June 14 Daily Briefing: Serena Park progress, HRC decision, Measure J’s future, and more

TGIF, everyone! As temperatures climb, many of us have our eyes to the sky. We’re not thinking about flying away. Instead, we’re looking at the Top of the Tram and hoping for relief from triple digits. Turns out, we’re not alone. During a presentation to the City Council last night, a spokesperson for the Tram offered some statistics: 563,727 people paid to ride up Mount San Jacinto last fiscal year. That includes 3,584 students who took part in education programs. It’s easy to see why people want to go 8,500 feet up from the valley floor — at 6 p.m., it was a pleasant 62 degrees at the top, while we were still in the 90s in the city. Want to head up to those cooler temps as often as you’d like? Consider a summer pass today.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Lonely Dancers” by Conan Gray

LEADING OFF

City Council greenlights amendment for languishing Serena Park development

Progress on the 386-unit Serena Park residential development, planned for the land formerly occupied by the Palm Springs Country Club golf course, is moving forward after the Palm Springs City Council voted to move ahead with an updated amendment on a development agreement.

Driving the news: The project, in the works since 2016, may soon be under control of a new owner. The current owner was declared in default by the city in 2022 and is seeking to sell the property to a prospective buyer, SunCal, who proposed a new development agreement. 

Details: The new agreement includes a total of $3.2 million in fees, an updated performance schedule with strict deadlines, a strict maintenance and security plan, and the promise to build a new park early on.

• Also in the new agreement is a commitment that the future owner will improve Golden Sands Road and install a sidewalk, as well as confirmation that the new owner would better communicate with neighbors.

Key issue: One of the biggest priorities for councilmembers was the adherence to the maintenance requirements. Specifically, they agreed with the Planning Commission that an initial clean-up of dead trees and trash be conducted within a month of the new owner acquiring the property.

What they’re saying: “The proof, obviously, is in the pudding. The first deliverable is going to be how quickly that property gets cleaned up,” said Councilmember Lisa Middleton. “We’ve been down this road before with new ownership coming in, and that can make all the difference.”

The big picture: Top of mind for many of the residents who made public comments during the meeting was the loss of open space the future development represented.

What happened: Councilmembers agreed to earmark the $3.2 million in development fees for acquisition of open land.

What’s next: Under the new agreement, the first milestone for SunCal, pending final sale completion, is to prepare lots for the first 80 homes and develop a new park by June 2025. The final phase of the project is scheduled for November 2027.

Dive deeper with our complete story here.

BRIEFLY

⚖️ Human Rights Commission will still meet, but focus narrowed for now

Fears that the Human Rights Commission (HRC) would be put on indefinite hiatus, or even dissolved, were assuaged during Thursday evening’s Palm Springs City Council meeting when steps were taken to reform the commission without placing it on hold.

• Councilmembers voted to allow the commission to continue meeting, but for now there will be no new appointees and no new business. The move was made in order to allow commission members time to narrow down the scope, process, and goals of the commission going forward.
  
  
• That process will be facilitated with the current commissioners, city staff, and a City Council ad hoc subcommittee to be appointed by the mayor.
  
  
• Councilmember Lisa Middleton said the decision is not a punitive one, “It’s an opportunity for a conversation between the HRC and City Council that is long overdue.”

At issue: The move follows a Feb. 13 story by The Post detailing what allegedly happened behind closed doors when some members of the HRC elected to rescind a Community Service Award that the entire commission had earlier approved awarding, a possible violation of state open public meetings rules.

💰 Voters could again decide Measure J’s future

A tiny tax that’s paid bigger-than-expected dividends could become permanent if voters get their say in the fall. But first, the Palm Spring City Council must decide whether to place it on a ballot.

• Touting the success of the tax first approved by voters in 2011 – and set to expire in 2036 — Palm Springs Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein asked city staff on Thursday to place discussion of removing the tax’s end date on the council’s next agenda.
  
  
• Measure J adds a one-cent sales tax to all retail purchases in Palm Springs, from tangible goods like clothing and electronics to transactions in restaurants and hotels. So far, it has helped pay for paving 150 miles of streets, as well as community projects such as a new kitchen at Mizell Center, playgrounds, and the revitalization of downtown.
  
  
• While the city had expected to collect between $6 million and $8 million annually through the tax, it’s actually seeing roughly $20 million come in.

Bottom line: If the council elects to move forward with trying to make the tax permanent, voters would get the final say in November.

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YOUR WEEKEND

ALL WEEKEND

• Palm Springs Power Baseball today and Saturday at the Palm Springs Stadium.
  
  
• “Snow White: Theatre for Young Audiences” on Saturday and Sunday at the Coachella Valley Repertory.

TODAY

• “Music Space Odyssey: An Immersive Big Screen Concert Experience” at the Palm Springs Cultural Center at 6 p.m.
  
  
• “Serial Mom” movie screening at the Palm Springs Cultural Center at 7 p.m.
  
  
• Country Western Dancing at Dance Ranch Palm Springs at 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY

• Indoor Farmers’ Market at the Palm Springs Pavilion at 8 a.m.
  
  
• Friends of the Palm Springs Library Book Sale in the JC Frey Building at the Palm Springs Library at 10 a.m.
  
  
• Juneteenth Celebration at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center at 5 p.m.
  
  
• Dusty Strings Collectiveperformance and open mic at the Palm Springs Cultural Center at 5:30 p.m.

SUNDAY

• Family+ crafts at the Palm Springs Art Museum at 12 p.m.
  
  
• Sunday Jams at Melvyn’s at 3:30 p.m.
  
  
• Tony Awards Viewing Party at Quadz at 5 p.m.

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AND FINALLY …

This weekend, the entire community is invited to celebrate of Juneteenth.

Driving the news: Hosted by the Palm Springs Black History Committee, the annual Juneteenth celebration will feature live entertainment, free food, free camel rides, and more. 

• Of note: Community leaders from Palm Springs and other Coachella Valley cities plan to attend and take part in the celebration. 

In context: Though the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect in 1863, that was only in states not under Confederate Control. But on June 19, 1865, 2,000 Union troops arrived in Texas to announce that all 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free.

Why it matters: Juneteenth, observed an official federal holiday on June 19, serves as an Independence Day for African Americans.

Details: The event on Saturday starts at 5 p.m. and will run until 9 p.m. at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center.

• More information can be found here.