Custom home planning resource · Desert communities
Planning a custom home in Palm Springs
In Palm Springs, the review path for a new home depends on the lot and the design. Ask early whether the parcel is a hillside lot or fronts a major thoroughfare, since the City names architectural review for those cases.
KB Remodeling takes new-home inquiries from owners planning here. Share the lot and the project; KB reviews scope, licensing and location for each inquiry before suggesting a next step.
Planning sequence
01
Test the design against R-1 standards
The homeowner page explains when a new house needs planning review. Ask Planning whether a design that meets the R-1 height, coverage, parking and setback standards can go directly to Building.
Official resource: Palm Springs · For Homeowners and ResidentsCity-wide guidance · Confirm the current content directly with the agency
02
Hillside or major thoroughfare? Plan for Major Architectural Review
New homes on hillside parcels and lots fronting major thoroughfares need a Major Architectural Review application.
Official resource: Palm Springs · For Homeowners and ResidentsCity-wide guidance · Confirm the current content directly with the agency
03
Route plans before Building plan review
The Building Department says applicants route plans to other divisions depending on scope; ask which ones apply.
Official resource: Palm Springs · Plan ReviewCity-wide guidance · Confirm the current content directly with the agency
Each step links to the official page it comes from. Requirements differ by parcel; confirm with the agency.
Who reviews a new home here
Palm Springs is an incorporated city in Riverside County.
City of Palm Springs — Planning Department and Building Department.
Local planning journey
Which planning question to resolve first here, and why it shapes the brief. Each answer comes from the cited City page or stays a question for staff.
Question 1
Is the lot a hillside lot or on a Major Thoroughfare?
For Homeowners (read October 13, 2026): lots with slopes over 10% are hillside homes; new homes on hillside parcels or fronting Major Thoroughfares (e.g., Sunrise Way, Vista Chino) need Major Architectural Review. A conforming home elsewhere can have a simpler review.
source: Palm Springs · For Homeowners and ResidentsQuestion 2
Is an existing building historically classified?
Classified buildings have exterior changes reviewed by the Historic Site Preservation Board; check status with Planning before planning demolition.
source: Palm Springs · For Homeowners and ResidentsQuestion 3
Does the parcel carry other land status?
Some Palm Springs land has its own status (for example, tribal land); confirm with the City which rules apply to this parcel rather than assuming.
source: Palm Springs · For Homeowners and Residents
Finding the current official checklist
Read the For Homeowners page and R-1/hillside code links, then the Building plan review page.
Owner evidence to gather first
- Slope survey (is it over 10%?)
- Historic classification status
- Land status confirmation from the City
Palm Springs review level by lot
| Lot | Review named by the City |
|---|---|
| Conforming lot, not hillside or thoroughfare | Can be very simple if height, coverage, parking and setbacks conform |
| Hillside (slope over 10%) or Major Thoroughfare | Major Architectural Review |
| Historically classified building | Historic Site Preservation Board for exterior changes |
Local issues and the budget lines they touch
| Local issue | Budget line it affects |
|---|---|
| Architectural Review | Exterior design and landscape drawings |
| Desert climate | Energy compliance and shading design |
No dollar amounts or local premiums are implied.
Cost drivers to confirm before pricing
| Issue | Fact that confirms it | Who answers | What a proposal should list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillside slope | Survey showing slope over 10% | Surveyor | Architectural Review submittal in the design fee |
| Historic status | Planning confirmation | Planning staff and preservation consultant | Any HSPB review before demolition |
Hypothetical: owners plan a flat-lot replacement off a side street. Their survey shows under 10% slope and no thoroughfare frontage, so they confirm the simpler path rather than budgeting for Major Architectural Review.
What shapes the budget here
- Architectural and landscape review packages on hillside or thoroughfare lots
- Minor modification or variance work if standards cannot be met
- Distance: travel, supervision and deliveries from Los Angeles
These items affect cost; none is a price. See how to build a realistic budget: Custom home budget guide
Parcel questions to answer first
- Does the lot front a major thoroughfare or sit on a hillside parcel?
- Does the design meet R-1 height, coverage, parking and setback standards?
- Which divisions must review the plans before Building?
Gather before a first conversation
- Address or APN and recent site photos
- Survey, title report and prior permits if available
- Architect drawings, or a written list of rooms and priorities
- Target timing and how you plan to finance construction
Related guides: Buying land to build · Lot utility due diligence · Choosing a custom-home builder · 2025 Energy Code for new homes · Hillside lot due diligence
Official sources
Each source shows what it covers and whether its passage was checked in our review.
- Palm Springs · For Homeowners and Residents
New homes, hillside homes and architectural review.
City-wide guidance · Confirm the current content directly with the agency - Palm Springs · Plan Review
Plan routing before Building review.
City-wide guidance · Confirm the current content directly with the agency
0 of 2 official source passages checked; 2 could not be opened and should be confirmed with the agency.
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