Palm Desert council approves consent and action items including YMCA extension, CFD resolution, and zoning code notice changes

The Palm Desert City Council took multiple formal actions on Jan. 9, approving consent calendar items and several action‑calendar measures. Key votes are summarized below.

What the council approved (votes noted): - Approval of the consent calendar and multiple consent items (motion passed 5‑0). The consent calendar included items such as committee appointments (Alex Meyerhoff to Planning Commission; Bob McCauley to Finance Committee), receipt and filing of the independent accountants' report on the Measure A Transportation Fund for fiscal year ended 6/30/2024, and other routine checks and filings.

- Marketing/commemorations list: Council approved the 2025 approved social media commemorations with additions including autism awareness week, Greek heritage month, Asian Pacific Islander heritage month, Polish heritage month and Arab American heritage month (motion passed 5‑0).

- Amendment No. 1 to the law enforcement services agreement between the City of Palm Desert and the County of Riverside (consent item p) — motion passed 5‑0.

- $35,000 sponsorship for DesertX 2025 (consent item r) — motion passed 5‑0.

- Approval of Amendment No. 8 to contract C36620 with Family YMCA of the Desert to extend YMCA management of the Palm Desert Aquatic Center, including clarified termination provisions, a planned two‑month closure window for equipment replacement, and annual external aquatics consultation — motion passed 5‑0. Council discussed the 18‑month RFP window used previously and said staff and council jointly recommend continuing the partnership rather than issuing a new RFP at this time. The contract extension includes a 90‑day termination right for the city.

- Resolution of Intention to establish Community Facilities District (CFD) No. 2025‑1 (Shadow Ridge Public Services) and set a public hearing for Feb. 13, 2025 (motion passed 5‑0). Staff reported a proposed special tax of $2,200 per developed property, escalating 2% annually for 30 years; next steps include boundary map recording, a property owner election and an ordinances process if formation proceeds.

- Introduction (first reading) of a zoning ordinance amendment to expand public notice and community engagement requirements for development projects, including: increasing mailed notice radius from 300 to 500 feet for projects under 5 acres (1,000 feet remains for projects 5+ acres), requiring two developer‑hosted community engagement meetings for qualifying discretionary projects, posting a 32‑sq‑ft site sign prior to public hearings, and expanding HOA notice requirements for hillside plans to all HOAs south of Highway 111 (motion to introduce/first reading passed 5‑0).

- Approval of the city's CDBG action plan and the outside agency funding committee recommendations for FY 2025‑26, including an anticipated allocation of $365,000 (motion passed 5‑0).

Vote details: where recorded in the public record the council vote on these items was unanimous (5‑0). Movers and seconders were not consistently named on the audio record; motions were recorded as being moved and seconded and then adopted by voice vote.

Why it matters: the YMCA contract extension keeps a major city amenity in continuous operation with updated performance metrics and a plan for capital maintenance; CFD formation would create a long‑term service funding mechanism for the Shadow Ridge subdivision; and the zoning code changes increase notice and engagement for development projects.

Provenance: each action and its discussion appeared in the Jan. 9 transcript and staff reports. Council did not adopt any new ordinances on final reading on Jan. 9; several items were introductions or resolutions of intention requiring further steps.