Council forms Serena Park CFD, authorizes special‑tax election to finance infrastructure

The Palm Springs City Council on Dec. 10 concluded the formation proceedings for Community Facilities District No. 20251 (Serena Park) and adopted a package of resolutions to allow the district to levy special taxes and seek voter/landowner authorization for bonded financing.

Staff explained that Serena Park includes two residential components (Serena Park 1 with 386 units and Serena Park 2 with 91 units), four improvement areas and streets, sewer, drainage and park facilities to be financed by CFD bonds. The master developer is identified in the staff report as Suncal. The proposed development agreement includes a $3,200,000 payment to the city for open space acquisition over time.

Council moved and voted on a sequence of actions: a resolution of intention/resolution of formation, a resolution determining necessity to incur bonded indebtedness, a resolution calling an election on the levy of a special tax, and later adoption of the ordinance authorizing levy of special taxes in improvement areas 1–4. The city clerk reported that the land‑owner representatives authorized the levy by the ballots cast at the special election and council then adopted a resolution declaring the results.

Motions authorizing the funding, construction and acquisition agreement and subsequent roll‑call votes were recorded and staff reported the motion carried by a 5–0 tally on roll call for the funding agreement vote.

Next steps: after the election canvass and declaration of results, the CFD will be formed and staff anticipates returning with first‑reading ordinances and funding‑and‑construction agreements to implement improvements.