Attachment 4
ORDINANCE NO.
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF CATHEDRAL CITY, CALIFORNIA,
AMENDING TITLES 9 AND 12 OF THE
CATHEDRAL CITY MUNI CIPAL CODE
REGARDING SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
WHEREAS, the City of Cathedral City’s ( City) single-family residential development standards for driveway width and landscaping were last amended in 1989; and
WHEREAS, since 1989, changes in state law have fundamentally altered single - family residential zoning, including the creation of ministerial and by -right allowances for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs), urban lot splits, and two-family dwelling units; and
WHEREAS, state law restricts local agencies from requiring the replacement of a garage, carport, or covered parking structure when it is demolished in conjunction with the construction of an ADU or JADU and further eliminates parking requirements altogether when an ADU is constructed entirely within an existing residence, when it is proposed as part of an application to build a new single -family dwelling unit; or when an ADU is built within 0.5 miles of public transit; and
WHEREAS, the parking restrictions for urban lot splits and two -family dwelling units are restricted by state law in the same manner as ADUs and JADUs; and WHEREAS, the City permitted 28 ADUs in 2023 and has permitted 30 ADUs through July 2024, demonstrating a significant demand for ADUs within the City; and WHEREAS, 2022 American Community Survey (ACS) 5 -Year Estimates for Cathedral City report that 28.6 percent of all households have three or more vehicles, indicating a sizeable number of households have more vehicles than fit in a two -car garage; and
WHEREAS, the City’s single -family residential development standards are not responsive to changes in state law and consumer preferences that have resulted in an increased numbers of vehicles parked on single -family residential property and on residential streets; and
WHEREAS, the increased number of vehicles parked on single -family residential property and residential streets has led to an increase in parking on landscape surfaces and in front of residential mailboxes; and
WHEREAS, the City receives approximately 100 complaints annually from residents concerning the parking on landscape surfaces, which are addressed through the City’s Code Compliance Division; and
WHEREAS, the City receives approximately 5 complaints annually from residents regarding parking in front of a mailbox, including those that have reported the refusal of the USPS to deliver mail when a vehicle is parked blocking a mailbox; and WHEREAS, the increase in single-family residential vehicle parking for properties fronting onto a major or arterial street classification, including Date Palm Drive, Cathedral Canyon, Ramon Road, Vista Chino, and Landau Boulevard, creates added challenges where on-street parking may be restricted or prohibited and where the backing of vehicles from a driveway onto the road may generate safety concerns; and WHEREAS, amendments are needed to the Title 9 of the Cathedral City Municipal Code to provide more flexibility within the single-family residential development standards in response to changes in state law and consumer preferences and to allow for circular driveways and turnarounds in certain circumstances; and WHEREAS, amendments are needed to Title 12 of the Cathedral City Municipal Code to reduce potential conflict with the delivery of USPS mail.
NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CATHEDRAL CITY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. AMENDMENT OF SECTION 9.12.100 OF THE CATHEDRAL CITY
MUNICIPAL CODE
Section 9.12.100 of the Cathedral City Municipal Code shall be repealed in its entirety and replaced to read as follows:
9.12.100 Access to parking (driveways).
All parking spaces and structures shall be served by a driveway that meets the following standards:
A. Minimum width of driveway: 16 feet;
B. Maximum width of driveway: 36 feet;
C. Driveways and open parking areas shall be constructed of Portland cement concrete or similar durability material approved by the City Engineer; and D. Driveways and open parking areas shall not cover more than thirty percent of the required front or street side yard area.
SECTION 2. AMENDMENT OF SECTION 9.14.090 OF THE CATHEDRAL CITY
MUNICIPAL CODE
Section 9.14.090 of the Cathedral City Municipal Code shall be repealed in its entirety and replaced to read as follows:
9.14.090 Parking.
In addition to all the requirements of Chapter 9.58, the minimum parking shall be as follows:
A. Main dwelling: two car parking spaces within a garage.
B. Location of parking: no vehicles shall be parked in any area except within the garage, improved driveway, or improved accessory parking spaces.
C. Maximum parking spaces: the maximum number of parking spaces per lot shall not exceed four covered spaces (two hundred square feet each) and open parking not greater than one thousand square feet excluding driveways.
Additional covered parking in lieu of said open parking may be permitted by administrative design review provided all other applicable district standards can be met.
D. Vehicles shall not be parked or stored in any front or street side yard area except on driveways or open parking spaces constructed of Portland cement concrete or similar durability material approved by the City Engineer. Driveways and improved parking areas shall not cover more than fifty percent of the required front or street side yard area.
E. Parking lots, in conjunction with commercial uses, are allowed provided that the parking lot:
1. Solely serves an adjacent commercial development that has frontage along Ramon Road;
2. Shares a common property line or alley (not including a public street) with the commercial development;
3. Does not have vehicular access from an adjacent residential street, unless no other suitable options are available as determined by the city planner;
4. Is not located on a lot that fronts on Roundup Road; and
5. Is not used for any type of storage activity, sales or other non-parking use at any time.
F. For parking lots meeting the above criterion, the following development standards shall apply:
1. A solid decorative masonry wall shall be constructed between the parking lot and the adjacent residential properties. The wall shall be a minimum of six feet and a maximum of seven feet in height. Where the wall is adjacent to a residential front yard setback, the wall height shall step down, starting at the setback line to meet the perimeter screen wall height as described below.
2. A solid decorative masonry screen wall shall be constructed between the parking lot and the adjacent residential street(s) that is a minimum of thirty-six inches and a maximum of forty-eight inches in height. A minimum five-foot interior width planter shall be constructed along both sides of the decorative screen wall.
3. A minimum five-foot interior width planter shall be constructed along the perimeter of the lot where the lot is adjacent to residentially zoned properties.
4. All interior planters shall be protected from vehicle overhangs with concrete wheel stops. Exception: Vehicles may have a two-foot overhang into a planter that has a minimum interior dimension of at least seven feet and concrete wheel stops will not be required.
5. Parking lots shall have a minimum of fifty percent shade coverage of the parking area within ten years of construction. Trees should be planted between every three parking spaces. Arbors, courts and similar shade structures may be approved by the city planner instead of the tree requirement, provided that their supporting members are setback at least five feet from the property line that is shared with residentially zoned properties.
6. Parking lots shall maintain security lighting where a minimum of one foot- candle is provided for the interior. Additionally, a maximum of zero foot- candles are permitted at all property lines. Fixtures shall be bollard style or wall mounted and shall not exceed five feet in height.
7. Access to the parking lot shall be either from the adjacent commercial use via a common access easement or dedicated easement (a lot merger may be required) or from an adjacent public street or alley. The access shall be designed to city standards as required by the public works director/city engineer
SECTION 3. AMENDMENT OF SECTION 9.14.100 OF THE CATHEDRAL CITY
MUNICIPAL CODE
Section 9.14.100 of the Cathedral City Municipal Code shall be repealed in its entirety and replaced to read as follows:
9.14.100 Access to parking (driveways).
All parking spaces and structures shall be served by a driveway that meets the following standards:
A. Minimum width of driveway: 16 feet;
B. Maximum width of driveway: 36 feet;
C. Driveways and open parking areas shall be constructed of Portland cement concrete or similar durability material approved by the City Engineer; and D. Driveways and open parking areas shall not cover more than fifty percent of the required front or street side yard area except where a property fronts onto a major or arterial street classification. For properties fronting onto a major or arterial street classification, up to seventy-five percent coverage may be allowed where the City Engineer determines that a turnaround or circular driveway is required or where on-street parking adjacent to the property is prohibited.
SECTION 4. ADDITION OF SECTION 12.12.130 TO THE CATHEDRAL CITY
MUNICIPAL CODE
Section 12.12.130 shall be added to Chapter 12.12 of Title 12 of the Cathedral City Municipal Code to read as follows:
12.12.130 Civil fines.
Each separate parking citation or notice of violation, related to charging violations of local or Vehicle Code regulations governing the parking or standing of vehicles, shall be subject to: (a) a fine in an amount not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars for a first violation; (b) a fine in an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars for a second violation of the same offense within a twelve- month period of the date of the first; and (c) a fine in an amount not to exceed seven hundred fifty dollars for the third violation of the same offense within a twelve- month period of the date of the first. The fine for a fourth and subsequent violations of the same offense within a twelve -month period of the date of the first offense shall be one thousand dollars.
SECTION 5. AMENDMENT OF SECTION 12.32.080 OF THE CATHEDRAL CITY
MUNICIPAL CODE
Section 12.32.080 of the Cathedral City Municipal Code shall be repealed in its entirety and replaced to read as follows:
12.32.080 No-parking areas.
The city traffic engineer is authorized to maintain, by appropriate signs, markings or by paint upon the curb surface, certain no-stopping zones, no-parking areas, and restricted- parking areas, as defined and described in this section. No person shall stop, stand, park or leave standing any vehicle in any of the following places, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the direction of a police officer or other authorized officer or traffic sign or signal:
A. Within any divisional island unless authorized and clearly indicated with appropriate signs or markings;
B. On either side of any street between the projected property lines of any public walk, public steps, street or thoroughfare terminating at such street, when such area is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface; C. In any area where the city traffic engineer determines that the parking or stopping of a vehicle would constitute a traffic hazard or would endanger life or property, when such area is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface;
D. In any area established by resolution of the council as a no -parking area, when such area is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface; E. In any area where the parking or stopping of any vehicle would constitute a traffic hazard or would endanger life or property;
F. On any street or highway where the use of such street or highway or a portion thereof is necessary for the cleaning, repair or construction of the street or highway or the installation of underground utilities or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is authorized for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is necessary for the movement of equipment, articles or structures of unusual size, and the parking of such vehicle would prohibit or interfere with such use or movement; provided, that signs giving notice of such no-parking are erected or placed at least twenty-four hours prior to the effective time of such no-parking; G. At any place within twenty feet of a point on the curb immediately opposite the midblock end of a safety zone, when such place is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface;
H. At any place within twenty feet of a crosswalk at an intersection when such place is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface except that a bus may stop at a designated bus stop;
I. In any area of approach to any traffic signal, left -turn lane, boulevard stop sign or official electric flashing device when such area is determined by the city traffic engineer to be valuable in the interest of promoting traffic safety or convenience, and the area is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface that a bus may stop at a designated bus stop;
J. In front of, or within ten (10) feet of, any individual mailbox, community mailbox, cluster of mailboxes, or United States postal receptacle available to the public during the hours of eight a.m. to seven p.m. of that same day (except Sundays and federal holidays). The length of time a vehicle is permitted to stop in front of any individual mailbox, community mailbox, cluster of mailboxes, or United States postal receptacle available to the public shall be limited to the time a person is involved in the act of depositing and/or collecting mail in the applicable receptacle.
SECTION 6. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
Pursuant to Title 14, Chapter 3, Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Code of Regulations, the “common sense exemption” of CEQA Guidelines which states that a “project is exempt from CEQA if: the activity is covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA.”
SECTION 7. SEVERABILITY
If any chapter, sections, subsections, subdivisions, sentences, clauses, phrases, or portion of this ordinance, is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision will not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have adopted this ordinance, and each chapter, sections, subsections, subdivisions, sentences, clauses, phrases, or portion thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, subdivi sions, sentences, clauses, phrases, or porti ons thereof be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 8. POSTING
The City Clerk shall, within fifteen (15) days after passage of this Ordinance, cause it to be posted in at least three (3) designated public places; shall certify to the adoption and posting of this Ordinance; and shall cause this Ordinance and its certification, together with proof of posting, to be entered in the Book of Ordinances of this City.
SECTION 9. CERTIFICATION
The foregoing Ordinance was approved and adopted at a meeting of the City Council held on the day of , 2025, by the following vote:
Ayes:
Noes:
Abstain:
Absent:
Nancy Ross, Mayor
ATTEST:
Tracey Hermosillo, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Eric S. Vail, City Attorney