharge Controls).
E.A WQMP prepared by an authorized professional registered in the State of
California.
All grading shall conform with the recommendations contained in the Preliminary
Soils Report, and shall be certified as being adequate by soils engineer, or
engineering geologist registered in the State of California.
The applicant shall furnish security, in a form acceptable to the City, and in an
amount sufficient to guarantee compliance with the approved Fugitive Dust
Control Plan provisions as submitted with its application for a grading permit.
Additionally, the applicant shall replenish said security if expended by the City of
La Quinta to comply with the Plan as required by the City Engineer.
40.The applicant shall maintain all open graded, undeveloped land in order to prevent
wind and/or water erosion of such land. All open graded, undeveloped land shall
either be planted with interim landscaping, or stabilized with such other erosion
control measures, as were approved in the Fugitive Dust Control Plan.
41.Grading within the perimeter setback and parkway areas shall have undulating
terrain and shall conform with the requirements of LQMC Section 9.60.240(F)
except as otherwise modified by this condition. The maximum slope shall not
exceed 3:1 anywhere in the landscape setback area, except for the backslope (i.e.
the slope at the back of the landscape lot) which shall not exceed 2:1 if fully
planted with ground cover. The maximum slope in the first six (6) feet adjacent
to the curb shall not exceed 4:1 when the nearest edge of sidewalk is within six
feet (6’) of the curb, otherwise the maximum slope within the right of way shall
not exceed 3:1. All unpaved parkway areas adjacent to the curb shall be
depressed one and one-half inches (1.5") in the first eighteen inches (18") behind
the curb.
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42.Building pad elevations on the rough grading plan submitted for City Engineer’s
approval shall conform with pad elevations shown on the tentative map, unless
the pad elevations have other requirements imposed elsewhere in these
Conditions of Approval.
43.Building pad elevations of perimeter lots shall not differ by more that one foot
higher from the building pads in adjacent developments.
44.The applicant shall minimize the differences in elevation between the adjoining
properties and the lots within this development.
Where compliance within the above stated limits is impractical, the City may
consider alternatives that are shown to minimize safety concerns, maintenance
difficulties and neighboring-owner dissatisfaction with the grade differential.
45.Prior to any site grading or regrading that will raise or lower any portion of the site
by more than plus or minus half of a foot (0.5’) from the elevations shown on the
approved tentative tract map, the applicant shall submit the proposed grading
changes to the City Engineer for a substantial conformance review.
46.Prior to the issuance of a building permit for any building lot, the applicant shall
provide a lot pad certification stamped and signed by a qualified engineer or
surveyor with applicable compaction tests and over excavation documentation.
Each pad certification shall list the pad elevation as shown on the approved
grading plan, the actual pad elevation and the difference between the two, if any.
Such pad certification shall also list the relative compaction of the padsoil. The
data shall be organized by lot number, and listed cumulatively if submitted at
different times.
DRAINAGE
47.Stormwater handling shall conform with the approved hydrology and drainage
report for Watermark, Site Development Permit 2014-942/ Tentative Tract Map
36762. Nuisance water shall be disposed of in an approved manner.
48.The applicant shall comply with the provisions of LQMC Section 13.24.120
(Drainage), Retention Basin Design Criteria, Engineering Bulletin No. 06-16 –
Hydrology Report with Preliminary Hydraulic Report Criteria for Storm Drain
Systems and Engineering Bulletin No. 06-015 - Underground Retention Basin
Design Requirements. More specifically, stormwater falling on site during the 100
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year storm shall be retained within the development, unless otherwise approved
by the City Engineer. The design storm shall be either the 1 hour, 3 hour, 6 hour
or 24 hour event producing the greatest total run off.
49.Nuisance water shall be retained on site. Nuisance water shall be disposed of per
approved methods contained in Engineering Bulletin No. 06-16 – Hydrology
Report with Preliminary Hydraulic Report Criteria for Storm Drain Systems and
Engineering Bulletin No. 06-015 - Underground Retention Basin Design
Requirements.
50.In design of retention facilities, the maximum percolation rate shall be two inches
per hour. The percolation rate will be considered to be zero unless the applicant
provides site specific data indicating otherwise and as approved by the City
Engineer.
51.The project shall be designed to accommodate purging and blowoff water
(through underground piping and/or retention facilities) from any on-site or
adjacent well sites granted or dedicated to the local water utility authority as a
requirement for development of this property.
52.No fence or wall shall be constructed around any retention basin unless approved
by the Community Development Director and the City Engineer.
53.For on-site above ground common retention basins, retention depth shall be
according to Engineering Bulletin No. 06-16 – Hydrology Report with Preliminary
Hydraulic Report Criteria for Storm Drain Systems. Side slopes shall not exceed
3:1 and shall be planted with maintenance free ground cover. An exception to the
Engineering Bulletin shall be granted to allow the basin bottom width to narrow to
13 feet at the east side maintenance entrance.
54.Stormwater may not be retained in landscaped parkways or landscaped setback
lots. Only incidental storm water (precipitation which directly falls onto the
setback) will be permitted to be retained in the landscape setback areas. The
perimeter setback and parkway areas in the street right-of-way shall be shaped
with berms and mounds, pursuant to LQMC Section 9.100.040(B)(7).
55.The design of the development shall not cause any increase in flood boundaries
and levels in any area outside the development.
56.The development shall be graded to permit storm flow in excess of retention
capacity to flow out of the development through a designated overflow and into
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the historic drainage relief route.
57.Storm drainage historically received from adjoining property shall be received and
retained or passed through into the historic downstream drainage relief route.
58.The applicant shall comply with applicable provisions for post construction runoff
per the City’s NPDES stormwater discharge permit, LQMC Sections 8.70.010 et
seq. (Stormwater Management and Discharge Controls), and 13.24.170 (Clean
Air/Clean Water); Riverside County Ordinance No. 457; and the California
Regional Water Quality Control Board – Colorado River Basin (CRWQCB-CRB)
Region Board Order No. R7-2013-0011 and the State Water Resources Control
Board’s Order No. 2009-0009-DWQ and Order No. 2010-0014-DWQ.
A.For post-construction urban runoff from New Development and
Redevelopments Projects, the applicant shall implement requirements of the
NPDES permit for the design, construction and perpetual operation and
maintenance of BMPs per the approved Water Quality Management Plan
(WQMP) for the project as required by the California Regional Water Quality
Control Board – Colorado River Basin (CRWQCB-CRB) Region Board Order
No. R7-2013-0011.
B.The applicant shall implement the WQMP Design Standards per (CRWQCB-
CRB) Region Board Order No. R7-2013-0011 utilizing BMPs approved by
the City Engineer. A project specific WQMP shall be provided which
incorporates Site Design and Treatment BMPs utilizing first flush infiltration
as a preferred method of NPDES Permit Compliance for Whitewater River
receiving water, as applicable.
C.The developer shall execute and record a Stormwater Management/BMP
Facilities Agreement that provides for the perpetual maintenance and
operation of stormwater BMPs.
UTILITIES
59.The applicant shall comply with the provisions of LQMC Section 13.24.110
(Utilities).
60.The applicant shall obtain the approval of the City Engineer for the location of all
utility lines within any right-of-way, and all above-ground utility structures
including, but not limited to, traffic signal cabinets, electric vaults, water valves,
and telephone stands, to ensure optimum placement for practical and aesthetic
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purposes.
61.Existing overhead utility lines within, or adjacent to the proposed development,
and all proposed utilities shall be installed underground.
All existing utility lines attached to joint use 92 KV transmission power poles are
exempt from the requirement to be placed underground.
62.Underground utilities shall be installed prior to overlying hardscape. For
installation of utilities in existing improved streets, the applicant shall comply with
trench restoration requirements maintained, or required by the City Engineer.
The applicant shall provide certified reports of all utility trench compaction for
approval by the City Engineer.
CONSTRUCTION
63.The City will conduct final inspections of habitable buildings only when the
buildings have improved street and (if required) sidewalk access to publicly-
maintained streets. The improvements shall include required traffic control
devices, pavement markings and street name signs. If on-site streets in
residential developments are initially constructed with partial pavement thickness,
the applicant shall complete the pavement prior to final inspections of the last ten
percent of homeswithin the development or when directed by the City,
whichever comes first.
LANDSCAPING
64.The applicant shall comply with LQMC Sections 13.24.130 (Landscaping
Setbacks) & 13.24.140 (Landscaping Plans)
65.Landscape and irrigation plans shall be signed and stamped by a licensed
landscape architect.
66.All new landscape areas shall have landscaping and permanent irrigation
improvements in compliance with the City’s Water Efficient Landscape regulations
contained in LQMC Section 8.13 (Water Efficient Landscape).
67.Except as otherwise stated in these conditions, all landscaping shall consist of, at
minimum, 36” box trees (i.e., a minimum 2.5 inch caliper measured three feet up
from grade level after planting), 5-gallon shrubs, and groundcover. Double lodge
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poles (two-inch diameter) shall be used to brace and stake trees.
68.The applicant shall submit the final landscape plans for review, processing and
approval to the Community Development Department, in accordance with the
Final Landscape Plan application process as a minor final landscape plan.
Community Development Director approval of the final landscape plans is required
prior to issuance of the first building permit unless the Community Development
Director determines extenuating circumstances exist which justify an alternative
processing schedule.
NOTE: Plans are not approved for construction until signed by the appropriate City
official, including the Community Development Director and/or City Engineer.
Prior to final approval of the installation of landscaping, the Landscape Architect
of record shall provide the Community Development Department a letter stating
he/she has personally inspected the installation and that it conforms with the final
landscaping plans as approved by the City.
If staff determines during final landscaping inspection that adjustments are
required in order to meet the intent of the Planning Commission’s approval, the
Community Development Director shall review and approve any such revisions to
the landscape plan.
69.The applicant or his agent has the responsibility for proper sight distance
requirements per guidelines in the American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials (AASHTO) “A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways
and Streets” latest edition, in the design and/or installation of all landscaping and
appurtenances abutting and within the private and public street right-of-way.
PUBLIC SERVICES
70.The applicant shall provide public transit improvements as required by SunLine
Transit Agency and as approved by the City Engineer.
MAINTENANCE
71.The applicant shall comply with the provisions of LQMC Section 13.24.160
(Maintenance).
72.The applicant shall make provisions for the continuous and perpetual maintenance
of common areas, perimeter landscaping up to the curb, access drives, sidewalks,
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and stormwater BMPs.
FEES AND DEPOSITS
73.The applicant shall comply with the provisions of LQMC Section 13.24.180 (Fees
and Deposits). These fees include all deposits and fees required by the City for
plan checking and construction inspection. Deposits and fee amounts shall be
those in effect when the applicant makes application for plan check and permits.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
74.For residential areas, approved standard fire hydrants, located at each
intersection, with no portion of any lot frontage more than a maximum of 500
feet from a hydrant. Minimum fire flow for all residential structures shall be 1000
GPM for a 2-hour duration at 20 PSI.
75.For any buildings with public access i.e. recreational halls, clubhouses, etc. or
buildings with a commercial use i.e. gatehouses, maintenance sheds, etc.
Minimum fire flow for these areas would be 1500 GPM for a 2-hour duration at
20 PSI.
76.The required water system, including fire hydrants, shall be installed and accepted
by the appropriate water agency prior to any combustible building material being
placed on an individual lot. Two sets of water plans are to be submitted to the
Fire Department for approval.
77.Residential fire sprinklers are required in all one and two family dwellings per the
California Residential Code. Contact the Riverside County Fire Department for the
Residential Fire Sprinkler Standard.
78.Applicant/Developer shall mount blue dot retro-reflectors pavement markers on
private streets, public streets and driveways to indicated location of the fire
hydrant. It should be 8 inches from centerline to the side that the fire hydrant is
on, to identify fire hydrant locations.
79.The minimum dimension for gates is 20 feet clear and unobstructed width and a
minimum vertical clearance of 13 feet 6 inches in height. Any gate providing
access from a road shall be located at least 35 feet setback from the roadway
and shall open to allow a vehicle to stop without obstructing traffic on the road.
Where a one-way road with a single traffic lane provides access to a gate
entrance, a 38-foot turning radius shall be used.
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80.Fire Apparatus access road and driveways shall be in compliance with the
Riverside County Fire Department Standard number 06-05 (located at
www.rvcfire.org). Access lanes will not have an up, or downgrade of more than
15%. Access roads shall have an unobstructed vertical clearance not less than 13
feet and 6 inches. Access lanes will be designed to withstand the weight of 70
thousand pounds over 2 axles. Access will have a turning radius capable of
accommodating fire apparatus. Access lane shall be constructed with a surface
so as to provide all weather driving capabilities.
81.Gates may be automatic or manual and shall be equipped with a rapid entry
system (KNOX). Plans shall be submitted to the Fire Department for approval
prior to installation. Automatic gate pins shall be rated with a shear pin force, not
to exceed 30 pounds. Gates activated by the rapid entry system shall remain
open until closed by the rapid entry system. Automatic gates shallbe provided
with backup power.
82.Any turn-around requires a minimum 38-foot turning radius.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
83.A Native American Monitor shall be present on site during all site disturbing
activities. The monitor shall be empowered to stop and/or redirect activities
should cultural resources be encountered.
84.A walking path with dog watering and clean up stations shall be added on the
outer (east, west, and south sides) edge of the retention basin.
85.Benches and picnic tables shall be added in the turf area located on the east side
of the pool.
86.The Olive and Rhus lancia trees shall be 36’ boxes, all other trees shall be 24’
boxes.
87.All plantings shall be per specifications in the landscaping plan submitted October
15,2014
88.Only the Rhus lancia tree shall be standard type trunk, all other trees shall be
multi-trunk.
89.All homes shall be designed with a minimum 18 inch eave/overhang of the roof.
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90.Homes abutting the northernand western boundary of the site, and homes sited
on lots 1 and 50 (adjacent to the project entry) shall be single story models.
91.Home abutting the northern and western boundary of the property shall be
provided architectural enhancements on their northern elevation facing the Citrus.
428
ATTACHMENT 1
SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2014-942
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP.
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS CORP.
BESSENIAN LAGONI
DAVID NEAULT ASSOCIATES INC.
ADAMS-STREETER CIVIL ENGINEERS, INC.
CONSIDERATION OF A SINGLE FAMILY TRACT OF 82
UNITS ON 20.8 ACRES ON THE FORMER WATERMARK
VILLAS PROPERTY
NORTHWEST CORNER OF JEFFERSON STREET AND
AVENUE 52
CURRENT: MEDIUM/HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
PROPOSED: LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
CURRENT: MEDIUM HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
PROPOSED: LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN (SP 2003-069) BEING
AMENDED
NORTH: LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL/GOLF COURSE
EXISTING CITRUS HOMES AND GOLF
COURSE
SOUTH: GOLF COURSE
VACANT (SILVERROCK)
EAST: NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL
EXISTING COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
WEST: LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL/GOLF COURSE
EXISTING CITRUS HOMES AND GOLF
COURSE
429
430
432
434
BBQ / LOUNGE
L
L
L
LIGHTS (TYP)
L
SHADE CABANA
5' CONCRETE WALK
PARKING STALLS
68'
L
L
18'
9'
L
L
37'
DOG WASTE
POOL CABANAS
MATCHLINE - SEE SHEET L-5
MATCHLINE - SEE SHEET L-6
MATCHLINE - SEE SHEET L-8
MATCHLINE - SEE SHEET L-9
JEFFERSON STREET
LINEN
LINEN
LINEN
52'-0"
479
480
WATERMARK
SPECIFIC PLAN
AMENDMENT NO. 1
in the City of La Quinta, California
Prepared for:
545 S. Figueroa Street, #1209
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Prepared by:
MSA Consulting Inc.
34200 Bob Hope Drive
Rancho Mirage, California 92270
March 25, 2015
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter I: Introduction & Setting
1.1Executive Summary ............................................................................................ 1
1.2Purpose & Intent ................................................................................................ 1
1.3Project Location ................................................................................................. 2
1.4Site Characteristics ............................................................................................. 2
1.5Background & History ........................................................................................ 6
1.6Development Concept........................................................................................ 6
1.7Project Objectives .............................................................................................. 6
1.8General Plan & Zoning ....................................................................................... 7
1.9Utility & Service Providers .................................................................................. 8
1.10Community Involvement .................................................................................. 11
1.11Entitlement Process ......................................................................................... 11
Chapter 2: Master Plan
2.1Land Use .......................................................................................................... 13
2.2Circulation........................................................................................................ 15
2.3Open Space & Recreation ................................................................................. 19
2.4Water & Sewer ................................................................................................. 22
2.5Grading & Drainage .......................................................................................... 25
2.6Phasing Plan ..................................................................................................... 28
Chapter 3: Development Regulations
3.1Overview.......................................................................................................... 30
3.2Planning Area 1 ................................................................................................ 30
3.3Planning Area 2 ................................................................................................ 35
Chapter 4: Design Guidelines
4.1Overview.......................................................................................................... 37
4.2Architectural Guidelines ................................................................................... 37
4.3Landscape Guidelines ....................................................................................... 39
Chapter 5: Plan Administration
5.1Overview.......................................................................................................... 45
5.2Implementation ............................................................................................... 45
SPECIFIC PLAN NO. 2003-069 March 2015
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WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMD. NO. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS
5.3Amendment ..................................................................................................... 45
5.4Interpretation .................................................................................................. 46
5.5Enforcement .................................................................................................... 46
Chapter 6: General Plan Consistency
6.1Overview ......................................................................................................... 48
6.2Consistency Analysis ........................................................................................ 49
FIGURES
1.1 Regional Location Map .......................................................................................................... 3
1.2 Local Vicinity Map ................................................................................................................. 4
1.3 Site Conditions Map .............................................................................................................. 5
1.4 General Plan Map.................................................................................................................. 9
1.5 Zoning Map ......................................................................................................................... 10
1.6 Public Services..................................................................................................................... 12
2.1 Conceptual Land Use Plan .................................................................................................. 14
2.2 Conceptual Street Plan ........................................................................................................ 16
2.3 Street Cross-Sections .......................................................................................................... 17
2.4 Conceptual Pedestrian Plan ................................................................................................ 18
2.5 Conceptual Open Space Plan .............................................................................................. 20
2.6 Conceptual Fencing & Wall Plan ......................................................................................... 21
2.7 Conceptual Water Plan ........................................................................................................ 23
2.8 Conceptual Sewer Plan ........................................................................................................ 24
2.9 Conceptual Grading Plan ..................................................................................................... 26
2.10 Conceptual Drainage Plan.................................................................................................. 27
2.11 Conceptual Phasing Plan ................................................................................................... 29
3.1 Planning Area Diagram ........................................................................................................ 31
3.2 Planning Area 1 - Residential ............................................................................................... 33
3.3 Planning Area 1 – Typical Residential Lot ............................................................................ 34
3.4 Planning Area 2 – Community Center .................................................................................. 36
4.1 Overall Landscape Plan........................................................................................................ 40
SPECIFIC PLAN NO. 2003-069 March 2015
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WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMD. NO. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLES
1.1 Surrounding Uses .................................................................................................................. 2
1.2 Utility & Service Providers ..................................................................................................... 8
2.1 Land Use Summary.............................................................................................................. 13
3.1 PA-1 Development Standards .............................................................................................. 32
3.2 PA-2 Development Standards .............................................................................................. 35
4.1 Plant Material Palette ......................................................................................................... 44
SPECIFIC PLAN NO. 2003-069 March 2015
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WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMD. NO. 1
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION & SETTING
1.1EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
T
he Watermark Specific Plan Amendment No. 1 (Specific Plan) is organized in six chapters, as
described below:
Chapter 1, Introduction & Setting: This section provides an overview of the document, project setting
and history, legislative authority for the Specific Plan, entitlement process and other contextual
information.
Chapter 2, Master Plan: This section describes the primary master plan components required for orderly
development of the property. These include land use, circulation, open space and recreation, water and
sewer, grading and drainage, and phasing.
Chapter 3, Development Regulations: This section establishes the allowable uses and development
standards applicable within the Specific Plan Area. Development regulations are listed for each distinct
Planning Area.
Section 4, Design Guidelines: This section outlines architectural and landscape design approaches and
themes intended to guide the visual appearance of future development.
Section 5, Plan Administration: This section describes the various processes and procedures used to
administer and implement the adopted Specific Plan.
Section 6, General Plan Consistency: This section presents a consistency analysis comparing the
Watermark project with the development policy outlined in the City’s General Plan. The goal statements
contained in each General Plan Element provide a framework for the analysis.
1.2PURPOSE AND INTENT
This Specific Plan is intended to guide future development and use of land within the Watermark
Specific Plan boundary, including the establishment of site specific development plans, guidelines, and
regulations. The Specific Plan is intended to ensure quality development consistent with the goals,
objectives, and policies of the City of La Quinta General Plan.
While this Specific Plan defines the location, type and amount of development allowed within the
Specific Plan Area, consistent with the requirements for Specific Plans identified in State Planning and
Land Use Law, it is intended to provide a degree of flexibility to allow development to respond to
consumer demand and opportunities in the marketplace.
This document has been prepared pursuant to California Government Code Section 65450, which grants
local governments the authority to prepare specific plans as a systematic means of implementing their
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General Plan. California Government Code Sections 65450 through 65454 establishes the authority to
adopt a Specific Plan, identifies the required contents of a Specific Plan, and mandates consistency with
the General Plan.
1.3 PROJECT LOCATION
The Watermark Specific Plan Area is located approximately 105 miles from the City of Los Angeles and
the Pacific coast and approximately 240 miles from the Phoenix/Scottsdale metropolitan region. As
shown on Figure 1.1, Regional Location Map, the specific plan is situated in the southeast portion of the
Coachella Valley within the corporate limits of the City of La Quinta, Riverside County. The project is
accessible from Interstate 10 by way of Jefferson Street with immediate access to Avenue 52 on the
south.
The Specific Plan consists of 3 parcels totaling 21 acres (APNs 767-220-012; 013; 14) on the northwest
corner of Avenue 52 and Jefferson Street. The property contains a partially constructed but abandoned
condominium project approved in 2004. The property is surrounded on the north and west by The Citrus
Club residential community and private golf club, on the south by Avenue 52 and on the east by
Jefferson Street and Mountain View Country Club, private golf course and residential community. Figure
1.2, Local Vicinity Map, depicts the physical setting of the property. Surrounding land uses are listed in
Table 1.1.
TABLE 1.1 SURROUNDING USES
Jurisdiction General PlanZoningExisting Use
North La QuintaLDR/OS RL/GCThe Citrus Club
South La QuintaOSGC Avenue 52
East La QuintaGC/LDR/OSCN/GC Jefferson Street
Mountain View Country Club
West La QuintaLDR/OS RL/GCThe Citrus Club
General Plan Designations: LDR – Low Density Res. / OS - Open Space / GC- General Commercial
Zoning Designations: RL – Low Density Residential / GC – Golf Course / CN – Commercial Neighborhood
1.4 SITE CHARACTERISTICS
As shown in Figure 1.3, Site Conditions Map, the property is entirely disturbed and contains a partially
constructed condominium project that was abandoned during the housing collapse and global recession
in the mid-late 2000’s. On-site features include one completed podium condominium building, ten
podium garages, the project’s primary gated entry and perimeter wall, partially paved and graded
interior streets and assorted onsite utilities.
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Source: U.S.G.S., RCTLMA, ESRIExhibit Date: March 25, 2015
REGIONAL LOCATION MAP
FIGURE 1.1
MSA CONSULTING, INC.
N.T.S.
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WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMD. NO. 1
Source: City of La QuintaExhibit Date: March 25, 2015
LOCAL VICINITY MAP
FIGURE 1.2
MSA CONSULTING, INC.
N.T.S.
PAGE 4
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WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMD. NO. 1
PROJECT SITE
AVENUE 52
Source: City of La QuintaExhibit Date: March 25, 2015
SITE CONDITIONS MAP
FIGURE 1.3
MSA CONSULTING, INC.
N.T.S.
www.msaconsultinginc.com
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1.5 BACKGROUND AND HISTORY
Theproject is currently known as “Watermark Villas at La Quinta” and is a previously approved planned
residential, 250-unit condominium community, approved on this site in 2004. At that time, the property
contained only a date palm grove. Project entitlements included Specific Plan 2003-069 and Tentative
Tract Map 31798, along with a General Plan Amendment, Change of Zone and Conditional Use Permit.
The project itself consisted of 31 two-story eight-plex buildings and 1 single-story duplex building all
with subterranean parking. A centrally located swimming pool/spa, several smaller pool/spa’s dispersed
throughout the project, two lighted tennis courts, a two-story recreation room/restaurant building and a
two-story sundry store with office.
Following approvals, project construction began with grading of the site and completion of the project
entry, perimeter wall and one eight-plex model building for use as a sales center. In addition, ten
podium garages, grading of interior streets and assorted onsite utilities were started. However, the
project was victim to the housing collapse and global recession of the late 2000’s and construction
stalled and never resumed. The property remains in this condition today, vacant with the unfinished
remains of the prior project.
1.6 DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT
The Watermark Specific Plan Amendment No. 1 will replace the previously approved condominium
project. It proposes a residential community of 82 single-family detached homes with three floor plans.
The proposed development includes a looped internal private road system, a centrally located
community recreation building with pool, and an open, turfed area that serves as a retention basin and
passive open space with a walking path following the top of the basin. The project also makes provision
for a possible gated golf cart connection to Fresa Circle to provide convenient access should an
agreement be made with the Citrus Course and HOA.
The existing perimeter wall, primary entry and retention basin will be retained from the prior
development. The entry structure has been presented with minor modifications. All other above ground
site features will be demolished. Most underground utilities will be removed and reconstructed within
the new street system.
1.7 PROJECT OBJECTIVES
Various issues were considered and evaluated during the preparation of this Specific Plan. Engineering
feasibility, market acceptance, economic viability, water efficiency, General Plan goals, and compatibility
with surrounding land uses were considered during the planning process. In order to ensure the
functional integrity, economic viability, environmental sensitivity, and positive aesthetic contribution of
this Specific Plan, unique project objectives were established as follows:
To reflect consistency with the goals and policies of the La Quinta General Plan as described in
Chapter 6.
To provide high-quality single family residences designed to be marketable and meet increased
housing demand driven by population growth and retirees.
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To repurpose the site for single family development and incorporate existing site features to the
extent practical, including the community perimeter wall, primary entry and retention basin.
To develop the property with residential uses in a manner compatible with surrounding
development by applying appropriate planning, landscaping and architectural design
approaches.
To create an attractive public street frontage surrounding the community
1.8 GENERAL PLAN & ZONING
General Plan - The La Quinta General Plan, updated in early 2013, establishes the City's policy relative to
the planned future pattern, intensity, density, and relationships of land uses in the City and the various
infrastructure systems needed to effectively support those land uses. The Specific Plan implements the
La Quinta General Plan by bringing detailed policies and regulations together into a focused
development plan for the Specific Plan Area. It serves as a link between the La Quinta General Plan and
subsequent implementing development proposals within the Specific Plan area. The Specific Plan is a
regulatory document which, when adopted by the La Quinta City Council, will govern all facets of project
development including the distribution of land uses, location and sizing of supporting infrastructure, as
well as development standards and regulations.
Figure 1.4, General Plan Map, displays the existing General Plan Land Use and designates this site as
“Medium/High Density Residential”, allowing a density of up to 16 dwelling units per acre (du/ac).
Although the proposed project density is below the allowable maximum, it is not consistent with the
intent statement for this land use designation or with the base zone consistency matrix (GP Table II-2).
Consequently, a General Plan Amendment to “Low Density Residential” allowing from 2-4 du/ac will be
approved as part of the project.
Zoning - Zoning implements the General Plan land use by applying appropriate development standards
for allowable uses, minimum lot size, yard setbacks and similar development considerations.
Figure 1.5, Zoning Map, displays the existing Zoning for this site as Medium High Density Residential
(RMH). The project is not consistent with this base zone and will need to be changed to Low Density
Residential (RL) with an allowable density range of 2-4 du/ac. The change of base zone will be
accompanied by this Specific Plan Amendment to effectively update the zoning, making the project
consistent with both the General Plan Land Use and Zoning classifications.
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1.9 UTILITY & SERVICE PROVIDERS
The Watermark project is within the service area of the utility and service providers as listed in Table
1.2.
1
TABLE 1.2- UTILITY & SERVICE PROVIDERS
Utility/Service Agency Address Phone
Sewer CVWD75-525 Hovley Lane, Palm Desert, CA. 92211 760.398.2651
Water CVWD75-525 Hovley Lane, Palm Desert, CA. 92211 760.398.2651
Southern California
Natural Gas P.O. Box 3150, San Dimas, CA. 91773 877.238.0092
Electric IIDP.O. Box 937, Imperial, CA. 92251 760.335.3640
Cable TV Time Warner 92211760.340.2225
44-425 Town Center Way Ste H, Palm Desert CA
Police County of Riverside 86-625 Airport Blvd., Thermal, CA 92274 760-863-8990
Fire County of Riverside 92211 760.869.8886
77-933 Las Montanas Rd #201 Palm Desert, CA
Solid Waste Burrtec 41575 Eclectic Street, Palm Desert, CA. 92260 760.340.2113
Schools DSUSD47-950 Dune Palms Road, La Quinta, CA. 92253760.777.4200
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PROJECT
SITE
Legend:
Low Density Residential
Medium/High Density Residential
General Commercial
Major Community Facilities
Open Space - Recreation
Source: City of La QuintaExhibit Date: March 25, 2015
GENERAL PLAN MAP
FIGURE 1.4
MSA CONSULTING, INC.
N.T.S.
PAGE 9
www.msaconsultinginc.com
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PROJECT
SITE
Legend:
Low Density Residential
Medium Density Residential
High Density Residential
Neighborhood Commercial
Tourist Commercial
Golf Course
Source: City of La QuintaExhibit Date: March 25, 2015
ZONING MAP
FIGURE 1.5
MSA CONSULTING, INC.
N.T.S.
PAGE 10
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1.10 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Public outreach for this project is planned to include meetings with neighboring communities such as
The Citrus Community HOA.
1.11 ENTITLEMENT PROCESS
Approval of the following entitlements will implement this project:
General Plan Amendment (GPA) - The GPA will amend the General Plan land use designation from
“Medium/High Density Residential” to “Low Density Residential”. The GPA requires separate public
hearings before the Planning Commission (Commission) and the City Council.
Zone Change (ZC) - The ZC will change the base zone of the property from “Medium High Density
Residential” (MHDR) to “Low Density Residential” (LDR). The ZC requires separate public hearings before
the Planning Commission (Commission) and the City Council.
Specific Plan Amendment (SP) - The SP will cover the entire 21-acre site to provide a comprehensive
development plan, allowable uses and development standards. The SP requires separate public hearings
before the Planning Commission (Commission) and the City Council (Council).
Tentative Tract Map (TTM) – The TTM is intended to subdivide the property into single family lots for
residential development. The TTM requires review by the Architectural and Landscape Review Board
(ALRB) and separate public hearings before the Commission and the Council.
Site Development Permit (SDP): The SDP is required by the City for final approval of landscape design,
architectural design, and site plan (with single family residences plotted on each lot). This may be
processed concurrent with or subsequent to other entitlement approvals. The SDP requires review by
the ALRB and separate public hearings before the Commission and the Council.
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CITY OF
INDIAN WELLS
CITY OF INDIO
PROJECT SITE
CITY OF LA QUINTA
Legend:
Emergency Services
Emergency Services
School
City BoundaryPolice / City Hall
Fire
Source: City of La QuintaExhibit Date: March 25, 2015
PUBLIC SERVICES
FIGURE 1.6
MSA CONSULTING, INC.
N.T.S.
www.msaconsultinginc.com
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CHAPTER 2: MASTER PLAN
2.1 LAND USE
T
he Specific Plan proposes a residential community of 82 single-family detached homes with a
community center. This new land use will replace the partially constructed condominium project
approved in 2004 (SP 2003-069). The location of land uses depicted in this Specific Plan are
conceptual and will be further refined through implementing Tentative Tract Map and Site
Development Permit approvals.
Each project component is described below and accompanied by a detailed discussion of land uses and
relevant development standards in Chapter 3. Table 2 provides a summary tabulation of land use
acreages within the project.
PA-1 Residential Use - The project will create a community of 82 new residential homes ranging in size
from 2,000 sq. ft. to 3,000 sq. ft. The residential area incorporates a Community Center and an open
turfed area to serve as a retention basin and passive open space. A Home Owners Association (HOA)
will be formed for the project.
PA-2 Community Center – The Specific Plan features a centrally located community recreation center
that features a pool and spa with hardscape patio areas, a small clubhouse with a multi-purpose room,
restrooms, showers and small open-turfed play area.
TABLE 2.1 LAND USE SUMMARY
LandUse Acres Density DU's
PA-1 Residential 18.8 N/A 82
PA-2 Community Center 0.9 N/A 0
Exterior Street Parkway 1.1 N/A 0
1
TOTALS 20.8 82
3.9
Notes:
1.Allowable density is 2-4 du/ac with adoption of accompanying GPA (MHDR to LDR).
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2.2 CIRCULATION
Vehicular and pedestrian circulation systems are an important component of every development
project. Watermark Specific Plan provides direct and convenient vehicular access to each home through
a safe and efficient private roadway network that complies with City engineering design standards.
These roads, because they carry very low traffic volumes, also accommodate safe pedestrian movement
within the project. The Circulation system is illustrated in Figure 2.2, Conceptual Street Plan, and Typical
Street Sections shown in Figure 2.3, Typical Street Cross Sections and Figure 2.4, Conceptual Pedestrian
Plan. Key aspects of the circulation system include:
Entries - Vehicular access to the site is taken from Avenue 52 via an existing entry that was fully
constructed as part of the former condominium project. The entry includes textured pavement, entry
gates, a gatehouse, a pedestrian walkway connection, entry monuments and landscaped areas.
Vehicular Circulation - The vehicular circulation system consists of an interior network of private streets
that connects each home to the public roadway system at Avenue 52. Private streets are 37 feet wide
with public utility easements on either side. The street section is intended to accommodate double
loaded on-street parking.
Pedestrian Circulation – Pedestrian circulation is provided within the project’s low speed, low volume
private streets as is common in desert communities and a pedestrian walkway at the top of the project’s
retention basin.
Optional Features – The project contemplates an optional circulation component that is dependent on
future conditions that may or may not occur. The project makes provision for a golf cart connection to
the Citrus golf course using a gated access to the Citrus private community at the northeast corner of
the project. If an agreement is reached to make golf memberships available to residents of the
Watermark community, then the golf cart connection would be a desirable feature. If not, the two
communities are under separate private ownership and there would be no reason to connect them.
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C
P.U.E.P.U.E.
CC
L
VARIESVARIES
P/LP/L
61' (PRIVATE STREET ACCESS EASEMENT)61' (PRIVATE STREET ACCESS EASEMENT)
61' (PRIVATE STREET ACCESS EASEMENT)
6"20'28'6"
12'
8' CURB AND GUTTER8' CURB AND GUTTER
6" MEDIAN CURB
PER CITY STD. 202PER CITY STD. 202
PER CITY STD. 210
MAIN ENTRY STREET SECTION
PRIVATE
N.T.S.
5' - 10'5' - 10'
P/LP/L
37' (PRIVATE STREET ACCESS EASEMENT)
P.U.E.P.U.E.
C
CC
L
6"18'18'6"
2.0%2.0%
6" CURB & GUTTER
6" CURB & GUTTER
PRIVATE STREET SECTION PER CITY STD. 211
PER CITY STD. 211
PRIVATE
N.T.S.
P/LP/L
25' (PRIVATE STREET ACCESS EASEMENT)
20.5' (NO PARKING)
6"
2'
LOT 8/9
2.0%
LOT 7
0" CURB
6" WEDGE CURB
PER CITY STD. 211
PRIVATE ALLEY SECTION
PRIVATE
N.T.S.
P/LP/L
20' (NO PARKING)
2.5'1.5'
2.0%
0" CURB
6" WEDGE CURB
PER CITY STD. 211
EMERGENCY FIRE ACCESS
PRIVATE
N.T.S.
Source: Tentative Tract No. 36762Exhibit Date: March 25, 2015
STREET CROSS SECTIONS
FIGURE 2.3
MSA CONSULTING, INC.
N.T.S.
PAGE 17
www.msaconsultinginc.com
503
Exhibit Date: March 25, 2015 PAGE 18
CONCEPTUAL PEDESTRIAN PLAN
Optional Gated Private
Pedestrian Walkway
Golf Cart Connection
Project Boundary
504
2.Private low speed interior streets will also serve as pedestrian access.
1.*Golf cart connection to Citrus HOA property is a feature that may
Avenue 52 public sidewalk
or may not be provided subject to agreements with the
Walkway connection to
Citrus HOA and the Citrus Golf Course.
N.T.S.
Source: Tentative Tract No. 36762
www.msaconsultinginc.com
MSA CONSULTING, INC.
D
A
O
Notes:
S
U
R
TT
T
I
C
WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMD. NO. 1
2.3 OPEN SPACE & RECREATION
Open space is a community asset with multiple benefits. It incorporates periodic open spaces into the
urban fabric, allows distant vistas, introduces greenery and shade for a more attractive and comfortable
living environment, and provides convenient access to recreational opportunities without leaving the
community. Relevant features of the project open space system are shown in Figure 2.5,Conceptual
Open Space Plan, and Figure 2.6,Conceptual Fencing and Wall Plan. The project proposes five
functional classes of open space with classes 1-3 falling under future HOA ownership and maintenance
as follows:
1.Active open space (associated with the community recreation center)
2.Passive open space (associated with the retention basin)
3.Connecting open space (associated with the optional golf cart connection)
4.Private open space (associated with individual residential yard areas)
5.Vehicular open space (associated with public streetscape outside the perimeter wall)
Community Center (Active Open Space) –The Community Center provides opportunities for active
recreation to all residents in the form of swimming, outdoor play, barbequing, and family gatherings.
Retention Basin (Passive Open Space) -The existing Retention Basin was constructed with the prior
condominium project. It is appropriately sized and situated to serve the drainage needs of the amended
project and will be retained in place. This facility also adds a significant open space component to the
project design, allowing distant views and providing an opportunity for informal, passive recreation.
Pedestrian use of the retention basin will be accommodated via a walking path at the top of the basin.
Connecting Pathways -Provision for a possible golf cart connection to the Citrus Club is made at the
project’s northeast corner, if agreed to by both communities.
Residential Yard Areas (Private Open Space) –Each individual residential lot in the community will have
private rear and side yards. These open space areas separate buildings, admit light within the
community and provide the homeowner with an opportunity to create outdoor living and barbeque
spaces for personal use.
Perimeter Streetscape (Vehicular Open Space) -Additional open space is provided outside the project
perimeter wall to supplement public parkways along Avenue 52 and Jefferson Street. Although these
open space parcels will be owned and maintained by the Watermark Home Owners Association, they lie
out outside the community’s outer wall and are primarily a public benefit. These open space areas
create an enhanced visual experience for drivers as well as accommodating a meandering pedestrian
pathway for public use. Because the project perimeter wall is already constructed, the exterior
streetscape open space parcels have already been created and will be fully landscaped with the project
improvements.
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2.4 WATER & SEWER
The Specific Plan will be fully served withdomestic water and sanitary sewer from public systems
managed by the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD). Both are available at the site, with no offsite
extensions required.
Domestic Water - As shown in Figure 2.7, Conceptual Water Plan, the Specific Plan proposes a network
of water lines within the interior private street system to convey domestic water to residences
throughout the community. Water will be looped internally to connect with the public water system at
two locations. The first point of connection will be to an existing 18-inch waterline in Avenue 52 while
the second will be to an 18-inch waterline in Jefferson Street.
Sanitary Sewer - As shown in Figure 2.8, Conceptual Sewer Plan, proposes a system of sewer mains
within interior private streets to serve the community. This interior system will be connected to an
existing line already stubbed into the property at the primary project entry. This line is connected to a
10-inch sewer main in Jefferson Street.
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510
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2.5 GRADING & DRAINAGE
Site topography slopes gently to the southwest from a high elevation of 32.0 at the northeast property
corner to a low elevation of 25.9 at the southwest property corner. Because grading and drainage are
closely interrelated, they are addressed jointly in this section.
Grading - The grading concept is intended to keep the project at similar grades to the existing graded
condominium site but modified to accommodate single family residential homes and rerouted
streets. Figure 2.9, Conceptual Grading Plan, shows the site contours after grading. Proposed grading
will result in the creation of building pads for individual residential homes and streets. The proposed
grading will result in ground elevations, which are similar to existing grades. These grades are subject to
final engineering and actual field conditions that may result in adjustments to pad and street grades
subject to plan check approval by the City.
Grading is also designed to achieve positive surface flows (also see Figure 2.11) and protect all structures
and physical improvements from the 100-year storm, surface runoff, soil erosion and sedimentation
both during and after construction. In addition, the grading design balances on-site earthwork (cut and
fill) taking into account excavation generated by site grading and grades needed to achieve minimum
cover for underground gravity sewer.
Grading activities will follow regulations set forth by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) to control sediment discharge during construction.
Drainage – The project is completely surrounded by an existing perimeter wall that eliminates offsite
storm flows from entering or leaving the site. As shown in Figure 2.10, Conceptual Drainage Plan,
“developed condition” surface drainage is conveyed by the local street system from residential lots to a
system of catch basins and underground storm drains. These intercept the surface water and convey it
below ground for discharge to an existing retention basin in the southwest corner of the site. The
retention basin was engineered for the prior project but has suitable location and capacity for the new
project as well.
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512
Legend:
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513
JEFFERSON STREET
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Legend:
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2.6 PHASING PLAN
Specific Plan is designed for construction in ten (10) phases including model setup, eight production
phases and model build out over approximately two years subject to market conditions. Construction is
estimated to begin in 2015 and be completed in 2017. Figure 2.11, Conceptual Phasing Plan reflects the
anticipated final map recordation and construction sequence. Phased development will be accompanied
by the orderly extension of roadways, public utilities, and infrastructure needed to serve each phase and
is subject to change.
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WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMD. NO. 1
Legend:
WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMD. NO. 1
CHAPTER 3: DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS
3.1 OVERVIEW
lanning Areas represent logical subareas of development with common characteristics and
P
defining boundary features. The site is relatively small with little topographic variation and few
physical constraints. Consequently, the Specific Plan proposes only two Planning Areas based on
type of use and defined, for the most part, by roadways and open space areas. Planning areas for
this project are depicted in Figure 3.1, Planning Area Diagram. This chapter identifies the development
standards applicable to each Planning Area, including a statement of development intent, an area
description and a table of allowable uses and relevant development standards.
3.2 PLANNING AREA 1
Statement of Intent – Planning Area 1 (PA-1) is intended to allow the construction of single family
detached residential homes with affiliated circulation, open space, and infrastructure systems.
Area Description - PA-1 provides for the development of 18.8 acres of land with up to 82 dwelling units
on lots with a minimum size of 6,000 s.f. Figure 3.2, Planning Area 1, depicts key development features
this area while Figure 3.3, PA-1 Typical SFR Lot, illustrates the minimum allowable yard setbacks and lot
dimensions for a typical residential lot.
Development Standards Development standards for PA-1 are shown in Tables 3.1 PA-1 Development
–
Standards.
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517
JEFFERSON STREET
Legend:
WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMD. NO. 1
WATERMARKSPECIFICPLANAMD.NO.1
TABLE3.1PA1DEVELOPMENTSTANDARDS
ReasonforVariation
WatermarkSPRLZoneComparison
AllowableUses
SingleFamilyDwellingsPermittedPermitted
DetachedCasitasAccessoryAccessory
CoveredPatios,Decks,GazebosAccessoryAccessory
Fences,WallsPermittedPermitted
Garages,CarportsAccessoryAccessory
SwimmingPools,Spas,CabanasAccessoryAccessory
RecreationalFacilitiesincludingPermittedPermitted
dogparks
SatelliteDishes,AntennasAccessoryAccessory
LotSize
Marketdemand
Min.LotSize6,000s.f.7,200s.f.
1
Min.LotWidthЎЎЏЉDesignflexibility
Min.lotDepthВЎNone
BuildingSetbacks
Min.FrontYardtoBuildingЊЉЋЉFacilitateslargerhomeand
usablerearyards
ЋЉЋЎΉЋЉwithrollupdoor
Min.FrontYardtoStreetfacing
Garage
Min.FrontYardtoSideloadedЊЉNone
Garage
Min.InteriorSideYardЎЎ
Min.CornerSideYardЊЉЊЉ
Min.RearYardЊЉ
ЋЉΉЋЎonimageAccompaniesЋЉwide
corridorlandscapeparkwaylot
Other
Max.StructureHeightЋЋЋБΉЋЋonimage
corridor
Max.LotCoverage60%50%Designflexibility
2
Min.livablearea1,400s.f.1,400s.f.
Encroachments(fireplaces,ЋЋ
3
mediacenters)
Encroachments(ACunits)ЌNone
Encroachments(balconies,ЋЍ
4
porches,decks)
OffStreetParkingSpacesperDU2garage2garage
2driveway0.5guest
bƚƷĻƭʹ
Њ͵CƚƩƩĻĭƷğƓŭǒƌğƩƌƚƷƭ͵tźĻƭŷğƦĻķƚƩźƩƩĻŭǒƌğƩƌƚƷƭƒğǤķĻǝźğƷĻ͵
Ћ͵9ǣĭƌǒķźƓŭŭğƩğŭĻ
Ќ͵.ǒƷƓƚĭƌƚƭĻƩƷŷğƓЌ͵ЎŅƩƚƒƦƩƚƦĻƩƷǤƌźƓĻ
Ѝ͵
CƩƚƓƷƚƩƩĻğƩǤğƩķƭƚƓƌǤ
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519
PA-2
WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMD. NO. 1
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60' Min. Lot Width*
Building
Driveway
5' P.U.E.
5'5'
PRIVATE STREET
Building
Min.Min.
(OR ALLEY)
Side Loaded Garage Detail
Garage
Legend:
Property Line
Right of Way
Building Setbacks
Street Center Line
Note:
For rectangular lots. Pie shaped or
irregular lots may deviate.
Source: MSA Consulting, Inc.Exhibit Date: March 25, 2014
PLANNING AREA 1 - TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL LOT
0'
20'
FIGURE 3.3
MSA CONSULTING, INC.
www.msaconsultinginc.com
SCALE: 1" = 20'PAGE 34
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WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMD. NO. 1
3.3 PLANNING AREA 2
Statement of Intent – Planning Area 2 (PA-2) is intended to allow a private Neighborhood Community
Center to provide recreational amenities for community residents and guests.
Area Description - PA-2 provides for the development of 0.8 acres of land with a community center and
pool. Figure 3.4, Planning Area 2 – Community Center, depicts key development features of PA-2.
Club House: The club house will include a multi-purpose room, restrooms, showers and a pool
equipment / storage closet.
Pool and Spa: The pool and spa area shall consist of a pool sized for the community as well as a
heated spa. Other amenities include a gathering area with fire place and barbecue’s, shade cabanas
and an open hardscape area for lounge chairs, and tables.
Open Turf Play: There shall be an area dedicated to open play and shall consist of turf and /or play
equipment for children.
Access: The recreation area is easily accessible by its residents using private streets within the
community. For the residents that prefer to drive, there will be a few parking stalls, including an
ADA stall provide near the entry of the facility.
Development Standards Developmentstandards for PA-2 are shown in Tables 3.2, PA-2 Development
–
Standards.
TABLE 3.2 PA-2 DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Allowable Uses
Community FacilitiesPermitted
Fences, WallsPermitted
Recreational Uses Permitted
Restrooms/Changing Rooms Permitted
Swimming Pools, Spas, CabanasPermitted
Parking Permitted
Lot Size
Min. Lot AreaNone
Min. Lot Width None
Min. lot DepthNone
Building Setbacks
Min. Front Yard 10’
Min. Side Yard 10’
Min. Rear Yard10’
Other
Max. Structure Height 28’
FIGURE 3.4 PLANNING AREA 2 – COMMUNITY CENTER
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PA-1
PA-2
Parking
AVENUE 52
Key Map
N.T.S.
Planning Area 1
Picnic
Barbeque
Tables
Clubhouse
Shade
Open Turf
Structure
Play Area
Shade
Spa
Structure
Picnic
Tables
Community
Pool
Parking
Planning Area 1
To main entry /
Avenue 52
public sidewalk
Legend:
Planning Area Boundary
Pedestrian Connections
Note: Community Center layout is conceptual only
Source: Tentative Tract No. 36762Exhibit Date: March 25, 2015
PLANNING AREA 2 - COMMUNITY CENTER
FIGURE 3.4
MSA CONSULTING, INC.
N.T.S.
www.msaconsultinginc.com
PAGE 36
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CHAPTER 4: DESIGN GUIDELINES
4.1 OVERVIEW
he guidelines contained in this chapter identify unifying elements for design of buildings and
T
landscaping within the Watermark community. Exhibits provided are intended as conceptual
illustrations and do not depict final designs, nor should they limit the range of expression among
individual builders or their professional design teams. These guidelines will be reflected and
refined in subsequent implementing subdivision maps and site development permits.
4.2 ARCHITECTURAL GUIDELINES
The overall architectural character theme will include Hacienda, Spanish and La Quinta architectural
styles compatible with the local desert environment.
HACIENDA STYLE
Low-pitched roofs must be 'S' tile or barrel tile, with an eave overhang of 18 inches, play a defining role
for this architecture. Typically with one or more prominent arches placed above doors, principal
windows or beneath porched roofs, the Hacienda style architecture is derived from a variety of Spanish-
inspired forms developed over centuries of history and integrated into a single, identifiable style. Details
borrowed from the rich and diverse Spanish history provide additional definition and interest. Wall
surfaces are always stucco and the forms are often asymmetrical.
Roof
Shallow pitched roofs
Simple hip, gable and shed forms
Dark full ‘S’ style roof tiles
Simple rafter tails
18” overhang
Windows
Deep set windows
Arched, segmental or half round window heads
Design Features
Sand finished stucco
Precast style foam trim around windows and entryways
Iron accents
Stylized shutters in toned accents color
Color
Earth tones
Beige
Dark brown accents
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Vibrant accents
SPANISH REVIVAL STYLE
The Spanish Revival style is marked by the prominent use of smooth plaster (stucco) wall, low-pitched
clay tile gable or shed roofs, and terracotta or cast concrete ornaments. Spanish Revival is often a more
lively and colorful style with accented entryways, usually arched, with small porches or balconies and
eave overhangs defined by shaped rafter tails.
Roof
Shallow pitched roofs
Simple hip, gable and shed forms
‘S’ or barrel style roof tiles
Shaped rafter tails
18” overhang
Windows
Deep set windows
Simple window proportions and patterns
Design Features
Architectural chimney element
Dark wood style foam lintel details at
porches and over doors or windows
Shaded corbels
Trellis roof features over window
Arched entry
Color
Neutral tones
Beige
Dark brown accents
Vibrant accents
LA QUINTA STYLE
La Quinta style architecture is inspired from the combination of detail from several eras of Spanish
inspired architecture. The style is typically defined by its low-pitched roofs must be clay tile roofs,
usually with little or no eave overhang, developed into simple roof forms. Typically a tower like element
is developed to accentuate a prominent arches placed above the entry. Lower plate-line forms flanking
higher plate-line forms enrich form and massing while maintaining the relaxed character that further
enhances the architectural style.
Roof
Shallow pitched roofs
Simple hip, gable and shed forms
Dark full ‘S’ style roof tiles
Built up eaves
18” overhang
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Windows
Deep set windows
Flared window sill details
Design Features
Sand finished stucco
Precast style foam trim around
windows and entryways
Stylized shutters in accents color
Color
White
Warm Earth tones
Vibrant accents
4.3 LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURAL GUIDELINES
Landscaping for the project will utilize desert plant materials and comply with the water conservation
requirements of the Coachella Valley Water District. The landscape design of the project shall consist of
a combination of water efficient, drought-tolerant plant material to reduce water demand. The overall
conceptual landscape design for the project is shown on Figure 4.1, Overall Landscape Plan and design
approaches to various key landscape elements are discussed following.
MONUMENTS
Project Entry
The project entry will utilize the existing gates and guard house modified as shown. The project
will be identified with the use of enhanced paving, signage, accent pots, Date Palm clusters
(shown at maturity) and water features flanking both sides of the entry drive. The date palms
are presented as a design element reflecting the legacy of this site as a date farm. The existing
water features on site, will be modified to reflect the current project theme as will the building
and gates.
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525
Exhibit Date: March 25, 2015
PAGE 40
OVERALL LANDSCAPE PLAN
526
Source: Tentative Tract No. 36762, David Neault Associates, Inc.
N.T.S.
MSA CONSULTING, INC.
www.msaconsultinginc.com
WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMD. NO. 1
Corner Monument
The corner of 52nd and Jefferson will be used to help identify the community. Date Palm
clusters (shown at maturity) and architectural accents along the perimeter wall shall be used to
link this corner and the project entry drive, again emphasizing the heritage of this site as a date
palm farm.
STREETSCAPES
Perimeter Public Streetscape – Jefferson Street & Avenue 52
A meandering parkway shall be provided along both perimeter streets for the entire length of
the project and be planted with low growing colorful plant material similar to neighboring
communities.
A 12-feetwide meandering sidewalk willbe provided on each perimeter street.
Street trees will be planted in a random placement behind the sidewalk with a maximum
spacing of 40’ o.c. The use of a variety of tree species found along neighboring streetscape is
encouraged.
Trees shall be spaced at irregular intervals, no more than 40-feet on-center between the
sidewalk and the perimeter wall. These trees shall be a minimum of 15 gallon in size.
Street trees are classified as large canopy shade trees
Landscape planting along the streetscape shall consist of drought tolerant plant material and
shall reflect the design of the existing streetscapes of nearby neighborhoods along 52nd and
Jefferson.
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Local Private Streetscape
All corner lot side yards shall consist of a 3-foot minimum landscape buffer between the back of
curb and the block privacy wall.
A minimum of one (1) street tree shall be provided per lot frontage and a minimum of two (2)
trees per side yard streetscape. All street trees shall be a minimum of 15 gallon in size.
Interior tract street trees will be a consistent species per street.
The landscape parkway and buffer will consist of flowering and mounding evergreen shrubs.
WALL AND FENCE
The project shall utilize portions of the existing perimeter wall, so long as the existing location
reflects the new site design.
Perimeter walls, existing and new shall be a 6-foot high CMU slump stone wall with white sack
finish.
Pilasters shall be 6’6” high CMU slump stone with white sack finish and be located at 100-feet
on-center max along Perimeter wall.
Non-public viewed interior lot side yard walls shall be 5’6” in height and may be designed with
precision block.
Rear yards facing the detention basin open space areas may be designed using 6’ slump wall.
A 3’ Rail Fence of Vinyl material following the retention walking path
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Perimeter Wall
Residential Wall
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Table 4.1 Plant Material Palette
Trees
Acacia stenophylla Acacia stenophylla
Cercidium "desert museum" Cercidium "desert museum"
Olea europaea "wilsonii" Olea europaea "wilsonii"
Phoenix dactylifera Phoenix dactylifera
Rhus lancea Rhus lancea
Schinus molle Schinus molle
Washingtonia robusta Washingtonia robusta
Shrubs
Agave americana Century Plant
Agave geminiflora Twin-Flowered Agave
Bougainvillea "la jolla"Bougainvillea Baja
Calliandra californica Fairy Duster Red
Caesalpinia pulcherrima Bird Of Paradise
Dasylirion wheeleri
Desert Spoon
Encelia farinosa Brittle Bush
Hesperaloe parviflora Red Yucca
Lantana c. "radiation" Lantana Chihuahuan
Leucophyllum laevigatum Sage Pink
Muhlenbergia "regal mist"Muhly Grass
Opuntia v. "santa rita"Purple Opuntia
Rosmarinus "tuscan"Upright Rosemary
Ruellia peninsularis Desert Ruellia
Rosa "iceberg"
Iceberg Rose
Vines
Macfadyena unguis-cati Cat's Claw Vine
Rosa banksiae Lady Bank's Rose
Groundcovers
Acacia r. "desert carpet" Trailing Acacia
Baileya multiradiata Desert Marigold
Bulbine frutescens "hallmark"
Bulbine
Carissa g. "green carpet" Natal Plum Spreading
Lantana montevidensis Lantana Spreading
Lantana m. "new gold" Lantana
Rosa "flower carpet red" Groundcover Rose
Rosmarinus o. 'Prostratus'Prostrate Rosemary
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CHAPTER 5: PLAN ADMINISTRATION
5.1 OVERVIEW
his chapter describes the procedures for administration and implementation of the Specific Plan.
T
5.2 IMPLEMENTATION
The Specific Plan establishes the general intent and comprehensive framework for development of the
community. However, prior to construction, various implementing approvals with greater design detail
are required, as noted below.
Tentative Tract Map - Subdivision of the project into residential lots shall require public hearing
approval of a Tentative Tract Map (TTM) by the La Quinta Planning Commission and City Council. The
TTM will show the detailed design and improvement information. Upon filing a Tentative Tract Map
application with the La Quinta Planning Department, City staff will review the design for consistency
with this Specific Plan, other relevant City Zoning regulations, and compliance with acceptable
engineering design criteria.
Final Tract Map - Following TTM approval, the applicant must record a Final Tract Map to create legal
residential lots for sale. Prior to recordation, the applicant must provide final improvement plans for
streets, utilities, grading, and landscaping and satisfy relevant conditions of approval. The final map
reflects the requirements, standards, design and intent of the approved TTM, as determined by the City
Community Development Director.
Site Development Permit – Construction of new residential homes and residential amenities require
submittal of a site development permit application, including building floor plans, building elevations
and landscaping for design review by the Architectural and Landscape Review Board (ALRB) and
approval hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council.
5.3 AMENDMENT
Administrative Changes - Minor modifications that are consistent with the purpose and intent of the
current, Watermark Specific Plan are allowed at the discretion of the Community Development Director
or designee. Therefore, it is intended that this Specific Plan provide City Staff with the flexibility to
interpret the details of project development as well as those items discussed in general terms in the
Specific Plan without requiring a Specific Plan Amendment.
Requests for administrative changes shall be made in writing. If and when it is determined that changes
or adjustments are necessary or appropriate, these shall be approved administratively by the
Community Development Director or designee. After approval, any such administrative change shall be
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attached to the Specific Plan as an addendum and may be further changed and amended from time to
time as necessary.
Representative examples of such changes may include, but are not limited to:
The addition of new information to the Specific Plan maps or text that do not substantially
change the effect of any regulation. The new information may include more detailed, site-
specific information.
Changes to the size and configuration of residential lots provided that the maximum number of
allowable units is not exceeded.
Adjustment of Planning Area boundaries identified in this Specific Plan.
Changes to community infrastructure such as drainage systems, roads, water and sewer
systems, etc.
Modification of architectural or landscape design criteria or details.
Deletion of the golf cart garages in the event that a cart connection with The Citrus is not
achieved.
Modification to existing Guard House and Lettering on entry Water Feature
Formal Amendments - If it has been determined that the proposed change is not in conformance with
the intent of the current Specific Plan approval, the Specific Plan may be amended in accordance with
the procedures set forth in Chapter 9.240 of the City of La Quinta Zoning Code (Zoning Code).
5.4 INTERPRETATION
Uses Not Listed - All uses not specifically listed in this Specific Plan are prohibited. However, the
Community Development Director may determine that a use not listed is included within or comparable
to a listed use and, once so determined; it shall be treated in the same manner as a listed use.
Application of Standards - Where there is ambiguity between the Specific Plan and the Zoning Code, the
Director of Community Development shall review pertinent information and make a determination as to
which code or standard applies. All determinations shall be in writing and shall be attached to the
Specific Plan as noted underAdministrative Changes, earlier in this section.
5.5 ENFORCEMENT
The enforcement of the provisions of this Specific Plan shall be by the following:
The City of La Quinta Community Development Department shall enforce the development
standards and design guidelines set forth herein.
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Any administrative decision or interpretation of this Specific Plan may be appealed to the
Planning Commission. Likewise, any decision by the Planning Commission may be appealed to
the City Council per 9.200.120 LQMC provisions.
The City of La Quinta shall administer the provisions of the Watermark Specific Plan in
accordance with the State of California Government Code, Subdivision Map Act, the City of La
Quinta General Plan, and the City of La Quinta Municipal Code.
The Specific Plan development procedures, regulations, standards, and specifications shall
supersede the relevant provisions of the City's Municipal Code, as they currently exist or may be
amended in the future.
All regulations, conditions, and programs contained herein shall be deemed separate distinct
and independent provisions of this Specific Plan. In the event that any such provision is held
invalid or unconstitutional, the validity of all the remaining provisions of this Specific Plan shall
not be affected.
Any development regulation and building requirement not addressed in this Specific Plan shall
be subject to all relevant City of La Quinta ordinances, codes, and regulations.
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CHAPTER 6: GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
6.1 OVERVIEW
alifornia Government Code (Title 7, Division 1, Chapter 3, Article 8, Section 65450- 65457) permits
C
the adoption and administration of specific plans as an implementation tool for elements
contained in the local general plan. Specific plans must demonstrate consistency in regulations,
guidelines, and programs with the goals and policies set forth in the general plan.
Consistent with this, the City of La Quinta requires that each Specific Plan include a discussion of the
relationship of the Specific Plan to the goals and policies of the various General Plan elements. This
chapter provides such a consistency analysis as it relates to the Watermark Specific Plan.
th
The latest City of La Quinta General Plan update was adopted on December 18, 2012. It is organized
around four broad themes: Community Development, Natural Resources, Environmental Hazards, Public
Infrastructure and Services, within which are nineteen (19) General Plan Elements as follows.
Noise
Land Use Air Quality Emergency
Soils &
Services
Circulation Energy &
Geology
Minerals
Sustainable
Water,
Flooding &
Community Biological
Sewer &
Hydrology
Economic Cultural
Utilities
Hazardous
Development
Water
Public
Materials
Parks,
Open Space/
Facilities
Recreation &
Conservation
Trails
Housing
Each element of the General Plan contains a summary of key issues, which direct and guide that
element's goals, policies, and programs. Consequently, the General Plan goals provide a basis and
structure for Specific Plan consistency analysis. To this end, the following sections list the goals in each
General Plan Element along with a statement of how the Watermark Specific Plan implements each.
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6.2 CONSISTENCY ANALYSIS
Land Use Element - The Land Use Element, as required by state law, is intended to function as a guide
for long range development in the City. The Land Use Element governs how land is to be utilized;
therefore, many of the issues and policies contained in other General Plan elements are linked in some
degree to this element. The Land Use Element designates the general distribution, location, and extent
of land uses, such as housing, business, industry, open space, agriculture, natural resources, recreation,
and public/quasi-public uses. These designations are reflected on the General Plan Land Use Map, which
categorize individual parcels of land. A discussion of the key Land Use Element policies that apply to the
Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
LAND USE COMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal LU-1 As a low density residential community, the project is compatible
with surrounding low density residential uses. Approval of the
Land use compatibility throughout the City.
General Plan Amendment will render the project consistent with
the General Plan Land Use map. Therefore, the Watermark
Specific Plan is consistent with and implements this General Plan
policy.
Goal LU-2
Residential home architecture and landscaping will be subject to
High quality design that complements and
review by the City’s ALRB to ensure quality design.
enhances the City.
Goal LU-3 The project is a self-contained single family residential enclave
with a unique identity and sense of place afforded by its
Safe and identifiable neighborhoods that
architectural and landscape design features.
provide a sense of place.
Goal LU-4
The project proposal is compatible with surrounding residential
Maintenance and protection of existing
communities such as the Citrus Club Golf Course and Mountain
neighborhoods.
View Country Club.
Goal LU-5
The project proposes a gated, single family residential community
to provide market-rate housing to one segment of the City’s
A broad range of housing types and choices
population. Therefore the project contributes to the City’s goal of
for all residents of the City.
providing a broad range of housing types and choices.
Goal LU-6
The project does not propose a commercial or office use offering
A balanced and varied economic base which
goods and services. Therefore, this goal is not applicable to the
provides a broad range of goods and
project.
services to the City’s residents and the
region.
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Goal LU-7
The project is not located in either of these areas. Therefore this
Innovative land uses in the village and on
goal is not applicable to the project.
Highway 111.
Circulation Element – The Circulation Element, as required by state law, is intended to ensure a
transportation system with the ability to accommodate a complete range of transportation needs within
the City. The Circulation Element incorporates regional plans and thoughtful land planning to assure
cost-effective and logical infrastructure able to adequately address transportation needs of the city
while retaining quality of life. A discussion of the key Circulation Element policies that apply to the
Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
CIRCULATIONCOMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal CIR-1 The project proposes a private internal circulation system to
provide safe and efficient passage for pedestrians, electric
A network that can satisfactorily move users
vehicles, and motorists throughout the site. The system will be
using facilities that meet demands of and
built to City standards.
projected needs of the City.
Goal CIR-2 The project proposes a private circulation system with low-speed,
low-volume internal streets that will safely accommodate both
A circulation system that promotes and
vehicles and pedestrians. Pedestrian and cart paths will be
enhances transit, vehicle, bicycle, and
included through the center of the project.
pedestrian networks.
Sustainable Community Element - The Sustainable Community Element is intended to assist the City in
developing a more united community through the conservation of resources, enhancement of the built
environment, promoting alternative transportation, and improving community health. A discussion of
the key Sustainable Community Element policies that apply to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided
below:
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY COMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal SC-1 The project will contribute to the City’s sustainability and quality
of life goals. For water conservation, it proposes to landscape
A community that provides the best
with drought tolerant plant materials. To facilitate alternative
possible quality of life for all its residents.
transportation modes, the project includes pedestrian access to
the public street system, enabling residents to walk, bike or use
electric vehicles to access public sidewalks through the main entry
gate. The project will also comply with all applicable green
building requirements.
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Economic Development Element - The Economic Development Element is intended to institute the
foundation for the development of a thriving economic environment in the City. The Economic
Development Element intends to ensure that constituents and the City can mutually benefit from the
activities of one another. Goals and policies included within the Element aim to broadly guide economic
growth within the City. A discussion of the key Economic Development Element policies that apply to
the Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTCOMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal ED-1
The project supports balanced land use in the City by complying
A balanced and varied economic base which
with the General Plan Land Use as amended. The residential use
provides fiscal stability to the City, and a
will contribute incrementally to demand for commercial goods
broad range of goods and services to its
and services in the region, thus enhancing the local economy.
residents and the region.
Goal ED-2
The project does not propose any specific tourist or resort
The continued growth of the tourism and
amenities. Therefore, this goal is not applicable to the project.
resort industries in the City.
Parks, Recreation and Trails Element - The Parks, Recreation and Trails Element is intended to provide
inventory of existing parks and recreational facilities, identify present and future need for recreational
opportunities, and develops the goals, policies, and programs to permit the City to maintain the ability
to offer adequate recreational amenities and services to its residents. A discussion of the key Parks,
Recreation, and Trails Element policies that apply to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
PARKS, RECREATION AND TRAILSCOMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal PR-1 The project proposes a community center, pool, recreation area,
pedestrian and cart paths, and possible access to the neighboring
A comprehensive system of parks, and
Citrus Club Golf Course. Together these offer a variety of private
recreation facilities, and services that meet
recreational opportunities for residents of the community and
the active and passive needs of all residents
their guests.
and visitors.
Housing Element - The Housing Element, as required by state law, is intended to institute the regulatory
background for the development of new housing units potentially obtainable by a range of income
levels. The Housing Element includes a housing vision statement, a community profile, a housing profile,
a housing needs assessment, and a housing constraints and resources analysis.A discussion of the key
Housing Element policies that apply to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
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HOUSING COMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal H-1
The project will construct 82 residential homes, thus contributing
Provide housing opportunities that meet
to the City’s market rate housing stock.
the diverse needs of the City’s existing and
projected population.
Goal H-2.1
This site is not identified as a vacant or underutilized property on
Assist in the creation and provision of Exhibit II-14 of the General Plan. Due to its location, this goal is
resources to support housing for lower and not applicable to the project.
moderate income households.
Goal H-3
This project does not establish a regulatory program that would
Create a regulatorysystem thatdoes not
constrain affordable housing. Therefore, this goal is not applicable
unduly constrain the maintenance,
to the project.
improvement, and development of housing
affordable to all La Quinta residents.
Goal H-4
The project will complement the surrounding residential
communities. Development of the property into single-family
Conserve and improve the quality of
residences will add value to surrounding neighborhoods and
existing La Quinta neighborhoods and
individual properties.
individual properties.
Goal H-5.1
The project does not establish housing policy for the City, but
does contribute to this goal by providing quality housing for one
Provide equal housing opportunities for all
segment of the population.
persons.
Goal H-6.1
The project promotes water conservation through the use of
Provide a regulatory framework that
drought tolerant plant materials and water efficient irrigation
facilitates and encourages energy and
techniques. The project will comply with all City regulations and
water conservation through sustainable site
building codes for water conservation, energy efficiency, and
planning, project design, and green
building standards.
technologies and building materials.
Air Quality Element - The Air Quality Element is intended to define the sources of regional air pollution
and presents policies and programs that will aid the City in improve air quality. Goals, policies, and
programs identified in the element are intended to prevent, reduce, or limit impacts to air quality
expected at general plan build out. A discussion of the key Air Quality Element policies that apply to the
Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
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AIR QUALITY COMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal AQ-1 The project proposes a private circulation system that will
accommodate pedestrian use to reduce vehicle emissions. Air
A reduction in all air emissions generated
quality impacts associated with the project will be prepared as
within the City.
part of the CEQA review and the project will implement any
necessary mitigation measures, including a Fugitive Dust Control
Plans to address air quality issues during construction.
Energy and Mineral Resources Element - The Energy and Mineral Resources Element is intended to
address the City’s relationship between long-term growth and its natural resources. The resources
addressed within this element include electric, natural gas, and propane gas services as well as sand and
gravel deposits used in construction. A discussion of the key Energy and Mineral Resources Element
policies that apply to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCESCOMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
The project will incorporate energy efficient appliances in
Goal EM-1
residences and low intensity lighting on private streets.
The sustainable use and management of
Furthermore, it is expected that some residences would elect to
energy and mineral resources.
install private rooftop solar systems.
The project is not located in an area with significant mineral
Goal EM-2
deposits and does not include any mining activities. Therefore,
The conservation and thoughtful because of its location, this goal is not applicable to the project.
management of local mineral deposits
to assure the long---term viability of limited
resources.
Biological Resources Element - The Biological Resources Element identifies the biological resources
unique to the City. Resources identified include the City’s natural habitats and native species. The
element introduces goals, policies, and programs to assist the City in the preservation of biological
resources that may exist in the City. The element also intends to direct the City in compliance with local,
state, and federal regulations such as the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan
(CVMSHCP) and Migratory Bird Treaty Act. A discussion of the key Biological Resources Element policies
that apply to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
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BIOLOGICAL RESOURCESCOMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal BIO-1 The site was entirely disturbed by previous grading activities
associated with the original Watermark Villas Specific Plan. There
The protection and preservation of native
are no remaining native or environmentally significant biological
and environmentally significant biological
resources on the property that require protection.
resources and their habitats.
Cultural Resources Element - The Cultural Resources Element is intended to describe the City’s history
and provide goals, policies, and programs intended to assure that cultural resources which have been,
and may be identified in the future, are adequately preserved. A discussion of the key Cultural
Resources Element policies that apply to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
CULTURAL RESOURCES COMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal CUL-1 The site is not vacant and has been entirely disturbed by prior
grading associated with the original Watermark Villas Specific
The protection of significant archeological,
Plan. Because the project includes a Specific Plan, Native
historic, and paleontological resources
American Consultation protocols will be followed. The project will
which occur in the City.
comply with any archaeological, historic or paleontological
mitigation identified during the CEQA review.
Water Resources Element - The Water Resources Element is intended to set forth goals, policies, and
programs relating to water supply management. The element takes into account that the City receives
domestic water service from the Coachella Valley Water District and serves CVWD’s goals of managing
and conserving water as a resource. A discussion of the key Water Resources Element policies that apply
to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
WATER RESOURCESCOMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal WR-1 The project will incorporate features and fixtures for water
conservation in both landscape irrigation and domestic use. The
The efficient use and conservation of the
project’s stormwater retention basin will also allow infiltration of
City’s water resources.
runoff.
Open Space and Conservation Element - The Open Space and Conservation Element, as required by
state law, is intended to develop policies and programs in order to effectively protect, conserve and
manage open space. Open space resources include scenic mountain vistas and wilderness areas. The
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open space and conservation element will aid the City in assuring the long-term viability of open space
and will prevent premature or improper conversion of open space to more intense land uses. A
discussion of the key Multipurpose Open Space Element policies that apply to the Watermark
Specific Plan is provided below:
OPEN SPACE AND CONSERVATION COMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal OS-1 The project includes assorted open space amenities. It will
provide a centrally located community recreation center, with
Preservation, conservation, and
pool, accessible by a landscaped pedestrian paseo. In addition, an
management of the City’s open space lands
open turfed area that serves as a retention basin in the southwest
and scenic resources for enhanced
corner will provide passive open space. The project incorporates
recreational, environmental, and economic
connections to the public sidewalk and trail system for convenient
purposes.
walking, jogging and biking activities.
Goal OS-2 The property contains no geologic hazard zones or significant
biological resources suitable for preservation as active or passive
Good stewardship of natural open space
open space. However, the development does incorporate a
and preservation of open space areas.
significant open space amenity by providing a recreation center
and open turf area for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Goal OS-3 The project is not located in an area designated as open space nor
is it elevated or visually prominent. The project does not propose
Preservation of scenic resources as vital
excessively high residential structures out of character with the
contributions to the City’s economic health
surrounding community that would excessively block mountain
and overall quality of life.
views.
Noise Element - The Noise Element, as required by state law, is intended to identify areas where noise
levels are expected to approach unacceptable levels. The element provides policies and programs to
ensure noise is maintained at appropriate levels. A discussion of the key Noise Element policies that
apply to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
NOISECOMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal N-1 The project would establish a residential use in an existing
residential area. Therefore, noise generated by the project will be
A healthful noise environment which
in keeping with the area. Noise levels on Avenue 52 are not
complements the City’s residential and
excessive and the project is buffered by a 6-foot high perimeter
resort character.
wall. The project will comply with any noise mitigations identified
during the project CEQA review.
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Soils and Geology Element - The Soils and Geology Element is intended to assess the physical
characteristics of the City and the community’s overall safety. A discussion of the key Soils and Geology
Element policies that apply to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
SOILS AND GEOLOGYCOMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal GEO-1 The project is not subject to any on-site geologic or seismic
hazards Therefore, construction of new residential uses does
Protection of the residents’ health and
threaten the health and safety of project residents.
safety, and of their property, from geologic
and seismic hazards.
Flooding and Hydrology Element - The Flooding and Hydrology Element is intended to define potential
drainage and flooding risks in the planning area, as well as future potential for flooding. A discussion of
the key Flooding and Hydrology Element policies that apply to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided
below:
FLOODING AND HYDROLOGY COMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal FH-1 The Project is not located in a floodplain and is currently
surrounded by a perimeter wall which prevents offsite storm
Protection of the health, safety, and welfare
flows from entering the site. In addition, the existing retention
of the community from flooding and
basin from the prior development will be retained in the
hydrological hazards.
southwest corner, where natural drainage flow occurs due to the
gently sloping topography. The project design will comply with all
mandatory drainage and storm water management regulations.
Hazardous Materials Element - The Hazardous Materials Element is intended to address the hazards
associated with the storage use, and transport of hazardous materials within the City. Hazardous
materials are closely related to public safety. A discussion of the key Hazardous Materials Element
policies that apply to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal HAZ-1 The development is not expected to generate any hazardous
waste beyond those commonly found in small amounts within
Protection of residents from the potential
residential homes. The routine transport, use or disposal of
impacts of hazardous and toxic materials.
hazardous or toxic materials is not anticipated. Household
hazardous waste will be disposed of properly through the City and
County’s Hazardous Waste Management Plan (HWMP).
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Emergency Services Element - The Emergency Services Element is intended to address multiple
components of the City’s public safety services, including police and fire service, emergency medical
response, and emergency preparedness. The element establishes goals, policies, and programs to aid
the City in meeting its responsibilities in an emergency. A discussion of the key Emergency Services
Element policies that apply to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
EMERGENCY SERVICE COMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal ES-1 The project design provides adequate access and circulation for
emergency service vehicles from Avenue 52. The development is
An effective and comprehensive response
in close proximity to urban fire and police services. Additionally,
to all emergency service needs.
the design will comply with all City design standards and building
codes and will undergo standard review by the Police and Fire
Departments during entitlement approvals.
Water, Sewer and Utilities Element - The Water, Sewer and Other Utilities Element is intended to
establish goals, policies, and programs intended to ensure that these public services will continue to be
provided to the City as it develops. Absence of these services to the City would render continued
growth and subsequent build out of the General Plan infeasible. A discussion of the key Water, Sewer,
and Utilities Element policies that apply to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
WATER, SEWER AND OTHER UTILITIES COMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Each residential lot is provided with domestic water service from
Goal UTL-1
CVWD’s public water system and will be built to City and CVWD
Domestic water facilities and services which
standards.
adequately serve the existing and long-term
needs of the City.
Each residential lot is provided with sanitary sewer service from
Goal UTL-2
CVWD’s public wastewater collection and treatment system. The
Domestic water facilities and services which
sanitary sewer system will be built to City and CVWD standards.
adequately serve the existing and long-term
needs of the City.
Public Facilities Element - The Public Facilities Element is intended to provide descriptions of City-owned
buildings, the senior center, the public Library, and all schools operated by the Desert Sands Unified
School District and the Coachella Valley Unified School District. The element also sets goals, policies, and
programs which will allow the City to continue to provide a full range of municipal and scholastic
services to its residents and businesses. A discussion of the key Public facilities Element policies that
apply to the Watermark Specific Plan is provided below:
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WATERMARK SPECIFIC PLAN AMD. NO. 1
PUBLIC FACILITIES COMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS
POLICYANALYSIS
Goal PF-1 The proposed project has access to a full range of public services
including public schools through the Desert Sands Unified School
Public facilities and services that is
District, a public library and senior center at the La Quinta City
available, adequate and convenient to all
Hall, as well as police, fire, paramedic and waste disposal services.
City residents.
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