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Planning commission approves subdivision of Cathedral City Marketplace into 12 commercial parcels
Summary
The Cathedral City Planning Commission approved Tentative Parcel Map 39083 to subdivide about 18.43 acres at the Cathedral City Marketplace into 12 commercial parcels. Staff recommended the map be found CEQA-exempt under the common-sense rule; the commission approved the map subject to conditions and updates to the project's CC&Rs.
The Cathedral City Planning Commission on March 5 approved Tentative Parcel Map (TPM) 39083, allowing the Cathedral City Marketplace to be subdivided into 12 commercial parcels across roughly 18.43 acres.
Staff said the parcelization meets zoning standards and recommended the commission find the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under the common-sense rule, CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3), and approve the map subject to the conditions included with the staff report.
Assistant Planner Manuel Rocha, presenting the staff report, said the site is within the Planned Community Commercial (PCC) zoning district and that “there are no on- or off-site improvements proposed with this project.” Rocha said each new lot would meet the PCC district minimum lot size of 8,000 square feet. Rocha also told commissioners the subdivision is permissible under the Subdivision Map Act and that the applicant is Cathedral City Ventures, represented at the hearing by Jonathan Wall.
Commissioners focused questions on maintenance and tenant impacts. Commissioner Bedard described site-care concerns including dead trees, trash and deferred paving and asked whether subdivision would change maintenance responsibilities. Staff answered that the project’s conditions of approval require the CC&Rs to be updated to cover maintenance for the newly created parcels. An economic development representative said the city has been in contact with the new owner and will encourage reinvestment and use code compliance where appropriate.
Applicant Jonathan Wall said Cathedral City Ventures purchased the center in September and described work already underway: repainting and pressure-washing, new tenant build-outs and negotiations with existing anchors. Wall said the owner is pursuing parking-lot repairs tied to tenant approval and that Food 4 Less is expected to approve a full mill-and-repave of its portion; Wall said the owner expects to complete substantial paving work “before the season heats up.” He told the commission the parcel map will improve financing and investment flexibility and that CC&Rs will be revised so a declarant is responsible for common-area maintenance.
Vice Chair Danny Lee opened the public hearing; no members of the public spoke. Commissioner Mead moved to adopt a notice of exemption under CEQA section 15061(b)(3) and to approve TPM 39083 subject to the staff conditions; Commissioner Bedard seconded. With Chair Malecoff recused from this item for a disclosed employer conflict, the motion carried with Commissioners Mead, Bedard and Lee voting in favor.
The commission’s action approves the proposed parcel map but does not itself authorize construction or tenant improvements; subsequent permits or tenant approvals will proceed under the city’s standard review and building-permit processes. Staff said the applicant must submit updated CC&Rs and that city code compliance will continue to be available to address ongoing maintenance issues.
Votes at a glance: TPM 39083 — motion to adopt a CEQA notice of exemption and approve the tentative parcel map; mover: Commissioner Mead; second: Commissioner Bedard; vote: Mead — yes; Bedard — yes; Lee — yes; Malecoff — recused; outcome: approved.
