Indian Cove residents push back on proposed Ofland/Yonder resort in community meeting

The Elks Lodge in Twentynine Palms was the setting of last night’s community meeting between concerned Indian Cove residents and developers of a proposed resort in their neighborhood. Things got heated at last night’s community meeting where approximately 40 residents of Indian Cove met with Ofland/Yonder developers looking to build a 130-cabin resort in the neighborhood. This was the second time that developers met with the community and Luke Searcy, director of acquisitions and asset management, assured attendees that they took the feedback received from the initial November meeting and have made plan adjustments. Luke Searcy, director of acquisitions and asset management for Ofland/Yonder, answers questions. A wise change was to offer a Q&A session with a microphone for those with questions and comments, a big improvement from the last meeting. But despite the spread of cookies and snacks, residents like John Vigar were not shy in stating their opposition to the project. “I believe this is all for money. This ain’t to help Twentynine Palms. This is for somebody pocketing it or they wouldn’t be out here. I’m sorry, but I’m gonna fight this and I’ll guarantee it, we will stop this from going on.” The 152-acre parcel is located south of Highway 62 with Sullivan Road to the south, Shoshone Valley Drive to the east and an extension of Lear Avenue to the west. The project would require that Lear Avenue be paved up to Sullivan. One resident pointed out that because crossing the highway can be hazardous, many will use that lighted Lear Avenue intersection to access Two Mile Road or the Marine base, creating an inevitable congestion spot. While the developers touted the economic benefits to the community (jobs, tourism), the residents were notably unconvinced. Instead, they pointed to noise, light pollution, increased traffic, and disturbance of the landscape and wildlife. Residents were not impressed with a tortoise study that was conducted during hibernation months that predictably found no animals. An additional survey would be required before construction could begin. And don’t get them started on the outdoor movie screen. Despite a relatively small screen size (16’x 22’), resort guests would each be given a small radio that would broadcast sound for the film. This concept baffled many attendees in the room, including resident Mara Moon. “I don’t want to have a movie theater outside of the national park. But once this is built and it’s failed, it can’t go back. We can’t put the desert back. Once we rape it, it’s dead. If you wanna go somewhere, go somewhere that’s not in the middle of our neighborhood. All these people live here for a reason.” Proposed zoning changes. Resident Dana Longuevan asks a question of the development team. Residents line up to pose questions to the developers. Yucca Valley resident and NV5 Engineering Manager Vickie Bridenstine answers a question. Ofland/Yonder does not yet own the land as it is currently in escrow. Because the land is currently zoned for single-family homes, they would apply for a rezoning to a mix of Tourist Commercial and Open Space Residential. Twentynine Palms City Councilmember Octavious Scott was also in attendance. “What I’m hearing right now is that there’s changes that need to be made to the project and people don’t want it in this specific neighborhood. I think that those change should be addressed, and if the project could be relocated to the eastern side of town, that’s certainly something that could be looked into.” Twentynine Palms City Councilmember Octavious Scott was in attendance. The idea of moving the project to the eastern side of town, specifically along Utah Trail, came up repeatedly and though it was not realistically addressed in the meeting, Engineering Manager Vickie Bridenstine with NV5, a consultant to the project, explained that the area is in an active flood plain and that water access is problematic, hence the desolation. One resident asked the developers, “What happened to the plan for the earth bag design?” Attendees informed the man he was referencing a totally different resort proposal for the same neighborhood, one that has been successfully stalled by the community. The exchange demonstrated just how weary the residents have become of having their neighborhood seen by outsiders only as a revenue prospect. Resident Melissa Grisi struggled to get to the root of the issue. “Like you’re hearing people don’t want this here in the middle of a neighborhood. People don’t want this precious desert landscape completely destroyed. It will forever alter this place. I’m just so curious to the why because I don’t get it. It doesn’t make sense to me.” Fellow neighbor Rich Good offered a theory. “I think it will make a lot of money.” The room collectively agreed.