Meet Yucca Valley candidates

The public is invited to "meet the candidates for sustainable growth" in Yucca Valley this Friday, Oct. 3.

Present will be Town Council candidates Bill Souder and Wade White, as well as Hi-Desert Water District candidates Rae Packard, Margo Sturgis, and Charles McHenry.

Bluegrass music, food, and drink will be on hand.

Friday, October 3, 6-8 p.m., at 51845 Saddle Lane, Pioneertown (east of Pioneertown Road, westerly end of Pipes Canyon). Pipes Canyon Road, North on Eastline, Left on Saddle Lane. "Watch for the balloons."

Alert! Native Plant Protection - Joint Yucca Valley Town Council/Planning Commission Study Session

Native Plant Protection will be the only item on the agenda for the joint Yucca Valley Town Council/Planning Commission Study Session on Thursday, October 2, 2008, 6:00 pm, at the Yucca Valley Community Center.

The stated purpose of this meeting is two-fold:

1. Compare and contrast the existing and draft [Native] Plant Protection & Management Ordinances.
2. Based upon Town Council direction, to further define [Native Plant] Design and Development Standards to be included in Section 89.0130 of the Draft Ordinance.
   

Please attend this meeting and make known your views on Native Plant Protection. Without public concern and enforceable ordinances, the wholesale destruction of native plants and wildlife habitat will continue.

MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: See Grading/Clear-Cutting and Land Use/Development pages on MBCA Website. Additional posts: Yucca Valley, Grading/Clear-Cutting.

POWER! comes to the desert!

In the latest edition of El Paisano, the newsletter of the Desert Protective Council (DPC), Conservation Coordinator and indefatigable desert defender Terry Weiner writes about the movement to site large-scale industrial "renewable" energy projects in the Southern California Deserts. She lays out some of the issues, gives the position of the DPC, and chronicles the formation of a new coalition of small desert groups with the Mission to "support sustainable local energy that contributes to social, economic and ecological health.”

A common misconception about industrial-scale renewable development, especially solar power, is that it is benign to the immediate surroundings. For instance, some believe that a solar farm’s main impact is that it shades the plants and animals living underneath the solar collectors. In truth, solar farms usually scrape the entire project site to provide level terrain. Renewable development in the desert will destroy all of the natural, cultural and visual resources within the project area. In some cases, these impacts extend well beyond the project’s “footprint,” particularly if it would require building hundreds of miles of transmission lines to transport the energy produced.

Unfortunately large segments of the American urban population – who have not had the opportunity to learn about or to experience the wild beauty, the fascinating array of plants and animals, the awesome quiet and dark skies of the desert – imagine that the desert is an empty expanse that would provide a perfect place to meet the nation’s renewable energy needs. The media have promoted this idea of the desert as wasteland and some articles have tried to distill the burgeoning outcry against these large-scale projects down to a case of simple NIMBY-ism.

Many desert residents and activists have been deliberating how to respond to the threats and the public perception I have described above. We decided there is an urgent need to develop a grassroots voice for the desert from a desert communities’ perspective. I am happy to report that, as a first step toward this goal, a dozen or so small non-profit desert-oriented conservation group representatives, environmental justice groups, desert residents, and property owners met over the Labor Day weekend in the Coachella Valley and began our conversation about how to address this major threat to the integrity of our deserts.

Over the course of a long day, we aired our individual groups’ concerns and actions to date and developed goals and a mission statement. We began developing a group strategy to inform the public, the media and decision makers of our intention to protect our desert from gigantic solar and wind farms and to promote local, point-of-use, low-carbon energy development as a more economical, less damaging alternative that can meet California’s aggressive renewable energy goals equally well.

The name of the new group, chosen by vote, is POWER! – “People Only Wanting Energy Responsibility.”

MBCA is a proud member of the new coalition, and, as Terry writes, "We will be joining our voice and actions to the voices of people throughout the California desert and backcountry areas where the threat of industrial energy infrastructure also looms."

Read the rest of Terry's column on pp. 2-3 in the Fall 2008 El Paisano (pdf), along with more educational and empowering desert information from the venerable Desert Protective Council. And be sure to check out their blog!


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

BLM acquires lands to southwest side of JT Park

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced the purchase of 621 acres to the southwest of Joshua Tree National Park that had formerly been considered for a large-scale residential and commercial development. The land, considered crucial to protection of the sand dunes ecosystem, will be added to the Coachella Valley Preserve.

In addition to protecting the only known habitat for fringe-toed lizards, the acquisitions also provide a linkage for bobcats, kit foxes and desert bighorn sheep to move between the national park and the Coachella Valley Preserve.

BLM Desert District Manager Steve Borchard explained, “We were able to take advantage of federal legislation that allows us to use funds from sales of unneeded public lands to purchase lands like these adjacent to specially designated areas.”

Borchard explained the BLM purchase was just part of a total acquisition of about 14 square miles near Palm Springs, made possible through the partnership of a number of organizations.

“In particular, it was through the efforts and generosity of the nonprofit Friends of the Desert Mountains,” said Borchard, “that BLM was able to purchase the final 621 acres for the Coachella Valley Preserve at a considerable discount.”

Read more in the Hi-Desert Star.


FOR MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: See the Wildlife and Land Use/Development pages on the MBCA Website. Previous blog posts: Wildlife, National Park.

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.