Palm Desert City Council prepares for end of dining deck program
The pandemic-era solution for outdoor dining is coming to an end and Palm Desert City Councilmembers are discussing how to inform El Paseo businesses before the deadline is up.
The pandemic-era solution for outdoor dining is coming to an end and Palm Desert City Councilmembers are discussing how to inform El Paseo businesses before the deadline is up.
Commissioners wanted Rock'n Avenue bar developers to hold another community engagement meeting before coming back for approval.
Interviews with 82 people across fly and drive markets will help lead to a refresh of the brand first shaped by a 2019 "desert rhythm" study.
New rules restrict natural kratom leaf sales to adults 21 and older and ban synthetic kratom.
In the most recent Desert Housing Report, the city recorded 803 homes listed for sale — the highest in the valley — while detached home prices dropped 3.5% year-over-year to $723,000.
At meetings and in written comments, opponents of a planned Rock'n Avenue cited sanitation concerns, while the applicant's architect says the venue would complement the street's "refined and elegant" offerings.
Prices remain mostly flat across the Coachella Valley, while longer selling times point to a market slowly tilting toward buyers.
The city welcomed 12 notable retail openings in 2025. Two additional businesses are scheduled to open by the end of this month. And another 10 businesses are slated to open this year.
Housing inventory is up and prices are down. Though analysts say much of that is seasonal trends, year-over-year data put the trends in context.
The Architectural Review Commission approved major changes to the facade of the new Restoration Hardware store on El Paseo, allowing the architectural detail to prevent the building from looking too flat.