# Planning Commission - Special Meeting - September 30, 2026 6:00 PM

The Cathedral City Planning Commission held a special public hearing on September 30, 2026, to consider the city’s comprehensive development code update. The Commission unanimously recommended that the City Council find the update exempt from CEQA, based on an addendum to the General Plan EIR, and consider the revised code with Commission-requested changes. The update is intended to implement the General Plan and modernize zoning, subdivision, development standards, and permit procedures. No contract awards, purchasing decisions, or budget allocations were discussed; although city staff identified consultant participation, no consultant procurement action was taken.

The Commission’s codification requests included extending the appeal period to 12 business days; starting the appeal period for director decisions when posted on the city website; authorizing de novo review of director decisions by the Planning Commission and City Council; limiting City Manager waiver authority to specified capital-improvement or emergency circumstances with Council notification; removing the provision limiting drive-through facilities to arterial roadways; and requiring a primary use for drive-throughs in the Mixed Use Downtown district. The Commission also recommended annual reporting of similar-use determinations for possible inclusion in the code and that staff and Council establish a process to make a licensed architect available to the Commission as needed. The code update was forwarded to the City Council for its October 14 meeting; the Commission also unanimously approved three sets of prior meeting minutes.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Policy, Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** September 30, 2026

### Sources
- [Planning Commission - Special Meeting - September 30, 2026 6:00 PM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSPpN6B64W4) - Discover Cathedral City