Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Desert Hot Springs public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
12 issues in roads
$7.5 Million Lease Revenue Bonds for Animal Control Facility and Roads
The city wants to buy a former cultivation building to move animal control indoors (both current facilities have outdoor kennels) and house public works equipment, plus spend $2.5 million repaving roads. The council only authorized forming a finance team for now — the actual bond decision comes November 17.
Palmelo Drive traffic safety
After two meetings of resident pleas, the city's engineering review found only one crash in ten years and closely spaced stop signs — no safety concern under their standards.
Housing Avenue Street Improvements project overage
Joshua Hedrick questioned a final payment on a street project that ran $478,741 above the council-authorized ceiling, asking when staff knew and who signed the change orders.
Pomelo Drive traffic safety petition
A neighborhood watch group is collecting signatures to force a speed study and traffic calming on Pomelo Drive, where cars reportedly hit 40–60 mph with no speed limit or children-at-play signs.
Residential street slurry seal and pavement management
The city's average pavement score has slipped to 67.5 from 78 in 2019; a $2.5 million bond-funded slurry seal of residential streets is planned now, with ongoing funding from cannabis tax revenue once reserves max out.
School Safety on Avenida Jalisco
A completed safety plan targets dangerous drop-off conditions at Bella Vista Elementary and Painted Hills Middle. Quick fixes cost $68,570; the full $2.7 million rebuild depends on grants, and families have waited 14 years.
Road Funding and Five-Year Paving Plan
Councilmembers Voss and Pitts wanted to explore a half-cent sales tax for street repairs, but the idea died without a motion after colleagues balked at a new tax. Instead, a two-member subcommittee will look at every other funding option first, using the upcoming pavement management plan as a roadmap.
Palm Drive and 20th Avenue traffic signal
Bids for the long-awaited signal come in June 25, with construction expected to finish by next summer.
Warehouse truck traffic and city access
A 1.16-million-square-foot warehouse near the I-10/Palm Drive interchange promises hundreds of local jobs but residents worry about already-congested Palm Drive traffic. Turn-lane improvements on Varner Road may or may not coincide with the planned South Palm Drive project.
Active Transportation Plan
The city's new walking and biking blueprint updates a 2016 plan, adding sidewalk, crossing, and bike facility recommendations ranked by safety and community input. Councilmembers flagged how badly older neighborhoods lack sidewalks — the top ten projects have cost estimates ready for grant applications.
Removal of Mahalo Road from the circulation plan
The general plan amendment deletes Mahalo Road from the city's roadway plan because it runs along a high-pressure gas line and would cut parcels awkwardly. A grid network between Palm Drive and West Drive would replace it.
SunLine transit redesign and regional bus access
SunLine is redesigning its entire valley transit network and wants resident feedback via survey before closing responses in early March. A resident also pressed for direct routes along Indian Canyon, Palm Drive, and Varner Road with stops at the North Palm Springs Amtrak/FlixBus/Greyhound stop.