RECAP: Twentynine Palms Planning Commission, June 3, 2025
Commissioners study development code changes to accommodate pet grooming:"People are always more creative than a development code"
Planning commissioners and a sparse audience headed to Town Hall as a deluge north of downtown and flash flood alerts kept many attendees away. In such cases, should meetings be held and put attendees, City staff, and Commissioners at risk?
Commissioners Jessica Cure, Alex Garcia, and Jim Krushat were present. Leslie Paahana and Max Walker could not attend the meeting. The agenda is here and our preview is here.
Public Comment
Veno Nathraj expressed support for the new Reset Hotel but questioned why it was allowed to host a what he claimed was a Mother’s Day event without a certificate of occupancy or confirmed safety and health inspections. Please, he urged, “keep the playing field equal.” Eric Menendez commended the Planning Commission for its great work but expressed frustration with the Tourism Board Improvement District (TBID) and the $20,000 grants they’ve awarded while homeless initiatives go unfunded.1
Meetings Attended
Planning Commissioner Krushat reported that he attended the District 4 trash pickup on May 27. He said, “I'll always volunteer my truck if it's available when we have these cleanups. We’ll load it up and I'll take it out to either the transfer station or all the way out to the Landers, because I believe in cleaning up our desert. It's beautiful, and I really like doing that.” He also reported that he attended the Finding Balance town hall on May 31: “I went there just to listen to what the people had to say. And I just considered, as part of my due diligence.” Chair Jessica Cure attended the one-year celebration for the Sun of the Desert, saying, “I really love seeing the Historic Plaza get reinvigorated with all the events and things happening there.”
Public Hearings
Declaring the property located at physical address of 7291 Woodward Avenue a Public Nuisance and Dangerous Building
Code Enforcement Officer Chris Giunta briefly ran through his interactions with the owner of this derelict property. Since December 2023, the City has received multiple complaints about the condition of 7291 Woodward Avenue, including fire damage and scattered debris. The property owner, Gerald Holt of Laclede, Missouri, was sent a warning and made some initial cleanup efforts but eventually stopped communicating. He received citations in February and June 2024 and February 2025. A notice to abate was sent April 24, followed by a notice of pendency on April 30. The owner acknowledged he cannot afford cleanup and understands the City may impose a lien if it proceeds.
The three planning commissioners present unanimously decided to accept the City staff recommendation to declare the property a public nuisance and a dangerous building. Code Enforcement will move forward with ordering the property owner to obtain a demolition permit from the Building and Safety Department within 20 days and begin demolition of the property within 45 days. He has the option of submitting plans for reconstruction and obtaining a building permit within 20 days to begin reconstruction within 45 days. He must also remove all inoperable vehicles as well as trash and debris within 30 days.
Discussion and Potential Action Items
3. Workshop on Pet Grooming as a Home Occupation
Community Development Director Keith Gardner introduced the workshop saying, “I’m not asking for a decision tonight—we’re looking for a direction on policy” and that “we’ve had more than one request for dog grooming and similar home businesses.” Gardner said that staff has typically denied these requests for pet grooming as a home occupation because of concerns about exceeding residential animal limits, increased traffic, parking issues, and noise. Unlike home offices or mobile services, grooming brings customers to the home, which may disrupt neighborhoods.
Kaitlyn Voss addressed the Planning Commission to respond to concerns about her application to run a dog grooming business from home. She said that the business she plans to operate would be by appointment only, with no walk-ins, serving one client at a time to avoid traffic or noise disruptions. She cited being aware of the City ordinance that states that it is unlawful to keep a number of animals exceeding the numbers set out in the city ordinance.
For those who don't know what that number is for our residential area, it is one dog and one cat, while we understand that the rules are in place for public safety and well-being, we believe that this particular code may be outdated and unrealistic for today's pet-loving community. Twentynine Palms is home to many military families, retirees and individuals who care deeply for their animals.
She shared that she and her partner are Marine veterans making the transition to civilian life. With no nearby family and limited financial means, she said they are trying to build a modest, meaningful business. She asked for support in pursuing their dream while contributing to the community in a responsible and respectful way.
Rick Boyd, Twentynine Palms Animal Control Manager, said he was available to answer any questions and that he had met Kaitlyn and her partner a few months ago and they volunteered to offer grooming services for stray and neglected animals in need of care. Boyd described the meeting as brief but positive, noting their willingness to help the community’s homeless animals.
“I have concerns,” Commissioner Krushat said. “I’m all for entrepreneurism.” He said that approving one-dog grooming operations in single-family zones could lead to others in multi-pet zones pushing for more, eventually resembling kennels or larger-scale operations. He emphasized the risk of incremental expansion—allowing one, then two, then three—creating unintended impacts on residential neighborhoods. He was not taking a firm stance for or against the proposal but highlighted the need for clear rules. “Right now, as it stands, I like the regulation as it is. I like the development code as it's written. That's just my opinion.”
Commissioner Alex Garcia asked how many requests there had been. Gardner responded that there had been one or two in the past—and that there have also been complaints about dogs barking. “That’s always been a concern here,” he said. He also pointed out that the development code can’t cover everything: “People are always more creative than a development code.”
Commissioner Garcia raised concerns about close proximity to neighbors, parking, noise, and sanitary issues like pet waste, particularly in dense housing like apartments or trailer parks. Chairperson Cure echoed support for small businesses but cautioned against opening the door to broader home-based commercial activity, which could affect neighborhood quality. She suggested that if such a use is permitted, similar activities like yoga or personal training would also need to be reconsidered.
Rick Boyd noted no significant issues with dog grooming businesses but mentioned problems with in-home pet-sitting. Commissioners debated whether off-site service models or limited home visits might be an acceptable compromise. Keith Gardner emphasized that home occupations should not alter a neighborhood’s character or generate visible traffic.
Ultimately, the Commission agreed not to make a decision yet and to revisit the issue when all members are present, aiming for a more comprehensive policy discussion. After public comment from Eric Menendez regarding $30,000 reallocated from homeless services funds to address blight and dilapidated buildings, which took place at City Council, the meeting came to an end.
The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for Wednesday June 25, when the Commission will hold a special session to consider the Ofland resort project (see our recent article, “29 Palms Planning provides key boost to proposed Ofland Hotel resort development near Indian Cove.”) The public can submit comments about the project to the Commission up until the time of the meeting, however we recommend submitting comments a day in advance so that Commissioners have time to read them, or attending the meeting and speaking in person.
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Oversight of TBID and funding for the unhoused are City Council matters and are not under the purview of the Planning Commission.