Local database throws an error after adding the managed database cluster on DO Apps

In our Django project that we are testing via DO Apps. I followed along with this tutorial

https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-deploy-django-to-app-platform#step-4-—-deploying-to-digitalocean-with-app-platform

and added this block of code.

DEVELOPMENT_MODE = os.getenv("DEVELOPMENT_MODE", "False") == "True"

if DEVELOPMENT_MODE is True:
    DATABASES = {
        "default": {
            "ENGINE": "Our local database postgres creds",
            "NAME": os.path.join(BASE_DIR, "postgres "),
        }
    }
elif len(sys.argv) > 0 and sys.argv[1] != 'collectstatic':
    if os.getenv("DATABASE_URL", None) is None:
        raise Exception("DATABASE_URL environment variable not defined")
    DATABASES = {
        "default": dj_database_url.parse(os.environ.get("DATABASE_URL")),
    }

In our environment variable at the app, we have set the Debug mode to True and DEVELOPMENT_MODE is also True.

The issue is that every time we try to run the local server. We see a cookie that is creating a session and crashing the site. We have to delete that cookie to run the local env and I am suspecting that this is caused by this block of code that I mentioned above. Is my assumption is correct and how can I fix this?

Second, what is the best practice to add the env variable for the dev branch that can work locally and also on digital ocean apps? I am thinking that on my local machine

Debug == TRUE DEVELOPMENT_MODE == True

and the env variable at the DO app as.

Debug == False DEVELOPMENT_MODE == False