Petition to Halt Sale of Festival Lawn Stalls

Festival Lawn Declared Surplus, Now for Sale

CATHEDRAL CITY — As of Wednesday morning, a petition initiated on July 16 to save from sale the 1.81-acre Festival Lawn had gathered 341 signatures. The petition, started July 16, has thus far failed to ignite a wave of outcry from the citizenry.

In this, the second largest city in the Coachella Valley with a population of nearly 55,000 people, that’s barely a whimper, let alone a “wave.”

Eri Nox, who owns Cat City Bread, an artisanal sourdough bakery in Cathedral City, started the petition after the City Council unanimously passed a resolution to sell Festival Lawn in Downtown Cathedral City. The current appraised value is $1.2 million.

“This decision has sparked a ‘wave’ of concern among residents who view the park as an integral part of our community’s cultural and social landscape,” according to the petition. “Festival Lawn is more than just a green space; it is a central hub for some of the city’s most significant events. From LGBT Days and The Annual Hot Air Balloon Festival to the Taste of Jalisco Festival, the park plays a vital role in bringing people together, celebrating our diversity, and fostering community pride. The proposed sale threatens to strip away this valuable asset, diminishing the vibrancy and communal spirit that Festival Lawn embodies.”

Assistant City Manager Anne Ambrose said none of events Nox mentioned will be affected.

“I want to be clear that continuation of the City’s signature events and other events in the future has been a priority for the City Council and if and when this property is ever developed, the City would work around it to continue providing the Taste of Jalisco, International Balloon Festival, LBGTQ Days and other events that bring residents and visitors alike to downtown Cathedral City,” Ambrose told  Uken Report.

So, how did the city come to this decision?

On July 2, the City issued a Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Festival Lawn parcel.  Back in 2012 when the state killed local redevelopment agencies, cites had to identify what they proposed to do with their remaining properties (whether they had a governmental use or not), according to Ambrose.  Land that did not have a governmental use would be declared surplus and eventually disposed of pursuant to the Surplus Land Act.

The city identified the Festival Lawn as not having a governmental use and would eventually be sold, Ambrose said.  Over the years, the City has had various commercial developers talk to the city about development opportunities for the parcel. Before the City could consider any offers, it must first engage the Surplus Land Act process, which includes making the property first available to low and moderate-income housing developers.

Additionally, the city needed to send the NOA to parks, recreation and open space districts, school districts, and other agencies.  The City is currently in the 60-day noticing process in which interested parties in the aforementioned categories can submit offers to the City.  The City would then have 90 days to negotiate in good faith with any interested housing developers.  If the City and an interested developer came to terms, the City would enter into an agreement.  If the City and an interested housing developer were not able to come to terms, the City would be allowed to sell the property outside of the Surplus Land Act, according to Ambrose.