Midbar Investment
We own a building in Palm Desert's Service Industrial zone, so we had to learn its rules the practical way: by reading the zoning code line by line to work out who we can lease to. This guide is the plain-English version of what's in there.
The short version
- Service Industrial, or SI, is Palm Desert's business park zone. Professional offices, business support services, warehousing, labs, and auto service are permitted by right.
- General retail is not allowed. Neither are salons, spas, medical offices, banks, grocery or liquor stores, day care centers, or hotels.
- Gyms and studios, indoor car and golf cart sales, vets, and pet boarding need an administrative use permit. Art galleries, art studios, schools, churches, and gas stations need a conditional use permit.
- If a use isn't in the city's table, it isn't permitted unless the Planning Commission decides it is similar to one that is.
What the SI Zone Is For
The code describes SI as the district for traditional business parks: places that make, distribute, research, and service products used in Palm Desert and the communities around it.
It's a small zone. The city's GIS zoning layer shows about 370 acres of SI across roughly 580 parcels, which is around 2.5% of Palm Desert's zoned parcel acreage. Planned Commercial covers about 690 acres and Office Professional about 80. The average SI parcel is a little over half an acre.
How the Use Table Works
Everything comes down to one table in the municipal code, Table 25.16-1. It lists each use and gives it one of four letters for each commercial and industrial zone:
- P Permitted by right. No use permit needed.
- A Needs an administrative use permit, decided by the Zoning Administrator.
- C Needs a conditional use permit, decided by the Planning Commission.
- N Not permitted.
Two things trip people up. First, the list is exclusive. The code says uses that aren't listed are not permitted. Second, each name has a definition in Chapter 25.99, and some of those definitions are narrower than the name suggests.
Every Use in the SI Zone
This is the full SI column of the table, with a plain-English description of each use. To search it, or to compare SI against the city's commercial zones, use our Palm Desert zoning lookup tool.
| Use | In SI | Special provisions |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Uses | ||
| Caretaker housingA residence on a business site for someone who provides security or round-the-clock supervision. Allowed only when it is incidental to a permitted or conditional use on the same site. | Permitted | § 25.16.040A |
| CondominiumResidential uses can be approved only as part of a mixed-use development, with a conditional use permit. | Conditional use permit | § 25.16.040B; Ch. 25.42 |
| Dwelling, duplexResidential uses can be approved only as part of a mixed-use development, with a conditional use permit. | Conditional use permit | § 25.16.040B |
| Dwelling, multifamilyResidential uses can be approved only as part of a mixed-use development, with a conditional use permit. | Conditional use permit | § 25.16.040B; Ch. 25.42 |
| Dwelling, single-familyResidential uses can be approved only as part of a mixed-use development, with a conditional use permit. | Conditional use permit | § 25.16.040B |
| Group homeA facility providing nonmedical residential care, day treatment, adult day care, or foster family agency services. | Conditional use permit | § 25.16.040B; Ch. 25.42 |
| Single-room occupanciesA residential building made up of single-room units, each for one eligible occupant. | Conditional use permit | |
| Homeless shelterShelter housing for people experiencing homelessness. | Permitted | |
| Recreation, Resource Preservation, Open Space, and Public Assembly Uses | ||
| Amusement facility, indoorsIndoor amusement or entertainment for a fee, such as dance halls, ballrooms, and game arcades. Five or more games counts as an arcade. | Not permitted | |
| Amusement facility, outdoorsOutdoor amusement or entertainment for a fee or admission charge. | Not permitted | |
| Community facilityA noncommercial use set up mainly to serve the surrounding community. | Permitted | |
| Day care centerState-licensed care and supervision of children for less than 24 hours a day. | Not permitted | |
| Emergency sheltersShort-term housing and support services for people experiencing homelessness. | Permitted | |
| Entertainment facility, indoorNot separately defined in the code. | Not permitted | |
| Entertainment facility, outdoorNot separately defined in the code. | Not permitted | |
| Institution, educationalPublic or private schools, colleges, and universities qualified by the State Board of Education to give general academic instruction. Trade and vocational schools may be classified differently, so ask Planning. | Conditional use permit | |
| Institution, generalNonprofit, philanthropic, or similar activities that aren't residential, commercial, or industrial. | Conditional use permit | |
| Institution, religiousA church or other religious organization. | Conditional use permit | |
| Open space (developed or natural)Land kept substantially free of structures. | Not permitted | |
| Recreation facility, commercialA for-profit use providing amusement, pleasure, or sport. | Not permitted | |
| Recreation facility, privateA private recreation use that isn't run mainly for profit. | Not permitted | |
| Theater/auditoriumIndoor venues for public assembly and group entertainment: live theaters, concert halls, movie theaters, and exhibition or convention halls. | Not permitted | |
| Utility, Transportation, Public Facility, and Communication Uses | ||
| Commercial communication towerA tower over 35 feet tall, including the antenna, that supports commercial transmitting or receiving equipment. It also has to meet the city's communication tower rules. | Conditional use permit | § 25.16.040C |
| Commercial parking lotAn outdoor parking area that serves commercial businesses. | Not permitted | |
| Public utility installationEquipment and utility infrastructure needed for an individual development. | Permitted | |
| Public facility (utility or service)Government and quasi-government facilities that provide public services, such as municipal buildings and fire or police stations. | Permitted | |
| Utility facilityBuildings, substations, and equipment that serve more than one property with utilities such as electricity and natural gas. | Permitted | |
| Retail, Service, and Office Uses | ||
| Accessory massage establishmentA certified massage business inside a hotel, salon, day spa, athletic club, medical or chiropractic office, or yoga or Pilates studio, earning less than half of that business's revenue. | Not permitted | § 25.34.160 |
| Adult entertainmentSexually oriented businesses. They also have to meet the city's adult entertainment rules. | Conditional use permit | § 25.16.040D |
| Ancillary commercialCommercial sales or operations that are incidental to a site's main use, like a coffee kiosk in an office building. In office and industrial complexes this applies only to complexes of two acres or more, with ancillary uses capped at 25% of leasable floor area. | Admin. use permit | § 25.16.040E |
| Art galleryA place where art is exhibited or sold. | Conditional use permit | |
| Art studioA workplace for teaching or practicing an art. | Conditional use permit | |
| Bed and breakfastA home with a resident family that rents up to five bedrooms for overnight stays. | Not permitted | |
| Business support servicesBusinesses that mainly serve other businesses from inside a building: equipment repair, commercial art and design production, computer rental and repair, copying, printing and blueprinting, indoor equipment rental, film processing, janitorial services, mail advertising, mailbox services, outdoor advertising services, and photofinishing. | Permitted | |
| Cannabis Storefront retailStorefront cannabis sales. Subject to the city's separate cannabis rules. | Not permitted | § 25.34.120 |
| Cannabis testing and research laboratorySubject to the city's separate cannabis rules. | Not permitted | § 25.34.120 |
| Convention and visitors bureauAn organization that markets the area to business and leisure travelers. | Not permitted | |
| DrugstoreRetail sale of prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicine, cosmetics, and related supplies. Includes tobacco stores. | Not permitted | |
| Financial institutionBanks, trust companies, credit agencies, lenders, and investment companies. Includes ATMs. | Not permitted | |
| Grocery storeA self-serve market selling food and household goods. Building size is capped at 10,000 SF in PC-1, 30,000 SF in PC-2, and 60,000 SF in PC-3. | Not permitted | § 25.16.040F |
| Health club, gyms or studiosFitness centers, gyms, and health or athletic clubs, including indoor courts and other indoor sports. | Admin. use permit | |
| HotelA building with six or more guest rooms rented for temporary or overnight stays. | Not permitted | § 25.34.070 |
| Independent stand-alone massageA certified massage business where massage brings in more than half of total revenue. | Not permitted | § 25.34.160 |
| Liquor storeA store that mainly sells alcoholic beverages to take away. | Not permitted | |
| Liquor, beverage and food items shopA store selling a mix of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages and food items. | Not permitted | |
| Medical, clinicA group of doctors providing physical or mental health care without overnight stays. | Not permitted | |
| Medical, officeMedical, dental, surgical, rehabilitation, podiatry, optometry, chiropractic, and psychiatric offices, without overnight stays. | Not permitted | |
| Medical, hospitalHospitals with inpatient beds, an organized medical staff, and full treatment facilities. | Conditional use permit | |
| Medical, laboratoryLabs that do analysis or diagnostics for the medical profession, and labs that make dentures, artificial teeth, and orthodontic appliances for dentists. | Permitted | |
| Medical office, accessoryAllowed only when it is ancillary to and operated with a hotel. | Permitted | § 25.16.040G |
| Medical, research facilityA laboratory used mainly for medical scientific research. | Conditional use permit | |
| MortuaryFuneral preparation and services, including embalming, memorials, and cremation. | Permitted | |
| Office, professionalAdministrative and professional offices: insurance, accounting, law, employment, public relations, advertising, architecture, computer programming, and photography studios. It doesn't cover medical offices or banks. No outdoor storage of materials. | Permitted | |
| Office, local governmentA government agency's administrative or public-contact office, including postal facilities. | Permitted | |
| Office, travel agencyA business that books tickets and reservations for travelers. | Not permitted | |
| Outdoor salesPermanent outdoor sales or rental businesses, where the business isn't run entirely inside a building. | Admin. use permit | |
| Personal servicesNonmedical services for individuals: barber and beauty shops, clothing rental, dry cleaning pick-up, home electronics and small appliance repair, laundromats, shoe repair, tailors, and tanning salons. | Not permitted | |
| RestaurantFood and drink prepared and sold for eating on site: cafes, coffee shops, sandwich shops, ice cream parlors, and fast food. Food and nonalcoholic drinks must be at least 51% of sales. In office and industrial complexes the ancillary commercial rules apply (two-acre minimum, restaurants capped at 10% of leasable floor area). Drive-throughs are limited to certain locations. | Admin. use permit | § 25.16.040E, H |
| RetailSelling goods directly to the end consumer. | Not permitted | |
| Retail, bulky itemsSelling large-sized merchandise. | Not permitted | |
| SpaA business devoted to health, beauty, and relaxation that offers professionally administered cosmetic, therapeutic, or holistic treatments. | Not permitted | |
| Time-share projectA project where buyers get recurring rights to use a unit for set periods. | Not permitted | |
| Veterinary clinics/animal hospitalsMedical or surgical treatment for animals, mainly outpatient. Boarding can be incidental. | Admin. use permit | |
| Pet boardingKeeping four or more dogs or cats over four months old. The code treats "kennel" and "pet boarding" as the same thing. | Admin. use permit | |
| Automobile and Vehicle Uses | ||
| Automotive rental agencyDisplay or rental of cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, mobile homes, RVs, and boats. | Permitted | |
| Automotive gasoline stationRetail fuel sales, with minor repair, a mini-market, and similar services incidental to selling fuel. | Conditional use permit | § 25.34.090 |
| Automotive service facilityVehicle repair and related sales and installation: auto repair, body and fender, wheel and brake, oil change, auto glass, stereo and alarm, and tire shops. No dismantling, salvage, or tire recapping. | Permitted | § 25.34.090 |
| Automotive sales new and used (indoor)Selling or renting new or used cars, boats, vans, campers, trucks, trailers, motorcycles, and similar vehicles entirely inside an enclosed building. No outdoor display. | Admin. use permit | |
| Automotive sales new and used (outdoor)The same vehicle sales and rentals, with outdoor display allowed. | Conditional use permit | |
| Automotive sales of accessory parts and suppliesA store selling only new auto parts, tires, and accessories. No repair work or service bays. | Not permitted | |
| Golf cart, neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) sales (indoor)An indoor showroom selling or renting new or used golf carts, neighborhood electric vehicles, and mopeds. No outdoor display. | Admin. use permit | § 25.34.190 |
| Golf cart, neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) sales (outdoor)Golf cart, NEV, and moped sales or rentals with outdoor display. | Conditional use permit | § 25.34.190 |
| Vehicle storage facilityStorage of operative or inoperative vehicles, tow and impound yards, and bus or RV storage lots. No dismantling. The facility has to be completely screened. | Permitted | § 25.16.040I |
| Industrial, Manufacturing, and Processing Uses | ||
| Cannabis cultivationSubject to the city's separate cannabis rules. | Not permitted | § 25.34.120 |
| Cannabis deliverySubject to the city's separate cannabis rules. | Not permitted | § 25.34.120 |
| Cannabis distributionSubject to the city's separate cannabis rules. | Not permitted | § 25.34.120 |
| Cannabis manufacturingSubject to the city's separate cannabis rules. | Not permitted | § 25.34.120 |
| Industrial planned unit developmentIndustrial parcels developed as one coordinated project under an approved specific plan. | Permitted | |
| Light industrial and research and developmentAs the code defines it, a laboratory used mainly for scientific research that isn't office work: designing, developing, and testing components before they go into production. It doesn't cover fabrication, mass manufacturing, or processing. | Permitted | |
| Maintenance facilityA facility that maintains and repairs vehicles and operational equipment. | Permitted | |
| Pest control facilityA pest control business. | Permitted | |
| Preparation of foodstuffsNot separately defined in the code. In plain terms, preparing food products. Ask Planning whether your operation fits. | Permitted | |
| Production of home and office decor accessoriesNot separately defined in the code. In plain terms, making decorative accessories for homes and offices. Ask Planning whether your operation fits. | Permitted | |
| Warehouse or storage facilityStorage of furniture, household goods, farm products, or other commercial goods. | Permitted | |
Temporary uses are handled separately under Section 25.34.080.
Five Things That Surprise People
1. Retail is out
The code defines retail as selling goods directly to the ultimate consumer, and it is not permitted in SI. Neither is bulky-item retail or an auto parts store. Personal services such as salons, barbers, and dry cleaners are out too.
2. "Showroom" is not a use
There is no showroom row in the table. The only showroom in the code's definitions is indoor golf cart and neighborhood electric vehicle sales. So whether a display space works depends on what the business does. If it sells to walk-in consumers, that's retail. A design firm's sample library, or a display area inside a warehouse or production shop, is a different conversation. Have it with the Planning Division before you sign a lease.
3. There is no general manufacturing row
The zone's purpose statement talks about manufacturing, but the table lists only three production-type uses: light industrial and research and development, preparation of foodstuffs, and production of home and office decor accessories. The code defines the first one as a laboratory for scientific research that doesn't involve fabrication or mass manufacture. If you make something else, ask about a use determination.
4. Medical offices are not allowed, but medical labs are
Medical offices and clinics are not permitted in SI. Medical laboratories, which include dental labs that make dentures and orthodontic appliances, are permitted by right. Medical research facilities and hospitals need a conditional use permit.
5. Restaurants and ancillary sales come with a two-acre rule
The table shows restaurants and ancillary commercial as administrative use permit items. Section 25.16.040E adds the fine print: in office and industrial settings they apply only to complexes of at least two acres. Restaurants can't take up more than 10% of the complex's leasable floor area, and all ancillary commercial together can't exceed 25%. Since the average SI parcel is a little over half an acre, ask the city how it would measure your complex.
How the Permits Work
Administrative use permit
This is the lighter of the two. The code says it is meant for uses that are minor in nature and mostly affect the properties right next door. The Zoning Administrator is the approving authority. The city gives public notice of the application, and the Zoning Administrator has to find that the use is allowed in the zone and complies with the code, that the site suits the use, and that approving it won't harm the public or neighboring properties. Conditions can be attached.
Two escape hatches are worth knowing about. The Zoning Administrator can refer an application to the Planning Commission, and the use table says an administrative use permit can be raised to a conditional use permit based on parking, traffic, or other impacts.
Conditional use permit
The Planning Commission decides these after at least one public hearing. It can approve the application, approve it in a modified form, or deny it, and it can attach conditions covering things like hours of operation, access, landscaping, and signs. The decision becomes final 15 days later unless someone appeals to the City Council. A conditional use permit lapses one year after it takes effect if it hasn't been put to use, though you can ask for a one-year extension before it expires.
Use determination
If your use isn't listed, you can ask in writing for a use determination, with a detailed description of what you plan to do. Staff compares your use to the listed ones and reports to the Planning Commission, which decides whether it is similar enough to be treated as a permitted or conditional use. The code is clear that this isn't a way to add brand-new uses to the list. That takes a code amendment.
We haven't listed fees or timelines because they change. The Planning Division can give you both.
Operating Rules Inside the Zone
A permitted use still has to be a good neighbor. The code sets performance standards for everything in SI:
- Noise is measured at the lot line, with decibel limits by frequency band. The limits are stricter at the edge of a residential district.
- Vibration from any machine or process is capped at 0.003 of an inch of displacement at the lot line.
- Glare and heat can't be produced beyond the lot line, and a business can't emit toxic gases or matter that damage health, animals, plants, or property.
- Trash stored outside has to be in enclosed containers, and not in the front or side yards.
- Lighting has to be shielded and aimed so it doesn't shine on streets or neighbors.
Development Standards
If you're buying or building rather than leasing, these are the base standards for the SI zone from Table 25.16-5.
| Standard | SI zone |
|---|---|
| Minimum lot size | 20,000 SF |
| Minimum lot width and depth | 100 feet each |
| Front yard setback | 20 feet |
| Side yard setback | 0 feet interior, 10 feet exterior. At least 10 feet next to or across the street from residential zoning. |
| Street side yard setback | 10 feet |
| Rear yard setback | 0 feet. At least 25 feet next to or across the street from residential zoning. |
| Maximum floor area ratio | 0.75 |
| Maximum height | 40 feet, 3 stories |
Parking, landscaping, and sign rules live in other chapters of the zoning code and apply on top of these.
How to Check a Property Before You Commit
- Confirm the zone. Look up the parcel on the city's interactive zoning map. Listing sites get this wrong more often than you'd think.
- Find your use in the table. Our zoning lookup searches it for you.
- Read the definition. Check Chapter 25.99 and any special provision the table points to.
- Ask Planning. The Planning Division is at City Hall, 73510 Fred Waring Drive, and the main city line is 760-346-0611. If a lease or a purchase depends on the answer, get it in writing.
Our SI Property
Our building at 42650 Melanie Place is in the SI zone, in the Cook Street business area. It's a 31,428 SF flex/industrial property with office, warehouse, and showroom space, and it's why we know this table as well as we do.
We have a 2,585 SF creative office and showroom unit available for lease at 42650 Melanie Place. View the available space or get in touch.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Zoning codes change, and the city decides how a specific business is classified. Sources: Palm Desert Municipal Code Chapter 25.16 (Sections 25.16.020 through 25.16.050, with Table 25.16-1 as amended through Ordinance 1454, July 9, 2026), Sections 25.64.040, 25.72.020, and 25.72.050, and Chapter 25.99. Acreage figures are from the City of Palm Desert GIS zoning layer. All checked October 9, 2026.