[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6477037,"mediaKeyId","5713866-5f7b6c15815ebe113f8a50f9a5905255","parentId",5713866,"title","City staff outlines development code update schedule; steering committee and public outreach planned","audioSeconds",390,"startMs",9000000,"endMs",9390000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5713866-5f7b6c15815ebe113f8a50f9a5905255&start=9000&end=9390","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5713866-5f7b6c15815ebe113f8a50f9a5905255/thumbnail_9000000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6477037/Cathedral-City/Riverside-County/California/City-staff-outlines-development-code-update-schedule-steering-committee-and-public-outreach-planned","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477037-12ad1e0f96ee8377cd01f1532e1487ad/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136767&Signature=CQZeDTaVMcCL1b3jirTe7oqqAPQXPfCfej2uEXgMbccnSBwFYV2RZ-zc2S4iqU4fEHakcWUzD5SwBzwTHHuGwOJV42D6xPHJoP-XMfSkzLGxNyPBOchGl3IWalD9N7GHyuQjHsnHJXy9CelIS79BfM9bX75I4ZTU7bB-bMTpec56d8tQ19CUUrIrQDgwVOHykYXif16TqPn0BAnuyekFicL-V~oEFIJw9leeO~pwLbgrDJgg7V8DNwcAdw6pcex8ZyHhasFCEvSVe1nvT5Svq9ToLB0ABLyiR1RtTVV8u~TVZLTrjghtBnhFmQbb9d6AErlgS7-DWH04borBHRG0FA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Discover Cathedral City","date","2025-09-04T04:08:30.907Z","article","City planning staff briefed the Planning Commission on the status and schedule for the city’s comprehensive development code update during the Sept. 3 meeting.

Staff said the technical advisory group completed an initial review of administrative provisions and that the steering committee will meet next (virtual meeting scheduled for late September). Draft revisions to administrative sections will be prepared after steering committee feedback and then presented to the commission at a special Planning Commission meeting tentatively scheduled for Oct. 15, staff said. The steering committee is then expected to address land‑use matrix topics in mid‑November and the commission will receive additional draft sections in December.

Staff described the planned workflow: an initial technical review by staff and consultants, steering committee feedback, public Planning Commission workshops, further revisions by the consultant and then a public outreach period once a consolidated draft is ready. Staff emphasized that broader public outreach and community meetings are expected next spring after the draft code is sufficiently developed and ready for public comment.

Commissioners asked about public engagement and timing. Staff said initial community outreach had been completed (walk‑in tours, open houses and an online map/survey), and that the next round of public outreach (draft code review and community meetings) will likely occur in late spring. Staff also noted that specific topics raised by commissioners — such as cottage food operations — will be incorporated into the code update process per the commission’s direction.

No formal action was taken; the update was informational and staff will return with specific draft chapters and public meeting opportunities as the process advances.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission - Regular Meeting - September 3, 2025 6:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Staff updated the Planning Commission on the development code update timeline, including upcoming steering committee meetings and planned Planning Commission special meetings; staff will present administrative provisions in October and land‑use matrix work in mid‑November, with public outreach expected next spring.","taxTitle","Cathedral City, Riverside County, California","taxId",5539,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6477041,"Commission reviews ADU code changes needed to comply with new state law; staff to refine draft ordinance",2039,7056000,9095000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5713866-5f7b6c15815ebe113f8a50f9a5905255&start=7056&end=9095","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5713866-5f7b6c15815ebe113f8a50f9a5905255/thumbnail_7056000.jpg","/articles/6477041/Cathedral-City/Riverside-County/California/Commission-reviews-ADU-code-changes-needed-to-comply-with-new-state-law-staff-to-refine-draft-ordinance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477041-8fdf2a8e90e18c5f51ee30318f917cd9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136767&Signature=YLJ0CO71qHN6FhI4SouUItr6KqQcTRrqi~xjqCyAgihvdX9nIVjrG9XVq3y7HwtMawYMs-F5s4v7Cn~Y7oULZST57Nqrv5wOpcS61dK7OJj4CG20DYPoHNPkjxtkr6yxrhbQB8LTxyaZt58KTnORLHD342SkYUZO-C70RhE9KmT~s1qp0wFNbcjWxPhVmr2jzlvIbohIeYOF33N-mfaXhnf1y0U5UC5iFDsd44daxO9Krn5EItT7QwuRklcux44aE~rKo012nmsLciJIcDDvDHxK4MpITajvq~FIab5Vr-9IwRz31yOgrCXB3Bsc7AXoyrlWCIEmxFGlooZ11x8xlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Planning staff presented draft amendments to Cathedral City’s accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations on Sept. 3 to conform local rules with recent state legislation effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Staff explained two primary bills that prompted the changes: Assembly Bill 2533 (normalizing permitting of pre‑2020 unpermitted ADUs unless substandard) and Senate Bill 1211 (expanding ADU definitions, requiring limited allowable development standards for certain ADU types and allowing up to eight ADUs on some multifamily lots under specified conditions). “This bill provides a new definition for livable space,” staff said, and clarified which ADUs are exempt from additional local design or development standards under Government Code §66323.

Key proposed amendments include adding the state’s new definitions (including “livable space”), limiting local design requirements (such as requiring exterior materials that match the primary dwelling) to detached ADUs larger than 800 square feet that are accessory to single‑family homes and visible from public view, and revising front‑yard setback, lot‑coverage, unit size and parking rules to reflect state limits. Staff also proposed allowing up to eight ADUs on lots with existing multifamily dwellings — but no more ADUs than the number of existing dwelling units — and up to two detached ADUs on lots with proposed multifamily buildings.

Commissioners asked technical questions about fire and safety exceptions to setbacks, addressing whether substandard units could be denied and how conversions are treated. Commissioner Malacoff asked whether a clear fire or safety hazard could prevent an approval; staff said certain conversions allow flexibility for fire‑safety setbacks and agreed they would consult Housing and Community Development guidance where necessary. Commissioner Bedard questioned whether architectural matching requirements would increase costs for modest, prefabricated ADUs; staff said the draft limited that matching requirement so it would not apply to most ADUs under the state’s exemptions.

Staff noted two late items: a letter from the California Housing Defense Fund (Cal HDF) submitted the day before, and staff’s proposed edits responding to that letter; staff will continue to refine the red‑line ordinance and bring a formal zoning ordinance amendment to a future public hearing. Cal HDF’s letter, provided to commissioners, expressed support for the proposed amendments.

Commissioners generally agreed the draft represented the minimum changes required by state law and asked staff to refine definitions and ensure clarity in the final ordinance; staff said a public hearing on a final draft could be scheduled after revisions.","Planning staff reviewed proposed zoning ordinance amendments to align Cathedral City’s ADU rules with recent state law changes; commissioners generally supported the minimum updates and asked staff to refine language and return for a public hearing.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6477046,"Planning Commission asks staff to study local rules for cottage food operations and microenterprise kitchens",2751,3987000,6738000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5713866-5f7b6c15815ebe113f8a50f9a5905255&start=3987&end=6738","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5713866-5f7b6c15815ebe113f8a50f9a5905255/thumbnail_3987000.jpg","/articles/6477046/Cathedral-City/Riverside-County/California/Planning-Commission-asks-staff-to-study-local-rules-for-cottage-food-operations-and-microenterprise-kitchens","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477046-a629e2edb1bb19001cb451cb4ecfe034/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136767&Signature=jpdJDlcM3SXIZSt~6M7UTfqvlgsIVs2YzxQsJVj2~ekBDFQUcnCdqwoIdh6sD3PzrxeuebbnQChC6FCQo8Lc90OlbM0M-vNtuSOKqYDBAbqj6Tz245230OZN237ZX~Lq~dKnaw2MLP1s-gNSs-VstvDC63MQ89OdlraYXHlmOicTa09lQ1BY5Yd9dh0pcTT7b19jTCAWU6abfa5jCwTWs2eHevHK-js6zt456d1Xm3nXuj3haxUUd~~auWkC3p9oL9kEYyur8O8jUZCnITs-qTcefd~p1~Cs2As8OgadcUepOSXBuG8UcGmaOzvO2Nuzw7zOVATlULiNn2n5btsmpw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cathedral City Planning Commission on Sept. 3 discussed cottage food operations and microenterprise home kitchens and asked staff to include consideration of local land‑use regulations for cottage food operations in the city’s development code update.

Staff explained that microenterprise home kitchens (MECOs) are authorized and permitted by the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health and that Cathedral City cannot impose an additional permitting layer for MECOs; the county inspects MECOs and sets limits on menu, hours, meals per day and annual gross sales. “MECOs are authorized in the jurisdiction of the Department of Environmental Health through ordinance 949, which has been in effect since 2019,” staff said.

By contrast, cottage food operations (CFOs) — such as home bakers and packaged food producers covered by the California Homemade Food Act — may be inspected by the county for health and safety, but state law allows local planning agencies to apply non‑discretionary land‑use rules for spacing, parking, traffic and hours. Staff recommended the city consider amending its zoning code to incorporate CFO regulations but said the low number of existing permits (eight active CFO permits and nine MECO permits reported by county records) and low complaint counts meant an immediate change was not urgent.

Commissioners debated competing priorities: supporting small entrepreneurial activity and preserving residential neighborhood character. Commissioner Bedard described the need to modernize home‑occupation rules to allow more legitimate home businesses; Vice Chair Mead suggested that rather than broadly restricting CFOs, the city should consider targeted limits (hours, parking, concentration) that mitigate neighborhood impacts such as traffic, noise or odor. Commissioner Malacoff said he favored preserving commercial districts for restaurant‑scale businesses and raised health and oversight concerns for large home food operations.

After discussion the commission voted 4–1 to direct staff to study potential local land‑use limitations for cottage food operations — examples to include distance/concentration limits, on‑site customer caps, hours for on‑site customer visits and parking — and to return recommendations as part of the development code update process. The motion was made by Vice Chair Mead and seconded by Chair Lee.

Staff said it would also increase public education about available county permits and consider posting information about CFO and MECO permitting on the city website while the code update is in progress. No immediate changes to the Cathedral City Municipal Code were adopted at the meeting.

Because MECO permitting and health inspections are within the county’s authority, staff noted the city can continue to enforce noise and nuisance ordinances but cannot impose a separate county‑style permitting requirement for MECOs.","Commissioners discussed cottage food operations (CFOs) and microenterprise home kitchens (MECOs) and directed staff to include review of local regulations for CFOs in the city’s development code update; no immediate ordinance changes were adopted.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6477052,"Planning Commission backs King’s Schools expansion, recommends Council approve zoning change, CUP revision and variance",3928,233000,4161000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5713866-5f7b6c15815ebe113f8a50f9a5905255&start=233&end=4161","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5713866-5f7b6c15815ebe113f8a50f9a5905255/thumbnail_233000.jpg","/articles/6477052/Cathedral-City/Riverside-County/California/Planning-Commission-backs-Kings-Schools-expansion-recommends-Council-approve-zoning-change-CUP-revision-and-variance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477052-e357197119cf724e9cf1ce1a9a80ceb8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136767&Signature=G7p09LEkJ0-tBVb5xznp9OlogcLZQWcJU6fOdekONkd7UCgBVEf9T2iHmA1mX4tI5MmNQOuKZltWG89eZjFJ5ZCKzKLljV3rvSgsoN048fKFH-C43P~C4OXzWUv3latVdCOyM0FXUAG7T-bLGILtu8ZTWLWY7xzwdxaHk31jlFEGI79q0nPNBY8-~aqa1~~C82vAaHSU7r0lkb4rxBRWpyArYfx8do-ekeRd0OBKhKXJD7Eg2JSbItzgOlkCJHf0C9jkBMhA~Wz0~WJH5mKTVDREXAJ5Ok-OoBdETL9EORk3iasY-qR3IOHs9CPGeCLqUEQv3K-JxmIUkhu2bRzhVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cathedral City Planning Commission on Sept. 3 recommended that City Council approve a zoning amendment, a revision to a conditional use permit and an administrative variance for King’s Schools of the Desert’s campus expansion at 67675 Bolero Road.

City staff said the project would add roughly 36,000 square feet of new construction over two phases for a total campus buildout of about 52,048 square feet but would not increase student enrollment. “The proposed expansion is to provide more space per student, and will not increase the student capacity,” said Dom Camps, associate planner for Cathedral City.

The project site is a 5.26-acre parcel currently occupied by King’s Schools, a private pre‑K through 8 school that has operated at the site since 1994. Staff said the site was rezoned to Resort Residential in 2002, making the school a longstanding nonconforming use; the zoning amendment would add schools as a permitted use in the RR district subject to a conditional use permit.

Under the proposal, phase 1 would demolish approximately 3,000 square feet of existing buildings and add about 9,000 square feet of new construction, a staff parking structure and paving of the private access lane from Cary Road. Phase 2 would demolish about 7,000 square feet of portable buildings and construct the 27,000-square-foot multipurpose building that would include classrooms, administrative space, operations and a roughly 16,000-square-foot gymnasium. The gym portion would reach 28 feet 7 inches in height, exceeding the RR district’s 26-foot limit and prompting the requested administrative variance.

The applicant, Don Dallaire, who identified himself as a founder of King’s Schools, said the expansion would allow specialized classrooms and provide an indoor gym that the school has lacked for 32 years. “I assure you that the enrollment will remain the same,” Dallaire told the commission, describing existing waiting lists and saying the new parking would reduce on‑street parking during events.

Neighbors and other commenters raised concerns about the gym’s height and potential evening or outside rental of the gym. A letter from a resident of the mobile home community to the east asked about an eight‑foot fence along the eastern property line and requested light shields; another commenter asked whether the city would limit enrollment. Staff said the application includes a letter from the school’s headmaster stating enrollment would not increase and an engineer’s memo addressing traffic. Larry Stokes, a resident of El Dorado Palms Estates, asked staff to notify the mobile home community association as well as nearby property owners.

Commissioners debated whether the project’s CEQA consistency memo and the staff analysis, which described the gym as being limited to school activities, should be referenced explicitly in the Commission’s recommendation. Vice Chair Mead proposed adding the CEQA paragraph that states the renovation is intended to provide space for the existing 300‑student population, will not facilitate increased enrollment, and that the gymnasium “will not be available for use by the public or other organizations.” The commission approved that amendment by roll call 4–1 and then approved the overall recommendation to City Council.

The Planning Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council, which has final review and approval authority for the zoning ordinance amendment, conditional use permit revision and administrative variance.

This action does not authorize a change in student capacity; it recommends Council approve the land‑use approvals and the administrative variance so the applicant may complete the two‑phase campus renovation and construct the gymnasium as proposed.

Votes at a glance: The Planning Commission approved the recommendation (including the added CEQA paragraph) in a recorded vote; the motion was made by Commissioner Malacoff and seconded by Commissioner McPhail and the motion carried (approved).","The Cathedral City Planning Commission recommended City Council approval of a zoning ordinance amendment, a conditional use permit revision and an administrative variance to allow a 36,000-square-foot campus expansion for King’s Schools of the Desert at 67675 Bolero Road; commissioners added a condition referencing the project’s CEQA consistency. ","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City staff outlines development code update schedule; steering committee and public outreach planned

Commission reviews ADU code changes needed to comply with new state law; staff to refine draft ordinance

Planning Commission asks staff to study local rules for cottage food operations and microenterprise kitchens

Planning Commission backs King’s Schools expansion, recommends Council approve zoning change, CUP revision and variance