Indian Wells City Council
Goals for Fiscal Year 2015-17:
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Encourage and Expand Economic Development Opportunities
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RECOMMENDED ACTION:
DISCUSSION and DIRECTION relating to this strategic goal.
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Co-Champions: Warren Morelion, Community Development Director
Wade G. McKinney, City Manager
Desired Outcomes: Refine development process and partner with developers where projects offer desirable benefits for the City.
Action Items Status
1. Continue to improve the development review process Attached
2. Develop a Comprehensive Economic Development Plan Attached
3. Process Indian Wells Tennis Garden Stadium 3 project December 2016
4. Coordinate Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa Villas On hold
and Waterpark development
DISCUSSION:
Economic Development is key to the future growth of revenue to the City. As part of the City Council goals, Staff developed a “draft” Economic Development Plan that outlines opportunities and barriers to economic development and analyzes streamlining city processes to encourage development.
As part of this goal, Staff updated building and entitlement submittal checklists to provide a more efficient process. Included in the attached draft plan are potential Municipal Code modifications that further streamline the entitlement process. Although the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens delayed construction of Stadium 3, Staff anticipates they will break ground in early April, 2016. The Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa has delayed their Waterpark, pending ownership decision to move forward.
A “draft Economic Development Plan for Fiscal Year 2016-17 is attached for review. The purpose of the Economic Development Plan is to develop and prioritize strategies for continued economic viability, create and influence development, and support business growth and attraction to influence long-term revenues to the City. The attached plan identifies three (3) main target areas for economic development: Tourism, Development, and Business Retention and Attraction.
Staff is seeking policy direction from the City Council regarding the following:
1. What are preferred uses on the remaining privately held vacant properties in the City?
2. Identify and determine the City’s role in developing the properties and projects.
3. Should the City amend and streamline the current entitlement process?
Over the years a variety of interest in development of the City’s vacant land have been pursued by City Staff with the interested parties. From mix-use, fractional ownership, hotels, community projects and even a museum, but to date no actual applications have been submitted to the City.
Attachments:
1. Economic Development Plan
2. Strategic Goal 2