Happy Halloween, Palermo Palm Springs

This Halloween, about a half dozen residents have gotten into the spirit of the holiday by putting up lights or other decorations or setting pumpkins out. Next up will be the light displays at Christmas for all to enjoy. Palermo is a special place. Miss Penny Lane says: She has no candy to hand out to trick-or-treaters because she ate it all in a late-night craving.

Military jets on the increase over Palm Springs

The Desert Sun on Sunday had a long article on the increase in military jets using the PSP airport. The article says: "If it seems as if the roar of military jets landing at or taking off from Palm Springs International Airport is heard more often these days, that's because it is. Airport statistics show that through September there were 1,555 military aircraft operations — takeoffs or landings — at the airport, compared to 1,397 operations in all of last year. The total through the first nine months of this year exceeds the full-year total of military operations for each of at least the past five years. And while airport and city officials have taken steps to urge military flyers to be “good neighbors” and limit their noise in any ways they can, no one is asking the military if it can limit its local landings." The whole story is at mydesert.com. Miss Penny Lane says: She once dated a Navy fly boy but one day he just flew away.

Gym's power problem fixed

Positively Palermo received this e-mail: "Hi Penney, Thank you. It looks like the gym electrical problem has been solved." Miss Penny Lane says: Now she has no excuse not to get ship-shape.

Julian Market closed, for now

Julian Market near Palermo has been shut, at least temporarily. A sign on the building says the county environmental services department closed the market and the adjoining car repair garage because the building isn't safe. Miss Penny Lane says: Oh, well.

Water Pressure Problems?

Positively Palermo received an email that someone is experiencing water pressure problems tonight and spitting faucets. Does anyone else have this problem? Missy Penny Lane says: the water needs to stay on tonight because it's the night to wash her hair.

Palermo-ites, please help the animals

Positively Palermo received this e-mail: "Hi Penny! Hope you are well.....I have a few requests I hope you'll be able to share on the blog. Although it is still warm Orphan Pet Oasis is launching their 2011 Operation Blankets of Love drive...it WILL get cold and they need blankets of all kinds for the shelter, so was hoping to gather some from our generous community. If they want to drop them at my place - I'll deliver all at once. The 2011 Super Pet Adoption Fair will take place Nov. 20 & 21 at Whitewater Park in Rancho Mirage - a great park to take pets - 10am - 4pm. Just in case there is more room in your heart and townhouse for LOVE!!!! This is an all-valley pet adoption partnership, so lots of furry creatures will be there! Thanks as always Penny! Tiffani, 3435 Sunburst." Miss Penny Lane says: Great ideas!

DRM MIA on gym electrical problem?

Positively Palermo received this e-mail: "Miss Penney, For those of us who use the workout facility, it is no secret that we have an electrical problem that has escalated into a fire hazard. For some months the electrical outlets surrounding the cardio equipment have been broken. In addition, the electrical plugs on the cardio equipment are missing the ground prong as they have broken off and can be found in the electrical outlets on the floor causing the outlets to trip the circuits. This has caused the fuses on the equipment to blow which renders the equipment unusable. People have tried to circumvent the fuses with aluminum foil which is an extreme fire hazard and it doesn't work! I, and other residents, have written Brandi about this (months ago), but nothing has been done. Now with virtually all of the electrical recepticles broken, it is not just an inconvenience, but a fire hazard. Can you help us get the word out in hopes that someone will finally address the issue? And, as always, thanks for all you do for Palermo." Miss Penny Lane says: Her only work out these days is raising her Cosmos glass.

More on the College of the Desert

Here's the story from the paper about the College of the Desert's West valley campus:

The toilets will be waterless. The windows will have weather sensors that tell students when to open them.


And solar panels on the buildings and parking structures will produce a surplus of power that College of the Desert's new West Valley campus in Palm Springs will be able sell to support its academic programs.


The master plan for the 119-acre project unveiled for the COD Board of Trustees on Friday calls for the campus to be “net-zero plus” meaning better than net-zero electric and water use, campus waste and greenhouse gas emissions. While many community colleges in California have launched green and solar programs, COD's Edwin Deas, vice president for Business, said the West Valley campus could be the “first example of an integrated (sustainable) campus being built from scratch.”


The plan, presented by Lance O'Donnell of o2 Architecture in Palm Springs and James Matson of Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, Inc. of Santa Monica, will eventually put a greenbelt of academic buildings, green business incubators, residential and small retail spaces on the site, all grouped around a central path or arroyo. “We see deeply shaded courtyards. We see indoor-outdoor teaching opportunities,” O'Donnell said. “You'll see solar on roofs. The modular cooling plant won't be sequestered away; it will be a teaching opportunity. We're not just looking at technology we have today; we're looking at technologies that are incubated here on site.”


The first phase of construction, to be completed by fall of 2014, will include classrooms for culinary arts and green technology programs, as well as a small library, fitness center and bookstore. The $40 million price tag for the first buildings will be funded from COD's $346.5 million construction bond money, Deas said.Construction of the first phase could create about 200-250 jobs, O'Donnell said, and when completed should provide class space for about 200-250 students. But, Deas said, complete build-out of the campus will depend on public-private partnerships and could take decades.


The master plan calls for five phases of construction, with buildings totaling 650,000 square feet and more than 2,600 parking spaces. Later phases will add more classrooms expanding hospitality and green tech programs and adding health sciences and media and arts programs, student housing and even, in the fourth phase, a boutique hotel.


Besides providing jobs for students in culinary and hospitality classes, the hotel “could be a cool hub for academic activity you don't see at community colleges,” O'Donnell said. “You could have a world symposium on solar and wind.”


Michael O'Neill, the trustee for Palm Springs, called the plan “extremely creative.”


“It's going to be an incredible boost to the local economy,” he said. “It will be attractive for people to move into Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs. You can see families moving in with children.”


Palm Springs acquired the site at the intersection of Indian Canyon Drive and Tramview Road from the the Bureau of Land Management for COD and signed it over to the college earlier this year.


The west side of the site is being developed by Southern California Edison as a 10 megawatt solar farm, which will also provide revenue for the campus. Still, O'Donnell said, getting to net-zero and beyond will be a challenge.


“We said let's allocate the portion of the budget that will make sure we're zero,” he said. “Then with good design and beating the bushes, getting manufacturers to use the campus as a test site, we can add the bells and whistles.”


Wind: The West Valley campus location — at the wind-swept north end of Palm Springs — was one of the biggest challenges facing the design team. To cut down on wind-blown sand, the north side of campus will have a series of built-in windbreaks, including man-made dunes topped with desert plants.


The parking structures and buildings on the north side of the site will be set perpendicular to the wind and will be use perforated, diaphanous materials, O'Donnell l said, so as not to create wind tunnels or eddies.


Electricity: The first phase of campus construction will include a 3.5 megawatt solar field that should pump out enough electricity to run the campus as well as surplus power to sell. As more buildings are completed, the field itself be cut back and panels moved to roof and parking structures.


And as solar technology improves over time, newer, more efficient panels can be installed, O'Donnell said. Charging stations for electric vehicles might also be solar-powered, he said. Dry waste from the waterless toilets, similar to the ones used on commercial air liners, could also eventually been used for a waste-to-power biomass system, he said.


Water: The goal is to keep water use on campus between 1 million and 1.2 million gallons a year — which is the same amount many golf courses in the valley use daily, O'Donnell said. Capturing onsite storm water and other waste water will cut water use, along with the waterless toilets and a high-tech cooling tower for recycling water from the air conditioning and heating systems.


Buildings: Buildings will be designed to minimize the need for electricity and greenhouse gas emissions. “Not having a pile of wood is the first order of business,” O'Donnell said.


Miss Penny Lane says: When can she sign up for class?

College of the Desert reveals plans for campus near Palermo Palm Springs

College of the Desert has revealed more detailed plans for its West Valley campus and business center to be built on Indian Canyon Drive, about a block from Palermo Palm Springs. "The first phase of construction, to be completed by fall of 2014, will include classrooms for culinary arts and green technology programs, as well as a small library, fitness center and bookstore. Later phases will add more classrooms expanding hospitality and green tech programs and adding health sciences and media and arts programs, student housing and even, in the fourth phase, a boutique hotel,"says a report. We will post a longer story later this weekend. Here are the basics of the build-out plan.

Phase 1: 50,000 square feet, 159 parking spaces by 2014

Phase 2: 100,000 square feet, 557 parking spaces

Phase 3: 110,000 square feet, 680 parking spaces

Phase 4: 120,000 square feet, 1,029 parking spaces

Phase 5: 70,000 square feet, 1,059 parking spaces

Additional construction, including housing: 200,000 square feet, 531 parking spaces

Full build-out: 650,000 square feet, 2,619 parking spaces.

Miss Penny Lane says: She's making an educated guess that Palermo will be the most desirable community in Palm Springs once the redevelopment boom takes off.

Will Palermo-ites go bananaz for new restaurant?

Positively Palermo has learned that perhaps the closest "fine dining" restaurant to Palermo - Dink's on Palm Canyon Drive — has closed for good and is reopening as a different restaurant. Its Web site says: "Dink's Restaurant and Ultra Lounge Reopens November 1st as Bananaz Tropical Grill and Bananaz After Dark with many of the Dink's staff returning to serve." Miss Penny Lane says: Her standard measure of any restaurant is its Cosmos. Please tell her if the ones at this new place measure up.

They are dying to see you on Sunburst

More pictures from scary Sunburst Blvd. Miss Penny Lane says: If you want to see frightening, knock on her door before she's had her morning coffee.

Who ghosts at Palermo Palm Springs?

Ghosts have turned up on Sunburst Blvd. at Palermo Palm Springs. Go take a look. Watch for more pictures later in the week. Miss Penny Lane says: They're creepy and they're kooky. When people come to see 'em, they really are a screa-um.

Concerns about the upkeep of Palermo's Phase 2 land

Positively Palermo receive this e-mail: "Penny, Thank you for what you do. Who is in charge of the undeveloped area? Residents have taken to cleaning it up, like sweeping up broken glass and removed abandoned items like brooms that end up there for some reason. The trees in front of the empty models badly need trimming and the branches hit my car's roof when I left.Why is the bank that owns this land ignoring the basic upkeep??? Can the Palermo HOA force them to do something about this??? Who is in charge because it is being neglect it seems and need some TLC???" Miss Penny Lane says: She does a swerve-y in the morning to avoid that tree. It help wakes up on her way to work.

Palmero rental rates steadily rising, and hit new highs

The rents for a two-bedroom, two-story Palermo town home have hit new highs. Two condos with spas are listed on the Internet at $1,450 a month. Here is the link. Advertised are an A model at 3661 Melody Lane and a D model at 3522 Melody Lane. Rates have been going up for the past two years. One concern of owners reported to Positively Palermo in the past was the rents were low in the past because the 34 unsold Enterprise Cos. rents all went on the market at the same time. That seems to have worked itself out of time. Miss Penny Lane says: She's hoping new her special friend might rent one of these gems.

Cheers for the painting of the fencing

The metal fencing around the pools and the gates to the back yards have been repainted. They had been rusting. Now they look new and terrific. Miss Penny Lane says: She could use a new coat of paint, too.

Problems with Time Warner phone service

Positively  Palermo received reports that Time Warner phone service was out today in all or parts of our community. Cable and Internet services weren't shut off. The problem apparently now has been fixed. Miss Penny Lane says: She enjoys phone-free days.

Take the trash cans in, please

Positively Palermo has received an e-mail from a resident concerned about people leaving out trash and recycling cans for long periods of time. A particular concern is about the bank- owned, former Enterprise Cos. rentals whose tenants are supposed to sign lease agreements that detail rules. The resident points out that a bank-owned rental on Enterprise Way has had the blue recycling bin out for a many days and before that left the brown trash can out for days. Bank-owned, former Enterprise Cos. rentals on Sunburst Blvd. and Sandy Point also have been problems. The rules say that cans may be put out 12 hours before pickup and must be taken in 12 hours after pickup. The resident wants to know why DRM and the HOA board is not enforcing this on the bank-owned rentals. Miss Penny Lane says: Thanks for your concern.

Second bidder for 34 unsold units and Phase 2 land drops out

Positively Palermo has learned that the second bidder for the 34 unsold developer condos and Phase 2 land has dropped out. The bank now owns the units and land after it foreclosed on Ron Shipka's Enterprise Cos. of Chicago. The Hoffman Group real estate brokers is selling the properties in an unified sale. The deadline to bid was May 20. The first bidder dropped out. Now a second has. (The 34 units are being rented out.) Miss Penny Lane says: The third could be the charm.

Posting problems

Blogspot is having a problem that has caused some comments to not appear. Some users have no problems. Please e-mail us if you can't post and have something you want to share. Miss Penny Lane says: On a beautiful day like today in Palm Springs, no one should be at their computers anyway.

More about getting rid of curbside trash service

Positively Palermo received this e-mail: I have been trying to place a post on the website but it will not let me. My comment was in regards to the latest board meeting as a recent 2011 home owner. I was pleased to see that our board appears to be a good group who are doing I believe, a very good job of representing all home owners. I attended the meeting over the phone, it appears
that we may see HOA fees go up around $20 per month. This will depend upon whether the decision to change trash pick up is adopted. By changing to dumpsters it looks like we can save around 25K per year, I for one do not mind walking my trash to a strategically placed dumpster. Thanks." Miss Penny Lane says: She loves Palermo's dumpsters because she often finds treasures that others have tossed out as junk. She's been dumpster diving for years now.

Note: We have received some e-mails saying people can't post comments for some reason, while others are able to post. None of the settings for this site has changed so we are trying to see if blogspot is having a system-wide problem. Please e-mail if you have trouble.

Changing the trash service?

Positively Palermo received this e-mail: "I tried several times to add the following comment on the "what happened at the HOA meeting" post, but when I pressed submit it didn't do anything. Wondered if you might post it? ... There was a discussion about trash and recycling, in particular that Palermo could save $25,000 per year in pickup costs if we dropped pickup of individual bins and instead used dumpsters for trash and recycling. This would require additional dumpsters compared to what we have today. More investigation is to be done on this to determine where the additional dumpsters might be placed so they'd be out of sight but accessible to all, frequency of pickups that would be needed, etc. As for change in HOA dues, I don't think there is any decision yet. Don't recall other topics, but meeting ran smoothly and efficiently." Miss Penny Lane says: Her new year's resolution may be to take her recycling to the recycling center to make a little extra cash to buy a new hair curler.

Ready for Halloween?

It's October! Last Halloween, residents of Palermo Palm Springs got into the spirit of the holiday. When will the first decorations go up? Miss Penny Lane says: She bought a bag of bite-size candy bars for the trick-or-treaters but she already ate them all watching Anderson Cooper.

Any news from the board meeting?

Positively Palermo received this e-mail: "Penny, Did anyone attend or call in to the HOA meeting who can tell us what happened?" Miss Penny Lane says: Please help if you can.

HOA meeting is Monday evening

Positively Palermo received this e-mail: "Penny, please let residents know that the HOA board member told me that the HOA meeting is at 6 p.m. tomorrow night in the club house. The call in telephone number is (800) 423-1988. Passcode: 1553629." Miss Penny Lane says: Thanks!

When does the pool heat go back on?

Positively Palermo received this e-mail: "Dear Ms. Penney, Can you tell me when the pool heaters will be turned on?  I would like to use the pool, but... brrrrrrr! Thanks!" We understand the pool heat goes back on every year on Oct. 1. Miss Penny Lane says: Every time she drives by the front pool and sees the local hotties, she has anything to says buy burrrrrr.