Indio and Coachella JPA approves land purchase, budget move for transfer station expansion

A joint powers meeting between Indio City and the City of Coachella approved a land purchase based on a $520,000 county appraisal and a companion budget move to finance expansion of a regional waste transfer station.

Staff presented a request to include roughly 1.6 additional acres so the transfer station can be fully expanded "to meet the cities' needs for the next 25 or 30 years," an unidentified staff member told the JPA. The county provided a new appraisal of $520,000 for the parcel, and staff recommended the JPA approve a resolution to purchase the land and later return with a lease agreement that preserves a county revenue provision.

The JPA adopted Resolution No. 2026-01, approving the transfer of approximately 16.31 acres in the northern portion of a larger parcel. Unidentified Speaker 5 moved the resolution; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously on a 3–0 voice vote. The meeting record contains a conflicting numeric figure in the motion text (the motion references a $120,000 purchase price), which appears to be a transcription error; the prior discussion and staff presentation consistently refer to a $520,000 appraisal and purchase amount.

Sarah, a staff member, said the $520,000 will be moved "out of the unrestricted reserve budget into appropriations" so the funds can be transferred to the county to finalize the purchase and that the change does not alter other previously approved budget items. The JPA approved the supplemental appropriation and authorized the finance department to make the necessary budget adjustments.

Frank Corlett, vice president of Virtek, addressed a commissioner question about whether revenue flows from unincorporated Riverside County would change, saying: "To answer your question, nothing changes. Currently, the unincorporated county tonnage that comes in to the transfer station, the sublease payment goes to the county." Corlett also noted that the draft lease omitted that provision and that the lease with the JPA will be returned to include any required county provisions.

Officials and staff described operational capacity changes during the discussion. A staff speaker said the current transfer site is about 17,000 square feet and handles roughly 550 to 750 tons per day (about 150 tons are self-haul). The planned facility will be able to handle over 2,500 tons per day. Speakers also described on-site composting operations — about 120 compost rows receiving roughly 300 to 750 tons per day from the Eastern Coachella Valley, with about 10 laborers removing plastic and debris and mechanical screens used for processing.

The meeting adjourned at 11:14. Staff said the lease agreement and any remaining contract language will be brought back to the JPA for further action, and the date for the next joint meeting on the waste transfer station will be determined later.