Riverside County Integrated Project

The County of Riverside General Plan and Area Plans have been shaped by the RCIP Vision. Following is a summary of the Vision Statement that includes many of the salient points brought forth by the residents of Western Coachella Valley as well as the rest of the County of Riverside. The RCIP Vision reflects the County of Riverside in the year 2020. So, "fast forward" yourself to 2020 and here is what it will be like.

"Riverside County is a family of special communities in a remarkable environmental setting."

It is now the year 2020. This year (incidentally, also a common reference to clear vision), is an appropriate time to check our community vision. Twenty years have passed since we took an entirely new look at how the County of Riverside was evolving. Based on what we saw, we set bold new directions for the future. As we now look around and move through the County, the results are notable. They could happen only in response to universal values strongly held by the people. Some of those values are:

• Real dedication to a sense of community;

• Appreciation for the diversity of our people and places within this expansive landscape;

• Belief in the value of participation by our people in shaping their communities;

• Confidence in the future and faith that our long term commitments will pay off;

• Willingness to innovate and learn from our experience;

• Dedication to the preservation of the environmental features that frame our communities;

• Respect for our differences and willingness to work toward their resolution;

• Commitment to quality development in partnership with those who help build our communities;

• The value of collaboration by our elected officials in conducting public business.

Those values and the plans they inspired have brought us a long way. True, much remains to be done. But our energies and resources are being invested in a unified direction, based on the common ground we have affirmed many times during the last 20 years. Perhaps our achievements will help you understand why we believe we are on the right path.

Population Growth

The almost doubling of our population in only 20 years has been a challenge, but we have met it by focusing that growth in areas that are well served by public facilities and services or where they can readily be provided. Major transportation corridors serve our communities and nearby open space preserves help define them. Our growth focus is on quality, not quantity. That allows the numbers to work for us and not against us. We enjoy an unprecedented clarity regarding what areas must not be developed and which ones should be developed. The resulting pattern of growth concentrates development in key areas rather than spreading it uniformly throughout the County. Land is used more efficiently, communities operate at more of a human scale, and transit systems to supplement the automobile are more feasible.

Our Communities and Neighborhoods

Your choice in the kind of community and neighborhood you prefer is almost unlimited here. From sophisticated urban villages to quality suburban neighborhoods to spacious rural enclaves, we have them all. If you are like most of us, you appreciate the quality schools and their programs that are the centerpiece of many of our neighborhoods. Not only have our older communities matured gracefully, but we boast several new communities as well. They prove that quality of life comes in many different forms.

Housing

We challenge you to seek a form of housing or a range in price that does not exist here. Our housing choices, from rural retreat to suburban neighborhood to exclusive custom estate are as broad as the demand for housing requires. Choices include entry level housing for first time buyers, apartments serving those not now in the buying market, seniors' housing, and world class golf communities. You will also find "smart" housing with the latest in built-in technology as well as refurbished historic units. The County of Riverside continues to draw people who are looking for a blend of quality and value.

Transportation

It is no secret that the distances in this vast County can be a bit daunting. Yet, our transportation system has kept pace amazingly well with the growth in population, employment and tourism and their demands for mobility. We are perhaps proudest of the new and expanded transportation corridors that connect growth centers throughout the County. They do more than provide a way for people and goods to get where they need to be. Several major corridors have built-in expansion capability to accommodate varied forms of transit. These same corridors are designed with a high regard for the environment in mind, including providing for critical wildlife crossings so that our open spaces can sustain their habitat value.

Conservation and Open Space Resources

The often-impassioned conflicts regarding what lands to permanently preserve as open space are virtually resolved. The effort to consider our environmental resources, recreation needs, habitat systems, and visual heritage as one comprehensive, multi-purpose open space system has resulted in an unprecedented commitment to their preservation. In addition, these spaces help to form distinctive edges to many of our communities or clusters of communities. What is equally satisfying is that they were acquired in a variety of creative and equitable ways.

Air Quality

It may be hard to believe, but our air quality has actually improved slightly despite the phenomenal growth that has occurred in the region. Most of that growth, of course, has been in adjacent counties and we continue to import their pollutants. We are on the verge of a breakthrough in technical advances to reduce smog from cars and trucks. Not only that, but our expanded supply of jobs reduces the need for people here to commute as far as in the past.

Jobs and Economy

In proportion to population, our job growth is spectacular. Not only is our supply of jobs beyond any previously projected level, it has become quite diversified. Clusters of new industries have brought with them an array of jobs that attract skilled labor and executives alike. We are particularly enthusiastic about the linkages between our diversified business community and our educational system. Extensive vocational training programs, coordinated with businesses, are a constant source of opportunities for youth and those in our labor force who seek further improvement.

Agricultural Lands

Long a major foundation of our economy and our culture, agriculture remains a thriving part of the County of Riverside. While we have lost some agriculture to other forms of development, other lands have been brought into agricultural production. We are still a major agricultural force in California and compete successfully in the global agricultural market.

Educational System

Quality education, from pre-school through graduate programs, marks the County of Riverside as a place where educational priorities are firmly established. A myriad of partnerships involving private enterprise and cooperative programs between local governments and school districts are in place, making the educational system an integral part of our communities.

Plan Integration

The coordinated planning for multi-purpose open space systems, community based land use patterns, and a diversified transportation system has paid off handsomely. Integration of these major components of community building has resulted in a degree of certainty and clarity of direction not commonly achieved in the face of such dynamic change.

Financial Realities

From the very beginning, our vision included the practical consideration of how we would pay for the qualities our expectations demanded. Creative, yet practical financing programs provide the necessary leverage to achieve a high percentage of our aspirations expressed in the updated RCIP.

Intergovernmental Cooperation

As a result of the necessary coordination between the County, the cities and other governmental agencies brought about through the RCIP, a high degree of intergovernmental cooperation and even partnership is now commonplace. This way of doing public business has become a tradition and the County of Riverside is renowned for its many model intergovernmental programs.

Introduction

The Western Coachella Valley Area Plan contains policies that guide the physical development and land uses in the unincorporated western portion of the Coachella Valley. The Area Plan is not a stand-alone document, but rather an extension of the General Plan and Vision Statement. The County of Riverside Vision Statement details the physical, environmental, and economic characteristics that the County aspires to achieve by the year 2020. Using the Vision Statement as the primary foundation, the General Plan establishes standards and policies for development within the entire unincorporated County territory, while the Area Plan details standards and policy direction relating specifically to the Western Coachella Valley.

The Western Coachella Valley Area Plan doesn't just provide a description of the location, physical characteristics, and special features here. It contains a Land Use Plan, statistical summaries, policies, and accompanying exhibits that allow anyone interested in the continued prosperity of this distinctive region to understand where the future is headed. Background information also provides insights that help in understanding the issues that require special focus here and the reasons for the more localized policy direction found in this document.

Each section of the Area Plan addresses critical issues facing Western Coachella Valley. Perhaps a description of these sections will help in understanding the organization of the Area Plan as well as appreciating the comprehensive nature of the planning process that led to it. The Location section explains where the Area Plan fits with what is around it and how it relates to the cities that impact it. Physical features are described in a section that highlights the planning area's communities, surrounding environment, and natural resources. This leads naturally to the Land Use Plan section, which describes the land use system guiding development at both the countywide and area plan levels. While a number of these designations reflect the unique features found only in the Western Coachella Valley, a number of special policies are still necessary to address unique situations. The Policy Areas section presents these policies. Land use related issues are addressed in the Land Use section.

The Area Plan also describes relevant transportation issues, routes, and modes of transportation in the Circulation section. The key to understanding our valued open space network is described in the Multipurpose Open Space section. There are both natural and man made hazards to consider, and they are spelled out in the Hazards section.

Unincorporated land is all land within the County that is not within an incorporated city or an Indian Nation. Generally, it is subject to policy direction and under the land use authority of the Board of Supervisors. However, it may also contain state and federal properties that lie outside of Board authority.

A Special Note on Implementing the Vision

The preface to this area plan is a summary version of the Riverside County Vision. That summary is, in turn, simply an overview of a much more extensive and detailed Vision of Riverside County two decades or more into the future. This area plan, as part of the Riverside County General Plan, is one of the major devices for making the Vision a reality.
No two area plans are the same. Each represents a unique portion of the incredibly diverse place known as Riverside County. While many share certain common features, each of the plans reflects the special characteristics that define its area's unique identity. These features include not only physical qualities, but also the particular boundaries used to define them, the stage of development they have reached, the dynamics of change expected to affect them, and the numerous decisions that shape development and conservation in each locale. That is why the Vision cannot and should not be reflected uniformly.

Policies at the General Plan and Area Plan levels implement the Riverside County Vision in a range of subject areas as diverse as the scope of the Vision itself. The land use pattern contained in this area plan is a further expression of the Vision as it is shaped to fit the terrain and the conditions here.

To illustrate how the Vision has shaped the Western Coachella Valley Area Plan, the following highlights reflect certain strategies that link the Vision to the land. This is not a comprehensive enumeration; rather, it emphasizes a few of the most powerful and physically tangible examples.

Open Space, Conservation & Community Separators - The Western Coachella Valley area is characterized by a vast network of natural open space with tremendous habitat, rural and scenic value for both local residents and the region at large. With approximately three-fourths of the land designated for open space uses, the Area Plan seeks to preserve this unique natural setting while minimizing the impacts of encroaching urban uses.

Population Growth - This plan focuses growth in areas well served by public facilities and services or where they can readily be provided. Development is concentrated in key unincorporated areas located near existing development and major roadways. Residential land uses provide for a variety of densities, which in turn provide for a variety of housing choices. The rural and open space character of remote areas is protected through the use of appropriate rural and open space land use designations. These areas serve as natural boundaries between unincorporated communities, protect sensitive habitat areas, limit susceptibility to natural hazards, and serve as tremendous visual and passive recreational amenities.

Intergovernmental Cooperation - While any County land use plan requires some degree of coordination with other jurisdictions and responsible agencies, this plan identifies a key approach to addressing an area in the future development of Western Coachella Valley. The plan proposes a joint planning effort between the County, the City of Rancho Mirage and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians for a strategic area located along Interstate 10.

Data in this area plan is current as of October 7, 2003. Any General Plan amendments approved subsequent to that date are not reflected in this area plan and must be supported by their own environmental documentation. A process for incorporating any applicable portion of these amendments into this area plan is part of the General Plan Implementation Program.

Location

The central location and relative extent of Western Coachella Valley-well over 650 square miles- is clearly evident in Figure 1, Location. As the entryway to the vast desert areas of eastern Riverside County, Western Coachella Valley is surrounded by the mountainous area of the Riverside Extended Mountain Area Plan (REMAP) to the west and southwest, The Pass Area Plan to the west, the Eastern Coachella Valley Area Plan to the east, and San Bernardino County and the Joshua Tree National Park to the northeast. The Western Coachella Valley Area Plan boundary encompasses eight cities: Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, and Indio.

Figure 1: Location

Features

The Riverside County Vision builds heavily on the value of its remarkable environmental setting. That characterization certainly applies here. The Western Coachella Valley is situated to capture mountain views in nearly every direction. This section describes the setting, features, and functions that are unique to the Valley. These defining characteristics are shown on Figure 2, Physical Features.

Setting

The Western Coachella Valley area is characterized by a variety of contrasting and dramatic geographic features. Ringed by the rugged San Jacinto, Santa Rosa, and Little San Bernardino Mountains, the Coachella Valley contains a series of low-lying desert flatlands, sloping dunes and rolling foothills. Cove-like areas line the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains. The Whitewater River runs the length of the Valley.

The Western Coachella Valley is framed by the San Jacinto Mountains and Santa Rosa Mountains National Monument to the west and Joshua Tree National Park to the north and east. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's Colorado River Aqueduct traverses from east to west along the majority of the Area Plan, paralleling Interstate 10 north of Dillon Road. The following is a description of the geographically unique areas found in the Western Coachella Valley.

Unique Features

The Western Coachella Valley area is a predominantly desert and mountainous region containing a number of significant natural open space features:

Whitewater River

Whitewater River

The Whitewater River is the primary drainage course in the area, spanning the length of the Coachella Valley. The upper part of the river, in the San Gorgonio Wilderness, is dry throughout most of its length with the exception of its most westerly end, which quickly percolates into the groundwater basin or is diverted for use. The river is fed by several tributaries, including the San Gorgonio River, Mission Creek, Little and Big Morongo Creeks, and Box Canyon Wash.

The Colorado River Aqueduct

The Colorado River Aqueduct was built from 1933-1941 and is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Colorado River water imported via the Aqueduct provides supplemental water to nearly 17 million people in Riverside County and Southern California's coastal plain.

Coachella Valley Preserve/Thousand Palms Canyon & Oasis

Palm Oasis

Located 10 miles east of Palm Springs and north of Interstate 10, the Coachella Valley Preserve encompasses approximately 20,000 acres. It contains the last undisturbed watershed in the Coachella Valley and the sources of water-carried and wind-borne sand that create the dune habitat of the Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard. The Preserve straddles the Indio Hills and the San Andreas Fault. The floor of the Preserve is composed of alluvial fans and isolated terraces of desert pavement dissected by wash areas in the north, along with extensive sand fields and dunes. The persistent northwesterly winds in the Coachella Valley move the finer particles and sands from the alluvial fans south of the Indio Hills into the ever-changing sand dunes.

Wildlife in the Coachella Valley Preserve is varied and abundant. About 180 animal species inhabit the Preserve, including a large population of resident and migratory birds. There are five rare animals occurring in the Valley. One species, the Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard, is a threatened species inhabiting the blowsand fields.

The Coachella Valley contains several unique and rare habitat types. One of these, palm oasis woodland, is found in numerous groves within the Preserve and is sustained primarily by water made available through faulting and fracturing of underlying bedrock material. Water flowing underground from a higher elevation is stopped by an intersecting fault block and rises to ground level, creating a unique aquatic environment.

Another type of habitat located in this preserve, blowsand fields, is created by a combination of surface water and wind transport processes. The sand fields are dependent upon the periodic flooding that funnels sand originating in the northern half of the watershed through Thousand Palms Canyon. Sandy wash, rocky slopes, alluvial plains, and other habitats are also protected in the Coachella Valley Preserve.

Willow Hole Preserve

Located north of Cathedral City at the west end of the Indio Hills, the Willow Hole Preserve provides critical blowsand habitat for the Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard and various sensitive species. Other biological resource values include mesquite hummocks and a fan palm oasis.

Whitewater River Floodplain Preserve

The Whitewater River Floodplain Preserve is located south of Interstate 10 and east of Indian Avenue, and consists of 1,230 acres of Bureau of Land Management and Coachella Valley Water District land. One of the primary purposes of the preserve is to protect and enhance the habitat of the endangered Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard.

Peninsular Ranges

San Jacinto Mountains

Composed mainly of the San Jacinto Mountains and Santa Rosa Mountains National Monument, this system of bold, high mountains runs north to northwest and includes the 8,716-foot-high Toro Peak in the Santa Rosa Mountains, and 10,831-foot San Jacinto Peak in the San Jacinto Mountains. The Peninsular Ranges act as an effective barrier to the eastward moving storms and cooler air masses of the southern California coastal area.

Bighorn Sheep

The lower elevations of the Peninsular Ranges, including canyon bottoms, alluvial fans, and mountain slopes, serve as habitat for the endangered Bighorn Sheep. Within this narrow band of habitat, Bighorn Sheep need to be able to move daily, seasonally, and annually to make use of the sparse and sometimes sporadically available resources found within their home ranges. Habitat loss is considered to be one of the greatest threats to the species' continued existence.

Indio Hills

With a maximum elevation of 1,740 feet, the Indio Hills are located in the east- central portion of the Coachella Valley and are the largest unit of hills within the Valley area. The hills are bordered on the southwest by the San Andreas Fault and are divided in their central portion by Thousand Palms Canyon. The hills serve as a significant sand source for the Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard Preserve dunes.

Little San Bernardino Mountains

Indian Canyons Heritage Park

Reaching elevations over 5,000 feet, the Little San Bernardino Mountains, located within the Joshua Tree National Park, frame the northeastern edge of the Coachella Valley.

Indian Canyons Heritage Park

Located at the junction of the Palm, Andreas, and Murray Canyons on the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation, the Indian Canyons Heritage Park features extensive native fan palm oases and the historic Cahuilla Village and contains a great variety of plant and animal species.

Lake Cahuilla

Lake Cahuilla Recreation Area

Located in the City of La Quinta, the 135-acre Lake Cahuilla and the surrounding 710-acre, County-operated recreation area is a valuable scenic and recreational asset for Western Coachella Valley, providing opportunities for sightseeing, fishing, swimming, hiking, and camping.

San Gorgonio Pass

San Gorgonio Wind Energy Area

The San Gorgonio Pass area extends west of Indian Avenue to the foothills north and west, south to the City of Palm Springs, and west through the Interstate 10 corridor between the San Jacinto and San Gorgonio Mountains. The portion of this geographic feature within the boundaries of the Western Coachella Valley Area Plan is generally characterized by a large expanse of open desert and mountainous terrain, along with isolated pockets of development. A number of utility corridors are concentrated in this area, including high voltage electrical transmission lines and the Devers Substation. Due to the constant prevailing westerly winds, the highest concentration of commercial wind energy development in the County occurs in this area.

Unique Communities

The majority of urban development is within the cities, with the exception of several communities and rural enclaves scattered throughout the valley. Land uses found in the unincorporated Western Coachella Valley area include suburban and rural residential, commercial, industrial, mining, wind energy, and recreational uses. Existing residential developments in the area are located primarily in 11 communities: Bermuda Dunes, Bonnie Bell, Indio Hills, North Palm Springs, Painted Hills, Sky Valley, Snow Creek, Thousand Palms, Valley View Village, West Garnet, and West Palm Springs Village. Of these, Bermuda Dunes and Thousand Palms are the largest and most developed communities.

Bermuda Dunes

This area is located in the vicinity of the intersection of Washington Street and Interstate 10, north of the cities of Indian Wells, Indio and La Quinta. The area has good access to Interstate 10 and State Route 111, and community sewer and water service is available. The area south of Interstate 10 is characterized by medium density residential and resort-type development, with limited higher density development along Washington Street and 42nd Street. The area north of Interstate 10 includes Sun City Palm Desert, a senior citizen residential community, mobilehome subdivisions, rural residential uses, agricultural areas, a recreational vehicle park, an industrial park, and Fringe-toed Lizard habitat.

Bonnie Bell

Located north of Interstate 10 along Whitewater Canyon Road, the community of Bonnie Bell is a small residential enclave nestled in Whitewater Canyon. The small size of this enclave set among trees gives the area a rural feel, despite the presence of some small lots.

Indio Hills

Indio Hills is an expansive, but sparsely developed, rural residential enclave located along Dillon Road, east of Thousand Palms Canyon Road, on the northeast edge of the Coachella Valley Preserve.

North Palm Springs

North Palm Springs is a small community located between Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs along Dillon Road and Indian Avenue. It is characterized by scattered suburban and rural residential areas, with commercial and small-scale industrial uses along Dillon Road and Indian Avenue.

Painted Hills

Painted Hills is a residential rural community located along the western edge of State Route 62 southerly of Pierson Boulevard and northerly of Interstate 10.

Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce

Sky Valley

The Sky Valley community is located along Dillon Road between Thousand Palms Canyon Road and Bennett Road. The area is characterized primarily by large-lot rural residential uses, but also includes two mobile home parks and a community center. Just west of Sky Valley, along Dillon Road, between Corkill and Bennett Roads, is the largest concentration of mobile home parks and recreation vehicle parks in unincorporated Riverside County.

Snow Creek

Located south of Interstate 10 at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains, the community of Snow Creek is another residential enclave set among trees. The mountain view has attracted celebrities to this area.

Thousand Palms

The Thousand Palms area is located along Interstate 10 at the intersection of Ramon Road. This unincorporated area is characterized by mobile home

Thousand Palms Community Center

subdivisions, single-family residential neighborhoods and rural residential development. Commercial and industrial developments are located along Ramon Road and Varner Road. Tourist-oriented commercial uses such as truck stops, motels, and fast-food restaurants are located at the interchanges of Interstate 10 with Ramon Road and, to a lesser extent, Monterey Avenue.

Valley View Village

Located east of State Route 62 and north of Dillon Road, the rural community of Valley View Village is characterized by relatively flat desert terrain with scattered very low density and rural residential land uses.

West Garnet

The community of West Garnet is a small low density residential neighborhood located southerly of Interstate 10 and westerly of Indian Avenue at the Wall Road bridge crossing of Interstate 10.

West Palm Springs Village

West Palm Springs Village is a medium density residential community located north of Interstate 10 at Verbenia Avenue. This area includes single-family residences and mobile homes on small lots set amongst sloping desert terrain. Many of the lots here remain undeveloped.

A "sphere of influence" is the area outside of and adjacent to a city's border that the city has identified as a future logical extension of its jurisdiction. While the County of Riverside has land use authority over city sphere areas, development in these areas directly affects circulation, service provision, and community character within the cities.

Incorporated Cities

The Western Coachella Valley encompasses the area surrounding the cities of Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, and Indio. These eight cities total 165,845 acres. Land use and development within each city are governed by their respective general plans.

Figure 2: Physical Features

Land Use Plan

Each of our rural areas and communities has a special character that distinguishes them from urban areas and from each other. They benefit from some conveniences such as small-scale local commercial services and all-weather access roads, yet maintain an unhurried, uncrowded lifestyle.

-RCIP Vision

The Land Use Plan focuses on preserving the unique features in the Western Coachella Valley area and, at the same time, guides the accommodation of future growth. To accomplish this, more detailed land use designations are applied than for the countywide General Plan.

The Western Coachella Valley Land Use Plan, Figure 3, depicts the geographic distribution of land uses within this area plan. The area plan is organized around 30 Area Plan land use designations and 5 overlays. These area plan land uses derive from, and provide more detailed direction than, the five General Plan Foundation Component land uses: Open Space, Agriculture, Rural, Rural Community, and Community Development. Table 1, Land Use Designations Summary, outlines the development intensity, density, typical allowable land uses, and general characteristics for each of the area plan land use designations within each Foundation Component. The General Plan Land Use Element contains more detailed descriptions and policies for the Foundation Components and each of the area plan land use designations.

Many factors led to the designation of land use patterns. Among the most influential were the Riverside County Vision and Planning Principles, both of which focused, in part, on preferred patterns of development within the County; ongoing habitat conservation planning through the Coachella Valley Association of Governments Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (CVMSHCP) process; established patterns of existing uses and parcel configurations; current zoning; and the oral and written testimony of County residents, property owners, and representatives of cities, Indian tribes, and organizations at the many Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors hearings. Furthermore, the Plan recognizes the importance of preserving the Valley's scenic and cultural resources in order to protect the area's largest industry, tourism. The result of these considerations is shown in Figure 3, Land Use Plan, which portrays the location and extent of proposed land uses. Table 2, Statistical Summary of the Western Coachella Valley Area Plan, provides a summary of the projected development capacity of the Plan if all uses are built as proposed. This table includes dwelling unit, population, and employment capacities.

Land Use Concept

The extensive heritage of rural living continues to be accommodated in areas committed to that lifestyle, and its sustainability is reinforced by strong open space and urban development commitment provided for in the RCIP Vision.

-RCIP Vision

The Western Coachella Valley Area Plan Land Use Plan ranges in character from suburban style development found in Bermuda Dunes, Thousand Palms and Sun City Palm Desert, to remote rural areas such as Sky Valley and Indio Hills, to the outlying mountainous and desert terrain typical of the Valley area. The Land Use Plan seeks to maintain the character of these areas, while allowing additional urban development in areas adjacent to the Interstate 10 corridor and preserving the character of the Valley's remote desert and mountainous areas. Figure 3, Land Use Plan, illustrates the geographic distribution of land uses in Western Coachella Valley.

The area plan proposes a mix of lower density residential land uses ranging from Rural Residential to Medium Density Residential uses near urban centers, except along Washington Street and Avenue 42 in Bermuda Dunes, which will continue to provide for areas of High Density Residential development. Ample land exists cumulatively within Coachella Valley cities to accommodate most of the residential and commercial growth through the year 2020. The Land Use Plan focuses Community Development land uses, including residential, commercial and industrial uses, along Interstate 10 and the Pierson Boulevard and Dillon Road corridors, while maintaining a mix of urban uses in Bermuda Dunes, Thousand Palms, and the area north of Interstate 10 in the vicinity of Sun City Palm Desert.

The Western Coachella Valley Area Plan Land Use Plan identifies the area within the City of Rancho Mirage's Sphere-of-Influence as having significant development potential, due in large part to the area's centralized Valley location, proximity to Interstate 10, and large amount of vacant land, much of which is Indian-owned. This plan creates a policy area designed to establish policies and guidelines for development in this area, in concert with a joint planning effort involving the City of Rancho Mirage and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

Also identified within this Land Use Plan is the location of a Rural Village within the community of Sky Valley. Shown with the Rural Village Overlay designation on the Land Use Plan, Figure 3, this village is designed to allow for a concentration of rural residential uses, a small neighborhood commercial center, public, and open space uses, thus allowing Sky Valley residents access to localized commercial and public services.

The vast majority of the Western Coachella Valley area is designated for rural and open space uses, reflective of the remote desert and mountainous nature of the area. These uses separate Community Development areas, creating distinct community edges and enhancing community identity. Open space areas for habitat conservation occupy over 40 percent of the total unincorporated area. These include areas in the State Route 74/Santa Rosa Mountains area south of Palm Desert and Indian Wells; along the eastern edge of the San Gorgonio Pass north and south of Interstate 10 and west of State Highway 62; north of Desert Hot Springs; throughout the Indio Hills and Coachella Valley Preserve; and areas east of Dillon Road and east of Indio Hills.

Figure 3: Land Use Plan

Table 1 Land Use Designations Summary
Foundation Component	Area Plan Land Use Designation	Building Intensity Range (du/ac or FAR)^1,2,3	Notes
Agriculture	Agriculture (AG)	10 ac min.	• Agricultural land including row crops, groves, nurseries, dairies, poultry farms, processing plants, and other related uses. • One single-family residence allowed per 10 acres except as otherwise specified by a policy or an overlay.
Rural	Rural Residential (RR)	5 ac min.	• Single-family residences with a minimum lot size of 5 acres. • Allows limited animal keeping and agricultural uses, recreational uses, compatible resource development (not including the commercial extraction of mineral resources) and associated uses and governmental uses.
	Rural Mountainous (RM)	10 ac min.	• Single-family residential uses with a minimum lot size of 10 acres. • Areas of at least 10 acres where a minimum of 70% of the area has slopes of 25% or greater. • Allows limited animal keeping, agriculture, recreational uses, compatible resource development (which may include the commercial extraction of mineral resources with approval of a SMP) and associated uses and governmental uses.
	Rural Desert (RD)	10 ac min.	• Single-family residential uses with a minimum lot size of 10 acres. • Allows limited animal keeping, agriculture, recreational, renewable energy uses including solar, geothermal and wind energy uses, as well as associated uses required to develop and operate these renewable energy sources, compatible resource development (which may include the commercial extraction of mineral resources with approval of SMP), and governmental and utility uses.
Rural Community	Estate Density Residential (RC-EDR)	2 ac min.	• Single-family detached residences on large parcels of 2 to 5 acres. • Limited agriculture, intensive equestrian and animal keeping uses are expected and encouraged.
	Very Low Density Residential (RC-VLDR)	1 ac min.	• Single-family detached residences on large parcels of 1 to 2 acres. • Limited agriculture, intensive equestrian and animal keeping uses are expected and encouraged.
	Low Density Residential (RC-LDR)	½ ac min.	• Single-family detached residences on large parcels of½ to 1 acre. • Limited agriculture, intensive equestrian and animal keeping uses are expected and encouraged.
Open Space	Conservation (C)	N/A	• The protection of open space for natural hazard protection, and natural and scenic resource preservation. Existing agriculture is permitted.
	Conservation Habitat (CH)	N/A	• Applies to public and private lands conserved and managed in accordance with adopted Multi Species Habitat and other Conservation Plans.
	Water (W)	N/A	• Includes bodies of water and natural or artificial drainage corridors. • Extraction of mineral resources subject to SMP may be permissible provided that flooding hazards are addressed and long term habitat and riparian values are maintained.
	Recreation (R)	N/A	• Recreational uses including parks, trails, athletic fields, and golf courses. • Neighborhood parks are permitted within residential land uses.
	Rural (RUR)	20 ac min.	• One single-family residence allowed per 20 acres. • Extraction of mineral resources subject to SMP may be permissible provided that scenic resources and views are protected.
	Mineral Resources (MR)	N/A	• Mineral extraction and processing facilities. • Areas held in reserve for future mineral extraction and processing.
Community Development	Estate Density Residential (EDR)	2 ac min.	• Single-family detached residences on large parcels of 2 to 5 acres. • Limited agriculture and animal keeping is permitted, however, intensive animal keeping is discouraged.
	Very Low Density Residential (VLDR)	1 ac min.	• Single-family detached residences on large parcels of 1 to 2 acres. • Limited agriculture and animal keeping is permitted, however, intensive animal keeping is discouraged.
	Low Density Residential (LDR)	½ ac min.	• Single-family detached residences on large parcels of½ to 1 acre. • Limited agriculture and animal keeping is permitted, however, intensive animal keeping is discouraged.
	Medium Density Residential (MDR)	2 - 5 du/ac	• Single-family detached and attached residences with a density range of 2 to 5 dwelling units per acre. • Limited agriculture and animal keeping is permitted, however, intensive animal keeping is discouraged. • Lot sizes range from 5,500 to 20,000 sq. ft., typical 7,200 sq. ft. lots allowed.
	Medium High Density Residential (MHDR)	5 - 8 du/ac	• Single-family attached and detached residences with a density range of 5 to 8 dwelling units per acre. • Lot sizes range from 4,000 to 6,500 sq. ft.
	High Density Residential (HDR)	8 - 14 du/ac	• Single-family attached and detached residences, including townhouses, stacked flats, courtyard homes, patio homes, townhouses, and zero lot line homes .
	Very High Density Residential (VHDR)	14 - 20 du/ac	• Single-family attached residences and multi-family dwellings.
	Highest Density Residential (HHDR)	20+ du/ac	• Multi-family dwellings, includes apartments and condominium. • Multi-storied (3+) structures are allowed.
	Commercial Retail (CR)	0.20 - 0.35 FAR	• Local and regional serving retail and service uses. The amount of land designated for Commercial Retail exceeds that amount anticipated to be necessary to serve the County's population at build out. Once build out of Commercial Retail reaches the 40% level within any Area Plan, additional studies will be required before CR development beyond the 40 % will be permitted.
	Commercial Tourist (CT)	0.20 - 0.35 FAR	• Tourist related commercial including hotels, golf courses, and recreation/amusement activities.
	Commercial Office (CO)	0.35 - 1.0 FAR	• Variety of office related uses including financial, legal, insurance and other office services.
	Light Industrial (LI)	0.25 - 0.60 FAR	• Industrial and related uses including warehousing/distribution, assembly and light manufacturing, repair facilities, and supporting retail uses .
	Heavy Industrial (HI)	0.15 - 0.50 FAR	• More intense industrial activities that generate significant impacts such as excessive noise, dust, and other nuisances.
	Business Park (BP)	0.25 - 0.60 FAR	• Employee intensive uses, including research & development, technology centers, corporate offices, "clean" industry and supporting retail uses.
	Public Facilities (PF)	< 0.60 FAR	• Civic uses such as County administrative buildings and schools.
	Community Center (CC)	5 - 40 du/ac 0.10 - 0.3 FAR	• Includes combination of small-lot single family residences, multi-family residences, commercial retail, office, business park uses, civic uses, transit facilities, and recreational open space within a unified planned development area. This also includes Community Centers in adopted specific plans.
	Mixed Use Planning Area		• This designation is applied to areas outside of Community Centers. The intent of the designation is not to identify a particular mixture or intensity of land uses, but to designate areas where a mixture of residential, commercial, office, entertainment, educational, and/or recreational uses, or other uses is planned.
Overlays and Policy Areas Overlays and Policy Areas are not considered a Foundation Component. Overlays and Policy Areas address local conditions and can be applied in any Foundation Component. The specific details and development characteristics of each Policy Area and Overlay are contained in the appropriate Area Plan.
Community Development Overlay (CDO)	• Allows Community Development land use designations to be applied through General Plan Amendments within specified areas within Rural, Rural Community, Agriculture, or Open Space Foundation Component areas. Specific policies related to each Community Development Overlay are contained in the appropriate Area Plan.
Community Center Overlay (CCO)	• Allows for either a Community Center or the underlying designated land use to be developed.
Rural Village Overlay (RVO) and Rural Village Overlay Study Area (RVOSA)	• The Rural Village Overlay allows a concentration of residential and local-serving commercial uses within areas of rural character. • The Rural Village Overlay allows the uses and maximum densities/intensities of the Medium Density Residential and Medium High Density Residential and Commercial Retail land use designations. • In some rural village areas, identified as Rural Village Overlay Study Areas, the final boundaries will be determined at a later date during the consistency zoning program. ( The consistency zoning program is the process of bringing current zoning into consistency with the adopted general plan.)
Watercourse Overlay (WCO)	• The Watercourse Overlay designates watercourses, including natural or controlled stream channels and flood control channels.
Specific Community Development Designation Overlay	• Permits flexibility in land uses designations to account for local conditions. Consult the applicable Area Plan text for details.
Policy Areas	• Policy Areas are specific geographic districts that contain unique characteristics that merit detailed attention and focused policies. These policies may impact the underlying land use designations. At the Area Plan level, Policy Areas accommodate several locally specific designations, such as the Limonite Policy Area (Jurupa Area Plan), or the Scott Road Policy Area (Sun City/Menifee Valley Area Plan). Consult the applicable Area Plan text for details.
NOTES: ¹ FAR = Floor Area Ratio, which is the measurement of the amount of non-residential building square footage in relation to the size of the lot. Du/ac = dwelling units per acre, which is the measurement of the amount of residential units in a given acre. ² The building intensity range noted is exclusive, that is the range noted provides a minimum and maximum building intensity. ³ Clustering is encouraged in all residential designations. The allowable density of a particular land use designation may be clustered in one portion of the site in smaller lots, as long as the ratio of dwelling units/area remains within the allowable density range associated with the designation. The rest of the site would then be preserved as open space or a use compatible with open space (e. g., agriculture, pasture or wildlife habitat). Within the Rural Foundation Component and Rural Designation of the Open Space Foundation Component, the allowable density may be clustered as long as no lot is smaller than½ acre. This½ acre minimum lot size also applies to the Rural Community Development Foundation Component. However, for sites adjacent to Community Development Founda- tion Component areas, 10,000 square foot minimum lots are allowed. The clustered areas would be a mix of 10,000 and½ acre lots. In such cases, larger lots or open space would be required near the project boundary with Rural Community and Rural Foundation Component areas.

Table 2 Statistical Summary of the Western Coachella Valley Area Plan
Base Land Use Designations^a,b
Land Use Designation	Acreage	Dwelling Units	Population	Employment
Agriculture Foundation Component
Agriculture (AG)	695	35	103	35
Agriculture Total	695	35	103	35
Rural Foundation Component
Rural Residential (RR)	20,170	3,026	8,986	NA
Rural Mountainous (RM)	760	38	113	NA
Rural Desert (RD)	12,609	630	1,872	NA
Rural Total	33,539	3,694	10,971	0
Rural Community Foundation Component
Estate Density Residential (RC-EDR)	105	37	109	NA
Very Low Density Residential (RC-VLDR)	718	359	1,066	NA
Low Density Residential (RC-LDR)	0	0	0	NA
Rural Community Total	823	396	1,175	0
Open Space Foundation Component
Open Space-Conservation (OS-C)	2,727	NA	NA	NA
Open Space-Conservation Habitat (OS-CH)	107,941	NA	NA	NA
Open Space-Water (OS-W)	4,415	NA	NA	NA
Open Space-Recreation (OS-R)	2,524	NA	NA	379
Open Space-Rural (OS-RUR)	69,126	1,728	5,133	NA
Open Space-Mineral Resources (OS-MIN)	2,174	NA	NA	65
Open Space Total	188,907	1,728	5,133	444
Community Development Foundation Component
Estate Density Residential (EDR)	1,905	667	1,980	NA
Very Low Density Residential (VLDR)	446	223	662	NA
Low Density Residential (LDR)	335	402	1,193	NA
Medium Density Residential (MDR)	8,713	30,497	90,576	NA
Medium High Density Residential (MHDR)	1,499	9,745	28,942	NA
High Density Residential (HDR)	1,143	12,574	37,345	NA
Very High Density Residential (VHDR)	128	2,179	6,473	NA
Highest Density Residential (HHDR)	0	0	0	NA
Commercial Retail (CR)^c	1,174	2,465	7,322	7,057
Commercial Tourist (CT)	398	NA	NA	6,500
Commercial Office (CO)	14	NA	NA	541
Light Industrial (LI)	4,507	NA	NA	57,948
Heavy Industrial (HI)	36	NA	NA	314
Business Park (BP)	180	NA	NA	2,934
Public Facilities (PF)	2,314	NA	NA	625
Community Center (CC)	0	0	0	0
Community Development Total	22,792	58,752	174,493	75,919
Other Land Uses, Overlays and Policy Areas^d
Rural Community-Estate Density Residential 2	0	0	0	NA
Glen Eden Policy Area	0	0	0	NA
Medium Density Residential (2-4 du/ac)	0	0	0	NA
Vista Santa Rosa Policy Area	1	1	4	NA
Rural Village Overlay	116	71	211	60
Rural Village Overlay Study Area	0	0	0	0
Community Center Overlay	0	0	0	0
Community Retail Overlay	0	0	0	0
Other, Overlays and Policy Areas Total	117	72	215	60
BUILDOUT PROJECTIONS TOTAL	246,756	64,677	192,090	76,458
Other
City	165,539
Indian Lands	9,228
Freeways	1,780
Other Total	176,547
AREA PLAN TOTAL ACRES	423,303
Overlays and Policy Areas The following provides the acreages for each Overlay and/or Policy Area within the Area Plan . Overlays and Policy Areas are districts that contain unique standards tailored to a local geographic area. In some instances, these Overlays and Policy Areas alter the allowable uses and maximum densities/intensities within the particular district. In these cases, the buildout potential resulting from the application of the Overlays and Policy Areas has been accounted for in the Base Land Use Designations above. Please see the Area Plan for a description of the unique features contained within each Overlay or Policy Area.
				Acreage
Overlays
Mixed Use Planning Area				0
Community Development Overlay				0
Specific Community Development Designation Overlays and Policy Areas
Wind Energy				23,719
Hot Springs				3,066
Sky Valley Mobile Home & RV Parks				48
Section 8 Sand Source Area				622
Total				27,455
NOTES: a. Statistics reflect the midpoint for the theoretical range of build-out projections. Reference Appendix E of the General Plan for assumptions and methodology. b. Overlay figures reflect the additional dwelling units, population and employment permissible under this category. c. It is assumed that Commercial Retail designation will buildout at 40% Commercial Retail and 60% Medium Density Residential. d. The acreage for the Overlays and Policy Areas have not been included in the acreage totals to avoid double counting.

Policy Areas

Not all areas within an Area Plan are the same. Distinctiveness is a primary means of avoiding the uniformity that so often plagues conventional suburban development. A Policy Area is a portion of an Area Plan that contains special or unique characteristics that merit detailed attention and focused policies. The location and boundaries of Policy Areas are shown on Figure 4, Policy Areas, and are described in detail below.

Policy Areas

Three policy areas have been designated within the Western Coachella Valley Area Plan. In some ways, these policies are even more critical to the sustained character of the Western Coachella Valley than some of the basic land use policies because they reflect deeply held beliefs about the kind of place this is and should remain. Their boundaries are shown on Figure 4, Policy Areas. These boundaries are only approximate and may be interpreted more precisely as decisions are called for in these areas. This flexibility, then, calls for considerable sensitivity in determining where conditions related to the policies actually exist, once a focused analysis is undertaken on a proposed development project.

Rancho Mirage Sphere of Influence Policy Area

The Rancho Mirage Sphere of Influence Policy Area is generally located in the center of the Western Coachella Valley planning area, on both sides of Interstate 10 at Ramon Road. The area includes the entire Sphere of Influence of the City of Rancho Mirage. Characterized by a series of sloping dunes, hillsides and flat desert terrain, this area consists primarily of large vacant parcels, with some commercial uses near the intersection of Interstate 10 and Ramon Road. South of Interstate 10 in this policy area lies the Agua Caliente Casino. The community of Thousand Palms abuts the eastern edge of the Policy Area.

Undeveloped area west of Bob Hope Dr.

One of the primary goals of this area plan is to contain and concentrate growth in several strategic unincorporated areas while preserving the rural and open space characteristics of the outlying areas. As demand for new development continues, the importance of the areas designated for community development will magnify, as will the need for sound, comprehensive planning.

This policy area, the majority of which is designated for community development, is one of the key components of the Western Coachella Valley Area Plan. Several issues and opportunities underlie the importance of the study area, including:

• Biological and visual values of Indio Hills;

• Supply of affordable housing for future Casino and other employment-generating land uses;

• Adequate public facilities, including transportation, for future development;

• Transit opportunities with direct access to rail and Interstate 10;

• Burgeoning resort and casino industries and regional commercial demand;

• Prominent, centralized location within the Coachella Valley; and

• Abundance of vacant and/or underutilized land, divided among large parcels.

Dealing with these issues and maximizing these opportunities requires meaningful, action-oriented, inter-jurisdictional cooperation.

Though this policy area overlaps areas under the jurisdiction of the County of Riverside, the City of Rancho Mirage, and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, each shall retain land use authority over properties within their respective boundaries, unless other arrangements are made.

WCVAP = Western Coachella Valley Area Plan Policy

Policies:

WCVAP 1.1 Form a joint planning effort with the City of Rancho Mirage and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to address land use planning and environmental review of development projects within the Policy Area, as identified on Figure 4, Policy Areas.

WCVAP 1.2 Coordinate with local agencies to ensure adequate service provision for all development within the Policy Area.

WCVAP 1.3 Encourage property owners within this policy area to develop their properties under a single Specific Plan application covering the entire area.

WCVAP 1.4 Coordinate development strategies with the Thousand Palms Community Council and the Riverside County Economic Development Agency.

WCVAP 1.5 Coordinate development strategies with the cities of Palm Desert and Cathedral City to ensure that development within the Policy Area does not adversely impact these cities.

WCVAP 1.6 Require that development be sensitive to and retain the unique topographical features within and adjacent to the planning area.

WCVAP 1.7 Ensure a mix of land uses that creates a vital, economically and environmentally healthy area that is supportive of transit and other forms of alternative modes of transportation, promotes walkability and civic life, and provides a variety of housing, civic, employment, and open space opportunities throughout the planning area. General land uses may include a mix of:

• Regional and local-serving commercial uses;

• Tourist facilities;

• Residential densities from Medium to High Density Residential;

• Active and passive open space areas;

• Mixed use;

• Cultural, educational, and civic uses;

• Transit facilities;

• Employment-intensive office and business park uses; and

• Light Industrial uses north of Interstate 10.

WCVAP 1.8 Incorporate open space and recreational amenities into the planning area in order to enhance recreational opportunities and community aesthetics.

WCVAP 1.9 Apply the City of Rancho Mirage's adopted standards for median strips along specific roadways as those roadways extend into the City's Sphere of Influence.

San Gorgonio Pass Wind Energy Policy Area

The San Gorgonio Pass Wind Energy Area (see Figure 4) is considered to be one of the best areas in the nation for the development of wind energy. This is due primarily to the air pressure differences that exist between western Riverside County and the Coachella Valley. As air moves from the high pressure to low pressure area, it is, in effect, "funneled" through the Pass, creating ideal wind energy conditions.

San Gorgonio Pass Wind Energy Area

However, the siting of wind energy facilities can result in impacts to the environment and the general community, including scenic viewsheds, nearby residents, and, increasingly, nearby existing wind energy facilities. The sheer size of the wind turbine structures may block scenic views; noise generated by wind turbines could impact nearby residents; and spinning wind turbine blades could create wake effects, which could adversely affect existing downwind wind turbines.

Wind energy development in the San Gorgonio Pass area was studied through the San Gorgonio Wind Resource Study EIR (1982), a joint environmental document prepared for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Riverside County. The document assessed three scenarios for wind energy development in the area. The document also includes criteria for the development of wind energy on both a countywide basis and specifically for the San Gorgonio Pass area. Since the adoption of the San Gorgonio Wind Implementation Monitoring Program (WIMP), reports have been prepared, and substantial wind energy development has occurred. Reflecting the evolution of wind energy over the years, the specific policies for wind energy development in the San Gorgonio Pass are listed below:

Policies:

WCVAP 2.1 Require that wind turbines address through appropriate design the Pacific Crest Trail alignment.

WCVAP 2.2 Continue to require wind energy development to contribute a fair-share to the Wind Implementation Monitoring Program (WIMP) prior to construction of wind turbines.

WCVAP 2.3 Except in the area designated Public Facilities on Edom Hill, prohibit the placement of commercial wind turbine arrays east of Indian Avenue, north of Pierson Boulevard, and south of Highway 111.

WCVAP 2.4 Require proposed wind energy development to address significant impacts caused by wind turbine wake effects upon existing and approved downwind wind turbines.

WCVAP 2.5 Prohibit the location of wind turbines within the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.

WCVAP 2.6 Other renewable resources such as solar generators, energy storage, distributed generation and cogeneration should complement wind energy uses. Limited industrial and commercial uses, serviced by alternative energy, where appropriate and consistent with existing residential uses should develop within portions of existing and future wind parks.

Hot Springs Policy Area

The Hot Springs Policy Area is a 4.75 square mile area located southeasterly of the City of Desert Hot Springs and westerly of the Sky Valley community. This area (including all of Sections 3, 4, 10, and 11, the north half of Section 14, and the northeast quarter of Section 15, all in Township 3 South, Range 5 East) is recognized as a thermal resource area with hot mineral water that is clean, clear, and free of sulfur odor. The availability of this water for use in hot mineral water spas has been a primary factor in the siting of numerous mobile home parks and recreational vehicle parks in this area. This resource provides potential health benefits and assists in the attraction of tourists and seasonal residents to the

Coachella Valley, thereby contributing to the local economy. For these reasons, it is appropriate to make special provision to allow for additional land uses developed specifically to utilize this natural resource. These may include hotels, motels, recreational vehicle parks, mobile home parks, residential developments, and institutional uses.

Policies:

WCVAP 3.1 Encourage the development of destination resorts, health and fitness facilities, and special needs housing that is specifically designed for utilization of the hot mineral water thermal resources for either personal use or structural heating/water heating.

WCVAP 3.2 Require that all destination facilities and residential development at Community Development densities have available the public facilities and services appropriate for the type of facilities proposed.

WCVAP 3.3 Within this area, destination resorts may include service stations, car washes, mini-marts, small stores, and restaurants, provided that these commercial uses are associated with the destination resort, are built concurrently with or after the resort, and occupy not more than five percent of the total developed land area of the resort. ( The latter phrase shall not apply if the area of these accessory commercial uses is designated Commercial Tourist or Commercial Retail.)

WCVAP 3.4 Notwithstanding the mapped Area Plan designations in this area, any proposal to amend the Area Plan from a designation in the Rural foundation component to a designation in the Community Development foundation component that is submitted in conjunction with a land use or land division application that is specifically designed to utilize this natural hot water resource shall be exempt from the 5-year limit placed on Foundation Component general plan amendments, as described in the Administration Element.

The authority for preparation of Specific Plans is found in the California Government Code, Sections 65450 through 65457.

Specific Plans

Specific plans are regulatory documents that provide a bridge between the General Plan and individual development projects in a more area-specific manner than is possible with community-wide zoning ordinances. Specific plans establish detailed land use, density and development standards, infrastructure requirements, and other policies addressing relevant area issues.

Specific Plans are identified in this section as Policy Areas because detailed study and development direction is provided in each plan. Policies related to any listed specific plan can be reviewed at the Riverside County Planning Department. The eight specific plans located in the Western Coachella Valley planning area are listed in Table 3, Adopted Specific Plans in Western Coachella Valley Area Plan. Each of these specific plans is determined to be a Community Development Specific Plan, with the exception of Specific Plan No. 170 (Tesoro).

Specific Plan No. 170 (Tesoro) was approved for development a number of years ago, but was never developed and has subsequently been purchased for habitat conservation. The approval of the Tesoro Specific Plan will be considered for rescission during the initial round of Specific Plan reviews.

Table 3 Adopted Specific Plans in Western Coachella Valley Area Plan¹
Specific Plan	Specific Plan #
Mission Lakes	107
North Star	151
Tesoro	170
Andreas Cove	211
Coral Mountain*	218
Center Pointe	225
Adams Ranch	231
Sun City Palm Desert	281
¹ Source: Riverside County Planning Department. * Portions of this specific plan extend into a neighboring Area Plan.

Table 4 Land Use Compatibility Guidelines for Airport Safety Zones for March, Flabob, Bermuda Dunes, Chino, and Skylark Airports^1,2
Safety Zone	Maximum Population Density	Maximum Coverage by Structures	Land Use
Area I	0³	0³	No significant obstructions⁴ No petroleum or explosives No above-grade powerlines
Area II	Uses in Structures:⁵ 25 persons/ac. OR 150 persons/bldg. (see text in the source document for the Comprehensive Land Use Plan for explanation) Uses not in structures: 50 persons/ac. Residential 2.5 Acre minimum lots Uses in structures:⁵ 75 persons/ac. or 300 persons/bldg. (see text in the source document for the Comprehensive Land Use Plan for explanation)	25% of net area 50% of gross area or 65% of net area whichever is greater	No residential No hotels, motels No restaurants, bars No schools, hospitals, government services No concert halls, auditoriums No stadiums, arenas No public utility stations, plants No Public communications facilities No uses involving, as the primary activity, manufacture, storage, or distribution of explosives or flammable materials.⁶
Area III	Not Applicable	50% of gross area or 65% of net area whichever is greater	Discourage schools, auditoriums, amphitheaters, stadiums Discourage uses involving, as the primary activity, manufacture, storage, or distribution of explosives or flammable materials.⁶
1. The following uses shall be prohibited in all airport safety zones: a. Any use which would direct a steady light or flashing light of red, white, green, or amber colors associated with airport operations toward an aircraft engaged in an initial straight climb following takeoff or toward an aircraft engaged in a straight final approach toward a landing at an airport, other than an FAA-approved navigational signal light or visual approach slope indicator. b. Any use which would cause sunlight to be reflected towards an aircraft engaged in an initial straight climb following takeoff or towards an aircraft engaged in a straight final approach towards a landing at an airport. c. Any use which would generate smoke or water vapor or which would attract large concentrations of birds, or which may otherwise affect safe air navigation within the area. d. Any use which would generate electrical interference that may be detrimental to the operation of aircraft and/or aircraft instrumentation. 2. Avigation easements shall be secured through dedication for all land uses permitted in any safety zones. 3. No structures permitted in ETZ or ISZ. 4. Significant obstructions include but are not limited to large trees, heavy fences and walls, tall and steep berms and retaining walls, non-fragible street light and sign standards, billboards. 5. A structure includes fully enclosed buildings and other facilities involving fixed seating and enclosures limiting the mobility of people, such as sports stadiums, outdoor arenas, and amphitheaters. 6. This does not apply to service stations involving retail sale of motor vehicle fuel if fuel storage tanks are installed underground. Source: Extracted from Riverside County Airport Land Use Commission Comprehensive Land Use Plan

Figure 4: Policy Areas

Figure 5: Bermuda Dunes Airport Influence Policy Area

Land Use

While the General Plan Land Use Element and Area Plan Land Use Map guide future development patterns in Western Coachella Valley, additional policy guidance is often necessary to address local land use issues that are unique to the area or that require special policies that go above and beyond those identified in the General Plan. These policies may reinforce County regulatory provisions, preserve special lands or historic structures, require or encourage particular design features or guidelines, or restrict certain activities, among others. The intent is to enhance and/or preserve the identity, character, and features of this unique area. The Local Land Use Policies section provides a host of policies to address those land use issues relating specifically to the Western Coachella Valley area.

Local Land Use Policies

Bermuda Dunes and Palm Springs Airport Influence Areas

Bermuda Dunes Airport

Due to issues of noise, safety, and land use compatibility, the Riverside County Airport Land Use Commission establishes more stringent land use regulations for areas adjacent to airports that lie within "Airport Influence Areas." Bermuda Dunes Airport, a private airport located in the community of Bermuda Dunes, is surrounded primarily by urban uses. These areas fall within the unincorporated County.

In the case of Palm Springs Airport, the airport influence area does not affect any unincorporated lands. There are three safety zones associated with the Bermuda Dunes Airport Influence Area. These safety zones are shown in Figure 5, Bermuda Dunes Airport Influence Policy Area . Properties within these zones are subject to regulations governing such issues as development intensity, density, height of structures, and noise. Within Area II, the minimum lot size for residential development is 2.5 acres. These land use restrictions are fully set forth in Appendix L and are summarized in Table 4, Land Use Compatibility Guidelines for Airport Safety Zones for March, Flabob, Bermuda Dunes, Chino, and Skylark Airports , and land use proposals shall be evaluated for appropriateness within these safety zones. For more information on these zones and additional airport policies, refer to Appendix L and the Land Use, Circulation, Safety and Noise Elements of the Riverside County General Plan.

Policies:

WCVAP 4.1 To provide for the orderly development of Bermuda Dunes Airport and the surrounding area, comply with the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan for Bermuda Dunes Airport as fully set forth in Appendix L and as summarized in Table 4, as well as any applicable policies related to airports in the Land Use, Circulation, Safety and Noise Elements of the Riverside County General Plan.

Sky Valley Rural Village Overlay

The Sky Valley Rural Village overlay area encompasses 115 acres along Dillon Road in the Sky Valley community. While the underlying designation on Figure 3, Land Use Plan, is Rural Residential, this area would be allowed to accommodate additional residential and commercial development under the regulations of the Rural Village Overlay. The intent of the Sky Valley Rural Village Overlay is to establish an intimate rural core that provides local-serving commercial and public services for the residents of Sky Valley, and allows for additional estate density and very low density residential development, while preserving the community's rural character.

The Village would consist of a small commercial/public use core area, with the remainder consisting of single family residential development and open space.

The General Plan Land Use Element details policies for development within Rural Village areas countywide. The following policies for the Sky Valley Rural Village Overlay area provide additional and more restrictive policies regarding residential density, commercial intensity, and development design.

Policies:

WCVAP 5.1 Limit residential development to a density not to exceed 0.4 dwelling units per acre (2-½-acre minimum lot size).

WCVAP 5.2 Allow clustered lots of minimum size one (1) acre, but maintain the overall density of the Village area at 0.4 dwelling units per acre.

WCVAP 5.3 Limit new commercial and public uses to a single core area not to exceed five (5) acres in size.

WCVAP 5.4 Require that development maintains the rural character of the area.

WCVAP 5.5 Ensure that development is compatible with existing and adjacent uses.

Sky Valley Mobile Home Parks and Recreational Vehicle Parks

In addition to the mapped Hot Springs Policy Area located westerly of Sky Valley, the same type of thermal resources exist in portions of Sky Valley in the vicinity of the existing mobile home park and recreational vehicle park southerly of Dillon Road. In order to utilize this natural resource, it is appropriate to make special provision to allow for the expansion of these land uses in this Rural Residential designated area.

WCVAP 6.1 Notwithstanding the mapped Area Plan designations of the subject properties, any proposal to amend the Area Plan from a designation in the Rural foundation component to a designation in the Community Development foundation component that is submitted in conjunction with a land use or land division application that is specifically designed to provide for expansion of an existing mobile home park or recreational vehicle park, or the establishment of new mobile home parks or recreational vehicle parks on properties located south of Dillon Road in the east half of the northwest quarter and the west half of the northeast quarter of Section 21, Township 3 South, Range 6 East, S.b. b. and M. that are contiguous to such parks shall be exempt from the 5-year limit placed on Foundation Component general plan amendments, as described in the Administration Element, provided that:

a. The project is specifically designed to provide for the utilization of the hot mineral water thermal resources by the project's future residents, customers, and guests.

b. The total acreage that may utilize this exemption is limited to a maximum of 40.75 acres.

c. The proponent shall submit, in conjunction with the project application, a hydrogeological report assessing the presence of the resource and its potential for use by the project's future residents, customers, and guests.

d. Adequate services are available to the project, including sewer service.

e. The project is designed to be compatible with its rural surroundings.

Residential Uses

The scenic qualities of the Coachella Valley make the area a special place to live. With the Valley continuing to face growth and development pressures, it is essential that current and future residents are able to maintain views of the desert and mountainous terrain from their homes. The following policies apply only to new residential developments approved after the effective date of this General Plan having densities of 8 dwelling units per acre or more, within the High, Very High, and Highest Density Residential land use designations, and address building height and compatibility issues between adjacent, varying residential densities. (Note: Policies relating to rooflines and buildings may not be applicable to mobile home parks.)

Policies:

WCVAP 7.1 Utilize single-story units adjacent to existing single family developments.

WCVAP 7.2 Ensure that two-story residential units do not block views from adjacent single family residences.

WCVAP 7.3 Require additional front and side-yard setbacks, where necessary, in order to ensure land use compatibility.

WCVAP 7.4 Ensure that architectural design is compatible with or enhances adjacent development.

WCVAP 7.5 Enhance blockwalls with special treatment or design.

WCVAP 7.6 Require residential development to incorporate the following design criteria:

a. Roofline variation, through level changes and/or different building heights.

b. Setback variation of units to reduce a straight-line effect, but in no case less than required by the County Land Use Ordinance.

c. Facade treatment variation through use of compatible materials or colors.

d. Consideration for security through lighting and visibility of common areas from units.

e. Use of walls, landscaped berms, and plant materials in combination to provide screening buffers to roadways and adjacent land uses.

f. Use of street trees and landscaping along interior roadways and parking areas.

g. Placement of trees and other plant materials on both sides of walls along street frontages and other rights-of-way.

h. Development projects with carports shall be designed with carports located out of view of the frontage street and other right-of-ways or provide with substantial screening.

i. All buildings shall be provided with design treatments for roofs and facade with tile or other appropriate materials.

j. The use of native and/or water-efficient plants, where feasible.

Thousand Palms Levees

The Coachella Valley Water District is currently working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along with other federal and state agencies, to design a system of levees to protect certain developed areas of Thousand Palms from flooding hazards, while maintaining the sand transport system essential to the survival of the Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard. The community of Thousand Palms is an area that has been identified as needing additional housing units; however, development has been constrained by these flood hazards. Some of the area that has been designated Rural Residential on the Area Plan due to flood hazards may be made available for development if it is protected from floodwaters by these levees.

Policies:

WCVAP 8.1 Notwithstanding the mapped Area Plan designation of Rural Residential in this area, any proposal to amend the Area Plan designation of lands that will be removed from the 100-year flood plain as a result of the construction of the planned levee system from the Rural foundation component to either the Community Development or Rural Community foundation component shall be exempt from the 5-year limit placed on Foundation Component general plan amendments, as described in the Administration Element.

WCVAP 8.2 Density transfers from unprotected areas to protected areas of Thousand Palms will be encouraged where the proposed development is compatible with the surrounding areas of the community and environmental and infrastructure concerns can be satisfactorily resolved.

Section 8 Sand Source Area

Policies:

WCVAP 9.1 Notwithstanding the provisions of this General Plan allowing for clustering and density transfer, no new lot shall be established within Section 8, Township 4 South, Range 6 East smaller than five acres in gross area. Merger of parcels smaller than five acres shall be encouraged. A minimum lot size of ten acres shall be required for second unit permits.

Commercial Retail Uses

Commercial uses are found in scattered locations throughout the Valley. In order to ensure that commercial development does not degrade the visual qualities of the Valley, it is important to establish screening elements that shield potentially unsightly areas from public view. In addition to those policies found in the General Plan, the following policy applies to Commercial Retail uses in the Western Coachella Valley:

Policies:

WCVAP 10.1 Require screening through landscaping, or other effective mechanisms, of outdoor storage areas, other than authorized sales and display areas.

Commercial Office Uses

The following policies apply to Commercial Office uses in the Western Coachella Valley:

Policies:

WCVAP 11.1 Professional offices may be found consistent within the Medium High, High, Very High, and Highest Density Residential land use designations under the following:

• All projects shall use single-story construction, and/or additional building setbacks, blockwalls, landscaped berms, trees and other landscaping where adjacent to residential development.

• Parking areas shall be well screened from residential developments, and traffic conflicts shall be limited.

• Professional office uses must comply with the Commercial Office land use designation policies found in the Land Use Element.

Industrial Uses

The Land Use Plan for Western Coachella Valley designates over 4,500 acres of land for industrial development. Several of these areas are located along the Interstate 10 corridor, with some nearby areas designated for residential uses. Preserving the visual qualities of the Valley and ensuring compatibility with adjacent uses are the focus of the policies listed below.

In addition to those policies found in the General Plan, the following policies shall apply to industrial land uses in the Western Coachella Valley:

Policies:

WCVAP 12.1 Require a minimum lot size of 7,000 square feet for industrial uses.

WCVAP 12.2 Ensure that industrial buildings do not exceed fifty feet in height.

WCVAP 12.3 Discourage industrial uses which may conflict with residential land uses either directly or indirectly.

WCVAP 12.4 Require the screening and/or landscaping of outdoor storage areas, such as contractor storage yards and similar uses.

WCVAP 12.5 Permit limited commercial uses within existing and proposed industrial development.

Recreational Vehicle Development

The vast desert and mountainous terrain, along with a pleasant, moderate winter climate and an abundance of recreational opportunities, makes the Coachella Valley a haven for recreational vehicle (RV) enthusiasts. Many RV parks can be found scattered throughout the Valley. Several are located within one mile on either side of Dillon Road between Mountain View and Bennett Roads. As with any other type of land use, RV developments require guidelines for service provision, land use compatibility, safety, and accessibility.

Recreational vehicle development in the Western Coachella Valley shall be classified into two categories: Resort Recreational Vehicle, and Remote Recreational Vehicle.

Resort Recreational Vehicle developments are projects that offer improved facilities for RVs, including full hookups for sewage disposal and water. These parks may also provide recreational amenities such as golf courses, swimming pools, recreational lakes, and recreational buildings. Internal roads are paved and designed to control drainage. Resort RV developments are appropriate primarily in urban areas, and require community water and sewer facilities in accordance with Community Development land use standards.

Remote Recreational Vehicle developments differ from Resort RV projects in several ways:

• Spaces are not fully improved.

• Spaces accommodate tent camping.

• Sewers are not available.

• Fully developed recreational facilities are not provided, though open space areas may be provided.

• Internal roads may not be paved.

• The development site is designed to provide a campground appearance.

Remote RV developments are appropriate primarily in rural and outlying areas, and must be compatible with surrounding uses.

The following policies shall apply to recreational vehicle development in the Western Coachella Valley:

Policies:

WCVAP 13.1 Ensure proper service provision, land use compatibility, design standards, safety, and accessibility for RV development in Western Coachella Valley through adherence to General Plan policies found in the Land Use Element.

WCVAP 13.2 Allow Resort RV developments within the following land use designations: Low, Medium, Medium High, High, and Very High Density Residential Areas, Commercial Tourist, and Open Space-Recreation.

WCVAP 13.3 Limit Resort RV developments to a density of sixteen (16) spaces per acre.

WCVAP 13.4 Allow Remote RV developments within the following land use designations: Very Low Density Residential, Estate Density Residential, Rural Residential, Rural Mountainous, Rural Desert, Open Space- Recreation, and Open Space-Rural.

WCVAP 13.5 Limit Remote RV developments to a density of seven (7) spaces per acre.

Signage

The scenic qualities of the Coachella Valley are widely cherished by residents and visitors alike. Effective regulation of outdoor advertising is one important component of preserving the Valley's visual character, particularly in the face of expanding urbanization.

Policies:

WCVAP 14.1 Adhere to the Advertising Regulations of the County Land Use Ordinance, Section 19, regarding outdoor advertising for all development within the Western Coachella Valley.

WCVAP 14.2 Prohibit the placement of billboards within the Western Coachella Valley.

For incidental commercial uses within existing and proposed resort/country club type developments, the following signage policies shall apply:

WCVAP 14.3 Incidental commercial use signage shall be oriented toward residents and visitors inside such developments.

a. Free-standing or monument signs are not permitted.

b. Wall signs shall be limited to 6 square feet in size and placed no higher than 8 feet high.

c. All signs shall be non-illuminated.

d. No more than 2 signs shall be permitted.

WCVAP 14.4 For premises adjacent to the right-of-way of scenic corridors, single support free-standing signs for on-site advertising shall be prohibited. A sign affixed to buildings, a free-standing monument sign, or a free-standing sheathed-support sign which has minimal impact on the scenic setting shall be utilized for on-site advertising purposes along the below-referenced scenic corridors.

a. For purposes of this policy, scenic corridors include:

• State Route 111

• State Route 62

• Ramon Road, between Interstate 10 and the City of Rancho Mirage

• Bob Hope Drive, between Interstate 10 and the City of Rancho Mirage

• Washington Street, between Interstate 10 and the Cities of Indian Wells and La Quinta

• Palm Drive

• Pierson Boulevard

• Monterey Avenue, Kubic Road, Interstate 10 to the Cities of Rancho Mirage-Palm Desert

• State Route 74

• Country Club Drive between Washington Street and the City of Palm Desert

• Fred Waring Drive

• Snow Creek Road

• Dillon Road

• Whitewater Canyon Road

• Interstate 10

• Varner Road

• 42^nd Avenue

b. For purposes of this area plan, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) FREE-STANDING MONUMENT SIGN means a sign whose height does not exceed 2/3 of its length, with a single base of the sign structure which is on the ground, or no more than 1foot above adjacent grade if located in a raised mound or landscaped area.

(2) FREE-STANDING SHEATHED-SUPPORT SIGN means a sign supported by at least two uprights constructed in or decoratively covered in design, materials and colors which match those of the use advertised, which blends harmoniously with the surrounding environment, and which is located far enough from adjacent free-standing signs to reduce visual clutter.

(3) SIGNS AFFIXED TO BUILDINGS means any on-site advertising sign painted or otherwise reproduced on the outer face of a building, or attached to the outer face of a building.

(4) HIGHWAY SCENIC CORRIDOR means those arterial roadways designated within this area plan that have prominent scenic vistas open to public view.

(5) FREEWAY SCENIC CORRIDOR means those divided arterial highways or highway sections, with full control of access and with grade separations at intersections, designated within this community plan which have prominent scenic vistas open to public view.

c. On-site advertising signs for businesses located along freeway scenic corridors shall comply with the following:

(1) Businesses located within 660 feet of the terminus of a freeway exit ramp or the origination of a freeway entrance ramp may utilize either monument or sheathed-support signs in addition to signs affixed to buildings.

i. A free-standing monument sign for a single business or tenant may be approved with a maximum height of 10 feet and a maximum surface area of 150 square feet. A free-standing monument sign for multiple businesses or tenants may be approved with an overall height of 12 feet or less and a maximum surface area of 200 square feet.

ii. A free-standing sheathed-support sign for a single business or tenant may be approved with a maximum height of 35 feet and a maximum surface area of 150 square feet. A free-standing sheathed-support sign for multiple businesses or tenants may be approved with a maximum height of 35 feet. The maximum surface area shall be the greater of either 150 square feet, or .25 percent (1/4 of 1 percent) of the total existing building floor area, except that in any event, no sign shall exceed 200 square feet in surface area.

iii. A sign affixed to a building, advertising the business contained therein, shall not exceed 10 percent of the surface area of the building wall facing the freeway. A single sign, or a total of all signs, affixed to a building and advertising multiple businesses contained therein shall not exceed 10 percent of the surface area of the building wall facing the freeway.

(2) Businesses located within 330 feet of the nearest edge of a freeway right-of-way line, but farther than 660 feet from the terminus of a freeway exit ramp or the origination of a freeway entrance ramp, may utilize either monument or sheathed-support signs in addition to signs affixed to buildings.

ii. A free-standing sheathed-support sign for a single business or tenant may be approved with a maximum height of 25 feet, or the actual height of the primary building advertised, whichever is less, and a maximum surface area of 150 square feet. A free-standing sheathed-support sign for multiple businesses or tenants may be approved with an overall height of 25 feet, or the actual height of the primary building advertised, whichever is less. The maximum surface area shall be the greater of either 150 square feet, or .25 percent (1/4 of 1 percent) of the total existing building floor area, except that in any event, no sign shall exceed 200 square feet in surface area.

iii. A sign affixed to a building, advertising a single business contained therein, shall not exceed 10 percent of the surface area of the building wall facing the freeway. A single sign, or a total of all signs, affixed to a building and advertising multiple businesses contained therein shall not exceed 10 percent of the surface area of the building wall facing the freeway.

d. On-site advertising signs for businesses located along highway scenic corridors shall comply with the following

(1) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this policy, a single-business monument sign may be approved with a maximum height of 10 feet, and a maximum 150 square feet of sign surface area. A multiple-business monument sign may be approved with a maximum height of 12 feet or less, and a maximum 200 square feet of sign surface area.

(2) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this policy, a single-business sheathed-support sign or a multiple-business sheathed-support sign shall not be erected along a highway scenic corridor.

(3) A sign affixed to a building, advertising the business contained therein, shall not exceed 10 percent of the surface area of the building wall facing the highway. A single sign, or a total of all signs, affixed to a building and advertising multiple businesses contained therein shall not exceed 10 percent of the surface area of the building wall facing the highway.

Light Pollution

The continued growth of urban activities throughout the Valley has many consequences. One of the attractions for residents is the brilliance of the nighttime sky on clear nights, unencumbered by lighting scattered over a large urban area. Wildlife habitat areas can also be negatively impacted by artificial lighting. As development continues to encroach from established urban cores into both rural and open space areas, the effect of nighttime lighting on star-gazing and open space areas will become more pronounced.

Furthermore, the Mount Palomar Observatory, located in San Diego County, requires darkness so that the night sky can be viewed clearly. The presence of the observatory necessitates unique nighttime lighting standards in several areas of Riverside County. See Figure 6, Mount Palomar Nighttime Lighting Policy. The following policies are intended to limit light leakage and spillage that may obstruct or hinder the view.

Policies:

WCVAP 15.1 Where outdoor lighting is proposed, require the inclusion of outdoor lighting features that would minimize the effects on the nighttime sky and wildlife habitat areas.

WCVAP 15.2 Adhere to the lighting requirements of the County Ordinance Regulating Light Pollution for standards that are intended to limit light leakage and spillage that may interfere with the operations of the Palomar Observatory.

Figure 6: Mt. Palomar Nighttime Lighting Policy

Circulation

The circulation system is vital to the prosperity of a community. It provides for the movement of goods and people within and outside of the community and includes motorized and non-motorized travel modes such as bicycles, trains, aircraft, automobiles, and trucks. In Riverside County, the circulation system is also intended to accommodate a pattern of concentrated growth, providing both a regional and local linkage system between unique communities. This system is multi-modal, which means that it provides numerous alternatives to the automobile, such as transit, pedestrian systems, and bicycle facilities so that Riverside County citizens and visitors can access the region by a number of transportation options.

Innovative designs allow for increased density in key locations, such as near transit stations, with associated benefits. In these and other neighborhoods as well, walking, bicycling, and transit systems are attractive alternatives to driving for many residents.

- RCIP Vision

As stated in the Vision and the Land Use Element, the County is moving away from a growth pattern of random sprawl toward a pattern of concentrated growth and increased job creation. The intent of the new growth patterns and the new mobility systems is to accommodate the transportation demands created by future growth and to provide mobility options that help reduce the need to utilize the automobile. The circulation system is designed to fit into the fabric of the land use patterns and accommodate the open space systems.

While the following section describes the circulation system as it relates to the Western Coachella Valley Area Plan, it is important to note that the programs and policies are supplemental to, and coordinated with, the policies of the General Plan Circulation Element. In other words, the circulation system of Western Coachella Valley is tied to the countywide system and its long range direction. As such, successful implementation of the policies in the Area Plan will help to create an interconnected and efficient circulation system for the entire County.

Local Circulation Policies

Vehicular Circulation System

The vehicular circulation system that supports the Land Use Plan for the Western Coachella Valley Area Plan is shown on Figure 7, Circulation. This system is anchored by four major transportation corridors: Interstate 10, State Route 62, State Route 74 and State Route 111. A system of major and secondary arterials and collector and local roads serves both regional and local needs.

Policies:

WCVAP 16.1 Design and develop the vehicular roadway system per Figure 7, Circulation, and in accordance with the Functional Classifications section and standards specified in the General Plan Circulation Element.

WCVAP 16.2 Maintain the County's roadway Level of Service standards as described in the General Plan Circulation Element.

WCVAP 16.3 Consider the following regional and community wide transportation options when developing transportation improvements in the WCVAP.

a. Construct a new interchange on I-10 at Portola Avenue.

b. Support the development of regional transportation facilities and services (such as high-occupancy vehicle lanes, express bus service, and fixed transit facilities), which will encourage the use of public transportation and ridesharing for longer distance trips.

Trails and Bikeway System

The County of Riverside contains bicycle, pedestrian, and multi-purpose trails that traverse urban, rural, and natural areas. These trails accommodate hikers, bicyclists, equestrian users, and others as an integral part of the County's circulation system. These multi-use trails serve both as a means of connecting the unique communities and activity centers throughout the County and as an effective alternate mode of transportation. In addition to transportation, the trail system also serves as a community amenity by providing recreation and leisure opportunities. The rural nature of much of the unincorporated Valley area along with its tremendous scenic qualities make trails a particularly attractive recreational amenity. The Western Coachella Valley Area Plan trail system is shown in Figure 8, Trails and Bikeway System.

Policies:

WCVAP 17.1 Develop a system of local trails that enhances the Western Coachella Valley's recreational opportunities and connects with the Riverside County regional trails system and the Eastern Coachella Valley Area Plan trails system.

WCVAP 17.2 Implement the Trails and Bikeway System, Figure 8, as discussed in the General Plan Circulation Element.

Scenic Highways

Dillon Road

The scenic beauty of the Western Coachella Valley is often enjoyed while traveling on its highways. Several of these routes within the region have been designated or identified as scenic highways for inclusion in the State Scenic Highways program. Morever, scenic highways play an important role in encouraging the growth of recreation and tourism--both important aspects of the Riverside County economy. Scenic Highways designations recognize this value and place restrictions on adjacent development to help protect this resource for future generations.

The location of scenic highways in the Western Coachella Valley area is shown in Figure 9, Scenic Highways.

Policies:

WCVAP 18.1 Protect the scenic highways in the Western Coachella Valley from change that would diminish the aesthetic value of adjacent properties in accordance with policies in the Scenic Corridors sections of the Land Use, Multipurpose Open Space, and Circulation Elements.

Figure 7: Circulation

Figure 8: Trails and Bikeway System

Figure 9: Scenic Highways

Multipurpose Open Space

The open space system and the methods for its acquisition, maintenance, and operation are calibrated to its many functions: visual relief, natural resources protection, habitat preservation, passive and active recreation, protection from natural hazards, and various combinations of these purposes. This is what is meant by a multipurpose open space system.

- RCIP Vision

The appeal of the Coachella Valley lies in its dramatic and expansive natural setting. The Western Coachella Valley area contains a vast open space network that encompasses a diverse variety of habitats, including riparian corridors, sand dunes, foothills, alluvial fans, and mountains. These open space areas provide visual relief, serve as habitat for flora and fauna, provide recreational opportunities, form edges to communities, and otherwise establish the Valley's unique character. Open space areas also are important in protecting citizens from natural hazards.

Due in part to this open and scenic environment, the Coachella Valley continues to experience growth and development pressures threatening the very setting that makes this such a unique region. Establishing a balance between preserving open space areas and accommodating additional population is essential to maintaining the spectacular quality of life enjoyed by Valley residents and visitors and to sustain cultural and environmental values that draw tourists to this area.

Policies:

WCVAP 19.1 Protect visual and biological resources in the Western

Coachella Valley through adherence to General Plan policies found in the Fish and Wildlife Habitat section of the Multipurpose Open Space Element.

A watershed is the entire region drained by a waterway that drains into a lake or reservoir. It is the total area above a given point on a stream that contributes water to the flow at that point, and the topographic dividing line from which surface streams flow in two different directions. Clearly, watersheds are not just water. A single watershed may include combinations of forests, glaciers, deserts, and/or grasslands.

Local Open Space Policies

Watershed, Floodplains, and Watercourses

Western Coachella Valley lies within the Whitewater River Watershed region. This watershed consists of the Whitewater River, which runs the length of the Valley, and its tributaries, including the San Gorgonio River, Mission Creek, Little and Big Morongo Creeks, and Box Canyon Wash. Other important streams include Snow, Chino, Falls Creek and Murray Creek, Tahquitz and Andreas Creeks on the San Jacinto Mountains, and Palm Canyon, which separates the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains. These and smaller perennial streams create a system of ever-changing channels within the Valley that change its physical appearance.

Policies:

Watercourses are the corridors of streams, rivers, and creeks, whether permanent or seasonal, natural or channelized.

WCVAP 20.1 Protect the Whitewater River watershed and habitat, and provide recreational opportunities and flood protection through adherence to policies in the Open Space, Habitat and Natural Resources Preservation section of the General Plan Land Use Element and the Watershed Management section of the General Plan Multipurpose Open Space Element.

A major thrust of the multipurpose open space system is the preservation of components of the ecosystem and landscape that embody the historic character and habitat of the County, even though some areas have been impacted by man-made changes.

- RCIP Vision

Habitat Conservation

With its rich and varied landscape, the Western Coachella Valley accommodates several ecological habitats that are home to numerous flora and fauna. Increasing development pressures in the Valley will continue to impact habitat areas for species such as the Peninsular bighorn sheep and the Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard. Preserving habitat not only aids in sustaining species' survival, but also maintains the quality of life in the Valley and promotes tourism.

Alluvial fans in the Coachella Valley are important natural and habitat resource areas. Further, they are especially prone to wind erosion, as well as the occurrence of blowsand, although these conditions are not limited to these areas alone.

Although blowsand acts as a hazard towards human activity, it serves as an essential element to maintaining habitat areas within the Valley. The Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard and several other species are adapted to live on wind-blown sand. The protection of this species requires that its blowsand habitat be protected from land use developments that would result in habitat loss. The Fringe-toed Lizard habitat area is shown on Figure 10, Fringe-toed Lizard Habitat Areas.

Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard

The Coachella Valley Association of Governments is preparing, on behalf of its member agencies, a proposed Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (CVMSHCP), which is intended to cover 28 species of plants and animals in the Coachella Valley. Currently, this plan proposes to conserve between 200,000 and 250,000 acres of privately owned land through general plan land use designations, zoning/ development standards and an aggressive acquisition program for a total conservation area of between 700,000 and 750,000 acres. Figure 11, Coachella Valley Association of Governments MSHCP, delineates that portion of the CVMSHCP that lies within the Western Coachella Valley area. This Plan is not yet adopted and is subject to change. This map is for informational purposes only.

Policies:

WCVAP 21.1 Protect biological resources in the Western Coachella Valley through adherence to General Plan policies found in the Fish and Wildlife Habitat section of the Multipurpose Open Space Element, as well as policies contained in the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan, upon the latter's adoption.

WCVAP 21.2 Require all development activities within Fringe-toed Lizard habitat areas be compatible with the conservation principles and provisions of the Fringe-toed Lizard Habitat Conservation Plan and the standards of the Multipurpose Open Space Element.

WCVAP 21.3 Preserve the environmentally sensitive alluvial fan areas flowing out of the canyons of the Santa Rosa Mountains.

Figure 10: Fringe-toed Lizard Habitat Areas

Figure 11: Coachella Valley Association of Governments MSHCP

Hazards

Hazards are natural and man-made conditions that must be respected if life and property are to be protected as growth and development occur. As the ravages of wildland fires, floods, earthquakes, and other disasters become clearer through the news, public awareness and sound public policy combine to require serious attention to these conditions.

Portions of the Western Coachella Valley are subject to hazards such as flooding, dam inundation, wind erosion and blowsand, seismic occurrences, and wildland fire. These hazards are depicted on the hazards maps, Figure 12 to Figure 16, and are located throughout the Western Coachella Valley area at varying degrees of risk and danger. Some hazards must be avoided entirely, while the potential impacts of others can be mitigated by special building techniques. The following policies provide additional direction for relevant issues specific to the Western Coachella Valley.

Local Hazard Policies

Flooding and Dam Inundation

One-hundred-year flood zones have been identified throughout the planning area. The Western Coachella Valley has experienced severe flooding many times throughout its history, resulting in the loss of lives and millions of dollars in property damage. Alluvial fan runoff from mountain ranges and hills after severe storms is a source of much of the area's flooding potential. The tremendous capital investments made in dikes, channels, levees, and dams over this century have not, however, eliminated flood hazards. Development has occurred without adequate protection in some areas.

Policies:

WCVAP 22.1 Adhere to the flood proofing, flood protection requirements, and Flood Management Review requirements of Riverside County Ordinance No. 458 Regulating Flood Hazard Areas.

WCVAP 22.2 Require that proposed development projects that are subject to flood hazards, surface ponding, high erosion potential, or sheet flow be submitted to the Coachella Valley Water District or the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District for review.

WCVAP 22.3 Create flood control projects that maximize multi-recreational use and water recharge when possible.

WCVAP 22.4 Protect life and property from the hazards of flood events through adherence to the Flood and Inundation Hazards section of the General Plan Safety Element.

Wind Erosion & Blowsand

Wind erosion most commonly occurs when barren sand or sandy loam soils are exposed to high wind in the absence of moisture. Alluvial fans in the Western Coachella Valley are especially prone to wind erosion, although wind erosion is not limited to these areas. Human activity can increase wind erosion by disrupting soil formations and compaction, disturbing the stabilizing and wind-breaking effect of dunes, and most significantly, removing surface vegetation and its stabilizing effects.

Blowsand, the most severe form of wind erosion, occurs largely due to natural conditions. Blown sand can cause significant damage to property, and also results in the nuisance and expense of removing sand from roadways and other property, where it interferes with normal activity. Additionally, blowsand introduces a high level of suspended particulates into the air, including PM₁₀, which can create respiratory problems.

Blowsand Source Area

Despite its ability to cause property damage, alter normal activity, and create health problems, blowsand is also an essential element to maintaining habitat areas within the Valley. Many species in the Coachella Valley, as discussed in the Habitat Conservation section of this area plan, are adapted to live on wind blown sand. Creating a safe environment for the residents of Western Coachella Valley and, at the same time, protecting a valuable habitat resource requires, therefore, a delicate balance.

Policies:

WCVAP 23.1 Minimize damage from, and exposure to, wind erosion and blowsand through adherence to the Slope and Soil Instability Hazards section of the General Plan Safety Element.

WCVAP 23.2 Require protection of soil in areas subject to wind erosion or blowsand. Mitigation measures that may be required include, but are not limited to, windbreaks, walls, fences, vegetative groundcover, rock, other stabilizing materials, and installation of an irrigation system or provision of other means of irrigation.

WCVAP 23.3 Control dust through the policies of the Particulate Matter section of the General Plan Air Quality Element.

Wildland Fire Hazard

Due to the mountainous nature and flora of portions of the Western Coachella Valley and prevailing winds in the San Gorgonio Pass region, some of the areas in the Western Coachella Valley are subject to a risk of fire hazards. The highest danger of wildfires can be found in the most rugged terrain where, fortunately, development intensity is relatively low. Methods to address this hazard include such techniques as not building in high-risk areas, creating setbacks that buffer development from hazard areas, maintaining brush clearance to reduce potential fuel, establishing low fuel landscaping, and applying special building techniques. In still other cases, safety-oriented organizations such as Fire Safe can provide assistance in educating the public and promoting practices that contribute to improved public safety. Refer to Figure 13, Wildfire Susceptibility, to see the locations of the wildfire zones within the Western Coachella Valley area.

Policies:

WCVAP 24.1 Protect life and property from wildfire hazards through adherence to the Fire Hazards section of the General Plan Safety Element.

Liquefaction occurs primarily in saturated, loose, fine to medium-grained soils in areas where the groundwater table is within about 50 feet of the surface. Shaking causes the soils to lose strength and behave as liquid. Excess water pressure is vented upward through fissures and soil cracks and a water-soil slurry bubbles onto the ground surface. The resulting features are known as "sand boils", "sand blows" or "sand volcanoes." Liquefaction-related effects include loss of bearing strength, ground oscillations, lateral spreading, and flow failures or slumping.

Seismic/Liquefaction

Western Coachella Valley is traversed by several active and potentially active fault zones, including the San Andreas Fault, and has experienced several earthquakes of moderate magnitude since records have been kept. The primary seismic hazards which result are ground shaking and the potential for ground rupture along the surface trace of the fault. Secondary seismic hazards result from the interaction of ground shaking with existing soil and bedrock conditions, and include liquefaction, settlement, and landslides.

Policies:

WCVAP 25.1 Protect life and property from seismic related incidents through adherence to the Seismic Hazards section of the General Plan Safety Element.

Slope

Proposals for the development of mountainous terrain in the Western Coachella Valley area raise a number of land use and safety concerns regarding slope, including drainage, erosion, fire, and vehicular access. Continued urbanization of hillside areas can lead to increased risk and damage from erosion and slope failures. The probability of landslides and mudslides can be affected by hillside development and associated site designs, grading, and landscaping techniques, particularly in areas inherently prone to such slope failures. Development of hillside areas could also impact the extraordinary scenic values of the Coachella Valley.

Policies:

WCVAP 26.1 Protect life and property through adherence to the Slope and Soil Instability Hazards section of the General Plan Safety Element, the Environmentally Sensitive Lands section of the General Plan Multipurpose Open Space Element, the Hillside Development and Slope section of the General Plan Land Use Element, and the policies of the Rural Mountainous and Open Space-Rural Land Use Designations.

WCVAP 26.2 Prohibit development on slopes exceeding 25 percent, except as otherwise specified herein.

Figure 12: Flood Hazards

Figure 13: Wildfire Susceptibility

Figure 14: Seismic Hazards

Figure 15: Steep Slope

Figure 16: Slope Instability