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The meeting started with Mayor Lombardo proclaiming that January of 2024 as School Board Appreciation month, thanking members of the MUSD board that were in attendance, along with CMC board members who couldn’t make it – for their service to the public and private, and parochial schools and for having a positive impact on the town and its residents.
Special events in residential areas
Council members then dove into a proposed change to the development code that would allow special events to be held in residential areas – with a permit and with limits depending on the type of event and number of guests. Class 1 and 2 are considered minor events and can include yoga and meditation classes, art and writing workshops and writing, and weddings and parties where the attendance is between 21 and 50 people . Both of these classes will have permits reviewed and handled by town staff.
Class 3 and 4 are considered major events where guest attendance is between 51 and 100 people – these permits will have to go before the planning commission for approval.
After a suggestion by Council Member Schooler to increase the maximum number of days per event from 2 days to 3 – assuming that most weekend events can start on a Friday and run through Sunday – the council adopted the ordinance.
Link: Classifications of Special Events for Residential Areas (yucca-valley.org)
Hi Desert Nature Museum updates
The Hi Desert Nature Museum welcomed two new hires- Charlie Rossow as the new Collections & Exhibits Coordinator, and Zachary Fleming-Boyles as the Museum Education & Engagement Coordinator.
Museum Supervisor Celeste Hildebrand reported on museum improvements such as an update to their geology exhibit, along with the first new postcards in 15 years – the new ones are shot by local photographers Mitch Miller and Kevin Powell.
The Museum is entering its 60th year and has a full lineup of spring and summer exhibits, events and programming. Hildebrand reported busy visitation numbers for 2023 – the free museum saw 1702 visitors for their exhibit on California Pioneer Women. Their fall exhibit “From Earthquakes to Epidemics” drew 2,752 visitors, with special holiday events at Halloween and Christmas pulling in over 600 visitors each.
Hildebrand closed her presentation noting the town council and staff’s presence at museum events, saying “we feel very supported right now.”
Council Member Abel asked if there was an accreditation for museums, and Museum Supervisor Hildebrand says that the museum is in the long process of AAM Certification and peer review, which grants only 4% of the museums that apply with accreditation.
New street signs aid in town beautification
New street signs are popping up as part of the Yucca Valley Town wide beautification project. Public Works Director Alex Qishta reported that over 1200 street signs will be replaced over the next year, at about 100 per month starting this January. In addition, 25 street name signs on highway 62 have been ordered and will be turned over to CALTRANS for installation.
The new street signs should last 7 to 10 years and are less prone to fading.
Essig Park completed
The improvements to Essig Park were officially accepted as complete. The dog park had a series of upgrades and expansions in 2023, with Director Qishta noting that some mud from the last storm has been cleaned up and they are looking into preventing the problem in future storms. Council Member Denison appreciated the response from the crews at the park, and noted that “the council is working hard to make that park what the community wants.”
Rumored “Yucca Mesa Hotel” application has no application on file with Town
Deputy Town Manager Shane Stueckle noted that there was public concern over a rumored application for a hotel on Yucca Mesa road. Stueckle says a project of that scope would take 1 to 2 years before it would even have a hearing at the planning commission, and all proposed land use would be on file on the town’s website. He stated clearly that no current application is on file with the town for a hotel on Yucca Mesa road.
After councilmember comments thanking staff for their work, Mayor Lombardo closed out the first full town council meeting of 2024, reiterated the praise, saying “we feel very blessed to have staff that pour their hearts out for the betterment of the community.”
