The Desert Village: Área de Planeación 11 (Village 11)

Spanning 325 acres, The Desert Village serves as a transitional buffer between the major developments of PDLS and the neighboring properties to the west. The land beyond PDLS has been gradually inhabited over time in an unregulated and unsustainable manner, lacking major infrastructure and essential services. Predominantly residential, these areas have developed haphazardly, reflecting an outdated approach to growth—one that PDLS aims to avoid. Within PDLS, strict measures will be enforced to protect the beaches, turtle habitats, and active dunes. The Desert Village plays a crucial role in creating a buffer where these contrasting development philosophies intersect.

Natural Environment & Ecosystems

The Desert Village landscape consists primarily of coastal scrubs and brush, with no distinct geological features. However, the northernmost edge, adjacent to the beach, sits at a higher elevation than other stable dunes within PDLS, forming a natural barrier between the shoreline and inland areas.

South of this elevated stable dune lies a low-lying region that showcases an array of beautiful and unique desert flora. This area, known as the Desert Garden, functions as a natural drainage sump—though it is not classified as environmentally sensitive, it represents an important ecosystem within PDLS.

Further inland, beyond the Desert Garden, the terrain transitions into The Desert Flatlands, a more uniform landscape characterized by scattered desert brush, scrubs, and gentle topography.

Thus, The Desert Village can be divided into three distinct sub-regions:

1. The Coastal Stable Desert Dune

2. The Desert Garden

3. The Desert Flatlands

Planning & Land Use

The planning of The Desert Village was carefully designed to assign compatible land uses to these sub-regions while minimizing environmental impact and maintaining a buffer between PDLS and the western areas.

• The Coastal Stable Desert Dune was determined to be most suitable for low-density residential development. Unlike other parts of the PDLS coastline, this area presents an opportunity for beachfront lots with minimal environmental disruption. The topographic conditions allow for residential construction without negatively impacting the coastline or the stable dune. To preserve the potential for these residences to be integrated into tourism operations, the land use designation will be Touristic Use (TU), though at a low density. Residential-style architecture and site planning will be encouraged. This will be the only real estate development permitted within The Desert Village.

• The Desert Garden will be fully protected and integrated into site planning through the creation of a Community Park, which will connect to the overall PDLS Open Space System. This park will serve as a critical ecological link, ensuring continuity between all represented ecosystems within PDLS.

• The Desert Flatlands, located south of the Desert Garden, will be designated as a flex area and integrated into The Renewable Energy Campus Village (Village 9). However, this land will only be used for renewable energy expansion if technology proves that it is necessary to meet PDLS’s energy demands. If it is determined that the space is not required for energy production, PDLS retains the exclusive right to repurpose it for other uses.

A maximum of 5% of PDLS’s total density will be allocated to The Desert Village, ensuring its function as a buffer zone, ecological corridor, and controlled low-density residential area.

The land uses designated within The Renewable Energy Campus Village are: TU-5, TU-0, EQ-ER , EA and PEC

The permitted uses (products) in The Desert Village include: 

·       Beach Estates

·       Single-Family Detached – Beachfront

·       Boutique Hotel

The permitted uses (products), requiring a Special Use Permit, include:

·       Renewable Energy Facilities

·       Retail (Food, Bar, Service)

The required facilities within The Desert Village are: 

·       The Desert Gardens Community Park

·       Trails and Open Space Connections