Joshua Tree has a housing problem, and the explosion of short-term rentals has removed hundreds of single-family homes from the market that were previously sold or rented to residents. While many of those vacation homes have returned to the market as furnished rentals, affordable housing remains out of reach for many locals. A developer is planning to add 64 homes to a piece of property in Joshua Tree, and tonight they are holding a community session to field questions and comments about it.
The Lovemore Ranch’s website and social media says that they are “Setting a new standard for sustainable development in the High Desert of California” with their planned development for the corner of Alta Loma and Sunset. Currently the site is open desert, and the photos on the website reflect that with shots of Joshua trees and other vegetation on the lot.
The Morongo Basin Conservation Society say the development will require a “near-complete scraping of the site.”
Lovemore Ranch’s website does have a frequently asked questions section that looks to answer a lot of questions that come out of these large development meetings. The developers say that they aim to retain 20% of the natural vegetation on the site, and that they will plant more native plants than they remove.
They also say they will exceed dark sky regulations, and they say they their “design focuses on deeply connecting residents with Nature and the National Park through a variety of features” with features like a “smell garden,” A “thought lounge” for after-school programs, and a “coharvest” program that they say will facilitate community gardening.
Sewer concerns, traffic on Alta Loma, and flooding are also some questions they seemed to have addressed on the website. They also have a form where you can submit your own question or idea, and the developers are holding an info session tonight at 6PM at the Joshua Tree Community Center on 6171 Sunburst St.
You can visit the Lovemore Ranch’s website at lovemore.group.
Community Meeting
Thursday, August 29, 2024, 6pm
Joshua Tree Community Center, Elliott Hall
6171 Sunburst St., Joshua Tree, CA 92252
