Developers are eyeing San Bernardino County for large-scale solar projects that will scrape the desert bare and place huge transmission towers across the desert wilderness. At last night’s meeting of the Morongo Basin Municipal Advisory Council, the MAC passed a resolution asking the County Board of Supervisors to establish guidelines and consider impacts on wildlife corridors and migratory birds, rural living, dust, and environmental and economic impacts on the desert when responding to state and federal renewable energy projects. Managing editor Tami Roleff was at last night’s meeting, and says the MAC also asked for more time for public comment on the Alta Mira housing project in Joshua Tree…
The developer of the proposed 248-unit housing subdivision in Joshua Tree, known as Alta Mira, spoke to a packed house at last night’s meeting of the Morongo Basin Municipal Advisory Committee. John Criste said substantial changes had been made to the development plans, in response to earlier public comments about the project. But despite decreasing the number of houses by about 90, and increasing the average lot size to about 10,000 square feet, the audience wasn’t any more receptive than it was before to the idea of a dense, walled-off community that would increase Joshua Tree’s population by 10 percent. Alexis Sonnenfeld summed up the feelings of the audience. “We don’t have the jobs, we don’t have the resources. And I’m just appalled at the lack of thought and suspension of reality that this project is displaying and I don’t think it’s going to do anything for the quality of life for most of the people who live up here.” During public and directors’ comments, questions were raised about who the developers were trying to attract to Joshua Tree, how environmentally friendly the project would be, and how the development would affect the night skies. Because many documents concerning the development were not available for public review until last week, and the public comment period ends Friday, the MAC unanimously passed a resolution asking the Board of Supervisors to grant a 30-day extension to accept public comment on the project.
Submit comments to:
[email protected]
or to
Chris Warrick, Senior Planner
County of San Bernardino Land Use Services Department, Planning Division
385 North Arrowhead Avenue, First Floor
San Bernardino, CA 92415-0182
