Community Meeting - 1pm Sunday, November 15, 2026

The Friends of Wonder Valley sponsors

The 8th Wonder Valley

COMMUNITY MEETING

1 PM, SUNDAY, November 15

Wonder Valley Community Center

80526 ½ Amboy Road, Wonder Valley

Everyone is welcome to attend and to participate.

Sign up for updates at:

https://tinyurl.com/wv411

Meeting Notes - October 5, 2026 Community Meeting

Community Meeting: Roads Maintenance, Mining Threat, and Local Events

Date: 2026-10-05 11:03

Location: Wonder Valley Community Center

Speakers: Teresa Sitz Rudy Guerrero, Henry Mack, Rudy Guerrero, Michael Brown, Tim Candelaria, Catherine Powell, D'Anne Albers, Georgene Shelton, Beth Shelffield, Chris Carraher, Al Loop, Ethan Dorough

Meeting Notes

Meeting Kick-off and Housekeeping

• Teresa Sitz welcomed attendees, provided logistical information (exits, restrooms), and announced an agenda change.

• The original topic, El Niño, was rescheduled as guest speakers (Michael Rogers, Brett Trimper, and fire department representatives) had to cancel.

• The remaining speakers for the meeting were Rudy Guerrero (Special Districts--Roads), Henry Mack (Special Districts WVCC), Tim Candelaria (our full time grader), and Chris Carraher, who discussed the Music Valley project.

Handouts and Community Information

• Two resource pages were distributed: an updated contact list for various problems and details on special property tax assessments.

• A breakdown of some annual charges was provided: park maintenance and WVCC ($10), road maintenance ($57), and the TV club ($5).

• "Friends of Winter Valley" supplements needs for the WVCC.

• Past meeting materials are available at friendsofwintervalley.org under the "meeting materials" menu.

Meeting Minutes and Public Comment Procedure

• A new voice-to-text recording system is being used for minutes.

• Public commenters will be identified as "audience member" unless they state their name. Written comments are also accepted.

Roads Department: Introductions and Roles

• Rudy Guerrero: Regional Manager for Roads with 25+ years of county experience.

• Henry Mack: Division Manager overseeing operations for over 80 special districts.

• Thomas Tim Candelaria: Local grader/operator maintaining Wonder Valley roads.

• Jim and Maria handle office communications. An office phone number, 909-386-8800 was provided.

Roads Department: Budget and Equipment

• Wonder Valley has approximately $395,000 cash on hand and $190,000 in annual revenue for roads.

• A new CAT grader was purchased with a 10-year loan, and savings are being accrued for its future replacement.

• The financial position is strong but vulnerable to rapid depletion from rising costs (fuel, transport) and multiple storm responses.

Roads Department: Maintenance Strategy and Storm Response

• Current State: Roads are in strong condition, with Thomas recognized for his responsiveness. He received two rounds of applause.

• Storm Protocol: The team prioritizes opening washes and high-residency roads first. Wet roads are allowed to dry before grading to prevent damage. Larger equipment is called in only when necessary to conserve the budget.

• Grading Approach: Roads are built up during light rain. The blade depth is managed (at ¼”) to prevent erosion.

• Water Management: Berms are used strategically to hold water for vegetation on the west side or allow flow on the east side, depending on the storm.

• Reporting Issues: Residents can report issues via a “SeeClickFix” at https://seeclickfix.com/web_portal/jBE1K5BaTvUVn4j3jdiCWv8V/report/category, QR code, an online form https://specialdistricts.sbcounty.gov/roads/road-repair-request/,  or by calling the office--909-386-8800.

Roads Department: Resident Concerns and Discussion

• Deterioration: Residents reported deterioration and vehicle damage on roads between Godwin and Gamble. Thomas plans to build these roads back up as conditions and workload permit.

• Washboarding: Washboarding is inevitable and worsens with higher speeds. Roads like Meriwether deteriorate quickly.

• Speeding: The assumed speed limit on non-residential dirt roads is 55 mph, but the community advocates for slower speeds. Costly traffic studies required for lower limits have previously failed to meet criteria. Enforcement is unlikely, so community self-regulation is encouraged, especially for Airbnb visitors. Slower driving also reduces washboard formation.

• Navigation Apps: Google/Apple Maps are reportedly misrouting drivers onto unsuitable roads Star Lane. Residents are encouraged to continue submitting map correction requests to the providers.

• Signage: Missing road signs can be ordered on a case-by-case basis by contacting the office. Mass orders are avoided to protect the budget.

• Public vs. Private Roads: Fences cannot block public travel or property access. Federal patents for Wonder Valley parcels reserve 33-50 foot perimeters for public access, and authorities can require fence removal within this corridor. Prescriptive rights can be established after 7 years of provable public travel. Diamond Bar at Wilson has been closed to through traffic, and is now a private road.

Protect Music Valley – Mining Threat

• A local group, Protect Music Valley, has formed to oppose potential industrial-scale mining by Dateline Resources (Australia) on over 20,000 acres of claims.

• The claims, primarily on BLM land near Joshua Tree National Park and the community, are for heavy rare earth elements. No mining plan has been filed yet.

• Potential haul routes (Gold Park Road, Shelton Road south of the highway) would be damaged by heavy trucks (~80,000 lbs).

• The Twentynine Palms City Council has been briefed and may consider a moratorium on mining trucks on certain roads.

• The group encourages residents to sign up for updates at protectmusicvalley.org and attend an informational meeting tomorrow night at 6:30 pm.

Community Updates and Events

• Emergency Communication: Georgene Shelton proposed creating a centralized communication system (e.g., radios, phone trees) for emergencies.

• USDA Food Distribution: The distribution on Tuesday, October 20 at 10:00 a.m. will proceed as planned. Starting in November, the schedule is expected to shift to Mondays.

• Upcoming Events:

• Protect Music Valley meeting: October 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the same venue.

• Commendation for The Palms (Sibleys) 30th anniversary: October 28 at 11:00 a.m.

• Next community meeting: Sunday, November 15. Basin Traffic and Weather volunteers may be invited to present.

Community Meeting Agenda for Monday, October 5, 2026

WONDER VALLEY COMMUNITY MEETING

11 am to 1 pm, Monday, October 5, 2026 

Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526 ½ Amboy Road, Wonder Valley, CA

Meeting Chair: Chairperson Teresa Sitz, with President Nick Harmon, and Secretary Ken Sitz

Everyone is invited and welcome to attend and participate.

              A G E N D A

1. Call to order and flag salute 

2. Overviews and Introductions

1. Agenda review

2. Progress Report, fewer than 5 minutes

3. New Business

1. County Fire Battalion Chief for reports, Q&A

2. Rudy Guerrero, a Regional Manager for the SBC Special Districts Department, oversees the road maintenance program in Wonder Valley. He will answer your questions about roads.

3. Chris Carraher will talk about the new WV Group Protect Music Valley.

4. Public Comments on items not on the agenda
   Comments are directed to the Chair. One speaker at a time. No cross talk or discussion.
   Please speak briefly -- fewer than 3 minutes, so that everyone who wants to may speak.

5. Agenda planning: Setting Our Priorities -- on what should we focus next?

6. Announcements

1.  USDA Food Distribution, 10 am, Tuesday, October 22, 2026

2. Eighth WV Community Meeting, 1 pm, SUNDAY, November 15, WVCC

3. Please join me in thanking the people who helped with the meeting today, and everyone who helped us cover the meeting costs.Please support this group by feeding the kitty on the way out.

7. Adjournment

WV Community Meeting, Monday, August 24, 2026

The Friends of Wonder Valley sponsor the Wonder Valley Community Meeting

11 am, Monday, August 24, 2026

Wonder Valley Community Center

80526-1/2 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley

We are happy to welcome the members of San Bernardino County Land Use Services (LUS) Executive Leadership team:

Miguel Figueroa, Director of Land Use Services

Thomas Bustamonte, Assistant Director

Maged Soliman, Building Official

Ignacio Nunez, Code Enforcement Chief

Kevin Marstall, Land Development Chief

Paul Gonzales, Planning Chief

Amelia Maldonado, Communications Analyst

They will present, take questions, and provide answers. LUS issues that may be addressed concern dark skies, dump sites, development, and mining.

One other item on the agenda addresses whether or not to have SBC Behavioral Health present to the community in September, and on which topic.

Everyone is welcome to attend and participate.

How to comment on the Music Valley mining proposal

Are you aware that an Australian company, Dateline Resources, has made thousands of acres of rare-earth mining claims right on the border of Joshua Tree National Park and in Wonder Valley and 29 Palms? Our aquifers, our desert, and wildlife are at risk. A possible huge open pit mine visible from the entrance to the National Park and our communities could be in our future.

If this concerns you, here’s your first step to stop it: Oppose the County mining regulation revision coming up in August. Read on to learn why and how.

BACKGROUND:
California law requires that mining projects, including those on federal public lands, go through county permitting to minimize environmental impacts. However, San Bernardino County is considering revising its mining regulation to give up local permitting for projects that have approval from Washington D.C. Because federal requirements are weaker than California's, this means new mining projects will be approved without the public's knowledge, and with serious impacts to our treasured public lands, air, and water. The County needs to hear from residents who are concerned about this proposed change.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1. Tell our County Supervisors to reject this revision or grant more time for public review. Sample letter is below.
2. Sign the Mojave Desert Land Trust petition.
3. Show up at 9 a.m. for the August 18 hearing either in person, by phone, or by email comment – see how here.
4. Help spread the word!

SAMPLE LETTER FOR COUNTY SUPERVISORS

Modify the below as you desire and email to BoardMeetingComments@cob.sbcounty.gov . Include a cc to Iris Gutierrez, field representative for Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe, at iris.gutierrez@bos.sbcounty.gov.


RE: Project No. PMISC-2026-00029 – Proposed Repeal and Rewrite of Development Code Chapter 88.03 (Surface Mining and Reclamation)

Dear Supervisor,

I urge you to VOTE NO on Project No. PMISC-2026-00029. This proposed rewrite to Chapter 88.03 of the County Development Code strips San Bernardino County of its vital local permitting oversight and creates dangerous environmental vulnerabilities for our communities.

While the Planning Commission has recommended these changes, I believe completely waiving county-level mining permits on federal lands is a severe misstep for the following critical reasons:

• Surrender of Local Authority: The proposed amendment voluntarily abdicates the County’s local zoning and permitting power over mining projects on federal public lands. Our local elected leaders—not federal agencies—should maintain the final say over industrial operations that directly impact county residents. Local communities deserve a process to ensure public participation and information sharing for mining projects in the County.
• Bypassing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): By removing the requirement for a local County permit, this rewrite effectively eliminates the standard legal trigger for CEQA review. Bypassing CEQA strips our communities of mandatory environmental impact reports, enforceable local mitigation measures, and legally protected opportunities for public hearings.
• Threats to Sensitive Desert Ecosystems: Handing sole oversight to federal processes places our most vulnerable lands at risk. For example, speculative operations like the Dateline Resources rare-earth claims near Joshua Tree National Park could proceed without rigorous local scrutiny regarding water depletion, toxic dust, heavy truck traffic, and visual blight.

In light of these concerns, I respectfully request the following actions:

1. Changes must be made to the proposal to clarify that mining projects on federal lands are subject to CEQA and the California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA), policies that provide reasonable protections and public participation requirements.
2. The County needs to update its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to align with modern environmental review procedures. Currently, the outdated MOU allows a path for mining projects to bypass CEQA and SMARA regulations.
3. In particular, the new Section 88.03.040(b) needs to be revised or eliminated so as to retain vital local oversight and public participation.

San Bernardino County has a long history of balancing industry with local stewardship. This ordinance dismantles that balance, leaving our desert communities unprotected against federal environmental rollbacks.

I respectfully request that you protect your constituents, retain local oversight, and vote against the adoption of the proposed repeal and reenactment of the Development Code unless or until changes have been made. Alternatively, please delay consideration of this item to allow more time for the public to review and comment on these proposed changes.

Thank you for your time, leadership, and consideration of our community's future.

Sincerely,

[Your Signature]

[Your Printed Name]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Your Phone Number] | [Your Email Address]


[ The claims in this statement and letter have not been evaluated and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Friends of Wonder Valley. We have published this as a public service. ]

CANCELLED - Wonder Valley Community Meeting, July 27, 2026

UPDATE: This meeting has been cancelled due to illness.

Next meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 24, 2026

Sign up for email updates: https://tinyurl.com/wv411

The Friends of Wonder Valley sponsors

The 6th Wonder Valley Community Meeting,

11 am, MONDAY, July 27, 2026

Wonder Valley Community Center

80526 ½ Amboy Road

Wonder Valley, California 92277

Everyone is welcome to attend and to participate.

Sign up for updates at: https://tinyurl.com/wv411