ON THE AGENDA: Planning Commission, Twentynine Palms, June 3, 2025
Recommendation to declare a derelict property a public nuisance and a workshop on pet grooming as a home occupation
This week’s Planning Commission meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 3, at 5 pm. The lightly scheduled session includes accepting the Consent Calendar, which includes only the minutes of the last meeting, held on May 5; declaring a property on the east side of town to be a public nuisance; a workshop on pet grooming as a home occupation; and the Community Development Director’s report.
The agenda for this session is available here.
There are a number of planning issues brewing that will soon come before the Commission, and this meeting is a valuable opportunity to make your voice heard in public comment. The City Planning Department recently recommended awarding a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Ofland Resort (which the Desert Trumpet looked at here, “29 Palms Planning provides key boost to proposed Ofland Hotel resort development near Indian Cove”). Adequate shelter for the unhoused and blighted properties have also been hot topics at recent Planning Commission and City Council meetings.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
After Planning Commission announcements, residents can comment on items not on the agenda. Public comments on agenda items will be requested when the item is discussed. Fill out a green comment sheet for public or agenda item comments and hand it to the staff, usually sitting at the desk at the front of the room on the right side. Residents have three minutes to make your comments.
To comment during the hearing and the study session, come prepared to speak only once for three minutes on each, regardless of the number of topics covered.
You may also email comments to Planning Commission members and Keith Gardner, the Community Development Director, and request that comments be read at the meeting.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
2. Declaring the property located at physical address of 7291 Woodward Avenue a Public Nuisance and Dangerous Building
Speaking of blighted properties—City staff is requesting that the Planning Commission declare the property at 7291 Woodward Avenue to be a public nuisance. Local residents and business owners frequently complain about highly visible derelict buildings and lots. At its May 13 meeting, the City Council recently voted 4-11 to reallocate $30,000 intended for homeless services to the City’s Code Enforcement department for blight clean up, homeless encampment clean up, and property abatement efforts.
The staff report states that squatters started a fire in the structure on Woodward Avenue, and it is filled with trash and debris. Several inoperable vehicles clutter the lot, and the location has become an illegal dumping site.
Since December 7, 2023, the City Code Enforcement Department has issued one Notice of Violation, four citations, and one Notice to Abate for the property. The property owner, Gerald Holt of Laclede, Missouri, asked for more time to clean up and removed some vehicles, but made no further progress and stopped responding. The City has been monitoring the site to prevent squatters and dumping. The City is obtaining a title report to notify any other possible owners to fix the violations and if none comply, the City will demolish the buildings and clean up the property.
Once the property is declared a public nuisance, the owner would then have two choices: either tear down all buildings within 45 days or get permits to fully fix them within 6 months and remove all junk vehicles. If the owner does nothing, the City can step in, go onto the property, and fix the problems using its own workers or a hired contractor. Staff also wants permission to demolish the buildings if the owner still has not acted after being given more time. The cost will be billed to the property owner.
An illegal dumping ground at Twentynine Palms Hwy and Wilshire, not far from the property in question, was declared a nuisance in April 2024 and cleaned up.
DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS
3. Workshop on Pet Grooming as a Home Occupation
At last week’s City Council meeting, Councilmember April Ramirez requested that a development code item be reviewed to clarify what kind of dog walking and pet grooming businesses could be operated as home businesses. The Staff report explains that it has received several requests recently for home occupation permits that do not fit within existing operating standards. In particular, requests have come in regarding pet grooming and dog walking services out of a residential home.
Operators offering these services must have business licenses from the City, as do all home commercial activities. A pet grooming business appears to be contrary to appropriate sections of the Animal Control and Home Occupation sections of the Development Code:
19.102.100 - Keeping of Animals.
A. It shall be unlawful to keep a number of animals exceeding the numbers set out in this Ordinance, except as may be otherwise approved by kennel or cattery license or land use permit.
B. Nuisance. Pets may be kept on any residentially zoned property in the maximum numbers identified in Subsection 19.102.100.F, provided the keeping of said pets does not constitute a nuisance.
Not noted in the staff report is the number of animals that are allowable. They are, per 19.102.100.F.2:
Open Space Residential: 4 cats and 4 dogs
Residential, Rural Living (RL-1): 3 cats and 3 dogs
Residential, Rural Living (RL-2.5): 3 cats and 3 dogs
Residential, Rural Living (RL-5): 4 cats and 4 dogs
Residential (RS-1): 3 cats and 3 dogs
Residential (RS-2 & RS-3): a total of 3 cats and dogs, not to exceed 2 dogs
Residential (RS-4): 2 cats and 2 dogs
Residential Estate (RS-E): 3 cats and 3 dogs
RM (Residential, Multi-Family): 1 cat and 1 dog
CG (General Commercial): 1 guard dog
CO (Office Commercial): 1 guard dog
CT (Tourist Commercial): 1 guard dog
CN (Neighborhood Commercial): 1 guard dog
CS (Service Commercial): 1 guard dog
IC (Community Industrial): 1 guard dog
19.32.060 - Operating Standards/Conditions of Approval
This section of the development code has twenty conditions. The items that Staff suggest be considered are:
N. No traffic shall be generated by such home occupation in greater volumes than would normally be expected in a residential neighborhood, nor shall the use require additional parking spaces than provided on-site.
P. No special off-street parking area shall be allowed in connection with the home occupation; however, the driveway may be used for such parking.
T. Noise generated by the conduct of the home occupation shall not exceed that normally associated with residential use.
Staff is requesting direction as to whether home occupations such as pet groomig should be revisited.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR UPDATES
Following the workshop, Community Development Director Keith Gardner will be updating the Planning Commission.
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Councilmember Octavious Scott voted against this reallocation.