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Site Plan Design Review Guide
The City of Palm Desert is a vibrant, healthy community that provides big-city
resources in an attractive, friendly, small-town setting acclaimed for its striking
mountain vistas, verdant resorts, and 360 days of sunshine a year.
The City’s Design Review Process strives to protect and enhance Palm Desert’s unique qualities through
established development and design guidelines. By studying the information in this handout and following
the City’s guidelines, applicants can ensure a smooth review process, while saving time and money.
What is a site plan?
A site plan is a top view of your property showing
property lines and footprints of any structures (house,
garage, storage shed, patio covers, etc.) and other
improvements such as walkways, driveways, yard
walls or fences, pools, etc. on the property. A site plan
should clearly indicate the location of any proposed
improvements. The drawing should be completed at an
appropriate scale (ex. 1” drawn on the plan equals 20’
on the actual property) with each item dimensioned
correctly.
Why do I need a site plan?
A site plan is necessary in all instances when applying
for a permit. The proposed work may consist of a
fence, a home addition, or a patio structure. City staff
will use the site plan to understand exactly what you
propose to do, and how it will affect the site and
structures located on the property. The applicant
submitted site plan will become part of the official
record of the permitted work.
Corner Lot –
If your property is located on the corner of two streets,
you have a “corner lot”. For the purpose of calculating
setbacks, the shortest of the two sides is considered
your front yard with the remaining side called the
“street side yard”.
Coverage -
Coverage is the total percentage of impervious or hard
surfaces on a lot. It includes everything except
landscape areas. To calculate your lot coverage, the
square footage of all buildings (ground floor only) and
site improvements such as driveways, walkways, and
patios, multiply the calculated square footage number
by 100, and then divide by the total lot square footage.
Calculate this percentage for the existing property
coverage and after with the proposed improvements.
Example Coverage Calculation
Existing:
House (60’ x 30’) 1,800 sq. ft.
Garage (18’ x 20’) 360 sq. ft.
Driveway/ Walkways (12’ x 30”) 360 sq. ft.
Pool/ Patio Hardscape (12’ x 25’) 300 sq. ft.
Total 2,820 sq.ft.
Lot Size (100’ 90’) 9,000 sq. ft.
Existing Coverage (2,820/9000) x 100 = 31%
Proposed:
Proposed Casita (15’ x 15’) 225 sq. ft.
House (60’ x 30’) 1800 sq. ft.
Garage (18’ x 20’) 360 sq.ft.
Driveway/ Walkways (12’ x 30”) 360 sq. ft.
Pool/ Patio Hardscape (12’ x 25’) 300 sq. ft.
Total 3,045 sq.ft.
Lot Size (100’ 90’) 9,000 sq. ft.
Existing Coverage (3,045/9000) x 100 = 34%
Setback -
A front, side, street side, or rear “setback” is the
required distance from the property line to any site
improvement or structure. Each street within the City
has different public-right-of-way setback requirements,
so the Department of Public Works should be
contacted for more information regarding your specific
location. A setback is measured from the property line,
not the curb, unless stated otherwise (ex. yard walls).
Provide the following: Where can I go for more information?
1. Provide two (2) sets of plans showing north arrow.
2. Plans must be neatly drawn, legible and on a
minimum sheet size of 8-1/2” x 11”.
3. Provide project address, owner’s name, and phone
number.
4. Show all streets, driveways, and alleys immediately
adjacent the property.
5. Clearly show all proposed and existing construction
with complete dimensions of proposed work.
6. Indicate all easement locations (refer to property
Title Report and Public Works for this information).
7. If the property is located within a Homeowners’
Association (HOA) a letter or stamp is required
stating their approval of the specific work at the
requested address.
8. Pool permits for custom homes must use the City
approved grading plan.
City of Palm Desert
73-510 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92260
760.346.0611
Zoning Requirements , General Plan Information, and
Coverage requirements
Palm Desert Planning Department
Building Permits
Palm Desert Building & Safety
Department
Public Rights-Of-Way, Easements, Property Lines
Palm Desert Public Works Department
County of Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-
Recorder
Property Information, Tax Maps, Deeds and Land Records
Website: http://pic.asrclkrec.com
Assessors County Clerk Recorders Office
38-686 El Cerrito Rd 2724 Gateway Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92211 Riverside, CA 92507
760.863.8732 951.486.7043
(records available 1998-current) (all records available)