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Mane Street Overlay Proposal

Since 2019, I’ve been working on a proposal to change County regulations for Mane Street in an attempt to get the codes that govern land use in that area aligned with Community interests, specifically encouraging re-use and preservation of historic structures and to ensure that growth occurs in a way that preserves Pioneertown’s community character and in a way that is compatible with the surrounding residential landscape. That proposal is finally at a point where the County is asking for community feedback! Email comments of support or concern can be addressed to San Bernardino County’s Planner Jim Morrissey who is administering the process: Jim.Morrissey@lus.sbcounty.gov

The Big Idea:

  • Ensure that Pioneertown’s historic buildings are protected and easier to reuse
  • Preserve Pioneertown’s dirt roads
  • Untangle the confusing and contradictory regulations that govern land use in Pioneertown so that they are clear for clear for land owners, residents, and San Bernardino County staff.
  • Ensure that Mane Street remains focused on “hoof and foot” traffic. Discourage (but don’t prohibit) vehicular traffic on Mane Street.
  • Lower barriers to small scale development and independent business. Ensure that no project is larger or more intensive than Pioneertown’s roads and infrastructure can support.
  • Translate the community feedback from the Countywide Plan meetings into binding land use policies.
  • Ensure that there are size and frequency limits on festivals and special events
  • Encourage the use of native plants
  • Ensure that new buildings and signage are of a style and size that fits in.
  • Prohibit chain and franchise businesses.
  • Provide rules that better manage traffic and parking.
  • Ensure the types of businesses honor and reinforce Pioneertown’s history and culture of makers. Prohibit incompatible uses like gas stations and storage facilities.
  • Make San Bernardino County and future developers understand that Pioneertown is a unique place that deserves to be respected and protected.
  • Ensure that Pioneertown’s future honors its past and present.
  • Provide rules that anticipates and prevents problems related to extreme tourism uses before they occur.

Why are you doing this?

Currently, Mane Street is not treated any differently by San Bernardino County than the rest of the Section 19 portion of Pioneertown – it has the same zoning as the rest of the area (SD-RES), no special provisions to ensure that future tourism uses are balanced with the needs of residents, nothing that recognizes Pioneertown’s historical importance, and nothing that would ensure that Pioneertown’s small scale and locally owned businesses are preserved. As a resident and Mane Street property owner, I want slow, sustainable growth for Mane Street that preserves our neighborhood character in a way that respects the fact that Mane Street is entirely surrounded by a residential community.

As part of the Countywide Plan and Community Action Guide, San Bernardino County recognized the need for special regulations for Mane Street, but decided that they needed to be left it to an individual or organization to propose them.

Who are you?

I’m a Pioneertown resident and Architect. My wife Jenny and I life on Red Ryder Road and are the landlords for the Red Dog Saloon; before moving to Red Ryder we lived on Mane Street. As part of my architectural practice, I have about twenty years experience in Land Use and have spent about ten years doing professional and community work within San Bernardino County. I initiated and was the project manager responsible for The Friends of Pioneertown’s effort to get Mane Street on the National Register of Historic Places, have a degree in Architectural History, and starting with the Red Dog Saloon have been working to restore and preserve Mane Street since we started living here in 2012.

Who is paying for this??

No one – this is a personal project that I am doing without any compensation, and have paid the all $3,250 charged by San Bernardino County so far out of my own pocket. In my architectural practice I am working or have worked for many people in Pioneertown; I am currently working with the owners of the Pioneertown Motel, and the owners of White’s Grocery (different folks). I have previously consulted for the owners of the Sound Stage and the Pioneertown Corrals as well as the promoter of the Pioneertown International Film Festival. My experience with these projects has informed this project (the County has made it hard to do compatible projects on Mane Street and easier to do bad ones), however none of my clients has any greater influence on this proposal than any other Mane Street or Pioneertown stakeholder.

How has the community been engaged?

This proposal and its basic contents came out of the Community meetings held in 2016 and is the result of discussions with Mane Street and community stakeholders, with whom I have consulted over the last two years; in July of 2020 I started sharing the nearly complete draft with property owners and others in the community to get feedback and ensure that it was headed in a direction which could obtain community consensus.
In the Fall of 2020, I held two community meetings which presented each aspect of the proposal at Station #38 which were attended by approximately 120 folks, emailed drafts to attendees and posted drafts to the web requesting comment. I received numerous suggestions, many of which have been integrated into the proposal that was submitted to San Bernardino County.

County staff has indicated that there will be at least two additional opportunities for written comment and public hearings as part of the consideration of the proposal.

What’s happening now?

Planning Staff is now reaching out to property owners, neighbors, and community members. You can provide your comments to Jim Morrissey at the Planning Department here: Jim.Morrissey@lus.sbcounty.gov.

The Proposal:

211028 Mane Street OverlayDownload
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