Photo by Bonnie Hawthorne

In a May 14 press release, MBCA published a position statement about the short term rental crisis in the Morongo Basin. In addition, MBCA announced the release of an 8-minute locally-produced video it commissioned, intended to show decision-makers how residents and businesses have been negatively affected by the STR-triggered housing crisis. 

San Bernardino County determined that a proposed 640-acre “glamping” type camping resort in Flamingo Heights does not require a full Environmental Impact Report. MBCA disagrees strongly and has submitted a letter to the County outlining the many significant environmental impacts unaddressed by the mitigated negative declaration that the project received. In addition to environmental consequences, the project is not compatible with the Homestead Valley Community Action Guide, a document that was developed with local input through the Countywide Plan process. This link provides more details about the project.  

Photo by Stacy Doolittle

In response to the advancement through San Bernardino County's planning process of a proposal for a 106-room hotel project in Wonder Valley, local concerned residents have established a website to inform and engage others in opposition. The development includes a 24/7 restaurant, spa, pool, 205 parking spaces, and other features. Nearby residents are concerned about excessive lighting, dangerous highway conditions and traffic, dust, groundwater levels, wastewater, etc., and feel the project is completely inappropriate for their small, sparsely populated community. The website is StopWonderInn.org. 

MBCA joined Friends of Big Morongo Canyon, Mojave Desert Land Trust, Basin and Range Watch, SummerTree Institute, and The Wildlands Conservancy in a letter to the Bureau of Land Management with serious concerns about the construction of a proposed 196-foot communications tower in Morongo Valley. The letter states "The undersigned individuals/organizations have fought long and hard for the designation of Sand to Snow National Monument and strongly oppose this project and the changing of the VRM (Visual Resource Management) classification." In great detail and with maps and illustrations, the accompanying Public Scoping Comments document from the group points out why "The proposals are not in conformance with the applicable Federal purpose for which the public lands are managed in this area." 

The San Bernardino County Planning Commission's draft Short Term Rental (STR) ordinance agenda item on February 3 was continued to the next meeting, or more likely to a Special meeting to be determined at the next meeting (February 17). More than 5 hours were devoted to the topic, including the staff presentation, more than 60 public comments, and lengthy dialogue among the Commissioners. Key issues of further consideration included whether to allow an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to be an STR, whether different desert and mountain conditions should dictate different ordinance details for those areas, and many other complex issues. MBCA Directors were disappointed at how little acknowledgement there was of housing inequity. The large increase in STRs has greatly reduced affordable rental housing especially in Morongo Basin communities (see Wayne Hamilton letter for more data).

Below is a series of lists, maps, comment letters and other documents that were provided by MBCA to the Planning Commission and other County entities to elaborate on the short-term rental problem in the Morongo Basin particularly.

Chart of STRs by Zipcode January 2022
MBCA’s 2.2.22 STR Comment letter
MBCA’s 10.19.21 STR Comment letter
Map of SB County Supervisorial Districts|
Data comparison of SB County Districts
Map of STRs by Zipcode January 2022
Map of SB County size compared to 4 states
Wayne Hamilton, MUSD Housing Liaison, Letter to Sup. Rowe

 

 

At a meeting with a Daggett Solar 66 Project representative initiated by MBCA Directors, the representative described several mitigation efforts directly related to MBCA's concerns listed in our April comment letter. As a follow-up, this November 2 letter was sent by MBCA to the Planning Commission to summarize the project's mitigation actions with reference to our original concerns and therefore our support for the Conditional Use Permit. The County Planning Commission will review the project at their  November 4, 2021 meeting.

The Aratina Solar Project is proposed for a portion of undisturbed Mojave Desert in Kern County near the town of Boron. The land is mostly undisturbed Joshua Tree woodland, and its destruction for this project has numerous serious consequences for the ecology of the area and also would remove carbon-sequestering soil. MBCA's letter outlines the consequences and asks the Kern County Board of Supervisors not to approve the project. 

San Bernardino County now provides an online Short Term Rental Map for viewing permitted short-term rentals (STRs) in unincorporated areas of the County. While permitted and well-managed STRs provide income for local residents and businesses, the effects on quality of life due to the escalating number of such properties that are unpermitted and/or not well-managed have been increasing.