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Historic Context Statement and Survey

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Project Summary

The City of Palm Desert is embarking on Phase 1 of a citywide Historic Resources Survey – the first of its kind in the City. A team of architectural historians from Architectural Resources Group (ARG) will be completing this project over the next nine months and will be working closely with City staff, the Cultural Resources Preservation Committee, the Palm Desert City Council, the Historical Society of Palm Desert, and members of the community.

The overarching purpose of the survey is to identify, document, and evaluate places of cultural, historical, and architectural significance across the city. Phase 1 is the identification phase. It starts with extensive background research and development of a Historic Context Statement, which will provide an overview of the historic patterns of development that shaped Palm Desert and establish a framework for evaluating significance.

Phase 1 continues with a reconnaissance survey in which surveyors drive every street in the city to further identify properties of potential significance. The Phase 1 survey findings will be used to help inform future planning decisions and to enhance the City’s cultural resources preservation program.

Recent Community Meetings

On December 10, 2024, the City of Palm Desert and consultants from Architectural Resources Group hosted a community outreach meeting to share updates on an ongoing project to survey historic homes in the city. The event provided residents with an overview of the project, showcased preliminary findings from the team’s research and reconnaissance survey, and introduced the draft historic context statement. Attendees also had the opportunity to provide valuable feedback and ask questions about the survey process.

If you missed the meeting, you can view the recording here. For additional information or to submit comments, please contact Carlos Flores, Principal Planner, at cflores@palmdesert.gov or complete a Public Data Form. Your input will help shape this important effort to document and preserve Palm Desert's architectural heritage.

Frequently Asked Questions/FAQ

What is a Historic Resources Survey, and what is it used for?

  • A Historic Resources Survey is a planning tool that is used to identify, document, and evaluate places of social, cultural, historical, and architectural significance. Data is collected about properties that reflect important themes in a community’s history. Survey findings inform long-range planning efforts and project review, support policy goals, and help City officials and others make informed planning and land use decisions.

Has the City completed a survey before?

  • No, Palm Desert has never been comprehensively surveyed.

Who will be conducting the survey?

  • The City has hired a consulting firm, Architectural Resources Group (ARG), to complete the Historic Resources Survey. All members of the ARG consultant team meet professional qualifications standards set forth by the National Park Service (NPS).

What kinds of properties will be identified in the survey?

  • The survey will identify individual buildings and structures, objects, and sites. It will also identify groupings of related properties (potential historic districts). The survey will evaluate properties within the City that were constructed through the year 1980. Properties built after 1980 will generally not be evaluated as part of the survey.

How is a survey conducted?

  • A survey begins with background research and development of a Historic Context Statement. Surveyors then conduct a reconnaissance-level, or “windshield” survey, driving every street in the city to identify potential historic properties and confirm research results. The products of this first survey phase will be preliminary lists and maps of potentially eligible properties. Additional documentation and evaluations occur in a future Phase 2. All survey work is completed from the public right-of-way.

How long will it take to complete the survey?

  • It is expected to take about eight months to complete the survey, with an estimated completion date of March 2025.

Do surveyed properties automatically become designated?

  • No. Although the survey will identify resources that may be eligible for future designation, no actual designation results directly from the survey. Landmarking is a completely separate process that is subject to public notification, participation, and review.

Can I get involved?

  • Yes! Your input matters, and we would love to hear about resources you’d like the survey team to consider. Please see below for more information on how to participate.

I have additional questions. Who should I contact?

  • Please contact Carlos Flores, Principal Planner (cflores@palmdesert.gov), with additional questions related to the project.

Further Reading

More information about historic resources surveys is available on the California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) web site and the National Park Service (NPS) web site.

More information about cultural resources preservation in Palm Desert is available on the City of Palm Desert’s website

For more information on the rich history of Palm Desert, visit the Historical Society of Palm Desert.

How to Participate

Is there a building, site, or neighborhood in Palm Desert that you would like the survey team to consider? We would love to hear from you! All information that is received will be considered by the survey team and reviewed using professional standards for evaluation.

There are many ways to participate:

  • Attend a public meeting – these are being scheduled now, please check back as dates are added.
  • Contact the City directly: Carlos Flores, Principal Planner at cflores@palmdesert.gov.
  • Submit a Public Data Form

Project Summary

The City of Palm Desert is embarking on Phase 1 of a citywide Historic Resources Survey – the first of its kind in the City. A team of architectural historians from Architectural Resources Group (ARG) will be completing this project over the next nine months and will be working closely with City staff, the Cultural Resources Preservation Committee, the Palm Desert City Council, the Historical Society of Palm Desert, and members of the community.

The overarching purpose of the survey is to identify, document, and evaluate places of cultural, historical, and architectural significance across the city. Phase 1 is the identification phase. It starts with extensive background research and development of a Historic Context Statement, which will provide an overview of the historic patterns of development that shaped Palm Desert and establish a framework for evaluating significance.

Phase 1 continues with a reconnaissance survey in which surveyors drive every street in the city to further identify properties of potential significance. The Phase 1 survey findings will be used to help inform future planning decisions and to enhance the City’s cultural resources preservation program.

Recent Community Meetings

On December 10, 2024, the City of Palm Desert and consultants from Architectural Resources Group hosted a community outreach meeting to share updates on an ongoing project to survey historic homes in the city. The event provided residents with an overview of the project, showcased preliminary findings from the team’s research and reconnaissance survey, and introduced the draft historic context statement. Attendees also had the opportunity to provide valuable feedback and ask questions about the survey process.

If you missed the meeting, you can view the recording here. For additional information or to submit comments, please contact Carlos Flores, Principal Planner, at cflores@palmdesert.gov or complete a Public Data Form. Your input will help shape this important effort to document and preserve Palm Desert's architectural heritage.

Frequently Asked Questions/FAQ

What is a Historic Resources Survey, and what is it used for?

  • A Historic Resources Survey is a planning tool that is used to identify, document, and evaluate places of social, cultural, historical, and architectural significance. Data is collected about properties that reflect important themes in a community’s history. Survey findings inform long-range planning efforts and project review, support policy goals, and help City officials and others make informed planning and land use decisions.

Has the City completed a survey before?

  • No, Palm Desert has never been comprehensively surveyed.

Who will be conducting the survey?

  • The City has hired a consulting firm, Architectural Resources Group (ARG), to complete the Historic Resources Survey. All members of the ARG consultant team meet professional qualifications standards set forth by the National Park Service (NPS).

What kinds of properties will be identified in the survey?

  • The survey will identify individual buildings and structures, objects, and sites. It will also identify groupings of related properties (potential historic districts). The survey will evaluate properties within the City that were constructed through the year 1980. Properties built after 1980 will generally not be evaluated as part of the survey.

How is a survey conducted?

  • A survey begins with background research and development of a Historic Context Statement. Surveyors then conduct a reconnaissance-level, or “windshield” survey, driving every street in the city to identify potential historic properties and confirm research results. The products of this first survey phase will be preliminary lists and maps of potentially eligible properties. Additional documentation and evaluations occur in a future Phase 2. All survey work is completed from the public right-of-way.

How long will it take to complete the survey?

  • It is expected to take about eight months to complete the survey, with an estimated completion date of March 2025.

Do surveyed properties automatically become designated?

  • No. Although the survey will identify resources that may be eligible for future designation, no actual designation results directly from the survey. Landmarking is a completely separate process that is subject to public notification, participation, and review.

Can I get involved?

  • Yes! Your input matters, and we would love to hear about resources you’d like the survey team to consider. Please see below for more information on how to participate.

I have additional questions. Who should I contact?

  • Please contact Carlos Flores, Principal Planner (cflores@palmdesert.gov), with additional questions related to the project.

Further Reading

More information about historic resources surveys is available on the California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) web site and the National Park Service (NPS) web site.

More information about cultural resources preservation in Palm Desert is available on the City of Palm Desert’s website

For more information on the rich history of Palm Desert, visit the Historical Society of Palm Desert.

How to Participate

Is there a building, site, or neighborhood in Palm Desert that you would like the survey team to consider? We would love to hear from you! All information that is received will be considered by the survey team and reviewed using professional standards for evaluation.

There are many ways to participate:

  • Attend a public meeting – these are being scheduled now, please check back as dates are added.
  • Contact the City directly: Carlos Flores, Principal Planner at cflores@palmdesert.gov.
  • Submit a Public Data Form