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Palm Desert previewed $30 million median master plan; council split on lushness vs. upkeep
Summary
Design consultants showed a three‑tier median landscape master plan for Palm Desert with gabion columns, raised planters and public‑art nodes; staff estimated about $30 million for a five‑year build‑out of tiers 1 and 2 and will return with funding options. Council expressed mixed preferences on plant intensity and concerns about water and maintenance.
City consultants presented the draft Palm Desert Median Landscape Master Plan during the Sept. 25 study session, showing a three‑tier approach to medians and entry nodes and a preliminary five‑year budget.
Sean Muir, community services manager in public works, said the median plan is one of the council's 2025 goals and that the city contracted Herman Design Group to prepare the designs. "This master plan is one of the council goals for 2025," Muir said as he introduced the consultant.
Armando Opus Garza of Herman Design Group described the design approach: preserve established specimen trees where practical, remove dated stamped concrete and inconsistent rock blankets, and introduce a tiered palette that varies by corridor speed and visibility. Tier 1 is a densely planted, raised‑planter treatment for slower, more pedestrian‑oriented areas; tier 2 is intermediate; tier 3 is a low‑maintenance, sparser approach for high‑speed segments. The consultant also proposed gabion (stone‑filled) columns as wayfinding/monument features with internal LED and uplighting options.
On fiscal scope, staff presented a preliminary five‑year funding option covering tiers 1 and 2 that totals approximately $30,000,000 and is not included in the current capital budget; staff said they will return with alternatives and funding mechanisms after council input.
Council members raised practical concerns. Some urged adding a bit more "lushness" at freeway off‑ramps and key arrival nodes to create a stronger sense of place; others cautioned about long‑term maintenance and water‑service limitations in stretches that lack water mains. Consultant Garza said certain entry medians were deliberately shown without plants to avoid the need for new water mains, and staff said they will consult the water district and explore options for targeted irrigation where feasible.
Council also asked about safety and durability: the consultant said raised planters would be limited to an 18‑inch height to avoid impeding drainage and that gabion columns can be designed and engineered with city traffic and public‑safety input for resistance to impacts. Staff pledged to coordinate the median plan with an ongoing monument sign initiative and the public art program so elements are cohesive.
The council offered mixed direction rather than a single policy directive; staff will incorporate the comments and return with final designs, a funding strategy and an implementation timeline.
