Cotino Rancho Mirage Costs: Home Prices and Lake Fees

"Home purchase does not grant access to Cotino Bay or its beaches; access will require separate fees." That sentence sits in section three of the important disclosures page for Cotino, the Storyliving by Disney community in Rancho Mirage. In every rendering, the turquoise lake at the center of the property is the main attraction. A buyer reading that line learns that the attraction comes with its own bill.

This changes how a Cotino home compares with the rest of the desert. Most Coachella Valley buyers know the golf-community model, where the signature amenity comes bundled with the address or attached to a club tied to it. Cotino sells the house and the lake separately, and of the two ways to buy into the lake, only one is available today.

What the Disclosure Actually Says

Cotino Bay is the community's centerpiece. C Magazine described it in February 2025 as a 12-foot-deep, 24-acre manmade lake in the middle of the one-square-mile site. Disney representatives told the magazine it uses 20 percent of the water an 18-hole course needs. Disney's materials say its Crystal Lagoons technology keeps the water clear and turquoise.

The disclosures page, updated October 2026, lists a few separate points that a buyer should read together:

• Artisan Club membership is voluntary and costs money on top of "the purchase price of the home and association assessments."
• Buying a home is separate from joining the club. Each buyer has to apply and be accepted at the club owner's discretion.
• Bay access requires separate fees. The page makes no promise about long-term water levels or features, and it makes no promise about whether the town center will be built.
• Disney is not the developer or the homebuilder. The participating builders are Shea Homes, Woodbridge Pacific Group, Davidson Communities and Brian Foster Residences.

Read together, these points describe four separate cost layers.

Four Layers, Each With Its Own Source

According to Cotino's current pricing page, starting prices run from the mid-$1 millions for a Shea Villa to the upper-$1 millions for a Shea Cottage, the low-$2 millions for a Shea Grand, the mid-$2 millions for a Davidson Grand, the upper-$2 millions for a Woodbridge Pacific Estate, and the upper-$4 millions for Davidson and Brian Foster Estate homes. Closed sales tell a similar story. USA Today reported that roughly 30 Cotino homes had sold as of mid-February 2026, at prices from about $1.3 million to over $4 million.

The special tax comes from the infrastructure financing. The Desert Sun reported in May 2024 that the Rancho Mirage City Council had authorized up to $50 million in bonds for Cotino's first improvement area. The money pays for sewer and water lines, street upgrades and other public works. Homeowners eventually repay the bonds through annual special taxes based on home size. The Desert Sun cited a council report putting the tax at $2,167 to $11,383 a year and estimating the total tax burden at less than 2% of a property's assessed value. The paper also reported that buyers receive a detailed notice of the special tax terms during the purchase.

What the Club Buys, and What It Costs

The club is currently the only way for a homeowner to use the lake. Storyliving by Disney announced the Artisan Club's grand opening for October 24, 2025, with members able to swim and use kayaks and paddleboards on Cotino Bay. C Magazine reported that plans include a waterfront bar called Plot Twist, a casual restaurant called Architects Fork, and exclusive beach access for members.

The membership information sheet, printed June 2026, lists two tiers:

Adding up the sheet: a Resident membership costs $32,000 in the first year before tax on the food minimum, then $12,000 a year after that. Extended costs $41,000 in the first year and $21,000 a year after. The sheet says all fees, dues and minimums "are subject to change without notice."

Putting the published club figures next to the 2024 special tax range gives a comparison. The low end of the tax range and the published Resident membership figures add up to about $14,000 a year. The high end and the published Extended membership figures add up to more than $32,000. Neither figure includes HOA assessments or the regular property tax on the purchase price. Those costs are often left out when a Cotino listing is compared with a home a few miles away in an established golf community.

The Public Way In Moved to Spring 2027

The second way to reach the lake is a day ticket to Cotino Bay Beach, part of the public town center called Cotino Bay Beach, Dining, Shops. C Magazine described it in 2025 as a beach on the opposite side of the lake from the club, open to nonmember residents and other valley visitors who buy a pass. The Cotino Bay page confirms that guests will reach the beach "with the purchase of a day ticket."

The timing has moved. In October 2025, KESQ reported the town center was expected in fall 2026. Storyliving by Disney's August 6, 2026 announcement and the current Bay page now give spring 2027. Admission details, including the ticket price, "will be released at a later time." For anyone closing on a Cotino home this season, the Artisan Club is the only published way to use the water for at least the next several months.

The town center will also give the community a public front door with familiar local names. Announced tenants include:

• SottoSopra, a new Italian concept from the team behind SottoVoce Cafe, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Asada Cantina + Kitchen, from San Clemente, open daily for lunch and dinner
• Mojave Flea Trading Post, known for its Palm Springs and Yucca Valley stores
• On the Mark Fine Foods & Provisions, a second location for the Palm Springs specialty market
• La Dolce Piccola Gelateria, a family-owned gelateria the Bay page calls a favorite in Palm Desert
• Elevare, a waterfront restaurant serving lunch and dinner daily, plus weekend brunch
• Big Juice, It Refills, Artigiano, Mila's Kitchen and Sunglass Hut

The planned town center would give Cotino homeowners a waterfront dining and shopping district within walking distance, open to anyone.

This post is general information about published costs, not legal, tax or financial advice. Please confirm how any special tax, association assessment or club contract applies to your purchase with the appropriate professional.

A Few Questions We Hear Often

Can a Cotino homeowner use the lake without joining the Artisan Club? Not yet. Disney's disclosures say a home purchase does not include Bay access. The public day-ticket beach is expected in spring 2027, and its price has not been announced.

Is Artisan Club membership guaranteed for buyers? No. Buyers apply separately, and the club owner decides who is accepted under its own terms.

Who builds the homes? Shea Homes, Davidson Communities, Woodbridge Pacific Group and Brian Foster Residences. Disney licenses its brand to the community but is not the builder or the developer.

If you're weighing a Cotino home against a golf-club address elsewhere in the valley, Douglas Turold can help you gather the special tax notice, the association budget and the current club terms, and build a side-by-side carrying-cost comparison before you make an offer. Book a Consultation.