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>> WE ARE READY TO BEGIN.

[00:00:02]

>> EVELYN, I WAS JUST SAYING I'M UNABLE TO START THE VIDEO.

>> OPEN THE CAMERA.

>> RIGHT.

IT'S WORKING.

YEAH, THERE WE GO.

>> CHAIRPERSON JACKIE LOPEZ.

[1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL]

>> PRESENT.

>> VICE CHAIRPERSON NICCO YSIANO.

>> HERE.

>> COMMISSIONER ERIC CEJA.

IS CURRENTLY ABSENT.

COMMISSIONER CHRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ CEJA.

>> PRESENT.

AND COMMISSIONER GLORIA FRANZ.

>> PRESENT.

>> THANK YOU.

SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM 1 HERITAGE PALMS MASTER PLAN AMENDMENT.

>> I UNDERSTAND TO THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO LOG ONTO THE MEETING AND -- ITEM 10.1.

>> OKAY, LEILA.

IT'S ALL YOURS.

>> AGAIN, THIS IS A PROJECT CONSULTATION FOR HERITAGE PALMS PROJECT MASTER PLAN AMENDMENT AND CONCEPT YOU'LL SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT.

AGAIN, THIS IS A PROJECT CONSULTATION FOR HERITAGE PALMS PROJECT MASTER PLAN AND CONCEPTUAL SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT.

[10.1 Heritage Palms Project Master Plan Amendment – Project Consultation]

WE ARE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT THIS POINT IS NOT TAKING ANY ACTION.

THEY'RE NOT DOING ANY DELIBERATION.

IT IS A CONSULTATION SESSION AND IT'S NOT A PUBLIC HEARING.

SO THE PROJECT, THE SITE FOR THE HERITAGE COURTS SHOPPING CENTER IS ON NORTHEAST CORNER OF FRED WARING AND JEFFERSON STREET.

IT IS ALSO NORTH OF THE COUNTRY CLUB, A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY HERITAGE PALMS. THE ZONING FOR THE PROJECT SITE, WHICH IS BLACK IN THIS SLIDE, IS PROJECT MASTER PLAN.

THE GENERAL PLAN IS NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, WHICH ALLOWS FOR A VARIETY OF RETAIL AND SERVICES.

THE SHOPPING CENTER, AS YOU SEE HERE, HAS BEEN COMPLETELY BUILT EXCEPT ONE PAD WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER.

IT WAS SET ASIDE FOR A DRIVE-THROUGH BANK.

CURRENTLY THE CENTER HAS A WALMART NEIGHBORHOOD SHOP, SEVERAL SHOPS HERE WHICH INCLUDES RESTAURANTS, SEVERAL RESTAURANTS, AND ALSO WALGREENS WITH A DRIVE-THROUGH.

AND THE SITE IS RIGHT ACROSS THE NEWLY OPENED DUTCH BROTHERS COFFEE, WHICH IS A DRIVE-THROUGH, AND THAT COFFEE SHOP, DUTCH BROS IS WITHIN THE CITY OF LA QUINTA JURISDICTION.

CURRENTLY, THE PROJECT MASTER PLAN ALLOWS FOR DRIVE-THROUGHS SUCH AS BANK AND DRUGSTORE AND SUPERMARKETS WITH PHARMACY, FOR THE PHARMACY USE ONLY WITH A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.

OTHER DRIVE-THROUGHS ARE PROHIBITED WIN THE PROJECT MASTER PLAN.

SO THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THESE TWO DOCUMENTS TO ALLOW DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANTS AND DRIVE-THROUGH COFFEE SHOPS.

AND IT WILL BE MOST LIKELY UNDER CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.

SO AT THIS POINT I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, AND THE APPLICANT IS ALSO HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, LEILA.

ANY QUESTIONS TO STAFF? OKAY.

SO SEEING THAT THERE'S NONE, IF WE CAN GET THE APPLICANT OR REPRESENTATIVE.

WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR REPORT, PLEASE.

IS THE APPLICANT HERE?

>> YES, THE APPLICANT IS HERE.

NICOLE, DID YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT?

>> MY MISTAKE.

SO MY NAME IS MARK HAYDEN.

I REPRESENT THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.

I'M VP OF DEVELOPMENT, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING, MADAME CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF.

[00:05:01]

WE ARE THE OWNERS OF THE HERITAGE COURT SHOPPING CENTER.

WE ARE IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF LOOKING INTO THIS EFFORT FOR THE LAST VACANT PAD THAT WE HAVE ON THE PROPERTY.

WE'VE OWNED THE PROPERTY SINCE 2013.

WE MANAGE THE WHOLE CENTER.

WE OWN THE SHOPS, BUILDING AND THE PAD.

WE DID NEGOTIATE AND SELL THE PAD TO WALMART, WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN CONSTRUCTED, AND THE WALGREENS IS A SEPARATE OWNERSHIP BUT OBVIOUSLY PART OF THE CENTER.

WHEN WE PURCHASED THE PROPERTY IN 2013, WE ACTUALLY NEEDED SOME IMMEDIATE SITE AND BUILDING, DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.

WE DID SOME LANDSCAPE REFRESHING AND WE PAINTED THE BUILDINGS.

WE IMPLEMENTED A LEASING STRATEGY WHEN WE CAME ONBOARD AND WE HAD A SERIES OF SUCCESSES, CERTAINLY THE SALE OF THE WALMART PAD AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THAT USE ON THE SITE WAS REALLY TERRIFIC FOR THAT SHOPPING CENTER.

WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF LEASES OVER THE YEARS TO BE ABLE TO BACKFILL SOME VACANCIES ONCE WE WERE THERE.

WHEN WE BOUGHT THE CENTER, I DON'T REMEMBER THE ACTUAL NUMBER, BUT WE MAY HAVE BEEN I THINK 75% OCCUPANCY AT THAT TIME.

WE HAVE HAD STRUGGLES NOPE IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO US BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY A NICE CENTER, BUT THIS CENTER PREVIOUS TO US AND WITH OUR INVOLVEMENT JUST SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE TO KEEP IT LASTED UP.

THAT'S -- AND AGAIN, THAT'S BEEN ABOUT EIGHT YEARS SINCE WE'VE OWNED IT.

WITHIN THE SHOP SECTION OF THE PROJECT, THERE'S STILL SOME VACANT SPACES WHEN WE OWNED THE CENTER.

WE'VE LOST SOME TENANTS BY ABACK FILLED SOME OF THOSE, BUT IT JUST SO HAPPENS RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT 36% VACANCY WHICH IS QUITE, QUITE HIGH FOR RAY SHOPPING CENTER.

I'M OPTIMISTIC BECAUSE WE ARE HOLDEN ONTO ABOUT 19% OF THAT 36%.

WE'VE GOT SOME PENDING LEASES THAT WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHICH BRINGS US STILL TO A 17% VACANCY RATE, WHICH IS ALMOST FOUR TIMES HIGHER THAN WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY SEE.

REGARDING THE PAD, AGAIN, WE'VE HAD THAT SINCE 2013.

THE INTEREST, IN THE PAST AND NOW, YEAR OVER YEAR HAS BEEN DRIVE-THROUGH TYPE OF USES.

MOSTLY THE NATIONAL INTEREST FOR THE MOST PART COMING INTO THIS PAST YEAR, THERE'S BEEN HIT-AND-MISS INTEREST, BUT WE HAVE SEEN A REAL SPARK IN PARTIES LOOKING AT THIS CORNER AND REACHING OUT TO US ABOUT THEIR USE.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A LIMITATION ON DRIVE-THROUGH USES FOR THIS UNFORTUNATELY.

BUT WE HAVE FOUND THE COMMON DENOMINATOR THAT THE DRIVE-THROUGH USES ARE THE GUYS THAT WANT TO BE HERE.

THE INTEREST HAS PICKED UP, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF THE COVID, AND WE FELT THAT NOW WAS A TIME THAT WE WANTED TO SEE IF WE HAD THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO ENTERTAIN THEM.

IT IS JUST -- OUR INTEREST IS JUST FOR THE PAD, NOT FOR THE SHOPPING CENTER AS A WHOLE.

WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS PROPERTY AT THIS CORNER.

WE'VE KIND OF EVALUATED HOW VALUABLE A DRIVE-THROUGH USE WOULD IT OBJECT.

WE HAVE LOOKED AT LAY-OUTS FROM SITE DESIGN PERSPECTIVE, WORKED OUT REALLY PRETTY WELL.

WE WERE ABLE TO SCREEN DRIVE-THROUGH USES.

WE'VE GOT A GOOD QUEUE.

THAT QUEUE IS ON THE MORE BUSIER SIDE OF THE BUILDING, AND IT DOES NOT INHIBIT ON-SITE CIRCULATION.

SO AS I ANSWERED BEFORE YOU TODAY, I WOULD FURTHER SAY THAT OUR INTEREST, IF IN DOING THIS AND MOVING FORWARD IS THAT THE ARCHITECTURE WOULD HAVE AN INTEGRATION OF THE DRIVE-THROUGH WITH THE BUILDING AND THE BUILDING TO THE CENTER AND REITERATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE A GOOD STACKING FOR THE PARKING AND SCREEN FROM THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.

THE CURRENT SPECIFIC PLAN AND THE PROJECT MASTER PLAN HAS NOTED, CURRENTLY ALLOWS FOR A DRIVE-THROUGH BANK FACILITY.

THE OVERALL PROJECT SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT'S BEEN IN TITLE WILL BE LESS THAN THAT TOTAL NUMBER, EVEN WITH A CORNER BUILD-OUT ON THE PAD SO THAT THAT TRAFFIC GENERATION, WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAN LESS WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ENTITLEMENT.

WE HAVE SEEN THE BENEFIT OVER THE PAST YEAR OF THE VALUE OF HAVING A DRIVE-THROUGH USE ON A PARTICULAR PROPERTY AND HOW IT'S BEEN ABLE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND TRULY BELIEVE, BECAUSE OF GOOD SITE DESIGN AND BUILDING DESIGN, THAT THIS WILL BE A BETTER THAN TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE CENTER.

I'LL NOTE THAT AGAIN WE ARE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THIS.

AS WE WORK WITH OUR CONSULTANT TERRA NOVA AND GATHER SOME OF THIS EARLY

[00:10:04]

INFORMATION, OUR INTENT WOULD BE TO CONFIRM UP AND REFINE WHAT OUR WHAT OUR INTEREST WOULD BE ON THE PROPERTY, AND REACH OUT TO OUR NEIGHBOR, THE HERITAGES FARMS RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY RIGHT BEHIND US.

WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF COMMUNICATION WITH THEM SINCE WE'VE OWNED IT BUT WE'VE HAD A COUPLE AND IT'S BEEN A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AND WE WOULD WANT TO REACH OUT AND AT LEAST INFORM THEM SINCE THEY'RE OUR NEIGHBORS OF WHAT OUR INTEREST IS.

I DO HAVE OR WE DO HAVE WITH TERRA NOVA NICOLE CRISTE AND KELLY CLARK AND I BELIEVE KELLY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT WITH YOU JUST NOW.

>> HELLO.

CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME?

>> YES.

>> HI.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE AND MADAME CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO ECHO WHAT LEILA ALREADY PRESENTED.

SHE GAVE US A BACKGROUND OF THE EXISTING USES, EXISTING ALLOWED USES AND BASED ON OUR CLIENT'S CONCERNS, WE'RE PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO BOTH THE SPECIFIC PLAN AND THE PROJECT MASTER PLAN.

AS YOU KNOW, DRIVE-THROUGHS ARE CURRENTLY PROHIBITED EXCEPT FOR THE SEVERAL, THE BANKS, SUPERMARKETS, PHARMACIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ALLOWED VIA CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, AND THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING WOULD MODIFY THE EXISTING PROVISIONS OF THE FOR THE DRIVE-THROUGHS AND ALLOW, AGAIN, FOR DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANTS, THERE'S COFFEE SHOPS, ALSO GASOLINE SERVICE STATIONS, CAR WASHES, THINGS LIKE THAT.

ALSO, THEY WOULD BE A CONDITIONAL USE AS WELL.

SO GOING INTO THE TECHNICALITIES OF WHAT THESE AMENDMENTS WILL LOOK LIKE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY VERY MINOR.

FOR SPECIFIC PLAN, SPECIFIC PLAN IS THE OVERARCHING PLANNING DOCUMENT FOR PLANNING AREA, AND THERE'S REALLY ONLY ONE CONFLICT IN THAT DOCUMENT, AND IT'S A REFERENCE TO A POLICY FROM THE OLD GENERAL PLAN THAT NO LONGER EXISTS THAT DISCUSSES THE -- KIND OF OUTLINES THE DEVELOPMENT A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, BUT IT EXPLICITLY PROHIBITS DRIVE-THROUGHS.

SO THAT TEXT WOULD NEED TO BE MODIFIED.

AND THE PROJECT MASTER PLAN, THAT PLAN PROVIDES THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR THE PLANNING AREA, AND THE AMENDMENTS WE WOULD PROPOSE THERE WOULD BE AGAIN TO ADD THE TYPES OF DRIVE-THROUGH USES WE DISCUSSED EARLIER TO THE LIST OF CONDITIONAL USES.

WE WOULD LIMIT THE DRIVE-THROUGH TO 5,000 SQUARE FEET.

AND WE WOULD ALSO MODIFY THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS TO CONFORM TO THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICT STANDARDS.

AND OVERALL THEY'RE VERY LIMITED, VERY, VERY MINOR UPDATES BE, CHANGES, NOTHING VERY EXTENSIVE, AND, YOU KNOW, AS WAS SAID BEFORE, WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC PROJECT PROPOSED AT THIS TIME, AND ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT WOULD REQUIRE DESIGN REVIEW AND IT WOULD NEED TO COME BEFORE YOU FOR APPROVAL AGAIN, BUT WE'RE REALLY HERE TONIGHT TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK BEFORE WE PREPARE APPLICATIONS.

>> THANK YOU, MS. CLARK.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE APPLICANT?

>> I DO, CHAIR, IF I MAY.

SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS IT SOUNDS LIKE MR. HAYDEN WAS SAYING THAT THEY'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT INTERESTED PARTIES TO EXPLORE MORE STUDY OF THE VIABILITY OF DRIVE-THROUGHS IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.

IS THAT THE ONLY TYPE OF FOLKS THAT HAVE APPROACHED YOU OR HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER TYPES OF MARKETS, SOMETHING THAT IS NOT PARTICULARLY -- YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD FORCE A DRIVE-THROUGH IN THIS PARTICULAR CORNER? AND I GUESS THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.

AND THE SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION IS HAVE YOU OR ARE YOU GOING TO BE DOING A MARKET STUDY TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER TYPES OF POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT COULD BE BROUGHT INTO THAT PAD THAT WOULD BE EVEN GREATER BENEFIT TO MAYBE INCREASE SOME OF THAT TENANT USAGE.

>> I WOULD DOUBLE-CHECK WITH OUR VP OF LEASING TODAY TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THE MANY YEARS THAT WE OWNED THE PROPERTY AND THE INTEREST THAT WE RECEIVED, AND IT WAS UNDERSCORED THAT ANY OF THE INTEREST WE HAVE GOT HAVE BEEN INTERESTS FROM DRIVE-THROUGH TYPE OF USES.

WE DID DO SOME EARLY LAY-OUTS THAT HAD SOME RETAIL BUILDING COMPONENTS, SHOP TYPE COMPONENTS TO IT, BUT THERE WAS NO INTEREST IN THE SHOP OWNERS THERE,

[00:15:04]

UNFORTUNATELY.

WE CANTY EVEN LEASE THE SHOPS THAT WE HAVE.

AND THEN I DID INQUIRE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT A BANK AND ARE OUR LEASING AGENT SEEMED TO REMEMBER, OH, GOSH, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WHERE A PARTICULAR BANKS INTERESTED, BUT IT HAD ONLY BEEN ONE AND AGAIN IT WAS YEARS AGO AND NOT RECENTLY.

WE DON'T HAVE AN LOI OUT ON THE SITE.

AGAIN, WE JUST HAD SOME INTEREST EXPRESSED TO YOU.

THEY HAVE BEEN NATIONAL BRANDS.

BUT THOSE ARE ALL KIND OF PUT ON HOLD AT THE MOMENT UNTIL WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHETHER IT'S EVEN A VIABLE USE THAT WE CAN CONSIDER.

I'M SORRY.

YOU MENTIONED ABOUT A MARKET STUDY, CORRECT? SORRY ABOUT THAT.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD OUR BROKERS WHO ARE VERY INVOLVED IN THE CENTER, AND OVER THE YEARS WE'VE BEEN RELYING ON THAT.

WE DON'T, FROM A RETAIL PERSPECTIVE, HAVE DONE MARKET STUDIES.

THE BROKERAGE FIRMS THAT WE DEAL, SO INVOLVED SORRY FOE LONG THAT THERE REALLY JUST HASN'T BEEN A NEED.

THEY NOW HAVE COUNTERPARTS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO CONTACT AND THE MARKETPLACE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.

AND HAVING SUCH A LONG PERIOD OF TIME I THINK IT'S JUST EVIDENT THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE WHERE THIS PAD WANTS TO GO.

>> HI.

GLORIA FRANZ.

SO I THINK I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED.

MR. HAYDEN, WHEN YOU SPOKE, YOU SAID THAT THE DRIVE-THROUGH USE WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY JUST FOR THIS PAD? AND YET WHEN MS. CLARK SPOKE, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE REQUEST IN CHANGES IMPACTING THE SPECIFIC PLAN AND THE OVERALL MASTER PLAN OF THE SITE.

SO IS IT LIKE DIFFERENT REQUESTS FOR DIFFERENT THINGS OR WHAT?

>> NO, I THINK I'LL LET KELLY BEAK SPEAK TO THE SPECIFICS OF THAT, BUT AGAIN THE PROPERTY IS ALL BUILT OUT AND THE INTENT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS PAD BE VIABLE.

THERE ISN'T ANY INTENT TO PUT DRIVE-THROUGHS ANYWHERE ELSE.

WALMART DOES HAVE A DRIVE-THROUGH PHARMACY COMPONENT TO IT.

THAT PAD FOR ORIGINAL ENTITLEMENTS WAS APPROVED FOR THAT.

BUT OUR INTENT AS OWNERSHIP IS TO HAVE THIS INTENT, JUST FOCUS ON THE PAD, AND KELLY CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE COLOR ON THAT, I BELIEVE.

>> YES.

SO THE RPD-5 PLANNING AREA IS 100 ACRES, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD PORTION IS 10, 11 ACRES AND IT'S FULLY BUILT OUT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PAD WE'RE DISCUSSING, SO MODIFICATIONS TO BOTH THE SPECIFIC PLAN AND THE PROJECT MASTER PLAN ARE MORE AMENDMENTS TO WHAT'S ALLOWED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL CENTER DESIGNATION SO WE ARE JUST UPDATING THE ALLOWABLE, THERE ARE SETBACKS, ASSISTANCE THAT SORT THAT AGAIN WE'RE JUST BRINGING UP TO CURRENT CODE AND AGAIN EXPANDING TO THE TYPES OF DRIVE-THROUGHS THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED THAT'S CURRENTLY ALLOWED IN THE DOCUMENTS.

SO IT WOULD BE TECHNICALLY WE WERE JUSTING JUST THIS CORNER LOTS, AGAIN THAT 10 ACRES IS THE ONLY ACREAGE IN THE PLANNING AREA THAT IS NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL.

>> SO BASICALLY YOU JUST WANT TO UPDATE LANGUAGE TO MATCH WHAT OUR CURRENT NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL ALLOWS, IN ORDER JUST TO BE, I GUESS, MATCHING WHAT THE NEW CITY PLANS ARE.

>> PRIMARILY, YES.

WE ARE JUST PRETTY MUCH UPDATING SO IT'S CURRENT WITH THE EXISTING ZONE CODE, BUT WE ARE ALSO ENSURING THAT THE PROPOSED USES, THESE DRIVE-THROUGH USES WE ARE DISCUSSING, LISTED AS A CONDITIONAL USE.

CURRENTLY DRIVE-THROUGHS, FOR EXAMPLE, RESTAURANTS AND THINGS OF THAT SORT, ARE LISTED AS A PROHIBITED USE IN THESE PLANS, SPECIFICALLY THE PROJECT MASTER PLAN, SO WE WOULD BE REMOVING THAT FROM THE PROHIBITED, MOVING IT UP TO CONDITIONAL USE SO IT WOULD REQUIRE A CUP AND DESIGN REVIEW AND EVERYTHING BEFORE BEING APPROVED.

>> MADAME CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO CORRECT ONE PIECE OF INFORMATION, WHICH OUR CURRENTLY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL PER OUR CODE ALSO HAS RESTRICTIONS ON THE DRIVE-THROUGH WHICH IS -- I'M JUST TRYING TO OPEN IT -- WHICH SAYS "VEHICLE DRIVE-THROUGH AND DRIVE-UP WINDOWS ARE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT" AND THEN "ANY OTHER DRIVE-THROUGHS ARE PROHIBITED, INCLUDING RESTAURANT DRIVE-THROUGHS." SO WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS BASICALLY AMENDING THE SPECIFIC PLAN TO ALLOW DRIVE-THROUGH WITH THE CUP, WHICH IS NOT BECOMING CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT

[00:20:04]

CITY CODE, HOWEVER, THE SPECIFIC PLAN COULD DEVIATE FROM THE CURRENT CITY CODE, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION.

>> PERFECT.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE SURE I CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD.

>> AND I APOLOGIZE IF I WAS UNCLEAR.

WHAT I MEANT PRIMARILY IS THAT SETBACKS, HEIGHTS, THINGS OF THAT SORT WE'RE GOING TO BRING UP TO CODE TO NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL BUT, LIKE LEILA SAID, WE ARE PROPOSING THE ADDITIONAL CHANGE OF MAKING THESE PROPOSED DRIVE-THROUGH USES AS A CONDITIONAL USE AS OPPOSED TO PROHIBITED.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER CEJA.

>> NO, BUT THANK YOU, LEILA, FOR CLARIFYING THAT, YOU KNOW, OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL CENTERS WOULDN'T BE OPEN FOR RESTAURANT DRIVE-THROUGHS.

THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY DOES HAVE THAT PROJECT MASTER PLAN, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC PLAN TYPE OF DOCUMENT WHERE WE CAN MAYBE AMEND OR CONSIDER THAT, SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT IN THE CONTEXT WHEN WE THINK OF ZONING OVERALL.

OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL CENTERS WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO HAVE THESE DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANTS.

IN A BROADER KIND OF SENSE IN THINKING ABOUT DRIVE-THROUGHS, THEY MAY BE APPROPRIATE IN A LOT OF PARTS OF TOWN, AND I THINK WE'VE BEEN REVIEWING SOME SCREENING, YOU KNOW, SOME REAL OPERATIONAL AND SCREENING REQUIREMENTS, HOW DO DRIVE-THROUGHS FIT INTO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.

AND ONE PLACE THAT I DO NOT SEE THEM IDEALLY FITTING IS ON HARD SIGNALIZED CORNERS LIKE THIS ONE WHERE WE HAVE HIGH TRAFFIC VOLUMES.

THIS IS ACTUALLY THE CITY ENTRANCE ON FRED WARINGY WHEN WE WANT TO PRESENT THE BEST FACE OF THE CITY COMING INTO INDIO.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION WITH ITS ZONING.

THIS WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED.

BUT THEN ALSO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT DRIVE-THROUGHS, WHERE ARE THEY MOST APPROPRIATE.

SO THOSE ARE KIND OF MY BROADER COMMENTS.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CEJA.

VICE CHAIR?

>> YEAH, MY COMMENTS ECHO COMMISSIONER CEJA'S A LITTLE BIT AS FAR AS THE LOCATION ON THE CORNER.

I KNOW FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THE POINT OF A DRIVE-THROUGH IS BEING CONVENIENT, AND CONVENIENCE ALSO LENDS ITSELF TO EASY ACCESS IN AND EASY EXIT OUT.

BEING RIGHT THERE ON THE CORNER, I FEEL LIKE IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO PUT LIKE AN ENTRANCE THAT CLOSE TO SUCH A BUSY INTERSECTION ON EITHER THE JEFFERSON SIDE OR THE FRED WARING SIDE, AND IF WERE NOT TO PUT ENTRANCES PEOPLE TWO HAVE TO USE THE EXISTING ENTRANCES THAT ARE FURTHER DOWN THE STREET AND THAT JUST LEADS TO MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF A -- OF A TREK GOING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT TO ACCESS THAT CORNER LOT.

BUT I THINK THAT'S A GREAT CENTER.

I THINK THAT THIS WALMART MARKET DOES BRING A LOT OF MONEY TO THAT CORNER AND A LOT OF MONEY FROM NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF JEFFERSON STREET, SO IF THERE'S ANY POSSIBILITY TO PUT SOMETHING ELSE THERE THAT WILL DRAW THOSE SHOPPERS TO THAT SIDE OF JEFFERSON STREET TO INDIO, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND DISCUSS IT.

BUT I AGREE THAT NOT ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL CENTERS WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR DRIVE-THROUGH USE.

>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.

WE HAVE A QUESTION HENRY.

MR. HAYDEN.

>> VERY MUCH PIPED LIKE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THAT LAST COMMENT.

AND I'M PLEASED THAT THE POINT CAME OUT THAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO MODIFY THE FULL NEIGHBORLY COMMERCIAL, JUST THE SPECIFIC PLAN ON THIS ONE LITTLE PIECE OF PROPERTY.

REGARDING ACCESS TO THIS, FORTUNATELY 23 HAVEN'T HAD A TRAFFIC STUDY COMPLETED FOR THIS BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE'RE AT THE EARLY STAGES, BUT THIS PAD IS ADJACENT TO A DRIVEWAY ACCESS POINT THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE THE CARS TO GO THROUGH A CENTER.

THE PAD AGAIN IS ADJACENT BETWEEN THE WALGREENS AND THE PAD IS AN ACCESS DRIVE ALREADY.

THAT WOULD BE ANALYZED THROUGH A TRAFFIC STUDY AND A REPORT, SO YOU'VE GOT THE COUNT OF CARS COMING IN, COUNT OF CARS COMING OUT, AND RESPECTING THE STACKING FOR ANY CARS THAT ARE LEAVING.

WE DO LOOK AT THIS, WE'VE DONE THIS A WHILE, AND WE DO FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT THAT.

IT'S NOT JUST COURTESY TALK THERE.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE LOOKED AT AS WE WERE EVALUATING SITE DESIGNS.

I'VE GOT TO UNDERSCORE THAT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS IN OWNERSHIP SINCE 2013, AND

[00:25:05]

IT WAS BUILT IN 2006.

THE PAD REMAINS VACANT.

WE'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING VIABLE ON THIS CORNER AND COMPLETE THE CENTER.

AND THE BENEFIT HAVING IT GO THROUGH A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, AND THIS -- IF WE WERE CITADEL OF IN HAVING OUR CURRENT -- SUCCESSFUL IN HAVING OUR CURRENT PROPOSAL DONE, WE STILL NEED TO COME BACK BEFORE THE BOARD AND COMMUNITY WITH ANY PROSPECTIVE PROJECT TO BE APPROVED, SITE DESIGN, USE AND ARCHITECTURE.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MR. HAYDEN.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE HAVE SOME COMMENTS?

>> CHAIR LOPEZ, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT.

I THINK IF THEY WANTED TO PROCEED TO BRING THIS BACK TO US AS AN ACTUAL ITEM THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DELIBERATE AND DISCUSS, I THINK MY BIGGEST CONCERNS WOULD BE TO SEE WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK YOU GET FROM HERITAGE PALMS COUNTRY CLUB.

THOSE RESIDENTS WOULD BE THE MOST IMPACTED BY ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

A GAS STATION TO ME IS PROBABLY MY LEAST FAVORABLE IDEA OF A SERVICE ON THAT PARTICULAR SITE.

I THINK THE SITE'S TOO SMALL.

IT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT TO ME, AND I GO BY THERE ALL THE TIME SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE SITE.

BUT I THINK THE BIGGEST CONCERN WOULD BE TRAFFIC, MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE STUDY, HOW THE CARS WOULD GO IN AND GO OUT IF IT IS A DRIVE-THROUGH, AND AGAIN, COMMENTS FROM HERITAGE PALMS COUNTRY CLUB RESIDENTS AND WHAT DO THEY SEE, WHAT WOULD THEY LIKE TO SEE, HOW DO THEY FEEL ABOUT A DRIVE-THROUGH.

LIKE I SAID, IT WOULD BE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY, NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE IT'S NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL BUT BECAUSE THERE'S A SPECIFIC AND A MASTER PLAN FOR THIS PROJECT.

SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE THINGS THAT ARE POPPING UP TO ME THAT I WOULD LIKE TO REALLY KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT IF THIS WAS GOING TO CONTINUE TO COME BEFORE US FOR THE NEXT STEP.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR MANAGING THAT SITE.

I LOVE THAT WALMART, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT SITE FOR OUR CITY, SO THANK YOU.

>> IF I CAN PIGGYBACK ON COMMISSIONER FRANZ'S COMMENT, I THINK ANOTHER CONCERN IF THIS WAS TO COME BACK AS A VIABLE PROJECT WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY AROUND DRIVE-THROUGHS.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DRIVE-THROUGHS IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA NOW WITH THE DUTCH BROS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, AND I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO START CONSIDERING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF IDLE CARS AND ADDING MORE DRIVE-THROUGHS TO THIS PARTICULAR AREA, AND I THINK THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S GOING TO BE NEEDING TO MAKE SOME SPECIAL CONDITION, MODIFICATION GOING OUT OF YOUR WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS SPECIFIC TYPE OF PROJECT TO BE BUILT IN THERE.

I THINK IT SORT OF -- YOU KNOW, IF IT WOULD BE CREATING ANY SORT OF NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, I THINK IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A LITTLE BIT MORE HEAVILY.

SO I THINK THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE OF CONCERN PERSONALLY IF IT WERE TO COME BACK WITH A PROJECT THAT WOULD BE PROPOSING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I DON'T KNOW, CARL'S, JR. OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT WHERE YOU DO SEE A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND A LOT OF IDLE CARS JUST ADDING MORE TO THE EMISSIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE CONCENTRATED IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.

AND TO ECHO COMMISSIONER FRANZ'S COMMENT, I THINK THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED THERE WOULD HAVE -- I WOULD BE VERY CURIOUS, ALSO, TO HEAR HOW THEY WOULD FEEL ABOUT THESE TYPES OF ACCOMMODATIONS BEING MADE FOR THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF PROJECT.

>> THANK YOU.

OKAY.

IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, WE'LL GO AHEAD.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE SIX ORAL COMMENTS FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL UPON HEATHER CLARK.

GIVE ME A SECOND WHILE I ADMIT HER.

MRS. CLARK, CAN YOU HEAR US? HEATHER CLARK? MRS. CLARK, CAN YOU HEAR US? OKAY.

CAN YOU HEAR US NOW? MRS. CLARK?

>> YES.

>> OKAY.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO PROVIDE ORAL TESTIMONY.

YOU MAY BEGIN.

>> OKAY.

HELLO.

MY NAME IS HEATHER CLARK AND I'M CALLING TO OPPOSE THE HERITAGE PALMS PROJECT AMENDMENT.

I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY THE CITY WOULD GO THROUGH THE TROUBLE OF AMENDING A CURRENTLY APPROVED SHOPPING CENTER FOR ANOTHER FAST FOOD RESTAURANT, LIKE ANOTHER DRIVE-THROUGH OPTION.

WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE DRIVE-THROUGHS RESTAURANTS.

WE HAVE A LOT IN THE AREA.

[00:30:03]

IT CREATES TRAFFIC AND GIVES IT A TACKY LOOK TO THE CITY, AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE NEEDS MORE SIT-DOWN OPTIONS, A NICE LITTLE YOGURT PLACE OR A COFFEE SHOP, A LITTLE CAFE, SOMETHING THAT GIVES A MORE APPEALING LOOK TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THAT GIVES FAMILIES OPTIONS TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE WITHIN OUR OWN COMMUNITY.

WITH EVERYTHING OPENING BACK UP, DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE NEED OPTIONS WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT'S ALSO CONCERNING THAT THESE AMENDMENT GOES WOULD BE APPROVED AND ARE APPROVED BEFORE A REAL TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY IS EVEN CONDUCTED SO WE CAN SEE WHAT IMPACT IT'S GOING TO HAVE BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE TRAFFIC IN THIS AREA.

WE KNOW HOW IN-N-OUT WITH THEIR LINES CREATE CRAZY TRAFFIC, AND WE JUST DON'T NEED TRAFFIC OR ANY MORE HARMFUL EMISSIONS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MS. CLARK.

>> THE NEXT ONE IS MS. ELMA DOMINGUEZ, AND I'LL ADMIT HER NOW.

>> MS. DOMINGUEZ, CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR FIRST, LAST NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE.

I DIDN'T DO THAT WITH THE LAST.

APOLOGIZE.

>> MRS. DOMINGUEZ, CAN YOU HEAR US? ELMA DOMINGUEZ, CAN YOU HEAR US? YOU MAY BE MUTED.

MRS. DOMINGUEZ, CAN YOU HEAR US? I THINK SHE'S MUTED AND SHE'S CALLING BY PHONE.

I BELIEVE POUND POUND MIGHT UNMUTE YOU.

BUT FOR NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE P I WILL COME BACK TO MRS. DOMINGUEZ.

AND I'LL MOVE ON TO ANTONIO CRUZ.

ANTONIO, CAN YOU HEAR US? MR. CRUZ? MR. CRUZ IS ALSO MUTED.

MATT, CAN YOU PROVIDE THE FUNCTION FOR THE KEY STROKES FOR UNMUTING WHILE THEY'RE CALLING IN.

IN THE MEANTIME WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE AND WE'LL COME BACK TO MR. CRUZ.

ERNESTO PADILLA.

I'LL CALL UPON MR. PADILLA.

MR. PADILLA, CAN YOU HEAR US? SAME ISSUE.

I'VE ASKED MR. PADILLA TO UNMUTE HIMSELF.

MR. PADILLA, CAN YOU HEAR US?

>> HELLO.

>> THERE HE IS.

MR. PADILLA, CAN YOU HEAR US? I'VE ASKED YOU -- YOU MAY BEGIN, MR. PADILLA.

>> HELLO? HELLO, MY NAME IS ERNESTO PADILLA AND I'M CALLING IN REGARDS TO THE HERITAGE PALMS MASTER PLAN LIMIT.

I BELIEVE THAT THIS PROJECT WOULDN'T GIVE OUR COMMUNITY A POSITIVE IMAGE.

WE DON'T NEED MORE DRIVE-THROUGHS.

MY FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU OTHER BANKS OR A FURNITURE STORE OR A SHOPPING CENTER.

YOU WE LIKE THIS COMMUNITY AND WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.

>> MR. PADILLA, CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

>> I THINK HE'S GONE.

HE HUNG UP.

AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO CLAIRE VIATONDO.

MRS. VIATONDO, CAN YOU HEAR US?

>> HELLO.

>> YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.

>> HELLO.

MY NAME IS CLAIRE VIATONDO AND I'M CALLING TO OPPOSE THE HERITAGE PALMS PROJECT MASTER PLAN AND AMENDMENT TO ALLOW DRIVE-THROUGHS IN THIS SHOPPING CENTER.

IT IS A VERY NICE SHOPPING CENTER THAT'S CLOSE TO THE GOLF COURSE.

AND I BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE DAMAGING ITS IMAGE BY ASKING A DRIVE-THROUGH IN THE CENTER.

AS A RESIDENT OF INDIO, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OTHER SERVICES LIKE A BANK OR ANOTHER SIT-DOWN RESTAURANT THAT PROVIDES A HEALTHIER FOOD OPTION OTHER THAN A, YOU KNOW, LOOK A DRIVE-THROUGH OR SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T -- WE ALREADY

[00:35:02]

HAVE SO MANY IN THIS CITY.

AND THIS PROJECT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD HAVE TO AMEND WHAT THE CITY AND THE RESIDENTS HAD OKAYED IN THE PAST.

THERE HAVE BEEN NO ISSUES WITH THIS SHOPPING CENTER, SO WHY AMEND THAT SHOPPING CENTER? I HAVE TALKED TO MY NEIGHBORS, AND THEY ALSO DO NOT WANT TO SEE MORE OF FAST FOOD DRIVE-THROUGHS.

I HOPE THE PLANNING COMMISSION LISTENS TO THE COMMUNITY FOR WHAT THEY, YOU KNOW, WANT IN THEIR CITY.

THANK YOU.

>> CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

OKAY.

I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK RIGHT WHEN THEY GET ON.

WE HAVE TO CAPTURE IF WE HAVE HERITAGE PALMS RESIDENTS CALLING IN.

I ASK THE NEXT PERSON TO STATE THEIR ADDRESS.

>> I'LL MOVE TO ON MARIA DELLA -- MARIA DELLA -- CAN YOU HEAR US? MARIA, CAN YOU HEAR US? STAR 6 UNMUTES YOU.

IF YOU DIAL STAR 6 ON YOUR TOUCH SCREEN, IT WILL UNMUTE YOU.

MARIA? MARIA, CAN YOU HEAR US? STAR 6 UNMUTES YOU.

THERE SHE IS.

>> HOLA.

>> I'LL MOVE ON TO MRS. ALMA DOMINGUEZ.

MS. DOMINGUEZ, CAN YOU HEAR US? STAR 6 UNMUTES YOU.

CAN YOU HEAR US? MRS. DOMINGUEZ, CAN YOU HEAR US? MS. DOMINGUEZ, CAN YOU HEAR US? THERE SHE IS.

OR NOT.

MS. DOMINGUEZ, CAN YOU HEAR US? YOU'RE IN, MRS. DOMINGUEZ.

NO.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE AND WE'LL RETURN TO MS. DOMINGUEZ.

ANTONIO CRUZ.

MR. CRUZ, CAN YOU HEAR US? ANTONIO CRUZ.

>> YES.

>> OKAY.

YOU'RE IN.

WE CAN HEAR YOU.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

YOU MAY BEGIN.

>> OKAY.

ADDRESS 450 -- 44055 LOYAL TERAN.

ACTUALLY I CAN SEE THE WALMART TECHNICALLY ACROSS.

MY NAME IS ANTONIO CRUZ AND I OPPOSE A HERITAGE PALM PLAN AMENDMENT.

I AGREE WITH THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE VOICING THEIR OPINION.

ARE FAST FOOD DRIVE-THROUGHS THE BEST WE CAN DO? WHY DO WE NOT BRING MORE STORES THOUGHT COMMUNITY THAT WE'LL ACTUALLY BENEFIT FROM.

THIS WILL ONLY CREATE MORE TRAFFIC IN THIS AREA.

THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC ALREADY AS IT IS AS A WALMART.

WHEN I'M DOING MY GROCERY SHOPPING AFTER WORK, I DON'T WANT TO BE COMPETING WITH A TRAFFIC LINE FROM A DRIVE-THROUGH FAST FOOD RESTAURANT.

PLEASE TAKE YOUR ROLE SERIOUSLY AND SEND THIS PROJECT BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.

THANK YOU.

>> OKAY.

THE NEXT ONE IS THE LAST ONE IS MS. ALMA DOMINGUEZ.

[00:40:02]

MS. DOMINGUEZ, CAN YOU HEAR US? YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF.

>> HI.

CAN YOU HEAR ME?

>> YES, WE CAN.

>> SORRY ABOUT THAT.

HI, MY NAME IS ALMA DOMINGUEZ, AND AS A STUDENT AT THE NEARBY COLLEGE I BELIEVE WE DON'T NEED ANY DRIVE-THROUGHS IN THIS SHOPPING CENTER.

WHY SHOULD THE SHOPPING CENTER BE AMENDED TO ADD FAST FOOD OPTIONS INSTEAD OF ADDING MORE SITDOWNS THAT WOULD ALLOW STUDENTS LIKE MYSELF THE ABILITY TO ENJOY SOME NICE SCENERY LIKE A COFFEE SHOP WITH NO DRIVE-THROUGH.

WE ALL KNOW THAT THE DRIVE-THROUGHS DON'T BRING A POSITIVE IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY.

IT WOULD ONLY INCREASE TRAFFIC IN AN ALREADY BUSY AREA.

IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK THE PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO AGREED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE -- THEY WOULD DECREASE THIS DRIVE-THROUGHS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND SO IN ORDER FOR THAT, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHOULD PERFORM A TRAFFIC STUDY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WILL NOT HAVE FURTHER ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES TO OUR COMMUNITY.

I KNOW THAT THE OTHER SPEAKERS ALSO MENTIONED THAT THAT SAME CONCERN WITH A WALMART THERE.

IT IS A SHOPPING MARKET.

IT IS BUSY.

AND SO WE JUST DON'T NEED ANY OVERSATURATED DRIVE-THROUGHS.

WE NEED HEALTHIER OPTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROMOTE FAMILY ORIENTED SIT-DOWN OPTIONS.

IT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION THAT I BELIEVE IT WOULD ONLY DOWNGRADE TINGE.

IT'S A NICE SHOPPING CENTER.

IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO HAD A NICE GOLF COURSE.

AND I JUST BELIEVE THAT IT IS WOULD LOOK A LITTLE TACKY TO PUT A DRIVE-THROUGH WITH A FAST FOOD.

I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULDN'T -- THAT THE CITY -- THE CITY SHOULD WORK ON BRINGING MORE APPEALING BUSINESSES TO THE SHOPPING THERE.

P I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE SPEAKERS SAID SOMETHING ABOUT MAYBE A JUICE PLACE OR A YOGURT.

I MEAN, WITH OUR WEATHER, THAT WOULD BE AN AMAZING BUSINESS TO HAVE THERE.

SHOULDN'T OUR QUALITY OF LIFE MATTER TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION? IF THIS PROJECT OWNER WANTS TO DOWNGRADE THE CENTER BELOW THAT WAS ALREADY APPROVED YEARS AGO, THEN THEY SHOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT AN ANALYSIS FOR A TRAFFIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT BECAUSE I BELIEVE ONE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS -- COMMISSIONERS ALSO MENTIONED THE EMISSIONS THAT WOULD BE RELEASED INTO THE AIR, AND SO I KNOW THAT GROWING UP HERE, IT IS A FAMILY-ORIENTED COMMUNITY, AND I JUST BELIEVE THAT OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES BETTER.

DON'T YOU? OUR REPRESENTATION AS A COMMUNITY MATTERS.

SO PLEASE LISTEN TO THE RESIDENTS.

WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT YOU'RE LISTENING TO YOUR NEIGHBORS AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THE CITY AND PLANNING COMMISSION CAN WORK TO PROMOTE AND BRING MORE APPEALING BUSINESSES TO OUR AREA.

I THINK WE DESERVE IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS EVENING.

>> OKAY.

LET'S GO BACK TO THE APPLICANT.

>> ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SOME RESPONSE?

>> IF YOU'D LIKE TO, SIR.

>> I DON'T MIND.

I WOULD FIRST STATE, AGAIN WE'RE AT THE EARLY STAGES OF THIS AND LOOKING NIGHT OUT OF NECESSITY.

THIS IS NOT A PROJECT THAT'S LOOKING FOR APPROVAL TODAY.

THERE'S BEEN NO SUBMISSION.

ANY PROJECT THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH HERE, IF IN FACT WE MAKE OUR SUBMISSION AND IT DOES GET SUPPORTED, AGAIN, WE NEED TO GO THROUGH A FORMAL CUP AND DESIGN REVIEW, ALL SORTS OF STUDIES HAVE TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THAT SPECIFIC, SPECIFICALLY A TRAFFIC STUDY.

THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY.

A TRAFFIC STUDY.

WE ARE, AND I FEEL WE ARE STRONGLY A VERY GOOD NEIGHBOR, VERY SENSITIVE TO OUR DEVELOPMENTS.

WE HAVE MULTIPLE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE VALLEY THERE.

WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON THE QUALITY AND HOW WE RUN THEM.

AND I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE WALMART SHOPPING CENTER HAS NOT POSED A TRAFFIC PROBLEM FOR US TO DATE, AND THAT THIS SITE, THIS CORNER, THIS PAD IS ISOLATED ACROSS A PARKING LOT FROM THEM, AND ITS CIRCULATION BY AND LARGE WOULD BE SEPARATED.

AND ANY ON-SITE IMPACT AND ANY OFF-SITE IMPACTS WOULD BE ANALYZED WITH ANY SUBMISSION THAT YOU'D BE GETTING.

AGAIN, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS SINCE IT WAS BUILT SINCE 2006, NOBODY HAS COME TO THE TABLE TO WANT TO BE ABLE TO BUILD ON THIS SITE YET.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO AND WHAT OTHER KIND OF BACKGROUND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO SUPPORT THE POSITION.

WE'RE JUST DOING WHAT WE CAN TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE SHOPPING CENTER.

FROM AN ARCHITECTURAL STANDPOINT, WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT IT'S -- IT'S DESIGNED WELL AND AGAIN IT HAS TO BE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE TO TELL YOU AT THIS MOMENT.

>> OKAY.

LET'S GO BACK TO OUR COMMISSIONERS BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND -- ANY OTHER

[00:45:10]

COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM? I MEAN, WE PRETTY MUCH HAVE HEARD FROM OUR -- SOME OF THE CONSTITUENTS THAT JUST CALLED IN.

ANY LAST COMMENTS FROM OUR -- FROM THE COMMISSIONERS?

>> AM I UNMUTED? CHAIR, IF I MAY.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE COMMUNITY FOLKS THAT GAVE US THEIR COMMENTS AND EXPRESSED.

MATTER.

>> COMMISSIONER FRANZ.

>> NO, I DON'T I THINK ANYTHING TO ADD.

I THINK THAT SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS THAT WERE SPEAKING OUT, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT THEY ALL SPOKE.

I'M GLAD THAT THE LADY WHO SPOKE IN SPANISH FELT COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO DO THAT.

THAT WAS PHENOMENAL.

BUT THANK YOU THEY'RE HAD I GONE THIS WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY, AND I DON'T THINK THEY UNDERSTAND THIS IS A STUDY SESSION/CONSULTATION.

IT'S JUST A WAY TO SEE HOW EVERYTHING FEELS, SO NO DECISION IS BEING MADE TODAY AND NO REQUEST HAS BEEN MADE FOR THE ACTUAL CHANGE AS OF RIGHT NOW.

SO I JUST KIND OF FELT LIKE MAYBE PEOPLE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY.

OTHER THAN THAT I THINK IT'S -- YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO ASK QUESTIONS OR YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE ANSWERS ARE GOING TO BE, RIGHT? SO I THINK WE'LL SEE WHERE THIS GOES.

THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.

>> THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER CEJA.

>> I U.

I'LL JUST ECHO EVERYONE'S COMMENTS AND THANK STAFF.

I THINK THIS IS THE PERFECT COMMENT FOR THE CONSULTATION PROCESS, GETTING THE DEVELOPER INVOLVED, FLOATING AN IDEA AND GETTING THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED AT AN EARLY STAGE REALLY HELPS US KIND OF VET WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AHEAD OF TIME, SO WE JUST ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THESE CONSULTATIONS AS A GREAT WAY TO GET OUT IN FRONT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING, SO THANK YOU, STAFF AND EVERYONE THAT PARTICIPATED.

>> VICE CHAIR.

>> NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.

THANK YOU.

>> OKAY.

MR. HAYDEN, YOU HAVE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE COMMISSION HAS MADE, AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT ITEM.

>> THANKS TO ALL OF YOU.

APPRECIATE THAT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> MADAME CHAIR, THIS IS AGAIN LEILA NAMVAR.

NEXT ITEM IS, PER YOUR REQUEST AND I BELIEVE THE COLLECTIVE REQUEST FROM THE

[10.2 City’s Development Process from A to Z – Workshop]

COMMISSION TO BE FAMILIAR MORE WITH OUR ENTITLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

SO WE ARE A DEVELOPMENT TEAM IN THE CITY INCLUDES PLANNING, ENGINEERING AND BUILDING, SO EACH TEAM WILL GIVE A SHORT PRESENTATION TO YOU.

AT THE END OF EACH PRESENTATION YOU MAY ASK YOUR QUESTIONS.

ALSO, AT THE END OF ALL THREE PRESENTATIONS, IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ASK US.

THE FIRST TEAM WILL BE PLANNING DIVISION TEAM, WHICH ASSOCIATE PLANNER ROSIE LUA, ASSISTANT PLANNER NIKKI GOMEZ AND ASSISTANT PLANNER GUSTAVO GOMEZ.

WE GIVE YOU THE PRESENTATION.

AFTER THAT WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC WORKS OR ENGINEERING DIVISION JUAN RAYA OUR CITY ENGINEER AND ROLDAN LOPEZ OUR ASSOCIATE ENGINEER WILL GIVE YOU THEIR PRESENTATION.

AND WE KEPT THE BEST FOR THE LAST WHICH IS BUILDING AND SAFETY DIVISION, GIL ESTRADA WILL GIVE YOU HIS BASICALLY TAKE ON THEIR PART OF DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL ASK MY TEAM TO GIVE YOU THEIR PRESENTATION.

[00:50:02]

THANK YOU.

>> MADAME CHAIR, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME OKAY? PERFECT.

SO GOOD EVENING, MADAME CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF INTRODUCING TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION.

IT IS A DEVELOPMENT, THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS.

AND SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING TONIGHT INCLUDE GENERAL INQUIRY, THE PRE-APPLICATION, THE APPLICATION REVIEW, THE CITY AGENCY REVIEW, THE STAFF REPORT PROCESS, PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE AND AGENDA PLACEMENT, AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

SO ALL OF THESE WE FELT THAT THEY WERE COMPONENTS THAT WERE PART OF OUR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS FOR OUR DIVISION.

SO TO START OFF, MOST OF OUR -- MOST OF HOW PROJECTS GET STARTED BEGINS WITH AN INITIAL INQUIRY.

THIS COULD BE DONE THROUGH A PHONE CALL, AN EMAIL, A COUNTER INTERACTION.

IT BE COULD BE DONE THROUGH BUSINESS LICENSE OR A BUILD PERMIT.

SO DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS OR THE TYPE OF INQUIRY THAT WE GET, THEN THAT TRIGGERS A PROJECT DISCUSSION, AND SO WE DETERMINE IF IT'S GOING TO NEED SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE EASILY ADDRESSED AT THE COUNTER OR IF IT'S GOING TO NEED SOMETHING MORE SUCH AS AN ENTITLEMENT FOR THAT.

SO FROM THAT, THAT PROJECT DISCUSSION, THEN WE DETERMINE THE LAND USE EVALUATION, ZONING AND GENERAL PLAN.

AND THEN AFTER THAT I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH ASSOCIATE PLANNER ROSIE LUA TO GO ON TO THE NEXT PROCESS.

>> THANK YOU, ASSISTANT PLANNER GOMEZ.

I WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE PRE-APPLICATION PROCESS.

SO WE'VE GOT SOME AVENUES FOR A DEVELOPER WHEN THEY COME TO BRING A PROJECT HERE TO OUR CITY.

SO OUR FIRST AVENUE IS A DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, WHICH IS ADRC.

THIS IS THE APPLICANT'S OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OUTSIDE AGENCY.

THEY PAY AN APPLICATION FEE.

THEY PROVIDE US WITH A SITE PLAN AT MINIMUM AND SOME ARCHITECTURE.

DURING THE DRC PROCESS WE ROUTE THE PROJECTS TO THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, CITY AGENCIES, CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OUTSIDE AGENCIES, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT AGENCIES, FOR EXAMPLE, CVAG OR ANY RELEVANT AGENCY DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OR THE USE OF THE PROJECT.

SO WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS THAT THERE IS A MEETING THAT TAKES PLACE.

WE SET A MEETING.

RIGHT NOW OUR MEETINGS ARE THROUGH ZOOM WHERE THERE IS A Q&A SESSION WITH THE APPLICANT AND ANY OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.

THEY GO AROUND ONE BY ONE AND THEY DISCUSS THE PROJECT.

AT THE END OF THIS PROCESS, WHOEVER THE PROJECT PLANNER IS CONCLUDES WITH A DRC LETTER, AND THAT'S A DRC LETTER THAT LISTS ALL THE ENTITLEMENTS AND ANY PRELIMINARY COMMENTS THAT CAME FROM ANY OF THOSE AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS.

THIS REALLY GIVES A GOOD IDEA TO THE DEVELOPER IF THEY WISH TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT, WHAT WILL THAT EXPECTATION BE.

ANOTHER AVENUE WE HAVE IS THAT PROJECT CONSULTATION WHICH IS A Q&A SESSION WITH THE COMMISSIONERS.

IT IS A NON-HEARING ITEM.

WE HAVE NO FEE.

THE APPLICANT PROVIDERS US ON THE SITE PLAN AND ELEVATIONS.

THE STAFF PREPARES A ONE PAGE REPORT.

I WILL MAKE A POINT THAT AT THIS POINT A PROJECT CONSULTATION HAS ONLY BEEN REVIEWED BY PLANNING.

NONE OF THE OTHER AGENCIES HAVE POSSIBLY PROVIDED COMMENTS FOR THIS PROJECT, SO WE ARE BRINGING THIS TO YOU JUST WITH SOME EVALUATION OF PLANNING.

BUT THIS IS A GOOD CHANCE AS A PROJECT THAT YOU SAW BEFORE TO HAVE THAT Q&A SESSION WITH YOU.

WHEN PROJECTS ARE READY FOR A SUBMITTAL, THEY GO THROUGH THE PLANNING APPLICATION PROCESS.

THEY'RE READY TO SUBMIT.

THEY'RE COMMITTED.

THEY'RE READY TO PAY FEES, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR PROJECT.

SO LOTS OF SOMETIMES A DRC MAY NOT RESULT IN A PLANNING APPLICATION BECAUSE IT HAS TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD OR MAYBE THEY DECIDE THAT'S NOT THE PROJECT THEY WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH.

BUT AFTER THE APPLICATION PROCESS, THIS IS MUCH MORE OF A COMMITMENT.

THIS IS WHAT GETS TO YOU, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, FOR A DECISION.

SO THERE IS A REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION FOR COMPLETION.

[00:55:02]

IT GETS ROUTED TO AGENCIES AND TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR ACTUAL COMMENTS.

THERE IS A STAFF REPORT THAT'S PRODUCED.

AND THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE AND AN AGENDA BEFORE WE GET TO YOU, THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

NEXT SLIDE.

SO THIS IS THE APPLICATION REVIEW.

WHEN WE HAVE AN APPLICATION, WE DETERMINE IF THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE.

THERE IS THE 1 THROUGH 6 THAT YOU SEE ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE.

THESE ARE THE ITEMS NO MATTER WHAT THE ENTITLEMENT IS.

IT'S A DESIGN REVIEW, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, PARCEL MAP.

ANY OF IT HAS THE SAME CRITERIA WITH VARIATIONS OF WHAT'S REQUIRED, BUT THAT DETERMINES WHETHER THEY HAVE A COMPLETE APPLICATION.

STAFF IS ASSIGNED A PROJECT THROUGH OUR SENIOR PLANNER NAMVAR, AND THE PROJECT PLANNER REVIEWS THE APPLICATION AND HAS 30 DAYS TO REVIEW IT.

WE CAN DEEM IT COMPLETE OR WE CAN DEEM IT INCOMPLETE.

IF IT'S DEEMED INCOMPLETE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T MEET ALL OF THE CRITERIA, WE PROVIDE A LETTER TO THE APPLICANT AND WE REQUEST FOR THE MISSING ITEMS. IF IT'S DEEMED COMPLETE, THEN WE TAKE IT TO THE NEXT SESSION, WHICH IS WE PROCEED WITH ROUTING THE PROJECT.

SO WHEN WE PROCEED TO ROUTE KNEW THE PROJECT, IT IS A TWO-WEEK TIME FRAME.

WITH THE COVID TIMES IT'S BEEN EXTENDED A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE OF THE ABILITY OF SCHEDULES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO WE'RE SEEING MUCH MORE OF ABOUT A FOUR-WEEK TIMELINE.

BUT IT IS STILL REVIEWED BY ALL THE SAME DEPARTMENTS, CITY DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES, AND THEY PROVIDE NOW WHAT WE SEE AS CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL.

THE REVIEWING THE PROJECT EACH CON FORM ANSWER, FOR EXAMPLE, FIRE IS REVIEWING IT FOR CONFORMANCE, WHATEVER THEIR CRITERIA IS, BUILDING, ENGINEERING AND POLICE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT AGENCIES, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE KNOW THE PROJECT IS WITHIN A MULTI--- THEN WE INVOLVE CVAG.

IF IT IS A PROJECT THAT IS DIRECTLY NEXT TO ANOTHER CITY, THEN IT INVOLVES THAT INTERAGENCY.

SO THAT IS THE TWO TO FOUR-WEEK TIMELINE OF A PROJECT BEING REVIEWED.

SO THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF THE PROJECT.

IT'S THE STAFF REPORT.

WE'RE STILL NOT THERE YET AT PLANNING COMMISSION BECAUSE WE'VE GATHERED ALL OF THE INFORMATION, THE PROJECT PLANNER HAS REVIEWED THE ZONING, THE PLAN CONSISTENCY HAS REVIEWED THE FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS DEPENDING ON WHAT THE ENTITLEMENT IS.

IT HAS NOW GATHERED ALL THE CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL FROM ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.

THERE IS SOMETIMES SOME BACK-AND-FORTH WHERE THE PROJECT CENTER AS QUESTIONS, SO THERE IS THAT DIALOGUE THAT STILL TAKES PLACE.

THEN THE DRAFT STAFF REPORT CONCLUDES.

THAT DRAFT STAFF REPORT GOES TO THE SUPERVISOR AND THE DIRECTOR, SO SENIOR PLANNER NAMVAR REVIEWS IT, DIRECTOR SNYDER REVIEWS IT, AND THEN THERE IS SOME COMMUNICATION BACK TO THE PROJECT PLANNER FOR WHATEVER CLARIFICATIONS.

ONCE THOSE TWO REVIEWS ARE COMPLETED, THEN WE GO THROUGH THE LEGAL REVIEW, SO THAT DRAFT STAFF REPORT GOES TO LEGAL REVIEW FOR CEQA CONFORMANCE, ZONING CONFORMANCE AND ALL THE CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL ARE REVIEWED AS WELL.

ONCE THAT'S COMPLETE, IT IS A COMPLETED STAFF REPORT READY FOR AGENDA POSTING.

HERE'S A SAMPLE PROJECT.

WE TOOK JUST A PROPERTY THAT WE ALL ARE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH.

THIS IS RIGHT BEHIND -- ON RECWA AND MONROE.

WE PROBABLY DRIVE BY THE ALL THE TIME.

IT'S A VACANT PROPERTY.

IT IS ZONED REGIONAL COMMERCIAL, AND THE GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATION IS MIDTOWN MT.

SO WHEN WE'RE REVIEWING THIS PROJECT, WE KNOW THAT THE RT LEGS NATION IS PROVIDED TO PROVIDE FOR DEVELOPMENT A LARGE FULL SERVICE RETAIL COMMERCIAL CENTER THAT WILL SERVE THE REGIONAL POPULATION.

IT ALSO HAS THE RECENT GENERAL PLAN, THE ACTIVITY MIXED USE, MIDTOWN ALLOWING MULTI-STORY MIXED USE BUILDINGS AND ALL THE REST OF THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL USE.

THE LAND USES ARE IN THE ZONING, NOT IN THE GENERAL PLAN.

SO THE ZONING WILL TELL US WHAT IS ALLOWED IN THIS PROPERTY.

[01:00:03]

IT HAS PERMITTED USES, CONDITIONAL USES, AS WELL AS PROHIBITED USES.

SO IF WE COME TO YOU WITH A CONDITIONAL USE, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S LISTED AS CONDITIONAL USE WITHIN THE ZONING.

SO PROPOSED USE HERE, JUST FOR OUR SAMPLE PROJECT, IS A GAS STATION, DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANT AND A CAR WASH, WHICH WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THESE LATELY.

IN THIS ZONING US A PERMITTED USE.

SO NO REQUIREMENT FOR A CONDITIONAL USE.

IT IS OUTRIGHT PERMITTED BY ZONING.

SO JUST WANT TO TAKE YOU THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF THE THOUGHT PROCESS HERE.

OUR PROJECT REVIEW AS A PROJECT PLANNER.

ARE THESE USES PERMITTED WITHIN THE ZONE? YES, THEY ARE PERMITTED BECAUSE THEY'RE LISTED WITHIN THE PERMITTED USES OF THE RC ZONING.

DOES THE PROJECT MEET THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS? AND WE'RE GOING TO ASSUME, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THIS MANY SAMPLE PROJECT, THAT THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARD CRITERIA THAT'S LISTED IN THAT SECTION, AND THEY'VE MET THAT CRITERIA IN TERMS OF FOLLOWING THE ZONING FOR RC.

DOES THE PROJECT MEET THE REGULATIONS OF PUBLIC WORKS, FIRE AND UTILITIES? EACH AGENCY WILL REVIEW IT FOR ITS OWN CRITERIA, FOR CONFORMANCE, AS WELL AS THAT'S THE RESULT OF THOSE CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL THAT YOU SEE WITHIN OUR STAFF REPORT.

AND THEN WHAT ENTITLEMENTS DOES THIS PROJECT REQUIRE? AGAIN, BECAUSE IT IS A PERMITTED USE, ALL THIS PROJECT WOULD BE REQUIRED IS A DESIGN REVIEW FOR PLANNING COMMISSION CONSIDERATION, SO NO CONDITIONAL USE, JUST A DESIGN REVIEW.

THEN WE GO INTO WHETHER -- WHAT LEVEL OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW THIS WILL HAVE.

WELL, IN OUR CEQA REVIEW WHICH IS THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT, THERE IS LISTS OF EXEMPTIONS STATUTORY AND CATEGORICAL.

IF THE PROJECT FITS WITHIN THAT CRITERIA AND MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA, THEN IT CAN BE EXEMPT WHICH MEANS IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE THOROUGH SCRUTINY OF GOING THROUGH AN INITIAL STUDY.

IF IT DOESN'T MEET IT, THEN OBVIOUSLY WE GO THROUGH INITIAL STUDY WHICH REQUIRES TRAFFIC, BIOLOGICAL, CULTURAL REPORTS AND A WHOLE LIST OF REPORTS THAT WOULD REQUIRE TO CREATE THAT INITIAL STUDY.

OUR LEGAL REVIEW JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CRITERIA IS MET BEFORE WE DETERMINE THE EXEMPTION AND/OR THE INITIAL STUDY, SO THAT'S ALL REVIEWED AND DETERMINED NOT ONLY THROUGH PLANNING STAFF, SENIOR PLANNER NAMVAR AND THE DIRECTOR, BUT ALSO THROUGH LEGAL.

AND SO FOR THE FINDINGS, IN OUR MUNICIPAL CODE DESIGN REVIEWS HAVE CERTAIN FINDINGS.

SOY STAFF PUTS TOGETHER, AND YOU WILL SEE IN THE STAFF REPORT THREE OR FOUR PAGES OF THIS, WHERE OUR ANALYSIS IS ON HOW WE MET A THROUGH D, AND WE ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AND YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HIGHLIGHT A BOLD ALL OF THE THESE CRITERIA AND THEN WE ANSWER THE QUESTION ON WHETHER IT MEETS THE CRITERIA OF THE FINDINGS FOR DESIGN REVIEW.

AND THE CONCLUSION OF OUR STAFF REPORT IS REALLY THE RECOMMENDATION.

DOES STAFF RECOMMEND TO PLANNING COMMISSION AN APPROVAL OR A DENIAL? AND SO THAT IS WHAT THE CONCLUSION OF ALL OF OUR CRITERIA AND ALL OF OUR ANALYSIS THAT YOU SEE.

SO THAT IS JUST A SAMPLE PROJECT.

SO WHEN WE GET TO THE AGENDA POSTING TEN DAYS PRIOR WE HAVE DONE A PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE.

THAT'S RELEASED BY OUR CODE TEN DAYS PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IF WE DO NOT POST, WE CANNOT GET TO A PUBLIC HEARING BY LAW.

WE HAVE THOSE NOTICES HERE WITHIN OUR CITY HALL.

WE ALSO MAIL THEM OUT TO THE 300-FOOT RADIUS OR, DEPENDING ON THE CRITERIA THAT WE HAVE IN OUR APPLICATION, IT COULD ALSO BE 1500 FEET IF YOU'RE IN CERTAIN ZONING.

WE HAVE ALSO A PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE THAT'S POSTED IN THE NEWSPAPER, AND THE NEWSPAPER OF RECORD WITH THE CITY OF INDIO IS DESERT SUN.

AND ALL THAT GETS POSTED TEN DAYS PRIOR TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING .

ALL RIGHTY.

SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION DATE IS HERE.

OUR STAFF REPORT IS REALLY THE PRESENTATION SUMMARY.

SO WE HAVE POWERPOINTS THAT SUMMARIZE OUR STAFF REPORT THAT WE PRESENT TO YOU.

AND THAT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S BITS AND PIECES, BUT IT IS JUST THE

[01:05:08]

INFORMATION THAT WE EXTRACT FROM OUR STAFF REPORTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

SO IF YOUR DECISION IS FOR AN APPROVAL, THEN STAFF PROCEEDS TO FILE AN ENVIRONMENTAL NOTICE WITH THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY, AND THEN THE APPLICANT CAN GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH GETTING THEIR SUBMITTAL FOR A PLAN CHECK AND PRECISE GRADING AND ALL OF THE OTHER ITEMS THEY NEED TO GET TO A BUILDING PERMIT.

WE COULD ALSO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

THERE ARE SOME ENTITLEMENTS THAT YOU GUYS WILL NOTICE THAT IT'S NOT AN APPROVAL THAT YOU DO BUT IT'S A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL, AND THAT INCLUDES TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP, TENT TRACT MAPS, SPECIFIC PLANS, GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS, CHANGE OF ZONE.

THOSE ARE NOT APPROVALS.

THOSE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU'RE MAKING TO CITY COUNCIL.

AND AGAIN THERE'S A DISTINCTION IN OUR CODE ON WHAT GETS WHAT.

THERE'S ALSO A DECISION FOR CONTINUANCE.

IT CAN BE REQUESTED BY THE APPLICANT.

STAFF CAN WANT A CONTINUANCE JUST TO HAVE FURTHER ANALYSIS OF WHATEVER CAME UP PRIOR TO CONCLUDING THE STAFF REPORT OR IT CAN ALSO BE A CONTINUANCE BY PLANNING COMMISSION THAT YOU JUST NEED THEM TO HAVE CLARIFICATION ON SOMETHING.

OR THERE'S A DECISION BY PLANNING COMMISSION TO DENY THE PROJECT.

IF YOU DO DECIDE TO DENY THE PROJECT, THE APPLICANT CAN COME BACK WITHIN 15 DAYS TO APPLY FOR AN APPEAL, AND THAT APPEAL GOES TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION, SO THEN WE TAKE THE PROJECT TO CITY COUNCIL AND THEN THEY MAKE THE FINAL DETERMINATION, AND CITY COUNCIL IS ALWAYS THE FINAL DETERMINATION.

AND I WILL NOW HAND IT OVER TO ASSISTANT PLANNER NIKKI GOMEZ.

>> GOOD EVENING, MADAME CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

NIKKI GOMEZ, ASSISTANT PLANNER.

SO THIS IS KIND OF JUST VISUALLY A REPRESENTATION OF THINKING BIG PICTURE OF WHAT IT TAKES, I GUESS, FROM THE INQUIRY ALL THE WAY TO A PRESENTATION BEFORE YOU AS STAFF.

SO WE HAVE TAKEN IT IN A SIMPLER FORM.

THIS IS AS IF THIS WERE JUST A DESIGN REVIEW WITH AN EXEMPTION, I SHOULD SAY, SO PROJECTS WOULD OBVIOUSLY EVEN BE MORE ELABORATE THAN THIS.

AND OH TOP OF THAT, A PLANNER COULD HAVE MAYBE ONE TO FOUR PROJECTS AND, FOR EXAMPLE, AND SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF THESE, SO SOME OF THEM IT MIGHT BE JUST IN DRC BUT THEN ANOTHER PROJECT COULD ALSO BE WRITING A STAFF REPORT OR ONE YOU COULD BE PRESENTING AT THAT PLANNING COMMISSION THAT WEEK, AND SO WE TRY TO KIND JUST GIVE YOU THAT OVERALL VISUAL OF THE PROCESS AND THE TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE PER PROJECT.

IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO AFTER, LET'S SAY, THAT IT WAS APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, STAFF WILL THEN OR THE APPLICANT, ACTUALLY, WILL THEN PROCEED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS TO ACTUALLY BUILD THEIR FACILITY THAT THEY HAD GOT APPROVED FOR, AND SO THAT INVOLVES BUILDING PLAN CHECK, PRECISE GRADING PLAN CHECK FROM THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DIVISION WHICH THEY WILL BE SUBMITTING THROUGH THEM, PRECISE GRADING PLAN THAT THEY WILL BE SUBMITTING TO ENGINEERING DIVISION, LANDSCAPE PLAN IS OUR REVIEW, WHICH IS PLANNING DIVISION, AS WELL AS LIGHTING AND THE SIGNAGE FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.

AND SO MOST OF THESE OR ACTUALLY ALL OF THEM ARE RELATIVE TO -- SOME MAY NOT BUNT LIKELY, AND SO IT IS AN ELECTRONIC TYPE OF REVIEW PROCESS THAT QUITE EXPEDITES THE REVIEW TIMELINE FOR PLAN CHECK PURPOSES.

AND SO -- AND THIS COULD TAKE, YOU KNOW -- I'M SURE THE BUILDING WILL GIVE YOU A MORE DETAILED TIMELINE AS TO EXACTLY HOW LONG THIS WOULD TAKE, BUT WE ARE INVOLVED IN ALL THIS ROUTING.

WE MIGHT NOT BE THE ONE THAT THEY SUBMIT TO, BUT PLANNING ALWAYS HAS A OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS OR MAYBE MAKE THOSE CORRECTIONS, SO TYPICALLY WHEN A BUILDING PERMIT -- A BUILDING APPLICATION OR PLANS COME BEFORE US, WE OBVIOUSLY CHECK WITH OUR MINUTES TO SHOW IF ANY CHANGES THAT MAYBE THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD REQUESTED DURING THE PRESENTATION, AND THAT COULD BE THOSE CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL THAT YOU HAVE ADDED DURING THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING,

[01:10:03]

AND SO THAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY, TO ENSURE THESE ARE ADDRESSED IN THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS THAT REFLECT INTO THE REAL LIFE BUILDING.

NEXT SLIDE.

AND ONCE THOSE BUILDING GETS -- MOVES FORWARD AND NOW THERE IS ACTUAL BUILDING IN THAT PROPERTY, WE THEN ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN DOING THOSE INSPECTIONS, RIGHT? JUST TO ENSURE ONE MORE TIME THAT THOSE SPECIFICS THAT YOU HAVE ASKED ARE THERE, LANDSCAPE, SIGNAGE, COLORS, AND THEN WE, PLANNING DIVISION IS ALSO PART OF THOSE SIGNATURE APPROVAL PRIOR TO THEM -- THOSE BUILDINGS READY FOR IS PUBLIC TO ENJOY.

AND THAT COULD -- WE COULD ALSO DO THEM VIRTUALLY.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IN PERSON.

SO DEFINITELY WE'RE FLEXIBLE IN DOING BOTH.

AND AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW, THEN IT GETS OPENED TO THE PUBLIC AND HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY ENJOYS IT.

SO THAT IS REALLY KIND OF THE PROCESS FROM THE BEGINNING UNTIL THE END, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT MAYBE THAT WOULD HELP YOU KIND OF GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS.

AND THAT WOULD BE IT FOR US.

AND IF OUR SENIOR PLANNER WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING AT THE END THERE, PLEASE.

>> NO, THANK YOU.

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THIS UNLESS THE COMMISSION HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR OR ABOUT THE PROJECT.

>> ANY QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS.

?

>> I HAVE ONE QUESTION.

SORRY.

SO BASED ON THE LAST YEAR WITH COVID AND EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON, AT THE BEGINNING IT WAS 30 DAYS FOR THE FIRST AND THEN IT WAS TWO WEEKS BUT IT COULD BE FOUR WEEKS, SO USUALLY FROM THE TIME SOMEONE COMES IN, IF THEY HAVE EVERYTHING KIND OF IN ORDER AND EVERYTHING GOES THROUGH, THEY WOULDN'T GET TO US FOR AT LEAST -- WHAT? -- THREE MONTHS, MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS NORMALLY? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?

>> THAT'S TRUE.

IT DEPENDS ON THE ENTITLEMENTS.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR A DESIGN REVIEW YOU ARE LOOKING AT MAYBE THREE TO FIVE MONTHS.

THAT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE JUST ONLY ONE PROJECT.

AS NIKKI EXPLAINED, PLANNERS ARE JUGGLING BETWEEN FOUR AND FIVE PROJECTS EACH, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY HAVE DAILIES WHICH INCLUDES PLAN CHECK, BUSINESS LICENSE, INSPECTIONS, EMAILS, AND A PHONE CALL.

SO IF ALL THOSE TASKS WOULD BE -- IT WAS AWAY FROM US AND, FOR EXAMPLE, IN UTOPIA WE HAD FIVE TECHNICIANS AND THEN SEVEN PLANNERS, THEN YOU WOULD SEE THOSE PROJECTS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER TO YOU, BUT WITH THE LOAD THAT WE HAVE, THOSE TIMELINES ARE AT LEAST THREE TO FIVE MONTHS, FOR TEAMS WITH MORE COMPLEX ENTITLEMENT PROJECTS SUCH AS CITRUS PLAZA OR, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SHANDI SQUARE, THOSE ARE MORE COMPLEX PROJECTS, THEY MAY COME BEFORE YOU EVEN LONGER, MAYBE AFTER SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS.

BUT IT'S JUST TIME MANAGEMENT AND THEN ALSO THE WORKLOAD.

WE ARE A VERY SMALL TEAM, AS FAR AS OUR DEVELOPMENT TEAM, INCLUDING EVERYBODY, AND I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT PLANNING BUT FOR A CITY THIS LARGE AND WITH ALL THIS DEVELOPMENT, IT IS A SMALL STAFF.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER KIND OF LIKE SEAMLESSLY, SO WE ARE ABLE TO BRING THE PROJECTS TO YOU IN A TIMELY MANNER, WHICH IS NOT THAT ANY OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT THEY MAY BE EVEN SMALLER THAN US.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU DON'T -- 30 DAYS AFTER THE 30 DAYS, THERE'S FOUR WEEKS TO REVIEW THOSE CONDITIONS.

THEY MAY NEED TO REVISE SOMETHING ON THE SITE PLAN.

A STUDY MAY NEED TO BE REVISED.

THEN WE GO BACK AND FORTH.

WE AS A RESULT WRITING THE STAFF REPORT.

AND BY THE STAFF REPORT IS KIND OF LIKE COOKED AND READY FOR THE REST OF THE TEAM REVIEW, MAY BE TWO MONTHS AFTER.

[01:15:01]

SO THAT'S THE REASON.

WE CAN ALSO SHARE WITH YOU THE TIMELINES FOR EACH OF OUR ENTITLEMENTS, SO YOU CAN SEE HOW FAST A PROJECT CAN COME BEFORE YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> I WAS JUG GOING TO JUMP IN REAL FAST.

LEILA HAS TOLD YOU WHAT IT'S BEEN LIKE THE LAST YEAR AND ROSA AND LEILA AND GUST I'M ON THE PLANNING SIDE I'M SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY HAVE WORKED HARD TO THE POINT WHERE LEILA AND I ARE HAVING A DISCUSSION THAT WE NEED TO PULL BACK, SO THAT TIMELINE MIGHT EXTEND, COMMISSIONER FRANZ AND THE REST OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION BECAUSE I'M GETTING A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT BURN-OUT, TO BE HONEST, YOU SO SOME OF THOSE TIME FRAMES THAT THREE OR FOUR MONTHS MIGHT BE MORE LIKE FIVE TO SEVEN MONTHS OR PERHAPS LONGER, WHICH IS STILL GOOD TURNAROUND TIME, BUT WE HAVE REALLY PUSHED HARD THIS LAST YEAR AND THE TEAM HAS DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB, BUT THOSE TIMELINES MIGHT EXTEND A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND WE'RE STARTING TO LET THE APPLICANT KNOW THAT IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN THE TIME FRAMES WE PREVIOUSLY WERE TELLING THEM.

>> YEAH, AND THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT COMMENT.

A LOT OF TIMES IT'S SETTING EXPECTATIONS, CORRECT? SO WHEN A NEW PROJECT COMES BEFORE US, IF THEY'RE USED THE A THREE TO FOUR MONTH TURNAROUND AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE DOING A SIX TO SEVEN MONTH THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND, AND IT'S PROBABLY A BIG PROBLEM TRYING TO SET THE EXPECTATIONS UP PRONT.

AND I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY.

JUST WATCHING ALL THE MOVING PARTS WIND TO GO GET AN ASPIRIN BUS I WAS GETTING A LITTLE STRESSED, SO I DO UNDERSTAND IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

SO I APPRECIATE IT.

>> ANY TIME.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FRANZ.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ CEJA, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION?

>> I DID HAVE A QUESTION AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED TO ADVOCATE MR. SCOTT'S REPLACEMENT TO GET YOU GUYS SOME EXTRA HELP.

MY QUESTION IS REALLY MORE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL VIEW WHEN IT GOES THROUGH THE CEQA PROCESS.

I DEMOTE PAST WE HAVE HAD PROJECTS PARTICULARLY AROUND -- THIS WAS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WAS COMING UP WHEN WE WERE DOING ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAD A GAS STATION, AND PEOPLE WERE SAYING.

IT'S STILL EXEMPT.

IN A ZONE THAT ALREADY HAS POOR AIR QUALITY, ACCORDING TO THE CALENVIRO BRIEF, AND EVEN THOUGH THIS PROJECT IS EXEMPT, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE CREATING THIS MASSIVE, YOU KNOW, AGITATION TO THE AIR QUALITY, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE CONTRIBUTING TO SOME DEGREE, AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHERE -- HOW DO WE SORT OF HELP AS A COMMISSION OR WHERE IS THAT SORT OF INTERSECTION TO START TAKING SOME OF THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION? IS IT AT THE POLICY END? IS THAT A RESPONSIBILITY FOR COUNCIL? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE PLANNING STAFF TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS ADDED INTO THE RECOMMENDATIONS? AND THEN HOW DOES THE EJ ELEMENT SORT OF GET WRAPPED INTO ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

I FEEL A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING UP, SOME OF THE PROJECTS LAST TIME WERE REALLY THINKING ABOUT HABITAT IMPACT, AND SO JUST REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW THESE PROJECTS AS WE'RE EVER THEY'RE BEING PRESENTED, HOW WE'RE INCORPORATING THESE LITTLE MOVING PIECES EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT GOING TO BE CREATING A GIGANTIC IMPACT, AND IT DOES HAVE EXEMPTIONS TO THE CEQA PROCESS.

IS THERE STILL WAY FOR US TO START INTEGRATING SOME OF THOSE OTHER THINGS LIKE I SAID, LIKE THE EJ ELEMENT, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE CALENVIRO AND TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY IS HAVING A SERIOUS AIR QUALITY PROBLEM?

>> ANY PROJECT THAT COMES BEFORE US, WE EVALUATE IT ENVIRONMENTALLY.

STAFF EVALUATES IT ENVIRONMENTALLY.

SO THEN IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED TO US.

WE ALSO EVALUATE IT.

IF THEY COME WITH AN EXEMPTION, WE REVIEW ALL THE DOCUMENTS FOR EXEMPTIONS AND WE THINK IT IS EXEMPT OR SOMETIMES THEY COME WITH EXEMPTIONS AND WE SAY NO OR WE DO NOT THINK IT COULD BE EXEMPT.

LET'S GO BACK AND DO AN INITIAL STUDY.

HOWEVER, WHAT YOU I GUESS WOULD LIKE SEE, NOW I THINK IT'S SOMETHING AT POLICY LEVEL, THINGS LIKE GAS STATIONS OR LIKE OVERSATURATION OF SOME USES.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A GAS STATION.

IN 2004 AND '5 WE HAD PHARMACIES OOH EACH CORNER.

WE WERE STARTING TO BUILD.

BEFORE THAT IT WAS MINI STORAGES.

SO IT'S A POLICY DECISION TO MAYBE GEOGRAPHICALLY SEPARATE THEM, BUT IT ISN'T A BATTLE, UPHILL BATTLE BECAUSE THEN YOU WILL HAVE THE PUSH FROM THE

[01:20:02]

DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AS WELL, BUT THAT'S WHY IT NEEDS TO BE AT THE POLICY LEVEL.

STAFF CAN DIRECT THEM OR SUGGEST TO DO -- I MEAN WE DON'T THINK THIS IS A GOOD USA USE FOR HERE.

A BIKE SHOP MAY BE BETTER THAN-- I DON'T KNOW -- AN ICE CREAM SHOP.

BUT WHAT WE LIKE OR WHAT WE SUGGEST, IT WON'T COME TO REALTY UNLESS WE HAVE POLICY DIRECTION, WE HAVE A ZONING CODE THAT IT ADDRESSES ALL THOSE ISSUES, AND IT GIVES STAFF TOOLS OR TEETH TO PUSH SOMETHING BACK OR TO BRING SOMETHING FORWARD.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DIRECTOR SNYDER, MYSELF AND MY TEAM ARE WORKING.

WE HAVE THIS DIALOGUE ALL DAY LONG AMONG OURSELVES ABOUT WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GO FORWARD.

AND WHEN WE COME BACK BEFORE YOU FOR THE ZONING CODE UPDATE, YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THOSE REMEDIES IN THE CODE UPDATE.

AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SECTION, OUR GENERAL PLAN HAS THAT ELEMENT, WHICH IS WE ARE ONE OF THE FIRST GENERAL PLANS THAT APPROVED THAT BASICALLY, INCLUDE THAT ELEMENT AND GOT IT THROUGH.

HOWEVER, THERE IS AN IMPLEMENTATION SECTION, AND THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE WORKED ON.

WE APPROVED THE GENERAL PLAN 2019, AND WE GOT BUSY.

THEN WE GOT TO THE COVID.

AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

SO THOSE ARE AGAIN COMING FORWARD TOWARDS YOU FOR IMPLEMENTATION.

AFTER OR MAYBE AT THE SAME TIME WHEN WE BRING BACK THE ZONING CODE TO YOU.

BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SIMPLY AND HONESTLY, IT IS AT POLICY LEVEL, SO THE HELP THAT WE CAN GET FROM THE POLICY MAKERS OF THE CITY, THAT WILL SOLVE A LOT OF THE CONCERNS.

>> IF I COULD JUST ADD VERY QUIBBLE WE ALSO ADOPT A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN FOR THE CITY AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE ADOPTED A GENERAL PLAN, AND THAT ALSO HAS IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS, AND SIMILAR TO WHAT LEILA JUST SAID, WE ANTICIPATE THAT SOME OF THOSE MORE POLICY-RELATED IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS WOULD COME THROUGH AS PART OF THE ZONING CODE UPDATE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION'S REALLY GOING TO LAND.

YOU AS THE ADVISORY BODY OF THE CITY COUNCIL ARE GOING TO BE GIVING YOUR INPUT AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO THE COUNCIL ON THESE POLICY ISSUES, WHETHER IT'S LAND USE, WHETHER IT'S ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, WHETHER IT'S CLIMATE ACTION, AND ULTIMATELY THAT WILL GO FORWARD AS A PACKAGE, A POLICY PACKAGE FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AND DETERMINE WHICH WAY THAT THEY WANT TO GO.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU STARTING LATER THIS SUMMER AND GET YOUR FEEDBACK AS WE PREPARE THE ULTIMATE -- THE ROYAL "WE" PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF PREPARE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL.

>> I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION REALLY QUICK, KEVIN.

SO THOSE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, WHEN WOULD THAT BE MADE FROM US TO COUNCIL OR COUNCIL TO US? I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

>> YEAH, NO.

SO THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, ACTUALLY.

THANK YOU FOR ASKING IT.

SO THE WAY IT WILL WORK IS THAT THE ZONING CODE IS GOING TO HAVE A VARIETY OF THINGS IN IT.

SOME LEVEL WILL BE ROUTINE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD AND PROBABLY WON'T REQUIRE MUCH CONVERSATION AMONGST THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

SOME ARE GOING TO BE MORE COMPLEX.

LEILA JUST GAVE YOU AN EXAMPLE ABOUT GAS STATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CLIMATE ADOPTION.

THOSE ARE PROBABLY WHERE THE IMMEDIATE CONVERSATIONS GOING TO HAPPEN AMONGST THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THEN ULTIMATELY YOU WOULD PREPARE A RECOMMENDATION ON THOSE ZONING REGULATIONS IN FULL.

YOU MAY OR MAY NOT, IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU PACKAGE IT, YOU MAY GO FORWARD WITH THE ROUTINE STUFF AND YOU MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE POLICY, MORE COMPLEX POLICY CONVERSATIONS OR QUESTIONS, EXCUSE ME.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE WITH YOU LATER THIS YEAR, AND THEN ULTIMATELY PACKAGE IT UP SIMILAR TO WHAT, FOR THOSE COMMISSION MEMBERS THAT WERE AROUND AT THAT TIME, WHAT WE DID WITH THE GENERAL PLAN OF THE DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN WHERE YOU REVIEWED IT IN FULL, YOU PROVIDED YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND IF THERE'S A TOPIC OR A SERIES OF TOPICS THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, THEN WE

[01:25:01]

WOULD WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNCIL UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS OR YOUR SUGGESTIONS OR THOUGHTS AROUND THOSE WERE.

SO PROBABLY I WOULD SAY WE HOPE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, LEILA CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK WE'RE HOPING TO BEGIN THOSE LATER THIS SUMMER, AND PROBABLY REASONABLY, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE SEVERAL MEETINGS, SO IT MIGHT GO INTO EARLY FALL.

I THINK REASONABLY.

BEFORE YOU GUYS MIGHT BE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU WANT START MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL.

>> I AGREE WITH YOU, SIR.

>> THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER CEJA, VICE CHAIR?

>> NO, THIS WAS GREAT.

THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

SO IF THERE IS NO QUESTION, AND THEN -- YEAH.

SO THE NEXT TEAM WILL BE JUAN RAYA, OUR CITY ENGINEER AND ROLDAN LOPEZ.

THEY ARE PART OF THE PUBLIC WORKS, ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION, AND MY TEAM AND MYSELF WORKING WITH THEM VERY CLOSELY ON A DAILY BASIS IN JUAN'S AND ROLDAN'S OFFICE, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.

SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK JUAN RAYA, OUR CITY ENGINEER, TO START THEIR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, LEILA.

I'VE SHARED MY SCREEN.

CAN EVERYONE SEE IT AND HEAR ME? OKAY.

GOOD.

SO GOOD EVENING, CHAIRPERSONS, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

JUAN RAYA, CITY ENGINEER.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF I GUESS OUR ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND REVIEW PROCESS.

ALTHOUGH IT'S CRITICAL, IT'S AS EXTENSIVE AS PLANNING DEPARTMENT STAFF JUST PRESENTED TO YOU.

WE DEFINE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW PROCESS AS THREE PHASE PEPS WE HAVE GOT THE ENTITLEMENT, PLAN REVIEW AND CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTION.

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE ENTITLEMENT PHASE, AND ROLDAN LOPEZ ASSOCIATE ENGINEER WILL GO OVER THE PLANNING, THE PLAN REVIEW AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS.

THE ENTITLEMENT PHASE IS BASICALLY INITIATED WITH AN APPLICATION THAT IS ROUTED BY THE PROJECT PLANNER.

ONCE THAT HAS A GOOD UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT THE PROJECT ENTAILS, WE USUALLY DO A PROJECT SITE VISIT TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE EXISTING SITE.

ANY IMPROVEMENTS OR LACK THEREOF.

AND THEN BASED ON OUR OBSERVATIONS, WE DRAFT CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL, CONSIDERING FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL REQUIREMENTS, SUCH AS SOME THAT ARE LIFTED HERE, FEMA -- LISTED HERE, FEMA, SUBDIVISION MAP ACT, THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT, THE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD, SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, CITY GENERAL PLAN AND CITY ORDINANCE.

AND THEN WE PROVIDE THE PROJECT PLANNER FOR INCLUSION IN THEIR STAFF REPORT WHICH EVENTUALLY MAKES IT BEFORE YOU.

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE GO BACK AND FORTH WITH THE APPLICANT, OBVIOUSLY I DON'T WANT TO SAY NEGOTIATE CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL, BUT RATHER CONDITIONS THAT NEED FURTHER CLARIFICATION OR REWORDING SO THAT IT'S NOT AN OPEN-ENDED CONDITION OF APPROVAL OR THAT ENDS UP BEING A MATTER OF INTERPRETATION WHEN THEY ARE COMMITTING FUNDS TO PUT INTO A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

SO THIS IS, LIKE I SAID, A BRIEF OVERVIEW, AND AT THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GET INTO AS MUCH DETAIL AS YOU WOULD LIKE, SO NOW I WOULD LIKE TO PASS IT ON TO ROLDAN LOPEZ WHO WILL GO OVER THE PLAN REVIEW AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION PHASE.

>> GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS ROLDAN LOPEZ.

I'LL BE DISCUSSING THE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS.

TYPICALLY A PLAN REVIEW PROCESS FOR US, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST SUBMITTAL FOR A PLAN CHECK OR TURNAROUND IS TEN WORKING DAYS.

SECOND SUBMITTAL, SAME THING, TEN WORKING DAYS.

AND THEN THE THIRD SUBMITTAL IS WE TRY TO KEEP IT TO FIVE WORKING DAYS.

NOW, MOST LOCAL ENGINEERING FIRMS USUALLY WITHIN TWO, MAYBE THREE CONTRACTS AND PLANS ARE READY TO BE APPROVED.

NOW SOMETIMES WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS, THEN THIS PROCESS CAN TAKE LONGER.

SOME OF THE PLANS, OBVIOUSLY THAT WE REVIEW ARE TRACT MAPS, PARCEL MAPS, GRADING

[01:30:06]

PLANS, STREET IMPROVEMENTS HAVE IMPROVEMENT PLANS, STORM DRAIN IMPROVEMENT PLANS, YOU KNOW, A HYDRAULIC REPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECT WILL RETAIN FOR THE 100-YEAR, 24-HOUR EVENT STORM DRAIN ON-SITE SO THAT IT DOESN'T ADD ANY ADDITIONAL STORM WATER INTO OUR STREETS AND CREATE, SAY, A FLOODING HAZARD.

ALSO, PN PLAN WHICH PLANS FOR ADVANCED CONTROL MITIGATION, POLLUTION PREVENTION, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE TO COMPLY DURING CONSTRUCTION.

AND THEN THE WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN.

AND OBVIOUSLY ALL THESE PROJECTS, THEY NEED TO COMPLY WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.

AND HERE WE HAVE -- THAT'S OKAY.

SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS YOU KNOW TYPICALLY YOU MOSTLY SEE A FINISHED PRODUCT.

HERE I HAVE A COUPLE OF, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PICTURES JUST SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE PIPE UNDERGROUND THAT SERVES AS A UNDERGROUND RETENTION BASIN, AND YOU KNOW PROJECT INSPECTIONS ARE DONE WHILE THEY'RE DOING SOME GRADING, UNDERGROUND UTILITIES SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, WATER, ELECTRICAL, GAS, AND THEN IN THE COUNCIL SITE IMPROVEMENT SUCH AS CURB, GUTTER, SIDEWALKS, STREET LIGHTS, PAVEMENT.

AND THEN OUR INSPECTOR USUALLY CREATES A PUNCH LIST ONCE THE PROJECT IS 100% COMPLETED AND WORKS WITH THE DEVELOPER TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ITEMS THAT ARE EITHER SUBSTANDARD OR HAVE SOME THINGS THAT STILL NEED TO BE FIXED, ONCE, YOU KNOW, ONCE EVERYTHING IS TO THE SATISFACTION OF OUR INSPECTOR, THEN WE CAN RELEASE BONDS THAT THEY HAVE POSTED FOR PERFORMANCE AND ALSO FOR PAYMENT.

AND AT THAT TIME WE WILL SIGN THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR THEM TO OCCUPY, YOU KNOW, THE BUILDING.

NEXT.

HERE ARE SOME SAMPLES OF A STREET.

RIGHT NOW YOU SEE ONLY LIKE THE CURBS, THE GUTTERS, THE CLASS TO WASTE.

SO ONCE THIS PASSES INSPECTION, LIKE COMPACTION, MAKE SURE THAT THE THICKNESS, THAT THE SOIL IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE THERE, SO THEN OUR INSPECTOR NOW CAN TELL THEM, OKAY, IT'S APPROVED.

NOW IT'S TIME TO GO AHEAD AND PAVE THE ROAD, TO PUT THE SIDEWALKS, THE STREET LIGHTS, SO THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT IS IN PROCESS.

NEXT HERE'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE STARBUCKS THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT GOLF CENTER PARKWAY AND AVENUE 4.

YOU CAN SEE THAT SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE STILL GOING ON.

AND THEN ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE YOU CAN SEE FOR PROBABLY THE INSPECTOR TALKING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE PROJECT.

OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE BOTH TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT STILL REMAINS TO BE DONE IN ORDER FOR US TO ISSUE THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE.

NEXT.

AND NOW I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

I TRIED TO KEEP IT BRIEF.

I DIDN'T WANT TO BORE YOU TO DEATH WITH TECHNICAL ENGINEERING INFORMATION.

>> THANK YOU, ROLDAN, AND THANK YOU, JUAN.

>> ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER CEJA.

[01:35:01]

FRANZ? NONE.

OKAY.

SEEING THAT THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.

>> SO THE NEXT SECTION ASK OUR BUILDING AND SAFETY DIVISION, GIL ESTRADA IS OUR NEW BUILDING OFFICIAL.

HE'S BEEN HERE OVER A YEAR, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE HIM OR THE PERSON AS BUILDING OFFICIAL FOR A LONG TIME FOR THE CITY OF INDIO, SO I'M GLAD THAT HE'S HERE, ESPECIALLY HIS OFFICE IS NEXT DOOR, SO I CAN ALWAYS GO THERE AND TALK TO HIM AND LEARN THINGS FROM HIM.

SO THE FLOOR IS YOURS, MR. ESTRADA.

>> OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SEE HERE.

LET'S GET GOING WITH THE PRESENTATION HERE.

GIVE ME A MOMENT.

AND CAN EVERYBODY SEE -- LET'S BACK IT UP HERE.

CAN EVERYBODY SEE THE SCREEN THERE? IS IT UP? EVERYBODY CAN HEAR ME OKAY?

>> YES.

EVERYTHING IS GOOD.

>> OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, GOOD EVENING, MADAME CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

AS LEILA SAID, MY NAME IS GIL ESTRADA I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A YEAR NOW, AND GLAD TO BE HERE, AND I HOPE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT I PROVIDE FOR YOU IS USEFUL.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

AND SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.

SO AS OTHERS MENTIONED, WE ARE THE LAST PHASE, THE LAST LEG OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, SO EVERYBODY'S ANXIOUS TO GET THEIR PERMITS, GET GOING ON CONSTRUCTION, AND EVENTUALLY GET THEIR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY SO THEY CAN GET IN THAT BUILDING AND THEN WE CAN START GETTING TAX REVENUES, RIGHT, IN MANY CASES.

SO OUR DIVISION IS MADE UP OF THREE SECTIONS, BASICALLY IT'S THE PERMIT SECTION, THE PLAN CHECK SECTION, AND THE INSPECTION SECTION.

SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE THREE SEPARATE SECTIONS, WE DO WORK IN HARMONY, WE WORK TOGETHER TO TRY TO GET THE PROJECT APPROVED AND PERMITTED WITH THE UNDERLYING GOAL BEING SAFETY ON THE SITE AND IN THE BUILDINGS AND SAFETY FOR -- WELL, BASICALLY THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A SAFE SITE AND A SAFE BUILDING.

I THREW IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES HERE JUST FOR FUN.

WHAT IF THERE WERE NO CODES? BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY -- THE PICTURE THERE TO THE LEFT WITH ALL THE WIRING, WE SOMETIMES SEE THAT KIND OF STUFF.

ELECTRICAL PANEL IN A BATHROOM.

I MEAN, IN A SHOWER? THIS KIND OF STUFF ACTUALLY DOES HAPPEN.

IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.

SO THE REASON FOR US TO BE HERE, TO MAKE SURE THAT -- AND I'M SURE -- WELL, SOME OF YOU MAYBE HAVE GONE TO A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY AND YOU SEE THIS KIND OF STUFF ON THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE.

SO A GOOD REASON FOR US TO HAVE BUILDING CODES.

SO I STARTED FIRST WITH THE PERMITTING SECTION.

SO OUR PERMIT TECHNICIANS, AS WE SEE HERE, ARE VERONICA LOPEZ AND ELSA RAMOS-IBARRA.

THE FUNCTIONS THAT THEY HAVE ARE REALLY THEY'RE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE, SO TO SPEAK OR THE FIRST FACE FOR THE CITY.

WHEN WE WERE OPEN, AND EVEN NOW WE'RE OPEN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, SO THEY DO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC.

THEY ANSWER A WHOLE LOT OF QUESTIONS REGARDING OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

THEY ISSUE THE BUILDING PERMITS.

THEY TAKE IN THE PLANS.

THEY ANSWER TO PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS.

THEY HAVE QUITE A BIT OF WORK GOING ON, AND SO AS OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, YES, WE'RE PRETTY BUSY, BUT WE DO TRY TO STAY ON TOP OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

SO AS I MENTIONED, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE SEE HERE THAT THEY'RE DOING HERE, GENERAL INFORMATION, PERMIT ISSUANCE, ALSO WORKING ON REPORTS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE UPDATED ON OUR SOFTWARE PROGRAMS AND SO FORTH.

IN CONJUNCTION WITH WORKING WITH I.T.

SO I MENTIONED THAT THEY ISSUE PERMITS.

SO WE WILL ISSUE PERMITS OVER THE COUNTER AT TIMES WHEN WE HAVE SMALLER PROJECTS SUCH AS BLOCK WALLS OR PATIO COVERS.

AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE STILL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC BY APPOINTMENT ONLY AND SO IT IS POSSIBLE TO COME IN AND WALK OUT WITH A PERMIT THAT SAME DAY AND SOMETIMES

[01:40:04]

WITHIN 15 OR 30 MINUTES.

PART OF THEIR JOB AGAIN, THE PERMIT TECHS, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE APPLICATIONS ARE COMPLETE, THAT THEY'RE ACCURATE.

THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO CALCULATE THE FEES FOR THE PERMITS, AND THE PLAN CHECKS AND SO FORTH.

QUITE A BIT OF WORK.

MOST OF WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, AS FAR AS PLAN REVIEW GOES, IS DONE THROUGH BLUEBEAM, AS LEILA HAD MENTIONED, AND THE OTHER PLANNERS, AND SO A LOT OF WORK INVOLVED IN THE WHOLE VIRTUAL OR DIGITAL ASPECT OF THE ONLINE PERMITTING AND ONLINE PLAN CHECK.

SO PREPARING PLANS AND PERMITS FOR ISSUANCE, CONTACTING THE APPLICANTS WITH SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS, A LOT OF WORK, AND I'LL GET MORE INTO THIS I GUESS AS WE GO ALONG.

LET ME BACK UP THERE.

SOY PART OF WHAT THEY DO THEN IS THEY'LL TAKE IN AUN AN APPLICATION FOR PLAN REVIEWS.

SO OUR PLAN REVIEWS ARE PRETTY INTENSIVE WE COVER SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLAN CHECKS.

WE HAVE PATIO COVERS, SWIMMING POOLS, ROOM ADDITIONS, HOUSES FROM THE GROUND UP, MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING, COMMERCIAL PROJECTS, TENANT IMPROVEMENTS, YOU NAME IT, HOTELS, QUITE A BIT OF INTERESTING PROJECTS TO LOOK AT.

THOSE THAT ARE ON OUR PLAN REVIEW STAFF ARE LUIS CERROS.

HE'S OUR PLAN CHECK SUPERVISOR.

HE'S BEEN WORKING WITH US FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 YEARS.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT SAL LUJAN.

HE IS OUR PLANS EXAMINER, BEEN WITH US QUITE A WHILE.

THEIR MAIN FOCUS IS TO REVIEW THOSE PLANS SO ONCE THOSE PLANS COME IN, THEIR GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT PLAN REVIEW PROCESS.

ROLDAN HAD MENTIONED PLAN CHECK TURNAROUND TIMES.

WE TRY TO GET THE SIMPLE PROJECTS OUT WITHIN ONE TO TWO WEEKS.

IF IT'S A LITTLE BIT -- A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX PROJECT, WE'LL FRY TO GET THAT OUT WITHIN TWO TO THREE WEEKS.

IF IT'S A LARGE-SCALE COMPLEX PROJECT, WE'RE LOOKING AT THREE TO FOUR WEEKS AND SOMETIMES A LITTLE LARGER DEPENDING ON THE COMPLEXITY AND THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT.

JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW, WE ALSO CONTRACT WITH A CONSULTANT, A PLAN CHECK CONSULTANT.

THEIR NAME IS RKA.

SO SOME OF THE LARGER PROJECTS WE WILL SEND OUT TO THAT CONSULTANT TO HELP US OUT SO THAT WE GET THOSE PLANS TO RUN IN A TIMELY FASHION.

SO I'M SURE THAT ALL HEARD THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PLANS BASED ON THE CALIFORNIA CODE, SO I MENTIONED THERE IN THE SLIDE THAT IT'S THE 2019 CALIFORNIA CODES.

THOSE CODES ENTAIL QUITE A BIT.

IN THE OLD DAYS THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT TO IT.

THESE DAYS THEY STRETCH.

THERE'S QUITE A FEW.

THERE'S THE ELECTRICAL CODE, THE MECHANICAL CODE, THE PLUMBING CODE, THE BUILDING CODE, THE RESIDENTIAL CODE, THE GREEN CODE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

IN ADDITION TO THAT WE HAVE TO REVIEW THE PLANS BASED ON OUR MUNICIPAL CODE, OUR ZONING CODE, AND THEN OTHER STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS SUCH AS THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THOSE PLANS COMPLY WITH.

JUST A LITTLE BIT DESCRIPTION THERE OF WHAT THEIR JOB ACTUALLY ENTAILS.

YOU CAN GO THROUGH THAT WHEN YOU LIKE.

I'M SURE THE POWERPOINT WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTERWARDS.

BUT BASICALLY THEY'RE DOING WHAT I JUST MENTIONED, GOING THROUGH THOSE PLANS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE PLANS COMPLY WITH THE LATEST CODES.

BY THE WAY, EACH OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS, EACH OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS ARE ALL CERTIFIED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL, SO OUR PERMIT TECHS ARE CERTIFIED PERMIT TECHNICIANS MEANING THEY HAVE STUDIED AND TAKEN AN EXAM TO PASS.

PLAN EXAMINERS THE SAME THING.

TAKEN THE PLAN REVIEW CERTIFICATION EXAM.

THEY PASSED THOSE.

OUR INSPECTORS, SAME THING.

AND MYSELF ALSO A CERTIFIED BUILDING OFFICIAL.

SO YOU KNOW THAT OUR CITY IS IN GOOD HANDS, I GUESS, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

SO GOING THROUGH WITH THE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS, OR CONTINUE CAN WITH THE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS, AS I MENTIONED, MOST OF WHAT WE'RE TAKING IN IS DONE DIGITALLY.

THERE'S ALWAYS GOOD THAT COMES OUT OF BAD, RIGHT? SO THE PANDEMIC HIT.

WE WERE ALWAYS LOOKING TO GO DIGITAL, ALWAYS LOOKING TO GET PLANS SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY.

THIS FORCED US TO DO IT.

SO WE WERE UP AND RUNNING FAIRLY QUICKLY WITH THE HELP OF I.T.

AND THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

AND SO THE PROCESS WORKS FAIRLY WELL.

AND IF YOU HEAR OTHERWISE, PLEASE LET ME AND ON WHEN & I'LL WORK ON TRYING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT EVEN BETTER.

THERE IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU BY ACTUALLY SUBMITTING A

[01:45:03]

PLAN MYSELF THAT IT DOES WORK PRETTY WELL.

SO THE PERMIT TECHS REVIEW THE PLANS.

WHEN THEY COME IN ELECTRONICALLY, THEY MAKE SURE THAT IT'S COMPLETE, THAT EVERYTHING IS THERE THAT WE NEED BECAUSE, AGAIN, AS YOU FOLKS HAVE SEEN, PLANS INCLUDE THE SITE PLAN, THE FOUNDATION PLAN, THE UNDERGROUND UTILITIES PLAN, THE FRAMING PLAN, THE ARCHITECTURAL ELEVATIONS, THE ROOF PLAN.

THERE'S A LOT OF PLANS.

SO THERE'S QUITE A BIT FOR US TO LOOK AT, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THAT INFORMATION IS THERE SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO A GOOD PLAN REVIEW.

PERMIT TECH INVITES.

SO WHEN THAT PERMIT TECH RECEIVES THOSE PLANS, THEY ARE GOING TO ROUTE THOSE PLANS ELECTRONICALLY TO THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR THEY'RE AVAILABLE.

SHE'LL NOTIFY THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS ENGINEERING, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, IWA THAT THE PLANS ARE THERE.

SHE INVITES THEM TO A PLAN CHECK SESSION THROUGH THE BLUEBEAM PROGRAM.

THE AND THE BLUEBEAM PROGRAM IS A WIDELY USED PROGRAM, PROBABLY.

MOST WIDELY USED IN THE NATION, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

SO THE PLAN REVIEW, A BIG PLUS.

WE'RE DOING IT CONCURRENTLY SO EVERYBODY CAN BE REVIEWING THE PLAN AT THE SAME TIME.

AND WE CAN BE MARKING UP THOSE DRAWINGS AND PROVIDING THE CUSTOMER WITH THE COMMENTS PRETTY EXPEDITIOUSLY.

THE PERMIT TECH LOGS THE INFORMATION INTO THE SYSTEM.

WE HAVE A SYSTEM CALLED HDL.

THAT'S OUR PERMITTING SYSTEM.

SO THEY'RE MAKING SURE THAT -- WELL, THAT THE COMMENTS GET IN THERE AND THAT THE COMMENTS GET BACK TO APPLICANT.

THE PLAN -- >> SORRY.

JACKIE GOT BUMPED OUT, SO WE WANTED TO KNOW IF WE COULD HANG ON A SECOND TO LET HER GET BACK INTO THE PRESENTATION.

>> SURE.

YOU BET.

>> SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

>> WOW.

>> YEAH.

>> I WANTED THIS TO BE A KNOCK-YOUR SOCKS OFF PRESENTATION.

I DIDN'T MEAN TO KNOCK HER OUT OF THE -- >> KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE CHAIR PRESENT.

OKAY? SORRY.

>> NO PROBLEM.

>> WE'LL GIVE HER A MINUTE UNTIL SHE GETS BACK ON.

>> ALL RIGHTY.

HOW LONG HAS SHE BEEN OFF?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I GOT A TEXT JUST A LITTLE BIT AGO, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE FELL OFF.

OR OUT.

>> FROM THE BEGINNING AT THE PLANNING DIVISION.

>> NO, NO, NO.

>> DOES ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION OR TWO AT THE MOMENT WHILE WE'RE WAITING? OR DO WE WANT TO WAIT FOR JACKIE?

>> NICCO, DO YOU WANT TO -- >> I'M BACK ON.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

>> YAY.

>> YES.

>> SORRY ABOUT THAT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

>> JACKIE, NO PROBLEM.

>> OKAY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO I WAS ON THIS SLIDE HERE.

PLAN REVIEW PROCESS.

I WAGS TALKING ABOUT OUR PROCESS IN RECEIVING THE PLANS DIGITALLY.

THEY COME IN THROUGH A PROGRAM CALLED BLUEBEAM.

THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT'S WIDELY USED THROUGHOUT THE NATION ACTUALLY.

PRETTY EASY TO USE.

IT'S A MARKUP TOOL THAT WE'RE ALL USING.

WE'RE ALL DOING CONCURRENT PLAN REVIEW, WHICH IS A BIG PLUS, SO WE'RE NOT CHECKING THE PLAN AND THEN PASSING IT TO THE NEXT PERSON OR THE NEXT TEAM AND HAVING THEM REVIEW IT.

IT'S ALL BEING DONE AT THE SAME TIME.

SO THE PERMIT TECH WILL MAKE SURE THAT ONCE ALL THE COMMENTS COME BACK, THEY'LL NOTIFY THE APPLICANT AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY HAVE COMMENTS AND THEY'LL EMAIL THEM BACK THE COMMENTS AND THE PLANS OR THEY'LL PUT IN A DROP BOX FOR THEM TO RETRIEVE THOSE PLANS AND COMMENTS.

HOW MANY TIMES DOES IT GO THROUGH THE PROCESS? WELL, IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW WELL A JOB THE PROFESSIONAL DOES.

IF THEY SUBMIT A GOOD SET OF PLANS, A COMPLETE SET OF PLANS, TIMES THEY MIGHT BE APPROVED THE FIRST GO-AROUND.

MORE LIKELY, THOUGH, IT'S GOING TO TAKE AT LEAST TWO PLAN CHECKS, SOMETIMES THREE.

THE EX SECOND AND THIRD PLAN CHECKS, NORMALLY WE LIKE TO CUT THE TIME IN HALF.

LET'S SAY IT'S A HOUSE, SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLING, AND IF WE TOOK THREE WEEKS TO REVIEW IT THE FIRST TIME, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE PROBABLY A WEEK AND A HALF THE SECOND TIME.

IF WE HAVE TO DO A THIRD REVIEW, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET IT OUT WITHIN THE WEEK.

MOST OF THE TIME, AND I'M SPEAKING WITH ALL HONESTY, MOST OF THE TIME THE APPLICANT IS THE ONE THAT'S DELAYING IN GETTING THE PLANS BACK TO US.

ON OUR END, THE BUILDING SAFETY SIDE AND DEVELOPMENT SIDE, I THINK WE DO A GOOD JOB OF STAYING ON TOP OF THESE PROJECTS AND GETTING THEM THROUGH FROSTS.

[01:50:03]

ONCE THE PLANS DO GET APPROVED, THEN THROUGH THE BLUEBEAM PROCESS WE DON'T HAVE TO HAND STAMP ALL THE DRAWINGS.

WE HIT A BATCH BUTTON AND IT STAMPS EVERY SHEET AND WE GET IT BACK TO THE PERMIT TECH.

THE PERMIT TECH CREATES THE PERMITS, FIGURES OUT THE FEES AND SO FORTH, AND WE HAVE A HAPPY CAMPER.

TYPICALLY.

SO ONCE THEY HAVE THEIR PERMIT IN HAND NOW, WE HAND THE PROJECT OFF TO THE BUILDING INSPECTORS.

SO JUST AN FYI FOR ALL OF YOU, NORMALLY IF A CONTRACTOR, HOMEOWNER, DEVELOPER WANTS AN INSPECTION TOMORROW, THEY NEED TO CALL US BY 3:00 P.M.

TODAY.

SO IT GIVES THEM PLENTY OF TIME TO CALL IN FOR THAT INSPECTION.

SO WE RESPOND WITHIN 24 HOURS UNLESS IT'S A HOLIDAY OR THE WEEKEND, BUT IF YOU CALL IN ON FRIDAY BEFORE 3:00, WE'LL BE THERE ON MONDAY MORNING OR SOME TIME MONDAY.

AND WE NORMALLY PROVIDE WINDOWS FOR THE CONTRACTORS AND ACTUALLY THE INSPECTORS HAVE THEIR CELL PHONES ON THE WEB, SO THE CONTRACTORS, HOMEOWNERS, BUILDINGS ARE CAN ACTUALLY CONTACT THEM IF THEY WANT TO AND GET A MORE DEFINITE TIME FOR THEIR ARRIVAL.

SO WE HAVE FOUR INSPECTORS RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE A SUPERVISING BUILDING INSPECTOR RUBEN FRANZ.

HE'S BEEN WITH US I THINK AROUND -- FOR YEARS.

PAUL WINKLER IS AN INSPECTOR 2.

ERICK BECERRIL AND THOMAS WILBERT.

ALL VERY SEASONED AND AGAIN ALL CERTIFIED COMBINATION INSPECTORS, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THEY'RE CERTIFIED IN ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL, PLUMBING AND BUILDING.

SO VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE GENTLEMEN.

SO THEIR MAIN AREA OF FOCUS, THEN, IS GOING TO BE TO INSPECT THE PROJECTS PER THE APPROVED PLANS.

NOW, THERE ARE TIMES THAT WE MIGHT OVERLOOK SOMETHING ON THE PLAN, SO THAT PLAN CHECK DOESN'T STOP WHEN IT LEAVES THE PLAN CHECK OFFICE.

THE INSPECTORS ARE STILL DOING PLAN CHECK OUT IN THE FIELD.

SO IF THEY COME ACROSS SOMETHING THAT'S LACKING ON THE PLAN OR SOMETHING THAT THERE WAS MAYBE AN ERROR, THEN THEY'RE MOST LIKELY GOING TO CALL IT OUT TO THE JOB SUPERINTENDENT.

SO AGAIN, ALL IN ALL TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECT COMPLIES WITH CALIFORNIA CODES, THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL CODES.

SO GOING BACK TO THE WHOLE PROCESS OR THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS, AS PREVIOUSLY NOTED, ONCE THE PLANS ARE APPROVED, THE PERMIT TECH CREATES THE PERMITS.

THE PERMITS, LET'S SAY IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE AGAIN BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DEAL WITH MOST THE LAST CALENDAR YEAR WE ISSUED CLOSE TO 400 HOUSES, SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLINGS, SO WE'RE DOING WELL.

WE'RE STILL ISSUING QUITE A FEW OR QUITE A BIT.

THAT PERMIT THAT THEY RECEIVE WILL INCLUDE THE ELECTRICAL, THE PLUMBING, THE MECHANICAL, AND SO FORTH.

SO IT'S ONE PERMIT THAT COVERS ALL THE DIFFERENT TRADES.

HOWEVER, NOW, LET'S JUST SAY WE WERE ISSUING A PERMIT FOR A COMMERCIAL BUILDING ON A COMMERCIAL SITE LIKE DUNN EDWARDS ON THE 111.

THEY'RE GOING TO GET A SEPARATE PERMIT FOR THEIR LIGHT STANDARDS OR THE LIGHT POLES.

THEY'RE GOING TO GET A SEPARATE PERMIT FOR THEIR FENCES AND THE WALLS, A SEPARATE PERMIT FOR TRASH ENCLOSURES AND SO FORTH, AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.

IT'S TRY TO KEEP THING IN ORDER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOGGING INSPECTIONS IN OFF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF STRUCTURES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.

TO ISSUE THE PERMITS, WE ONLY ISSUE PERMITS TO CALIFORNIA LICENSED CONTRACTORS.

THE PROPERTY OWNERS OR THEIR AGENTS.

SO IF SOMEBODY COMES IN AND WANTS TO PULL A PERMIT -- LET'S JUST SAY IT'S THE ARCHITECT.

WE WON'T ISSUE THE PERMIT TO THE ARCHITECT UNLESS THEY HAVE A LETTER FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER GRANTING THEM THE AUTHORITY TO PULL THE PERMIT AND TO ACT ON BEHALF OF THAT PROPERTY OWNER.

AND THESE ARE ALL FOLLOWING STATE LAWS, BY THE WAY.

AND JUST SPECIAL NOTES, WE PERMIT BUILDING AND SAFETY WILL NOT ISSUE ANY PERMITS UNTIL THE GRADING PERMITS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, WHICH MAKES SENSE FROM AN ENGINEERING FOR PUBLIC WORKS, AND ALSO THERE ARE SEPARATE PERMITS LIKE FIRE SPRINKLER PLANS, FIRE ALARM SYSTEM PLANS THAT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, SO WE'LL DEAL WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SEPARATELY ON THOSE TYPES OF PERMITS.

INSPECTION PROCESS.

SO WE'VE ISSUED THE PERMIT.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE CONTRACTOR, HOMEOWNER CALLS FOR THE INSPECTION, AND WE'RE GOING TO INSPECT A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE FOUNDATION, THE UNDERGROUND PLUMBING, THE UNDERGROUND ELECTRICAL, THE ROUGH FRAMING, THE ROUGH ELECTRICAL.

AND ROUGH MEANS THAT IT'S FRAMED UP AND YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THIS BEFORE THEY PUT

[01:55:06]

THE DRYWALL ON TOP OR OTHER COVERING ON THE FRAMING AND SO FORTH, ON THE CEILING.

ALL THE WAY UP TO THE POINT WHERE WHAT I LIKE TO SAY IS TURNKEY, HAND OVER THE KEYS TO THE NEW BUILDING OWNER, THEY GET THEIR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, AND THEY'VE GOT A NICE BRAND NEW BUILDING.

SO THAT CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, WE DON'T RELEASE THAT UNTIL EVERYBODY ELSE HAS APPROVED, SO FIRE HAS TO APPROVE IT, ENGINEERING, PUBLIC WORKS, IWA.

IN SOME CASES IF IT INVOLVES LIKE A RESTAURANT, THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS TO APPROVE IT.

SO ONCE WE GET EVERYBODY'S APPROVAL, THEN WE WILL GIVE THEM THEIR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.

AND WE ALSO VERIFY THAT ALL THE FEES HAVE BEEN PAID FIRST BEFORE WE RELEASE THAT COFO UNLESS THERE'S A SPECIAL AGREEMENT OR SOMETHING THAT WILL ALLOW US TO RELEASE THAT CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.

AND JUST AS AN FYI, AT SOME POINT WE WILL RELEASE THE GAS SO THEY CAN START TESTING SOME OF THEIR EQUIPMENT, AND SOMETIMES WE'LL RELEASE THE ELECTRICITY EARLY ALSO SO THAT THEY CAN DO THE SAME.

THEY NEED TO TEST THEIR KITCHEN EQUIPMENT IN THE CASE OF A RESTAURANT AND TEST THEIR ELECTRICAL AND SO FORTH AND GET THE SPRINKLERS GOING FOR THE LANDSCAPING.

SO WRAPPING IT UP 1 WE, AS I MENTIONED, ONCE THE PROJECT IS COMPLETED, WE WILL ARCHIVE THE PLANS AND THE PERMITS INTO LASERFICHE.

BY LAW OTHER THAN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WE'RE REQUIRED TO ARCHIVE THE PLANS FOR THE LIFE OF THE BUILDING.

HOWEVER, WE ARE SAVING THE PLANS FOR BASICALLY EVERY PROJECT THAT WE GET.

I THINK IT'S HELPFUL, AND WE CAN DO THAT.

WE HAVE THE SPACE TO DO THAT.

WE DON'T RELEASE PLANS JUST TO ANYBODY.

WE DO OFTEN, LIKE TODAY WE GOT A REQUEST EARLIER FOR PLANS FOR A HOUSE.

WE CAN'T RELEASE IT TO THAT HOMEOWNER WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE ARCHITECT.

IN THIS CASE IF THE OWNER IS REQUESTING THE PLANS FOR THE HOUSE THEY LIVE IN, THEN, YES, WE JUST NEED TO GET THE APPROVAL FROM THE OWNER.

BUT IF SOMEBODY WERE REQUESTING PLANS FOR SOME OTHER BUILDING THAT THEY DIDN'T OWN, THEN WE'D ALSO NEED THE APPROVAL FROM THE BUILDING OWNER.

WE DO RELEASE PLANS AND PERMITS TO THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.

THAT HAPPENS EVERY -- PERIODICALLY, NOT MORE THAN ONCE A MONTH, SO MAYBE IT'S EVERY COUPLE WEEKS, ONCE A MONTH, AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS ACTUALLY OF TRYING TO SIMPLIFY, ALSO, AS WE -- WE STILL GIVE THEM PAPER PLANS.

AND THEN MONTHLY WE DO RUN REPORTS.

WE WANT TO KNOW HOW WE'RE DOING, HOW MANY PERMITS HAVE WE ISSUED, WHAT KIND OF REVENUES ARE WE BRINGING IN, AND SO FORTH.

SO THAT'S THAT.

SO IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS, I'M AVAILABLE TO HOPEFULLY ANSWER THEM.

AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, BY THE WAY.

>> SO I GUESS I JUST HAVE A COMMENT, GIL.

LET ME MAKE SURE I'VE GOT THIS RIGHT.

IT SEEMS LIKE AT THE END DAY THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY WILL NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL THE BUILDING AND SAFETY DIVISION HAS BASICALLY DOUBLE-CHECKED THAT EVERY SINGLE REQUIREMENT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN DONE HAS BEEN DONE.

AM I GETTING THAT CORRECT?

>> NO, THAT IS CORRECT.

WOULDN'T IT TO MAKE SURE.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT SOMETIMES SOMETHING GETS OVERLOOKED, BUT FOR THE MOST PART WE'RE NOT GOING TO SIGN OFF ON THAT CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY UNLESS WE'VE GOT A RELEASE FROM FIRE, PLANNING, ENGINEERING, PUBLIC WORKS, AND WE ALSO WANT TO VERIFY WITH -- IF THERE'S ANY -- IF THERE ARE ANY FEES DUE.

SO IF THERE ARE, THEN WE'LL HOLD A PROJECT FOR THAT, ALSO, WHICH WE'VE DONE.

AGAIN, UNLESS THERE'S SOME KIND OF AN AGREEMENT THAT HAS BEEN MADE WITH THE CITY THAT SAYS, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DELAY THOSE FEES FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU CAN PAY THOSE FEES AT THIS CERTAIN TIME, WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE.

>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SECTION.

[02:00:03]

LEILA, DO WE HAVE -- PRESENTATION FROM BUILDING OFFICIAL ESTRADA WAS THE LAST PRESENTATION, SO IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR HIM, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SECTION, WHICH I BELIEVE IT IS COMMISSION ITEMS, DIRECTORS ITEMS.

DID WE LOSE -- >> YEAH, THERE ANYTHING ELSE WITH THE PRESENTATION? ONE THING TO ADD VERY QUICKLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO OFFER THAT THE CITY IS CALLED AT RISK CONCURRENT REVIEW, SO IF A PARTY SUBMITS THEIR ENTITLEMENT PACKAGE AND IT'S BEING PROCESSED THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WE DO ALLOW THEM TO SUBMIT THEIR BUILDING AND PLANS AT THE SAME TIME BUT THEY DO IT AT RISK WHICH BASICALLY MEANS IF YOU AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION DENY IT OR SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGE THE PROJECT AND IT IMPACTS THEIR PLANS, THEY HAVE TO UPDATE THOSE PLANS TO REFLECT THE DECISION MAKING OR, IF YOU DENY A PROJECT, THEN THEY DON'T GET TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR BUILDING AND ENGINEERING REVIEWS.

SOME FOLKS REALLY SEE VALUE IN THAT BECAUSE OF THE TIMING RATHER THAN DOING IT CHRONOLOGICALLY.

THEY WANT TO DO IT CONCURRENTLY BECAUSE THAT'S A TIME SAVER PARTICULARLY IF THEY'RE TRYING TO GET TO CONSTRUCTION FAST.

BUT AGAIN IT'S AT RISK AND THEY'RE ADVISED OF THAT UP FRONT, AND THE BUILDING AND ENGINEERING PLANS ARE NOT ISSUED UNTIL THE ENTITLEMENT PROCESS IS COMPLETE.

BUT IT IS A SERVICE WE OFFER HERE AT THE CITY.

SO CHAIR, DO YOU WANT US TO MOVE ON? WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> YES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

>> NO, THANK YOU FOR ASKING FOR THIS.

>> HOPEFULLY MY -- >> POOR JACKIE.

>> I KNOW, SHE'S HAVING TROUBLE.

CAN I REQUEST -- SORRY.

CAN WE REQUEST COPIES OF THE PRESENTATION? BECAUSE TO ME IT'S HARD TO REMEMBER ALL OF THE MOVING PIECES, AND SO I CAN GO BACK AND REFERENCE, SO JUST WHENEVER STAFF GETS A MINUTE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

>> I BELIEVE IT IS POSTED ONLINE SO WE CAN SEND THE COMMISSION THE LINKS.

>> PERFECT.

THAT'LL BE GREAT.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, LEILA.

>> ANY TIME.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU TO GIL, JUAN AND ROLDAN AND LEILA, NIKKI, GUS AND ROSIE.

THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR HARD WORK SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

STAFF ITEMS, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT TO REPORT, AT LEAST I DON'T.

[11. STAFF ITEMS]

LEILA MAY HAVE SOME ITEMS. BUT WE'RE CONTINUING OUR HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE.

WE'LL ASKED FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT OUR HOUSING UPDATE COMMUNITY SURVEY.

TO DATE WE'VE GOT ABOUT 140 RESPONSES, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT WE'D LOVE MORE.

SO PLEASE HELP US GET THE WORD OUT, PARTICULARLY TO OUR SPANISH-SPEAKING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR MORE FROM THOSE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

SO PLEASE, ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATED.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ZONING CODE UPDATE.

WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANT RIGHT NOW, AND I'LL LET LEILA TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE, BUT I THINK AS WE REPORTED LAST TIME, WE'VE PICKED UP ON THAT AND WE HAVE GOTTEN OVER A MAJOR KIND OF DISCUSSION ITEM.

SOMETHING THAT IS STARTING TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE LEGS AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT IT IS OUR HIGHWAY 111 CORRIDOR SPECIFIC PLAN.

THAT PROJECT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANT TEAM AS THEY'VE BEEN DOING BACKGROUND ANALYSIS AND DEVELOPING AN AWARENESS IN LARGE PART RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS REALLY -- WE HAVE A REAL ESTATE ECONOMIST WHO HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH ON MARKET CONDITIONS TO REALLY HELP US UNDERSTAND THE MARKET FORCES, BOTH CURRENT AND FUTURE, SO IN THE NEAR FUTURE I'LL BE ABLE TO REPORT MORE.

WE'RE GOING START GEARING UP.

WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A PRESENTATION, COMMUNITY PRESENTATION SCHEDULE, AND FOR ENGAGEMENT, AND SO I'LL BE ABLE TO THEIR A LITTLE BIT MORE PROBABLY IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS ON THAT.

AND WITH THAT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO LEILA -- IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR WHAT I SAID, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

OTHERWISE, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO LEILA.

>> MS. CHAIR, I HAVE A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE HOUSING SURVEY.

ARE WE MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE? I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME FOLKS WHO HAVE PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIERS AND ARE NOT ABLE TO LOG IN.

THIS IS THERE A PHYSICAL COPIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE EITHER THROUGH THE CITY OR HOW ARE WE TRYING TO BRIDGE THAT GAP?

>> IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

WE ARE UTILIZING THE SURVEY MONKEY SOFTWARE BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO USE ANALYTICS

[02:05:04]

OF THAT SOFTWARE, SO IT IS ONLINE ONLY.

IF FOLKS WANT TO DO THE SURVEY BUT ARE TECHNOLOGICALLY CHALLENGED.

IT'S HARD TO SAY AT 8:30 AT NIGHT.

PLEASE REFER THEM TO US AND WE WILL HELP THEM FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT BECAUSE, AGAIN, THE ADVANTAGE WE HAVE OF A SOFTWARE IS WE CAN ACTUALLY DOUGH ANALYTICS AND WE CAN ANALYZE THE DATA SO IT'S REALLY HELPFUL IN TO THAT REGARD.

>> SO THANK YOU, DIRECTOR SNYDER.

REGARDING THIS ZONING UPDATE, YES, WE HAVE NOW OUR BASIS FOR GOING FORWARD ON THE DESIGNATION AND ALSO, DENSITY AND ALSO ON THE SIGN STANDARDS AND SIGN CODE, SETBACKS, HEIGHTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO WE ARE MEETING SEPARATELY WITH OUR SUB CONSULTANTS ON THE SIGN SECTION AND ALSO ON THE CODE SECTION.

WE HAVE ACTUALLY MET WITH THE SIGN SECTION.

AND THEN THE NEXT ROUND WILL BE A DRAFT THAT CAN GO OUT AND SHARED WITH THE COMMISSION AND STAFF AND EVENTUALLY AT THE POINT THAT IT IS REASONABLE TO BE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC.

WHEN I SAID THAT THE TIME IS REASONABLE, MEANS WE ALL HAVE OUR COLLECTIVE COMMENTS THERE, SO IT COULD BE REVISED AND BE READY FOR THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW.

SO WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS AND WE PASSED THAT LITTLE HURLED THAT WE HAD OVER THE DENSITY, SO WE ARE CLEAR ON THAT NOW.

HOPEFULLY BY MAYBE AROUND THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER THERE WILL BE SOME TYPE OF DRAFT AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW.

THE OTHER NEWS THAT I HAVE IS OUR DEPUTY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER HAD WORKED WITH JFK, SO SINCE YESTERDAY AND TODAY THE CITY STAFF WERE ABLE TO GET VACCINATED FOR THE FIRST DOSE FOR COVID SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MY STAFF AND MYSELF ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THAT.

AGAIN, IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS HELPED US WITH OUR SAFETY.

WE ARE -- WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGHOUT COVID, SO THIS GIVES ME PEACE OF MIND.

THE OTHER THING IS LAST SATURDAY WAS IRANIAN NEW YEAR OR PERSIAN NEW YEAR, WHICH IS BEING CELEBRATED BY IRANIANS AND A LOT OF OTHER COUNTRIES AS TO WHICH WE CELEBRATE THE BEGINNING OF SPRING, AND EVERY YEAR HAPPENS TO HAPPEN AT A CERTAIN TIME DURING THE DAY.

THIS YEAR WAS 2:38 A.M., AND MY PARENTS GOT THEIR VACCINES, SO THEN I COULD VISIT THEM AFTER ALMOST A YEAR IN SAN DIEGO, AND MR. SNYDER AND MY TEAM WERE GENEROUS ENOUGH TO GIVE ME SOME DAYS OFF, AND IT WAS FUN, SO I WISH NEXT YEAR MAYBE WE CAN CELEBRATE HERE.

THE PERSIAN NEW YEAR, BUT HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY.

I HEAR HAPPY NEW YEAR WISHES FROM YOU THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS WELL.

SO HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL.

I WISH YOU A VERY GOOD, SAFE AND HEALTHY YEAR.

THIS YEAR IS THE COW YEAR, SO ON MY TABLE I HAD A LITTLE PLASTIC COW.

SO HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY.

>> HAPPY NEW YEAR, LEILA.

>> THANK YOU.

>> OKAY.

[12. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS]

SO WE HAVE COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS.

WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST?

>> CHAIR, I DO HAVE A COMMENT.

YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY I NEED TO ANNOUNCE TO THE COMMISSION AND STAFF THAT MY JOB AT THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, I'VE ACCEPTED A PROMOTIONAL POSITION.

I'LL BE THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES THERE, AND SERVING AS INTERIM DIRECTOR UNTIL THEY FIND A REPLACEMENT FOR THAT POSITION.

IT HAS BEEN MY PRIVILEGE, IT'S BEEN A JOY, MY HONOR TO SERVE FOR THE CITY OF INDIO AND TO WORK AND GET TO KNOW MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND CITY STAFF.

[02:10:03]

I KNOW STEPPING DOWN FROM THIS ROLE IS TOUGH.

I DON'T THINK THAT I WILL BE STEPPING AWAY FROM THE COMMUNITY AT ALL.

INDIO IS MY HOME.

MY FAMILY IS HERE.

MY BOYS ARE BEING RAISED HERE AND GOING TO SCHOOL.

AND I'LL CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WON'T BE SERVING AS A COMMISSIONER BEYOND TODAY'S MEETING.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, ZACH AND EVELYN, KEVIN ESPECIALLY, LEILA, ROSIE, GUSTAVO AND NIKKI WITH THE PLANNING STAFF.

I THINK THERE'S A GREAT TEAM HERE.

INDIO HAS A TON OF OPPORTUNITY, AND I HOPE STAFF AND THE COMMISSION AND EVERYONE ON THE CITY COUNCIL JUST CONTINUES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND WORK HARD.

KEVIN HAD MENTIONED EARLIER THAT STAFF IS DOING AN AMAZING JOB BASED ON THE CITY'S SIDES AND THE NUMBER OF RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE, AND I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.

I KNOW INDIO IS A PRIME AND IN A GREAT POSITION.

I WAS GOING TO SAY I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYBODY AGAIN ONCE WE HAVE A TAMALE FESTIVAL AND THE DATE FESTIVAL, BUT NOW I'M LOOKING FORWARD THAT PERSIAN NEW YEAR NEXT YEAR.

THANK YOU.

IT REALLY HAS BEEN AN HONOR, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, ERIC, AND IT WAS A GREAT HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU AS WELL AS A COMMISSIONER, AS A CHAIR, AND ALSO AS A FELLOW PLANNER, SO WE WISH YOU THE BEST.

WE MISS YOU.

THERE WERE NIGHTS THAT I WILL SAY IT OUT LOUD, THERE WERE NIGHTS THAT YOU DIRECTED OUR COLLECTIVE MINDS TO A RESOLUTION, SO THAT WILL BE MISSED, BUT CONGRATULATIONS.

WE ARE VERY HAPPY FOR YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND THANK YOU, EVERYONE WITH, FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND TOLERATING ME.

>> ERIC, I JUST WANT TO SAY WHAT AN HONOR IT IS TO WORK WITH YOU, AND THE LAST FOUR AND A HALF YEARS, I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU, AND I'M SAD BUT I'M VERY HAPPY.

PALM DESERT IS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.

AND I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE.

I KNOW YOUR DAD AND YOUR FAMILY, SO I E.

KNOW WHERE TO FIND YOU IF I NEED UP.

AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS, AND AGAIN IT'S BEEN SUCH AN HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU AND LEARN FROM YOU, SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YEAH, ERIC, I WANT TO SAY THE SAME THING.

I MEAN, IT'S HARD.

WE ALL COME FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES, BUT HAVING YOU AS PART OF THE TEAM REALLY I THINK MADE A DIFFERENCE IN ALLOWING UGS TO MAKE I THINK BETTER, STRONGER DECISIONS.

I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED NOW SINCE YOU WILL NOW BE A, JUST A CITIZEN, RESIDENT OF INDIO AND YOU CAN CALL IN AND MAKE ALL SORTS OF COMMENTS ON ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS, SO I EXPECT TO SEE YOU IN A COUPLE OF PUBLIC COMMENT AREAS HERE AND THERE, SO HOPEFULLY YOU WON'T ABANDON US COMPLETELY, BUT AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS AND, YEAH, WE HOPE TO SEE YOU OUT AND ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AGAIN SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD ON WHO KNOWS WHAT PROJECT.

BUT CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YEAH, ERIC, BEEN A PLEASURE FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP AND GUIDANCE, AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO PICK UP THE SLACK ON MAKING SURE ANY PROJECTS IN FRONT OF ME, I WILL ASK ABOUT PARAPET COVERAGE ON THE ROOFTOPS AND ANY, YOU KNOW, ANY ON.

-OUTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I'LL TRY AND PICK UP THAT SLACK FOR.

>> YOU SOUND GOOD.

WHEN YOU'RE READY WE NEED TO CHECK OUT THOSE LIGHTS AT THE INDIO COURSE THERE.

>> FOR SURE.

FOR SURE.

I COULD BE THERE IN TEN MINUTES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> IT'S BEEN AN HONOR.

WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO WORK TOO LONG TOGETHER, BUT IT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU, AND THERE'S A LOT OF LEARNING THAT I HAVE DONE IN THE FEW MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE JUST BY LISTENING TO THE INQUIRIES AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU BRING, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS PROMOTION, AND I'M SURE THAT, LIKE IT'S BEEN SAID, I'M SURE WE WILL STILL SEE MORE OF YOU.

I HOPE WE SEE MORE OF YOU.

AND I HOPE YOU STAY IN TOUCH.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF STILL LEARNING TO DO FOR ME.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU BROUGHT TOWER WONDERFUL CITY, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND LUCKY PALM DESERT.

AND I WANT TO ALSO THANK THE STAFF.

THESE REPORTS ARE SO VITAL FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME WHO IS JUST STARTING TO UNDERSTAND THE AMOUNT OF THE WORK THAT GOES IN, AND NOW I PROMISE YOU I CAN MORE THOROUGHLY UNDERSTAND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS PUT IN, AND I WAS APPRECIATIVE BEFORE OF ALL

[02:15:04]

OF YOUR REALLY, REALLY HARD WORK.

NOW EVEN MORE SO.

SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THOSE REPORTS TOGETHER AND HELPING US UNDERSTAND MORE IN-DEPTH OF THE ENTIRE PROCESS TO GET US WHERE WE NEED TO BE AS A CITY.

SO THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ CEJA.

SO YOU'RE THE ONLY CEJA NOW.

>> EXACTLY.

NOW YOU DON'T NEED TO SAY RODRIGUEZ.

AND WE'LL THINK OF ERIC.

>> OKAY.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING?

>> I'LL MOTION FOR AN ADJOURNMENT.

>> SECOND.

>> OKAY.

SO I GUESS ROLL CALL.

>> CHAIRPERSON LOPEZ.

>> YES.

>> VICE CHAIRPERSON YSIANO.

>> YES.

>> COMMISSIONER CEJA.

>> YES.

>> COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ CEJA.

>> YES.

>> AND COMMISSIONER FRANZ.

>> YES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

>> THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

GOOD NIGHT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.