HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-12-17 PC Regular Meeting MinutesPLANNING COMMISSION
CITY OF PALM DESERT
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
December 17, 2024, 6:00 p.m.
Present: Commissioner Nancy DeLuna, Vice-Chair Lindsay Holt,
Commissioner John Greenwood, Chair Ron Gregory
Staff Present: Director of Development Services Richard Cannone, Principal
Planner Carlos Flores, Deputy City Attorney Daniel Trevino,
Recording Secretary Michelle Nance
1. CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission was called to order by Chairperson
Gregory on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, City
Hall, located at 73-510 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert, California.
2. ROLL CALL
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Commissioner Greenwood led the Pledge of Allegiance.
4. NONAGENDA PUBLIC COMMENTS
None.
5. CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion by: Commissioner Greenwood
Seconded by: Commissioner DeLuna
To approve the consent calendar as presented.
Motion Carried (4 to 0)
5.a APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion by: Commissioner Greenwood
Seconded by: Commissioner DeLuna
Approve the Minutes of November 19, 2024.
Motion Carried
6. ACTION CALENDAR
None.
Docusign Envelope ID: 71A881CE-B687-4AAB-8DF9-91DA463C5E57
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
December 17, 2024
2
7. PUBLIC HEARINGS
7.a CONSIDERATION OF A RECOMMENDATION TO THE PALM DESERT CITY
COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL OF A ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO
SECTIONS OF TITLE 25 OF THE PALM DESERT MUNICIPAL CODE AND
FINDING THE ACTION EXEMPT PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
Principal Planner Flores presented a PowerPoint and responded to
Commissioner inquiries.
Commissioner Greenwood discussed site posting requirements, suggesting a
standardized template accessible on the City's website; addressed community
engagement meeting schedules, advocating for meetings to occur only after
applications are deemed complete to ensure alignment with code standards and
avoid presenting incomplete projects to the public; recommended requiring pre-
application reviews for projects needing community engagement or discretionary
reviews to ensure completeness and streamline public input; further suggested
notifying entire Homeowner Associations near project sites and using City
facilities, like the Council Chamber, for hybrid in-person and virtual community
meetings.
Vice Chair Holt raised concerns about community meeting notification timing,
emphasizing the need for clear communication from staff and flexibility during the
process’s early stages; recommended adding language regarding site signage
removal.
In response to inquiries, staff clarified the following:
• Notification by developers to residents for community meetings would
follow the same 10-day notice to match the City’s existing notification
timing;
• Community meetings must be held within Palm Desert during non-
business hours;
• Notices may be in flyer format or similar, provided by the applicant; and
• Notification radii are 1,000 feet for parcels over five acres and 500 feet for
parcels under five acres.
Following discussion Director Cannone suggested extending the notification
timeline to 20 days post-submittal and requiring signage removal within 10 days
after the appeal period; clarified that community meetings do not count toward
the five-meeting rule and proposed revisiting pre-application requirements during
the Unified Development Code update.
Chair Gregory opened and closed the Public Hearing, with no public comments.
Motion by: Commissioner Greenwood
Seconded by: Vice-Chair Holt
Commissioner Greenwood moved to recommend revisions requiring signage
removal within 10 days after the appeal period and adjusting community meeting
Docusign Envelope ID: 71A881CE-B687-4AAB-8DF9-91DA463C5E57
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
December 17, 2024
3
timelines to 30 days prior to application submittal, 20 days post-submittal, and 30
days after the application is deemed complete.
Adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. 2887 entitled: “A RESOLUTION OF
THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA
RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF A ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO
AMEND SECTIONS 25.60.080, 25.60.160, AND 25.78.020(C) OF PALM
DESERT MUNICIPAL CODE TITLE 25 AND MAKING A FINDING THAT THE
ACTION IS EXEMPT FROM FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA),”
as amended.
Motion Carried (4 to 0)
8. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & COMMENTS
8.a SUMMARY OF CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS
Director of Development Services Cannone provided an update on recent actions
taken by City Council.
8.b COMMITTEE MEETING UPDATES
8.b.1 Cultural Arts Committee
Vice-Chair Holt provided an update on Cultural Arts Committee meeting of
December 2024.
8.b.2 Parks and Recreation Committee
None.
8.c PLANNING COMMISSIONERS
In response to inquiry, staff provided an update on the following items:
• Digital agendas for future meetings; and
• Budget review for Planning Commission seminars.
8.d CITY STAFF
Director of Development Services expressed his appreciation to the Commission
and wished everyone Happy Holidays.
8.e ATTENDANCE REPORT
Report provided; no action taken on this item.
Docusign Envelope ID: 71A881CE-B687-4AAB-8DF9-91DA463C5E57
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
December 17, 2024
4
9. ADJOURNMENT
The Planning Commission adjourned at 6:54 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_________________________
Michelle Nance, Acting Assistant City Clerk
Recording Secretary
_________________________
Richard Cannone, Director of Development Services
Staff Liaison
Docusign Envelope ID: 71A881CE-B687-4AAB-8DF9-91DA463C5E57
Date approved by the Planning Commission
January 7, 2025