Article 15.40 — Palm Desert Municipal Code

DEMOLITION OF BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES

§ 15.40.010. Purpose.¶

The purpose of this chapter is to establish minimum requirements, standards, and processes for the permitting of demolition activities with the necessary safeguards to protect the public against personal injury or property damage and to ensure a timely completion of the demolition or removal and cleanup of the site.

(Ord. 1439, 1/8/2026)

§ 15.40.020. Demolition permit required.¶

A. No person shall demolish, cause to be demolished, or remove any whole building, structure, or any portion of a building, structure, or tenant space within the city without first obtaining a permit.

A structure includes swimming pools, spas, telecommunication facilities or towers, block walls, and retaining walls.

B. All work pertinent to the demolition shall be completed no later than 180 days after the date of permit issuance.
C. A demolition permit is not required for land owned and controlled by the United States of America or by the state of California.
(Ord. 1439, 1/8/2026)

§ 15.40.030. Permit issuance restrictions.¶

No person may demolish a structure unless the person holds a valid state of California Contractor's License authorizing demolition work or is the owner of the real property on which the structure to be demolished is situated.

(Ord. 1439, 1/8/2026)

§ 15.40.040. Construction documentation.¶

To obtain a permit, the applicant shall first file an application with the city of Palm Desert.

The building official may require site and/or floor plans, structural shoring plans, construction site security plans, fugitive dust control plans, construction waste management plans, compaction reporting, and other approvals from outside agencies.

If said building or structure is historically designated or could be considered significant, an additional review is required to ensure compliance with Chapter 29.60 Certificate of Appropriateness Process.

(Ord. 1439, 1/8/2026)

§ 15.40.050. Security required.¶

The building official shall be vested with the authority to require the demolition project to first post a performance bond executed by the property owner, or authorized owner's representative from an approved surety company authorized to do business in the state as surety; or a cash bond

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City of Palm Desert, CA

PALM DESERT CODE

§ 15.40.050

§ 15.40.080

naming the city of Palm Desert as the payee. A security requirement is at the discretion of the building official.

(Ord. 1439, 1/8/2026)

§ 15.40.060. Conditions of security.¶

When required, every performance bond or cash bond shall be conditioned as follows:

A. The performance or cash bond shall be the contract price plus ten percent.
B. All demolition work, clean up, and any necessary site restoration required under said demolition permit shall be completed within 180[??] days from the date of issuance of the permit.
C. The time limit specified may be extended for good and sufficient cause after written request of the principal or surety, before said time limit has expired. The building official shall notify the principal and surety in writing of such time extension and may extend the time limit without the consent of the surety.
D. The city of Palm Desert shall retain the performance bond and shall remain in full force and effect for the duration of the demolition permit and for thirty days thereafter.
E. The building official and the surety, or the duly authorized representative of either, shall have access to the premises described in the relocation permit for the purposes of inspecting the progress of the work.
F. The project shall comply with the requirements of the city of Palm Desert Municipal Code and technical codes that apply to the demolition project.
G. If the city of Palm Desert determines that the applicant has failed to comply with these requirements, the city of Palm Desert shall notify surety of applicant's default, and surety shall either perform the work or shall pay the city of Palm Desert an amount necessary to bring the work into conformance with these requirements.
(Ord. 1439, 1/8/2026)

§ 15.40.070. Procedure upon default.¶

Should the principal fail to comply with the conditions specified in the demolition permit, the building official shall provide written notice of default to both the principal and the surety named in the security bond. The notice of default shall state the conditions of the bond, which have not been complied with, and shall specify the period of time the building official deems to be reasonably necessary for completion of the work. Upon receipt of a notice of default, the surety shall cause the required work to be completed within the time specified and whichever the case the site shall be suitably cleared, cleaned and restored to the satisfaction of the building official. (Ord. 1439, 1/8/2026)

§ 15.40.080. Release of security.¶

A. Performance Bond. When all conditions and requirements of the demolition permit and all applicable laws and ordinances have been completed, the building official shall notify the surety that the bond has been exonerated.
B. Cash Bond. When a cash bond has been posted and all requirements of the relocation

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City of Palm Desert, CA

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

§ 15.40.080

permit have been completed, the building official shall return the cash to the depositor, or to his or her successor or assigns, except any portion thereof that may have been used, cashed, or deducted as provided elsewhere in this chapter.

(Ord. 1439, 1/8/2026)

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City of Palm Desert, CA