HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Package - StudySession_Apr10_2025
PALM DESERT CITY COUNCIL
STUDY SESSION MEETING
AGENDA
Thursday, April 10, 2025
2:30 p.m.
Council Chamber, City Hall
73-510 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert, California
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the purpose of the Study Session is to review the items listed on the
agenda. No action will be taken.
This is a joint meeting of the Palm Desert City Council, Successor Agency to the Palm Desert
Redevelopment Agency, Palm Desert Housing Authority, and Palm Desert Board of Library Trustees.
Pursuant to Assembly Bill 2449, this meeting may be conducted as a hybrid meeting allowing public
access via teleconference or in person, and up to two Councilmembers may attend remotely.
WATCH THE MEETING LIVE: Watch the City Council meeting live at the City’s website:
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OPTIONS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS MEETING:
Send your comments by email to: CityClerk@palmdesert.gov.
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Pages
1.CALL TO ORDER - STUDY SESSION
2.STUDY SESSION TOPICS
2.a UPDATE ON THE PALM DESERT UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE AND
DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ASSESSMENT REPORT
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RECOMMENDATION:
Receive an update on the Palm Desert Unified Development Code and the
Development Regulations Assessment Report.
3.ADJOURNMENT
4.PUBLIC NOTICES
NOTE: Pursuant to Assembly Bill 2449, this meeting may be conducted by
teleconference. Study Session is accessible in person or on the City’s website:
www.palmdesert.gov under the Council Agenda link at the top of the page.
Agenda Related Materials: Pursuant to Government Code §54957.5(b)(2) the
designated office for inspection of records in connection with this meeting is the
Office of the City Clerk, Palm Desert Civic Center, 73-510 Fred Waring Drive,
Palm Desert. Staff reports for all agenda items considered in open session, and
documents provided to a majority of the legislative bodies are available for
public inspection at City Hall and on the City’s website at www.palmdesert.gov
by clicking “Meeting Agendas” at the top of the page.
Americans with Disabilities Act: It is the intention of the City of Palm Desert to
comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in all respects. If, as an
attendee or a participant at this meeting, or in meetings on a regular basis, you
will need special assistance beyond what is normally provided, the City will
attempt to accommodate you in every reasonable manner. Please contact the
Office of the City Clerk, (760) 346-0611, at least 48 hours prior to the meeting to
inform us of your needs and to determine if accommodation is feasible.
AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING
I, Michelle Nance, Acting Assistant City Clerk of the City of Palm Desert, do
hereby certify, under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California,
that the foregoing agenda for the Palm Desert City Council, Successor Agency
for the Palm Desert Redevelopment Agency, and Housing Authority, was posted
on the City Hall bulletin board and City website www.palmdesert.gov no less
than 72 hours prior to the meeting.
/S/ Michelle Nance
Acting Assistant City Clerk
City Council Study Session
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CITY OF PALM DESERT
STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: April 10, 2025
PREPARED BY: Nick Melloni, AICP, Principal Planner
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON THE PALM DESERT UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE AND
DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ASSESSMENT REPORT
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive an update on the Palm Desert Unified Development Code and the Development
Regulations Assessment Report.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City of Palm Desert is working with Clarion Associates to assist in updating its development
regulations and creating a new Unified Development Code (UDC), which will integrate and
update or replace various existing City ordinances relating to zoning (Title 25), subdivision (Title
26), grading regulations (Title 27), and related topics such as landscaping and outdoor lighting.
The UDC project intends to modernize regulations to better accomplish the City's long-term
goals and vision. The new UDC will provide updated standards to implement the City’s adopted
and future plans, and to provide a strong foundation for future development in Palm Desert.
The study session will present the Development Regulations Assessment Report (“assessment
report”), which is intended to serve as a roadmap for the Palm Desert UDC moving forward. This
assessment report is a narrative which outlines five (5) key focus areas which serve as overall
goals for the project:
1. Streamline the Development Review Process;
2. Enhance the Development Standards;
3. Fine-Tune the Zoning Districts;
4. Clarify the Land Use Regulations; and
5. Create a More User-Friendly Code
The assessment report is intended to provide a methodical assessment of the current
development regulations and provides recommendations for how these regulat ions should be
improved to address the five focus areas. The report is also accompanied by a Detailed Review
of Current Ordinances, which analyzes the code in a chapter -by-chapter format. City staff will
work with Clarion Associates, with the guidance of the City Council Subcommittee and a
Technical Advisory Committee to begin drafting the annotated outline of the project, followed by
drafting of the new Unified Development Code.
BACKGROUND:
On June 27, 2024, the City Council awarded a contract to Clarion Associates to develop a Unified
Development Code for the City of Palm Desert (Contract No. C47890).
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On September 12, 2024, City staff and Clarion Associates introduced the UDC project by
providing an outline of the intent of the project, a timeline, and overview of the project phases
and seeking direction on the formation of an Ad Hoc Subcommittee to review public drafts of the
various work products throughout the project. The Council directed staff to await the November
2024 election results before forming the subcommittee to ensure continuity between City Council
members.
On December 12, 2024, the City Council appointed Mayor Harnik and Councilmember Pradetto
to an Ad Hoc Subcommittee on the Unified Development Code.
Between September 2024, and February 2025, the City and Clarion conducted initial outreach
for the project which comprised of several meetings to gather stakeholder input by meeting with
City staff, City review bodies including the Architectural Review Commission and Planning
Commission, members of the development community to assist in identifying Development Code
issues and values moving forward. An online survey was also provided for additional feedback.
During this time, Clarion and City staff conducted an in -depth review of the City’s existing
development regulations.
ANALYSIS:
Section 2 of the Draft Regulations Assessment report outlines groups of issues that emerged
from Clarion’s review of the City’s development regulations and initial project outreach. The
discussion includes initial recommendations for how development regulations should be
improved to address concerns associated with each focus area:
1. Streamline the Development Review Process
a. Consolidate and reorganize procedures.
b. Clarify the role of the Architectural Review Commission (ARC).
c. Provide objective review criteria
d. Allow minor modifications to approved requests
e. Improve the subdivision procedures
2. Enhance the Development Standards
a. Update the grading standards
b. Clarify view protection standards
c. Modify site design standards
d. Strengthen building design standards
e. Update Subdivision design standards
f. Consider flexible alternatives
3. Fine-Tune the Zoning Districts
a. Refine base zoning standards
i. Align zoning districts with the General Plan Land Use designations
ii. Reorganize zoning district information
b. Clean up overlay districts
c. Depict all overlay districts on the Zoning Map
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City of Palm Desert
Study Session: Palm Desert Unified Development Code Update and Assessment Report
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d. Clarify housing overlay district standards
e. Retire unused overlay districts.
4. Clarify the Land Use Regulations.
a. Create a (single) consolidated land use table
b. Clean up land uses
c. Update use-specific standards.
5. Create a More User-Friendly Code
a. Consolidate development regulations
b. Incorporate graphic elements
c. Define all key terms
Next Steps:
Following this session, City staff will work with Clarion and the Ad Hoc Subcommittee to prepare
an annotated outline of the code issues and then begin drafting of the new Unified Development
Code over the course of the next year.
Legal Review:
This report has been reviewed by the City Attorney’s Office.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact to the General Fund with this action.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Development Assessment Report dated April 2025
2. Detailed Review of Current Ordinances dated April 2025
3. Palm Desert Unified Development Code Update Presentation
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Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Key Focus Areas for the New UDC
Development Regulations
Assessment | April 2025
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Contents
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1
Project Overview .................................................................................................................... 1
Project Objectives .................................................................................................................. 1
Establish a Comprehensive Approach to Planning and Development .................................. 1
Celebrate Palm Desert’s Setting and Character .............................................................................. 2
Report Organization .............................................................................................................. 2
In this Document ........................................................................................................................................ 2
Future Considerations............................................................................................................................... 3
Summary of Recommendations ........................................................................................... 3
2. Key Focus Areas for the New UDC ............................................................................ 8
Streamline the Development Review Process ..................................................................... 8
Consolidate and Reorganize Procedures .......................................................................................... 8
Clarify Decision-Making Authority .................................................................................................... 10
Clarify the Role of the Architectural Review Commission ........................................................ 12
Provide Objective Review Criteria ..................................................................................................... 14
Allow Minor Modifications................................................................................................................... 14
Improve the Subdivision Procedures ............................................................................................... 15
Enhance the Development Standards ................................................................................ 16
Clarify View Protection Standards ..................................................................................................... 17
Modify Site Design Standards ............................................................................................................ 19
Strengthen Building Design Standards ........................................................................................... 22
Update Subdivision Design Standards ............................................................................................ 23
Consider Flexible Alternatives ............................................................................................................. 23
Fine-Tune the Zoning Districts ........................................................................................... 24
Refine Base Zoning Districts ................................................................................................................ 25
Clean Up Overlay Districts ................................................................................................................... 27
Clarify the Land Use Regulations ....................................................................................... 29
Create a Consolidated Land Use Table ............................................................................................ 29
Clean Up Land Uses ................................................................................................................................ 31
Revisit Use Permissions ......................................................................................................................... 32
Update Use-Specific Standards .......................................................................................................... 33
Create a More User-Friendly Code ..................................................................................... 35
Consolidate Development Regulations........................................................................................... 35
Incorporate Graphic Elements ............................................................................................................ 35
Define Key Terms ..................................................................................................................................... 37
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Palm Desert, CA | Unified Development Code 1
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1. INTRODUCTION
Project Overview
The City of Palm Desert is updating its development regulations and creating a new Unified
Development Code (UDC) that will integrate and update or replace various existing City
ordinances relating to zoning, subdivision, landscaping, grading, and related topics. The UDC
project will modernize regulations to better accomplish the City's long-term goals and vision.
The new UDC will better implement the City’s adopted plans and provide a strong foundation
for future development in Palm Desert.
The City is working with Clarion Associates, a Denver-based land use firm with experience
writing development regulations throughout the west and the nation, to assist with this code
update process. The focus areas and associated recommendations in this report are informed by
information gathered during the Clarion team’s initial site visits, stakeholder interviews,
meetings with City staff, the results of a project kick-off survey, and an assessment of Palm
Desert’s existing development regulations. The team also reviewed relevant planning
documents, including but not limited to the 2016 General Plan, the Millennium Specific Plan, the
University Neighborhood Specific Plan, and the recently adopted Multifamily and Mixed-Use
Objective Design Standards.
Project Objectives
At least two overarching objectives emerged during the City’s original structuring of this project,
as well as initial stakeholder outreach:
Establish a Comprehensive Approach to Planning and Development
The existing Palm Desert zoning ordinance was adopted in 2013 and carries forward much of
the city’s original zoning ordinance that was adopted in 1975, two years after Palm Desert
incorporated as a municipality. While
portions of the zoning ordinance
have been amended over the years,
such piecemeal revisions have
created a document with a somewhat
unwieldy organization and
occasionally conflicting regulations
that do not always align well with the
needs and desires of the community.
Additionally, regulations dictating
important land-use issues, such as
how land should be subdivided and
graded, are located outside the Aerial view of Palm Desert.
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Introduction
Report Organization
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zoning ordinance, creating a disjointed approach to regulating and reviewing development
proposals. Recent initiatives such as the Multifamily and Mixed-Use Objective Design Standards
(ODS) have been integrated with slightly different formats, which may create some confusion for
code users.
The UDC project provides an opportunity for the City to establish a comprehensive approach to
planning and development in Palm Desert that reflects the city’s unique climate, setting, and
population. This new Unified Development Code will act as a standalone resource for most of
the City’s land development regulations and implement the applicable goals and policies from
the General Plan.
Celebrate Palm Desert’s Setting and Character
Stakeholders also expressed strong interest in enhancing and solidifying Palm Desert’s
reputation as an attractive, well-designed community that recognizes and protects its unique
desert setting and character. In addition to establishing a unified and updated approach to
planning and development, this project presents an opportunity to preserve and celebrate Palm
Desert’s setting within the Coachella Valley and Sonoran Desert by adopting standards and
guidelines that reinforce the community’s unique character. This could take several forms in an
updated code, such as zoning districts that offer more tools for protecting sensitive areas;
strengthened development standards that offer more dark-skies protection and locally
appropriate landscaping; and refined building design regulations to enhance Palm Desert’s
neighborhoods.
Report Organization
In this Document
This Development Regulations Assessment is intended to serve as a roadmap for the Palm
Desert UDC project by identifying strengths and weaknesses of the current regulations and
building consensus on the general scope of the issues to be addressed in drafting the new UDC.
The following section outlines groups of issues that emerged from Clarion’s review of the City’s
regulations and initial project outreach. The discussion includes recommendations for how the
regulations should be improved to address the underlying concerns associated with each major
focus area, which include:
• Streamline the Development Review Process;
• Enhance the Development Standards;
• Fine-Tune the Zoning Districts;
• Clarify the Land Use Regulations; and
• Create a More User-Friendly Code.
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Introduction
Summary of Recommendations
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A separate supporting document contains additional detailed comments, organized by
ordinance section.
Future Considerations
While this assessment covers a broad range of topics, it is not exhaustive. Additional topics not
covered here may merit additional consideration and potential ordinance updates in the future.
It is not unusual for new topics to arise when a community undertakes a deep-dive review of its
land-use and zoning regulations.
In Palm Desert, one such topic is signage. During stakeholder meetings, commissioners and
staff raised concerns about the effectiveness of current sign regulations in a variety of contexts,
such as master-planned centers and monument signs. The number of discretionary procedures
required to review many sign types also is being examined. Further, the regulations should be
reviewed to ensure all standards are content-neutral. To address these and other issues, a
comprehensive review and update of the sign ordinance is being considered.
Another topic meriting discussion is historic preservation. Though Palm Desert is a relatively
young community, there are buildings that have met or exceeded the 50-year mark, which is a
traditional point at which historic significance often is measured. The city has begun developing
a historic context document to explain the city’s architectural history and identify extant
resources that may have historic significance. A new historic preservation ordinance may be
considered to expand the zoning toolbox for protecting these resources.
Summary of Recommendations
The table below is organized around the five key focus areas introduced in the second part of
this report and summarizes all recommendations.
Table 1: Summary of Recommendations
Critical Outcome Recommendations
Streamline the Development Review Process
Consolidate and reorganize procedures • Combine procedures from Titles 25, 26, and 27 into a
single chapter of the UDC, written with a consistent level
of detail in a standardized format and structure.
• Reorganize specific procedures by type of request
(rather than by final decision-maker).
• Establish an administrative manual to house supporting
materials outside the UDC.
Clarify decision-making authority • Evaluate which development application should require
public hearings, and which development applications
should be delegated to staff review.
• Where appropriate, separate existing development
review applications into ministerial and discretionary
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Introduction
Summary of Recommendations
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Table 1: Summary of Recommendations
Critical Outcome Recommendations
requests based on the level of review required (i.e.,
minor precise plan vs. precise plan).
• Eliminate the obsolete term “Zoning Administrator” and
shift its responsibilities to the Director.
• Update Table 25.60-1 to align with proposed changes in
procedure organization and final approval authority, as
necessary.
Clarify the role of the Architecture
Review Commission
• Reestablish the scope of topics the ARC may consider as
part of their review.
• Establish objective criteria and findings by which ARC
applications are reviewed against and clearly define
what actions the ARC may take on a project (i.e.,
approval as presented, approval with modifications, or
denial subject to findings).
• Better define the design-related projects that may be
approved administratively.
• Clarify relationship between ARC and Planning
Commission.
• Consider limiting the number of ARC hearings a project
may be subject to.
Provide objective review criteria • Strengthen existing and provide new objective review
criteria for each specific procedure.
Allow minor modifications • Better define thresholds for approved minor
modifications.
• Consider extending minor modification approval
authority to development applications, not just
approved requests.
Improve the subdivision procedures • Integrate recommended edits to subdivision procedures
based on staff edits in 2024 draft.
• Reorganize the subdivision procedures.
• Consolidate redundant subdivision adjustment
procedures.
• Identify opportunities for additional mapping
applications.
• Expand and clarify general dedication requirements.
• Define opportunities for relief from subdivision
standards.
Enhance the Development Standards
Clarify view protection standards • Collaborate with other City partners to incorporate the
new Hillside ODS into the UDC.
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Introduction
Summary of Recommendations
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Development Regulations Assessment | April 2025
Table 1: Summary of Recommendations
Critical Outcome Recommendations
• Integrate an updated version of the City’s grading
ordinance into the new UDC.
• Provide objective review criteria for hillside development
plans.
• Clarify application submittal requirements for hillside
development projects.
Modify site design standards • Update the landscaping standards based on the City’s
preferred approach (either through cross-reference to
Title 24 or by relocating standards to the UDC).
• Refresh the City’s plant material list.
• Clarify street tree placement and maintenance
requirements.
• Revisit parking lot landscaping standards to improve the
efficacy of new shade trees and provide flexibility.
• Strengthen standards and enforcement for long-term
maintenance of required landscaping.
• Evaluate existing parking ratios and adjust where
necessary.
• Clarify review procedures determining parking
requirements for how unlisted uses.
• Revise drive-through design standards.
• Reorganize and provide additional tools for flexibility in
meeting parking requirements.
• Update the outdoor lighting standards based on the
City’s preferred approach (either through cross-
reference to Chapter 24.16 or by relocating and/or
drafting new standards in the UDC).
• Refine existing and add new residential adjacency
standards to provide a smooth transition from low -
density residential neighborhoods to larger or more
intense uses.
• Update regulations related to accessory site features
based on the City’s preferred approach (either through
cross-reference to applicable titles or by
relocating/expanding standards in the UDC).
• Consider requiring larger-scale projects to incorporate
art onto their site, rather than paying into the art fund.
Strengthen building design standards • Consider creating objective design standards for non-
residential buildings.
• Establish desert-inspired building design standards.
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Introduction
Summary of Recommendations
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Table 1: Summary of Recommendations
Critical Outcome Recommendations
• Incorporate design standards menus to identify
preferred architectural treatments.
Update subdivision design standards • Update subdivision design standards to support
implementation of the General Plan.
Consider flexible alternatives • Establish a process to allow flexibility for unique design
alternatives that meet the spirit of the UDC.
Fine-Tune the Zoning Districts
Refine base zoning districts • Refine base zoning districts, including purpose
statements and dimensional standards, to ensure
implementation of the General Plan.
• Consider targeted updates to district standards,
including new tools for mixed-use and downtown
district updates.
• Support more objective alternatives in the UDC to
minimize the unpredictability of the planned districts.
• Reorganize zoning district information.
Clean up overlay districts • Update the official zoning map to include overlay
districts.
• Update the standards in the Housing Overlay District to
reduce subjectivity.
• Retire any unused or unnecessary overlay districts, as
appropriate.
Clarify the Land Use Regulations
Create a consolidated land use table • Create a single land use table that displays all zoning
districts and land uses in a single location.
• Review land uses for all districts to ensure they match
district intent.
Clean up land uses • Consolidate and retire specific uses, as appropriate.
• Define all use categories, subcategories, and specific
uses.
• Consider incorporating new land uses, and applicable
use-specific standards, for uses not explicitly addressed
in Palm Desert’s existing development regulations.
Revisit use permissions • Ensure appropriate level of use approval is required for
each use type.
• Consider whether additional standards could be applied
to a use to eliminate the need for a higher level of
scrutiny.
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Introduction
Summary of Recommendations
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Table 1: Summary of Recommendations
Critical Outcome Recommendations
• Identify changes to use permissions during the drafting
process.
Update use-specific standards • Consolidate and reorganize use-specific standards.
• Establish new and revise current use-specific standards
to address potential land use impacts.
Create a More User-Friendly Code
Consolidate development regulations • Reorganize the development regulations into a Unified
Development Code (UDC).
Incorporate graphic elements • Incorporate illustrations and other graphic elements,
such as summary tables and flow charts, throughout the
new UDC.
Define key terms • Define all key terms.
• Revise complex or confusing definitions for clarity.
• Review all code language and rewrite for clarity, as
needed.
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2. KEY FOCUS AREAS FOR THE NEW UDC
Streamline the Development Review Process
Development regulations should clearly
describe the procedures by which new
development applications are accepted,
considered, and acted upon by local
officials. Well-written regulations make it
easy for staff, the development community,
and elected and appointed officials to know
exactly what is required for approval of
applications and help ensure consistent
administration over time.
During our stakeholder interviews, we
received extensive feedback about the
development review process in Palm Desert.
While many interviewees expressed appreciation and support for the work City staff puts in to
administering and enforcing the code, some comments were critical of the time and effort
required to take a project from conception to approval and construction. Some of the concerns
noted include:
• A desire to see more minor requests delegated to staff for review and approval.
• General lack of clarity regarding the review steps associated with each type of request.
• Confusion regarding the roles that the Architectural Review Commission (ARC) and
Planning Commission (Commission) play in reviewing development proposals.
• Lack of clarity among staff around the role of the Zoning Administrator.
• The lack of objective review criteria or findings, which can result in regulations based on
preference rather than clear standards.
• Confusion regarding which types of modifications to approved requests are considered
“minor.”
The recommendations provided below are intended to address the concerns listed above and
streamline the City’s development procedures.
Consolidate and Reorganize Procedures
Consolidate and Rewrite Procedures
In the current Palm Desert zoning ordinance (and other ordinances), procedures for considering
various types of development applications are scattered throughout multiple locations and
written with a varied level of detail. Procedures are not only separated across titles, but are also
Inside the Council Chamber at City Hall.
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Key Focus Areas for the New UDC
Streamline the Development Review Process
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Development Regulations Assessment | April 2025
dispersed throughout the zoning regulations. Such an arrangement makes the development
regulations longer, with unnecessary duplication of provisions addressing the same or similar
steps and requirements. This duplication may also become burdensome for City staff, as
amending a step or requirement in one location may lead to inconsistencies if not correctly
amended throughout the document. In the new UDC, procedures should be consolidated in one
chapter using a consistent format.
Organize Procedures by Type of Request
Several stakeholders shared that it is difficult to understand the sequence of actions, or steps,
that each permit or entitlement request must follow based on the text of Title 25 alone. Specific
procedures for different types of requests are currently organized by decision-making body,
which can cause confusion because the final action is clearly highlighted but the intermediary
steps between application submittal and final approval are not.
As part of the new UDC, we recommend organizing specific procedures by level of approval
required (such as legislative, discretionary, and ministerial) rather than by decision-making body.
Individual requests (such as text amendments, conditional use permits, and grading permits) can
then be broken down to highlight each step within a specific review procedure. This
organizational style will help clarify the review steps for each type of permit and entitlement.
Create an Administrative Manual
The current regulations contain information that is either
technical in nature or otherwise not necessary to carry forward
in the UDC. Such information should live outside the UDC in an
administrative manual, guidebook, or dedicated webpage on
the City’s website that may be updated on a regular basis
without undertaking a formal code amendment. During the
drafting process, Clarion will maintain a separate document
including content from the current regulations that should be
considered for relocation. This will make the UDC shorter and
more user-friendly, while also allowing staff to update the
technical and administrative content over time without
requiring a formal text amendment by City Council. The City will
consider the format and contents of an administrative manual that would work beset for Palm
Desert.
Recommendations
• Combine procedures from Titles 25, 26, and 27 into a single chapter of the UDC, written with a
consistent level of detail in a standardized format and structure.
• Reorganize specific procedures by type of request (rather than by final decision -maker).
• Establish an administrative manual to house supporting materials outside the UDC.
EXISTING ISSUES
Examples of technical or
supplemental information to
be removed from Titles 25,
26, and 27 include:
• Application submittal
requirements; and
• Subdivision map
formatting and content
specifications.
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Key Focus Areas for the New UDC
Streamline the Development Review Process
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Development Regulations Assessment | April 2025
Above: A summary table of review procedures from another
community. In this example, requests are organized by type
of review (i.e., development reviews, ordinance amendments,
etc.) but in Palm Desert, procedures may be organized by
level of approval required (i.e., ministerial, discretionary, and
legislative).
Left: An example flowchart of a minor site plan procedure in
another community. We recommend that all review
procedures be enhanced with flowcharts, which quickly
convey the interrelationships between procedural steps.
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Key Focus Areas for the New UDC
Streamline the Development Review Process
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Clarify Decision-Making Authority
Ensure Decisions are Made at the Appropriate Level
Code update projects provide an opportunity to reevaluate which review bodies make which
decisions. A major concern for many communities in this regard, often coming from a budgetary
standpoint but also in response to citizen feedback, is efficiency: the projects with the greatest
potential community impacts should receive a relatively higher level of scrutiny and opportunity
for public comment, while relatively smaller projects that comply with the code should generally
be able to proceed through the system more quickly.
While there are multiple types of approvals in Palm Desert that can be made by the Zoning
Administrator or Director, many permit and entitlement applications require a public hearing by
ARC, Planning Commission, or City Council. Public hearings are an important part of the
development process in terms of hearing public concerns and/or support for a complex or
unusual project; however, requiring a public hearing for routine development applications or
minor requests places an unnecessary burden on businesses, developers, staff, and the
appointed and elected officials.
The UDC should strike a balance between establishing flexible and efficient review procedures,
while ensuring elaborate and unique requests receive the appropriate level of discretionary
review.
Combine Zoning Administrator and Director Approvals
Section 25.02.040, Administrative Responsibility, describes the roles and responsibilities of each
decision-making authority identified in Title 25, including the Zoning Administrator and the
Director. According to the text, the Zoning Administrator is appointed by the Director of
Community Development and has discretionary review authority over certain requests, such as
large family day care use permits and adjustments. In fact, however, staff notes that Palm Desert
does not currently have an individual designated as “Zoning Administrator,” which can cause
confusion around the review of certain permits and entitlements. For clarity, we recommend
removing the “Zoning Administrator” term from the new UDC and shifting their existing
responsibilities to the Director, who may already assign a designee to administer and enforce
Title 25 on their behalf.
Update Table to Reflect Proposed Changes
Table 25.60-1: Approving Authority for Land Use Permits/Entitlements, identifies the review body,
final decision maker, and appeal body for each type of land development request, as well as
items that may be called up for review by City Council. This table should be updated to align
with proposed changes throughout the UDC, including:
• Reviewing and updating the review body, final decision maker, and appeal body for
each type of land development request, as necessary;
• Reorganizing specific permits and entitlements by type of request; and
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Key Focus Areas for the New UDC
Streamline the Development Review Process
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• Adding columns to highlight additional steps (such as public meeting requirements), as
desired.
Recommendations
• Evaluate which development application should require public hearings, and which development
applications should be delegated to staff review.
• Where appropriate, separate existing development review applications into ministerial and
discretionary requests based on the level of review required (i.e., minor precise plan vs. precise plan).
• Eliminate the obsolete term “Zoning Administrator” and shift its responsibilities to the Director.
• Update Table 25.60-1 to align with proposed changes in procedure organization and final approval
authority, as necessary.
Clarify the Role of the Architectural Review Commission
Palm Desert is a community that recognizes the importance of high-quality site and building
design in preserving and promoting its unique desert character, and the city’s zoning
regulations have evolved to include a variety of tools and procedures to help evaluate the
aesthetic characteristics of proposed development projects. This detailed approach to the visual
appearance of projects and design is typical in the Valley and throughout California and indeed
is necessary to ensure high-quality projects.
However, there are opportunities in Palm Desert to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the
review authorities that evaluate project design to ensure that projects are evaluated consistently,
equitably, and according to clearly defined standards.
In Palm Desert, the Architectural Review Commission (ARC) has primary responsibility for
reviewing many applications for site and building design. They are not the only decision-maker
on those projects, however; the staff, Planning Commission, and/or City Council may all have a
role in reviewing and deciding on other aspects of the project review. Several stakeholders in the
initial outreach for this project noted that the ARC review, while often resulting in high-quality
designs, can be time consuming and difficult to navigate. Some
issues that were noted include:
• The main items to be reviewed by ARC are included in
Table 25.60-1; however, other information describing
when/why/how the ARC may review less significant
requests is spread throughout Title 25, sometimes
buried in table footnotes.
• The types of projects that require ARC review may be
too broad. Consider identifying design-related items
that are exempt from full ARC review (and are instead
approvable by staff). Expand upon the handful of such
exceptions already in Title 25.
EXISTING ISSUES
Information regarding
regulations subject to ARC
review are vague and spread
throughout Title 25. For
example, in Section 25.40.E –
the ARC can approve setback
exceptions of up to 20% and
may approve “well-designed
carport structures” with
reduced setbacks, but the
phrase “well-designed” is not
defined.
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• The description of the roles and responsibilities of the ARC in 25.02.040 is too vague.
New language should be added to clearly identify the scope of items the ARC can
review (i.e., site design, landscaping, architecture).
• Sometimes the comments/conditions offered by the ARC seem (to applicants) to be
exercises of arbitrary/unfettered discretion, or to extend beyond the letter of the code. It
is then unclear if applicants are required to update their proposals in response to/to
incorporate these conditions.
• The findings associated with ARC review are considered too vague and subjective by
some stakeholders. The lack of clear findings may contribute to stakeholders' perception
of the ARC as getting “too bogged down in the details.”
• The relationship between the ARC and Planning Commission is unclear.
o Fuzzy line between the design-related issues the ARC looks at and the types of
feedback the Planning Commission should provide.
o Unclear if the Planning Commission supersedes the authority of the ARC.
o Unclear what level of change between ARC approval and Planning Commission
review/recommendation/approval would require an applicant to return to ARC for
additional review.
Recommendations
• Reestablish the scope of topics the ARC may consider as part of their review .
• Establish objective criteria and findings by which ARC applications are reviewed against and clearly
define what actions the ARC may take on a project (i.e., approval as presented, approval with
modifications, or denial subject to findings).
• Better define the design-related projects that may be approved administratively.
• Clarify relationship between ARC and Planning Commission.
• Consider limiting the number of ARC hearings a project may be subject to.
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Provide Objective Review Criteria
Throughout the UDC, the findings (or approval criteria) for all
application types should be strengthened to be objective and
clearer. One way to provide objectivity in approval criteria is to
include examples of compliance. More objective criteria will
improve the level of predictability in the development review
process for community members and developers, and also lead
to more efficient public hearings. Additionally, new objective
review criteria could be provided for application types that are
currently missing that information (such as hillside
development permits and text amendments).
Recommendation
• Strengthen existing and provide new objective review criteria for each specific procedure.
Allow Minor Modifications
There are multiple instances in Title 25 where the Zoning Administrator or Director has the
authority to determine if a request to modify an existing approval is so minor in scope that it
may be exempt from certain types of review, such as exempting a request to modify a precise
plan from review by the Architectural Review Commission. While there is value in providing
some degree of discretionary decision-making at the staff level, the current wording is vague
and does little to assist applicants in identifying what level of scrutiny their applications will be
reviewed under. The UDC should better define the code standards under which the Director has
authority to grant ministerial exceptions. These sometimes may be summarized in a table or
other user-friendly approach.
A related tool is the authority to approve similar minor adjustments to applications before they
are approved. Such modifications may be necessary to ensure general, but not precise,
compliance with development standards due to specific site conditions. For example, a
development might be able to provide 98 but not 100 of the required minimum parking spaces.
The new UDC might set a general allowance for such adjustments up to a certain threshold. A
common starting point for communities introducing such a tool is a 10 percent level of
deviation for certain numeric development standards (e.g., minimum parking spaces, minimum
dimensions). The adjustments should not be allowed for changes to height or density standards.
Recommendation
• Better define thresholds for approved minor modifications.
IN THE UDC…
Examples of compliance
could include highlighting
elements of architectural
design that would be
reviewed when evaluating if
a proposal is “in keeping with
the character of the
surrounding neighborhood,”
such as building massing,
building height, roofline
shape, location on the lot,
etc.
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• Consider extending minor modification approval authority to development applications, not just
approved requests.
Improve the Subdivision Procedures
Title 26 was originally adopted in 1976 and has undergone minimal amendments since then. In
2024, the City began an internal process to update the subdivision ordinance, which has
culminated in an internal draft that was circulated for staff review in the last few months. The
following recommendations are drafted based on the project team’s review of the City’s draft
subdivision ordinance. Some of these include:
• Reorganize subdivision procedures. Much like the zoning procedures, the subdivision
procedures could be improved by organizing each procedure by type of request, rather
than by review step, allowing an applicant to more easily identify each step in the review
of a specific type of subdivision application. Additionally, the subdivision procedures
could be reorganized in a way that clearly identifies the intensity of subdivision
application (organizing procedures from most-intensive to least-intensive).
• Consolidate redundant adjustment procedures. The current parcel map waiver
procedure identified in Chapter 26.34 outlines the steps for processing boundary
adjustments, which are also addressed in Section 26.32.070, Lot Line Adjustments.
• Identify opportunities for additional mapping applications. Palm Desert’s existing
subdivision regulations do not currently identify the full spectrum of subdivision
requests, such as Vesting Tentative Maps and Finance and Conveyance Maps. These
types of applications should be included in the UDC and supported by the
establishment of clear procedures for staff and applicants to follow.
• Expand and clarify general dedication requirements. As part of the new UDC,
general dedication requirements for public use or benefit, such as park dedications,
rights-of-way for drainage, and other public easements, should be clarified and included
as conditions for map approval.
• Define opportunities for relief from subdivision standards.
Recommendations
• Integrate recommended edits to subdivision procedures based on staff edits in 2024 draft.
• Reorganize the subdivision procedures.
• Consolidate redundant subdivision adjustment procedures.
• Identify opportunities for additional mapping applications.
• Expand and clarify general dedication requirements.
• Define opportunities for relief from subdivision standards.
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Enhance the Development Standards
Setting a high bar for development
aesthetics and quality is important for Palm
Desert to continue to grow the City’s
economy and distinguish the City from other
Coachella Valley communities. Projects such
as the El Paseo Hotel and University Park are
viewed as positive models of attractive site
and building design that set Palm Desert
apart from neighboring municipalities.
Many stakeholders emphasized that
maintaining Palm Desert’s high level of
development quality should be a focus of
the new UDC. In terms of opportunities for
improvement, some suggested that the City could be more consistent in applying standards that
reflect the community’s overall design preferences. For example, some stakeholders noted that
the findings and conditions applied as part of the discretionary design review process can vary
across applications (as noted in the prior section of this report). In addition to clarifying the
procedural aspects of design review, this project provides an opportunity to take a fresh look at
the city’s approach to design, focusing more on establishing unified, consistent standards for
the entire City.
The new UDC should build on the work that was done to create the Multifamily and Mixed-Use
Objective Design Standards by setting clear, objective minimum standards for non-residential
development. These standards should continue to raise the bar for design but not make code-
based development overly complicated or cost-prohibitive. Standards should address both site
design—how buildings relate to their site and surrounding development—and building design.
The standards should allow enough flexibility to address unique sites and circumstances and to
encourage innovation and creative design.
While many strong standards exist in the City’s current development regulations, the following
sections discuss several opportunities for improvement.
Parking lot with minimal landscaping in north Palm Desert.
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Clarify View Protection Standards
Palm Desert residents value the many unique viewsheds in the
city, especially those of the mostly undisturbed hillsides and
mountains. The need to protect undisturbed views of the city’s
striking and uncommon geography was a topic that came up
frequently in the initial stakeholder interviews.
Cities rely on a combination of tools—including use
restrictions, building height limits, sign controls, and grading
regulations—to protect and enhance viewsheds. In Palm
Desert’s current regulations, there are scattered general
standards aimed at protecting “views,” though the specific
visual assets to be protected are undefined and the issue is
mostly considered on a project-by-project basis. Two zoning
districts were established at least in part to protect the city’s
valuable visual assets: the Hillside Planned Residential District
and the Scenic Preservation Overlay District.
Stakeholders expressed mixed views on the success of these
existing tools. While the quality of many hillside projects has
been quite high, there are concerns that the development standards intended to support view
protection are vague and can be challenging to interpret.
Support the Creation of the Hillside Objective Design Standards
The City is currently working on a separate, parallel project to create objective design standards
(ODS) for development across the city’s hillsides. The new hillside ODS will focus on minimizing
development on the hillsides, which will help protect views of the hillsides from throughout
Palm Desert. The new standards proposed in that effort will help City staff, designers, and
property owners by removing subjectivity from the current development standards in Section
25.10.050.A.
As part of the UDC process, Clarion will collaborate with the hillside project consultants to
incorporate the hillside ODS into the UDC, as appropriate, and use the standards proposed by
the hillside consultants to provide objective review criteria specific to hillside development plan
applications.
Update Grading Standards
Closely related to the new Hillside Objective Design Standards, the new UDC should integrate an
updated version of the grading ordinance. Grading standards will apply both to the hillsides and
also any areas with topographical change throughout the city. The updated grading standards
are expected to be influenced by the Hillside ODS project and generally focus on issues such as
minimizing areas of disturbance, reducing cut-and-fill, and protecting natural topography and
EXISTING ISSUES
Examples of existing, vague
view protection standards
include:
•“…shall be designed to
eliminate or minimize
any visual impact on the
City…”
•“The overall plan shall
achieve an integrated
land and building
relationship.”
•“Architectural unity and
harmony within the
development and with
surrounding properties
shall be attained.”
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drainageways. Areas of the current standards that have been identified as ambiguous will be
clarified.
Identify and Protect Scenic Corridors
Scenic corridors are another type of visual resource worthy of protection in the new UDC. The
2004 General Plan identified scenic corridors within the city where additional land use controls
should be considered to help protect scenic gateways (city or neighborhood entryways). The
current General Plan does not carry forward that corridor concept. However, amendments to the
circulation element of the General Plan should be considered to again designate certain scenic
corridors and provide a foundation for stronger tools in the new UDC to protect these areas.
Tools to limit development in these scenic corridors might include additional setbacks and
landscape easements along project frontages along certain corridors.
Identify Appropriate Application Materials
When zoning regulations are established to protect certain views, applicants must submit
materials demonstrating the potential visual impacts of new development in protected areas.
(For example, will a proposed new building encroach into views of the hillside from a public
park)? We heard from members of the design community that the lack of clarity in the current
Palm Desert code around when additional graphics are required, and what information should
be included in those graphics, makes it difficult to prepare materials for application submittal.
Similarly, City staff and appointed officials expressed a desire to establish clear standards for the
types of materials provided to them when conducting reviews of hillside development
proposals.
Where appropriate, design professionals should be required to provide studies and
visualizations as part of their development application materials to support the review of
projects subject to view protection standards. In an effort to clear up confusion, the UDC will:
• Establish clear thresholds for when different types of visual aids are required;
• Provide examples of different types of visual aids (such a photo-renderings, line-of-sight
analyses, and viewshed diagrams); and
• Clarify what type of information should be included in each type of visual aid.
Recommendations
• Collaborate with other City partners to incorporate the new Hillside ODS into the UDC.
• Integrate an updated version of the City’s grading ordinance into the new UDC.
• Provide objective review criteria for hillside development plans.
• Clarify application submittal requirements for hillside development projects.
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Modify Site Design Standards
Landscaping
Landscaping is an important element of
Palm Desert’s character. The City regulates
landscaping not only for functional reasons,
like to limit water use and provide shade,
but also to enhance the aesthetic
appearance of new development. Currently,
the City’s landscaping information is spread
across Titles 24 and 25, making it difficult
for designers to know if they have identified
all the requirements that apply to their
project. The following improvements should
be considered when drafting the new UDC:
• Provide clear cross-references to applicable landscaping information (such as planting
heights, planting sizes, and spacing requirements) if located outside of the UDC.
• Refresh the City’s plant material list and align with the creation of the Landscaping
Master Plan, if possible.
• Clarify street tree placement and maintenance requirements.
• Revisit parking lot landscaping standards to improve the efficacy of new shade trees
(possibly requiring fewer trees in larger planting beds) and consider providing flexibility
for some uses (such as automobile sales lots).
• Strengthen standards and enforcement for long-term maintenance of required
landscaping.
Off-Street Parking and Loading
Stakeholders provided little feedback related to Palm Desert’s
off-street parking regulations, with some noting the importance
of having access to off-street parking spaces during the hottest
months of the year. With that feedback in mind, as well as our
review of the City’s off-street parking and loading standards,
we recommend making the following changes to the UDC:
• Evaluate the existing parking ratios to determine where
the current standards may be requiring too many (or
too few) spaces.
• Clarify review procedures for how unlisted uses will be
assigned a parking requirement.
IN THE UDC…
Additional opportunities to
reduce off-street parking
requirements may be
provided, such as:
• Reductions for proximity
to transit services;
• Reductions based on an
approved parking study;
and/or
• Crediting on-street
parking for off-street
requirements.
Commercial property landscaping.
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• Revise drive-through design standards to address placement on the lot, screening from
public rights-of-way, and vehicle stacking requirements.
• Reorganize the off-street parking and loading section to clearly identify opportunities
for reducing off-street parking requirements, and consider establishing additional
options.
• Provide additional graphics, as applicable, to depict wordy explanations (such as the
parking stall marking requirements of Section 25.46.070.B).
Outdoor Lighting
Title 25 currently contains a mix of lighting
standards, as well as references to the
outdoor lighting requirements of Chapter
24.16. Additional feedback is needed to
determine if the existing regulations in
Chapter 24.16 are working well to minimize
light pollution and light trespass while
ensuring safety for property owners and
users. If so, the UDC should be written to
replace existing, vague outdoor lighting
requirements with references to the
applicable standards in Chapter 24.16. If the
regulations in Chapter 24.16 do not currently
meet the City’s needs, then a more comprehensive review and update of the City’s outdoor
lighting standards will be needed.
Residential Adjacency Standards
Many communities rely on residential adjacency standards to address building scale and form
when larger or more intense land uses abut low-density residential neighborhoods. These
standards might include building step-back requirements, articulation standards, screening
requirements, or other considerations that help provide a smooth transition along shared
property lines. Some of these standards already exist within the development standards for
commercial and industrial districts.
As part of the UDC process, we recommend identifying and refining any existing residential
adjacency standards that are difficult to implement and exploring the addition of new residential
adjacency standards in areas that may currently create conflicts, such as for development in P/I,
Public/Institutional district, that abuts low-density residential neighborhoods.
Accessory Site Features
Some stakeholders suggested that it would be helpful to review and comment on the placement
of accessory site features, such as public art and solar panels, earlier on in the development
process. However, these reviews are complicated by the disjointed nature of the City’s existing
Outdoor lighting on a restaurant patio.
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ordinances for regulating these accessory site features. Title 4 of the Code of Ordinances
establishes the “art in public places fund,” which requires City capital improvement projects and
private development projects contribute a percentage of the overall project construction budget
(excluding land costs) to enhancing the visual appeal of the project and City, but there is
nothing in this Title that addresses site planning considerations for public art. In the case of solar
panels, State solar laws may add an additional layer of complexity to the City’s existing
regulations in Title 15, which does little to address the location of solar panels as part of new
construction.
The UDC process presents an opportunity to better address the broad range of topics
associated with land development, either by providing cross-references to applicable regulations
in other Titles or by expanding the review processes for accessory site features in the UDC.
Recommendations
• Update the landscaping standards based on the City’s preferred approach (either through cross -
reference to Title 24 or by relocating standards to the UDC).
• Refresh the City’s plant material list.
• Clarify street tree placement and maintenance requirements.
• Revisit parking lot landscaping standards to improve the efficacy of new shade trees and provide
flexibility.
• Strengthen standards and enforcement for long-term maintenance of required landscaping.
• Evaluate existing parking ratios and adjust where necessary.
• Clarify review procedures determining parking requirements for how unlisted uses.
• Revise drive-through design standards.
• Reorganize and provide additional tools for flexibility in meeting parking requirements.
• Update the outdoor lighting standards based on the City’s preferred approach (either through cross-
reference to Chapter 24.16 or by relocating and/or drafting new standards in the UDC).
• Refine existing and add new residential adjacency standards to provide a smooth transition from low-
density residential neighborhoods to larger or more intense uses.
• Update regulations related to accessory site features based on the City’s preferred approach (either
through cross-reference to applicable titles or by relocating/expanding standards in the UDC).
• Consider requiring larger-scale projects to incorporate art onto their site, rather than paying into the
art fund.
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Strengthen Building Design Standards
The existing building stock in Palm Desert, especially newer
construction, is generally of high quality, due in part to careful
planning and dedicated enforcement of the city’s regulations
by staff and community leaders. However, some stakeholders
noted that many projects that result in high-quality buildings
are subject to a lengthy public design review process,
sometimes requiring multiple design review meetings for a
single project. Changes to the UDC that are intended to clarify
and strengthen building design standards include:
• Creating objective design standards for non-
residential buildings. The ODS adopted in April of
2024 provides design standards for multifamily and
mixed-use developments, and in the coming year(s),
the City will work with John Kaliski Architects to
develop object design standards for hillside
development and development within downtown
zoning districts. The UDC project provides the City with
an opportunity to explore the creation of objective
design standards for commercial and industrial development as well, using the City’s
current ODS as a springboard for generating applicable building design standards.
which in turn would make the design review process more predictable for everyone
involved.
• Identifying context-sensitive treatments informed by the City’s desert
environment. Several stakeholders shared a strong belief that all new buildings should
be designed to reflect the look and feel of Palm Desert’s natural environment. The UDC
will attempt to define building design features that a desert-environment project should
contain, paying particular attention to color, materiality, and orientation.
• Integrating building design menus and options.
Providing menus and optional approaches throughout
the development standards will allow the City and
applicants to meet the intent of the UDC, yet adapt
each project to unique situations—such as
redevelopment, infill, changes of use, challenging site
conditions, or for concepts not anticipated by the
community. These types of examples could be
incorporated in other sections of the UDC as well to
demonstrate ways of complying with complex
standards.
IN THE UDC…
Objective standards will be
added to ensure building
design is informed by the
City’s natural environment,
such as:
• Defining a desert color
palette;
• Providing examples of
materials that hold up
well in the harsh desert
climate; and
• Emphasizing building
layout and orientation
to promote the use of
passive solar.
IN THE UDC…
Menus may be used to
provide a list of approaches
for satisfying code
requirements. Several menus
are incorporated into the
building architecture section
of the Multifamily and
Mixed-Use ODS, including
menus for sloped roof
materials and window and
door details.
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Recommendations
• Consider creating objective design standards for non-residential buildings.
• Establish desert-inspired building design standards.
• Incorporate design standards menus to identify preferred architectural treatments.
Update Subdivision Design Standards
Chapter 26.40, Design Standards and Requirements, provides a mix of technical and general
standards for topics including street design, sidewalk requirements, and lot and block layouts
applicable to new subdivisions. Staff noted that many of these standards are outdated, having
last been updated in 1976, and may not align with the goals and policies of the General Plan.
The subdivision standards should be reviewed and updated as necessary to align with the
General Plan. As with other parts of the new UDC, subdivision design standards should be
simplified and made more user-friendly where possible through the use of summary tables and
graphics, and similar formatting improvements. These changes should be made in coordination
with the changes to subdivision review procedures recommended in the previous section of this
report.
Recommendation
• Update subdivision design standards to support implementation of the General Plan.
Consider Flexible Alternatives
Many communities allow for “alternative equivalent compliance” for development proposals that
meet the intent of the standards but for one reason or another cannot meet the strict letter of
the law. These are not variances or waivers for standards, but rather alternative approaches
deemed acceptable by the City because they offer greater benefit in exchange for
accommodating unusual circumstances. If a proposed concept meets the intent of the UDC and
results in a similar level of community benefit, then allowing alternatives to the standards
administratively (or through design review) is a flexible approach to accommodating unique
designs without compromising character.
Recommendation
• Establish a process to allow flexibility for unique design alternatives that meet the spirit of the UDC.
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Fine-Tune the Zoning Districts
A comprehensive update of a community’s
land development regulations provides an
opportunity to step back and review the
current zoning districts to ensure they are
appropriate to achieve local goals and to
implement adopted plans. The zoning
districts in Palm Desert should
accommodate a wide range and mixture of
housing types, commercial and mixed-use
development, institutional uses, and
recreational opportunities. The current
districts should be reviewed and updated as
appropriate to more accurately reflect
desired conditions and to open up
additional opportunities for mixed-use
development in targeted areas.
The overall objective should be to broaden Palm Desert’s zoning toolbox so that more types of
projects may be built by-right and that planned development approvals are easier for City staff
to track over time. Within each district, the dimensional standards should be reviewed and
updated as necessary to reflect City goals and policies. The UDC may also incorporate new
zoning district, even if they are not immediately applied to the zoning map, so that additional
options are available to accommodate updates to the General Plan or future specific planning
efforts.
As part of the Assessment of the current districts, the team considered the following:
• Are there districts in place to implement the General Plan and any specific plans?
• Is the intent of each district clear and does the district name match the intent?
• Is each district currently used, or are there districts that are obsolete and/or
unnecessary?
• Are new types of districts needed (such as new mixed-use districts)?
• Are any districts so similar in purpose and standards that they could be consolidated?
• Are the dimensional standards for each district (setbacks, density, and height)
appropriately tailored to the purpose of the district?
Based on these considerations, the team proposes the following modifications to the current
lineup of zoning districts, as summarized in this section.
Two-story building within the D-O, Downtown Core Overlay
district.
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Refine Base Zoning Districts
The zoning districts must be capable of implementing Palm Desert’s adopted plans and policies.
The General Plan, adopted in November 2016, represents the community’s overall vision of
where and how it wants to grow and develop in the coming decades. The UDC is one of the
primary tools for implementing that vision and should reflect the plan’s goals, policies, and
strategies concerning the physical growth and development of the City.
Stakeholders provided relatively little feedback related to the effectiveness of the City’s existing
base zoning districts. Based on our review of Title 25 and accompanying notes from staff, we
believe the lineup of zoning districts in Palm Desert is generally in good shape. Targeted
revisions are suggested below.
Align Zoning Districts with General Plan Designations
The General Plan identifies 14 designations, grouped into three place types, to help inform
future land use and zoning policy, providing a foundation for considering updates to the menu
of zoning districts available in the new UDC. The place types help convey the desired physical
character, development intensities, allowed uses, network and connectivity, streetscape, and
open space in different areas of the community. The General Plan includes a Future Land Use
Map that spatially represents the collective vision for Palm Desert by identifying areas where the
place types are appropriate.
Table 25.04-1 in Chapter 25.04 summarizes how the place types identified in the General Plan
generally translate to the existing base zoning districts. As part of the UDC process, we
recommend re-evaluating the existing lineup of zoning districts against the General Plan to
ensure the City has the districts it needs to effectively implement the General Plan. This may
require updating the dimensional standards to align with desired General Plan outcomes (such
as modifying streetside setback requirements to reduce parking in front of the building).
Consider Targeted Updates to Zoning District Standards
Beyond reviewing the districts for General Plan conformance, a variety of targeted updates to
specific district standards should be considered based on evolving policy goals. These include,
but are not limited to:
• Mixed-use: Consider additional tools to allow mixed-use development at a variety of
scales in some existing districts or in new districts. (Also see the discussion of revisions
to the planned development districts below.)
o There is interest in allowing residential development (especially multifamily) by right
in some commercial corridor areas to encourage walkability. Larger commercial
centers with abundant parking along Highway 111, many of which are currently
zoned PC3, may be good candidates for such redevelopment opportunities. The
current General Plan designations for some of these areas (Regional Retail and
Suburban Retail Center) allow mixed-use, though the current PC3 zoning does not.
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There are many examples in California and nationally of communities that have
attempted to revitalize aging strip centers by integrating new multifamily
development to replace current large parking areas. In Palm Desert, a new “regional
mixed-use district” and might be appropriate to achieve these goals.
o Conversely, there is interest in allowing some new small-scale nonresidential
development in some residential districts to allow the type of walkable, corner
store-type development that could help reduce vehicle miles traveled. Current use-
specific standards allowing mixed-use development in these areas are too vague
(e.g., “review for compatibility with use in the vicinity.”)
• Downtown: The city anticipates revisions to the Downtown districts to be prepared as
part of the development of new Downtown Objective Design Standards (ODS). These
new or revised districts should be integrated when they are available. This may involve
adoption of new base districts that replace the current overlay districts.
Minimize the Unpredictability of the Planned Development Districts
Today, just over 75 percent of land in Palm Desert is zoned for residential development, with
more than 9,000 acres (or 57 percent of the City’s acreage) designated as PR, Planned
Residential and another 630 acres (about four percent of the City’s acreage) as HPR, Hillside
Planned Residential. The planned commercial (PC) districts are also used extensively, especially
along Highway 111.
75.38%
7.19%
1.44%
14.10%
Land Area (% Acres) by Zoning District Category
Residential Commercial and Industrial
Downtown Special
Around 75 percent of land in Palm
Desert is zoned exclusively for
residential development, most of
which (61 percent) is designated as a
form of planned residential district,
which allows for more flexibility in the
creation of new housing projects, but
also creates an added layer of
difficulty for City staff to manage and
review over time.
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While the planned districts are widely used in Palm Desert, many stakeholders noted their
relative lack of standards and predictability. The new UDC provides an opportunity to create an
updated set of zoning districts that could serve as better tools to support and encourage the
types of development called for in the General Plan. For example, the discussion above of
refinements to the base districts notes several opportunities for creating new mixed-use tools to
update or replace the PR and PC3 districts.
Another way to improve the planned districts would be up to create more predictable, objective
standards for certain uses and development patterns that would be required to be used in the
planned districts. For example, any new missing-middle housing would need to comply with
objective standards in the UDC. Then, a developer would have a “tool kit” that establishes
dimensional and development standards for each type of housing. Developers can then “grab
the pieces” they want/need to build in the Planned Residential district.
Reorganize Zoning District Standards
Minor formatting and organizational improvements could be made to enhance all zoning
districts, including:
• Rewrite zoning district descriptions to more accurately reflect the purpose of each
district based on development intensities and land uses.
• Relocate land use permissions and use-specific standards in accordance with the
recommendations made in the following section (Clarify the Land Use Regulations).
• Discuss the City’s preferred location for dimensional standards and associated district
graphics. Should dimensional standards be grouped into one summary table by broader
district category (as is currently provided) or should each district have its own
dimensional standards table?
Recommendations
• Refine base zoning districts, including purpose statements and dimensional standards, to ensure
implementation of the General Plan.
• Consider targeted updates to district standards, including new tools for mixed-use and downtown
district updates.
• Support more objective alternatives in the UDC to minimize the unpredictability of the planned
districts.
• Reorganize zoning district information.
Clean Up Overlay Districts
Depict Overlay Districts on the Zoning Map
Palm Desert’s online zoning map is accessible through the City’s website and allows users to
view where each zoning district is applied throughout the community. The online map is an
important tool for providing residents and property owners with accurate information about
how land can be used and developed. Today, the zoning map only depicts two of the existing
overlay districts (the Downtown Core Overlay and the Downtown Edge Transition Overlay),
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making it seem at a glance that no other overlay districts are in use at this time. This could
create confusion, as people using the map may not know that a different overlay district applies
to the property they are viewing, and less experienced map users may not know how to
interpret the category descriptions associated with a specific parcel. As part of the UDC process,
we recommended updating the zoning map to depict where overlay districts are applied
throughout Palm Desert, helping people form a better understanding of the regulations that
apply to a given property.
Clarify Housing Overlay District Standards
The Housing Overlay District (HOD) is required by Housing Element program 8.A, which directs
the City to maintain flexible development regulations, eliminate public hearing requirements,
and waive review fees in the interest of creating housing developments with a minimum of 20
percent income-restricted units. While the existing HOD addresses these topics, the standards
provided are vague and difficult to interpret. To simplify the review of projects within the HOD,
we recommend clarifying undefined or subjective language within the overlay standards and
further exploring how the Multifamily and Mixed-Use Objective Design Standards play into the
review of proposed multifamily projects.
Retire Unused Overlay Districts
There are 13 overlay districts described in Chapter 25.28 of the Zoning Ordinance, three of
which appear to be unused (the Natural Factors/Restricted Development, the Seismic Hazards,
and the Mixed-Use overlay districts). As part of the UDC process, we will review the purpose
statements and standards associated with each overlay district and evaluate where changes
should be made to improve the usability of each overlay. If it is determined that an existing
overlay need not be carried forward as part of the UDC, then it will be retired.
Recommendations
• Update the official zoning map to include overlay districts.
• Update the standards in the Housing Overlay District to reduce subjectivity.
• Retire any unused or unnecessary overlay districts, as appropriate.
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Clarify the Land Use Regulations
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Clarify the Land Use Regulations
Identifying the various land uses allowed
within each zoning district is an important
element of any zoning ordinance. Examples
of different types of land uses include
“single-family dwelling,” “restaurant,” and
“automotive service facility.” The UDC
project provides an opportunity to revisit
the way the way Palm Desert defines,
categories, and regulation various land
uses. The recommendations described
below are intended to help code users by
consolidating use-specific information,
adding modern uses, removing outdated
uses, and providing clear definitions to
support each use.
Create a Consolidated Land Use Table
Title 25 currently contains four use matrices organized by zoning district category, such as
residential, commercial and industrial, downtown, and special districts. This layout is most
effective in helping applicants with a specific property in mind identify which uses are permitted
in their specific zoning district. However, this layout is less effective for applicants who know
what land use they want to establish, but are not sure which zoning districts could support the
creation of that specific use.
We recommend creating a consolidated use table that includes all districts and land uses
permitted in Palm Desert. This will allow for side-by-side district comparisons and help the City
evaluate whether or not the permitted uses are aligned with the intent of each district.
Accessory uses will also be consolidated in the table, but they will be identified separately (i.e.,
grouped at the end of the table, similar to how temporary uses are currently organized) to
emphasize the difference between primary and accessory uses. Cross-references will continue to
be provided to direct the reader to applicable use-specific standards.
Recommendations
• Create a single land use table that displays all zoning districts and land uses in a single location.
• Review land uses for all districts to ensure they match district intent.
Restaurant use along El Paseo.
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A sample use table from another community showing cross-references in the right column to use-specific standards that
apply to some types of uses
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Clean Up Land Uses
Consolidate, Define, and Retire Outdated Uses
A key step in clarifying land use regulations is to evaluate which
land uses could be consolidated for simplification of the use
table. Typical land uses that are good candidates for
consolidation are those uses that are extremely specialized and
have similar land use impacts to other allowed uses.
Part of this exercise should include review and likely removal of
unnecessary or antiquated use types, like “sundries shop
(general merchandise).” While the intent is to simplify and
consolidate where possible, some uses should still be called out
as a specific land use with different regulations, such as
“amusement facility, indoors” and “amusement facility,
outdoors.”
In the new UDC, each use category and subcategory should be
defined to provide clear examples of the types of activities that
are encapsulated within a broadly defined use type. This
includes providing definitions for new and existing use
subcategories, such as “automobile and vehicle uses” or “group
dwelling uses” to provide a better foundation for determining
which use types and activities fall within each category. These definitions will also help the City
determine how to categorize new proposed uses in the future that are not listed in the use
table.
Finally, all specific land uses in the new UDC will be defined. This includes updating definitions
to reflect changes in how services are provided over time, such as clarifying if “therapy” should
be regulated as a medical use (on-site visits by patients) or an office use (virtual therapy). Where
specific uses are heavily influenced by State laws, such as group homes, those definitions will be
updated to better align with the State.
Incorporate New Use Types
The new UDC should incorporate emerging land uses that have the potential of developing in
Palm Desert. Proactively adding new uses to the UDC will give the City a leg-up in planning for
and addressing potential impacts of emerging uses, rather than responding to requests for new
uses as they arise. Clarion will work closely with staff and stakeholders to consider introducing a
range of new use types, such as:
• Artisan manufacturing. These “maker” spaces are usually a hybrid between small-scale
light industrial, office, and retail uses. For example, an artisan who owns a small welding
business where they fabricate metal artwork and sell the products in a retail space, or an
artist who fabricates ceramics and sells the products direct to consumers. Some
EXISTING ISSUES
The definition for “retail”
may be rewritten to include
many of the current land
uses listed in the use matrix
for downtown districts, such
as “clothing and apparel
shops,” “furniture stores and
home furnishings,” “luggage
shops,” and others that are
commonly referred to as
retail.
The use matrix for
commercial and industrial
districts lists “office,
professional” and “office,
travel agency,” which are
both types of general office
uses that do not have
different land use impacts.
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communities establish clear size thresholds for production and manufacturing and
prohibit or limit distribution, warehousing, and/or wholesaling.
• Breweries, wineries, and distilleries. Title 25 identifies “bar or lounge,” “liquor store,”
and “liquor, beverage and food items shop,” but fails to address the increasingly
popular craft alcohol uses. The new UDC should explicitly include craft alcohol
establishments and use-specific standards that address outdoor dining areas, storage of
raw and processed materials, tasting facilities, and potentially differentiate between
different types of facilities (e.g., craft breweries vs. larger breweries with distribution
and/or bottling activities).
• Data centers. These large, warehouse-style buildings are quickly cropping up around
the country to support national advances in technology. While Palm Desert likely does
not have the water or energy capacity to support the creation of large-scale data
centers, there may be value in identifying where, and under what conditions, data
centers could be permitted in the future.
• Prefabricated homes. In contrast to stick-built homes, prefabricated homes are
manufactured off-site and then transported to the construction site for assembly.
Including prefabricated (or modular) homes as a use type in the new UDC provides the
City with another tool for addressing the goals and policies in the Housing Element of
the General Plan.
Recommendations
• Consolidate and retire specific uses, as appropriate.
• Define all use categories, subcategories, and specific uses.
• Consider incorporating new land uses, and applicable use-specific standards, for uses not explicitly
addressed in Palm Desert’s existing development regulations.
Revisit Use Permissions
A key consideration when updating development regulations is
to evaluate which land uses are allowed in each zoning district,
which also requires evaluating the appropriate level of approval
required for each use (i.e., whether the use is permitted by
right, allowed subject to standards, or allowed only with an
administrative or conditional use permit). It may be that some
uses currently require a higher level of scrutiny than warranted,
whereas other uses are being allowed without sufficient
scrutiny of their potential impacts. In some cases, the addition
of use-specific standards may be effective enough in
addressing potentially unwanted impacts that a specific use can
be re-assigned from a discretionary approval to a use permitted
by-right.
WHAT WE HEARD
One example of use
permissions to review during
the UDC process are those
for “retail, golf carts and
neighborhood electric
vehicles (NEV).” While some
stakeholders believe golf
carts should be permitted to
be serviced in retail districts,
others felt that servicing of
golf carts is a more intensive
use that warrants more
restrictive use permissions.
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During the draft phase, the team will present updates to land use allowances in a way that
highlights proposed changes for easier review and discussion.
Recommendations
• Ensure appropriate level of use approval is required for each use type.
• Consider whether additional standards could be applied to a use to eliminate the need for a higher
level of scrutiny.
• Identify changes to use permissions during the drafting process.
Update Use-Specific Standards
Use-specific standards address the impacts associated with particular land uses. They may be
tailored based on specific location (such as zoning district or proximity to environmental
features) and typically address issues such as distance requirements from lower-intensity uses
and size limitations of the structure or use.
Use-specific standards are different from conditional uses, which are land uses requiring
Planning Commission approval following a public hearing. Instead, use-specific standards apply
to the use type regardless of the required approval (by-right vs. conditional use permit).
Generally, for each use in the consolidated use table, the City should evaluate whether the use
could be permitted “by right” if certain standards were in place, or whether certain standards
should be in place regardless of the process for approval.
Reorganize Use-Specific Standards
In addition to the creation of a consolidated use table, we propose consolidating all use-specific
standards into one section of the UDC. Currently, use-specific standards are listed under the
residential, commercial, and industrial district chapters as well as in Chapter 25.34, Special Use
Provisions. Cross-references will continue to be provided so that users can easily access the
standards associated with a given use, with hyperlinks that send the Code user to the applicable
section.
Establish New and Revise Current Use-Specific Standards
New standards may be needed to mitigate the impacts of certain uses regardless of the
underlying zoning district. This approach often allows uses to be permitted by right or with
limited staff review, subject to conformance with the standards, rather than requiring
discretionary review at a public hearing. This approach also helps ensure consistency by making
sure standards are uniformly applied, rather than negotiated for each application, and
streamlines the development review process. Based on input received during the initial
stakeholder interviews, new or revised use-specific standards may be added for the following
land uses:
• Accessory dwelling units. Verify use-specific standards align with State requirements.
• Drive-through and drive-in facilities. Revisit permitted locations and clarify screening
requirements.
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• Electric vehicle charging stations. New use that may benefit from use-specific lighting
and parking lot landscaping requirements.
• Massage parlors. Update definition and consider expanding application of spacing
requirements.
• Sport courts. Consider providing standards to regulate noise, particularly if a pickleball
court is proposed. Lighting standards may also be appropriate.
• Tattoo parlors. Consider applying spacing requirements and operational standards
(such as those limiting hours of operation).
Recommendations
• Consolidate and reorganize use-specific standards.
• Establish new and revise current use-specific standards to address potential land use impacts.
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Create a More User-Friendly Code
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Create a More User-Friendly Code
In addition to the substantive issues discussed in this document, several stakeholders shared
that they find the City’s current development regulations difficult to navigate and implement.
Some stakeholders shared that they felt a lack of written interpretations has left the
development regulations "a mess," requiring entry-level planners to run, what should be, simple
questions up the chain to arrive at a consistent, clear answer. This is especially true for
procedures, and can be exacerbated by the presence of conflicting code provisions.
These challenges are not unusual. Many communities find that, as development regulations are
updated over time, they become increasingly complicated and more difficult to navigate and
understand. The recommendations below are intended to make the UDC more user-friendly,
which should improve the efficiency of the review process and overall effectiveness of the UDC.
Consolidate Development Regulations
A key focus of this project is to help the City implement a comprehensive approach to planning
and development in Palm Desert. We recommend integrating the development regulations in
Title 25, Zoning, Title 26, Subdivision, and Title 27, Grading, into a single Unified Development
Code to reduce repetition across regulations and strengthen the City’s wholistic approach to
reviewing development proposals.
Recommendation
• Reorganize the development regulations into a Unified Development Code (UDC).
Incorporate Graphic Elements
Flowcharts, tables, photographs, illustrations, maps, and other graphics are useful for conveying
information concisely. While Title 25 currently provides a mix of graphic elements to support
written standards, Titles 26 and 27 are text-heavy and include almost no visual aids, aside from
tables. We recommend expanding the use of graphics in the UDC to help explain how the
regulations are intended to work, such as providing flowcharts to describe how a specific
entitlement application is processed and adding illustrations to support subdivision design
standards.
Recommendation
• Incorporate illustrations and other graphic elements, such as summary tables and flow charts,
throughout the new UDC.
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This graphic illustrates some of the basic dimensional requirements for a single -family zoning district. Labels (A) through (D)
correlate to a dimensional table that identifies setbacks, height, and lot requirements.
This illustration shows one example of how
pedestrian access through a parking lot could
be designed.
This illustration depicts refuse area screening.
Labels could also be added to identify specific
standards, such as wall height or setbacks.
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Define Key Terms
In terms of user-friendliness, the use of clear and precise
language is just as important as document organization and
format. While Title 27 consolidates all definitions into a single
chapter, Titles 25 and 26 define terms in multiple locations. In
the UDC, all key terms (including all land use types) should be
defined, and repetitive or inconsistent definitions should be
reconciled in one consolidated set of definitions. As part of this
process, any regulatory information found in the definitions will
be relocated to the main body of the UDC.
Beyond the definitions, all text in the UDC should be reviewed
and rewritten as necessary to provide greater clarity. Instances
of “legalese” or “plannerese” should be removed, and jargon
should be replaced with plain language. These changes should
result in a UDC that all users can understand, from the
individual land owner looking to expand their house to the
professional designer drawing a new development.
Recommendations
• Define all key terms.
• Revise complex or confusing definitions for clarity.
• Review all code language and rewrite for clarity, as needed.
EXISTING ISSUES
Most definitions are housed
in Chapter 25.99 of Title 25,
but some use-specific
definitions are also provided
in Chapter 25.34, Special Use
Provisions.
Some key terms, such as
“drive-through” are currently
undefined, which may cause
confusion between similar
terms (such as “drive-
through” and “drive-in”).
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Detail Review of Current
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REVIEW OF CURRENT DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS
In addition to the comments noted in the Zoning Code Assessment, the table below provides a
review of the elements of Palm Desert’s current Code of Ordinances that will be incorporated
into the new Unified Development Code (UDC). This analysis was informed by discussion with
staff and stakeholders, as well as observations made by the project team. The table below does
not include detailed comments on every section, though every section of the identified
ordinances will be reviewed and modified, as needed, as part of the UDC drafting process.
Existing Section Comments
Generally
• Implement the recommendations from the Development
Regulations Analysis report.
• Replace outdated department references with references to the
applicable City departments.
• Replace outdated content references with live cross-references to
applicable sections of the UDC.
• Verify and update all references to regulations located outside the
UDC (such as other PDMC titles or State law).
• Relocate submittal requirements to the City’s website or provide as
part of an administrative manual.
Title 8—Health and Safety
Chapter 8.12 Discarded Material Enclosures
Generally
• Relocate to the development standards chapter and add standards
to require architectural compatibility between the primary structure
and the trash enclosure
• Replace references of approval authority to Director of
Development Services Department or designee.
Chapter 8.40 Recreational Vehicles on Private Property
Generally
• Relocate long-term parking permit for recreational vehicles
procedure to the UDC.
• Relocate RV storage and screening requirements to development
standards chapter and align requirements with other screening
standards, where appropriate.
• Provide illustrations to clarify design requirements.
Title 24—Environment and Conservation
Chapter 24.04 Water-efficient Landscape
Generally • Carry forward references to applicable State requirements and the
Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) model ordinance.
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Existing Section Comments
• Update the City’s landscape palette to establish a clear landscape
theme, and to identify which types of plants should be used in
different locations.
• Incorporate applicable terms defined in the CVWD model
ordinance into the definitions section of the UDC.
• If desired, align applicability thresholds with those described in the
CVWD model ordinance.
§24.04.060 Invasive,
Noxious, and Nuisance
Plant Species
• Incorporate prohibition of invasive, noxious, and nuisance plant
species into landscaping section of the UDC.
§24.04.070 Landscape and
Irrigation Maintenance
• Require maintenance security at time of installation for landscaping
located within the City right-of-way.
Chapter 24.08 Transportation Demand Management Requirements
Generally
• Update to align with recent State legislation, as necessary.
• Clarify at what point in the development review process a qualifying
applicant must submit a TDM plan.
§24.04.050 Minimum
Standards
• Review and update list of TDM plan options
• Evaluate existing TDM plan options for consistency with the off-
street parking requirements of Title 25.
• Consider incentives for applicants who incorporate more than the
mandatory requirements in their TDM plan.
Chapter 24.12 Fugitive Dust (PM10) Control
Generally
• Update to align with proposed changes to the grading chapter
(former Title 27), as necessary.
• Cross-reference Chapter 24.12 in the updated grading chapter,
particularly as it relates to erosion control measures.
Chapter 24.16 Outdoor Lighting Requirements
Generally
• Discuss the City’s preferred approach to regulating outdoor
lighting, including the possibility of creating lighting zones.
• Add applicability statement to outdoor lighting section and clarify
exemptions to standards.
• Reorganize outdoor lighting section, starting with generally
applicable standards before listing site-specific standards.
• Clarify prohibited light sources/fixtures.
• Incorporate outdoor lighting definitions into the definitions section
of the UDC.
§24.16.025 Public Street
Lighting
• Discuss the City’s preferred approach to regulating public street
lighting, and update standards accordingly.
§24.16.040 Light Trespass • Update light trespass standards to address backlight, uplight, and
glare (BUG) fixture ratings.
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Existing Section Comments
Chapter 24.20 Stormwater Management and Discharge Control
Generally • Add cross-reference(s) in the development standards chapter of the
UDC to applicable stormwater management standards.
Title 25—Zoning
Generally
• Use consistent language when referencing the General Plan.
• Zoning Districts
o Rewrite zoning district purpose statements to clarify the
objective purpose of each district.
o Add example illustration to support each zoning district
description.
• Land Uses
o Consolidate all use matrices into a single land use table in a
new use regulations chapter.
o Clarify the intent of each land use symbol (i.e., P, A, C).
o Symbolize uses not permitted with a blank cell in the table.
o Relocate all specific use standards to new use regulations
chapter.
Chapter 25.02 Introductory Provisions
Generally • Add severability section.
§25.02.010 Title and
Purpose
• Update reference to be “Unified Development Code” or “UDC.”
• Clarify relationship of the UDC to the General Plan and other
adopted planning documents.
• Remove “Role of Zoning Ordinance” statement, which is covered
more effectively in the Purpose statement.
§25.02.030 Scope,
Interpretation, and
Application
• Clarify how the UDC applies to public or quasi-public development.
• Clarify how internal and external code conflicts are resolved.
• Include a statement addressing the UDC’s relationship to private
covenants.
• Add a subsection to address how the adoption, and subsequent
amendments, to the UDC impact projects under review.
§25.02.040 Administrative
Responsibility
• Update the roles and responsibilities of decision-making bodies to
align with the recommendations in the “Streamline Development
Review Processes” section of the Development Regulations Analysis
report.
• Add a cross-reference to the development review procedures
summary table provided later in the code.
§25.02.050 Rules and
Interpretation
• Relocate to new rules of construction and definitions chapter of the
UDC.
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Existing Section Comments
• Relocate “Calculations—Rounding” to new rules of measurement
section and align rounding provisions for affordable housing with
State density bonus law.
Chapter 25.04 Establishment of Zoning Districts
§25.04.020 Zoning Districts • Replace zoning districts descriptions with a table of all zoning
districts established in the UDC.
• Update Table 25.04-1: Zoning Districts to align proposed zoning
districts with General Plan land use designations, as needed.
§25.04.030 Zoning Map • Clarify how the official zoning map and zoning district boundaries
are interpreted and maintained.
Chapter 25.10 Residential Districts
§25.10.030 Allowed Land
Uses and Permit
Requirements
• Consider removing the following land uses:
o Condominium (define as an ownership style)
o Noncommercial livestock raising
o Kennel
o Neighborhood government office
• Consider incorporating use-specific standards for the following land
uses:
o Duplexes
o Group homes of seven or more residents
o Domestic animals
o Converted condominium hotel
§25.10.050 Development
Standards
• Replace “Hillside Planned Residential Development Standards” with
new Hillside Objective Design Standards.
• Overhaul the Planned Residential district as described in the
Development Regulations Analysis report.
• Relocated approval criteria for Planned Residential developments to
applicable procedures section.
• Clarify modifications to dimensional standards that may be
permitted by the ARC, as footnoted in Table 25.10-3.
Chapter 25.16 Commercial and Industrial Districts
§25.16.030 Allowed Land
Uses and Permit
Requirements
• Consider expanding land use permissions in the SI district to allow
more heavy commercial uses.
• Consider removing the following land uses:
o Caretaker housing
o Convention and visitors bureau
o Time-share project
• Consider adding the following land uses:
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Existing Section Comments
o Bar or lounge
o Golf cart/neighborhood electric vehicle sales
o Personal storage facility
• Consider incorporating use-specific standards for the following land
uses:
o Single-room occupancy
o Homeless shelter
o Outdoor entertainment facilities
o Commercial parking lot
o Accessory massage establishment
o Outdoor sales
o Automotive gasoline station
• Rename commercial communication tower to wireless
communication facility and expand to include the full spectrum of
possibilities.
§25.16.040 Specific Use
Standards
• Relocate drive-through standards to off-street parking and loading
chapter.
§25.16.050 Development
Standards
• Consolidate setback information from Table 25.16-2 into the
general development standards table.
• Clarify distinction between front yard and street-side setbacks
throughout Table 25.16-5.
• Relocated residential adjacency standards to new development
standards chapter.
Chapter 25.18 Downtown Districts Development Standards
Generally • Continue to explore the creation of a Downtown ODS.
§25.18.030 Characteristics
of Downtown Districts
• Consider converting the existing downtown overlay districts to base
zoning districts.
§25.18.040 Land Use and
Permit Requirements
• Consider modifying land use permissions and associated standards
for residential development in the downtown districts to support
the creation of mixed-use developments.
§25.18.050 Development
Standards
• Explore modifications to dimensional standards, where appropriate.
§25.18.060 Illustrated
Glossary
• Relocate illustrated glossary contents to general measurements
sections.
Chapter 25.20 Downtown Districts Design Guidelines
Generally • Work with the City to identify and incorporate modifications to the
existing downtown districts design guidelines that align with the
work that has already been done on the Downtown ODS.
Chapter 25.22 Special Districts
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Existing Section Comments
Generally • Update land use permissions and dimensional standards as needed
to algin with the Public Facility/Institutional District land use
designation in the General Plan.
Chapter 25.28 Overlay Districts
Generally • Depict overlay districts on the zoning map.
§25.28.020 Senior Housing
Overlay District
• Consider retiring Senior Housing Overlay district and adding senior
housing as a use with associated standards.
• Remove conflicts with State density bonus law, as needed.
§25.28.030 Housing Overlay
District
• Define “smaller residential projects.”
§25.28.040 El Paseo Overlay
District
• Consider retiring the El Paseo Overlay District and applying the
existing standards as a new downtown base district.
§25.28.045 San Pablo
Overlay District
• Simplify formula business prohibitions along San Pablo Avenue.
§25.28.050 Mixed-Use
Overlay District
• Retire or rethink—not currently applied.
§25.28.060 Planned
Community Overlay District
• Define “master plan.”
§25.28.070 Freeway
Commercial Overlay District
• Provide cross-references to applicable development standards.
• Review and update landscaping requirements.
§25.28.080 Scenic
Preservation Overlay
District
• Review and update process for developing in the Scenic
Preservation Overlay.
• Clarify line of sight study submittal requirements.
§25.28.090 Drainageway,
Floodplain, Watercourse
Overlay District
• Add cross reference to Title 28, Flood Damage Prevention.
§25.28.100 Natural
Factors/Restricted
Development Overlay
District
• Retire—only applied to one parcel.
§25.28.110 Seismic Hazards
Overlay District
• Retire—not currently applied.
§25.28.120 Bermuda Dunes
Airport Area
• Consider incorporating or adopting by reference the Riverside
County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan Policy Document.
§25.28.130 Open
Space/Residential Overlay
District
• Consider modifications to the applicability of this overlay district.
Chapter 25.34 Special Use Provisions
Generally • Incorporate the standards of this chapter into the new use
regulations chapter.
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Existing Section Comments
• Organize use-specific standards alphabetically by land use
category.
• Relocate all use-specific definitions to the general definitions
chapter and cross reference as needed.
§25.34.020 Home
Occupations
• Consider additions to the list of permitted and prohibited uses.
• Consider expanding allowances to include any residential unit (not
residential district).
§25.34.030 Accessory
Dwelling Units
• Align standards with recently adopted Ord. 1423.
• Add graphics and tables to supplement text (see subsection F).
§25.34.040 Affordable
Housing and Density Bonus
Provision
• Update standards for conformance with State density bonus law.
§25.34.050 Residential
Condominium Conversions
• Include cross reference to applicable notice procedures.
• Consider additional standards for conversion projects (e.g., fire
protection standards and utility metering requirements).
§25.34.080 Temporary Uses • Expand list of permitted temporary uses.
• Consider establishing different requirements for major and minor
temporary uses.
§25.34.090 Automotive
Service Station
• Consider incorporating use-specific standards to address
decommissioning of closed gas stations (e.g., removal of fuel
pumps).
§25.34.100 Restaurants • Separate drive-through standards from restaurant use-specific
standards.
• Consider incorporating “ghost kitchen” as a distinct use.
• Review and update outdoor seating requirements (maximum
allowances, thresholds for review, etc.)
§25.34.110 Adult
Entertainment
Establishment
• Add cross-reference to applicable definitions in Chapter 5.88.
§25.34.140 Exceptions
Based on Unconstitutional
Takings
• Relocate this section to the procedures chapter.
§25.34.180 Two-Unit
Projects
• Add cross-reference to urban lot split requirements.
• Incorporate graphics to support subsection 6, unit standards.
Chapter 25.40 Site Development Provisions
Generally • Create new rules of measurement section to address general rules
(e.g., rounding, measuring height, measuring distance) and specific
rules (e.g., lot dimensions, setbacks, lot coverage, density, etc.)
• Update existing and incorporate new graphics to support
measurement requirements.
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Existing Section Comments
§25.40.020 Yard
Measurements
• Establish method for determining which lot line is the front lot line.
• Consider differentiating between required setbacks and required
yards.
• Relocate requirements of §25.40.020.D to residential district
dimensions table.
§25.40.030 Projections into
Required Setbacks
• Add cross-reference to applicable fences and walls section.
• Clean up Table 25.40-1: Projections by explicitly listing all projection
types and differentiating between porches, patios, and decks.
§25.40.040 Height
Measurements
• Determine the City’s preferred approach for measuring building
height, and update accordingly.
• Expand building height discussion to include how basements and
mezzanines are reviewed.
• Reframe §25.40.040.B to explicitly address a range of exceptions to
building height requirements, such as architectural features,
elevators and stairways, and mechanical equipment.
§25.40.050 Accessory
Buildings and Structures
• Add purpose statement as suggested by staff.
• Clarify applicability of this section (Only applies to residential
districts? Or to all zoning districts?)
• Add requirement that accessory structures cannot be constructed
before the primary structure.
• Reformat standards in §25.40.050.B into a table.
• Incorporate design standards to require compatibility between
primary and accessory structures.
• Consider adding metal shipping containers to the list of prohibited
structures.
§25.40.060 Swimming Pools
and Equipment
• Reformat section to incorporate standards into a table, as
applicable.
• Clarify what qualifies as “appropriate documentation.”
§25.40.070 Private Tennis
Courts and Sports Courts
• Add purpose statement as proposed by staff.
• Clarify if these standards apply to common area amenities included
as part of larger developments.
• Update process from ARC review to CUP approval.
§25.40.080 Fences and
Walls
• Incorporate fences, walls, and screening standards for non-
residential developments.
• Identify prohibited materials for fences and walls.
• Establish temporary fencing allowances and requirements (e.g.,
construction, PM-10 wind fencing, securing vacant sites).
• Discuss and update applicability, height, and design requirements
for §25.40.080.C.
• Add cross-reference to sight visibility triangle regulations.
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Existing Section Comments
§25.40.090 Screening • Incorporate screening language as proposed by staff.
§25.40.100 Traffic Sight
Obstruction
• Either incorporate as part of the fences and walls section or add
cross-reference to the requirements from fences and walls section.
• Compare requirements to Caltrans standards and update
accordingly. Consider allowing flexibility based on approval by City
engineer.
• Incorporate graphics to support regulations.
§25.40.130 Required Park
Dedication Fees
• Relocate to subdivision design chapter.
Chapter 25.42 Multifamily and Mixed-Use Objective Design Standards
Generally • Re-adopt Multifamily and Mixed-Use ODS by resolution, as
proposed by staff.
Chapter 25.46 Off-Street Parking and Loading
Generally • Restructure purpose and applicability statements to express key
objectives as bullet points, as recommended by staff.
§25.46.030 Parking Lot
Design Requirements
• Incorporate graphics to support regulations
• Add table and graphic to clarify stall dimensions, stall angle, and
drive aisle requirements.
• Consider requirements for improving safety and comfortability of
internal pedestrian walkways (e.g., wheel stops, lighting).
• Update parking lot screening requirements in line with Growth Plan
Land Use Policy 2.2.
§25.46.040 Parking
Requirements
• Review and adjust minimum parking requirements, as appropriate.
• Align Table 25.46-1: Parking Schedule with the new use table.
o Add ADU parking requirement
o Add STR parking requirement
o Differentiate between multifamily parking requirements for
market rate and affordable units.
• Add cross-reference to residential parking structure standards
(§25.40.050).
• Incorporate opportunities for parking reductions, including but not
limited to:
o Shared (joint use) parking
o In-lieu parking payments
o Proximity to public transit
§25.46.060 Bicycle Parking
Requirements
• Add design requirements for long-term bicycle parking.
§25.46.070 Clean Air Vehicle
Parking Requirements
• Update to align this section with the requirements of the California
Green Code, as necessary.
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Existing Section Comments
§25.46.100 Off-Street
Loading
• Clarify location, screening, and maneuvering requirements in line
with staff recommendations.
Chapter 25.52 Landscaping
Generally • Restructure purpose and applicability statements to express key
objectives as bullet points, as recommended by staff.
• Add cross-reference to Chapter 24.04.
• Incorporate general landscaping standards that apply to all
developments (e.g., materiality, size of plantings, screening and
buffering requirements, etc.)
• Replace reference to landscape manager with applicable approval
authority.
§25.52.030 Residential
Landscape Provisions
• Update to align with CVWD residential landscaping standards.
§25.52.040 Nonresidential
Landscape Provisions
• Update Table 25.52-1 to remove outdated information and align
with setback standards established in the applicable dimensional
standards table.
§25.52.050 Parking Lot
Landscaping Standards
• Update Figure 25.52-4 to align with written requirements and add
new graphics to depict design standards.
• Replace subjective language with objective standards.
§25.52.060 Landscape
Maintenance Requirements
• Add cross-reference to maintenance standards in chapter 8.70 and
incorporate additional maintenance language as proposed by staff.
• Consider adding requirement for a landscape maintenance bond.
§25.52.070 Parking Lot
Landscaping Standards
• Establish tiered review system for landscaping plans (staff-level and
ARC review).
Chapter 25.56 Signs Not included in this effort
Chapter 25.60 Procedures
Generally • Retitle chapter “Administration and Procedures.”
• Restructure procedural information to create a single
administration and procedures section, which consolidates and
reorganizes information from chapters 25.60, 25.64, 25.68, 25.72,
and 25.78 into different sections within the chapter administration
and procedures.
• Add new section to address pre-application meetings.
§25.60.020 Application and
Fee
• Combine with sections 25.60.030 and 25.60.170 to create new
application submittal and processing section.
• Clarify who may submit a development application.
• Clarify that, when projects require multiple entitlements, those
entitlement requests may be reviewed concurrently.
• Provide examples of materials that may be requested as part of an
application submittal.
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Existing Section Comments
• Incorporate requirement for fiscal impact assessment for projects
greater than 5 acres in size.
• Incorporate fee language as proposed by staff.
§25.60.030 Determination
of Completeness
• Incorporate determination of completeness language as proposed
by staff.
• Clarify procedure for when an applicant fails to submit a complete
application (withdrawal vs. deny without prejudice).
§25.60.040 Environmental
Analysis
• Combine with section 25.60.050 to create new application review
and analysis section.
• Incorporate scope and applicability language as proposed by staff.
§25.60.060 Public Hearing
and Public Notice
• Update content to align with recent modifications to public notice
and hearing procedures proposed by staff.
§25.60.070 Approving
Authority
• Relocate Table 25.60-1 to the beginning of the chapter.
• Incorporate procedures from Titles 26 and 27.
• Update content to align with proposed changes to review and
approval authority, as needed.
• Clarify the ARC’s role in reviewing applications that require multi-
step approval (e.g., precise plans, conditional use permits, variances,
etc.).
§25.60.080 Appeals • Combine with sections 25.60.090, 25.60.100, 25.60.110, 25.60.130 to
create new post-decision actions and limitations section.
§25.60.090 Effective Date • Incorporate effective dates as proposed by staff.
§25.60.100 Land Use Permit
Time Limits and Extensions
• Consolidate all time limit and extension standards to this section,
then cross-reference where appropriate.
• Incorporate time limit language as proposed by staff.
• Express time limit and extension periods in terms of months, not
years.
• Differentiate between actions for exercising building permits and
actions for exercising use permits.
• Incorporate permit extension language as proposed by staff.
• Clarify findings for permit extensions, as proposed by staff.
§25.60.110 Modification • Differentiate between City-initiated punitive modifications and
applicant-initiated amendments to approvals.
§25.60.120 Revocation • Replace existing content with general revocation standards.
• Incorporate existing content as part of conditional use permit
procedures (content is specific to revocations of land use
entitlements).
§25.60.140 Enforcement
and Penalties
• Relocate to general enforcement section.
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Existing Section Comments
• Clarify that all conditions of approval are enforceable in the same
manner and to the same extent as any other applicable
requirement of the UDC.
§25.60.150 Certificate of
Use and Occupancy
• Relocate to site development procedures section.
• Differentiate between certificate of use procedures and certificate
of occupancy procedures.
§25.60.160 Community
Engagement
• Combine content to public hearing and public notice section.
§25.60.170 Application
Withdrawal
• Differentiate between City-initiated withdrawals and applicant-
initiated withdrawals.
Chapter 25.62 Nonconforming Provisions
Generally • Incorporate applicability statement as proposed by staff.
§25.62.030 Nonconforming
Lots, Buildings, and uses in
Nonresidential zones
• Remove duplicative change in status of nonconforming use
regulation.
§25.62.080 Conforming
Process for Legal
Nonconforming Residential
Uses in Residential Zones
and Office Professional
Zones
• Add certificate of conformance to table 25.60-1.
• Provide objective findings for certificate of conformance requests.
§25.62.100 Abatement
Hearings
• Review and align hearing procedures with updates to general
procedures, as appropriate.
• Consider relocating abatement hearing procedures to new
flexibility and relief procedures section.
Chapter 25.64 Decisions by the Zoning Administrator
Generally • Remove the Zoning Administrator from the UDC delegate their
existing responsibilities to the Director.
§25.64.030 Adjustments • Clarify permissible adjustments and summarize opportunities in a
table.
Chapter 25.68 Decisions by the Architectural Review Commission
§25.68.020 Design Review
Required
• Separate design review purpose statement from design review
applicability statement.
• Clarify which types of projects require ARC review.
• Consider relocating two-story development standards to a different
section of the UDC (Use-specific standards? Development
standards?).
§25.68.030 Exceptions to
ARC Review
• Clarify exceptions to ARC review:
o Establish a threshold for what qualifies as a “minor
modification.”
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Existing Section Comments
o Expand the list of projects that are reviewed by staff (e.g., ADUs,
eligible facilities requests, temporary structures, etc.)
§25.68.040 Findings of the
ARC
• Incorporate new section to address the scope of the ARC’s design
review (i.e., site design, landscaping, and architecture), as
recommended by staff.
• Update findings to better align with the ARC’s scope of review:
o Remove finding B related to traffic;
o Update finding C to reduce subjectivity; and
o Remove finding E related to land use.
§25.68.050 Sign Design
Review
• Update findings to better algin with the ARC’s scope of review.
§25.68.060 Comprehensive
Sign Programs
• Relocate comprehensive sign program findings from §25.56.100.E
to this section.
Chapter 25.72 Decisions by the Planning Commission
Generally • Reorganize content to include all steps for a specific procedure into
one section (such as zoning amendments or hillside development
plan).
§25.72.020 Use
Determinations
• Update procedure to allow approval by the Director with the option
to refer up to the Planning Commission.
• Clarify purpose statement as proposed by staff.
• Include applicability statement.
• Consider additional steps for adding new uses, approved through
use determination, to the UDC.
§25.72.030 Precise Plan • Consider establishing two types of precise plans: administrative and
non-administrative (requiring PC approval).
• Update purpose statement as proposed by staff.
• Establish separate procedures for minor modifications to precise
plans (approved by Director), design modifications (approved by
ARC), and major modifications (approved by PC).
§25.72.050 Conditional Use
Permit
• Establish separate procedures for minor modifications to CUPs
(approved by Director) and major modifications (approved by PC).
• Consider listing examples of the types of changes that are
considered minor in nature.
• Remove 1-year time limit for minor modifications.
• Replace §25.72.050.L with cross-reference to general post-decision
actions section.
§25.72.060 Condominium
Conversion Permit
• Require submittal of a tentative map as part of a condominium
conversion permit application.
• Include cross-reference to §25.34.050.
• Incorporate findings specific to condominium conversion projects.
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Existing Section Comments
§25.72.070 Variances • Update applicability statement as proposed by staff.
§25.72.080 Hillside
Development Plan,
Commission Role
• In light of the Hillside ODS, discuss where hillside development plan
procedures should be located in the UDC.
Chapter 25.78 Decisions by the City Council
§25.78.020 Hillside
Development Plan
• Align hillside development plan approval thresholds with new
hillside ODS (such as allowing administrative approvals for
developments that conform to the ODS).
• Consider requiring an environmental constraints analysis for
projects located within or adjacent to a conservation area as
established by the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat
Conservation Plan.
• Incorporate findings specific to hillside development plans.
§25.78.030 Amendments –
Zoning Ordinance
• Rename “UDC Text Amendment.”
• Clarify who may initiate a text amendment.
• Remove 40 day time constraint.
• Incorporate findings specific to UDC text amendments.
§25.78.040 Amendments –
Zoning Map
• Incorporate findings specific to zoning map amendments.
• Replace §25.78.040.E with cross-reference to general post-decision
actions section.
§25.78.050 Prezoning for
Annexed Areas
• Replace §25.78.050.A with purpose statement or update
§25.78.050.A for clarity.
• Update applicability language as proposed by staff.
• Change “unannexed” to “upon annexation.”
§25.78.060 Development
Agreements
• Add authority for development agreements language as proposed
by staff.
• Review and update topics that must be addressed in the
development agreement, including land dedication, applicant
financing, and other topics deemed necessary by City Council.
• Consider incorporating a timeframe for when construction must
commence by.
§25.78.070 General Plan
Updates
• Review and update findings for property owner-initiated general
plan amendments.
§25.78.080 Specific Plans • Review and clarify instances when a specific plan may be required.
Chapter 25.99 Definitions
Generally • Remove all standards from definitions and relocate to the
applicable development standards section.
• Remove all definitions for terms that are no longer used in the UDC.
• Define all City officials referenced throughout the UDC (such as City
Attorney, Chief Building Official, etc.).
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Existing Section Comments
• Add the following definitions:
o Abandoned
o Accessory residential building
o Assisted living
o Bedroom (see chapter 5.10)
o Casita
o Floor area, net
o Ground-mounted utility pole
o Master plan
o Second dwelling
o Sports court
o Tower element
o Utility, transportation, public facility, and communication use
• Update the following definitions:
o Abut
o Commercial (separate out “commercial complex”)
o Condominium conversion project
o Density, gross
o Density, net
o Dwelling, guest
o Face or wall of a building
o Floor area ratio
o Gross area
o Hillside areas
o Hillside ridge
o Institution, general
o Line of sight
o Lot line, front
o Maintenance yard
o Manufactured housing
o Master plan of arterial highways
o Master plan of drainage
o Medical marijuana dispensary… or dispensary
o Mezzanine
o Mixed-use
o Mortuary
o Net area
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Existing Section Comments
o Nonconforming structure
o Nonconforming use
o Objective design standards
o Planned development
o Planned unit development industrial
o Planned unit development residential
o Roof deck—prohibited
o Sidewalk
o Warehouse
• Clarify the difference between the following uses:
o Amusement facility and entertainment facility
o Accessory dwelling unit, casita, and guest dwelling
• Add cross-reference to PDMC 5.88.020 as part of adult
entertainment definition.
• Replace roadway classification definitions with cross-reference to
the terms as defined in the Growth Plan.
Title 26—Subdivisions
Generally • Incorporate Title 26 into the new UDC.
Chapter 26.08 Definitions
Generally • Incorporate subdivision definitions into the definitions section of
the UDC.
• Compare the definitions in this chapter with the definitions in the
state Subdivision Map Act.
• Add definition for “dead-end street.”
Chapter 26.12 General Requirements
Generally • Identify and incorporate subdivision review and approval authority
into the existing authority statements in Title 25.
Chapter 26.16 Processing—Responsibilities
Generally • Replace outdated employee references with references to the
applicable City staff member(s).
• Relocate applicable review and approval authority information into
the existing authority statements in Title 25.
• Consider replacing §26.16.090, Failure to Comply—Illegal Division
of Land with general violation statement(s).
Chapter 26.20 Tentative Map
Generally • Relocate tentative map procedures to new administration and
procedures chapter.
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Existing Section Comments
• Clarify review and approval authority for each type of tentative map
request (i.e., tentative tract and vesting maps should be
discretionary; tentative parcel maps within certain thresholds
administrative).
• Consider incorporating procedures for additional tentative maps
(e.g., reversion to acreage and finance and conveyance maps).
• Consider relocating map detail requirements (e.g., drawing
specifications) outside of the UDC.
• Clarify the makeup, role, and authority of the Land Division
Committee.
• Consider establishing thresholds for administrative approval of
revisions to approved tentative maps.
Chapter 26.24 Final Map
Generally • Relocate final map procedures to new administration and
procedures chapter.
• Consider relocating map detail requirements (e.g., size, material,
scale, and map notes) outside of the UDC.
• Update final map filing requirements to allow for digital submittals.
• Determine if the City should require detailed street improvement
plans at the final map stage, or if estimated street improvement
plans would suffice.
Chapter 26.28 Public Improvement Requirements
Generally • Incorporate regulations allowing the City engineer or director to
release surety for improvements that are minor in nature. New
streets should be released by council.
Chapter 26.30 Urban Lot Splits
Generally • Relocate definition of “urban lot split” to definitions section.
• Discuss and determine appropriate location for urban lot split
development regulations (which may be de-coupled from
procedural information).
• Incorporate tables and illustrations to support urban lot split
development regulations.
Chapter 26.32 Parcel Splits
Generally • Consolidate redundant procedural information between Chapter
26.32, Parcel Splits and Chapter 26.34, Parcel Map Waiver.
• Provide illustrations to show the different types of requests covered
in this section.
Chapter 26.34 Parcel Map Waiver
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Existing Section Comments
Generally • Consolidate redundant procedural information between Chapter
26.32, Parcel Splits and Chapter 26.34, Parcel Map Waiver.
Chapter 26.36 Deposits and Fees
Generally • Consider relocating fee information into a single chapter or section
that applies to all development regulations (e.g., zoning, grading,
and subdivision).
Chapter 26.40 Design Standards and Requirements
Generally • Align design standards and requirements with the goals, policies,
and roadway typologies in Chapter 4 of the General Plan.
• Update Table 26.40.040 to align with General Plan roadway
classifications.
• Align written street naming regulations with the City’s current
practice.
• Align §26.40.110, Hillside Subdivisions and Planned Unit
Developments, with the recommendations in the forthcoming
Hillside ODS.
• Work with utility providers to determine appropriate minimum
width requirement for utility easements.
• Remove specific lot standards from subdivision design
requirements (in favor of allowing zoning district dimensional
standards to dictate minimum lot sizes).
Chapter 26.44 Public Improvements and Grading
Generally • Add cross-reference to applicable grading standards, as
appropriate.
• Determine whether or not sidewalks should be required as part of
new developments.
Chapter 26.48 Neighborhoods and Community Public Facilities
Generally • Combine with public facilities information from Title 25 (i.e., park
dedication, Quimby fees).
Chapter 26.49 Drainage Facilities
Generally • Add cross-reference to applicable stormwater management
regulations, as appropriate.
Chapter 26.52 Limitation on Final Decisions
Generally • Replace with standardized procedural language related to post-
decision actions in new administration and procedures chapter.
Chapter 26.54 Conversion to Condominiums
Generally • Relocate Chapter 26.54 to new administration and procedures
chapter.
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Existing Section Comments
Title 27—Grading
Generally • Incorporate Title 27 into the new UDC.
Chapter 27.08 Definitions
Generally • Incorporate grading definitions into the definitions section of the
UDC.
Chapter 27.12 Requirements and Standards of Land Alteration
Generally • Identify types of grading permits addressed in the UDC.
• Define instances when a grading permit is required (such as any
grading in excess of a specific amount, or the creation of slopes
over a specific height).
• Define exceptions to grading permit requirements.
• Consider relocating plan submittal requirements (e.g., drawing
scale, digital vs. hardcopy submittal) outside of the UDC.
Chapter 27.16 Subdivision Grading
Generally • Determine whether or not the City would like to require subdivision
approval prior to grading.
• Relocate land alteration permit information to the new
administration and procedures chapter.
Chapter 27.20 Exemptions
Generally • Evaluate current list of exemptions and determine if any new
exemptions should be added or any current exemptions should be
removed.
Chapter 27.24 Bonds
Generally • Incorporate language for regulating the release of bonds.
• Consider providing opportunities for bond reductions.
Chapter 27.28 Administration
Generally • Relocate applicable contents of Chapter 27.28 to the new
administration and procedures chapter.
• Update grading administration information to align with the
formatting of other development regulations procedures.
• Consider relocating plan submittal requirements outside of the
UDC.
• Relocate design standards (e.g., landscape berms, walls, etc.) to the
new design standards chapter of the UDC.
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