Revised plan for controversial La Quinta apartment complex limits height to two stories

A much-debated proposal for a 252-unit apartment complex in La Quinta — newly revised to limit its buildings to two stories — soon will return to the city council after the planning commission supported the project’s changes at its meeting this week.

The development at the northeast corner of Washington Street and Avenue 50, known as La Quinta Village Apartments, has seen several changes since its first public hearing in March, with many nearby residents criticizing the project’s potential impacts on traffic, parking and mountain views.

Developer Jeff Parker and his team cut about 30 apartments from their initial plans in response to residents' initial concerns. Later, in August, the city council asked them to get rid of the proposal's three-story buildings and garages and adjust its architectural style.

More: La Quinta council wants changes before deciding fate of controversial proposed apartments

Residents who spoke Tuesday maintained many of the same concerns as in previous meetings, with most opposing the project.

With the planning commission’s unanimous vote in favor of the project’s changes, the council could hear the topic at its meeting in early November, according to La Quinta City Manager Jon McMillen.

What's in the project?

Most apartments at the complex would be sold at market-rate prices, while 74 units would be available at “moderate” rates, or a monthly rent of $2,079 for a one-bedroom space and $2,339 for two bedrooms, as set by state formulas. The project does not allocate any units for people with low incomes.

The La Quinta Village Apartments would include covered parking, a clubhouse, a pool, a spa, barbeque areas, a putting course, a pickleball court and a dog park for its residents. The project calls for 12 two-story buildings, one more than in previous plans that had three-story structures.

The developer's team also offered a few incentives as part of the project, telling the city they would double the capacity of Imperial Irrigation District's nearby electrical substation that serves the surrounding community.

The 14-acre corner site was previously zoned for a senior community, known as “La Paloma,” which was set to include individual, assisted living and memory care units. Plans for that community were approved by the city in 2004, but economic challenges eventually caused the project to fall through.

The proposal also asks La Quinta to amend its general plan by revising its Housing Element, a state-mandated plan for the city to address its long-term housing needs. The city’s current Housing Element identifies the site for 280 low-income units, so approving the current proposal would force the city to identify a new spot for potential affordable housing.

The developer identified a roughly 12-acre site at the northeast corner of Washington Street and Fred Waring Drive as an alternative for potential affordable housing under the Housing Element. For the first time publicly, a representative of that landowner pushed back against the proposal Tuesday.

Tom Weigel, who said he represents the Irvine-based Mayer Corporation that owns the other property, told the commission that his clients were strongly opposed to the project due to the restrictions it would place on their land.

“It's currently zoned community commercial,” Weigel said of their property. “Our intent is to develop it as commercial, and we have no intent in developing it as an affordable housing project now or in the future.”

Parking, flooding among residents' concerns

While not as many as in recent hearings, several residents showed up Tuesday to urge the council to reject the project, with concerns about how the 252-apartment complex might impact the surrounding areas.

A point of concern previously raised by many residents is the project’s proximity to multiple schools and activity centers. The site is just west of Harry Truman Elementary School and La Quinta Middle STEM Academy, as well as a Boys and Girls Club and several sports fields.

Resident Casey Dolan, who lives on Sagebrush Avenue just north of the project, encouraged the city to require the developer to pay for permitted parking and enforcement as part of the project.

“(With) this project, if there's overflow parking, there are two places where that could happen: the ball fields — we've all seen what happens there on the weekends — and my streets,” Dolan said.

Others pointed to potential infrastructure issues related to the project. Carolyn Brandon noted the stretch of Avenue 50 that runs along the project site was closed for multiple days after recent storms, questioning how people would access the apartment complex during similar events in the future.

While most who spoke or submitted comments were opposed, George Christopher, who has served on Imperial Irrigation District’s advisory committee, backed the project, saying the upgrades offered to La Quinta’s power grid are vital.

Council vote expected soon

The commission’s members briefly discussed the project Tuesday before voting unanimously for a resolution recommending the changes to the city council.

Commissioner Dale Tyerman, who voted against most of the project in June, said he was sympathetic to the concerns raised by the owner of the other property that would be earmarked for affordable housing as part of the overall proposal.

“These things do just get laid off on other people,” Tyerman said. “It is a bizarre process that is handed to us by the state. But I understand it is outside all of our controls, but certainly sympathetic to the owners of the property that are getting tagged ‘you’re it’ in this equation.”

The commission ultimately advanced the recommended changes with just five of its seven members present to vote. Commissioner Mary Caldwell was absent, while chairman Stephen Nieto recused himself before the hearing due to the civil engineering firm he works for, the Altum Group, providing consulting on the project.

City officials are aiming to get the project on the agenda for the council's meeting Nov. 7.

Tom Coulter covers the cities of Palm Desert, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells. Reach him at thomas.coulter@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: New plan for controversial La Quinta apartment complex limits height