2022 03 01 CC & PC Minutes Sp Joint MtgSPECIAL JOINT MEETING MINUTES Page 1 of 3 MARCH 1, 2022
CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION
SPECIAL JOINT MEETING
OF THE LA QUINTA CITY COUNCIL
AND PLANNING COMMISSION
MINUTES
TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022
CALL TO ORDER
A special joint meeting of the La Quinta City Council and La Quinta Planning
Commission was called to order at 6:43 p.m. by Mayor Evans.
This meeting provided teleconferencing accessibility pursuant to Executive
Orders N-60-20 and N-08-21 executed by the Governor of California, and
subsequently Assembly Bill 361 (AB 361, 2021), enacted in response to the
state of emergency relating to novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and
enabling teleconferencing accommodations by suspending or waiving specified
provisions in the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code § 54950 et seq.).
PRESENT: Councilmembers Fitzpatrick, Peña, Radi, Sanchez, Mayor Evans
ABSENT: None
PRESENT: Commissioners Caldwell, Currie, Hassett, McCune, Proctor,
Tyerman, Chairperson Nieto
ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager McMillen, City Attorney Ihrke, City Clerk
Radeva, Acting Deputy City Clerk McGinley, Director of Business Unit and
Housing Development Villalpando, Public Works Director/City Engineer
McKinney, Design and Development Director Castro, Planning Manager Flores,
and Senior Planner Flores.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Planning Commission Chairperson Nieto led the audience in the Pledge of
Allegiance.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA – None
CONFIRMATION OF AGENDA
Councilmember Peña said he will recuse himself from participation and
discussion of Study Session Item No. 1 due to a potential conflict of interest
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CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION
stemming from the proximity of his real property to the project area. Council
concurred.
COUNCILMEMBER PEÑA LEFT THE DAIS FOR THE DURATION OF THE
SPECIAL JOINT MEETING
STUDY SESSION
1. VILLAGE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
Senior Planner Flores presented the staff report, which is in file in the Clerk’s
Office.
Council and Commissioners discussed correcting the map to show the small
paisley-shaped City-owned lot as Village Commercial (VC); status of IID’s
underground utility plans for the 16-apartment project; status of the mixed
use development on Desert Club; for height perspective, the Embassy Suites
is 60 feet; importance to underground the utilities in the VC district; acquiring
more City property to create opportunities; encouraging development of
tourist homes/apartments above commercial uses; the Village build-out EIR
is a major benefit; IID process for undergrounding utilities is a hinderance in
moving forward due to small developer margins on the small lots; phasing and
prioritizing burying utilities to spur development of key Village lots;
opportunity for exciting development all around the Park, west of Old Town;
developer interest in building multi-family and mixed use; feasibility of
undergrounding utilities, and spreading the cost so it’s reasonable for
developers; consideration of a central parking structure to free up lots for
development and to concentrate traffic; support for identifying a site for a
future parking structure so that locals don’t avoid the area during the tourist
season; the significant cost of approximately $7.5 million for a three-level
parking structure; the success to date of creating a dynamic Village
atmosphere with walkability, artwork, roundabouts, etc.; parking garage
important in the future, and parking fees may make it more financially
feasible; the opportunities the completed Talas development will provide to
the Village; multi-use development more appropriate for the Village than
single family tourist homes; the feasibility of the City paying to bury utilities
and then recouping the cost from future developers; re-examining the criteria
for STVRs in the VC zone as the current multi-unit (3+) requirement
eliminates the small lots that cannot accommodate multiple units; allowance
of tiny homes by changing the current Code that requires homes to be a
minimum of 1,200 square feet; dwindling opportunities for lot consolidation;
current number and location of STVR permits in the VC district; importance of
offering flexibility to developers regarding small lots, e.g., parking, utilities,
hospitality use, etc.; working with developers to determine what combination
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CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION
of uses pencil out, but refusing land-holds; reminder that extra parking was
added to the Library lot in anticipation of accommodating nearby
developments; parking needs over the next 10 years may change so City must
be strategic and flexible; the effect electric and self-driving cars will have on
parking needs; reconfiguring some large lots to make them attractive to
developers; feasibility study planned for burying utilities includes phasing,
prioritization and financing; a parking structure study would have to be flexible
since future needs are unknown, and links to Talas and Highway 111 not yet
established; both a stand-alone large concrete parking structure and multiple
small structures must be considered as well as parking technology such as
automated parking mechanisms; structures can be money generators;
scooters can be used to move people from structures to Village destinations;
Library lot as possible site for a structure; examination of constraints,
challenges and financing is necessary and consideration of all Village
properties sharing the cost of parking and burying utilities; parking structures
can be multi-use and facades can be camouflaged; and free parking could
stimulate higher sales and sales tax from businesses.
Direction to Staff: (A) conduct a feasibility study regarding undergrounding
utilities, (B) provide options regarding future parking, (C) explore zoning
amendments to allow tiny homes in certain areas and STVRs in VC for all size
units, and (D) explore removing retention basin requirement on small lots.
COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS’ ITEMS – None.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, a motion was made and seconded by
Councilmembers Radi/Fitzpatrick to adjourn the Special Joint Meeting at 8:28
p.m. Motion passed unanimously by the City Council and the Planning
Commission.
Respectfully submitted,
MONIKA RADEVA, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California