Envision Palm Desert —> Forward Together, 2013-2033 Strategic Plan

In 2013, more than 100 Palm Desert citizens met over several months to develop a community vision and to plan action steps to achieve it. Representing a diverse cross section of the community, the participants developed a vision that recognizes the critical role that Palm Desert plays in the Coachella Valley, its exceptional quality of life, commitment to sustainability and importance as a generator of jobs and economic activity. It envisions a new energy and excitement in a year-round destination with world-class institutions and events, a vibrant city that is attractive to innovative employers because of its educational excellence, cultural richness, civic engagement and community passion.

The plan is made up of nine Strategic Results Areas ranging from arts and culture to transporta-tion. Each sets out mini-visions, priorities, strategies, action plans, and measures of success.

Below are highlights from all nine.

Arts & Culture: The plan envisions Palm Desert as the cultural core of the Coachella Valley. Priorities are to assess the current arts and cultural landscape, explore the viability of creating an arts and culture district, and develop secure and sustainable funding for arts and culture.

Economic Development: The vision builds on Palm Desert’s strengths in business, education, arts, and tourism to provide an inviting economic climate offering lifestyle, education, and investment opportunities. Priorities are to increase job and business opportunities, expand quality education to ensure that residents are prepared to serve in a workforce of the future, to create and attract entertainment and events that grow the economy and improve the quality of life, and enhance and raise awareness of business-friendly services to retain and attract business.

Education: The plan envisions an education destination offering world-class programs providing lifelong learning opportunities and an engaged and informed community. Priorities are to create and support a community-based education coalition that will focus on graduation rates, attract and retain students of all ages by providing outstanding academic and cultural programs, and create community awareness of, and support for, the building blocks of student and career success.

Energy & Sustainability: The vision is to be a responsible steward of the city’s natural resources. Priorities are to reduce per-capita consumption of energy and water, promote greater use of sustainable materials with an eye upon the needs of future generations, encourage all new construction to be net zero energy in design and exceed the Coachella Valley Water District’s efficiency standards, and encourage property owners to reduce energy and water consumption.

Envision Palm Desert Steering Committee

• Dr. William “Bill” Kroonen – Co-Chair, Retired Educator & Council Member
• Raymond “ Ray” Rodriguez – Co-Chair, Business Owner, Parks and Recreation Commissioner
• Barbara deBoom, President and CEO, Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce
• Joe Dikdan, Retired Sales Manager
• Mitch Gershenfeld, President and CEO, McCallum Theatre
• Mark Greenwood, Director of Public Works, City of Palm Desert
• Jan Harnik, Mayor and Council Member, City of Palm Desert
• Cory Hutchinson, Member, Palm Desert Youth Committee Student, Palm Desert High School
• Sabby Jonathan, CPA - Jonathan and Associates
• Dr. Joel Kinnamon, President, College of the Desert
• Ricardo Loretta, Rotary President
• Tom Noble, Developer, Noble & Company LLC
• Peter Rittenhouse, Consultant, Senior Issues
• Natalie Russo, Senior Vice President, FirstBank Housing Commissioner
• Judy Vossler, Senior Vice President of Administration, Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Josie Ygnatowiz, Member, Palm Desert Youth Committee Student, Palm Desert High School
• John M. Wohlmuth, City Manager, City of Palm Desert
• David Hermann, Public Information Officer, City of Palm Desert
• Bev Perry, Lead Facilitator Gloria Rubio-Cortés, Facilitator Bill Schechter, Facilitator
• Mike McGrath, Report Writer/Editor Sarah Lipscomb, Report Writer/Editor

Following a January 2013 Study Session, the Palm Desert City Council approved an agreement in February 2013 with the National Civic League for facilitation and preparation of a new City of Palm Desert Strategic Plan. The National Civic League is a national good-government and civic engagement nonpartisan nonprofit founded in 1894.

The strategic plan process involved three phases: initiation, stakeholder planning, and imple-mentation. This document represents completion of the first two phases. Keys to success included broad based community participation throughout the project and a focus on specific and implementable recommendations.

The Steering Committee, formed in early 2013, planned and participated in the year-long process. In response to a call for stakeholders (posted on the city’s website, in the City's BrightSide newsletter and through mailed invitations), more than 130 individuals representing the city’s diversity of skills, experiences, and opinions met from May to December 2013.

Together the stakeholders developed an overall community vision. In their Strategic Results Areas task forces, the community stakeholders developed mini-visions, priorities, strategies, action steps, and measures of success. City staff assisted the stakeholders throughout the process.

This strategic plan will be presented to the community and the City Council of Palm Desert in 2014. Implementation will be the next step. Going forward, the Strategic Plan will serve as a mechanism to align community goals with the budget on an annual basis. City staff recommended to City Council that the strategic plan process precede completion of an amended General Plan as that process should be informed by objectives articulated in the Strategic Plan.

Envision Palm Desert is the city’s fourth strategic plan. The first plan, drafted in 1983, was known as the “Palm Desert 2000 Strategic Plan” and included goals such as the purchase of parcels for the Palm Desert Civic Center/Civic Center Park and Desert Willow Golf Resort as well as more than $23 million in flood control improvements. The second, initiated in 1994 after almost all of the 2000 Plan’s goals had been attained, outlined objectives including the creation of a city charter and placement of a charter city referendum on the ballot. The third plan was completed in 2008 as a result of a City Council strategic planning retreat and included goals such as completion of a community pool/aquatic center and gaining recognition for Palm Desert as a leader in energy efficiency.

Cultural amenities and the arts play an important role in the life of any community. This is especially true in Palm Desert. With its large retirement community and reliance on tourism as a major source of jobs and economic vitality, Palm Desert benefits in important ways by having a thriving arts scene with world-class cultural attractions, not to mention the educational opportunities for area youth from local institutions such as the McCallum Theatre, The Living Desert and the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert. When you add to that list the approximately two dozen commercial art galleries in the El Paseo shopping district alone, it is clear that Palm Desert has become a cultural center for the entire Coachella Valley.

To preserve and maximize benefits from these invaluable community assets, it will be important to address a number of challenges. These include helping the public to recognize and appreciate the critical role of arts and culture in sustaining our community. Another challenge is finding new sources of funding for the arts as an older generation of philanthropic families and foundations fades from the local scene. A first step identified by the task force would be to assess the local cultural landscape and its value to the community. Following that, the next step would be the possibility of creating a more formal mechanism for recognizing and identifying the importance of the cultural sector. Finally, the group identified the need to develop new and more sustainable sources of funding for arts and culture.

Arts & Culture Mini-Vision

Arts and culture give a community its soul. Palm Desert is the cultural core of the Coachella Valley. Cultural tourism drives economic growth in Palm Desert. The community is host to inter-nationally recognized cultural events that bring significant economic benefits to the city. Palm Desert is a leader in arts education, ensuring a well-rounded population that possesses high levels of creativity and critical thinking skills.

Arts & Culture Priorities

Priority 1: Assess the current arts and cultural landscape.

Rationale: Understand the scope of the current arts and culture community and its social and economic impact. We can’t understand where we are going until we know where we are.

Strategy: Engage/hire an organization such as Americans for the Arts to do a community economic impact study.

Action Steps:

• Assess the current cultural landscape of Palm Desert.
  • Parties Involved: City staff in concert with staff from Americans for the Arts or similar organizations (lead), local arts/culture community, Art in Public Places Commission, any organization that engages with the arts, art consumers
  • Timeline: One year
  • Resource Options: Public funding, foundations, private philanthropy
• Conduct economic impact study.
  • Parties Involved: Americans for the Arts or similar organization (lead), city staff, local arts/culture community, Art in Public Places Commission, any organization that engages with the arts, art consumers
  • Timeline: One year
  • Resource Options: Public funding, foundations, private philanthropy

    Measures of Success:

• A full understanding of the arts and culture sector, specifically demographic and economic impact and a quantification of the sector.
• Having a completed assessment to distribute to stakeholders.

Priority 2: Explore the viability of creating and designating a Palm Desert arts and cultural district, whether it be geographic or economic.

Rationale: An economic impact study may show that an arts and cultural district is a powerful economic engine that brings attention to the city.

Strategy: Gain support for the district from City Council, the business community, the community at large, and arts and cultural stakeholders.

Action Steps:

• Present evidence of how arts and cultural districts affect cities.
  • Parties Involved: City staff (lead), Western States Arts Foundation (WESTAF), Americans for the Arts, National Assembly of Arts Agencies, California Arts Council, arts councils, National Endowment for the Arts - Our Town grant
  • Timeline: One to two years
  • Resource Options: City staff to present to City Council
• Create an arts and culture map.
  • Parties Involved: City staff (lead), Art in Public Places (AIPP) Commission (AIPP), Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
  • Timeline: Two years
  • Resource Options: Funding is needed. Secure funds from the city or a grant for city staff and/or a consultant
• Define what kind of district it will be, i.e. funding, marketing, etc.
  • Parties Involved: City staff (lead), form a task force composed of representa-tives from the art institutions, AIPP Commission member, City Council members
  • Timeline: Two and one-half years
  • Resource Options: Government or foundation grants
• Publicize that an evaluation is being done.
  • Parties Involved: City marketing department & public art department
  • Timeline: Two and one-half years
  • Resource Options: City staff time

    Measure of Success:

• The City Council embraces the creation of the district. There is a greater understanding of art and culture by the business community and arts and cultural stakeholders for the district.
• Support from 80 percent of the Palm Desert arts and culture organizations, as illustrated by participation through letters, emails and support at City Council meetings, etc.

With a 2013 population of 49,949, Palm Desert is the third largest city in the Coachella Valley. During the 2007-2009 recession Palm Desert remained financially stable and maintained a superior credit rating. Median income, per capita income, and average household income were all significantly higher than in the rest of the Coachella Valley.1 The city has been able to maintain high revenues from tourism and has maximized economic opportunities, such as revitalizing the Westfield mall. Palm Desert’s key industries include hospitality and tourism, service support, and retail trade. This strategic plan aims to continue fostering and improving those key industries to ensure continued economic success. Attracting qualified new businesses while retaining and supporting existing businesses is a priority.

Palm Desert aims to improve on its economic success by emphasizing collaboration between the business

community and local educational institutions to assure a trained workforce to meet future needs and increase the number of high-paying local jobs. Another priority is the creation of a city center, a concept also cited by other taskforce groups. A dedicated city center will attract visitors and residents to a central locale for shopping, dining, and events while fostering a climate of social interaction. Also, a city center will help expand nightlife options, especially important as the city works to attract and retain youth.

The task force identified maintaining and strengthening the city’s business-friendly environment as another priority. Local government is viewed as very responsive to business needs; this taskforce recommends building on that good relationship by streamlining processes and creating centralized resources for business. Energy efficiency and sustainability are very important to the Palm Desert community and its economic development, though some businesses may view this as a barrier. Palm Desert sees an opportunity to attract “clean energy” businesses and provide energy tourism opportunities by becoming a model for sustainability.

Finally, the seasonality of work in Palm Desert is the greatest challenge facing the city when it comes to economic development, a priority this group hopes to address in collaboration with other taskforces through creating attractive events for the summer months.

1 Husing, J. E. (2012). City of Palm Desert 2012 Annual Economic Report. Palm Desert: Coachella Valley Economic Partnership.

Economic Development Mini-Vision

Palm Desert is a diverse business community that utilizes its readily accessible and high quality education, retail, medical, arts & culture and tourism industries to provide an inviting climate which offers lifestyle, education and investment opportunities.

Economic Development Priorities

Priority 1: Expand job and business creation opportunities.

Rationale: Without jobs we have no economic growth. Expanded opportunities make Palm Desert an attractive relocation destination and provide a direct way to fill jobs and attract better/larger companies which will in turn help/enrich our residents. Job opportunities are a magnet for attracting residents, and bring increased revenues to the city while enhancing the overall quality of life.

Strategy: The City of Palm Desert will develop a plan to gather information on how to fill gaps in jobs, seasonality and industry, identify higher paying jobs and increase already strong businesses.

Action Steps:

• Inventory existing jobs to find what current categories exist, what gaps to fill and the best categories for high-paying jobs.
  • Parties Involved: Economic Development Department city staff (lead), business licenses, public records
  • Timeline: Within first year and periodically when Palm Desert’s Economic Strategic Plan is revised
  • Resource Options: City staff, funding for analysis, General Fund
• Develop a plan to encourage businesses to relocate to Palm Desert to bridge the gap between June and September with year-round residents and jobs.
  • Parties Involved: Economic Development Department city staff (lead),

• Timeline: Two years
• Resource Options: City staff & marketing, General Fund

• Attract businesses that generate additional revenue for city programs. (Transient Occupancy Tax [TOT] and retail sales tax.)
  • Parties Involved: Economic Development Department city staff (lead), local/national brokers, developers, Industry leaders - hotels, retail, restaurants
  • Timeline: immediately and ongoing
  • Resource Options: City staff, marketing
• Revitalize Highway 111. Look at the possibility of creating a “City Center” atmosphere.
  • Parties Involved: Development community (lead), Planning Department city staff
  • Timeline: Five to 10 years
  • Resource Options: Façade enhancement, General Fund

    Measures of Success:

• Create a spreadsheet of inventory and monitor growth in chosen categories.
• Increase of two to three percent sales and TOT growth each year over the next 10 years.

  Priority 2: Expand quality education so that people are prepared for the workplace of the future.

  Rationale: To educate a workforce that will attract businesses.

  Strategy: Palm Desert will focus on expanding educational opportunities based on the needs of the business community and growth opportunities in the economic environment.

  Action Steps:

• Develop incubators for medical and agriculture industries.
  • Parties Involved: CVEP (lead), farmers, medical community, Economic Development Development city staff and universities
  • Timeline: 24 months
  • Resource Options: State and federal grants
• Partner with two-year schools and workforce development groups – focus on key industries like energy and medical, interior design/décor.
  • Parties Involved: College of the Desert (lead), partnerships, workforce development centers

• Timeline: Five years
• Resource Options: Business community, state and federal grants, Community Development Block Grants

• Partner with four-year schools to focus on key industries like business, medical, and research specifically related to agriculture.
  • Parties Involved: Universities (lead), Coachella Valley Economic Partnerships, and key industry leaders
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: business community, state and federal grants, Community Development Block Grants
• Develop plan to increase college enrollment, completion rates and opportunities that will keep our local students here after graduation.
  • Parties Involved: Coachella Valley Economic Partnership/workforce development (lead), Business community, College of the Desert, universities
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: Business community, Clinton Foundation, Berger Foundation, federal and state grants

    Measures of Success:

• The expansion of university campuses over the next 20 years.
• Increased school enrollments in key industries.

  Priority 3: Create and attract entertainment and events to enhance and expand the Palm Desert economy and lifestyle.

  Rationale: Enhances existing businesses which attracts tourists. Those tourists spend money which then employs people and increases the quality of life in Palm Desert.

  Strategy: Palm Desert will take an aggressive approach to creating events and entertainment choices through partnerships with hotels, retailers, and existing venues.

  Action Steps:

• Create a task force/committee to bridge the summer gap and market to families and youth by identifying other attractions in addition to golf, exploring nighttime and youth-oriented activities, creating a monthly signature event during the spring and summer seasons, and assisting hotels in attracting conventions and tourist groups (possibly through installing a waterpark).
  • Parties Involved: Economic Development Department city staff (lead), Hotel Committee, Marketing Committee, Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau (GPSCVB), chamber of commerce
  • Timeline: Form group immediately to work on programs and projects over the next five years.

• Resource Options: Dedicate a portion of TOT to special events

• Explore the possibility of creating a venue. Determine whether underground parking will be needed for events.
  • Parties Involved: Economic Development Department city staff (lead), Planning, Building & Safety, and Public Works Departments
  • Timeline: One year
  • Resource Options: City staff and possible design, additional construction funding, General Fund
• Make event permit fees competitive with other cities.
  • Parties Involved: Planning Department city staff
  • Timeline: Six months
  • Resource Options: City staff and then the cost of reduction in fees

    Measures of Success:

• Hotel occupancy increases.
• A cost benefit analysis template for review of events by committees and City Council is created.

  Priority 4: Expand and raise awareness of business-friendly services in order to retain and attract business.

  Rationale: Being business-friendly is vital for retaining and expanding existing business and attracting new business. It helps with branding and reputation. It is a balance between what we want (i.e. having energy efficiency or low density) and what creates a barrier to doing business.

  Strategy: Reaffirm Palm Desert’s business-friendly climate and promote it aggressively. Staff will support businesses with resources and flexible processes.

  Action Steps:

• Develop a five-point creed focused on supporting business and economic vitality that all departments in city hall embrace.
  • Parties Involved: City Council, city manager and staff (lead), Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce
  • Timeline: 12 months
  • Resource Options: City staff
• Streamline permit process. Palm Desert's Building & Safety Department will review the city's permit processing for comparisons with other California cities.
  • Parties Involved: Planning, Building & Safety, and Public Works Departments (leads)

Palm Desert ranks in the top 20 percent of California communities when it comes to math and English test scores.2 The Desert Sands Unified School District has the top high school exit testing scores of the three Coachella Valley districts3. At the same time, it must be recognized that California as a whole ranks lower than most states in educational performance, and despite its relatively good performance, Palm Desert faces a number of difficult educational challenges.

The city is home to a full range of traditional educational

opportunities including three elementary schools, one charter elementary school, one charter middle school, one high school, 13 private schools, and four post-secondary options. There are also local vocational learning opportunities, which Palm Desert hopes to expand in order to attract more businesses that require a highly skilled and educated workforce. In-school learning is critically important, but the education task force also recognizes the importance of broadening the definition of education to include the whole community. Residents of all ages have access to learning programs offered by the local fine arts theater, museum, zoo, and community centers.

Community partnerships are invaluable in furthering local educational goals. For example, robotics classes are offered in the local middle school and the McCallum Theatre delivers a curriculum to increase critical thinking and creative problem-solving in some local schools. Palm Desert aims to continue its support for education by proactively addressing education standards to ensure that students are prepared to enter the workforce and to establish the city as an education destination.

The taskforce aims to improve the alignment of all educational opportunities and increase partnerships around education with the development of a community-based Education Coalition. This coalition would help the community assess what is currently available in Palm Desert and anticipate educational needs going forward to ensure Palm Desert’s future success.

2 http://www.schooldigger.com/go/CA/cityrank.aspx

3 Husing, J. E. (2012). City of Palm Desert 2012 Annual Economic Report. Palm Desert: Coachella Valley Economic Partnership.

Education Mini-Vision

Palm Desert provides lifelong, world-class educational opportunities allowing all residents, from pre-kindergarten to senior citizens, to reach their full potential. Palm Desert is an education destination offering world class programs in signature areas.

Palm Desert is recognized as a national leader and model for best practices in innovative, unique collaborations preparing students for the workforce and engaged citizenship.

Palm Desert supports and encourages an engaged and informed community that values its educational and cultural opportunities.

Education Priorities

Priority 1: Create and support a community-based Education Coalition in which all necessary community organizations come together to coordinate and focus their efforts on improving measures of student success such as graduation rates and achievement levels.

Rationale: Coordination of existing resources in kindergarten to grade 12 (K-12), higher education, private education, and non-profit groups (i.e., Living Desert, McCallum Theatre Institute) will provide greater services to all residents as well as identify areas of need.

Strategy: The city can act as a convening force to get the ball rolling and bring the various parties to the table. The resulting entity would be similar to the example provided by the Alignment Nashville program (http://www.alignmentnashville.org), that helps students succeed and youth to live healthier lives.

Action Steps:

• Convene the parties to kick off the program.
  • Parties Involved: Under the leadership of the city: school districts (Desert Sands Unified School District, Palm Springs Unified School District), post-secondary schools (College Of the Desert, California State University San Bernardino, University of California Riverside, Brandman, etc.), private vocational schools, private primary schools/high schools, pre-kindergarten

(Pre-K) service providers (public & private), library, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, McCallum Theatre Institute, The Living Desert, Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, private dance and music schools, historical society, Regional Access Project, Joslyn Center, Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP), Eisenhower Medical Center (community health education)

• Timeline: Within 12 months
• Resource Options: Institutional grants, private sector grants, Regional Access Project, CVEP, Berger Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, private endowments, city facilities and limited staff involvement would be needed at the formation

• Create the organization as a 501(c)3 with a board of directors.
  • Parties Involved: Under the leadership of the city: school districts (DSUSD, PSUSD), post-secondary schools (COD, CSUSB, UCR, Brandman, etc.), private vocational schools, private primary schools/high schools, Pre-K providers (public & private), library, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, McCallum Theatre Institute, The Living Desert, Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, private dance and music schools, historical society, Regional Access Project, Joslyn Center, CVEP, Eisenhower Medical Center (community health education)
  • Timeline: Within 18 months
  • Resource Options: Institutional grants, private sector grants, Regional Access Project, CVEP, Berger Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, private endowments, city facilities and limited staff involvement would be needed at the formation
• Inventory what's available right now in the community; who are the partners?
  • Parties Involved: Under the leadership of the city: school districts (DSUSD, PSUSD), post-secondary schools (COD, CSUSB, UCR, Brandman, etc.), private vocational schools, private primary schools/high schools, Pre-K providers (public & private), library, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, McCallum Theatre Institute, The Living Desert, Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, private dance and music schools, historical society, Regional Access Project, Joslyn Center, CVEP, Eisenhower Medical Center (community health education)
  • Timeline: One to two years, and then routinely and ongoing
  • Resource Options: Institutional grants, private sector grants, Regional Access Project, CVEP, Berger Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, private endowments, city facilities and limited staff involvement would be needed at the formation
• Host an education summit/symposium to bring regional and national speakers to the Coachella Valley. This will spread recognition of what Palm Desert has to offer and bring new, innovative ideas to our community.
• Parties Involved: Under the leadership of the city: school districts (DSUSD, PSUSD), post-secondary schools (COD, CSUSB, UCR, Brandman, etc.), private vocational schools, private primary schools/high schools, Pre-K providers (public & private), library, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, McCallum Theatre Institute, The Living Desert, Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, private dance and music schools, historical society, Regional Access Project, Joslyn Center, CVEP, Eisenhower Medical Center (community health education)

• Timeline: Ongoing
• Resource Options: Initially, limited staff involvement would be needed. Other resources: Institutional grants, private sector grants, Regional Access Project, CVEP, Berger Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, private endowments, and city facilities

• Encourage advanced cooperation and coordination of information among all levels of educational entities.
  • Parties Involved: Under the leadership of the city: school districts (DSUSD, PSUSD), post-secondary schools (COD, CSUSB, UCR, Brandman, etc.), private vocational schools, private primary schools/high schools, Pre-K providers (public & private), library, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, McCallum Theatre Institute, The Living Desert, Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, private dance and music schools, historical society, Regional Access Project, Joslyn Center, CVEP, Eisenhower Medical Center (community health education)
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: Initially, limited staff involvement would be needed. Other resources: Institutional grants, private sector grants, Regional Access Project, CVEP, Berger Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, private endowments, and city facilities

• Provide public access to technological resources in libraries, civic buildings, public spaces, schools, community centers etc.
  • Parties Involved: Under the leadership of the city: School Districts (DSUSD, PSUSD), Post-Secondary schools (COD, CSUSB, UCR, Brandman, etc.), private vocational schools, private primary schools/high schools, Pre-K providers (public & private), library, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, McCallum Theatre Institute, The Living Desert, Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, private dance and music schools, historical society, Regional Access Project, Joslyn Center, CVEP, Eisenhower Medical Center (community health education)
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: Initially, limited staff involvement would be needed. Other resources: Institutional grants, private sector grants, Regional Access Project, CVEP, Berger Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, private endowments, and city facilities

Measures of Success:

• Within 24 months, create a Palm Desert-based Coachella Valley Education Coalition with broad membership and regular meetings.
• Within 12 months of the Education Coalition creation, it will host the first successful education summit. Attendance and quality of speakers will be measured to provide a baseline for future summits.
• Within 12 months of creation of the Education Coalition, the ongoing attendance and participation of member groups will be assessed at 80 percent.
• There will be a demonstrated increase in public access to and usage of technological resources by local schools and community centers such as the Palm Desert Library.

  Priority 2: Become an “education destination” which is successful in attracting and retaining students of all ages by providing outstanding academic and cultural programs and demonstrating high levels of career readiness.

  Rationale: We need to attract high quality employers in order to ensure the community’s viability. In order to do this we must have an educated, quality workforce. This will provide opportunities for individual growth and ensure the highest possible quality of life for community members.

  Strategy: Develop educational conferences and meetings, along with educational programs, that will highlight Palm Desert as a community that takes education and job readiness seriously.

  Action Steps:

• Host a periodic education summit/symposium with regional and national level speakers. Develop an iconic event that draws educators from outside the region.
  • Parties Involved: Under the leadership of the city: school districts (DSUSD, PSUSD), post-secondary schools (COD, CSUSB, UCR, Brandman, etc.), private vocational schools, private primary schools/high schools, Pre-K providers (public & private), library, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, McCallum Theatre Institute, The Living Desert, Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, private dance and music schools, historical society, Regional Access Project, Joslyn Center, CVEP, Eisenhower Medical Center (community health education)
  • Timeline: Within one to two years and then periodically and regularly
  • Resource Options: Initially, limited staff involvement would be needed.

    Other resources: Institutional grants, private sector grants, Regional Access Project, CVEP, Berger Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, Gates Foundation, private endowments, and city facilities

• Support existing signature education programs such as: arts & culture (including programs in dance, theatre, etc.), medical (including pathways for physicians, nurses and medical technologists), energy (i.e., wind, geothermal, solar) and including two-year technical and vocational programs. Explore the development of new programs.
• Parties Involved: City (including community development/affordable housing), school districts, post-secondary schools, pre-school provider, conference centers/hotels, private and public institutions of higher learning.

• Timeline: Ongoing – subject to regular review
• Resource Options: Initially, limited staff involvement would be needed. Other resources: institutional grants, private sector grants, Regional Access Project, CVEP, Berger Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, Gates Foundation, private endowments, and city facilities

• Encourage development of incubators for research and development in agriculture, medicine and alternative energy.
  • Parties Involved: CVEP, COD, UCR
  • Timeline: Within 18 months
  • Resource Options: CVEP
• Support collegiate sports programs and facilities (i.e., CSUSB-PD could field a golf team, tennis team, etc.).
  • Parties Involved: CSUSB-PD, COD
  • Timeline: Ongoing with COD, within six to 24 months for initiation at CSUSB-PD
  • Resource Options: CSUSB/COD, city Parks & Recreation Committee, city facilities (aquatic center, soccer fields, baseball diamonds)
• Encourage developers through city land use decisions to ensure that there is adequate and affordable housing available for students and faculty.
  • Parties Involved: city Planning Commission, CSUSB, COD, city, private operators.
  • Timeline: Ongoing, especially within the next 24 months as developments come forward
  • Resource Options: City Housing and Land Use staff, Planning Commission, private operators, developers, city facilities, city land
• Encourage the community to create endowments for targeted professions such as medicine, energy and agriculture (to fill needs as determined through annual economic forecasts) by providing scholarships to those who commit to stay and work in the valley.
  • Parties Involved: CVEP’s Pathways to Success, in cooperation with local educational institutions and local industry (such as hospitals, energy companies, etc.)

• Timeline: Ongoing – reviewed annually
• Resource Options: Federal grants, private endowments, local industry support

  Measures of Success:

• Increase in the quality and quantity of students attending local institutions.
• Retention of a percentage of the top local students, measured by their attendance at local institutions.
• Increase local job placements from local educational systems by 20 percent as determined through review of job placement programs at educational institutions.
• Reduce the unemployment rate of young adults (ages 18 – 26) by 10-20 percent.
• Increase employer satisfaction with locally hired employees measured through a bi-annual survey of local employers.

Priority 3: Create community awareness of, and support for, the building blocks of student success, including academic, vocational and career success.

• Rationale: We need opportunities for all students to succeed in order to avoid the social problems associated with dropping-out, underachievement, low academic achievement and an inadequately trained and educated workforce. The city and Coachella Valley will benefit from the retention of the best and brightest young people who will bring energy and innovation to the community.

  Strategy: Develop an “esprit de corps” in which the community understands, values and supports programs such as tutoring, parent education, charter schools, scholarships, vocational academies, cultural programs, after-school programs and nutrition services.

  Action Steps:

• Facilitate partnerships between COD/CSUSB and K-12 to provide innovative tutoring programs.
  • Parties Involved: COD/CSUSB/UCR & K-12 educational systems (DSUSD & Private) city 2x2 Committee expanded to include colleges and universities
  • Timeline: ASAP – within one year
  • Resource Options: Volunteers, service organizations, faith-based organizations, institutional foundations, COD Foundation, Gates Foundation
• Expand the Guided Pathways High School Academies by providing more access and new fields of concentration.
  • Parties Involved: CVEP, local industries, K-12
  • Timeline: Continue to expand as funding becomes available
  • Resource Options: CVEP, local industries, K-12 districts

• Encourage the development and implementation of parent education programs.
  • Parties Involved: Parent and teacher associations, foundations, local kindergarten to 12th grade schools, YMCA, service organizations, faith-based organizations, Joslyn Center
  • Timeline: Continuous – reinforce and review within 12 months
  • Resource Options: Use of public and private facilities at little or no cost, Riverside County Office on Aging, Riverside County Department of Public Health, Joslyn Center, faith-based organizations
• Encourage organized tours of local institutions for primary- and middle-school students. Get them excited about college and local schools.
  • Parties Involved: COD/CSSB/UCR/DSUSD, other valley school districts, private schools, CVEP Academies, McCallum Theatre
  • Timeline: Increase the number of tours within 12 months, and then assess annually
  • Resource Options: City grants – funding for transportation; private and institutional grants for transportation

    Measures of Success:

• Reduction in high school dropout rates, by 10 percent initially and then increasing reductions.
• Increase the number of students with a-g completion (eligibility to enter the Cal State/UCR systems).
• Increase the number of people who complete academic/vocational programs (i.e., certificate, AA, BA, BS, etc.).
• Measure the variety and quality of vocational/trade opportunities.

Affordable and available sources of energy and water are critical to the future of any community, especially a desert community. Palm Desert has been described as a “pioneer” in offering programs for more efficient energy use; for example, establishing a water efficient landscape ordinance, creating golf cart lanes on public roads, and constructing LEED-certified government buildings such as the Henderson Community Building and the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert.

Palm Desert’s Set to Save partnership with Southern California Edison, the Energy Coalition and SoCal Gas sought to reduce energy consumption among business and residents by 30 percent. Palm Desert was also one of the first cities in the nation to establish a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing program to encourage residents and businesses to invest in alternative energy and efficiency upgrades. Building on this record, the Energy and Sus-

tainability task force developed a number of priorities. Among them were finding ways of reducing per capita consumption of energy and water by focusing on education and public awareness.

In 2010, the City Council approved an environmental sustainability plan and greenhouse gas inventory to encourage the effective management and conservation of local resources. Another priority will be to focus on greater use of sustainable building materials and practices.

Going forward, the community can work to ensure that new construction matches or exceeds the energy efficiency standards of area utilities and governmental agencies. More of a challenge will be the need to retrofit those existing commercial and residential buildings that were built during earlier years when such standards were much lower. To ensure that these goals are met, new sources of funding for expanding city services may be required. Working collaboratively with residents, youth, builders, developers, property-owners, utilities and schools will be important as the community moves forward to ensure that its energy and water supplies are sustainable.

Energy & Sustainability Mini-Vision

In 2033, Palm Desert will benefit from sustainable practices having been implemented over the preceding 20 years.

Energy & Sustainability Priorities

Priority 1: Reduce per capita consumption of energy and water.

Rationale: The well-being of future generations depends on the availability of energy and water.

Strategy: Develop educational and funding sources to achieve the reduction desired.

Action Steps:

• Enact education programs encouraging schools to teach water and energy conservation.
  • Parties Involved: City, county, schools and utilities
  • Timeline: Launch by fall of 2015; ongoing
  • Resource Options: California Public Utilities Commission, grants, schools
• Increase awareness and expand incentives for energy and water conservation for all.
  • Parties Involved: City, county, schools utilities
  • Timeline: Six months after plan adoption
  • Resource Options: City, utilities and grants

    Measure of Success:

• 2013 per capita consumption of energy and water is reduced 30 percent by 2033.

Priority 2: Promote greater usage of more sustainable materials.

Rationale: The well-being of future generations depends on a healthy environment.

Strategy: Develop policies and programs to discourage waste, increase renewable energy production and increase the use of environmentally responsible materials.

Definition of sustainable: Action which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Action Steps:

• Encourage use of building and paving materials that are sustainable and rapidly renewable.
  • Parties Involved: City, builders
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: Staff time
• Develop early youth education outreach programs.
  • Parties Involved: City, schools, YMCA, media
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: Staff time
• Explore community renewable generation of electricity.
  • Parties Involved: City, schools, YMCA, media
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: Staff time
• Pursue feed-in tariff adoption by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
  • Parties Involved: CPUC, city staff
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: Staff time

    Measure of Success:

• Revisions to the city’s building codes and California law/regulations requiring the desired actions have been completed.

  Priority 3: Encourage all new construction to be net zero energy in design and exceed the current Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) efficiency standards.

  Rationale: The well-being of future generations depends on availability of energy and water.

  Strategy: Work with the city, public agencies and the building industry to ensure the adoption of sustainable standards.

  Action Steps:

• Require the use of renewable energy sources in operation of new properties.
  • Parties Involved: City, builders, private sector, county, state law and regulations
  • Timeline: Within five years of adoption of strategic plan
  • Resource Options: Financing available

• Require water efficient fixtures, appliances and landscaping.
  • Parties Involved: City, water district
  • Timeline: 2015
  • Resource Options: Staff time
• Require all golf courses and public areas to use reclaimed water as it becomes available.
  • Parties Involved: Hotels, building industry, homeowners associations
  • Timeline: 2014
  • Resource Options: Ratepayers
• Require new hotel rooms and new timeshare units to have occupancy sensors (motion sensors that control lights and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning).
  • Parties Involved: CVWD, city, private sector
  • Timeline: 2014
  • Resource Options: City staff time
• Work with CVWD to develop more rigorous efficiency standards.
  • Parties Involved: City and CVWD
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: City staff time

    Measure of Success:

• All new construction will be net zero energy in design and exceed the current CVWD water efficiency standards.

Priority 4: Encourage owners of all existing properties to voluntarily retrofit them to obtain reductions in energy and water usage.

Rationale: The well-being of future generations depends on availability of energy and water.

Strategy: Outreach to existing property owners with details of expected monetary savings on utility costs as well as increased property values.

The City of Palm Desert has created a livable and workable community for its nearly 50,000 residents and its many visitors through careful planning of land use, housing and commercial spaces, and preservation of hillsides and the natural desert landscape. Palm Desert offers a full range of housing opportunities including rental apartments, condominiums, single-family home subdivisions, and multi-million dollar estates. A key draw for permanent and seasonal residents is relatively low housing cost as compared to other major cities in Southern California. Palm Desert is also home to commercial areas such as the El Paseo shopping district, the Westfield mall, and the Highway 111 corridor, among others. The City of Palm Desert has created and maintained intentional natural open space and has developed appropriate housing and commercial spaces for the community.

These issues are addressed periodically through the General Plan process, but this group hopes to further the city’s development with a solution to the lack of a city center, helping the city to age gracefully, and continue to plan appropriately for changes in demographics.

Palm Desert is home to multiple retail areas: e.g. El Paseo shopping district, Desert Crossing, Waring Plaza, and Westfield mall, among others. This group proposes to create and implement a plan for a Palm Desert city core to serve as a central location for shopping, dining, and entertainment. Being proactive about aging infrastructure is very important to the City of Palm Desert to ensure its continued economic prosperity.

Finally, the city also plans to accommodate expansion of the higher education institutions in town in the near future and wants to ensure there is appropriate space and housing to accommodate students and faculty, while also tending to current residents’ needs.

Land Use, Housing & Open Space Mini-Vision

In the next 20 years, Palm Desert will be a well-developed community with natural hillsides and open space, high quality housing for all income levels, a wide variety of high-end and other retail businesses, well planned office, light industrial, and business facilities, a variety of lodging options, high quality education including colleges and universities, and effective community re-vitalization programs.

Land Use, Housing & Open Space Priorities

Priority 1: Enhance Palm Desert as a first-class destination for premier shopping and national retail businesses.

Rationale: Allows Palm Desert to maintain its dominant market position, it enhances Palm Desert’s identity as a desirable place to live, and provides financial stability and serves as an economic driver for the city and its residents.

Strategy: Focus on retail business retention and redevelopment of underutilized commercial areas in order to protect and grow Palm Desert’s market position.

Action Steps:

• Develop a specific plan for the Highway 111 corridor that includes residential and retail uses in greater intensities with separate planning areas on the north and south sides of the road, connected by pedestrian bridges and public transporta-tion.
  • Parties Involved: General Plan Advisory Committee, staff, private developers, planning consultants
  • Timeline: Two years to develop specific plan and 20 years to build out
  • Resource Options: Grants for smart growth planning, plus General Fund - budget for update of the General Plan
• Implement a comprehensive incentive program including business retention programs, cooperative marketing programs, flexible design standards, coordinated sign programs, and retailer education resources.
  • Parties Involved: Property managers, Economic Development Department city staff, developers, commercial brokers, business owners.

• Timeline: One to three years
• Resource Options: Business assessment district

  
  

•  Measures of Success:

• Addition of new retailers.
• Increased sales tax generation.
• Increase in lease rates on Highway 111.
• Increased tourist traffic in the Highway 111 corridor.

  Priority 2: Facilitate development of high-quality housing for people of all income levels.

  Rationale: To maintain and enhance Palm Desert’s quality of life as an inclusive community which supports and expands a strong economic base.

  Strategy: Develop creative and innovative zoning and incentives to promote a variety of high-quality residential developments that will also encourage a balance between housing and jobs.

  Action Steps:

• Review development fees to identify opportunities for incentivizing ‘small’ development.
  • Parties Involved: City staff (lead) & City Council
  • Timeline: Six months
  • Resource Options: No funds needed/staff time
• Review design and approval processes to identify ways to expedite developments through entitlements.
  • Parties Involved: City staff (lead) & the development community
  • Timeline: Six months to one year
  • Resource Options: No funds needed/staff time
• Review and revise zoning to encourage inclusive residential housing products.
  • Parties Involved: City staff (lead), Planning Commission and City Council
  • Timeline: One to two years
  • Resource Options: No funds needed/staff time
• Rehabilitate aging and substandard existing housing.
  • Parties Involved: Private developers (lead), city staff, nonprofit organizations
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: Housing funds (if made available by the state)

Measures of Success:

• An increase in the number of residential building permits issued. Increase in property sales due to the variety of housing products available.
• Reduction or elimination of substandard housing.

  Priority 3: Facilitate development of multiple universities and colleges with full campuses including student housing.

  Rationale: Enhances the work force, attracts young adults with great potential to expand our culture, and draws desirable employers.

  Strategy: Continue to partner with California State University, San Bernardino; University of California, Riverside; the College of the Desert and private schools to fully implement campus master plans.

  Action Steps:

• Encourage and facilitate the expansion of the college campuses and promote campus life through the University Planning Committee (UPC).
  • Parties Involved: UPC (lead), private developers, city and college representatives
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: Nominal staff time
• The city will allow flexible development standards in the university area to encourage a campus community.
  • Parties Involved: Private developers (lead), city staff, Planning Commission, City Council
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: Nominal staff time
• Encourage development of on-campus dormitories through the UPC.
  • Parties Involved: UPC (lead), city staff, City Council
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: Nominal staff time

    Measure of Success:

• Significantly increased student enrollment and expanded curriculum and degree offerings.

Priority 4: Create a mixed-use city core integrating shopping, dining, lodging and housing.

Rationale: Creating a city center gives a sense of place and identity, serves as an economic driver, reduces energy consumption and improves quality of life by improving health and reducing time spent in the car.

Strategy: Promote the concept by engaging stakeholders and interested parties.

Action Steps:

• Form a City Core Commission to begin the planning process.
  • Parties Involved: City Council (lead), city staff, business owners, property owners, developers, residents, leaders in transportation, education, tourism, energy and the Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Timeline: Two to three months to form the commission
  • Resource Options: Nominal staff time
• Define the vision, including the core’s location, elements, and pedestrian and vehicular circulation.
  • Parties Involved: City Core Commission
  • Timeline: Nine to 10 months for the commission to define the vision
  • Resource Options: Funds for facilitators, conceptual drawings, feasibility analyses, use planning grants for SB375 planning
• Implement the plan.
  • Parties Involved: Private developers (lead), city planners and engineers
  • Timeline: Five to 10 years to make meaningful progress on construction
  • Resource Options: Private funds, sales tax or transient occupancy tax (like Palm Springs’ Measure J and grants)

    Measures of Success:

• Build out is complete.
• Economy is robust with low vacancy rates.
• Energy use (especially gasoline) is reduced.
• Community health is improved.
• Residents and visitors alike have a strong sense of where the heart of Palm Desert is.

Priority 5: Utilize progressive land use policies and standards to support ongoing and future needs.

Rationale: The General Plan is 10 years old and needs to be updated to reflect current and future economic, demographic, and development trends and needs.

Palm Desert prides itself on its well-kept and heavily-used parks and recreation facilities that serve residents and visitors alike. Included in the recreation services of Palm Desert are playgrounds, extensive sports facilities, a trail system, the new aquatic center, dog parks, an amphitheater, public art, community gardens, a rose garden, and Desert Willow Golf Resort. Due to its scenic nature and year-round warm weather, Palm Desert attracts many outdoor enthusiasts making the upkeep of these facilities vital to the Palm Desert culture and economy. Therefore, the top priority of the strategic plan is to secure funding to sustain and enhance the community’s parks and recreation areas and activities. Diversifying the revenue funds to support parks is particularly important to Palm Desert due to the loss of funds that previously covered many of the associated costs.

In addition to addressing funding issues, an important outcome from this process is the creation of recreation opportunities for residents and tourists of all ages. Palm Desert wants its parks to serve all ages as well as all geographic areas in the community. To that end, increasing facilities in the northern section of the city is also a priority. Another goal is to provide recreational and exercise opportunities that are pervasive throughout the community’s public spaces.

Parks and recreation are essential to the quality of life for all residents and the task force recognizes the importance of working together with other groups to increase the impact of their efforts. This includes incorporating educational opportunities with recreation, coordinating with land use groups to utilize areas to their fullest potential, collaborating with finance and economic development agencies to leverage limited funds effectively to further common goals, and working with transportation entities to ensure everyone has access to recreational opportunities.

Parks & Recreation Mini-Vision

Palm Desert’s parks, open spaces and recreational opportunities continue to be innovative, and essential to the high quality of life of our residents and visitors.

Parks & Recreation Priorities

Priority 1: Prepare for the financial requirements of maintaining existing parks to the highest level of service. Planning efforts shall also address future costs of replacement and growth of the parks capital improvement fund.

Rationale: Parks are an integral part of Palm Desert’s quality of life and, as such, we wish to maintain our parks at the highest level possible.

Strategy: The way we fund parks has changed with the loss of precious funding sources, therefore we must develop new ways to build park capital funds to sustainable levels.

Action Steps:

• Make conversation of aging park facilities part of the annual budget process.
  • Parties Involved: Staff, Parks & Recreation Commission, City Council, community input
  • Timeline: Annually
  • Resource Options: Staff time
• Explore the creation of a foundation for fundraising and promotion.
  • Parties Involved: Staff, Parks & Recreation Commission, City Council, community input
  • Timeline: Annually
  • Resource Options: General Fund
• Identify new partners, including private and corporate partnerships.
  • Parties Involved: Staff, Parks Commission, City Council, community Input
  • Timeline: Annually
  • Resource Options: General Fund
• Explore events at parks: food festivals, vintage car festivals, etc.
  • Parties Involved: Staff, Parks & Recreation Commission, City Council, community input

• Timeline: Annually
• Resource Options: Staff, marketing

• Include revenue generators in parks.
  • Parties Involved: Staff, Parks & Recreation Commission, City Council, community input
  • Timeline: Annually
  • Resource Options: General Fund
• Explore the appropriateness and amount of use fees.
  • Parties Involved: Staff, Parks & Recreation Commission, City Council, community input
  • Timeline: Annually
  • Resource Options: General Fund
• Make staffing resources part of the annual budget process.
  • Parties Involved: Staff, Parks Commission, City Council, community input
  • Timeline: Annually
  • Resource Options: General Fund

    Measures of Success:

• The parks are being maintained at the highest level of service.
• New sources of revenue have been created.
• At least one signature event has been developed within a park facility.
• The Park and Recreational Facilities Fund (for capital improvement) is growing.

  Priority 2: Assure a continuing flow of innovative ideas by seeking creative partnerships, ensuring adequate staffing, and encouraging resident input.

  Rationale: With less land to be developed, it becomes critical to continually generate innovative ideas to provide recreation to the community.

  Strategy: Make the importance of innovation widely known.

  Action Steps:

• Create a culture of openness to new ideas.
  • Parties Involved: Staff, partner agencies
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: No funding required
• Create a collaborative process with all partner agencies focused on innovation.
  • Parties Involved: Staff, partner agencies
  • Timeline: Annually
  • Resource Options: No funding required

• Ensure that staff continues to participate in parks and recreation professional organizations.
  • Parties Involved: Staff, partner agencies
  • Timeline: Annually
  • Resource Options: No additional funding required
• Keep parks and recreation in a prominent leadership position, focused on community, and providing top-notch customer service.
  • Parties Involved: City manager, City Council
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: No funding required

    Measures of Success:

• Palm Desert facilities and program opportunities are regarded as innovative.
• The Palm Desert community demonstrates a supportive and open attitude to new ideas.

  Priority 3: Make recreational and exercise opportunities pervasive in all public spaces.

  Rationale: We believe the people of Palm Desert desire an active lifestyle, therefore additional recreational opportunities will assist them in achieving that goal. One positive outcome is that pervasive recreation promotes itself and creates a “snowball” effect.

  Strategy: Make recreation/health/wellness part of all planning functions in the city.

  Action Steps:

• Integrate cultural and environmental awareness into parks.
  • Parties Involved: Staff, commissions, partner agencies
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: General Fund
• Integrate recreation opportunities into areas such as public spaces, residential subdivisions, or additional areas where feasible and they make sense.
  • Parties Involved: City staff, Planning Department, commissions, City Council
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: General Fund
• Promote recreational awareness throughout the community.
  • Parties Involved: Marketing & Tourism, partner agencies, school districts
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: General Fund and budget

• Encourage recreational opportunities in the El Paseo corridor.
  • Parties Involved: El Paseo merchants
  • Timeline: Evaluate in January, 2016, and ongoing afterwards
  • Resource Options: General Fund

    Measures of Success:

• The Parks & Recreation Commission has developed criteria to annually assess recreation within Palm Desert.
• Demonstrated integration of culture and environmental awareness into parks.
• Specific examples of integrating recreation and exercise opportunities into public spaces have been identified including initial constraints, how they were addressed and how successful each area has been.
• There are concrete examples that recreation opportunities have been successfully implemented in the El Paseo corridor.

  Priority 4: Develop the North Sphere Regional Park, which will be bordered by Portola Drive to the west, Dinah Shore Drive to the south, and Interstate 10 to the north.

  Rationale: To serve the recreational needs of the growing population in the North Sphere as a regional park.

  Strategy: Staff will need to work collaboratively with commissions, the public, partner agencies, developers and possible funders.

  Action Steps:

• Identify revenue generators for the North Sphere Regional Park.
  • Parties Involved: City staff, partners, commissions, City Council
  • Timeline: During the development phase
  • Resource Options: Quimby fees (California State Quimby Act fees can be used for parks in neighborhoods, Oct 2013), unspent redevelopment agency bond funding
• Identify recreational needs and wants, by engaging the community.
  • Parties Involved: Staff and Parks & Recreation Commission, survey conference attendees
  • Timeline: During the development phase
  • Resource Options: Quimby fees, unspent redevelopment agency bond funding
• Identify environmental constraints.
  • Parties Involved: Staff and Parks & Recreation Commission, survey conference attendees

• Timeline: During the development phase
• Resource Options: Quimby fees, unspent redevelopment agency bond funding

• Explore integration of housing, publicly-owned garden space and recreational facilities.
  • Parties Involved: Staff and Parks & Recreation Commission, survey conference attendees, land use staff
  • Timeline: During the development phase
  • Resource Options: Quimby fees, unspent redevelopment agency bond funding
• Break ground on the park.
  • Parties Involved: Staff, commissions, City Council
  • Timeline: When growth in the north area justifies the need for the facility.
  • Resource Options: Quimby fees, unspent redevelopment agency bond funding

    Measures of Success:

• The community was an integral part of the planning and development process for this facility.
• The park is used by the surrounding community on a daily basis.
• The park has successfully been integrated with surrounding housing.
• Revenue generators included in the design of the facility have produced an income stream used to maintain and operate the park.

  Priority 5: Examine the need for expansion of the Palm Desert Aquatic Center.

  Rationale: Currently the open times for scheduled activities are limited and demand for water-based recreation will probably increase.

  Strategy: Use historic program data to evaluate what any possible expansion would entail. Any expansion will be based on the ability to increase cost recovery goals.

  Action Steps:

• Chart and analyze usage data and track user groups that cannot be accommodated.
  • Parties Involved: Staff, partner agencies
  • Timeline: Assess annually
  • Resource Options: General Fund and marketing
• Examine whether other Coachella Valley cities or private developers plan to develop aquatic centers to determine demand.

Safety is extremely important to the quality of life in Palm Desert, which is one of the safest communities in Southern California.5 Police, Fire and Paramedic services for the city are contracted through the County of Riverside.

The Police Department is made up of specialty teams including a Traffic Division, Special Enforcement Team, the Motorcycle Enforcement Unit, Burglary Suppression Unit, K-9 Officer, Business District Team, School

Resource Officers, and participates in the Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang and Narcotics Task Force. The Fire Department is an all-risk department whose operations include fire suppression/prevention, paramedic services, hazardous materials response, and rescue operations, with about 75 percent of calls related to medical needs. The safety services in Palm Desert have been shown to be effective and responsive to community needs. In 2013, the business district team reduced burglaries and break-ins by 30 percent. Palm Desert fire and medical services have less than a five minute response time on 85 percent of calls. All Public Safety Departments have firm support and are provided with the tools necessary to do their jobs effectively through significant budget allocations.

This taskforce hopes to engage and educate the community about various safety issues including disaster preparedness education, raise awareness of effective response times by the departments and showcase new technology that departments are using to increase public safety. Preventing crime through community input and participation is extremely important. The Citizens on Patrol program (COPS) is one way citizens can become involved in the safety of Palm Desert. This group is made up of nearly 40 volunteers who help deter crime with their visibility and assist police during large events by providing crowd-control and traffic direction. Other goals include increasing the community’s participation in neighborhood watch, and crime-free multi-housing and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) programs, which have also proven effective locally in deterring crime and enhancing citizen preparedness.

Public Safety & Emergency Services Mini-Vision

Because comprehensive public safety services are the foundation for a good quality of life, Palm Desert is a community that continues to provide security and emergency services that exceed state and federal guidelines in all areas of public, retail, and personal needs. The city maintains a zero tolerance policy for all criminal activity.

Public Safety & Emergency Service Priorities

Priority 1: Enhance the delivery of public safety services.

Rationale: Faster response times will improve the delivery of services in both medical, fire, and crime related service calls, as well as improve the public’s perception of these departments’ responsiveness and the Police Department’s success in combating crime.

Strategy: Expand the existing superlative services provided by the fire and police departments to address future growth and safety concerns.

Action Steps:

• Work with the fire and police departments, during the annual budget process, to identify any new public safety needs to account for population growth. Consider these needs: new equipment, facilities, training, technology, among others.
  • Parties Involved: Risk manager (lead), Fire Department, Police Department, city manager, director of finance, Public Safety Commission
  • Timeline: As needed (annual review)
  • Resource Options: Staffing and funding
• Communicate enhanced delivery of public safety services to the community.
  • Parties Involved: Risk manager, public information officer (PIO) (lead), Fire Department, Police Department
  • Timeline: As Needed (annual review)
  • Resource Options: Staffing

    Measures of Success:

• Fire Department: Continue to respond to 85 percent of medical and fire emergencies within five minutes or less once the call is dispatched.
• Police Department: Strive for an annual decrease in all type of crimes as indicated within the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Report.

Priority 2: Increase methods of preventing crime, especially through expanded community participation.

Rationale: The community’s desire to continue maintaining a high quality of life and ensure a safe environment for residents, businesses, and visitors.

Strategy: Expand the Police Department’s education, promotion, and training programs related to crime prevention by engaging the community.

Action Steps:

• Increase participation in community-based programs, such as Neighborhood Watch & Crime Free Multi-Housing Program. Also, take advantage of existing/developing technologies to enhance these programs.
  • Parties Involved: Police Department (lead)., residents/businesses, city manager, risk manager, PIO, director of housing, HOA Property Managers, Public Safety Commission
  • Timeline: 18-24 months
  • Resource Options: Funding and staffing
• Expand Citizens on Patrol Program (COPS).
  • Parties Involved: Director of Special Programs (lead), COPS Team, Police Department, city manager & PIO, Public Safety Commission
  • Timeline: 12 months
  • Resource Options: Funding, staffing/volunteers, equipment, marketing
• Increase participation in the Business Alert Networks (BANS) or similar programs.
  • Parties Involved: Businesses/chamber of commerce and Police Department (lead), city manager, risk manager, PIO, Public Safety Commission
  • Timeline: 12-24 months
  • Resource Options: Staffing, community participation, marketing
• Evaluate and make a recommendation to the City Council on a Security Camera Incentive Program for businesses.
  • Parties Involved: Risk manager, Public Safety Commission (lead), businesses/chamber of commerce, Police Department, city manager, PIO
  • Timeline: 24-36 months
  • Resource Options: Funding, staffing, equipment, marketing

    Measures of Success:

• Neighborhood Watch: Increase active participants by 10 percent annually.
• COPS Program: Increase COPS Program volunteers by 10 percent annually.

Tourism is the top industry in Palm Desert and accounts for about 45 percent of local jobs.6 It also helps generate the city’s largest sources of revenue through sales tax and Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT). Warm weather in winter months, scenic views, signature events, and a robust set of outdoor activities such as golfing, tennis, hiking and biking all contribute to the high tourism rates in Palm Desert. Signature events such as Fashion Week El Paseo attract thousands of visitors as do the nearby BNP Paribas Open (one of the top five tournaments in professional tennis), the PGA Tour’s Humana Challenge, the LPGA’s Kraft Nabisco Championship, and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and the Stagecoach Festival. The El Paseo shopping district, another key attraction, has come to be known as the “Rodeo Drive of the desert.”

With tourism’s high contribution to the overall economic health of Palm Desert, it is important to be proactive in addressing identified issues of regional competition, the need to attract new and emerging demographics and tourist markets, and the slackening of tourism during summer months.

To tackle these issues, the taskforce proposes increasing access to attractions in Palm Desert as well as to core commercial locations. It is also necessary to grow existing events and create new signature events May through October to bridge the visitor gap in the summer months.

Attracting new visitors to Palm Desert by expanding tourism markets will further advance Palm Desert’s competitive edge in the region and increase revenues. Finally, expanding marketing efforts to develop a strong message for Palm Desert will be fulfilled with dedicated staff, collaboration among agencies, and local education through marketing seminars to help keep Palm Desert the premier travel location in the Coachella Valley.

6 Husing, J. E. (2012). City of Palm Desert 2012 Annual Economic Report. Palm Desert: Coachella Valley Economic Partnership.

Tourism & Marketing Mini-Vision

Palm Desert is a year-round international resort destination offering a wellness lifestyle, exemplary hotels, arts, entertainment, shopping, recreation and educational opportunities for all ages.

Tourism & Marketing Priorities

Priority 1: Improve access to Palm Desert and its attractions to enhance the ease of lifestyle.

Rationale: If access and lifestyle are not maintained and enhanced, Palm Desert risks losing its market share to competitive locations thus reducing its revenue stream.

Strategy: Call for an annual meeting held jointly with applicable city committees, staff and community stakeholders to address how best to achieve the goals as outlined. First meeting to be held in 2014 and continue as needed.

Action Steps:

• Investigate the use of clean transportation options to support ease of access to critical tourist areas (e.g. golf carts, Vespas, bicycles, etc.).
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (Lead), Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG), Sunline, private industry, taxi services, Caltrans, Palm Springs Airport, Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau (GPSCVB), students, education, Palm Desert Visitor Center, chamber of commerce, city marketing, city transportation & land planning representa-tives, hospitality industry
  • Timeline: Complete an action plan within two years and implement the action steps within five years
  • Resource Options: Public grants, public/private partnerships, hospitality industry contributions, establish fee-based programs, public/private partnerships, economic development funds
• Further develop El Paseo and core commercial areas as tourist clusters; providing an array of businesses that allow for hotel visitors to easily access needed amenities and activities while reducing use of personal vehicles.
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (Lead), CVAG, Sunline, private industry, taxi services, Caltrans, Palm Springs Airport, GPSCVB, students, education, Palm Desert Visitor Center, chamber of commerce, city marketing, city trans-portation & land planning representatives, hospitality industry
  • Timeline: Complete an action plan within two years and implement the action step within five years

• Resource Options: Public grants, public/private partnerships, hospitality industry contributions, establish fee-based programs, public/private partnerships, economic development funds

• Initiate and support efforts to increase ease of access to Palm Desert from areas inside and outside the Coachella Valley. This could include air access, passenger rail, directional and image signage.
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (Lead), CVAG, Sunline, private industry, taxi services, Caltrans, Palm Springs Airport, GPSCVB, students, education, Palm Desert Visitor Center, chamber of commerce, city marketing, city trans-portation & land planning representatives, hospitality industry
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: Public grants, public/private partnerships, hospitality industry contributions, establish fee-based programs, public/private partnerships, economic development funds

    Measures of Success:

• Increase in sales tax and TOT.
• Increase in permits for street licensed golf carts and other alternative modes of transportation.
• Increase in flights to Palm Springs International Airport and expanded passenger rail service.

Priority 2: Grow existing events and develop new events to enhance the desirability of Palm Desert as a year-round destination.

• Rationale: Palm Desert’s economic base needs to be strengthened and supported through attraction of new customers.

  Strategy: By late 2014, create a local committee to serve as a resource for establishing priorities, developing partnerships, identifying venues, researching desired events, acquiring funding, etc.

  Action Steps:

• Hire an events consultant to help identify appropriate signature events for Palm Desert.
  • Parties Involved: Consultant (lead), City of Palm Desert and a new committee (lead), golf courses, schools, hospitality industry, hospitals, city staff, chamber of commerce, nonprofits, industry leaders (e.g. event promoters and healthcare), GPSCVB

• Timeline: By late 2015
• Resource Options: City funding

• Identify & better utilize existing venues/areas for potential events.
  • Parties Involved: Consultant (lead), City of Palm Desert and a new committee (lead), golf courses, schools, hospitality industry, hospitals, city staff, chamber of commerce, retail, nonprofits, industry leaders (e.g. event promoters and healthcare), GPSCVB
  • Timeline: List of potential venues prepared by end of 2015
  • Resource Options: No funding required
• Develop one signature event each month from May to October.
  • Parties Involved: Consultant (lead), City of Palm Desert and a new committee (lead), golf courses, schools, hospitality industry, hospitals, city staff, chamber of commerce, retail, nonprofits, industry leaders (e.g. event promoters and healthcare), GPSCVB
  • Timeline: Add one event every two years beginning in 2016
  • Resource Options: Possible seed money from city, private organizers, private sponsors
• Identify permanent home for Fashion Week that allows for future growth.
  • Parties Involved: Consultant (lead), City of Palm Desert and a new committee (lead), golf courses, schools, hospitality industry, hospitals, city staff, chamber of commerce, retail, nonprofits, industry leaders (e.g. event promoters and healthcare), GPSCVB
  • Timeline: Mid 2014
  • Resource Options: Possible seed money from city, private organizers, private sponsors
• Dedicate staff to support the concepts developed above.
  • Parties Involved: Consultant (lead), City of Palm Desert and a new committee (lead), golf courses, schools, hospitality industry, hospitals, city staff, chamber of commerce, retail, nonprofits, industry leaders (e.g. event promoters and healthcare), GPSCVB
  • Timeline: Mid 2014
  • Resource Options: May require hiring of city staff – funding necessary

    Measures of Success:

• Adding annual year-round events on the established schedule.
• Increase in sales tax and TOT.
• Growth in attendance at existing events.
• Solidified city funding and staffing resources.

Priority 3: Attract new and developing travel/tourism markets.

Rationale: Palm Desert has focused on traditionally proven markets, which tends to limit our reach. The city is in need of expanding its reach into new and emerging markets (e.g.: culinary, medical, cultural tourism, business, sports and film), younger demographic entities and emerging international tourism markets.

Strategy: Engage city’s Marketing Committee and experts in the tourism sales industry to develop this concept and a specific plan of action.

Action Steps:

• Dedicate staff and resources as needed.
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (lead) and the Marketing Committee (lead), Hotel and Signature Events Committee, Media, GPSCVB, Art in Public Places, Visit California, sales organizations, marketing agencies, hotels, restaurants, local attractions, travel writers/bloggers, chamber of commerce
  • Timeline: 18 months
  • Resource Options: City funding, hospitality industry, media and targeted industries
• Prioritize the developing markets in order of importance.
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (lead) and the Marketing Committee (lead), Hotel and Signature Events Committee, Media, GPSCVB, Art in Public Places, Visit California, sales organizations, marketing agencies, hotels, restaurants, local attractions, travel writers/bloggers, chamber of commerce
  • Timeline: 24 months
  • Resource Options: City of Palm Desert funding, hospitality industry, media and targeted industries
• Identify and establish partnerships with committees and organizations in order to implement identified priorities.
  • Parties Involved: City (lead) and the Marketing Committee (lead), Hotel and Signature Events Committee, media, GPSCVB, Art in Public Places, Visit California, sales organizations, marketing agencies, hotels, restaurants, local attractions, travel writers/bloggers, chamber of commerce
  • Timeline: 36 months
  • Resource Options: City of Palm Desert funding, hospitality industry, media and targeted industries
• Develop and utilize supporting marketing materials.
  • Parties Involved: City (lead) and the Marketing Committee (lead), Hotel and Signature Events Committee, media, GPSCVB, Art in Public Places, Visit California, sales organizations, marketing agencies, hotels, restaurants, local attractions, travel writers/bloggers, chamber of commerce

• Timeline: 36 months
• Resource Options: City funding, hospitality industry, media, targeted industries

• Identify and attract education and medical symposia.
  • Parties Involved: Consultant (lead), City of Palm Desert & a new committee (lead), golf courses, schools, hospitality industry, hospitals, city staff, chamber of commerce, retailers, nonprofits, industry leaders (e.g. event promoters, healthcare), GPSCVB
  • Timeline: Within five years and ongoing after that
  • Resource Options: Possible seed money from city, private organizers, private sponsors
• Engage travel writers and bloggers that can reach the prioritized new and developing markets.
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (lead) and the Marketing Committee (lead), Hotel and Signature Events Committee, media, GPSCVB, Art in Public Places, Visit California, sales organizations, marketing agencies, hotels, restaurants, local attractions, travel writers/bloggers, chamber of commerce
  • Timeline: 36 months
  • Resource Options: City funding, hospitality Industry, media, targeted industries

    Measures of Success:

• Increased sales tax and TOT.
• Increased city staff and budget.
• Completed Plan of Action.
• Community stakeholder participation and sponsorships.

Priority 4: Support the city’s tourism industry through enhancement of its marketing efforts with an allocation of additional city resources, the development of partnerships, and coordination of existing efforts.

Rationale: Tourism is the number one industry in the Coachella Valley. The city should invest in its marketing efforts to support and protect the growth and vitality of its largest revenue generator.

Strategy: Commit staff time and financial resources to support the city’s expanded Marketing Plan, which is designed to develop and implement marketing opportunities that support the growth and strengthening of the city’s tourism industry.

Action Steps:

• Ensure appropriate staff resources to take advantage of the opportunities as outlined within this plan.
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (lead), GPSCVB, Visit California, chamber of commerce, local organizations, event venues, retail centers, Marketing Committee, El Paseo Business Improvement District, local attractions
  • Timeline: Early 2015
  • Resource Options: City funding, related industry partners, sponsors, co-ops
• Budget additional resources to fund the goals as outlined.
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (lead), GPSCVB, Visit California, chamber of commerce, local organizations, event venues, retail centers, Marketing Committee, El Paseo Business Improvement District, local attractions
  • Timeline: Fiscal Year 2015/2016 budget
  • Resource Options: City funding, related industry partners, sponsors, co-ops
• Work with local agencies to develop marketing seminars to educate local businesses on community branding, cooperative marketing opportunities, etc.
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (lead), GPSCVB, Visit California, chamber of commerce, local organizations, event venues, retail centers, Marketing Committee, El Paseo Business Improvement District, local attractions
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: City funding, related industry partners, sponsors, co-ops
• Strengthen relationships with the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau (GPSCVB), state tourism, and other travel industry partners in order to develop complementary marketing programs.
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (lead), GPSCVB, Visit California, chamber of commerce, local organizations, event venues, retail centers, Marketing Committee, El Paseo Business Improvement District, local attractions
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: City funding, related industry partners, sponsors, co-ops
• Utilize opportunities to partner with existing agencies to promote Palm Desert (e.g. state tourism, GPSCVB, national tourism agencies).
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (lead), GPSCVB, Visit California, chamber of commerce, local organizations, event venues, retail centers, Marketing Committee, El Paseo Business Improvement District, local attraction.

• Timeline: Ongoing
• Resource Options: City funding, related industry partners, sponsors, co-ops

• Develop additional cooperative marketing programs for local businesses and districts.
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (lead), GPSCVB, Visit California, chamber of commerce, local organizations, event venues, retail centers, Marketing Committee, El Paseo Business Improvement District, local attractions
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: City funding, related industry partners, sponsors, co-ops
• Implement an annual strategy which outlines the city’s participation in local tourist- driven events and at regional and national level travel industry shows.
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (lead), GPSCVB, Visit California, chamber of commerce, local organizations, event venues, retail centers, Marketing Committee, El Paseo Business Improvement District, local attractions
  • Timeline: Ongoing annually
  • Resource Options: City funding, related industry partners, sponsors, co-ops
• Better utilize existing volunteer resources to support marketing outreach efforts.
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (lead), GPSCVB, Visit California, Palm Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, local organizations, event venues, retail centers, Marketing Committee, El Paseo Business Improvement District, local attractions
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Resource Options: City funding, related industry partners, sponsors, co-ops
• Create a plan that leverages the success of the existing Palm Desert Visitor Center location and allows for innovative and flexible methods of information delivery to our visitors, including mobile outreach concepts.
  • Parties Involved: City of Palm Desert (lead), GPSCVB, Visit California, chamber of commerce, local organizations, event venues, retail centers, Marketing Committee, El Paseo Business District, local attractions
  • Timeline: Develop an action plan by end of 2015 and implement transition within five years
  • Resource Options: City funding, related industry partners, sponsors, co-ops

New technologies and changing attitudes about neighborhood cohesion, health and quality of life require new ideas about how people and goods are moved around and through the city.

They also require new approaches to planning and policy-making. Palm Desert was planned and built to accommodate the use of automobiles. Residential areas are often separated from commercial areas and community amenities. Safe and functional sidewalks and pathways aren’t always available. These land use patterns and design elements discourage more active forms of transportation such as walking or biking. The Highway 111 corridor, for instance, would be more usable and inviting with a greater emphasis on mixed-use development patterns that include bike paths and walkways. The challenge for Palm Desert is how to get more people out of their cars so they can enjoy the benefits of a healthier lifestyle. Integrating land use and transporta-tion planning with better information sharing and community education will be the keys to achieving these community goals. Other opportunities exist or may arise, such as the CV Link project, to connect Coachella Valley communities with paths for cyclists, pedestrians and low-speed electric vehicles such as golf carts. The possibility of expanding rail service in Palm Desert and nearby cities should also be pursued. Encouraging alternative modes of transportation would ease the parking problems that exist in some parts of the city.

Transportation Mini-Vision

By 2033, each resident and visitor will have safe, convenient and efficient transportation options.

Transportation Priorities

Priority 1: Create walkable neighborhoods and areas within Palm Desert that would include residential, retail, services and employment centers, and parks, recreation and open space to reduce the use of low occupancy vehicles.

Rationale: Integrates complementary land uses and enhances their accessibility, reduces the need for vehicles and shortens vehicle trips, and reduces the need for added roads, highways, parking, etc. Integrated land use and transportation planning helps create a cohesive neighborhood, enhances community health and serves all age groups and socio-economic sectors.

Strategy: Modify the city’s attitude and approach toward mixed-use development in neighborhoods in the under-developed and undeveloped north corporate and sphere area, and in the areas adjacent to Highway 111. Allow four- or five-story buildings with retail on ground floor, and residential, hotel or office/professional above. Support parking standards that recognize the synergies of complementary land uses.

Action Steps:

• Modify Zoning & Land Use Maps, standards and guidelines to encourage mixed-use development immediately and on an ongoing basis.
  • Parties Involved: City, development and business community, chamber of commerce, community at large
  • Timeline: Immediate and ongoing
  • Resource Options: City revenues, planning fees, state or federal grants
• Change city development policies to encourage and facilitate mixed-use development, such as tax incentives, city participation, fee reductions.
  • Parties Involved: City, development community, business owners
  • Timeline: Two years
  • Resource Options: City revenues
• Provide height and density bonuses to developments based on the services and amenities they provide to residents and the neighborhood.

• Parties Involved: City, development community
• Timeline: Immediate and ongoing
• Resource Options: City revenues, planning fees, development bonuses, tax rebates

• Educate the public about the advantages of mixed-use development.
  • Parties Involved: City, development community, chamber of commerce
  • Timeline: Immediate and ongoing
  • Resource Options: City revenues, planning fees, state or federal grants
• Facilitate establishment of a Highway 111 business district as a self-funded and self-managed business promotion entity.
  • Parties Involved: City, chamber of commerce, business community
  • Timeline: Immediate and ongoing
  • Resource Options: Chamber of commerce, district membership dues, city revenues, planning fees, state or federal grants
• Evaluate and map potential transit-oriented development (TOD) sites along major arterials, including Highway 111.
  • Parties Involved: City Planning & Public Works Departments
  • Timeline: Two years
  • Resource Options: City revenues, state and federal grants

    Measures of Success:

• Mixed use and TOD has appeared in identified areas.
• Land use changes have reduced vehicle trips and have made serving the redesigned neighborhoods/nodes with buses more effective and efficient.
• There is greater walking and bicycling throughout the city.
• A Highway 111 Business District has been established.

Priority 2: Revitalize the Highway 111 corridor through land use and travel corridor evolution and visual improvement.

Rationale: The current model for Highway 111 is not efficient, effective or attractive. There is existing tension between the corridor’s two primary functions as a significant retail area and as a major intra-regional transportation corridor. Alternative routes for east-west through-traffic (such as Fred Waring Drive, Country Club Drive, Dinah Shore Drive, Interstate-10) may make possible the further evolution of the Highway 111 corridor as a mixed-use destination. This high profile roadway warrants more attention to appearance, location identification and “placemaking.”

Strategy: Identify potential revitalization opportunity sites along the corridor, assign mixed-use and TOD-land use designations, and create mixed-use developments along

Highway 111. They would include residential opportunities and promote self-sufficiency in terms of commercial, professional and other services, employment opportunities, and open space and recreational amenities. In the aggregate they will result in fewer vehicle trips.

Action Steps:

• Evaluate Highway 111 land use, ownership and roadway network pattern, and identify areas for redesignation for mixed-use and/or TOD development.
  • Parties Involved: Planning and Public Works Departments, property and business owners, chamber of commerce
  • Timeline: Immediate and ongoing
  • Resource Options: Grants, city sponsored planning and design charettes
• Aggregate or assemble properties along Highway 111 to allow for the creation of mixed-use and TOD developments.
  • Parties Involved: Property owners and developers
  • Timeline: Five years
  • Resource Options: Bond funding, city sponsored facilitation, private financing
• Assist/incentivize developers willing to pursue mixed-use developments through sales tax rebates, vested entitlements that would lock-in long-term rights and re-sponsibilities to facilitate such developments.
  • Parties Involved: Economic Development Department
  • Timeline: Immediate and ongoing
  • Resource Options: Staffing, community participation, marketing
• Provide better bus service along Highway 111 corridor – Express Bus (Bus Rapid Transit-BRT) between Palm Desert and neighboring communities. Take action immediately to be completed within five years.
  • Parties Involved: SunLine Transit Agency, Public Works Department and Economic Development Department
  • Timeline: Immediate and within five years
  • Resource Options: State and federal grants, JPA, etc.
• Explore creation of a merchants group on Highway 111.
  • Parties Involved: City and chamber of commerce, property & business owners
  • Timeline: Immediate and ongoing
  • Resource Options: chamber of commerce, Economic Development Department

Measures of Success:

• Land Use assemblage has occurred within and adjacent to mapped mixed-use development opportunity sites.
• Developer Incentive Program has been specifically designed to appeal to mixed-use developers.
• There is a TOD Bus Rapid Transit route along Highway 111 corridor with average one-mile station spacing.
• The establishment of the Highway 111 Corridor Business District, a self-funded business promotion group under the auspices of the Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce.

  Priority 3: De-emphasize single/low-occupancy vehicles and optimize multiple modes of travel (bus, carpool, golf cart, bicycle and pedestrian).

  Rationale: Acknowledges trend in general public’s decreasing use of cars for transportation. Ongoing community land use and transportation planning can enhance the trend by facilitating mixed-use and transit-oriented development. Reduces demand for roadway capacity and associated expense, and improves public health.

  Strategy: To reduce vehicles and vehicle miles traveled, utilize projects with evolved land use and transportation planning, promote the CV Link pathway and other routes that can be used by golf carts, bicycles and pedestrians, and seek expanded rail service.

  Action Steps:

• Assist in and facilitate development of CV Link project.
  • Parties Involved: Coachella Valley Associations of Governments (CVAG) and the city
  • Timeline: Immediate and ongoing
  • Resource Options: Federal, state and regional grants, CVAG, Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) funds, Sentinel Air Quality funds
• Explore and assist in opportunities for expanded rail service in Palm Desert and neighboring communities.
  • Parties Involved: Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) and the city
  • Timeline: Two years
  • Resource Options: Federal, state and regional grants, CVAG, CMAQ funds, Sentinel AQ funds

Addendum A

Acknowledgements

Addendum B

List of Stakeholders by Task Force

Arts & Culture

Economic Development

Energy and Sustainability

Land Use, Housing & Open Space

Parks & Recreation

Public Safety & Emergency Services

Tourism & Marketing

Transportation

Addendum C

Envision Palm Desert Stakeholder Calendar