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Friday, June 12 | ☀️ 106°/81°
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🎶 Setting the mood: "Somebody’s Watching Me" by Rockwell
Leading Off
The city's temporary outdoor dining deck program has been extended through June 2027. (File photo)
Palm Desert extends pandemic-era outdoor dining program through 2027
The Palm Desert City Council voted 4-1 Thursday to extend the city's temporary outdoor dining deck program through June 30, 2027, keeping alive the last remaining pandemic-era restaurant spaces while directing staff to develop a permanent replacement.
Driving the news: Just two restaurants — Kitchen 86 on El Paseo and Little Bar on Highway 111 — still operate outdoor dining decks from a program the city established in 2020. A third participant, Piero's PizzaVino, has already voluntarily removed its deck from El Paseo.
The dispute: Little Bar owner Skip Paige remains in a compliance standoff with the city. He brought a letter to the meeting from his property owner, but it fell short — acknowledging the deck's existence without formally authorizing it or assuming liability for it.
Paige has until June 30 to submit an adequate letter and use approved barriers, or face required removal of his deck by July 1.
The lone dissent: Councilmember Karina Moreno, who cast the only "no" vote, tallied 45 messages in favor of keeping the decks and four opposed but argued the city's liability obligations cannot give way to public affection for a business. "I think it's just time to end it," she said.
What's next: The council directed staff to study a pedestal paver system — an elevated sidewalk extension using adjustable supports above the existing roadway — as a potential permanent framework for outdoor dining on El Paseo.
Staff expects to return with a full program recommendation covering design standards, accessibility, drainage, maintenance, insurance and lease rates in roughly nine to 12 months.
Briefly
Developers received approval from the city’s Architectural Review Commission this week to build on the lower portion of this 2.8-acre parcel.
🏠 Palm Desert panel backs hillside home plan
The Palm Desert Architectural Review Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend approval of a hillside development plan for a new single-family residence at 47780 Calle de Los Campesinos, forwarding the project to the Planning Commission and ultimately the City Council for a final decision.
The one-story home would be built on a 2.8-acre vacant hillside parcel that sold for $260,000 in 2023. It would include about 4,000 square feet of main-level living area, a lower-level garage and storage area, covered patios, a pool and spa, retaining walls, desert landscaping and site lighting, totaling 6,700 square feet.
Details: The project meets the city's hillside development limits and was not evaluated against Palm Desert's Hillside Objective Design Standards, which took effect after the applicant submitted a complete application in 2025. The project is categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act.
📷 Palm Desert expands license plate camera network to 157, approves up to $2.5 million in future upgrades
The Palm Desert City Council voted 5-0 Thursday to expand its Flock Safety license plate recognition system to 157 total cameras and raise the program's contract ceiling from $2.1 million to $2.5 million through June 30, 2029.
The expansion comes amid scrutiny of Flock Safety — several cities have ended contracts over data sharing and privacy concerns, and California cities have raised concerns about federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement accessing local data in ways that may skirt state law. A Riverside County Sheriff's Department employee was also terminated and criminally prosecuted after using Palm Desert's system for a purpose not tied to a legitimate law enforcement case.
Details: Nine cameras along El Paseo, not yet installed, will be piloted as live-view cameras rather than standard plate-capture devices. Future deployments being considered for parks or similar locations will require council approval before proceeding.
A MESSAGE FROM
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
📅 Featured Events
Ribbon Cutting - The UPS Store
Friday | 9:30 a.m. | 44489 Town Center Way D
Join the Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the ribbon cutting for The UPS Store under new management. Come welcome the new owners, explore the services they offer, and support a growing local business.
McCallum Theatre Jazz Experience
Saturday | All Day | McCallum Theatre
Start your day in the Palm Desert Library with a Henri Matisse-inspired art workshop led by Karen Riley of the SCRAP Gallery at 9 a.m., followed by an interactive family concert featuring musicians from Pacific Jazz Orchestra at 11 a.m., a community jazz jam at 1 p.m., and an evening finale at 7 p.m. Events range from free to $15.
The Pink Room Presents Joe Croyle
Saturday | 6 p.m. | 73800 Ironwood St.
Joe Croyle plays piano and sings favorite songs in the Pink Room, with a chance for the audience to sing along. A member of the legendary Modernaires, Croyle was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and has performed internationally.
WRESTLE X presents X Marks The Revolution
Sunday | 7:30 p.m. | Food, Live Music
Independent wrestling event billed as an alternative to corporate wrestling, with food and live music.
Road Run
Tuesday | 5:15 a.m. | Desert Kid Coffee
From hill repeats to coffee runs, trail mornings to summer night miles, there’s something for everyone this month at multiple Desert Run Club events.
Line Dancing
Tuesday | 6:30 p.m. | Civic Center Park
The Desert Recreation District offers a weekly line dancing class led by instructor MC Callaghan, covering classic and contemporary dances including the electric slide and Tush Push. No prior experience required. ($17-$68)
Board Game Night
Wednesday | 5 p.m. | The Dragon Den
Bring your own games, try one of their rental games, or pick up something new from their selection of strategy, area-control, and cooperative games. Check out the discounts in the Used Games section when you stop by. ($10-$20)
✨ And Finally …
File photo
The Palm Desert dog park is about to get a lot more photogenic, and the artist will have plenty of models to choose from.
Driving the news: The Palm Desert Cultural Arts Committee voted Wednesday to recommend the City Council release a call for artists and approve a $40,000 budget for a mural at the Civic Center dog park.
Staff said the project began with a resident's request to create a community dog mural celebrating the area's connection to its pets.
Zoom in: One concept discussed Wednesday would see residents submit photographs of their dogs for possible inclusion in the artwork, with final selections left to the artist's discretion.
Staff recommended hiring a professional mural artist rather than pursuing a fully community-painted version, citing technical challenges with the wall surface.
Worth noting: Staff identified two possible walls, each about 150 feet long, and recommended an east-facing wall along San Pablo Avenue for its higher visibility. The committee instead chose the west-facing wall next to the Civic Center Park parking lot.
Bottom line: Funding would come from the city's public art budget, and the recommendation now advances to the City Council.
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