Ted Weill

Council Statements Regarding CV Link

In citing text from the meeting minutes, others' comment is not often included, and no ellipses are provided.

7 May 2015

The City Council met in regular session.

• "12. Consideration of Prohibition of the Route of CV Link Over Any Portion of Highway 111 or Bob Hope Drive, in the City of Rancho Mirage
• "City Manager Randal Bynder stated that the City of Rancho Mirage, led by Mayor Hobart and Councilmember Kite ( CV Link Subcommittee), with the support of key staff members including Finance Director Isaiah Hagerman and Public Works Director Bruce Harry, have raised significant questions regarding the operation and maintenance ( 0&M) scheme of the CV Link project. Mr. Bynder added that the 0&M issue was addressed in detail in Mayor Hobart' s memo to the CVAG Executive Committee on April 27, 2015. The questions of long- term 0&M and how it will be funded and who will pay for it are ongoing and have not been resolved as far as the City of Rancho Mirage is concerned. Mr. Bynder noted that, if not for the important objections raised by Mayor Pro Tem Ted Weill at his CVAG Transportation Subcommittee on May 4, 2015, the Master Plan and the maintenance scheme may have been approved and potentially forced upon the City. Mr. Bynder further commented that 0&M is one important issue that must be resolved as part of the CV Link; however, the other issue is the physical location of the CV Link. 
• Public Comment
• "Mayor Hobart quoted CVAG` s projected 0&M expense of 1. 6 million dollars in the first year of full operation. He noted that the recommended method of funding 0&M was presented at a CVAG Transportation Committee meeting chaired by Mayor Pro Tem Weill, for final approval without it ever having been discussed except on March 30th when the Executive Director of CVAG met with the Rancho Mirage CV Link Subcommittee. Mayor Hobart stated that using the CVAG proposed formula, the City of Rancho Mirage Finance Director calculated that in year nine, Rancho Mirage would pay $ 313, 000 of TOT revenue. Further, it would fall upon five Coachella Valley cities - La Quinta, Indian Wells, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and Palm Springs - to pay the majority of the 0&M expense into the future.
• "Mayor Pro Tem Weill commented that during the CVAG meetings he has attended, tranquil terms such as " path" and " trail" are frequently used; however, what is being proposed is not peaceful but a concrete, 30 foot wide street to accommodate electric vehicles, golf carts, runners, joggers, bikers, etc. He noted that this is secondary to how the CV Link would be paid for and pledged that the City Council cannot, and will not, obligate Rancho Mirage residents to a cost that is unknown now and into the future.
• "MOVED/ SECONDED BY HOBART/ KITE TO PROHIBIT THE ROUTE OF THE CV LINK TO EXTEND OVER ANY PORTION OF HIGHWAY 111 OR BOB HOPE DRIVE WITHIN THE CITY OF RANCHO MIRAGE. MOTION CARRIED 5/ 0."
  

COMMMENTARY

4 June 2015

The City Council met in regular session.

• "Mayor Hobart provided an update regarding the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (" CVAG") Executive Committee meeting held on June 1, 2015.
• "Mayor Hobart stated that he will continue to provide CV Link updates to the City Council and assured residents that Rancho Mirage will not sign -off on any route or funding proposals that are not acceptable to the City.
• "Mayor Pro Tem Weill added that the CVAG Executive Committee voted in favor by a 6/ 4 vote to have a collective meeting of city council members, city managers and finance directors to receive input from each city about this issue. He also noted that of the two individuals at the CVAG meeting who represented other similar trails in California, neither project allowed electric vehicles on their trails."

COMMMENTARY

3 September 2015

The City Council met in regular session.

• "8. CV Link Update.
• "Mayor Pro Tem Weill commented that it would be  inappropriate to start construction at this point. This appears to be an attempt to demonstration that the project is far along and, therefore, should move forward. 
• "Mayor Hobart stated that the  position of Rancho Mirage remains that nothing should be built until the final 0&M cost for the next 100 years is known. 
• "Public Comment - None."
  

COMMMENTARY

15 October 2015

The City Council met in regular session.

• "12. Consideration of Resolutions, Ordinance and Ballot Measures to Protect the City of Rancho Mirage's Local Control of its Streets and Traffic and to Allow Rancho Mirage Residents to Voice their Opinions on Substantive Issues Pertaining to CVAG's Proposed CV Link Project and it's Cost to the Taxpayers.

1. "A. Adopt Resolution No. 2015- 107, that: ( a) prohibits neighborhood electric vehicles in certain areas and on certain streets within the jurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage; ( b) prohibits a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle Plan from including any area within the iurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage unless the area is approved first by an ordinance of the City of Rancho Mirage; and ( c) prohibits any portion of CV Link or similar pathway from including any area within the jurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage:
2. "B. Introduce Ordinance No. 1099, 1st Reading, that: ( a) prohibits neighborhood electric vehicles in certain areas and on certain streets within the iurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage: ( b) prohibits a Neiqhborhood Electric Vehicle Plan from including any area within the
3. iurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage unless the area is approved first by an ordinance of the City of Rancho Mirage; and ( c) prohibits any portion of CV Link or similar pathway from including any area within the jurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage:
4. "C. Adopt Resolution No. 2015- 108, that calls and notices the holding of an advisory election on the same date of the City's General Municipal Election, set for April 12, 2016, for the purpose of submitting to the City's qualified voters five advisory measures concerning the proposed CV Link proiect, which is a paved pathway proposed by the Coachella Valley Association of Governments ( CVAG) that will be approximately 50 miles long, accommodate pedestrians, bicycles and neighborhood vehicles that can travel up to 25 miles per hour;
5. "D. Adopt Resolution No. 2015- 109, placing a measure on the ballot of the City's General Municipal Election asking the voters: " Shall the voters of Rancho Mirage require that any amendment or repeal of Ordinance No. 1099 that prohibits Neighborhood Electric Vehicles ( NEVs) in certain areas and on certain streets within the iurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage require prior voter approval?"; and
6. "E. Designate the Mayor or his designee or designees on the Rancho Mirage City Council to prepare the Arguments in " Favor" of Measure 6 and the Arguments " Against Approval" of Advisory Measures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, on behalf of the Rancho Mirage City Council.

• "Mayor Hobart noted slight language modifications made to the proposed ordinance and resolutions following agenda distribution.
• "Mayor Hobart suggested revising the list of prohibited streets included in Items A and B by striking Ramon Road and adding Magnesia Falls Drive and Joshua Road.
• "A discussion ensued regarding the use of Ramon Road.
• "MOVED/SECONDED BY HOBART/WEILL TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2015- 107, PROHIBITING LOW -SPEED VEHICLES AND NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN CERTAIN AREAS AND ON CERTAIN STREETS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF RANCHO MIRAGE, AND REVISING THE LIST OF PROHIBITED STREETS BY STRIKING RAMON ROAD AND ADDING MAGNESIA FALLS DRIVE AND JOSHUA ROAD. MOTION CARRIED 5/0.
• "MOVED/SECONDED BY HOBART/WEILL TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NO. 1099, 1ST READING, PROHIBITING LOW -SPEED VEHICLES AND NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN CERTAIN AREAS AND ON CERTAIN STREETS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF RANCHO MIRAGE, AND REVISING THE LIST OF PROHIBITED STREETS BY STRIKING RAMON ROAD AND ADDING MAGNESIA FALLS DRIVE AND JOSHUA ROAD. MOTION CARRIED 5/ 0.
• "MOVED/SECONDED BY HOBART/SMOTRICH TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2015- 108, CALLING AND NOTICING THE HOLDING OF AN ADVISORY ELECTION ON THE SAME DATE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO MIRAGE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF ALLOWING THE VOTERS OF RANCHO MIRAGE TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS ON CERTAIN SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES PERTAINING TO CV LINK, INCLUDING STATED LANGUAGE MODIFICATIONS AND THE ADDITION OF BUTLER ABRAMS TRAIL TO ADVISORY MEASURE 5. MOTION CARRIED 5/ 0.
• "MOVED/SECONDED BY HOBART/TOWNSEND TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2015-109, PLACING A MEASURE ON THE BALLOT OF THE CITY OF RANCHO MIRAGE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION ASKING THE VOTERS: " SHALL THE VOTERS OF RANCHO MIRAGE REQUIRE THAT ANY AMENDMENT OR REPEAL OF ORDINANCE NO. 1099 THAT PROHIBITS NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTRIC VEHICLES (NEVs) IN CERTAIN AREAS AND ON CERTAIN STREETS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF RANCHO MIRAGE REQUIRE PRIOR VOTER APPROVAL?" MOTION CARRIED 5/ 0.
• "MOVED/SECONDED BY HOBART/SMOTRICH TO DESIGNATE THE MAYOR OR HIS DESIGNEE OR DESIGNEES ON THE RANCHO MIRAGE CITY COUNCIL TO PREPARE THE ARGUMENTS IN " FAVOR" OF MEASURE 6 AND THE ARGUMENTS " AGAINST APPROVAL" OF ADVISORY MEASURES 1, 2, 3, 4 AND 5, ON BEHALF OF THE RANCHO MIRAGE CITY COUNCIL. MOTION CARRIED 5/ 0."
  

COMMMENTARY