Cathedral City to
Receive Two Awards for Environmental Programs
The California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA)
announced that Cathedral City was chosen as a double award winner for
Outstanding Construction and Demolition Debris Diversion and Outstanding
Waste Prevention Program. The CRRA is a statewide recycling and waste
reduction association with members that represent local governments, state
agencies, non-profits, consulting businesses, collection and hauling
companies as well as businesses that supply the tools and services that are
needed to reduce waste and recycle more.
Outstanding Construction and Demolition Debris
Diversion: Cathedral City Pilot Project:
Part of the Downtown Core Revitalization Plan is to
transform East Palm Canyon into a “Grand Boulevard”, with an appealing
promenade, quaint cafes and boutiques. The proposed Desert Cove Resort is
the latest redevelopment project that will certainly revive the downtown
district. A Fred Couples 18-Hole Golf Course will be situated in close
proximity to a luxury resort hotel. In order to accommodate the hotel, a
twelve-acre area needed to be cleared to prepare for construction.
The site area was once littered with dilapidated
buildings, run-down trailers, and debris. The land and its contents were
purchased by a non-profit corporation called the City Urban Revitalization
Corporation (CURC). The Cathedral City Redevelopment Agency (the Agency)
spent the last five years working in tandem with the CURC to prepare for
demolition and construction.
The addition of the golf course and resort hotel required
the destruction of over sixty mainly concrete structures. It was estimated
that the demolition process would send over 13,000 tons of waste materials
to the landfills every year for three to four years or more, with a
conservative estimate of over 50,000 tons of waste invading the already near
capacity landfill.
The city reserved a two-acre plot of land as a Pilot
Recycling Site. Although most contractors bulldoze a structure into a single
pile and haul the debris to the landfill, the contractor for this project
agreed to deconstruct the buildings. After the buildings fell, the remains
were separated into concrete/asphalt, wood, and metal piles. The
concrete/asphalt pile was crushed and ground and the end-products made
available for use in recycled base projects.
The Pilot Recycling Site diverted tons of waste materials
from landfill disposal, which helped Cathedral City to comply with AB 939
laws requiring California cities to reduce their output of waste being
directed to overcrowded landfills by 50 percent. The Recycling Site has laid
the groundwork for the luscious greens of the Fred Couples Golf Course and
the luxurious resort hotel.
Outstanding Waste Prevention Program: WaterSmart
Landscapes:
Cathedral City reflects the desert lifestyle that exists
in southern California. Palm trees and cacti commingle with green lawns,
lush, leafy trees and vibrant flowers and shrubbery. Warm temperatures
accelerate the growth of the city’s stunning landscapes.
In the 80’s, Panorama Park was dotted with green lawns.
Local residents took pride in their front and backyards, as proven by their
commitment to watering and mowing their lawns. As the 80’s were drawing to a
close, Californians became more focused upon the preservation of the planet
and its dwindling natural resources. The Panorama area had a significant
problem with green waste and inefficient and excessive watering as a result
of maintaining their lush environments. Local residents acknowledged that
they must change their current routines in order to save our most precious
natural resource, water. Cathedral City needed to develop a program that
would decrease water usage and produce less green waste.
Lawns and other water intensive landscaping was not only
having an impact on the local environment, residents were bearing the
financial burden of their gardening routines with high water bills and
rising maintenance cost. Many sprinkler systems were deteriorating and in
need of replacement or repair resulting in excess water running into the
neighborhood streets, resulting in nuisance water and street damage. The
challenge was to maintain the beauty and desert style of the residents’
front lawns, while reducing the amount of green waste and excessive water
usage in Panorama.
In 2004, Cathedral City implemented an innovative pilot
program. Spearheaded by the residents of Panorama and the City’s
Environmental Conservation Division a program, called Water Smart, to
educate, encourage, and assist residents in replacing their lush landscaping
with xeriscape, a more drought tolerant way of landscaping. The conversion
from water-thirsty grass and plants to drought tolerant alternative
landscaping would reduce both green waste and water run-off.
Since its inception, an impressive one out of every three
homeowners showed interest in the program.
According to the Coachella Valley Water District, a
grassy-yard home uses 701,624 gallons of water, costing $600 per year. A
lush yet water-efficient home uses 165,308 gallons of water, costing $141
per year.
The pilot program has been so successful that has been
made available to all neighborhoods in Cathedral City. The City will accept
up to 40 applications a year on a first come first serve basis from
Cathedral City resident interested in switching their front lawns from water
intensive landscaping to drought-tolerant landscaping. For more information
contact the Environmental Conservation Manager at 760-770-0369.
2006 California Vehicle
Theft Facts
Data from the California Department of Motor Vehicles,
California Highway Patrol and the Department of Justice indicate that in
2006, 247,896 vehicles were stolen in California, with a an estimated total
value of $1.52 billion – based on the average replacement value established
by the FBI.
Of these vehicles, 60% were automobiles, 29% were
personal trucks, 3% were motorcycles, 2% were commercial trucks and
trailers, and 6% were other vehicles such as RVs, construction and farm
equipment.
22,181 of these vehicles – nearly 90% of all stolen
vehicles -- were recovered. 60% of these were recovered intact and in
drivable condition. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department was fifth in
the state for recovering stolen vehicles (7,967).
The California Highway Patrol has 10 Tips to help prevent
vehicle theft:
