Hillside Development Threats
Chino Canyon and Snow Creek are threatened by imminent development. Current zoning regulations allow up to 3,400 dwelling units and other structures to be built in this area, including hotels, houses, condominiums, commercial buildings and a golf course. Along with this construction will come a network of roads, sewers, parking lots, swimming pools, and tennis courts. This equates to millions of tons of concrete and blacktop that will forever destroy these fragile desert landscapes and deplete our already dwindling water supply. Below is a partial list of developments.
Shadowrock (status - pending the November referendum)
The Shadowrock project consists of an 18-hole golf course, clubhouse, hotel/resort, future residential use, and a reservoir site on 347.67 acres. The golf course, by itself, would span the canyon from toe-of-slope to toe-of-slope on both sides of Tramway road and would involve grading of "370,000 cubic yards of earth cut, about 350,000 cubic yards of earth fill, and about 280,000 cubic yards of import fill."
In 1993, the City Council approved a Development Agreement with a ten year term. On May 16, 2007, Superior Court Judge Harold Hopp issued a preliminary injunction to prevent Shadowrock from grading in the heart of Chino Canyon. The Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity asked the Court to enjoin the developer from grading until the court could rule on their lawsuit claiming that the City of Palm Springs had illegally extended the Shadowrock Development Agreement. The Court agreed, finding that there was a likelihood they would prevail, and that if grading were to proceed, the damage to Chino Canyon would be irreparable. (courtesy of Save Our Mountains. Click the link for more information.)
Crescendo (status - pending review of public comment)
Wessman Development is proposing 79 homes on approximately 42 acres along the north side of West Racquet Club Road. Following a long, victorious battle to force the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), the public comments on the final EIR are now being studied by the Planning Commission. The results of their review will be made public on September 12th, 2007 at 1:30 PM. The massive grading, terracing and rock crushing will totally destroy the southern section of Tramway Road and will provide upscale tract housing only as the market demands. If you have an opinion that you would like heard, please plan to attend this very important meeting.
Mountain Gate (status - possible density transfer)
Two large parcels of land at the base of Chino Canyon are owned by Century Development, builders of the two Mountain Gate projects across Highway 111. Last year Century held community meetings to discuss their plans, but so far has not submitted a development application. Century representatives have testified before City Council that they would consider a density transfer of their development rights to land off the Canyon. Zoning currently allows 380 housing units within these two areas, with perhaps 5 or 6 units allowed in the floodplain area.
Desert Palisades (status - not yet submitted)
104 multi-million dollar homes on 117 acres above the Crescendo project. This project is currenly being shown to local groups and has not been submitted to the City. The owners, once again, plan to put in pads, roads and infrastructure with no guarantee that the homes will be built. With each pad costing a million dollars, and homes ranging from two to four million dollars, this project could stretch on for years, while our beautiful hillsides will be scarred forever.
Nichols Project
168 reasonably-priced one and two story dwelling units at six units per acre to be located on the hillside behind the iconic Frey/Chambers Gas Station, now the Palm Springs Visitor Information Center. The glorious undisturbed view of Mount San Jacinto from the Visitor's Center, would be forever marred by this residential development.
All photos credit: Tom Brewster Photography unless otherwise specified.
