The city of Palm Desert has announced a community meeting to gather further feedback from residents regarding its Lupine Plaza project. The session, centered on an update to the design concept, is slated for February 13 at 5:30 p.m., hosted at the Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce building.
As per a Facebook post by City of Palm Desert, alterations have been made to the Lupine Plaza project to include a “slow street/flexible plaza” design. The city maintains that these proposed changes allow for vehicular traffic while also offering a “purpose-built spot” for shoppers to take a break. A link to view the new conceptual drawings is provided in the same post.
The project’s webpage on EngagePalmDesert.com reveals that Lupine Plaza was briefly operational in 2020 as a means of supporting local eateries during the COVID pandemic. It swiftly transformed into a favored outdoor dining spot, complete with vibrant umbrella-covered tables, string lights, and landscaping. The city has resolved to make this plaza—situated in the bustling El Paseo shopping district—a permanent fixture.
According to the same webpage, in order to solicit feedback on the project, the City of Palm Desert established a sub-committee comprising representatives from the city council, neighboring property owners, and other city committees and commissions. This group aims to guide the project and collect feedback. Additionally, the city has sought residents’ opinions through community meetings, workshops, and social media platforms.
At its meeting on June 22, 2023, according to information from the project webpage, Palm Desert’s city council instructed city staff to alter their preferred design concept so as to incorporate a “slow street/flexible plaza” idea instead of completely closing off the street. This is currently the modification for which feedback is being solicited by the city.
“Help us create another great public space in Palm Desert,” urged the City in its Facebook post.
