Live updates: Palm Springs City Council holds meeting on COD campus plans

The Palm Springs City Council hosted College of the Desert leaders Thursday night for a presentation and discussion on college plans to build a west valley campus in Palm Springs with a hospitality program, among other majors. Following is a running update of comments at the meeting, captured as the meeting progressed.

COD says it's committed to learning hotel

"One of the comments that was made was that you are in conversations with Marriott and the Hilton as potential partners for the learning hotel," Mayor Lisa Middleton said toward the end of the 2.5-hour session. "Can I interpret that to mean that you have a commitment to the learning hotel?"

COD Superintendent/President Martha Garcia responded: "We're definitely exploring the options available to obviously reiterate that there's a commitment. We're committed and we're going to find a way to make this happen. Obviously, I'm appreciative of the tremendous interest and the expression of support, and I look forward to working with potential future partners in this endeavor."

Middleton said, "I'm not sure I heard a 'yes' there."

Garcia replied: "Yes. yes. Obviously, we're committed. We have to find a way to be able to do this in a legal manner, and (we're) looking forward to working with our partners."

In addition to that commitment, COD leaders reiterated multiple times that they are committed to building a campus in Palm Springs.

Board Chair Ruben Perez also said that the college plans to reinvest funds from selling its north Palm Springs property into the Palm Springs campus.

"I think we're limited in what it is that we can say publicly about that, but I do want to reiterate the commitment that once we do sell that property in north Palm Springs, all that money that we get from that property is going to be in turn paying for the Palm Springs Development Project at the mall site."

Earlier, Councilmember Dennis Woods had asked whether schematic designs presented to the public "will still likely happen."

COD was noncommittal to those designs, a construction timeline and a project budget. Multiple times, COD leaders said the college remains in the process of collecting data that will hel them determine whether current building and programmatic plans need to be changed.

"The planning that was that was done prior is what we're using moving forward," Christina Tafoya, COD's interim executive vice president responded to Woods. "What we're trying to say is that we are making sure that we're not just taking those plans and saying, 'Okay, everything is the same. We're gonna move forward.' We're saying we're looking at it step-by-step and making sure also all of our internal stakeholders also have access to give direct input on the spaces that they're going to be expected to use. And what we were hearing is that there were gaps in those conversations to some degree."

Woods pressed on asking if the city can expect actual buildings to look like plans presented at Thursday's meeting and earlier ones

Mac McGinnis, COD's bond projects manager, reiterated that plans for the campus shown to the public were never 100% complete — he said schematic designs were closer to 30% complete — and they were never approved by the board.

"The schematics that you saw were never complete and they've never been presented to the Board for approval," McGinnis said. "So matter of fact, we were in discussions with the architect that they need to work on the architecture because some of the stuff I mean, are pretty pictures, but some of the stuff doesn't work. And so we have to continue through that process. That's why I said we're about 30% right now. We'v got to get to 100%. And then when we get there, then you will be able to see what it's going to be."

Although the specifics remain unknown, Perez ended the meeting by saying once more: "We are committed to making this project come to fruition in Palm Springs."

Middleton responded, "Thank you for coming, and I hope we have made progress. I think we have. Let's get back to work."

— Jonathan Horwitz

Council says college has not completed public records requests sent four months ago

Councilmember Geoff Kors asked about the status of documents requested by the city through a public records request relating to the planning for the campus so that they could be available to the public. That request was made four months ago after COD Superintendent/President Martha Garcia requested the city officially request the records so that the request would be recorded.

City Attorney Jeff Ballinger said the city had only received three or four documents that are not currently available on COD’s website.

Garcia responded that she “was under the assumption that the city had received an extensive amount of documents.”

“But I’ll confirm obviously with the person that I have in charge on-site and with the attorney who is also working with that person,” Garcia said. “I appreciate you bringing it up.”

Councilmember Geoff Kors said it would be especially important for the college to make available data related to the current feasibility study the college is conducting so that the city might be able to provide any information that would be helpful.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Who made the decision to pause the Palm Springs project and when?

Councilmember Geoff Kors pointedly asked if the decision to “pause” the development of the Palm Springs campus was made by staff, or the COD Board of Trustees, in closed session or open session. “There doesn't seem to be any public minutes” of a decision, he said.

“How was the decision made to stop the design work what was happening on the West Valley campus in Palm Springs, who made it where it was it made?” He said, “I get that [question] a lot so I want to give you a chance to respond to that.”

Board Chair Ruben Perez said the decision to reevaluate the project was not a board decision, and it was made by the interim administration that served between former President Joel Kinnamon’s retirement in spring 2021 and Martha Garcia’s appointment in summer 2021. Jeff Baker, current college vice president, served as the interim president during that period. Baker was not in attendance at Thursday’s meeting.

Later, Trustee Fred Jandt added, “To my knowledge, there was never a Board of Trustees vote or action to stop or delay the project. Actually, there was a board vote to reinforce this move forward.”

Shortly after that comment, Mayor Lisa Middleton asked how much time has been lost due to reevaluation.

McGinnis said, “In my estimate… probably we've lost about a year."

— Jonathan Horwitz

What will the campus look like?

Mac McGinnis, COD’s bond program manager of 15 years, quickly went through a presentation with renderings of what he said was the last site plan developed. The plan includes elements including a business accelerator space, a learning hotel and hotel-style villas.

COD Board of Trustees Chair Ruben Perez said: “Learning labs will be built, but we are carefully navigating the planning of the learning hotel to ensure that legal and prudent use of funds are being used.”

Perez added that the college is exploring partnerships with Marriott or Hilton.

Aftab Dada, general manager of the Hilton Palm Springs, told The Desert Sun that no one from COD has recently reached out to him on this topic.

McGinnnis said the project’s initial budget was $300 million, and the current budget is $345 million. He said so far the college has spent $34 million on the project including the cost of land acquisition.

Later, Councilmember Christy Holstege asked if the budget might be reduced.

COD Superintendent/President Martha Garcia, attending remotely, said, “At this point, that’s the allocation: $345 million.”

McGinnis said completion of the campus is estimated somewhere between late summer of 2026 and spring 2027.

Garcia encouraged students to enroll at the Palm Springs temporary campus at 1300 E. Baristo Road.

But McGinnis also said the college is “reviewing all previous concepts, designs and plans, and we’re seeking additional faculty and staff input gathering feasibility data and developing a total cost of ownership plan for the entire district including the Palm Springs Development Project.”

Later, Garcia reiterated, “we are currently reevaluating the planning information that was previously collected.”

She said previous planning had faculty involved in a limited capacity, and her new executive vice president, Christina Tafoya, is “ensuring that their input is provided as we finalize plans and move forward.”

Tafoya, also speaking remotely, said previous feasibility data for the project was completed in 2016. “And so what we're trying to do now is affirm that the information that we had from 2016 is updated. … It only makes sense that we need to update that since the information is older.”

Holstege asked if similar data are collected for every construction project.

“I think it's fair to say that it varies depending on the campus because of the size and complexity of each project,” Tafoya said. “And this one is certainly a much larger project than many others and that is one of the reasons why we want to make sure that we include all aspects of data and be sure that we're planning the right programs."

Tafoya used an analogy of underwater basket weaving to try to make her point about the importance of data.

"A way to sort of give an example is in education we use underwater basket weaving," Tafoya said. "So, we would not find support in our feasibility for a program like underwater basket weaving. So, that's what we do is we compare the data and make sure that the programs are going to best serve our students with that information."

Garcia said plans for the Indio expansion campus had been approved by the division of the state architect by the time of her arrival at COD in August.

“Very candidly, if that had happened for the Palm Springs site there, we would not be having this discussion today,” Garcia said. “We would have moved forward with what had been approved by the division (of the) state architect.

— Jonathan Horwitz

COD begins presentation with commitment to campus

COD Board of Trustees Chair Ruben Perez began COD’s presentation after nearly an hour of public comments. COD Superintendent/President Martha Garcia is attending virtually.

“College of the Desert is pleased to have the opportunity to provide this update and to show that it is absolutely committed to the Palm Springs campus.”

After his brief remarks, Perez invited Mac McGinnis, COD’s bond program manager of 15 years, to present a project update to the council.

"The college will be built," Perez said.

— Jonathan Horwitz

Developer, hotel managers say a hospitality program is needed

Managers of several local hotels and restaurants addressed the council, saying they needed trained graduates to staff their businesses.

Kelly Stewart, general manager of the Ritz Carlton in Rancho Mirage, said, “My team and I at the Ritz Carlton are passionate about the need for the College of the Desert hospitality campus and learning hotel and for this project to move forward in service and hospitality.”

Developer Michael Braun, whose company built the Kimpton Rowan hotel in downtown Palm Springs and other properties, said his tenants are in need of an educated workforce to keep their businesses running.

He urged COD to move forward with the hospitality program at the Palm Springs campus, saying it would attract students from across the state. “If you build it, they will come,” he said.

At its March board meeting, COD officials said enrollment in hospitality-related classes appeared to be extremely low at current COD facilities, and one trustee questioned whether there is much need for them.

According to a March presentation, enrollment in COD's hospitality program is at 109 students in spring 2022.

Shannon Anderson, general manager of the Hilton Palm Springs, said: “I've worked in the hotel industry in Palm Springs since 1991. And while there has always been a need for hospitality employees, that need is higher now than it's ever been.”

— Jonathan Horwitz

Planning commission leaders want north Palm Springs property returned

Three members of the Palm Springs Planning Commission addressed the meeting and urged the college to return its north Palm Springs property to the City of Palm Springs. The city gifted nearly 120 acres of land near Tramview Road and North Indian Canyon to the college in 2010 for the purpose of building a west valley campus; those plans were later scrapped.

J.R. Roberts, a former city councilmember and current vice-chair of the planning commission, said: "I think it would be a great idea and time for some goodwill with the College of the Desert to give that land back to the City of Palm Springs so that the City of Palm Springs can do something important with that piece of land."

Later, Kathy Weremiuk, chair of the planning commission, said, "If the COD board has any morals, any sense of humanity any sense of equity, that land needs to be returned to Palm Springs and happily with the proviso that we use it to build affordable housing."

Charlie Ervin, another planning commissioner, also requested that COD return the property to the city in order to assist the Desert Highland community.

"We would like for that property to go back to the city," Ervin said. "We would like for you guys to do everything you can."

The city spent about $2 million to acquire the property. COD is in negotiations to sell that land to a housing developer for more than $5 million.

The land is not currently zoned for housing.

— Jonathan Horwitz

Resident compares council's transparency to COD's governance

Mayor Lisa Middleton announced at the beginning of Thursday's meeting that the council would begin by concentrating solely on issues related to College of the Desert. The council will hear public comments on those issues before COD's presentation.

Deiter Crawford, a community activist from Desert Highland Gateway Estates, said the governance of the City of Palm Springs is no more transparent than that of COD.

"My family came to Palm Springs in the early 1950s and settled on Section 14 of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation, and it's just funny to hear the City of Palm Springs complain about COD being transparent and playing politics," Crawford said. "Now you guys see how we feel. You do the same thing to your residents. You've been doing it to us for years. You pull items from their agenda last meaning you only notice meetings 72 hours in advance. They're just giving you a dose of your own medicine."

Crawford added: "With that being said, we definitely need a west valley campus."

Ron deHarte, a chair of the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission and a candidate for city council district 3, had questioned COD's transparency before Crawford spoke.

"I question the inconsistent decision-making process as to which projects move forward, are canceled or are put on hold," said deHarte. COD recently broke ground on an Indio campus expansion funded by bond money.

– Jonathan Horwitz

How to participate in the meeting

Public comments can be submitted to the city council electronically by emailing cityclerk@palmspringsca.gov. Transmittal prior to the start of the meeting is required. Any correspondence received during or after the meeting will be distributed to the council and retained for the official record as soon as practicable.

Members of the public can comment by phone by calling the city clerk's office at (760) 323-8204. You may be added to the queue at any time prior to the end of the public comment period for the subject hearing. At the appropriate time, a staff member will call you so that you may provide your public testimony to the city council.

— Julie Makinen

Council concerned about college's transparency

In addition to ongoing conversations between the city council and college officials about COD’s properties in Palm Springs, a city attorney accused the college in February of violating the Brown Act, California’s local government transparency law.

“Upon review of COD Board of Trustees (Board) meeting agendas, minutes, and recordings, and comments made by Board members to the press, several of COD’s practices relating to the Brown Act have emerged that appear to be inconsistent with open and transparent public meetings, and may in fact be violations of the Brown Act,” wrote Andrew Jared, a Palm Springs city attorney, in a memo that was copied to Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin, COD's president and the Board of Trustees.

Jared was hired by the city last year after the college would not approve an attorney conflict waiver that would allow Palm Springs City Attorney Jeff Ballinger to represent the city on certain issues concerning the college. COD is represented by attorney Carlos Campos. Because Campos and Ballinger work for the same law firm, Best, Best & Krieger, California law requires that in such situations both parties sign off on allowing the firm to continue to represent the other party.

In January, COD agreed to a partial attorney conflict waiver with Palm Springs.

Also in January, city officials expressed concern that the college did not provide adequate public notice of a special board meeting in January.

The meeting’s agenda was posted with 24 hours notice and without supporting documents.

Local governments are required to post agendas 72 hours before regularly scheduled board meetings; however, meetings outside of the regular schedule require only 24 hours notice, according to the Brown Act.

COD attorneys said the meeting was outside of the regular schedule, and therefore the agenda only needed to be posted at least 24 hours in advance.

Palm Springs Councilmember Geoff Kors thought the notice was insufficient.

"It's disappointing when there's a meeting that's gonna be discussing educational plans and facilities and how the bond measure money — almost a billion dollars that the public is giving them and approved to be taxed for — that the public has almost zero notice so that they can pay attention and watch the meeting or attend it, let alone have enough time to make public comment," Kors said at the time.

At a COD board meeting on Wednesday, Trustee Bea Gonzalez used her skin color to make light of the allegations.

"There's no violation on my end of the Brown Act," Gonzalez said. "You know what the violation is? It is that I'm brown. That's, you know, kind of what we're being accused of all the time."

— Jonathan Horwitz

A campus 18 years in the making and counting

The college has been planning to build a Palm Springs campus since 2004 when Coachella Valley voters passed Measure B, a $346.5 million bond measure for college capital improvement projects. Originally, the college planned to build a campus on a lot in northern Palm Springs near Tramview Road. The college abandoned plans for that campus after Southern California Edison backed out of a proposed partnership to build a solar farm on the land and provide energy to the college.

In 2016, Coachella Valley voters passed Measure CC, a $577.8 million bond measure also for college capital construction projects. Around that time, the college's vision shifted to building a $345 million campus at the site of the old Palm Springs mall.

Now, the college owns both the mall site and the Tramview Road site. The college is in talks with a residential real estate developer to sell the Tramview Road site for $5.7 million. In 2010, the city, which had acquired the land for $2.1 million from the Bureau of Land Management, granted the parcel to COD for the purpose of building a college. The land is not currently zoned for housing, and the city has not said whether it will rezone the property.

Meanwhile, plans for a campus at the mall site have been delayed. Since taking office last summer, COD Superintendent/President Martha Garcia has said she needs to collect and review updated employment and student data and then review construction plans. However, she has said a campus will be built.

A bond lawyer addressed the COD board in January to question whether some plans as drawn up by the previous COD administration would be legal uses of bond money, and he said the answer would depend on the level of public-private partnerships at facilities such as a learning hotel and culinary institute.

Multiple trustees have questioned whether Palm Springs should receive so much of Measure CC dollars.

"I never knew it was our responsibility to serve as an employment agency," Trustee Bea Gonzalez wrote on Facebook on Sunday. "With all the beautiful and high-end hotels in the area, one would think that they would have developed a system to promote from within."

Gonzalez's comments were attached to an opinion piece she was sharing that was published last week in The Desert Sun. The piece written by guest columnist Edward Tauber is titled "Why College of the Desert should hold off on building Palm Springs campus."

"This is a fair article and I’m surprised it was actually published," Gonzalez commented. "This article aligns with conversations I have had with current and future C.O.D. students. Of the five board members, including myself we have never stated that we do not want to build a campus in Palm Springs or Cathedral City. What I and a few other board members have questioned is the legality of utilizing bond dollars to build some of the components such as a hotel, convention center and private bungalows."

A copy of Thursday's presentation reviewed by The Desert Sun shows designs and renderings for the Palm Springs campus including a culinary institute, events center, a learning hotel and hotel villas.

The presentation says construction could take 4.5 to 5.25 years, meaning the campus might not be completed until late 2026 or early 2027.

— Jonathan Horwitz

Jonathan Horwitz covers education for The Desert Sun. Reach him at jonathan.horwitz@desertsun.com or @Writes_Jonathan.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Springs COD campus: College of the Desert council meeting updates