City of Indio
City Council / Indio Water Authority Minutes
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Mayor Oscar Ortiz called to order the closed session meeting of the City Council for the City of Indio and the Indio Water Authority, at 4:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber located at 150 Civic Center Mall, Indio, California.
CLOSED SESSION - 4 PM
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Present:
Mayor Oscar Ortiz
Mayor Pro Tem Lupe Ramos Amith
Councilmember Glenn Miller
Councilmember Elaine Holmes
Councilmember Waymond Fermon
2. PUBLIC COMMENT None.
3. ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION TO CONSIDER:
3.1 Conference with Labor Negotiator, Government Code Section 54957.6; City Negotiator: Bryan H. Montgomery, City Manager; Employee Organizations:
POA & PCU
REGULAR SESSION - 5 PM
Mayor Oscar Ortiz called to order the regular joint meeting of the City Council for the City of Indio and Indio Water Authority at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber located at 150 Civic Center Mall, Indio, California.
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Present:
Mayor Oscar Ortiz
Mayor Pro Tem Lupe Ramos Amith
Councilmember Glenn Miller
Councilmember Elaine Holmes
Councilmember Waymond Fermon
City Staff Present:
Bryan H. Montgomery, City Manager, Rob Rockwell, Asst. City Manager & Dir. Of Finance, Kevin H. Snyder, Dir. Of Community Development, Carl S. Morgan, Dir. Of Economic Development, Sabdi Sanchez, City Clerk Administrator, Vanessa Castillo, City Clerk Specialist, Ian Cozens, Director of Information Technology, Mike Washburn, Chief of Police, Reymundo Trejo, P.E., IWA General Manager, and Steven Graham, City Attorney
2. INVOCATION Pastor Christian Slye ~ Garden Fellowship Church
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE led by Luis Gonzales-Navarro, Roosevelt Elementary
Minutes for City Council meeting of December 6, 2023 (Sabdi Sanchez, Cit... Page 11 of 417 City Council / Indio Water Authority
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4. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION
City Attorney Steven Graham reported Council met in Closed Session to discuss the items listed therein and there was no reportable action.
5. ROTATION OF MAYOR AND MAYOR PRO TEM
5.1 Rotation of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem with Presentation to Oscar Ortiz for his service as Mayor
Mayor Oscar Ortiz passed the gavel to incoming Mayor Lupe Ramos Amith, and Councilmember Glenn Miller rotated in as Mayor Pro Tem. Newly incoming Mayor Lupe Ramos Amith presented a ceremonial gavel to Outgoing Mayor Oscar Ortiz for his service as Mayor for 2022-2023.
6. COMMENTS FROM CITY COUNCIL
10 MINUTE RECESS
7. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Present:
Mayor Lupe Ramos Amith
Mayor Pro Tem Glenn Miller
Councilmember Elaine Holmes
Councilmember Waymond Fermon
Councilmember Oscar Ortiz
8. YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL (YAC)
Youth Advisory Council Representative Mirabell Cansiño reported on their continuing fundraising, tickets to a Firebirds hockey game. YAC members volunteered at the Thanksgiving Food Distribution with FIND Food Bank, attended the Tree Lighting Ceremony and Tamale Festival. The annual blanket drive continues through December 12, with drop off locations at the Indio Teen Center or City Hall.
9. CITY MANAGER REPORTS AND INFORMATION
City Manager Montgomery reported on the successful turnout for Indio's Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 1st and Tamale Festival held Dec 2nd & 3rd, the demolition of the Library Building and the new location will temporarily be located on Oasis Street to open January 2, 2024. City Manager conceded his time to Angel Gonzalez (representative of AYSO) for comment.
10. REPORT ON CITY COUNCIL EXTERNAL/INTERNAL BOARDS, COMMISSIONS
AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND REPORT ON MEETINGS ATTENDED PER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 53232.3(D)
Councilmember Ortiz reported on Coachella Valley Association of Government Executive Committee and Transportation Committee
Councilmember Fermon reported on Coachella Valley Association of Government Electric Committee
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Councilmember Holmes reported on Coachella Valley Association of Government Transportation Committee
Mayor Pro Tem Miller reported on SunLine Transit Agency Mayor Ramos Amith had no report on committees
11. APPOINTMENTS
12.1 Mayor Appointments to External/Internal Committees, Commissions and Boards
All appointments will remain the same with the exception of one change - to replace Councilmember Ortiz with Mayor Ramos Amith on the Coachella Valley Mountains Conversation Board.
12. EXCUSE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL
13. CONSENT CALENDAR
13.1 Minutes for City Council meeting of November 15, 2023
13.2 City Warrants from 11.10.23 thru 12.01.23
13.3 IWA Warrants from 11.02.23 thru 11.17.23
13.4 Award of Professional Services Agreement with IB Consulting, LLC in a not-toexceed amount of $118,170 for a water rate study
13.5 GCX & Shepphird Associates Selection as the Design-Build Team for the approximately 4,500 square foot Lights at Indio Golf Course Clubhouse budgeted at $4.5 million
13.6 Sam's Fence Inc. Selection to Remove and Install a New Fence Around The Lights at Indio Golf Course totaling $214,500
13.7 Approval of a Five-Year Law Enforcement Services Agreement Between the City of Indio and Desert Sands Unified School District for the Provision of Police Services
13.8 Approval of proposal with Southwest Plumbing and Fire Protection in the amount not to exceed $150,000 for the addition of fire safety sprinklers to a city-owned building located at 82707 which consists of three individual suites
13.9 A Commercial Lease Agreement with IORA Hospitality, LLC, doing business as Melt located at 45238 Oasis Street and a $62,000 tenant improvement allowance
13.10 Construction contract with LC Paving and Sealing, Inc., in an amount not-toexceed $437,900 for the FY 23/24 ADA Curb Ramp Replacement Project (Project No. ST2402)
13.11 Amendment 1 to the existing Streambed Alteration Agreement and Amendment No. 11 to the existing Professional Services Agreement with T.Y.
Lin International in an amount not-to-exceed $278,787 for additional consulting services related to the final design for the Avenue 44 Bridge over the Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel (Project No. BR1101)
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13.12 Construction contract with Marina Landscape, Inc., in an amount not-to-exceed $1,265,750 for the Jefferson Street Overpass Median Improvements Project (Project No. ST2308)
13.13 Second Reading of Ordinance No. 1795 amending Section 156.134 (Fees in Lieu of Dedication) of Indio Municipal Code
Steven Graham, City Attorney request to pull Item 13.7 off calendar; by staff request to be continued to a future date.
Motion made by Councilmember Waymond Fermon, seconded by Councilmember Oscar Ortiz to approve Consent Calendar Items 13.1 thru 13.6 and 13.8 thru 13.13. Carried unanimously.
14. PUBLIC HEARINGS
14.1 Resolution Nos. 10405, No. 10406, No. 10407, and No. 10409 and Ordinance No. 1802 of the City Council of the City of Indio, California conditionally approving the General Plan Amendment, Zoning Text Amendment, Tentative Parcel Map No. 38632, and the Planning Review for the development of a multi-tenant commercial retail center comprising 13,620 square feet on 6.12 acres of vacant land located along Avenue 42 and Jackson Street (Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 692-670-001, 692-670-014, 692-670-017, 692-040-020, and 692-040-007) and certifying the Project’s Final Initial Study with Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND), and finding that the IS/MND is in compliance with Section 15074 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines
Kevin Snyder, Director of Community Development introduced the Staff Report.
Kendra Reif, Principal Planner presented the PowerPoint Presentation.
Mayor Ramos Amith opened the Public Hearing at 5:58 p.m. with the following comments:
1. Bruce Bauer
2. Serik Nieto
3. Dan Almquist (Applicant)
4. Brent Ryhlick (Director of Real Estate - Chick-Fil-A) Mayor Ramos Amith closed the Public Hearing at 6:25 p.m.
Discussion ensued.
Motion made by Councilmember Elaine Holmes, seconded by Councilmember Oscar Ortiz to approve Resolution No. 10405, 10406, 10407 & 10409, and Introduction of Ordinance No. 1802 conditionally approving the General Plan Amendment, Zoning Text Amendment, Tentative Parcel Map No. 38632, and the Planning Review for the development of a multi-tenant commercial retail center (Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 692-670-001, 692-670-014, 692-670-017, 692-040-020, and 692-040-007). Carried 4-1. Mayor Pro Tem Glenn Miller
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opposed.
14.2 Resolution No. 10408 – Text Amendments to the RPD 5 Conceptual Specific Plan and the Heritage Palms Retirement Community and Shopping Center Project Master Plan located Northeast and Southeast of the intersection of Fred Waring Drive and Jefferson Street allowing as a Conditional Land Use Drive-Through Restaurants and Coffee Shops and Other Similar Food/Beverage Businesses and Adopting the Initial Study and Negative Declaration Determining that the Project will not have Significant Effects on the Environment
Mayor Pro Tem Glenn Miller recused himself from Item 14.2.
Kevin Snyder, Director of Community Development presented the PowerPoint Presentation.
Mayor Ramos Amith opened the Public Hearing at 6:32 p.m. with the following comments:
1. Rob Bernheimer (Applicant Representative)
Mayor Ramos Amith closed the Public Hearing at 6:33 p.m.
Discussion ensued.
Motion made by Councilmember Waymond Fermon, seconded by Councilmember Oscar Ortiz to approve Resolution No. 10408 Text Amendments to the RPD 5 Conceptual Specific Plan and the Heritage Palms Retirement Community and Shopping Center Project Master Plan.
Carried 4-0-1. Mayor Pro Tem Glenn Miller abstained.
15. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Public Comments provided by the following:
1. Heather Kocen (Anti-Semitism)
2. David Tsikman (Anti-Semitism)
3. Jose Parra (Jaribal Dance - November 12 Event)
4. Ramiro Estrada (ZT Prospects Youth Baseball)
5. Eddie Fajardo (AYSO)
6. Ana Briceno (AYSO)
7. Yesenia Spinks (AYSO)
8. Hector Diaz (AYSO)
9. Anthony McDermot (AYSO)
10.Ricardo Briceno (AYSO)
11.Al Meza (Recreation Center)
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16. ADJOURN
There being no further business to discuss Mayor Ramos Amith adjourned the regular joint meeting at 7:18 p.m.
SABDI SANCHEZ, CMC
CITY CLERK ADMINISTRATOR
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