The owner of PGA West has initiated a process for additional infill housing to be built in five separate areas throughout the PGA West community.

There are five areas where land use changes are being proposed by the PGA West owner with applications submitted to the city planning department.  The city identifies these areas by one title/name and PGA West identifies these areas by another.  (The PGA West identifying name/ title is in parentheses.) The defined areas  are: 

• Seminole (Tom Weiskopf Course) 

• on Seminole Drive, with south portion bordering Avenue 58  

• Norman (Greg Norman Course) 

• on Tiburon Drive, with south portion bordering Airport Boulevard 

• Hermitage (Jack Nicklaus Private Course) 

• on Hermitage with south portion bordering 58th Avenue  

• Canal (Arnold Palmer Course/ Canal) 

• west of houses on northwest corner of Riviera at the extended terminus of Avenue 54   

• Weiskopf (Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course) 

• between Spanish Bay and Weiskopf, with north portion bordering PGA Boulevard   

• Seminole (Tom Weiskopf Course) 

•  This proposes to adopt a Tentative Tract map creating 9 additional residential lots and four lots for common space and open space.  (General Plan and zoning are currently designated as low density residential and this designation does not change.) 

• Norman (Greg Norman Course) 

• This proposes to amend the city General Plan (from open space recreational to low density residential and open space recreational), amend the PGA West Specific Plan, make zoning changes (from golf course to low density residential and golf course) and adopt a Tentative Tract map creating 10 additional residential lots with two additional lots for open space and golf course. 

• Hermitage (Jack Nicklaus Private Course) 

• This proposes to adopt a Tentative Tract map creating 4 additional residential lots and one additional lot for golf course maintenance.   (General Plan and zoning are currently designated as low density residential and this designation does not change.) 

• Canal (Arnold Palmer Course/ Canal) 

• This proposes to amend the city General Plan (from open space/ recreational to low density residential and open space/ recreational), amend the PGA West Specific Plan, make zoning changes (from golf course to low density residential and golf course) and adopt a Tentative Tract map creating 9 additional residential lots.   

• Weiskopf (Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course) 

• This proposes to amend the city General Plan, amend the PGA West Specific Plan, make zoning changes and adopt a Tentative Tract map.  (At this time, the exact number of residential lots and General Plan and zoning designation is in question.  At the community meeting the PGA West representative stated that the current proposal submitted to the city seeking three condominium units, has been or will be change to two residential lots.) 

General Plan – Every city and county in California is required to have a long-range planning policy document that shows the city’s (or county’s) plan for land use, housing, transportation, conservation, open space, noise and safety.  Within the designation of “land use” the city La Quinta’s General Plan identifies area for residential, commercial and open space.    

The city of La Quinta’s General Plan can be found at this location: 

https://www.laquintaca.gov/business/design-and-development/planning-division/2035-la-quinta-general-plan 

Specific Plan – A Specific Plan is a detailed planning document for a defined geographic area.  It translates General Plan policies into area-specific development rules and infrastructure plans.  Oftentimes large property areas establish a Specific Plan through the city planning process, where multiple land uses are a part of a single plan.  The PGA West Specific Plan was established as a beginning planning document for the development of the PGA West community.  Over the years, the PGA West Specific Plan has been modified and amended. 

Zoning -  Zoning is the local ordinance that regulates how land can be used on each parcel.  It must implement the General Plan.  It defines such things as allowed development uses, building height limits, floor area ratios, setbacks from property lines and parking requirements.   

Tentative Tract Map -  Primarily used on for-sale residential property, a Tentative Tract Map is used in land subdivision by identifying the legal recognized boundaries of each parcel.   

Currently, there are no additional land use changes being proposed at PGA West.   However, other changes can be proposed in the future.

All these land use changes being proposed at PGA West are amending or adding to plans previously approved by the city of La Quinta.  Each of these proposals are being reviewed by the city planning department (and possibly of city departments.)  After that review, the proposals will be advanced to a public hearing and vote before the city Planning Commission.  After that occurs, each advancing proposal will be heard at a public hearing before the La Quinta City Council.  Each public hearing allows for public input. 

At a recent community meeting presented by PGA West, it was referenced that PGA West will select a single developer for most of these development sites.  

To advance housing opportunities in California, in recent years the State Legislature and Governor have passed many housing laws that limit the ability for local governments to restrict home owners from put Auxiliary Dwelling Units (ADU’s) on their property, to split single family residential lots into two separate housing parcels and to prohibit local HOA’s from limiting these laws with CC&R’s. 

AB 68 of 2019 allows both an ADU and a Junior ADU (a smaller ADU)  on single family lots. 

SB 9 of 2021 allows the subdivision of single-family lots into two separate single-family lots. 

AB 670 of 2019 prohibits HOA CC&Rs from restricting construction of ADU’s. 

There remain grey areas on how these housing laws will impact certain neighborhoods and developments.

1. Go to this website:  www.savePGAWestopenspace.com

At this website, you can register your name and contact information and we will endeavor to provide updates. 

Also, you can monitor the city’s website.  Public meetings must be posted 72 hours in advance of the meeting. 

City planner Scott Nespor is overseeing the planning review.  You can email him and ask to be notified on all activities of these developments, for example when public meetings are being held by providing your name and contact information to him at snespor@laquintaca.gov