02/17/2022 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 4
CITY COUNCIL,
LIBRARY AND OBSERVATORY BOARD,
HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD,
AND THE CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTING
THE REDEVELOPMENT SUCCESSOR AGENCY
REGULAR MEETING
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022
1:00 P.M.
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER – 1:00 P.M.
a) Flag Salute: Led by Council Member Smotrich.
b) Roll Call: Downs, Kite, Smotrich, Townsend, Weill – All present
NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENTS
Tom Atkin, Rancho Mirage resident, expressed concern with the Section 31 development, emphasizing the quantity of water necessary to build the crystal lagoon.
Brad Anderson, Rancho Mirage resident, expressed concern with water usage at the Section 31 development, commented that meeting minutes should note the City Manager adjourns the meetings, and expressed concern that there may be a conflict of interest regarding the City Council and the Palm Springs Cemetery District.
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At Meeting Location
City of Rancho Mirage
City Hall - Council Chamber
69-825 Highway 111
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
Pursuant to Assembly Bill No. 361 (Effective September 16, 2021), there will be the ability to teleconference into the meeting and the public may observe the meeting and offer public comment as follows:
SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIRED FOR THE PUBLIC IF ATTENDING IN PERSON
02/17/2022 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 4
COUNCIL/BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS/REPORTS
Council Member Downs welcomed Disney to the City of Rancho Mirage, noting their recently announced partnership with DMB Development for Section 31. He noted the median home value increase within the City of Rancho Mirage over the past two years, that homes were currently selling much quicker than years prior, and there was less supply on the market. Council Member Downs described the housing affordability gap that had increased throughout the City.
Council Member Kite reported the City received new trash/recycle bins, which were strategically placed in high traffic areas throughout the City, and noted the costs for the bins were covered by a grant the City received from CalRecycle.
Mayor Pro Tem Townsend noted the Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory had returned to normal operations and announced the City’s upcoming Ninth Annual Rancho Mirage Artists Show.
Mayor Weill noted the Section 31 development plan was approved in 2019; however, the Disney partnership wasn’t known until the previous week. He emphasized the Disney partnership would not entail building a theme park in Rancho Mirage, but rather an elegant living community. Mayor Weill noted all the questions regarding sustainability were addressed in the environmental impact report for the project, which was available on the City’s website.
Council Member Smotrich commented that Disney would not build a theme park in the City and expressed excitement for what Disney would create with their first ever “Storyliving” community.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS
Isaiah Hagerman, City Manager, described the standard development process, emphasizing the City and the public would have opportunities to review Section 31 proposals through multiple public meetings of the City’s various boards, commissions, and City Council.
MINUTES February 3, 2022 Regular Meeting.
Public Comments – None.
MOVED/SECONDED BY TOWNSEND/KITE TO APPROVE THE FEBRUARY 3, 2022 REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 5/0.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Isaiah Hagerman, City Manager, presented the following Consent Calendar items:
1. Adopt Joint Resolution No. 2022-(Next-in-Order), Making Findings Pursuant to Government Code Section 54953, as Amended by Assembly Bill 361, and Authorizing Continued Remote Teleconference Meetings of the City Council and Affiliated Agencies and All Other City-Affiliated Brown Act Bodies, in Accordance with AB 361 During the Current State of Emergency Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
02/17/2022 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 4
2. Adopt Resolution No. 2022-(Next-in-Order), Adopting Investment Policies Pertaining to the Investment of City Funds.
3. Appointment of City Council Members to Serve on Various City and Outside Agency Boards/Committees/Commissions.
4. Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Special Assistance Fund (SAF) Award.
5. Demands.
Public Comments:
Brad Anderson, Rancho Mirage resident, spoke in opposition to Consent Calendar Item No. 1, commenting that elected and appointed officials should be physically available to the public.
MOVED/SECONDED BY SMOTRICH/KITE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 5/0.
ACTION CALENDAR
6. Consideration of a Request by the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert for a Matching Grant of $150,000.
Gabe Codding, Director of Marketing, presented the staff report.
Cindy Burreson, CEO of the Children’s Discovery Museum, described what projects the requested funds would be allocated towards. She noted the negative implications the COVID- 19 pandemic inflicted onto the nation’s children and emphasized the Children’s Discovery Museum filled a learning gap created by the pandemic.
Mayor Weill described the importance of the Children’s Discovery Museum, noting many lifelong memories were created at the facility.
Council Member Kite described the diligent efforts of Cindy Burreson, noting she had revamped the museum. He described the importance of the museum to the Coachella Valley and commented that he hoped other cities would join in donating to the museum.
Public Comments:
Brad Anderson, Rancho Mirage resident, spoke in opposition to the donation.
Mayor Pro Tem Townsend noted the number of children that visit the museum each year and thanked museum staff for their efforts in revamping the facility.
Council Member Smotrich described the museum’s success with tourist visits, noting the facility was the only one of its kind in the Valley.
Council Member Downs thanked museum staff for their efforts and expressed support for the donation.
02/17/2022 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 4
MOVED/SECONDED BY KITE/TOWNSEND TO APPROVE A REQUEST BY THE CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY MUSEUM OF THE DESERT FOR A MATCHING GRANT OF $150,000. MOTION CARRIED 5/0.
CLOSED SESSION
1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1).
Case Name: Vacation Rental Owners and Neighbors of Rancho Mirage; RM Vacation Rentals LLC, et al. v. City of Rancho Mirage, et al.
Case No.: CVRI2100368
Steven Quintanilla, City Attorney, reported that the City Council would recess into closed session to discuss Vacation Rental Owners and Neighbors of Rancho Mirage; RM Vacation Rentals LLC, et al. v. City of Rancho Mirage and one potential initiation of litigation case.
Public Comments
Brad Anderson, Rancho Mirage resident, suggested the City contract with alternative legal counsel to conclude the litigation listed on the closed session calendar.
The City Council, Library and Observatory Board, Housing Authority Board, and the City Council representing the Redevelopment Successor Agency recessed into Closed Session at 1:56 P.M.
Isaiah Hagerman, City Manager, reconvened the meeting at 3:45 P.M. and announced that no reportable action was taken during Closed Session.
ADJOURNMENT
With no further business to consider, the meeting of the City Council, Library and Observatory Board, Housing Authority Board, and the City Council representing the Redevelopment Successor Agency was adjourned at 3:45 P.M.
Prepared by: Kristie Ramos, City Clerk
Date Approved by City Council: March 3rd, 2022