Palm Desert Approves $33M Dave Irwin Park Plan, Splash Pad Cut

Palm Desert's long-awaited Dave Irwin Park is now a roughly $33 million project with a 2029 finish line and no splash pad, after a split council debated equity against upkeep in the desert wind. A 4-1 vote approved the scaled-back plan after a bid to keep the splash pad alive for future consideration failed 3-2. Council also sent a $2.93M sign contract back for itemized costs, a sign that branding spending is getting a harder look.

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• Dave Irwin Park plan approved 4-1 at about $33M, with completion now targeted for 2029
• Splash pad, bocce, event stage and disc golf cut, saving about $2M
• Future splash pad consideration fails 3-2; Moreno and Nestande in the minority
• $2.93M wayfinding and monument sign contract not awarded; staff must split the costs
• View Study adopted 5-0 as guidance, not regulation
• AI policy adopted 5-0, with tiered oversight based on risk

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Dave Irwin Park Advances Without Splash Pad

Why it matters: The council locked in the park's scope, a summer 2029 opening and roughly $630,000 a year in maintenance. The debate exposed a council divide over whether to build amenities for residents with fewer options or hold down long-term upkeep costs.

Where things stand: Council approved a conceptual plan in April 2025 at about $31M, with completion set for February 2028. After a May 2026 study session, Senior Project Manager Ryan Lamb said the schedule slipped because of land acquisition, supplemental environmental and hydrology studies, an added retention basin, a north-side sound wall and utility coordination. Final design is now projected for May 2027 and completion for June or summer 2029.

The budget is now about $33M, down from $35M in May. Staff removed the splash pad ($1.4M to build, about $42,000 a year to maintain), plus bocce courts, an event stage and disc golf (about $600,000 combined), "for a total of $2 million in cost savings," Lamb said. The farmers market was relocated, and roundabouts carry a separate budget. Staff requested no new appropriation and identified about $24M in potential grants, including a $9.2M Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership application. The city has already received $300,000.

The splash pad split: "I believe it's really important to try to find a way to keep the splash pad," said Councilmember Gina Nestande, who pointed to residents who cannot reach the city's aquatic center. Councilmember Karina Moreno argued "our families need somewhere to go." When asked about shifting projected library savings to the splash pad, Lamb declined: "I wouldn't trade dollars for projects just because we're dealing with estimates."

Opponents cited the site's conditions. "It sounds like mud because we're not just talking about wind; we're talking about sand," said Councilmember Jan Harnik. "I'm anti-splash pad in that part of the city in particular," said Mayor Evan Trubee.

The other side: Public commenter Peter Soule urged the city to restore a nine-hole disc golf course that he said would cost under $10,000. He cited the local disc golf community's prior work with the city. "I'm worried about the transparency," Soule said. Lamb said steep basin slopes, wind and walls made disc golf infeasible, and that the city already has a course at Hovley: "It wasn't practical to have it here." Public commenter Michael Stafford, a North Palm Desert resident, backed the revision and asked the city to minimize further delays. "I think we're going to have a really good park even without those 4 amenities that have been taken out," he said.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Nestande moved to approve the plan with the splash pad, and Moreno seconded. Harnik offered a substitute motion to approve the staff report as presented, seconded by Trubee. Moreno then offered a second substitute calling for future consideration of a splash pad. The city attorney advised that procedural missteps carry no legal risk: "If the council proceeds in a manner that isn't exactly in line with Robert's rules, there's nothing at the end of consequence."

• Second substitute (future splash pad consideration): Failed. For: 2 (Moreno, Nestande), Against: 3 (Harnik, Mayor Pro Tem Joe Pradetto, Trubee), Absent: 0.
• Harnik substitute (staff plan as presented): Passed. For: 4, Against: 1 (Moreno), Absent: 0.

What's next: Final design is projected for May 2027. The project's funding plan leans heavily on grants, including the pending $9.2M federal recreation application.

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Council Splits Sign Costs Before Spending $2.9M

Why it matters: Council members broadly support new entry monuments but questioned replacing dozens of directional signs, so the final price could fall well below $2.93M.

Where things stand: The city approved 78 wayfinding signs in 2008, and many are now faded or leaning. In 2023, council directed staff to develop a replacement plan. Chris Gary of the Public Works Department presented a design-build agreement with Best Signs Inc. Under the proposal, the contractor would remove 78 signs, install 58, relocate two public-art monuments and build three entry monuments. The relocated monuments are at Fred Waring Drive and Washington Street (built in 2004) and Monterey Avenue and Gerald Ford Drive (built in 2006). One of the new entry monuments would go at Cook Street and Interstate 10.

"The proposed contract amount is approximately $2.43 million," Gary said. A $500,000 contingency brings the total to $2.93M, with 15 months to complete. Mayor Pro Tem Joe Pradetto asked about the funding source and confirmed it is former RDA residual bond funds, meaning leftover bond proceeds from the city's former redevelopment agency.

The other side: Skeptics questioned whether wayfinding signs are needed when most visitors navigate by smartphone. "I don't hear tourists complaining that they can't find their way around town," said Trubee. "I just don't think we need the wayfinding," said Harnik, who framed the issue as fiscal stewardship. Moreno said "the monument signs are non-negotiable," but wanted a handful of essential wayfinding signs kept. Because the proposal combined monument and wayfinding costs, council could not easily separate the two.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Moreno moved, and Trubee seconded, to direct staff to return with three separate budget proposals: full wayfinding, a reduced wayfinding set and the monuments. The motion carried. For: 4 (Moreno, Nestande, Pradetto, Trubee), Against: 0. Harnik's vote was not clearly recorded. The contractor's award is on hold. Entry monuments appear likely to survive, while most wayfinding signs may not.

What's next: Staff will return with separated budgets at a future meeting.

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View Study Becomes Guidance, Not Rules

Why it matters: The study is the first of about 20 planning initiatives. It will shape future downtown design standards and the development code without restricting private projects today.

Where things stand: Carlos Flores of Development Services presented the study by consultant John Klinsky Architects. It defines protected views from public spaces, not private backyards, in three categories: corridor, open space and key site. The study makes 13 recommendations in four groups and followed a June study session and August online engagement. "Nothing approved today creates any new regulations, changes any development standards or commits funding for projects," Flores said.

The other side: "Does it have much teeth if we need it to?" Harnik asked. Flores said it does not. For now, the city has only "ask nicely tools" until formal standards follow. City Manager Chris Escobedo said council had earlier chosen views as the starting point among roughly 20 initiatives.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Pradetto welcomed the study's flexibility: "We don't have to at this moment take any discrete action that could cause adverse or unintended consequences." Approved 5-0. Developers face no new requirements yet. Residents who value open views get a framework, but no enforcement.

What's next: The recommendations will feed into the Unified Development Code, objective design standards and future capital projects.

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AI Policy Ties Oversight to Risk

Where things stand: Pradetto pulled the item from the consent calendar to introduce Artificial Intelligence Officer Joe Balic, who joined the city in May. "I don't think many people in the community know that we have somebody on staff who's dedicated to making sure the city is on the forefront of AI implementation," Pradetto said.

The policy sorts AI uses into low, moderate and high risk tiers and includes outright prohibitions. "It's risk-based and proportional to impact," Balic said. The policy treats AI as a last resort, to be used only after workflow changes or existing tools fall short. In response to questions from Moreno about training and safeguards, Balic cited the Government AI Coalition and its forums as training resources.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Pradetto moved, and Moreno seconded. Approved 5-0. Residents and city employees now have written guardrails to reference as the city adopts AI tools.

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• Drainage plan: FEMA approved repurposing $296,000 that Sen. Alex Padilla had requested for an emergency resiliency plan. The money will now fund a citywide drainage master plan, with approval received Oct. 7.
• Fire service: Fire Chief Cody Wright reported a 4.3-minute average response time against a 5-minute goal. Crews ran 2,982 calls from July through September.
• Sunline Transit: Council voted 5-0 to support Sunline. Moreno noted transit funding is expected to stay flat for 10 years.
• Palm Springs Life sponsorship: Council approved the Fashion Week El Paseo, Food and Wine and Design Summit sponsorship 5-0. Staff said any merchant can participate at no cost.
• Ocotillo right-of-way: Council voted 5-0 to dedicate about 1,883 square feet at 45330 Ocotillo Drive for future street improvements on Tumbleweed.

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Looking ahead: Fire Station 102 at 75665 Gerald Ford Drive is expected to be fully operational Nov. 2. Moreno also asked staff to look at aligning posted speed limits with navigation apps, and Pradetto supported the request.