Desert HOA Communities December 25, 2023

The Lumen Residential Community Being Built in Palm Springs

Palm, Springs, CA

Just down the block from the Taquitz River Golf Courses at 34th Avenue close to Dinah Shore Dr is a new development being built in Palm Springs.

The Lumen is now selling new homes on fee simple land starting in the $700,000s. According to their website, “The Lumen Palm Springs offers a limited collection of 41 modern living spaces with a community pool and spa to enhance the Palm Springs lifestyle.”

With four floor plans, buyers get to choose from one and two story homes starting at 1834 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths to 2483 square feet with an optional 4th bedroom and 2 1/2 baths.

 

(Map of homesites at Lumen)

Residence 1

  • 1,834 sq. ft.
  • Single story home
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Imagination room or optional 3rd bedroom
  • 2 baths
  • Great room
  • Two car garage

Residence 2

  • 2,338 sq. ft.
  • Two story home
  • Dual primary suites
  • Imagination area or optional 3rd bedroom
  • 2½ baths
  • Great room
  • Two car garage

Residence 3

  • 2,483 sq. ft.
  • Paired two story home
  • 3 bedrooms
  • Imagination room or optional 4th bedroom
  • 2½ baths
  • Great room
  • Dining room
  • Two car garage

Residence 4

  • 2,295 sq. ft.
  • Single story home
  • 3 bedrooms
  • Office or optional 4th bedroom
  • 2½ baths
  • Great room
  • Dining area
  • Two car garage
Desert HOA Communities December 16, 2023

New Home Designs Revealed for Cotino, the First Storyliving by Disney Community

License: 02225444 CA

Rancho Mirage, CA

The Coachella Valley was a beloved longtime retreat for Walt Disney who owned a home in Smoke Tree Ranch in Palm Springs, serving as a tranquil retreat for Disney and his family. Now in greater Palm Springs, specifically on 618 acres in Rancho Mirage, is the setting for Cotino, the first Storyliving by Disney new-home community. The Sales Office is complete and about to open, setting the stage for presales to begin. As part of the current pre-sales launch, Storyliving by Disney is sharing the community’s initial home designs including floorplans, elevations and information about the homebuying process.

Walt Disney at the Desert Circus in 1954

“Today marks an important next step toward fulfilling our vision for Storyliving by Disney as we bring our company’s legacy of placemaking, attention to detail and guest service to life like never before,” said Claire Bilby, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Signature Experiences Emerging Businesses. “The Cotino community will celebrate everything Walt Disney loved about this valley – stunning landscape, rich history, friendly neighbors and a rejuvenating spirit – all while adding extra touches of magic only Disney can deliver. We can’t wait for residents to experience this special place where they will be inspired to live their very best lives.”

While Disney has already announced three initial home developers for the project, Woodbridge Pacific Group, Davidson Communities, and Shea Homes, the initial sales release begins with a very limited selection of single-family homes from builder Shea Homes. Buyers of all ages will have access to several options, with a special area called Longtable Park dedicated to 55+ adults. Shea Homes will offer floorplans specifically designed for the Cotino community on 50- and 60-foot-wide home sites. On the 50-foot home sites, part of the Cottage Collection, there are three different floorplans with one- and two-story models ranging from approximately 2,260 – 2,820 square feet. On the 60-foot home sites, part of the Grand Collection, there are four different floorplans with one- and two-story models ranging from approximately 2,780 – 3,730 square feet. Floorplans feature designs with flex and loft spaces while also encouraging indoor-outdoor living with entry courtyards and covered terraces. Home prices according to Disney start in the upper one million price range.

Davidson Communities and Woodbridge Pacific Group will release additional single-family home sites throughout 2024.

Design from Shea Homes within the Cotino Aspirion design collection. (Disney)
Design from Shea Homes within the Cotino Aspirion design collection. (Disney)
Design from Shea Homes within the Cotino Oasis design collection. (Disney)

Homebuyers can choose from elevations within four distinct design collections – Cotino Coachella Collection, Cotino Agrarian Collection, Cotino Oasis Collection and Cotino Aspiron Collection – that represent the rich history and landscape of the greater Palm Springs area. Walt Disney Imagineering provided the architectural and aesthetic inspiration for each design collection including direction on color palettes, exterior elements and landscaping.

The Cotino community’s first phase will begin with a very limited release from Shea Homes and eventually include 327 home sites as well as a collection of parks and landscaped walking paths. The community has plans for more than 1,900 total residential units, including additional single-family homes and future condominiums.

Public and Private Amenities

 

Located near the first phase of residential development along Cotino Bay, plans for the community’s town center are currently underway, expected to open in phases beginning in 2026 and include shops and restaurants.

The town center will also be home to a professionally managed beach park, known as Cotino Bay Beach, where those living in or visiting Greater Palm Spring can swim, kayak and more with the purchase of a day pass. The public beach park which will feature clear turquoise water utilizing Crystal Lagoons technology.

According to multiple staff members at the Disney Cotino sales office when presented with criticism by some Coachella Valley residents weary of building Cotino Bay Beach in the Desert, they stated that although the Crystal Lagoons technology is proprietary, part of its benefits is to decrease the evaporation of the water. It was also mentioned that Disney’s Storyliving Community’s water management plan fits well within the standards of the Coachella Valley water district and that Cotino Bay will ultimately be utilizing less ongoing water than a golf course many recreationally play on across the Coachella Valley.

Physical Rendering of Public Beach Access at Cotino Storyliving By Disney Community

The Cotino community will offer a voluntary Artisan Club which costs an initial $20,000 investment then $11,000 a year offering an array of amenities and experiences infused with the Disney touch and service. Initially, Artisan Club memberships will only be available to Cotino community homeowners. A limited number of non-resident memberships may be available in the future. The Artisan Club will include a restaurant, pool, pickleball and tennis courts, and waterfront bar and activity area. The club will be located along Cotino Bay where members will be able to enjoy the bay with access to kayaks and paddle boards. The club will also be home to the Parr House, designed to look like the Parr family home in Disney and Pixar’s “Incredibles 2.” It is a multi-functional space that will be available for members to attend club-hosted events.

Physical Rendering of the Parr House at the Cotino Sales Office

For more information on Cotino, the First Storyliving by Disney Community, click here.

Eric Gray’s DRE License 02225444 CA
Leased Land December 16, 2023

New to Palm Springs and Buying a Home? A Short History Lesson on Leased Land

(Tahquitz Canyon, Preserved Land Owned By Agua Caliente Band Of Indians)

License: 02225444 CA

Palm Springs, CA

The history of leased land in Palm Springs, California started in the late 1800’s when Pacific railroad started laying down tracks between Los Angeles, California and Yuma, Arizona. In 1876, the United States government deeded 52,000 acres of land to the Agua Caliente Band of Indians in the Coachella Valley. 6,700 of those acres are in Palm Springs.

As a result, it is estimated that over 23,000 residential properties are on leased land in the Coachella Valley. In Leased Land, a landowner within the Agua Caliente Band of Indians owns the land underneath the property.

Fee Land is the typical standard across the United States where the homeowner owns the land underneath the structure of the property.

The result is a checkboard type pattern divided into one square mile sections of both fee land and leased land across Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. The US Government deeded every other section to the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation. An example, can be found on this map:

The concept of leased land in Palm Springs further emerged in the mid-20th century as a means to promote real estate development and attract investors to the area. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians have played a significant role in the economic development of leased land in Palm Springs with viable projects recently built such as: The Spa at Sec-He and Agua Caliente Cathedral City

Many of the existing leases are long term spanning from 25 to 99 years and this information including the expiration year of the lease can certainly be provided to you when buying a home. These lease agreements provide individuals with the opportunity to buy existing homes, and build new homes, resorts, and commercial establishments on the leased land.

Over the years, the land use policies surrounding leased land in Palm Springs have evolved and in 1977, the Tribe and the City of Palm Springs for instance signed agreements allowing both entities to work closely together on reservation lands.. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians continue to work with local authorities and homeowners to update lease agreements, renew leases, address legal concerns, and ensure mutually beneficial arrangements for both the tribe and lessees.