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2025 09 03 DH MinutesDIRECTOR'S HEARING MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 CALL TO ORDER A special meeting conducted by the City of La Quinta Public Works Director/City Engineer was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by Director McKinney. STAFF PRESENT: Public Works Director/City Engineer Bryan McKinney, Interim Design and Development Director Cheri Flores, Assistant Planner Jack Lima, Administrative Technician Tania Flores, and City Attorney William H. Ihrke PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Public Works Director McKinney led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. CONFIRMATION OF AGENDA Public Works Director McKinney confirmed the agenda as published. PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA — None PUBLIC HEARINGS 1 ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AMENDED FINAL TRACT MAP 2025-0002 (TRACT MAP 31202 AMENDMENT 1) TO REVISE CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL REGARDING TRAFFIC SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS; APPLICANT: JOHN PEDALINO, DESERT ESTATES DEVELOPMENT, INC.; PROJECT NAME: RANCHO SANTANA; CEQA: A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION WAS ADOPTED FOR THIS PROJECT UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 2003- 472; LOCATION: SOUTHEAST CORNER OF AVENUE 52 AND MONROE STREET Senior Planner Nespor presented the staff report, which is on file in the Design and Development Department. Public Works Director McKinney clarified that the developer's proposed in -lieu fee payment does not cover the full cost but will be applied towards the City's 25% share to install a traffic signal at the Avenue 52 and Monroe Street intersection. DIRECTOR McKINNEY DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AT 4:07 P.M. DIRECTOR'S HEARING MINUTES SPECIAL MEETINr Page 1 of 4 SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 PUBLIC SPEAKER: John Pedalino, President of Desert Estates Development and Applicant — requested clarification that the proposed amendment to the conditions of approval (COAs) would apply the proposed in -lieu payment of $142,000 towards the City's portion of the cost to install a traffic signal at the Avenue 52 and Monroe Street intersection in the future, which would satisfy the developer's obligation under the COAs; and would also remove the requirement to install a traffic signal at the project's entry on Monroe Street when warrants are met. Director McKinney confirmed the requirements to install traffic signals at both locations will be satisfied with the proposed COAs amendment and in -lieu fees. Senior Planner Nespor explained that COA No. 55 A, per Council Resolution No. 2003-050, is being amended as noted herein. Assistant Planner Lima said WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS were received from the Haagen Company, owner of the property adjacent to Rancho Santana residential development, in opposition to the proposed COA amendment, specifically noting that the proposed in -lieu fee of $142,000 did not represent the full 25% of the cost to install a traffic signal at the Avenue 52 and Monroe Street intersection, which were distributed to the Director, made public, published on the City's website, and included in the public record of this meeting. PUBLIC SPEAKER: Brent McManigal, Director of Fennemore Law, representing Haagen Company, owner of the property adjacent to the Rancho Santana residential development, at the northwest and southeast corners of Avenue 52 and Monroe Street intersection — opposed the proposed COA amendment, specifically noting that the proposed in -lieu fee of $142,000 did not represent the full 25% of the cost to install a traffic signal, and asked that the amount be increased to proportionately match the 25% cost requirement, so that the adjacent property owners financial responsibility is not increased due to rising costs. Director McKinney explained that the developer's in -lieu payment will be applied towards the City's share of the traffic signal installation, but does not cover it in full, and the City will cover the cost differential between the in -lieu fee amount and the 25% share for the traffic signal installation cost. PUBLIC SPEAKER: Mark Blawski, La Quinta — said he resides at Rancho Santana; questioned the warrant study determining that a traffic signal was needed at the Avenue 52 and Monroe Street intersection; and opposed the installation of a traffic signal at this location. DIRECTOR MCKINNEY DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED AT 4:16 P.M. City Attorney Ihrke requested to include in the proposed resolution an additional recital finding that the legal requirements which allow for an amendment of the Final Map, as requested by the Applicant, have been met in accordance with applicable provisions of DIRECTOR'S HEARING MINUTES SPECIAL MEETINr Page 2 of 4 SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 the La Quinta Municipal Code and California Subdivision Map Act (California Government Code Section 66410 et seq.) ("Map Act") to read as follows: "WHEREAS, the Director of the Public Works Department for the City of La Quinta finds that the legal requirements which allow for an amendment of the Final Map, as requested by the Applicant, have been met in accordance with applicable provisions of the La Quinta Municipal Code and California Subdivision Map Act (California Government Code Section 66410 et seq.) ("Map Act'), with reference to the following: • Pursuant to La Quinta Municipal Code Section 13.20.115(A), an amendment to the Final Map may be based on the criteria in Government Code Section 66469 of the Map Act. Government Code Section 66469(t), in turn, authorizes the amendment of a final map, "To correct any additional information filed or recorded pursuant to Section 66434.2 [additional information filed or recorded simultaneously with a final map], if the correction does not impose any additional burden on the present fee owners of the real property and does not alter any right, title, or interest in the real property reflected on the recorded map." Here, the Conditions of Approval were additional information simultaneously filed with the Final Map, and the modification of the Conditions of Approval as proposed by the Applicant and as reviewed at the public hearing, does not impose any additional burdens on the existing fee owners, and does not alter any right, title, or interest in the real property. As explained in the Staff Report and presented during the public hearing, the modification of the Conditions of Approval only affects the Applicant's requirement —which is not imposed upon or shared by any fee owners in the real property subject to the Final Map —for payment of a partial contribution towards the City's share of the future cost of a traffic signal. • Even if La Quinta Municipal Code Section 13.20.115(A) were not to apply, pursuant to La Quinta Municipal Code Section 13.20.115(B), an amendment to the Final Map may be based on the criteria in Government Code Section 66472.1 of the Map Act when, as here, the Final Map conforms with the provisions in Government Code Section 66470 [compliance with technical requirements for filing and recording a final map]. Government Code Section 66472.1 provides that, if there are "changes in circumstances that make any or all of the conditions of the map no longer appropriate or necessary and that the modifications do not impose any additional burden on the fee owners of the real property, and if the modifications do not alter any right, title, or interest in the real property reflected on the recorded map, and the local agency finds that the map as modified conforms to Section 66474[,]" then the Final Map may be amended. Here, the proposed modified Conditions of Approval are no longer necessary, and the modification of the Conditions of Approval as proposed by the Applicant and as reviewed at the public hearing, does not impose any additional burdens on the existing fee owners, and does not alter any right, title, or interest in the real property. As explained in the Staff Report and presented during the public hearing, the modification of the Conditions of Approval only affects the Applicant's requirement —which is not imposed upon or shared by any fee owners in the real property subject to the Final DIRECTOR'S HEARING MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING Page 3 of 4 SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 Map —for payment of a partial contribution towards the City's share of the future cost of a traffic signal. Because the Applicant will pay an in -lieu contribution as presented during the public hearing, the requirement to bond against the future improvement under the Conditions of Approval is no longer necessary. None of the provisions in Government Code Section 66474 apply that would prohibit the approval of the Final Map as amended, and the public hearing was confined to the consideration of, and action on, the modification to the Conditions of Approval as proposed by the Applicant. Therefore, all of the criteria in Government Code Section 66472.1 of the Map Act have been satisfied." Director McKinney concurred. DIRECTOR'S DETERMINATION — Director McKinney adopted Director's Hearing Resolution 2025-0001 approving Amended Final Tract Map 2025-0002 amending Final Tract Map 31202, and modifying Condition of Approval No. 55 A; and found the project consistent with the previously adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration, prepared under Environmental Assessment 2003-472, as amended to include the recital as noted above by City Attorney Ihrke: A RESOLUTION OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING AMENDED FINAL TRACT MAP 2025-0002 (TRACT MAP 31202 AMENDMENT 1) AND THE CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL THEREOF CASE NUMBER: AMENDED FINAL TRACT MAP (AFTM) 2025-0002 (TRACT MAP 31202 AMENDMENT 1) PROJECT: RANCHO SANTANA APPLICANT: JOHN PEDALINO, DESERT ESTATES DEVELOPMENT ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Director McKinney adjourned this Director's Hearing at 4:18 p.m. Respectfully submitted, TANIA FLORES, Hearing Secretary City of La Quinta, California DIRECTOR'S HEARING MINUTES SPECIAL MEETINr Page 4 of 4 SEPTEMBER 3, 2025