Indio Resident Denied Permit To Sell Festival Parking

A controversial parking problem is brewing as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival nears.

A longtime Indio resident has been denied a temporary use permit to sell parking spaces on her property during the famed festival. on Wedesday, the city of Indio Planning Commission listened to the resident’s appeal to have the denial overturned.

By charging $20 per day, multiplied by up to 500 cars potentially fitting in the lot, that equals up to $10,000 in revenue in one day’s work. With two scheduled weekends of Coachella Fest and another of Stagecoach, it doesn’t take a genius to see why Sara Cuecuecha wants her parking lot approved.

“It’s a family business,” said Cuecuecha. “Everybody works hard (and) everybody needs to benefit from it.”

But the bottom line is that the parking lot isn’t necessary. Plus, if it is operational, the lot would disrupt the city’s new traffic plan, according to a staff report on the matter.

Goldenvoice, the festival promoter, is offering acres of additional parking in and around the Empire Polo Club, and some 25,000 people will also be shuttled to and from the concerts back to their hotels. Their cars won’t be anywhere near the festival grounds.

“All I’m saying is give me a chance to run a business, and give the people a choice to park where they want,” said Cuecuecha.

The city reworks its traffic plan every year, and big change this time around is that Monroe Street from Avenue 49 to Avenue 52 is off-limits to pedestrians — foot traffic.

Cuecuecha’s property is just 275 feet South of Avenue 50.

The planning director, Joseph Lim, said closing Monroe off to pedestrians will cut down on jaywalking and fence jumping.

On Feb. 7, the city denied Cuecuecha’s application for a temporary use permit and on Wednesday, the planning commission unanimously voted to uphold that denial.

As of now, this is the first time in four years that she won’t be allowed to sell parking, which is a far cry from the prior three years — when she was the only applicant approved.

“I will appeal it further through the City Council,” said Cuecuecha. “I will ask for the City Council to hear the case.”

She has 15 days to file for another appeal.

Cuecuecha is also councilwoman Lupe Ramos Watson’s aunt.

So, It’ll be interesting to see if Watson will take part in the council hearing on this item, or pull out because of a possible conflict of interest.