Supervisors uphold approval of 64‑lot Lovemore Ranch subdivision amid Joshua Tree opposition

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on a unanimous vote denied an appeal of the Planning Commission’s approval of the Lovemore Ranch tentative map, a proposal to subdivide an 18.49‑acre Joshua Tree parcel into 64 single‑family lots. The appeal was filed by the Morongo Basin Conservation Association (MBCA).

The appeal and four‑hour public hearing focused on whether the map and the environmental review complied with county and state rules and whether mitigation measures and project notices had been adequate. County staff, led by Mark Wardlaw, director of Land Use Services, told the board the project had been reviewed under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), that an initial study produced a mitigated negative declaration, and that the proposal was consistent with the county general plan’s low‑density residential designation and applicable development standards.

Wardlaw said the applicant trimmed an earlier, denser proposal to the current 64‑lot design and that required studies addressed biological, cultural, paleontological and hydrologic issues. He explained the county’s role and the sequence of technical reviews:…