z 2025-03-18 CC Staff Report - CVPA JPA ApprovalCity Clerk Radeva read the following title of Ordinance No. 621 into the record:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA QUINTA,
CALIFORNIA, AMENDING TITLE 7 HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF THE LA
QUINTA MUNICIPAL CODE BY ADDING SECTION 7.06.050 REGARDING DE -
DESIGNATION OF A LANDMARK PROPERTY OR DISTRICT AND CHAPTER
7.09 REGARDING MILLS ACT CONTRACTS
MOTION — A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Sanchez/McGarrey
to introduce at first reading Ordinance No. 621 amending Title 7 Historic Preservation of
the La Quinta Municipal Code by adding Section 7.06.050 regarding De -designation of a
Landmark Property or District and Chapter 7.09 regarding Mills Act contracts, as
presented. Motion passed: ayes — 4, noes — 0, abstain — 0, absent — 1 (Pena).
2. ADOPT RESOLUTION TO UPDATE THE CITY'S AGENCY CREDIT CARD AND
E-CHECK PASS -THROUGH SERVICE FEES [RESOLUTION NO. 2025-006]
City Clerk Radeva presented the staff report, which is on file in the Clerk's Office.
Council discussed how notices of fee changes will be advertised; and that these pass -
through fees are now standard, but fees can be avoided by paying with a paper check.
MOTION — A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers McGarrey/Fitzpatrick
to adopt Resolution No. 2025-006 as presented:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA QUINTA,
CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE CITY'S AGENCY CREDIT CARD AND E-
CHECK PASS -THROUGH SERVICE FEES
Motion passed: ayes — 4, noes — 0, abstain — 0, absent — 1 (Pena).
3. APPROVE COACHELLA VALLEY POWER AGENCY (CVPA) JOINT POWERS
AGREEMENT (JPA)
Communications Specialist Barkas presented the staff report, which is on file in the
Clerk's Office with additional information provided by City Manager McMillen.
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Philip Bettencourt, La Quinta — supports incorporation of comments
by the Center for Economic Justice; concerned that quarterly meetings will not be enough
to address issues of the new entity; and noted it would be beneficial for any CVPA
subcommittees/subgroups to include perspective of the agriculture sector.
PUBLIC SPEAKER: Emanuel Martinez, Program Manager with Coachella Valley
Association of Governments (CVAG) — spoke of partner entities committed and dates
expected to join the CVPA.
Council discussed IID's role in the JPA and the future; the need for this regional solution;
reasons power capacity was voted the number one issue by residents at the 2025 Annual
Community Workshop; La Quinta being the first agency to join the proposed CVPA; and
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Page 7 of 12 MARCH 18, 2025
Council thanked City Manager McMillen for learning all that is required regarding power
delivery and being instrumental in developing solutions.
City Clerk Radeva said WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS were received from La Quinta
resident Philip Bettencourt in support of the proposed CVPA JPA and providing general
comments, which were distributed to Council, made public, published on the City's
website, and included in the public record of this meeting.
MOTION — A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Sanchez/Fitzpatrick
to approve the Coachella Valley Power Agency Joint Powers Agreement as presented.
Motion passed: ayes — 4, noes — 0, abstain — 0, absent — 1 (Pena).
COUNCILMEMBER PENA JOINED THE MEETING AT 5:51 P.M.
STUDY SESSION
1. DISCUSS TURF REPLACEMENT FOR SILVERROCK RESORT GOLF
COURSE
Randy Duncan, General Manager of SilverRock Golf Course with Landmark Golf
Management, LLP (Landmark), contracted by the City for golf operations and
maintenance services, presented the staff report, which is on file in the Clerk's Office.
PRESENTER: Joe Gill, Vice President with Landmark — explained the test seeding trial
done on the 5th hole in 2024; the survey/feedback received; provided an overview of the
re -seeding process, timing, grass conditions and recommended replacing the grass on
the front 9 holes during summer 2025, with the back 9 holes remaining open, and all 18
holes open for play in September; and repeating the same process by replacing the grass
on the back 9 holes during summer 2026, while the front 9 holes remain open.
Council reached a consensus and expressed general support for Landmark's
recommendation to replace the turf at the SilverRock Resort Golf Course as presented,
with the front 9 holes in summer of 2025 and the back 9 holes in summer of 2026, with
the Bermuda Latitude 36 variant and Mini -Verde on the greens, and directed staff to bring
this item back for consideration on the Consent Calendar at the April 1, 2025, regular
meeting in order to appropriate the required funding to move forward with the project.
City Manager McMillen explained the funding sources available for the project.
2. DISCUSS MASTER PLANNING, VISTA SANTA ROSA (VSR) DESIGN
GUIDELINES, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH RELATING TO THE SOUTHERN
SPHERE OF INFLUENCE (SOI) AREA
Planning Manager Flores introduced Senior Planner Nespor and Consulting Planner
Criste, President of Terra Nova Planning and Research, who presented the staff report,
which is on file in the Clerk's Office.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Page 8 of 12 MARCH 18, 2025
BUSINESS SESSION ITEM NO. 3
CITY COUNCIL MEETING: March 18, 2025
City of La Quinta
STAFF REPORT
AGENDA TITLE: APPROVE COACHELLA VALLEY POWER AGENCY JOINT
POWERS AGREEMENT
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the Coachella Valley Power Agency Joint Powers Agreement
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• The 99-year Agreement of Compromise (Agreement) between the Coachella Valley
Water District (CVWD) and Imperial Irrigation District (IID), making IID the electrical
service provider for the City of La Quinta and the greater Coachella Valley (CV),
expires on December 31, 2032.
• The IID Board is elected by registered voters within IID's jurisdictional boundary, which
is limited to Imperial County, without any representation from Riverside County or the
CV which accounts for approximately 65% of IID's energy revenues.
• The proposed Coachella Valley Power Agency (CVPA) Joint Powers Agreement
(JPA) establishes an independent public agency for Riverside County and the CV to
give stakeholders the authority they have sought to address electrical infrastructure
needs and services (Attachment 1).
FISCAL IMPACT — None
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS
Addressing the unique and growing electrical infrastructure for the communities in the CV
served by IID is a top priority for the region, and the City . The upcoming expiration of the
Agreement has raised questions and concerns from local elected leaders and community
stakeholders regarding representation on electrical service matters, including meeting the
current and future electrical infrastructure needs of the communities served by IID.
IID's Board is comprised of five officials elected by registered voters within IID's
jurisdictional boundary, which is limited to Imperial County. Riverside County's voters
have never been eligible to serve on IID's Board or vote in IID's elections even though
approximately 65% of IID's energy revenues are generated by ratepayers in the CV.
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After three years of meetings and study sessions, the Coachella Valley Energy
Commission (CVEC) members concluded that forming the CVPA JPA is the best
approach for moving forward. During a Study Session on December 3, 2024, the Council
voiced support for the CVPA JPA ahead of the December 12, 2024, meeting of CVEC
which approved a resolution endorsing the draft CVPA JPA.
This JPA is a starting point in establishing the CVPA, an independent public agency, in
order to give stakeholders the authority they have long sought with regard to electrical
service. Each member party would have the ability to exercise powers to promote,
develop, conduct, operate, and manage energy generation and distribution in the eastern
CV toward achieving reliable, cost-effective public power.
Additionally, the resolution recognizes the Coachella Valley Association of Governments
(CVAG) as the entity that can create, operate, administer and manage the CVPA JPA
until the CVPA JPA can hire its own staff.
The JPA represents a collaborative approach to addressing representation and electrical
infrastructure needs of the CV. It includes input from various stakeholders, including
Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, a nonprofit organization representing
communities in the unincorporated areas of eastern Riverside County.
Leadership Counsel's recommendations included increasing the meeting frequency,
clarifying procedures for requesting and approving the optional weighted vote,
composition and role of the ad -hoc committee and ex-officio members, redefining a
quorum, and ensuring robust public participation and engagement.
To address these suggestions, the CVPA JPA, which includes standard provisions in any
JPA agreement, was amended to increase the frequency of the meetings from at least
one annually, to one meeting quarterly; and increased the quorum requirement to at least
three Directors representing a majority of the members based on weighted vote shares.
Once the CVPA is established, the bylaws will address the additional suggestions, and
any other procedural and administrative matters. The CVPA JPA will work with
Leadership Counsel and any other community organization, to ensure the community
interests are represented and addressed.
fERNATIVES
Council may approve, deny or recommend revisions to the proposed CVPA JPA
Agreement.
Prepared by:
Approved by:
Sherry Barkas, Communications Specialist
Jon McMillen, City Manager
Attachment: 1. CVPA JPA Agreement
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