Council approves first reading for 204-unit Rosemont apartment project, delegates final wall design to staff

The Cathedral City City Council on Jan. 8 approved the first reading of ordinances and entitlements for a proposed 204-unit apartment community that would require a general-plan amendment (GPA 23-002), a change of zone (23-001) and a design review. The council found the project's mitigated negative declaration under the California Environmental Quality Act acceptable and approved the project on motions recorded in the minutes.

Cindy Schultz, senior planner, presented the project packet and detailed the proposed changes. The applicant seeks to change the property's land-use designation from general commercial to medium high-density residential and to rezone the site from planned community commercial to an R-3 multifamily district that allows roughly 11–20 dwelling units per acre. Schultz said the project includes 12 buildings (six two-story “big houses” and six…