Twentynine Palms Planning Commission sends a split decision to the City Council regarding the E-Group Solar Project

Twentynine Palms Planning Commission sends a split decision to the City Council regarding the E-Group Solar project proposed for several acres north of Two Mile road and Samarkand, east of Canyon Road, west of Noel’s Knoll and south of Amboy Road. Annelies Kuiper has more information: 

The recommendation for this meeting was that the Twentynine Palms Planning Commission transfer its decision making authority to the City Council, regarding the E-Group Solar project. This was the third Planning Commission meeting in a row focusing on the E-Group Solar project. After fifteen more public comments, of which the majority were opposed to the solar project, the Planning Commission had some questions remaining. Jim Krushat opined that the $105,000 community benefit which E-Group has pledged to the City’s coffers was not enough. 

Vice chair Alex Garcia had this to say:

“I just want to say I’m all for renewable energy, but I know quite a few people off the top of my head downwind of this project, that this dust will greatly affect. This area is extremely windy, and no matter what mitigation we think they’re able to do, there will be dust and families will be affected. I feed quite a few families in that area that I know are on oxygen that require clean air. We don’t have any say on this benefits package and whatnot, but I’m not here to negotiate. I am here to say that I do not think it’s adequate for the cost of those people and rezoning all of that land that will be just completely wiped clean, and things will not grow there. This is our home, this is our desert, and it’s up to us to look out for it, and $105,000 a year, I feel like we’re just reaching to grab whatever we can, but I do not think it’s adequate, and I don’t approve of this project.”

In the end Leslie Paahana made a recommendation that a split decision be forwarded to the City Council which Max Walker seconded. In this split Jim Krushat and Alex Garcia were opposed to transferring decision making authority to the City Council while Leslie Paahana and Max Walker were in favor. Jessica Cure was neutral.

The selection of the Planning Commission Chair and Vice Chair followed. Max Walker was nominated and approved as Chair while Jim Krushat was approved as vice chair. The meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.