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Residents press Palm Desert for enforcement as sand blows from Del Webb Explorer site
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Summary
Several homeowners told the Palm Desert City Council that the Pulte/Del Webb Explorer construction site is blowing large amounts of sand onto adjacent lots after removal of a soil stabilizer; residents say promised landscaping is incomplete and asked the city’s planning/inspection staff to require the developer to finish erosion controls and make reparations.
Multiple Palm Desert residents told the City Council on March 12 that ongoing grading at the Del Webb Explorer (Pulte) development has created persistent blowing sand and debris that is filling backyard pools, clogging filters and making patios unusable.
"We are getting inundated with sand," said Charles Cronenweth, who said his house backs up to the project. He and other neighbors said Pulte removed an erosion‑control coating on a slope, delayed promised landscaping and raised lots—reportedly as much as 11 feet above existing homes—creating an artificial dune that sends sand onto adjacent yards.
"We would like the landscaping to be planted... We would like that landscape planted now so that we no longer have the blowing sand problem," said Jana Korchinski, another neighbor.
Linda Candler, whose home she said is on the southeast corner of the project, told council the development was approved in November 2022 and was supposed to be completed within five years; she said revised landscape plans were approved but not implemented. "Enough already," Candler said, adding that neighbors have repeatedly asked Pulte to finish promised work.
City staff told the council they are communicating with residents and Pulte and are preparing a report for council and affected residents. "We are currently working on this item in response to the residents outreach earlier this week, and we'll have to report to the city council as well as to the residents," a staff member said.
Council took no immediate enforcement action at the meeting; residents asked the city to require the developer to implement erosion controls and complete the approved landscaping to reduce dust and property damage.
