County of Riverside General Plan Western Coachella Valley Area Plan COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE Transportation and Land Management Agency 4080 Lemon Street, 12th Floor Riverside, CA 92501-3634 Phone: (951) 955-3200, Fax: (951) 955-1811 February 2012 County of Riverside General Plan Western Coachella Valley Area Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS Vision Summary.......................................................................................................................................................... vi Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 1 A Special Note on Implementing the Vision ........................................................................................................ 1 Location ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3 Features ........................................................................................................................................................................ 7 Setting ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Unique Features ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 Whitewater River ................................................................................................................................................. 7 The Colorado River Aqueduct ............................................................................................................................. 7 Coachella Valley Preserve/Thousand Palms Canyon & Oasis ............................................................................. 8 Willow Hole Preserve .......................................................................................................................................... 8 Whitewater River Floodplain Preserve ................................................................................................................ 8 Peninsular Ranges ................................................................................................................................................ 9 Indio Hills ............................................................................................................................................................ 9 Little San Bernardino Mountains ......................................................................................................................... 9 Indian Canyons Heritage Park .............................................................................................................................. 9 Lake Cahuilla ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 San Gorgonio Pass ............................................................................................................................................... 9 Unique Communities .............................................................................................................................................. 10 Bermuda Dunes .................................................................................................................................................. 10 Bonnie Bell ........................................................................................................................................................ 10 Indio Hills .......................................................................................................................................................... 10 North Palm Springs ............................................................................................................................................ 10 Painted Hills ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 Sky Valley .......................................................................................................................................................... 11 Snow Creek ........................................................................................................................................................ 11 Thousand Palms ................................................................................................................................................. 11 Valley View Village ........................................................................................................................................... 11 West Garnet ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 West Palm Springs Village ................................................................................................................................ 11 Incorporated Cities .................................................................................................................................................. 11 Land Use Plan ............................................................................................................................................................ 15 Land Use Concept ................................................................................................................................................... 15 Policy Areas ................................................................................................................................................................ 24 Policy Areas ............................................................................................................................................................ 24 Rancho Mirage Sphere of Influence Policy Area ............................................................................................... 24 San Gorgonio Pass Wind Energy Policy Area ................................................................................................... 26 Hot Springs Policy Area ..................................................................................................................................... 27 Cahuilla Hills Policy Areaa ................................................................................................................................ 28 Specific Plans ..................................................................................................................................................... 29 Land Use ..................................................................................................................................................................... 36 Local Land Use Policies ......................................................................................................................................... 36 Bermuda Dunes and Palm Springs Airport Influence Areas .............................................................................. 36 Sky Valley Rural Village Overlay ...................................................................................................................... 37 Sky Valley Mobile Home Parks and Recreational Vehicle Parks ...................................................................... 37 Residential Uses ................................................................................................................................................. 38 Page ii County of Riverside General Plan Western Coachella Valley Area Plan Thousand Palms Levees ..................................................................................................................................... 39 Section 8 Sand Source Area ............................................................................................................................... 41 Commercial Retail Uses ..................................................................................................................................... 41 Commercial Office Uses .................................................................................................................................... 41 Industrial Uses .................................................................................................................................................... 41 Recreational Vehicle Development .................................................................................................................... 42 Signage b ............................................................................................................................................................ 43 Light Pollution ................................................................................................................................................... 46 Circulation .................................................................................................................................................................. 51 Local Circulation Policies ....................................................................................................................................... 51 Vehicular Circulation System ...........................................................................................................................