Sun Mesa Mini Storage and Dutch Bros get YVPC approval, Walmart Fuel Station heads to YVTC
The Yucca Valley Planning Commission met on Tuesday evening to review a series of site plans for proposed projects. Here’s a rundown of the meeting:
Sun Mesa Mini Storage
Sun Mesa Mini Storage has been mentioned at many Planning Commission meetings, and on Tuesday night the site plan had a full review. The nearly 79,600 square foot self-storage facility is planned for an industrial-zoned lot located at 4815 Newton Lane, which is just east of Old Woman Springs Road and north of Buena Vista Drive.
The facility is planned to be built in two phases, with the western side being developed first. Along with self-serve storage units, it will also include a manager’s office which will be staffed part-time. Approximately 58 Western Joshua Trees were identified on the property and will have to mitigated through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), a process that Town Staff says is a few months out. The project was unanimously approved.
Dutch Bros.
Dutch Bros. is coming to a parcel located just southwest of Balsa Avenue and the Highway 62 intersection, near the Walgreens and Big 5 buildings. The 1,025 square foot building will have a dual-lane drive through with space for about 23 cars to queue up. Access to the coffee stand will be through the Walgreens driveways and there won’t be direct highway access, hopefully alleviating any potential back-ups. The applicant will have to pony up about $48,000 dollars for highway improvements that will eventually occur along the right-of-way.
The coffee stand will also have a walk-up window for caffeine seekers who don’t drive, and is planned to be open from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily, and Town Staff says they plans to employ 24 to 32 people.
According to the site plan, the building and lot will include downward-facing lights that use lights that output a warmer temperature illumination in accordance with dark skies ordinances. The business also takes all its orders in person so there won’t be an speaker systems in use in the drive-through lanes. There are Western Joshua Trees on the currently overgrown lot, which will most likely need to be removed due to poor transplant prospects according to Town Staff. The project was unanimously approved by the council.
Walmart Fuel Station
The Walmart Fuel Station that has been planned for the northeast corner of their parking lot is proposed to have 6 pumps which can power 12 dispensers, a 5,000 square foot canopy, and a 1500 square foot convenience store. The gas pumps will be open 24/7 but the convenience store will match the Walmart store’s hours. The gas station required an amendment to Walmart’s specific plan to allow for fuel sales. Concerns about light brightness were brought up and the Planning Commission recommended that the project move to the Town Council for approval with all lighting topping out at 3,000 Kelvin.
Parcel re-zoning and Development Updates
A 38-acre parcel on the southwest corner of Joshua Lane and Warren Vista requested a waiver for a site plan as the owner wants to build a single-family home and an ADU on the property. The commission agreed and said specific plans for the home do not need to be submitted to the Town unless a larger development is proposed further down the line.
Projects currently in development around town received updates as well:
Tumbleweed Sanctuary is begun is CEQA review, the mobile home park on Kickapoo is having engineering challenges regarding the flood zone there. A chicken restaurant attached to CNS has been resubmitted and is moving forward, and proposed changes to Yucca Valley Material Labs has been resubmitted as well. The two tracts of land that were previously subdivided and are reverting to a single lot are continuing their way through the reversion process as well.
Unhoused encampments on Town’s radar
During Commissioner comments, Chair Mathew Thomas stated that he had noticed more homeless tents being erected around town, notably behind Home Depot and Sunnyslope Drive.
Deputy Town Manager Shane Stueckle responded, saying that the Town is actively recruiting for a new position that should help address homeless issues. He addressed the Commission, saying “part of the responsibilities of that position is a liaison with other public agencies in addressing the homeless issue in the community. So we’re hoping that by creating or adding into our existing programs, these additional resources will be able to help get those individuals into temporary and ultimately permanent housing, whether that’s in the Morongo Basin or some other place where they’re close to family or support services.”
The next Yucca Valley Planning Commission Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 28th.