You can fight city hall! 

Tuesday the Flamingo Heights 640 Glamping Project was defeated 3-2 by the Board of Supervisors in a hearing of the appeal brought by the developer.

Read a statement from the victors at Save Our Deserts here. 

We have been following this project carefully for what it might tell us about the process of the Wonder Inn appeal, and the hearing did not disappoint.  It was a great opportunity to observe how an appeal hearing is conducted, as well as providing clues as to how the various supervisors may view desert development projects.  We hope the outcome on Tuesday gives some basis for optimism in the Wonder Inn campaign.    

Chairwoman Dawn Rowe was aggressive in defending the interests of desert residents and made the motion to reject the appeal and thereby kill the project.  Supervisors Baca and Cook joined her in the majority vote.  Supervisor Hagman had first made a motion to accept the appeal but send the project back to the Planning Commission for unspecified modification, but Supervisor Rowe interceded with her substitute motion to deny the appeal, the motion which won the day.  Supervisors Hagman and Armendarez voted no.

There was a good turnout and many members of the public spoke in opposition to the project with passion and eloquence, both from the Joshua Tree live feed and in the County Chambers in San Bernardino.  Residents of the Flamingo Heights and Landers area have fought this project for three years and have been rewarded for their hard work and persistence.  Those of us from the east Basin who also spoke or have sent in letters were honored to support our neighbors and celebrate their victory.

Congratulations Flamingo Heights, Landers, and saveourdeserts.org!  FH640 is dead!

That’s one down!  

You can view the official video of the hearing here.  Agenda Item 1-15 begins at around 36 minutes.  The presentations and public comment wind up and the Supervisors begin their discussion at about the 3:46 mark.