What’s special about special districts, and what is to be gained from declaring Highway 247 a scenic road? Reporter Dan Stork heard some answers at the Morongo Basic Municipal Advisory Council meeting…
In the featured informational presentation at the Monday, August 11, meeting of the Morongo Basin MAC, County Special Districts Regional Manager Tim Millington said that San Bernardino County has over 100 special districts, each of which provides limited municipal services to a defined geographical area within the county. Those services can include parks and recreation, street lighting, water, fire fighting, flood control, road maintenance, television, dams, cemetery, and more—singly or in combination. Districts are created when a community asks for one, and the County Board of Supervisors approves. Money needed to fund such services must be approved by a two-thirds majority of a vote participated in by registered voters in the case of a tax, or by a 50 percent plus one approval of property owners for an assessment. (During the Q&A following this presentation, it was revealed that a movement is under way in Wonder Valley to protest and appeal the recent approval by registered voters within that community of an increased tax for road maintenance.) Proponents Betty Munson and Joanna Wright of a Scenic Highway designation for Route 247 requested support of the MAC for that effort, with Munson saying that it would help draw tourists through the area. MAC Chairman and Supervisor’s Field Representative Mike Lipsitz explained that a scenic highway designation is descriptive only—it has “no teeth” with regard to regulating development that accords with existing zoning. Environmental activist Pat Flanagan said that the designation is considered when evaluating projects that are subject to the California Environmental Quality Act. The MAC passed a resolution supporting the Scenic Highway designation.
MORONGO BASIN MAC SUPPORTS HIGHWAY 247 AS SCENIC HIGHWAY
