Hi-Desert homeowners say Joshua tree law is pricing them out of basic improvements

Hi-Desert homeowners say Joshua tree law is pricing them out of basic improvements

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) Morongo Basin residents say California's Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act is forcing them to pay thousands and in some cases tens of thousands of dollars in state mitigation fees just to connect their homes to the sewer or build a fence. The 2023 law requires a permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for any "ground-disturbing work" near a western Joshua tree, with fees ranging from $150 to $2,5…

Town of Yucca Valley highlights possible changes to Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act

The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act has gone through some legislative changes in the three years since its adoption, and the Yucca Valley Town Council received some updates on the law during their last meeting on May 5. Town Manager Curtis Yakimow led a presentation at the last Yucca Valley Town Council meeting on some potential changes to the WJTCA that could impact anyone with Joshua Trees on their property. The California Department of F…