The Yucca Valley Planning Commission meeting began with a public hearing regarding swap meets and temporary special events. The Commission has discussed the item at several recent meetings to establish guidelines; Town Staff revised the last draft to allow farmers’ markets on two-acre parcels rather than the typical five and to be held only 25 feet from either State highway. After additional language was added separating roadside markets from indoor, the Commission voted to move the ordinance forward to the Town Council.
Following approval of the revised Landscape Plan and Irrigation Review for Nice Dream Ices, the Commission moved on to a Special Use Permit application by Ecogen Recycling Center, based in Moreno Valley. The proposed site is located between the Jack in the Box and Pizza Hut on Highway 62. Town Staff recommended that the Commission deny the application, as the site is within the Corridor Residential Overlay, making it out of compliance with the Development Code.
Several community members spoke on the matter, including Freddy Gutierrez, owner of Ecogen Recycling Center, who spoke of the benefits that more recycling centers bring to municipalities.
“Our goal is to provide the communities we serve with a place to redeem their empty CRV beverage containers that is convenient, reliable, accessible, and well-managed. This is a business that is about more than just making money. The environmental benefit of recycling aluminum, glass, and plastic containers is core to our values.”
A representative from Venture Recycling Group submit a written statement, noting that they would lose grant funding from CalRecycle should another recycling center exist within Town limits.
While the Commission agreed that the existing code did not allow for approval of the permit, they also raised the fact that current zoning overlays allow few areas in Yucca Valley where such centers can exist. Additionally, the application could result in setbacks to other recent discussions, such as regarding food trucks. The Commission voted to deny the current application by Ecogen and moved to ask the Town Council for authorization to review said portion of the code in depth.
The Planning Commission then discussed the Town’s Western Joshua Tree and Native Plant Permit Policy. Phase 1 of the sewer connection project prompted the Town to allow ground disturbances within ten feet of the Western Joshua Tree. Phase 2 is scheduled to begin in February; the Town seeks to support homeowners with the required project while protecting our native plants. The Commission discussed potential remedies, including self-certification by contractors proving no Western Joshua Trees are within a certain number of feet of the disturbance. Furthermore, they agreed the Commission should consider information on all native plants to be protected, rather than just the Joshua Tree.
In his closing remarks, Commissioner Clint Stoker mused on the nature and duties of the Planning Commission.
“The Planning Commission is here to look at the code and apply that code to a project. We really work hard on doing that even when things like tonight are personal things that we’d like to see happen, but the code tells us we can’t do it. That’s our job; to apply the code fairly to projects of any type.”
