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Final Update

As of May 2024, the Objective Design Standards have been finalized and adopted. 

This page was created to facilitate public input on the drafting of Objective Design Standards ("ODS") for multifamily and mixed-use objective design standards. In April 2024, the City Council adopted the Final ODS and passed a zoning ordinance implementing these requirements. The standards have gone into effect as of May 2024 and will apply to all new multifamily (three units or greater) and mixed-use residential developments. We appreciate all stakeholders who provided input and feedback through the outreach process. This webpage is no longer actively monitored. 

The final documents are available on this webpage and the Palm Desert Planning Division webpage. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the Planning Division at 760-776-6483 or email at planning@palmdesert.gov. 

A new outreach for ODS within the City's Downtown Area will be underway in Late 2024/2025. 

What Are Objective Design Standards?

The purpose of Objective Design Standards is to establish a clear set of architectural and site design requirements for new multi-family residential and mixed-use developments. These are standards that are measurable, quantifiable, easily defined, and enforceable.

Under State law, Objective Design Standards are defined as “standards that involve no personal or subjective judgment by a public official and are uniformly verifiable by reference to an external and uniform benchmark or criterion available and knowable by both the development applicant or proponent and the public official prior to submittal” (California Government Code, Section 65913.4).

In recent years, the State has enacted several new laws to increase housing supply, affordability, and reduce obstacles to housing production, and streamline housing development projects. These laws including, Senate Bill No. 35 and Senate Bill No. 330, require housing development projects to be reviewed against objective design standards. Objective Design Standards are a powerful tool that allows communities to respond to State housing laws that are reducing local control of development. They provide an opportunity to ensure that the appearance of new multi-family housing and mixed-use is compatible with the City's vision.

We Want to Hear From You!

The City has completed the public review draft of the Objective Design Standards and is seeking feedback from developers, designers, residents, and stakeholders. The City will hold a community workshop to gather feedback from residents and stakeholders.


Where Can I Review the Draft Standards?

The Final Review Draft dated December 2023 to be considered by the Planning Commission is available for review on this webpage: https://www.engagepalmdesert.com/20564/widgets/69305/documents/50001

The link will download a PDF of the document may take a moment to load. The document is interactive and you can click between the table of contents each each standard

Provide Comments by posting to this page.

What Are We Doing?

The City of Palm Desert is currently developing Objective Design Standards (ODS) for the review of multi-family housing and mixed-use development applications. This effort is in response to State legislation requiring jurisdictions to adopt objective standards and to implement them in a streamlined review of qualifying housing projects.


Past Meetings 

Click the link to view each meeting and agenda materials


Final Update

As of May 2024, the Objective Design Standards have been finalized and adopted. 

This page was created to facilitate public input on the drafting of Objective Design Standards ("ODS") for multifamily and mixed-use objective design standards. In April 2024, the City Council adopted the Final ODS and passed a zoning ordinance implementing these requirements. The standards have gone into effect as of May 2024 and will apply to all new multifamily (three units or greater) and mixed-use residential developments. We appreciate all stakeholders who provided input and feedback through the outreach process. This webpage is no longer actively monitored. 

The final documents are available on this webpage and the Palm Desert Planning Division webpage. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the Planning Division at 760-776-6483 or email at planning@palmdesert.gov. 

A new outreach for ODS within the City's Downtown Area will be underway in Late 2024/2025. 

What Are Objective Design Standards?

The purpose of Objective Design Standards is to establish a clear set of architectural and site design requirements for new multi-family residential and mixed-use developments. These are standards that are measurable, quantifiable, easily defined, and enforceable.

Under State law, Objective Design Standards are defined as “standards that involve no personal or subjective judgment by a public official and are uniformly verifiable by reference to an external and uniform benchmark or criterion available and knowable by both the development applicant or proponent and the public official prior to submittal” (California Government Code, Section 65913.4).

In recent years, the State has enacted several new laws to increase housing supply, affordability, and reduce obstacles to housing production, and streamline housing development projects. These laws including, Senate Bill No. 35 and Senate Bill No. 330, require housing development projects to be reviewed against objective design standards. Objective Design Standards are a powerful tool that allows communities to respond to State housing laws that are reducing local control of development. They provide an opportunity to ensure that the appearance of new multi-family housing and mixed-use is compatible with the City's vision.

We Want to Hear From You!

The City has completed the public review draft of the Objective Design Standards and is seeking feedback from developers, designers, residents, and stakeholders. The City will hold a community workshop to gather feedback from residents and stakeholders.


Where Can I Review the Draft Standards?

The Final Review Draft dated December 2023 to be considered by the Planning Commission is available for review on this webpage: https://www.engagepalmdesert.com/20564/widgets/69305/documents/50001

The link will download a PDF of the document may take a moment to load. The document is interactive and you can click between the table of contents each each standard

Provide Comments by posting to this page.

What Are We Doing?

The City of Palm Desert is currently developing Objective Design Standards (ODS) for the review of multi-family housing and mixed-use development applications. This effort is in response to State legislation requiring jurisdictions to adopt objective standards and to implement them in a streamlined review of qualifying housing projects.


Past Meetings 

Click the link to view each meeting and agenda materials