The Twentynine Palms City Council had a long and varied meeting Tuesday night. Reporter Dan Stork broke his report into three parts. Today: the Development Code update status and potential liability on a dirt road right of way. Still ahead: highlights of a budget workshop…
The City Council discussion of the long-running Development Code review and update process had two related issues: the past role of the consulting firm Hogle-Ireland, and the status of the update process itself. Council wanted to know what Hogle-Ireland did for the $60K they’ve gotten so far to help with this. Neither Interim Development DIrector Matt McCleary nor Planning Commission Chair Greg Mendoza had an answer to this question. Jay Corbin noted that the current Council never gave Planning Commission direction on goals for the Development Code update. Greg Mendoza suggested a joint session of Commission and Council, in order to get on the same page. During a discussion of the Diamond Bar Road right of way easement, Bill Tally, owner of the Twentynine Palms RV Resort, and Al Worley (of the Roadrunner Dunes Golf Course) voiced worries about liability and responsibility in case of accident on the dirt road, which they described as potentially dangerous. City Attorney Patrick Munoz advised them: Assignment of responsibility depends who’s at fault in a specific case, and the businessmen should review and possibly update their liability insurance coverage.
