Yucca Valley Town Council: Western Joshua Tree take permits, animal shelter, new plaza

Following the presentation of the Youth Commission End of Year Report, last night’s Yucca Valley Town Council meeting began with an item concerning the 2025 General Plan. Deputy Town Manager Shane Stueckle recommended the Town enter into a Professional Services Agreement with Placeworks, who will prepare the changes required since the last General Plan update in 2022. These include revisions to the hazard maps, hazard mitigation plan, and safety elements. Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act mitigation The item also concerned the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, which requires an approved CEQA document and mitigation measures for Incidental Take Permit applications. Town Staff presented this item at numerous Council meetings, as the legislation raised concerns about the expenses that would be passed onto homeowners looking to develop. Stueckle explained that The Town collaborated with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to include a mitigation measure in the General Plan Environmental Impact Report, requiring developments to comply with regulations and standards. Single-family homeowners can utilize this report to qualify as the CEQA document for Incidental Take Permits, thus eliminating the costs associated with CEQA preparation. The Council voted to approve the proposal and applauded the development pertaining to the Western Joshua Tree, as noted by Mayor Pro Tem Merl Abel. “Whatever we can do to help the local property owner, the homeowner, try to save money in the CEQA process, and also cooperate and work with Fish and Game. I'm glad we're moving forward with it.” Yucca Valley Animal Shelter 90-day review Town Staff then presented its completed Operational Review of the Yucca Valley Animal Shelter. Following public discourse and concern about shelter practices, the Town initiated the 90-day review at the Council meeting on March 4. Stueckle highlighted changes the Town has already implemented to improve shelter operations, including utilizing social media to post adoptable dogs online, outreach to rescue groups, and scheduling adoption and low-cost spay/neuter events. The Council also moved to create a sub-committee that will meet quarterly on Animal Care and Control; Council Member Jim Schooler and Mayor Jeff Drozd both agreed to serve on the committee. This was followed by a presentation on updates to the Town’s volunteer program and guidelines, as it would apply to shelter volunteers. The meeting was well-attended, and residents contributed nearly 30 public comments between the two items regarding the shelter. Many comments echoed sustained concerns about shelter management and highlighted the need for accountability moving forward. Ideas for the Founders' Plaza sign presented by Staff. Photo by Adeline J. Wells Founders' Plaza at Old Town Lastly, Town Staff presented the Council with the recommendation for the official name of the new facility on Elk Trail, currently referred to as the Old Town Beautification and Sustainability Project. The Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Commission opened submissions for the new name and received 77 unique suggestions from 312 contributors. Several referred to names of various founding families of Yucca Valley; for this reason, the PRCC recommended the name “Founders' Plaza at Old Town” as an alternative, collective name that honors the Town’s founders. The Council approved the name of the facility. In closing remarks, Stueckle noted that the application for the Vertical Bridge Monopine project application has been rescinded. The proposed cell phone tower on Mountain View Trail was met with significant neighborhood opposition; the applicant is considering other sites within Yucca Valley for the project. This is the first of two stories concerning the Yucca Valley Town Council meeting. Tune in to Z107.7FM tomorrow for a deeper dive into the Yucca Valley Animal Shelter Operational Review and the associated volunteer program.