RECAP: Twentynine Palms Planning Commission, October 21, 2025
3D-Printed Tiny Escapes Resort Approved for Amboy Road
At its October 21 meeting, the Twentynine Palms Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for a 30-unit eco-resort proposed along Amboy Road. The meeting’s agenda is here and the video capture of the meeting is here. Our agenda preview is here. The camera was not working correctly, so only the Planning Commissioners and City Staff are shown in the video. All five Commissioners were present and wearing pink T-shirts in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.
The project, known as Envoy Resort in City documents but soon to be rebranded Tiny Escapes, marks a first for both the City and the region: a resort constructed entirely of 3D-printed cabins made from recycled plastic and fiberglass.
The development sits on a 10-acre parcel east of Adobe Road and west of Desert Knoll Avenue. Only the southern five acres, zoned Commercial Tourist (CT), will be developed. The northern five acres, zoned Residential Single-Family (RS-2), will remain undisturbed. The surrounding land is largely vacant, with Roadrunner Dunes Golf Course to the east, industrial buildings to the southwest, and Condor Field Airport just south of the site.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
CUP24-000004 Amboy Resort
Community Development Director Keith Gardner introduced the item, explaining that the applicant sought a Conditional Use Permit (CUP-24-04) to develop a 30-unit resort comprised of 200-square-foot 3D-printed cabins, two community buildings, a covered patio, pool, and spa.
Parking would be located along the southern edge of the property, while guests would circulate through the site on foot or by golf cart via a concrete path. “There will be no vehicular access within the resort area,” Gardner said, emphasizing that the project’s layout was designed to limit disturbance to desert soil and vegetation.
Gardner noted that staff recommended approval of the CUP along with adoption of a Negative Declaration under CEQA. “Our recommendation is that the Planning Commission adopt the resolution approving the 30-unit resort on Amboy Road,” he concluded.
Public Comment: Questions on Density and Use
The first member of the public to speak was longtime resident Chuck Burr, who raised questions about the small size of the cabins and the project’s long-term viability. “At 200 square feet, are these units usable in any respect if the project fails?” he asked.
We need residential buildings to put kids in schools and retirees in homes. I’d like to hear the Commission explore the pros and cons of this project—the benefits to the community and what happens if it doesn’t succeed.
Burr also inquired about how many units could be built on the site “by right,” absent the Conditional Use Permit. Gardner responded that under current zoning, the southern half’s commercial designation does not allow for residential units, while the northern RS-2 zoning would permit approximately 10 single-family homes.
In contrast, Dwayne Austin, who noted that he has lived in Twentynine Palms since 2020, spoke in favor of the project. “It represents exactly the kind of responsible, forward-thinking development the City needs,” he said. Austin, who said he is a tour operator, linked the proposal to growth in local tourism since COVID-19. “Tourism is probably the most important source of revenue for the City. I love living here and want my kids to grow up here. Projects like this help the City progress.”
Local artist Anna Stump offered qualified support. Living nearby off Utah Trail, she said she was “happy about the development because it’s in the right place—it’s zoned for commercial tourism.” Her concern centered on the dunes behind the site, a popular area for off-road vehicles.
I’m hoping the resort will fence the property, because ATVs come through at all hours. We call the police when there are gunshots, but otherwise it’s ignored.
Applicant Presentation: Recycled Materials, Solar Power, and Community Access
Developer Gene Eidelman of Azure Printed Homes and Steve Enochs, a local developer, presented the project as a model of sustainable design.
Eidelman explained that the resort would use recycled plastic bottles diverted from landfills to construct the 3D-printed cabins. The units, he said, are “carbon-neutral, off-grid, and powered by solar.” He suggested excess electricity could be sold back to the grid.
We will use gray water for landscaping and maintain native species. We’re way under what’s allowed by zoning. My understanding is that 40 to 60 units could be built—we’re only doing 30.
The developers also pledged to prohibit plastic use within the resort, provide equitable treatment for employees, and explore workforce housing on the northern portion of the parcel. “Our idea is to offer not just a resort for visitors, but also amenities for the local community,” Eidelman said. “Residents could pay a small membership fee to use the pool and wellness facilities.”
The Tiny Escapes resort would include programming centered on “wellness and connection to the desert,” managed by a CEO who is a registered nurse. “We won’t encourage ATVs,” Eidelman added. “We’re going to fence the property.”
Enochs, the project engineer, addressed technical aspects of the City’s conditions of approval. Three conditions, which related to wastewater treatment, cultural resource monitoring, and paving, were requested for modification.
Wastewater Treatment (Condition E)
The City requires plans to be approved by the State Water Resources Control Board. Enochs requested that instead, the developers be allowed to seek an exemption, since the resort’s wastewater generation (approximately 1,800 gallons per day) falls below the 5,000-gallon threshold requiring state oversight. “We’ll still present our case to the Board,” he said, “but the intent is to get a written exemption.”
Cultural Resource Sensitivity (Condition P-6)
An earlier study identified two archaeologically sensitive areas on the site. Enochs said the layout was revised to avoid disturbing those areas and requested that the condition be modified to require additional testing only if work were to occur within those zones. Gardner noted that tribal representatives would still be invited to monitor construction.
Paving (Condition P-9)
Enochs proposed that only areas required for emergency vehicles and ADA access be paved, with the remainder surfaced in gravel bordered by concrete curbs. He presented photos of the Twentynine Palms Historical Society’s parking lot as an example. “It’s a cleaner, more permeable look,” he said.
Commission Discussion: Questions about Traffic Safety, Accessibility, and Education—and Approving the CUP
During deliberations, Commissioners praised the project’s sustainability while clarifying technical issues.
Commissioner Jim Krushat asked about the 3D-printing process. “It takes about 24 hours to print one unit,” Eidelman replied. The cabins are produced off-site, then transported and assembled on the property. “They’ll last longer than wooden homes,” he said, citing resistance to pests, water, and UV exposure. The manufacturer provides a 15-year warranty, and the material is certified by the American National Standards Institute.
Krushat commended the use of recycled materials and suggested that 3D-printing could inform future affordable-housing projects. “It’s great the City is getting experience with this technology,” he said.
Resident Chuck Burr returned to his earlier concern about potential reuse. “Do you plan to build on the north end eventually?” he asked. Eidelman said the team was considering a small, ten-unit housing development there—possibly for employees—depending on the resort’s success.
Commissioner Max Walker raised traffic safety on Amboy Road. “People drive awfully fast,” he noted, asking whether turn lanes would be added. Staff confirmed that the project must install a dedicated left-turn lane as part of its street improvements.
Chair Jessica Cure sought clarification on ADA surfacing requirements and confirmed that the project’s septic design must still pass inspection by City engineers to verify exemption eligibility. Cure also encouraged the developers to share their sustainability techniques with local youth: “It would be nice to teach residents about this kind of built environment,” she said.
Regarding dark-sky compliance, Gardner assured the Commission that “like any other development, they’ll have to meet down-shielded lighting requirements.”
After discussion, Commissioner Walker made a motion to approve the project, adopting the Negative Declaration and Conditional Use Permit with modifications to Conditions E, P-6, and P-9 as discussed. The motion passed unanimously, with Chair Cure, Vice-Chair Garcia, and Commissioners Paahana, Walker, and Krushat all voting “aye.”
With that, the Amboy Road Tiny Escapes resort cleared its final local hurdle. If built as proposed, it will stand as Twentynine Palms’ first 3D-printed resort.
DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS
Zoning Determination for Smog Check facilities in the Downtown General Land Use District
The Planning Commission wrestled with a zoning question for the Downtown General (DG) zone: can a test-only smog check station operate there? The request arose for the vacant former Motor City site at 73709 Twentynine Palms Hwy (southeast corner of Adobe Road and Hwy 62).
Community Development Director Keith Gardner explained that the DG use table does not list automotive services. City practice, he said, has been to classify smog checks under “minor automotive repair,” a use allowed in other zones (e.g., Service Commercial, Industrial)—but not in DG. Since the code doesn’t list smog testing in DG, staff asked the Commission for direction: is it an allowable use here—and if so, under what process (AUP, CUP, etc.)?
Public Comment
Real-estate broker Amanda Ray, representing the property owner, urged the City to let a smog testing business operate at the site. The building is only about 1,000 sq ft, she said; attempts to lease or sell for non-automotive uses have failed. The prospective operator, Adobe Smog, is a STAR-certified test-only station. A STAR representative added that STAR designation reflects State performance metrics and that Twentynine Palms currently lacks a comparable test-only option—pushing residents to Yucca Valley or beyond.
Commission Discussion: If Gas Stations, Why not a Smog Check Downtown?
Commissioner Jim Krushat questioned the logic of barring a low-impact testing bay while the DG zone permits gas stations. He favored finding a path that recognizes smog testing as a distinct, limited service.
Commissioner Leslie Paahana and Chair Jessica Cure cautioned about precedent: a one-off interpretation might open the door to broader auto uses downtown, potentially eroding the DG zone’s walkable, mixed-use vision. Cure stressed that however the Commission proceeds, the City should promptly update the code so the table and definitions match modern needs.
Commissioner Max Walker suggested test-only smog checks in DG as “Drive-Through Sales & Service, Non-Food,” which the use table already allows with an Administrative Use Permit (AUP). Under this framing, the customer drives in, receives a discrete service, and drives out. There would be no repair bays, parts sales, or extended vehicle storage.
Staff confirmed the City can memorialize the interpretation now and bring back a code update later to add a clearer category (e.g., “specialized automotive service” or “smog test-only”) and tighten definitions (for instance, what “drive-through” means).
By majority direction (with noted reservations from Cure and Paahana), the Commission asked staff to:
Accept test-only smog checks in the DG zone under Drive-Through Sales & Service, Non-Food (AUP); and
Return with development code updates to expressly list and define a smog-testing use and related terms.
Gardner will document the interpretation for the Commission’s running log and return with clean language during the next tranche of code amendments. For the former Motor City corner, that means the applicant can pursue an AUP, which would not be a blank check for repairs, but a narrow allowance for test-only smog service that gets a long-empty building back to work while the City modernizes its code.
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Community Development Director Gardner reminded Commissioners to check their City mailboxes from time to time. “You may have some items in there they need to pick up. You know where the mailbox is.”
He noted that the next Planning Commission meeting is November 4. “We are going to hopefully put a final decision on some of the workshops we’ve done so we can move forward. I may have a development application for you on November 18th. The last meeting of the year will be December 16.”
Note: The October 28 City Council meeting has been cancelled.
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Nice coverage of this development Desert Trumpet! Thank you!
Especially like the potential of constructing housing which could serve workers.