Population: 52,932
Type of Requirement: Ordinance

Physical Address:
Public Art Department
73510 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92260

Main Contact:
Erica Jimenez, Management Analyst II
Email Erica | (760) 346-0611 ext. 346

Art in Public Places, Palm Desert, California, Municipal Code, Title 4, Chapter 4.10 (2012).

The Code establishes that all individual residential units to be constructed on a lot located in an existing subdivision with a valuation in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) and all private commercial development within the city are subject to a mandatory public art requirement.

Projects may satisfy the requirement by including an on-site work of public art, donating an approved artwork to the city, or paying an in-lieu fee to the art in public places fund. Maintenance and conservation of on-site artwork is the responsibility of the property owner, but if the property owner fails to maintain the artwork, upon reasonable notice, the city may step in to make necessary repairs to the art. Such costs incurred by the city for maintenance of artwork become a lien against the real property.

 The value of the artwork or contribution shall be as follows:

• Individual residential units: one quarter of a percent (0.25%) of the total building valuation in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00);
• All other residential developments, including two (2) or more single-family dwellings being built concurrently in the same tract by the same owner or contractor: one quarter of a percent (0.25%) of the total building valuation; and
• Commercial developments: half of a percent (0.5%) of the total valuation, excluding land acquisition and off-site improvement costs.