Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

and fueling stations.

Recognizing this, on October 21, 2025, City Council adopted an urgency ordinance limiting those uses within the commercial business park zoning district for the corridor, and then they extended it again for another 22 months and 15 days. So the area encompasses approximately 231 acres on both sides of Highway 62. Beyond that is an adjoining area zone residential medium. And then you get into the specific planned areas, such as the Skybourne planned community. The general plan land use designation for this area is commercial, and the commercial land use designation lists five possible commercial zoning districts. After analysis, the commercial highway zoning more closely aligns with the strategic plan and permits hotels, restaurants, retail, fueling stations, while excluding uses such as warehousing, manufacturing, and data centers. long term the area may be a candidate for a specific plan there's a lot of there's a lot of commercial acreage in the area and just a reminder that any development in this area would be ground up and would come before the commission as a development permit or cup so this is just the rezoning action tonight This is a map showing the current zoning. You can see the commercial business park zoning colored in the salmon color, and then adjoining is residential medium, and then you get into the specific plans like SkyBorn. Highway 62 bisects the commercial area in half. And then the change would be simply to designated commercial highway. It's a little darker red color on our zoning map. Everything else around it would stay, remain the same. So this action is exempt under the CEQA pursuant to Title 14, Section 15061 . This is a common sense exemption, and as I mentioned, Projects proposed for development in this area would be subject to CEQA at the time of development. So with that, staff is recommending to adopt a resolution recommending that the City Council adopt an ordinance to rezone the land designated commercial business park zoning along Highway 62 between North Indian Canyon and north of Pearson Boulevard to commercial highway in lieu of commercial business park. Happy to answer any questions you may have.

All right, does the commission have any questions for staff? I just have one question. Have we had a lot of expressions of interest from potential businesses down in that corridor-specific area?

Somewhat. There's one commercial developer that would be interested in building some sort of shopping center in the area. of grocery stores and things like that. The feedback we keep getting is you don't have enough rooftops yet, which means there needs to be more residences there that could support that commercial development. That relying on just the tourist traffic on 62 alone would not be enough. But he stops in like once every six months or a year or so.

Are builders saying that they want more rooftops in that area or in the city altogether?

Well, both, but specifically that area.

That area, yeah.

Okay. I had a question. Now, with it being designated a scenic highway, are there any other restrictions to build out there?

Nothing as far as state law implies, but as a scenic highway, for example, you would not be able to put up billboards along that highway.

all right and let's uh open the public hearing and take testimony from those in favor in opposition or neutron we have another request from peter scott delatorre hi again

I'm gonna rear my ugly head again. I live in Skybourne and I'm gonna let you know that there are negotiations right now with Village 5. That's 400 additional homes in addition to the 700 that will be built after Village 3 is done. So the rooftops are coming to that corridor. What we would like to see as residents of Skybourne is some kind of design element incorporated into this corridor. Other cities have done it. The city of Santa Barbara has a strict ordinance regarding design architecture that is to be built within the city limits of Santa Barbara. The city of Sacramento has the exact same thing where they have an ordinance where the design style has to be coherent throughout the city limits. We would like to see something like that implemented, maybe something like the area of Tohon Ranch where it has to look like prairie or it has to look like craftsman exterior be built along that corridor. Like Travis said, that is a quarter that goes to Joshua Tree, which is the number one most visited park in the United States right now. We have one opportunity and all five of you have an opportunity to make a difference tonight and to incorporate that in your motion to approve this with the design element incorporated in it to let the city council decide what design element they want to adopt for that corridor, but just motion to approve that in your motion. Okay, so that way we don't look back on this in 20 years and you think what a hodgepodge of bullshit is up there that you approved. It looks cohesive, it looks, uniform and we have an opportunity to give Desert Hot Springs a new image the new gateway to Desert Hot Springs. And we have an opportunity to show a new face for Desert Hot Springs. So that's what I wanted to come here and express to you. And then also, there's a name on that street right now. And we need to pay homage to some of the founding fathers and the founding hoteliers in this city. I would suggest possibly renaming Worsley Road to RL Coffee Memorial Parkway. RL Coffee was one of the first hoteliers that opened a mineral spa here in Desert Hot Springs. And what a great way to pay homage to a city founder and someone who brought hospitality to Desert Hot Springs than to honor them by changing the name of the street while there's no occupants on it right now. and we're not having opposition in regards to changing that street name to honor somebody that built a business here in desert hot springs and kicked off the mineral spa hotels here in desert hot springs so that's what i wanted to come out and express tonight thank you for your time thank you do we have any other comments in favor opposed or neutral anyone else no

all right then let's close the public hearing planning commission discussion do we have anything to discuss no all right yeah i i don't i don't entirely disagree with him at all on on

uniformity along 62 what does that entail i think the the appropriate way to handle that would be to have a specific plan for the area because a specific plan is the mechanism that allows you to include things like design guidelines and architectural standards and all of that not just a simple rezoning action um and probably that plan would look at more than just a commercial area and like i said there's a lot of residential multi-family area adjacent to it is that much needed it should be less should there be more single family that sort of thing i think a specific plan would be one of the things uh the best mechanism to look at those types of issues who initiates a specific plan it could be the developers themselves or it could be the city on its own One challenge with that whole area is the way the properties are lined up, if you noticed on the map. They're long and narrow, running northwest, so they don't lend themselves well to commercial development unless there's some kind of consolidation there.

OK. Any other? No. All right. Does anyone want to make a motion?

make a motion to adopt a resolution recommending the city council adopt an ordinance to rezone land designated commercial business park c-bp zoning along highway 62 between north indian canyon and interstate 10 and north of pearson boulevard to commercial highway c-8 h sorry everyone happy with that someone want to make a second i'll second that all right maybe we have a vote

Motion passes with four and one abstained.

All right. Very good. All right. There's not much left on the agenda. Public comments? Anyone else want to make any public comments today, tonight? No? OK. Chair and Planning Commission member reports. Do we have any member reports that we want to raise? No? OK. Community Development Director report.

Yes. I would like to report I did my rain dance this afternoon, but it did not work. So I was hoping all day long that it would rain. Never happened. But wanted to pass on to you that most of you know by now this is my last meeting as your Community Development Director. I will be departing the city at the end of the month. But I wanted to thank the commission over the last few years for the work that you do. You approached each case and decision fairly and objectively based on planning law, the general plan, and the zoning code. So I want to thank you for that professionalism and how you execute your role. And just say it's been a pleasure working with you. And I wish you and the city well in the future. And I'll still be around to haunt the city every now and then.

I'd like to say, I can't speak for everyone here, but from my perspective, Travis has been a dream to work with over the years. He's the nicest guy. He's easy to talk to. And he answers every single question. And he's been a great guy to work with. And I will miss him. And we've had so many different people in that position over the years. I'm sorry to see him go. So thank you, Travis. Thank you very much. Travis, you will be missed. It's been a pleasure to work with you. And we wish you all the best.

Thank you very much.

Likewise. Thank you, Travis. Thank you, Travis. All right, then we are adjourned. Thank you.