Yucca Valley Town Council recap: free microchips, short term rental maps, power outages and nicer medians

The Town Council met before the 5:00 p.m. regular meeting for a closed session review of the Town’s Attorney as well as possible litigation against the town. No items were shared from the closed session.

The regular meeting began with a short introduction to the new County Sheriff’s Captain Steve Scovel, who was been with the department for over 28 years, including 16 years in the bomb squad in the city of San Bernardino and three years in Ukiah. Captain Scovel had some nice words for our local station, saying “It’s very well known in our department that the Morongo Station is is one of the jewels in the county… one of the greatest places to work. A lot of young kids out here working hard, getting it done for the community out here.”

Power outages on the Mesa being addressed

A presentation from Southern California Edison’s Government Affairs Manager Shane Massoud highlighted some of the work that the public utility has been doing in Yucca Valley, like installing 7500 miles of “cover conductor” on powerlines in high fire-risk areas. Out of the seven “circuits” that serve the Morongo Basin, the Campanula Circuit was specifically called out by Massoud as one they are working on due to the continued outages on the Mesa area of Yucca Valley. He says that while some of the outages were caused by vehicle accidents, weather and wildlife, he acknowledged that there were more outages in that area than others.

Public Hearings

Finance Manager Jordan Gumbush went over the Community Development Block Grant which is an annual funding cycle between the Town of Yucca Valley and San Bernardino County. The Town Council approved that the full $93,000 from the county go toward the Brehm Turf and Irrigation project. The Yucca Valley Material Lab also applied for the grant, but was directed to apply for Measure Y funding instead.

Free microchipping coming to Yucca Valley residents

Deputy Town manager Shane Stueckle then presented the Yucca Valley Animal Shelter’s new microchip program, which will establish no-fee microchipping services for Yucca Valley residents’ dogs and cats. If you are not a resident of Yucca Valley, the service will cost $5.

Stueckle anticipates a March start to the program. Microchipping a dog or cat allows the pet owner’s information to be scanned so they can be returned to their owner quicker, hopefully reducing the turnaround time for a lost pet as well as the population in the currently over-capacity shelter.

Median Glow-up

The town’s medians will become a little brighter with the approval to design and construct a half-million dollar town-wide beautification project that will see native plants and creative landscaping installed in the medians along the intersections of Highway 62 and Sage Avenue, Dumosa Avenue, and Kickapoo Trail as well as the busy junction of Highway 62 and 247.

Short Term Vacation Rental Map

A presentation by Senior Planner Jared Jerome went over the new short-term rental GIS map put together by Town Staff. Assistant Planner Evan Willoughby was specifically mentioned. A GIS or Graphic Information System map combines the town map with information, in this case Short Term Rentals in Yucca Valley. Residents can now search by address or parcel number and get information on a short-term rental, including their 24-hour contact and permit status.

Yucca Valley Planning Department Maps

The number of short-term rental (STR) permits is more or less holding steady after the boom during the pandemic. Deputy Town Manager Shane Stueckle also addressed common complaints from STR’s, which he says is usually parking and trash related during the slower months. However, summer means more partiers and more complaints from neighbors and Stueckle says Town Staff is looking at ways to address those complaints so that the property owner takes the “no party” rule more seriously.

Town Manager Curtis Yakimow gave an update to the Town’s strategic plan and Councilmember Rick Denison requested a review of the town’s lighting policy for a future agenda item.

Michael Ramos, Jr. honored during closing comments

Mayor Merl Abel closed out the night’s meeting with a tribute to 18 year-old Michael Ramos, Jr. Michael was murdered on December 21, 2025.

Mayor Abel stated, “We’re gonna close in remembrance of a young man whose life was very short, but he made the most of that short life. I had the privilege of going to his remembrance, a celebration-of-life service, as well. Hearing the teachers and the impact that he had on all the teachers and how he loved and reached out to other people around them really was a testament of a very short life that was well-lived.

“It’s really hard to comprehend when it’s such a young person has so many years ahead of them. So I’d like to close tonight’s councilmember meeting in remembrance of Michael Ramos, Jr.”

The next Yucca Valley Town Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 3.