The Yucca Valley Planning Commission discussed regulations for home-based businesses, wind energy, and undergrounding utilities at its meeting Tuesday night. Today’s first in a three-part report is whether the Commissioners should allow residents to establish a home-based business to sell firearms. Tomorrow, in Part 2, is the Commission’s discussion on wind energy. In Part 3, undergrounding utilities…
Although the issue was framed as discussing regulations concerning permits for home-based businesses, the Yucca Valley Planning Commission focused much of its discussion at its meeting last night on whether residents should be able to sell firearms out of their homes. Five speakers urged commissioners to prohibit such home-based businesses. Commissioners had mixed feelings on the issue, and Acting Town Manager Shane Stueckle kept reminding the commissioners that this was a land-use issue. “A majority opposition to an application is not a basis for denial. If it’s consistent with the general plan, if it is consistent with your development code, if the Town were to deny that project, you would be sued and you would lose.” Chair Tim Humphreville thought neighbors were protesting the wrong business. “A day care center has much more impact on a neighborhood than this type of business. You have traffic in and out of that property twice a day and the noise of the children outside.” Commissioners thought that a definition of a gun shop should be included in the ordinance about home-occupation permits, and only Commissioner William Lavender thought that home-based businesses selling firearms should be completely prohibited.
