Cathedral City ARC approves exterior design for Amazon vehicle-inspection building

The Cathedral City Architecture Review Committee on Aug. 20 approved a revised exterior design for an 1,800-square-foot pre-engineered metal automatic vehicle inspection (AVI) building proposed at 35750 Deep Palm Drive within the Amazon commercial hub.

City staff had recommended Design 1, featuring a burnished-slate primary color, faux windows and trees on the west elevation; the committee approved a modification combining that scheme with the applicant’s options for a full window and an Amazon sign on the west elevation.

Manuel Rocha, Assistant Planner for the City of Cathedral City, presented the item as Administrative Design Review 25-0002 and explained the project’s purpose and design alternatives. Rocha said the applicant proposed a white roll-up door for vehicle access but declined a garage-style glass door because of security concerns and conflicts with AVI equipment. Rocha summarized staff’s recommendation: “staff does recommend that the Architectural Review Committee review the proposed architectural design alternatives for the proposed 1,800 square foot automatic vehicle inspection building and approve Design 1 with a burnished slate primary color and faux windows and trees on the west elevation.”

Committee discussion focused on tying the new building to the existing Amazon structure and reducing the visual prominence of the roll-up doors. Vice Chair King and other members said they preferred the darker base color and suggested painting the roll-up doors to match that base and continuing the horizontal dark band around the building. The committee also confirmed that the faux trees shown would be installed in the planter area that replaces a row of parking spaces adjacent to the building.

Vice Chair King made the motion to approve the combination of Design 1 with options C and D (the full window and the Amazon sign) and to apply the dark base color to the roll-up doors and vertical stripe elements on both north and south elevations. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Rivera and the motion passed.

The applicant agreed to add the full window and signage as requested. Staff and the committee also discussed the north elevation details and that the roll-up doors on both the north and south faces would be colored to match the dark base with the vertical light stripes converted to the dark base color.

No public speakers addressed the ARC on this item; a written comment intended for a separate planning commission hearing was placed on the dais in error and was not considered for this decision.

The committee’s approval was limited to the exterior design as described; no changes to building size, height or site location were made.