I-Team: How PDDs are changing Palm Springs
An effort is underway in Palm Springs to reform a system developers have used repeatedly to build what they want, but not what’s necessarily best for the city.
A city’s General Plan and zoning ordinances are basically the roadmap for future development.
Read: Recent KESQ I-Team Investigative Reports
A watchdog group has been tracking the number of times developers have used what’s called “Planned Development Districts” in order to side-step those rules.
And a new study is giving a better look at just how often the process has been used, and perhaps abused.
Judy Deertrack with “People for Proper Planning” presented a brief summary of that new report to the Palm Springs Planning Commission in April.
But her allotted five minutes was cut to three at the last minute. She didn’t have time to finish her call to follow the city’s General Plan and zoning laws.
Deertrack said, “There is a reason to follow zoning. When you don’t, a lot goes wrong.”
Planned Development Districts, or PDDs, are a tool developers have been using to commonly build a higher number of expensive single-family homes in the city on land zoned for other uses, either businesses, homes on larger lots, or apartments, condominiums, and other more affordable housing options.
With the city’s blessing, PDDs have allowed developers to ignore all kinds of zoning requirements.
In exchange for getting to build what they want to build, developers are supposed to include a public benefit, an amenity such as a pool or more open space. It’s supposed to be something residents and others can use.
Too often Deertrack’s study shows that all too often, that “public benefit” was justified as the projects themselves.
“What I see is a pattern is they simply choose to follow what the developer comes in with,” said Deertrack who added, “the problem is that’s chaotic over time.”
A ‘People for Proper Planning’ study shows PDD’s have been used in Palm Springs nearly 90 percent of the time since 2006, Deertrack says rendering the city’s own General Plan basically null and void.
45% modified density or use restrictions.
56% added significant height to projects.
37% reduced open space below General Plan standards.
80% waived setbacks from streets.
In 18% of the cases, the study claims the city waived virtually every zoning requirement.
Planning Commissioner Kathy Weremiuk says mistakes were made.
She took special note of the Dakota Project and the Morrison. Each feature tall buildings on small lots, close to narrow streets and with little parking, common PDD traits.
On the Dakota, Weremiuk said, “It’s packed in. It doesn’t look right. It doesn’t provide a gracious enough life for its residents.”
The Dakota’s public benefit was improvements for trailhead, but the trail leads straight to entertainer Suzanne Somer’s nearby property– a ‘no go.’
More examples include the Vivante assisted living development set to go in on land where such development is prohibited by zoning. It’s located next to the convention center and is supposed to be used for tourism and convention center supporting businesses.
Planning Commission Chair, Lyn Calerdine, responded saying, “I would hate to think we couldn’t put in assisted living for our elderly population.”
The Woodbridge development is near old the Magruder site zoned for mixed use commercial businesses, but will instead see 82 single family homes.
This and other similar developments are something city council member, and former planning commissioner, J.R. Roberts likens to shoe boxes on their ends packed onto postage-stamp-sized lots.
Ad-hoc PDD committee member, Scott Bigbie said, “Many of the PDDs in Palm Springs literally changed the use. Hotels were allowed in residential zoning and so on.”
Calerdine believes most PDDs have been appropriate saying, “Some of their assumptions I disagree with somewhat.” Still, Calerdine says he supports more transparency in the process.
Several PDD developments, including the Vivante just east of the Palm Springs Convention Center, are now enmeshed in the criminal bribery and corruption complaints against John Wessman, Richard Meaney, and former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet.
Weremiuk says of the Planning Commission, “I was never asked to do anything, Did we feel pressure to get things done?”
Now the pressure is on the Planning Commission to turn the PDD ad-hoc committee’s work into recommendations for change that will then go to full city council for approval perhaps in June.
Deertrack is running for city council.
Roberts said it was the broken PDD process when he served on the planning commission, which led him to run for city council.
Email Jeff with your thoughts at jstahl@kesq.com.
