Planning commission approves master sign program enabling Starbucks panel on existing Arco pylon and signs for shopping center remodel

The Cathedral City Planning Commission approved a master sign program for the Arco/AMPM shopping center at the northeast corner of Date Palm Drive and Vista Chino, permitting new and replacement tenant signage — including a requested Starbucks panel on the center’s freeway-oriented pylon sign — and directional signage to support a forthcoming Starbucks in the former Dairy Queen space.

Cynthia Schultz, associate planner, told the commission the site contains multiple existing freestanding signs and that fuel-price reader signage is governed by California law (Business & Professions Code) while the city retains review authority over the pylon/pole sign and other site signage. The master sign program request includes a new panel on the freeway pylon sign (a 100-square-foot Starbucks box beneath the existing Arco/AMPM cabinet), new panels on two monument signs, and directional and wall signage for the Starbucks tenant and other site businesses.

Schultz noted the total proposed sign area of 735.52 square feet is within allowances in the sign code as applied through master-sign-program review; staff recommended approval and cited the sign plan’s purpose to support site circulation, identification and to limit sign clutter. Commissioners asked about wind and sand on the site — staff said general maintenance obligations in prior entitlements apply and sign maintenance and site-cleaning issues can be addressed through code-compliance channels if necessary.

Toni Maryhugh, CFO for the property owner Chandy Group USA, said Starbucks’s desire to appear on the freeway sign was important to lease terms and traffic visibility; the owner’s team also sought a panel in the monument sign on Date Palm Drive to improve visibility of the Starbucks drive-through and other tenants. The applicant said costs and structural constraints limited large re-fabrication of the pole sign, and the design adds a new cabinet rather than rebuilding the entire pole.

Action: The commission found the master sign program exempt from CEQA (Class 1 exemption, §15301) and approved MSP25-0001 based on staff findings.

Why it matters: Approval adds a high-profile retail brand to the Date Palm/Vista Chino corridor and updates signage to reflect current tenants; the decision also clarifies city and state jurisdiction over fuel price displays and pole/pylon signs.

What’s next: The applicant will submit sign-permit applications consistent with the master sign program; staff noted maintenance and sand accumulation issues may be monitored through code compliance if they reoccur.