The new design rules address things like building height, color, and landscaping.
The Palm Desert Planning Commission moved two key development items forward during its Tuesday night meeting, recommending the City Council adopt updated hillside design standards and approving an amendment for a local mixed-use project.
The commission voted 5-0 to recommend that the City Council adopt the Hillside Residential Design Standards. This marks the second time the commission has taken this action following the discovery of internal inconsistencies in the document after its initial January presentation to the council.
The standards are the culmination of a multi-year effort to address community concerns that new construction is impacting the rocky ridgeline views and the city’s character. The process began in May 2024 when the city contracted John Kaliski Architects to develop objective standards through a series of stakeholder meetings and community engagement.
During the meeting, commissioners praised the thoroughness of the process, with one member noting that staff went above and beyond with meetings for every stakeholder involved.
The rules apply to single-family residential development in the Hillside Planned Residential districts to the east and west of Highway 74. Key provisions include strict building limits where the building area on existing pads from before the city was incorporated is limited to 35% of the pad area or 3,150 square feet, whichever is less. With Architectural Review Commission approval, this can increase to 50% or 6,300 square feet, though no building pad may exceed 14,520 square feet.
Aesthetically, the standards require setbacks to keep rooftops below ridgelines, a color palette that blends into the natural landscape, and limits on bright exterior lighting.
The guidelines also provide a list of acceptable trees and shrubs while explicitly discouraging the use of synthetic turf, a provision the City Council requested be added on Jan. 8.
The commission received one public comment in opposition to the standards expressing concern over potential impacts on bighorn sheep. Staff clarified that environmental concerns would be addressed through separate review processes, such as the Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan, should a specific project be proposed near a conservation area.
In a separate 4-0 vote, with Vice Chair John Greenwood recused, the commission approved an amendment for a two-story building currently under construction at 74330 Alessandro Drive. The project, designed by Prest Vuksic Greenwood Architects, is located behind The Hood Bar and Pizzeria.
The amendment allows for the conversion of two second-floor office suites into studio-style live/work residential units, while the ground floor will remain as two office suites.
Commissioners expressed enthusiasm for the infill nature of the project, describing the live/work space as a unique opportunity to expand the use of the downtown edge overlay.
“I think the live/work space seems pretty unique, and a cool opportunity to expand the use and mixed use of the area for the downtown edge overlay, especially in a way for other owners to explore,” one commissioner said.
As a condition of approval, the commission required that the building’s new exterior elevator be maintained in working condition in perpetuity. Staff added conditions related to parking and trash collection. The hillside standards will now return to the Palm Desert City Council for final consideration and adoption.