A popular outdoor venue in Coachella for food trucks and public gatherings has sparked controversy, with county officials briefly shutting it down over license issues and business owners and others pushing back against potential changes.
The Coachella Container Park, located along Grapefruit Boulevard next to the Union Pacific railroad lines, was approved by the city council in March 2022, with its operating permit requiring annual approval to remain effective.
The park, which is run by local business owner Nick Meza, has continued to operate in the years since, becoming a popular gathering spot for food truck vendors and residents. It's also hosted events including movie nights and live music. But in recent weeks, videos on social media have
said the city is attempting to limit the venue’s operating days, from seven days a week to two.
The entertainment permit approved by the council in 2022 says the venue's hours of operation may be from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week, with last call for alcohol service at 1:30 a.m., with a maximum of 320 guests on the 1.24-acre site at any given time. The permit's conditions of approval also state the city has the right to modify the venue's hoursafter a year, based on information provided by local police regarding calls for service.
It's unclear precisely how the city might change the venue's operations, but the discussion has already drawn a wave of community pushback. An online petition in support of the container park from a woman named Jessica Rodriguez had gained more than 800 signatures as of Thursday, Sept. 3.
“We are asking the City of Coachella and our elected leaders to recognize the positive impact this space has had on our community and allow the Coachella Container Park to continue operating,” the petition states.
“Coachella deserves spaces where local entrepreneurs can grow, families can gather, and residents can feel proud of what is being created in their own city,” it adds.
City spokesperson Jessica Torres, who issued a statement in response to what she described as “misinformation” circulating online, said the park’s permit expired in March, and the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health issued a cease-and-desist order against the park at the end of August.
“The City continues to work with the operator through the entitlement and permitting process to help establish a pathway toward compliance,” Torres wrote to The Desert Sun. “The City has also provided opportunities for continued operations through special event permits, including a permit for (Labor Day) weekend.”
Meza, the park’s operator, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Desert Sun. But the container park responded to the city’s statement on its social media pages, saying the county has lifted its cease-and-desist order for an upcoming temporary event.
The park also says it’s operated through the city’s special event permitting process since 2022, and that process “continues to exist.”
“It was only recently brought to the table that the vendors’ operating days and hours could be significantly changed,” the park said on social media. “These proposed changes, along with the continued roadblocks we have encountered, have now affected our renewal process and created uncertainty for the small businesses that depend on the park.”
“We are still committed to cooperating with the County and the City, protecting our vendors and preserving a safe, family-friendly gathering place for the Coachella community,” the post adds.
Sandi Salas, a spokesperson with the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health, confirmed that the county issued the cease-and-desist directive to Meza on Aug. 20 after learning that its city-issued permit had expired. About a week later, the county was told the city had issued a special event permit to the venue Aug. 28 for the upcoming weekend.
“The cease-and-desist order was lifted, and a community event permit was issued by Environmental Health,” Salas said. “We will continue to work with the city and the container park coordinator to permit city sanctioned community events at this location.”
The Coachella City Council is expected to discuss the issue at its Sept. 9 meeting, according to the online petition. Torres said only that the council will take up the topic at a future meeting, and she did not respond to a question from The Desert Sun about whether a date had been finalized. An agenda for the Sept. 9 meeting had not been posted by the city as of Sept. 3.
Tom Coulter covers local government and politics for The Desert Sun. Reach him at thomas.coulter@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Possible changes at Coachella Container Park draw public pushback
