Yucca Mesa to be annexed to Yucca Valley?

The Hi-Desert Star reports that the Town of Yucca Valley is filing an application to annex Yucca Mesa into its "sphere of influence".

Though this is not a physical annexation, and it will not change any of the ways that services are provided by San Bernardino County to the unincorporated community, it does qualify as the first step toward annexation.

The draft review posed two questions: Does the Town have the capacity to extend its municipal services to adjacent unincorporated areas, and would the level and quality of the Town’s services be an improvement for said areas? [Stanley R.] Hoffman Associates found the answer to each question to be “an unequivocal yes.”

But does the Mesa agree? At the Town Council’s meeting, Jim Sammons of the Yucca Mesa Improvement Association told the council, “We don’t want to be involved with the Town if we can help it.”

Of particular note is that this move would shadow the boundaries of the Hi-Desert Water District, of which "the town has considered becoming the governing body...[although for the Hoffman] study it is assumed to remain as an independent district.”

The agency that governs annexations is LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission). Read more about the history of LAFCO and the State laws that govern it on the San Bernardino County LAFCO Website here. Importantly, annexation proposals ARE subject to CEQA, the California Environmental Equality Act. (Learn more about CEQA and how citizens may use this process on the MBCA Website here.)

The process for protesting an annexation proposal is briefly described on the SBco LAFCO FAQ page, including:

For inhabited areas (areas containing twelve or more registered voters), state law indicates that if written protest is filed by 25% to 50% of the registered voters, or any amount greater than 25% of the landowners, then an election is called, and the annexation would be scheduled for a vote. If the protest is less than 25% of the voters or landowners, then the annexation is approved without an election; if the protest is greater than 50% of the total registered voters, then the annexation is denied without an election.

So what does "sphere of influence" mean, specifically? In the LAFCO context, it is "a plan for the probable physical boundaries and service area of a local government agency" and "is an important benchmark because it defines the primary area within which urban development is to be encouraged", according to this section of an extensive guide to "LAFCO's, General Plans, and City Annexations" on the Governor's Office of Planning and Research Website.


MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the Land Use/Development, Communities, and Water pages of the MBCA Website. Previous blog posts: Yucca Mesa, Yucca Valley, YV water/waste/sewage.

Cadiz water project returns

Cadiz, Inc., is apparently resuscitating their proposal to store Colorado River water in underground aquifers on their thousands of acres east of Bristol Dry Lake near Amboy. The new wrinkle would include an underground pipeline on a railroad right-of-way rather than on federal land. The company announced last week that it had reached a 99-year lease agreement with Arizona & California Railroad Co.

Per SFGate:

For years, Cadiz has been working on a plan to provide Southern California with up to 49 billion gallons of water during years of drought and emergencies. It suffered a blow in 2002 when the giant Metropolitan Water District of Southern California pulled out.

Under the plan, surplus Colorado River water would be shipped during wet years by pipeline from the California Aqueduct to the Cadiz aquifer. The aquifer is 30 miles north of the aqueduct.

According to the company's web page about the project, the lead agency during the environmental review process is expected to be the County of San Bernardino. View a map of the project area here. Learn more about how the project would work here.

Learn more about water issues on the Water page of the MBCA Website.

JT DOG fundraiser a success

The JT DOG (Joshua Tree Development Oversight Group) fundraiser last week brought out 150 supporters. The fundraiser featured the film "The Unforeseen", about the attempt to build a giant housing development in Texas. Per the Hi-Desert Star:

The cinematic retelling of a mobilized citizen base protecting a natural resource resonated with the 150 attendees.

JT DOG hopes the same story can be told about Joshua Tree. The group formed this summer, according to a news release, to mobilize the community to participate in decisions about land use.

The group’s specific focus is the proposed Joshua Tree Villas, 2,700 homes on a square mile of Joshua tree forest at the corner of La Contenta and Twentynine Palms Highway.

The community is looking at ways to have more control over development.

While an incorporated entity like Yucca Valley has local governance to handle development issues through its Planning Commission and Town Council, Joshua Tree is unincorporated and directly under the jurisdiction of San Bernardino County.

The citizens have a Municipal Advisory Committee, but it does not have the authority to take legal action or issue mandates. This means a developer like Katz could work solely with the county through the development process.

Last week, the district’s newly elected supervisor, Neil Derry, speaking at a MAC meeting, said it would be wise for Joshua Tree to create it own specific plan as an amendment to the county’s General Plan. If approved by a majority of the county Board of Supervisors, it would give the community more control of land use and building standards.

For now, the DOGs are growing their base through donations and volunteers.

The community knows its in it for the long haul, that it’s “a marathon, not a sprint,” said [JT DOG member] Bonnie Kopp.

Read more in the Hi-Desert Star.


MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: See the Land Use/Development and Joshua Tree Community pages of the MBCA Website. View previous blog posts: Joshua Tree, Katz Development/Section 33.

Candidate Forums for Water Districts this Tuesday

This Tuesday, September 30, the public will have a chance to listen to candidates for the boards of two different Basin water districts.

The Hi-Desert Water District forum will be at 6 p.m. in the Yucca Room at the Yucca Valley Community Center and is sponsored by the Yucca Valley Chamber of Commerce. Candidates in the race include Sarann Graham, Charles McHenry, Rae Packard, Matt Perron, Bob Stadum, Dan Munsey, and Margo Sturges. Members of the public may submit questions in advance, and the forum will be videotaped and broadcast on cable. Get the details in the Hi-Desert Star.

The Joshua Basin Water District forum will run from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Joshua Tree Community Center at 6171 Sunburst Avenue and is sponsored by the Joshua Tree Community Association. Candidates in the race include Greg Alkire, Iona Chelette, Bill Long, Mickey Luckman, Al Marquez, Mike Reynolds, Jay St. Gaudens, Gary Given, and Michael Luhrs. Read the details in the Hi-Desert Star.


MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the Water pages of the MBCA Website. Related blog posts: Water, Yucca Valley, YV water/waste/sewage, Joshua Tree, Joshua Tree water/waste/sewage.

The natives are restless in a Solarizing Mojave

The New York Times, for one, may be finally getting a clue that all is not right under the sun in the Mojave.

In yesterday's "Solar Projects Draw New Opposition", writer Peter Maloney cites "human residents who describe themselves as desert survivors and who are unhappy about the proliferation of solar projects planned for their home turf." The article quotes local activists such as Donna Charpied (long-time opponent of the Eagle Mountain trash dump) and Jim Harvey (of JT-based Alliance for Responsible Energy Policy).

It also hints at the tension on this issue between the national leadership of the Sierra Club and the National Resources Defense Council, which has been aggressive in promoting Big Solar in the desert; and local membership, with many members advocating for both the environmental integrity of the Mojave and meaningful representation for desert communities. Smaller local groups have felt shut out of the process and are unhappy with the big nationals insisting they speak for the "environmental community".

These environmentalists favor "distributed generation," like solar panels on rooftops, and they argue that the leadership of national environmental organizations such as the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council has gone in the wrong direction.

Terry Frewin, the chairman of the Sierra Club's California/Nevada desert committee, wrote to the club's executive director, Carl Pope, in July, criticizing him for backing large-scale solar projects. "Remote solar arrays destroy all native resources onsite, and have indirect and irreversible impacts on surrounding wildernesses," Mr. Frewin wrote. He urged the Sierra Club to embrace distributed generation as an alternative to the "industrial renewable" option.

Carl Zichella, Western renewable projects director for the Sierra Club, said in response to the letter, "We don't take a back seat to anyone in caring for the desert." But he said the group's position was unchanged.

Read the full article here.


MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the Energy page of the MBCA Website. Previous posts: Energy.

Residents question Flamingo Heights Ranch development

Residents from Homestead Valley, Flamingo Heights, and Yucca Mesa community associations met recently to hear a presentation from representatives of the proposed Flamingo Heights Ranch development to build 243 homes on 640 acres. According to the Hi-Desert Star:

A tentative tract map of October 2007 shows the sprawling project straddling the Pipes Wash, Flamingo Heights and Yucca Mesa in a square mile bordered by Old Woman Springs Road on the west, Sage Avenue to the east, La Brisa Drive to the south and Luna Vista Lane to the north.

Issues of particular concern for residents include downzoning of lot size (from 2.5 acres to 1 acre) and impacts of sewage on groundwater.

Representatives of both the Yucca Mesa Improvement Association and the Homestead Valley Community Council announced their groups would oppose the project as planned.

Jim Sammons [of YMIA] declared, “We worked two years with the Bruce Davis and the county Board of Supervisors on a Desert General Plan to maintain the rural lifestyle. The consensus is that we don’t want downsized zones.”

The Homestead Valley Special Community Plan that Sammons references may be viewed here (pdf). Read the rest of the Hi-Desert Star account of the meeting here.

Learn more about the community planning process and how you can take part on our Website.


MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the Land Use/Development and Communities pages of the MBCA Website. Previous blog posts: Flamingo Heights, Yucca Mesa.

Public meetings planned on land segregation for Base expansion

The Bureau of Land Management has issued a press release announcing public meetings on October 23 and 24 to "present the proposal for possible expansion of the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base and to discuss the legislative withdrawal process of the public lands in San Bernardino County. The locations, times, and formats for the meetings will be announced in the near future."

A Federal Register notice published [September 15] segregates the public lands identified by the Marines for possible expansion for two years. Under the segregation, the lands are no longer available for settlement, sale, and location of claims under the mining laws. However, the lands remain open to public access and recreation use.

The notice [available online here] also explains the withdrawal process, which requires full environmental and public review and congressional approval as required by the 1958 Engle Act. The publication of the Federal Register notice begins a 90-day comment period regarding the proposed withdrawal.

After the comment period, the Marine Corps will be preparing a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for further public review to identify a range of alternatives for meeting the Corps' training requirements and analyzing the environmental impacts.

Read the rest in the BLM press release. To learn more about the EIS process and your part in it, see our Website.

ADDENDUM: Read more in this story in the San Bernardino Sun.


MORE INFO ON THESE ISSUES: On the Land Use/Development and Communities pages of the MBCA Website. Previous blog posts: Johnson Valley, Marine Base, Wonder Valley.

Update on California Desert Coalition

The following announcement is from the California Desert Coalition, an organization fighting "to save our desert from the invasion of LADWP's Green Path North transmission lines."

MBCA is a proud supporter of CDC and its efforts to defend our desert ecosystems from devastation.

CDC Supporters,

I would like to extend my personal thank you to each and every one of you for your ongoing and essential support in our fight to save our desert from the invasion of LADWP's Green Path North transmission lines. Our efforts have caused politicians and the media, as well as Los Angeles Department of Water & Power officials, to take notice. I also want to tell you about two important upcoming events.

This Friday (September 26) at 2:00 p.m., the Healthy Planet, Healthy Me! show on Los Angeles radio station KPFK FM will be discussing the Green Path North Project and how it really isn't green at all. I and CDC Vice Chair Ruth Rieman will be interviewed on the program, and you can call in with your questions. Tune in to 90.7 FM or listen online at www.sherrybeall.com (click the Live tab at the top, then click the microphone icon).

On November 6, CDC will hold its next public meeting to share with you the status of the Green Path North Project and how your donations have helped us broaden the base of support against it. Please hold open the evening of Thursday, November 6, for this event. More details will be sent to you in late October.

Finally, I want you to know that a new partnership begins for CDC on October 1 as we separate from The Mojave Desert Land Trust and join The SummerTree Institute as our nonprofit umbrella organization. Be assured that your donations will follow the CDC and continue to receive tax deductible benefits.

Robin Kobaly, Executive Director of The SummerTree Institute (and Morongo Valley native), welcomes CDC with the following message:

"The SummerTree Institute is extremely pleased to provide a supportive platform for the CDC to continue its impressive campaign.

We support their dedicated and highly professional efforts to inform individuals, officials, local governments, organizations, and agencies about the potential negative impacts of GPN as proposed. We also commend the CDC's efforts to empower all involved entities at their respective levels to take appropriate actions to ensure that this project does not damage our most treasured desert resources.

Under this new relationship, the CDC will be able to continue their campaign without any interruption in momentum. We are very proud to welcome the CDC to SummerTree."

I know that in SummerTree we have found a strong and supportive parent organization that shares our concerns and will provide resources and energy for the challenges ahead in fighting LADWP. Again, thanks for your ongoing support. I hope to see you on November 6.

April Sall
Chair, California Desert Coalition
www.cadesertco.org

MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: At California Desert Coalition and on the Energy page of the MBCA Website. Previous posts on this blog: Energy, Green Path North.

JTDOG fundraiser Tuesday night

JTDOG is having its first fundraiser this Tuesday, and you're invited!

Joshua Tree Development Oversight Group, which is watch-dogging the Katz development, will screen the award-winning documentary, The Unforeseen. From the film Website:

An ambitious west Texas farm boy with grandiose plans tires of living at the mercy of nature and sets out to find a life with more control. He heads to Austin where he becomes a real estate developer and skillfully capitalizes on the growth of this 1970s boomtown. At the peak of his powers, he transforms 4,000 acres of pristine Hill Country into one of the state’s largest and fastest selling subdivisions. When the development threatens a local treasure, a fragile limestone aquifer and a naturally spring-fed swimming hole, the community fights back. In the conflict that ensues, we see in miniature a struggle that today plays out in communities across the country.

You can watch an online trailer of the movie here.

Volunteers to help with the fundraiser are needed; contact JTDOG at their Website.

Tuesday, September 23, at 6 p.m. Donation: $10. Cocktail reception: 6:00-7:15 (cash bar). Welcoming Remarks: 7:15-7:30. Screening: 7:30-9:30. Joshua Tree Retreat Center (Mentalphysics), 59700 29 Palms Hwy, Joshua Tree, CA 92252.


FOR MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: See the Land Use/Development and Joshua Tree Community pages of the MBCA Website. View previous blog posts: Joshua Tree, Katz Development/Section 33.

Base expansion plans and maps on Website

The U.S. Marine Corps has moved forward with their study on acquiring more land in the Morongo Basin for MCAGCC. Their "Application for Withdrawal of Public Lands" is now posted on their 29 Palms Training Land/Airspace Acquisition Study website, along with maps of the study area. Areas being studied are to the west, south, and east of the current Base, including portions of Johnson Valley and Wonder Valley.

MORE INFO ON THESE ISSUES: On the Land Use/Development and Communities pages of the MBCA Website. Previous blog posts: Johnson Valley, Marine Base.

Joshua Tree Design Guidelines on County Website

The "Joshua Tree Downtown Design Guidelines" now has a page on the County Website, viewable here. From the webpage:

On Wednesday, September 3, 2008 and Tuesday, September 9, 2008, the County conducted two workshops presenting various ideas for possible design guidelines for the downtown area of the community of Joshua Tree. The first workshop was directed toward the business community and the second toward the Municipal Advisory Council and the public. These workshops were presented by representatives of Hogle-Ireland Inc., the consulting firm hired by the County to prepare the guidelines. The goal of the workshops was to solicit input from the business community and the public for the direction for the community.

The webpage contains links to summaries of the two workshops as well as results of the "Priorities Game Analysis" and the various "display boards" that were prepared for these workshops. There is also a link for sharing comments with County staff.


FOR MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: See the Joshua Tree Community and Land Use/Development pages of the MBCA Website. View previous blog posts: Joshua Tree.

Wal-Mart Referendum: What happens next?

The Coalition for Environmental Integrity in Yucca Valley has turned in 1296 signatures on a referendum to force the Town of Yucca Valley to revisit its approval of the Wal-Mart Supercenter. What happens next?

Per the Hi-Desert Star:

At least 957 valid signatures are needed for the county registrar of voters to accept the referendum and send it back to the Town Council for action...[forcing] the Town of Yucca Valley to either repeal its approval of the Supercenter and put the project on hold for one year, or put it to the Yucca Valley voters in a special election.

MBCA President David Fick says "he understands that if the Town Council decides to put the Supercenter’s approval to a public vote, the Town then will have 88 days to hold a special election," according to the Star.

Depending on how quickly the registrar can verify the signatures, and if sufficient signatures have been collected, the decision could be on the Town Council’s next agenda.

[snip]

Should the Supercenter’s approval go to a special election and the voters side with the Town in approving the project, the coalition’s lawsuit would still continue to challenge Wal-Mart’s Environmental Impact Report and conditional use permit.

[snip]

The Town also is facing a lawsuit from the Center for Biological Diversity, which is challenging the project’s environmental impact report. In particular, the group challenges that greenhouse gas emissions and the possibilities the Supercenter would contribute to urban blight weren’t adequately explored in the Environmental Impact Report.

The retailer is required, by its agreement with the Town of Yucca Valley, to cover all legal costs that ensue due to approval of the Supercenter.

MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the WalMart page on the MBCA Website. Previous blog posts: WalMart, Yucca Valley.

Energy corridor 2-5 miles wide?

From the California Desert Coalition:

Do you know the answer to the following question? A clue -- the answer is real scary!

How wide a path is Green Path North -- 330 feet? 3,500 feet? 2 to 5 miles?

CDC has learned from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that approval of Green Path North transmission lines along LADWP's preferred route would necessarily entail an amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan. This amendment would designate a new 2- to 5-mile-wide energy corridor through the high desert; all future transmission line projects in the region, as well as all oil, water, and gas line projects would be built in what would then be this approved corridor.

So, while the LADWP right-of-way (ROW) application requests a 330-ft ROW, and LADWP's request for a new energy corridor through the West-Wide Energy Corridor process relates to a 3,500-ft-wide energy corridor, the bottom line is if we don't stop Green Path North our communities and desert will be designated as the place for an energy corridor 2 to 5 miles wide.

To visualize what this new energy corridor would look like and for further information, please go to our website at www.cadesertco.org.

MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: At California Desert Coalition and on the Energy page of the MBCA Website. Previous posts on this blog: Energy, Green Path North.

Yucca Valley Wal-Mart Supercenter Referendum Submitted

The Yucca Valley Town Clerk, Jamie Anderson, received Yucca Valley’s first ever referendum to challenge a project approved by the Town Council, the Wal-Mart Supercenter EIR.

The Coalition for Environmental Integrity in Yucca Valley (CEIYV) organized 35 referendum-signing sessions that gathered 1296 signatures from Yucca Valley registered voters, submitted to the Town Clerk on 9/15/08.

The referendum documents will be sent to the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters where signatures will be validated to be Yucca Valley registered voters.

The minimum number of signatures required to establish the referendum is 957. We collected 339 signatures above the required number and will succeed if the invalidation rate remains below 26%. The validation process may take two weeks before we find out if we are successful.

These signatures were acquired through the blood, sweat and tears of too few volunteers who had to refuse too many people from Joshua Tree, Landers, Flamingo Heights, Johnson Valley, Morongo Valley and Twentynine Palms who wanted to sign the referendum.

We wish to thank the concerned voters of Yucca Valley for their efforts to have their Town Council do the right thing.


MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the WalMart page on the MBCA Website. Previous blog posts: WalMart, Yucca Valley.

Alert! Last Chance to Sign Wal-Mart Supercenter Referendum

Dear Yucca Valley Registered Voters,

Saturday and Sunday are the last two days to sign the Wal-Mart Supercenter Referendum. The signatures must be turned in on Monday, September 15th.

We are very close to our goal but we need your help.

The Joshua Tree Farmers Market and Sue's Health Foods are the Saturday-only locations to sign the Wal-Mart Referendum.

The Yucca Valley Old and New Stater Bros Supermarkets are the Saturday and Sunday locations to sign the Wal-Mart Supercenter Referendum (10 AM till 8 PM).

Please tell your Yucca Valley friends and neighbors to support this effort.

Sincerely,

David Fick, President
Morongo Basin Conservation Association


MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the WalMart page on the MBCA Website. Previous blog posts: WalMart, Yucca Valley.

PASS Eco-Summit coming in Joshua Tree

MBCA is helping to sponsor the PASS Eco-Summit in Joshua Tree this October, focusing on "Practical Advances in Southwestern Sustainability" ("PASS"). Per the Hi-Desert Star, this conference offers "tools for ways of doing business and living that help rather than harm the surroundings."

Basin Wide Foundation organizers promise a day of collaborative solutions and examples of methods to address current situations in the desert. For people who want practical examples of what they can do in their daily lives, the conference will include a 3 1/2-hour Green Living Workshop available separately for people who do not attend the full conference.

A concert, Eco-Fair, and Eco-Home Tour will be part of the events October 10-12 at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center. Early registration with special rates ends September 20. Find out more at the Eco-Summit Website.

MBCA Meets Thursday, September 11

The next regular board meeting of the Morongo Basin Conservation Association is Thursday, September 11, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. at PFF Bank & Trust in Yucca Valley.

Please join us and add your voice and experience!

Alert! Your help needed NOW! Referendum needs signatures!

The effort to repeal the approval of the Yucca Valley Wal-mart Supercenter by getting a Referendum on the ballot is down to the last few days. We've gotten lots of petition signatures but WE NEED MORE HELP. We need folks to gather signatures and most of all we need registered Yucca Valley voters to "witness" the signature-gathering, as required by law. If you can donate any time at all, please contact MBCA immediately at info@mbconservation.org or call David Fick at 366-9862 or 220-2376.

This is the time to come forward, folks. It's critical that the Town of Yucca Valley be given the message loud and clear that it must follow the law in approving projects and that its citizens will stand for nothing less. If the Town Council is forced to reverse this decision, you can bet they'll be a lot more careful when the next project comes along.

Learn more about the Referendum effort on this previous post and about the Wal-Mart issue on our Website.

Please contact MBCA TODAY and volunteer some hours. The deadline for signatures is THURSDAY; let's not miss our chance by just a few signatures!

It won't happen without you!


MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the WalMart page on the MBCA Website. Previous blog posts: WalMart, Yucca Valley.

Candidates forums in Yucca Valley

The Yucca Valley Chamber of Commerce will be hosting two candidates forums this month.

The first, for the Yucca Valley Town Council candidates, will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Yucca Valley Community Center’s Yucca Room.

The second, for Hi-Desert Water District candidates, will be at 6 p.m. Sept. 30 in the Yucca Room.

The public may submit questions beforehand, and the forums also will be videotaped and broadcast. For details, see the Hi-Desert Star.

MBCA is also creating a Virtual Forum for candidates on questions of interest to MBCA members, which will be posted on our Website later this month.

Earthwork approved for Black Mesa

The Yucca Valley Town Council has approved a large earthwork for the top of Black Mesa, a volcanic outcrop off of Old Woman Springs Road opposite Aberdeen Drive.

Representing the artist, Andrew Rogers, Copper Mountain College professor Spellman Downer explained to the Council:

...the installation, though long, would probably not exceed three feet in height. The light-colored, contrasting stones would be purchased locally, probably from Whitewater Rock and Supply. No cement would be used, nor would the flat stones be dug into the ground. “We’re only asking to lay the stones on the ground and stack them,” Downer assured the Town. “We won’t disturb the onsite rocks.” Local labor would be paid “market rates” to help the artist get the installation up in about a week’s time, he said.

Rogers' other similar works can be viewed at his Website. Read the rest of the story in the Hi-Desert Star.

Joshua Tree merchants address MAC

The Joshua Tree Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) will be holding a special public meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 9, when a group of downtown merchants will present ideas and findings on ways to make downtown JT more business- and pedestrian-friendly.

Formed under the Joshua Tree Chamber of Commerce about six months ago, the group has been examining existing conditions and discussing the process of creating guidelines to help unify downtown businesses, encouraging tourist-related commercial development and improving vehicle and pedestrian safety, according to David Dawson, senior planner for San Bernardino County.

The public will "have the opportunity to tell San Bernardino County planners what they want their downtown to look like."

Read the rest in the Hi-Desert Star.


FOR MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: See the Joshua Tree Community and Land Use/Development pages of the MBCA Website. View previous blog posts: Joshua Tree.