City of Coachella - Local CEQA Guidelines

Pursuant to State law, the City of Coachella periodically adopts local guidelines for the implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) including all necessary forms, initial study checklist template, and memorandums showing guidance for the implementation of certain projects that qualify for streamlined reviews or statutory or categorical exemptions.

The links below provide the latest City of Coachella CEQA Guidelines, which are prepared by the City Attorney's Office. 

2020 CEQA Local Guidelines

KPC Coachella Specific Plan – Draft Environmental Impact Report

Project Description:

The Project proposes the development of a new master planned community on approximately 2,807 acres located at the eastern entrance of the City. The Project would provide a mixture of land uses intended to create a vibrant cohesive entrance to the City, with five villages (A-E) and neighborhoods that are unique, yet compatible with, surrounding existing and planned neighboring areas. The Project would provide new additional commercial, residential, educational, employment, and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors within the City. A proposed entertainment center in Village B is anticipated to be a regional attractor, attracting local and regional visitors.

The Project proposes the following main land uses:

• A mixture of residential product types, including an active adult/senior-oriented village, totaling approximately 9,538 dwelling units;
• Approximately 305 acres of commercial areas, which include mixed-use, entertainment center and performing arts theater, entertainment venue, and hotel rooms;
• A college/university overlay to allow for institutions of higher learning with an emphasis on healthcare;
• Approximately 71 acres of school uses (3 elementary schools and 1 middle school);
• Approximately 379 acres of parks, greenways, and amenity centers;
• Approximately 179 acres of circulation uses, including arterials, major, and secondary roadways;
• Approximately 68 acres of Agricultural Production areas;
• Approximately 770 acres of natural open space, including drainage channels and trails;
• Approximately 91 ‘not a part’ acres.

The Project proposes two connection points to the existing roadways within the City. The main entry into the Project would be via the planned Avenue 50 and Interstate 10 interchange directly to the south. Additionally, the extension of Vista Del Norte from the west would provide access to Dillon Road and the rest of the City. The Project would also include the construction or improvement of various off-site infrastructure, including extending utilities, water facilities, sewer lines, drainage facilities.

Additionally, the Project includes the adoption of the KPC Coachella Specific plan in addition to other related entitlements such an Environmental Review, Development Agreement, Tentative Tract Map, Zone Change, and General Plan Map and Text Amendment. These actions are described in greater detail in EIR Section 3.0: Project Description and the KPC Coachella Specific Plan. Project background and objectives are also discussed in Section 3.0.

KPC Coachella DEIR

Appendix A_NOP and Scoping Meeting Materials

Appendix B_Air Quality

Appendix C_Biological Resources

Appendix D_Cultural Resources

Appendix E_Energy Calculations

Appendix F_Geology and Soils

Appendix G_Greenhouse Gas Emissions Assessment

Appendix H_ Hydrology and Water Quality

Appendix I_Acoustical Assessment

Appendix J_Transportation

Appendix K_Utilities and Service Systems

KPC Coachella NOA

KPC Coachella NOC

KPC Coachella Specific Plan

KPC Coachella Summary Form

Calhoun Street Housing Development – (EA 25-02, TTM 39051, CUP 390)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The proposed Calhoun Street Housing Development is a Tentative Tract Map, Environmental Assessment, Conditional Use Permit and Planned Unit Development (PUD) for a single-family residential project. The Project is located on the southwest corner of Calhoun Street and Avenue 49 in the City of Coachella, California. The site encompasses 39.98 acres and is identified as Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) 612-260-010. The applicant proposes to subdivide the Project site for a future build out of a private, gated residential community containing 257 single-family homes and a public park with a total area of 3.53 acres – 3.13 acres for recreational open space and a 0.40-acre landscaped retention basin.

NOI – Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration

Draft IS Mitigated Negative Declaration with Appendices

Project Description: The proposed project, which is currently within the City’s SOI or General Plan Planning Area, would annex 78 parcels and approximately 374 acres generally bounded by Jackson Street to the west, Avenue 50 to the north, Van Buren Street as the closest street to the east, and Avenue 52 to the south (project site), into the City of Coachella. A portion of this area, known as P7, was added to the City’s General Plan Planning Area in 2023 through a General Plan Amendment. The northern and eastern portions of this area were previously included in the City’s SOI and had land use overlays identified in the 2015 Certified General Plan EIR. The Riverside Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) is the approving agency for the proposed annexation and SOI update and is a responsible agency with regards to this environmental review.

Notice of Intent to Adopt Negative Declaration - Coachella Pocket 7/Mesquite Annexation Project 

Draft Negative Declaration - Coachella Pocket 7/Mesquite Annexation Project 

Connect Coachella Initial Study - Mitigated Negative Declaration

Connect Coachella consists of various proposed active transportation improvements throughout the City of Coachella including crosswalks, bike paths, intersection and roadway improvements.

Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration - Connect Coachella

Coachella Connect Initial Study - Mitigated Negative Declaration

Connect Coachella IS ONLY

Appendix A Connect Coachella CalEEMod Summary Report

Appendix B Connect Coachella Biological Resources assessment_draft

Appendix C Connect Coachella Cultural Report Package

Appendix D Connect Coachella Paleo Report Package

Appendix E Connecting Coachella Hydrology Memorandum

Project Description: The project site consists of the existing Armtec Defense Technologies (Armtec) located at 85901 Avenue 53 in Coachella. The site consists of two parcels totaling approximately 52.65 acres in size. Armtec's existing industrial and manufacturing operations are located on the southern parcel, and the northern parcel contains a ±33,900 SF ground mounted solar grid located on the eastern half of the parcel. The proposed project is Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the three phase Armtec Expansion Master Plan. Phase 1 of the Master Plan, which is not part of the project, was the construction of the solar grid located on the northern parcel and seven solar parking canopies.

In total, the Project proposes 37,800 SF in new storage facilities, 3,000 SF in new research and development/small production facilities, 15,000 SF in new production facilities, a ±73,200 SF truck staging area, and three retention basins. The project also includes off-site improvements adjacent to the site, including the widening and improvements of Tyler Street.

NOI - Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration

Draft IS Mitigated Negative Declaration _ Armtec Expansion Master Plan

Appendix A MMRP

Appendix B CalEEMod Report

Appendix C IPaC Species List

Appendix D ArchaeoPaleo

Appendix E Phase I ESA

Appendix F Prelim Hydro

Appendix G Noise Study

Appendix H Traffic

Project Description: The applicant is proposing to subdivide 19.2 acres of vacant partially land into a 111 single-family residential lot subdivision including up to 81 Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) with a minimum lot size of 4,500 sq. ft. on the west side of Van Buren Street between Avenue 52 and Avenue 51.  The project is proposed as a Planned Unit Development with 2-story homes with 4 different plans ranging from 2,400 sq. ft. to 2,800 sq. ft. with Spanish architectural styles. The project involves a change of zone to apply the Planned Unit Development Overlay zone. 

Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration

Draft IS/Mitigated Negative Declaration – Encanto Housing Project

Project Description: Haagen Co., LLC (applicant) is proposing to develop the Coachella Airport Business Park (proposed project), a mixed-use business park development which includes warehouse space, commercial cannabis-related uses, small businesses, self- and vehicle-storage, a drive thru restaurant and service station/mini mart-related land uses, and an electric substation for Imperial Irrigation District with total building areas of 759,150 sq. ft. located at the Northwest corner of the intersection of State route 86 (SR-86) and Airport Boulevard (Assessor’s Parcel No. 763-330-013, 763-330-018, and 763-330-029) in the City of Coachella (City), in Riverside County, California.

The Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report can be downloaded with the link below:

Notice of Preparation - Coachella Airport Business Park

Coachella Airport Business Park Notice of Availability

Coachella Airport Business Park Draft Environmental Impact Report

Appendix A - NOP and Comment Letters_Combined

Appendix B - AQ Energy GHG and HRA

Appendix C - Biological Resources Assessment

Appendix D - Cultural Resource Investigation

Appendix E1 - Geotechnical Report

Appendix E2 - Paleo Assessment

Appendix E3 - Paleo Addendum

Appendix F1 - Phase I ESA

Appendix F2 - RCALUC Review Letter

Appendix G1 - Preliminary Hydrology Report

Appendix G2 - Preliminary WQMP

Appendix G3 - Water Supply Assessment

Appendix H - Noise Impact Analysis

Appendix I - TIA and VMT

Coachella Housing Element:

The Notice of Intent to Adopt a Negative Declaration and the Draft Initial Study/Negative Declaration can be downloaded with the links below:

Draft IS/Neg Dec

Notice of Intent