Thirteen Unasked Questions, Part Two: Trash, Roads, and Codes
Trash, light pollution, safer roads, rooftop solar, business licenses, and loud exhaust

At the conclusion of our District 1 and 2 City Council Candidate Forum held on September 14, several residents inquired why their questions weren’t asked. There were so many questions that we couldn’t possibly address them in 90 minutes — a great sign of citizen engagement with the upcoming election.
We’ve divided the thirteen unasked questions into three articles. This second group of questions focuses on trash, light pollution, and several other issues that intersect with road maintenance and code enforcement. Part 3 covers the animal shelter, sex offenders, and cannabis. Part 1 addressed ongoing issues in Twentynine Palms that come up again and again, seemingly without resolution, such as homelessness, housing, helping our youth, and government transparency and can be found here. Responses are as given — except for minor copyediting, Desert Trumpet has not edited or fact checked the replies.
For context on this set of questions, please refer to a selection of recent articles on light pollution and dirt road maintenance.
What will you do to clean up trash in town? (Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Tiner)
Steven Bilderain, District 1: To tackle the City’s trash issue, we have implemented two key programs. The Adopt a Road initiative and the Cash for Trash program, in collaboration with Burrtec, offer organizations financial incentives from both the City and Burrtec for designated locations. Meanwhile, our Code Enforcement team conducts daily inspections of reported sites, providing guidance and enforcing compliance through warnings and citations when necessary. We remain committed to exploring new strategies.
Jim Krushat, District 2: Trash being dumped in our desert community is an important issue to me. In the past the City has sponsored multiple trash pickups where residents can dispose of large items and excessive trash items. I have volunteered my time (and truck) to make pickups of trash during these events. I would like the City to sponsor more of these community trash collections, and I will be out there with my truck to help. I would also support a City-sponsored “Home Beautiful” program where the City provides awards to nominated homes that have taken the time to improve their yards and homes’ appearance. This may motivate other homeowners to make necessary improvements. I would also support enforcement of existing ordinances and/or changes to our ordinances that would penalize the piling of trash in yards and neighborhoods. Understanding that some residents will claim that the piled trash is an “art installation.”
April Ramirez, District 2: I intend to leverage my connections with the Base to invite our service members to do monthly trash cleaning events naming it "Tidy up Twentynine." I would also like to start a sign-up form where senior citizens/ persons with disabilities that need help removing trash from their homes can get it from the "youth mentorship program" I am starting
Paul Razo, District 2: We can work closer with local agencies and organizations to schedule more clean ups. We could develop a rotating cleaning map to ensure that all areas are combed regularly. We can lean into citing those who leave their trash cans out, which often leads to them being blown over by the wind or picked apart by ravens and scattered. But at the end of the day keeping our desert clean is the responsibility of our entire community. My backyard faces an open field and every 6 months or so I make it a point to go out and clean up any trash that may have blown our way. Not because it’s my land, not because it’s my trash, but because it needs to be done and it’s the right thing to do.
Carrie Williams, District 1: Vacant lots, houses and stores, give the landlord notice and a time to have property cleaned up. If owners of these vacant properties disregard, then we can fine them.
We are very concerned about the alarming increase in light pollution. Joshua Tree National Park is a Dark Sky Park. How committed are you to learning about and preserving our night sky? How will you ensure robust enforcement of our city and county code/laws on light pollution? (Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Tiner)
Jim Krushat, District 2: Preserving our night skies is very important to me, and I have always supported Ann Congdon and the Sky’s the Limit Observatory and Nature Center. Our night skies have always been a positive aspect of living in our desert community and a draw for tourism. Our City Development Code (Chapter 19.78 Lighting) emphasizes practices and systems which will minimize light pollution, glare, and light trespass, conserve energy and resources and curtail the degradation of the nighttime visual environment. In addition, our City’s Specific Plan #1 states that lighting shall be shielded and conform to the City's night sky lighting standards. I will diligently support enforcement of these existing ordinances and standards and ensure new projects/construction meet our established guidelines.
April Ramirez, District 2: I think the best way to do this is actually by increasing tourism in our City. While that is not the conventional answer let me explain my thought process: Increasing tourism will bring more $ to our general fund. More $ means we can fund more educational programs on the importance of protecting our natural resources/ land. I would like to see a "desert etiquette" notice given to all visitors. Ultimately also use the increase in funds to support additional staff for code enforcement. They are doing a phenomenal job, but I understand that they are not a "big" department and the City could benefit from additional staff in Code Enforcement.
“…our City’s Specific Plan #1 states that lighting shall be shielded and conform to the City's night sky lighting standards. I will diligently support enforcement of these existing ordinances and standards and ensure new projects/construction meet our established guidelines.” - Jim Krushat
“Ultimately also use the increase in funds to support additional staff for code enforcement. They are doing a phenomenal job but I understand that they are not a "big" department and the City could benefit from additional staff in Code Enforcement.” - April Ramirez
”I know exactly how disruptive lighting can be. This comes down to better enforcement. I would have to look into better avenues for enforcement, especially at night when these issues become more evident, but such an initiative has my full support.” - Paul Razo
“I am all for seeing that the community get educated on night light and seeing that the law gets enforced and that all businesses and homes have lights shining down.” - Carrie Williams
“Our Code Enforcement department responds to resolve reported lighting concerns. We strive to balance lighting needs with the importance of maintaining our natural night skies, while also ensuring security and safety.” - Steven Bilderain
Paul Razo, District 2: My first trip to Twentynine Palms was in search of our dark skies. Since moving here, there hasn’t been a single night that's gone by without me sitting on my patio enjoying our sky. I know exactly how disruptive lighting can be. This comes down to better enforcement. I would have to look into better avenues for enforcement, especially at night when these issues become more evident, but such an initiative has my full support.
Carrie Williams, District 1: Light pollution. I went to night lights in the city of Wonder Valley, where they were teaching on nightlight and what the sky looks like when there wasn’t a lot of light shining. I am all for seeing that the community gets educated on night light and seeing that the law gets enforced and that all businesses and homes have lights shining down.
Steven Bilderain, District 1: San Bernardino County, the Town of Yucca Valley, and Twentynine Palms all have different lighting regulations. They all have slightly different wording and names for the ordinances, but the goal of each of them is protect dark skies. Concerning City lighting outside of buildings, including park illumination, we advocate for downward-directed lighting to conserve the night sky. Our Code Enforcement department responds to resolve reported lighting concerns. We strive to balance lighting needs with the importance of maintaining our natural night skies, while also ensuring security and safety.

Sullivan Road has become more traveled. What would you like to see the City do to make this a safer road for pedestrians, bicycle riders, and vehicles? (Jaime Zwicker, District 1)
April Ramirez, District 2: I'd like to hold a meeting where the community of bike riders could identify and address their concerns, give input/insight, and set a plan to see more "bike lanes" and other pragmatic suggestions be moved with a measurable timeline of 1 yr.
Paul Razo, District 2: Road development is going to continue to be a hot topic in our City for some time. While we continue to make progress on more frequently used roads, we are going to have to take a step back soon and survey our road development as a whole. In terms of Sullivan we could look into more signage, paving, and widening the road for pedestrian use, but I’d also be curious to know if residents would prefer to have traffic reduced there altogether. A lot of our development going forward needs to have an overarching strategy for our roadway network, driven by the input of the residents in these areas and their preferences.
Carrie Williams, District 1: Sullivan Road is being well traveled. What we can do is put up signage that people are walking and bike riding. Maybe even put up a traffic light and remind citizens to wear reflective clothing while walking at night.
Steven Bilderain, District 1: The topic of Sullivan Road maintenance has been previously discussed. Road upkeep costs consistently pose a challenge, particularly given the limited budget derived from gas tax revenues allocated for road infrastructure. The City must prioritize road maintenance and safety through ongoing surveys and assessments. Recently, our focus has been on enhancing pedestrian safety near schools, with notable projects including asphalt paving from Sunmore Estates to Utah Trail up to Hwy 62, and sidewalk installations along Two Mile Road, adjacent to Twentynine Palms Junior High School, and in front of Oasis Elementary School.
The City strives to maintain clear road shoulders on high traffic pedestrian roads. Sullivan Road will undergo reassessment as part of our comprehensive road evaluation. With the other priority projects completed, and with Sullivan becoming more traveled, this may push it up the priority list. Recent flood damage to roads is high on the list right now.
Jim Krushat, District 2: Sullivan Road (in District 1) needs improvement along with Lupine Avenue, segments of El Paseo Road, Old Dale Road and other City-wide streets. A rough order of magnitude estimate for street improvements is one million dollars per mile and I have just described about 7.4 miles of road/street improvement. I would take an active role in looking at street improvements City-wide and determine funding available and a fair methodology for prioritizing these repairs/improvements.
Also, we need to take a hard look at all the projects that residents want addressed—new animal shelter, Pioneer Park, Community Resource Center, affordable housing projects, street improvements, planning for City-wide sewage system, and maintaining the existing infrastructure. We need people on the council that understand the complexities of multiple priorities and how to address them. I am that potential Council Member.
With soaring electricity prices, what are you going to do about the town building codes so businesses can get solar panels? AC isn't a luxury in 29 Palms, it's a vital necessity and shouldn't be making homes and businesses pay thousands to stay alive. (Wyatt Montomery)
Paul Razo, District 2: I agree with this wholeheartedly. We need to take a look at the code and discuss what hurdles we need to overcome to make this possible. Our local businesses have enough to worry about and we need to mitigate those worries wherever we can.
Carrie Williams, District 1: With soaring electrical prices , new buildings and homes that are being constructed need to be equipped for solar energy. Store owners and homeowners can benefit from solar use in the form of reduced energy bills and potential income from selling excess energy back to the grid. Using solar energy helps protect the environment and the solar technology continues to advance. Need to educate people on solar energy and its benefits.
Steven Bilderain, District 1: There is no policy restricting rooftop solar installations. The state actively promotes and mandates it for new construction, provided the necessary permit from building and safety is obtained. This responsibility falls on the building owner.
Jim Krushat, District 2: Construction/installation standards for solar panels are California State standards, and businesses wanting to install solar panels will need to meet those California State standards. The City has promoted solar energy systems for residential homes and deployment of residential solar systems that provide customers greater installation ease, improve the City and State's ability to reach its clean energy goals, and generate much-needed jobs in the City and State. The City can have an equivalent program for commercial entities in Twentynine Palms and we should consider a variety of incentives for businesses to install solar energy systems (example: waiving of fees or grants).
April Ramirez, District 2: I agree that AC is vital and I share the sentiment that electricity can be costly, the past two summers we received electricity bills in the amount of $700 to $900. I have small children so while we try to be conservative my children's safety in the summer is paramount. I would start off by looking into current code and interviewing the leadership of surrounding desert cities to see what they are doing that's working to keep their communities safe and build a plan individual to Twentynine Palms that would help us keep our citizens safe during the hot summer months. One of my favorite quotes is "none of us is as smart as ALL of us," and I believe that by collaborating with our neighbor desert cities we can do more.
Our barbering community, many of which are local small businesses, is hurting financially because some people are illegally operating barbershops out of businesses or homes, which are not up to code nor have the proper permits to operate a barbershop out of their establishment. Are you aware of this problem and how do you plan to correct it? (Gina Moreno).
Carrie Williams, District 1: People that are renting establishments need to know what permits they need and licenses that are needed to operate in that capacity. Educate business owners on what documents and licenses that they will need to operate a business, whether it be in barbering, retail or food etc—what can be operating out of that establishment under that umbrella.
Steven Bilderain, District 1: This problem extends beyond the barbering community, as the food and hospitality industries face similar challenges. It is crucial to address those entities facilitating, supporting, and tolerating illicit activities that effectively steal from legitimate businesses that have fulfilled State, County, and City regulations and paid requisite fees. As a small business owner, competing with unlicensed operators in our local market poses significant hurdles, highlighting the necessity of reporting offenders to Code Enforcement to ensure adherence to regulations.
‘People that are renting establishments need to know what permits they need and licenses that are needed to operate in that capacity. Educate business owners on what documents and licenses that they will need to operate a business, whether it be in barbering, retail or food etc.” - Carrie Williams
“This problem extends beyond the barbering community, as the food and hospitality industries face similar challenges. It is crucial to address those entities facilitating, supporting, and tolerating illicit activities that effectively steal from legitimate businesses that have fulfilled State, County, and City regulations and paid requisite fees.” - Steven Bilderain
“The City already has an ordinance that prohibits barber and beauty shops as home occupations (Development Code Chapter 19.32.026). If you know of an individual that is operating a barber or beauty shop from a residence, it needs to be reported to Code Enforcement so that appropriate action can be taken.” - Jim Krushat
“I believe that the heart of a small town is its small business owners. So we must do everything to protect them. Nobody is above the rules! Everyone should comply with all local, county and state regulations.” - April Ramirez
“…anything that affects our barbers and cosmetologists hits close to home for me. We need better enforcement and stricter penalties for repeat offenders. While I encourage the entrepreneurial spirit, we need to ensure that everyone is adhering to City permitting requirements, the requirements of their state board license, as well as health and safety standards.” - Paul Razo
Jim Krushat, District 2: The City already has an ordinance that prohibits barber and beauty shops as home occupations (Development Code Chapter 19.32.026). If you know of an individual that is operating a barber or beauty shop from a residence, it needs to be reported to Code Enforcement so that appropriate action can be taken. The Consumer Affairs branch of the State of California needs to be informed as well if the State of California did not license the individual.
April Ramirez, District 2: I am now aware of it, given the recent events. I believe that the heart of a small town is its small business owners. So we must do everything to protect them. Nobody is above the rules! Everyone should comply with all local, county and state regulations. I think our Code Enforcement team is doing a phenomenal job.
Paul Razo, District 2: Some of my earliest memories are sitting in a salon chair waiting for my mom to finish her shift. Hair dye is still one of my favorite smells to this day. I was not aware of this issue, but anything that affects our barbers and cosmetologists hits close to home for me. We need better enforcement and stricter penalties for repeat offenders. While I encourage the entrepreneurial spirit, we need to ensure that everyone is adhering to City permitting requirements, the requirements of their state board license, as well as health and safety standards.
We are having a problem with cars that have modified exhaust that create incredible noise. Modified exhausts are illegal in California. What are your ideas to enforce the laws on this issue? (Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Tiner)
Steven Bilderain, District 1: This falls under the purview of the Sheriff’s department. If a vehicle appears to have an altered exhaust system, the sheriff’s office will undoubtedly take appropriate enforcement action. Of course, we will ensure compliance with regulations and empower our deputies to correct offenders.
Jim Krushat, District 2: I agree, vehicles with exhaust systems that are out of compliance with the motor vehicle code are troublesome. However, the City does not have jurisdiction for motor vehicle violations. If you suspect a vehicle is in violation of the motor vehicle code or other unlawful activities, you may file a complaint with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)—be sure to get the license plate number. The DMV is responsible for conducting administrative and criminal investigations for alleged violations.
April Ramirez, District 2: If elected, I would like to partner with our local Sheriffs to hold monthly events at City Hall and call it something such as "Coffee with a Cop" where we can come together and identify issues in the community and identify the specific areas where people are having issues such as this. Unfortunately, an issue such as a modified exhaust is not something the Council can directly intervene in since it is a "law enforcement issue." My youngest sister and her husband are Sheriffs (not in Twentynine Palms) and when I asked for her professional/ expert advice on this she said "we can't address an issue we don't know is happening"; therefore I believe that by bridging the gap and having these meetings with our local law enforcement officers we can achieve more and make the best use of our resources.
Paul Razo, District 2: While I understand your frustration with this issue, especially with how easily sound carries in our desert, enforcement of this issue outside of the traditional means is a bit difficult. For example, some municipalities have started to use automated camera listening devices to catch cars running over a certain amount of decibels. However, these automated methods are unable to distinguish between vehicles that have been modified, those that were simply designed to be louder, and those that may be in need of repairs. This inability to distinguish between cases has also been shown to disproportionately target drivers in low-income neighborhoods for whom the costs of repairs can bear too much weight on their budget. Outside of bumping up the traditional methods of enforcement, I am hesitant to employ any additional measures at this time. I would be happy to revisit this issue in the future, upon further research.
Carrie Williams, District 1: To address this issue, we can educate the public on noise pollution, have law enforcement do roadside inspections, and we can have noise cameras installed.
Disclosure: Paul Razo is the graphic designer for the Desert Trumpet.
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Glad to see I am not the only one who reports a trash issue to Code Enforcement. It then shows "closed" and low and behold the trash is still there.
I have reported this non-action by code enforcement to the Development Director, City Manager, as well as Bilderain - guess what - no action at all by even the top management positions.
Nothing but total failure on the part of these people.