Supervisors Grapple with Titanic Agenda; 4th District Items Historic
Approval of a nearly $5 million land acquisition in Palm Springs for a future home for the homeless and purchase of the historic North Shore Yacht Club property were only two items on the extremely weighty Riverside County Board of Supervisors Agenda on Tuesday.
The Board also approved a relocation plan for the residents of the troubled 100 Palms mobile home park in Oasis, which has been the scene of two fires in the recent past.
The Board considered almost 140 items in its morning session alone, including six public hearings . . . and three long afternoon public hearings lengthened the afternoon agenda, as well.
The items approved by the Supervisors were particularly important to residents of the Fourth District. Acquisition of the homeless property north of Interstate 10 in Palm Springs, will pave the way toward a homeless center on the west end of the valley, a long anticipated facility. The $4.9 million purchase price includes a 48,000 square foot building on 3.5 acres, located southwest of McLane Street and Orr Way.
The purchase of the North Shore Yacht Club paves the way not only to the preservation of that historic landmark on the shore of the Salton Sea... but is a move to provide a permanent community center for the growing community.
The 100 Palms Mobile Home Park--recently purchased by the County in order to reduce hazardous conditions and improve the quality of life for residents--has been the focus of a plan to ensure that residents find safe and affordable housing, while the park is being renovated and substandard mobile homes are abated.
The Board also continued to grapple with the budget in the face of the State's financial woes, and considered at length a new policy on construction of "second dwelling units." Although a temporary compromise was reached, in an attempt to comply with state law encouraging affordable housing by allowing the additional dwelling units, Supervisor Wilson's goals to encourage such housing on small lots conflicts clearly with the vision of the other supervisors to prohibit second units unless parcels are large.
You can see all of the discussion and actions of the historic board meeting by looking at the
County archived meeting site at
http://209.128.123.171/ppportal/agenda/webcast.aspx.