6. CONSERVATION AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

6.A.  Open Space

An extremely valuable opportunity exists for enhancement of central Joshua Tree as a gateway and transition to the national park by achieving designation of State Route 62 as a State Scenic Route. In addition, Park Boulevard/Quail Springs Road should be similarly designated as an official County Scenic Corridor. Accomplishment of these designations is considered a priority goal of this community.₁₂ Application should be made wherever feasible for grant funding to purchase land to preserve the open spaces that are so much of the identity of Joshua Tree. These would also compliment the wildlife corridors and establish buffer zones.

In the meantime the scenic environment adjacent to these routes should be protected and improved by:

• Creating a buffer zone between Joshua Tree and its neighboring communities.
• Limiting the heights of buildings to 25 feet above grade.₁₃ This provision was highly endorsed by community members.
• Promoting those kinds of development, housing and business design standards that are consistent with maintaining the aesthetic value of the scenic corridors.
• All new construction along the scenic corridors should have a fifty-foot setback with natural landscaping.
• All subdivision development should include an established fixed ratio of land devoted to open space to land being developed.

It is recommended that no new streetlights be installed south of Alta Loma (toward the National Park). Alta Loma is widely considered to be more or less the transition boundary to the Park. Any consideration of new street lighting should be subject to public discussion.

• Seek grants and/or other resources to renovate the downtown area of Joshua Tree.

As is universally recommended for gateway communities₁₄ and as a reasonable extension of the scenic attributes of the National Park and its vicinity the following is further recommended:

• Scenic vistas where the natural slope exceeds fifteen percent should be protected by requiring building foundations for residential structures to conform to the natural slope to ensure that rooflines do not eliminate or dominate the ridgelines.₁₅ It is considered mandatory that building on ridgelines be prohibited
• Hillside contours should be strictly preserved by prohibiting hillside sculpting or grading that destroys the original contour.
• ·Mechanical clearing of construction sites shall be limited to the building envelope and driveway only.
• All parcels south of Alta Loma shall have a minimum parcel size of 2.5 acres as a buffer to Joshua Tree National Park.
• All mountain regions, that is those exceeding the typical measure of approximately 30% slope, should be maintained at the present parcel size or a minimum of five acres whichever is greater. Maintaining this standard is of utmost importance to preserve the scenic vistas and further enhance the buffer zones adjacent to the National Park, which has been expressed as a high priority by the Park.₁₆

Portable toilet facilities and all temporary living quarters, such as trailers or recreational vehicles should only be allowed on site while construction is in progress with an approved building permit. One year is thought to be a reasonable maximum recommended length of time for home building subject to strict, well-defined variance conditions for special circumstances.

It is desired that underground installation of all electrical lines in Joshua Tree will be accomplished in the near future.

Large sections of land need to be allocated to a land trust that preserves view sheds, wildlife corridors and the natural ecosystem. The presence of a viable land trust in Joshua Tree would be a prestigious validation of its partnership with the National Park and its unique gateway designation. The land trust should be affiliated with a national organization to benefit from the contributions of a variety of donors.

6.B Environment, Wildlife and Plant Life Preservation

A very strong consensus exists in Joshua Tree for protection of its namesake. Preservation of the Joshua Tree is considered a priority. The following is well within the context of existing county regulations and is presented here for particular emphasis:

• No Joshua Trees should leave the community of Joshua Tree.
• Before a Joshua Tree is removed, a building official will make a finding that no other reasonable siting alternative exists for the development of the land.
• Relocation on site should be strongly encouraged. If this is not possible, there will be a list maintained in the county building & safety office of Joshua Tree residents willing to adopt and care for relocated trees.
• Relocation costs will be borne by the developer/home builder.
• Retention and transplantation standards will follow best nursery practices.

All existing and discovered archeological sites including all petroglyph sites should be preserved. Construction or intrusion on these sites should be prohibited.

The following is presented as a supplemental section to this plan in order to provide further pertinent information and secure additional needed attention to the issues of preservation and conservation as was strenuously and overwhelmingly articulated in community surveys:

• The impacts of development on wildlife resources fall into two classes. Some site-specific impacts such as topographic alterations and clearing and removing vegetation are immediate and have direct negative impacts on wildlife and wildlife habitat. These same site-specific impacts, however, often have indirect impacts on adjacent and neighboring lands through a process of habitat fragmentation, disruption of habitat continuity, and loss of habitat to animals that rely on both the developed parcel and surrounding lands for habitat. Direct and indirect impacts, when combined with incremental, individually minor but collectively significant actions taking place over a period of time become cumulative impacts.₁₇ The desert tortoise is an example.
• Continuous wildlife corridors should be established along the natural washes allowing wildlife to travel to and from Joshua Tree National Park and BLM lands in north Joshua Tree. Fencing in wildlife corridors should be discouraged. Developers should be encouraged to dedicate open space lands to link wildlife corridors.₁₈
• When specific storm drain or wastewater treatment facilities are required in the future, construction will utilize a design that retains the natural character of the drainage channel to the extent possible. This protects wildlife corridors and prevents loss of critical habitat in the region.₁₉
• Working in conjunction with Joshua Tree National Park, a preservation strategy for the soil ecosystem or cryptobiotic crust should be adopted to improve air quality, promote erosion and flood control, and to protect native plant and animal species. In that effort the wholesale mechanical clearing of building sites should be prohibited. The retention of natural vegetation in landscaped areas should be encouraged.
• Turf areas should be discouraged except at parks and educational facilities.
• All landscaped areas should use the xeriscape technique with subterranean watering systems.
• Remaining cesspools should be replaced with septic or sewer systems when ownership of the property is transferred.

Because of the widespread problem of illegal dumping, garbage service by landlords to tenants, and mandatory garbage pickup is a recommendation for the future. Very relevant at present, however, is the recent implementation of strict illegal dumping ordinances in the adjacent incorporated communities. It is therefore imperative to now enact a similar ordinance for unincorporated areas to forestall the increased dumping likely to follow, especially in Joshua Tree.

6.C. Signage

An architectural design standard for signage consistent with retaining the rural community character, and adhering to night sky ordinances is strongly recommended. In anticipation of scenic highway designation, no billboards should be allowed on scenic corridors or routes in Joshua Tree.

6.D. Light

There should be continued and consistent enforcement of the night sky ordinance. In particular, lighting for new developments should be specifically designed to eliminate glare on adjacent properties. Of very great importance in regard to the area’s appeal for star-gazing and dark-sky ambience is avoidance of upward-directed lighting which gives rise to serious light pollution.