Valley hotel project canceled
The proposal included a three-story, 140 room hotel, along with a food and beverage market, and indoor dining, at the corner of Jefferson and Fred Waring in La Quinta.
Monticello resident Heidi Kemp is among those glad that the project is not going to happen.
“We feel like our fears, needs and requests were looked at and answered,” said Kemp.
Kemp, her husband, and others in the neighborhood contacted us a few weeks ago, to say they didn’t want the hotel at Jefferson Square, proposed by CCD Hotel and Resorts.
They were worried about increased traffic, noise, and people partying at the hotel right next to their community park, and one block from their homes.
“I love that our community, our neighborhood was able to come together and say hey, this not a good choice for us as a community,” said Kemp.
While the La Quinta planning commission voted against the project by a vote of 4 to 3, there was always the possibility the city council could have approved the project.
The city’s senior planner sent an email to Monticello residents, writing in part, “due to the lack of support from the planning commission and opposition from the surrounding community, the applicant has decided to withdraw their application from the city”.
To get more citizen input on what to do at Jefferson Square, along with input on other commercial development in the city, the city is holding a community workshop Saturday, January 12th.
The city’s Director of Design and Development says the workshop, offered each year, is not only a chance for citizens to give input, but also an opportunity for the city to update the public on plans and projects.
“It is important to participate because it is their community. they reside here. they spend their time here. this is to hear first hand how they view their city, how they want it to be shaped in the future,” said Danny Castro, La Quinta Director of Design and Development.
When it comes to future development at Jefferson Square, Kemp said she and her neighbors would like to see “small businesses that are connected to a family environment”.
CCD Hotel and Resorts has not responded to our request for comment.
The community workshop Saturday morning takes place from 9:00 until noon, at the city’s “Wellness Center”.
