City Hall Parking Reconfiguration
Update
On March 10, 2010 at the hearing of an appeal to the Planning Commission (submitted by PSPF board member Gary Johns and other concerned citizens) the city’s Director of Planning Services informed the commission that the city had decided to explore a “redesign” of the proposed parking lot reconfiguration that might eliminate the objectionable proposed parking spaces blocking the front of City Hall. It is hoped that any redesign will mirror the current parking lot layout.
On February 11, 2010 PSPF and the Palm Springs Modern Committee (PSModCom) produced a joint informational flier on the city hall parking lot reconfiguration issue. The flier was distributed during Modernism Week (February 12-21). To read the flier click here.
On February 9, 2010 the city’s Historic Site Preservation Board (HSPB) finally discussed PSPF’s August 2009 letter. The HSPB then unanimously voted to have city staff prepare a recommendation to the city council to declare the city hall an historic site (not just an historic building). The board then issued a stay of demolition for 90 days (with a potential extension of another 90 days) for the city hall site to include the parking lot.
On February 8, 2010 a group of concerned citizens (including PSPF board member Gary Johns) submitted a letter to the Planning Commission appealing the city’s January 25, 2010 decision (Case No. 3.3377-MAA) to proceed with the ill-advised parking lot reconfiguration. The appeal notes that, (1) an important historic and architectural resource (city hall) is impacted, that (2) the proposed project is poorly designed, and that (3) the project is fiscally unsound. The appeal letter also emphasizes that the proposed project’s more praiseworthy sustainability aims (e.g., a sustainability demonstration garden) can be easily achieved without negatively affecting the city hall site.
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