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2025 03 20 CC Minutes - B-C Annual Special Joint MtgSPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES MINUTES WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2025 CALL TO ORDER A special joint meeting of the La Quinta City Council, Boards, Commissions, and Committees was called to order at 5:09 p.m. by Mayor Evans. ROLL CALL COUNCIL: Present: Councilmembers Fitzpatrick, McGarrey, Pena, Sanchez, Mayor Evans Absent: None ROLL CALL FINANCIAL ADVISORY COMMISSION (FAC): Present: Commissioners Batavick, Kiehl, Lee, Mast, Way, and Chairperson Dorsey Absent: Commissioners Anderson ROLL CALL PLANNING COMMISSION (PC): Present: Commissioners Guerrero, Hundt, McCune, Nieto, Tyerman, and Chairperson Hassett Absent: Commissioner Hernandez ROLL CALL HOUSING COMMISSION (HC): Present: Commissioners Christopherson, Pacheco, and Vice -Chair Paltin Absent: Commissioner Gaeta-Mejia Vacancy: One (1) ROLL CALL ARTS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION (CSC): Present: Commissioners Beesemyer, Brower, Chiapperini, Webb, and Chairperson Biondi Absent: None ROLL CALL CONSTRUCTION BOARD OF APPEALS (CBA): Present: Board Member Olson Absent: Board Members Edwards, Leonhard, Morris, and Venuti ROLL CALL COACHELLA VALLEY MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICT (CVMVCD) BOARD OF TRUSTEES: Present: Trustee Pena Absent: None MINUTES Page 1 of 6 MARCH 20, 2025 COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES SPECIAL JOINT MEETING ROLL CALL PALM SPRINGS AIRPORT COMMISSION (PSAC): Present: Commissioner Kiehl Absent: None ROLL CALL COACHELLA VALLEY CONSERVATION COMMISSION — TRAILS MANAGEMENT SUBCOMMITTEE (CVCC TMS): Present: None Absent: Commissioner De Karlen Vacancy: One (1) CONFIRMATION OF AGENDA — Confirmed PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Planning Commissioner Tyerman led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. STUDY SESSION 1. UPDATES ON CITY PROJECTS AND DISCUSSION ON CITY -RELATED MATTERS OF MUTUAL INTEREST Mayor Evans and Councilmembers welcomed all participants to the annual special joint meeting, explained the purpose of the meeting, noted the vital importance of all Board, Commission, and Committee Members diverse contribution and technical expertise, and thanked them for their service and commitment. Mayor Evans introduced Lieutenant Francisco (Frank) Velasco with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, La Quinta Division Fire Chief Richard Tovar with Riverside County Fire Department, and City Attorney William H. Ihrke with Rutan & Tucker LLP. The following City staff introduced themselves and provided a brief overview of their respective departments' roles and responsibilities: • Jon McMillen, City Manager — citywide operations • Christina Calderon, Community Services Deputy Director — community events; and Wellness Center community services, programs, and operations • Claudia Martinez, Finance Director — Finance Department • Martha Mendez, Public Safety Deputy Director — Police and Fire public safety contract services through Riverside County, and Code Compliance Division • Bryan McKinney, Public Works Director and City Engineer — Public Works Department encompassing facilities, parks, and streets maintenance and operations; and engineering • Danny Castro, Design and Development Director— Planning Division, Building and Safety Division, and the Hub Permitting Center MINUTES Page 2 of 6 MARCH 20, 2025 COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES SPECIAL JOINT MEETING • Gilbert Villalpando, Director of Business Unit and Housing Development — Information Technology, legislation, grants, marketing, waste management, housing development, and economic development • Monika Radeva, City Clerk — legislative compliance, elections, records management, and short-term vacation rental program A summary overview of the City's 2024 accomplishments inclusive of completed and in - progress projects, community events and services, and new developments shown at the 2025 Community Workshop was presented via a video. City Manager McMillen provided a brief description and status update of the following projects: • SilverRock Resort Project (formerly Talus) • Imperial Irrigation District Lease and Equipment Needs Director of Business Unit and Housing Development Villalpando provided an update on the City's current economic development, and marketing and public information partnerships and outreach efforts and events. Mr. Villalpando provided an overview of the HC meeting schedule, membership and required qualifications, and turned it over to HC Vice -Chair Pacheco who introduced herself; asked the HC Members present to introduce themselves; explained the roles and responsibilities of the HC; provided a summary of current housing improvement projects, including Dune Palm Mobile Home Park and the 28 affordable housing homes in the La Quinta Cove; and ongoing housing priorities, including State compliance, homelessness prevention partnerships, grant opportunities, and future affordable housing projects Mayor Evans explained the California Department of Housing and Community Development multi -step process utilized to plan housing needs in each region of the state, known as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) which determines La Quinta's affordable housing units requirements; based on the most recent assessment completed in 2021, which covers the planning period of October 2021 through October 2029, La Quinta's RHNA assessment is to build approximately 1,500 additional housing units by the end of the period; the City's initiatives to acquire land for future affordable housing projects; and existing challenges with the lack of available electrical power capacity. Design and Development Director Castro provided a brief description and status update of the following projects: • Highway 111 Area Plan • Sphere of Influence Expansion PC Chairperson Hassett provided an overview of the PC meeting schedule, membership and required qualifications; asked the PC Members present to introduce themselves; explained the roles and responsibilities of the PC; and provided a summary of development projects approved in 2024: • Bravo Estates MINUTES Page 3 of 6 MARCH 20, 2025 COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES SPECIAL JOINT MEETING • Calle Estado Mixed -Use • McQuaid Studio Mixed -Use • Landmark Designation • Travertine • Flora at Jefferson Square • Clube at Coral Mountain • Andalusia Finance Director Martinez provided an overview of the FAC meeting schedule, membership and required qualifications, and turned it over to Chairperson Dorsey who introduced himself; asked the FAC Members present to introduce themselves; explained the roles and responsibilities of the FAC; and provided a summary of upcoming projects: • Adopt Fiscal Year 2025/26 Budget • Long-range financial planning • Financial transparency and engagement • Long-term pension obligations • Reserves • Policies and procedures updates for all areas of Finance Community Services Deputy Director Calderon provided an overview of the ACSC meeting schedule, membership and required qualifications, and turned it over to Chairperson Biondi who introduced herself; asked the ACSC Members present to introduce themselves; explained the roles and responsibilities of the ACSC in the areas of community events, recreation, and art; and provided a summary of upcoming projects: • Community murals • La Quinta Youth Collective • La Quinta Library artwork display • Signal box art • SilverRock Park art CBA Board Member Olson introduced himself and said the CBA meets on as needed basis which is very rare. Public Works Director / City Engineer McKinney provided a summary of projects completed in 2024: • Dune Palms Road Bridge • La Quinta Landscape — Cactus Flower • Fiscal year 2023-24 Pavement Management Plan Slurry Seal — Phase 1 • Highway 111 median landscape improvements • Dune Palms Road pavement rehabilitation • Sports Complex lighting replacement • City Hall roof repair • Citywide miscellaneous Americans with Disabilities Act improvements — Season's neighborhood • Eisenhower Drive retention basin rehabilitation MINUTES Page 4 of 6 MARCH 20, 2025 COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES SPECIAL JOINT MEETING • Monroe Street bike land widening • SilverRock Park are pedestals Mr. McKinney provided a summary of project currently underway: • Highway 111 Corridor — Specific Plan areas and roadway design • Cultural Campus • Highway 111 resurfacing • Operations and Maintenance Yard • Washington Street connector to Avenue 48 Art and Music Line • Avenue 50 bridge • Fritz Burns Park improvements • South La Quinta median landscape • Fiscal year 2023-24 Pavement Management Plan Slurry Seal — Phase 2 (LQ Cove) • Community Murals/Signal Box Art PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA PUBLIC SPEAKER: Jim Herrington, La Quinta — said he and his wife, Maria, reside at Trilogy; have been visiting the Coachella Valley for many years and attending the La Quinta Art Celebration; retired architect for Kaiser Permanente; and enumerated the following: a) Avenida La Fonda — lack of street lighting, and the designated sidewalk ends and turns into gravel — requested adding sidewalk lighting b) Avenue 50 pavement improvements were only completed on the south side of the road — requested improvement be made on the north side as well Staff noted the Avenue 50 lane widening projects is ongoing and slated to be completed in phases within the next year in partnership with the City of Indio to achieve cost efficiencies c) Madison Street, between Avenues 58 and 60 — lack of street lighting d) Highway 111 repaving — pleased to hear this project is underway e) Highway 11 art — medians rehabilitation is completed; would like to ensure proper collaboration between departments if art is going to be installed along Highway 111; enjoys art and is pleased to hear about this project f) Washington Street pavement — this is the main arterial for the city to Highway 111; currently a patchwork of projects with potholes; needs to be improved and maintained better; and requires repavement from Highway 111 down to Avenue 52 Mayor Evans noted the Washington Street repavement project has a pending federal grant funding application; the City's annual Pavement Management Plan continuously addresses problem areas throughout the city every year; the City has invested approximately $18 million in pavement infrastructure improvements in the last couple of years; and pavement projects are conscientiously scheduled during the off-season in the Coachella Valley to help mitigate traffic congestion and disruptions. MINUTES Page 5 of 6 MARCH 20, 2025 COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES SPECIAL JOINT MEETING Councilmember Fitzpatrick explained the art projects contemplated for Highway 111 will not be in the medians, but rather in the setback pedestrian areas. COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES MEMBERS' ITEMS FAC Commissioner Batavick inquired about the status of the Pavilions project approved for the northeast corner of Jefferson Street and Avenue 50; staff said the developer is working with Imperial Irrigation District (IID) to obtain a will -serve letter to secure power capacity for the project to move forward. FAC Commissioner Way asked for an update on the ongoing efforts to move forward some of the required power infrastructure upgrades in order to provide future electrical capacity for developments. Mayor Evans enumerated the several initiatives underway to try to move this matter along, and the public education and information efforts. General discussion followed regarding IID's power system transformer requirements in order to be added to the infrastructure grid. Mayor Pro Tem McGarrey noted that challenges with lack of power capacity availability is occurring throughout the United States. Councilmember Sanchez said the collaborations to create a regional partnership via the Coachella Valley Power Agency are vital, as power infrastructure improvements and capacity ought to be addressed regionally. General discussion followed regarding power microgrids as an alternative for developers to move projects along while the IID infrastructure capacity is addressed and power is available for such developments to connect to in the future; or elect to remain completely independent via a power microgrid; overhead power lines possibly contributing to the Los Angeles area recent fires; undergrounding utility lines in the La Quinta Cove; RHNA affordable housing requirements. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, a motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Pena/Fitzpatrick to adjourn at 6:57 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted, MONIKA RADEVA, City Clerk City of La Quinta, California MINUTES Page 6 of 6 MARCH 20, 2025 COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES SPECIAL JOINT MEETING