Commission approves Serena Park phasing map amid homeowner concerns over access and open space

The Palm Springs Planning Commission on Jan. 22 approved Tentative Tract Map 39025, a map that subdivides the long‑pending Serena Park entitlement into seven parcels and a remainder lot to permit phased construction by individual merchant builders.

Planning staff said the property — long known under prior ownership as Palm Springs Country Club — was sold Aug. 12, 2024 to Serena 386 LLC, which amended the existing development agreement with the city. Staff described the map as a phasing mechanism so individual parcels can be sold and built by separate builders while preserving the approved entitlements of Tract 36691 and the PDD that governs Serena Park.

The project area encompasses open space, a planned public park and portions of the Whitewater River wash. Staff noted that the development agreement and previous council approvals remain in effect; staff also said about 50% of the project is required to be open space and that up to 25 acres in the Whitewater wash may be counted toward that total, with a portion of the wash proposed for dedication to the city.

Members of the public — including area homeowners and condo residents — raised security and maintenance concerns, asked for confirmation that previous neighborhood agreements remain in force, and urged the developer to repair entrances and remove graffiti. Rodney Landy, a Palm Springs Country Club HOA board member, said residents support the tract map but want meetings with the developer and written assurances about perimeter setbacks. Deborah Freeman, a condo resident, described dust and debris on her patio from recent cleanups and asked for contact and remediation.

A prominent point of debate was an existing fire hydrant currently accessible across open ground and, informally, across the former golf course. Residents worried that once property is subdivided and perimeter walls or gates are installed the hydrant could lose practical emergency access. Planning staff and the applicant said the fire department’s conditions require hydrant placement within 250 feet of combustible construction and that any final development will be reviewed by the fire department to ensure access or require relocation or additional hydrants.

Staff also addressed the alignment of the CV Link bicycle/pedestrian route and confirmed a third entrance at Francis Drive would be a full public entrance (not emergency only), correcting an earlier condition description. Staff reported the owner had substantially improved site conditions in recent weeks, hired contracted security and was addressing graffiti removal and perimeter cleanup.

Applicant representatives, including Fernando Dutra, told the commission they were working to bring site improvements up to the development agreement schedule and said they had offers from merchant builders. Staff noted the tentative map is necessary to conform to the development agreement’s phasing plan and recommended adoption of the previously certified CEQA determinations tied to the 2016 approvals.

Commissioner amendments clarified two items in the conditions of approval: updating language that described the Francis Drive entrance and changing references to “Whitewater Drive” to “North Whitewater Drive” for clarity. The commission approved the map by roll call; votes were recorded as yes from all members present.

Why this matters: The tract map creates discrete parcels that can be sold to different builders — a common mechanism for completing large master‑planned projects — while leaving prior entitlements and the development agreement in effect. Residents’ questions about access, perimeter walls and fire protection will be resolved during final‑map and design review stages, when public‑safety conditions and site‑specific agreements must be satisfied.