Location:  Indian Wells, California

Client:  City of Indian Wells

The Indian Wells Specific Plan, which covers a 3.5-mile highway corridor in the small desert community of Indian Wells, rescinds existing strip retail zoning in favor of traditional desert landscape and residential, resort, open space, and community/institutional uses. The specific plan includes development controls and urban design standards, determining criteria for land uses, circulation improvements and landscape features as part of an integrated design.

The plan establishes a landscape zone on both sizes of the highway. In keeping with large-scale resort, hotel and recreational development areas, the north landscape zone includes formal arrangements of date palms in multiple rows, evenly spaced along the roadway; a more informal south landscape zone reflects the adjacent neighborhoods of smaller-scale hotels and single-family houses.

The Indian Wells Specific Plan captures elements of the desert within the town boundaries; reminds the town and region of its unique heritage; augments the public realm with cultural and civic amenities; and provides a realistic plan for future development.