Oasis at Indio development remains in limbo after marathon council meeting

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) — One of Indio’s largest proposed developments remains on hold after a marathon City Council meeting ended without an approval or denial, leaving the developer to determine what changes could bring the project back before city leaders.

The Oasis at Indio proposal includes housing, retail, commercial uses and approximately 1.8 million square feet of light industrial space.

It was that industrial component that emerged as one of the biggest sticking points during Wednesday night’s meeting.

Mayor Pro Tem Waymond Fermon told News Channel 3 the council ultimately decided to continue the item rather than approve or deny it because members want to see changes to the proposal.

“The general consensus from the council was we did not approve of 1.8 million square feet of light industrial warehouses,” Fermon said. “That’s not our city. We’re the City of Festivals.”

Residents raise concerns over traffic, air quality

Public comment stretched late into the night, with residents raising concerns about truck traffic, noise, air quality and the project's potential impact on surrounding neighborhoods.

One speaker told the council residents would be the ones living with those impacts.

“We will live with the trucks. We will live with the noise and we will breathe that air,” the speaker said. “We understand Indio is growing, but we have the opportunity to decide what kind of city we want Indio to become.”

Other speakers stressed they were not necessarily opposed to development itself, but questioned whether the proposed industrial component was the right fit for the area.

Community organizer and candidate for District 4 City Council in Indio, Jonathan Becerra was among those calling for the council to reject the proposal outright.

“I really wish we just denied it like the community wanted,” Becerra told News Channel 3 following the meeting. “And now we have to kind of keep fighting and keep fighting for our environment and keep fighting for our local industry, but we’ll still keep coming back.”

Becerra said the size of the industrial component remains one of his biggest concerns, while housing and other potential uses included in the proposal are not the primary focus of his opposition.

Developer presented potential jobs and community benefits

Representatives for the project spent part of Wednesday night's meeting making the case for the broader development.

During their presentation, representatives said the project could create construction and permanent jobs while bringing additional housing, commercial development and other community benefits to Indio.

The presentation also included potential infrastructure improvements and land for park space, as well as space that could potentially be used for health care and a police presence in North Indio.

Project representatives argued they had already made changes in response to concerns raised during the planning process, including reducing proposed industrial building heights, increasing setbacks and adding landscaping.

They also emphasized that the specific plan would establish a broader framework for future development rather than determine every individual project that would ultimately be built on the property.

City staff explained during the meeting that individual developments would still need to return for additional approvals depending on what is eventually proposed.

Traffic numbers become part of the debate

Traffic was another major point of discussion.

During the presentation, project representatives said the proposed specific plan was estimated to generate 31,505 daily trips across its various uses.

The presentation identified 343 trucks associated with the industrial uses. For traffic-analysis purposes, those trucks were calculated as the equivalent of 1,720 passenger-car trips because of factors including their size and slower movement.

Residents questioned how additional development and truck traffic would affect already-busy roads and nearby communities.

Council members also questioned some of the assumptions used to compare the project's estimated traffic and environmental impacts with what could theoretically be developed under existing land-use plans.

What happens next?

The project is not dead; instead, the council voted to continue the discussion, giving the developer an opportunity to work with city staff and potentially return with a revised proposal.

Fermon said the council wants the light industrial component reduced.

“We welcome growth, we’re working on our infrastructure,” Fermon said. “We’re working on our energy infrastructure to support that growth. But we need smart growth for our city.”

How significantly the proposal changes could also affect the path it takes back to the City Council.

During Wednesday's meeting, city officials discussed whether certain changes could be handled before returning directly to the council or whether more substantial changes would require another review by the Indio Planning Commission.

There is currently no final decision on Oasis at Indio and no date has been announced for when the proposal will return before the City Council.

News Channel 3 will continue following the project as the developer and city determine what comes next.