2020 12 09 Council Special MeetingCITY COUNCIL 1 DECEMBER 9, 2020
SPECIAL MEETING
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
LA QUINTA CITY COUNCIL
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LA QUINTA CITY COUNCIL AND TO THE CITY
CLERK:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Special Meeting of the La Quinta
City Council is hereby called to be held on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at
5:00 p.m. at La Quinta City Hall located at 78495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, CA
92253. Pursuant to Executive Orders N-25-20, N-29-20, N-33-20, N-35-20, and
N-60-20 executed by the Governor of California, and the directives under the
“Regional Stay At Home Order” from the California Department of Public Health,
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.), members of the City Council, the City Manager, City Attorney,
City Staff, and City Consultants may participate in this special meeting by
teleconference. Additionally, pursuant to the above-referenced orders, members
of the public are instructed to stay at home and to limit mixing with other persons
or households as much as possible. Therefore, members of the public
temporarily are not permitted to physically attend at City Hall the meeting to
which this agenda applies, but any member of the public may listen or participate
in the open session of this meeting as specified below.
Members of the public wanting to listen to the open session of this special
meeting may do so by tuning-in live via http://laquinta.12milesout.com/video/live.
Members of the public wanting to address the City Council during the open
session, either for public comment or for a specific agenda item, or both, are
requested to send an email notification to the La Quinta City Clerk’s Office at
CityClerkMail@LaQuintaCA.gov, and specify the following information:
1) Full Name 4) Public Comment or Agenda Item Number
2) City of Residence 5) Subject
3) Phone Number 6) Written or Telephonic Verbal Comments
The email “subject line” must clearly state “Written Comments” or
“Telephonic Verbal Comments.”
CITY COUNCIL 2 DECEMBER 9, 2020
SPECIAL MEETING
The special meeting is called for the following purpose:
CLOSED SESSION
1. THREAT TO PUBLIC SERVICES OR FACILITIES, PURSUANT TO
SUBDIVISION (a) OF GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957.
CONSULTATION WITH: ALEXANDER JOHNSTON, SENIOR
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR; WILLIAM H. IHRKE,
CITY ATTORNEY (Review Continued Need and Response to
Proclaimed State and Local Emergencies Caused by COVID-19)
Dated: December 8, 2020 /s/Linda Evans
LINDA EVANS, Mayor
Attest:
MONIKA RADEVA, City Clerk
DECLARATION OF POSTING
I, Monika Radeva, City Clerk, do hereby declare that the foregoing notice for the
City Council special meeting of December 9, 2020 was posted on the outside
entry to the Council Chamber at 78495 Calle Tampico and on the bulletin boards
at 51321 Avenida Bermudas and 78630 Highway 111 on December 8, 2020.
MONIKA RADEVA, City Clerk
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA 1 DECEMBER 9, 2020
SPECIAL MEETING
SPECIAL MEETING
DECEMBER 9, 2020 AT 5:00 P.M.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBER
78495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta
*****************
SPECIAL NOTICE
Teleconferencing and Telephonic Accessibility In Effect
Pursuant to Executive Orders N-25-20, N-29-20, N-33-20, N-35-20, and N-60-
20 executed by the Governor of California, and the directives under the “Regional
Stay At Home Order” from the California Department of Public Health, 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.), members of the City Council, the City Manager, City Attorney, City Staff,
and City Consultants may participate in this special meeting by teleconference.
Additionally, pursuant to the above-referenced orders, members of the public are
instructed to stay at home and to limit mixing with other persons or households
as much as possible. Therefore, members of the public temporarily are not
permitted to physically attend at City Hall the meeting to which this agenda
applies, but any member of the public may listen or participate in the open
session of this meeting as specified below.
Members of the public wanting to listen to the open session of this special
meeting may do so by tuning-in live via http://laquinta.12milesout.com/video/live.
Members of the public wanting to address the City Council during the open
session, either for public comment or for a specific agenda item, or both, are
requested to send an email notification to the La Quinta City Clerk’s Office at
CityClerkMail@LaQuintaCA.gov, and specify the following information:
City Council agendas and staff reports
are available on the City’s
web page: www.LaQuintaCA.gov
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA 2 DECEMBER 9, 2020
SPECIAL MEETING
1) Full Name 4) Public Comment or Agenda Item Number
2) City of Residence 5) Subject
3) Phone Number 6) Written or Telephonic Verbal Comments
The email “subject line” must clearly state “Written Comments” or
“Telephonic Verbal Comments.”
Telephonic verbal public comments – requests to speak must be emailed
to the City Clerk no later than 3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting; the
City will facilitate the ability for a member of the public to be audible to the City
Council and general public for the item(s) by contacting him/her via phone and
queuing him/her to speak.
Only one person at a time may speak by telephone and only after being
recognized by the Mayor.
Written public comments must be received by the City Clerk’s Office no
later than 3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting, and will be distributed to
the City Council, incorporated into the agenda packet and public record of the
meeting, and will not be read during the meeting unless, upon the request of the
Mayor, a brief summary of any public comment is asked to be read, to the extent
the City Clerk’s Office can accommodate such request.
It would be appreciated that any email communications for public comments
related to the items on the agenda, or for general public comment, are provided
to the City Clerk’s Office at the email address listed above prior to the
commencement of the meeting. If that is not possible, and to accommodate
public comments on items that may be added to the agenda after its initial
posting or items that are on the agenda, every effort will be made to attempt to
review emails received by the City Clerk’s Office during the course of the meeting.
The Mayor will endeavor to take a brief pause before action is taken on any
agenda item to allow the City Clerk to review emails and share any public
comments received during the meeting. All emails received by the City Clerk, at
the email address above, until the adjournment of the meeting, will be included
within the public record relating to the meeting.
*****************
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL: Councilmembers: Fitzpatrick, Peña, Radi, Sanchez, Mayor Evans
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA 3 DECEMBER 9, 2020
SPECIAL MEETING
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA
At this time, members of the public may address the City Council on any matter
not listed on the agenda by emailing written public comments or requests to
provide verbal public comments via teleconference as indicated above.
Please limit your comments to three (3) minutes (or approximately 350 words).
The City Council values your comments; however, in accordance with State law,
no action shall be taken on any item not appearing on the agenda unless it is an
emergency item authorized by GC 54954.2(b).
CONFIRMATION OF AGENDA
CLOSED SESSION
1. THREAT TO PUBLIC SERVICES OR FACILITIES, PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION
(a) OF GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957. CONSULTATION WITH:
ALEXANDER JOHNSTON, SENIOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
COORDINATOR; WILLIAM H. IHRKE, CITY ATTORNEY (Review Continued
Need and Response to Proclaimed State and Local Emergencies Caused by
COVID-19)
RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION
RECONVENE
REPORT ON ACTIONS(S) TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA
At this time, members of the public may address the City Council on any matter
not listed on the agenda by emailing written public comments or requests to
provide verbal public comments via teleconference as indicated above.
Please limit your comments to three (3) minutes (or approximately 350 words).
The City Council values your comments; however, in accordance with State law,
no action shall be taken on any item not appearing on the agenda unless it is an
emergency item authorized by GC 54954.2(b).
MAYOR’S AND COUNCIL MEMBERS’ ITEMS
ADJOURNMENT
*********************************
The next regular meeting of the City Council will be held on December 15, 2020
at 4:00 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers, 78495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta,
CA 92253.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA 4 DECEMBER 9, 2020
SPECIAL MEETING
DECLARATION OF POSTING
I, Monika Radeva, City Clerk, of the City of La Quinta, do hereby declare that the
foregoing Agenda for the La Quinta City Council Special Meeting was posted on
the City’s website, near the entrance to the Council Chambers at 78495 Calle
Tampico, and the bulletin boards at the Stater Brothers Supermarket at 78630
Highway 111, and the La Quinta Cove Post Office at 51321 Avenida Bermudas,
on December 8, 2020.
DATED: December 8, 2020
MONIKA RADEVA, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
Public Notices
The La Quinta City Council Chamber is handicapped accessible. If special equipment is
needed for the hearing impaired, please call the City Clerk’s office at (760) 777-7092,
twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting and accommodations will be made.
If special electronic equipment is needed to make presentations to the City Council,
arrangements should be made in advance by contacting the City Clerk’s office at (760)
777-7092. A one (1) week notice is required.
If background material is to be presented to the Councilmembers during a City Council
meeting, please be advised that eight (8) copies of all documents, exhibits, etc., must
be supplied to the City Clerk for distribution. It is requested that this take place prior to
the beginning of the meeting.
Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any
item(s) on this agenda will be made available for public inspection at the Community
Development counter at City Hall located at 78495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, California,
92253, during normal business hours.
POWER POINTS
CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL
MEETING
DECEMBER 9, 2020
December 9, 2020
1
City Council
Special Meeting
December 9, 2020 at 5 p.m.
City Council
Special Meeting
December 9, 2020
Closed Session In Progress
1
2
2
3
December 9, 2020
WRITTEN
PUBLIC
COMMENT
CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL
MEETING
DECEMBER 9, 2020
1
From:jack Gilles
Sent:Wednesday, December 09, 2020 12:59 PM
To:City Clerk Mail
Subject:Homeowner: La Quinta
** EXTERNAL: This message originated outside of the City of La Quinta. Please use proper judgement and caution when opening
attachments, clicking links or responding to requests for information. **
Dear City Council La Quinta,
As a homeowner, an “essential employee”, and somebody that takes the COVID crisis very seriously from a public health
and an economic sense, I urge you to not be further restrictive than the current state guidelines. I fear that in an effort
to be helpful in combatting the pandemic the city council may inadvertently worsen its affects.
We have learned a lot about the nature of COVID 19 since this past winter and spring. We understand the
overwhelmingly the risks associated with transfer are via direct, sustained, person to person transfer. Not from surface
material – as feared in early 2020. Likewise, we understand that by wearing masks and adhering to social distance
guidelines, we can greatly reduce the impact of the pandemic as the world races towards a vaccine.
Short term rentals, particular as they relate to in‐state travel do not need to be an obstacle to flattening the curve. On
the contrary they can be an important tool in the fight. For many people, that now find themselves working remote,
short term rentals provide the opportunity to leave a more populated urban area for a time and space in a more private
and safe setting for their families and/or “bubble”.
From an economic perspective, this continues to help keep people employed. Cleaners, handymen, and restaurants that
will rely on take‐out orders. In other words, the populations of people that are the most vulnerable economically. These
people are my peers. We do not have large savings and need to work to provide a living for their families. We are
likewise not asking for time away.
There are ways to protect the health of people with‐out shutting down short term rentals all together. In La Quinta, we
have been doing this responsibly since May. We can continue to enforce social distancing and masks. We can continue
to clean and space out tenants and stays in a responsible manner. We can continue to ensure that out of state and
higher risk travelers are quarantining.
What we cannot do is overcome a complete shut down and expect to pay our bills, keep our homes, and our small
business open.
I understand the council is trying to do the right thing. I only ask of you that in your haste to help, please, do not make
things worse.
Sincerely,
Jack Gilles
La Quinta, Ca 92253
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING – DECEMBER 9, 2020 - PUBLIC COMMENTS BY RESIDENT JACK GILLES
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA - IN SUPPORT OF STVRS
1
From:John Hastie
Sent:Wednesday, December 09, 2020 10:53 AM
To:City Clerk Mail
Subject:Written Comments
Follow Up Flag:Follow up
Flag Status:Completed
** EXTERNAL: This message originated outside of the City of La Quinta. Please use proper judgement and caution when opening
attachments, clicking links or responding to requests for information. **
1) Full Name
John Hastie
2) City of Residence
La Quinta
3) Phone Number
4) Public Comment or Agenda Item Number
Public Comment
5) Subject
Interpretation of the Order from the CA Dept of Public health
6) Written Comments
pecial Meeting 12/09/2020
Good evening Mayor & Council Members,
We are asking that the City of La Quinta follow the rules of the recent Regional Stay At Home Order issued on
12/03/2020 ( https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp‐content/uploads/2020/12/12.3.20‐Stay‐at‐Home‐Order‐ICU‐Scenario.pdf)
and not further restrict the order as it pertains to “hotels or lodging” as STVRs are not explicitly called out in the order.
The sections pertaining lodging are specifically 2 (a) (h) and 3 which state the following:
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING – DECEMBER 9, 2020 - PUBLIC COMMENTS BY RESIDENT JOHN HASTIE
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA - RELATED TO STVRS
2
We feel that the order outlined above is sufficient as it will provide protection to our community from out of state travel
(without proper quarantine periods) but still allows small businesses (STRs, local businesses) an opportunity to operate
at less than full capacity to try to survive.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
VRON‐LQ Directors and Officers
www.vronlq.org
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING – DECEMBER 9, 2020 - PUBLIC COMMENTS BY RESIDENT JOHN HASTIE
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA - RELATED TO STVRS
1
From:Jlpratte
Sent:Wednesday, December 09, 2020 10:09 AM
To:City Clerk Mail
Subject:December 9 council meeting
Follow Up Flag:Follow up
Flag Status:Flagged
** EXTERNAL: This message originated outside of the City of La Quinta. Please use proper judgement and caution when
opening attachments, clicking links or responding to requests for information. **
We would like to comment on STVRs during our emergency lockdown.
A large STVR is adjacent to our home in PGAW. It is a constant source of misery.
We are especially concerned if it houses renters during this dangerous time.
Within the last few weeks we have come into UNWANTED contact with 2 separate renters. New renters arrive one to
three times a week, every week. Turnover in this house is most typically within hours of check out/checkin.
We feel especially vulnerable and should NOT need to be unnecessarily at risk during this critical time.
Janice Pratte and Larry
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING – DECEMBER 9, 2020 - PUBLIC COMMENTS BY RESIDENT JANICE PRATTE
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA - IN OPPOSITION OF STVRS
1
From:Marie Thompson
Sent:Wednesday, December 9, 2020 5:19 PM
To:City Clerk Mail
Subject:Stvr shutdown
** EXTERNAL: This message originated outside of the City of La Quinta. Please use proper judgement and caution when opening
attachments, clicking links or responding to requests for information. **
Please uphold the shut down. It should be kept in place until after January 1. I understand the frustration but these
“guests” come shop in our stores and being the majority that come to our neighborhood are from LA, OC and San Diego
all which have high COVID‐19 numbers.
Thank you for your consideration.
Craig and Marie Thompson
La Quinta residents
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING – DECEMBER 9, 2020 - PUBLIC COMMENTS BY RESIDENT MARIE THOMPSON
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA - RELATED TO STVRS
1
From:Linda Van Pelt
Sent:Wednesday, December 9, 2020 7:11 PM
To:City Clerk Mail
Subject:Short term rentals
** EXTERNAL: This message originated outside of the City of La Quinta. Please use proper
judgement and caution when opening attachments, clicking links or responding to requests for
information. **
Please don’t shut down, I have a rental in a La Quinta resort and I had to close for three
months, our biggest income month this will be devastating for my income. I might have to sell
◶◷◸◹◺
I understand that Residential neighborhoods are upset being nextdoor but condos in a resort
shouldn’t be affected. Please don’t close short term rentals!!!
Linda Van Pelt
La Quinta tennis villa owner and resident.
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING – DECEMBER 9, 2020 - PUBLIC COMMENTS BY RESIDENT LINDA VAN PELT
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA - IN SUPPORT OF STVRS
1
From:
Sent:Wednesday, December 09, 2020 12:10 PM
To:City Clerk Mail
Cc:Sharon
Subject:Please do not over react
** EXTERNAL: This message originated outside of the City of La Quinta. Please use proper judgement and caution when opening
attachments, clicking links or responding to requests for information. **
As a property owner in La Quinta and a long timer frequent visitor from the east coast, I implore you to continue to
allow people who would like to find refuge in the desert during these crazy times to continue to do so. Given that is has
become common place around the country for so many who are working from home to find warmer climates to work
from, it seems counter intuitive to shut them off from the vacation rentals that can be done quite safely. I know these
are trying times for a lot of people but further shut downs are not the answer and will only cause longer term harm to
the businesses and travelers that the City of La Quinta relies on. Please vote no to further restrictions.
Best,
Michael Zieg
La Quinta Property Owner
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING – DECEMBER 9, 2020 - PUBLIC COMMENTS BY RESIDENT MICHAEL ZIEG
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA - IN SUPPORT OF STVRS