Desert Hot Springs · Land use · Church or place of worship
Where is a church or other place of worship allowed in Desert Hot Springs?
In Desert Hot Springs, a church or other place of worship is needs a conditional use permit in 13 (R-RD, R-L, R-M, R-H, C-G and 8 more) and not allowed in 2 (Desert Hot Springs use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Needs a permit: R-RD, R-L, R-M, R-H, C-G, C-D, C-H, C-BP and 5 more
- Not allowed: C-N and I-E
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Desert Hot Springs Municipal Code use tables (read October 2026). Base zones only. General information, not legal advice — check with the city before you apply.
Zones where a church or other place of worship can go
Desert Hot Springs's code calls this use “Religious Assembly Facilities”. Each row links to the use table it comes from. A zone marked “see note” has a condition in the code, for example upper floors only or a larger lot.
| Zone | Status | Code |
|---|---|---|
| R-RD | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.08.030 |
| R-L | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.08.030 |
| R-M | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.08.030 |
| R-H | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.08.030 |
| C-G Commercial General | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.12.020 |
| C-D Downtown Commercial | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.12.020 |
| C-H | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.12.020 |
| C-BP | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.12.020 |
| MU-N | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.14.020 |
| MU-C | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.14.020 |
| I-L | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.16.020 |
| VS-M Visitor-Serving Medium | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.18.020 |
| VS-C Visitor-Serving Commercial | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.18.020 |
Zones where it is not allowed
What else applies
- "Public Assembly Facilities" is separate and not used.
- State law: Federal law (RLUIPA) bars zoning rules that treat religious assembly worse than other assembly uses.
- Not covered here: Specific plan tables (S13-S17: Desert Gateway, Coachillin', Planning areas PA-1/PA-2, Desert Storage, Pierson Commercial) treated as non-base; SPA-1-02 district (S8) and PD district (S9): uses by list or case by case; Public Use Districts: zone code not given in the text; Zone names for all base codes are not stated in the packet. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Desert Hot Springs
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a church or other place of worship in the R-RD zone in Desert Hot Springs?
Only with a conditional use permit. Desert Hot Springs's use table lists it that way in R-RD (§ 17.08.030).
Can I have a church or other place of worship in the C-N zone in Desert Hot Springs?
No. Desert Hot Springs's use table does not allow it in C-N (Commercial Neighborhood) (§ 17.12.020).
General information, not legal advice.
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