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Planning commission approves conditional use permit to reactivate Historic Plaza with weekly events
Summary
The Twentynine Palms City Planning Commission approved Resolution No. 26501, exempting the Historic Plaza events program from CEQA and allowing weekly Sunday events with conditions on hours, insurance, restrooms and parking; the Friends of the Historic Plaza will operate the events if they comply with the permit terms.
The Twentynine Palms City Planning Commission voted to approve a conditional use permit allowing regularly scheduled community events at the Historic Plaza, agreeing to a resolution that staff said is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act.
The commission approved Resolution No. 26501 after staff presented the Friends of the Historic Plaza’s proposal to hold weekly Sunday events noon–5 p.m. with set-up and tear-down times, optional live music, prepackaged food and limited alcohol service, and with requirements that vendors hold proper business licenses and any required county or state permits. The applicant, Jimmy Brower, said the nonprofit’s volunteer-run events are intended to reactivate the plaza, support local artists and entrepreneurs and boost tourism.
Commissioners pressed staff on operational details including how event parking would be managed and enforced, whether inflatable attractions would require higher insurance limits, and on sanitation. Staff agreed to clarify the permit language so event parking is marked with signs and cones and to require at least two portable restrooms and extra trash receptacles at events. Staff also said inflatable bounce houses would require increased insurance coverage and that vendors requiring county or state permits must obtain them.
After editing a condition language that had attempted to prohibit parking on the public right-of-way, the commission adopted the resolution with the revised conditions. The measure passed in a recorded vote (4 Ayes, 0 No, 0 Abstain, 1 Excused). The commission’s action allows the Friends of the Historic Plaza to proceed under the conditions in Resolution No. 26501; staff will finalize the resolution and correct a minor date error noted in the draft.
Votes at a glance - Minutes approval (consent): Motion carried by roll call; recorded as unanimous among those present with one excused absence. - Resolution No. 26501 (Historic Plaza CUP): Approved 4–0 with one excused commissioner; CEQA exemption adopted as recommended by staff.
The commission also scheduled follow-up work on operational details and asked staff to finalize permit language and conditions before the item is formalized.
