Planning commission recommends Forest Lawnspecific plan and mitigated negative declaration

The Cathedral City Planning Commission on April 15 recommended that the City Council adopt a mitigated negative declaration under the California Environmental Quality Act and approve a general plan amendment, zone change and the Forest Lawn Cathedral City Specific Plan for a 10-acre site at the southwest corner of Raone Road and Deval Drive.

Staff told commissioners the northerly five acres contain the existing cemetery use and the southerly five acres are a former storage facility that Forest Lawn proposes to demolish and redevelop over time with interment spaces, a chapel, parking and landscaping. Staff said the applicant had added conceptual illustrations and keyed images to show form, massing, openings and articulation so that future administrative design reviews would have clearer guidance.

"The specific plan provides clear direction for subsequent administrative review by staff," the staff presenter said, recommending adoption of a mitigated negative declaration and approval of general plan amendment 25-00001, change of zone 25-00001 and specific plan 25-00001.

Dennis Madison, who identified himself as lead of Forest Lawn rchitecture and Engineering, told the commission the team returned with renderings and text changes that he said respond to the commission's previous feedback and would "allow Forest Lawn to continue serving the residents of Cathedral City and the surrounding communities for many years to come." He added the team coordinated the new pages with staff and modeled them on previously approved specific plans.

Commissioners focused their questions on whether an administrative design review by staff would be adequate to ensure eventual buildings match the illustrative guidance in the specific plan. Commissioner Malikoff argued project-specific specific plans should include an Architectural Review Committee step to provide added assurance, saying, "I really don't think we're going to get the assurances of what we're going to get in the future." Staff and applicant representatives responded that the specific plan includes written guidelines and development standards, that specific plans "run with the land," and that the development standards and images would guide future applicants and staff even if an operator changed.

Commissioner Baddard pressed the applicant's architect about how the southern and western facades would affect the park behind the site; the architect said openings are elevated and set back to protect neighbor privacy, that a 15-foot public right-of-way and additional second-floor setback would remain, and that existing trees between the building and the wall would be retained.

After additional commissioner discussion and confirmation from staff about administrative review steps (planning review, building permit checks and appeal rights), Commissioner Baddard moved and Commissioner McFale seconded a resolution recommending council adoption of the mitigated negative declaration and approval of the general plan amendment, zone change and specific plan. The motion passed with all ayes.

The commission's recommendation now advances the matter to the City Council for final action; staff told commissioners the specific plan and related environmental document will be part of the council docketing process.