Near the main parking area of the Citrus Clubhouse, a 2.41-acre stretch of grass turf wraps around two duplex buildings on three sides. Over the years, the backyards of those duplexes grew past their own property lines onto the turf. Under a proposal now before the City of La Quinta, the turf would become seven single-family lots, and the parts of those backyards that sit on club land would get their own open-space parcel so they can stay where they are.
For anyone shopping in The Citrus, that one detail matters more than any listing photo. Green space in an established golf community can be zoned residential land owned by someone else. At The Citrus, the rules governing that land leave room for more homes than most people expect.
A Parcel With Someone Else's Patio on It
The application is Tentative Tract Map 2026-0001, also numbered TTM 38962. The applicant is listed as HJ/CJ Partnership/Citrus Club. The city received the application on April 2, 2026. In a state environmental filing for a separate project, the same entity's contact is a business manager with a pgawest.com email address at 55955 PGA Blvd.
The staff report describes the site as vacant, flat and "surrounded by residential uses on three sides." The map would create:
- Lots 1 through 7: single-family lots from about 12,339 to 19,644 square feet, reached from the existing private streets Mandarina and Sandia, with no new roads
- Lot A: an open-space lot that lets the duplex backyard improvements stay in place, with the rest kept as open space maintained by the homeowners association
Lot A is the transaction lesson here. Patios, landscaping and other improvements that cross a property line often go unnoticed for years, until the owner of the land next door files a map. In this case the applicant chose to accommodate the existing improvements. That was the applicant's choice, and nothing guarantees the next owner of some other parcel will do the same. A buyer looking at a home that backs onto turf here should compare the lot lines on the survey with where the patio and landscaping actually sit.
Why 577 Homes Is Not a Ceiling
The Citrus sits inside a much older plan than its clubhouse suggests. The Oak Tree West Specific Plan dates to 1985, and the La Quinta City Council adopted its environmental document on October 15 of that year. The plan covered 1,020 acres with 2,245 single-family homes, a 40-acre hotel and commercial site, and two golf courses on 400 acres. Amendments in 1989 and twice in 1998 changed the boundaries, turned the hotel area into residential land, added development standards, renamed the plan area The Ranch, and raised the cap to 2,352 dwelling units. In the plan, the golf course north of Avenue 52 is called the Citrus Course.
Here is how the numbers compare, according to the city's September 2026 staff report:
Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
Homes in Citrus Club today | 577 |
Homes after the seven proposed lots | 584 |
Units allowed on the Citrus Course portion of the plan | 1,000 |
Minimum lot area under the plan / smallest proposed lot | 6,000 sq ft / 12,339 sq ft |
Minimum lot frontage under the plan / smallest proposed frontage | 55 ft / 65 ft |
On paper, The Citrus would still have room for 416 more units after this map. That doesn't mean 416 buildable sites exist. The consultant's environmental memo calls The Citrus "established and largely built-out." It does mean that density limits won't stop a parcel that is zoned residential and held by the club side of the community. If a site can meet the lot standards, the plan already allows the homes. The proposed lots here are more than twice the minimum size. Future houses would still need their own site development plans, grading permits and building permits.
What the City Weighs
Because the plan already allows the homes, the city has a narrow set of questions to decide. The staff report cites California's Housing Accountability Act, Government Code 65589.5, and summarizes it this way:
"If a residential project complies with objective criteria of the project site's applicable General Plan, Specific Plan and zoning requirements, it cannot be denied absent a finding that it would result in a specific, adverse impact on public health or safety and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact without rendering the development infeasible."
The environmental review follows the same logic. Staff found the map consistent with the plan's 1985, 1989 and 1998 environmental documents, so no new review is required. The Planning Commission's decision on a tentative map is final unless someone appeals it.
None of this is legal advice, and how the law applies to any one property is a question for an attorney. The practical point for a buyer is that neighbors' best tools on a project like this are talking with the applicant and raising specific issues on the record. That is how the September hearing played out.
The Same Applicant Has Done This Before at PGA WEST
The Citrus map follows an earlier one. HJ/CJ Partners applied to subdivide a 3.26-acre site on the east side of Seminole, north of Avenue 58, into nine residential lots and four common or open-space lots. That site falls under the PGA West Additions Specific Plan, which was once called PGA 5th Course. The city's project page lists it as approved. The Planning Commission acted on March 10, 2026, under Resolution No. 2026-002.
Taken together, the two maps show an operator turning small, already-zoned parcels inside its own communities into homesites. Each one is a few acres and a handful of lots. A buyer comparing The Citrus with PGA WEST neighborhoods should treat leftover turf next to a clubhouse, parking lot or amenity area as possibly developable in either place.
Where Things Stand as of October 2, 2026
The record so far, in order:
- March 2026: The applicant held community meetings about what to do with the site and concluded that housing was favored over court-sport amenities.
- April 2, 2026: The city received the application.
- September 11, 2026: The hearing notice ran in The Desert Sun and was mailed to properties within 500 feet.
- September 22, 2026: The item came before the Planning Commission. According to the city's meeting presentation, the applicant asked to continue it to November 10, 2026, "to allow the applicant to address concerns from the Citrus Club Homeowners Association," and staff recommended that continuance.
- November 10, 2026: This is the requested date for the continued hearing.
The city posts Planning Commission minutes only after they are approved, so check those minutes for the Commission's formal action once they are posted. The city materials reviewed for this post don't spell out the HOA's concerns. Anyone who wants details can watch the September 22 meeting on the city's video archive, where the Citrus Club item begins at 41:01.
For buyers in escrow or making offers this fall, the timing matters. A home near Mandarina and Sandia could close before the map is decided. That makes the November 10 agenda worth reading before the contingency period runs out.
Questions to Ask Before You Buy Next to Open Turf
Who owns the green space behind this home?
In The Citrus, some open areas belong to the HOA and some belong to the club side. Here, the remaining open space in Lot A would be maintained by the homeowners association, while the seven lots would be developed.
Does buying a home in The Citrus require a club membership?
PGA WEST presents membership at The Citrus Club and PGA WEST as a choice, whether that's one club or both. The tiers are Citrus Golf, Citrus Sport, Citrus Social and The Distinguished Desert Golf Membership. Citrus Golf includes unlimited play on three PGA WEST courses, and the Distinguished level covers all nine. Dues are not published, so ask for the current schedule in writing.
Can a neighbor still weigh in on the seven lots?
The original hearing notice told the public to send written comments to [email protected] before the hearing or speak at it. It named Senior Planner Scott Nespor as the contact. The notice also warns that a later court challenge may be limited to issues raised at the hearing or in written comments.
Is anything else in the pipeline?
Ask the seller and the HOA whether they know of any other parcels under discussion. Then check the city's planning projects page for the area around the home.
If you are considering a home in The Citrus, particularly one near the clubhouse or backing onto open turf, I can pull the survey, compare where the improvements sit with the lot lines, and track the November 10 hearing alongside your contingency dates. Reach out to Kathleen Galigher and let's connect before you write the offer.
