Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

All right, good evening, everyone. This is the regular meeting of the City of Desert Hot Springs Planning Commission for Tuesday, September 8th, 2026. May we have a call to order, please?

Commissioner Parker?

Present.

Commissioner Rome?

Present.

Commissioner Wagstaff?

Present.

Vice Chair Lombardo?

Present.

Chairman Nindell?

Present. Thank you. All right, who would like to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? Anyone?

Okay, let's go.

All right. All right, we need to approve the agenda. Everyone has seen the agenda. Would someone like to make a motion to approve and second it? I motion to approve the agenda. OK.

I'll second.

All right, thank you. Can we have a vote?

Motion passes unanimously.

Alright very good Our first item is Planning Commission regular meeting minutes. Everyone has had a chance to Review the minutes from our last meeting with someone make a motion to approve or disapprove I Make a motion that we approve say second.

All right, maybe we have a vote I

Motion passes unanimously.

All right, very good. Now it is time for public comments, and I have a feeling that we won't have any public comments tonight unless this gentleman here would like to speak for public comments. You're the applicant? All right. Then we will not have any public comments, and we'll move on to our first public hearing, which is... Conditional use permit number 26-6, an application for a public convenience and necessity for a type 21 ABC license located at 64200 20th Avenue. The applicant is Steve Rawlings. May we have the staff report, please?

Yes, thank you. The project site is located at 64200 20th Avenue, north of the I-10 Freeway and Indian Avenue exit within the Commercial Highway Zoning District, as shown here. The Chevron fueling station was built back in 1991 with approximately 3,960 square feet and six fueling islands. In 2010, the Chevron was annexed as part of the I-10 annexation. And on July 27, 2026, the city received an application for a Type 21 ABC license and a request to provide a certificate of public convenience and necessity, which is before you tonight. Shown here is a floor plan indicating the location where the alcohol will be displayed, stored, and sold in red. The business is temporarily closed as a new owner is exploring rebranding the convenience store, but the plan is to reopen soon. Since the project is within an existing building, it is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to section 15301, class number one, existing facilities. And with that, staff recommends the Planning Commission approve the following. One, certify the notice of exemption. And two, approve conditional use permit number 26-6 and provide a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a type 21 ABC license located at 64-220th Avenue subject to the conditions of approval and findings. And that concludes my report. I'm available if you have any questions. The applicant is also here. Thank you.

right does anyone on the Planning Commission have any questions for staff Patricia no no all right then let's take let's open the public hearing with the applicant like to come up and testify please on behalf of the

Oh, I forgot. You told me to do that, too. I'm sorry. Good evening. I'm Steve Rawlings. I'm here this evening on behalf of the owners of the property and the business. For the record, we concur with the staff's recommendation and do agree to all of the draft conditions of approval that are presented to you this evening. This property, the owners purchased this property in June. And as you can tell, it is remaining closed right now. Part of that is just because they're doing some planning. I think there was a quick fuse on their escrow and they bought, you know, they went ahead and closed the escrow. And they're working on potentially some remodeling plans right now. What has been discussed is some exterior improvements. And then as was mentioned, you know, the possibility of rebranding the store. So it's more or less kind of just a breather right now. They're very excited about the investment that they did make into your community, though. I think they really feel strongly that this is a good market to be in. It's a good community. And I think that they're going to continue to invest in this property in the future. So with that, I'm available for any questions anybody might have.

Anyone have any questions for the applicant? Okay. Well, I don't imagine we have any testimony in favor, opposed, or neutral on this since there's no one here. So there wouldn't be a need for applicant rebuttal. We'll close the public hearing. Does the Planning Commission have anything it wants to discuss regarding this application? No?

No?

Okay. Then would someone like to make a motion?

I'll motion to approve the conditional use permit number 26-6, an application for a public convenience and necessity of a Type 21 ABC license to allow off-sale general for the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits for consumption off the premises where sold, located at 64220th Avenue, and also to certify the CEQA exemption. Second.

All right, can we have a vote, please?

Motion passes unanimously.

All right, very good. I guess there's no new public comments. No one has walked in the room. So we'll move to chair and planning commission member reports. Anybody have anything they want to say? No. No? Okay. Community Development Director Report. We don't have a Community Development Director right now. We have an acting one. Do you have anything to report, Patricia?

Not at this time, thank you.

Okay. Then we are adjourned.