Coachella City Council Meeting Canceled, Raising Questions About Project Delays and Public Access

It has been four weeks since the City of Coachella last held a regularly scheduled City Council meeting, and the city’s next meeting, originally set for January 14, has now been canceled. The pause is raising questions among residents and developers waiting for council action on pending items.

According to the city, all agenda items that were scheduled for the canceled meeting will carry over to the next City Council meeting, which is expected to take place toward the end of January.

The last time the Coachella City Council met was December 10. Legal experts with Romer and Harnik LLP say state law does not require city councils to meet on a specific schedule. Instead, the frequency of meetings often depends on workload and city needs.

At this point, experts say the city does not appear to be in violation of the law. However, they stress that official decisions cannot be made without properly noticed public meetings.

Legal experts note that residents or businesses who believe they are being harmed by the lack of meetings may have legal options. For example, if a contract or project requires council approval and is delayed because meetings are not being held, a resident could petition the court for a writ of mandate. This legal action would ask a judge to require the city council to meet and conduct public business.

Experts say courts are typically receptive to ensuring public bodies meet openly and handle city business in public, as required by law.

The situation comes as Coachella Mayor Stephen Hernandez continues to face charges of perjury and conflict of interest. He remains on the council and has not made public comments regarding those charges.

According to legal experts, with only four active council members, the city is not experiencing immediate legal harm. However, they caution that an even number of council members increases the risk of tied votes, which could stall decision-making.

City officials have not indicated whether additional meetings will be scheduled before the end-of-January session.

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