The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors approved an urgency ordinance at their June 22 meeting that significantly increases fines for illegally-operating short term rentals in unincorporated areas. The rural residential lifestyle in a healthy desert environment that MBCA works to preserve has been negatively affected by the proliferation of short-term rentals in the Morongo Basin. One problem is poorly managed or illegal properties with problematic guests and another is the greatly reduced availability of reasonable long-term rental housing for local residents. Articles in the Hi Desert Star and Desert Sun and KCDZ 107.7's report interview local hosts and residents and explore the problems and status of this issue.

At their October 27 meeting, the San Bernardino County Supervisors adopted all recommendations from Land Use Services concerning the new Countywide Plan, including repealing the 2007 Community Plans. During Public Comments preceding the vote, five MBCA Directors made public comments from the Joshua Tree and Hesperia video-connection sites, requesting the Supervisors adopt and update the 2007 Community Plans rather than repeal them. Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe asked County staff a number of thoughtful questions, including several related to MBCA’s concerns, then asked that the recommendation regarding the repeal of Community Plans be a separate vote. When that occurred, she voted against the repeal though it passed 4-1.

Since the process began over 5 years ago, MBCA has closely followed San Bernardino County's efforts to develop a Countywide Plan. The resulting plan is scheduled for adoption at the Supervisors' October 27th meeting and includes the repeal of the 2007 Community Plans. MBCA maintains that the existing Community Plans are necessary for unincorporated communities to have a say in future development. MBCA's comprehensive letter sent to the County's Land Use Services staff and Supervisors on October 23rd addresses the background and rationale of this argument.  The letter concludes:

 

MBCA has sent a letter to San Bernardino County Land Use Services and the Countywide Plan Coordinator with concerns about the Environmental Justice Policy proposed as part of the Countywide Plan. The Plan is due for consideration at a September 17 Planning Commission meeting. Of special concern is why Lucerne Valley has not been designated an "Environmental Justice Focus Area" (EJFA), and why other communities that should qualify by state descriptions do not qualify for the same protections.

MBCA emailed San Bernardino County's Countywide Plan Coordinator Jerry Blum on September 4, 2020, expressing concern and dismay about the short timeline for public comment preparation before the Countywide Plan's appearance on the agenda of the Planning Commission on September 17.