Palm Desert council approves $30 million library concept but delays creating fundraising foundation

Palm Desert city council approved a $30,000,000 conceptual design for a new library facility and sent the project into schematic design, while agreeing to postpone a final decision on creating a separate library foundation until additional study and peer-city outreach is completed.

The $30 million concept, advanced by the city's capital projects team, would place the new library on the Parkview Building site at the Civic Center campus. City staff said the design meets the program needs identified during community engagement and library advisory committee review, and includes flexible community rooms, a veterans' center area and movable book stacks for multiuse events.

Council chose to continue separate discussion of a proposed 501(c)(3) foundation for the library for two meetings so staff can return with additional research, including visits to other municipal library foundations and written examples of governance models. Supporters said a foundation will enable legacy gifts and program fundraising that a government entity may not attract; others urged caution, saying a foundation could complicate governance and that the newly built library should be operating and its community usage observed before creating an independent fundraising arm.

Ryan Lamb, capital projects senior project manager, reviewed the project background, noting the city's decision to end operations with the Riverside County Library System, the formation and later reorganization of local advisory groups, and a $4,000,000 withdrawal payment from the county to be applied toward the project. Lamb said the Parkview site was selected after evaluating multiple locations and that the $30 million option better accommodated program "needs and wants" than a lower-cost alternative.

"The $30,000,000 budget had the program needs and wants of the community as well as city staff," Lamb said during the presentation. He described the concept architecture as inspired by the site's natural palm grove and riverbed forms, with a high vaulted interior, acoustical panels, low rolling book stacks and flexible outdoor shade structures.

Gary Schafer, director of library services, told the council staff expects operational costs for a new facility to be "slightly higher, but we also believe those will be offset by increased property tax revenues." Council members asked about construction cost estimates and whether the engineer's estimate was recent; staff replied the estimate and reconciled construction manager numbers were generated a few months earlier and indicated a per-square-foot construction cost used in the budget assumptions.

On public comment, local library advocates praised the staff's community engagement and urged the council to move the project forward. Jan Buller, who identified herself as a Palm Desert resident and library volunteer, said she was "really satisfied that the staff is reflecting the perspective of the community" and urged approval.

Council members asked that architectural materials and finishes be reconsidered in schematic design to allow some continuity with existing civic architecture and to preserve the option of honoring founding donors. Several council members specifically suggested retaining or transferring commemorative plaques from the original library as a sentimental continuity if the new design does not echo the old building's exterior.

On the separate question of a library or city foundation to raise private funds, staff outlined options: proceed now with creating a 501(c)(3) foundation and continue recruitment, pause and explore partnerships (for example, leaving an account with an established community foundation to accept donations), or supplement library financial needs via Measure G allocations instead of creating a new nonprofit. Supporters of moving forward argued foundations generate donor confidence and enable legacy gifts earmarked for the library; critics warned of possible governance friction between a board-controlled foundation and city staff, and urged waiting until the new building is open and community use patterns are clear.

After discussion, Council voted 5-0 to approve the conceptual design and to move into schematic design and entitlement steps, and separately voted 5-0 to continue the foundation question for two meetings to gather additional research (including visits to other municipal library foundations) and to return with written findings and recommendations.

The schematic design and entitlement phases will include review by the Architectural Review Commission and planning processes that staff said are expected in the first half of 2025, with demolition of the Parkview building currently anticipated in early 2026 and a best-case completion estimate by the end of 2027 if the schedule and funding align.