If you’re buying, selling, or holding property near Highway 111 in Rancho Mirage, the immediate question is what the proposed plan means for that property. Start with the Planning Division: the available notice does not establish whether any particular property is included or what changes are proposed for it.
The Highway 111 Specific Plan Update would repeal and replace the existing East and West Highway 111 Specific Plans if adopted. Final action belongs to the City Council.
This is general information and not legal advice.
Status as of 23 October 2026: the Planning Commission hearing was noticed for 22 October 2026; the outcome and any City Council date were not verified.
What is being decided?
The city is considering a replacement for its two existing Highway 111 specific plans, with updated land use designations and development standards for 12 planning areas.
The City of Rancho Mirage’s public hearing notice describes a request to consolidate, update, modify the boundaries of, and repeal and replace the East and West plans. It says the proposed plan would guide future development and redevelopment along the corridor.
The notice describes a mix of retail, restaurant, hotel, office, residential, and cultural uses. That description does not identify a proposed use for your property. The draft update, environmental reports, and hearing staff report were not available for this article, so no parcel-specific proposal is described here.
For the general idea of a specific plan, see the Learn article about Lemon Grove’s downtown specific plan. Keep the Rancho Mirage notice and documents at the center of any property check.
What stage has the proposal reached?
The proposal had a Planning Commission public hearing noticed for 22 October 2026 at 2:00 p.m., with final action assigned to the City Council.
The notice identifies four cases:
- Environmental Impact Report Case No. EIR20001
- General Plan Amendment Case No. GPA20001
- General Plan Zoning Map Amendment Case No. GPZMA20001
- Specific Plan Case No. SP20001
The applicant is the City of Rancho Mirage. Use those case numbers when asking for the hearing record or proposed plan documents.
The notice says an Environmental Impact Report was prepared under the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA. It also says a Notice of Determination may be filed with the County of Riverside following final City Council action.
A noticed hearing is not evidence of adoption. Before treating the update as an adopted plan, ask for the record of any action and the documents associated with it.
What area does the notice describe?
The 2026 notice describes an approximately 472-acre project area along the entire length of Highway 111 through Rancho Mirage.
Its general location description places the Whitewater River to the north and the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south. Those broad references do not establish whether a particular property falls within the proposed plan.
There is also an acreage difference to resolve when reviewing the records. The state’s 2020 Notice of Preparation record describes 684 acres and 12 planning areas. The 2022 Draft Environmental Impact Report record also lists 684 acres.
The sources do not explain the difference between those figures and the approximately 472 acres in the 2026 notice. Although the notice says the update modifies boundaries, it does not explain that acreage difference. Ask the Planning Division for the proposed map relevant to your property rather than drawing a boundary from the acreage totals.
What do the existing plans tell you?
The existing East and West plan summaries describe current plan provisions, not the proposed replacement.
The city’s Specific Plans page lists both plans and their executive summaries. Those summaries describe the Highway 111 corridor as approximately four and one-half miles long. The East plan focuses on a one-mile portion known as 111 East.
The West summary describes District 3 as zoned for residential and commercial uses, with attached homes at 5.0 dwelling units per acre. It describes District 4 as zoned for mobile home park, office, and commercial uses. The East summary describes a mix of commercial, residential, and office uses along San Jacinto Drive in Districts 6 and 7.
What should you ask the Planning Division?
Ask whether your property is within the proposed plan area and request the map and standards that support the answer.
Keep the request tied to the property and the four case numbers. Useful questions include whether the proposed map includes the property, which planning area applies, and where to find its proposed land use designation and development standards. Also request the hearing record and any subsequent City Council action.
The notice lists the Planning Division at [email protected] and (760) 328-2266. It says the file, including environmental information, is available for public inspection at City Hall, 69-825 Highway 111, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
If you’re preparing a sale, use the California seller disclosure guide alongside your document review. For a separate question about work on the property, see the unpermitted work disclosure guide. Neither replaces checking the city’s proposed plan documents.
N.’s first reaction to the Highway 111 plan update was that she’d love more places nearby to meet friends for lunch. We talked about that for a bit. Then she paused and said, “Actually, getting out of my driveway is already a pain. Is any of this going to affect that?” That changed what we needed to look for in the proposal. For her, the useful explanation had to connect the corridor plan to access around her property.
What did the notice say about comments?
The notice set an 11:00 a.m. deadline on 22 October 2026 for written testimony to be considered by the Planning Commission.
It directed written testimony to the City Clerk and said the agenda would be posted at least 72 hours before the meeting. That comment deadline has passed.
The notice also carries a Government Code 65009 warning concerning issues raised at the hearing or in written correspondence sufficiently before it. For the current process, ask the city for the hearing record and any later meeting notice.
The short version
The update would replace the East and West Highway 111 Specific Plans if adopted, but the available notice does not answer parcel-specific questions.
Check your property’s inclusion, the proposed map and standards, and the record of city action before relying on the proposal in a purchase or sale.
For a separate look at your property’s value, use the home value tool.
Common questions
Has the Highway 111 Specific Plan Update been adopted?
As of 23 October 2026, the outcome of the noticed Planning Commission hearing and any City Council date were not verified. Final action belongs to the City Council.
What would the update replace?
If adopted, the update would repeal and replace the existing East and West Highway 111 Specific Plans and establish updated land use designations and development standards for 12 planning areas.
How can you check whether a property is included?
Ask the City of Rancho Mirage Planning Division whether the property is within the proposed plan area and which proposed map and standards apply.
Why do the sources show different acreages?
The 2026 hearing notice describes approximately 472 acres, while the 2020 and 2022 state environmental records describe 684 acres. The sources do not explain the difference.
