2021-08-03 Clarke CC1
From:Wcl
Sent:Monday, August 2, 2021 3:33 PM
To:City Clerk Mail
Subject:Request to speak in person/public comment: joint meeting City Council/Planning Commission
Attachments:City Council presentation W.Clarke Final 08_21.docx
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Good Afternoon, Monica and Nicole
I respectfully request to speak in person during the joint meeting of City Council and the Planning
Commission’s public session tomorrow, Aug 3 @ 7 pm. My written presentation is attached for
distribution.
Thank you for your help. Let me know if there is anything else you need.I look forward to meeting you.
Best regards, Wendy
Wendy Clarke
La Quinta
Public Comment/non agenda item
Opposition to Coral Mountain Wave rezoning - non agenda item
Written presentation attached, request to speak during public session.
Good afternoon Mayor Evans, Council members, Planning Commission,and staff. Thank you
for your service. Mayor, it is good to see you and other familiar faces. My name is Wendy
Clarke; My Family has lived full-time in the desert for 34 yrs.; 16 years ago, I moved to
Trilogy.
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I am here to speak to the Coral Mountain Wave rezoning request.
Exempt from pass-through property tax $$ due to the agreement with The Thermal
Redevelopment Project, this undeveloped land provides little revenue. I trust, you, the
current city council, might have negotiated something different. If
rezoned, LQ gains TOT and South LQ residents’quality of life is permanently, negatively
impacted.
John Gamlin, project president, recently shared that he has managed S.LQ, luxury, low-density
residential neighborhoods. The CMWR will not be similar in any way with a massive artificial
surf wave, stadium lighting,broadcast system, music, and STVRenters.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING - AUGUST 3, 2021 - WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS BY RESIDENT WENDY CLARKE
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA - OPPOSING THE WAVE PROJECT
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Beyond the 4 proposed annual events, additional temporary-use permits are likely. Kelly
Slater has made public his support of artificial surf waves for The Ultimate
Surfer, for Olympic training and competition. LA is the 2028 Summer Olympic host. What
will one special event look like? Chaos for 1,000s of residents. Our neighborhoods are not
transient or a tourist destination. We intentionally purchased homes away from the
commercial corridor. We relax after a busy workday, exercise, retire, enjoy nature, socialize.
When we drive down Madison nearing home, there is a sense of calm. We deserve protection
of this paradise.
Today, we are environmentally mindful and face a life-threatening drought:
lakes reaching historic lows. Supplying 80% of the world, California’s almonds are no longer
being planted due to water shortages. We have beenasked to reduce water consumption by
15%. Any governing body approving any project that uses a significant amount of water,
is irresponsible.
This Surf Wave will deplete drinking water from our Colorado River supplied Aquifer. NPR
reports, “The Colorado River is tapped out.Extremely dry conditions like the region is
experiencing in 2021, make clear that the Colorado River is unable to meet all the demands
communities in the Western U.S. have placed on it, and it's up to its biggest users to decide
who has to rely on it less”.
What are our mutual responsibilities?
Everyone reduces water consumption
CVWD transitions remaining golf courses to grey water and denies all
nonessential, requests
requiring water sourced from the Colorado River.
The city supports independent studies that evaluate local evaporation rates, actual
site noise, and traffic studies post pandemic.
The city observes its General Plan 2035 “Livable community” thatspeaks to “long- term
quality of life of its residents”.
It is great to think big; change is inevitable. Meriwether has spent
millions, aligning with Kelly Slater and Michael Schwab. It does not
justify their project. Please honor S. La Quinta’s established communities and reject The
Wave, rezoning request. It will have permanent, quality-of-
life consequences for many 1000’s of residents.
Respectfully,
Wendy Clarke
CITY COUNCIL MEETING - AUGUST 3, 2021 - WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS BY RESIDENT WENDY CLARKE
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA - OPPOSING THE WAVE PROJECT