In Rancho Mirage, California, construction is underway on Cotino, a 618-acre residential development in the Coachella Valley developed by DMB Development. As the first-ever Storyliving by Disney community, the project brings added visibility and, from a construction standpoint, the logistical demands of managing efficient site access across a long-term, multi-phase build.
DDMB Development, a nationally recognized developer with experience delivering large residential communities, is overseeing phased construction at Cotino alongside multiple builders, including Shea Homes, Woodbridge Pacific Group, Davidson Communities, and Brian Foster Residences. With active work taking place across several areas of the site at once, keeping traffic moving, maintaining organization, and supporting clean surrounding roadways is an important part of day-to-day operations.
Cotino is not DMB Development’s first project of this scale. For more than four decades, the developer has delivered residential communities across the Western United States, many involving phased construction, multiple homebuilders, and extensive infrastructure work. That experience helps support the coordination required at Cotino as the development continues to take shape over several years.
At full buildout, Cotino is planned to include nearly 2,000 residential units, along with recreational amenities, parks, shopping, dining, and a mixed-use district centered on a 24-acre Crystal Lagoons® waterfront. Multiple neighborhoods, home styles, and builders are progressing simultaneously, with supporting infrastructure and public spaces developing at the same time across the property. The result is one of the more complex residential construction efforts currently underway in California.
With that complexity comes continuous movement. Construction vehicles, equipment, and material deliveries cycle through the site throughout the day, and managing that traffic while minimizing disruption to surrounding roadways is an ongoing operational priority. On a development this visible, a clean, well-managed site entrance is not just a compliance requirement. It is part of how the project presents itself to the surrounding community.
In the Coachella Valley, trackout control comes with its own set of challenges. The loose sandy and silty soils common to the desert floor readily collect in tire treads and travel off-site with construction vehicles in a way that heavier, more compacted soils typically do not. Left unmanaged, tracked sediment accumulates on adjacent roadways, creating maintenance demands and compliance concerns. On a long-duration project like Cotino, that adds up quickly.
A traditional aggregate rock entrance was not a practical fit for a project expected to remain active across multiple phases over several years. Rock-stabilized entrances require ongoing refresh, maintenance, and eventual removal. Under consistent traffic from multiple contractors, aggregate compacts migrate and lose effectiveness over time, which means more intervention and more cost as construction continues.
To support site access and help reduce trackout, FODS Trackout Control Mats were installed at the main construction entrance in a dual-lane 2x3 configuration. The reusable system was designed to handle simultaneous inbound and outbound traffic while accommodating the range of vehicles common to an active multi-builder site. The raised-pyramid surface removes dirt, sand, and debris from tires as vehicles exit, reducing transfer onto nearby public roads without the maintenance cycle of rock.
FODS Trackout Control Mats are Caltrans TC-1 approved, meaning the system meets California's stabilized construction entrance requirements and supports SWPPP compliance without traditional aggregate. The mats install quickly, can be relocated as access points shift between phases, and are reused throughout the life of the project, a meaningful advantage when construction is expected to span multiple years across a property this size.
The desert environment adds its own demands. Summer temperatures in the Coachella Valley regularly exceed 110°F, and fine, wind-blown sand is among the more difficult trackout materials to manage in the Western United States. FODS mats are built from HDPE with a UV inhibitor, designed to withstand sustained sun exposure and heat, maintaining effectiveness in conditions that quickly break down less durable materials. At Cotino, that durability translates directly into fewer replacements, less downtime, and a construction entrance that continues to perform as the project evolves.
As construction progresses across future phases, maintaining clean exits and organized site access will remain an important part of supporting day-to-day operations at Cotino. On a project defined by long timelines, multiple builders, and continuous activity, the construction entrance plays an important role in helping reduce trackout, support cleaner surrounding roadways, and keep traffic moving efficiently.
