Video index

1. CALL TO ORDER:

At 6:06 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Foat called the meeting to order. She thank everyone for their attendance and introduced Councilmember Mills and herself as the CV Link ad hoc subcommittee.

Mayor Pro Tem stated the CV Link presentation and update will be presented, followed by Public Comments.

2. CVAG CV LINK PRESENTATION AND UPDATE.

Erica Felci provided the presentation relating to the CV Link project. At the conclusion of her presentation she introduced the CV Link Project team.

3. PUBLIC COMMENT.

Mark Sherman, Palm Springs, stated he and his husband lives in the Four Seasons community at the corner of Sunrise and San Rafael just behind the community wall.
We are very concerned about the traffic, if the Serena Park Estates route through will impact two sides of our property, and we have concerns about our safety, security of our home not to mention the safety of our dogs. The noise that it will bring, the possible trash thrown over the walls, and those who jump the walls to break into our home.
Mayor Pro Tem Foat request clarification if he was talking about Serena Park or CV link. Mr. Sherman stated he was talking about CV Link,
the spur that runs through Serena Park.
Why would you even consider a spur or a route through a community like Serena Park? It really may impact the community in so many negative ways. Additional foot traffic, bikes, and to not forget the electric vehicles running through a quiet neighborhood. Nowhere else in the City does the CV Link run through the middle of a neighborhood, like you are wanting to do. For what reason? You're holding the developer up against the wall for something the City wants and so many homeowners are objecting to. Has anyone on this committee or Council walked the abandoned gold course? Have you talked to residents this route will affect? Or is this one of those items that sounds like a great idea with not much concern or research to those residents it will impact? For the main CV Link it runs along the wash, shows three routes. One on the inside of the burm, one on top, and the other on the desert side of the wash. Even CVAG does not know the final path. If it has to run along the north, as indicated, then run it on the desert side of the wash. This will at least make those who will affect happy. They will not have to see the walkers, bikers, or those driving electric carts or vehicles looking into their backyards.

Thomas Kohn, Palm Springs, spoke in support for this project.
Good evening. I am Thomas Kohn, a full time resident of Demuth Park for about a year and owner of my home for 16 years, and before that a visitor to the Coachella Valley since 1986. I am also a cyclist. Part of by decision to retire here was the prospect of a separated path being built that will serve the Coachella Valley. In the meantime, I use the streets and roads of Palm Springs, the surrounding communities, and unincorporated areas of Riverside County. I also enjoy the areas that edge the Coachella Valley that are available for mountain biking. To be honest, I bike in the hills much more than I bike the roads because there are no motorized vehicles there on the trails. Some 24 years ago, I was nearly killed by a auto driver who was too intent to get home after work to be a careful driver. I know many cyclists and pedestrians who were seriously injured or even killed by distracted drivers. All over the U.S., particularly here on the streets of Palm Springs, and the other cities of the Coachella Valley, you see issues of traffic safety and cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians interactions that are always having a bad result.
When I first heard of the bike way in the Coachella Valley it was in 2009, then it was called the Whitewater River Trail. Then I read the plans had morphed into the 111 Parkway that was 2012. Lately the plan for a bikeway of multi use dedicated path, the CV Link, has actually almost being built. I encourage the City of Palm Springs to maintain a positive leadership role in seeing through to the completion of the CV Link. On behalf of all cyclists and pedestrians, I say that we have waited too long for this viable and valuable part of this transportation network. Thank you.

Bill Barry, Palm Springs.
I am Bill Barry. My wife and I moved to Palm Springs 12 years ago. CV Link has been on our radar for 3 years. We have commented on CV Link at Palm Springs Council meetings, and at both Executive and Transportation CVAG committee meetings. We have written letters to the editor of the Desert Sun about the CV Link. We have heard about the importance CV Link financial issues raised by Rancho Mirage and other valley cities but not from Palm Springs. The Desert Sun has written editorials about the CV Link that its contained responses and quotes from many valley officials except from Palm Springs. With all that has been written and said about CV Link we still haven't heard from the officials of our city. Palm Springs will have more than 1/3 of the CV Link within the City limits. We have never heard public opinions or comments from our Mayor or City Councilmembers about this multi-million dollars project that will be our responsibility for decades. Our elected officials have not publicly questioned any of the basic planning or financial responsibilities regarding the CV Link. After this meeting, I, and everyone here, would like to hear on the record the opinion from each Councilmember regarding your position on the CV Link. Palm Springs, with the most skin in the CV Link should be leading the way, raising the questions, and demanding the answers. Please do not quietly sit by and let other cities in the valley run the show. This Town Hall meeting is a great start, but from now one we expect you to ramp up your interest in the CV Link and start fighting for what's right for our citizens, and to keep us informed about what you're doing.

Jeff Jones, Palm Springs, spoke opposing the project.
I am Jeff Jones. I was unfortunately was in a place where I could over hear people discussing this particular project and the community at Four Seasons. And the discussion that I heard was that they were old people, they were irrelevant, and that their opinion will not matter in the planning of this CV Link. So, of course, I feel it is necessary to stand and say that this is not the truth. People have elected these people here who are sitting before us to protect our community, and our community is not just for the tourists of this place, and the people who ride bikes, but also for the people who live in Four Seasons. No one said this can't happen. I just think there is this ..... If this was going through Vista Las Palmas, I think we would be having a very different discussion. That's all I have to say.

Bob Terry, Desert Hot Springs, spoke opposing the project.
Bob Terry with People Over Pollution. People Over Pollution are not against the concept of a bike path through the valley. We do believe that those who benefit are the actual users and the hotels should pay for it. I personally don't believe that putting bike and pedestrians on the same path with electric vehicles is smart. But that was done to justify the taking of transportation related funds. Palm Springs voters ok'ed Measure J for road maintenance issues. They did not vote for CV Link. Why not? Surely the framers of the Measure J knew they would be steering much of the funding towards the bike path. Why won't CVAG allow voters to decide if CV Link will go forward? Is it because they know it will fail? About a year ago, Jan Hardnick then chaired CVAG, even proposed allowing visitors to vote on it not residents. What audacity? We are against using sentinel mitigation funds for the bike path. This was based on half truths, lies, and conflicts of interests. Desert Hot Springs, a recipient of the sentinel from the pollution doesn't get the bike path unless they find the funding themselves.
Erica just said they did studies on improving air quality. What she didn't tell you, the studies showed little or no air quality benefit. CVAG's own funded impact study found that the path would mitigate little if any PM10 or PM2.5. Yet that's the source of the $17.2 million that to this day is the largest chunk of the funding. Is project based on lies, half truths, and omission worthy? Thank you.

Adam Teixetra, Palm Springs, spoke in support of this project.
I believe the CV Link will provide great economic growth for the City of Palms Springs because it can be used as a starting or finishing point for the Tour de Palm Springs and any other public events of this distance. It would also showcase our great mountains as up close as we see from our doors every day. Also to leave congestion along Hwy 111 in the winter time which can be congested. And I have seen many drivers drive so recklessly, I've had to drive defensively in order to avoid them. And I believe this will benefit us in the best way possible.

Jeri Barry, Palm Springs, a resident of the Four Seasons development, stating the project will impact her neighborhood, and requested that the path be in the wash.
My name is Jeri Berry. My husband and I live at Four Seasons, as you know. We are here as individuals, we are not here representing community, but I would like to the audience to raise their hands who here is from Four Seasons. This is the level of interest we have in our community and primarily concerned about the CV Link. It the CV Link, the northern portion goes in, it has the potential to negatively impact my husband and I every single day. The CV Link masterplan is included building the entire channel side of the levy. That is in the wash. On just the short 0.9 miles of the levy that runs directly behind our homes. In fact, the recently released EIR states that building the CV Link in the channel is the best alternative for both homeowners and CV Link users. It can be done. There might be some conservation water regulatory issues that have to be over come, but those can be done by following the rules and paying a fee. There's no reason it can't be in the wash. Now we've heard mention of the San Rafael extension, the one through Serena Park. Unfortunately, that 4th option transfers the problem to a different set of the Four Seasons, and that is not right either. Our City Council will have a great influence on which route is selected. In a email to me, Mayor Moon that he would only support the CV Link being built in the wash with the levy as a buffer between the CV Link and Four Seasons, and he would oppose any plan to build it on top of the levy. I ask that the whole Council join the Mayor to protect my husband and I as well as other Four Seasons residents by insisting that only levy oriented CV Link route be allowed behind our homes would be in the wash, or else the north route not built at all.

Jim Rothblatt, Palm Springs, spoke in support of the project.
My name is Jim Rothblatt, I have lived in Palm Springs since 1971. I have been a bicycle commuter and bicycle recreational rider at times. Traffic patterns have changed since 1971. But during the mid-70's I actually ran for Palm Springs City Council, and part of my platform was to build a bike way from Palm Springs out to the City of Indio, and to turn the Whitewater Wash into a linear park. It looked quite different then, it was quite park-like. It has changed over the years. During the 1980's I commuted by bicycle 2 or 3 days a week to work in Indio. It's downhill and with the wind. I made it there pretty quick, but I learned a lot about riding in this valley. Hwy 11 was dangerous even back in the 70's and 80's for bicycles. But it made all the sense in the world if you look at a map, but Whitewater Channel parallels Hwy 111. It just makes sense geographically, it's an alternative transportation route. So, I'm also on the board of Friends of CV Link which means I volunteer some time in support of this project, and I'm here stating my case saying it was a good idea when I was running for City Council back in the 70's. I've listened to all he arguments. I keep up on what's going on, and it still seems like it's a good idea today. Thank you.

Jerry Hemstock, Palm Springs.
I am Jerry Hemstock. Thanks for holding the meeting. I have two .... I want to briefly mention, two issues that are primarily concerns for me. The first is the route options, as it go behind the Four Seasons where I live, unfortunately my house backs up behind the levy here. The first option on the levy would be about 20' wide and in my opinion would be too tight a fit to accommodate all the users of CV Link. Recently on of the CV Link representatives for the EIR that only one of the three levy options would be selected. It would not be a combination of two of them. The option I support would be the desert side, off levy, desert side option because for Four Seasons we would not be able to see it. So ... the visual impact .... we would still have our view. The off levy option next is only 10 to 15 feet wide so ... it couldn't accommodate all the users, and it would send all the folks down this little tunnel where they wouldn't have a view of the mountains. Anyway. The other issue I wanted to .... I support the Desert side option. The other issue is the cumulative traffic impact on Four Seasons Blvd. which is a primary ingress / egress point for the Four Seasons community. It is not one of the 33 intersections that's analyzed in draft EIS. (City Clerk's Note only. Did her mean EIR?) The Four Seasons / Sunrise Way intersection probably now operates as a LOS A or B level, which is great. But with the development of the CV Link, the Miralon housing development, the Sunrise Parkway corridor, Serena Park, and Sunrise Park it would probably operate at a D, E, or F level.
The draft EIR said that there will be a benefit to the transportation/traffic impact. I think it will be a safety hazard and a significant impact which can be mitigated. I think it just has to be taken a look at.

Vic Yepello, Palm Springs, spoke in support of the project.
Good Evening Councilmember Foat and Mills, and good evening staff and CVAG. My name is Vic Yepello, I live in Palm Springs and I have been here for 11 years, and I ride my bike a lot.
I'm obviously in favor of CV Link and I've worked with the City very extensively helping to install the 20 mile new bike lanes that we have in the City to add to the 20 miles we had to give us 40 miles that gives us a bike network in the City that's going to give us access to CV Link. The other I would like to address quickly is ... everyone thinks a bikeway brings crime. And I know you can Google up an article. You can Google up an editorial. You can Google up an opinion of a blogger and I'll tell you a story about crime that happened along a bikeway. I took a few minutes the other day, and maybe an half an hour, and I went after some studies. Bonafide studies. Pennelis County, Newark, Delaware, Santa Fe, metro Los Angeles. And in every case where you have a study done, to see the impact, the effects of a bike path, a bike way is that they do not draw. They have no more crime incidents than in any other part of the City, and where people fear a decrease in house values. The evident clearly states that the house values go up. I understand and I empathize with all people who are concerned about it being too close to their property lines. And, yes, we do need to find a way to get around that, but no person riding CV Link gonna hop a fence, go steal a 60" flat screen TV, put it on the back of their bike, and head out the CV Link back to where they live. It's just not gonna happen. Could it bring some noise? Could it bring those kinds of things. Yeah, to a degree, but golf carts are pretty quiet, electric vehicles are pretty quiet, bicycles are pretty quiet, walkers are pretty quiet. I don't get the noise thing either. I have been on the Santa Ana trail a number of times, it travels for 40 miles, and really it's a pretty quiet experience all in all. Thank you.

James Keane, Palm Springs, in support in some aspects and opposed other aspects of the project.
My name is James Keane. I'm a member of the Escena Neighborhood Association Board of Advisors. I'm joined this evening by four others of the Neighborhood Advisors and residents. Would you please stand up? I will be the only one speaking for our group.
Our concern, we're part of the first portion of the trail, the Cathedral City portion. We have been talking to the CV Link team for about a year now. And we have also been talking to the City of Cathedral City for the last couple o months. Our concerns is actually mitigation if the Link is built on the berm adjacent to the clubhouse view wall. Currently, if you are standing on the berm you look directly into our backyards eliminating any privacy, you can look into the houses that are adjacent to that wall. And ... we heard someone is not going to steal a 60" flat screen TV, but it gives plenty of opportunity for someone to come by a scope out the area to see who's home and who's not and established patterns. So there is a really security concern of our. Our point this evening is that we are on the record, that we're working towards mitigation, and there needs to be mitigation to ensure we maintain our privacy, and security of our community.
We also have a concern the most impact of the neighbors are those who live in the Beazer development of Vermillion and as of this day, Vermillion is not advising potential buyers. They claim they have not been noticed and they really stuck their head in the sand. Until they are officially noticed of the project, they're not notifying potential home owners, which is an issue.
That's all I have to say.
Thank you for your time and we appreciate your support and efforts to achieve a mitigate solution.

Michael Dees, Palm Springs, a resident at Four Seasons, spoke opposing the project.
Thank you for the meeting. My name is Michael Des and I live at Four Seasons. I moved out here about 3-1/2 years ago. I'm out on a point, I have one neighbor. The berm is 17 feet from my back wall. Think about that. It's like this between you and me now. Who would want that? During the day I have a beautiful view of the mountains. At night I have a beautiful view of the lights of Desert Hot Springs. It's beautiful. It gives you the feeling you are a high rise looking over the city. It's very nice, that'll be gone. Some of the mountain, some of the mountain view will be gone. I understand, that personal, that a hardship or a inconvenience is not a very good argument against the common good of public policy. If it's good public policy. If it's public good. But I see this northern route here, a few years ago we heard about in Alaska the bridge that went to no where, this is a road to no where. Why would anybody go out there? I don't understand. Now, I understand the concept of a place of commerce having a link to another place of commerce. I can envision a couple coming in from Indio on their bikes. Look Honey we have arrived. It's Hwy 111. Isn't it wonderful. The mountains look different here. OK, let's go home. There's nothing out there except desert and sand, and heat and wind. I'm sorry, but I would hope people would give some thought as to WHY it's even being done. I'm not against the whole CV Link but I can't speak to that. But that northern route is ... I don't understand it. Thank you.

Tim Sigle, Palm Springs, spoke in support of the project.
My name is Tim Sigle and I live here in Palm Springs, and I'm for the CV Link. I really do believe that the CV Link will provide a lot of opportunity to get more cars and thinks off the road because they will use the CV Link for the non-motorized as well as the golf carts and things like that. I do also believe that in time it will bring people who want a better place to actually do workouts and things like. And, it's interesting that people talk about crime from the CV Link that would cause, but you've got these mounds areas that criminals can stand on now and there's nobody there to see them, watching them, doing things. At least there's activity there. I know, I would call the police if I saw something going on back there. I would happily do something to protect my neighbors, if there's wrong doing back there. Right now, I'm not back there at all, ever. So, I don't know why people think crime can't go on back there now. I really high believe that once the route is finished and built, I think businesses will actually go up and prosper back there along this route. I think you'll have, possibly places for people to stop and have a healthier snack and things like that will pop up. I believe a lot of good will come about that. And people will talk about their way out there, as Vic shared it's being connected to many other bike paths within the City. So, you come into the City, and then you have safe places for the bikes. That's what the goal is, to add more biking lanes. People will come from all over to wanna use it, and buy house right off of it too. Thank you.

Gloria Kapp, Palm Springs, a resident of Four Seasons, spoke against the project and requested adjustments.
I'm Gloria Kapp, also from Four Seasons. I want to thank the Council for having this community meeting. I think we have been waiting for it for awhile. So we appreciate the opportunity to address the CV Link issue. especially now that the EIR has been released and is being discussed as well. But I believe even in this case the City Council has a different responsibility to look beyond the EIR and at this point to look at the cost and quality of life issues for Palm Springs as they review the EIR. For those of us in the section of Four Seasons, which I live, which includes approximately 50 homes, a little over 50 homes, our backyards are 17 feet roughly, in my case roughly 17 feet from the wall and another 17 feet to the berm and anybody walking along the berm now, which the levy, which they do frequently, people ride motor bikes along there, there's no way we can miss that. It's an invasion of privacy and certainly if it were to be mitigated in some way other than putting the CV Link on the wash side or the currently protected side of the levy, it would be intrusive and could interfere esthetically with our views of the mountains. I know you have already received reports from others in Four Seasons who have spent much more time than I have in analyzing wind and weather conditions and those are part of the EIR as well. It isn't a particularly well a human friendly place to ride a bike. It could be very windy. Last week we couldn't see across to the mountains because of the wind. Indian Canyon, Gene Autry, and Vista Chino were all three closed for several hours just because of the wind and snow, wind and sand. I grew up in North Dakota, I forget about the sand. Anyway, I encourage you to look at those issues as well as the EIR issues and other issues. Thank you.

Henry Hampton, Palm Springs, a resident of Mountain Gate area, spoke in support of the project.
Councilmember Foat, Councilmember Mills, and staff, CVAG staff. My name is Henry Hampton, and I have been a resident of Palm Springs for over 35 years now, long time person. Some of the previous speakers up were cyclists, I can tell you I like to run. I'm a runner and I like to run long distance, and one of the great things about this path is that it is 50 miles and you could go contiguous for long distances. There are people who run those types of distances, so, for somebody like me who like to run, it's a good thing. To the people who live in Four Seasons, I sympathize with you. I live in Mountain Gate, so I our neighborhood does butts up to the back of that path as well. So, I definitely think there's a place where we can mitigate the circumstances here to make the path work. The benefits that were in the slide presentation were great, but I wasn't sure if there are things you could do that's recreational in your endeavor. So, I've lived in a lot of different places. I haven't lived here the whole time, but I have lived in other places. Places like Phoenix, Boulder, CO, Breckenridge, CO, Washington DC. All of these communities have huge paths and it enables their residents and tourists to get on the path and get recreation and get exercise. I think all these destinations speak to the idea this is something the whole community and the Coachella Valley should do. It's about we step up to the plate. I'm all about this project. But I'm also about sustainability. As long as the funding's there I'm all for it.

Dan Spencer, Palm Springs, lives on north Riverside Drive, and requested additional information.
Hi, I'm Dan Spencer, and my husband and I live on a very special street, North Riverside Drive, which is where the CV Link will run directly in front of our living room window. And, no one has contacted us to let us know what the alternatives are, or how they are going to deal with that street. There's dogs and pedestrians and cars on that street, and I don't know how you're gonna run two lanes down the center of it. So that's one thing.
The other thing I would say is that, do you plan to build a wall to provide privacy for the residents or will the codes change in order to provide for extra screening for the CV Link on that side?
And then, finally. On the south side of the wash there's a existing berm that separates the residents from the wash. I'm not sure why that was not looked at as an alternative route, it very direct from Belardo all the way to Sunrise.
Thank you very much.

Michael Solomon, Palm Springs, spoke against the project.
Hello, my name is Mike Solomon, and I live at Four Seasons as well. Now you've heard from many people, and I don't want to be redundant. This is a rough draft of a letter that I will be sending over to CVAG. I will try to edit it while I speak, so bear with me.
I live in Four Seasons. I live in a home that is on the northern perimeter and I am about 17 feet from the Whitewater Levy which is the original proposed route CV Link. I bought my home. I waited for over a year before buying my house so I could have the view of the mountains and the desert, and the peace and quiet I knew that would offer. Now in previous letters to CVAG I have stated the obvious reasons why having a path on top of the levy would have a negative effect on the homeowners along that border, and they would include, because it's going to be 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, it's going to be lit at night. It's going to bring noise. Two girls walking 4:00 in the morning, just the other day they had flashlights and I was in my bedroom and I thought they were in my backyard. So, there is going to be noise. I also think it will be a haven for the homeless. I think it will be a place where kids will go to party. I'm up at 3 in the morning. I write. And I have to tell you something. There will partying back there, it's just a given. And, I know you all don't see it, but I see it. So, the studies that were made originally (NOTE ONLY. Timer when off) to put the Link on top of the levy were made when there were no houses around there. It was out in the desert. Now, you're doing the study. It should be taken into consideration that you have communities are bordering the levy. For that reason, the Link should be put in another place. I'm not against bicycling, but just move it off the top of the levy so they don't see into our yards and our houses.
Thank you.

Deiter Crawford, Palm Springs, lives in the Desert Highland Gateway Estates area, spoke in support of the project.
Good evening Council, staff. My name is Deiter Crawford. I'm a community worker for the Gateway Highland Wellness Committee. The Wellness Committee works in partnership with Loma University Health, UCR, Riverside, Desert Regional Medical Center, and Desert Medical Health Care District to implement regional health plans and strategies. Desert Highland Estates neighborhood is located on the north side of Palm Springs, and bordered by Tram View Road to the north, State Hwy 111 to the west, San Rafael Road to the south, and Indian Canyon Drive to the east. The neighborhood is comprised of single family homes and two federally subsidized apartment complexes. The majority of the community members are low to middle income and are predominantly African American or Hispanic.
I have been following the CV Link project for awhile now, and it looks like Desert Highland Park will be corner line route. So my question is, how will the City incorporate James O Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center and our 18 acre city park with electric vehicles charging stations into the CV Link and what impact, if any, CV Link pathway have on the Desert Highland Gateway Estates neighborhood and its residents.
Once again my name is Deiter Crawford. Thanks for your time and consideration.

Andrew Hirsch, Palm Springs, spoke on behalf of the Palm Springs Desert Cities Conservation Coalition against the project.
Hi! My name is Andrew Hirsh. I'm a mechanical engineer and I was educated Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Southern California. I had the privilege of on the inaugural of the City of Palm Springs Resource Conservation Commission and both of you supported me for that, I appreciate that.
Currently Im, the lead CV Link analyst for the Palm Springs Desert Cities Conservation Coalition, as such, you could think of me as their chief engineer. I'm a certified airhead, proudly so. I have been doing air pollution since 1972, I wrote part of the California Clean Air Act. Let's be clear, the City Council should return this EIR to CVAG. It clearly, clearly violates the letter and the spirit of the California Environmental Quality Act. It does not talk about environmental impacts, it talks about environmental changes. As I wrote in the Desert Sun on the 21st of January, changes are not impacts. Let me give you one example. The EIR saids that some 7 vehicle mile trips will be removed from our roads with CV Link. Hey, 7 million! That's great! Everyone wants to remove 7 million trips. The EIR fails to tell you that there are over 28 billion vehicle miles traveled in the valley according to the ARB. If you do the division that means the CV Link effects less than a third of one percent. Let me give you an engineering term that's called slop. It's inmeasurable, inmoderable, and there's no way this thing will have any effect. And another speaker articually spoke about how this project fails to mitigate even a third of the sentinel power. Send this EIR back to CVAG. Get it fixed. Thank you.

Jim Stuart, Palm Springs, spoke against the project, and requested placing it on the ballot to be voted by the citizens.
Good evening! Members of Council, staff.
You've heard enough from the people. The negatives, positives. I want to approach this from a completely different point of view.
Number one. Bicycle safety, which we now are practicing throughout the valley. We have all these rental places that rent out bicycles. We have people who run boulevard stops constantly. We have had 3 people killed, I believe, in the valley, in the last 18 months on bicycles. All at the bicycles' fault. What the. CV Link. I'm gonna approach it... We are 41 year residents of the Movie Colony. So, we are not effected there, but we do own rental property in Four Seasons, and it effects our tenants. Who's going to pay for this thing? Where's the money gonna come from for the maintenance? For the public safety? For all of the costs for after it is built. Are we going to have another fiasco like Roy's? Where the County, where CVAG saids Palm Springs you're responsible for yours. Means everybody in this room, our tax dollars are going to be used to maintain this situation? To pay for the public safety that's going to be out there? They talk about traffic mitigation. Well, we don't have lots of golf carts and such running down Palm Canyon. The other side of this thing is the traffic getting out there. People have to park their vehicle to they can ride their bicycles. Also, as a commercial real estate company owner, we're taking bicycles off of the commercial areas where people can window shop. You're going to be hurting your merchants downtown because people will come and ride their bicycles and leave. They will not be spending money in the City of Palm Springs. So, there are a lot of other issues, and my biggest question has been, ever since day one, why wasn't this ever put on the ballot in Palm Springs for the people to vote on it like Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells did? I think, we have an issue coming up, We have a ballot coming up, I believe, in November. Put it on the ballot. Let the people of Palm Springs ... I'm going.

Steven Sims, Palm Springs, spoke on behalf of GO BIKE USA.
Good Evening Councilmembers, staff. My name is Steven Simms and I'm the founder of a group GO BIKE USA. Since 1985, we are a non-profit who has worked with ever facet of bicycling throughout the Coachella Valley and Riverside County. Ms. Felci mentioned earlier, the original plans for the path was to be called the Trans Valley Bikeway. We were the advisors amongst the advisors on that path. We knew the plans at that time as it failed to three years later because the cities weren't interested in getting involved in bicycling. When this came about and started to regenerate with electric vehicles we knew it was the wrong thing for the valley. What I want to propose to you, and this comes from the body of passionate cyclists, that listen to what bicyclists really want. This valley needs, especially this city, a networking of bicycling such as, what is offered by the league of American bicyclists. We need to become a bicycling friendly community, a bicycling friendly city, and a bicycling friendly valley. And that's what people look for, and all these people who were talking about tourism. Any tourist who rides a bike know that that's here.
Now, as an alternative, what we have proposed to a couple of the cities here is that we have an alternative because we virtually have no mountain biking here of any substantial usage. We feel that we have a way that we could bring mountain biking into the everyday pattern of general road cycling.
So, I thank you very much for the time. And I would like to have this put to the vote as well, but, I like to be positive about bicycling. And I thank you all.

Nancy Stuart, Palm Springs, spoke opposing the project.
Thank you Mayor Pro Tem and Mr. Mills, and staff and the CVAG group.
I just want to thank my husband for reading my notes and stealing my thunder on a couple of issues, but, I do want to say as a member of the public, my .... my big is the cost of maintenance. You know, we had Roy's Resource Center, all thrilled about getting that going, and having that come about and every entity was going to pull together and all the cities were gonna put their money in and maintain it, and what happened? And I really have a concern about that, and I want to address the CVAG group. Has this been addressed? I mean are we as Palm Springs gonna be responsible for 33% of the maintenance on this? Or, are they gonna come to use when somebody else decide they're not going to pull their weight on this? What's gonna happen with that? I wanna know.
Thank you.

Eric Taylor, Oxnard, CA, spoke in support of the project.
I'm Eric Taylor. I'm with the Serena Park development, and I'm happy to see an alternative alignment. Now shown on the map. Our attitude, and a lot of it is coming from my professional experience in doing projects. And I know a lot of the people here in the audience, especially, from Four Seasons, and they have followed us and I have spent a lot of time with them. I know a lot of people out in the audience have spoken to me or have probably been to some of the public hearings and things. And I have been designing and promoting, building and then living with larger master planned communities for almost 40 years here in California. And almost every opportunity I get we try to add these multi-purpose trails within our development, integral to the development as an amenity. And we supported this trail with an alternative through our project to hopefully mitigate, or eliminate a lot of it, the issues with Four Seasons along the levy. And I was out at one of the projects I did 20 years ago yesterday, mountain biking and watching all the people there. It was pretty interesting, it feels pretty good to see after the fact.
So from my own personal experience, professionally, in doing these things, I wanted to come and let you know tonight, that from our perspective it's a good thing, done right, done well, and for long term for people's lifestyles.

Mayor Pro Tem Foat
Since you're here, there was a comment made earlier that the City was holding you hostage, and actually it was you who suggested that it be in your project.

Eric Taylor
Absolutely true. It's coming from me personally. The project that I was at mountain biking yesterday, is called Dos Rio Ranch in Thousand Oaks. We did ten and a half miles of trails. And yesterday, with the weather, we had, there were families and people, hikers, and mountain bikers throughout everywhere. I think everyone had a smile on their face.

Mayor Pro Tem Foat
Thank you. Thank you very much.

Christine Hammond, Palm Springs, spoke opposing the project.
I'm Christine Hammond. I'm a resident of Palm Springs for coming up now for just about 20 years. And I'm from Portland. I went to college quite a few years ago in Eugene, Oregon, where we had the Watson Trail. And those of you who are bike riders will know this trail. It was built in the late 60's and a very popular trail then, and continues to be a very popular trial. I do not recall any problems as a student in Eugene riding that trail all the time with litter or crime, and I know things change, but I was just thinking about that tonight, and thinking "why weren't we more concerned". I rode my bike everywhere and generally by myself.
I'm also a mom and a grandma. And when my kids moved back to this country moved to Seattle. And this would have been 10 or 12 years ago. And they wanted on the bike way in Seattle. This was very important to them so that they could bike back and forth to work, and to their activities around town.
I was a tourist in Palm Springs before I was a resident here, as I believe many residents were. They came here to vacation. Love it. Moved here. I came here to vacation. Loved it. Moved here, and still love it.
And I think, when we look. I'm hoping to ride the CV Link myself and I'm giving myself at least another 30 years to be here, and I'm looking to the future because people are going to continue to vacation here. They're going to continue to move here, and they're going to be a hell of a lot younger than I am. And they're going to be the people who are going to be riding the CV Link for 20, 30, 40, 50 years.
Really, that's all I wanted to say. We really need to look to the future of our community. Tourism is economy and we need to look at that. Thank you.

Willy Halle, Palm Springs, a resident of Four Seasons spoke opposing the project.
Good evening. After reading all those. My name is willy Halle. I live at Four Seasons, the greatest place in Palm Springs, as far as I'm concerned because we all live there, right? It's a place that paves its own streets. Don't have to deal much with code enforcement cuz we don't allow short term rentals.
I feel sorry for both of you. After reading those 688 pages and all the appendices, you guys do this all the time. You have my sympathy.
One of the things that showed up today was the Casey's June Beetle. They have rights. The people who bought their property in Four Seasons, they have their rights also. They pay for their property taxes. I'm not on the levy, but if it is built, build it down below where it should be and let these people have their view. A lot of this is, if you read the report, is about the view that everybody's gonna have. Well, these people have invested their time and their money to move there and live there. And they should have their right, more than the beetle should.
Again, thank you for your time.

Arthur Mac Millian, requested additional information.
Arthur Mac Millian, resident of Mesquite Country Club Condos. I have a question for one of the reps, if they can answer it after the public comments. On your map on Segment 2, where the Link is going down Riverside and connecting with Sunrise Way, that is a very busy street and within a two block area, we currently have so many traffic signals already at Mesquite Avenue, Desert Chapel Way, Ramon Road. The new traffic signal at Ralph's market and Baristo. So, I would like to know if you plan on adding yet another traffic signal to get the Link traffic over Sunrise or do you plan on sending the Link traffic some how under the bridge. And if that's the case, is that going to require the bridge being modified.
Thank you.

Arvin O'Campo, Cathedral City, wanted to provide the perspective from a young adult, and spoke in support of the project.
Hello everyone. My name is Arvin O'Campo and I'm a resident of Cathedral City and I want to give you an idea what it's like to be a young adult here in the Coachella Valley. I assume most of you guys successful residents of Palm Springs, and you guys are a older, and had your careers, and your life set. But, for someone who's a young adult, having a car, like, is like a pre-requisite for being a citizen here in the Coachella Valley. Without a car you really can't do anything. You need car to go to the movies, you need a car to go to dinner, you need a car to buy groceries, and if you don't have a car you either have to walk there, or bike there, and ... If you ever walk or bike in the Coachella Valley, you will soon notice that sidewalks come to an end, bike lanes come to an end, and it's really not safe or convenient. So, what CV Link is, is, it's more than a 50-mile bike path for us young adults. It's actually a symbol, it's a symbol of what the future looks like for the Coachella Valley. We would like to be able to walk to places, to be able to ride our bikes, to go see our friends, and being able to run into people, potential mates for the future or whatever, however you like to put it. Well, it's. I do hear your concerns for the residents of the Four Seasons, but I do want you to take into consideration of us young adults and we would want something a recreational path like many other great communities across the country do. Like Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, Washington. We are a great Coachella Valley, and we all depend on one another. So, I do hope that you guys, at least take us into consideration, cuz, just like I'm taking you guys into consideration.
Thank you.

Mayor Pro Tem commented on the following:
She made notes, and feels the answers concerning the Serena Park. Commenting for herself, she does not comment until there is a public hearing, she does not make her decisions until she does hear from the public. She heard from the public during this meeting, she has heard from the public at other occasions, and she is able to study the item. That's how she makes her decisions. There are other Councilmembers in other cities make their decisions know, and make sure the public follow them. I'm not that kind of a Councilmember. I listen and I wanted to hear everybody speak. The people I've heard from before this were people from Four Seasons, specifically the Berry's, that was the only side of the story I heard. I'm not here to provide my own views, I'm here to hear the different sides of the issue, and decide what's best for the city based on input received. This comment is for herself. And asked Mr. Mills if he has comments.

Councilmember Mills stated he supports Mayor Pro Tem Foat's comments, and added his reluctance to comment until all information is received.
He concurs with Mayor Pro Tem Foat's comments. Adding it's not fair as an elected official, it's not fair for the citizens of Palm Springs to make a decision without hearing as much as possible and reading as much as possible. This has been informative. He stated he and Ms. Foat have been working on the CV Link for years in pieces and providing input to the overall project, and asking questions about the overall project. We need all the information, and finally now the EIR. They now have more information than they had in the past. There are issues he heard of this evening that are not new issues, they are concerns he had voiced to CVAG staff. Please do not think he and Ms. Foat has not been involved in this project, they have been; however, they have chosen not to form an opinion until such time all the facts are available and have heard from the residents.

Councilmember Mills stated he supports Mayor Pro Tem's comments, and added his reluctance to comment until all information is received.

Mayor Pro Tem Foat commented that there will not be any Measure J Funds allocated for this project.

Mayor Pro Tem Foat and Councilmember Mills requested clarification and details relating to the project.

Devon Young, Nicole Criste, Erica Felci, provided additional information.

Mayor Pro Tem Foat stated there will be another public meeting after the EIR Comment Period.

4. ADJOURNMENT.

At 7:47 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Foat adjourned the meeting.

Feb 13, 2017 CVAG CV Link ad hoc Subcommittee

Full agenda
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1. CALL TO ORDER:

At 6:06 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Foat called the meeting to order. She thank everyone for their attendance and introduced Councilmember Mills and herself as the CV Link ad hoc subcommittee.

Mayor Pro Tem stated the CV Link presentation and update will be presented, followed by Public Comments.

2. CVAG CV LINK PRESENTATION AND UPDATE.

Erica Felci provided the presentation relating to the CV Link project. At the conclusion of her presentation she introduced the CV Link Project team.

3. PUBLIC COMMENT.

Mark Sherman, Palm Springs, stated he and his husband lives in the Four Seasons community at the corner of Sunrise and San Rafael just behind the community wall.
We are very concerned about the traffic, if the Serena Park Estates route through will impact two sides of our property, and we have concerns about our safety, security of our home not to mention the safety of our dogs. The noise that it will bring, the possible trash thrown over the walls, and those who jump the walls to break into our home.
Mayor Pro Tem Foat request clarification if he was talking about Serena Park or CV link. Mr. Sherman stated he was talking about CV Link,
the spur that runs through Serena Park.
Why would you even consider a spur or a route through a community like Serena Park? It really may impact the community in so many negative ways. Additional foot traffic, bikes, and to not forget the electric vehicles running through a quiet neighborhood. Nowhere else in the City does the CV Link run through the middle of a neighborhood, like you are wanting to do. For what reason? You're holding the developer up against the wall for something the City wants and so many homeowners are objecting to. Has anyone on this committee or Council walked the abandoned gold course? Have you talked to residents this route will affect? Or is this one of those items that sounds like a great idea with not much concern or research to those residents it will impact? For the main CV Link it runs along the wash, shows three routes. One on the inside of the burm, one on top, and the other on the desert side of the wash. Even CVAG does not know the final path. If it has to run along the north, as indicated, then run it on the desert side of the wash. This will at least make those who will affect happy. They will not have to see the walkers, bikers, or those driving electric carts or vehicles looking into their backyards.

Thomas Kohn, Palm Springs, spoke in support for this project.
Good evening. I am Thomas Kohn, a full time resident of Demuth Park for about a year and owner of my home for 16 years, and before that a visitor to the Coachella Valley since 1986. I am also a cyclist. Part of by decision to retire here was the prospect of a separated path being built that will serve the Coachella Valley. In the meantime, I use the streets and roads of Palm Springs, the surrounding communities, and unincorporated areas of Riverside County. I also enjoy the areas that edge the Coachella Valley that are available for mountain biking. To be honest, I bike in the hills much more than I bike the roads because there are no motorized vehicles there on the trails. Some 24 years ago, I was nearly killed by a auto driver who was too intent to get home after work to be a careful driver. I know many cyclists and pedestrians who were seriously injured or even killed by distracted drivers. All over the U.S., particularly here on the streets of Palm Springs, and the other cities of the Coachella Valley, you see issues of traffic safety and cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians interactions that are always having a bad result.
When I first heard of the bike way in the Coachella Valley it was in 2009, then it was called the Whitewater River Trail. Then I read the plans had morphed into the 111 Parkway that was 2012. Lately the plan for a bikeway of multi use dedicated path, the CV Link, has actually almost being built. I encourage the City of Palm Springs to maintain a positive leadership role in seeing through to the completion of the CV Link. On behalf of all cyclists and pedestrians, I say that we have waited too long for this viable and valuable part of this transportation network. Thank you.

Bill Barry, Palm Springs.
I am Bill Barry. My wife and I moved to Palm Springs 12 years ago. CV Link has been on our radar for 3 years. We have commented on CV Link at Palm Springs Council meetings, and at both Executive and Transportation CVAG committee meetings. We have written letters to the editor of the Desert Sun about the CV Link. We have heard about the importance CV Link financial issues raised by Rancho Mirage and other valley cities but not from Palm Springs. The Desert Sun has written editorials about the CV Link that its contained responses and quotes from many valley officials except from Palm Springs. With all that has been written and said about CV Link we still haven't heard from the officials of our city. Palm Springs will have more than 1/3 of the CV Link within the City limits. We have never heard public opinions or comments from our Mayor or City Councilmembers about this multi-million dollars project that will be our responsibility for decades. Our elected officials have not publicly questioned any of the basic planning or financial responsibilities regarding the CV Link. After this meeting, I, and everyone here, would like to hear on the record the opinion from each Councilmember regarding your position on the CV Link. Palm Springs, with the most skin in the CV Link should be leading the way, raising the questions, and demanding the answers. Please do not quietly sit by and let other cities in the valley run the show. This Town Hall meeting is a great start, but from now one we expect you to ramp up your interest in the CV Link and start fighting for what's right for our citizens, and to keep us informed about what you're doing.

Jeff Jones, Palm Springs, spoke opposing the project.
I am Jeff Jones. I was unfortunately was in a place where I could over hear people discussing this particular project and the community at Four Seasons. And the discussion that I heard was that they were old people, they were irrelevant, and that their opinion will not matter in the planning of this CV Link. So, of course, I feel it is necessary to stand and say that this is not the truth. People have elected these people here who are sitting before us to protect our community, and our community is not just for the tourists of this place, and the people who ride bikes, but also for the people who live in Four Seasons. No one said this can't happen. I just think there is this ..... If this was going through Vista Las Palmas, I think we would be having a very different discussion. That's all I have to say.

Bob Terry, Desert Hot Springs, spoke opposing the project.
Bob Terry with People Over Pollution. People Over Pollution are not against the concept of a bike path through the valley. We do believe that those who benefit are the actual users and the hotels should pay for it. I personally don't believe that putting bike and pedestrians on the same path with electric vehicles is smart. But that was done to justify the taking of transportation related funds. Palm Springs voters ok'ed Measure J for road maintenance issues. They did not vote for CV Link. Why not? Surely the framers of the Measure J knew they would be steering much of the funding towards the bike path. Why won't CVAG allow voters to decide if CV Link will go forward? Is it because they know it will fail? About a year ago, Jan Hardnick then chaired CVAG, even proposed allowing visitors to vote on it not residents. What audacity? We are against using sentinel mitigation funds for the bike path. This was based on half truths, lies, and conflicts of interests. Desert Hot Springs, a recipient of the sentinel from the pollution doesn't get the bike path unless they find the funding themselves.
Erica just said they did studies on improving air quality. What she didn't tell you, the studies showed little or no air quality benefit. CVAG's own funded impact study found that the path would mitigate little if any PM10 or PM2.5. Yet that's the source of the $17.2 million that to this day is the largest chunk of the funding. Is project based on lies, half truths, and omission worthy? Thank you.

Adam Teixetra, Palm Springs, spoke in support of this project.
I believe the CV Link will provide great economic growth for the City of Palms Springs because it can be used as a starting or finishing point for the Tour de Palm Springs and any other public events of this distance. It would also showcase our great mountains as up close as we see from our doors every day. Also to leave congestion along Hwy 111 in the winter time which can be congested. And I have seen many drivers drive so recklessly, I've had to drive defensively in order to avoid them. And I believe this will benefit us in the best way possible.

Jeri Barry, Palm Springs, a resident of the Four Seasons development, stating the project will impact her neighborhood, and requested that the path be in the wash.
My name is Jeri Berry. My husband and I live at Four Seasons, as you know. We are here as individuals, we are not here representing community, but I would like to the audience to raise their hands who here is from Four Seasons. This is the level of interest we have in our community and primarily concerned about the CV Link. It the CV Link, the northern portion goes in, it has the potential to negatively impact my husband and I every single day. The CV Link masterplan is included building the entire channel side of the levy. That is in the wash. On just the short 0.9 miles of the levy that runs directly behind our homes. In fact, the recently released EIR states that building the CV Link in the channel is the best alternative for both homeowners and CV Link users. It can be done. There might be some conservation water regulatory issues that have to be over come, but those can be done by following the rules and paying a fee. There's no reason it can't be in the wash. Now we've heard mention of the San Rafael extension, the one through Serena Park. Unfortunately, that 4th option transfers the problem to a different set of the Four Seasons, and that is not right either. Our City Council will have a great influence on which route is selected. In a email to me, Mayor Moon that he would only support the CV Link being built in the wash with the levy as a buffer between the CV Link and Four Seasons, and he would oppose any plan to build it on top of the levy. I ask that the whole Council join the Mayor to protect my husband and I as well as other Four Seasons residents by insisting that only levy oriented CV Link route be allowed behind our homes would be in the wash, or else the north route not built at all.

Jim Rothblatt, Palm Springs, spoke in support of the project.
My name is Jim Rothblatt, I have lived in Palm Springs since 1971. I have been a bicycle commuter and bicycle recreational rider at times. Traffic patterns have changed since 1971. But during the mid-70's I actually ran for Palm Springs City Council, and part of my platform was to build a bike way from Palm Springs out to the City of Indio, and to turn the Whitewater Wash into a linear park. It looked quite different then, it was quite park-like. It has changed over the years. During the 1980's I commuted by bicycle 2 or 3 days a week to work in Indio. It's downhill and with the wind. I made it there pretty quick, but I learned a lot about riding in this valley. Hwy 11 was dangerous even back in the 70's and 80's for bicycles. But it made all the sense in the world if you look at a map, but Whitewater Channel parallels Hwy 111. It just makes sense geographically, it's an alternative transportation route. So, I'm also on the board of Friends of CV Link which means I volunteer some time in support of this project, and I'm here stating my case saying it was a good idea when I was running for City Council back in the 70's. I've listened to all he arguments. I keep up on what's going on, and it still seems like it's a good idea today. Thank you.

Jerry Hemstock, Palm Springs.
I am Jerry Hemstock. Thanks for holding the meeting. I have two .... I want to briefly mention, two issues that are primarily concerns for me. The first is the route options, as it go behind the Four Seasons where I live, unfortunately my house backs up behind the levy here. The first option on the levy would be about 20' wide and in my opinion would be too tight a fit to accommodate all the users of CV Link. Recently on of the CV Link representatives for the EIR that only one of the three levy options would be selected. It would not be a combination of two of them. The option I support would be the desert side, off levy, desert side option because for Four Seasons we would not be able to see it. So ... the visual impact .... we would still have our view. The off levy option next is only 10 to 15 feet wide so ... it couldn't accommodate all the users, and it would send all the folks down this little tunnel where they wouldn't have a view of the mountains. Anyway. The other issue I wanted to .... I support the Desert side option. The other issue is the cumulative traffic impact on Four Seasons Blvd. which is a primary ingress / egress point for the Four Seasons community. It is not one of the 33 intersections that's analyzed in draft EIS. (City Clerk's Note only. Did her mean EIR?) The Four Seasons / Sunrise Way intersection probably now operates as a LOS A or B level, which is great. But with the development of the CV Link, the Miralon housing development, the Sunrise Parkway corridor, Serena Park, and Sunrise Park it would probably operate at a D, E, or F level.
The draft EIR said that there will be a benefit to the transportation/traffic impact. I think it will be a safety hazard and a significant impact which can be mitigated. I think it just has to be taken a look at.

Vic Yepello, Palm Springs, spoke in support of the project.
Good Evening Councilmember Foat and Mills, and good evening staff and CVAG. My name is Vic Yepello, I live in Palm Springs and I have been here for 11 years, and I ride my bike a lot.
I'm obviously in favor of CV Link and I've worked with the City very extensively helping to install the 20 mile new bike lanes that we have in the City to add to the 20 miles we had to give us 40 miles that gives us a bike network in the City that's going to give us access to CV Link. The other I would like to address quickly is ... everyone thinks a bikeway brings crime. And I know you can Google up an article. You can Google up an editorial. You can Google up an opinion of a blogger and I'll tell you a story about crime that happened along a bikeway. I took a few minutes the other day, and maybe an half an hour, and I went after some studies. Bonafide studies. Pennelis County, Newark, Delaware, Santa Fe, metro Los Angeles. And in every case where you have a study done, to see the impact, the effects of a bike path, a bike way is that they do not draw. They have no more crime incidents than in any other part of the City, and where people fear a decrease in house values. The evident clearly states that the house values go up. I understand and I empathize with all people who are concerned about it being too close to their property lines. And, yes, we do need to find a way to get around that, but no person riding CV Link gonna hop a fence, go steal a 60" flat screen TV, put it on the back of their bike, and head out the CV Link back to where they live. It's just not gonna happen. Could it bring some noise? Could it bring those kinds of things. Yeah, to a degree, but golf carts are pretty quiet, electric vehicles are pretty quiet, bicycles are pretty quiet, walkers are pretty quiet. I don't get the noise thing either. I have been on the Santa Ana trail a number of times, it travels for 40 miles, and really it's a pretty quiet experience all in all. Thank you.

James Keane, Palm Springs, in support in some aspects and opposed other aspects of the project.
My name is James Keane. I'm a member of the Escena Neighborhood Association Board of Advisors. I'm joined this evening by four others of the Neighborhood Advisors and residents. Would you please stand up? I will be the only one speaking for our group.
Our concern, we're part of the first portion of the trail, the Cathedral City portion. We have been talking to the CV Link team for about a year now. And we have also been talking to the City of Cathedral City for the last couple o months. Our concerns is actually mitigation if the Link is built on the berm adjacent to the clubhouse view wall. Currently, if you are standing on the berm you look directly into our backyards eliminating any privacy, you can look into the houses that are adjacent to that wall. And ... we heard someone is not going to steal a 60" flat screen TV, but it gives plenty of opportunity for someone to come by a scope out the area to see who's home and who's not and established patterns. So there is a really security concern of our. Our point this evening is that we are on the record, that we're working towards mitigation, and there needs to be mitigation to ensure we maintain our privacy, and security of our community.
We also have a concern the most impact of the neighbors are those who live in the Beazer development of Vermillion and as of this day, Vermillion is not advising potential buyers. They claim they have not been noticed and they really stuck their head in the sand. Until they are officially noticed of the project, they're not notifying potential home owners, which is an issue.
That's all I have to say.
Thank you for your time and we appreciate your support and efforts to achieve a mitigate solution.

Michael Dees, Palm Springs, a resident at Four Seasons, spoke opposing the project.
Thank you for the meeting. My name is Michael Des and I live at Four Seasons. I moved out here about 3-1/2 years ago. I'm out on a point, I have one neighbor. The berm is 17 feet from my back wall. Think about that. It's like this between you and me now. Who would want that? During the day I have a beautiful view of the mountains. At night I have a beautiful view of the lights of Desert Hot Springs. It's beautiful. It gives you the feeling you are a high rise looking over the city. It's very nice, that'll be gone. Some of the mountain, some of the mountain view will be gone. I understand, that personal, that a hardship or a inconvenience is not a very good argument against the common good of public policy. If it's good public policy. If it's public good. But I see this northern route here, a few years ago we heard about in Alaska the bridge that went to no where, this is a road to no where. Why would anybody go out there? I don't understand. Now, I understand the concept of a place of commerce having a link to another place of commerce. I can envision a couple coming in from Indio on their bikes. Look Honey we have arrived. It's Hwy 111. Isn't it wonderful. The mountains look different here. OK, let's go home. There's nothing out there except desert and sand, and heat and wind. I'm sorry, but I would hope people would give some thought as to WHY it's even being done. I'm not against the whole CV Link but I can't speak to that. But that northern route is ... I don't understand it. Thank you.

Tim Sigle, Palm Springs, spoke in support of the project.
My name is Tim Sigle and I live here in Palm Springs, and I'm for the CV Link. I really do believe that the CV Link will provide a lot of opportunity to get more cars and thinks off the road because they will use the CV Link for the non-motorized as well as the golf carts and things like that. I do also believe that in time it will bring people who want a better place to actually do workouts and things like. And, it's interesting that people talk about crime from the CV Link that would cause, but you've got these mounds areas that criminals can stand on now and there's nobody there to see them, watching them, doing things. At least there's activity there. I know, I would call the police if I saw something going on back there. I would happily do something to protect my neighbors, if there's wrong doing back there. Right now, I'm not back there at all, ever. So, I don't know why people think crime can't go on back there now. I really high believe that once the route is finished and built, I think businesses will actually go up and prosper back there along this route. I think you'll have, possibly places for people to stop and have a healthier snack and things like that will pop up. I believe a lot of good will come about that. And people will talk about their way out there, as Vic shared it's being connected to many other bike paths within the City. So, you come into the City, and then you have safe places for the bikes. That's what the goal is, to add more biking lanes. People will come from all over to wanna use it, and buy house right off of it too. Thank you.

Gloria Kapp, Palm Springs, a resident of Four Seasons, spoke against the project and requested adjustments.
I'm Gloria Kapp, also from Four Seasons. I want to thank the Council for having this community meeting. I think we have been waiting for it for awhile. So we appreciate the opportunity to address the CV Link issue. especially now that the EIR has been released and is being discussed as well. But I believe even in this case the City Council has a different responsibility to look beyond the EIR and at this point to look at the cost and quality of life issues for Palm Springs as they review the EIR. For those of us in the section of Four Seasons, which I live, which includes approximately 50 homes, a little over 50 homes, our backyards are 17 feet roughly, in my case roughly 17 feet from the wall and another 17 feet to the berm and anybody walking along the berm now, which the levy, which they do frequently, people ride motor bikes along there, there's no way we can miss that. It's an invasion of privacy and certainly if it were to be mitigated in some way other than putting the CV Link on the wash side or the currently protected side of the levy, it would be intrusive and could interfere esthetically with our views of the mountains. I know you have already received reports from others in Four Seasons who have spent much more time than I have in analyzing wind and weather conditions and those are part of the EIR as well. It isn't a particularly well a human friendly place to ride a bike. It could be very windy. Last week we couldn't see across to the mountains because of the wind. Indian Canyon, Gene Autry, and Vista Chino were all three closed for several hours just because of the wind and snow, wind and sand. I grew up in North Dakota, I forget about the sand. Anyway, I encourage you to look at those issues as well as the EIR issues and other issues. Thank you.

Henry Hampton, Palm Springs, a resident of Mountain Gate area, spoke in support of the project.
Councilmember Foat, Councilmember Mills, and staff, CVAG staff. My name is Henry Hampton, and I have been a resident of Palm Springs for over 35 years now, long time person. Some of the previous speakers up were cyclists, I can tell you I like to run. I'm a runner and I like to run long distance, and one of the great things about this path is that it is 50 miles and you could go contiguous for long distances. There are people who run those types of distances, so, for somebody like me who like to run, it's a good thing. To the people who live in Four Seasons, I sympathize with you. I live in Mountain Gate, so I our neighborhood does butts up to the back of that path as well. So, I definitely think there's a place where we can mitigate the circumstances here to make the path work. The benefits that were in the slide presentation were great, but I wasn't sure if there are things you could do that's recreational in your endeavor. So, I've lived in a lot of different places. I haven't lived here the whole time, but I have lived in other places. Places like Phoenix, Boulder, CO, Breckenridge, CO, Washington DC. All of these communities have huge paths and it enables their residents and tourists to get on the path and get recreation and get exercise. I think all these destinations speak to the idea this is something the whole community and the Coachella Valley should do. It's about we step up to the plate. I'm all about this project. But I'm also about sustainability. As long as the funding's there I'm all for it.

Dan Spencer, Palm Springs, lives on north Riverside Drive, and requested additional information.
Hi, I'm Dan Spencer, and my husband and I live on a very special street, North Riverside Drive, which is where the CV Link will run directly in front of our living room window. And, no one has contacted us to let us know what the alternatives are, or how they are going to deal with that street. There's dogs and pedestrians and cars on that street, and I don't know how you're gonna run two lanes down the center of it. So that's one thing.
The other thing I would say is that, do you plan to build a wall to provide privacy for the residents or will the codes change in order to provide for extra screening for the CV Link on that side?
And then, finally. On the south side of the wash there's a existing berm that separates the residents from the wash. I'm not sure why that was not looked at as an alternative route, it very direct from Belardo all the way to Sunrise.
Thank you very much.

Michael Solomon, Palm Springs, spoke against the project.
Hello, my name is Mike Solomon, and I live at Four Seasons as well. Now you've heard from many people, and I don't want to be redundant. This is a rough draft of a letter that I will be sending over to CVAG. I will try to edit it while I speak, so bear with me.
I live in Four Seasons. I live in a home that is on the northern perimeter and I am about 17 feet from the Whitewater Levy which is the original proposed route CV Link. I bought my home. I waited for over a year before buying my house so I could have the view of the mountains and the desert, and the peace and quiet I knew that would offer. Now in previous letters to CVAG I have stated the obvious reasons why having a path on top of the levy would have a negative effect on the homeowners along that border, and they would include, because it's going to be 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, it's going to be lit at night. It's going to bring noise. Two girls walking 4:00 in the morning, just the other day they had flashlights and I was in my bedroom and I thought they were in my backyard. So, there is going to be noise. I also think it will be a haven for the homeless. I think it will be a place where kids will go to party. I'm up at 3 in the morning. I write. And I have to tell you something. There will partying back there, it's just a given. And, I know you all don't see it, but I see it. So, the studies that were made originally (NOTE ONLY. Timer when off) to put the Link on top of the levy were made when there were no houses around there. It was out in the desert. Now, you're doing the study. It should be taken into consideration that you have communities are bordering the levy. For that reason, the Link should be put in another place. I'm not against bicycling, but just move it off the top of the levy so they don't see into our yards and our houses.
Thank you.

Deiter Crawford, Palm Springs, lives in the Desert Highland Gateway Estates area, spoke in support of the project.
Good evening Council, staff. My name is Deiter Crawford. I'm a community worker for the Gateway Highland Wellness Committee. The Wellness Committee works in partnership with Loma University Health, UCR, Riverside, Desert Regional Medical Center, and Desert Medical Health Care District to implement regional health plans and strategies. Desert Highland Estates neighborhood is located on the north side of Palm Springs, and bordered by Tram View Road to the north, State Hwy 111 to the west, San Rafael Road to the south, and Indian Canyon Drive to the east. The neighborhood is comprised of single family homes and two federally subsidized apartment complexes. The majority of the community members are low to middle income and are predominantly African American or Hispanic.
I have been following the CV Link project for awhile now, and it looks like Desert Highland Park will be corner line route. So my question is, how will the City incorporate James O Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center and our 18 acre city park with electric vehicles charging stations into the CV Link and what impact, if any, CV Link pathway have on the Desert Highland Gateway Estates neighborhood and its residents.
Once again my name is Deiter Crawford. Thanks for your time and consideration.

Andrew Hirsch, Palm Springs, spoke on behalf of the Palm Springs Desert Cities Conservation Coalition against the project.
Hi! My name is Andrew Hirsh. I'm a mechanical engineer and I was educated Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Southern California. I had the privilege of on the inaugural of the City of Palm Springs Resource Conservation Commission and both of you supported me for that, I appreciate that.
Currently Im, the lead CV Link analyst for the Palm Springs Desert Cities Conservation Coalition, as such, you could think of me as their chief engineer. I'm a certified airhead, proudly so. I have been doing air pollution since 1972, I wrote part of the California Clean Air Act. Let's be clear, the City Council should return this EIR to CVAG. It clearly, clearly violates the letter and the spirit of the California Environmental Quality Act. It does not talk about environmental impacts, it talks about environmental changes. As I wrote in the Desert Sun on the 21st of January, changes are not impacts. Let me give you one example. The EIR saids that some 7 vehicle mile trips will be removed from our roads with CV Link. Hey, 7 million! That's great! Everyone wants to remove 7 million trips. The EIR fails to tell you that there are over 28 billion vehicle miles traveled in the valley according to the ARB. If you do the division that means the CV Link effects less than a third of one percent. Let me give you an engineering term that's called slop. It's inmeasurable, inmoderable, and there's no way this thing will have any effect. And another speaker articually spoke about how this project fails to mitigate even a third of the sentinel power. Send this EIR back to CVAG. Get it fixed. Thank you.

Jim Stuart, Palm Springs, spoke against the project, and requested placing it on the ballot to be voted by the citizens.
Good evening! Members of Council, staff.
You've heard enough from the people. The negatives, positives. I want to approach this from a completely different point of view.
Number one. Bicycle safety, which we now are practicing throughout the valley. We have all these rental places that rent out bicycles. We have people who run boulevard stops constantly. We have had 3 people killed, I believe, in the valley, in the last 18 months on bicycles. All at the bicycles' fault. What the. CV Link. I'm gonna approach it... We are 41 year residents of the Movie Colony. So, we are not effected there, but we do own rental property in Four Seasons, and it effects our tenants. Who's going to pay for this thing? Where's the money gonna come from for the maintenance? For the public safety? For all of the costs for after it is built. Are we going to have another fiasco like Roy's? Where the County, where CVAG saids Palm Springs you're responsible for yours. Means everybody in this room, our tax dollars are going to be used to maintain this situation? To pay for the public safety that's going to be out there? They talk about traffic mitigation. Well, we don't have lots of golf carts and such running down Palm Canyon. The other side of this thing is the traffic getting out there. People have to park their vehicle to they can ride their bicycles. Also, as a commercial real estate company owner, we're taking bicycles off of the commercial areas where people can window shop. You're going to be hurting your merchants downtown because people will come and ride their bicycles and leave. They will not be spending money in the City of Palm Springs. So, there are a lot of other issues, and my biggest question has been, ever since day one, why wasn't this ever put on the ballot in Palm Springs for the people to vote on it like Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells did? I think, we have an issue coming up, We have a ballot coming up, I believe, in November. Put it on the ballot. Let the people of Palm Springs ... I'm going.

Steven Sims, Palm Springs, spoke on behalf of GO BIKE USA.
Good Evening Councilmembers, staff. My name is Steven Simms and I'm the founder of a group GO BIKE USA. Since 1985, we are a non-profit who has worked with ever facet of bicycling throughout the Coachella Valley and Riverside County. Ms. Felci mentioned earlier, the original plans for the path was to be called the Trans Valley Bikeway. We were the advisors amongst the advisors on that path. We knew the plans at that time as it failed to three years later because the cities weren't interested in getting involved in bicycling. When this came about and started to regenerate with electric vehicles we knew it was the wrong thing for the valley. What I want to propose to you, and this comes from the body of passionate cyclists, that listen to what bicyclists really want. This valley needs, especially this city, a networking of bicycling such as, what is offered by the league of American bicyclists. We need to become a bicycling friendly community, a bicycling friendly city, and a bicycling friendly valley. And that's what people look for, and all these people who were talking about tourism. Any tourist who rides a bike know that that's here.
Now, as an alternative, what we have proposed to a couple of the cities here is that we have an alternative because we virtually have no mountain biking here of any substantial usage. We feel that we have a way that we could bring mountain biking into the everyday pattern of general road cycling.
So, I thank you very much for the time. And I would like to have this put to the vote as well, but, I like to be positive about bicycling. And I thank you all.

Nancy Stuart, Palm Springs, spoke opposing the project.
Thank you Mayor Pro Tem and Mr. Mills, and staff and the CVAG group.
I just want to thank my husband for reading my notes and stealing my thunder on a couple of issues, but, I do want to say as a member of the public, my .... my big is the cost of maintenance. You know, we had Roy's Resource Center, all thrilled about getting that going, and having that come about and every entity was going to pull together and all the cities were gonna put their money in and maintain it, and what happened? And I really have a concern about that, and I want to address the CVAG group. Has this been addressed? I mean are we as Palm Springs gonna be responsible for 33% of the maintenance on this? Or, are they gonna come to use when somebody else decide they're not going to pull their weight on this? What's gonna happen with that? I wanna know.
Thank you.

Eric Taylor, Oxnard, CA, spoke in support of the project.
I'm Eric Taylor. I'm with the Serena Park development, and I'm happy to see an alternative alignment. Now shown on the map. Our attitude, and a lot of it is coming from my professional experience in doing projects. And I know a lot of the people here in the audience, especially, from Four Seasons, and they have followed us and I have spent a lot of time with them. I know a lot of people out in the audience have spoken to me or have probably been to some of the public hearings and things. And I have been designing and promoting, building and then living with larger master planned communities for almost 40 years here in California. And almost every opportunity I get we try to add these multi-purpose trails within our development, integral to the development as an amenity. And we supported this trail with an alternative through our project to hopefully mitigate, or eliminate a lot of it, the issues with Four Seasons along the levy. And I was out at one of the projects I did 20 years ago yesterday, mountain biking and watching all the people there. It was pretty interesting, it feels pretty good to see after the fact.
So from my own personal experience, professionally, in doing these things, I wanted to come and let you know tonight, that from our perspective it's a good thing, done right, done well, and for long term for people's lifestyles.

Mayor Pro Tem Foat
Since you're here, there was a comment made earlier that the City was holding you hostage, and actually it was you who suggested that it be in your project.

Eric Taylor
Absolutely true. It's coming from me personally. The project that I was at mountain biking yesterday, is called Dos Rio Ranch in Thousand Oaks. We did ten and a half miles of trails. And yesterday, with the weather, we had, there were families and people, hikers, and mountain bikers throughout everywhere. I think everyone had a smile on their face.

Mayor Pro Tem Foat
Thank you. Thank you very much.

Christine Hammond, Palm Springs, spoke opposing the project.
I'm Christine Hammond. I'm a resident of Palm Springs for coming up now for just about 20 years. And I'm from Portland. I went to college quite a few years ago in Eugene, Oregon, where we had the Watson Trail. And those of you who are bike riders will know this trail. It was built in the late 60's and a very popular trail then, and continues to be a very popular trial. I do not recall any problems as a student in Eugene riding that trail all the time with litter or crime, and I know things change, but I was just thinking about that tonight, and thinking "why weren't we more concerned". I rode my bike everywhere and generally by myself.
I'm also a mom and a grandma. And when my kids moved back to this country moved to Seattle. And this would have been 10 or 12 years ago. And they wanted on the bike way in Seattle. This was very important to them so that they could bike back and forth to work, and to their activities around town.
I was a tourist in Palm Springs before I was a resident here, as I believe many residents were. They came here to vacation. Love it. Moved here. I came here to vacation. Loved it. Moved here, and still love it.
And I think, when we look. I'm hoping to ride the CV Link myself and I'm giving myself at least another 30 years to be here, and I'm looking to the future because people are going to continue to vacation here. They're going to continue to move here, and they're going to be a hell of a lot younger than I am. And they're going to be the people who are going to be riding the CV Link for 20, 30, 40, 50 years.
Really, that's all I wanted to say. We really need to look to the future of our community. Tourism is economy and we need to look at that. Thank you.

Willy Halle, Palm Springs, a resident of Four Seasons spoke opposing the project.
Good evening. After reading all those. My name is willy Halle. I live at Four Seasons, the greatest place in Palm Springs, as far as I'm concerned because we all live there, right? It's a place that paves its own streets. Don't have to deal much with code enforcement cuz we don't allow short term rentals.
I feel sorry for both of you. After reading those 688 pages and all the appendices, you guys do this all the time. You have my sympathy.
One of the things that showed up today was the Casey's June Beetle. They have rights. The people who bought their property in Four Seasons, they have their rights also. They pay for their property taxes. I'm not on the levy, but if it is built, build it down below where it should be and let these people have their view. A lot of this is, if you read the report, is about the view that everybody's gonna have. Well, these people have invested their time and their money to move there and live there. And they should have their right, more than the beetle should.
Again, thank you for your time.

Arthur Mac Millian, requested additional information.
Arthur Mac Millian, resident of Mesquite Country Club Condos. I have a question for one of the reps, if they can answer it after the public comments. On your map on Segment 2, where the Link is going down Riverside and connecting with Sunrise Way, that is a very busy street and within a two block area, we currently have so many traffic signals already at Mesquite Avenue, Desert Chapel Way, Ramon Road. The new traffic signal at Ralph's market and Baristo. So, I would like to know if you plan on adding yet another traffic signal to get the Link traffic over Sunrise or do you plan on sending the Link traffic some how under the bridge. And if that's the case, is that going to require the bridge being modified.
Thank you.

Arvin O'Campo, Cathedral City, wanted to provide the perspective from a young adult, and spoke in support of the project.
Hello everyone. My name is Arvin O'Campo and I'm a resident of Cathedral City and I want to give you an idea what it's like to be a young adult here in the Coachella Valley. I assume most of you guys successful residents of Palm Springs, and you guys are a older, and had your careers, and your life set. But, for someone who's a young adult, having a car, like, is like a pre-requisite for being a citizen here in the Coachella Valley. Without a car you really can't do anything. You need car to go to the movies, you need a car to go to dinner, you need a car to buy groceries, and if you don't have a car you either have to walk there, or bike there, and ... If you ever walk or bike in the Coachella Valley, you will soon notice that sidewalks come to an end, bike lanes come to an end, and it's really not safe or convenient. So, what CV Link is, is, it's more than a 50-mile bike path for us young adults. It's actually a symbol, it's a symbol of what the future looks like for the Coachella Valley. We would like to be able to walk to places, to be able to ride our bikes, to go see our friends, and being able to run into people, potential mates for the future or whatever, however you like to put it. Well, it's. I do hear your concerns for the residents of the Four Seasons, but I do want you to take into consideration of us young adults and we would want something a recreational path like many other great communities across the country do. Like Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, Washington. We are a great Coachella Valley, and we all depend on one another. So, I do hope that you guys, at least take us into consideration, cuz, just like I'm taking you guys into consideration.
Thank you.

Mayor Pro Tem commented on the following:
She made notes, and feels the answers concerning the Serena Park. Commenting for herself, she does not comment until there is a public hearing, she does not make her decisions until she does hear from the public. She heard from the public during this meeting, she has heard from the public at other occasions, and she is able to study the item. That's how she makes her decisions. There are other Councilmembers in other cities make their decisions know, and make sure the public follow them. I'm not that kind of a Councilmember. I listen and I wanted to hear everybody speak. The people I've heard from before this were people from Four Seasons, specifically the Berry's, that was the only side of the story I heard. I'm not here to provide my own views, I'm here to hear the different sides of the issue, and decide what's best for the city based on input received. This comment is for herself. And asked Mr. Mills if he has comments.

Councilmember Mills stated he supports Mayor Pro Tem Foat's comments, and added his reluctance to comment until all information is received.
He concurs with Mayor Pro Tem Foat's comments. Adding it's not fair as an elected official, it's not fair for the citizens of Palm Springs to make a decision without hearing as much as possible and reading as much as possible. This has been informative. He stated he and Ms. Foat have been working on the CV Link for years in pieces and providing input to the overall project, and asking questions about the overall project. We need all the information, and finally now the EIR. They now have more information than they had in the past. There are issues he heard of this evening that are not new issues, they are concerns he had voiced to CVAG staff. Please do not think he and Ms. Foat has not been involved in this project, they have been; however, they have chosen not to form an opinion until such time all the facts are available and have heard from the residents.

Councilmember Mills stated he supports Mayor Pro Tem's comments, and added his reluctance to comment until all information is received.

Mayor Pro Tem Foat commented that there will not be any Measure J Funds allocated for this project.

Mayor Pro Tem Foat and Councilmember Mills requested clarification and details relating to the project.

Devon Young, Nicole Criste, Erica Felci, provided additional information.

Mayor Pro Tem Foat stated there will be another public meeting after the EIR Comment Period.

4. ADJOURNMENT.

At 7:47 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Foat adjourned the meeting.

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