A group of residents calling themselves the Joshua Tree Village Neighbors (JTVN) says that San Bernardino County officials think “they’re above the law” by sidestepping the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and they have filed a lawsuit against the county and the developer that was given the greenlight to start construction on 64 homes in Joshua Tree.
The homes are part of a development named LoveMore Ranch which is planned for a single-family zoned residential lot owned by Axel Cramer and LoveMore LLC, the other two defendants in the lawsuit. The lot is located right off Alta Loma Drive between Hillview Road and Sunset Road and was purchased by Axel Cramer in 2020 for $300,000.
The Joshua Tree Village Neighbors say that the purpose of the lawsuit it to cancel the project’s approval, freeze all construction until a complete environmental review can be made, and to hold San Bernardino County accountable. Thirty days ago the county denied an appeal put forth by The Morongo Basin Conservation Association and two members of the Joshua Tree Village Neighbors. During the hearing, the group says that local residents were denied proper notice and participation, key infrastructure was approved without the proper Conditional Use Permits, and the County of San Bernardino failed to perform a proper Traffic Impact Study on the 64 home development.
According to San Bernardino County and LoveMore LLC, the developer is staying within the bounds of what the lot was planned for and at a density that is less than half of what the county allows on a single-family residental zoned lot of that size. LoveMore’s website says that the 18.5 acre plot is zoned for up to 114 homes, and that 64 homes were chosen to balance housing density with preserving the natural habitat.
That natural habitat contains all native the desert flora you’d expect for a lot within a few miles of the National Park, including Western Joshua Trees. LoveMore’s website says that the lot doesn’t have desert tortoise or burrowing owls on it, and that any of the Western Joshua Trees that need to be disturbed will be done so by an arborist in compliance with the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act. They also claim that they plan to plant more native species that they need to remove.
The Joshua Tree Village Neighbors says the project would clear native vegetation and eliminate nearly all natural open space, and the County approved the project through a Mitigated Negative Declaration rather than a full Environmental Impact Report.
In addition to the 64 homes planned for the lot, the LoveMore Ranch is also proposing a treatment facility to handle the wastewater from the homes, which JTVN says has “no design plans or environmental analysis.” According the LoveMore’s website, they say that the proposed project surpasses the Joshua Basin Water District’s (JBWD) Wastewater Treatment Strategy by using what they call a “Package Treatment Plant” which is designed to be “odor-free, visually discreet, and an example of sustainable waste management.”
Joshua Tree doesn’t have a sewer system and most homes in the area use septic tanks for wastewater treatment.
The Joshua Tree Village Neighbors describe themselves as a grassroots coalition of residents “dedicated to preserving the integrity of the high desert and protecting the rural character of their community.” Their press release says that they adcovate for planning decisions that uphold environmental law, address the realities of a fragile desert ecosystem, and reflect the will of the people.
The group is financially backed by MarinArts LLC, a 501c3 non-profit arts organization based out of San Rafael, California.
You can read the entirety of the JTVN’s lawsuit on their website www.stoplovemoreranch.com where they have a more complete breakdown of their legal and environmental concerns with the project.
You can also read more about LoveMore Ranch at their website www.lovemore.group, where they have a Frequently Asked Questions section that lays out many of the group’s responses to concerns brought up in the lawsuit and last month’s appeal to the county by JTVN.
Both groups also have contact information on their websites where you can ask questions or provide feedback.
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