1. GENERAL
1.A. Call to Order
Mayor Mallotto called the meeting to order at 1:01 P.M.
1.B. Flag Salute
Mayor Pro Tem O'Keefe led the flag salute.
1.C. Roll Call: Downs, Fromberg Edelstein, Weill, O'Keefe, Mallotto
All City Council Members were present.
2. PRESENTATIONS
2.A. Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce Business Update
Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce Board Members Nicole Kent and David Kowalczyk provided an update on the Chamber. Mr. Kowalczyk also provided an update on Eisenhower Health.
3. COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS/REPORTS
Council Member Fromberg Edelstein spoke regarding recent local menorah lightings and the importance of peaceful celebrations.
Council Member Weill expressed appreciation to The Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage, The River at Rancho Mirage shopping center, and the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce for their exceptional contributions by way of civic and holiday events.
Council Member Downs spoke of the importance of the City celebrating Pride month. He also commented on recent holiday events he attended and presented related photos.
Mayor Pro Tem O'Keefe announced that the Coachella Valley Animal Shelter was holding a free adoption event. He reminded everyone that Rancho Mirage was welcoming to all, where people should feel safe and accepted. He spoke of the ways the City recognized and supported the LGBTQ+ community. He also noted the importance of friendship, community, family, empathy, generosity, understanding, personal growth, music, art, and nature.
Mayor Mallotto spoke of the various ways the City supported its residents' quality of life. She also commented on the importance of supporting one another.
4. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS/REPORTS
Isaiah Hagerman, City Manager, thanked City staff for their efforts over the past year. He also expressed gratitude for the City's public safety personnel.
5. CONSENT CALENDAR (A-G)
Isaiah Hagerman presented the Consent Calendar items.
MOVED/SECONDED BY DOWNS/WEILL TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 5/0.
5.A. Waive Full Reading of Any Ordinance Introduced or Adopted Pursuant to this Agenda
5.B. December 4, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting Minutes
— RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the December 4, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting Minutes as presented.
5.C. 2025 Building Code Adoption
— RECOMMENDED ACTION: 1) Adopt Ordinance No. 1227, 2nd Reading, Amending Chapter 15.02 “Adopted California and Uniform Codes” of Title 15 “Buildings and Construction” of the Rancho Mirage Municipal Code to Adopt the 2025 California Energy Code, 2025 California Historical Building Code, 2025 California Existing Building Code, and 2025 California Green Building Standards Code; 2) Adopt Ordinance No. 1228, 2nd Reading, Amending Chapter 15.04 “California Building Code, 2022 Edition” of Title 15 “Buildings and Construction” of the Rancho Mirage Municipal Code to Adopt the 2025 California Building Code; 3) Adopt Ordinance No. 1229, 2nd Reading, Amending Chapter 15.08 “California Mechanical Code, 2022 Edition and California Plumbing Code, 2022 Edition” and adding Chapter 15.06 “California Plumbing Code, 2025 Edition” to Title 15 “Buildings and Construction” of the Rancho Mirage Municipal Code to Adopt the 2025 California Mechanical Code and 2025 California Plumbing Code; 4) Adopt Ordinance No. 1230, 2nd Reading, Amending Chapter 15.10 “California Electrical Code, 2022 Edition” of Title 15 “Buildings and Construction” of the Rancho Mirage Municipal Code to Adopt the 2025 California Electrical Code; 5) Adopt Ordinance No. 1231, 2nd Reading, Amending Chapter 15.14 “California Residential Code, 2022 Edition” to Title 15 “Buildings and Construction” of the Rancho Mirage Municipal Code to Adopt the 2025 California Residential Code; and, 6) Adopt Ordinance No. 1232, 2nd Reading, Repealing and Replacing Chapter 15.12 “2022 California Fire Code” and adding Chapter 15.13 “California Wildland-Urban Interface Code ,2025 Edition to Title 15 “Buildings and Construction” of the Rancho Mirage Municipal Code to Adopt the 2025 California Fire Code.
5.D. Final Parcel Map No. 38844 (Skilled Nursing Facility). Location: Bob Hope Drive, Between Gerald Ford Drive and Via Marta
— RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve Final Parcel Map No. 38844, subject to final review and approval by the City Manager, in consultation with the City Attorney.
5.E. Extension of Completion Date for Parcel Map No. 38315 (Palomino Four). Location: Northwest Corner of Palomino Lane and Cypress Lane
— RECOMMENDED ACTION: Authorize an Amendment to the Subdivision Improvement Agreement, which provides for the extension of the completion date for Parcel Map No. 38315 until December 7, 2026.
5.F. Contracts
— RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the terms of the contracts as presented and authorize the City Manager to execute the subject contracts.
5.G. Demands
— RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the demands as presented.
6. PUBLIC HEARINGS
6.A. Environmental Assessment Case No. EA21-0002, General Plan Zoning Map Amendment Case No. GPZMA21-0001, Development Agreement Amendment Case No. DA21-0002, Major Modification Case No. MOD21-0004, & Tentative Parcel Map Case Number TPM23-0002 (TPM38768) - Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage. Applicant: Kam Sang Company on Behalf of Newage Rancho Mirage LLC/ Ritz Carlton. Consideration to Construct the Ritz Carlton Residences which is a Modification to Previously Approved Entitlements Consisting of 106 Condo Units; Event Space and Room for Amenities; Subterranean Parking Structure; and Additional Residential Parking Spaces. Additionally, a Newly Proposed Sky Mesa Recreational Area will Include a Restaurant, Additional Lawn Event Space and Pool Area. The 35.07 Acre Project Site (Excluding Previously Approved Tennis Villas Site (7.96 Acres on APN: 689-330-011)) Occurs Along Frank Sinatra Drive (68900 Frank Sinatra Drive) Approximately 0.85 Miles Southwest of the Intersection with Highway 111 Within the City of Rancho Mirage (APNs: 689-330-026, -028, -031, -032, -034; 689-020-012, -014; & 689-331-001, -018)
— RECOMMENDED ACTION: 1) Adopt Resolution No. 2025-(Next-in-Order), Approving the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program and Mitigated Negative Declaration (SCH# 2024030267) for the Proposed Project Based on Environmental Assessment Case No. EA21-0002; 2) Adopt Resolution No. 2025-(Next-in-Order), Approving General Plan Zoning Map Amendment (GPZMA21-0001), Tentative Parcel Map Case No. TPM23-0002, & Major Modification Case No. MOD21-0004; and 3) Introduce Ordinance No. (Next-in-Order), 1st Reading, Approving Development Agreement Amendment (DA21-0002).
Ben Torres, Planning Manager, presented the staff report.
Isaiah Hagerman, City Manager, addressed concerns raised by neighboring property owners; specifically, construction hours, use of the emergency access road for construction traffic, pedestrians walking on the roadway, the possible addition of a bicycle lane on Frank Sinatra Drive, and impact to existing views.
The following individuals provided public testimony: Bruce Bauer, Halil Nalci, Nicole Kent, Sal Amezquita, Richard Zacky, Andy Gladstein, and Michael Harrington.
Ronnie Lam, Applicant, highlighted the history and current status of the project.
The following individuals provided public testimony: Tom Richards and Claudia Padilla.
John Hicks, Project Manager, provided an overview of the project.
The following individual provided public testimony: Omar Cobian (Western States Regional Council of Carpenters).
A discussion ensued.
MOVED/SECONDED BY WEILL/DOWNS TO:
- ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2025-47, APPROVING THE MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM AND MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION (SCH# 2024030267) FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT BASED ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT CASE NO. EA21-0002;
- ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2025-48, APPROVING GENERAL PLAN ZONING MAP AMENDMENT (GPZMA21-0001), TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP CASE NO. TPM23-0002, & MAJOR MODIFICATION CASE NO. MOD21-0004;
- INTRODUCE ORDINANCE NO. 1233, 1ST READING, APPROVING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AMENDMENT (DA21-0002); AND
- ADD THE TWO FOLLOWING CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL, AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF:
- CONSTRUCTION HOURS SHALL BE LIMITED TO 8:00 A.M. TO 6:00 P.M.
- DEVELOPER SHALL REIMBURSE THE CITY AN AMOUNT DEEMED APPROPRIATE NOT TO EXCEED 50 PERCENT TOTAL COST OF PROJECT FOR THE DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF A BUFFERED SHARED USE PATH ALONG THE DOWNWARD SIDE OF FRANK SINATRA DRIVE FROM MIRADA ESTATES TO HIGHWAY 111 TO ACCOMMODATE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE USE, SUBJECT TO ENGINEER AND PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR APPROVAL
MOTION CARRIED 5/0.
7. ACTION CALENDAR
7.A. Intention to Annex Territory Comprising 5.04 Acres to Community Facilities District No. 1 in Connection with Tentative Tract Map No. TTM 38447. Location: Southwest Corner of Via Florencia and Via Josefina
— RECOMMENDED ACTION: Adopt Resolution No. 2025-(Next-in-Order), Declaring the City’s Intention to Annex Territory to Community Facilities District No. 1 and to Levy a Special Tax therein for Additional Police and Fire Services, Preliminarily Approve a Map of the Area Proposed to be Annexed, and Schedule a Public Hearing to Consider the Annexation and the Levy of the Special Tax for Annexation No. 203.
Jacob De La Cruz, Financial Analyst, presented the staff report.
MOVED/SECONDED BY FROMBERG EDLELSTEIN/O'KEEFE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2025-49, DECLARING THE CITY’S INTENTION TO ANNEX TERRITORY TO COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT NO. 1 AND TO LEVY A SPECIAL TAX THEREIN FOR ADDITIONAL POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES, PRELIMINARILY APPROVE A MAP OF THE AREA PROPOSED TO BE ANNEXED, AND SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE ANNEXATION AND THE LEVY OF THE SPECIAL TAX FOR ANNEXATION NO. 203. MOTION CARRIED 5/0.
8. NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENTS
The following individuals provided non-agenda public comments: Wally Melendez and Susan Ragsdale.
9. CLOSED SESSION
9.A. Closed Session Agenda
— 1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1). Case name unspecified since disclosure may jeopardize existing settlement negotiations.
Colin Kirkpatrick, City Attorney, announced that the City Council would recess to Closed Session to confer with legal counsel regarding one existing litigation item, pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1), with the case name being unspecified since disclosure may jeopardize existing settlement negotiations.
9.B. Recess to Closed Session
Mayor Mallotto recessed the meeting to Closed Session at 2:55 P.M.
9.C. Reconvene Open Session
Mayor Mallotto reconvened the meeting at 3:24 P.M., with Council Member Downs, Council Member Weill, Mayor Pro Tem O'Keefe, and Mayor Mallotto in attendance.
9.D. Closed Session Announcements
Colin Kirkpatrick, City Attorney, announced that no reportable action was taken during Closed Session.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Mallotto adjourned the meeting at 3:25 P.M.
Date Approved by City Council: 01/15/2026