Property Maintenance Hours (PMC §9.24.075)

• Allowed: 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Monday–Sunday
• Not Allowed: Government holidays
• Golf & Tennis Facilities (except blowers): 5:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., daily
• Equipment that creates a public nuisance may still be subject to enforcement, even during permitted hours.
• City maintenance activities are exempt.

 Construction Work Hours (PMC §9.24.070)

• October 1 – April 30
  • Monday–Friday: 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
  • Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Sunday & Holidays: Not allowed

• May 1 – September 30
  • Monday–Friday: 5:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
  • Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Sunday & Holidays: Not allowed

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program addresses water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the United States. Learn more about NPDES and how this affects your project by visiting: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) or California State Water Resources Control Board.

Household Hazardous Waste Disposal 

Riverside County operates a permanent Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility, accepting all household hazardous waste. When disposed of improperly (pouring wastes down the drain, on the ground, into storm drains, or putting them out with the trash) this hazardous waste material can affect human health and the environment.

Riverside County Household Hazardous Waste Facility

• Riverside County Website & List of Hazardous Waste Items
• 1100 Vella Road, Palm Springs, Ca 92264
• Operating hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturdays October through May and 7:00 a.m. to noon Saturdays June through September.

• Phone: (760) 776-6450
• Email: PublicWorks@palmdesert.gov

 Permits can be applied for online through the City’s Clariti Portal. Clariti allows applicants to submit materials, track application status, and communicate with City staff in one accessible, centralized system.

• Phone: (760) 776-6430
• Email: dscinfo@palmdesert.gov

Homeowner Associations are now required to annually self-certify the drainage systems within their communities.  Regular maintenance ensures that the drainage systems will be operational when a storm brings flood waters.  The City will perform inspections to assist property managers and homeowners’ associations to identify potential failures in the systems. With regular maintenance and inspections, the storm drains will be working as designed.  This will reduce flooding, damage to roads, and reduce mosquitos.

For more information on the storm water self certification program contact Public Works at:

• Phone: (760) 776-6450
• Email: publicworks@palmdesert.gov

The City provides bi-weekly street sweeping services on all public, residential, and some commercial streets. To find your street sweeping schedule, use the following resources: 

• Interactive Map

Most of the City’s commercial streets fall under the financial responsibility of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) and are swept weekly. 

For more information regarding street sweeping please contact the City's Maintenance Services Division at 760-340-5776.

The Public Works Department oversees the development, operation, and maintenance of the City's transportation infrastructure. The Department designs, installs, and maintains traffic control devices; reviews and resolves traffic-related problems, investigates citizens’ traffic safety concerns, prepares traffic engineering studies, determines speed limits, collects and compiles traffic count data.

Since the City’s incorporation in 1973, new development has been required to place utilities underground. Older neighborhoods may still have overhead poles and wires, which can impact safety, neighborhood appearance, and property values.

The City’s Undergrounding Master Plan (adopted in 2016) outlines how undergrounding projects can move forward. For most existing neighborhoods, this is done through the formation of an Underground Utility Assessment District, where property owners share the cost of improvements.

Option 1: Fast Track

This option forms the assessment district before detailed design is completed, which can shorten the overall timeline.

• A property owner (or group) submits a letter of interest and proposed project area to the Public Works Department
• The City and utility companies review the area and prepare a preliminary cost estimate
• Property owners circulate a petition; at least 70% support is required to proceed (nonbinding)
• City Council considers moving the project forward
• An Engineer’s Report is prepared using preliminary costs
• A public hearing is held and ballots are mailed to property owners
• Property owners vote; approval requires more than 50% support (weighted by assessment amount)
• If approved, the district is formed and design begins afterward
• Design, bidding, and construction follow (design may take 2+ years)

Option 2: Traditional Method

This option completes design first, providing more precise project costs before the vote.

•  A property owner (or group) submits a letter of interest and proposed project area
• The City and utility companies review the area and prepare a preliminary cost estimate
  Property owners circulate a petition; at least 70% support is required to proceed (nonbinding)
• City Council may approve funding to begin detailed design
• Utility companies complete full design of the underground system
• A guaranteed construction cost is developed
• An Engineer’s Report is prepared using final design costs
• A public hearing is held and ballots are mailed to property owners
• Property owners vote; approval requires more than 50% support (weighted by assessment amount)
• If approved, the project proceeds to construction

Costs and Property Owner Responsibilities

Property owners fund the project through assessments. Payment options include:

• Full payment within 30 days (avoids financing costs)
• Financing through bonds (paid over time via property taxes)
• The assessment covers work in the public right-of-way only
• Property owners must complete a private conversion (hiring a licensed electrician) to connect their property to the underground system
• Overhead lines cannot be removed until all properties complete their private conversion

Timeline

Utility undergrounding is a multi-year process. From initial interest to final completion, projects typically take several years (often around 7 years) depending on size and complexity.

A Wide Load Permit must be obtained for any "oversized" vehicle exceeding the legal limits for weight and/or dimension, as defined by the California Vehicle Code (CVC 35783). The City of Palm Desert permit allows the movement of only the vehicle/load described in the approved permit, and only within its city boundaries. Please allow up to three business days for review & approval. There is no fee for this permit. Click here for the Wide Load Permit Application.