Commission upholds ruling against plans to use land for concert parking

[gaypalmsprings]

Commission upholds ruling against plans to use land for concert parking

9:59 PM, Mar. 14, 2012
Written by Xochitl Pena, The Desert Sun

Indio Planning Commissioners upheld city staff's denial of a couple's request for permits to use their property as parking for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach.

Commissioners voted 5-0 at tonight's meeting not to let Sara and Victor Cuecuecha turn their 4 acre dirt lot across from the Empire Polo Club into a parking area during next month's concerts.

The couple has done it for every concert over the past six years and raised more than $8,400 on busy nights, they told The Desert Sun.

They live in San Jose, but own the property at 50-200 Monroe St.

Now, the Cuecuecha’s plan to take the issue to the City Council.

One of the main reasons for denial by city staff was a change in traffic and pedestrian flow that does not allow people to walk along Monroe Street into the concert area.

“We’ve made several changes this year. There is no pedestrian access between Avenue 49 and Avenue 52,” said Joe Lim, planning manager.

The city has been working with neighbors in the area to address concerns such as jaywalkers and trespassers that urinate and defecate on property and ride peoples animals.

Eliminating walking along that street will help curb those problems, Lim said.

Also, additional parking has been added by the venue so there is plenty of parking and no need for the Cuecuecha’s parking lot to handle overflow.

City officials are also worried about what 500 additional cars will do to the flow of traffic after the festival.

Read more on this story in tomorrow's edition of The Desert Sun.

[Cooter]

hmm, you think they have reported the 10's of thousands of dollars in income on their taxes?

[nedlou]

Defecating on lawns and riding cats?? Sounds odd.

[ciela2]

What came of the appeal? Their lot was so convenient & worth the money!

[festivalfan]

hmm, you think they have reported the 10's of thousands of dollars in income on their taxes?

No... but I bet the city just did for them

[Chevgirl357]

Defecating on lawns and riding cats?? Sounds odd.

Sounds like they let the Coachella people park there too

[Cooter]

many of the roads directly around the venue are now closed to pedestrian traffic, making those lots impossible to use. just too dangerous to have hundreds/thousands of people walking alongside 2 lane roads everywhere.