64 homes on 18 acres has never been approved before in Joshua Tree. This will set a dangerous precedent for future Wall Street developers to swoop in and overdevelop our RURAL desert community. Community feedback was not adequately sought or included in the plan submitted for approval. We know from speaking with many neighbors that their letters opposing this development were NOT even reviewed during the planning commission’s approval hearing.

Building requirements in California require developers exfill and infill lots before building. This will result in the complete destruction of this grove, home to many elder, desert species including at least 50 Joshua Trees. In our opinion, the development ducked the required process for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and failed to include MAINY neighbor letters. 

Currently there is no plan for storm water retention at the project site. All project storm water runoff is planned to be diverted down Sunset Rd towards downtown Joshua Tree. It is very likely that houses on the opposite side of Sunset Rd will be completely flooded during a storm event. This is not acceptable!

Local Joshua Tree residents share a common concern about the increased traffic a crowded 64 house tract development will create on Alta Loma and Sunset Rd. The new densely populated “ranch” will generate numerous daily trips in and out of the development, especially around the time school gets out at Friendly Hills Elementary school . The existing volume of traffic nearly exceeds the roads’ ability to accommodate it. An additional 64 house’s worth of traffic will lead to further road degradation, congestion, delays, and potential safety hazards. The existing narrow, two-lane design of Alta Loma and Sunset will make it difficult for drivers to navigate around slower traffic or emergency vehicles, especially during peak hours. Joshua Tree’s rural nature means that these roads were not designed for heavy traffic, and the new housing development could overwhelm existing infrastructure, resulting in a diminished quality of life for both current residents and newcomers. Many roads in Joshua Tree are in disrepair with potholes and cracks.The county has not offered to increase the maintenance of our roads to compensate for the wear and tear of additional traffic created by the project, or install any necessary traffic signals to keep the intersections safe. The increase in traffic also raises concerns about air quality and noise pollution in this typically quiet desert community.

All of Joshua Tree is on septic system, meaning human waste is stored underground and decomposed by bacteria. Since Lovemore Ranch proposes to build at unprecedented density there will be no room for each home to have their own septic system so the development instead will pool all the waste in one onsite waste treatment plant 50ft from existing properties. Anyone who has been around one before can tell you that there will most definitely be a smell!