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Palm Desert council files 2024 general plan and housing element progress reports with state agencies
Summary
Council authorized submission of the 2024 general plan and housing element annual progress reports to the Governor's Office of Planning and Research and the California Department of Housing and Community Development, after a public comment urging stronger focus on electrical reliability in extreme heat.
The Palm Desert City Council voted unanimously on March 27 to submit the City’s 2024 general plan and housing element annual progress reports to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
Donald Ziegler, a Palm Desert resident, urged the council to address electrical reliability in the general plan policies for extreme summer heat, saying the plan currently omits electricity as an essential utility and urging exploration of local resilience options. “To live safely in Palm Desert, we need reliable and resilient electrical power,” Ziegler said during public comment, calling for urgent exploration of alternatives and local preparedness.
Council members thanked staff for the comprehensive report. One council member asked for a study session on the housing element to bring the council fully up to date; staff agreed to arrange an overview. A motion to approve the annual progress reports and authorize submittal to OPR and HCD passed 5-0.
Why it matters: Annual progress reports track the city’s implementation of general plan and housing element policies and are required for state monitoring of housing goals. Public comments raised resilience and implementation concerns tied to extreme heat and electrical reliability.
Next steps: Staff will submit the reports to OPR and HCD and schedule a housing-element overview study session for the council.
