Planning commission approves permits for new Sun Community Federal Credit Union branch; rezoning sent to council

The Palm Springs Planning Commission on April 22 adopted a mitigated negative declaration and approved a conditional use permit and major development permit for a new Sun Community Federal Credit Union branch at the southeast corner of East Ramon Road and South Calle Santa Cruz, while recommending to the City Council that the site’s zoning be changed from Professional (P) to M1 (service/manufacturing).

Staff said the proposed building would be 2,895 square feet on a 1.08‑acre undeveloped parcel, with 19 parking spaces and a two‑lane drive‑through serving a single automated teller machine. The applications before the commission included a change of zone, a conditional use permit for an accessory drive‑through, and a major development permit; administrative minor modification and architectural review are subject to separate reviews. Planning staff recommended approval subject to conditions and asked the commission to add a standard two‑year time limit for commencement of construction. As staff put it, “the time limit for the commencement of construction under development permit approval shall be 2 years from the effective date of approval unless an extension of time is granted pursuant to Palm Springs zoning code section 94.12.” (Staff member Noriko.)

Why it matters: the rezoning would allow a freestanding bank use that is not permitted in the site’s current P (professional) zone. Staff said M1 would allow a broader set of service uses and improve the site’s viability; the change of zone must be approved by City Council. The commission approved the land‑use permits that are within its authority and forwarded the zoning change recommendation to the council.

Key technical details and conditions The project includes a two‑lane drive‑through with a single ATM, a retention basin in the site’s southwest corner, rooftop mechanical equipment screened behind a parapet, and proposed landscaping with shade trees and 3–4 foot shrubs to screen drive‑through elements. Staff noted the outdoor lighting plan does not meet the code’s technical requirements but said that deficiency could be corrected by condition. The application proposes an administrative minor modification to reduce a front setback to 22.6 feet from the 25 feet required along East Ramon (Ramon) Canyon Road; that AMM is subject to director approval. The staff recommended environmental finding was a mitigated negative declaration; city‑contracted environmental consultant Nicole Christ explained that greenhouse‑gas estimates come from a South Coast Air Quality Management District model that uses inputs such as building size, trip generation and energy use.

Numbers and clarifications from the record - Building footprint: 2,895 square feet - Site area: about 1.08 acres - Parking: 19 spaces (staff confirmed the two ADA spaces are separate from the designated EV space) - Drive‑through stacking: seven spaces required by code for this type of facility - Maximum building height shown in plans: about 21.08 feet - Administrative minor modification requested for a 22.6‑foot setback vs. 25‑foot requirement - Applicant fees on file: $35,047 (application fees) and $22,223.75 (environmental document), totaling $57,270.75 (staff email)

Concerns raised and commission directions Commissioners and staff discussed sight lines and the kiosk/ATM canopy design, shading for summer conditions, the amount of asphalt in the drive‑through area, and the type and placement of landscaping. Commissioner Jason Miller (first reference as Commissioner Miller) proposed a condition to reduce excess asphalt by narrowing the exiting circulation so it transitions from two lanes to one on the west side of the drive‑through and to convert reclaimed area to landscaping; the commission instructed staff and the applicant to refine the site plan and have associated landscape revisions reviewed by the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) or director as appropriate. Developer Jason Patty (Level 5) said the dual driveways provide fire and service access and that the design intent was to separate drive‑through traffic from pedestrian access: “The driveways, as Rich pointed out, we were looking for both fire truck access, but also we pay a lot of attention to try and segregate, drive thru traffic to keep it separate from anybody trying to park and walk into the branch, from a safety standpoint.”

Environmental and operational notes The city’s initial study concluded potential environmental impacts could be reduced to less‑than‑significant levels with mitigation measures. Consultant Nicole Christ explained GHG modeling uses ITE trip‑generation rates for banks with drive‑throughs and the regional air‑quality model. Staff added the standard condition clarifying that the development permit’s time limit for commencement is two years unless extended under Palm Springs zoning code section 94.12; staff also noted that separate legal and procedural questions affect whether a conditional use permit can lapse automatically and that revocation, if ever necessary, would require a noticed hearing.

Other items noted on the record Commissioners requested ARC consider alternate screening materials (not only bougainvillea), verify selection of tree species (several commissioners expressed concern about African sumac and some palo verde varieties), and evaluate the kiosk slat detail for maintenance and sight‑line issues. Staff noted city‑owned parcels east of the site are under airport management and that broader zoning updates are underway that may address issues in this area.

Votes and next steps By roll call the commission approved the staff recommendations and the project entitlements within the commission’s authority and forwarded the change‑of‑zone recommendation to City Council. The motion to adopt the mitigated negative declaration and approve the CUP and major development permit (and to forward the change of zone to council) was made by Commissioner Miller and seconded by (recorded second). The vote was unanimous (7–0). The rezoning application will be scheduled for City Council consideration; the development permits and conditions will be implemented following completion of any required director/ARC reviews and the two‑year commencement condition noted above.

Ending note Planning staff and the applicant agreed to return with final landscaping and circulation refinements for administrative or ARC review as required; the change of zone now moves to the City Council for final action.