Planning commission approves auto‑body shop at 36711 Cathedral Canyon Drive with landscaping and business‑license deadline

The Cathedral City Planning Commission on Feb. 4 approved a conditional use permit allowing a 4,200‑square‑foot auto body and collision repair operation, including an indoor spray booth, at 36711 Cathedral Canyon Drive.

Assistant Planner Manuel Rocha told the commission the project, proposed by Eurotech Construction/Platinum Auto Repair, would use three existing buildings and include five service bays (one housing the spray booth), new shade structures, block walls and refreshed desert landscaping. Rocha said staff recommends the project be found exempt from CEQA under Section 15.301 (Class 1 for existing facilities) and recommended a set of conditions, including one that requires the applicant to apply for a business license and all required construction permits within three months.

The commission’s discussion centered on streetscape and neighbor concerns near the downtown amphitheater. Several commissioners urged adding trees or taller planting to screen the site and reduce heat‑island effects; Commissioner Malecoff said, “I too would like to see a minimum of 2 trees put in that along Cathedral Canyon,” and Vice Chair Mead said the commission should try to “encourage more trees” while leaving final placement to staff.

Rocha described project details: the plan proposes 13 on‑site parking stalls but would be reduced so that two new metal shade structures and one existing shaded stall provide shaded parking for six stalls to meet the code’s 50% shaded parking requirement. He also noted that the spray booth will require exhaust screening extending six feet above the highest roof elevation and that air‑quality permitting is handled by the regional agency: "The city doesn't have any specific requirements for exhaust. However, they do need to go through the proper permitting process with the state, which I believe is the AQMD."

Commissioners debated whether to require a fixed number of trees or to direct staff to work with the applicant on feasible tree placement; the commission ultimately approved the CUP with added language directing trees in the front and in the parking area (flexible as to exact species and count) and retained staff’s condition 3.15 requiring the business‑license/construction‑permit submission within three months. Rocha read the condition into the record: "So condition number 3.15 within 3 months of approval, the applicant shall apply for a business license and all required construction and related permits." The motion passed 3‑2.

Next steps: the applicant must submit required construction drawings and business‑license documentation for plan check and permitting; staff will verify landscaping and shade‑structure details during the building permit review and may adjust tree placement to meet sight‑line and infrastructure constraints.