Emotions ran high last night in Joshua Tree when well over a hundred turned out to discuss the future of development in the village with leadership from the County Land Use Services Department. Assignment reporter Mike Lipsitz was there…
Impetus for the meeting came in part because the County is tasked with updating the General Plan and a new Community Plan for Joshua Tree will come into play as part of that effort. But the meeting was also motivated in part because so many here feel the town’s existing Community Plan was ignored last June when the Board of Supervisors approved a Dollar General Store in downtown Joshua Tree. Last night was the County’s attempt to, quote, “weave thoughtfulness and clarity into future planning” and to hear from the community on specific priorities and concerns. By the end of the meeting, County representatives left with bullet-point specifics of what folks here want to see considered for future planning and development—enough bullet points to fill a dozen large flip chart pages. In his wrap up, Land Use Services Director Tom Hudson said he would organize the many points raised and promised to return.
