Palm Desert City Council - Regular Meeting, May 8, 2025

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[00:06:25] Mayor Hnik: We ready? We're ready.
[00:06:32] Mayor Hnik: Good afternoon, everyone. We are now readjourning to our joint meeting of the Palm Desert City Council, Successor Agency to the Palm Desert Redevelopment Agency, Palm Desert Housing Authority, and the Palm Desert Board of Library Trustees for Thursday, May 8th, 2025. Let's have roll call. That's what we'll do.
[00:07:00] City Clerk: Councilmember Nestandi?
[00:07:04] Councilmember Nestandi: Here.
[00:07:04] City Clerk: Councilmember Pedetto?
[00:07:06] Councilmember Pedetto: Here.
[00:07:06] City Clerk: Councilmember Kinttonia?
[00:07:09] Councilmember Kinttonia: Present.
[00:07:09] City Clerk: Mayor Pro Tem?
[00:07:09] Mayor Pro Tem: Here.
[00:07:11] City Clerk: Mayor Hnik?
[00:07:12] Mayor Hnik: Here.
[00:07:12] City Clerk: All councils present.
[00:07:14] Mayor Hnik: Thank you very much. We'll now have the Pledge of Allegiance with Councilmember Pedetto leading and inspiration from Councilmember Kintan.
[00:07:51] Councilmember Kinttonia: This past weekend I had the opportunity to go to Open Call, and it's a great opportunity to watch our local community and watch them display their talents. Whether it was singing or dancing or playing an instrument, or in the past there was a gentleman that was even juggling. It's about sharing your gift. And sometimes you are the gift. Whether it's spending time with a loved one... Other people may have the money, right? Donate your philanthropy. Donate what you can give either now or in the future. But you can also be the gift. Call that loved one. Scroll through your phone and find someone random you haven't spoken to in some time. Make the call while you're driving. Smile at a stranger. We have Mr. Armando that's sitting here. Just the kind gesture of celebrating and giving us a smile when you give a hug. You have to give a hug and you get one at the same time. You can volunteer. Whether you're volunteering to read at the library or go walk animals at the animal shelter or foster at the animal shelter, your gift is your time. Your compassion is your gift. You can pay it forward. Think of a time that someone showed you kindness. In keeping that spirit of gratitude and kindness, you push that generosity and positivity forward. I have a personal tradition that every year on my birthday, I celebrate that I've been given the gift of one more year of life. And that's what I do. I donate blood. I make it every day as I'm walking around. I will make it after I donate it. And if I can celebrate one more year of life, that's what I can do. So find your gift. Find your gift. Be the gift and help all of our community grow stronger with joy. Thank you.
[00:09:58] Mayor Hnik: Is there a report from...
[00:10:00] Mayor Janie Harnick: Closed session?
[00:10:02] City Attorney: Thank you, Mayor. No reportable action taken in closed session this afternoon.
[00:10:05] Mayor Janie Harnick: Thank you. We'll move now to awards, presentations, and appointments. And our first presentation is for Holocaust Remembrance Day. So, maybe I just want to say a couple things before I go further. This is to commemorate Yom HaShoah. And that was actually a couple weeks ago, but because there were some conflicts, we weren't able to do it. But there's no day we shouldn't think about the Holocaust. No day that we shouldn't remember how important this is and what it means to us all. The Holocaust is the uninvited guest at every Jewish commemoration, every event. It's always there. It's omnipresent. And it's something we all need to think about. And recently we've had some issues even right here in our community with some anti-Semitic or, to say it the way it is, some Jew-hating. And we have to be cognizant of that, and we have to observe it. So I'll read it now. Whereas, between the years of 1933 and 1945, six million Jewish people were killed during the Holocaust; and whereas, 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, where Jewish people and other persecuted populations were freed from the Nazi concentration camps after having suffered mass murders, forced labor, horrific conditions, and grave harm; and whereas, the memory of the Holocaust serves as a reminder of the importance of kindness, respect, and understanding among all people; and whereas, it is crucial to remember the stories of those who were affected by the Holocaust, honor the resilience of the survivors, and reflect on the lessons learned from this dark chapter of history; and whereas, Yom HaShoah, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, is a day to honor the victims and survivors of the Holocaust; now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Janie Harnick, Mayor of the City of Palm Desert, on behalf of the City Council, do hereby recognize, well, every day as Holocaust Remembrance Day in the City of Palm Desert and reaffirm our dedication to combating hatred and committing to foster a world of compassion, understanding, and peace. And one thing strikes me about this proclamation: it's a little shorter than most, but it doesn't need to be long to say what needs to be said in this. It's simple, it's horrific, and it needs to be remembered. So, I'd like to present this to you, and I'd like you to say a few words.
[00:13:16] Danny Leen: Thank you, Mayor Harnick, and thank you to all of the members of the Palm Desert City Council for this recognition and for taking the time today to make this very poignant and beautifully written proclamation. I'm Danny Leen. I am the CEO of the Jewish Federation of the Desert, and this is my esteemed colleague, Arie Gilman, the president of the Federation. Thank you for having us here today. Honoring the memory of the Holocaust and the 11 million people who perished at the hands of Nazi persecution is our individual and collective responsibility. The Jewish Federation of the Desert is grateful to the City of Palm Desert for your ongoing commitment to honoring the Holocaust memory and for making the Holocaust part of the city's official collective memory. This year we commemorate, as Mayor Harnick read, 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, which took place in 1945, which was also subsequently the end of World War II. And what that means is that today's youngest Holocaust survivors are at least 80 years old. And there are approximately 25 known Holocaust survivors living here in the desert today. Each of their stories must be preserved and shared. This year, the Jewish Federation began archiving the testimonials of our survivors to preserve their stories, to preserve their voices for the future of our community. And as many times as we hear the
[00:15:02] Speaker: Firsthand testimonies, whether live or recorded, we have no choice but to confront once again the atrocities of the past. And in so doing, we commit once more to our very sacred vow, never again. May Palm Desert's official recognition of Holocaust Remembrance Day serve to support all of the city's residents as we remember the Holocaust this year and in years to come. And our hope is that Palm Desert will serve as a beacon, as an exemplar to other cities here in the desert and beyond. Thank you for your example and your leadership and for putting Holocaust Remembrance Day in this official capacity, which I think will go a very far way for all of the residents. And I spoke today actually with five survivors of the Holocaust who are themselves residents of Palm Desert. And they each got a color photograph of the proclamation, and it was really clear just how meaningful this was on the personal level to them. So thank you so much.
[00:16:21] Mayor Jan Harnick: Thank you. Thank you so much.
[00:17:00] Mayor Jan Harnick: And next we have something for Pollinator Week. Who is it that's accepting that? It's Sean. Okay. Whereas the monarch butterfly is an iconic North American species whose multi-generational migration and transformation from caterpillar to butterfly has long captured the imagination of people across the continent. And whereas both the eastern and western monarch butterfly populations have experienced steep declines due to habitat loss, climate change, pesticide use, and other environmental threats. And whereas pollinators such as monarchs, honeybees, native bees, birds, and bats are vital to the health of our ecosystem, supporting biodiversity and playing an essential role in the production of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and other crops. And the city of Palm Desert recognizes the urgent need to protect pollinator species and has taken the Mayor's Monarch Pledge, joining communities across the United States in committing to create pollinator-friendly habitats and raise awareness about pollinator conservation. And whereas cities and local governments have a critical role to play in restoring habitat for monarchs and other pollinators through the thoughtful use of parks, open spaces, road medians, community gardens, schools, and municipal buildings. And the city of Palm Desert is committed to environmental efforts that ensure the benefits of pollinator conservation and green space improvements are shared by all members of our community. And whereas Pollinator Week, recognized this year from June 16th through the 22nd, 2025, provides an important opportunity to celebrate pollinators, encourage stewardship, and inspire local action. Now therefore, be it resolved that I, Jan C. Harnick, mayor of the city of Palm Desert, and the entire city council, do hereby proclaim the week of June 16th through June 22nd, 2025, as Pollinator Week in the city of Palm Desert. And I urge all citizens to celebrate Pollinator Week and to support efforts to protect and restore habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators, assuring that future generations can continue to enjoy their beauty and benefit from the vital ecological services they provide.
[00:19:37] Sean: Mayor Harnick, um, just for anyone who's in the audience or listening at home on Zoom, please don't hesitate to visit the pollinator garden at Civic Center Park. We have signs up with a QR code you can scan and learn about native planting in your own backyard. Uh, this is the fourth year that the city has observed Pollinator Week and participated in the Mayor's Monarch Pledge.
[00:20:01] Speaker: through the National Wildlife Federation. Um, and it's a, a um, incentive that we intend to continue. So, thank you very much.
[00:20:35] Speaker: Oh, next is awards for the civic academy participant certificates. And do you want to say a few things and then... Okay, please.
[00:20:54] Ryland Penta: Good afternoon, mayor, council members, and members of the public. My name is Ryland Penta, and I'm the community relations supervisor at the city of Palm Desert, and I've had the honor of hosting our civic academy program with these fine men and women over here. Today, we recognize the recent graduates of this program for their time and dedication for our community and for the care of all the operations our city does. I like to say that the civic academy introduces you to all things Palm Desert does, but most importantly, I call it from art to zoning, the A to Z of Palm Desert. These individuals dedicated two hours for five weeks to this program where they met our staff, toured our facilities, built connections amongst each other, and most importantly know how to continue their engagement with us moving forward. Not all 24 recent graduates could be here today, but we want to thank these participants, all of them, for their time, care, and interest in our community. If you're interested in participating in this engaging program, the Civic Academy for the autumn 2025 cycle is now live on our website. So, please visit www.palmd.gov/civicacademy to apply. It's a great opportunity for everyone. You do not have to be a resident. So, please consider it if you're interested in our wonderful community. In a few moments, we'll begin calling recent graduates to the front of the room to collect their certificates and take a group photo over here at the staircase. Please join me in congratulating each person as they are called to the front of the room. So, I'd like the whole council to come down, please.
[00:22:49] Ryland Penta: Over there. Perfect. We can do a row of shaping. Okay, perfect. The first person I'm going to call up is John Hutz.
[00:23:22] Ryland Penta: Janet Davidson.
[00:23:44] Ryland Penta: Thank you. Robert McConn.
[00:24:04] Ryland Penta: Armando Sanders.
[00:24:29] Ryland Penta: Thank you. Thank you as well, Michael Morris.
[00:24:51] Ryland Penta: Thank you, Carrie Mloud.
[00:25:15] Speaker: Sonia Donaldson.
[00:25:34] Speaker: Thank you, Joanna O'Hanian. Thank you, Brooke Marshall.
[00:26:18] Speaker: Oh, thank you, Bert Seaguan.
[00:26:38] Speaker: Thank you. Thanks. Appreciate Mary Curry. Thanks, Sunonny Ramirez.
[00:27:20] Speaker: And lastly, Jessica Walker.
[00:27:43] Speaker: Congratulations to all of them and we will take a photo and I ask you all to join if you can.
[00:27:53] Speaker: All coming back.
[00:28:00] Speaker: Yeah, I think...
[00:28:36] Speaker: Thank you so much. And what we heard a lot of up here is your staff is so great and how much they love the program. So I hope that encourages others to go through the process. It's wonderful to know how the city works to get a good idea of what goes on and how it gets done. So, thank you all very much for giving us your time and being interested in your community. Okay. Well, next we have a presentation, Friends of the Desert Mountains Wildflower Festival. Hey, Tammy.
[00:29:18] Tammy Martin: Good afternoon, Mayor Harnik and council members. I am Tammy Martin. I'm the executive director for Friends of the Desert Mountains and I'm here today to give an overview of the Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival that took place on March 1st and the city of Palm Desert was the presenting sponsor.
[00:29:53] Tammy Martin: Okay, we will move on without the presentation. Um, so anyways, we had approximately 2,500 attendees at the
[00:30:02] Speaker: ...festival. We had approximately 10 vendors with about 30 exhibitors. And new this year at the festival was our pollinator garden. Leon's Landscaping helped us with that. We were able to bring the guests in, teach them how to plant seeds, and then also we were able to give away some trees. And at the same time, we received a grant for our first plant native guide on planting. So, I'm going to leave some here for you guys to take so you know how to plant the proper plants within the city and around the wildflower festival. This is our 18th year. There it is. There it is.
[00:30:54] Speaker: Next. So, 10 vendors, 25 exhibitors, eight food trucks. We had 12 participants in the kids zone. Our youth art contest, which is held of kids from the YMCA, Desert Recreation District, and then anyone else who wants to participate, can paint art and then we judge it. First place gets an iPad, and then we place also second and third, and they receive gift cards from Target. We had over 1,000 artwork come back to us. We sent out like 1,800 packets. So, it's becoming very popular within our organization to do this. We also had live aerial performances, one band in our beer and wine garden. And this festival takes approximately 100 volunteers to put on this festival. One thing that we will change in the next year, we are eliminating our beer and wine garden. Not as many participants. I guess they don't want to drink during the day. So we have found that it's costing us too much. So we will eliminate that portion. And we want to expand our pollinator garden. And then we also added to the festival a dog area. So we had a lot of dogs at the festival this year.
[00:32:14] Speaker: Next, this is some of the fun and groups. This was a photo booth here on the right, and then another group that showed up for the festival.
[00:32:25] Speaker: Next, this is our friends' booth. Off to the right is some of the artwork being displayed. And then in the kids' zone, a desert tortoise.
[00:32:36] Speaker: Next, this is the new pollinator garden area. We are, like I said, we are going to expand this area, but here are some of the demonstrations that were taking place in that area.
[00:32:51] Speaker: And of course, this is our outdoor event. Just some of the more photos of the event.
[00:32:58] Speaker: Next. And we couldn't do it without our sponsors and getting the word out. So, here is... We made sure that everything going out was bilingual, making sure that we had the big banner on the City Hall along with all of our advertising. This is an overview. This is the first year that we've done this. So this is an overview of the small portion of the park, but this doesn't really show like our kids' zone, which we plan on expanding next year as well. In the middle, you'll see that we've moved the artwork. We put all of the artwork in the middle. We wanted to make sure and showcase all of the youth art so everyone who attended visiting the tents would make sure that they would visit the artwork being displayed.
[00:33:44] Speaker: Again, more photos. Some of our staff members, we have a little chuckwalla there off to the right. Again, a desert tortoise. And then a little girl getting her picture taken. Here's our dog area. And if you have a pet and would like a bandana, just please let me know and I'll be more than happy to supply you with a bandana for your puppy.
[00:34:08] Speaker: And this is some of the kids that received their awards. And it's amazing how many kids come to the park looking and searching for their artwork. So if you've never been to the festival, I really encourage you to come to the festival and enjoy everything that's going on in it, but also take a look at all of the creative artwork that's being displayed. Here is some of the art flying aerial, which was another popular area.
[00:34:41] Speaker: And then to kick off the Wildflower Festival, the week prior, we do a 5K run. We've been holding that on the Randall Henderson Trail up at the visitor center and our friends' offices. Next year, we are planning on moving it to the Palm Desert Trails behind Target. So, we're looking at... we've got a couple...
[00:35:00] Tammy: ...different routes and moving it to there to hopefully engage more people to attend. And of course, we couldn't do this festival without our volunteers. Here's a list of our sponsors. And again, I can't thank the City of Palm Desert again for your continued sponsorship and support of our organization along with this festival. Should be one more. It should be a video.
[00:35:35] Council Member: Your volunteers all look very happy, Tammy.
[00:35:37] Tammy: They are always happy. Okay, that is my last slide. Okay, so there was a video that we went throughout the whole park and we interviewed guests and they were thanking all the sponsors, especially the City of Palm Desert. So, if you'd like to see the video, let me know and we can get that to you. But again, thank you again for your continued support of our organization.
[00:36:02] Council Member: Thank you for what you do.
[00:36:04] Tammy: Thank you.
[00:36:07] Mayor: Any other comments? No.
[00:36:10] Mayor: Okay. We'll move to City Manager comments.
[00:36:13] City Manager: Nothing for today, Mayor.
[00:36:15] Mayor: Okay. We'll go to Council Member reports and requests for action. We'll start with Council Member Pedetto.
[00:36:21] Council Member Pedetto: Quick statement. I know everyone knows how effective our city app is and how efficient and great resource it is for the public. And I think it's gotten even better this week. I got a closing report with a picture of a complete project. And so not only did I have a picture of the problem, I got a picture of the completed project. And the workflow messaging is great, has been updated. And I just want to say kudos to staff and thank you for that.
[00:36:54] Mayor: Council Member Quintanilla.
[00:36:58] Council Member Quintanilla: Thank you, Madame Mayor. Um, let's see. This month is AAPI month, Asian-American Pacific Islander month. So, I encourage everyone to go out and try new food. There are wonderful establishments here, especially with my Binsan family in the Filipino community. Um, let's see. This morning, I attended the Harvey Milk breakfast. It was a gigantic showing, record crowd, and learned that this month is also Trans Awareness Month. Temperatures are rising. Please be sure to hydrate. We're going to get pretty warm starting this weekend and then it's only going to keep rising. Keep it short and sweet. Thank you.
[00:37:41] Council Member: No comments this evening, Mayor.
[00:37:44] Mayor: Uh, no comments. I just have a couple of things. I learned recently that California has more EV chargers than gas pumps.
[00:37:54] Council Member: Pretty good. That's pretty good.
[00:37:55] Mayor: We just don't have enough electricity for them, but it's impressive. Um, also we did, you heard about Open Call before? We went to Open Call, a number of us did, and it's so outstanding to see all of our local talent that shows up and the McCallum supports and does a tremendous production. It's really impressive and it is the Palm Desert, you know, we sponsor it and we see it's from 7 to 79 years old and these performers are amazing and it really is incredible to see. We also took a tour of the hillside, Council Member Pedetto and I, to really look at what we're talking about, what we're working for to save, preserve, and it's important. And I encourage anyone to go look at those hillsides, understand the importance they have to the character and integrity of our community, and think about how we're going to work to make sure that we preserve that for future generations. We also had Coffee with the Mayor. We had a nice turnout. It was at the ERC, which is the Entrepreneurial Resource Center right across from the CSU campus in Palm Desert off of Cook. And it was a nice turnout and the staff did a great job and the lieutenant was there and everybody covers me when I don't know answers. They've got all the answers. So, it's great. And our community members walk away with their questions answered. So, it's terrific. Uh, I also want to mention that the Living Desert was the host for AA, and they really thanked the City of Palm Desert for their support. But it was interesting, they went to the Living Desert at the conclusion of the conference and the ideas that they walked away with, everything from the rocking chairs that are throughout the park—everyone loved those—the Australia walkthrough exhibit, but the Living Desert is...
[00:40:00] Speaker: Redefining zoos and sharing it with all the international zoos and aquariums. And it's great that they're our leader in their efforts. And that's all I have. So, um, are there any non-agenda public comments that we need to address?
[00:40:21] Staff: I don't, I don't have any blue cards.
[00:40:24] Staff: So, is there anything online? Uh, for those on Zoom, if you want to participate in public comment, please click the raise hand button on your computer or smartphone. And if you're calling in on your phone, uh, please dial star 9 to raise your hand. And when called upon, press star six to unmute yourself.
[00:40:37] Staff: And Madame Mayor, we have no raised hands.
[00:40:39] Mayor: Okay, we'll go to the consent calendar. Is there, uh, anything? Are there any public comments for the consent calendar?
[00:40:47] Staff: No. Okay. No public comments, Madame Mayor.
[00:40:49] Mayor: Thank you. Is there, uh, I'll entertain a motion, or is there anything that anyone would like to address separately?
[00:40:56] Councilmember: I motion to approve the consent calendar as presented.
[00:41:01] Councilmember: Second.
[00:41:02] Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Can we have a vote, please?
[00:41:10] Mayor: Motion passes 5 to zero. Thank you very much. Uh, there is nothing on the action calendar. We do have public hearings. And let me get over to public hearings. Our first one is to adopt an approved community development block grant, CDBG, substantial amendments to the annual action plans for program years 2020, 2021, 22, 23, and 24.
[00:41:44] Ivan Tinorio: Good afternoon, mayor, city council. Ivan Tinorio, homeless supportive services manager. Um, today I'm here to, uh, seek approval for five different substantial amendments and, um, evaluate a, uh, reallocation plan. But, uh, but first let's kind of go over what a, uh, what triggers a substantial amendment. Currently, HUD requires that anytime that there is, uh, a moving of $25,000 or more between projects or program years, um, or even a project being added or removed, uh, we would require a substantial amendment in a public hearing. In the, in the report, I, I note that there are several years ranging from 2019 up into 2024 that have several years of unspent funds. The only years that require substantial amendments are 2020's COVID year, 2021, um, that's normal CDBG money, 2022, 2023, and 24. So, the reallocation plan in general is essentially asking and seeking that we take our Desert Arc HVAC project and use all of our CO dollars and allocate it all to that project. Uh, further support the Johnson C Center's, uh, ADA, uh, bathroom project from 2023. And then the remaining balance, which in totality comes up to 217,000 and some change, and award it to our housing authority to do a, uh, parking lot resurfacing project at, uh, the Candlewood property. And if you approve, we have, would have successfully spent down the majority of, of, of all of the years of current, of CDBG funds, including COVID. Um, and then we'll be able to maximize and utilize all those funds hopefully this calendar year and expend all of it. And with that concludes my presentation, and I'm here for any questions.
[00:43:28] Mayor: Okay. Are there any questions?
[00:43:31] Councilmember: No questions.
[00:43:35] Mayor: Then, uh, we'll open the public hearing, and I'm going to guess we don't have...
[00:43:42] Staff: No online public comments, Madame Mayor.
[00:43:44] Mayor: Okay. And we've heard from Ivan. So, um, are there any at this point? Are there any questions of nothing?
[00:43:57] Councilmember: Comment, please. I want to say thank you to staff. That was a lot of digging to go as far back as possible to ensure that every single dollar that we have received is being spent wisely, and I think those are great causes that have been identified to move things forward. So, thank you.
[00:44:12] Mayor: Yes, thank you.
[00:44:15] Mayor: Okay, then we'll close the public hearing.
[00:44:17] Mayor: Okay, let's close the public hearing. And then, and that was the council comment after that we close the public hearing. And is there, are there any other comments? No. Okay.
[00:44:28] Councilmember: Then I'll move approval.
[00:44:30] Mayor: Okay. Is there a second?
[00:44:33] Councilmember: I will second.
[00:44:39] Mayor: Motion passes 5 to zero. Okay.
[00:44:47] Mayor: We'll now move to 15B, proposed plan for bond issuance by the California Statewide Communities Development Authority for phase one of the Palm Villas at Millennium Apartment Project.
[00:45:00] Speaker: located north of Gerald Ford Drive between Dinosaur Drive and Technology Drive. And who's going to report?
[00:45:13] Speaker: I apologize. I didn't realize that Jessica was not in the area. So, we are bringing this forward for council's approval. It is a requirement that council approves it because it's in our jurisdiction. If you have any specific questions, I'm happy to answer them. We also have a representative from Palm Communities on the Zoom call if you have any questions for them.
[00:45:35] Mayor: Okay.
[00:45:36] Mayor: Well, that's our report. We will open the public hearing.
[00:45:42] Clerk: And are there any... no online comments, Madame Mayor?
[00:45:47] Mayor: There aren't any.
[00:45:48] Mayor: Okay. Are there any questions from the council?
[00:45:53] Council Member: No. No questions.
[00:45:56] Mayor: Well, then we'll close the public hearing. And now I'll ask for any council member comments.
[00:46:05] Council Member: Move approval.
[00:46:07] Mayor: Good comment.
[00:46:10] Mayor: Is there a second?
[00:46:11] Council Member: Second.
[00:46:12] Mayor: There we go. Can we have a vote, please?
[00:46:20] Clerk: Motion passes 4 to 1 with Council Member Kintania voting no.
[00:46:27] Mayor: Okay. Well, thank you. And that was not a record short meeting, but it was pretty short nonetheless. Today is International Donkey Day. I just saw that on my way in. So celebrate that in any way you see fit. And don't forget, it's Mother's Day on Sunday. Everybody's got a mama. So celebrate and say be thankful. Thank you. And seeing no unfinished business, this meeting stands adjourned.