Design Review Board Applies Brakes
To New Restaurant
By Dean Gray; August 22, 2008
Desert Hot Springs, CA – He came to the city’s design review board looking for guidance
on the design of his restaurant. Instead of design help, he left with a roadblock applied to
his plans for a drive-thru restaurant serving “El Polo Loco” style food.
During Thursday’s meeting with the design review board, a clearly frustrated Young Park
said, “I don't know what you want. You keep asking me to change things, then I do, then
you tell me to change something more. It's been four years. What is it you really want?”
In an interview after the meeting, Park seemed to have his answer from the design review
board, “They don’t want me to build anything on my property.”
During the design review meeting, there seemed little question about it.
“The city has to have a moratorium to put an end to these kinds of projects coming up
before the city,” said design review board member Al Schmidt, who also is a Desert Hot
Springs city council member. “This is in the downtown redevelopment zone. Our
committee approves what goes on out there.”
The committee Schmidt refers to is a redevelopment agency sub-committee on which
Schmidt also serves. That committee is now working to decide a $31 million downtown
revitalization plan approved by the city’s redevelopment agency in February.
The meeting started at 4:00 p.m. with Schmidt, design review board members Gabriel
King and Robert McCroskery, who serve on the city planning commission, and city interim
planner, Mark Staples. The applicant was brought into the room with Schmidt opening the
meeting.
Schmidt explained to Park that the design review board is an informal process taking a
first look at projects prior to the planning commission. Schmidt explained that King and
McCroskery would vote on the project at the planning commission and that he later would
vote on the project as a city council member.
Park’s proposal is for developing a vacant lot Park owns on Palm Drive between Desert
View and Cahilla. Park plans to spend his money building an icon-themed drive-thru
restaurant serving grilled chicken and side dishes.
Schmidt started by indicating he was against the project, speaking about the possibility of
a moratorium on commercial development in the redevelopment area. These statements
led to some confusion regarding the purpose of the design review board and to differing
opinions about the design.
“We would need some serious direction from the city council as far as any moratorium is
concerned, before arbitrarily banning all downtown projects.” said King. “Actually, I support
anyone interested in spending money here and building a business in the city.”
“This is in the downtown redevelopment zone.” Schmidt said, “Our committee decides
what goes on out there. The redevelopment of downtown is not happening right now! It's at
least five, ten or fifteen years away. I don't want to do anything there right now. We need to
discourage development there for something in the future,” Schmidt said.
Park responded, “I am willing to build the restaurant now, and tear it down if something
happens in the future that warrants it.”
“There's no way you can promise that, can you?” Schmidt said.
“I will if that's what you want. I just want to build the restaurant,” Park said.
“I'm going to tell you again,” said Schmidt. “There's no way that once you build it that you're
going to tear it down. You're just can't say that you will and make a promise like that for
something in the future.”
“It's difficult,” Parks said. “I don't see anyone making money in this town. Here, I'm willing
to spend my own money and it's like you don't want my business. I'm on the fourth
architect since 2004. I don't know what you want. You keep asking me to change things,
then I do, then you tell me to change something more. What is it you really want?”
The meeting then turned to discussion of the building design. In what has become a
characteristic gesture, Schmidt crossed his arms on the table, put his head down on his
arms as if waiting for the discussion to be over.
King made a few architectural suggestions but said, overall, he liked the building plan.
McCroskery expressed concern about the restaurant routing traffic off Palm Drive to exit the
alley.
Schmidt rejoined the conversation. “There is no way you can use the drive-thru and use
the alley,” he said.
“This kind of [project] is just not going to work in any way,” Schmidt said. “Commercial is
what's not needed here now.”
“I don't know what you mean,” King said. “We need commercial here right now. I have to go
across the freeway to buy a pair of shoes. There are few restaurants in town. But here we
have a businessman willing to spend his own money to build a nice restaurant, and you
say we don't need commercial here. I don't get it.”
“Let me explain,” Schmidt said. “People are not going to come to this town to shop and
eat. There's nothing here. If Target doesn't want to come to this town, then nobody's going
to. I just can't see how the planning commission can approve this.
“From a planning point of view, it's a narrow lot,” King said steering the meeting back to the
project's design. “Sure, it's directing traffic out the alley, but that’s the same as Kentucky
Fried Chicken. I'm not sure it would work in El Paseo, but why not here?”
“We're just screwing around here today. Nothing is going to get done, nothing,” Schmidt
said.
Discussion continued on the architectural design. There was some talk about wanting a
different, more abstract design. This led to a discussion of whether the design fits the
blueprint of the conceptual downtown plan.
“If the city doesn't want us to approve of these kinds of proposals, then the city council has
to tell us not to,” King said. “I'm uncomfortable making these kinds of policy decisions.
This is the design review committee, isn't it?”
“This kind of s--- is what's wrong with this city,” Schmidt said. “We have to think in long-
term, the big picture. Is this what we want to be built in our city? Look at all this vacant land
we got. It's not like there are a lot of rules that tell us what to do. It's the problem with the
small lots. The city is full of them.”
Schmidt then suggested to Park it may be better selling his property.
Park spoke about the difficulties in selling his small lot, noting big shopping malls and
Real Estate developers want acres of land to build on, not a small lot like his.
“Look at the Capri Restaurant two doors down. It's on a narrow lot and it works alright
using the same back alley,” said King.
“The Capri Restaurant? That's a little chicken s--- lot. You got to put those little lots
together to consolidate land to make something big work out,” said Schmidt.
Young then spoke of his exasperation working with the city, prompting Schmidt to offer a
suggestion to Park.
“Here is what you do. The city will buy it from you. Go see Steve Mendoza (Desert Hot
Springs community development director) and talk to him about it. Isn't that the guy? Is this
in the redevelopment zone? Oh, then see Rudy Acosta (Desert Hot Springs redevelopment
agency director). Tell him we've had this meeting and see what he says. That's what will
happen here, The city needs to buy up these kinds of lots, keeping them vacant. That's the
best you can do.” Schmidt said.
After the meeting concluded Park explained he's willing to spend more than $100,000 of
his own money on the construction. He said he already had a tenant lined up.
To New Restaurant
By Dean Gray; August 22, 2008
Desert Hot Springs, CA – He came to the city’s design review board looking for guidance
on the design of his restaurant. Instead of design help, he left with a roadblock applied to
his plans for a drive-thru restaurant serving “El Polo Loco” style food.
During Thursday’s meeting with the design review board, a clearly frustrated Young Park
said, “I don't know what you want. You keep asking me to change things, then I do, then
you tell me to change something more. It's been four years. What is it you really want?”
In an interview after the meeting, Park seemed to have his answer from the design review
board, “They don’t want me to build anything on my property.”
During the design review meeting, there seemed little question about it.
“The city has to have a moratorium to put an end to these kinds of projects coming up
before the city,” said design review board member Al Schmidt, who also is a Desert Hot
Springs city council member. “This is in the downtown redevelopment zone. Our
committee approves what goes on out there.”
The committee Schmidt refers to is a redevelopment agency sub-committee on which
Schmidt also serves. That committee is now working to decide a $31 million downtown
revitalization plan approved by the city’s redevelopment agency in February.
The meeting started at 4:00 p.m. with Schmidt, design review board members Gabriel
King and Robert McCroskery, who serve on the city planning commission, and city interim
planner, Mark Staples. The applicant was brought into the room with Schmidt opening the
meeting.
Schmidt explained to Park that the design review board is an informal process taking a
first look at projects prior to the planning commission. Schmidt explained that King and
McCroskery would vote on the project at the planning commission and that he later would
vote on the project as a city council member.
Park’s proposal is for developing a vacant lot Park owns on Palm Drive between Desert
View and Cahilla. Park plans to spend his money building an icon-themed drive-thru
restaurant serving grilled chicken and side dishes.
Schmidt started by indicating he was against the project, speaking about the possibility of
a moratorium on commercial development in the redevelopment area. These statements
led to some confusion regarding the purpose of the design review board and to differing
opinions about the design.
“We would need some serious direction from the city council as far as any moratorium is
concerned, before arbitrarily banning all downtown projects.” said King. “Actually, I support
anyone interested in spending money here and building a business in the city.”
“This is in the downtown redevelopment zone.” Schmidt said, “Our committee decides
what goes on out there. The redevelopment of downtown is not happening right now! It's at
least five, ten or fifteen years away. I don't want to do anything there right now. We need to
discourage development there for something in the future,” Schmidt said.
Park responded, “I am willing to build the restaurant now, and tear it down if something
happens in the future that warrants it.”
“There's no way you can promise that, can you?” Schmidt said.
“I will if that's what you want. I just want to build the restaurant,” Park said.
“I'm going to tell you again,” said Schmidt. “There's no way that once you build it that you're
going to tear it down. You're just can't say that you will and make a promise like that for
something in the future.”
“It's difficult,” Parks said. “I don't see anyone making money in this town. Here, I'm willing
to spend my own money and it's like you don't want my business. I'm on the fourth
architect since 2004. I don't know what you want. You keep asking me to change things,
then I do, then you tell me to change something more. What is it you really want?”
The meeting then turned to discussion of the building design. In what has become a
characteristic gesture, Schmidt crossed his arms on the table, put his head down on his
arms as if waiting for the discussion to be over.
King made a few architectural suggestions but said, overall, he liked the building plan.
McCroskery expressed concern about the restaurant routing traffic off Palm Drive to exit the
alley.
Schmidt rejoined the conversation. “There is no way you can use the drive-thru and use
the alley,” he said.
“This kind of [project] is just not going to work in any way,” Schmidt said. “Commercial is
what's not needed here now.”
“I don't know what you mean,” King said. “We need commercial here right now. I have to go
across the freeway to buy a pair of shoes. There are few restaurants in town. But here we
have a businessman willing to spend his own money to build a nice restaurant, and you
say we don't need commercial here. I don't get it.”
“Let me explain,” Schmidt said. “People are not going to come to this town to shop and
eat. There's nothing here. If Target doesn't want to come to this town, then nobody's going
to. I just can't see how the planning commission can approve this.
“From a planning point of view, it's a narrow lot,” King said steering the meeting back to the
project's design. “Sure, it's directing traffic out the alley, but that’s the same as Kentucky
Fried Chicken. I'm not sure it would work in El Paseo, but why not here?”
“We're just screwing around here today. Nothing is going to get done, nothing,” Schmidt
said.
Discussion continued on the architectural design. There was some talk about wanting a
different, more abstract design. This led to a discussion of whether the design fits the
blueprint of the conceptual downtown plan.
“If the city doesn't want us to approve of these kinds of proposals, then the city council has
to tell us not to,” King said. “I'm uncomfortable making these kinds of policy decisions.
This is the design review committee, isn't it?”
“This kind of s--- is what's wrong with this city,” Schmidt said. “We have to think in long-
term, the big picture. Is this what we want to be built in our city? Look at all this vacant land
we got. It's not like there are a lot of rules that tell us what to do. It's the problem with the
small lots. The city is full of them.”
Schmidt then suggested to Park it may be better selling his property.
Park spoke about the difficulties in selling his small lot, noting big shopping malls and
Real Estate developers want acres of land to build on, not a small lot like his.
“Look at the Capri Restaurant two doors down. It's on a narrow lot and it works alright
using the same back alley,” said King.
“The Capri Restaurant? That's a little chicken s--- lot. You got to put those little lots
together to consolidate land to make something big work out,” said Schmidt.
Young then spoke of his exasperation working with the city, prompting Schmidt to offer a
suggestion to Park.
“Here is what you do. The city will buy it from you. Go see Steve Mendoza (Desert Hot
Springs community development director) and talk to him about it. Isn't that the guy? Is this
in the redevelopment zone? Oh, then see Rudy Acosta (Desert Hot Springs redevelopment
agency director). Tell him we've had this meeting and see what he says. That's what will
happen here, The city needs to buy up these kinds of lots, keeping them vacant. That's the
best you can do.” Schmidt said.
After the meeting concluded Park explained he's willing to spend more than $100,000 of
his own money on the construction. He said he already had a tenant lined up.
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The restaurant Desert Hot
Springs is not likely to see
built. After four years of denial,
Young Park is advised to sell
the vacant lot to the city.
Springs is not likely to see
built. After four years of denial,
Young Park is advised to sell
the vacant lot to the city.
Businessman Young Park
looking elsewhere to invest
in restaurant.
looking elsewhere to invest
in restaurant.
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