Councilmember outlines 2025 priorities: economic plan, remaining affordable housing entitlements, fire station planning and potential sales-tax discussions

Council Member Downs used his council comments time to lay out a list of priorities he recommended the city pursue in 2025: a Rancho Mirage-specific economic development plan, completion of the remaining affordable housing entitlements to meet the state-required housing element, planning for a new north-end fire station, construction of a park tied to recently approved affordable housing parcels, and evaluation of possible revenue sources to fund capital needs.

Downs said the council and staff have entitled roughly 850 income-restricted affordable housing units to date and that the California Department of Housing and Community Development requires the city to entitle about 1,100 units for the current housing element cycle, leaving “about 300 more units to go” to meet the requirement. He urged the council to continue entitling the remaining units this year and noted the city currently spends about $1,000,000 a year subsidizing city-owned affordable housing communities; when that funding ends, he said the general fund will need to absorb the cost.

On infrastructure, Downs said the city must begin planning for a fire station in the north end of Rancho Mirage; he suggested such planning should begin this year, even if construction will come later. He also said the council set aside 50 acres for related projects, with roughly 25 acres planned for affordable housing and the other 25 acres designated for a park that will require funding and design work.

Downs flagged capital cost estimates and revenue options: he said a new fire station could cost in the range of $15,000,000, said the city should review transient occupancy tax (TOT) rates (Rancho Mirage’s TOT was described as 10 percent, the lowest in the desert), and asked staff and council to monitor a county transportation-relief measure previously proposed by the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC). He noted the RCTC measure — a proposed 1 percent sales tax — was removed from the ballot but likely will return in the future and that Coachella Valley cities should press for a fair distribution of any revenues if the measure returns.

Mayor Ted Weil and other council members responded with agreement that the topics deserved attention; Mayor Weil said the RCTC matter will come up at CVAG and RCTC committee meetings. The council approved the consent calendar earlier in the meeting by vote, but no formal action on the policy items Downs raised was taken at this session.

Consent calendar action: the council voted to approve five consent items (December 19, 2024 minutes; extension for track map 33329; Rancho Mirage Energy Authority 2023 power content label; contracts; and demands). Mayor Ted Weil moved to approve the consent calendar; a council member seconded. The motion carried 5–0.