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We have 14.5 million visitors annually escaping everyday life to visit a location like few others. Considering we have a year-round population of approximately 450,000 residents, which is a huge economic impact. Mr. Smith highlighted more than a dozen initiatives to broaden the scope of interests for potential regional and international visitors. Just one of those was an Indoor Amateur Sports Complex that could attract 560,000 attendees annually. Still in planning/discussion stages, a complex of 200,000 square feet could host basketball tournaments with 10 full-size courts, or 20 volleyball courts, indoor soccer, field hockey, cheerleading, etc. There is so much potential.
Check out Visit Greater Palm Springs’ colorful and inviting webpage. https://www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com/ The events calendar lists activities of interest for residents and visitors.
Annual Development Impact Fee Reports
These reports are required to be published and presented annually to the public, reviewed and adopted by local agencies collecting development impact fees pursuant to the Mitigation Fee Act within 180 days of the close of the previous fiscal year. That date is prior to December 30th. We have received many late reports this year. Each one has failed to provide proper notification to the DVBA as required when we provide these agencies with an annual certified letter pursuant to the Mitigation Fee Act for proper notification. The City of Coachella is the latest. We actually called them this week and found the city planned to present this report next week to their City Council. While the city has had vital departments undergoing changes in leadership, the regulations and reporting requirements have been law since 1986.
We have reviewed the city’s development impact fee fund reports and found they are significantly lacking in transparency, and documentation supporting the need to continue the collection of fees. A formal letter will be submitted to appropriate staff leadership as well as DVBA will be present at the city council meeting to comment on the shortcomings of their annual reporting.
Meeting with Palm Springs Leadership
DVBA and select representatives of HOA management and roofing members will meet with the City to discuss the problems with the City’s permit processes for re-roofing multifamily condominium units. The hope is to formalize a new process structure by September.
DVBA’s Bowling Bash
We are down to openings for only 5 more teams. We have two city teams registered: Indian Wells and Palm Desert. Both teams were competitive last year. Do we have any other cities or agencies (water districts, school districts) willing to put down a challenge. Friends of the Desert Mountains is also fielding a team again. They have supported this event for years. Time is running out!
Calling All Mayoral and City Council Candidates (Correction)
The last day for candidates for local elected office to file their candidacy forms is August 7th. Should that agency have an incumbent not seek re-election, that filing period is extended. The DVBA will be reviewing candidate applications starting the week of August 10th. For qualified candidates, the DVBA, in conjunction with our 501(c)3 Coachella/Imperial Valleys Strategies (CIVS) PAC, will send out a questionnaire via email. The candidates will have approximately 10 days to return the completed questionnaire. The elections committee will schedule “In-Person” interviews for early to mid-September.
DVBA may endorse candidates for office while CIVS has the ability to financially support candidates.
Our goal is to endorse/provide funds to selected candidates prior to the mailing of ballots to the voters.
If you have questions or concerns, call James Brownyard at (760)776-7001.
California Building Industry Association Defeats SB 880
CBIA successfully defeated SB 880 (Wahab), legislation that would have imposed burdensome new restrictions on the sale of residential properties by our member companies. After CBIA testified before the Assembly Judiciary Committee, the bill failed to advance, with bipartisan opposition citing significant policy flaws. This important victory protects our members from unnecessary regulations and demonstrates CBIA's continued leadership in advocating for policies that support California's homebuilding industry.
Governor Newsom Files Suit Against 5 Cities
Since 1969, California has required every city and county to plan for housing at every income level, not just some, through a housing element, a required piece of each jurisdiction's general plan. Each cycle, HCD assigns every city and county a share of the state's housing need, and a jurisdiction's housing element must show, in specific terms, how it will meet that number and clear the barriers standing in the way. HCD reviews and must approve every housing element before it can be adopted. California is in its sixth cycle, with jurisdictions updating their plans every five or eight years.
One local agency, the City of Calexico, is on the list of five. Congratulations to the hundreds of cities and counties that have complied with this complex process.
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