By Lukas Velush
The Desert Sun
April 18th, 2000
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Residents who say they have been choking on dust blowing off the Marriott Ownership Resorts’ Palm Desert construction
site may now have the breathing room they want.
After three additional citations were issued by the South Coast Air Quality Management District April 8-10, developers
of the time share-golf course project at Monterey Avenue and Gerald Ford Drive agreed last week to take additional
steps to reduce the amount of sand blowing off the property.
Citations: The three citations bring the total to seven this spring, said Sam Atwood, an AQMD spokesman.
"Marriott Resorts submitted a plan on what they plan to do," Atwood said. "This is definitely a
good sign. They are taking a number of steps, basically around the clock."
Residents from the downwind neighborhoods have filed dozens of complaints since seasonal spring winds have picked
up.
"It’s been miserable. It’s been hell," said Joe Fernandez, a resident of the Kaufman and Broad District,
a development located directly east of the construction site.
Residents from Fernandez’ neighborhood and from Palm Desert Greens, located just south of the construction site,
have led the effort to get dust levels reduced.
Fernandez and other residents now want compensation for damage to their homes.
Good neighbor: Several calls to Charles Odom, Marriott’s senior project manager for the site, were not returned
for this story.
Odom previously told The Desert Sun that he believed Marriott had taken appropriate steps to deal with blowing
sand. He added that Marriott wants to be a good neighbor and will work to calm the concerns of downwind neighbors.
The steps Marriott agreed to last week include:
Using soil cement or chemical stabilizer to firm up graded areas not under construction.
Using above ground irrigation 24 hours per day in locations where that’s possible.
Using water trucks day and night during severe wind days. Water trucks are on site every day while construction
is occurring.
Building a masonry wall in the most sensitive areas and installing snow fencing to break the wind in other locations.
AQMD will continue to have a presence at the site until Marriott lays all of the sod, which will gradually happen
through scheduled completion in mid-July.
"We’re basically going to continue to keep a close watch on the situation out there," Atwood said.
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