Public pressure leads Chandi Group to withdraw from La Quinta project
An unusually packed La Quinta planning commission meeting Tuesday evening led to an unexpected surprise for the dozens of people expecting to put up a fight against a retail project slated for the corner of Washington and Avenue 50.
Chandi Group USA reportedly did not want to upset the neighborhood, and withdrew plans for a gas station, convenience store, car wash, fast-food restaurant and two-story retail space.
A spokesman for the Chandi Group said although millions had already been spent on the project, they’d gotten enough complaints to call off everything.
“He [Nachhattar Chandi, CEO of Chandi Group]just did not think after listening to all the testimony, talking to people who live here with him in this community of La Quinta that this was the right location at the right time.”
The Chandi Group projected about $240,000 per year in sales tax revenue for the city. The city’s projections were less, at $166,000. The money was expected to assist with the $700,000 deficit in the city budget.
Representative of the Chandi Group, Tom Freeman, took a moment during the announcement to address rumors of the Chandi Group donating to La Quinta City Council members.
“We’ve never made a donation to anybody on the City Council, obviously planning commissioners don’t take donations, and the staff has been extremely fair in this process,” Freeman said.
He also said this is a permanent withdrawal from the site, and they will not be revisiting it with any future construction plans, though Chandi does hope to do work in another site in La Quinta.
