Yucca should back up outlying areas
Hi-Desert Star | May 21, 2013 | www.hidesertstar.com
I recently read the May 11 story (page A10, Hi-Desert Star) where the Yucca Valley Planning Commission unanimously rejected commercial solar and wind facilities within the town limits. I would like to applaud them for their insight into the blight and destruction these types of installations would have on this community.
However, the Planning Commission stopped far short of any kind of visionary brilliance. As to where solar fields and wind turbines are to be located, the article states Commissioner Steve Whitten suggested, “Let it stay on Bureau of Land Management land,” and Jeff Drozd suggested, “I think it’s not necessary within our town limits … there’s plenty of room for that in other places.”
Where are they suggesting commercial solar fields and wind turbines be placed? In Joshua Tree? Twentynine Palms? Along Old Woman Springs Road through the Homestead communities of Yucca Mesa, Landers, Johnson Valley and Lucerne?
I would like to think that no one within the town of Yucca Valley would ever turn his back on the outlying communities along Twentynine Palms Highway to the east and OWS to the north. Showing disregard for our neighbors will benefit no one. Imagine how little revenue will be generated when commercial solar and wind de-populate these outlying communities of people. Solar panels or wind turbines will never come shopping at Wal-Mart, buy gas or arrive as a welcome visitor to this town with cash in hand.
Isolationism was abandoned in World War ll and this town cannot afford to bury i’s head in the sand and pretend it can operate as an island unto itself. Support our neighboring communities to the east and north and our strength will continue to grow. Good words and good deeds will benefit us all. This town should lead the way.
Phillip Brown
Yucca Valley
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/05/22/yucca-should-back-up-outlying-areas/