LAFCO
Southern Coachella Valley MSR Final Draft Report
Read the report at Local Agency Formation Commissions ↗
F I N A L D R A F T
M U N I C I P A L S E R V I C E R E V I E W
F O R T H E S O U T H E R N C O A C H E L L A V A L L E Y A R E A
RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
Prepared for:
Riverside County LAFCO
3850 Vine Street, Suite 110
Riverside, California 92507
Prepared by:
LSA Associates, Inc.
1650 Spruce Street, Suite 500
Riverside, California 92507
(951) 781-9310
LSA Project No. RLA430
May 2005
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction to Municipal Service Review....................................................................................1-1
Determination 1: Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies..........................................................1-2
Determination 2: Growth and Population Projections for the Affected Area...........................1-3
Determination 3: Financing Constraints and Opportunities......................................................1-3
Determination 4: Cost-Avoidance Opportunities......................................................................1-3
Determination 5: Opportunities for Rate Restructuring............................................................1-4
Determination 6: Opportunities for Shared Facilities...............................................................1-4
Determination 7: Government Structure Options.....................................................................1-4
Determination 8: Evaluation of Management Efficiencies.......................................................1-4
Determination 9: Local Accountability and Governance..........................................................1-5
2.0 The City of Coachella....................................................................................................................2-1
2.1 Location, Administration, Management, and Operations...................................................2-1
2.2 Population and Growth.......................................................................................................2-5
2.3 Law Enforcement................................................................................................................2-9
2.4 Fire Protection...................................................................................................................2-10
2.5 Solid Waste.......................................................................................................................2-11
2.6 Stormwater Drainage........................................................................................................2-12
2.7 Roads and Circulation.......................................................................................................2-13
2.8 Parks and Recreation.........................................................................................................2-13
2.9 Library Facilities...............................................................................................................2-15
2.10 Animal Control...............................................................................................................2-15
2.11 Determinations for the City of Coachella.......................................................................2-16
3.0 The City of Indio...........................................................................................................................3-1
3.1 Location, Administration, Management, and Operations...................................................3-1
3.2 Population and Growth.......................................................................................................3-4
3.3 Law Enforcement Services.................................................................................................3-8
3.4 Fire Protection.....................................................................................................................3-9
3.5 Solid Waste.......................................................................................................................3-10
3.6 Stormwater Drainage........................................................................................................3-12
3.7 Roads and Circulation.......................................................................................................3-12
3.8 Parks and Recreation.........................................................................................................3-14
3.9 Determinations for the City of Indio.................................................................................3-16
4.0 The City of La Quinta....................................................................................................................4-1
4.1 Location, Administration, Management, and Operations...................................................4-1
4.2 Population and Growth.......................................................................................................4-5
4.3 Law Enforcement................................................................................................................4-8
4.4 Fire Protection...................................................................................................................4-10
4.5 Solid Waste.......................................................................................................................4-11
4.6 Stormwater Drainage........................................................................................................4-12
4.7 Roads and Circulation.......................................................................................................4-13
4.8 Parks and Recreation.........................................................................................................4-14
4.9 Library...............................................................................................................................4-17
i
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\Table of Contents.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
4.10 Animal Control...............................................................................................................4-17
4.11 Determinations for the City of La Quinta.......................................................................4-17
5.0 Southern Coachella Valley CSD...................................................................................................5-1
5.1 Location, Administration, Management, and Operations...................................................5-1
5.2 Population and Growth.......................................................................................................5-3
5.3 Law Enforcement................................................................................................................5-4
5.4 Solid Waste.........................................................................................................................5-6
5.5 Determinations for the Southern Coachella Valley CSD....................................................5-6
6.0 Coachella Valley Water District....................................................................................................6-1
6.1 Location, Administration, Management, and Operations...................................................6-1
6.2 Population and Growth.......................................................................................................6-3
6.3 Stormwater Drainage..........................................................................................................6-5
6.4 Determinations for the Coachella Valley Water District....................................................6-7
7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation and Park District.............................................................................7-1
7.1 Location, Administration, Management, and Operations...................................................7-1
7.2 Population and Growth.......................................................................................................7-4
7.3 Parks and Recreation...........................................................................................................7-6
7.4 Determinations for the CVRPD........................................................................................7-14
8.0 Imperial Irrigation District............................................................................................................8-1
8.1 Location, Administration, Management, and Operations...................................................8-1
8.2 Population and Growth.......................................................................................................8-3
8.3 Electricity............................................................................................................................8-4
8.4 Determinations for the Imperial Irrigation District.............................................................8-7
9.0 Organizations and Persons Contacted...........................................................................................9-1
10.0 References.................................................................................................................................10-1
ii
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\Table of Contents.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FIGURES AND TABLES
FIGURES
Figure 2.1: City of Coachella Boundaries and Facilities.....................................................................2-2
Figure 2.2: City of Coachella Organizational Chart............................................................................2-3
Figure 3.1: City of Indio Boundaries and Facilities............................................................................3-2
Figure 3.2: City of Indio Organizational Chart...................................................................................3-3
Figure 4.1: City of La Quinta Boundaries and Facilities.....................................................................4-2
Figure 4.2: City of La Quinta Organizational Chart............................................................................4-3
Figure 5.1: Southern Coachella Valley CSD Boundaries....................................................................5-2
Figure 6.1: Coachella Valley Water District.......................................................................................6-2
Figure 7.1: CVRPD Boundaries and Facilities....................................................................................7-2
Figure 7.2: Coachella Valley Recreation and Parks............................................................................7-7
Figure 8.1: Imperial Irrigation District Boundaries.............................................................................8-2
TABLES
Table 2.A: City of Coachella Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)........................................2-5
Table 2.B: Total Incorporated Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley (1990, 2000,
2004)...........................................................................................................................................2-6
Table 2.C: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)...............................2-6
Table 2.D: Composition of the Housing Stock (2004)........................................................................2-6
Table 2.E: SCAG’s Growth Projections for the City of Coachella (2010–2030)................................2-7
Table 2.F: SCAG’s Growth Projections for the CVAG Area (2010–2030)........................................2-7
Table 2.G: SCAG’s Growth Projections for Riverside County (2010–2030).....................................2-8
Table 2.H: The City of Coachella’s Growth Projections.....................................................................2-8
Table 2.I: Fire Personnel and Equipment Serving the City of Coachella..........................................2-10
Table 2.J: Monthly Solid Waste Rates..............................................................................................2-12
Table 2.K City of Coachella Park Facilities......................................................................................2-14
Table 2.L: Parks within Coachella and Agency Responsibilities......................................................2-14
Table 3.A: City of Indio Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)...............................................3-5
Table 3.B: Total Incorporated Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley (1990, 2000,
2004)...........................................................................................................................................3-5
Table 3.C: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)...............................3-5
Table 3.D: Composition of the Housing Stock (2004)........................................................................3-6
Table 3.E: SCAG’s Growth Projections for the City of Indio (2010–2030).......................................3-7
Table 3.F: SCAG’s Growth Projections for the CVAG Area (2010–2030)........................................3-7
Table 3.G: SCAG’s Growth Projections for Riverside County (2010–2030).....................................3-7
Table 3.H: The City of Indio’s Growth Projections............................................................................3-8
Table 3.I: City of Indio Police Department.........................................................................................3-8
Table 3.J: Fire Stations and Equipment Serving the City of Indio......................................................3-9
Table 3.K: Monthly Solid Waste Rates.............................................................................................3-12
Table 3.L: Parks and Recreational Facilities within the City of Indio..............................................3-14
iii
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\Table of Contents.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table 3.M: Parks within Indio and Agency Responsibilities............................................................3-15
Table 4.A: City of La Quinta Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)........................................4-5
Table 4.B: Total Incorporated Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley (1990, 2000,
2004)...........................................................................................................................................4-5
Table 4.C: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)...............................4-6
Table 4.D: Composition of the Housing Stock (2004)........................................................................4-6
Table 4.E: SCAG’s Growth Projections for the City of La Quinta (2010–2030)...............................4-7
Table 4.F: SCAG’s Growth Projections for the CVAG Area (2010–2030)........................................4-7
Table 4.G: SCAG’s Growth Projections for Riverside County Growth Projections (2010–2030).....4-8
Table 4.H: City of La Quinta Uniform Crime Report Statistics (2004)............................................4-10
Table 4.I: Fire Stations and Equipment Serving the City of La Quinta............................................4-10
Table 4.J: Monthly Solid Waste Rates..............................................................................................4-12
Table 4.K: City of La Quinta Parks and Recreational Facilities.......................................................4-15
Table 4.L: Additional Park and Recreation Facilities within La Quinta...........................................4-16
Table 5.A: Total Incorporated Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley (1990, 2000,
2004)...........................................................................................................................................5-3
Table 5.B: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)...............................5-4
Table 5.C: CVAG Unincorporated Area Projections (2010–2030).....................................................5-4
Table 5.D: Riverside County Growth Projections (2010–2030).........................................................5-4
Table 5.E: Monthly Solid Waste Rates...............................................................................................5-6
Table 6.A: Total Incorporated Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley (1990, 2000,
2004)...........................................................................................................................................6-3
Table 6.B: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)...............................6-4
Table 6.C: CVAG Area Growth Projections (2010–2030).................................................................6-4
Table 6.D: Riverside County Growth Projections (2010–2030).........................................................6-4
Table 6.E: The Coachella Valley Water District’s Growth Projections..............................................6-5
Table 6.F: Coachella Valley Water District Stormwater Drainage Facilities.....................................6-5
Table 7.A: Total Incorporated Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley (1990, 2000,
2004)...........................................................................................................................................7-5
Table 7.B: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)...............................7-5
Table 7.C: CVAG Area Growth Projections (2010–2030).................................................................7-5
Table 7.D: Riverside County Growth Projections (2010–2030).........................................................7-6
Table 7.E: Park and Recreation Facilities within the Boundaries of the Coachella Valley Recreation
and Parks District........................................................................................................................7-8
Table 8.A: Total Incorporated Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley (1990, 2000,
2004)...........................................................................................................................................8-3
Table 8.B: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)...............................8-4
Table 8.C: CVAG Area Growth Projections (2010–2030).................................................................8-4
Table 8.D: Riverside County Growth Projections (2010–2030).........................................................8-4
Table 8.E: Imperial Irrigation District’s Energy Sources....................................................................8-6
Table 8.F: Monthly Rates for Residential Service..............................................................................8-6
Table 8.G: Monthly Rates for Commercial Service............................................................................8-7
Table 8.H: Monthly Rates for Large Commercial Service..................................................................8-7
Table 8.I: Comparison of Electricity Rates.........................................................................................8-7
iv
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\Table of Contents.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
1.0 INTRODUCTION TO MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEWS
1.0 INTRODUCTION TO MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
This Municipal Service Review (MSR) has been prepared to assist Riverside County Local Agency
Formation Commission (LAFCO) in meeting the requirements of the Cortese/Knox/Hertzberg (CKH)
Act, which requires LAFCO to update the spheres of influence for all applicable jurisdictions in the
County. A sphere of influence is defined by Government Code 56425 as “…a plan for the probable
physical boundary and service area of a local agency or municipality…” The Act further requires that
an MSR be conducted prior to or in conjunction with the update of a sphere of influence.
This MSR has been prepared in accordance with Section 56430 of the California Government Code
and in accordance with the Service Review Guidelines prepared by the State Office of Planning and
Research. This MSR evaluates the public services provided by:
• City of Coachella;
• City of Indio;
• City of La Quinta;
• Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District;
• Coachella Valley Water District;
• Coachella Valley Recreation and Parks District;
• Imperial Irrigation District; and
• County Service Areas within the Southern Coachella Valley (to be included)1.
In 1997, the State Legislature enacted Assembly Bill (AB) 1484, which established the Commission
on Local Governance for the 21st Century. The Commission was responsible for assessing
governance issues and making appropriate recommendations regarding the Cortese-Knox Local
Government Reorganization Act of 1985. Among other recommendations, the Commission suggested
that each LAFCO should have knowledge of the services available within its county. This knowledge
would assist in decision making about city and district boundaries. The Commission stated that this
knowledge should include the current efficiency of providing service, future service needs, and
expansion capacity of the service providers. Additionally, “Information on public service capacity
could be gathered as part of the implementation of a new requirement for periodic service reviews.
LAFCOs could conduct such reviews prior to or in conjunction with amendments to spheres of
influence. A service review would encompass a comprehensive study of each identifiable public
service provided by counties, special districts, and the cities in the region. The review would not
focus exclusively on an individual jurisdiction to determine its future boundary or service areas.
1 While Riverside County is not subject to review under an MSR, certain services should be considered for
comparison purposes using existing County documents or studies.
1-1
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\1.0 Intro.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
1.0 INTRODUCTION TO MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEWS
Rather, it would require LAFCO to look broadly at all agencies within a geographic region that
provide a service” (Growth within Bounds, January 2000).
The State Legislature acknowledged the Commission’s findings and created a legislative tool (as
described in Section 56430 of the Government Code) to be used to collect information and evaluate
service provision. On September 26, 2000, AB 2838 (Chapter 761, Statutes of 2000), authored by
Assembly Speaker Robert M. Hertzberg, was signed into law. This legislation, the Cortese-Knox-
Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000, marked the most significant reform to
local government reorganization law since the 1963 statute that created a local agency formation
commission in each California county. Section 56430 of the Government Code now requires that a
review of the municipal services provided to the particular area be conducted in order to update any
sphere of influence in accordance with Section 56425. LAFCOs must prepare a written statement of
its determinations for each agency with respect to each of the following:
1. Infrastructure needs or deficiencies;
2. Growth and population projections for the affected area;
3. Financing constraints and opportunities;
4. Cost-avoidance opportunities;
5. Opportunities for rate restructuring;
6. Opportunities for shared facilities;
7. Government structure options, including advantages and disadvantages of consolidation or
reorganization of service providers;
8. Evaluation of management efficiencies; and
9. Local accountability and governance.
In conducting MSRs, LAFCOs must comprehensively review all of the agencies that provide the
identified service or services within the designated geographic area. In addition, service reviews must
be conducted before (or in conjunction with, but no later than) establishing or updating a sphere of
influence (SOI). The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 also
requires the LAFCO to update the SOIs for all applicable jurisdictions in the county by January 1,
2006.
As listed above, the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act identifies nine factors to be addressed when
conducting an MSR. For each factor, information is gathered and analyzed, with written
determinations prepared for LAFCO’s consideration. The following paragraphs list each factor and
provide information about the required analysis.
DETERMINATION 1: INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND DEFICIENCIES
Purpose: To evaluate the infrastructure needs and deficiencies in terms of supply, capacity,
condition of facilities, and service quality.
1-2
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\1.0 Intro.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
1.0 INTRODUCTION TO MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEWS
LAFCO is responsible for determining that an agency is reasonably capable of providing needed
resources and basic infrastructure to serve areas within the agency’s boundary and in any possible
annexation areas. It is important that such findings of infrastructure and resource availability occur
when revisions to the City’s sphere of influence occur, or, as in this case, during the mandated MSR.
In the case of this Service Review, it is prudent to evaluate the present and long-term infrastructure
demands and resource availability of the jurisdiction. This is accomplished by evaluating (1) the
resources and services that are available, and (2) the expansion of such resources and services in line
with increasing demands.
DETERMINATION 2: GROWTH AND POPULATION PROJECTIONS FOR
THE AFFECTED AREA
Purpose: To evaluate service needs based upon existing and anticipated growth patterns and
population projections.
The efficient provision of municipal services is linked to the ability to plan for future need. For
example, existing and future levels of demand for services must be prepared to plan for the expansion
of infrastructure and to be able to determine where future demand will occur. Growth and population
projections data will allow for the verification that there is adequate capacity or supply to serve the
existing and future residences and businesses and ensure that projections for future growth and
population patterns are integrated into the planning function.
DETERMINATION 3: FINANCING CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Purpose: To evaluate a jurisdiction’s capability to finance needed improvements and services.
LAFCO is responsible for evaluating the ability of the agency to pay for improvements or services
associated with growth. The planning can begin at the SOI stage by identifying infrastructure and
maintenance needs associated with future annexations and development, and identifying limitations
on financing such improvements, as well as opportunities that exist to construct and maintain those
improvements.
DETERMINATION 4: COST-AVOIDANCE OPPORTUNITIES
Purpose: To identify practices or opportunities that may help eliminate unnecessary costs.
LAFCO is responsible for evaluating cost-avoidance opportunities including, but not limited to, the
following:
• Eliminating duplicative services;
• Reducing high administration-to-operation cost ratios;
• Replacing outdated or deteriorating infrastructure and equipment;
• Reducing inventories of underutilized equipment, building, or facilities;
• Redrawing overlapping or inefficient service boundaries;
• Replacing inefficient purchasing or budgeting practices;
1-3
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\1.0 Intro.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
1.0 INTRODUCTION TO MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEWS
• Implementing economies of scale; and
• Increasing profitable outsourcing.
DETERMINATION 5: OPPORTUNITIES FOR RATE RESTRUCTURING
Purpose: To identify opportunities to impact rates positively without decreasing service levels.
When applicable, the MSR will review agency rates, which are charged for public services, to
examine opportunities for rate restructuring without impairing the quality of service. Agency rates
will be analyzed for conditions that could affect future rates and variances among rates, fees, taxes,
charges, etc., within an agency.
DETERMINATION 6: OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHARED FACILITIES
Purpose: To evaluate the opportunities for a jurisdiction to share facilities and resources to develop
more efficient service delivery systems.
Public service costs may be reduced and service efficiencies increased if service providers develop
strategies for sharing resources. Sharing facilities and excess system capacity decreases duplicative
efforts, may lower costs, and minimizes unnecessary resource consumption. The MSRs will inventory
facilities within the study area to determine whether facilities are currently being utilized to capacity
and whether efficiencies can be achieved by accommodating the facility needs of adjacent agencies.
Options for planning for future shared facilities and services will be considered.
DETERMINATION 7: GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE OPTIONS
Purpose: To consider the advantages and disadvantages of various government structures to
provide public services.
The purpose of considering options for the structure of governance when reviewing a sphere of
influence is to identify opportunities for increased efficiency in the provision of services, which lead
to savings to both the service provider and the consumer. The MSR will provide a tool to study
comprehensively existing and future public service conditions and to evaluate organizational options
for accommodating growth and ensuring that critical services are efficiently and cost-effectively
provided.
DETERMINATION 8: EVALUATION OF MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCIES
Purpose: To consider the management structure of the jurisdiction.
Management efficiency refers to the effectiveness of an internal organization to provide efficient,
quality public services. The MSR will evaluate management efficiency by analyzing agency
functions, operations, and practices, as well as the agency’s ability to meet current and future service
demands. Services will be evaluated in relation to available resources and consideration of service
provision constraints.
1-4
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\1.0 Intro.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
1.0 INTRODUCTION TO MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEWS
DETERMINATION 9: LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND GOVERNANCE
Purpose: To evaluate the accessibility and levels of public participation associated with the
agency’s decision making and management processes.
LAFCO is responsible for evaluating the degree to which the agency fosters local accountability.
Local accountability and governance refer to public agency decision making and operational and
management processes that:
• Include an accessible and accountable decision making body and agency staff;
• Encourage and value public participation;
• Disclose budgets, programs, and plans;
• Solicit public input when considering rate changes and work and infrastructure plans; and
• Evaluate outcomes of plans, programs, and operations and disclose results to the public.
Since existing law requires SOIs to be updated every five years and MSRs must be completed for SOI
updates, MSRs should be updated at least every five years. Therefore, the planning horizon for this
MSR will be five years from the adoption of the sphere update in 2005.
Pursuant to this requirement, Riverside County LAFCO has proceeded with a two-phase work plan.
The first phase consisted of the review of public agencies that provide water and/or wastewater
services. The first phase has been completed for the southern Coachella Valley area. This MSR
document is the second phase, and addresses the remaining municipal services that are provided by
cities, special districts, and county service areas in the southern Coachella Valley area, as defined by
Riverside LAFCO.
For comparison purposes, different geographical areas are referenced within this document. These
geographical areas have been referred to by Council of Government (COG) areas. COGs are
associations that represent local governments, mainly cities and counties, within a geographical area.
COGs assist with municipal issues that can be addressed in a subregional or regional context.
Specifically, the two COGs referenced within this document are Western Riverside Council of
Governments (WRCOG) and Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG). WRCOG
represents the western portion of the county, including fourteen cities and many unincorporated areas.
Calimesa is WRCOG’s northernmost city, while Temecula is its southernmost. Likewise, Corona is
WRCOGs westernmost city, while Banning is its easternmost. CVAG represents the eastern portion
of the county, including 10 cities and many unincorporated areas. Desert Hot Springs is CVAG’s
northernmost city, Palm Springs is its westernmost, and Blythe is both its southern- and easternmost.
1.1 GENERAL DETERMINATIONS FOR THE SOUTHERN COACHELLA VALLEY
AREA
The service review process has identified areas of improvement that are beyond the scope of
Riverside LAFCO’s authority. Projections of population growth are important for efficient planning
for future service provision. Projections are provided by the Southern California Association of
1-5
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\1.0 Intro.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
1.0 INTRODUCTION TO MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEWS
Governments (SCAG) and by some of the individual agencies. While there are some similarities
among the agencies in source and methodology, the service review found differences in population
projections, which make estimates of future service demands more difficult. In addition, current
population estimates and future projections for the boundaries of special districts are not provided by
regional agencies. Therefore, special districts do not have this planning data, unless the districts create
a methodology and devote staff to generation of population data and future projections. Development
of standard methods for generation of population projection data, a localized component as part of the
methodology, as well as a means to prepare projections for special districts, would benefit the overall
long-term planning for service provision.
During the mapping for this MSR, another potential opportunity for cost avoidance was noted that
involved duplicate and inconsistent GIS systems. Many of the agencies, including Riverside County,
have GIS systems. A considerable amount of the same data is contained within each of these
databases. However, this data has become inconsistent due to the lack of coordination between
agencies and because databases are not consistently updated. While beyond the scope of LAFCO’s
authority, Riverside County agencies should consider a closer coordination of all the GIS systems as a
means of reducing costs. While it might be infeasible for one agency to maintain all GIS data, a
designated agency for specific type of data (i.e., boundaries and SOIs) might reduce costs. It is
suggested that agencies within the County coordinate information and resources to develop a GIS
system that would be the “official” regional source of information for agencies.
1-6
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\1.0 Intro.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
The following municipal services are discussed within this MSR:
• Law Enforcement and Fire Protection (via contract with Riverside County)
• Solid Waste (via contract)
• Stormwater Drainage
• Roads and Circulation
• Parks
• Animal Control
2.1 LOCATION, ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT, AND OPERATIONS
The City of Coachella (City) was incorporated in 1946, and is located southeast of the San Gorgonio
Pass, east of the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains and north of the Salton Sea, at the southern
end of the Coachella Valley. It is bordered by the City of Indio to the northwest and portions of
unincorporated Riverside County to the north, south, and east. The current City limits encompass
18,795 acres. The City has two SOI areas located in the southeast and southwest portions of the City,
as shown on Figure 2.1. The SOI areas total 3,323 acres.
The City operates under a Council-Manager form of government (Figure 2.2). The City Council
consists of five members who are elected to serve four-year terms. The Mayor is appointed by the
City Council for a term of one year. The Mayor presides over all Council meetings and represents the
City in official matters. The Mayor Pro-tem is also appointed by the City Council and serves in the
Mayor’s absence. The City Council has regularly scheduled meetings on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday
at 6:00 p.m at City Hall. Meetings are open to the public and broadcast on local TV two times per
week, and Board Members are available by appointment to meet with the public.
An annual budget is adopted by the City Council prior to the first day of the fiscal year (July 1). A
proposed budget is prepared by the City Manager and provided to the City Council for review a
minimum of forty-five days before the end of the fiscal year. Once in City Council review, the
proposed budget is made available to the public. A public hearing is held to give the public the
opportunity to comment upon the proposed budget. Notice of the public hearing is given in a
newspaper of general circulation.
2-1
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
Figure 2.1: City of Coachella Boundaries and Facilities
2-2
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
Figure 2.2: City of Coachella Organizational Chart
2-3
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
Each year the budget process includes a mid-year (January) review and adjustment period where the
City Council can address any significant new or emergency needs and, if necessary, adjust the current
budgeted revenue or expenditures. This provides the City flexibility to financially manage
unexpected situations. Another financial protection for the City was created three years ago when the
City established a reserve requirement of five percent of the General Fund. This was created in an
effort to set aside funds for managing unforeseen events and to demonstrate fiscal prudence to the
financial markets in the coming years when the City may seek debt financing.
The City’s budget for fiscal year 2004–2005 is a balanced budget, which means that revenues
projected for the current fiscal year should exceed estimated expenditures. This condition has not
existed for more than a decade. Fiscal year 2003–2004 projections show that revenues are mostly
from unprecedented growth in development that continues to be strong for the third consecutive year.
The City’s year-end estimates for construction taxes, building permits, occupancy permits, and plan
check and engineering fees are beyond expectations. Due to this growth, additional City positions
were approved to meet the increasing demand of new development projects and to support the
expansion of new infrastructure improvements, which the growth requires. Some of the additional
positions include:
• An additional building inspector
• A part-time Code Enforcement Officer
• An accountant
• Department Assistant I for utility billing
• A part-time receptionist for the Senior Center
In addition to the budget, the City adopts a five-year Capitol Improvement Program (CIP), which is a
planning instrument used by the City to identify capital improvement needs and to coordinate the
financing and timing of those needs in a manner that maximizes benefit to the public. Projects within
the 2000–01 through 2005–06 CIP include: street, sewer, and water. In the CIP each of these
projects are described in brief detail, including a description of the project, the location of the project,
a breakdown of the estimated project cost, and the revenue sources proposed to be used to fund the
project.
The City utilizes several methods to avoid costs and maintain fiscal responsibility. This includes the
City’s membership in the Public Entity Risk Management Authority, a joint powers authority that
funds insurance coverage for its members. This membership allows the City to receive lower rates on
insurance coverage. The City also has adopted a purchasing policy to guide expenditures. This
policy centralizes the purchases of goods and services under the control of the City Manager. The
policy also lists requirements for competitive pricing, professional service agreements, and public
works contracts. Additionally, the City has adopted an investment policy. This policy states that the
City shall invest public funds in a manner that will provide the highest return on investment with the
maximum security while meeting the daily cash flow demands of the City. The three fundamental
considerations are safety, liquidity, and yield. The City has also adopted a Fiscal Control Ordinance
that provides for a system of fiscal and budgetary controls.
2-4
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
The City has a history of applying for grants to assist in funding needed facilities and programs for
the City’s residents. Since 1999 the City has been awarded over $3 million in grants. These include:
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Small Business Revolving Loan
• Per Capita Grant Programs—Parks
• USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant
• Local Law Enforcement Block Grant
• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in Support of Affordable Housing
• Roberti-Z’Berg-Harris-Parks Grant
• CDBG Food Bank
• Jobs Housing Balance Grant
• USDA Grant for Firehouse Renovation
• Planning/Technical Assistance Grant
• Senior Housing/Community Facilities
• Per Capita Grant
2.2 POPULATION AND GROWTH
Population
The California Department of Finance estimates the City’s 2004 population to be 27,655. In the ten
years between 1990 and 2000, the City’s population increased 34.49 percent, from 16,896 to 22,724.
During the same ten-year period, the housing stock increased 31.17 percent, from 3,830 to 5,024
units. Tables 2.A through 2.C show past population and housing growth in the City, southern
Coachella Valley cities, and the County as a whole. As can be seen, growth within the City between
1990 and 2000 was much lower than the average growth among southern Coachella Valley cities, but
higher than the County as a whole.
Table 2.A: City of Coachella Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 16,896 — 3,830 —
2000 22,724 3.45 5,024 3.12
2004 27,655 5.42 6,011 4.91
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004.
2-5
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
Table 2.B: Total Incorporated1 Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley
(1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 64,961 — 23,306 —
2000 95,534 4.71 33,745 4.48
2004 119,310 6.22 42,021 6.13
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
Table 2.C: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 1,170,413 — 483,847 —
2000 1,545,387 3.2 584,674 2.1
2004 1,776,743 3.7 659,795 3.2
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
Housing Inventory
As shown in Table 2.D, the California Department of Finance estimates that in 2004 there were 6,011
dwelling units within the City. Of these dwelling units, just over 58 percent are detached single-
family homes, 7.6 percent are mobile homes, and 17.3 percent are located in structures of 5 or more
units. With the exception of the percentage of two- to four-unit structures, the housing inventory of
the City is similar to that of the County as a whole.
Table 2.D: Composition of the Housing Stock (2004)
City of Coachella Riverside County
Housing Type Number of Units Percentage Number of Units Percentage
Single-Family, Detached 3,495 58.1 423,351 64.2
Single-Family, Attached 319 5.3 42,511 6.4
2- to 4-Unit Structure 700 11.7 30,890 4.7
5 or More Unit Structure 1,042 17.3 79,859 12.1
Mobile Home 455 7.6 83,184 12.6
TOTAL 6,011 100.0 659,795 100.0
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004.
1
Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta
2-6
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
Average Household Size
The 2000 Census reports that there were 4,719 households in the City, with an average household size
of 4.76. Of these households, it is estimated that 4,427 (93.8 percent) were family households, while
234 households (5.0 percent) were individuals living alone. The balance of Coachella’s households
was comprised of nonfamily households with more than one occupant.
The City’s population per household as identified in the 2000 Census (4.76) is high, compared to the
County and the other southern Coachella Valley cities:
• Riverside County (2.99)
• Indio (3.46)
• La Quinta (2.81)
The most recent projections that have been adopted by the Southern California Association of
Governments (SCAG) show the County’s population per household decreasing to 2.88 by 2030. In
the same fashion, the City of Coachella’s population per household is projected by SCAG to decrease
from 4.76 in 2000 to 4.38 in 2030. However, this is still a high population per household.
Growth Projections
The most recent growth projections adopted by SCAG indicate that the City’s population growth
between 2010 and 2030 is expected to be 969 persons annually. The number of households will also
have less growth (3.93 percent annually), as shown in Table 2.E. The growth projections adopted by
SCAG are shown in Tables 2.E through 2.G. As shown, the projected growth within the City is
expected to be higher than growth within the CVAG area and the County as a whole.
Table 2.E: SCAG’s Growth Projections for the City of Coachella (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 29,835 6,287 9,319
2020 39,864 8,774 11,165
2030 49,216 11,229 13,100
Annual Growth Rate 3.25% 3.93% 2.03%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
Table 2.F: SCAG’s Growth Projections for the CVAG Area (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 470,827 164,169 186,124
2020 607,149 216,311 227,494
2030 730,001 267,612 270,336
Annual Growth Rate 2.75% 3.15% 2.26%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
2-7
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
Table 2.G: SCAG’s Growth Projections for Riverside County (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 2,085,432 685,775 727,711
2020 2,644,278 907,932 954,499
2030 3,143,468 1,127,780 1,188,976
Annual Growth Rate 2.54% 3.22% 3.17%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
Recently, Riverside County LAFCO has asked agencies to provide projected growth in five-year
increments through 2025. Hence, the City’s Planning Department compiled the following growth
projections for the City, as shown in Table 2.H. These projections are much higher than those that
have been adopted by SCAG, and an annual growth rate of 6.52 percent is expected through 2025.
Because of the difference in growth projections, it may be beneficial to develop a regional or area
wide system for consistent growth projections that accounts for changes or growth issues at the
jurisdictional level.
Table 2.H: The City of Coachella’s Growth Projections
Year Population
2003 26,700
2005 28,000
2010 35,000
2015 45,000
2020 55,000
2025 65,000
Currently, building permits are being requested and processed at unprecedented levels for the City.
Over 90 projects have been proposed and are progressing during the 2004–2005 fiscal year; these
include:
• Over 1,800 single-family homes (eight projects)
• Two multifamily projects, including over 300 homes
• At least six country club developments
• Eighteen public projects in various stages of planning, design, or construction
Because of this growth, the City has stated within its 2004–2005 Budget that it is strained and trying
to find ways to cope with increased demands for service and support. For example, the addition of
400 new wastewater customers has put the City’s sewer system near its rated capacity, both Police
and Fire service contracts have increased within the last year, and several additional City
administrative personnel have been hired to meet the increasing demands of development projects.
Per the City’s adopted Budget, “finding the financial resources to meet the new challenges is a
significant area of focus, now, for all staff and the Council alike.” Additionally, it states, “Because
2-8
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
development-related revenue has a limited time span, it is incumbent upon the staff and City Council
to develop other revenue sources that will provide long-term continuing revenues to be able to
support the necessary services.”
In regard to land availability, most of the City’s land area north of Highway 86S is undeveloped, and
the City has 3,323 acres within its SOI. Based upon this, the City has adequate vacant land available
to meet the demands of future growth. In addition, the existing SOI areas provide for a logical
extension of the City’s boundary and service areas.
2.3 LAW ENFORCEMENT
The City of Coachella Police Department was disbanded in December 1998, when the City decided to
contract with Riverside County for the provision of law enforcement services. Currently, the
Riverside County Indio Sheriff Station serves the City of Coachella. The station is located at 82-695
Dr. Carreon Boulevard in Indio.
As discussed previously, the City of Coachella is currently and is expected to continue to be a high-
growth City. Hence, demands for law enforcement services will continue to increase with the
population. The Sheriff’s Department evaluates capital needs on an ongoing basis. Indicators of the
need for new personnel and facilities are provided by analysis of the number of service calls, response
times, and population growth. The Department also reviews proposed development projects and
provides the approving agency information regarding impacts of the new development upon law
enforcement services. The Department uses the number of dwelling units and a generation factor of
3–4 persons per household to project population increases. The pattern of growth also impacts
services. In response to changing growth patterns, the Department changes “Beats” as necessary in
order to meet the service demands in different areas.
The current operations of the Department have far outgrown the existing Indio Sheriff’s station. The
current facility has insufficient parking, storage, evidence areas, and personnel facilities. Due to this
situation and projected growth within the area, the Department is in the process of expanding
infrastructure to meet service demands. A substation is currently under construction in Mecca. This
facility is expected to be completed in mid-2005. In addition, the Department is planning a new
station in the Thermal area. The new station will consist of 45,000 square feet, with a 20,000-square-
foot (sf) evidence warehouse and a 10,000 sf forensics support facility. This facility will support
Department operations throughout the Coachella Valley and has the potential to be shared among
several agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management, Child Protective Services, and the
Probation Department.
The City’s current contract with the County includes 82 hours of patrol per week. The staff includes:
1 sergeant, 20 patrol officers, 1 school resource officer, 2 traffic officers, and 2 community service
officers. The police services contract also includes administrative, clerical, accounting, and
investigative support, which includes sworn personnel for forensics, logistical support, an emergency
services team, and dispatch service. This personnel includes: one police chief, two lieutenants, nine
sergeants, and nine detectives. In addition, the Department provides task force services to the area,
such as: narcotics, auto theft, and gang. The City’s preferred standard is 1 officer per 1,000
2-9
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
residents. Based on a City population of 27,655, there are approximately 0.80 officers per 1,000
residents of the City, which is short of the City’s staffing goal.
In 2003, the Indio Sheriff’s Station received 53,897 calls for service. Based on 2002 Federal Bureau
of Investigation Crime Reports, which is the most recent available, the City of Coachella’s crime
level was worse than the national average. These calls were not all located within the City but were
spread throughout the Station’s service area. Response times are divided by priority. Examples of
each Priority call are as follows: Priority 1 calls are life-threatening service calls; Priority 2 calls can
be car accidents with unknown injuries; Priority 3 calls can be burglary reports; and Priority 4 calls
can be delayed reporting of assault or injuries. This station’s average response times are similar to
those of other Sheriff’s stations, and are listed below.
• Priority 1 calls: 6.00 minutes
• Priority 2 calls: 9.54 minutes
• Priority 3 calls: 11.74 minutes
• Priority 4 calls: 12.92 minutes
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has mutual aid agreements with all of the local law
enforcement agencies within both the entire County and within the Coachella Valley area, including
the Indio Police Department. In addition, the Department coordinates with the State Office of
Emergency Services to provide and receive Statewide mutual aid when necessary.
2.4 FIRE PROTECTION
The City has established a Fire Protection District to provide for fire protection services via contract
with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. The City Manager acts as the Manager of the Fire
Protection District. The City is part of an Integrated Fire Protection system, and service calls for the
Cities of Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta are dispatched from the same dispatch center.
Station 79, located on Sixth Street within the City, is the first responder to service calls. The
equipment and personnel assigned to this station are listed in Table 2.I.
Table 2.I: Fire Personnel and Equipment Serving the City of Coachella
Station Equipment Personnel
Station 79 2 Triple Combination Engines 1 Fire Captain, 2 Fire Apparatus
1377 Sixth Street 1 Water Tender Engineers, 3 Firefighter II, 3 Firefighter
Coachella 1 Minipumper Squad Vehicle II Paramedics, and 17 active volunteers
Two other fire stations are proximate to Coachella. These include Station No 39, located outside the
City limits at the Thermal Airport, and Station No. 70, located at Avenue 54 and Madison Street in La
Quinta. Through mutual aid, the City receives an immediate response from the outlying stations,
2-10
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
including personnel and equipment for any major event or multiple events that may occur within the
City.
The areas within a one-mile radius of the station, including most of the City, have a response time of
two minutes, while areas within a two-to-five-mile radius have a response time of three to five
minutes. This is consistent with an adequate level of service. In 2003, service calls totaled 1,820.
These calls include medical aid, assist calls, fire calls, and public service. Medical aid calls
accounted for more than 50 percent of the total service calls. The Department also provides fire
prevention, inspection services, public education, disaster preparedness, operations planning, and staff
training. Additionally, as part of the Integrated Fire Protection system, the City receives many
services such as administration, personnel, finance, dispatch, fire prevention, hazardous materials,
training, emergency services, and arson investigation.
The Riverside County Fire Department has developed a City Fire Service Master Plan, which
indicates the need for three new stations. The new stations would be located in the eastern portion of
the City as growth takes place. The number and sizes of the stations would be determined during the
land use development process and dictated by the land use/dwelling unit density.
2.5 SOLID WASTE
The Cities of Coachella and Indio have a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) agreement for a solid waste
transfer facility. The facility is operated by Burrtec, Inc., a private entity that receives a share of the
revenue from the operations. The Cities of Indio and Coachella divide the remaining revenue equally
and give the money to each City’s general fund. This is not only a shared facility but also a cost
savings opportunity for both cities.
The City contracts with Western Waste Industries (WWI) to provide solid waste services within the
City. The solid waste that is collected within the City is hauled to the Arvin Sanitary Landfill,
Badlands Disposal Site, Edom Hill Disposal Site, and the Lamb Canyon Disposal Site, which are
operated by various Waste Management Departments. These facilities are Class III landfills that
accept construction/demolition waste, dead animals, and mixed municipal refuse.
The Arvin Sanitary Landfill is located at 5500 North Wheeler Ridge Road, about one and one-half
miles south of State Route 223 (Bear Mountain Road). It is approximately 240 miles north of the City
and encompasses 170 acres. The facility is permitted to accept 800 tons per day. The operator is the
Kern County Waste Management Department, and the estimated closure date of this facility is
December 31, 2008.
The Badlands Disposal Site is located at 31125 Ironwood Avenue in the City of Moreno Valley just
north of the State Highway 60 and State Highway 79 junction. It is approximately 65 miles west of
the City and encompasses 1,093 acres. The facility is permitted to accept 4,000 tons per day. The
operator is the County of Riverside Waste Management Department, and the estimated closure date of
this facility is January 1, 2018.
The Edom Hill Disposal Site is located at 70-100 Edom Hill Road in the City of Cathedral City, north
of Interstate 10. It is approximately 24 miles northeast of the City of Coachella and encompasses 655
2-11
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
acres. The facility is permitted to accept 2,651 tons per day. The operator is the County of Riverside
Waste Management Department, and the estimated closure date of this facility is November 1, 2004.
The Lamb Canyon Sanitary Landfill is located at 16411 State Highway 79 in the City of Beaumont.
It is approximately 57 miles west of the City of Coachella and encompasses 353 acres. The facility is
permitted to accept 3,000 tons per day. The operator is the County of Riverside Waste Management
Department, and the estimated closure date of this facility is January 1, 2023.
In 2000, the City disposed of 19,654 tons of solid waste. The California Integrated Waste
Management Board (CIWMB) shows that the solid waste disposal generation factor for the City is 2
pounds per resident per day and 9.9 pounds per employee per day.
Diversion rates are defined as the percentage of total solid waste that a jurisdiction diverted from
being disposed in landfills through reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting programs. In February
2002, the CIWMB adopted a diversion rate of 50 percent for the year 2000. Per the CIWMB, the City
has exceeded this goal and had a 52 percent diversion rate in 2002, which is the most recent data
posted.
Solid Waste Rate Comparison
The City Council approved solid waste rate revisions, which became effective November 1, 2003.
This rate increase was discussed at a public hearing and was based upon the 2.4 percent U.S.
Department of Labor Consumer Price Index increase. The City of Coachella has a flat rate for
residential solid waste services, and commercial rates are based on the larger refuse bin size and
number of pickups per week. Table 2.J compares the City’s solid waste rates and those of nearby
jurisdictions within the southern Coachella Valley. As shown, the rates for solid waste services are
very similar among these agencies.
Table 2.J: Monthly Solid Waste Rates
Coachella Indio La Quinta So. Coachella CSD
Residential $13.54 $12.32 $11.97 $13.65
Dependent upon bin Dependent upon Dependent upon Dependent upon bin
Commercial size and frequency bin size and bin size and size and frequency
and Industrial of pickup ($47.51– frequency of frequency of of pickup
1,075) pickup pickup ($731.85 +)
2.6 STORMWATER DRAINAGE
Regional flood and drainage control is provided by the Coachella Valley Water District. Within the
City, local drainage is the City’s responsibility. The streets in the older part of the City (north of
Bagdad Road) have very little slope and very slow drainage. Hence, storm water moves slowly and
stands for days in streets and residential lots. In addition, local flooding problems occur on
downtown streets, in the Shady Lane and Avenue 53 area. The City has recently prepared a
preliminary drainage assessment to evaluate solutions to this issue. The purpose of this report is to
2-12
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
outline the drainage issues in the City and provide staff and Council with recommended solutions.
Several properties in this area are currently being developed. As these properties are developed, these
recommendations will be required within the City’s development approvals, pursuant tothe City’s
ordinance that requires on-site retention of storm runoff for all new development. Implementation of
this ordinance reduces storm flows in the streets and flooding.
2.7 ROADS AND CIRCULATION
The City is responsible for over 60 miles of streets within the City. The City’s Public Works
Department sweeps over 120 curb miles weekly. The City’s existing roadway system is a rectangular
grid made up of roadways at one-mile intervals in each direction, a pattern typical of agricultural
areas. Interstate 10, the Southern Pacific Railroad, State Highway 111, and State Highway 86 cut
diagonally across the City’s Planning Area. Most of the local roadways are undivided, two-lane
streets without curbs or gutters. Four-lane roadway sections and accompanying improvements are
found on major arterials. Key roadways in the City include the following:
• Harrison Street: This four-lane divided street changes to a two-lane undivided street south of
Avenue 54. It is a major north/south-oriented roadway providing access to the Salton Sea and
Imperial County.
• Dillon Road: This two-lane major northeast/southwest roadway serves as a primary access point
to the City, providing direct access to State Highway 86, State Highway 111, and Harrison Street.
Public Transportation
Existing public transportation service in the City is provided by SunLine Transit Agency. Three lines
currently serve the City and immediate surroundings. Funding for SunLine Transit comes from a
variety of sources, including sales tax revenue from the Transportation Development Act, passenger
fares, advertising on buses and bus shelters, and Federal funding through the Federal Transit
Administration. Present funding does not allow for any additional routes within the City in the near
future.
2.8 PARKS AND RECREATION
The park and recreation facilities that are located within the City are listed below in Table 2.L. The
City’s existing parkland totals approximately 53 acres. Using the Department of Finance’s 2004 City
population of 27,655 persons and a total of 53 acres of existing parkland within the City, a ratio of 1.9
acres per 1,000 residents is determined, which is far below the City’s target of 3.0 acres of parkland
per 1,000 residents.
2-13
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
Table 2.K City of Coachella Park Facilities
Park and Location Amenities Acreage
De Oro Park Baseball field and picnic areas 4
Avenue 50 and Avenida De Oro
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park Play equipment, picnic areas, 2.4
4th and Vine stage, swimming pool
Sierra Vista Park Basketball courts, picnic areas 2.6
Tyler St. and Avenue 50 and general recreation
Bagdouma Swimming Pool Swimming pool
84 Bagdad St.
Bagdouma Park Baseball diamond and a large 34.3
Bagdad Ave. and Douma St. general recreation area
Dateland Park Baseball diamond, tennis court, 4.0
Bagdad Ave. and Shady Ln. soccer field and picnic areas
Shady Lane Park Picnic area 1.0
Avenue 52 and Shady Lane
Coachella Community Center Multipurpose rooms, kitchen,
84-620 Bagdad Ave. youth center
Canal Regional Park
Pierce Street and Avenue 54
The City works in cooperation with the Coachella Valley Recreation and Parks District (CVRPD) to
operate and maintain these facilities. Table 2.L lists all the parks within the City and provides the
different responsibilities of each agency in the provision of park service.
Table 2.L: Parks within Coachella and Agency Responsibilities
De Oro Park Vietnam Veterans Memorial Sierra Vista Park
Owner: City of Coachella Park Owner: City of Coachella
Operator: City of Coachella Owner: City of Coachella Operator: City of Coachella
Maintenance: City of Coachella Operator: City of Coachella Maintenance: City of Coachella
Maintenance: City of Coachella
Bagdouma Swimming Pool Bagdouma Park Dateland Park
Owner: City of Coachella Owner: City of Coachella Owner: City of Coachella
Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD Operator: City of Coachella
Maintenance: City of Coachella/ Maintenance: City of Coachella Maintenance: City of Coachella
CVRPD
Shady Lane Park Coachella Community Center Las Casas
Owner: City of Coachella Owner: CVRPD Owner: Coachella Valley
Operator: City of Coachella Operator: CVRPD Housing Coalition
Maintenance: City of Coachella Maintenance: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: CVHD/CVRPD
2-14
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
Canal Regional Park Fuente De Paz
Owner: Bureau of Reclamation Owner: Fuente De Paz Apartment
Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: CVRPD Maintenance: Fuente De Paz/
CVRPD
Las Palmeras Placitas De La Paz
Owner: Coachella Valley Owner: Placitas De La Paz
Housing Coalition Operator: CVRPD
Operator: CVRPD Maintenance: Placitas De La Paz/
Maintenance: CVHD/CVRPD CVRPD
The City coordinates recreation programs with the Coachella Unified School District, CVRPD, and
various youth and service organizations that provide recreation programs to the City’s residents. For
example, residents receive park and recreation services from the CVRPD, which operates many
programs within City-owned parks. When possible, the City secures federal, State and local grants to
be used for the acquisition and development of park and recreation facilities and resources.
The provision of park and recreation services within the City, at first glance, may appear to be an
overlapping of services between the CVRPD and the City. However, the CVRPD and the City have
worked out a system of coordination to ensure a cooperative arrangement that efficiently utilizes
available resources to provide services to area residents. Due to this arrangement, duplication of
services does not exist. Continued coordination between the two agencies for future facilities and
services is important to avoid any future duplication of services and promote the continued efficient
provision of services.
2.9 LIBRARY FACILITIES
Library facilities in the project area are provided by the Riverside County Public Library branch,
located at 1538 Seventh Street in the City. This Branch is a 3,000-square-foot building that houses
approximately 28,300 items. Bookmobile services are also provided to the City.
The City does not directly fund or have any administrative relationship with the County library
system. However, all branches of the library system are supported by volunteer nonprofit “Friends of
the Library” organizations. Dues, used book sales, rental books and videos, and the sale of novelty
items are the primary fundraising activities. Funds raised are used to support library programs and to
supplement library resources.
2.10 ANIMAL CONTROL
The City has recently decided to contract with the County of Riverside for animal control services.
The contract will begin with the opening of the County facility in Thousand Palms.
2-15
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
2.11 DETERMINATIONS FOR THE CITY OF COACHELLA
The Service Review guidelines prepared by the State Office of Planning and Research recommend
that issues relevant to the jurisdiction be addressed through written determinations called for in the
Act. Based on the above information, the following are the written determinations for the City.
Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies
Purpose: To evaluate the infrastructure needs and deficiencies in terms of supply, capacity,
condition of facilities, and service quality.
1. The City adopts a Capitol Improvement Program, which is a five year planning instrument used
by the City to identify capitol improvement needs and to coordinate financing and timing of those
needs. Projects within this year’s CIP include: street, sewer, and water.
2. The City has some localized stormwater drainage deficiencies. As properties within these
deficiency areas are developed, drainage improvements will be required, pursuant to the City’s
ordinance that requires on-site retention of storm runoff for all new development.
3. The City currently has a ratio of 1.9 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, which is far below the
City’s target of 3.0 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents.
4. The Riverside County Fire Department has developed a Fire Service Master Plan for the City of
Coachella, which indicates the need in the future for three new stations to meet the demands of
projected growth. The new stations would be located in the eastern portion of the City as growth
takes place. Without the construction of these stations a deficiency would occur.
5. The current operations of the Indio Sheriff Station have far outgrown the existing facility. Due to
this situation and projected growth within the area, the Department is in the process of expanding
infrastructure to meet service demands.
Growth and Population
Purpose: To evaluate service needs based upon existing and anticipated growth patterns and
population projections.
1. Due to recent growth, additional City positions have been approved to meet the increasing
demand of new development projects and to support the expansion of new infrastructure
improvements, which the growth requires.
2. Fiscal year 2003-04 projections show that revenues are mostly from unprecedented growth in
development that continues to be strong for the third consecutive year.
4. The City’s projections are much higher than those that have been adopted by SCAG and expect
an annual growth rate of 6.52 percent annually through the year 2025. Because of the difference,
it may be beneficial to develop a regional or area-wide system for consistent growth projections
that accounts for agency level growth issues.
2-16
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
5. Actual growth within the 2004-05 Fiscal Year is higher than both the City and SCAG have
projected. Hence, the overall projections through 2025 and 2030 may be lower than what actually
may occur.
6. The City’s land area north of Highway 86S is mostly undeveloped and the City has 3,323 acres
within its SOI, therefore the City has the available land area to meet the demands of future
growth.
Financing Constraints and Opportunities
Purpose: To evaluate a jurisdiction’s capability to finance needed improvements and services.
1. Each year the budget process includes a mid-year review and adjustment period where the City
Council can adjust the current budgeted revenue or expenditures. This allows the City the
flexibility to fund unexpected priorities.
2. The City of Coachella has a history of applying for grants to assist in funding needed facilities
and programs for the City’s residents. Since 1999 the City has been awarded over $3 million in
grants.
3. The City has adopted an investment policy, which states that investments shall provide the
highest return on investment with the maximum security while meeting the daily cash flow
demands of the City.
4. Because of recent and projected growth, the City is strained and trying to find ways to cope with
increased demands for service and support. Per the City’s adopted Budget “finding the financial
resources to meet the new challenges is a significant area of focus, now, for all staff and the
Council alike.”
Cost Avoidance Opportunities
Purpose: To identify practices or opportunities that may help eliminate unnecessary costs.
1. The City is a member of the Public Entity Risk Management Authority. This membership allows
the City to receive lower rates on insurance coverage.
2. The City has adopted a Purchasing Policy to guide expenditures and a Fiscal Control Ordinance
that provides for a system of fiscal and budgetary controls. These policies assist the City in
avoiding costs.
3. The City of Coachella’s Joint Powers Authority agreement for a solid waste transfer facility is a
cost savings opportunity for the City.
2-17
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
4. The City coordinates its recreation programs with the Coachella Unified School District, the
Coachella Valley Parks and Recreation District and various youth and service organizations.
These partnerships save costs while still providing numerous recreation programs.
5. The City has an ordinance requiring on-site retention of storm runoff for all new development.
Implementation of this ordinance would reduce flooding at no cost to the City.
Opportunities for Rate Restructuring
Purpose: To identify opportunities to impact rates positively without decreasing service levels.
1. The City Council approved solid waste rate revisions, which became effective November 1, 2003.
This rate increase was discussed before a public hearing and was based upon the U.S. Department
of Labor Consumer Price Index increasing 2.4 percent.
2. Rates should be analyzed during the annual budget process, to ensure that charges and fees are
adequate to cover expenditures and meet the legal requirements for a clear nexus between the fee
and the uses.
3. Rates for solid waste services within the City are similar to rates charged in other southern
Coachella Valley communities.
Opportunities for Shared Facilities
Purpose: To evaluate the opportunities for a jurisdiction to share facilities and resources to develop
more efficient service delivery systems.
1. The City of Coachella and the City of Indio have a Joint Powers Authority agreement for a solid
waste transfer facility.
2. The City coordinates its recreation programs with the Coachella Unified School District, the
Coachella Valley Parks and Recreation District and various youth and service organizations who
provide recreation programs to the City’s residents.
3. The City has demonstrated its ability to share facilities and the provision of services with other
jurisdictions.
4. The new Sheriff’s facility in Thermal has the potential to be shared amongst several agencies such
as the Bureau of Land Management, Child Protective Services, and the Probation Department.
Government Structure Options
Purpose: To consider the advantages and disadvantages of various government structures to
provide public services.
2-18
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
.
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
2.0 THE CITY OF COACHELLA
1. It is reasonable to conclude that pubic services can continue to be provided by the City under the
existing government structure.
2. The CVRPD and Coachella have worked out a system of coordination to ensure a cooperative
arrangement that efficiently utilizes resources to provide park and recreation services to residents
without duplication. Continued coordination of plans for future facilities and services is
important to avoid any future duplication of services and promote the continued efficient
provision of services.
3. Due to recent and projected growth growth, additional City positions were approved to meet the
increasing demand of new development projects and to support the expansion of new
infrastructure improvements, which the growth requires.
4. The City’s existing SOI areas provide for a logical extension of the City’s boundary and service
areas.
Evaluation of Management Efficiencies
Purpose: To consider the management structure of the jurisdiction.
1. The City’s budget for fiscal year 2004-05 is a balanced budget. This condition has not existed for
more than a decade. This is indicative of an efficiently managed budget.
2. The City upgrades equipment on a regular basis. These upgrades often allows for greater
productivity, safety, and efficiency in the provision of service.
Local Accountability and Governance
Purpose: To evaluate the accessibility and levels of public participation associated with the
agency’s decision-making and management processes.
1. The City Council has regularly scheduled meetings on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 6pm.
Meetings are open to the public and broadcast on local TV two times per week. Board Members
are also available by appointment to meet with the public.
2. The City has historically made reasonable efforts to maintain a public dialogue regarding issues
of concern to the community. The City’s outreach program utilizes: the local newspaper, the
Internet, television, and public meetings.
3. Prior to budget approval, public meetings are conducted to include citizen concerns.
4. The City operates under the provisions and requirements of the Ralph M Brown Act. All agendas
are posted in a timely manner and supplied to anyone requesting notification, including the local
newspaper.
2-19
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\2.0 Coachella.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
The following municipal services are discussed within this MSR:
• Law Enforcement and Animal Control
• Fire Protection (via contract with Riverside County)
• Solid Waste (via contract)
• Stormwater Drainage
• Roads and Circulation
• Parks and Recreation
3.1 LOCATION, ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT, AND OPERATIONS
The City of Indio (City) is the geographic midpoint of both Riverside County and the Coachella
Valley. The City is surrounded by the San Jacinto Mountains to the east and the Santa Rosa
Mountains to the south. The City’s neighboring communities are La Quinta to the west,
unincorporated areas of Riverside County to the south, the City of Coachella to the east, and
unincorporated Riverside County land to the north. The City encompasses 16,868 acres and has a
sphere of influence of 8,837 acres, as shown in Figure 3.1.
The City was incorporated in 1930, making it the oldest City in the Valley. It is a general law City
with a council-manager form of government (Figure 3.2). The City Council is composed of a mayor
and four members elected biannually at large to four-year alternating terms. The mayor is rotated
annually between the five council members. The City Council meetings are held on the first and third
Wednesdays of the month. The regular meetings are noticed to the public through posting, mailing,
and the City’s Web site. The City also uses surveys to reach out to the public, such as the 2001
survey regarding park and recreational facilities for the master plan.
The City Council adopts an annual budget, which serves as the City’s financial planning and control
document. The budget adoption process begins with the City departments submitting requests for
appropriation to the City Manager. The City Manager uses these requests as a starting point for
developing a proposed budget, which is presented to the City Council. The City Council then holds
public hearings on the proposed budget and adopts it before June 30. The City employs a staff of
approximately 212 full-time employees.
3-1
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
Figure 3.1: City of Indio Boundaries and Facilities
3-2
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
Figure 3.2: City of Indio Organizational Chart
3-3
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
In addition to the budget, the City adopts a Capitol Improvement Program (CIP), which is a planning
instrument used by the City to identify capital improvement needs and to coordinate financing and
timing of those needs. The CIP is updated annually and can be amended at any time based upon
revenue availability and changes in project priorities. Projects within this year’s CIP include: street,
water, City facilities, and park improvements. In the CIP, each of these projects are described in brief
detail, including a breakdown of the estimated project cost.
To finance many improvements, the City has issued debt. At the end of the 2004 fiscal year the City
had long-term liabilities in excess of $20 million. The City maintains an “A” rating for general
obligation debt.
The City has an investment policy, which is to provide the highest investment return with the
maximum security while meeting the daily cash flow demands of the City. Per the policy, the City
invests under the “Prudent Person Rule.” The City has been investing in the State Treasurer’s
Investment Pool (LAIF). The City’s Finance Director has the responsibility of providing quarterly
reports on investment activity to the City Council.
In a cost-savings effort, the City has implemented employee accident prevention training and other
control techniques to minimize accident-related losses and workers compensation costs. The City has
also adopted a Purchasing Policy to guide the acquisition of goods and services that the City needs.
The policy’s basic guidelines are as follows:
• The Department Director may authorize the purchase of supplies or services up to $1,000 without
a purchase order.
• When seeking goods or services between $1,000 and $25,000, the Department completes a
purchase requisition and submits it along with quotes and specifications to the City Manager for
review.
• A Council award procedure shall be used for all purchases over $25,000.
3.2 POPULATION AND GROWTH
Total Population
The California Department of Finance estimates the City’s 2004 population to be 59,133. In the 10
years between 1990 and 2000, the population of Indio increased 33.29 percent, from 36,850 to
49,116. During the same 10-year period, the housing stock increased 29.57 percent, from 13,050 to
16,909 units. Tables 3.A through 3.C show past population and housing growth in Indio, southern
Coachella Valley cities, and the County as a whole. As can be seen, growth within Indio between
1990 and 2000 was much lower than the average growth among southern Coachella Valley cities, but
similar to the County as a whole.
3-4
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
Table 3.A: City of Indio Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 36,850 — 13,050 —
2000 49,116 3.33 16,909 2.96
2004 59,133 5.10 20,068 4.67
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004.
Table 3.B: Total Incorporated1 Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley
(1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 64,961 — 23,306 —
2000 95,534 4.71 33,745 4.48
2004 119,310 6.22 42,021 6.13
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
Table 3.C: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 1,170,413 — 483,847 —
2000 1,545,387 3.2 584,674 2.1
2004 1,776,743 3.7 659,795 3.2
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
Housing Inventory
As shown in Table 3.D, the California Department of Finance estimates that there were 20,068
dwelling units within the City in 2004. Of these dwelling units, over 53 percent are detached single-
family homes, almost 16 percent are mobile homes, and just under 19 percent are located in structures
of 5 or more units. The housing inventory of the City is similar to that of the County as a whole.
1 Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta
3-5
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
Table 3.D: Composition of the Housing Stock (2004)
City of Indio Riverside County
Housing Type Number of Units Percentage Number of Units Percentage
Single-Family, Detached 10,794 53.8 423,351 64.2
Single-Family, Attached 878 4.4 42,511 6.4
2- to 4-Unit Structure 1,431 7.1 30,890 4.7
5 or More Unit Structure 3,795 18.9 79,859 12.1
Mobile Home 3,170 15.8 83,184 12.6
TOTAL 20,068 100.0 659,795 100.0
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004.
Average Household Size
The 2000 Census reports that there were 13,977 households in the City, with an average household
size of 3.46. Of these households, it is estimated that 11,283 (80.7 percent) were family households,
while 2,251 households (16.1 percent) were individuals living alone. The balance of the City’s
households was comprised of non-family households with more than one occupant.
The City’s existing population per household as identified in the 2000 Census (3.46) is one of the
highest, except for the City of Coachella, compared to the County and other Southern Coachella
Valley cities:
• Riverside County (2.99)
• La Quinta (2.81)
• Coachella (4.76)
The projections that have been adopted by SCAG show the County’s population per household
decreasing to 2.88 by 2030. The City’s population per household is projected by SCAG to be 3.28 in
2030.
Growth Projections
The most recent growth projections adopted by SCAG indicate that population growth in the City
between 2010 and 2030 is expected to be 1,418 persons annually, or 2.22 percent, which is less than
what occurred in the 1990s (1,227 persons annually, or 3.33 percent). The number of households will
also have slightly less growth (496 households annually, or 2.73 percent), as shown in Table 3.E. The
growth projections adopted by SCAG are shown in Tables 3.E through 3.G. As shown, the projected
growth within the City is expected to be slightly lower than growth within CVAG and the County as a
whole.
3-6
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
Table 3.E: SCAG’s Growth Projections for the City of Indio (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 63,914 18,196 21,759
2020 78,587 23,182 25,886
2030 92,272 28,117 30,211
Annual Growth Rate 2.22% 2.73% 1.94%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
Table 3.F: SCAG’s Growth Projections for the CVAG Area (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 470,827 164,169 186,124
2020 607,149 216,311 227,494
2030 730,001 267,612 270,336
Annual Growth Rate 2.75% 3.15% 2.26%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
Table 3.G: SCAG’s Growth Projections for Riverside County (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 2,085,432 685,775 727,711
2020 2,644,278 907,932 954,499
2030 3,143,468 1,127,780 1,188,976
Annual Growth Rate 2.54% 3.22% 3.17%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
Recently, Riverside County LAFCO has asked agencies to provide projected growth in five-year
increments through 2025. Hence, the City’s Planning Department compiled the following growth
projections, as shown in Table 3.H. These projections are much higher than those that have been
adopted by SCAG and expect an annual growth rate of 3.76 percent through the year 2025. Based
upon the 2004 population, the City’s projections are more accurate. Because of the difference in
growth projections, it may be beneficial to develop a regional or areawide system for consistent
growth projections that accounts for agency-level growth issues. Additionally, within the 2002–2003
fiscal year, more than 16,000 single-family units have been approved for development within the
City. In addition, over 750,000 square feet of commercial and industrial space has either been built or
recently approved for development within the City. This growth is much higher than both SCAG and
the City have projected. Hence, actual growth by 2025 may be much higher than projections have
anticipated. The City has adequate undeveloped land within its boundary to provide for growth. The
City also has 8,837 acres within its SOI.
As shown on Figure 3.1, most of the City’s SOI area is located to the north of the City. However,
several smaller SOI areas also exist. One of these areas is a large island of unincorporated area that is
centrally located within the City. The City has pursued annexation of this area in the past; however,
due to voter protest, the area has remained unincorporated. Likewise, another small unincorporated
island, which is residentially developed, is located on the southern border of the City. Provision of
services to these areas would be more efficient if they were part of the City and services were
provided by the City.
3-7
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
In addition, a large SOI island area, which is located on the southeast side of the City adjacent to the
City of Coachella, is federal tribal land. The tribe has previously stated that it does not want to be
annexed into the City. Therefore, this area would not be able to satisfy the City of Indio’s growth
needs and reasons do not exist for this area to remain in Indio’s SOI.
Table 3.H: The City of Indio’s Growth Projections
Year Population
2003 54,500
2005 60,100
2010 70,866
2015 81,646
2020 92,426
2025 99,601
3.3 LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES
Police services to City residents are provided through the City’s Police Department. The
Department’s emergency 911 calls for services currently average 714 calls per day. The Indio Police
Department is comprised of six divisions, one of which is animal control. Table 3.I details the
number of employees per division.
Table 3.I: City of Indio Police Department
Police Administration Field Services Special Services
2 Commanders 1 Commander 3 Sergeants
1 Executive Assistant 4 Sergeants 2 Corporals
1 Administrative Specialist 8 Corporals 1 Police Officer
1 Accounting Technician 36 Police Officers 3 Office Specialists
1 Administrative Technician 1 Senior Dispatcher 1.5 Part-Time CSO
1 Administrative Officer 1 Part-Time Office Specialist
5 Community Service Officers (CSO)
1.5 Part-Time CSOs
1 Property & Evidence Officer
Traffic Safety Code Enforcement Animal Control
2 Police Officers 1 Sergeant 1 Animal Control Officer
5 Community Improvement Officers 0.5 Part-Time Animal Control
1 Part-Time Graffiti Technician
The Department has 2 officers assigned to traffic duties on motorcycles and also 4 police canines (K–
9), which enables it to have a police dog on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, the
Department also has 16 police cadets and 17 citizen volunteers. The CHIPS (Citizens Helping Indio
Police) Program allows citizens who pass a background check and attended a citizen’s training
academy to participate in a uniformed citizens patrol program that includes special marked black and
white patrol cars and assigned responsibilities.
3-8
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
The present ratio of sworn nonadministration police officers to population in the City is 1.11 officers
per 1,000 residents (based on a 2004 population of 59,133). The desired ratio of police officers to
population within the City depends upon two criteria. First, the City uses the general desirable ratio
of 1.5 officers per 1,000 residents. However, the Indio Police Department leans more toward a
second criterion, which comes from the International City Managers Association (ICMA). The
ICMA states that one-third of a police officer’s shift should be totally devoted to unencumbered
patrol time, one-third devoted to responding to calls from dispatch, and the remaining third should
involve administrative duties.
The Tomas Rivera Policy Institute, which surveyed 133 California law enforcement agencies,
recently recognized the Police Department for its community policing efforts. The City’s Police
Department was stated to be “one of nine agencies where community policing was not just “rhetoric”
but an integral part of the delivery of police services to the citizens of Indio.” However, based on
2002 Federal Bureau of Investigation Crime Reports, which are the most recent available, the City of
Indio’s crime level was worse than the national average.
3.4 FIRE PROTECTION
The City has been contracting with the Riverside County Fire Department for fire and emergency
services since 1997. The City is part of the Integrated Fire Protection system and calls for service
from the Cities of Coachella, La Quinta, and Indio dispatched by the same dispatch center. As part of
the Integrated Fire Protection system, the City receives many services, such as administration,
personnel, finance, inspection services, fire prevention, public education, disaster preparedness,
hazardous materials, training, emergency services, and arson investigation.
The three stations located within the City of Indio make up Riverside County Fire Department
Battalion No. 16, which serves Indio and the surrounding areas. The stations are listed below in
Table 3.J and shown on Figure 3.1.
Table 3.J: Fire Stations and Equipment Serving the City of Indio
Station Equipment Personnel
Station 86 (Battalion HQ) 1 TeleSquirt 4 Fire Captains, 4 Fire
46-990 Jackson Street 1 Triple Combination Engine Apparatus Engineers, 2 Fire
1 Water Tender Apparatus Engineer
1 Medic Ambulance Paramedics, 11 Firefighter
Station 87 1 Triple Combination Engine II, 14 Firefighter II
43-175 Jackson Street 1 “Jaws of Life” Paramedics, and 31 active
Station 88 1 Triple Combination Engine volunteers
46-621 Madison Street 1 Medic Ambulance
These Fire Stations responded to over 4,500 calls in 2003, which include fire suppression, emergency
medical service, hazardous materials response, public service response, and Fire Menace Standbys.
The calls are broken down by station response and listed below.
3-9
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
• Station 86: 1,903 service calls
• Station 87: 840 service calls
• Station 88: 1,904 service calls
Demographic data indicates that approximately 25 percent of the City currently meets the criteria for
an urban response from the fire department. The remainder of the City is considered rural or outlying.
The Fire Department has stated that the City currently meets the full-alarm response criteria.
The City’s future needs for fire service (response times and/or adequate facilities) are based on the
number of dwelling. Because of expected growth, the Department has two additional stations
planned: one is planned within Sun City/Shadow Hills (2006), and the other is planned within the east
side of the City (2006–2007). The exact location and size of the stations will be determined by the
land use/dwelling unit density. The need for new stations is determined by the ability to meet
response time criteria.
3.5 SOLID WASTE
The Cities of Coachella and Indio have a Joint Powers Agreement for a solid waste transfer facility.
The facility is operated by Burrtec, Inc., a private entity, that receives a share of the revenue from the
operations. The Cities of Indio and Coachella divide the non-Burrtec revenue equally and give the
money to each City’s general fund. This is not only a shared facility but also a cost-savings
opportunity for both cities.
Solid waste services to the City of Indio are provided by Waste Management of the Desert. Within
the City, Waste Management offers residential curbside, commercial, and roll-off (industrial) waste
collection. In addition, Waste Management provides all of the billing and payment collection
services. Under the current franchise agreement, the City collects a 10 percent franchise fee.
Per the California Integrated Waste Management Board, the solid waste that is collected within the
City is hauled to the Arvin Sanitary Landfill, Badlands Disposal Site, Edom Hill Disposal Site, Frank
R. Bowerman Sanitary Landfill, Lamb Canyon Disposal Site, and Puente Hills Landfill No. 6, which
are operated by various waste management departments. These facilities are Class III landfills that
accept construction/demolition waste, dead animals, and mixed municipal refuse. However, the City
has stated that only the Badlands and Lamb Canyon facilities are being utilized.
The Arvin Sanitary Landfill is located at 5500 North Wheeler Ridge Road, about one and one-half
miles south of State Route 223 (Bear Mountain Road). It is approximately 232 miles north of the City
and encompasses 170 acres. The facility is permitted to accept 800 tons per day. The operator is the
Kern County Waste Management Department, and the estimated closure date of this facility is
December 31, 2008.
The Badlands Disposal Site is located at 31125 Ironwood Avenue in the City of Moreno Valley just
north of the State Highway 60 and State Highway 79 junction. It is approximately 60 miles west of
Indio and encompasses 1,093 acres. The facility is permitted to accept 4,000 tons per day. The
operator is the County of Riverside Waste Management Department, and the estimated closure date of
this facility is January 1, 2018.
3-10
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
The Edom Hill Disposal Site is located at 70-100 Edom Hill Road in the City of Cathedral City, north
of Interstate 10. It is approximately 20 miles northwest of the City and encompasses 655 acres. The
facility is permitted to accept 2,651 tons per day. The operator is the County of Riverside Waste
Management Department, and the estimated closure date of this facility is November 1, 2004.
The Frank R. Bowerman Sanitary Landfill is located at 11002 Bee Canyon Access Road in the City
of Irvine just north of Portola Parkway and State Highway 241. It is approximately 113 miles west of
the City and encompasses 725 acres. The facility is permitted to accept 8,500 tons per day. The
operator is the County of Orange Integrated Waste Management Department, and the estimated
closure date of this facility is December 31, 2022.
The Lamb Canyon Sanitary Landfill is located at 16411 State Hwy 79 in the City of Beaumont, west
of State Highway 79. It is approximately 53 miles northwest of Riverside and encompasses 353 acres.
The facility is permitted to accept 3,000 tons per day. The operator is the County of Riverside Waste
Management Department, and the estimated closure date of this facility is January 1, 2023.
The Puente Hills Landfill No. 6 is located at 2800 South Workman Mill Road in the City of Whittier,
south of State Highway 60. It is approximately 115 miles west of Riverside and encompasses 1,365
acres. The facility is permitted to accept 13,200 tons per day. The operator is the County Of Los
Angeles Sanitation District, and the estimated closure date of this facility is October 31, 2013.
In 2000, the City disposed of 56,016 tons of solid waste. The CIWMB indicates that the solid waste
disposal generation factor for the City is 1 pound per resident per day and 16.7 pounds per employee
per day.
Diversion rates are defined as the percentage of total solid waste that a jurisdiction diverted from
being disposed in landfills through reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting programs. In February
2002, the CIWMB adopted a diversion rate of 50 percent for the year 2000. Per the CIWMB, the City
has exceeded this goal and had a 58 percent diversion rate in 2002, which is the most recent data
posted.
Solid Waste Rate Comparison
The City has a franchise agreement with Waste Management. When the City and Waste Management
originally negotiated the service agreement, the rates for services were part of the negotiation.
Additionally, rate increases are predetermined and set within the franchise agreement. Rates are
revised annually and increases are based upon cost-of-living increases and landfill fees. WM has a
flat rate for residential solid waste services, and commercial rates are based on the refuse bin size and
by the number of pickups per week. Table 3.K compares solid waste rates to those of nearby
jurisdictions within the southern Coachella Valley. As shown, the rates for solid waste services are
very similar among these agencies.
3-11
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
Table 3.K: Monthly Solid Waste Rates
Indio Coachella La Quinta So. Coachella CSD
Residential $12.32 $13.54 $11.97 $13.65
Dependent upon Dependent upon bin Dependent upon Dependent upon bin
Commercial bin size and size and frequency bin size and size and frequency
and Industrial frequency of of pickup ($47.51– frequency of of pickup
pickup 1,075) pickup ($731.85 +)
3.6 STORMWATER DRAINAGE
The City implements stormwater drainage through several retention basins and dry well catch basins.
These basins serve a dual purpose: stormwater retention and park/open space areas. Maintenance of
these facilities is under the jurisdiction of the City’s Public Service Department. In addition, the
Coachella Valley Water District has four major regional storm drain facilities within the City. These
are the Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel (CVSWC) (Whitewater River), the Thousand Palms
Wash, Detention Channel No. 3, and the East Side Dike.
The storm drainage system in the City contains 11 miles of storm drains. However, portions of the
storm drain system within the planning area have insufficient capacity to carry the 100-year flood
event due to obstructions, undersizing, and general layout. The City is currently in the process of
drafting a Stormwater Drainage Master Plan.
3.7 ROADS AND CIRCULATION
The City is responsible for the maintenance of 148.8 miles of City streets and 5 public parking lots.
The City has adopted a level of service (LOS) standard “C” at all intersections during non-peak hours
and a LOS “D” at all intersections during peak hours to ensure that traffic delays are kept to a
minimum.
Three highway corridors traverse the City and provide regional access. These include I-10, Highway
111, and Highway 86.
Collector Streets within the City include:
• East Valley Parkway: East Valley Parkway runs northwest to southeast through the center of
the City parallel to the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks. This is a four-lane divided roadway.
• Washington Street: This north/south roadway extends southerly from Ramon Road to La
Quinta. Washington Street is a two-lane undivided roadway north of I-10 and is a mix of two-
lane and four-lane divided roadway south of I-10.
• Jefferson Street: This north/south roadway extends south from Avenue 38 to La Quinta.
Jefferson Street is a two-lane undivided roadway along most of its length, with two-lane and four-
lane divided segments between Miles Avenue and Avenue 52.
3-12
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
• Monroe Street: Monroe Street runs north/south through the center of Indio. This roadway is
mostly an undivided two-lane road with a four-lane undivided segment north of East Valley
Parkway and a four-lane divided segment south of East Valley Parkway.
• Jackson Street: Jackson Street runs north/south. This roadway is mostly an undivided two-lane
road, with a four-lane undivided segment north of Avenue 44 and a four-lane divided segments
south of Avenue 44, and south of Highway 111.
• Van Buren Street/Auto Center Drive: Van Buren Street is a north/south roadway that extends
southerly from Avenue 42 to Highway 111. Van Buren Street is an undivided two-lane road
along most of its length.
• Dillon Road: This north/south roadway extends northwest from East Valley Parkway and
eventually connects into SR 62. Dillon Road is currently a two-lane undivided road along most
of its length with a four-lane undivided segment south of I-10.
• Fred Waring Drive/Avenue 44: This roadway runs east/west. This roadway is mostly an
undivided two-lane road with a four-lane undivided segment between Market Street and I-10.
• Miles Avenue: Miles Avenue is an east/west street. Miles Avenue is mostly a two-lane
undivided roadway with a four-lane divided segment west of Monroe Street.
To improve the condition of the City’s streets, the City Council established an ad hoc Blue Ribbon
Streets Improvement Committee in 1998 to research and determine alternatives for funding citywide
street improvements. The Committee met regularly from the end of 1998 through April 1999, when it
presented its final report to the City Council. The committee recommended that the primary focus
should be on the major arterial streets, particularly in the downtown and commercial areas. The level
of implementation of the recommendations is unknown.
Blue Ribbon Streets Improvement Committee recommendations include:
• Fund the street improvements: 75 percent for major arterials/commercial streets, and 25 percent
for residential streets.
• Commercial and residential streets will be funded: 60 percent for very poor and poor streets, 20
percent for fair streets, and 20 percent for good and very good streets.
• Improve and repair the selected streets to a useful life of 25 years.
• Continue to use the City staff to do maintenance and emergency work, and contract out to
qualified, bonded construction firms for the street improvements and repairs.
• Require that underdeveloped and undeveloped properties pay for street improvements when they
are developed.
• Do not use General Fund or Redevelopment Funds for street improvements.
• Continue aggressively to apply for federal, State, and Measure A funds for street improvements.
Continue to allocate Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for street
improvements for eligible areas of the City.
3-13
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
Transit Service
The SunLine Transit Agency provides the SunBus Transit Service in the City with three lines. The
general fare (one ride) is $1.00 plus $0.50 for any transfers. For seniors the fare is $0.50 and $0.25
for any transfers.
SunLine Transit Agency is a JPA of the valley cities and Riverside County. Daily ridership is
currently 8,000 persons. A 12-percent-per-year increase is forecast by the agency, although a 20 to
30 percent ridership increase has been experienced in prior years.
3.8 PARKS AND RECREATION
The City and the CVRPD are responsible for parks and recreation services within the City. The City
owns and maintains its own parks, while the CVRPD provides recreational activities in the parks and
operates and maintains some of the park facilities. Table 3.L lists all of the facilities within the City,
and Table 3.M shows the breakdown of responsibilities between the City, County, and District. The
provision of park and recreation services within the City, at first glance, may appear to be an
overlapping of services between the CVRPD and the City. However, the CVRPD and Indio have
worked out a system of coordination to ensure a cooperative arrangement that efficiently utilizes
available resources to provide services to area residents. Due to this arrangement, duplication of
services does not exist. Continued coordination between the two agencies for future facilities and
services is important to avoid any future duplication of services and promote the continued efficient
provision of services.
Table 3.L: Parks and Recreational Facilities within the City of Indio
Park Amenities Acreage
North Jackson Playground, tennis courts, two little league fields, restrooms, 6.83
Park/Rotary Field picnic tables, barbeque, drinking fountains, snack bar
Yucca Park Playground, field area, two basketball courts, drinking 1.22
fountain
Indio Terrace Park Basketball court, softball field, field area 4.34
Dominguez Park Field area 2.74
Miles Avenue Park Two basketball courts, barbeque, restrooms, benches, water 9.63
fountains, field area
South Jackson Playground, picnic tables, benches, skate park, restrooms, 12.61
Park/Davis Field drinking fountains, baseball diamond, three little league
diamonds, snack bar
South Jackson 4 lighted soccer fields, concession stand 10 acres
Soccer Park
Shields Park Walking path, bench, drinking fountain, field area 0.93
Dr. Carreon Park Playground, basketball court, softball field, drinking fountain, 7.0
restrooms, picnic tables, fireplaces, field area
Tingman Park Open space 0.5
3-14
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
Park Amenities Acreage
Indio Community Basketball, racquetball, and volleyball courts, gymnastics
Center and area, indoor track, outdoor walking paths, multipurpose
Gymnasium rooms, play equipment, child care facilities, kitchen
Pawley Pool and Pool and fitness center
Fitness Center
Jackson Skate Park Skate park
Table 3.M: Parks within Indio and Agency Responsibilities
North Jackson Park/Rotary Field Shields Park Jackson Skate Park
Owner: City of Indio Owner: City of Indio Owner: City of Indio
Operator: CVRPD/City of Indio Operator: City of Indio Operator: City of Indio
Maintenance: City of Indio Maintenance: City of Indio Maintenance: City of Indio
Yucca Park Dr. Carreon Park Desert Regional Park
Owner: City of Indio Owner: City of Indio Owner: Bureau of Reclamation
Operator: City of Indio Operator: City of Indio Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: City of Indio Maintenance: City of Indio Maintenance: CVRPD
Indio Terrace Park Tingman Park South Jackson Park
Owner: City of Indio Owner: City of Indio Owner: City of Indio
Operator: City of Indio Operator: City of Indio Operator: City of Indio
Maintenance: City of Indio Maintenance: City of Indio Maintenance: City of Indio
Dominguez Park Indio Community Center and Desert Gardens—Kids Club
Owner: City of Indio Gymnasium Owner: Desert Gardens
Operator: City of Indio Owner: CVRPD Apartments
Maintenance: City of Indio Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: CVRPD Maintenance: CVRPD/Desert
Gardens Apartments
Miles Avenue Park Pawley Pool and Fitness Center Las Palmas—Kids Club
Owner: City of Indio Owner: CVRPD Owner: Thomas Morgan
Operator: City of Indio Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: City of Indio Maintenance: CVRPD Maintenance: CVRPD/Thomas
Morgan
Davis Field Mt. Vista School Olive Court—Kids Club
Owner: City of Indio Owner: CVUSD Owner: Olive Court Apartments
Operator: CVRPD/Indio Operator: CVRPD/CVUSD Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: City of Indio Maintenance: CVRPD/CVUSD Maintenance: CVRPD/Olive
Court Apartments
Plaza de la Sol—Kids Club Sunrise Point—Kids Club South Jackson Soccer Park
Owner: United Development Group Owner: Sunrise Point Apartments Owner: City of Indio
Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD Operator: City of Indio
Maintenance: CVRPD/United Maintenance: CVRPD/Sunrise Maintenance: City of Indio
Development Group Point Apartments
The City has a total of 55.8 acres of community parkland. The City of Indio’s General Plan provides
the objective of 3 acres of neighborhood and community parks for every 1,000 residents. Based on
3-15
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
the Department of Finance 2004 population information for the City (59,133), the City currently has
0.94 acres per 1,000 population, which is much lower than the City’s objective.
Recreation programs within the City are provided by the CVRPD at the above facilities. Many
different programs are provided for residents of all ages. Detailed information regarding these
programs is included in Section 7.0.
To support parks, the City uses a development fee for parks, which has been adopted by City
Ordinance. These fees are to be deposited in a special fund for the acquisition of park lands and
improvements to park lands and leisure activity areas and public buildings. Forty-three percent of the
fee is allocated for park use, and 57 percent of the fee is allocated to public buildings.
3.9 DETERMINATIONS FOR THE CITY OF INDIO
The Service Review guidelines prepared by the State Office of Planning and Research recommend
that issues relevant to the jurisdiction be addressed through written determinations called for in the
Act. Based on the above information, the following are the written determinations for the City of
Indio.
Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies
Purpose: To evaluate the infrastructure needs and deficiencies in terms of supply, capacity,
condition of facilities, and service quality.
1. The storm drainage system in the City was constructed over a period of time without the benefit
of a master plan. As a result, portions of the storm drain system within have insufficient capacity
to carry a 100-year flood event due to obstructions, under-sizing, and the general layout. The City
is currently in the process of drafting a Stormwater Drainage Master Plan.
2. The City has a CIP, which is used by the City to identify capitol needs and to coordinate
financing and timing of those needs. Projects within this year’s CIP include: street, water, City
facilities, and park improvements.
3. The City currently has 0.94 acres of park land per 1,000 population, which is much lower than the
City’s objective of 3 acres per 1,000 population. Hence, the City is deficient in parkland acreage.
4. The Riverside County Fire Department has two additional fire stations planned for the area north
of the I-10 freeway. Construction is anticipated in the next two to five years. The exact location
and size of the stations will be determined by the land use/dwelling unit density.
Growth and Population
Purpose: To evaluate service needs based upon existing and anticipated growth patterns and
population projections.
3-16
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
1. The City’s projections are much higher than those that have been adopted by SCAG and expect
an annual growth rate of 3.76 percent annually through the year 2025. Because of the difference
in growth projections, it may be beneficial to develop a regional or area-wide system for
consistent growth projections that accounts for agency level growth issues.
2. Within the 2002-2003 fiscal year more than 16,000 single-family units have been approved for
development within the City. In addition, over 750,000 square feet of commercial and industrial
space has either been built or recently approved for development within the City. Based upon
this, the City’s growth projections appear more accurate than SCAG’s
3. The City has adequate undeveloped land within its boundary and SOI to provide for growth, as
projected by SCAG.
4. The City’s SOI includes a large area of Federal Tribal land, which is not available to satisfy the
City’s growth needs.
Financing Constraints and Opportunities
Purpose: To evaluate a jurisdiction’s capability to finance needed improvements and services.
1. The City has an investment policy, which is to provide the highest investment return with the
maximum security, while meeting the daily cash flow demands of the City.
2. To support parks, the City of Indio charges a park fee for new development. These fees are for
the acquisition and improvement of park lands and recreation facilities.
3. To finance many improvements the City has issued debt. At the end of the 2004 fiscal year, the
City had long-term liabilities in excess of $20 million.
4. The City maintains an “A” rating for general obligation debt.
5. The City adopts an annual budget, which serves as the City’s financial planning and control
document.
Cost Avoidance Opportunities
Purpose: To identify practices or opportunities that may help eliminate unnecessary costs.
1. To avoid unnecessary costs the City has adopted a Purchasing Policy to guide the acquisition of
goods and services.
2. In a cost savings effort the City has implemented employee accident prevention training and other
control techniques to minimize accident-related losses and workers compensation costs.
3. The City of Indio’s Joint Powers Authority agreement for a solid waste transfer facility is a cost
savings opportunity for the City.
3-17
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
4. The City coordinates its park and recreation facilities and programs with the Coachella Valley
Parks and Recreation District. This partnership saves costs while still providing numerous
facilities and programs.
Opportunities for Rate Restructuring
Purpose: To identify opportunities to impact rates positively without decreasing service levels.
1. Rates for solid waste services within the City are similar to rates of other agencies within the
southern Coachella Valley.
2. Rate increases are predetermined and set within the franchise agreement. Rates are revised
annually and increases are based upon cost-of-living increases and landfill fees.
Opportunities for Shared Facilities
Purpose: To evaluate the opportunities for a jurisdiction to share facilities and resources to develop
more efficient service delivery systems.
1. SunLine Transit Agency is a joint powers authority, which includes Indio, Riverside County, and
other valley cities.
2. The City of Indio and the CVRPD share facilities for the provision of recreation programs.
3. The City of Coachella and the City of Indio have a Joint Powers Authority agreement for a solid
waste transfer facility.
4. The City has demonstrated its ability to share facilities and the provision of services with other
jurisdictions.
Government Structure Options
Purpose: To consider the advantages and disadvantages of various government structures to
provide public services.
1. Based on the current provision of service, it is reasonable to conclude that pubic services can
continue to be provided by the City under the existing government structure.
2. The CVRPD and Indio have worked out a system of coordination to ensure a cooperative
arrangement that efficiently utilizes resources to provide park and recreation services to residents
without duplication. Continued coordination of plans for future facilities and services is
important to avoid any future duplication of services and promote the continued efficient
provision of services.
3. The provision of service to two unincorporated areas, as detailed previously, is inefficient.
Provision of services to these areas would be more efficient if they were part of the City and
services were provided by the City.
3-18
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
3.0 THE CITY OF INDIO
Evaluation of Management Efficiencies
Purpose: To consider the management structure of the jurisdiction.
1. The City’s Police Department has been recognized for outstanding community policing efforts.
This is indicative of an efficiently managed department.
2. The Finance Director is required to submit a monthly investment report to the City Council and
City Manager.
3. The City’s annual budget and accounting practices are audited annually by a Certified Public
Accountant.
Local Accountability and Governance
Purpose: To evaluate the accessibility and levels of public participation associated with the
agency’s decision-making and management processes.
1. The City Council has regularly scheduled meetings on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.
Meetings are open to the public. Board Members are also available by appointment to meet with
the public.
2. The City has historically made reasonable efforts to maintain a public dialogue regarding issues
of concern to the community. The City’s outreach program utilizes: surveys, ad hoc committees,
the local newspaper, the Internet, and public meetings.
3. Prior to budget approval, public meetings are conducted to include citizen concerns.
4. The City operates under the provisions and requirements of the Ralph M Brown Act. All agendas
are posted in a timely manner and supplied to anyone requesting notification, including the local
newspaper.
3-19
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\3.0 Indio.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
The following municipal services are discussed within this MSR:
• Law Enforcement and Fire Protection (via contract with the County)
• Solid Waste (via contract)
• Stormwater Drainage
• Roads and Circulation
• Parks and Recreation
• Animal Control
4.1 LOCATION, ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT, AND OPERATIONS
The City of La Quinta (City) is located at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains, approximately 120
miles east of Los Angeles in the Coachella Valley. There are approximately 22,552 acres in the City
limits, and approximately 119 acres in the sphere of influence, as shown in Figure 4.1.
The City incorporated in 1982 as a general law city and became a charter City in November of 1996.
The City has a Council-Manager form of government. The City Council is comprised of five elected
members who meet the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 2:00 p.m. at the City Hall (Figure 4.2).
These meetings are open to the public and agendas are posted prior to each meeting. In addition, the
City maintains a Web site that provides information regarding City business and officials. The City
also communicates with residents via an annual newsletter, a local infomercial, and a City calendar.
The City’s annual budget adoption process begins when the City Departments submit expenditure
requests to the Finance Department in April, which are then analyzed in depth at departmental
meetings with the City Manager along with revenue projections. The proposed preliminary budget is
then developed and presented to the City Council. After review and direction by the City Council,
revisions are made and the Final Budget is proposed for adoption in July. The City has received
awards from both the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers and the Government Financial
Officers Association for outstanding financial reporting.
The City’s revenue sources include:
• City Property Taxes: Fiscal Year 2004–2005 property tax revenues are expected to increase by
8.5 percent based upon new construction and increased valuations of existing properties.
4-1
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
Figure 4.1: City of La Quinta Boundaries and Facilities
4-2
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
Figure 4.2: City of La Quinta Organizational Chart
4-3
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
• Transient Occupancy Tax
• Sales Tax
• Building Permits
• Motor Vehicle In-Lieu
• Franchise Fee: Fiscal Year 2004–2005 Franchise Fee revenues will be 33 percent higher. The
increase is mainly due to an increase in the population and corresponding increases in franchise
revenues.
The 2004–2005 budget stated that because of increasing growth within the City, the total building
permit valuation came to more than $308 million in 2003, which surpassed the City’s previous record
set in 2000. In addition, the budget states that revenues from property and sales taxes are expected to
increase this year as more new homes are constructed, property values continue to rise, and additional
retail stores open for business.
In addition to the budget, the City adopts a five-year CIP, which is a five-year planning instrument
used by the City to identify capital improvement needs and to coordinate financing and timing of
those needs in a manner that maximizes benefit to the public. The CIP is updated annually and can be
amended at any time based upon revenue availability and changes in project priorities. Projects
within this year’s CIP include: freeway interchange, bridges, street, drainage, traffic signals, and City
buildings. In the CIP, each of these projects are described in brief detail, including a description of
the project, the location of the project, a breakdown of the estimated project cost, the revenue sources
proposed to be used to fund the project. To finance many improvements, the City has issued debt.
The use of debt has become a primary issue in the development of the CIP. The City has issued
$203.2 million in original bond issues to fund streets, sewers, City facilities, and infrastructure
projects.
The City has adopted an investment policy that directs the City to invest public funds in a manner that
will provide a diversified portfolio with safety as the primary objective while meeting daily cash flow
demands with the highest investment returns. Management of the City’s investment program is
delegated to the City Treasurer, who submits a monthly Treasurer’s Report to the City Council and
the Investment Authority Board. The report provides an update regarding all cash and investments.
In order to avoid unnecessary costs, the City has adopted a purchasing policy. The policy states that
purchases under $1,000 need to be approved by the Department head; however, no purchase order is
needed. For purchases between $1,000–$2,500, a purchase order is required, but no bidding
procedure is required. For purchases between $2,501–$25,000 a purchase order is required and a
bidding procedure is required. For purchases over $25,000, a purchase order and a formal sealed bid
procedure is required.
The City is a member of the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (CJPIA), which allows the
City to receive long-term insurance rate stability and receive lower rates than it would be able to
obtain without the Authority.
The City has a history of applying for grants to fund recreation and community services. The City
has applied for and received several grant awards, including SB 821, Department of Conservation,
4-4
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
Bicycle Transportation Account grant, COLMAC Air Quality Enhancement grant, Safe
Neighborhood Park Bond Act grants, Safe Routes to School grant, Law Enforcement grants, and
MSRC PM Reduction grants. The City also participates with Riverside County in the Community
10
Development Block Grant Program.
In an effort to increase the efficiency of employees and streamline processes, the City upgrades
equipment as necessary. For example, copy equipment has been converted to digital format and new
permit software programs were implemented.
4.2 POPULATION AND GROWTH
The California Department of Finance estimates the City’s 2004 population to be 32,522. In the ten
years between 1990 and 2000, the City population increased 111.27 percent, from 11,215 to 23,694.
During the same ten-year period, the housing stock increased 83.82 percent, from 6,426 to 11,812
units. Tables 4.A through 4.C show past population and housing growth in the City, southern
Coachella Valley, and the County as a whole. As can be seen, the City’s growth between 1990 and
2000 was much higher than the average growth among southern Coachella Valley cities and the
County as a whole.
Table 4.A: City of La Quinta Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 11,215 — 6,426 —
2000 23,694 11.13 11,812 8.38
2004 32,522 9.31 15,942 8.74
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004.
Table 4.B: Total Incorporated1 Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley
(1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 64,961 — 23,306 —
2000 95,534 4.71 33,745 4.48
2004 119,310 6.22 42,021 6.13
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
1 Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta
4-5
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
Table 4.C: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 1,170,413 — 483,847 —
2000 1,545,387 3.2 584,674 2.1
2004 1,776,743 3.7 659,795 3.2
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
Housing Inventory
As shown in Table 4.D, the California Department of Finance estimates that there were 15,942
dwelling units within the City in 2004. Of these dwelling units, over 82 percent are detached single-
family homes, 1.6 percent are mobile homes, and just over 4 percent are located in structures of 5 or
more units. As shown, the County has a much higher percentage of higher-density dwelling units.
Table 4.D: Composition of the Housing Stock (2004)
City of La Quinta Riverside County
Housing Type Number of Units Percentage Number of Units Percentage
Single-Family, Detached 13,164 82.6 423,351 64.2
Single-Family, Attached 1,448 9.1 42,511 6.4
2- to 4-Unit Structure 386 2.4 30,890 4.7
5 or More Unit Structure 685 4.3 79,859 12.1
Mobile Home 259 1.6 83,184 12.6
TOTAL 15,942 100.0 659,795 100.0
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004.
Average Household Size
The 2000 Census reports that there were 8,393 households in the City, with an average household size
of 2.81. Of these households, it is estimated that 6,539 (77.9 percent) were family households, while
1,408 households (16.8 percent) were individuals living alone. The balance of the City’s households
was comprised of nonfamily households with more than one occupant.
The City’s existing population per household as identified in the 2000 Census (2.81) is the lowest,
compared to the County and the other Southern Coachella Valley cities:
• Riverside County (2.99)
• Indio (3.46)
• Coachella (4.76)
4-6
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
The most recent projections adopted by SCAG show the County’s population per household
decreasing to 2.88 by 2030. However, the City’s population per household is projected by SCAG to
increase slightly from 2.81 in 2000 to 2.93 in 2030.
Growth Projections
The most recent growth projections adopted by SCAG indicate that the City’s population growth
between 2010 and 2030 is expected to be 785 persons annually. The growth projections adopted by
SCAG are shown in Tables 4.E through 4.G. As shown, growth in the City is projected by SCAG to
be lower than growth within CVAG and the County as a whole. These projections may be low
considering that the City is expecting growth in 2004/2005 to consist of 500 2,600-square-foot homes
and 100,000 square feet of commercial uses.
As mentioned previously, the City has one small SOI area that totals 119 acres. This area is adjacent
to the existing City limits and represents a logical expansion of the City’s services. The City
currently has large areas of undeveloped land, however, most of these areas have been either
approved or proposed for development. The City’s 2002 General Plan has analyzed growth in
relation to build out of the City and has determined that the build out of the City could result in the
total of 26,829 dwelling units and 64,850 residents within both the City limits and the SOI area. In
addition, the City is currently pursuing an expansion of its SOI to the east. This SOI expansion
appears to have a large amount of landowner support.
Table 4.E: SCAG’s Growth Projections for the City of La Quinta (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 41,176 14,466 10,244
2020 49,295 16,953 13,834
2030 56,866 19,427 17,567
Annual Growth Rate 1.91% 1.71% 3.57%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
Table 4.F: SCAG’s Growth Projections for the CVAG Area (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 470,827 164,169 186,124
2020 607,149 216,311 227,494
2030 730,001 267,612 270,336
Annual Growth Rate 2.75% 3.15% 2.26%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
4-7
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
Table 4.G: SCAG’s Growth Projections for Riverside County Growth Projections (2010–
2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 2,085,432 685,775 727,711
2020 2,644,278 907,932 954,499
2030 3,143,468 1,127,780 1,188,976
Annual Growth Rate 2.54% 3.22% 3.17%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
4.3 LAW ENFORCEMENT
The City contracts with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement services.
The Sheriff’s station, which is located at 82-695 Carreon Drive in Indio, has been providing law
enforcement services to the City since 1982. This station also provides law enforcement services to
the City of Coachella, the Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District, and other nearby
unincorporated areas. The Department also has a Community-Oriented Policing Office, which is
located at 51351 Avenida Bermudas in the City. This facility provides deputies a place to write
reports and complete administrative tasks while remaining in the City. Likewise, this facility
provides residents a local place to discuss law enforcement business.
As discussed previously, the southern Coachella Valley is currently and projected to continue being a
high-growth area. The Department evaluates capital needs that result from growth on an ongoing
basis. Indicators of the need for new personnel and facilities are provided by analysis of the number
of service calls, response times, and population growth. This data is indicative of the level of service
within the community. The Department also reviews proposed development projects and provides
the approving agency information regarding impacts of the new development upon law enforcement
services. The pattern or location of growth also impacts services. In response to changing growth
patterns, the Department changes “Beats” as necessary in order to meet the service demands in
different areas.
The current operations of the Department have far outgrown the existing Indio Sheriff’s station,
which provides services to the City. The current facility has insufficient parking, storage, evidence
areas, and personnel facilities. Due to this situation and projected growth within the area, the
Department is in the process of expanding infrastructure to meet service demands. A substation is
currently under construction in Mecca. This facility is expected to be completed in mid-2005. In
addition, the Department is planning a new station in the Thermal area. The new station will consist
of 45,000 square feet, with a 20,000-square-foot evidence warehouse and a 10,000-square-foot
forensics support facility. This facility will support Department operations throughout the Coachella
Valley. This new facility has the potential to be shared among several agencies, such as the Bureau
of Land Management, Child Protective Services, and the Probation Department.
Through the contract for services, the City sets the level of service that meets the needs of the
community. The City considers a ratio of one deputy per 1,000 residents a desirable staffing level.
Currently, the staffing level is slightly higher than this objective. At this time, three Sheriff units are
assigned to the City, each of which consists of either one or two deputies, depending on the work shift
4-8
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
and time of day. Therefore, there may be up to six deputies on duty in the City at a given time. The
personnel provided to the City include the following:
• Twenty-one patrol officers
• School Resource Officer: high school and middle school
• Three Investigators
• Two Dedicated Patrol Sergeants
• Three Direct Support Sergeants
• Gang Task Force Deputy
• Narcotics Task Force Officer
• Four-person Special Enforcement Team
• Three Community Service Officers
• One hundred two patrol hours per day
• Three Motorcycle Officers
• Traffic Collision Reconstruction Unit
In 2003, the Indio Sheriff’s Station received 53,897 calls for service. These calls were spread
throughout the Station’s service area and were not all located within the City boundaries. Response
times are divided by priority. Examples of each Priority call are as follows: Priority 1 calls are life-
threatening service calls; Priority 2 calls can be car accidents with unknown injuries; Priority 3 calls
can be burglary reports; and Priority 4 calls can be delayed reporting of assault or injuries. This
station’s average response times are similar to those of other Sheriff’s stations and are listed below.
In addition, Table 4.H lists the City’s crime report statistics.
• Priority 1 calls: 6.00 minutes
• Priority 2 calls: 9.54 minutes
• Priority 3 calls: 11.74 minutes
• Priority 4 calls: 12.92 minutes
4-9
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
Table 4.H: City of La Quinta Uniform Crime Report Statistics (2004)
Crime July 2004 July 2003 YTD 2004 YTD 2003
Homicide 1 0 1 1
Forcible Rape 3 0 3 2
Robbery 0 1 9 10
Aggravated Assault 8 2 57 37
Burglary 35 29 295 205
Larceny/Theft 97 41 557 475
Motor Vehicle Theft 10 15 90 78
Arson 1 0 2 1
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has mutual aid agreements with all of the local law
enforcement agencies within both the entire County and within the Coachella Valley area, including
the City of Indio Police Department. In addition, the Department coordinates with the State Office of
Emergency Services to provide and receive Statewide mutual aid when necessary.
4.4 FIRE PROTECTION
Fire protection services for the City are provided under contract by the Riverside County Fire
Department. The City began contracting with the Riverside County Fire Department for fire and
emergency services in 1985. The City is a part of the Integrated Fire Protection system, where calls
from the Cities of Coachella, Indio, Indian Wells, and La Quinta are dispatched by the same dispatch
center. In addition, the City receives many services such as administration, personnel, finance,
dispatch, fire prevention, hazardous materials, training, emergency services, and arson investigation.
Table 4.I below lists the fire stations and equipment that serve the City.
Table 4.I: Fire Stations and Equipment Serving the City of La Quinta
Station Equipment Personnel
Station 32 2 Triple Combination Engines 3 Fire Captains, 6 Fire
78136 Frances Lane 1 Rescue Squad Apparatus Engineers, 1 Fire
Apparatus Engineer
Paramedic, 7 Firefighter II, 7
Station 70 2 Triple Combination Engines Firefighter II Paramedics
54001 Madison Avenue and 10-20 active volunteers
Station 93 1 Triple Combination Engine
44-555 Adams Street
4-10
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
Fire Stations 32 and 70 responded to over 1,870 calls in 2003. The number of calls for Station 93 is
not tracked by the Department. The calls are broken down by station response and listed below.
• Station 32: 1,258
• Station 70: 598
Demographic data indicates that approximately 35 percent of the City meets the criteria for urban
response from the fire department. The remainder of the City is considered rural or outlying. The
City currently meets the full-alarm response criteria. The City’s future needs for fire service are
based on response times, number of calls, and the number of dwelling units. As dwelling unit density
increases, response times are reduced. The Fire Department has no plans to expand the number of
fire stations in the next two to five years.
4.5 SOLID WASTE
The City contracts with Waste Management, Inc. to provide solid waste services within the City.
Service to the City is based on a franchise agreement that is negotiated every five years. Both
residential and commercial services are available. Residential pickup is once a week, while
commercial pickup may be up to six times a week. The solid waste that is collected within the City is
hauled to the Arvin Sanitary Landfill, Badlands Disposal Site, Edom Hill Disposal Site, Lamb
Canyon Disposal Site, and Puente Hills Landfill No. 6, which are operated by various Waste
Management Departments. These facilities are Class III landfills that accept construction/demolition
waste, dead animals, and mixed municipal refuse.
The Arvin Sanitary Landfill is located at 5500 North Wheeler Ridge Road, about one and one-half
miles south of State Route 223 (Bear Mountain Road). It is approximately 233 miles north of the City
and encompasses 170 acres and is permitted to accept 800 tons per day. The operator is the Kern
County Waste Management Department, and the estimated closure date of this facility is December
31, 2008.
The Badlands Disposal Site is located at 31125 Ironwood Avenue in the City of Moreno Valley just
north of the State Highway 60 and State Highway 79 junction. It is approximately 62 miles northwest
of the City and encompasses 1,093 acres. The facility is permitted to accept 4,000 tons per day. The
operator is the County of Riverside Waste Management Department, and the estimated closure date of
this facility is January 1, 2018.
The Edom Hill Disposal Site is located at 70-100 Edom Hill Road in the City of Cathedral City, north
of Interstate 10. It is approximately 21 miles northwest of the City and encompasses 655 acres. The
facility is permitted to accept 2,651 tons per day. The operator is the County of Riverside Waste
Management Department, and the estimated closure date of this facility is November 1, 2004.
The Lamb Canyon Sanitary Landfill is located at 16411 State Highway 79, in the City of Beaumont,
west of State Highway 79. It is approximately 54 miles west of the City and encompasses 353 acres.
The facility is permitted to accept 3,000 tons per day. The operator is the County of Riverside Waste
Management Department, and the estimated closure date of this facility is January 1, 2023.
4-11
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
The Puente Hills Landfill No. 6 is located at 2800 South Workman Mill Road in the City of Whittier,
south of State Highway 60. It is approximately 115 miles west of the City and encompasses 1,365
acres. The facility is permitted to accept 13,200 tons per day. The operator is the County Of Los
Angeles Sanitation Districts, and the estimated closure date of this facility is October 31, 2013.
Waste Management has begun to evaluate other potential disposal sites due to the impending closure
of the Edom Hill Landfill. Some of the alternatives being considered include the Eagle Mountain,
Badlands, Lamb Canyon, and the El Sobrante landfills.
In 2000, the City disposed of 38,368 tons of solid waste. The CIWMB indicates that the solid waste
disposal generation factor for the City is 2 pounds per resident per day and 20.4 pounds per employee
per day.
Diversion rates are defined as the percentage of total solid waste that a jurisdiction diverted from
being disposed in landfills through reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting programs. In February
2002, the CIWMB adopted a diversion rate of 50 percent for 2000. Per the CIWMB, the City has
exceeded this goal and had a 58 percent diversion rate in 2002, which is the most recent data posted.
Solid Waste Rate Comparison
When the City and Waste Management originally negotiated their service agreement, the rates for
services were part of the negotiation. Additionally, rate increases are predetermined and set within
the franchise agreement. Rates are revised annually and increases are based upon cost-of-living
increases and landfill fees. Waste Management also provides billing services to refuse customers
within the City limits. The City has a flat rate for residential solid waste services and commercial
rates are based on the refuse bin size and by number of pick-ups per week. Table 4.J compares La
Quinta’s solid waste rates and those of nearby jurisdictions within the southern Coachella Valley. As
shown, the rates for solid waste services are very similar among these agencies.
Table 4.J: Monthly Solid Waste Rates
La Quinta Coachella Indio So. Coachella CSD
Residential $11.97 $13.54 $12.32 $13.65
Dependent upon Dependent upon bin Dependent upon Dependent upon bin
Commercial bin size and size and frequency bin size and size and frequency
and Industrial frequency of of pickup ($47.51– frequency of of pickup
pickup 1,075) pickup ($731.85 +)
4.6 STORMWATER DRAINAGE
The Coachella Valley Water District operates and maintains regional stormwater management
facilities within the City, including the Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel, the La Quinta
Evacuation Channel, and a system of storm drainage retention and detention basins. These facilities
are designed to accommodate and direct regional stormwater flows safely through the City.
The management of local drainage is the responsibility of the City. The City’s drainage system
currently consists of a network of recently retrofitted storm drains within the rights-of-way of streets,
4-12
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
ranging from 18 to 60 inches in diameter. In addition, the City maintains six all-weather bridge
crossings within the City limits.
Since its incorporation, the City has required that new development construct on-site retention and/or
detention basins capable of managing 100-year stormwater flows. Development that is immediately
adjacent to the Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel has the option of conveying runoff directly into
this facility.
4.7 ROADS AND CIRCULATION
The roadway network within the City contains 118.4 miles of paved surfaces, including 73 miles of
local streets, 2.1 miles of collector streets, and 43.3 miles of arterial streets. There is a total of over
25,700,000 square feet of pavement.
Direct access between the City and Interstate 10 is currently provided by the Washington Street and
Jefferson Street interchanges. State Highway 111 has become an important intraregional corridor
serving the Coachella Valley cities. This Highway routinely accommodates a high volume of pass-
through trips originating outside the City limits.
LOS C has long been considered by the City to be the desirable and optimal level of traffic volume on
any given roadway. However, it represents a standard that is progressively more difficult and costly
to achieve in the City because of recent growth. For peak operating periods, LOS D and/or a
maximum volume-to-capacity ratio of 0.90 is now considered by the City to be the generally
acceptable level of service.
Within the CIP, the City has planned for many different roadway projects. Many of these have been
necessitated due to recent growth. Three notable projects include:
• Highway 111 Improvements: The City is working with CVAG on roadway segment
improvements within the City.
• Eisenhower Drive Improvements: The project includes widening the existing bridge and
installation of landscaping, perimeter walls, and retaining walls.
• Jefferson Street Improvements: The project includes widening the existing road and
constructing a new bridge over the Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel.
The City has also adopted a Pavement Management Program, which provides a current inventory for
the roadways (with condition and preservation requirements) and a forecasting of financing needs.
Per the Pavement Management Program, the overall condition of the City’s roads is excellent. The
Program has developed strategies to avoid the deterioration of pavement and reduce maintenance in
the future. These strategies involve using crack sealing, patching, slurry sealing, and reconstruction.
The City’s Master Environmental Assessment (2002) states that only a partially developed system of
sidewalks and bicycle lanes exists. In some locations, their construction has been inconsistent and
disjointed. The City has planned and dedicated a system of multiuse trails extending throughout
much of the City. A total of approximately 56 miles of trails have been planned; however, many of
4-13
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
the City’s trails are not yet marked or fully improved. Most proposed bicycle trails and facilities will
be developed in conjunction with new development projects.
Transit
The SunLine Transit Agency provides public transit service within the City. SunLine’s entire fleet
consists of buses powered by compressed natural gas. Buses are also equipped with wheelchair lifts
and bike racks. Four routes provide service to the City. In addition, SunLine provides the “Sun Dial”
service, consisting of a fleet of small buses providing curb-to-curb service from home to destination.
The service is offered to disabled riders and is wheelchair accessible. Sunline Transit Bus Passes are
available for purchase at City Hall.
4.8 PARKS AND RECREATION
The City owns, operates, and maintains many different parks and recreational facilities within the
City. The City also has planned a number of new parks to serve the future needs of its growing
population. Both existing and planned park and recreation facilities are shown in Table 4.K. In
addition, the Coachella Valley Park and Recreation District and the County provide facilities within
the City as shown in Table 4.L.
4-14
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
Table 4.K: City of La Quinta Parks and Recreational Facilities
Park Facility Amenities Acreage
Adams Park Children’s play area, picnic tables, walking/hiking path, 2.8
water feature
Bear Creek Trail Picnic tables, walking/hiking path, bikeway 4.7
Civic Center Picnic tables, walking/hiking path, water feature 17.67
Campus
Cove Oasis Picnic tables, walking/hiking path 8.33
Trailhead
Desert Club Manor Children’s play area, picnic tables, walking/hiking path 1.06
Park
Desert Pride Park Children’s play area, picnic tables, walking/hiking path 3.0
Eisenhower Park Children’s play area, picnic tables, walking/hiking path 0.66
Fritz Burns Park Barbecue, children’s play area, picnic tables, restroom, 7.7
tennis court, water feature, skate park, dog park
La Quinta Park Barbecue, ballfields, basketball, children’s play area, picnic 18.16
table, restroom, soccer field, walking/hiking path, water
feature
La Quinta Senior Restroom, multi-purpose room, classrooms, kitchen, crafts 10,000 sf
Center room, library, putting green
Monticello Park Children’s play area, picnic tables 4
Season’s Park Children’s play area 1.41
Sports Complex Ballfields, children’s play area, picnic tables, restroom, 15.54
soccer field
Velasco Park Children’s play area, picnic tables 0.45
La Quinta Library Restroom, computer labs, children’s reading room 20,000 sf
La Quinta Museum Water feature, restrooms. Provides programs regarding: 6,000 sf
future, history, cultural, and other educational topics.
Fred Wolff Bear Natural Preserve 19
Creek Nature
Preserve
SilverRock Resort Public Golf Course 185
Proposed Parks Acreage
Miles Avenue Park 1.4
Bear Creek Park 35.9
4-15
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
Table 4.L: Additional Park and Recreation Facilities within La Quinta
Park Facility Amenities Acreage Agency
La Quinta Barbecue, ballfields, basketball, 6.5 Owner: CVRPD
Community children’s play area, picnic tables, Operator: CVRPD
Park/Community restroom, amphitheater, childcare Maintenance: CVRPD
Center
Fritz Burns Park Swimming pool facility (remainder 7.7 Owner: City of La Quinta
of the park is owned and maintained Operator: CVRPD
by the City) Maintenance: CVRPD/
City of La Quinta
Coral Mountain Nature trails, hiking, biking, 620 Owner: Bureau of
Regional Park equestrian trails, picnic areas Reclamation
Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: CVRPD
Lake Cahuilla Hiking and equestrian trails, horse 845 Owner: County
County Park camps, swimming pool, picnic Operator: County
facilities, playgrounds, recreational Maintenance: County
vehicle hookups, fishing, camping
A multiuse trail system has been dedicated to provide recreational opportunities for pedestrians and
cyclists. These trails will connect to the County’s regional and community trails, which run through
the City. Many of the County’s trails are not yet fully dedicated and improved; however, this process
will be undertaken as new development occurs.
The provision of the facilities that are listed in Table 4.L, at first glance may appear to be an
overlapping of facility provision by two agencies. However, actual duplication of facilities does not
exist. Continued coordination between the two agencies for future facilities is important to avoid any
future duplication of recreation and park facilities.
The City implements Quimby Act fees to fund park facilities. The Quimby Act establishes a standard
of 3.0 acres of parkland per 1,000 population. The City’s General Plan and Parks and Recreation
Master Plan has also adopted this standard. The City currently has 110.98 acres of parkland, not
including the regional facilities. Based on the Department of Finance 2004 population information for
the City (32,522), the City currently has 3.41 acres per 1,000 population, which meets the City’s
objective.
In 1992 the City adopted a Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The Plan is designed to serve as a
long-range planning document to accommodate anticipated growth. The Plan includes an
implementation program that outlines prioritized development, along with estimated costs and
potential sources of funding. The Plan includes a population and growth analysis. The Parks and
Recreation Master Plan is scheduled to be updated in the Fiscal Year 2005-2006.
Recreation services within the City are provided through the CVRPD at the La Quinta Community
Center. Many different programs are provided for residents of all ages. Detailed information of these
programs is included in Section 7.0. In addition, the City of La Quinta offers numerous programs for
4-16
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
all ages at the City’s facilities and at the La Quinta High School Facility. The City’s recreational
programs include: seasonal holiday programs, arts, crafts, dance programs, adult soccer, adult
volleyball, adult basketball, excursions, computer classes, and community concerts. The City also
has a joint use agreement with the La Quinta Boys and Girls Club for use of their gymnasium in the
evenings for open gym programs. The City is planning to add a weight room to the Boys and Girls
Club for community use. The City also provides the Family YMCA of the Desert use of the City-
owned childcare facility on Avenue 50 for preschool and after school programs, and provides sports
fields for youth sports leagues.
The provision of recreational services by both the City and CVRPD appear to be an overlapping
provision of service within the Community. Provision of service may be more efficient if one agency
provided all recreation services within the community.
4.9 LIBRARY
The existing La Quinta Public Library is a branch of the Riverside County Library System and is
located at 79-080 Calle Estado. The library contains approximately 28,000 volumes, as well as a
computer lab with ten computers connected to the internet and a reference section. The County strives
to maintain 1.2 volumes and 0.5 square feet of library space per capita. This standard is used to help
establish the adequacy of public library facilities.
The City is constructing a new library, which will be located at 78-275 Calle Tampico. The new
facility is expected to open in June 2005. The new library will have approximately 10,000 square feet
of library space with the ability to expand to 20,000 square feet as needed. A 1,291 square foot
community room and a 160 square foot storage room will occupy the expansion area on an interim
basis. The library capacity will be 40,000 volumes.
4.10 ANIMAL CONTROL
The City provides animal control services. City staff consists of one full-time animal control officer
and two staff people who are responsible for both code compliance and animal control. The City
maintains an officer in the field seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except holidays, and
has an officer on standby for emergencies at all times, including holidays. The City contracts for
animal shelter services with the County-run shelter located in the City of Indio. Residents calling the
City Animal Control offices for information about pet adoptions are referred to the Indio facility. The
City is planning on participating in the new Animal Campus, which will be located in Thousand
Palms.
4.11 DETERMINATIONS FOR THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
The Service Review guidelines prepared by the State Office of Planning and Research recommend
that issues relevant to the jurisdiction be addressed through written determinations called for in the
Act. Based on the above information, the following are the written determinations for the City of La
Quinta.
4-17
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies
Purpose: To evaluate the infrastructure needs and deficiencies in terms of supply, capacity,
condition of facilities, and service quality.
1. Projects within this year’s CIP include: freeway interchange, bridges, street, drainage, traffic
signals, and City buildings.
2. Per the City’s Pavement Management Program, the overall condition of the City’s roads is
excellent. The Program has also developed strategies to avoid future deterioration of pavement
and reduce maintenance.
3. Since its incorporation, the City has required that new development construct on-site retention
and/or detention basins capable of managing stormwater flows.
4. LOS C represents a standard that is progressively more difficult and costly to achieve in the City
because of recent growth. For peak operating periods, LOS D is now considered by the City to
be the generally acceptable level of service. To maintain adequate service levels, the City will
need to implement roadway improvements and upgrades as growth occurs.
5. The City currently only has a partially developed system of sidewalks and bicycle lanes. There
is a need to fill in linkages and gaps in the existing system.
6. The City has planned and dedicated a system of multi-use trails extending throughout much of
the City; however, many of the City’s trails are not yet marked or fully improved.
7. The City currently has 3.41 acres per 1,000 population, which meets the City’s parkland
objective.
8. The current operations of the Indio Sheriff Station have far outgrown the existing facility. Due
to this situation and projected growth within the area, the Department is in the process of
expanding infrastructure to meet service demands.
Growth and Population
Purpose: To evaluate service needs based upon existing and anticipated growth patterns and
population projections.
1. The 2004-05 budget stated that because of increasing growth within the City the total building
permit valuation came to more than $308 million in 2003, which surpassed the City’s pervious
record set in 2000.
2. Growth in the City of La Quinta through 2030 is projected by SCAG to be lower than growth
within CVAG and the County as a whole. Given the 2000-2004 growth within the City, these
projections are low. In addition, the City is expecting growth in the year 2004/05 to consist of
500 2,600 square feet homes and 100,000 square feet of commercial.
4-18
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
3. Currently, the City has one small SOI area, which is adjacent to the existing City limits and
represents a logical expansion of the City’s services. Within the City limits, large areas of
undeveloped land exists, however, most of these areas have been either approved or proposed for
development.
Financing Constraints and Opportunities
Purpose: To evaluate a jurisdiction’s capability to finance needed improvements and services.
1. City revenues from property and sales taxes are expected to increase this year as more new homes
are constructed, property values continue to rise, and additional retail opens for business.
2. The City has adopted an investment policy, which directs the City to invest public funds in a
manner, which will provide a diversified portfolio with safety as the primary objective while
meeting daily cash flow demands with the highest investment returns.
3. To finance many improvements the City has issued debt. The use of debt has become a primary
issue in the development of the Capital Improvement Program.
4. The City has a continued process of identifying and applying for grants to fund recreation and
community services.
5. The City prepares a comprehensive and thorough annual budget that clearly describes the services
provided to the residents and the funds expended for those services.
6. The CIP includes a breakdown of each estimated project cost and the revenue sources proposed to
be used to fund the project.
7. The City implements Quimby Act fees to fund park facilities.
Cost Avoidance Opportunities
Purpose: To identify practices or opportunities that may help eliminate unnecessary costs.
1. In order to avoid unnecessary costs, the City has adopted a purchasing policy.
2. The City is a member of the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (CJPIA), which allows
the City to receive long-term insurance rate stability and receive lower rates than it would be able
to obtain without the Authority.
3. The City coordinates its park and recreation facilities and programs with the Coachella Valley
Parks and Recreation District. This arrangement saves costs while providing numerous facilities
and programs.
Opportunities for Rate Restructuring
Purpose: To identify opportunities to impact rates positively without decreasing service levels.
4-19
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
1. Rates for solid waste services within the City are similar to rates of other agencies within the
southern Coachella Valley.
2. Rate increases are predetermined and set within the franchise agreement. Rates are revised
annually and increases are based upon cost-of-living increases and landfill fees.
Opportunities for Shared Facilities
Purpose: To evaluate the opportunities for a jurisdiction to share facilities and resources to develop
more efficient service delivery systems.
1. The City has a working relationship with CVAG to implement roadway improvements within the
City.
2. The new Sheriff’s facility in Thermal has the potential to be shared amongst several agencies
such as the Bureau of Land Management, Child Protective Services, and the Probation
Department.
3. The City should routinely explore potential efficiencies that could be achieved through shared
equipment and personnel with the other cities and districts in the southern Coachella valley.
Government Structure Options
Purpose: To consider the advantages and disadvantages of various government structures to
provide public services.
1. Based on the current provision of services, it is reasonable to conclude that pubic services can
continue to be provided by the City under the existing government structure.
2. The City has one small SOI area, which is adjacent to the existing City limits and represents a
logical expansion of the City’s services. In addition, the City is currently pursuing an expansion
of its SOI to the east. This SOI expansion appears to have a large amount of landowner support.
3. The provision of recreational services by both the City and CVRPD appear to be an overlapping
provision of service within the Community. Provision of service may be more efficient if one
agency provided all recreation services within the community.
Evaluation of Management Efficiencies
Purpose: To consider the management structure of the jurisdiction.
1. The City has received awards from both the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers and
the Government Financial Officers Association for Outstanding Financial Reporting. This is
indicative of an efficient management.
2. In an effort to increase efficiency of employees and streamline processes the City upgrades
equipment as necessary.
4-20
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
4.0 THE CITY OF LA QUINTA
3. The City’s annual budget and accounting practices are audited annually by a Certified Public
Accountant.
Local Accountability and Governance
Purpose: To evaluate the accessibility and levels of public participation associated with the
agency’s decision-making and management processes.
1. The City Council has regularly scheduled meetings, which are open to the public and held
pursuant to the Ralph M Brown Act. All agendas are posted in a timely manner and supplied to
anyone requesting notification, including the local newspaper.
2. The City has historically made reasonable efforts to maintain a public dialogue regarding issues
of concern to the community. The City’s outreach program utilizes: City newsletter, City
calendar, City infomercial, the local newspaper, the Internet, and public meetings.
3. Prior to budget approval, public meetings are conducted to include citizen concerns.
4-21
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\4.0 La Quinta.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
5.0 SOUTHERN COACHELLA VALLEY CSD
5.0 SOUTHERN COACHELLA VALLEY CSD
The following municipal services are discussed within this MSR:
• Police Protection (via contract with Riverside County)
• Solid Waste (via contract with Waste Management)
5.1 LOCATION, ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT, AND OPERATIONS
The Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District (CSD or District) was formed by the
voters/property owners on November 4, 1986, for the purpose of providing supplemental police
protection services to this specific geographical area. In 1989 the District expanded its powers to
include solid waste services. The District is located in an unincorporated area of the southern
Coachella Valley east of Lake Cahuilla Park and south of I-10 (Figure 5.1). The District’s boundary
is coterminous with its SOI. As shown on Figure 5.1, the District’s boundary includes portions of the
Cities of Coachella and La Quinta in addition to Coachella’s southern SOI. As the Cities annexed
land areas, these areas were not removed from the District’s boundary. Hence, these areas now
located within both agencies. Because the Cities provide the same services as the District, this should
be considered a duplication of services. The District’s boundary should be removed from the City
areas in order to eliminate the overlapping service areas. Likewise, if annexations to these Cities
occur in the future, the District boundary should be modified to ensure that the annexation does not
create overlapping boundaries.
The District is governed by a five-member Board of Directors, who are elected by the voters. Each
member serves a four-year term. The Board holds regularly scheduled public meetings pursuant to the
Brown Act on the third Thursday of each month at the Rummonds Center in Thermal. The public is
encouraged to attend. The District has no employees. All operations (administration, legal,
accounting, law enforcement, solid waste services) are contracted by the District.
The District adopts a budget annually. The District adopts and files an itemized statement of
operating expenditures, reserve requirements, and anticipated revenues with the County Auditor-
Controller. The District’s revenue is mostly generated from property taxes and assessments. The
current (2003–2004) assessments are: $1.00 per acre with a $20.00 minimum, plus $66.00 per
residential unit and $88.00 per commercial unit. Because of the overlapping boundary issue detailed
above, assessments could incorrectly be levied for areas that are not being served by the District, or
property tax revenue could be incorrectly distributed. Therefore, as the overlapping boundaries are
resolved, assessments and the distribution of property taxes should be checked to ensure that revenue
is correctly assessed and property taxes are distributed correctly.
The District is a member of the Special District Risk Management Authority, which allows the
District to receive lower insurance rates than it would receive without the membership.
5-1
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\5.0 Southern Coachella Valley CSD.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
5.0 SOUTHERN COACHELLA VALLEY CSD
Figure 5.1: Southern Coachella Valley CSD Boundaries
5-2
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\5.0 Southern Coachella Valley CSD.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
5.0 SOUTHERN COACHELLA VALLEY CSD
The District has adopted Financial Policies, which govern both purchases and investments. The
policy requires the provision of monthly financial reports to both the Board of Directors and the
District’s Certified Public Accountant. In addition, the policy authorizes the investment of excess
District funds into the Local Agency Investment Fund. The basic premise underlying the District’s
investment policy is to ensure that money is always available when needed and at the same time
reaping the highest and best return.
The District is a participant in a Roadside Clean-Up Campaign, which is a cooperative effort with the
Riverside County Department of Transportation, County Waste Management, and the Riverside
County Sheriff’s Office to clean up the community and stop illegal dumping. The program has four
facets:
• The District will provide days when hard-to-get-rid-of-trash will be accepted.
• The District will have truck patrolling for illegally dumped items.
• Trash service is mandatory.
• The Sheriff’s Department will arrest or cite illegal dumpers.
5.2 POPULATION AND GROWTH
This section is based upon data generated by the U.S. Census, the California Department of Finance,
and SCAG. Existing and projected population information from these agencies is provided at the city
or county level. It is not aggregated to the Special District level. Hence, existing population figures
and future projections are rarely projected for the service areas of special districts unless the District
devotes staff for that purpose. However, assumptions regarding the District’s growth can be made by
analyzing trends of the larger geographical area, which is provided below.
Total Population
The California Department of Finance estimates the 2004 population within the cities of the southern
Coachella Valley (Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta) to be 119,310. In the ten years between 1990 and
2000, the population in this area increased 47.06 percent. During the same ten-year period, the
housing stock increased 44.79 percent. Tables 5.A and 5.B show population and housing growth in
the southern Coachella Valley and the County as a whole in 1990, 2000, and 2004. As shown,
growth within the southern Coachella Valley during the 1990s was much higher than growth within
the County as a whole.
Table 5.A: Total Incorporated1 Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley
(1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 64,961 — 23,306 —
2000 95,534 4.71 33,745 4.48
1 Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta
5-3
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\5.0 Southern Coachella Valley CSD.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
5.0 SOUTHERN COACHELLA VALLEY CSD
2004 119,310 6.22 42,021 6.13
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
Table 5.B: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 1,170,413 — 483,847 —
2000 1,545,387 3.2 584,674 2.1
2004 1,776,743 3.7 659,795 3.2
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
Growth Projections
The growth projections that have been adopted by SCAG are shown in Tables 5.C and 5.D. As
shown, the projected growth in population and households within the unincorporated CVAG area is
much higher than what is expected in the County as a whole. However, growth in employment
opportunities is projected to be similar.
Table 5.C: CVAG Unincorporated Area Projections (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 103,079 31,367 12,063
2020 149,159 48,269 16,844
2030 187,870 65,006 21,731
Annual Growth Rate 4.11% 5.36% 4.01%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
Table 5.D: Riverside County Growth Projections (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 2,085,432 685,775 727,711
2020 2,644,278 907,932 954,499
2030 3,143,468 1,127,780 1,188,976
Annual Growth Rate 2.54% 3.22% 3.17%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
5.3 LAW ENFORCEMENT
The Southern Coachella Valley CSD provides supplemental law enforcement services to the District
through a contract with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. This contract for services
provides for a higher level of service than would otherwise be received without the contract. The law
5-4
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\5.0 Southern Coachella Valley CSD.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
5.0 SOUTHERN COACHELLA VALLEY CSD
enforcement personnel currently includes: one sergeant, four deputies, and one community resource
officer. The Sheriff’s Indio Station, located at 82-695 Carreon Drive, provides services to the District.
This station also provides law enforcement services to the Cities of Coachella and La Quinta.
The southern Coachella Valley is currently and projected to remain a high growth area. The
Department evaluates capital needs on an ongoing basis. Indicators of the need for new personnel
and facilities are provided by analysis of the number of service calls, response times, and population
growth. The Department also reviews proposed development projects and provides the approving
agency information regarding impacts of the new development upon law enforcement services. The
Department uses the number of dwelling units and a generation factor of 3–4 persons per household
to project population increases. The pattern of growth also impacts services. In response to changing
growth patterns, the Department changes “Beats” as necessary in order to meet the service demands
in different areas.
The current operations of the Department have far outgrown the existing Indio Sheriff’s station. The
current facility has insufficient parking, storage, evidence areas, and personnel facilities. Due to this
situation and projected growth within the area, the Department is in the process of expanding
infrastructure to meet service demands. A substation is currently under construction in Mecca. This
facility is expected to be completed in mid-2005. In addition, the Department is planning a new
station in the Thermal area. The new station will be 45,000 square feet, with a 20,000-square-foot
evidence warehouse and a 10,000-square-foot forensics support facility. This facility will support
Department operations throughout the Coachella Valley. This new facility has the potential to be
shared among several agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management, Child Protective Services,
and the Probation Department.
In 2003, the Indio Sheriff’s Station received 53,897 calls for service. These calls were spread
throughout the Station’s service. Response times are divided by priority. Examples of each Priority
call are as follows: Priority 1 calls are life-threatening service calls; Priority 2 calls can be car
accidents with unknown injuries; Priority 3 calls can be burglary reports; and Priority 4 calls can be
delayed reporting of assault or injuries. This station’s average response times are similar to those of
other Sheriff’s stations and are listed below.
• Priority 1 calls: 6.00 minutes
• Priority 2 calls: 9.54 minutes
• Priority 3 calls: 11.74 minutes
• Priority 4 calls: 12.92 minutes
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has mutual aid agreements with all of the local law
enforcement agencies within both the entire County and within the Coachella Valley area. In
addition, the Department coordinates with the State Office of Emergency Services to provide and
receive Statewide mutual aid when necessary.
Property owners pay for Sheriff services with an additional parcel charge collected via the property
tax system. Additional funding is provided by COPPS grants funded by the federal government.
5-5
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\5.0 Southern Coachella Valley CSD.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
5.0 SOUTHERN COACHELLA VALLEY CSD
5.4 SOLID WASTE
Solid waste services are provided by the District through a contract with Waste Management, Inc.
Solid waste services include: regular residential and commercial waste collection, community clean
up programs, roadside waste removal, and monthly free waste disposal opportunities.
Rates for solid waste services are negotiated between Waste Management and the District to ensure
that revenue covers the cost of service provision. The rates for solid waste services are analyzed
annually to ensure that revenues cover costs.
Solid Waste Rate Comparison
Waste Management provides billing services to refuse customers within the District. Waste
Management has a flat rate for residential solid waste services, and commercial rates are based on the
size of the refuse bin size and by number of pickups per week. Table 5.E compares solid waste rates
to those of nearby jurisdictions within the southern Coachella Valley. As shown, the rates for solid
waste services are very similar among these agencies.
Table 5.E: Monthly Solid Waste Rates
So. Coachella CSD Coachella La Quinta Indio
Residential $13.65 $13.54 $11.97 $12.32
Dependent upon bin Dependent upon bin Dependent upon Dependent
Commercial size and frequency size and frequency bin size and upon bin size
and Industrial of pickup of pickup ($47.51– frequency of and frequency
($731.85 +) 1,075) pickup of pickup
5.5 DETERMINATIONS FOR THE SOUTHERN COACHELLA VALLEY CSD
The Service Review guidelines prepared by the State Office of Planning and Research recommend
that issues relevant to the jurisdiction be addressed through written determinations called for in the
Act. Based on the above information, the following are the written determinations for the Southern
Coachella Valley CSD.
Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies
Purpose: To evaluate the infrastructure needs and deficiencies in terms of supply, capacity,
condition of facilities, and service quality.
1. The District provides law enforcement and solid waste services via contract. These services do
not require the District to provide or maintain infrastructure. Hence, there are no infrastructure
needs or deficiencies, which affect the District’s provision of service.
5-6
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\5.0 Southern Coachella Valley CSD.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
5.0 SOUTHERN COACHELLA VALLEY CSD
2. The operations of the Indio Sheriff Station, which provides services via contract to the District,
have far outgrown the existing facility. The existing facility is inadequate to meet the needs of
the existing and expected future staff of this station. Due to this situation and projected growth
within the area, the Department is in the process of expanding infrastructure to meet service
demands.
Growth and Population
Purpose: To evaluate service needs based upon existing and anticipated growth patterns and
population projections.
1. Existing population figures and future projections are rarely projected for the service areas of
special districts unless the district devotes staff for that purpose. This is a constraint to predicting
future service demands, especially in areas where growth is expected and whose resources are
limited.
2. SCAG has projected that the District’s population will grow 4.11 percent annually through 2030.
3. The projected growth in population and households within the unincorporated CVAG area is
much higher than what is expected in the County as a whole.
Financing Constraints and Opportunities
Purpose: To evaluate a jurisdiction’s capability to finance needed improvements and services.
1. The District prepares a comprehensive and thorough annual budget that clearly identifies the
revenues and expenditures for the services provided by the District.
2. The District has in place financial policies that are codified in implementing resolutions.
3. Property owners pay for Sheriff services with an additional parcel charge collected via the
property tax system. Additional funding is provided by COPPS grants funded by the Federal
Government.
Cost Avoidance Opportunities
Purpose: To identify practices or opportunities that may help eliminate unnecessary costs.
1. The District is member of the Special District Risk Management Authority and benefits from the
insurance coverage’s offered at a lower rate then they could purchase on their own.
Opportunities for Rate Restructuring
Purpose: To identify opportunities to impact rates positively without decreasing service levels.
1. Rates for solid waste services are analyzed annually to ensure that fees are adequate to cover
expenditures and meet the legal requirements for a clear nexus between fees and costs.
5-7
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\5.0 Southern Coachella Valley CSD.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
5.0 SOUTHERN COACHELLA VALLEY CSD
2. Rates for solid waste services within the District are similar to rates of other agencies within the
southern Coachella Valley.
Opportunities for Shared Facilities
Purpose: To evaluate the opportunities for a jurisdiction to share facilities and resources to develop
more efficient service delivery systems.
1. The District works with other agencies in the area to implement a Roadside Clean-up Campaign.
This is a cooperative and efficient method of increasing the aesthetics of the community.
2. The new Sheriff’s facility in Thermal has the potential to be shared amongst several agencies
such as the Bureau of Land Management, Child Protective Services, and the Probation
Department.
Government Structure Options
Purpose: To consider the advantages and disadvantages of various government structures to
provide public services.
1. Services that are discussed within this MSR are implemented by contract with service providers.
This structure is capable of offering appropriate levels of service to current and future populations
and capable of extending services.
2. The District does not have any SOI area outside of its boundary. Land areas that are adjacent to
the District do not currently need the District’s services. The District also does not anticipate any
future service needs in adjacent areas. Therefore, the District is not expected to geographically
change.
3. The District’s boundaries overlap with those of the Cities of Coachella and La Quinta, which is
considered a duplication of services. The District should be removed from the City areas in order
to eliminate the overlapping service areas. Likewise, if annexations to these cities occur in the
future, the District’s boundary should be modified to ensure that the annexation does not create
overlapping boundaries.
Evaluation of Management Efficiencies
Purpose: To consider the management structure of the jurisdiction.
1. The management’s financial actions are reviewed by the District’s Certified Public Accountant on
a monthly basis
2. The City’s budget and accounting practices are audited annually by a Certified Public
Accountant.
5-8
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\5.0 Southern Coachella Valley CSD.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
5.0 SOUTHERN COACHELLA VALLEY CSD
Local Accountability and Governance
Purpose: To evaluate the accessibility and levels of public participation associated with the
agency’s decision-making and management processes.
1. The District’s Board of Directors holds regularly scheduled public meetings pursuant to the
Brown Act, where public participation is encouraged.
2. Prior to budget approval, public meetings are conducted to include citizen comments.
5-9
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\5.0 Southern Coachella Valley CSD.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
6.0 COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
6.0 COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
Stormwater/drainage services, which are provided by the Coachella Valley Water District, are
discussed within this MSR.
6.1 LOCATION, ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT, AND OPERATIONS
The Coachella Valley Water District (District) encompasses approximately 640,000 acres. Most of
this land is in Riverside County, but the District also extends into Imperial and San Diego Counties
(Figure 6.1). The District was formed on January 16, 1918, under the State water code provisions of
the County Water District Act, specifically to protect and conserve local water sources. The District
merged with the Coachella Valley Stormwater District in 1937. Since its beginning, the District has
grown into a multifaceted agency, which is involved in six water-related fields of service: irrigation
water, domestic water, stormwater protection, agricultural drainage, wastewater reclamation, and
water conservation. The District currently has 63 employees.
The District is an Independent Special District with a five-member Board of Directors, who are
elected to four-year terms. A governing board of five members is elected for terms of four years
each. The regularly scheduled meeting days are the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at 9:00 a.m.
The location of the meeting is at the District Office, which is located at Avenue 52 and Grapefruit
Boulevard in the City of Coachella. The agendas for the meetings are available to the public by
postings, newspaper, mailing, and on the District’s Web site. In addition, the District prepares an
Annual Review of District activities, which is sent to households and property owners within the
District to help keep the public aware of recent and future activities.
The District adopts an annual budget. The District’s revenue is obtained through property taxes and
fees charged for services. In addition to the budget, the District adopts a CIP, which is a planning
instrument used to identify capital improvement needs and coordinate financing and timing of those
needs. One of the larger projects within the 2004–2005 CIP is approximately $3 million that has been
designated to be used to start right-of-way acquisition for a Thousand Palms flood control project.
This project will provide regional flood control for more than 5,000 Thousand Palms residents in an
area subject to alluvial fan flooding.
6-1
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\6.0 Coachella Valley Water District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
6.0 COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
Figure 6.1: Coachella Valley Water District
6-2
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\6.0 Coachella Valley Water District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
6.0 COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
The District provides regional flood control services through cooperative agreements with other
agencies within the Coachella Valley. The District has stated in its 2003 Annual Report that
“collaborations with other agencies and the community are beneficial, and often mandatory, for
success.” For example, the District is serving as a Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP) with the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to update flood maps within the District’s
boundaries. This partnership seeks to ensure that the objectives of participating agencies are
compatible and that limited funding is utilized effectively.
6.2 POPULATION AND GROWTH
This section is based upon data generated by the U.S. Census, the California Department of Finance,
and SCAG. Existing and projected population information from these agencies is provided at the city
or county level. It is not aggregated to the Special District level. Hence, existing population figures
and future projections are rarely projected for the service areas of special districts unless the district
devotes staff for that purpose. However, assumptions regarding the District’s growth can be made by
analyzing trends of the larger geographical area, which is provided below.
Total Population
The California Department of Finance estimates the 2004 population within the cities of the
Coachella Valley (Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta) to be 119,310. In the ten years between 1990 and
2000, the population in this area increased 47.06 percent. During the same ten-year period, the
housing stock increased 44.79 percent. Tables 6.A and 6.B show population and housing growth in
the southern Coachella Valley and the County as a whole in 1990, 2000, and 2004. As shown,
growth within the southern Coachella Valley during the 1990s was much higher than growth within
the County as a whole.
Table 6.A: Total Incorporated1 Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley
(1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 64,961 — 23,306 —
2000 95,534 4.71 33,745 4.48
2004 119,310 6.22 42,021 6.13
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
1 Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta
6-3
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\6.0 Coachella Valley Water District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
6.0 COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
Table 6.B: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 1,170,413 — 483,847 —
2000 1,545,387 3.2 584,674 2.1
2004 1,776,743 3.7 659,795 3.2
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
Growth Projections
The growth projections that have been adopted by SCAG are shown in Tables 6.C and 6.D. As
shown, the projected growth in population and households within the CVAG area is lower that what
is expected in the County as a whole. However, growth in employment opportunities is projected to
be similar.
Table 6.C: CVAG Area Growth Projections (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 470,827 164,169 186,124
2020 607,149 216,311 227,494
2030 730,001 267,612 270,336
Annual Growth Rate 2.75% 3.15% 2.26%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
Table 6.D: Riverside County Growth Projections (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 2,085,432 685,775 727,711
2020 2,644,278 907,932 954,499
2030 3,143,468 1,127,780 1,188,976
Annual Growth Rate 2.54% 3.22% 3.17%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
Per the District’s 2002 annual report, by 2035 Coachella Valley’s population is expected to increase
more than 85 percent, from about 285,000 people three years ago to an estimated 529,000 residents.
In addition, Riverside County LAFCO recently asked agencies to provide projected growth in five-
year increments through 2025. Hence, the District compiled the following growth projections, as
shown in Table 6.E. These projections are slightly lower than those that have been adopted by SCAG
and expect an annual growth rate of 2.65 percent through 2025.
6-4
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\6.0 Coachella Valley Water District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
6.0 COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
Table 6.E: The Coachella Valley Water District’s Growth Projections
Year Population
2003 219,800
2005 242,000
2010 264,000
2015 290,000
2020 319,000
2025 348,000
Annual Growth Rate 2.65%
6.3 STORMWATER DRAINAGE
The District is the primary entity responsible for coordinating and mitigating regional flood control in
the Coachella Valley. Damage from floods along the Whitewater River has been recorded as far back
as 1916, and historical records indicate that flooding has occurred at least one or more times during
every decade since 1825. Although the Coachella Valley averages only about three inches of
precipitation per year, drainage problems can occur due to heavy single-event storms in the valley or
prolonged precipitation in the surrounding mountains. Flooding generally occurs in the winter
months, when heavy rains in the surrounding mountains combine with the melting of the snowpack,
resulting in prolonged runoff through the valley. Thunderstorms, which generally occur in the warmer
months, can result in high-intensity precipitation of short duration, which can also cause flooding
problems. More than 200 miles of stormwater protection facilities have been developed within the
District. These facilities are listed in Table 6.F
Table 6.F: Coachella Valley Water District Stormwater Drainage Facilities
Facility Length
Whitewater River Channel 24 miles
Coachella Valley Channel 24.5 miles
Eastside Dike 25.5 miles
Detention Channel 1 3.25 miles
Detention Channel 2 2.25 miles
Detention Channel 3 1.75 miles
Westside Dike 4.5 miles
Avenue 64 Evacuation Channel 6.75 miles
La Quinta Evacuation Channel 4.5 miles
Bear Creek Channel 3.5 miles
La Quinta Channel 1.75 miles
Deep Canyon facilities 6 miles
Dead Indian Canyon facilities 2.75 miles
Palm Valley Channel 6 miles
East Magnesia Canyon Channel 1.75 miles
West Magnesia Canyon Channel 1.25 miles
Thunderbird Channel 1 mile
6-5
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\6.0 Coachella Valley Water District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
6.0 COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
Villas Stormwater Channel 0.75 mile
Peterson Stormwater Channel 0.5 mile
Sky Mountain Channels 1.75 miles
Rancho Mirage Drain system 3 miles
Portola Avenue Drain system 5 miles
N Portola Avenue Storm Drain 1.3 miles
Agricultural Drainage
Total on-farm drains 2,298 miles
District open drains 21 miles
District pipe drains 166 miles
Acreage with farm drains 37,425 acres
Because supplemental water brought into the Coachella Valley for irrigation results in a high
groundwater table, which would interfere with the root zone of crops, a drainage system for area
farms is necessary. The District maintains a system of 166 miles of pipe and 21 miles of open ditches
to serve as a drainage network for irrigated lands. Most of this network empties into the Coachella
Valley Stormwater Channel. This system serves nearly 38,000 acres and more than 2,284 miles on-
farm drain lines.
The District also participates in mapping stormwater history, which enhances the District’s ability to
construct needed stormwater facilities. These maps also enable property owners to obtain flood
insurance at rates that accurately reflect the level of risk.
The District currently has several stormwater-related projects being implemented. In the Oasis area,
where preliminary FEMA mapping is expected in 2005, the District is pursuing funding through the
Small Watershed Program, which is administered by the Natural Resource Conservation Service.
Stormwater engineers are seeking to finance protection in an area where local funding is limited.
Additionally, participation in a federal grant program continues.
In the Thousand Palms area, designs for flood control facilities are underway. Completion of the
designs are expected within the near future. The District is working with the Army Corps of
Engineers on this $30 million project, which has 65 percent federal funding and nearly a quarter of
the expense covered by the State.
In north Indio, north of Interstate 10, there are regional flood control concerns, stemming from the
potential for stormwater to flow out of Thousand Palms Canyon. The District has initiated steps, to
complete a Master Plan for the area to address the flooding potential, including the hiring of a
consultant.
In Mecca flooding concerns are more local in nature because of inadequate drainage. During a storm,
water “pools” on the surface, creating flooding hazards. A master plan to address the problem is in the
works for the Mecca area.
6-6
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\6.0 Coachella Valley Water District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
6.0 COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
6.4 DETERMINATIONS FOR THE COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
The Service Review guidelines prepared by the State Office of Planning and Research recommend
that issues relevant to the jurisdiction be addressed through written determinations called for in the
Act. Based on the above information, the following are the written determinations for the Coachella
Valley Water District.
Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies
Purpose: To evaluate the infrastructure needs and deficiencies in terms of supply, capacity,
condition of facilities, and service quality.
1. The District continues the process of upgrading, maintaining, and constructing new stormwater
drainage facilities through the implementation of their Capital Improvement Plan that
appropriates funds for projects on an annual basis.
2. The District is developing master plans for stormwater drainage facilities in both the north Indio
and Mecca areas, where flood control concerns exist.
Growth and Population
Purpose: To evaluate service needs based upon existing and anticipated growth patterns and
population projections.
1. Existing population figures and future projections are rarely projected for the service areas of
special districts unless the district devotes staff for that purpose. This is a constraint to predicting
future service demands, especially in areas where growth is expected and whose resources are
limited.
2. The growth that has been projected by SCAG expects a growth rate of 2.75 percent through 2030.
Similarly, the District projects a growth rate of 2.65 percent through 2025.
3. With a larger population and increased development within the Coachella Valley area, the needs
for stormwater management services will increase.
Financing Constraints and Opportunities
Purpose: To evaluate a jurisdiction’s capability to finance needed improvements and services.
1. The District prepares a comprehensive and thorough annual budget that clearly identifies the
revenues and expenditures for the services provided by the District.
2. The District looks to collaborate with the surrounding jurisdictions, as this has proven to be cost
effective.
3. The District has been successful in obtaining State and Federal funding to implement needed
stormwater drainage projects.
6-7
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\6.0 Coachella Valley Water District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
6.0 COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
Cost Avoidance Opportunities
Purpose: To identify practices or opportunities that may help eliminate unnecessary costs.
1. The District pursues opportunities to partner with other agencies to implement stormwater
management projects. These partnerships avoid costs to the District.
2. The District pursues grant funding whenever possible to reduce the costs of infrastructure projects
that will benefit the entire community or region.
Opportunities for Rate Restructuring
Purpose: To identify opportunities to impact rates positively without decreasing service levels.
1. The District does not charge rates for flood control services. Hence, there are no opportunities for
rate restructuring.
Opportunities for Shared Facilities
Purpose: To evaluate the opportunities for a jurisdiction to share facilities and resources to develop
more efficient service delivery systems.
1. The District participates with many different agencies in constructing, funding, and maintaining
storm drainage facilities within its boundaries.
2. The District works cooperatively and effectively with other jurisdictions to find cost-effective
ways of implementing projects.
3. The District should continue to pursue opportunities to partner with other agencies to implement
stormwater management programs.
Government Structure Options
Purpose: To consider the advantages and disadvantages of various government structures to
provide public services.
1. It is reasonable to conclude that pubic services can continue to be provided by the District under
the existing government structure.
Evaluation of Management Efficiencies
Purpose: To consider the management structure of the jurisdiction.
1. The District’s budget and accounting practices are audited annually by a Certified Public
Accountant.
2. The District seeks to ensure that objectives of agencies that are participating in a project are
compatible and that limited funding is utilized effectively.
6-8
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\6.0 Coachella Valley Water District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
6.0 COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
Local Accountability and Governance
Purpose: To evaluate the accessibility and levels of public participation associated with the
agency’s decision-making and management processes.
1. The agenda for the meetings are available to the public by postings, newspaper, mailing, and on
the District’s website.
2. The District’s website is user-friendly and provides an abundance of community information,
including Board Meeting agendas, infrastructure activities of the District, and water conservation
information.
3. Board meetings are held pursuant to the Brown Act and public participation is encouraged.
4. The District prepares an Annual Review of District activities, which is sent to households and
property owners within the District to help keep the public aware of recent and future activities.
5. Prior to budge approval, public meetings are conducted to include citizen concerns.
6-9
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\6.0 Coachella Valley Water District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION
AND PARK DISTRICT
Recreation and park services are discussed within this MSR.
7.1 LOCATION, ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT, AND OPERATIONS
The Coachella Valley Recreation and Park District (District) was formed on December 18, 1950, for
the purpose of providing recreational facilities in the Coachella Valley area. The District contains
approximately 1,800 square miles, as shown in Figure 7.1. The District’s SOI is coterminous with its
boundary.
The District is governed by a five-member elected board, elected to four-year terms. The District’s
Board conducts monthly meetings and encourages public participation. The Board meets on the
second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the District Office in Indio. The public
is welcome and encouraged to attend and to provide input on facilities and program needs. All
District meetings are held pursuant to the Brown Act. In addition to postings, advertising, and direct
mailing, the District encourages public participation by maintaining a Web site and publishing a
program brochure three times a year that is mailed to approximately 90,000 residences.
The District is funded by a mixture of property taxes, Quimby fees, grants, special assessments,
redevelopment tax-increment funds, in-lieu fees, voter-approved bonds, program revenue, and
maintenance agreements. These funds allow for facility maintenance, program development, and
community activities. Prior to July 1 of each year, the District adopts a budget. Preparation begins as
staff prepares a recommended budget, which is forwarded to the Board of Directors for review and
adoption. Public hearings are conducted to gain residents’ comments. The budget is adopted
pursuant to the Public Resource Code. It should be noted that the District’s budget for the previous
three years has resulted in a deficit. In addition, the fiscal year 2004–2005 budget is projected to have
a deficit. Due to this, the District has shifted its financial priorities from expansions to operations and
is using its current Quimby Act fees to repay past capital improvement expenditures.
The District adopted a Five-Year Capital Improvement Program in 2000, and is now in the process of
updating it. The Plan lists capital improvements, their costs, a list of priorities, and methods of
financing. The District currently has commitments for new facilities. However, due to the recent
budget deficits, these commitments “exceed current and expected revenues,” as stated in the District’s
Annual Financial Report for the Year Ended June 30, 2004. Therefore, no capitol improvements are
planned for the 2004-2005 Fiscal Year.
The District has several arrangements for operation of the District, which provide management
efficiencies and/or cost-avoidance opportunities. These include:
7-1
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
Figure 7.1: CVRPD Boundaries and Facilities
7-2
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
• Outsourced professional services, which keeps administrative costs down; the District only pays
for services that are needed.
o Legal Counsel: the District does not maintain a staff attorney and uses different attorneys as
needed, based on the issue
o Assessment Engineering: the District utilizes a private engineering company
o Human Resources: the District has one person providing HR services and outsources as
needed for specific projects
• Outsourced Landscape Services: limits the maintenance department overhead by allowing the
District to operate with a smaller crew and less machinery.
Joint Powers Authorities: by pooling resources with other agencies, the District maintains sufficient
insurance coverage with lower premiums.
o California Association of Park and Recreation Insurance
o Park and Recreation District Employee Compensation
In addition, Riverside County has recently prepared a Report on Parks and Recreational Service in the
Unincorporated Communities of Riverside County, which states that the Recreation and Parks
Districts of the County have formed a working group to develop improved funding and infrastructure
planning. The District’s participation in this group may assist in the provision of service. Potential
opportunities that could arise from this working group may provide additional services to residents
while providing a cost savings to the District.
To avoid unnecessary costs, the District has adopted a purchasing policy. This policy sets limits for
procurement without advertising or written contract of $10,000 for any purpose other than new
construction, and of $25,000 for new construction. The purchase of anything over $5,000 requires at
least three quotes. In addition, to ensure efficient accounting, the District contracts annually for an
independent audit of its financial operations. At this time the District is preparing a formal
investment policy, which will guide the investment practices of the District.
The District has a history of looking for ways to lower costs or improve services at the same cost.
Currently, the District’s staff has discussed with the Board approximately 20 ways to reduce or
control operational costs. Some of these concepts have been implemented and others will be in front
of the Board later this year for approval. The primary focus is to enhance revenue, which includes
contracting for fundraising services and activating the District’s dormant foundation.
The District has earned many awards; some of these include:
California Association of Recreation & Park Districts (CARPD)
• Outstanding District in the State of California, 1992
• Outstanding District in the State of California, 1993
• Outstanding District in the State of California, 1997
• Best Electronic Presentation, 2000
7-3
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
• Best Renovated Facility, Pawley Pool, 2002
• Outstanding District in the State of California, 2002
• Best Renovated Facility, La Quinta Community Center and Park, 2004
Desert Beautiful
• Outstanding Contribution to Desert Beautification, 1998
California Parks & Recreation Society
• Innovative Programming Award, 1997
Inland Empire Branch of the American Public Works Association
• Project of the Year for City of La Quinta Fritz Burns Park Pool, 1999
7.2 POPULATION AND GROWTH
This section is based upon data generated by the U.S. Census, the California Department of Finance,
and SCAG. Existing and projected population information from these agencies is provided at the city
or county level. It is not aggregated to the Special District level. Hence, existing population figures
and future projections are rarely projected for the service areas of special districts unless the District
devotes staff for that purpose. However, assumptions regarding the District’s growth can be made by
analyzing trends of the larger geographical area, which is provided below.
Total Population
The California Department of Finance estimates the 2004 population within the cities of the
Coachella Valley (Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta) to be 119,310. In the ten years between 1990 and
2000, the population in this area increased 47.06 percent. During the same ten-year period, the
housing stock increased 44.79 percent. Tables 7.A and 7.B show population and housing growth in
the southern Coachella Valley and the County as a whole in 1990, 2000, and 2004. As shown,
growth within the southern Coachella Valley area during the 1990s was much higher than growth
within the County as a whole.
7-4
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
Table 7.A: Total Incorporated1 Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley
(1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 64,961 — 23,306 —
2000 95,534 4.71 33,745 4.48
2004 119,310 6.22 42,021 6.13
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
Table 7.B: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 1,170,413 — 483,847 —
2000 1,545,387 3.2 584,674 2.1
2004 1,776,743 3.7 659,795 3.2
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
Growth Projections
The growth projections that have been adopted by SCAG are shown in Tables 7.C and 7.D. As
shown, the projected growth in population and households within the CVAG area is less that what is
expected in the County as a whole. However, the growth that is projected at a local level within the
Cities of Indio, La Quinta, and Coachella are much higher than what SCAG projects. For example, in
2002–2003 the City of Indio approved development of 16,000 housing units; the City of La Quinta is
expecting development of 500 homes in 2004–2005; and the City of Coachella is projecting a growth
rate of 6.52 percent. Therefore, the projections that have been adopted by SCAG may be low
compared to actual growth.
Table 7.C: CVAG Area Growth Projections (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 470,827 164,169 186,124
2020 607,149 216,311 227,494
2030 730,001 267,612 270,336
Annual Growth Rate 2.75% 3.15% 2.26%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
1 Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta
7-5
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
Table 7.D: Riverside County Growth Projections (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 2,085,432 685,775 727,711
2020 2,644,278 907,932 954,499
2030 3,143,468 1,127,780 1,188,976
Annual Growth Rate 2.54% 3.22% 3.17%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
The District has stated that it does not necessarily need to respond to growth that is occurring within
cities, as the cities are receiving Quimby Act fees from developers and other fees for park
development. However, the District does utilize growth projections and create action plans, which
are designed to meet the expected need.
7.3 PARKS AND RECREATION
The District owns and maintains numerous facilities throughout the Coachella Valley, as shown on
Figure 7.2, which include community centers, gymnasiums, health and fitness centers, pools, and ball
fields. As shown in Table 7.E, the District works in partnership with cities, school districts, and the
County to provide facilities and recreational programs to the residents within its boundary. The
District’s boundary includes several different cities that provide various different levels of park and
recreational services, as well as unincorporated areas. In addition, the District comprises communities
with wide-ranging demographics, from senior communities to family-oriented communities.
The District manager works with the managements of the agencies within its boundary to coordinate
planning and avoid the duplication of services. The District’s objective is to “fill the gaps” in the
provision of park and recreation services. For example, within the City of Indio, the City provides the
park facilities and the District provides recreational programs. The District also provides
recreational-oriented facilities such as community centers, aquatic parks, and golf centers. In addition,
the County provides numerous facilities within the District’s boundary. These facilities also include
parks and community centers. Hence, in some areas of the District there may be as many as three or
four agencies providing park and recreational facilities. This may appear to be an overlapping of
services. However, the District and the cities that are served by the District have worked out a system
of coordination to ensure a cooperative arrangement that efficiently utilizes resources to provide
services to area residents. Therefore, continued close coordination with the needs of the communities
and the agencies’ plans for future facilities and services is important to avoid any future duplication
of services and promote the continued efficient provision of services.
In an attempt to achieve these objectives and promote a regional perspective to the provision of park
and recreational services, the District has published a Park System Plan. In addition, the District
manager attends multiple city council meetings to participate in the planning of facilities and
programs.
7-6
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
Figure 7.2: Coachella Valley Recreation and Parks
7-7
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
Table 7.E: Park and Recreation Facilities within the Boundaries of the Coachella Valley
Recreation and Parks District
West Valley Facilities: Bermuda Dunes, Palm Desert, Thousand Palms
Bermuda Dunes Park, Avenue Cahuilla Hills Tennis Park, up Civic Center Park, corner of
42 and Yucca Street, Bermuda Highway 74 across from Fred Waring and San Pablo,
Dunes Grapevine Street, Palm Desert Palm Desert
Owner: Riverside County Owner: City of Palm Desert Owner: City of Palm Desert
Operator: In negotiations Operator: City of Palm Desert Operator: CVRPD
between County and CVRPD Maintenance: City of Palm Maintenance: City of Palm
Maintenance: In negotiations Desert Desert/CVRPD
with County and CVRPD
College of the Desert Cook Fields Sports Complex, Edge Hill Tennis Courts, corner
Swimming Pool, 43-500 43-570 Phyllis Jackson Way, of Pitahaya and Edge Hill, Palm
Monterey Avenue, Palm Desert Palm Desert Desert
Owner: College of the Desert Owner: City of Palm Desert Owner: City of Palm Desert
Operator: College of the Desert/ Operator: CVRPD Operator: City of Palm Desert
CVRPD Maintenance: City of Palm Maintenance: City of Palm
Maintenance: College of the Desert/CVRPD Desert
Desert
Freedom Park, Country Club Homne Adams Park, Highway Hovely Soccer Complex,
Drive, at the side of Palm Valley 74 across from Haystack Road, Hovely Lane between Cook
Country Club, Palm Desert Palm Desert Street and Portola Avenue, Palm
Owner: City of Palm Desert; not Owner: City of Palm Desert Desert
built yet Operator: City of Palm Desert Owner: City of Palm Desert
Operator: TBD Maintenance: City of Palm Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: City of Palm Desert Maintenance: City of Palm
Desert Desert/CVRPD
Ironwood Park, corner of Legends Ball Fields, corner of Olesen Ball Field, corner of
Portola Avenue and Haystack, San Pablo Avenue and Magnesia Portola Avenue and Magnesia
Palm Desert Falls, Palm Desert Falls, Palm Desert
Owner: City of Palm Desert Owner: City of Palm Desert Owner: City of Palm Desert
Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: City of Palm Maintenance: City of Palm Maintenance: City of Palm
Desert/CVRPD Desert/CVRPD Desert/CVRPD
Palm Desert Community Palm Desert Middle School, Palm Desert Skatepark, 43-900
Center, 43-900 San Pablo 74-200 Rutledge Way, Palm San Pablo Avenue, Palm Desert
Avenue, Palm Desert Desert Owner: City of Palm Desert
Owner: City of Palm Desert Owner: Desert Sands Unified Operator: CVRPD
Operator: CVRPD School District Maintenance: City of Palm
Maintenance: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD Desert/CVRPD
Maintenance: Desert Sands
Unified School District
7-8
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
Portola Community Center, The Golf Center at Palm Thousand Palms Community
45-480 Portola Avenue, Palm Desert, 74-945 Sheryl Avenue, Center, 31-819 Robert Road,
Desert Palm Desert Thousand Palms
Owner: City of Palm Desert Owner: CVRPD Owner: Riverside County
Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: City of Palm Maintenance: CVRPD Maintenance: CVRPD
Desert/CVRPD
Palm Desert Community Palm Desert Country Club, Joe
Gardens Mann Park
Owner: City of Palm Desert Owner: City of Palm Desert
Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: City of Palm Maintenance: City of Palm
Desert/CVRPD Desert
East Valley Facilities: Coachella, Indio, La Quinta, Mecca, North Shore, Thermal
Bagdouma Park, corner of Bagdouma Swimming Pool, Canal Regional Park, Pierce
Douma and Bagdad Street, 84-626 Bagdad Street, Coachella Street and Avenue 54, Coachella
Coachella Owner: City of Coachella Owner: Bureau of Reclamation
Owner: City of Coachella Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD
Operator: CVRPD Maintenance: City of Coachella/ Maintenance: CVRPD
Maintenance: City of Coachella/ CVRPD
CVRPD
Dateland Park, Avenue 52 and Coachella Community Center, Coral Mountain Regional
Harrison Street, Indio 84-626 Bagdad, Coachella Park, Avenue 58 by Lake
Owner: City of Coachella Owner: City of Coachella Cahuilla County Park, La Quinta
Operator: City of Coachella Operator: CVRPD Owner: Bureau of Reclamation
Maintenance: City of Coachella Maintenance: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: CVRPD
Davis Ballfields and Tennis Desert Gardens: Kids Club, Desert Regional Park, corner of
courts, south of Jackson and 83-880 Avenue 48, Indio Avenue 40 and Monroe Street,
Date Street, Indio Owner: Desert Gardens Indio
Owner: City of Indio Apartments Owner: Bureau of Reclamation
Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: City of Indio/ Maintenance: Desert Gardens Maintenance: CVRPD
CVRPD Apartments/CVRPD
Fritz Burnz Pool, corner of Fuente De Paz: Kids Club, Huerta De Meza Park,
Bermudas and Avenue 52, La 52-664 Harrison Street, Highway 111; take a left at
Quinta Coachella Avenue 62 to Johnson Street,
Owner: City of La Quinta Owner: Fuente De Paz Thermal
Operator: CVRPD Apartments Owner: Riverside County
Maintenance: CVRPD/City of La Operator: CVRPD Operator: Riverside County
Quinta Maintenance: Fuente De Paz Maintenance: Riverside County
Apartments/CVRPD
Indio Community Center, Indio Hills Park, 80-400 Dillion Jackson Skatepark
45-871 Clinton Avenue, Indio Road, Indio Owner: City of Indio
Owner: CVRPD Owner: Riverside County Operator: CVRPD
Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD Maintenance: City of Indio/
Maintenance: CVRPD Maintenance: CVRPD CVRPD
7-9
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
John Kelley and Graham La Quinta Community Park, La Familia/John Kelly
Ballfields, Church Street, 77-865 Avenida Montezuma, La Ballfields, Polk Street off of
Thermal Quinta Airport Boulevard, Thermal
Owner: Coachella Valley Unified Owner: CVRPD Owner: Coachella Valley Unified
School District Operator: CVRPD School District
Operator: CVRPD/Coachella Maintenance: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD/Coachella
Valley Unified School District Valley Unified School District
Maintenance: Coachella Valley Maintenance: Coachella Valley
Unified School District/CVRPD Unified School District/CVRPD
La Quinta Community Center Las Casas: Kids Club, 51-600 Las Palmas LQ: Kids Club,
& Park, 77-865 Avenida Tyler Street, Coachella 80000 Avenue 48, Indio
Montezuma, La Quinta Owner: Coachella Valley Owner: Thomas Morgan
Owner: CVRPD Housing Coalition Operator: CVRPD
Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD Maintenance: Thomas Morgan/
Maintenance: CVRPD Maintenance: Coachella Valley CVRPD
Housing Coalition/CVRPD
Las Palmeras: Kids Club, Mecca Community Center Mecca Mini Park, corner of
51-374 Tyler Street, Coachella (Park & Pool), 65-250 Cahuilla Avenue 62 and Lincoln Street,
Owner: Coachella Valley Street, Mecca Mecca
Housing Coalition Owner: Riverside County Owner: Riverside County
Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD
Maintenance: Coachella Valley Maintenance: CVRPD Maintenance: CVRPD
Housing Coalition/CVRPD
Mt Vista School, 49-750 Hjorth North Shore Community Oasis School Ballfields, 88-775
Street, Indio Center & Park, Take I-10 to Avenue 76, Thermal
Owner: Coachella Valley Unified Avenue 70 then a left on Wheeler Owner: Coachella Valley Unified
School District Street, North Shore Salton Sea School District
Operator: CVRPD/Coachella Owner: Desert Alliance for Operator: CVRPD/Coachella
Valley Unified School District Community Empowerment Valley Unified School District
Maintenance: Coachella Valley Operator: CVRPD Maintenance: Coachella Valley
Unified School District/CVRPD Maintenance: CVRPD Unified School District/CVRPD
Olive Court: Kids Club, 44-056 Pawley Pool Family Aquatic Placitas De La Paz, Avenue 50/
Arabia Street, #G, Indio Complex, 46-350 South Jackson, Fredrick, Coachella
Owner: Olive Court Apartments Indio Owner: Placitas De La Paz
Limited Partner Owner: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD
Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD Maintenance: Placitas De La Paz/
Maintenance: Olive Court Maintenance: CVRPD CVRPD
Apartments Limited Partner/
CVRPD
Plaza Del Sol: Kids Club, Rotary Ball Field, North South Jackson Park, 46-350
46-299 Arabia St., Indio Jackson near Interstate 10, Indio South Jackson Street, Indio
Owner: United Development Owner: City of Indio Owner: City of Indio
Group Operator: CVRPD Operator: City of Indio
Operator: CVRPD Maintenance: City of Indio/ Maintenance: City of Indio
Maintenance: United CVRPD
Development Group Inc./
CVRPD
7-10
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
Sunrise Point: Kids Club, Palm Desert Community Palm Desert County Club, Joe
46-725 Clinton Street, Indio Gardens Mann Park, 77-810 California
Owner: Sunrise Point Apartments Owner: City of Palm Desert Drive
Operator: CVRPD Operator: CVRPD Owner: City of Palm Desert
Maintenance: Sunrise Point Maintenance: City of Palm Operator: CVRPD
Apartments/CVRPD Desert Maintenance: City of Palm
Desert/CVRPD
The District has stated that the Cities of Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City, which are outside of
the District’s boundary/SOI, could be efficiently served by the District. At this time, preliminary
discussions have begun between these cities and the District regarding their potential annexation into
the District. The provision of service within these two cities would be the same in that the District
would fill in the gaps of service provision and only provide the needed services. Currently, that
appears to be the provision of recreational programs within these cities.
As shown on Figure 7.1, the Cities of Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City are geographically
separated from the existing District’s boundaries. Inclusion of these two cities into the Park and
Recreation District’s boundary would create two non-contiguous District areas that are relatively far
away from the existing District’s boundaries. If the District determines that it could meet the needs of
the Cities. The agencies should consider provision of District services via contract. Because of the
location of the two cities, this may be a more appropriate government structure option for the
provision of services.
In addition, CVRPD has two new parks in the developmental stage, including:
• Desert Regional Park. This new 280-acre regional park under development will be the future
home of the Coachella Valley Mounted Rangers, located on Jackson north of I-10.
• Coral Mountain Regional Park. This new 620-acre regional park under development will feature
nature trails, hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, picnicking and nature center; located on
Highway 58 adjacent to Lake Cahuilla.
The District provides youth and adult recreational programs, special events, child care, sports
tournaments and leagues to residents within the District’s boundary. Some of the activities offered by
the District include:
• Palm Desert Youth Baseball Camp
• Indio and Palm Desert Youth Basketball Camp and Basketball League
• Camp Dodger Day
• Over-50 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament
• Adult Coed Softball League
• Pee Wee Tennis Clinic
• Adult Tennis Clinic
• Junior Tennis Clinic (ages 6–18)
7-11
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
• Summer Junior Golf Camps
• Beginner Golf Group Lessons
• Private Golf Lessons by PGA and LPGA Golf Pros
• Showaydo Wa Yu Ryu-Karate
• Indio Moo Duk Kwan
• Jazzercise Exercise Classes
• Sidewinders Square Dance Club
• Palm Desert Roadrunners Square Dance Club
• Dance/Exercise with Elsa Miller
• Salsa
• Beginning Guitar Course
• Gymnastics
• Teen Scene
• Cerebral Palsy Challengers Camp
• Junior High SPLASH Party Night
• High School Teen Dances
• Summer Tot Camps
• “I Believe in Me” Summer Day Camps
• Drop-in Day Camps/Clubhouses
Recreation Rates
The District and Board of Directors adjust user fees annually, as needed. In general these are small,
incremental adjustments that reflect increases in direct costs to deliver services. Each year, the Board
adopts a fees and charges manual that includes all fees and charges for that year. Some of the rates
for facility use are listed below.
Pool Rentals. The rental includes pool use, locker room and restroom access, and a certified
lifeguard.
Fees per hour:
• 1-40 participants $65.00 ($85.00 for Pawley Pool)
• 41-60 participants $75.00 ($95.00 for Pawley Pool)
• 61-80 participants $85.00 ($105.00 for Pawley Pool)
• 81-100 participants $95.00 ($115.00 for Pawley Pool)
7-12
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
Ballfield Rentals. A Facility Use Permit is required and appropriate fees paid ($250.00 cleaning
deposit, $30.00 per hour night use and/or $10.00 per hour day use at least two weeks in advance of
desired date). Bases and chalking are available at an additional charge.
Health Club. The Indio and Palm Desert Community Centers offer many of the same exercise
equipment of the private health clubs with lower fees for use and no membership contract.
Yearly fees:
• $5 daily guest walk-in fee
• $10 Indio and Palm Desert Residents
• $25 District Residents
• $120 Non-District Resident
Golf.
Green fees:
• Summer Fees (June 1–September 30)
o 9 holes: $12
o 18 holes: $18
• Seniors (60+)
o 9 holes: $10
o 18 holes: $16
• Juniors
o 9 holes: $7
o 18 holes: $14
o (Juniors after 3 p.m., $5 unlimited play)
• Equipment Rentals
Pull Cart:
o 9 holes: $2.50
o 18 holes: $7.50
7-13
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
7.4 DETERMINATIONS FOR THE CVRPD
The Service Review guidelines prepared by the State Office of Planning and Research recommend
that issues relevant to the jurisdiction be addressed through written determinations called for in the
Act. Based on the above information, the following are the written determinations for the Coachella
Valley Recreation and Park District.
Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies
Purpose: To evaluate the infrastructure needs and deficiencies in terms of supply, capacity,
condition of facilities, and service quality.
1. The District adopted a Five-Year Capitol Improvement Program in 2000, and is now in the
process of updating it. The plan lists capitol improvements, their costs, a list of priorities, and
methods of financing. The updated CIP will identify any infrastructure needs and deficiencies.
2. Due to the recent budget deficits, the District’s capital improvement commitments “exceed current
and expected revenues.” Therefore, no capital improvements are planned for the 2004-2005
Fiscal Year. Lack of meeting these commitments may cause infrastructure deficiencies.
Growth and Population
Purpose: To evaluate service needs based upon existing and anticipated growth patterns and
population projections.
1. Existing population figures and future projections are rarely projected for the service areas of
special districts unless the district devotes staff for that purpose. This is a constraint to predicting
future service demands, especially in areas where growth is expected and whose resources are
limited.
2. SCAG’s projected growth through 2030 within the CVAG area is less that what is expected in the
County as a whole. However, the growth that is projected is expected to be rapid.
3. The growth that is projected at a local level within the Cities of Indio, La Quinta, and Coachella is
much higher than what SCAG projects. In addition, actual development approvals are much
higher. Hence, regional projections may be low compared to what actually may occur.
Financing Constraints and Opportunities
Purpose: To evaluate a jurisdiction’s capability to finance needed improvements and services.
1. The District is funded by a mixture of property taxes, Quimby Act fees, grants, special
assessments, redevelopment tax-increment funds, in-lieu fees, voter approved bonds, program
revenue, and maintenance agreements.
2. At this time the District is preparing a formal investment policy, which will guide the investment
practices of the District.
7-14
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
3. As a result of budget deficit issues, the District is focused on enhancing revenue, which includes
contracting for fund raising services and activating the District’s dormant foundation.
4. The District prepares a comprehensive and thorough annual budget that clearly identifies the
revenues and expenditures for the services provided by the District. However, the District’s
budget for the previous three years has resulted in deficit. In addition, the fiscal year 2004–2005
budget is projected to have a deficit. Due to this, the District is using its current Quimby fees to
repay past capitol improvement expenditures. This is a constraint to financing future services.
Cost Avoidance Opportunities
Purpose: To identify practices or opportunities that may help eliminate unnecessary costs.
1. The District has several arrangements for operation of the District, which provide management
efficiencies and/or cost avoidance opportunities.
2. To avoid unnecessary costs the District has adopted a purchasing policy.
3. Through participation in the Recreation and Parks District’s working group, the District should
explore additional potential cost avoidance opportunities with other agencies in the area. Ideas
that could be explored include shared funding for facilities, programs, studies, and equipment.
4. The District is member of Joint Powers Authority and benefits from insurance coverage’s offered
at a lower rate then the District could purchase on its own.
5. The District has contracted out for professional and landscape services, which has reduced the
District’s personnel and equipment costs.
Opportunities for Rate Restructuring
Purpose: To identify opportunities to impact rates positively without decreasing service levels.
1. The District and Board of Directors adjust user fees annually, as needed. In general these are
small, incremental adjustments that reflect increases in direct costs to deliver services. Each year,
the Board adopts a fees and charges manual that includes all fees and charges for that year.
Opportunities for Shared Facilities
Purpose: To evaluate the opportunities for a jurisdiction to share facilities and resources to develop
more efficient service delivery systems.
1. The District has maintained cooperative working relationships with many different agencies. The
District should participate in the Recreation and Park District’s working group and explore any
additional potential cooperative agreements with agencies in western Riverside County for the
provision of park and recreational services.
2. Most of the District’s services are provided through a shared facility or cooperative arrangement.
7-15
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
7.0 COACHELLA VALLEY RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
Government Structure Options
Purpose: To consider the advantages and disadvantages of various government structures to
provide public services.
1. Based on the current provision of service, it is reasonable to conclude that pubic services can
continue to be provided by the District under the existing government structure.
2. The District and the Cities that are served by the District have worked out a system of
coordination to ensure a cooperative arrangement that efficiently utilizes resources to provide
services to area residents. Therefore, continued close coordination with the needs of the
communities and the agencies’ plans for future facilities and services is important to avoid any
future duplication of services and promote the continued efficient provision of services.
3. The District has stated that Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City could be efficiently served by
the District. However, inclusion of these two cities into the District’s boundary would create two
non-contiguous District areas. Because of this, provision of services via contract to the Cities
should be considered. This may be a more appropriate government structure option.
Evaluation of Management Efficiencies
Purpose: To consider the management structure of the jurisdiction.
1. The District has several arrangements for operation of the District, which provide management
efficiencies and/or cost avoidance opportunities.
2. The District has earned many awards, which is indicative of an efficiently managed District.
3. To ensure efficient accounting, the District contracts annually for an independent audit of its
financial operations.
Local Accountability and Governance
Purpose: To evaluate the accessibility and levels of public participation associated with the
agency’s decision-making and management processes.
1. The public is welcome to all Board meetings and encouraged to provide input on facilities and
program needs.
2. All District meetings are held pursuant to the Brown Act.
3. In addition to postings, advertising, and direct mailing District information, the District
encourages public participation by maintaining a web site and publishing a program brochure
three times a year that is mailed to approximately 90,000 residences.
7-16
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\7.0 Coachella Valley Recreation Park District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
8.0 IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
8.0 IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
Electricity services are discussed within this MSR.
8.1 LOCATION, ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT, AND OPERATIONS
The Imperial Irrigation District (District) was formed in 1911 for the purpose of providing irrigation
water. In 1936 the District began providing electricity services. Currently, the District has over
114,000 electricity customers and provides electrical service over a 6,471-square-mile (sq mi) service
area. Approximately 83 percent of the District’s electric customers are residential and approximately
16 percent are commercial/industrial. The District’s service boundaries encompass the Counties of
Riverside (1,953 sq mi), San Diego (293 sq mi), and Imperial (4,225 sq mi), as shown on Figure 8.1.
The District is governed by a five-member Board of Directors who are elected by the residents of the
District. The Board of Directors meets regularly twice a month at the William R. Condit Auditorium,
located at 1285 Broadway in El Centro. Board agendas and the meeting schedule are posted on the
District’s Web site in addition to the District offices. The District has adopted investment policies to
guide the District’s investment practices.
The District has many different operating agreements with other agencies for certain energy
generation stations and transmission systems that are jointly owned. These operating agreements
provide for the District to pay its proportionate share of construction and improvement costs.
Likewise, the District is a member of The Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA), a
joint powers authority consisting of 10 municipal utilities and one irrigation district. SCPPA was
formed in 1980 to finance the acquisition of generation and transmission resources for its members.
SCPPA’s role has evolved over the years to include legislative advocacy at the State and national
levels and cooperative efforts to reduce member costs and improve efficiency.
The District is also a member of the Salton Sea Authority, a joint energy authority formed in 1993 for
the purpose of working with the State of California, the federal government, and the Republic of
Mexico in the development of programs to ensure continued beneficial uses of the Salton Sea. These
beneficial uses include its primary purpose as a depository for agricultural drainage, stormwater, and
wastewater flows, together with protection of endangered species, fisheries, waterfowl, and
recreation.
The District implemented an efficiency study in 2001, which analyzed the organization and made
recommendations to improve its efficiency. By examining internal procedures, the District was able
to reduce redundancies, improve turnaround time, and provide more efficient service to its customers.
Since this study, the organization was restructured to divide wholesale and retail operations. By
8-1
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\8.0 Imperial Irrigation District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
8.0 IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
Figure 8.1: Imperial Irrigation District Boundaries
8-2
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\8.0 Imperial Irrigation District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
8.0 IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
doing so, the retail operations began improving customer service issues and the wholesale operations
focused on planning future energy and infrastructure needs. Additionally, the District created a
Business and Regulatory Section, which is focused on energy resource management and energy
policy in the State. In addition, the District has implemented several programs to increase efficiency.
These programs include:
• An Internal Controls Unit, which examines processes to recommend, implement, and monitor
improvements
• A “New Installations” process to eliminate delays
• A new method to track project expenditures, saving money and preventing cost overruns
• New efficient work practices
8.2 POPULATION AND GROWTH
This section is based upon data generated by the U.S. Census, the California Department of Finance,
and SCAG. Existing and projected population information from these agencies is provided at the city
or county level. It is not aggregated to the Special District level. Hence, existing population figures
and future projections are rarely projected for the service areas of special districts unless the district
devotes staff for that purpose. However, assumptions regarding the District’s growth can be made by
analyzing trends of the larger geographical area, which is provided below.
Total Population
The California Department of Finance estimates the 2004 population within the cities of the
Coachella Valley (Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta) to be 119,310. In the ten years between 1990 and
2000, the population in this area increased 47.06 percent. During the same ten-year period, the
housing stock increased 44.79 percent. Tables 8.A and 8.B show population and housing growth in
the southern Coachella Valley and the County as a whole in 1990, 2000, and 2004. As shown,
growth within the southern Coachella Valley area during the 1990s was slightly lower than growth
within the County as a whole.
Table 8.A: Total Incorporated1 Population and Housing in the Southern Coachella Valley
(1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 64,961 — 23,306 —
2000 95,534 4.71 33,745 4.48
2004 119,310 6.22 42,021 6.13
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
1 Coachella, Indio, and La Quinta
8-3
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\8.0 Imperial Irrigation District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
8.0 IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
Table 8.B: Total Riverside County Population and Housing (1990, 2000, 2004)
Annual Percent Annual Percent
Year Population Change Housing Change
1990 1,170,413 — 483,847 —
2000 1,545,387 3.2 584,674 2.1
2004 1,776,743 3.7 659,795 3.2
Source: State of California, Department of Finance, E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2004, Revised
2001–2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark. Sacramento, California, May 2004; City/County Population and Housing
Estimates, 1991–2000, with 1990 Census Counts.
Growth Projections
The growth projections that have been adopted by SCAG are shown in Tables 8.C and 8.D. As
shown, the projected growth in population and households within the CVAG area is less than what is
expected in the County as a whole. However, the growth that is projected at a local level within the
Cities of Indio, La Quinta, and Coachella are much higher than what SCAG projects. For example,
the City of Indio in 2002–2003 approved the development of 16,000 housing units; the City of La
Quinta is expecting the development of 500 homes in 2004–2005; and the City of Coachella is
projecting a growth rate of 6.52 percent. Therefore, the projections that have been adopted by SCAG
may be low compared to actual growth. Likewise, electrical customers increased by 6,156, or 5
percent, in 2003.
Table 8.C: CVAG Area Growth Projections (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 470,827 164,169 186,124
2020 607,149 216,311 227,494
2030 730,001 267,612 270,336
Annual Growth Rate 2.75% 3.15% 2.26%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
Table 8.D: Riverside County Growth Projections (2010–2030)
Year Population Households Employment
2010 2,085,432 685,775 727,711
2020 2,644,278 907,932 954,499
2030 3,143,468 1,127,780 1,188,976
Annual Growth Rate 2.54% 3.22% 3.17%
Source: SCAG RTP, April 2004
8.3 ELECTRICITY
The District provides electrical service to customers in Imperial County and parts of Riverside and
San Diego Counties, as shown on Figure 8.1, and is the 6th largest energy provider in California.
8-4
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\8.0 Imperial Irrigation District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
8.0 IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
Because of the extreme warm climate that characterizes the District’s area, power consumption ranks
among the highest in the nation. The District has had more than 19,000 new electric customers
districtwide within the last four years. The District currently has 940 megawatts (MW), and due to
recent and projected growth, the District is looking to procure an additional 250–280 MW by 2008.
In 2003, the District’s peak demand reached 792 MW.
The District currently operates eight hydroelectric generation plants, one generating station, and eight
gas turbines, utilizing 1,340 miles of transmission lines and 4,000 miles of distribution lines and
having an advanced fiber optic network. The District has many different cooperative agreements and
facilities that are utilized to provide electrical services. The following list details the District’s major
facilities and supply sources, which are also listed in Table 8.E:
• The El Centro Generating Station has been producing electricity since its construction in 1949.
The Generating Station's two steam units and a combined cycle unit produce up to 233 MW of
electricity.
• The District has a partnership with Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA), from
which the District obtains 14.6 MW of energy from the Palo Verde Nuclear Generation Station in
Arizona.
• The District has purchased an interest in the San Juan Generating Station Unit 3 in New Mexico.
• The District has purchased an interest in the Palo Verde-San Diego 500-kilovolt (kV)
transmission line, which allows the District access to cheaper imported energy.
• The District has an energy supply contract with Western Area Power Administration (Parker-
Davis) and with El Paso Electric Company for 150 MW.
• The District is a one-third participant with Southern California Edison (SCE) and Arizona Public
Service Company in a 75 MW steam plant.
• The Coachella Valley Substation is the key link between the District and Southern California
Edison. A 230 kV transmission line constructed in 1988 serves two important roles. First, it
allows the District to strengthen its access to the rest of the southeastern power grid. In the case of
a disruption of power from the Imperial Valley, the District could use this route to service
Coachella Valley customers. Second, it establishes a firm path to export geothermal and other
alternative energy (purchased by SCE) from the Imperial Valley.
• The District operates power plants at five different drops and at the East Highline Canal turnout
along the All American Canal. The hydroelectric power plants generate power from the water
flowing through them. Power generation fluctuates with canal water delivery. To maximize
power production, the canal generally is operated with the highest water level possible.
• The District has contracted for 170 MW of energy from CalEnergy Corporation, beginning in
2006.
• The District also participates, through the Western Systems Power Pool, in sales and purchases of
both firm and non-firm energy.
8-5
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\8.0 Imperial Irrigation District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
8.0 IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
Table 8.E: Imperial Irrigation District’s Energy Sources
District-Owned Generating Plants Approximate Energy Amounts
El Centro Steam Units 242 MW
Yucca Steam Unit 97 MW
Gas Turbine Unit 143 MW
Hydroelectric Units (at minimum flow) 85 MW
Other Energy Sources
El Paso Electric 150 MW
So. Cal. Public Power Authority
Palo Verde 15 MW
San Juan 103 MW
Western Area Power Administration 32 MW
CalEnergy Corporation 170 MW (in 2006)
The District and the Comision Federal de Electricidad signed an emergency service agreement in
Mexico City. The agreement allows the two utilities to buy low-cost energy from each other when
available and provide energy in the event of an emergency in either system. Also, within the last five
years, the District has converted to automatic control of power generation.
As demand for electrical services increases, the District continues to expand supply sources to meet
this demand. The District is in the process of employing technology in order to increase efficiencies.
The District is integrating digital mapping and automatic meter reading technologies to increase
accuracy, reliability, and outage response time.
Electricity Rates
The District’s electricity rates have remained the same since 1998. Because Imperial Irrigation
District Energy is a nonprofit organization, rates for services are some of the lowest throughout the
State and are up to 30 percent less than other providers. Tables 8.F through 8.H list the electricity
rates for District customers, and Table 8.I compares rates of other agencies.
Table 8.F: Monthly Rates for Residential Service
The monthly rate shall be the sum of A, B and C.
A. Customer Charge $3.60
B. Energy Charge $7.84 cents per kWh
Energy Cost Adjustment: The amount computed in
C.
accordance with Schedule ECA.
8-6
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\8.0 Imperial Irrigation District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
8.0 IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
Table 8.G: Monthly Rates for Commercial Service
The monthly rate shall be the sum of A, B, and C.
A. Customer Charge $4.00
Energy Charge:
First 1,000 kWh 8.46 cents per kWh
B.
Next 6,000 kWh 8.20 cents per kWh
All over 7,000 kWh 7.84 cents per kWh
Energy Cost Adjustment: The amount
C.
computed in accordance with Schedule ECA.
Table 8.H: Monthly Rates for Large Commercial Service
The monthly rate shall be the sum of A, B, and C.
A. Demand Charge $2.75 per kW of Billing Demand
B. Energy Charge 6.59 cents per kWh
Energy Cost Adjustment: The amount computed in
C.
accordance with Schedule ECA.
Table 8.I: Comparison of Electricity Rates
Residential Service Small Commercial Medium Commercial
Agency 500 kWh 2,000 kWh 100,000 kWh
Imperial Irrigation $51.05 $203.60 $9,065
Vernon $25.54 $240.80 $9,691
Los Angeles $52.18 $209.53 $10,122
Colton $51.13 $255.56 $10,954
Banning $63.94 $272.55 $11,734
Azusa $58.30 $255.58 $8,817
Source: www.scppa.org, December 2004.
8.4 DETERMINATIONS FOR THE IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
The Service Review guidelines prepared by the State Office of Planning and Research recommend
that issues relevant to the jurisdiction be addressed through written determinations called for in the
Act. Based on the above information, the following are the written determinations for the Imperial
Irrigation District.
Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies
Purpose: To evaluate the infrastructure needs and deficiencies in terms of supply, capacity,
condition of facilities, and service quality.
1. Due to recent and projected growth within the District’s boundaries, the IID is looking to procure
an additional 250 to 280 MW by 2008.
8-7
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\8.0 Imperial Irrigation District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
8.0 IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
2. The District has many different cooperative agreements and utilizes many different facilities to
provide electrical services.
3. The District is in the process of employing technology in order to increase efficiencies. The
District is integrating digital mapping and automatic meter reading technologies to increase
accuracy, reliability, and outage response time.
Growth and Population
Purpose: To evaluate service needs based upon existing and anticipated growth patterns and
population projections.
1. Existing population figures and future projections are rarely projected for the service areas of
special districts unless the district devotes staff for that purpose. This is a constraint to predicting
future service demands, especially in areas where growth is expected and whose resources are
limited.
2. The growth that is projected at a local level within the Cities of Indio, La Quinta, and Coachella is
much higher than what SCAG projects. In addition, actual development approvals are much
higher. Hence, regional projections may be low compared to what actually may occur.
Financing Constraints and Opportunities
Purpose: To evaluate a jurisdiction’s capability to finance needed improvements and services.
1. The District is a member of The Southern California Public Power Authority, which is a joint
powers authority that works to finance the acquisition of generation and transmission resources
for its members.
2. The District prepares a comprehensive and thorough annual budget that clearly identifies the
revenues and expenditures for the services provided by the District.
3. There are no apparent fiscal constraints limiting the ability of the District to serve existing and
future residents.
4. The District looks to collaborate with the other energy generators, as this has proven to be cost
effective.
Cost Avoidance Opportunities
Purpose: To identify practices or opportunities that may help eliminate unnecessary costs.
1. The District should continue to collaborate with other energy generators and providers in order to
create cost effective energy resources.
8-8
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\8.0 Imperial Irrigation District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
8.0 IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
2. The District should pursue grant funding where possible for projects designed to benefit the
community.
Opportunities for Rate Restructuring
Purpose: To identify opportunities to impact rates positively without decreasing service levels.
1. The IID’s electricity rates have remained the same since 1998. Because IID Energy is a non-
profit organization, rates for services are some of the lowest throughout the State and are up to 30
percent less than other providers.
2. The rates for services should be analyzed during the annual budget process, to ensure that charges
and fees are adequate to cover expenditures and meet the legal requirements for a clear nexus
between the fee and the uses.
Opportunities for Shared Facilities
Purpose: To evaluate the opportunities for a jurisdiction to share facilities and resources to develop
more efficient service delivery systems.
1. The District has many different operating agreements with other agencies for certain energy
generation stations and transmission systems that are jointly owned.
2. The District is a member of The Southern California Public Power Authority who works with
members to finance the acquisition of generation and transmission resources. SCPPA's role has
evolved over the years to include legislative advocacy at the state and national levels, and
cooperative efforts to reduce member costs and improve efficiency.
3. The District is a member of the Salton Sea Authority, which works to develop programs to ensure
continued beneficial uses of the Salton Sea.
4. The District should continue to explore potential opportunities to share personnel, facilities and
studies.
Government Structure Options
Purpose: To consider the advantages and disadvantages of various government structures to
provide public services.
1. The District’s organizational structure has undergone several changes in order to provide a more
efficient and streamlined provision of service.
2. It is reasonable to conclude that pubic services can continue to be provided by the District under
the existing government structure.
8-9
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\8.0 Imperial Irrigation District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
8.0 IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
Evaluation of Management Efficiencies
Purpose: To consider the management structure of the jurisdiction.
1. The District implemented an efficiency study in 2001, which analyzed the organization and made
recommendations to improve the efficiency of the organization. Resulting from this study, the
District has implemented several programs to increase efficiencies.
2. The District’s budget and accounting practices are audited annually by a Certified Public
Accountant.
3. The District is in the process of employing technology in order to increase efficiencies. The
District is integrating digital mapping and automatic meter reading technologies to increase
accuracy, reliability, and outage response time.
Local Accountability and Governance
Purpose: To evaluate the accessibility and levels of public participation associated with the
agency’s decision-making and management processes.
1. The District has maintained relationships with local news media, providing information as events
occur and as requested.
2. Prior to budget approval, public meetings are conducted to include citizen concerns.
3. The District’s website provides information about upcoming Board meetings and provides
minutes of previous meetings. In addition, the website provides detailed information about
District projects, issues of concern to the community, and other service related information.
4. The District operates under the provisions and requirements of the Ralph M Brown Act. All
agendas are posted in a timely manner and supplied to anyone requesting notification, including
the local newspaper.
8-10
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\8.0 Imperial Irrigation District.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MARCH 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
9.0 ORGANIZATIONS AND PERSONS CONTACTED
9.0 ORGANIZATIONS AND PERSONS CONTACTED
George Spiliotis, Executive Officer, Riverside LAFCO.
Wayne Fowler, Deputy Executive Officer, Riverside LAFCO.
Sanaa Azar, Development Specialist, Economic Development Agency of Riverside County.
Kevin Kalman, Assistant General Manager, Coachella Valley Recreation and Parks District.
Stan Ford, General Manager, Coachella Valley Recreation and Parks District.
Fred Baker, Principal Planner, City of La Quinta.
Tim Jonasson, Public Works Director/City Engineer, City of La Quinta.
Cristina Leal, Civil Engineering Associate, City of Indio.
David Merrell, Principal Civil Engineer, City of Indio.
Bradley Ramos, Chief of Police, City of Indio Police Department.
Carmen Manriquez, Community Development Director, City of Coachella.
Craig Graves, Finance Director, City of Coachella.
Glen Crowson, General Manager, Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District
Joanne Singer, Principal Stormwater Engineer, Coachella Valley Water District.
Glen Steiger, Energy Department, Imperial Irrigation District.
Paul Stalma, Public Services Program Coordinator, City of Indio.
Gene Ostrander, Riverside County Fire Department.
Ed Campos, Vice President, CR&R.
Dan Ybarra, Sergeant, Patrol & Corrections Planning, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
9-1
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\9.0 Organizations and Persons Contacted.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
10.0 REFERENCES
10.0 REFERENCES
City of Coachella Capitol Improvement Programs Multi-Year Projects 2000–01 through 2005–06.
Prepared by the City of Coachella, May 2001.
City of Coachella Comprehensive Annual Financial Report with Report on Audit by Independent
Certified Public Accountants, June 30, 2003. Prepared by Oscar G. Armijo, Certified Public
Accountant. December 30, 2003.
City of Coachella Fiscal Year 2004-05 Approved Operating Budget, August 1, 2004.
City of Coachella General Plan 2020, Adopted October 1998.
City of Coachella General Plan Draft EIR, March 1997. Prepared by Smith, Peroni & Fox, Planning
Consultants, Inc.
City of Coachella Preliminary Drainage Assessment, Prepared by Coachella Valley Engineers,
September 15, 2003.
City of Indio Adopted Budget Fiscal Year 2003/2004.
City of Indio Comprehensive Annual Financial Report For Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2003.
Prepared by the City of Indio Finance Department, November 10, 2003.
City of Indio Independent Auditor’s Report for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2003. Prepared by
Conrad and Associates, LLP, November 10, 2003.
City of Indio Master Plan of Parks & Recreation 2001–2020, prepared by the City of Indio 2001.
City of La Quinta Capitol Improvement Program Fiscal Years 2004/05 through 2008/09.
City of La Quinta Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Year Ended June 30, 2003.
City of La Quinta Comprehensive General Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report, July 2001.
City of La Quinta Comprehensive General Plan, Adopted March 20, 2002.
City of La Quinta Fiscal Year 2004–2005 Budget.
City of La Quinta Investment Policy Fiscal Year 2004–2005.
City of La Quinta Master Environmental Assessment, Adopted March 2002.
10-1
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\10.0 References.doc
LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW
MAY 2005 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
10.0 REFERENCES
City of La Quinta Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Fall 1992.
City of La Quinta Pavement Management Program Update Final Report, Prepared by GK &
Associates, August 2003.
City of Lake Elsinore Adopted Operating Budget Fiscal Year 2003–2004.
City of Lake Elsinore Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Year Ended June 30, 2003.
City of Lake Elsinore Investment Policy June 2004.
Coachella Valley Recreation & Park District Master Plan, Prepared by V2C Group, Inc., December 9,
1998.
Coachella Valley Recreation and Park District 2004/2005 Budget
Coachella Valley Recreation and Park District Audited Financial Statements June 30, 2003. Prepared
by Burkey, Cox & Evans, August 13, 2003.
Coachella Valley Recreation and Parks District Five Year Capitol Improvement Plan 2000–2005.
Coachella Valley System-Wide Park Plan 2004–2014
Coachella Valley Water District Annual Review, 2003.
Imperial Irrigation District Basic Financial Statements December 31, 2003 and 2002. Prepared by
KPMG LLP, March 5, 2004.
County of Riverside Report on Parks and Recreation Service in the Unincorporated Communities of
Riverside County, January 13, 2005.
Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District 2004–05 Operating Budget.
Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District Annual Audit Report, Year Ended June 30,
2003. Prepared by Teaman, Ramirez & Smith, Inc. September 9, 2003.
www.ci.corona.ca.us. Information downloaded in August 2004.
www.ci.indio.ca.us. Information downloaded in August 2004.
www.coachella.org. Information downloaded in August 2004.
www.cvrpd.org. Information downloaded August through December 2004.
www.cvwd.org. Information downloaded August through December 2004.
www.iid.com. Information downloaded August through December 2004.
www.la-quinta.org. Information downloaded in August 2004.
10-2
P:\Rla430\Draft Rev Sections for Hearing\Coachella\10.0 References.doc