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Board delays cell‑tower lease at Rancho Mirage High for neighborhood outreach
Summary
The board discussed an option and ground lease with Diamond Towers to replace an existing pole and add cell‑site equipment at Rancho Mirage High School but agreed to postpone final approval to allow neighborhood notification and community meetings ahead of a June 9 vote.
The Palm Springs Unified board discussed a proposed option and ground lease with Diamond Towers V LLC to replace an existing pole and install cellular equipment at Rancho Mirage High School and agreed to postpone final approval to allow additional community outreach.
District staff and a city representative described long-standing coverage problems in the Ranch Mirage area and said improving cell service would help students and residents, particularly for emergency communications. Staff said the lease process must precede design and DSA (Division of the State Architect) submittals.
Several board members asked staff to notify neighbors within the district’s public-notice radius, offer dates for public comment and hold community meetings similar to prior campus outreach. One member said the item should be “pulled” to give residents a chance to comment; another emphasized that federal research indicates cell towers do not emit radiation levels harmful to people but supported following board notification policy.
District staff said they would coordinate joint communications with the City of Rancho Mirage and try to hold a neighborhood meeting before the board’s next regular meeting. With three members requesting the additional outreach, the item will return to the board no earlier than the June 9, 2026 meeting for a possible vote.
No final lease was approved at the May 26 meeting; staff said the company is ready to proceed on a schedule but that project approvals will follow the contract, DSA review and community notification steps described to the board.
