A few questions and answers that have come up since I posted this:
Q: Aren’t Pioneertown’s historic buildings already protected without this proposed Overlay?
A: Only kind of. The Mane Street National Register Historic District that the Friends of Pioneertown fundraised for and got approved last year offers some modest protections against demolition of historic buildings and features for projects that need to get a Minor Use or Conditional Use Permit – the COunty will require the project applicant to study alternatives to demolition, but can still allow demolition to occur. San Bernardino County does not have a historic preservation ordinance, and the California Historic Building Code does not include protection provisions. More discussion on this topic can be found here:
Q: What project is this Overlay about?
A: This is not about any specific project, but rather how future proposed projects and developments will be dealt with by the County. There are a few projects that have already been applied for and will be reviewed by the County based on the rules in place at the time of application. These include the proposed Mane Street Trailer Motel (on Constance Walsh’s old property), the Pioneertown Motel expansion, and a new Bed and Breakfast on Roy Rogers. Each of these will be subject to public comments and hearings separate from this proposed Overlay.
Q: We have a Community Action Guide – why isn’t that good enough
A: The Community Action Guide is a document that was intended to capture community concerns and interests so that they could be turned into binding regulation – it is no regulation itself. In order to make wat is in the Community Action Guide actually have force, it needs to be translated into Development Code regulations – this is the intention of this Overlay. Joshua Tree’s controversial Dollar Tree was approved because the community never was able to translate their Community Plan into Development Code Language.
Q: What is the process for this proposed Overlay
A: As the proponent, I am holding two pre-application meetings to inform the Community about the proposal and get feedback. When that is complete, I will submit a revised Overlay to San Bernardino County for consideration. Once they receive it, staff will review it, solicit additional community input, and then eventually place it on the agenda for further review and discussion by the Planning Commission which will vote on it after a public hearing. If the Planning Commission approves it, it will go on the Board of Supervisors agenda. Members of the public will be able to submit public comments and testify at this phase as well. If the Board of Supervisors approves it, the Overlay will become part of the development code.
Q: Why would property owners support the Overlay?
A: Adaptive reuse, restoration, and new development have all been nearly impossible under current County regulations which are difficult to understand and applicants frequently discover impassable regulatory and economic barriers only after significant investment has been made in property purchases and consultant and application fees. Many of Mane Street’s historic building’s are dilapidated because there is no cost effective way to obtain approvals to re-use them. The Overlay will simplify this process by helping unify and make permitting requirements plain, and allow projects of a scale that can be supported by local infrastructure.
Pioneertown’s property value largely comes from its unique setting. Residents and visitors are drawn by its independently owned businesses, architecture and natural environment, all of which may be upset by the introduction of chain businesses, unmanaged growth, or incompatible uses, all of which are very much possible under Mane Street’s current Development Code provisions. The Overlay will protect the investment that current Mane Street property owners have made against undesirable projects which threaten to break Pioneertown’s spell.