Landers Special Road District to be dissolved

Jef Harmatz Jef Harmatz Send an email July 20, 2026

The proposed property tax increase for the Landers Special road maintenance District (R-15) did not receive a majority vote, and the district will be dissolved.

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The increase was voted on by residents as part of a ballot measure. San Bernardino County determined that the current fees were insufficient to sustain ongoing road maintenance services. In order to grade and maintain Landers dirt roads, property tax assessments for road maintenance needed to be raised from $20.00 per year to $75.00 per year or the road district would be dissolved. Of the 969 valid ballots cast only 437 (45.1%) voted in favor of the increase, and the measure failed to pass. 

The Landers Special Road District’s journey to the ballot has been an unusual one. County Supervisors initially voted against putting the measure on the ballot because of several technicalities, including the fact that Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe missed the vote because she was on a flight to Sacramento.

Several other special roads districts in unincorporated County areas north of Yucca Valley were voted upon in 2026. Copper Mountain Mesa (R-19) is the only one of the five road districts that approved the proposed assessment increase. R-15 (Landers), R-20 (Flamingo Heights), R-26 (Yucca Mesa West), and R-29 (Yucca Mesa East) all rejected the proposed increases.

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The special road districts that voted against increasing fees are set to be dissolved by San Bernardino County.

Local Third District Representative and Chair of the County Board of Supervisors Dawn Rowe was a guest on a recent episode of the Z017.7 Up Close Show. Prior to the Landers votes, she discussed these special roads districts with host Gary Daigneault.

Rowe said that voting on special road districts was, “the best form of local government. You ask the homeowner what they want, what level of taxation and services they want. Copper Mountain Mesa opted in and other surrounding areas in Flamingo Heights and other places on the Mesa chose to dissolve their special district, and then they will be in charge of their own road maintenance. They asked themselves how much taxation do you want for services? And maybe they can get it cheaper elsewhere,” Rowe said.

“By the way, this is a service that we offer that we can help you form your own special district. It can be four houses or 400 houses, and county special districts will come out and tell you how they can do it. They can draw the little polygon around the houses that you want to, and then the county will tell you how much the assessment’s going to be for a certain level, whatever level you want it graded once a year, twice a year after every storm. They’ll give you some choices. They’ll tell you how much it’ll be, and then they’ll bill you and put on your property tax.”

You can hear their full conversation here:

Jef Harmatz Jef Harmatz Send an email July 20, 2026
Jef Harmatz

Jef Harmatz

Jef Harmatz is the co-host of Z107.7’s “Morning Show with Cody and Jef” and Z107.7’s News Director. He has worked as a journalist, cartoonist, chef, and delivery driver. He is known nationally for his writing and comics in publications like TimeOut, Popula, Roadtrippers, Solrad and Spiralbound, and for his album covers for Third Eye Blind and Sir Sly. He is known locally for his pop-up barbecue restaurant Hot Dog Panic. He remains unknown in the field of beekeeping, because he is too afraid of being stung to try it. When not on the radio, he draws comics and self-publishes little books. He lives with his partner and his dog Sunday in Yucca Valley, where he cooks them both elaborate meals.