Commission delays Sherwin‑Williams proposal on North Palm Canyon; asks for stronger street-facing entrance and landscaping

The Planning Commission on Feb. 26 continued a proposed major development permit for a new 4,012-square-foot Sherwin‑Williams store near the southeast corner of North Palm Canyon Drive and East Stevens Road, asking the applicant to return with a revised plan that provides a stronger street-facing entrance, more glazing on the Palm Canyon elevation and revised landscaping.

The item matters because the site is on a prominent stretch of Palm Canyon designated for pedestrian activity; commissioners said the current design reads as a “back of house” facing the street and conflicts with the city’s desire for walkable storefronts. Staff identified technical items that must be resolved, including outdoor lighting photometrics, two substandard end parking spaces that need dimension changes or curb adjustments, and required documentation of light fixtures.

Staff presented the major development permit application filed by McReiter Realty Partners proposing a 4,012-square-foot, single-story commercial building on a 0.38-acre vacant parcel. The proposed building height is 18 feet with a 4.5-foot mechanical screen; site plans show a one-way drive aisle, parking and a rear trash enclosure. Staff noted that the roof must be “solar ready” per building code and that stormwater will be collected and routed to a drainage chamber at the site’s southwest corner. Staff recommended approval subject to standard conditions and to items to be resolved by architectural review, including photometric plan revisions.

Matthew McWhorter, the contract buyer and developer, said Sherwin‑Williams will be a tenant; he answered questions about practical site operation (deliveries, parking maneuvers and need for two curb cuts). Commissioners and several members of the commission’s design-focused reviewers asked whether the plan should be reconfigured so the building sits closer to the street and provides a clear primary entrance and more glass on the Palm Canyon facade to encourage pedestrian activity.

Commissioners raised the following technical issues: two parking stalls adjacent to the building are currently narrower than the 11-foot minimum and need modification or curb adjustment; photometric plans did not include fixture cut sheets and must be revised; and selected landscape species (Delonix regia noted in the plan) may be inappropriate in a narrow planting strip because of large canopy spread. Commissioners suggested the applicant coordinate with ARC (Architectural Review Commission) for facade and landscape details, but asked the developer to return with a revised interior/exterior plan that shows a genuine front entrance on Palm Canyon and more glazing rather than only cosmetic changes.

Commissioner comments reflected differing operational perspectives: some commissioners noted that paint stores often serve contractors who primarily access buildings from parking lots, while others said the city’s objective for walkable frontage along Palm Canyon should guide design choices. The commission’s motion directed the applicant to return with a revised plan that provides a clear front entrance, increased glazing on the west (Palm Canyon) elevation and improved west-side landscaping; the motion was seconded and passed by roll call vote.

The commission also asked that architectural details and landscape revisions be reviewed by ARC and that the applicant submit revised photometric plans and fixture cut sheets to satisfy city lighting standards. The application will return to the commission after the applicant submits the requested revisions.

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