(02) 2035 LQ GP - CERTIFIED EIR - Section I (2013)Terra Nova/ La Quinta General Plan EIR
Section I. Introduction and Project Description
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LA QUINTA GENERAL PLAN
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
I. INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Lead Agency A.
The City of La Quinta is the lead agency responsible for the preparation of this Environmental
Impact Report (EIR). The contact person for the General Plan Update project is Mr. Andrew J.
Mogensen, AICP, Planner. The City’s mailing address is 78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, CA
92253, (760) 777-7125.
Introduction B.
This Environmental Impact Report has been prepared to analyze the potential impacts associated
with the implementation of the City of La Quinta General Plan. Under the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), General Plans and their amendments are considered
“projects” which require thorough analysis in the form of an EIR. Therefore, this EIR is an
integral part of the General Plan development process.
The area addressed in this Environmental Impact Report includes the City’s current corporate
boundary and Sphere of Influence, referred to in this document as the City of La Quinta General
Plan Update Planning Area.
This document has been developed utilizing a broad range of data sources, including City,
County, regional and state information sources. In addition, a number of specialized analyses
were conducted specifically for the General Plan Update. These analyses are cited throughout
this document, and provided in their entirety in the Appendices.
This document incorporates all changes to exhibits and text that were noted in the “Final EIR
Response to Comments” dated November 2012.
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Document Organization C.
The range of environmental issues associated with implementation of the General Plan, and
evaluated in this EIR include land use compatibility, traffic and circulation, flooding and
drainage, geotechnical and seismic safety, air quality, and biological and archaeological
resources. Noise impacts, visual resources, the availability of public services and facilities and
socio-economic impacts are also assessed.
Section II of this document describes the City and regional environmental setting and establishes
the context in which the General Plan Update is analyzed. It discusses environmental resources
and constraints, existing regional infrastructure, and identifies existing land use patterns and
natural resources.
Section III provides a comprehensive analysis of existing conditions in the Planning Area,
potential impacts to the physical environment that may occur as a result of the adoption of the
proposed General Plan, and mitigation measures, where necessary, that will reduce the impacts
to the greatest extent possible. Where impacts cannot be reduced to less than significant levels,
the impacts remaining following mitigation are identified and quantified. Section III considers
population, development patterns, modifications to the natural and man-made environment, and
the availability of public services and facilities. A mitigation monitoring and reporting program
is also included in this Section.
The EIR also identifies all CEQA-mandated topics to facilitate long-range planning. These
include short-term use and long-term productivity of the affected environment, and the
irreversible and irretrievable commitment of resources, such as water resources, air quality and
biological resources. It also considers growth inducing and cumulative impacts associated with
adoption of General Plan land uses, and identifies and analyzes possible and appropriate
alternative projects. A list of persons, organizations and documents consulted or referenced in
the EIR are provided in Section IX.
CEQA and Other Requirements D.
This Environmental Impact Report has been prepared in compliance with the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Statutes (Public Resources Code Section 21000-21177) and
CEQA Guidelines of 2010 (California Code of Regulations Section 15000 et. seq.) as amended.
As stated in CEQA, the adoption of a general plan, or element or amendment thereof, requires
that findings be made regarding the identified significant environmental effects (Title 14,
California Code of Regulations Section 15088). Substantial evidence must be provided to
support the EIR, including an explanation of how impacts have been or will be mitigated.
This EIR is intended for use by decision makers, the general public and other responsible or
interested agencies. It has been developed to serve as an informational and analytical document
to provide an objective evaluation of environmental impacts associated with the proposed
General Plan. This EIR includes mitigation measures that are provided to remove or reduce to
acceptable levels the environmental impacts associated with the build out of the General Plan.
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The mitigation measures and the final EIR shall become part of the project approval, and
therefore an essential part of the General Plan.
A variety of City departments are responsible for review of the General Plan. In addition, a
number of local, state, federal and regional agencies may review and comment on this EIR,
including, but not limited to the California Office of Planning and Research, California
Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southern California Association
of Governments (SCAG), Coachella Valley Association of Governments, South Coast Air
Quality Management District (SCAQMD), County of Riverside, adjoining cities and utility
providers serving the Planning Area.
This EIR is intended to serve at a Program level. Therefore, additional environmental
documentation, such as negative declarations, mitigated negative declarations and environmental
impact reports may be required for development applications that the City may process in future.
An Initial Study was prepared for this project, as part of the Notice of Preparation (NOP). The
NOP identified a number of issues as having potential to result in significant environmental
impacts. Any issue area identified as having the potential to impact the environment is addressed
in this document.
The Initial Study identified the following environmental issues where no impact is expected.
Therefore, no further discussion of these specific issues is included in this EIR.
Biological Resources: would the project:
e) Conflict with any local policies or ordinances protecting biological resources, such as a
tree preservation policy or ordinance?
Hazards and Hazardous Materials: would the project:
f) For a project within the vicinity of a private airstrip, would the project result in a safety
hazard for people residing or working in the project area?
Noise: would this project:
f) For a project within the vicinity of a private airstrip, would the project expose people
residing or working in the project area to excessive noise levels?
Population and Housing: would the project:
b) Displace substantial numbers of existing housing, necessitating the construction of
replacement housing elsewhere?
c) Displace substantial numbers of people, necessitating the construction of replacement
housing elsewhere?
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Project Location and Description E.
1. Project Location
The City of La Quinta General Plan Update Planning Area encompasses approximately 48.3
square miles situated in the south central portion of the Coachella Valley, in central Riverside
County, California (please see Error! Reference source not found., Regional Location Map).
The Planning Area is generally bounded on the north by lands south of Hidden River Road, on
the south by Avenue 64, on the west and southwest by the Santa Rosa Mountains, and on the east
by Harrison Street (please see Error! Reference source not found., Vicinity Map). The General
Plan Update Planning Area is comprised of lands within the City’s corporate limits, as well as
the City’s Sphere of Influence.
City Limits
City Limits
The Planning Area is located within the following US Geological Survey (USGS) Quadrangles:
La Quinta, Indio, Palm Desert, and Valerie, California.
The incorporated limits of the City of La Quinta encompass 35.7± square miles, which are
developed for a range of residential, resort and resort residential, commercial and open space
uses.
Lands within the City limits may also be described as follows:
Portions of Section 25 and all of Section 36, Township 5 South, Range 6 East; Sections
1,12,13,24, and 25, Township 6 South, Range 6 East; portions of Section 17 18, 19, 20,28,29,
and 30, and all of Sections 31 and 32, Township 5 South, Range 7 East; portions of Section
26, 35 and all of Sections 4, 5, 6,7,8,9,10,15,16,17,18, 19, 29, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 30, 33 and
34, Township 6 South, Range 7 East; Sections 4 and 5, Township 7 South, Range 7 East of
the San Bernardino Baseline and Meridian.
Sphere of Influence
The Sphere areas in the Planning Area, total 12.6± square miles. One of these occurs to the north
of the City’s corporate limits, and the other to the east of the City’s corporate limits. Lands
included in the City’s Sphere are those identified by the Local Agency Formation Commission
(LAFCo) as being a logical extension of the City in the long term. Only if these lands are
annexed will the City have jurisdiction over their development. All lands in the Sphere currently
fall under the jurisdiction of the County of Riverside.
The northern Sphere area is located generally north of Fred Waring Drive and east of
Washington Street, extending to Adams Street. This area is partially developed, and consists of
scattered residential development and commercial nurseries. The eastern Sphere is generally
located east of Monroe Street to Harrison Street, between Avenue 52 and Avenue 62. These
lands are primarily comprised of agriculture, lower density residential uses, and limited
commercial development.
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The Sphere of Influence of the City of La Quinta may also be described as follows:
Portions of Section 18, Township 5 South, Range 7 East; and portions of Section 12, 13, 26
and 35 and all of 11, 14, 23, 24, 25, and 36, of Township 6 South, Range 7 East; all of
Section 19, 30, 31 of Township 6 South, Range 8 East of the San Bernardino Baseline
Meridian.
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Exhibit I-1
Regional Map
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Exhibit I-2
Vicinity Map
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Exhibit I-3
General Plan Planning Area Boundaries
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2. Project Description
The purpose of this EIR is to assess the environmental constraints and opportunities associated
with the adoption and implementation of the proposed La Quinta General Plan Update, and
evaluate the impacts of build out of the General Plan Land Use Map (please see Exhibit I-5). The
EIR summarizes the land use designations and the major goals and policies established in the
General Plan. It utilizes a range of technical data, which has served as the basis for evaluating a
variety of environmental issues relevant to the City and its Sphere.
Environmental issues considered in this EIR include but are not limited to the following: land
use compatibility, traffic and circulation, flooding and hydrology, geotechnical and seismic
safety, biological and archaeological resources, and noise impacts. In addition, the EIR considers
the availability of public services and facilities, as well as socio-economic impacts associated
with General Plan implementation.
These issues are addressed on approximately 30,957 acres (48.3± square miles) encompassed
within the proposed General Plan Update Planning Area boundaries. Of these, 22,855.5± acres
(35.7± square miles) are within the City limits, and 8,101.4± acres (12.6± square miles) acres are
within the two Sphere areas. Hereinafter, the area addressed under the proposed project is also
referred to as the “General Plan area” or the “Planning Area”.
The General Plan update process has been ongoing over the past 24 months, during which time
the City has solicited the feedback of community members to consider the community’s overall
and specific goals. The City has held a series of public workshops, City Council meetings, and
Planning Commission meetings to consider significant community issues.
The City has conducted a detailed assessment of existing land use designations, and has modified
land use designations for application to lands in the Planning Area. The proposed General Plan
land use designations consolidate previously used designations to implement the proposed
General Plan Update within the City and its Sphere. Proposed Land Use Designations are shown
in Table I-3.
The proposed Planning Area represents an overall reduction in acreage from the 2002 General
Plan, as a result of substantial modifications in the Planning Area boundaries. The 2002 General
Plan encompasses 53,498 acres in its Planning Area, whose boundaries include the City
corporate limits, lands in the City’s Sphere. Approximately 31,360 acres contiguous with the
City’s Sphere were included in the 2002 General Plan planning area, but are not included in the
proposed General Plan Update. The proposed General Plan Planning Area represents a decrease
of 22,541 acres, or 42.9 percent from the 2002 General Plan.
As previously noted, the Sphere of Influence areas have been determined by LAFCO to be a
logical extension of the City’s boundaries over the long term. General Plan land use designations
that have been assigned to lands in the Sphere areas are consistent with those in the 2002 General
Plan, and will remain in effect upon adoption of the General Plan Update. These lands are
analyzed in this EIR.
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Existing Land Use
Currently, the City is governed by the City of La Quinta General Plan adopted on March 20,
2002 (“2002 General Plan”). As previously noted, lands within the 2002 General Plan planning
area include those within the City of La Quinta corporate limits as well as two Sphere of
Influence areas and two additional planning areas outside the Sphere (Planning Area 1 and
Planning Area 2). The 2002 General Plan Land Use Map (please see Error! Reference source
not found.), shows the Planning Area boundaries and land use designations.
The proposed General Plan Planning Area retains the same general boundaries of the
incorporated limits, although some changes have occurred due to annexations subsequent to the
adoption of the 2002 General Plan. The proposed Planning Area includes two Sphere areas,
further discussed below. The following describes existing uses within the City limits and the two
proposed Sphere areas, as well as the 2002 General Plan land use allocation.
City of La Quinta Corporate Limits
The current city limits are generally bounded on the west by Washington Street and the Santa
Rosa Mountains, on the north by lands south of Hovley Lane East, on the east by Jefferson Street
and Monroe Street, and on the south by Avenue 62 and Avenue 64. Topographically, the City is
situated on a flat valley floor surrounded by low mountains, foothills and alluvial fans
characteristic of the desert environment. The valley floor is the site of most of the City’s
developed areas, while surrounding mountains and foothills have been designated and are
retained as open space. The City has historically contained large areas of agriculture on the
valley floor, but this has changed in recent years with increased urbanization. Development
within the City limits is now primarily residential, commercial and resort oriented.
Current Land Use Designations in the City
As is typical of other low density residential and resort developments in the Coachella Valley,
the 2002 General Plan applies residential land use designations in the City ranging from Very
Low Density to High Density. Low Density residential is the predominant residential
designation, comprising 76% of all residential lands in the City. These include the numerous golf
course communities for which La Quinta is well known. Approximately 17% of residential lands
in the City are currently designated Medium Density Residential, which is primarily found in the
Cove community as well as near Highway 111 in the northern incorporated area. Lands
designated for High Density Residential comprise only 1% of residential lands. These are
generally found north of Avenue 48, between Adams Street and Dune Palms Road, and in the far
northwest corner of the City along Washington Street.
The 2002 General Plan designates approximately 6% of lands in the City for commercial uses,
including Mixed/Regional Commercial, Community Commercial, Neighborhood Commercial,
Commercial Park, Office, Tourist Commercial, and Village Commercial. Of these, the most
prevalent are Mixed/Regional Commercial, which accounts for 33% of commercial lands, and
Tourist Commercial at 29%. Lands designated for commercial and office uses are principally
within the Village area, and along Washington Street, Highway 111, Jefferson Street, and
Monroe Street. Under the 2002 General Plan, there are no lands designated for Industrial uses
within the City limits.
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Lands designated for recreational and open spaces include Parks, Open Space, Golf Course Open
Space and Watercourse/Flood Control. These land use designations comprise a total of 10,948
acres, or 53%, of the 2002 General Plan land use plan. These designations occur throughout the
City, and correspond to existing uses of these types. The General Plan also allocates limited
lands (approximately 191 acres, or less than 1%) for Major Community Facilities within the City
limits.
Existing Land Uses in the City
The City’s geographic and topographical setting has significantly influenced land use patterns.
The City is bordered by the Santa Rosa Mountains to the west and south, and development in the
City has therefore occurred along the foothills and on the valley floor to the east and north of
these landforms. The City is also served by a network of regional and local roadways. The
backbone system is provided by U.S. Interstate 10, Highway 111 and State Highway 86. I-10 is a
generally east to west roadway that occurs north of the planning area, and provides major inter-
city connection between Valley communities as well as to Los Angeles to the west and Arizona
to the east. Highway 111 runs generally northwest to southeast through the northern portion of
the City. It serves as an intra-regional corridor in the Coachella Valley. State Highway 86 is a
northwest to southeast trending roadway that provides access to communities southeast of the
City along the Salton Sea as well as to Imperial County.
As might be expected given the land use designations described above, much of the existing
development in the City is comprised of single-family residences at lower densities (up to four
units per acre), with typically small, single-family detached units. Master-planned subdivisions
and golf course communities are characteristic of many valley cities, including La Quinta. These
lower density residential developments occur throughout the City. Areas of medium to higher
density residential development are generally limited to the northern portion of the Cove
community, as well as in the northern portion of the City. Lands within the City designated for
residential uses have for the most part built out or are currently under development.
The City contains a variety of commercial uses, many of which are clustered along Highway 111
in the northern part of the City, as well as within the Village area. Along Highway 111,
commercial uses include major retail centers with a variety of anchor tenants. This area also
contains “big box” retail centers, including Walmart Supercenter, Costco, Home Depot, Lowe’s,
Target and Kohl’s, along with small shops, coffee houses, restaurants, banks, and service
stations. Within the Village, there are a variety of small boutique-type shops, art galleries,
restaurants and cafes. Smaller, neighborhood scale commercial development which includes
retail and office/professional uses, are located adjacent to existing neighborhoods throughout the
City.
The City is located in a region renowned for resorts, and itself contains several hotel and resort
properties. Among the most notable of is the La Quinta Resort, located on Eisenhower Road,
north of the Cove community. Dating from the 1920’s, the resort, which includes historic
structures and grounds, offers amenities including a variety of accommodations as well as
recreational amenities such as tennis, swimming and is affiliated with five golf courses,
including three PGA West courses.
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There are a wide variety of recreational and open space uses, including City and County parks,
located throughout the City. In addition to the golf courses described above, the City is home to
numerous other public and private courses. The City is bordered to the west and south by
foothills and mountain slopes of the Santa Rosa Mountains, which encompass large areas of
open space within and adjacent to the City.
City of La Quinta Sphere of Influence
As has been described above, the proposed General Plan includes two Sphere areas: the northern
Sphere and the eastern Sphere. The northern Sphere is generally bounded on the north by lands
south of Darby Lane, on the west by Washington Street, on the south by lands north of Fred
Waring Drive, and on the east by Adams Street. The eastern Sphere is generally bounded on the
north by Avenue 52 and Airport Boulevard, on the west by Van Buren Street and Harrison
Street, on the south by Avenue 62, and on the east by Monroe Street.
Current Land Use Designations in the Sphere of Influence
The land use designation within the northern Sphere is Low Density Residential. Within the
eastern Sphere, Low Density Residential is the predominant designation, occupying roughly 90%
of these lands. Other designations apply to lands on the perimeter of this Sphere, with limited
areas of Medium High Density Residential and Neighborhood Commercial along Monroe Street,
a small parcel of General Commercial along Van Buren Street, an approximately 2 mile north-to-
south strip of General Commercial designation along Harrison Street, and limited Industrial
lands near the intersection of Airport Boulevard and Harrison Street.
Current Land Uses in the Sphere of Influence
The northern Sphere contains a mix of single-family residential development and some
remaining commercial nurseries. The eastern Sphere is comprised of agricultural lands, single-
family residential development, as well as large lot residential areas, small nurseries and vacant
lands.
Surrounding Land Uses
The City of La Quinta is surrounded by the cities of Palm Desert, Indian Wells, Indio, Coachella,
and the County of Riverside. To the north, surrounding lands are within the jurisdictions of Palm
Desert, Indian Wells, and a small portion of unincorporated Riverside County. The land uses are
comparable to those in the northern portion of La Quinta, with low-density residential
neighborhoods, commercial uses, and entertainment facilities. The Indian Wells Tennis Garden
is located immediately west of Washington Street in Indian Wells. It is a 55-acre tennis and
entertainment facility with a year-round, world-class tennis club and 16,000 seat stadium.
To the northeast and east are the cities of Indio and Coachella, which are characterized primarily
by commercial and residential uses. There are several large commercial centers along Highway
111 in the City of Indio. Residential developments in Indio and Coachella are generally open
neighborhood developments such as those found in northern areas of La Quinta, in contrast to
private gated communities more characteristic of those found in southern La Quinta.
There are two unincorporated communities east of La Quinta: Thermal and Vista Santa Rosa.
The Vista Santa Rosa Community is a County-recognized community of interest, extending from
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Avenue 50 on the north, to Monroe Street on the west, to State Route 86 (Harrison Street) on the
east, and south to Avenue 66. Land uses in Vista Santa Rosa include farming, rural residential,
equestrian activities and polo facilities.
Land uses in Thermal include residential and commercial development, as well as light industrial
uses associated with agricultural production. The Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport is
immediately east of the La Quinta Sphere of Influence within the westerly portion of Thermal.
To the east and south of the La Quinta Planning Area are lands within unincorporated Riverside
County as well as areas subject to Native American Tribal jurisdiction. Land uses in these areas
are primarily agriculture, scattered single-family residential, and open space.
Lands to the west are primarily within the Santa Rosa Mountains that lie within the County of
Riverside and are designated for open space. The Santa Rosa Mountains rise in sharp relief from
the valley floor, and provide a visually dramatic and scenic backdrop against which the City and
the region are set.
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Exhibit I-4
2002 General Plan Land Use Map
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Statistical Summary: General Plan Land Use F.
The Planning Area of the General Plan Update includes approximately 22,855 acres of lands
within the City’s corporate limits, and 8,101 acres within the City’s Sphere, which are the subject
of this analysis. The various land use scenarios associated with development intensities and types
are shown on the General Plan land use maps presented herein.
The recommended project alternative is represented by the Preferred Alternative land use
scenario, which is considered in the main body of the EIR. The Preferred Alternative land use
map is shown in Section III, and the statistical summaries associated with this map are shown in
Table I-1 and Table I-2, below. In Table I-3, the preferred land use designations are defined and
appropriate development types shown categorically. It is important to note that because of the
reduction in the Planning Area from the 2002 General Plan, the General Plan Update results in a
reduction in acreage in most land use categories.
Section V of this EIR provides an analysis of three other land use alternatives. These include the
No Project Alternative, which implements the 2002 General Plan; Alternative 1 and Alternative
2.
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Table I-1
Preferred Alternative General Plan Update
Land Use Acreage Summary
Land Use Designation
# Acres
City
Limits
% of
City
Limits
# Acres
Sphere
% of
Sphere
LDR Low Density Residential
(0-4 du/gross acre)1,3 5,589.7 24.4% 7,378.1 91.1%
M/HDR Medium-High Density Residential
(0-16 du/gross acre)2,3 1,666.0 7.3% 24.6 0.3%
Residential Subtotal 7,255.7 31.7% 7,402.7 91.4%
GC General Commercial 569.6 2.5% 285.1 3.5%
TC Tourist Commercial 345.5 1.5% 0 0.0%
VC Village Commercial 90.0 0.4% 0 0.0%
Commercial Subtotal4 1,005.1 4.4% 285.1 3.5%
I/LM Industrial/Lgt. Mfg. 0 0.0% 63.8 0.8%
Industrial/Light Manufacturing Subtotal4 0 0.0% 63.8 0.8%
Major Community Facilities 446.5 2.0% 29.8 0.4%
Open Space- Natural 6,933.3 30.3% 0.0 0.0%
Open Space- Recreation 5,259.2 23.0% 0.0 0.0%
Street Rights-of-Way 1,955.7 8.6% 319.9 3.9%
Other Land Uses Subtotal 14,594.7 63.9% 349.7 4.3%
TOTAL 22,855.5 100.0% 8,101.4 100.0%
1Includes single-family attached and detached housing units.
2Includes single-family attached and detached and multi-family housing units. 3Future residential development is assumed to occur at 75% of the maximum density permitted. 4Assumes 22% lot coverage for commercial and industrial development. Assumes 70% of TC and VC developed
as commercial.
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Table I-2
General Plan Update
Build Out Summary: City Limits
Land Use Designation Developed Vacant Total Existing
Units
Potential
Units
Total Units
Low Density Residential 4,006.0 1,583.7 5,589.7 20,834 4,752 25,586
Medium/High
Density Residential
1,292.4 373.6 1,666.0 2,655 3,362 6,017
Residential Subtotal 5,298.4 1.957.3 7,255.7 23,489 8,114 31,603
Existing SF Potential SF Total SF
General Commercial 385.6 184.0 569.6 3,695,282 1,763,309 5,458,591
Tourist Commercial 206.6 138.9 345.5 1,979,889 1,331,106 3,310,996
Village Commercial 77.1 12.9 90.0 738,865 123,623 862,488
Commercial Subtotal 669.3 335.8 1,005.1 6,414,036 3,218,039 9,632,074
Major Community Facilities 252.7 193.8 446.5
Open Space - Natural 2,171.6 4,761.7 6,933.3
Open Space - Recreation 4,392.2 867.0 5,259.2
Street Rights-of-Way 1,764.6 191.1 1,955.7
Grand Total 14,548.8 8,306.7 22,855.5
Table I-3
General Plan Update
Build Out Summary: Sphere of Influence
Land Use Designation Developed Vacant Total Existing
Units
Potential
Units
Total Units
Low Density Residential 551.5 6,826.6 7,378.1 801 20,480 21,281
Medium/High
Density Residential
0.2 24.4 24.6 - 219 219
Subtotal 551.7 6,851.0 7,402.7 801 20,699 21,500
Existing SF Potential SF Total SF
General Commercial 28.6 256.6 285.1 273,760 2,458,797 2,732,557
Industrial/Lgt. Mfg. 0 63.8 63.8 - 611,408 611,408
Major Community Facilities 28.17 1.61 29.8
Street Rights-of-Way 319.93 0 319.9
Grand Total 928.4 7,173.0 8,101.4
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Table I-4
General Plan Update
Build Out Summary: Entire Planning Area
Land Use Designation Developed Vacant Total Existing
Units
Potential
Units
Total Units
Low Density Residential1,3 4,557.5 8,410.3 12,967.8 21,635 25,232 46,867
Medium/High Density2,3
Residential
1,292.6 398.0 1,690.6 2,655 3,582 6,236
Total 5,850.1 8,808.3 14,658.4 24,290 28,814 53,103
Existing SF Potential SF Total SF
General Commercial 414.2 440.6 854.7 3,969,042 4,222,106 8,191,148
Tourist Commercial 206.6 138.9 345.5 1,979,889 1,331,106 3,310,996
Village Commercial 77.1 12.9 90.0 738,865 123,623 862,488
Total4 697.9 592.4 1,290.2 6,687,796 5,676,835 12,364,631
Industrial/Lgt. Mfg. 0.0 63.8 63.8 - 611,408 611,408
Major Community Facilities 280.9 195.4 476.3
Open Space - Natural 2,171.6 4,761.7 6,933.3
Open Space - Recreation 4,392.2 867.0 5,259.2
Street Rights-of-Way 2,084.5 191.1 2,275.6
Grand Total 15,477.2 15,479.7 30,956.9
1 Includes single-family attached and detached housing units. 2 Includes single-family attached and detached and multi-family housing units. 3 Future residential development is assumed to occur at 75% of the maximum density permitted. 4 Assumes 22% lot coverage for commercial and industrial development. Assumes 70% of TC and VC developed as
commercial.
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Table I-5
City of La Quinta General Plan
Proposed Land Use Designations
Land Use Designation
(Density)
Purpose of Land Use
Residential Land Uses
Low Density Residential,
(LDR)
(0-4 dwelling unit per gross
acres)
This land use designation is appropriate for single family
residential development, whether attached or detached. The
density of individual parcels is further refined in the Zoning
Ordinance. These lands are typically developed as
subdivisions, country club developments, or master planned
communities. On lands used for equestrian purposes, lots
must be a minimum of one acre. Clustered housing projects
(including condominiums), providing common area open
space, appropriately scaled commercial development serving
the project or amenities are also appropriate under this
designation, with the approval of a Specific Plan. In the
Sphere of Influence, the Low Density Residential designation
is applied as a temporary designation, in anticipation of the
preparation of a Master Plan for the area
Medium/High
Density Residential, (M/HDR)
(0-16 dwelling units per gross
acres)
The Medium/High Density designation is designed to
accommodate a broad range of residential land uses,
including small-lot subdivisions, duplex, condominium and
apartment projects. The density of individual parcels is
further refined in the Zoning Ordinance. Specific Plans may
be appropriate for clustered development in the lower density
zones, but are not required. Uses that may be appropriate with
the approval of a Conditional Use Permit include mobile
home parks and subdivisions and bed and breakfast facilities.
Small retail stores that provide neighborhood conveniences,
are less than 5,000 square feet, and on parcels of up to one
acre, may be allowed with approval of a Conditional Use
Permit.
Terra Nova/ La Quinta General Plan EIR
Section I. Introduction and Project Description
I-20
Table I-5
City of La Quinta General Plan
Proposed Land Use Designations
Land Use Designation
(Density)
Purpose of Land Use
Commercial Land Uses
General Commercial (GC) This land use designation applies to the majority of
commercial land in the City. The full range of commercial
uses can occur within this designation, ranging from
supermarkets and drugstores in a neighborhood shopping
center, to major national retailers in large buildings. General
Commercial uses also include professional offices, service
businesses, restaurants, hotels or motels, research and
development and warehousing or similar low impact quasi-
industrial projects. Mixed use development is also appropriate
in this designation. Mixed use projects can include vertical
mixed use – where retail occurs on the ground floor, with
residential units above; horizontal mixed use – where retail/
office uses and higher density residential occur next to each
other, and are integrated through pedestrian connections and
common areas; or mixed use added to existing commercial
development – where the residential project abuts or wraps
around an existing commercial development.
Tourist Commercial (TC) This land use designation is specifically geared to tourism-
related land uses, such as resort hotels, hotels and motels, and
resort commercial development, such as conference centers,
restaurants, resort-supporting retail and services (including
day spas and similar personal services). Time share, fractional
ownership or similar projects may also be appropriate in this
designation, with the approval of a Conditional Use Permit.
Village Commercial (VC) The Village Commercial designation applies specifically to
the traditional commercial core of the City, and allows
specialty retail – such as boutiques and art galleries – as well
as restaurants, professional offices and services, and hotels.
Apartments, condominiums and live-work space is also
appropriate in this designation. As established in Policy LU-
7.1, mixed use development is allowed in this designation.
Mixed use projects can include vertical or horizontal
combinations of land uses that are integrated through
pedestrian connections and common areas; or can be
residential units added to existing commercial development.
Terra Nova/ La Quinta General Plan EIR
Section I. Introduction and Project Description
I-21
Table I-5
City of La Quinta General Plan
Proposed Land Use Designations
Land Use Designation
(Density)
Purpose of Land Use
Industrial Land Uses
Industrial/Light
Manufacturing (I/LM)
This land use designation applies only to land currently
located in the Sphere of Influence. Therefore, this land use
designation would only become applicable if the designated
lands are annexed into the City. Appropriate land uses include
business parks; value-added non-polluting industrial uses
operating entirely within existing buildings; airport and
aircraft related businesses; warehousing and distribution; and
light manufacturing. Outdoor storage as an ancillary use
when a structure is the primary use on the property can be
permitted entirely screened from public view. Commercial
retail and office uses that support industrial projects are also
appropriate. With the approval of a Conditional Use Permit,
more intense industrial uses, including appliance and
furniture manufacturing, metal product manufacturing and
transportation equipment manufacturing may be appropriate.
All projects proposed within this designation will be
compatible with surrounding land uses or land use
designations, and will mitigate their environmental impacts to
less than significant levels.
Other Land Uses
Major Community Facilities This land use designation has been assigned to existing or
planned municipal, educational or public facilities, such as
City and School District facilities and buildings, utility
facilities and buildings, fire stations and similar uses.
Open Space-Natural (OS-N) This land use designation is applied to areas of natural open
space, whether owned by private parties or public entities.
With the exception of trail or trailhead development, little
development is permitted in this designation. Ephemeral
streams, man made flood control channels and the Coachella
Valley Stormwater Channel are designated Natural Open
Space. Lands purchased by conservation organizations for the
Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan
can be included in this designation.
Open Space-Recreation
(OS-R)
The Recreational Open Space designation applies to parks,
recreation facilities (such as driving ranges, club houses and
athletic facilities), public and private golf courses, and public
parking lots.
Terra Nova/ La Quinta General Plan EIR
Section I. Introduction and Project Description
I-22
Residential Land Uses
Under the Preferred Alternative, a total of 7,255.7 acres of land are allocated to residential uses
in the City’s corporate limits, and 7,402.7 acres in the Sphere areas, for a total of 14,658.4 acres
throughout the Planning Area. There are currently 23,489 dwelling units in the incorporated City
and 801 in the Sphere. The estimate of future build out units in the Planning Area included in
this document is based on an assumption that 75% of the maximum densities permitted will be
developed. The 8,808 acres of vacant lands designated for residential uses under the Preferred
Alternative would therefore accommodate an additional 28,813 dwelling units. Of these, 8,114
would occur in the City limits and 20,699 within the Sphere areas.
At build out, the Planning Area is expected to generate a total of approximately 53,103 dwelling
units, including both existing and potential units. This compares with 78,952 units under the
2002 General Plan. The proposed General Plan therefore provides for build out of 25,849 fewer
dwelling units, or a decrease of 32.7% from the 2002 General Plan. Therefore, the proposed
General Plan represents a less intense development scenario than does the 2002 General Plan.
Commercial Land Uses
Under the Preferred Alternative of the General Plan Update, approximately 1,290 acres are
designated for commercial development, including General, Tourist and Village Commercial
uses in the City and Sphere. This compares with approximately 1,997 acres for all commercial
designations under the 2002 General Plan. Therefore, under the General Plan Update, the
Preferred Alternative will result in a decrease of 707 acres of lands allocated for commercial
development, which is 35.4% less than the 2002 General Plan.
To estimate future build out square footage of commercial units in the General Plan Update
Planning area, it is assumed that commercial lands will build out with 22% lot coverage,
including buildings and other ancillary structures. For Village and Tourist Commercial lands, it
is assumed that 70% of development will be commercial uses.1 Based on this assumption, the
1,290 acres designated for commercial uses will result in 12,364,631 square feet of commercial
space. This compares to 19,137,651 square feet under the 2002 General Plan. Therefore, The
General Plan Update proposed a 35.4% decrease compared to the 2002 General Plan for
commercial uses.
The General Plan proposes the largest concentrations of General Commercial lands within City
Limits along Highway 111, with smaller clusters along Monroe Street and Van Buren Street, and
an approximately 2-mile long strip along Harrison Street in the eastern Sphere. There are also
smaller areas designated for General Commercial use scattered through the City and Sphere
areas, which are expected to develop as neighborhood scale retail and office uses. Tourist
Commercial lands also occur throughout the Planning Area, corresponding with existing resort
areas. Lands designated Village Commercial are located in The Village area of La Quinta.
1 The proposed General Plan Update provides for mixed use residential as a component of General Commercial,
Tourist Commercial and Village Commercial. The potential for residential development in these designations
cannot be currently quantified, given that development standards and location will be determined in the Zoning
Ordinance. Therefore, these units have not been included in build out calculations.
Terra Nova/ La Quinta General Plan EIR
Section I. Introduction and Project Description
I-23
Industrial/Light Manufacturing
The 2002 General Plan allocates 1,947 acres to Industrial uses; it assumes a lot coverage of 34%,
and provides for development of 28,835,849 square feet of industrial space. By comparison, the
Preferred Alternative allocates 63.8 acres to lands designated Industrial/Light Manufacturing,
which occur entirely within the eastern Sphere. The proposed General Plan assumes lot coverage
for industrial uses of 22%, and provides for approximately 611,408 square feet of
Industrial/Light Manufacturing uses at build out. This represents a reduction of approximately
98% from the 2002 General Plan. This reduction is primarily due to two factors. First, the
reduction in lot coverage assumed for Industrial development (22% under the proposed General
Plan versus 34% under the 2002 General Plan); this factor lowers the density and total square
footage expected to be built out on these lands. Secondly, the planning area boundaries are
substantially different under the proposed General Plan, and no longer include lands to the east in
proximity to the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport, where most of the industrial uses were
planned under the 2002 General Plan.
Major Community Facilities
The 2002 General Plan provides for approximately 299 acres for Major Community Facilities.
The proposed General Plan provides for 476 acres of lands designated “Major Community
Facilities”, which includes public service facilities, as described above, as well as other public
and quasi-public facilities. Therefore, the proposed General Plan would provide approximately
59% more land for Major Community Facilities uses than does the 2002 General Plan. This
increase is primarily due to additional lands having been designated for public purposes by the
City over the past ten years.
Open Space
Under the 2002 General Plan, 14,120 acres are allocated for Open Space uses, including parks,
golf courses, watercourses, floodways and mountainous areas. The Preferred Alternative
proposes approximately 12,193 acres, a decrease of 1,927 acres, or 13.6% less than the 2002
General Plan. This is primarily due to changes to the planning area boundaries. Open Space
lands south of Avenue 64 that were included in the 2002 General Plan planning area are
excluded from the Proposed General Plan Update Planning Area.
Other Land Uses
Street Rights-of-Way
The proposed General Plan allocates lands for Street Rights-of-Way to ensure adequate provision
for build out of a circulation network to serve future development. The 2002 General Plan did
not specify lands allocated for this use. The Proposed General Plan allocates 2,275.6 acres for
Street Rights-of-Way.
Terra Nova/ La Quinta General Plan EIR
Section I. Introduction and Project Description
I-24
Exhibit I-5
Preferred Alternative Land Use Map
Terra Nova/ La Quinta General Plan EIR
Section I. Introduction and Project Description
I-1
I.
INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT DESCRIPTION ..................................................... I-1
LEAD AGENCY .................................................................................................................... I-1
A.
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... I-1
B.
DOCUMENT ORGANIZATION ............................................................................................... I-2
C.
CEQA AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................... I-2
D.
PROJECT LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION ............................................................................... I-4
E.
STATISTICAL SUMMARY: GENERAL PLAN LAND USE ....................................................... I-15
F.
Table I-1 Preferred Alternative General Plan Update Land Use Acreage Summary ................. I-16
Table I-2 General Plan Update Build Out Summary: City Limits .............................................. I-17
Table I-3 General Plan Update Build Out Summary: Sphere of Influence ................................ I-17
Table I-4 General Plan Update Build Out Summary: Entire Planning Area .............................. I-18
Table I-5 City of La Quinta General Plan Proposed Land Use Designations ............................ I-19
Exhibit I-1 Regional Map ............................................................................................................. I-6
Exhibit I-2 Vicinity Map ............................................................................................................... I-7
Exhibit I-3 General Plan Planning Area Boundaries .................................................................... I-8
Exhibit I-4 2002 General Plan Land Use Map ............................................................................ I-14
Exhibit I-5 Preferred Alternative Land Use Map ....................................................................... I-24