Then there were three
The Redevelopment Agency is in the process of evaluating three firms that
made presentations Wednesday to develop mixed-use projects in the more than
25 acres east of the Mary Pickford Theatre.
During this stage, for the next month or two, the companies’ backgrounds,
experience, reputations and financial resources are probed. Depending
on those findings, any further evaluation and how well the proposal fits
Cathedral City, one firm will be selected to develop a specific plan for the
project.
The Redevelopment Agency requested concept proposals that included shops,
restaurants, housing, and entertainment venues that appeal to a wide
spectrum of visitors and residents. Eight firms responded and these three
are still being considered:
Sign of the times
A sign program has been approved for the Pickfair Promenade area.
Wall-mounted signs for the display of businesses’ logos, banners hanging
from both sides of the lamp posts, panel banners on the sides of certain
buildings, kiosks and blade signs bracketed to the wall promoting individual
businesses will help to provide additional exposure to tenants in the new
retail area downtown. The City Council nixed sandwich board signs and
monument signs. The Chamber of Commerce’s Business Economic Committee will
meet with Redevelopment Director Jan Davison and Associate Planner Rich
Malacoff
March 15 to talk about the program and the Chamber’s possible involvement
in it.
Now the planning staff will begin work on redo of the city-wide sign
ordinance, gleaning ideas from the Chamber of Commerce, businesses and sign
companies to develop regulations that apply throughout the community.
City Council gave a deadline of Sept. 22 to complete the job, which may be
partially outsourced.
Closed sessions could start Council meetings
(Revised)
A change in format of the City Council meetings will be considered by the
council March 22, 2006.
The proposal calls for the City Council to begin its meetings on the second
and fourth Wednesdays at 3 p.m. with closed sessions. Study sessions
would take place afterward and then the Council would
hold its regular meetings at 6:30, as is the current practice. The meetings
now begin with lengthy study sessions; however, Council needs more time
in closed session to deal with property transactions, labor relations and
litigation.
‘Character Counts’ curriculum here unique
The “Character Counts” program developed for fifth grade classes by Mike
Scacco, the Police Department’s Youth Diversion Counselor, is the only one
in the state approved by a school district. In fact, the Josephson
Institute for Ethics is looking at the curriculum for application
nation-wide. Scacco not only teaches the program but also counsels at-risk
youths and their families in an effort to prevent future criminal behavior.
Sculpture hoisted on base
“Mountain Cathedrals” -- the city’s first entryway sculpture -- has
been installed in the median on North Date Palm. After being constructed at
a fabricator in Redlands, the structure was hoisted by crane onto its base
in three pieces Friday, March 10. The six stainless steel spears will remain
wrapped until the sculpture’s dedication at 11 a.m. next Saturday, March 18.
The 12-foot-high sculpture, by Cove artist Michael Paul Thiry, will be
illuminated at night with white light. It serves as the model for the city’s
logo.
Making way for Sheraton
Most of the utility undergrounding work is complete and side streets are
built in advance of construction of the 300-room Sheraton Resort Hotel and
Conference Center south of East Palm Canyon Drive. Contractor for the job to
bury new utilities was Yeager Stansky.
Meth program Wednesday
A program to fight drug abuse -- Combating Methamphetamine in our
Community – will be presented from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, at
Cathedral City High School. Police Chief Stan Henry and other law
enforcement officials will provide information about the spreading usage and
dangers of meth.
P.S. Motors expanding product line
Palm Springs Motors, through a cooperative arrangement with the
Redevelopment Agency, will be expanding its facilities to the west (all the
way to the channel) to offer the sales and service of mid-size trucks.
The new product line, primarily large delivery trucks, will be sold to fleet
buyers and commercial users.
Traffic program nets 117 violators
Seven motorcycle officers riding throughout Cathedral City this week in a
roving traffic enforcement program called VMET cited 112 motorists for
moving violations. Five vehicles were also impounded by the officers,
including five from Indio, two from Cathedral City and one from Palm
Springs. Police Chief Stan Henry said there were no complaints about the
beefed up enforcement.
SoCal Housing donates to park
SoCal Housing has made a donation of $1,000 for the new Soccer Park. The
gift was announced at the last Council meeting. Donations made out to the
City can be earmarked for the soccer park and are tax deductible. At a
soccer park neighborhood meeting this week, a number of residents made
suggestions for the new facility that will be built adjacent to James
Workman Middle School. Council, various commissions and staff are working to
incorporate the ideas into the final design. There will be a follow up
meeting with the neighborhood and soccer parents.
Council honors employees
Employees Rich Malacoff and Ken Davis of Planning and Gloria Cohen and
Leslie Grosjean of Engineering were honored by the City Council for
exemplary customer service. Corwin DeVeas was also paid tribute for
his 18-month activation by the Army Infantry Division. DeVeas said most
Iraqis supported the U.S. and are ”glad to be free of Saddam Hussein.”
Deveas said he spent a lot of time getting to know the people and their
children.
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Weekly
Briefs
