Palm Springs staff outlines zoning code update and evolving state housing mandates
Loading...
Summary
Planning Director Chris Hadwin told the City Council Feb. 25 that a multi-year zoning code update launched in 2024 is continuing with public outreach; staff emphasized the proposals are preliminary and that recent state housing laws are changing the legal baseline for height and rezonings.
Planning Director Chris Hadwin briefed the Palm Springs City Council on Feb. 25 about the city wide zoning code update, describing the work as early-stage and emphasizing that recent state housing law changes are shaping staff s approach.
"We just completed our fourth round of open houses," Hadwin said, adding the effort has included 27 stakeholder meetings, roughly 180 unique open-house attendees and nearly 1,000 online responses. He urged continued participation, calling the update "the meat of the zoning code" because it will determine what can be built across the city.
Hadwin said early draft maps showed increased height and density along commercial corridors and near transit stops, in some cases identifying opportunities for three- to five-story mixed-use buildings. He cautioned that those preliminary maps were created under an "early understanding" of state law and that staff s interpretation has evolved: "Our understanding of that law and how it applies to Palm Springs has been evolving," he said, noting ongoing coordination with the city attorney and the consulting team.
Council members asked staff to return with additional scenario maps that illustrate lower-height options (for example, three-story alternatives), clearer explanations of which parcels are actually buildable, and plain-language materials residents can use to comment. Council member Garner asked that next presentations include maps showing how the city would meet housing targets with different height mixes; Bernstein suggested staff also show elements of the zoning code beyond height so the public understands parking rules, allowed businesses and other tradeoffs.
Hadwin said some housing-element commitments must be reflected in the zoning code, including rezoning commercial corridors for mixed use and assuring sufficient land to meet regional housing allocations; he noted the current RHNA cycle allocates roughly 2,600 units through 2029 and that further allocations are expected for the 2030 cycle.
Hadwin said staff expects to return to council later this spring with additional legal guidance from the city attorney and refined options for council direction. "There's a lot more feedback to gather from the public about the rules themselves," he said. "This timeline is very fluid."
