KEEP Andreas Hills SAFE from FLOOD WATERS

Andreas Hills includes the communities of Alta, Andreas Hills, Andreas Palms, Azalea Circle, Bella Monte, Bogert Trail,
Dogwood Circle, Estancias, Goldenrod Lane, Linea, Marigold Circle, Monte Sereno, Parc Andreas, Snapdragon Circle, plus Tribal Lands.

In the past year alone, nearly 600 emergency calls were responded to by police and fire in our neighborhood. Ever-more extreme weather events and fires threaten access to our homes—without this engineered solution, our community would be cut off from emergency responders. We all must act NOW to ensure safe and reliable access for all residents, as CalTrans and Federal funding will soon expire! The images below are renderings of what the new Low Water Crossing will look like BEFORE vegetation regrows.

Our Community-Led Initiative Focuses On:

Urgently advocating for the low water bridge construction at South Palm Canyon and Bogert Trail;

Improving communication and safety awareness;

Preparing for emergencies and strengthening neighborhood connections.

Please know your voice matters!

TO ENSURE CITY APPROVAL ON THIS PROJECT, YOU MUST TAKE ACTION NOW.

1. VOICE YOUR SUPPORT TODAY to the City Council for: South Palm Canyon Low Flow Water Crossing Project No. 06-18
Write the Council expressing your support for the project, INCLUDING YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, and why emergency access is or has been important to you.
EMAIL your letter to CityClerk@palmspringsca.gov.
OR, MAIL your letter to: Palm Springs City Clerk, 3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262,
OR, CALL 760.323.8204 and let the City know you support the project.
OR, Complete and submit form: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/city-clerk/city-council-meetings/e-public-comment/submit-e-public-comment

2. ATTEND the In-Person Meeting, May 29, 5:30PM-7:30PM at the Indian Canyon Golf Clubhouse (NORTH), at 1100 E. Murray Canyon Watch the mail for City “Notice of Meeting.”

3. ATTEND the Virtual ZOOM meeting on June 2, 5:30PM. Follow link for Zoom: https://bit.ly/low-water-bridge-ps Meeting ID: 831 8381 2782 Passcode: 688424

4. ATTEND or ZOOM UPCOMING COUNCIL HEARING. Follow PS Council meeting agenda at https://destinyhosted.com/agenda_publish.cfm?id=72567&mt=CC&vl=true

Please review this website and see the background and facts that have led the City to this road improvement. Opposition to this simple plan is also included—you may find these voices–the vast majority of whom DO NOT LIVE in our community, are more concerned about the wildlife than the safety of the actual people who live in the area. This group is very well funded, staffed, and are highly influential with the City. Please know your voice matters! The time to act is NOW.

EMERGENCY SERVICES

With a higher than average response time, Andreas Hills and to the South are burdened with a greater than five minute distance from emergency response vehicles. The majority of Palm Springs enjoys this life-safety benefit that is mandated in some cities. Palm Springs did consider adding a fire department further south of Station 4 to address this extended response time. That plan was rejected due to cost, and fire sprinkler requirements were instituted instead. That does not address longer response times that have remained as a result of the distance. We are most grateful to our emergency responders and do not want them to be forced to deal with flooded roads when trying to respond to our community during a storm event–when seconds matter to a stroke or heart attack we or a loved one could be experiencing.

During Valentine’s Day Flood Event, Palm Springs Police Department posted on their Facebook page four times that emergency response to our community may be delayed due to limited access, and the road being CLOSED. When this road is closed, how are you and your loved ones going to receive unexpected emergency care?

LOW WATER CROSSING PROJECT

Why the Crossing? In 2024 alone, our 710 homes made almost 600 emergency calls–almost 2 per day. As recently as Valentine’s Day 2019, severe flooding closed South Palm Canyon by PS Emergency Responders. But this is not a new problem for us. In August 1982, January 2005, and February 2010 the road has been flooded, intermittently closed, and we have been in jeopardy of not getting full access to timely emergency help. After the flood water and our fears subside, we are left with the mud and debris to clean-up. All of this goes away with the well-engineered low water crossing.

WHAT HAS BEEN ENGINEERED?

For over a dozen years, road and hydrology experts designed a NO-RISE, flat with the rest of the street, reinforced roadway with sidewalks built at grade level. This allows flood waters funneled from Arenas Canyon’s “Alluvial Fan” to flow freely BELOW the street–not over the street. “Rip rap” rocks will line the vast majority of the channel, collecting sediment, and allowing natural flora to re-grow and enhance the site, creating a wildlife environment on top of the life-safety project on the City-owned land. The construction will take approximately 50 weeks to complete. There is no real downside to this project.

Why NOW? While decades ago the City secured CalTrans and Federal funds for the low water crossing improvement, the bad news is the deadline to access these funds is very near. The PS City Council must approve this project NOW or we will lose the allocated funding. In 2012, nearby Araby Cove residents rejected their roadway project and permanently lost their funding. Their road washed out Valentine’s Day 2019. They regret not having the road. Let’s make sure that the Palm Springs City Council knows we want ours. THANK YOU for your help in protecting our community.

SUPPORTED BY CONCERNED RESIDENTS IN THE ANDREAS HILLS NEIGHBORHOODS.

Karen & Clint Miller – Andreas Palms | Jenny & Michael McLean – Andreas Palms | Dr. Henry Fernandez – Andreas Hills | Barbara Munic – Alta | Judy & Mike Wexler – Bogert Trail | Marelli & Amos Lopez – Andreas Palms | Christa King – Parc Andreas | Mike Hostettler – Monte Sereno | Roger Smith – Monte Sereno | Peter Schauben – Andreas Palms | Kelly Patchett – Andreas Palms | Laura O’Kane – Estancias | Vicki Schlappi – Andreas Palms | Diane McMillan – Andreas Palms | Christopher Nolte – Goldenrod | Bill Brand – Goldenrod | Michael Arkin – Andreas Palms | Lucas Schelkens – Andreas Palms

********** NOTE ********** The chart below is best viewed either via a desktop computer, or with your mobile device turned sideways (landscape.)

TIMELINE	FLOOD FLOW	CITY EFFORTS	OPPOSITION
	Engineers have determined 3,000 cubic feet per second (cfs), equivalent to over 1.3 million gallons per minute, will flow during an extreme flood even at South Palm Canyon and Bogert Trail. Please keep in mind that The Valentine’s Day 2019 flood was Mother Nature, and not from a housing development that never came to be. And, the Valentine’s Day flood was a fraction of the max flow predicted for this area! The alluvial fan collects and funnels storm water directly at the South Palm Canyon and Bogert Trail intersection. FEMA has marked this area as a flood zone and the City had worked since 2000 to address the problem.	As part of the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, the City has flagged South Palm Canyon for high-risk flooding potential that could wipe out South Palm Canyon and strand the residents without emergency services. The City has secured State and Federal funds for a water crossing that will allow the flow to go under South Palm Canyon and maintain access to the residents and Tribe during storm emergencies. This is simply a Life-Safety issue to prevent us from being isolated in emergencies. Soon, the City Council is finally voting, hopefully to move forward with the project. However, your IMMEDIATE ACTION is still needed to ensure the City resolves this issue and ensures our community and Tribal lands get this necessary road improvement.	Oswit Land Trust has opposed the Low Water Crossing project from 2019, but no other plan has been presented to address the incredible storm flow expected from the canyon. If we do not act now and accept the CalTrans and Fed funds, we will never get a chance to address the life-safety problem the natural topography of our area has in store for us.
2005	Flood event.	The City filed for CalTrans and Federal funding following flooding and flood damage at the South Palm Canyon and Bogert Trail intersection.
2008		The City hired Dokken Engineering to redevelop the road intersection to prevent flooding at one of the two low water crossings.
2010	Flood Event.	The City asked Dokken to design another low water crossing to address the balance of the flow at the road intersection.
2016		Dokken submitted full plan to City.
2017		Litigation with owners of canyon land delayed any further action by City on Low Water Crossing.
Valentine’s Day 2019	South Palm Canyon at Bogert Trail is flooded and closed. Palm Springs Police Department posted on its Facebook page alerts that show the closure from 2/14 until 2/15. They also warn to expect possible delays to emergency services due to limited access south of this intersection. Araby Cove has Araby Trail washed out for three weeks, jeopardizing their emergency response. In 2012, that community rejected their road project to solve flooding concerns. The permanently lost funding for their road!		In 2024 and beyond, some Oswit folks express the road was not closed. Some claim it was closed briefly only, and was inconsequential.
10/2019		City agrees to spend $1 million dollars for the 3 acres of the canyon for the Low Water Crossing project. Oswit agrees to purchase the remaining 99 acres of the parcel for conservation.	Oswit agrees to purchase remaining 99 acres of the parcel for conservation.
12/2019			Oswit objects to the Low Water Crossing project and claims the only reason it was conceived was due to a 2005 housing development proposal that was ultimately vetoed. Actually, after the 2005 flood, the City began work on this life-safety road project to protect our existing community from being isolated from the next massive storm. In 2008, Dokken Engineering was contracted to explore solutions that lead to the Low Water Crossing proposal. That’s when the funnel-shaped channel under the roadway was first developed. Not in 2005 as part of a housing plan. They believe the Low Water Crossing plan is overkill, so Oswit submitted four concepts for City review that involved less of the City’s three acres. Ironically, just months earlier, the Valentine’s Day Flood closed our road and jeopardized our community!  The City paid to have Dokken analyze each and try to incorporate any of them into the road improvement. All four options fell far short of addressing the 100-year flood flow likely because the actual flood flows for that area were NOT considered in the concepts presented. Request for a more aesthetic channel bed was made.
2020		City did direct Dokken to reduce the footprint of the channel concept, to line it with rip rap rocks ($$$) versus concrete, use a rock berm–all to make the channel going under the road blend better with the natural landscape. Wild flora would eventually further enhance the site.
3/2020		City and Oswit execute Settlement Agreement with the housing developers to buy the whole 103 acre parcel. City paid $1,000,000 for the three acres of land–SPECIFICALLY to do the Low Water Crossing project (with the odd shape specific to the Low Water Crossing designed years ago), and Oswit owning remaining 99 acres for conservation. The parties signed agreeing the City had ultimate authority on the City’s 3-acre site to design and construct the flood project.	City and Oswit execute Settlement Agreement with City owning 3 acres EXPRESSLY for Low Water Crossing, and Oswit owning remaining 99 acres for conservation.
2023	FEMA completes hydrology study for the South Palm Canyon and Bogert Trail area, changing the flood zone to Zone AE and depicting on a graph that flood waters will impact this intersection during a 100-year flood event. This designation means that during a 30-year mortgage, you have a 26% chance of this 100-year flood event.	CalTrans reaffirms funding and reaffirms EIS (Environmental Impact Study).
2024	Hurricane Hilary dumped 3.6″ of rain on Cathedral City missing this area by a few miles. 3.6″ of rain would have flooded the road and closed it, given the damage done in Cathedral City.	City Council brought to vote on the project, but was met with Oswit opposition. The City delayed the vote.	Oswit asked for flow study and City provided two weeks later. Oswit has not produced any other plan for the Low Water Crossing project.
2025		City Council brought to vote on the project, but was met with Oswit opposition. The City delayed the vote this time to discuss the plan with the community. The funding deadline is approaching! The project must be substantially completed by 12/2026 for the secured funds to get applied.	Oswit objected to the project. They claimed the Low Water Crossing was only for a housing development that is no more. And somehow, maintain that the recent flooding (Valentine’s Day 2019 and the near miss of Hurricane Hilary) and road closure at the intersection was really NOT serious enough, so the project is NOT needed. They have claimed the project is MASSIVE, but it is an at-grade level with the roadway improvement that allows flood waters to travel UNDER the road. They claim the project is too big, but never presented a validated, flood-flow design that is smaller. They want an environmental study (EIS) to be redone saying it has been too since the original study, not realizing CalTrans already reaffirmed the EIS in 2023. Now they say it is too expensive, and costs have increased–but partially from design enhancements to make the channel look nicer, and partially from this project stalling for so long. While the City has revised their fund-grant requests for additional costs, the delays are from Oswit objections and the design refinements requested by Oswit. It is ironic for Oswit to now claim the project is too expensive. If the funds to do the Low Water Crossing Project are lost, is it better the community is left with NO protection? Even Oswit thought the area should get some protection, why else did they present four alternate (but inadequate) plans?
May 28, 2025		City hosts Community Meeting to get input on this decades-long project.	Oswit is blanketing the City with claims not based in science and ignores the life-safety of the existing residents. Oswit is banking on being loud enough to drown out the decades of work the City has done to provide life-safety emergency response to the Andreas Hills neighborhood and the Tribal lands south of this intersection. How can we believe that for decades the City leaders have been wrong planning for this project, the City engineers have been wrong in their direction, the CalTrans and the Feds have been wrong in earmarking funds for this project, and Road/Flood Engineers–Dokken are wrong and the plan is overkill (even though they are the only engineering firm to evaluate and consider the full flood flow potential from this site)? These entities are not wrong. We ask the land conservation group to refocus on this issue and help make the existing plan workable from a landscaping perspective to recreate a wildlife habitat on top of the City owned land after this project is complete. We CANNOT lose these funds and be like Araby, and permanently regret not having a flood safe road.