Local zoning · Indian Wells

Indian Wells — Parking

Q: How many parking spaces does a single‑family home in Indian Wells need?

Indian Wells requires two (2) off‑street spaces per detached single‑family home, and these are expected to be within an attached garage as defined in the code (see § 21.100.020 ) .

Q: What is the parking requirement for an office building in Indian Wells?

Office uses are set at one (1) parking space per 250 sq. ft. of gross floor area under the City’s off‑street parking schedule ( § 21.100.020 ) .

Q: Do hotels and resorts have different parking rules?

Yes. Hotels/resorts are calculated at 1.2 spaces per guest room for the first 50 rooms and 0.90 spaces per guest room for rooms above that threshold; dining area parking is computed separately (see § 21.100.020 ) .

Q: Are there rules for loading docks and service areas?

Yes. Required loading spaces must be paved with 6 inches of concrete and be at least 10 ft wide × 35 ft long × 14 ft high (exclusive of driveways) to avoid interference with streets or alleys (loading standards in the parking chapter) .

Q: Does Indian Wells require bicycle parking?

A numeric local bicycle‑parking table was Not found in retrieved materials in the Zoning Code. Bicycle parking and long/short‑term bicycle parking requirements are established by CalGreen/Title 24 at the building‑permit level; coordinate with the Building Division to apply state requirements where applicable (CalGreen references) .

Q: How much guest parking must multifamily projects provide?

The Zoning Code requires one (1) guest parking space per four (4) dwelling units unless guest parking is available on private streets; multifamily garage rules and guest ratios appear in § 21.100.020 .

Q: Can the City reduce the number of required parking spaces for a commercial project?

Yes — but only modestly. In Commercial and Resort Commercial zones the Community Development Director may approve up to a 5% reduction in required parking/loading through the Administrative Relief process if safety and circulation are not adversely affected ( § 21.06.090 ) .

Parking under the Indian Wells local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

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Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the City of Indian Wells' zoning/planning ordinance requires for parking, off‑street parking design, loading areas, guest parking, and related lot design. It is grounded in the City Zoning Code (Chapters clustered at Title 21) and related municipal references; where the local ordinance is silent on a topic (for example, bicycle parking or some EV requirements) I note that and point to the state standards. Read this before preparing site plans or a Conditional Use/Design Review package.

The city treats parking as a site-design requirement (plot plans, landscaping, surfacing and aisle/stall dimensions) enforced at zoning compliance/design review and, for reductions, through the Administrative Relief and City Council processes (§ 21.100.020; § 21.06.090) . See the city's rules on design review and development standards for related review steps.

How to read citations on this page

Each rule below is tied to the Zoning Code paragraph that controls it (for example, § 21.100.020). Where the local code does not address an item I say "Not found in retrieved materials" and (if available) point to the California code that does.

District-by-district breakdown (where the Zoning Code ties parking rules to districts)

The City’s parking requirements are primarily stated in Chapter 21.100 and applied across zones; zone-specific sections reference those standards or add bespoke rules. Below I translate the ordinance into district-focused practical summaries and point to the controlling local § for each requirement.

Note: many Indian Wells zones are abbreviated on planning maps (for example, CC = Community Commercial, RC = Resort Commercial, OP = Office Professional, various residential designations). The Zoning Code applies the Chapter 21.100 standards citywide while particular zone chapters reference those standards for plan review and special rules — see the zone excerpts cited below.

Residential (single‑family and multi‑family)

Purpose & typical uses: single‑family homes, duplexes, and multi‑family developments; rules focus on providing on‑site parking and preventing RV/boat parking on streets.
Key parking standards:
- Single‑family detached: two (2) spaces per unit, located within a garage attached to the structure (§ 21.100.020) .
- Multiple dwellings (multifamily): a two (2)‑car garage for studios/one‑bedroom units; for two or more bedrooms, two (2)‑car garage plus 0.5 guest spaces per unit (§ 21.100.020) .
- Guest parking: one (1) guest space per four (4) units unless guest parking is provided on private streets (§ 21.100.020) .
- Multifamily cluster projects: parking must be on site, garage/common parking may be up to 100 feet from the unit it serves (measured from nearest building point) (§ 21.100.030) .
- RVs, boats and similar storage in front/side driveways are restricted per § 21.100.020 parking restrictions (verify with Covenants/HOA) .
Where it applies: all Residential zones; additional, zone‑specific parking and setbacks may be in chapters such as § 21.29.120 (specific multifamily/retirement community standards) .

Community Commercial (CC)

Purpose & uses: shopping centers, retail, restaurants, service businesses.
Key parking standards: commercial rates are set by use and applied citywide (examples):
- Retail/Service: 1 space / 250 sq. ft. gross floor area (§ 21.100.020) .
- Restaurants (free‑standing): 1 space / 3 seats or 1 / 50 sq. ft. up to 4,000 sq. ft., then 1 / 80 sq. ft. for area above 4,000 sq. ft. (§ 21.100.020) .
- Shared/joint parking may be permitted with Community Development Director approval where hours differ; but the base sum-of-uses rule applies unless shared use is proven viable (§ 21.100.020) .
Design & review: plan of development, parking adequacy and landscaping must conform to Title 11 (Municipal Parking Standards & Design) and receive ALC/design review approval (§ 21.30.090; § 21.36.090) .

Resort Commercial (RC)

Purpose & uses: hotels, resort facilities, golf clubs, recreation complexes.
Key parking standards:
- Hotels/resorts: 1.2 spaces per guest room for the first 50 rooms; 0.90 per room thereafter; dining/restaurant spaces have separate ratios (example: 1 / 6 seats or 1 / 200 sq. ft.) (§ 21.100.020 & related tables) .
- Golf courses/driving ranges: 6 spaces per hole and 1 space per driving‑range tee in addition to on‑site use parking (§ 21.100.020) .
- Landscaping exceptions for parking lot shading palettes can be made by City Council in Resort Commercial zones (§ 21.100.030) .
Relief: in Commercial and Resort Commercial zones, up to 5% reduction in required parking/loading may be approved via Administrative Relief (§ 21.06.090) .

Office Professional (OP)

Purpose & uses: professional and administrative offices.
Key parking standard: 1 space / 250 sq. ft. gross floor area for offices (§ 21.100.020) .
Plan review: office zone development submittals must demonstrate adequate parking and conformance with parking design standards and obtain design review/ALC approval (§ 21.36.090) .

Multifamily "cluster‑type" and Senior housing (special residential types)

Special ratios: Independent living: 1.5 spaces per unit (with guest and employee ratios); Congregate senior housing: 0.5 spaces per unit plus guest/employee standards — see § 21.29.120 for the full breakdown (§ 21.29.120) .
Loading: cluster and senior projects must provide adequate loading spaces (paved 10' × 35' × 14' minimum) (§ 21.29.120; § 21.100 design requirements) .

Public/Community Facilities and Sports Complex (SPX)

Public facilities: parking often computed per active recreational area (example: 1 space / 8,000 sq. ft. active recreation plus 1 / acre passive area) (§ 21.100.020) .
Sports complex (e.g., Indian Wells Tennis Gardens): special specific plans may set parking allocations; where not, Chapter 21.100 and any applicable Specific Plan apply — see planning area / specific plan citations (e.g., Planning Area 7 / SPX references) (§ 21.47 and related planning area text) .

Key design, surfacing and access standards (applies across zones)

Stall and aisle geometry: minimum aisle maneuvering dimension 25 ft; stall sizes vary by use (hotel/resort stalls 9' × 18', some hotel/office free‑standing stalls 10' × 20') — alternative designs can be considered by the Community Development Director subject to Council approval (§ 21.100.030) .
Tandem parking is not permitted (§ 21.100 design standards) .
Accessible/handicapped parking: number, layout and signage standards are specified (van spaces, signage, pavement markings). Handicapped stalls count toward required totals; minimums vary based on total spaces provided (see table in Chapter) (§ 21.100 handicapped rules) .
Loading areas: each required loading space must be paved with 6” concrete, and be at least 10 ft wide × 35 ft long × 14 ft high (exclusive of driveways) (§ 21.100 design standards / loading area) .
Surfacing: parking areas and access drives must be paved — thickness and surfacing type depend on residential vs commercial and are specified in § 21.100 (e.g., 3½" concrete/asphalt on approved base for commercial/attached residential) (§ 21.100 surfacing rules) .
Landscaping & shading: tree and landscape area minimums apply to parking lots: one 24" box tree per 4 parking spaces; percent landscaped and shading targets scale with lot size (5%–10% landscaped; 30–50% shading targets over 15 years) (§ 21.100.030) .
Plot plan / design review: any off‑street parking facility (except 1–2 family residences) requires a plot plan showing stalls, handicapped stalls, landscape islands, lighting and dimensions prior to constructing lots of 6 stalls or more (§ 21.100.040) .
Gated access / stacking analysis: gates across driveways/private streets require Community Development Director approval and a vehicle stacking analysis (§ 21.100.060) .

Decision‑relevant table (quick reference)

Topic	Requirement / Typical Ratio	Code Reference
Single‑family detached parking	2 spaces / unit (in attached garage)	§ 21.100.020
Multifamily parking	2‑car garage for studio/1BR; 2‑car + 0.5 guest for ≥2BR; 1 guest per 4 units	§ 21.100.020
Office	1 space / 250 sq. ft. gross floor area	§ 21.100.020
Restaurant (free‑standing)	1 / 3 seats or 1 / 50 sq. ft. (≤4,000 sf); 1 / 80 sf for excess	§ 21.100.020
Hotel / Resort	1.2 / guest room for first 50 rooms; 0.90 / room thereafter; restaurants separately calculated	§ 21.100.020
Golf course	6 spaces / hole; 1 / driving range tee	§ 21.100.020
Loading space minimum	10' × 35' × 14', 6" concrete	§ 21.100 (loading)
Landscaping (parking lots)	1 tree / 4 spaces; 5–10% landscaped area; shading targets	§ 21.100.030
Administrative reduction	Up to 5% parking/loading reduction in Commercial/Resort Commercial via Admin Relief	§ 21.06.090

Bicycle parking, EV charging and state code interaction

The Indian Wells zoning/planning materials I was provided do not contain an express local bicycle parking requirement. Statement: Not found in retrieved materials for local bicycle parking standards in the Zoning Code; the Zoning Code requires site plans to show bicycle and pedestrian circulation for Conditional Use/Design Review submittals, but does not set a numeric bicycle parking table that I could find (§ 21.06.040; § 21.06.040(b)(3)) .
California standards (CalGreen / Title 24) do contain short‑term and long‑term bicycle parking and EV readiness/charging rules; those state rules apply for building permits where the Building Department enforces Title 24. See the imported CalGreen excerpts referencing bicycle parking and EV rules (short‑term/long‑term bicycle parking in Division 5.1 of CalGreen) .
Practical guide: follow the City's zoning parking counts first (Chapter 21.100). For bicycle parking and EV charging readiness you must comply with the applicable California Building Standards/CalGreen at permit stage; verify with the Building Department and include CalGreen compliance on the plan set when required (Verify with the jurisdiction) .

Checklist (what an applicant must show / satisfy to demonstrate compliance)

Provide parking count calculations by use showing how totals were derived and any shared‑use assumptions (sum‑of‑uses unless shared use approved) — § 21.100.020 .
Show all parking stalls, handicapped stalls, aisles and dimensions on the site/plot plan (clear stall width/length and 25 ft minimum aisle) — § 21.100.040; § 21.100.030 .
Include loading area(s) sized 10' × 35' × 14' and paved 6" concrete where required — § 21.100 loading .
Show parking lot landscaping: tree planters, percent landscaped and shading schedule (tree = 1 / 4 parking spaces) — § 21.100.030 .
Surfacing specification for drives/parking (3.5" min for commercial/attached) and grading/drainage plan for lots ≥6 cars (drainage to public storm systems, not sidewalks) — § 21.100.030 .
Accessible stalls layout and signage per the local chapters (count and location) — § 21.100 accessible parking rules .
If off‑site parking is proposed, obtain City Council approval and provide the required written agreement and pedestrian access analysis — § 21.100.030(a)(4) .
If reducing parking/loading in a commercial or resort commercial project, submit an Administrative Relief request (max 5%) with findings — § 21.06.090 .
For projects subject to design review, include parking, circulation, landscape, lighting and loading details in the design packet — § 21.60 (design review) .
For bicycle parking or EV readiness, document CalGreen/Title 24 compliance on building permit plans (where applicable) — CalGreen references (state) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Bicycle parking numbers absent	City Zoning Code copies provided do not include a local bicycle parking schedule; CalGreen requires bicycle parking at building permit stage	Verify bicycle parking minimums with the Building Division and reference CalGreen/Title 24 requirements; confirm if the City applies a local bicycle standard (Not found in retrieved materials)
Off‑site parking requests	Off‑site parking requires City Council approval and a binding agreement; denied requests can derail a project	Confirm feasibility early (proximity, pedestrian access, maintenance bonds) and prepare the required inter‑party agreement (§ 21.100.030(a)(4))
Administrative Relief (5% reduction cap)	Small flexibility exists but limited to 5% in Commercial/Resort Commercial zones — insufficient for major shortfalls	Budget for full code parking and only rely on Administrative Relief for marginal shortfalls; if seeking greater reduction, prepare a parking study and Conditional Use/City Council justification (§ 21.06.090)
EV charging / CalGreen overlap	Zoning code sets parking counts; state standards impose EV/bicycle/charging readiness at permit stage — potential extra space/layout constraints	Early coordination with Building Division to integrate CalGreen EV/ADU rules into parking lot and electrical plans (CalGreen cited)
Guest parking calculation vs HOA/private streets	Guest parking can be on private streets if allowed; disputes with HOAs can create noncompliance	Verify private street agreements and HOA CC&Rs; show guest parking on plans or provide proof of private street accommodation (§ 21.100.020)

Plain‑English summary

Indian Wells requires on‑site off‑street parking sized by use (houses: 2 spaces; offices: 1/250 sf; restaurants and hotels have use‑specific ratios). All non‑residential parking lots must meet design, surfacing, landscaping, accessible stall and loading area standards; plot plans and design review are required for most projects, and the city allows only limited (up to 5%) reductions in commercial zones. Where the local code is quiet (notably bicycle parking), state rules such as CalGreen/Title 24 will apply at permit stage — verify with the Building & Planning Departments (§ 21.100.020; § 21.06.090) .

Source References

Indian Wells Zoning Code — Off‑street parking (purpose, applicability, residential & commercial parking tables): § 21.100.020
Indian Wells Zoning Code — Parking standards; landscaping / screening for parking lots: § 21.100.030
Indian Wells Zoning Code — Design review requirements for parking lots, plot plan submittal and gated access: § 21.100.040; § 21.100.050; § 21.100.060
Indian Wells Zoning Code — Loading area minimum size and surfacing requirements: (loading design text) (loading area)
Indian Wells Zoning Code — Administrative Relief (parking/loading reductions, limits): § 21.06.090
Indian Wells Zoning Code — Multifamily and senior housing parking details: § 21.29.120
Indian Wells Zoning Code — Design review considerations and required plan contents (including bicycle & pedestrian circulation on CUP submittals): § 21.06.040; § 21.60
Indian Wells Zoning Code — Accessible parking rules (handicapped spaces): accessible parking table and signage rules (Chapter parking design) (handicapped stalls)
California Green Building Standards Code (CalGreen) — bicycle parking, EV readiness and additional site/parking planning requirements (state code; used for building permits / Title 24 enforcement)

Internal city menu pages referenced in the text (first appearance of each topic is hyperlinked to the city resource in the body):

Sources

Retrieved passages

Indian Wells Zoning Code (Section shall) High relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code (§ 21.100.020.) High relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code Medium relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code (§ 21.08.370.) Medium relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code Medium relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code Medium relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code (Section shall) Medium relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code (§ 21.29.070.) Medium relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code (§ 21.47.040.) Medium relevance
CGBSC § 5.106.3.1 (Section 5.106.3.1) Medium relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code Medium relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code (§ 7) Medium relevance
Indian Wells Zoning Code Medium relevance

Cited sections

Official Indian Wells code library

Frequently asked questions

How many parking spaces does a single‑family home in Indian Wells need?

Indian Wells requires two (2) off‑street spaces per detached single‑family home, and these are expected to be within an attached garage as defined in the code (see § 21.100.020) .

What is the parking requirement for an office building in Indian Wells?

Office uses are set at one (1) parking space per 250 sq. ft. of gross floor area under the City’s off‑street parking schedule (§ 21.100.020) .

Do hotels and resorts have different parking rules?

Yes. Hotels/resorts are calculated at 1.2 spaces per guest room for the first 50 rooms and 0.90 spaces per guest room for rooms above that threshold; dining area parking is computed separately (see § 21.100.020) .

Are there rules for loading docks and service areas?

Yes. Required loading spaces must be paved with 6 inches of concrete and be at least 10 ft wide × 35 ft long × 14 ft high (exclusive of driveways) to avoid interference with streets or alleys (loading standards in the parking chapter) .

Can I locate required parking off‑site?

Off‑site required parking is allowed only with City Council approval; the off‑site facility must be proximate, provide good pedestrian access and be governed by a written agreement satisfactory to the City (see § 21.100.030(a)(4)) .

Does Indian Wells require bicycle parking?

A numeric local bicycle‑parking table was Not found in retrieved materials in the Zoning Code. Bicycle parking and long/short‑term bicycle parking requirements are established by CalGreen/Title 24 at the building‑permit level; coordinate with the Building Division to apply state requirements where applicable (CalGreen references) .

How much guest parking must multifamily projects provide?

The Zoning Code requires one (1) guest parking space per four (4) dwelling units unless guest parking is available on private streets; multifamily garage rules and guest ratios appear in § 21.100.020 .

Can the City reduce the number of required parking spaces for a commercial project?

Yes — but only modestly. In Commercial and Resort Commercial zones the Community Development Director may approve up to a 5% reduction in required parking/loading through the Administrative Relief process if safety and circulation are not adversely affected (§ 21.06.090) .

Are there landscaping or shading rules for parking lots?

Yes. Parking lots must include landscaping and shading (for example, one 24" box tree per 4 parking spaces and scaling targets for percent landscaped and shading over 15 years); Resort Commercial zones may obtain Council waivers for specific plant palettes (§ 21.100.030) .

What plans/documents do I need to submit for parking with a Conditional Use Permit or Design Review?

A complete submittal must show site plans with building locations, parking areas, circulation, loading/service areas, bicycle and pedestrian circulation, and landscape plans. The City’s design review rules (Chapter 21.60) spell out required plan content and review considerations (§ 21.06.040(b)(3); § 21.60.080) .

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