RECAP: Twentynine Palms Planning Commission, January 21, 2025
The Commission makes quick decisions on a new recycling center and granting an extension for a planned laundromat
The Planning Commission, down Commissioner Alex Garcia with an excused absence, rapidly granted a two-year extension to a much-delayed laundromat project and approved a Conditional Use Permit for a proposed recycling center. Our agenda preview is here. City Development Director Keith Gardner brought clarity to an article in a national publication that has caused much confusion locally; he also gave a general timeframe to revisit the controversial development code amendment on campgrounds and RV parks.
The sparsely attended meeting featured no public comment on general topics and one objection to the recycling center. Let’s take a closer look.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Cholla Laundromat Extension Request
In a brief discussion, City Development Director Gardner said that no representative of the applicant, DePierro Development, was present. He noted that the application for a laundromat at 6543 Cholla Avenue was due to expire in 2024, after having been granted a permit in 2022, but DePierro applied for an extension in “a timely manner.” Gardner said there had been a modification in traffic impact fees because those had increased since the initial application but no other changes.
There was no public comment. Commissioner Jim Krushat said, “I think it's a needed service within the community. It meets the requirements of our development code, our general plan, and our downtown-specific plan. So I would highly recommend that we approve the extension.” The Commission voted 4-0 (with Commissioner Garcia absent) to approve an extension until July 2026.
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CUP Recycling Buyback Center/Small Collection Facility
Maria Khachiyan of 29 Palms Plaza LLC, proposes to develop a recycling buyback center in the Stater Brothers complex. Khachiyan, based in Glendale, operates CRV Only Stores found throughout Los Angeles County. After submitting an Administrative Use Permit (AUP), Planning ruled that a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) would be more appropriate to ensure that only 500 sq ft of the 1,187 sq ft be used per City code.
With one question from Commissioner Leslie Paahana confirming the need for the CUP, Chairperson Max Walker opened the floor to public comment.
Johnnie Ward, Jr., owner of Pros Recycling on Bullion Road in Twentynine Palms, said that he was skeptical that the new recycling business could limit its use of space to store recycling to 500 sq ft, noting that it takes more than that to store several days’ worth of recycling. He was also concerned about vermin attracted by liquids in bottles to be recycled.
Atranik Saiyan and Maria Khachiyan responded that they had been in the business for eight years and said that they have a truck that picks up recycling “every single day,” and they perform pest control monthly.
This response satisfied the Planning Commission that the business would be well-run and, voting 4-0, approved the CUP for the business. It’s expected that it will be open in the next few months.
DISCUSSION
City Development Director Gardner spoke to clarify an article recently published by Forbes that had been causing confusion on social media. The headline suggests that the Hotel Reset, which it calls “A Stunning Shipping Container Hotel,” has opened. Gardner said, “It has not opened. Just want to make that perfectly clear. I spoke with with the developer before this meeting. They're looking at roughly a May opening.1 So in case anyone asks, that's their goal of an opening time. From their end, they're still doing construction work and ground moving and things like that.”
Gardner also said that there would be more workshops coming up on development code changes “that need to be tweaked.” It will be another couple of months before the discussion of campgrounds and RV parks comes back to Planning. He said that the City is now required to advertise discussion of development code changes 20 days in advance instead of 10 days, as it has been in the past.
And with that, the meeting adjourned.
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The first bookings on the hotel’s website are not until May 1 (and start at $381 a night).