This chapter provides guidance for development and new land uses in addition to the standards and regulations of the primary zoning district, where important area, neighborhood or site characteristics require particular attention in project planning.
(Ord. 777 § 1 (Exh. A, 2002))
The applicability of any overlay zoning district to specific sites is illustrated by the overlay zoning map symbol established by Section 17.06.010 (Zoning Districts Established). The provisions of this chapter apply to development and new uses in addition to all other applicable requirements of this title. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this chapter and any other provision of this title, this chapter shall control.
(Ord. 777 § 1 (Exh. A, 2002))
The overlay districts include the following:
A. 
S-OL (Senior Overlay) Zone. The S-OL Overlay is established to designate appropriate areas possessing special circumstances or conditions that support the provision of senior housing, including proximity to commercial, medical, transportation, or other senior-related uses. The S-OL Overlay is intended to be used in conjunction with any residential base zoning district, and may be deemed consistent with any residential land use designation of the general plan.
1. 
The Senior Overlay shall be applied in conjunction with any residential base zoning district to allow use of the special senior group housing design standards in compliance with Sections 17.30.040 (Assisted Living Facilities) and 17.30.210 (Senior Congregate Care Housing Facilities). Senior housing units designed as an active retirement community consistent with conventional design standards, rather than the special senior group housing design standards, do not require a Senior Overlay.
2. 
The Senior Overlay provides incentives for the development of a wide variety of specialized housing designed for and restricted to residents over the age of fifty-five. Special senior housing design standards are contained in Section 17.30.210 (Senior Congregate Care Housing Facilities), and include allowance for reduced parking requirements and smaller living units.
3. 
The following senior housing residential facility shall be allowed:
a. 
Congregate Housing. Projects in this category may include housing units with common facilities, including dining, activity centers, and community services. Offered services may include meals, security, emergency call monitoring, housekeeping, and resident transportation. Units may include kitchenettes rather than kitchens. Meals may be provided as part of a service package in a common dining room. Outdoor amenities shall be required.
B. 
S-P (Specific Plan Overlay) Zone. The S-P Overlay is established to designate areas subject to the provisions of an adopted specific plan, in compliance with Chapter 17.54. The S-P Overlay is intended to be used in conjunction with an appropriate base zone, and may be deemed consistent with one or more land use designations of the general plan.
1. 
The preparation and approval of a specific plan shall be in compliance with State law (Government Code Section 65450 et seq.) and Chapter 17.54. However, the director may allow a small parcel within a S-P Overlay area, where no specific plan had been adopted, to develop without the requirement for a specific plan.
2. 
In the M-U zoning district, the specific plan shall also address the following:
a. 
A market/feasibility analysis;
b. 
Privacy and security;
c. 
Integration of residential and commercial uses; and
d. 
The appropriate maximum density of residential areas, where applicable.
C. 
R-M-TOL (Medium Density Transitional Overlay) Zone. This R-M Transitional Overlay is established to provide for residential development in a transitional area of the city between industrial/high density areas and low density country club developments. The following design standards are applicable only within R-M-TOL zone. Detached single-family housing is the only allowable development in the R-M-TOL zone and is subject to city review. The units shall be constructed in the following manner:
1. 
The house design where the distance between structures is less than twenty feet shall include a hip roof along the side yards.
2. 
Lots with lot coverage greater than thirty percent shall have a minimum of one thousand square feet usable open space in the rear yards.
3. 
The second story element of any two-story house shall have a minimum setback of twenty feet for both front and rear yards.
4. 
Lots utilizing the minimum fifteen foot front yard setback shall have no more than forty percent of the lot frontage at the fifteen foot limit. The remainder of the building shall be set back a minimum of twenty feet.
5. 
The average size lot shall be greater than seven thousand one hundred fifty square feet. No lot shall be smaller than six thousand two hundred square feet.
D. 
SC (Special Corner) Zone. This section provides exceptionally designed commercial and/or office centers at key intersections in the city where aesthetics and land use compatibility are of primary importance. The following design standards and guidelines are applicable in the SC overlay. The SC overlay is intended to be used in conjunction with any nonresidential base zoning district at designated intersections. Projects approved in SC overlay zones must satisfy all the SC standards and guidelines and findings must be adopted demonstrating full compliance with the standards and guidelines.
1. 
SC Standards.
a. 
The minimum distance from the curb at the main intersection inward to the parking area, measured at a forty-five degree angle, shall be ninety feet. The minimum distance to a building shall be one hundred twenty-two feet.
b. 
Minimum landscape parkway width between curb and parking shall be forty-five feet except for local streets which shall be twenty-five feet.
c. 
All buildings shall be a minimum of eighty-five feet from arterial and collector road curbs and thirty-five feet from local street curbs.
d. 
Where dedicated right turn lanes, deceleration or acceleration lanes are required, the minimum parkway width shall be measured from the location of the original curb line.
e. 
All parking and circulation areas shall be continuously screened from public streets to a height of four feet, by a combination of walls, berms, boulders and hedges.
f. 
For parcels smaller than five net acres, required overlay setbacks and parkway widths shall be proportionally reduced but in no case shall be less than the minimum setbacks or minimum parkway widths required of the underlying zoning district.
2. 
SC Guidelines.
a. 
A minimum ten foot wide landscape band with or without pedestrian path access should be provided around all buildings.
b. 
Pedestrian plazas or courtyard placed in building clusters are encouraged, and shall carry forth the theme established with the corner treatment.
c. 
Where possible, placing parking areas lower than adjacent roadways is encouraged, with intent to reduce their visual impact and to screen the parking from the adjacent roadway.
d. 
Shade structures in the form of landscaped trellises are encouraged as an added method of providing parking lot and pedestrian area shade.
e. 
Parking Aplaza@ landscaping should be vertically layered through the creation of an overstory of palms, a mid-story of canopy trees and an understory of shrubs and groundcover.
f. 
Building architecture and design should be compatible and themed with adjacent office and commercial developments. Franchise architecture shall not be permitted. Building design shall be of the highest quality consistent with the Rancho Mirage desert environment.
g. 
Large expanses of blank walls shall be avoided. Simple box like architecture shall be avoided. Wall planes shall be treated with architectural relief to provide interest and visual depth.
h. 
No signs, neon or otherwise, shall be visible through windows.
i. 
Enhanced pavement shall be placed at key locations, subject to city approval.
j. 
Special corner landscape and hardscape treatment shall be provided.
k. 
Hardscape and sidewalks shall be in color harmony with the landscaped theme.
l. 
Pedestrian connections shall be provided between buildings and parking areas. Projects are encouraged to exceed CVWD water efficiency goals by ten percent.
E. 
AHO (Affordable Housing Overlay) Zone. The intent of the AHO zone is to allow for the creative and efficient development of affordable residential properties as identified in the current version of the city's certified Housing Element. The development shall demonstrate the need and appropriateness of densities up to twenty-eight units per acre as identified in the Housing Element. The application of the overlay will be subject to review with the appropriate development plan permit. Development standards may be modified through the application and entitlement of the project, subject to city council consideration. Chapter 17.26 Parking and Loading Standards.
(Ord. 777 § 1 (Exh. A, 2002); Ord. 848 Exh. A, 2003; Ord. 868A, Exh. A, 2004; Ord. 884, Exh. A, 2004; Ord. 1207, 8/17/2023)