‘Save Oswit Canyon’ collects twice as many signatures as needed

More than 15 people with the committee, ‘Save Oswit Canyon’, arrived at Palm Springs City Hall Thursday afternoon with more than twice the amount of signatures they were looking for to rezone the area.

The group was looking to get 5,000 signatures, and it reached that goal five months earlier than the six-month deadline approached.

Read more about the Fight to Save Oswit Canyon

“I would generally get more than 20 signatures within the two hours. If i didn’t get it in the two hours, I just went more hours,” Save Oswit Canyon volunteer Mark Kendrick said.

Volunteers say they collected more than 5,000 signatures to petition and rezone the 256 acres leading into Oswit Canyon, as an environmentally sensitive area to protect it from developers.
Petitioners say the canyon is home to endangered species like big horn sheep and plant life.
The group “Save Oswit Canyon” is vowing to do just that by getting the signatures, turning them in and getting the issue on the ballot.

“We turned these signatures in five months early with more than double what was needed. This is a very strong message that this is what the community wants,” said Jane Garrison, coordinator for Save Oswit Canyon.

The signatures need to be verified by the registrar of voters in Riverside County. Once that is done, the initiative can be presented to the city council where they can: approve it, request further study or call a special election.

“It’s a very complicated issue because we’ve got the residents, the environmental impact studies, the developer, the various options. It’s going to be a very involved and complex discussion we will take very seriously,” Palm Springs Mayor Robert Moon said.

There are no immediate plans to build in Oswit Canyon.
Petitioners say they’re hopeful to get approval from the city council after turning in what they say is double the number of signatures required.

“This is what makes Palm Springs special. If we take away the canyons and the things that make our community special we’ll be like everywhere else,” Garrison said.

The city has 30 days to get the signatures verified before city council can take action.