March 15 Daily Briefing: Next steps for former campus site, tribal chairman recognized by state organization, and more

Happy Friday, everyone, where we have good news for those concerned about falling palm tree skirts in Downtown Palm Springs. We reported earlier this month that in the latest incident involving falling fronds a mom and her baby suffered minor injuries. At last night’s City Council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Ron deHarte asked that a 15-year-old city decision to not trim the palm fronds on many trees downtown — leading to skirts that sometimes come crashing down —be revisited at a future meeting. City staff will now study the issue and deliver a report that the Council can use when and if it chooses to deliberate.   

🎶 Setting the mood: “Classical” by Vampire Weekend

LEADING OFF

Council initiates revamp of plan outlining uses for former COD campus site

The Palm Springs City Council on Thursday approved the first step in reimagining the original site of the College of the Desert West Valley campus.

Driving the news: During Thursday evening’s regular meeting, councilmembers voted to approve a $247,000 contract with consultants to rename and conduct a comprehensive update of the College Park Specific Plan. 

How we got here: The city originally purchased the 116-acre parcel of land off Tramview Road and Indian Canyon Drive from the Department of the Interior for $2.1 million, then donated it to COD in 2010 for the construction of the West Valley Campus.

Plans changed: With COD building the campus at the new location at the corner of South Farrell Drive and East Baristo Road, the city offered to buy the land back from COD for $5.7 million, the same amount offered to COD by a developer that hopes to build 850 units of housing.

The sticking point: Under the current specific plan, the land is zoned for educational purposes and the surrounding area was zoned with the assumption that a college would be at the heart of the neighborhood.

What that means: The consultants will conduct an update of the specific plan, which will outline new zoning, development standards, design guidelines, and circulation goals including promoting transit, cycling, and pedestrian access.

Why it matters: Planning Director Chris Hadwin told councilmembers the update is necessary to develop the area into the future, “How can we remove barriers and attract the right type of housing, jobs, and services to serve that community now and into the future.”

What to watch for: The project will take about a year, at the end of which, the team will report back to the Planning Commission and City Council for approval to change the specific plan.

Dive deeper with our complete story here.

BRIEFLY

 🚧 Extension granted for downtown mixed-use condo project

A plan for a mixed-use residential project in the heart of downtown Palm Springs has been given a six-year extension from the Palm Springs City Council, allowing the developer to retain its entitlements and approvals. 

• The project at the northeast corner of Belardo Road and Museum Way would include a six-story building with 45 residential condominium units and retail space. The site was formerly destined to contain a hotel and currently contains concrete blocks where graffiti artists practice their craft.  
  
  
• The project has been in limbo because the developer, Grit Development, has been ensnared in a legal dispute with the State Department of Industrial Relations (DIR).
  
  
• On Thursday evening, the Council approved an agreement related that would extend the project’s current entitlements and approvals, which the developer said have cost them about $2 million, through July 31, 2030. 
  
  
• Bottom line: The developer argues, and city staff agrees, that six years is a fair extension, considering the possibility of multiple appeals or settlement negotiations.

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YOUR WEEKEND

ALL WEEKEND

“The Woman in the Mirror”
Friday – Sunday | Revolution Stage Company
This dark, uplifting comedy is adapted from Dayna Steele’s best-selling book, “Surviving Alzheimer’s with Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine.” ($25)

“Mid-Century Moderns”
Friday & Sunday | Revolution Stage Company
Catch this homegrown musical comedy this weekend at Revolution Stage Company. ($45)

“The Wizard of Oz”
Friday – Sunday | Palm Springs High School
The Palm Springs High School Theatre Company will be performing the play version of “The Wizard of Oz.” This story follows the book more closely than the familiar 1939 film we have all grown up watching. ($10)

“Sweeney Todd”
Friday – Sunday | Palm Canyon Theatre
An unjustly exiled barber returns to nineteenth-century London, seeking revenge against the judge who framed him. ($38)

“Ellie”
Friday – Sunday | Desert Ensemble Theatre
A play about crime, punishment, and how men kill the thing they love, centering on two older men who are grieving the death of one of their wives. ($38)

Palm Springs Chalk Art Festival
Saturday & Sunday | Palm Springs Art Museum
The Palm Springs Sunup Rotary Club presents the 12th Annual Palm Springs Chalk Art Festival in Downtown Palm Springs. Professional artists from across Southern California and students from the Palm Springs Unified School District and other valley districts compete for cash prizes and student honor awards.

TODAY

Friends of the Palm Springs Library Book Club
1 p.m. | Public Library
This month, the book club is discussing “Demon Copperhead,” by Barbara Kingsolver. The book won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Women’s Prize for Fiction. The story, taking inspiration from Charles Dickens’ “David Copperfield,” follows a boy born to a single mother in Appalachia. 

Mismatch Game
7 p.m. | Oscar’s 
The long-running LA comedy hit is coming to the desert for a night of R-rated game show insanity. With guest stars Danny Casillas, Marc Samuel, Jackie Beat, Nadya Ginsburg, Patrick Bristow and Tom Lenk. Hosted by Dennis Hensley. ($40)

SATURDAY

Certified Farmers’ Market
8 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Palm Springs Cultural Center
The farmers’ market is open for business on Saturday with local farmers and vendors offering fresh agri­cul­tural and related products.

Tahquitz Creek Clean-up
8 a.m. | Tahquitz Creek
Meet other volunteers at the south end of the footbridge on South Riverside Drive at Camino Real, and come prepared with good shoes and gardening gloves if you have them. Trash bags, water, and disposable gloves are provided. At 9 a.m. the organization holds its annual thank you brunch.

Richard M. Milanovich Legacy Hike and 5K Run
9:30 a.m. | Indian Canyons
The event, in partnership with the UCLA Native Nations Law & Policy Center, consists of several runs and hikes throughout different trails. ($32)

SUNDAY

Family+ Day
12 p.m. | Palm Springs Art Museum
At this free event, which happens on the third Sunday of every month, the museum is transformed into a creative hub where artists, makers, and musicians come together to offer a variety of exciting activities and workshops for kids, teens, and families.

Screwball Sundays: “The Awful Truth”
3 p.m. | Palm Springs Cultural Center
In addition to a screening of the 1937 film “The Awful Truth,” starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, there will also be a live introduction, Q&A, and more. ($12)

SAVE THE DATE

• District 1 community meeting on March 20 at Demuth Community Center.
  
  
• ONE-PS Picnic and Community Expo on March 23 at Ruth Hardy Park.
  
  
• Coachella Valley Classical Voices on March 24 at United Methodist Church.
  
  
• AIDS Diva: The Legend of Connie Norman on March 27 at the Mizell Center.
  
  
• Broadway and Beyond: Interview With Kevin Chamberlain on March 29 at the Mizell Center.
  
  
• Palm Springs Fire Foundation Easter Egg Hunt on March 30 at Ruth Hardy Park.

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AND FINALLY …

Visit California honored the state’s tourism sector’s standout achievements in creativity and sustainability during the biennial Poppy Awards. At the event in Rancho Mirage on Tuesday, the chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians received a prestigious award.

Driving the news: The California Dreamer Award was bestowed upon Chairman Reid D. Milanovich of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians for embodying the state’s pioneering spirit through significant contributions to the region’s culture and visitor experiences.

What they’re saying: “To be here accepting an award for our tribe, for sharing our culture, is something I would have never imagined. It’s such an honor,” said Chairman Milanovich. “We’re looking forward to bringing more and more people here to the Coachella Valley, specifically to the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation.”

The big picture: “The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians have been the stewards of this beautiful place since time immemorial,” Beteta said. “Recent developments to the community, including the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza and Museum and Spa at Séc-he, have redefined the visitor experience for travelers to this region, sharing the incredible history and modern-day culture of the tribe. It truly is the crown jewel of California’s native experiences.”