Palm Desert MSR final 2009

Final October 22, 2009 RIVERSIDE Local Agency Formation Commission PalmDesert Municipal erire. Prepared by Adriana Romo Local Agency Formation Commission 3850 Vine Street • Suite 110 Riverside, CA 92507 Phone 951.369.0631 • Fax 951.369.8479 <b>Municipal Service Review</b> <b>TABLE OF CONTENTS</b> ١. Overview ......1-1 II. Service Review Process ......1-2 III. Agency Review ......1-2 A. Governing Body......1-3 B. Budget Information.....1-3 C. Population & Growth......1-3 IV. Services......1-5 A. Police Protection Services.....1-5 B. Fire Protection Services......1-6 C. Park and Recreation Services ......1-7 D. Solid Waste......1-8 E. Road Maintenance......1-9 F. Library Services.....1-9 G. Animal Services.....1-9 V. Sphere of Influence ......1-9 VI. MSR Determinations ......1-10 <b>Municipal Service Review</b> Overview LAFCOs are mandated by the Cortese-Knox Hertzberg Reorganization Act of 2000 (CKH) to encourage orderly development within their county of jurisdiction. The Act governs the boundaries of special districts and cities, consistent with each agency's principal act. To implement boundary changes, CKH directs LAFCOs to make reorganization decisions based on several factors, including the need for and efficiency of public services. To promote greater efficiency in services for future planning purposes, the CKH mandates LAFCOs to conduct Sphere of Influence (SOI) reviews once every five years or as necessary. SOIs are used as a planning tool for agencies to conduct service and facility planning for areas it intends to serve in the future. A SOI is defined as "a plan for probable physical boundaries and service area of a local agency, as determined by the Commission." Consistent with Commission SOI policies, a SOI can a) be coterminous to agency boundaries as the ultimate foreseen configuration of the agency in anticipation of no future growth, b) be extended beyond the agency boundaries in anticipation of future growth, c) be smaller, indicating the need to detach areas from the agency boundaries, or d) be designated a "zero sphere", which indicates a potential dissolution of the agency. In order to amend the sphere of influence boundaries, formal approval from the LAFCO Commission is required. Prior to or in conjunction with SOI reviews a Municipal Service Review (MSR) must be prepared pursuant to Government Code Section 56430 (c). MSRs are conducted to assist in the SOI review process by providing information regarding the ability of agencies' to provide public services. This Municipal Service Review will review the services provided by the City of Palm Desert. Pursuant to 56430 (a), the MSR will make the following determinations: Growth and population projections for the affected area. (2) Present and planned capacity of public facilities and adequacy of public services, including infrastructure needs or deficiencies. (3) Financial ability of agencies to provide services. (4) Status of, and opportunities for, shared facilities. (5) Accountability for community service needs, including governmental structure or operational efficiencies. (6) Any other matter related to effective or efficient service delivery, as required by the Commission. Provided below is a summary of what each determination will assess. Growth and population projections for the affected area. This will evaluate the method of projection and its relationship to services and facility planning. (2) Present and planned capacity of public facilities and adequacy of public services, including infrastructure needs or deficiencies. Will assess standard/objective levels of municipal services in relation to the current level of services as well as future plans to attain those objectives and/or maintain existing levels of services. (3) Financial ability of agencies to provide services. Identifies whether the City has any general bonded indebtedness, its purpose, tax rate and when the debt will be retired. In addition, general taxes, special taxes, and assessments will be identified in relation to the services funded by those monies. In extreme cases, agencies not financially capable of providing the basic services will be identified. LAFCO—October 2009—Final 1-1 Municipal Service Review (4) Status of, and opportunities for, shared facilities. To promote greater efficiency in public services, the MSR explores opportunities for different agencies to share facilities and/or resources. By sharing facilities or other resources, agencies can eliminate the duplication of studies, planning efforts, staff or equipment, and potentially lower the cost for providing services. (5) Accountability for community service needs, including governmental structure and operational efficiencies. Identifies efforts made by the agency to increase public participation and accountability. Also, discusses whether audits are performed and how they are made available to the public. (6) Any other matter related to effective or efficient service delivery, as required by Commission policy. This will allow this LAFCO to identify areas outside an agency's boundaries currently receiving or requesting services from the agency. Also, identifies inhabited areas within or outside the current sphere of influence that the City anticipates annexing within the next five years or that could benefit from services provided by the agency. Issues unique to a particular agency or geographic area will be explored. II. Service Review Process In preparation of the MSR, public agency input is very important. To begin the MSR process the affected agencies were sent a questionnaire regarding services provided. Through a combination of responses from the questionnaires, follow-up conversations with the agencies, and research, the MSR was prepared. Agencies are encouraged to review and comment on the Public/Agency Review Draft prior to the circulation of the Final Draft that will be presented before the LAFCO Commission, October 22, 2009. This is an opportunity to address any concerns of the affected agencies regarding the data presented. At the public hearing the Commission will review the final draft of the MSR. After the hearing, the draft determinations will be modified as necessary to be adopted by the Commission. III. Agency Review The City of Palm Desert incorporated on November 26, 1973 as the 18th city in Riverside County. It is located in the Western Coachella Valley and is bounded by the City of Rancho Mirage to the west and the City of Indian Wells to the south and east as well as the unincorporated area of Bermuda Dunes to the east. The western city limits generally follow Monterey Ave. and to the north the city limits end at Interstate-10, south of the railroad tracks and south of the unincorporated area of Thousand Palms. The city is predominantly flat at an elevation of 220 feet above sea level, surrounded by the Cahuilla Hills and Dead Indian Creek/Black Hills to the south. The city boundaries encompass approximately 27 square miles. The City's existing sphere of influence currently extends beyond the city boundaries to include approximately 38 square miles, which does not include any area within the city limits. City Hall is located at 73-510 Fred Waring Drive, half a mile east of Monterey Ave., the City's most western boundary. The municipal services provided by the City include police, fire, park and recreation, solid waste collection and disposal, road maintenance, and library services. Water, wastewater, and flood control services are provided by the Coachella Valley Water District. 1-2 LAFCO—October 2009—Final <b>Municipal Service Review</b> A. Governing Body The City of Palm Desert incorporated in 1973 as a General Law City. In 1997 as a result of a special election, the voters of Palm Desert elected for the City to become a Charter City. Unlike a general law city, a charter city is governed by its own charter document and is not limited by State statute. The current city government consists of a five member council elected at large. The terms of council members are four years and there are no term limits. Regular City Council Meetings are held on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 4:00 p.m. in the Civic Center Council Chamber. B. Budget Information This fiscal year is a difficult one for many local agencies due to the current economic situation. This fiscal year, the City's general fund budget was decreased by approximately 9.3%, indicative of revenue declines. Three of the City's primary revenue sources, which include sales tax, transient occupancy tax, and property tax, have been impacted by the economic slowdown. The City's annual budget projects a sales tax revenue decline of 14 percent and a property tax revenue decline of one percent. The County of Riverside FY 2008-09 Third-Quarter Budget Report projects a countywide estimated property tax revenue decline of ten percent for FY 2009-2010. The City does not have any general bonded indebtedness and maintains a balanced budget. However, in order to avoid service level reductions, the City's budget represents a personnel cost savings of $1.8 million. The City accomplished these savings by implementing a hiring freeze and not filling four vacant positions. In addition, the City offered an Early Retirement Program that provided eligible employees the opportunity to retire with an additional credit for two years of service, which resulted in eleven retirements. Lastly, four positions were eliminated as a result of the decline in development activity, which resulted in three early retirements and one layoff. Overall, general fund positions were decreased by 19 from FY 2008-09 to FY 2009-10. Table III.B.1. City of Palm Desert General Fund Pct change from FY 2009-10 General Fund FY 2008-09 prior year Revenues $62,424,500 $56,613,107 -9.31% $62,423,706 $56,588,653 -9.35% Expenditures *General fund amounts include fire taxes and transfers, and the fire reserve. C. Population & Growth <u>Population</u> As of January 1, 2009, the Department of Finance reports an estimated population of 51,509 for the City of Palm Desert, which is an increase of approximately 1.6 % from the previous year. For planning purposes, the city utilizes both the Riverside County Center for Demographic Research and the Department of Finance population estimates. The population projections for Palm Desert in the 2008 Riverside County Center for Demographic Research Progress Report indicate an average annual population increase of 1.4 % from 2010 to 2035. Provided are the population projections as listed in the 2008 County Progress Report, which corresponds with the Adopted 2008 Southern California Association of Governments population projections. 1-3 LAFCO—October 2009—Final Municipal Service Review Table III.C.1. City of Palm Desert Population Projections Avg. Annual <b>Population</b> <u>Year</u> <b>Percent Change</b> 2010 54,435 1.89% 2015 59,588 1.77% 2020 64,860 2025 0.72% 67,206 70,303 0.92% 2030 2035 73,131 0.80% Population projections within the existing city limits are expected to increase by approximately 42% from the Department of Finance estimates as of January 1, 2009 to 2035 projections of 73,131. This does not account for potential annexations within the City's existing sphere of influence. The City's sphere of influence extends approximately 34.5 square miles to the south and 3.2 square miles to the east. The area to the south is mostly mountainous and habitat to the Big Horn Sheep. This southern sphere area was added to the City's SOI since it serves as a natural habitat backdrop, which the City seeks to preserve. There are no current population projections for the 3.2 square mile sphere area to the east of the city limits known as Bermuda Dunes. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Bermuda Dunes was identified as a Census Designated Place (CDP) with a population 6,229. Housing Inventory The total amount of housing units in the City of Palm Desert as of January 1, 2009 is estimated at 34,329 (DOF) and countywide it accounts for approximately 7.2% of the housing units. This is an increase of less than two hundred homes or .006% from January of 2008, reflecting the housing market slowdown. Over the course of the projected 25 year period, housing units are expected to increase an average of five percent every five years. Provided are the 2008 Riverside County Center for Demographic Research Progress Report projections. Table III.C.2. City of Palm Desert Housing Inventory Avg. Annual Housing <u>Year</u> Units Percent Change 2010 36,685 2015 2.10% 40,533 2020 43,349 1.39% 2025 0.52% 44,483 0.81% 2030 46,291 2035 48,136 0.80% Based on DOF housing unit, population, and vacancy estimates, the average persons per household within the City is 2.156 as of 2009. The City household unit vacancy is 31%, similar to the countywide vacancy of 32%. The City's average household size is less than the County's average of 3.059 persons per household. The majority of homes in the City are single family detached homes, followed by single family attached homes, multi-family, mobile homes, and lastly other miscellaneous unit types. As of 2008 provided is a breakdown of housing unit types. LAFCO—October 2009—Final 1-4 Municipal Service Review Table III.C.3. City of Palm Desert Housing Unit Types 2009 <u>Type</u> Percent Detached 13,571 39.53% 28.25% Attached 9,697 2,541 7.40% Multi-Family: 2-4 15.17% Multi-Family: 5+ 5,208 Mobile Homes 3,312 9.65% 34,329 Total Units *January Estimate, California State Department of Finance Capacity for growth The City is mostly developed, with the exception of a few scattered vacant parcels, and the northern city limits that are part of the University Park Area General Plan designation. From 2000-2009 approximately 6,300 units were built within the city limits at an average rate of 700 homes per year. At a gross density of three dwelling units per acre, the City has the capacity for approximately 3,732 dwelling units within its estimated 1,244 acres of vacant developable area. This represents approximately 5.3 years of residential growth based on absorption over the last nine years. As the City continues to develop, the City's goal is to maintain its existing level of services. Growth projections are integrated into the City's planning as new projects or developments are submitted to the City for review. It is the City's general policy to route new projects or developments to the various City departments for each department to evaluate the potential growth impacts. The comments received from the departments are used to plan for new facilities, transportation improvements, and identify the need for additional public safety services and designated park acreage. <b>IV. Services</b> The City of Palm Desert provides several general services, but this is a review of municipal services that will include police, fire, park and recreation, solid waste, road maintenance, library, and animal control services. A. Police Protection Services The City of Palm Desert contracts with the County of Riverside Sheriff's Department for police protection services. The Palm Desert Station is located at 73-520 Fred Waring Drive and it is shared with the Cities of Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells as well as the unincorporated areas of Andreas Hills, Joshua Tree National Park, North Palm Springs, Painted Hills, Pinyon, Sky Valley, and Thousand Palms. The City of Palm Desert also maintains and operates two off-site police sub-stations located at 42-305 Avenue of the States, Suite E/ Washington St. and at 72-990 Monterey Ave./Highway III. The City currently contracts for 80 sworn officers, including 36 sworn dedicated to the Patrol Division. The remainder of the 44 sworn personnel are assigned to the Traffic Division, Special Enforcement Teams, School Resource Officer, Narcotics and Gang Enforcement, Investigations Bureau and other miscellaneous assignments. The City added one new deputy, a narcotics task force officer, to its contract for FY 2009-10. The cost for an additional deputy is reflected in the cost for police protection under the General Fund. Police patrols are divided into five beats within the city limits and within each beat an officer from the Special Enforcement Team (SET) is assigned. The team provides additional support to the Patrol Division and consists of one sergeant, six deputies, and a dedicated community-oriented policing officer The SET officers provide follow-up work to reported crimes relieving patrols of these time intensive duties LAFCO—October 2009—Final 1-5 Municipal Service Review and therefore making patrols available to respond to emergency service calls. The SET allows the City to provide an enhanced level of police protection services. Although the City of Palm Desert has not established a standard level of police protection services the department's goals are to improve the quality of life for its residents. The City provides an annual police report that provides crime statistics. Based on the 2009 population of 51,509 and the police department's contract for 80 sworn officers, the officer to population ratio is 1.55 officers per 1,000 population, which is higher than the County's service level of .97 officers per 1,000 population. The City has maintained the same level of service since 2006. In calendar year 2008, the Palm Desert Station received 44,237 calls within the Palm Desert city limits. The average response time for the highest priority calls was 4.2 minutes. Provided are service calls made to the Palm Desert Station for emergency calls within the city limits. Emergency calls include priority one and priority two calls. The average response times include responses to priority one calls. Table IV.A.1. Police Protection Service Calls Total Calls Highest Total <u>Average</u> for Service Priority Calls Response Time Emergency 2006 42,042 10,634 4.41 mins. 61 2007 39,518 69 4.64 mins. 10,738 59 2008 44,237 11,022 4.2 mins. B. Fire Protection Services The City of Palm Desert contracts with the County of Riverside Fire Department for fire protection and There are currently three stations within the city limits and one in the emergency services. unincorporated area of Sun City-Palm Desert, which primarily services Riverside County residents. Table IV.B.1. City of Palm Desert Fire Stations Station Staffing/Equipment Location 44400 Town Center Way Station 33-Palm Desert Type 1 engine-1 staff, 1-100" Aerial Ladder Truck, 1 ALS Paramedic Ambulance, 1 Urban Search and Rescue Truck-4 staff 1 Reserve Ladder Truck and Water Rescue Vehicle are cross staffed with station personnel Station 67-Mesa View 73200 Mesa View Dr. Type 1 engine/ALS medic unit 3 per engine/2 per ambulance Type 1 engine/ALS medic unit/Type 1 Station 71-North Palm Desert 173995 Country Club Dr. Reserve engine 3 person engine/ 2 person ambulance Station 81-Sun City-Palm 37955 Washington St. 1 engine/ 3 firefighters 1 HazMat Unit/ 2 Desert firefighters. HazMat until cross staffed with a total of 5 firefighters. HazMat requires 2 engine personnel and all 3 pieces of equipment The City contract allows for 51 paid full-time firefighters. In addition to the paid firefighters there are 15 volunteers resulting in a total of 66 firefighters providing services within the city limits. LAFCO—October 2009—Final 1-6 Municipal Service Review The department's target response time which is specific to the time dispatch receives the call to the time a unit is responding is one minute during the day and two minutes during the night. The goal is to provide services five minutes from the time dispatch receives a call. The average response times, which include the time dispatch receives the call to the time services are being provided for calendar year 2008 where 5.1 minutes. Fire Department response times within the city limits have been as follows: Table IV.B.2. Fire Protection response times No. of Calls Fire related Medical/traffic Misc. Average Response collison Times 2005 6,438 941 2 mins. 5,090 401 2006 7,353 951 893 5,509 5.2 mins 2007 7,903 1,000 5,921 982 5.1 mins. 2008 7,954 928 6,025 1001 5.1 mins. *This average response time does not include travel time. Refers to the target response time. To maintain average response times of five minutes, for suburban areas like the City of Palm Desert, the City plans for each of its fire stations to provide services within a 1.5 mile radius. As development occurs outside the five minute response zone, planning for an additional station begins. The City has identified a new fire station site of approximately three acres at the California State University, San Bernardino- Palm Desert campus to accommodate growth. Although this future station has been considered, planning for the construction of the new station has temporarily been placed on hold due to the economy and stalled development. To offset the revenue declines and to maintain the existing level of service for fire protection, the City has increased the fire tax. The City levies an annual special fire tax and the basis for the charge is the property's type of use. The annual charge per equivalent dwelling unit is $60. The tax applied to vacant lots varies by acreage at a minimum of $30 and a maximum of $60. Commercial properties are taxed on a square footage basis and are credited for improvements made to the property to mitigate fire damage such as fire sprinklers. Generally commercial properties less than 2,600 square feet are charged an annual tax of $60. This special tax was approved by the Palm Desert voters on April 8, 1980 which granted the city council the authority to increase the tax to the current maximum. The special tax was increased from an annual $48 per equivalent dwelling unit to $60 per equivalent dwelling unit. C. Park and Recreation Services The City of Palm Desert has its own Park and Recreation Department and a Parks and Recreation Commission that serves as an advisory board to the City Council. This Commission meets once a month to discuss issues and topics related to Palm Desert's parks. The City currently owns and operates fourteen parks consisting of 212.9 acres of parkland. The City's goal is to have five acres of park land for every 1,000 city residents. Based on the 2009 Department of Finance population estimate within the city limits of 51,509, the City maintains 4.13 acres of parkland for every 1,000 residents. Park locations, amenities, and activities can be found on the City's website. The City also publishes a four page Parks and Recreation Guide with contact and park information. The Cook Street Sports Complex is no longer being operated. Once the New Palm Desert High School is built and relocated, existing school buildings will be demolished to accommodate the new sports fields. The new sports fields are expected to be open in 2012 and will be located at the former Palm Desert High School site. The City is also within the boundaries of the Desert Recreation District (DRD), formerly known as the Coachella Valley Recreation & Park District, which operates local facilities on a regional basis. Currently, LAFCO—October 2009—Final 1-7 Municipal Service Review DRD maintains and operates three facilities in Palm Desert, providing additional recreational opportunities to city residents. The facilities include the Palm Desert Community Center and Civic Center Park located at 43-900 San Pablo Ave., Portola Community Center located at 45-570 Portola Ave., and the Golf Center at 74-495 Sheryl Ave. In 1990, the Cities of Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and Indian Wells entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to fund park and recreation facilities. Through this cooperative agreement, the sports complex at Palm Desert Civic Center Park was built, which is accessible to residents of Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and Indian Wells. The cost to fund these facilities is shared by all three cities based on a population and assessed valuation formula. Table IV.C.1. City of Palm Desert Parks Park Name Amenities Acreage Civic Center Park 70 4 Baseball fields with Concession Stand / Restrooms., 6 Tennis Courts, 4 Sand Volleyball Courts, 3 Basketball Courts, 5 Picnic Pavilions, Amphitheater, Skate Park, Playground, Dog Park, Public Arts Displays, Multi- purpose field, Open Areas, Rose Garden, Water Feature, Paths Hoviey Soccer Park 21 5 Full Size Soccer Fields, Concession Stand, Restrooms, Picnic Pavilions, 3 Horseshoe Pits, 3 Shuffleboard Courts, 1 Basketball Court, Playground, Disc Golf Course Ironwood Park 14.5 Picnic Pavilions, Tot Lot, Open Grass Area, Restrooms, Walking Paths Cahuilla Hills Park 27.5 2 Tennis Courts, Picnic Area, Off-leash Dog Area, Trails; The park serves as a trail head for the Cahuilla Hills Trail System Magnesia Falls City 2 Playground, Picnic Area, Restrooms, Baseball Field, Mulit-purpose fields, Park available for after school and on weekends Washingtom Charter 2.5 Playground, Open Turf Area available after school and on weekends (owned School Park by the School District) 2.5 Basketball Court, Sand Volleyball Court, Water Feature, Rose Garden, Dog Joe Mann Park Park, Picnic Pavilion, Playground, Open Turf Area, Restrooms 27 Trails, Off Leash Dog Area, Picnic Areas; this site serves primarily as a trail Cap Homme/Ralph Adams Park head for the Cahuilla Hills Trails System 2 Playground, Basketball Court, Sand Volleyball Court, Picnic Pavilions, Palma Village Neighborhood Park Restrooms, Water Feature Freedom Park 26 3 Baseball Fields, 2 Tennis Courts, 3 Basketball Courts, 2 Sand Volleyball Courts, 2 Playgrounds, Walking Paths, Picnic Pavilions, Dog Park, Community Gardens, Skate Boarding Area, 2 Multi-purpose fields (soccer/football), Open Grass Areas, Concession Stand, Restrooms, Public Art Picnic Pavilions, Restrooms, Community Gardens Community Gardens Haystack Greenbelt 12 Open Grass Areas, Paths and Smoketree Natural Area University Dog Park 2.4 Dog Park, Picnic Pavilions, Restrooms University Park East 2.5 Playground, Basketball Court, Open Grass Area, Picnic Pavilions, Restrooms, Community Garden, Walking Paths 212.9 Total Acreage D. Solid Waste Palm Desert has a franchise agreement with Burrtec Industries to provide solid waste collection and disposal services to residential and commercial properties. Residential service is provided once a week, LAFCO—October 2009—Final 1-8 Municipal Service Review while commercial properties can have up to six pick-ups per week. Customers are provided with bins for trash, recyclables, and green waste. Recyclable materials such as plastic, glass, and newspaper are hauled to a third party recycler. Green waste is recycled by a local compost facility. All other trash is hauled to the Badlands Landfill in Moreno Valley or the Lamb Canyon Landfill located in Beaumont. Recently the City modified its agreement with Burrtec to extend services to include curbside hazardous waste collection, two annual document shredding events, enhanced bulky item pick-ups, while maintaining existing rates for residential customers. Commercial properties can also participate in the hazardous waste collection program by making an appointment with Burrtec. Commercial customers are allowed to dispose of hazardous waste at no cost up to a $300 limit annually. Disposal of materials over the limit is the responsibility of the business. The $300 coverage is subject to change. In addition, the City has launched a pilot program to work with restaurants for food waste recycling. The implementation of this program and the City's other recycling services will allow Palm Desert to meet its goal of recycling 75 percent of the community's waste. E. Road Maintenance Palm Desert oversees the development, operations and maintenance of its roads and transportation facilities. The City currently contracts with outside consultants to implement a pavement management system. This allows the City to monitor the status of its roads and where necessary provide annual slurry sealing and resurfacing. Also, the City's Public Works Department monitors traffic volumes by hiring outside contractors as traffic counters. The data collected is used for the City's traffic-model which projects traffic impacts of new developments at build-out. Lastly, the Department also oversees the design, installation and maintenance of traffic control services. F. Library Services The City does not provide library services. The Riverside County Library System provides library services within the city limits. The Palm Desert Public Library is located at 73-300 Fred Waring Drive. The library encompasses 20,000 square feet of a 40,000 square foot library facility. The facility is shared with the College of the Desert Library. Although the libraries and its materials are physically separated, they have a reciprocity agreement that allows them to share an online research database and checkout desk. The Palm Desert Library contains approximately 144,000 volumes, is staffed by 10 full-time employees, 13 part time employees, and approximately 65 volunteers. The library is open seven days a week: Monday-Thursday 10am-8pm, Friday and Saturday 10am-5pm, and Sunday 1pm-5pm. The City allocates General Fund revenues to pay for additional library services. These funds cover expenses for additional hours of operation, the volunteer program and coordinator, special events coordinator, two part-time receptionists, one full time reference librarian, and one full time teen/young adult librarian. G. Animal Control The City contracts with the Riverside County Department of Animal Services for control of domestic Services include spaying and neutering of pets, shelter for lost or abandoned pets, and animals. attending to nuisance issues. V. Sphere of Influence To begin the Municipal Service Review process, LAFCO staff sent a letter to all the cities and special districts of Riverside County inquiring about any anticipated sphere of influence changes within this sphere cycle ending December 31, 2012. The City of Palm Desert informed us of their interest to amend LAFCO—October 2009—Final 1-9 Municipal Service Review their sphere of influence to include the Del Webb Sun City-Palm Desert area. This area was removed from the City's sphere of influence in October of 2007. Since 2007, discussions between the community of Sun City and Palm Desert have occurred where they mutually agree that this area belongs in the City of Palm Desert's sphere of influence. This area is within the City's General Plan and would add approximately four square miles to the city's sphere of influence. Including the Sun City-Palm Desert area within the City's sphere would allow the City to plan the future extension of services to this area and evaluate how these additional services will be funded. VI. MSR Determinations (1) Growth and population projections for the affected area. To estimate growth and population projections, the City of Palm Desert uses the County of Riverside Center for Demographic Research as well as the Department of Finance estimated population projections. Growth and population projections are incorporated into the City's future planning. As new projects and developments are submitted to the City they are reviewed by each department. At this time additional services and/or facilities needed to maintain the existing levels of services are considered. (2) Present and planned capacity of public facilities and adequacy of public services, including infrastructure needs or deficiencies. The City of Palm Desert maintains an enhanced level of services for police protection services. Currently, the Palm Desert Police Department's officer to population ratio is 1.55 officers per 1,000 population. The City's contract for fire protection services allows the City to maintain an average fire response time of 5.1 minutes. The City's goal is to provide a five minute response time. For every 1,000 residents the City operates and maintains 4.13 acres of parkland. The City's goal is to have 5 acres of parkland for every 1,000 residents. Library services are provided by the Riverside County Library System within the city limits. Above the County's standard level of service the City provides general fund monies for extended hours of operation, special events, and additional employment opportunities. The City monitors the impacts of new developments on its services and plans for additional facilities and personnel when new projects are submitted to the City for approval. (3) Financial ability of agencies to provide services. The City Palm Desert adopts an annual budget every June which can be found on the City's website. In addition, the City has adopted a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that identifies special projects and their funding. To offset the anticipated decline in revenue to the City's General Fund, the City has decreased overall expenditures in salary costs, while maintaining the same level of services. (4) Status of, and opportunities for, shared facilities. The City of Palm Desert has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Cities of Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells to share park and recreational facilities, as well as the cost for maintaining these facilities. LAFCO—October 2009—Final 1-10 <b>Municipal Service Review</b> (5) Accountability for community service needs, including governmental structure and operational efficiencies. The City's website is www.cityofpalmdesert.org where City departments post significant documents online such as the City of Palm Desert Annual Police Report, Annual Budgets, Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFR), Audits, and Information Brochures for park services as well as other quick links to other pertinent public safety information. The City also maintains a monthly newsletter that is mailed to individual households in Palm Desert. (6) Any other matter related to effective or efficient service delivery, as required by Commission policy. The City of Palm Desert is mostly developed and provides a higher level of services compared to the services rendered in the unincorporated areas. While this high level of service indicates that it can accommodate growth, it can also indicate that maintaining these levels while annexing large areas could be very costly to the City. It would be appropriate for the City to evaluate the financial impact of annexing additional large areas. 1-11 LAFCO—October 2009—Final LAFCO 2009-16-4 Municipal Service Review CITY OF PALM DESERT AND SPHERE OF INFLUENCE AREA RAMON RD CATHEDRAL CITY<br>DINAH SHORE DR D City requested SOI BOB HOPED ä 343 addition DAVALL 面场 GERALD FORD DR FRANK'SINATRA DR 201 an RANCHO MIRAGE 里 A Įį, COUNTRY CLUB DR BOB HOPE DR PALM DESERT 42NO AVE H₂ PARKVIEW DI 11 2 FRED WARING OF MILES AV INDIO HAYSTACKIRD INDIAN m AVENUE 48 WELLS <b>AVENUE 50</b> PALM LA QUINTA SPRINGS LAKE CAHUILLA PALM DESERT 03/14 SOI Disclaimer: Maps and data are to be used for reference purposes only. Map features are approximate, and are not necessarily accurate to surveying or engineering standards. The County of Riverside makes no werranty or guara September 9, 2009 Miles GIS data provided, and assumes no legal responsibility for the information contained on this map. Any use of this product with respect to accuracy and prevision shall be the 2 0 4 1 sole responsibility of the user. Do not copy or resell this map. COPYRIGHT © 2009 County of Riverside, TLMA-GIS Ν Current Sphere of Influence (SOI)