Palm Springs Historic Home Designation: What Owners Should Know

In Palm Springs, "historic" can be a legal status, not just a nice way to describe an old house. If you own or are buying a designated home, the documents that matter say what the city designated, why, and how changes will be reviewed.

What designation means

The city recognizes Class 1 and Class 2 historic resources, and the City Council makes the designation. The city's designation procedures say the council may designate resources that show exceptional historical significance under the city's criteria.

Both classes appear on the city's list of designated historic properties. Neither one means "anything goes" with a remodel. The exact difference between the two classes is set out in the code and in each house's own designation report, so start there rather than with a listing description.

Designation is also different from being "potentially eligible." The city's historic properties page separates designated resources from buildings that might qualify and from other older buildings.

The photo above is the Kramer Residence in the Movie Colony, designed by James McNaughton in 1963. The City Council approved it as a Class 1 Historic Resource on January 9, 2020, according to the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation.

Which changes get reviewed

The city publishes a review table for designated properties:

• Major alterations need a major Certificate of Appropriateness, reviewed by the Historic Site Preservation Board.
• Minor alterations need a minor Certificate of Appropriateness, reviewed by the Historic Preservation Officer.
• Demolition requests go to the board.

What counts is the work itself, not whether a contractor calls it a refresh. The city's definitions describe an alteration broadly: exterior details, paint color, surface texture, additions, paving, walls, fences, light fixtures and landscape features can all count.

So a project that sounds small, like replacing a window opening, changing a wall finish or redoing the front walk, can involve more than an ordinary building permit. The table also sets specific thresholds for what makes an alteration major, and those depend on the house's elevations, footprint and the scope of the work.

The Mills Act is separate

Palm Springs does take part in the Mills Act property tax program. The city's historic resources page says it is accepting applications through its online portal.

The city describes the program as a way to direct property tax savings into restoring, rehabilitating and maintaining historic property. It is a separate contract with its own application and checklist. Designation does not automatically lower a tax bill, and there is no standard savings figure that applies to every house.

If a house already has a Mills Act contract, read the agreement itself; it lists the preservation work the owner has committed to. Eligibility for a new contract has to be confirmed for the specific property.

How a house gets designated

An application can come from the owner or their authorized representative, or from the city. Owners start with a pre-application meeting with the Historic Preservation Officer.

The nomination has to explain why the property qualifies and document it, including exterior photographs, the architect, designer or developer, and the construction history. In practice, it's a research report.

Recent examples recorded by the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation:

• Snyder Residence: Class 1 approved by City Council on May 12, 2026. A Spanish Colonial Revival winter house associated with designer William Charles Tanner, later home to actor Rod Taylor. Foundation record
• Edmund Goulding Estate: Class 1 approved on March 25, 2026, connected with the film director and Palm Springs' early Hollywood circle. Foundation record
• Garber Residence: Class 1 approved on March 27, 2025, with Richard A. Harrison as architect and Arthur Elrod as interior designer. Foundation record

In these cases the foundation acted as the owners' agent and prepared or supported the nominations. It researches and advocates; the city makes the decisions.

If you're buying a designated home, ask for the paper trail: the nomination, the council resolution, any approved alterations and any Mills Act agreement. Together they tell you exactly what you're buying.

Sources

• City of Palm Springs municipal code: Designation procedures
• City of Palm Springs municipal code: Definitions
• City of Palm Springs: Historic properties
• City of Palm Springs: Designated properties and alteration review
• City of Palm Springs: Historic resources and Mills Act
• Palm Springs Preservation Foundation: Kramer Residence
• Palm Springs Preservation Foundation: Snyder Residence
• Palm Springs Preservation Foundation: Goulding Estate
• Palm Springs Preservation Foundation: Garber Residence