Sue Margiotta

http://www.palmspringslife.com/media/Palm-Springs-Life/Financial-Guide/Annual-2007/Coachella/

Fiesta Development, a private company headed by partners Larry Redman and Richard Ashby, hopes to have approvals in place by the end of the year and begin construction in the spring of next year on what ultimately will include more than 8,000 housing units, ranging from garden apartments to mini-estates with sweeping views of the entire valley. Two golf courses, 1 million square feet of commercial and office space, and a hotel site will be easily accessible from Interstate 10 via a new interchange.

Because of the unique topography of the site as it changes elevation from the valley floor up the Chiriaco Summit grade, 46 percent of the project land will be open space dedicated either as parks or golf course. Also planned are a fire station, electrical substation, lakes to hold reclaimed water for irrigation, a 35-acre sports park, and miles of walking paths and horse trails.

For the first time, residential development is taking shape north of Interstate 10 in areas served by Desert Sands Unified School District. Two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school are in the works. The city merged four separate project areas in order to refinance its redevelopment bonds to lay the groundwork for future infrastructure the community will need as it grows.

Developers looking across I-10 for growth

http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080330/NEWS05/803300330/1011/news05

Indio officials expect the desert tract to sprout thousands of homes, shops, schools and public safety buildings. A master plan that would provide a blueprint on how that could happen is in the works.

"This whole area is just vacant. It's so massive. It's (like) a whole new city," said Sean Moore, a senior planner leading the city's expansion efforts.

Already, 24 square miles - or 15,360 acres - of the 34-square-mile tract along Dillon Road fall under the city's sphere of influence. The move was approved in September by the Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission, which handles annexations.

A sphere of influence is an unincorporated area next to or near an incorporated city that the city may want to annex in the future.

The master plan would consider land-use guidelines, and possibly incorporate trail systems, parks and roads.

A fiscal impact study and strategy for services also would be part of an annexation study.

"This whole area is just vacant. We'll have to plan everything - sewer, water," Moore said.

Much of the 24 square miles recently added to the city's sphere is not suitable for development - hilly and covered in desert brush - and will remain open space for recreation. The 10 square miles directly north of the city limits are part of the Coachella Valley Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan and would not be available for development.

But about seven square miles is a clean slate that would allow for planned growth and proper molding, Moore said.

The four projects proposed for that area eventually could add thousands more residents to the already-burgeoning city of 77,146.

The projects are:

Dillon Trails on 207 acres (846 homes, condos or apartments are planned so far)

Stonewater on 800 acres

Inner Beauty on 1,000 acres

Indio Trails on 900 acres

Indian Wells Demographics

Source: Wheeler's Desert Letter www.coachella-valley.com

Mission Lakes, BBarH Ranch and Painted Hills are also considered Desert Hot Springs

Subdivisions: