Congressman Raul Ruiz (Coachella Valley) is planning to introduce legislation seeking to expand federal desert land protection with a new National Monument and other protection categories. MBCA has sent a letter to the Congressman in support of this effort.
In this public comment letter to the County and to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), MBCA details the many inconsistencies between the state-required Housing Element policies and the County's open-ended Short-Term Rental Ordinance. A few of the many issues covered are housing displacement, lack of acknowledgement of community input, quantifying of housing unit objectives, and data about housing stock and housing types.
Along with 18 other non-profit organizations, MBCA signed a letter encouraging the California Fish and Game Commission to reject the flawed findings of the California Fish and Wildlife Department staff and to permanently list the Western Joshua tree as a threatened species in California.
California buckwheat with Russian sage in the background. Photo by Stacy Doolittle
An outstanding small shrub for Morongo Basin landscapes is California Buckwheat, a native which is likely to volunteer in your yard. Long-lived creamy white flowers eventually turn into attractive rust-colored seed heads. It is attractive all year long.
News of this proposed Alta Loma and Sunset Avenue housing project in Joshua Tree was received on short notice and the deadline for comment is today, but we are publishing our our letter of concern sent today to the County planning staff. You will find in it a summary of our concerns about issues ranging from water use to native plant removal.
Photo by Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Ocotillo is a native plant that creates structure and height in our Morongo Basin landscapes. Ocotillo means "little torch" in Spanish, probably inspired by the orange red flowers at the plant's tips. The plant can grow up to 15 feet tall and wide. It prefers full sun and likes our heat. Fouquieria splendens, or ocotillo, for much of the...
The Morongo Basin Conservation Association scholarships go to local standout students with demonstrated commitments to include conservation or environmental interests in their education and career plans. Each $1,000 scholarship goes toward higher education expenses in the 2022-23 academic year.The three recipients, all graduating seniors at Yucca Valley High School, include Griffin Hilderbrand, Aidan Parmley, and Aunalisa Terreri.This is the first year MBCA has awarded three scholarships. A science, technology, engineering, arts...
MBCA President Steve Bardwell (l) and Director Arch McCulloch (r) participated in the Solar Rights Rally held in Cathedral City on July 20. They are pictured here with Solar Rights Alliance Executive Director Dave Rosenfeld. The rally was one in a statewide series to "sound the alarm about the utilities' solar tax and call on Governor Gavin Newsom to keep solar affordable for middle- and working-class families."Around 50 people participated...
MBCA Comments to County on Revised Housing Element
San Bernardino County's June draft version of their state-required Housing Element contained some changes in direct response to the outpouring of public concerns about excessive Short Term Rentals in unincorporated Desert and Mountain areas of the County. MBCA has scrutinized the latest draft and sent a detailed comment letter thanking the County for some useful changes and pointing out the need for additional revisions. For a history of the ongoing...
