Administration

Purpose and Introduction

This chapter provides a broad overview of the General Plan—how it was created, what it is to achieve, and how it should be used. It also provides background information such as the Vision, project setting, overview of public outreach efforts, and features of the General Plan—all of which are needed to understand our City’s history and to chart the course for our future.

Vision

Our vision statement serves as the foundation for all of the goals and policies contained within the General Plan. It is with this vision that our City can continue to achieve its maximum potential. The vision serves as the “common ground” from which all decisions are made, and it identifies priority areas where resources should be focused to ensure that our city continues to be a great place to live, work, and recreate.

The Palm Springs Vision

Palm Springs is a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive desert community where year-round and seasonal residents and visitors have enjoyable experiences featuring safe neighborhoods, diverse commercial, arts, entertainment, and cultural opportunities, and an exciting social environment.

The City values its architectural, historical, cultural and natural resources and prioritizes its residents, economy, and natural environment for a sustainable future.

We celebrate our diversity, and we are an equitable, inclusive community with a high quality of life for all people.

The City provides responsive, friendly, respectful, and efficient public services allowing for inclusion of all people and full community participation for all our residents and businesses.

Maps

General Plan Priorities

General Plans provide policy guidance related to the seven mandatory elements required by state law. It is common that recurring issues and themes surface during public outreach efforts and evaluation of the plan that require more focused attention and future direction above and beyond that mandated by the state. Focused issues become features of the Plan, and can be used to prioritize use of staff resources and allocation of budget. The following values were identified as the highest priority for Palm Springs, and must be addressed in the General Plan to allow the City to achieve its maximum potential aesthetically, economically, and socially.

Support Palm Springs as a premier desert resort community.

Foster and enhance opportunities for open space.

Encourage open space protection and improve visual, physical, and equitable access, where appropriate, to open spaces throughout the community for community enjoyment, health benefits and biodiversity. Where open spaces are accessible to the public, promote safe access for all regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, native language, culture, abilities, and disabilities. Open spaces should include passive and active forms of recreation where possible.

Continue to advance Palm Springs as a sustainability leader.

Promote the sustainable use of materials, energy, land, water, air and other natural resources to enhance the long- term livability of our community for all residents regardless of socio-economic position. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and proactively anticipate and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Reduce wastes going to landfill through source reduction, reuse, recycling and other methods. Encourage and maximize the use of renewable energy resources.

Diversify and strengthen the City’s economy and promote education and innovation.

Maintain, and enhance a diverse range of retail, dining and entertainment opportunities for local, regional, and tourist markets.

Provide for a broad range of housing opportunities for all residents.

Create, maintain and enhance unique places and facilities that foster community interaction and engagement.

Encourage the creative mixing of land uses to promote vibrant and walkable neighborhoods and commercial areas accessible to all.

Promote active living, healthy lifestyles and improved environments for all.

Preserve and uphold the distinct architecture and unique visual and aesthetic form in buildings and neighborhoods that distinguish Palm Springs from other cities.

Provide a circulation system that accommodates the smooth flow of traffic and public transportation, encourages safe bicycle and pedestrian movement, and presents attractively landscaped corridors.

Goals, Policies, and Actions

Goal AD1

Maintain a contemporary General Plan that serves as a valid foundation for decision making into the future.

Policies

AD1.1	Encourage relevant commissions and boards to meet regularly to evaluate how their respective groups are working to implement the City’s General Plan.
AD1.2	Periodically review and update the General Plan to reflect the changing needs of the community. Focus on reviews and updates during economic “down cycles” that anticipate and set direction for anticipated “boom cycles.”
AD1.3	Adequately budget for processing amendments to, and conducting comprehensive updates of, the General Plan.
AD1.4	Ensure that proposals for new development be analyzed and tested for consistency with the goals, policies, and action items identified in the General Plan. Proposed new land uses that are not consistent with the General Plan shall not be approved.
AD1.5	Provide the opportunity for adequate public review and comment for development projects that have the potential to impact the community.

Implementation Actions

Action Number	Implementation Action/Program
AD 1.1	Conduct a new commissioners’ orientation program to acquaint all new members of advisory groups with City issues and the proper application of the General Plan.
AD 1.2	Participate in programs through the Palm Springs Board of Realtors to educate real estate professionals of the goals, policies and action items in the General Plan.
AD 1.3	Conduct a periodic review and prioritization of capital improvement projects based on long-range strategic plans for adequate provision of municipal services.
AD 1.4	Review the development application process and outline possible streamlining opportunities.

Goal AD2

Encourage ongoing land use planning coordination efforts between City, the Tribe, and regional, state, and federal agencies.

Policies

Implementation Actions

Action Number	Implementation Action/Program
AD2.1	Meet regularly with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to facilitate discussions related to future land use, tourism, and economic development plans on Indian-owned land.
AD2.2	Establish working relationships with the Bureau of Land Management and the Conservation Agencies to manage the City’s valuable open space and biological resources.
AD2.3	Establish a liaison with the County of Riverside to ensure projects considered within the City’s sphere of influence conform to the provisions of the Palm Springs General Plan.
AD2.4	Ensure that Palm Springs residents, property owners, and businesses have the opportunity to provide input on regional issues or projects having the potential to impact the community.
AD2.5	Evaluate opportunities to annex land in the City’s Sphere of Influence.
AD2.6	Ensure that the regional conservation plans are considered during future land use reviews for new applications or land use changes.

Glossary

Sphere of Influence: Established by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), a sphere of influence is intended to reflect “the probable physical boundaries and service area” of a city. The Sphere encompasses incorporated and unincorporated territory. LAFCO is directed by State law to establish and periodically review the spheres of influence for each agency within its jurisdiction.

Tribal Trust Lands: The United States holds title to these lands in trust for the Tribe as a whole, rather than for any individual. The Tribe retains sovereign authority over the use and regulation of these lands.

Allotted Tribal Trust Lands: These lands are former Tribal Trust Lands, the title of which is now held by the United States for one or more individual members of the Tribe (allottees), rather than for the Tribe as a whole. The Tribe retains sovereign authority over their uses and regulation, but the Lands may be subject to the same development standards and requirements as land owned by non-Indians (per land use agreements between the Tribe and local governments). With the consent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, an allottee can sell or lease such lands. If sold, a parcel of Allotted Trust Land becomes a parcel of Fee Land.

Fee Lands: These lands are former Allotted Trust Lands that have been sold to a buyer, who then holds fee title to the land. Although the Fee Lands remain within the historical boundaries of the Reservation, they can be owned by anyone.

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