TWENTYNINE PALMS CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
6136 Adobe Road
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
www.29palms.org
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the City Council will hold a Regular Meeting on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at City Hall, 6136 Adobe Road, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 to consider the following:
REGULAR SESSION AGENDA
6:00 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER
Pledge of Allegiance.
Invocation - Rev. Casey Orndorf, The Assembly of God Church Twentynine Palms.
Roll Call.
Closed Session Announcements.
Changes to the Agenda.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
These proceedings may be viewed on demand on the City of Twentynine Palms website at www.29palms.org.
You may also Live Stream this meeting by going on our website and clicking on the "Meeting Agendas" link.
AWARDS, PRESENTATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND PROCLAMATIONS
1. Presentation of a Proclamation to Ms. Kathy Dubar for her contributions to the Alex Roth Memorial Food Pantry.
COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REPORTS OF MEETINGS ATTENDED
CONSENT CALENDAR
All matters listed under the Consent Calendar are to be considered routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion in the form listed. Any item may be removed from the Consent Calendar and considered separately by the City Council. The public will be given an opportunity to comment on Consent Calendar items prior to the City Council action
2. Waive the Reading of Ordinances and Approve Reading by Title Only.
3. Approval of Minutes of the City Council Meeting Held on City Council - Regular Meeting with Closed Session - 22 Jul 2025 - Minutes - Pdf City Council - Regular Meeting - WORKSHOP - 24 Jun 2025 - Minutes - Pdf 5 - 14
4. Approval of Warrant Register Totaling $1,263,133.61.
Approval of Warrant Register Totaling $1,263,133.61. - Pdf 15 - 20
5. Treasurer's Report - FY 2024-25 Quarter 4.
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council receive and approve the Treasurer's Report for the 4th Quarter of Fiscal Year 2024-25.
Treasurer's Report - FY 2024-25 Quarter 4. - Pdf
21 - 23
6. Adoption of an Ordinance Amending the Municipal Code to Add Chapter 1.06, City Seal.
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council adopt an Ordinance, adopting an amendment to the Municipal Code, adding Chapter 1.06, City Seal.
Adoption of an Ordinance Amending the Municipal Code to Add Chapter 1.06, City Seal. - Pdf
25 - 31
7. Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance 322 (approving Development Code Amendment 25-00004) and Ordinance 323 (approving Rezoning 25-000001).
RECOMMENDATION: Due to non-substantive formatting changes, rather than adopt Ordinances 322 and 323, the City Council hold a new first reading and re-introduce both Ordinances and hold a second reading and adopt the Ordinances at a later date.
Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance 322 (approving Development Code Amendment 25-00004) and Ordinance 323 (approving Rezoning 25-000001). - Pdf 33 - 45
8. Innovative Federal Strategies (IFS) Fee Increase
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a two-year contract with Innovative Federal Strategies (IFS) for $4,300 monthly or $53,100 annually for year 1 and $4,515 monthly or $55,680 annually in year 2.
Innovative Federal Strategies (IFS) Fee Increase - Pdf
47 - 56
9. CEQA Consultant Selection.
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council receive information on the selection of CEQA consultants for future projects and provide directions.
CEQA Consultant Selection. - Pdf
57 - 59
ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR FOR DISCUSSION
PUBLIC HEARING - NONE
DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS
10. Subcommittee Recommendations for Contributions to Non-Profit Organizations.
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council approve the subcommittee's suggested contributions to non-profit organizations.
Subcommittee Recommendations for Contributions to Non-Profit Organizations. - Pdf 61 - 62
11. Approach to Updating the General Plan.
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council receive the information and provide Staff direction accordingly.
Approach to Updating the General Plan. - Pdf
63 - 65
12. Draft Five-Year Strategic Plan.
RECOMMENDATION: This item is for review and discussion.
Draft Five-Year Strategic Plan. - Pdf
67 - 111
13. Longevity Pay One-time Bonus.
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council authorize the City Manager to provide a one-time Milestone Catch Up Payment as defined in this Staff Report.
Longevity Pay One-time Bonus. - Pdf
113 - 127
14. Affordable Housing Update
RECOMMENDATION: This is an informational item and an opportunity for City Council discussion and potential direction.
Affordable Housing Update - Pdf
129 - 132
FUTURE COUNCIL INITIATED ITEMS
1. Shade structures around Freedom Plaza and a possible art fixture with "Freedom Plaza" announcing the location.
2. Discussion on partnering with the Boys and Girls Club.
3. Discussion on exploring a partnership with Jamboree for affordable housing.
4. Discussion of a policy regulating the use of City Attorney resources.
5. Maintained Roads vs. Non-Maintained Roads.
6. Discussion on creating a "Recognized Neighborhood Program".
7. Discussion on developers and the City using the same CEQA consultant for a project.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
This is the time for the public to address the City Council on issues within the jurisdiction of the City Council that are NOT on this agenda. All comments are to be directed to the City Council and shall not consist of any personal attacks. Members of the public are expected to maintain a professional, courteous decorum during their comments. There is a time limitation of three minutes per person. If you haven’t already done so, please fill out name and address slips and give them to the City Clerk. The City Council is prohibited by State law from taking action or discussing items not included on the printed agenda. Public comments on specific agenda items will be deferred until consideration of the item on the agenda.
CITY MANAGER UPDATE
ADJOURNMENT
It is the intention of the City of Twentynine Palms to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act in all respects. If you are a person with a disability who requires a disability-related modification or accommodation in order to participate in a meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, please request such modification or accommodation from the City Clerk at (760) 367- 4890 (facsimile). Notification at least 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to assure accessibility to the meeting. Please advise us at the time whether you will require accommodations to participate in meetings on a regular basis. Any person affected by any application on this agenda may submit their concerns in writing prior to the meeting or appear in person and be heard in support or opposition to the proposal at the time the matter is considered on the agenda. The staff reports, applications and environmental documents may be viewed at either the office of Community Development or the office of the City Clerk, 6136 Adobe Road, from 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, except legal holidays. The Invocation is given per Policy 10-01 and does not reflect the views of the City but rather is an expression of speech by a private citizen making the presentation. Telephone inquiries may be made at (760) 367-6799. If you challenge any agenda issue in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues that you or someone else raised at the public meeting described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Twentynine Palms at, or prior to, the public meeting.
This notice of agenda is hereby certified to have been posted on or before 6:00 p.m., August 21, 2025.
Cindy Villescas CMC, City Clerk Time/Date
TWENTYNINE PALMS CITY COUNCIL
City Council - Regular Meeting with Closed Session MINUTES 6547 Freedom Way, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
www.29palms.org
July 22, 2025
CLOSED SESSION AGENDA
5:00 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Bilderain called the meeting to order at 5:02 p.m.
Roll Call - The following Councilmembers were present: Mintz, Ramirez, Scott, Wright, Bilderain.
Adjourn to Closed Session - Mayor Bilderain adjourned to Closed Session at 5:04 p.m.
CLOSED SESSION
1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION, SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION, Government Code § 54956.9 (d)(2), (1 case)
REGULAR SESSION AGENDA
6:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Bilderain called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance – Larry Bowden, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Invocation - Minister Lashara Maea, The Sanctuary Church, gave the Invocation.
Roll Call - The following Councilmembers were present: Mintz, Ramirez, Scott, Wright, Bilderain.
Closed Session Announcements - Mayor Bilderain announced that there was nothing to report.
Changes to the Agenda - Mayor Bilderain reiterated the 2-minute time limit for Public Comments.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Bilderain announced that these proceedings may be viewed on demand on the City of Twentynine Palms website at www.29palms.org. You may also Live Stream this meeting by going on the City website and clicking on the "Meeting Agendas" link.
AWARDS, PRESENTATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND PROCLAMATIONS
1. Presentation to the Semper FI Sports Team for their Participation in the Cash for Trash and Recycling Program.
Mayor Pro Tem Mintz presented checks in the amount of $300 each from Burrtec Waste and Recycling Services and the City of Twentynine Palms to the Semper Fi Softball Club.
COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REPORTS OF MEETINGS ATTENDED
Councilwoman Ramirez commented that she attended Smitty's Used Furniture Home Decor and More's Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, an Emergency Response Clinic, two meetings regarding low-income housing, and a Housing and Homeless Committee meeting.
Councilmember Scott mentioned that he attended Smitty's Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, a CalCities meeting in Lancaster, and the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition (CVHC) Workshop.
City Council - Regular Meeting with Closed Session
July 22, 2025
Councilmember Wright commented that he attended the 4th of July event at Knotts' Sky Park, a Backpack Giveaway, and he mentioned that the Warhawks Football Season kicked off the day prior.
Mayor Pro Tem Mintz mentioned that he attended the Basin Transit's Fill a Bus Event, the CVHC Workshop, and he assisted in parking cars at the Sky's the Limit Observatory over the weekend.
Mayor Bilderain commented that he attended Smitty's Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, the CVHC Workshop and met with various constituents.
CONSENT CALENDAR
2. Waive the Reading of Ordinance and Approve the Reading by Title Only.
3. Approval of Minutes of the City Council Meeting Held on May. 19, 2025, May 27, 2025, and June 10, 2025.
4. Approval of Warrant Register Totaling $2,017,783.37.
ACTION: A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Mintz, seconded by Councilmember Wright, to approve the Consent Calendar as submitted.
The above motion was carried by the following:
ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES: MINTZ, RAMIREZ, SCOTT, WRIGHT, BILDERAIN
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR FOR DISCUSSION - None.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
5. Twentynine Palms Lighting and Landscaping Assessment District #1, Confirming Assessment and Levying Assessment for FY 2025-2026.
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council:
1. Conduct the Public Hearing.
2. Adopt Resolution No. 25-16; a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms confirming the diagram and assessment and levying assessment pursuant to the Lighting and Landscaping Act of 1972 for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
City Engineer Pedersen presented the Staff Report.
Mayor Bilderain opened the Public Hearing.
Having no requests to speak, Mayor Bilderain closed the Public Hearing.
ACTION: A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Mintz, seconded by Councilmember Wright, to Adopt Resolution No. 25-16; a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms confirming the diagram and assessment and levying assessment pursuant to the Lighting and Landscaping Act of 1972 for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
City Council - Regular Meeting with Closed Session
July 22, 2025
The above motion was carried by the following:
ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES: MINTZ, RAMIREZ, SCOTT, WRIGHT, BILDERAIN
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
6. Ofland Resort Project.
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), and approve Resolution No. 25-17 adopting General Plan Amendment 24-000002, conduct the first reading of Rezoning 25- 000001 and Development Code Amendment 25-000004, and adopt Resolution No. 25-18 approving Conditional Use Permit 24-000003 pending final adoption of the requisite Ordinances.
Community Development Director Gardner (Director Gardner) presented the Staff Report. He then passed the floor to Ofland Developer, Luke Searcy, who provided a PowerPoint Presentation and additional information about the project.
Mayor Bilderain opened the Public Hearing.
Mary Jane, Binge, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition the project.
Scott Curry, Newport Beach and Desert Heights, spoke in favor of the project.
Dana Longuevan, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
Melissa Grisi, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
Travis Poston, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
John Vigar, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
Paula Steib, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
Beth Anderson, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
Chuck Heard, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
Heidi Heard, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
Jim Krushat, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Eric Menendez, Twentynine Palms, remained neutral on the project.
Steve Bardwell, Joshua Tree, spoke in opposition of the project.
Sylvester Cullum, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Luther Parks, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Tonya Jones, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
Electra Westman, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Liz Meyer, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Jeff Dunn, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Larry Bowden, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Dawn Benton, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Pat Flanagan, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
Lauren Welfen, Yucca Valley, spoke in opposition of the project.
Kevin Cole, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Adam Wininger, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Sandra Claus, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
M.J. Fiocco, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
Mara Moon Cohn, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
John Talley-Jones, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
Cindy Bernard, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
Zeynep Graves, Joshua Tree, spoke in opposition of the project.
Azra Variscic, Yucca Valley, spoke in opposition of the project.
City Council - Regular Meeting with Closed Session
July 22, 2025
Jordan Sissa, Riverside, spoke in opposition of the project.
James Lawless, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
Gary Dodd III, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
DJ Godoy, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Thomas O'Connor, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Phil Graves, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Chrix Zzyzx, Twentynine Palms, spoke in opposition of the project.
James Baskin, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of the project.
Mayor Bilderain closed the Public Hearing.
Councilmember Scott acknowledged everyone for coming out to the meeting, saying this type of engagement is important for our community.
Mayor Pro Tem Mintz commented that this affects a lot of people in the Indian Cove area. He stated that he supports the project.
After a brief discussion, a motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Mintz, seconded by Councilmember Wright to adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), and approve Resolution No. 25-17 adopting General Plan Amendment 24-000002, conduct the first reading of Rezoning 25-000001 and Development Code Amendment 25-000004, and adopt Resolution No. 25-18 approving Conditional Use Permit 24-000003 pending final adoption of the requisite Ordinances.
The above motion was carried by the following:
ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES: MINTZ, RAMIREZ, SCOTT, WRIGHT, BILDERAIN
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS - None.
FUTURE COUNCIL INITIATED ITEMS
1. Discussion on the General Plan Update.
2. Shade structures around Freedom Plaza and a possible art fixture with "Freedom Plaza" announcing the location.
3. Discussion on partnering with the Boys and Girls Club.
4. Discussion on exploring a partnership with Jamboree for affordable housing.
5. Discussion of a policy regulating the use of City Attorney resources.
6. Maintained Roads vs. Non-Maintained Roads.
7. Discussion on creating a "Recognized Neighborhood Program".
Councilmember Scott added a discussion on developers and the City using the same CEQA consultant for a project.
Councilmember Wright seconded the item.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Susan Peplow, Twentynine Palms, thanked the City Council for their time and patience on this project and said this streamline worked well.
Caitlin Gill, Twentynine Palms, (due to sound system issues, City Clerk Villescas was unable to understand what Ms. Gill's comment was.
City Council - Regular Meeting with Closed Session
July 22, 2025
CITY MANAGER UPDATE
City Manager James provided the following updates: Staff is still working on the affordable housing issue, commenting that we are still trying to move that forward.
Councilmember Scott asked about the General Plan. City Manager James mentioned that he and the Community Development Director are having discussions on the General Plan. (Some comments were not recorded due to technical difficulties).
ADJOURNMENT - Mayor Bilderain adjourned the meeting to the next regularly scheduled meeting on August 26, 2025, mentioning that the August 12th meeting is canceled. The meeting was adjourned at 8:42 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Cindy Villescas, CMC
City Clerk/Public Information Officer
TWENTYNINE PALMS CITY COUNCIL
City Council - Regular Meeting - WORKSHOP MINUTES
City Hall, 6136 Adobe Road, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
www.29palms.org
June 24, 2025
1. E-Group Solar project update and workshop on Community Benefit Package RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council receive an update on the E-Group Solar project and provide feedback on the draft Community Benefit Package.
REGULAR SESSION AGENDA
6:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Bilderain called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance - Mary Jane Binge led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Invocation - Pastor Jauron James, The Sanctuary Church, provided the Invocation.
Roll Call - The following Councilmembers were present: Bilderain, Mintz, Ramirez, Scott. Wright had an excused absence.
Closed Session Announcements - None.
Changes to the Agenda - City Manager James announced that the Consent Calendar would be moved up to right after "Announcements.”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Bilderain announced that these proceedings may be viewed on demand on the City of Twentynine Palms website at www.29palms.org. You may also Live Stream this meeting by going on to our website and clicking on the "Meeting Agendas" link.
AWARDS, PRESENTATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND PROCLAMATIONS
1. Presentation by Robin Schlosser with Reach Out Morongo Basin on the Services They Provide.
Ms. Schlosser provided a Power Point presentation and overview of the services they provide.
2. Presentation by Mr. Jesse Ibarra, Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services (NPHS) on Additional Housing Options. Mr. Ibarra provided his presentation via Microsoft Teams.
COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REPORTS OF MEETINGS ATTENDED
Council-woman Ramirez commented that she attended the Karma Shay's Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, the Juneteenth Celebration, the Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony at City Hall, the TBID meeting and she had meetings with local nonprofits, and NPHS.
Councilmember Scott mentioned that he attended the Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony at City Hall, the Juneteenth Celebration, Karma Shay's Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and the Community Shower Event at Wing n It, the Flag Day event, and he rode the mechanical bull at the Historic Plaza BBQ event.
City Council - Regular Meeting - WORKSHOP
June 24, 2025
Mayor Pro Tem Mintz commented that he attended both Juneteenth celebrations, the SBCTA meeting, Mountain/Desert Division meeting, the MDAQMD meeting and he helped park cars at the Sky's the Limit event over the weekend.
Mayor Bilderain mentioned that he attended the Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony, the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Karma Shays clothing, meetings with citizens, All-Star games for his girls' softball team and the BBQ at Historic Plaza.
CONSENT CALENDAR
3. Waive the Reading of Ordinance and Approve the Reading by Title Only.
4. Accept the Cholla Avenue Widening Project.
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council:
1. Accept the Accept the Cholla Avenue Widening Project as completed for a total cost of $448,258.68.
2. Direct the City Clerk to file the Notice of Completion for the contract work.
3. Direct the Finance Director to release retained funds 30 days after the filing of the Notice of Completion, provided no claims are filed against the contractor.
5. Reapproval of Lease Agreement with Family Service Association.
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council reapprove the lease agreement with Family Services Association (FSA) for the property located at 6539 Adobe Road, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 and authorize the City Manager to execute all documents necessary to enter into the Lease Agreement including any necessary amendments.
6. Adoption of Measure I Five-Year Plan for Fiscal Years 2025-2026 through 2029-2030.
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council adopt Resolution No. 25-13 approving the Measure I Five-Year Plan for Fiscal Years 2025-2026 through 2029-2030.
7. Adoption of Resolutions (1) Approving Inclusion Of Costs Associated With Compliance With Procurement Obligations In Maximum Rates That May Be Charged For Solid Waste Handling Services, and (2) Authorizing The Placement Of Solid Waste Handling Service Charges On The County Property Tax Roll and approving a related agreement with the County.
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council adopt Resolution 25-14 approving inclusion of State mandated procurement costs in the maximum rates Burrtec may charge customers for solid waste handling services; and, adopt Resolution 25-15 authorizing inclusion of charges for solid waste services on the County tax rolls, and approve a related agreement with the County for doing so.
Eric Menendez spoke in favor of item #8.
ACTION: A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Mintz, seconded by Councilwoman Ramirez to approve the Consent Calendar as submitted.
The above motion was carried by the following:
ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES: MINTZ, RAMIREZ, SCOTT, BILDERAIN
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: WRIGHT
ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR FOR DISCUSSION - None.
PUBLIC HEARING – None.
City Council - Regular Meeting - WORKSHOP
June 24, 2025
DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS
8. Tourism Business Improvement District City Council Subcommittee.
RECOMMENDATION: Establish a City Council subcommittee to help lead and support the City's Tourism Business Improvement District Board and Staff.
City Manager James presented the Staff Report.
Mayor Pro Tem Mintz asked if this subcommittee that is being established will be working with the TBID or leading TBID? City Manager James replied working with.
Mary Jane Binge, Twentynine Palms, commented on the issue that stakeholders are supposed to be notified of things that are happening, and she has yet to receive any notifications. She also inquired about the actuality of what is happening with TBID, what are the guidelines, what should stakeholders look for, etc. She commented that the City really needs to look at the Marketing Director's job and get her some help.
Veno Nathraj, Twentynine Palms, commented that he has other hotels in other cities that have a TBID, so when the City decided to create the TBID, he was a huge advocate for this to happen, however, he is very disappointed in how our TBID is being run. He commented that he feels the TBID needs a major overhaul.
George Mulopulos, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of establishing a City Council subcommittee for TBID.
Cindy Bernard, Twentynine Palms, spoke in favor of establishing a City Council subcommittee.
Eric Menendez commented that he wanted to correct Kurt Schaupnner's newspaper article which states that he is not an anti TBID critic, because that is incorrect. He commented he wants what's best for the City.
Susan Peplow, spoke in favor of having a City Council subcommittee.
ACTION: A motion was made by Councilmember Scott, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Mintz to establish a City Council subcommittee for TBID consisting of Councilwoman Ramirez and Mayor Bilderain.
The above motion was carried by the following:
ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES: MINTZ, RAMIREZ, SCOTT, BILDERAIN
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: WRIGHT
9. Housing and Homeless Committee Reorganization.
RECOMMENDATION: Reconsider how the housing and homeless committee is currently structured and make any changes the Council deems appropriate.
City Manager James presented the Staff Report.
Councilmember Scott recommended that a Subcommittee of two Councilmembers be created.
Cindy Bernard, Twentynine Palms, commented that the previous committee was a great opportunity for community engagement. She encouraged the City Council to consider a committee that is a little more autonomous.
Eric Menendez commented that this is an important topic.
City Council - Regular Meeting - WORKSHOP
June 24, 2025
After a brief discussion, a motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Mintz, seconded by Councilmember Scott to create a subcommittee consisting of Councilmember Ramirez and Councilmember Scott.
The above motion was carried by the following:
ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES: MINTZ, RAMIREZ, SCOTT, BILDERAIN
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: WRIGHT
FUTURE COUNCIL INITIATED ITEMS
1. Discussion on the General Plan Update.
2. Shade structures around Freedom Plaza and a possible art fixture with "Freedom Plaza" announcing the location.
3. Discussion on reorganizing the Homeless and Housing Committee.
4. Discussion on partnering with the Boys and Girls Club.
5. Discussion of a policy regulating the use of City Attorney resources.
6. Discussion on exploring a partnership with Jamboree for affordable housing.
7. Maintained Roads vs. Non-Maintained Roads.
8. Discussion on exploring a partnership with Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services (NPHS) for an owneroccupied rehab program.
Councilmember Scott requested a discussion on a Recognized Neighborhood Program. Mayor Bilderain seconded the item.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Eric Menendez provided a handout and spoke regarding Conflicts of Interest.
Cindy Bernard, Twentynine Palms, further elaborated a little more on the recognized neighborhood program.
CITY MANAGER UPDATE
City Manager James provided the following updates; he attended the Historic Plaza Barbecue event and was very impressed with the fun and creativity, he mentioned that he received a copy of the draft strategic plan late last night and distributed it to Management Staff to review and add any comments or suggestions, then he will gather all items provided in the community survey. He commented that he is hoping to bring this to the City Council at the July 22nd meeting, and he announced that the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition (CVHC) will conduct a workshop on July 12, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the proposed housing project for the City. He mentioned that Senator Ochoa Bogh's office will conduct an "Open House" in our area on August 21st from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Mayor Bilderain announced the Fourth of July event on Friday, July 4th at Knotts Sky Park and there will be no meeting on July 8, 2025. The next meeting will be held on July 22nd.
ADJOURNMENT - Mayor Bilderain adjourned the meeting at 8:04 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Cindy Villescas, CMC
City Clerk/Public Information Officer
STAFF REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: Finance Technician
FOR MEETING: Aug 26 2025
SUBJECT: Approval of Warrant Register Totaling $1,263,133.61.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Approval of Warrant Register
Totaling $1,263,133.61
Check Date
Warrant Register
PPBI Gen Chkng
CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS
Vendor
WARRANT DATE: 08-26-25
Check / Payment
0020817 7/16/2025 [3934] 808 N&N GRINDZ 1,400.00
0020818 7/16/2025 [1005] AFLAC 648.86
0020819 7/16/2025 [3935] AHA PROJECTS 810.00
0020820 7/16/2025 [2385] AL'S KUBOTA TRACTOR 4,811.18
0020821 7/16/2025 [3877] AMERITAS LIFE INSURANCE CORP 3,526.40 0020822 7/16/2025 [3877] AMERITAS LIFE INSURANCE CORP 619.36 0020823 7/16/2025 [1017] AUTOZONE (0842) 72.78
0020824 7/16/2025 [1039] CA BUILDING STANDARDS COMM 193.50 0020825 7/16/2025 [3448] CIRA 860.49
0020826 7/16/2025 [1038] CMRSFP 900.00
0020827 7/16/2025 [1069] CNTY SAN BERDO DEPT PUBLIC HEALTH 997.00 0020828 7/16/2025 [2302] COMMUNITY LEARNING & EQUIPPING PROJECT INC 2,000.00 0020829 7/16/2025 [1079] DATA TICKET INC 205.58
0020830 7/16/2025 [1086] DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION 1,044.42 0020831 7/16/2025 [3936] DESERTRADE 900.00
0020832 7/16/2025 [1106] FRONTIER 105.95
0020833 7/16/2025 [3732] FUSE CONNECT, LLC. 1,875.00
0020834 7/16/2025 [1122] GOLD MOUNTAIN CA NEWS MEDIA 279.50 0020835 7/16/2025 [3000] GRANICUS 2,047.50
0020836 7/16/2025 [1341] HI-DESERT AIR INC (0336) 85.00 0020837 7/16/2025 [2164] INNOVATIVE FEDERAL STRATEGIES LLC 3,800.00 0020838 7/16/2025 [2921] JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK ASSOCIATION 900.00 0020839 7/16/2025 [1140] JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK COUNCIL FOR THE 600.00 0020840 7/16/2025 [3874] LINCOLN FINANCIAL GROUP 3,689.74 0020841 7/16/2025 [1150] MARK SPEER AUTOMOTIVE (2109) 328.61 0020842 7/16/2025 [2367] MIDAMERICA 504.00
0020843 7/16/2025 [1162] MOJAVE DESERT & MOUNTAIN 5,511.00 0020844 7/16/2025 [1167] MORONGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 2,909.76 0020845 7/16/2025 [3884] ODP BUSINESS SOLUTIONS LLC 163.96 0020846 7/16/2025 [2499] RACKSPACE US, INC 1,213.43
0020847 7/16/2025 [1230] SCE 4,307.19
0020848 7/16/2025 [3544] SPECTRIO LLC 692.76
0020849 7/16/2025 [3186] STILES ANIMAL REMOVAL INC. 1,650.00 0020850 7/16/2025 [1259] TWENTYNINE PALMS WATER DISTRICT 5,119.02 0020851 7/16/2025 [1271] VCA 29 PALMS ANIMAL HOSPITAL (0319) 379.50 0020852 7/16/2025 [1271] VCA 29 PALMS ANIMAL HOSPITAL (0319) 494.50 0020853 7/16/2025 [1284] WONDER ELECTRIC COMPANY (0052) 338.98 0020854 7/16/2025 [1744] YUNEX LLC 905.75
0020855 7/23/2025 [1001] LORI (8411) ABDELNOUR 1,475.00 0020856 7/23/2025 [2760] AMERICAN RED CROSS TRAINING SERVICES 160.00 0020857 7/23/2025 [1007] ANDY'S LANDSCAPE AND TREE SERVICE (3803) 1,975.00 0020858 7/23/2025 [1014] ARROWHEAD CREDIT UNION 36,119.08 0020859 7/23/2025 [1018] AVALON URGENT CARE INC 150.00
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0020860 7/23/2025 [1070] CNTY SAN BERDO CLERK BRD SUPERVISORS 3,018.75 0020861 7/23/2025 [1063] COMPUTERWORKS NFP SOLUTIONS 500.00 0020862 7/23/2025 [1079] DATA TICKET INC 125.00
0020863 7/23/2025 [1374] DAVID BAILEYS AUTO REPAIR INC (0703) 113.50 0020864 7/23/2025 [1080] DAVID EVANS AND ASSOCIATES INC 2,650.00 0020865 7/23/2025 [1100] FEDEX 97.01
0020866 7/23/2025 [3743] HOME DEPOT CREDIT SERVICES 4,246.45 0020867 7/23/2025 [0551] CURTIS MCCOY 35.40
0020868 7/23/2025 [3913] MIG 6,988.75
0020869 7/23/2025 [1167] MORONGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 1,693.44 0020870 7/23/2025 [1182] NV5 INC (8793) 786.25
0020871 7/23/2025 [0001] ONE TIME VENDOR - ANITA CLINKSCALES 290.83 0020872 7/23/2025 [0001] ONE TIME VENDOR - EMBER VENTURES, LLC 372.94 0020873 7/23/2025 [1213] SAN BERNARDINO CO SHERIFFS DEPT 105,133.89 0020874 7/23/2025 [2268] SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY-RADIO 111.52 0020875 7/23/2025 [1230] SCE 954.56
0020876 7/23/2025 [1249] SPECTRUM 199.99
0020877 7/23/2025 [1249] SPECTRUM 35.11
0020878 7/23/2025 [1249] SPECTRUM 45.42
0020879 7/23/2025 [1249] SPECTRUM 130.00
0020880 7/23/2025 [1249] SPECTRUM 159.63
0020881 7/23/2025 [1249] SPECTRUM 1,179.00
0020882 7/23/2025 [1249] SPECTRUM 119.99
0020883 7/23/2025 [1249] SPECTRUM 119.99
0020884 7/23/2025 [1249] SPECTRUM 149.99
0020885 7/23/2025 [1178] T-MOBILE 45.11
0020886 7/23/2025 [3798] TERRY EQUIPMENT INC. 2,749.34
0020887 7/23/2025 [0531] AMY TESSIER 229.23
0020888 7/23/2025 [1250] TOTAL FITNESS (8331) 359.88
0020889 7/23/2025 [1269] VALIC C/O JP MORGAN CHASE 1,729.35 0020890 7/23/2025 [2528] WELLS FARGO VENDOR FIN SERV 121.71 0020891 7/28/2025 [1524] 29 PALMS CREATIVE CENTER & GALLERY (2303) 900.00 0020892 7/28/2025 [3938] ANDREW G SANCHEZ 720.00
0020893 7/28/2025 [3637] CALIFORNIA DEPARTEMENT OF TAX 5,763.00 0020894 7/28/2025 [3937] GOOD VIBE CINEMA 800.00
0020895 7/28/2025 [3939] HIGH DESERT TIMES INC 700.00
0020896 7/28/2025 [3787] LATIMER ENTERPRISE LLC 700.00
0020897 7/28/2025 [3746] TANIA HAMMIDI 700.00
0020898 7/31/2025 [3581] ADVANCED IMAGING SOLUTIONS 985.84 0020899 7/31/2025 [3935] AHA PROJECTS 300.00
0020900 7/31/2025 [2680] AIS 281.48
0020901 7/31/2025 [3121] AMERICAN EXPRESS 18,879.67
0020902 7/31/2025 [1008] ANIMAL ACTION LEAGUE INC 4,752.00 0020903 7/31/2025 [1031] BOWLADIUM (0227) 65.00
0020904 7/31/2025 [3448] CIRA 404,199.31
0020905 7/31/2025 [3701] CIVITAS ADVISORS 6,240.00
0020906 7/31/2025 [1100] FEDEX 41.48
0020907 7/31/2025 [1106] FRONTIER 159.73
0020908 7/31/2025 [1106] FRONTIER 126.07
0020909 7/31/2025 [3000] GRANICUS 3,899.90
0020910 7/31/2025 [3829] HEATHER L. DRAKE 3,582.26
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0020911 7/31/2025 [0554] HERBERT STONE JAMES 99.42
0020912 7/31/2025 [2183] JOE A GONSALVES & SON 3,000.00 0020913 7/31/2025 [2022] LAMAR COMPANIES (8442) 2,600.00 0020914 7/31/2025 [1150] MARK SPEER AUTOMOTIVE (2109) 27.99 0020915 7/31/2025 [1167] MORONGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 2,688.00 0020916 7/31/2025 [3782] MRC SMART TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS 930.47 0020917 7/31/2025 [3884] ODP BUSINESS SOLUTIONS LLC 153.92 0020918 7/31/2025 [1231] PRIMO BRANDS 694.89
0020919 7/31/2025 [1216] SAN BERNARDINO CO FIRE DEPARTMENT 467.00 0020920 7/31/2025 [1230] SCE 1,218.75
0020921 7/31/2025 [3056] SOAP SUDS CLEANING SERVICE (9049) 2,627.00 0020922 7/31/2025 [0531] AMY TESSIER 80.00
0020923 7/31/2025 [1243] THE GAS COMPANY 500.37
0020924 7/31/2025 [3093] TWENTYNINE PALMS ARTISTS GUILD 700.00 0020925 7/31/2025 [1259] TWENTYNINE PALMS WATER DISTRICT 599.81 0020926 7/31/2025 [1259] TWENTYNINE PALMS WATER DISTRICT 61.97 0020927 7/31/2025 [3893] UNIVERSAL CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING 22,412.95 0020928 7/31/2025 [1273] VERIZON WIRELESS 800.53
0020929 7/31/2025 [1679] YUCCA VALLEY MIRROR & GLASS DBA UNITED GLASS 549.06 0020930 8/06/2025 [3581] ADVANCED IMAGING SOLUTIONS 198.62 0020931 8/06/2025 [2326] ANIMAL CARE EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE 586.45 0020932 8/06/2025 [3842] ARTISTIC LASER PRODUCTIONS 2,250.00 0020933 8/06/2025 [1027] BLUE DIAMOND MATERIALS 72,200.58 0020934 8/06/2025 [1037] BURRTEC WASTE & RECYCLING (2692) 103.08 0020935 8/06/2025 [3709] CA STATE DISBURSEMENT UNIT 218.00 0020936 8/06/2025 [1053] CINTAS CORPORATION (8315) 1,535.59 0020937 8/06/2025 [2785] COPY CENTER PLUS INC. (8893) 163.24 0020938 8/06/2025 [1081] STEPHEN F DAVIS 600.00
0020939 8/06/2025 [1095] EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT DEPT 2,103.00 0020940 8/06/2025 [1100] FEDEX 61.02
0020941 8/06/2025 [1102] FORENSIC DTS INC 99.00
0020942 8/06/2025 [1106] FRONTIER 187.67
0020943 8/06/2025 [1106] FRONTIER 469.39
0020944 8/06/2025 [1106] FRONTIER 11.63
0020945 8/06/2025 [3732] FUSE CONNECT, LLC. 1,875.00
0020946 8/06/2025 [1109] GALLS LLC 45.96
0020947 8/06/2025 [3000] GRANICUS 2,047.50
0020948 8/06/2025 [1120] HDL SOFTWARE, LLC 795.00
0020949 8/06/2025 [3660] KIMBERLY K. JOHNSON 1,282.00
0020950 8/06/2025 [1149] LLOYD PEST CONTROL CO INC (8202) 519.00 0020951 8/06/2025 [1228] NCSI 18.50
0020952 8/06/2025 [1175] AARON NEVEU 1,272.00
0020953 8/06/2025 [1181] NRPA 470.00
0020954 8/06/2025 [3884] ODP BUSINESS SOLUTIONS LLC 98.10 0020955 8/06/2025 [2582] OREILLY 1,025.34
0020956 8/06/2025 [2231] PAYCHEX INC 1,536.27
0020957 8/06/2025 [2499] RACKSPACE US, INC 1,213.43
0020958 8/06/2025 [1214] SAN BERNARDINO CO OFFICE OF THE ASSESSOR 20.00 0020959 8/06/2025 [3838] SARA M. LYONS, SCORPION LOLLIPOP LLC 3,000.00 0020960 8/06/2025 [1230] SCE 16,960.52
0020961 8/06/2025 [3590] SOUTHWEST PROTECTIVE 2,592.00
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0020962 8/06/2025 [2484] TERRA NOVA PLANNING & RESEARCH INC. (9096) 9,130.00 0020963 8/06/2025 [2201] TRANSUNION RISK AND ALTERNATIVE 75.00 0020964 8/06/2025 [1259] TWENTYNINE PALMS WATER DISTRICT 6,694.21 0020965 8/06/2025 [1269] VALIC C/O JP MORGAN CHASE 1,729.35 0020966 8/06/2025 [1271] VCA 29 PALMS ANIMAL HOSPITAL (0319) 242.00 0020967 8/06/2025 [1277] WATERLINE TECHNOLOGIES INC 3,384.43 0020968 8/06/2025 [1287] XEROX FINANCIAL SERVICES 188.71 0020969 8/13/2025 [2463] 4 SPORTS N' MORE (8671) 213.05 0020970 8/13/2025 [1506] A NEW CREATION FLOWERS & GIFTS (2187) 94.28 0020971 8/13/2025 [1002] ACTION COUNCIL FOR 29 PALMS INC (0407) 2,037.02 0020972 8/13/2025 [2809] ACTION INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY 1,749.39 0020973 8/13/2025 [1005] AFLAC 648.86
0020974 8/13/2025 [1014] ARROWHEAD CREDIT UNION 18,391.96 0020975 8/13/2025 [1017] AUTOZONE (0842) 10.44
0020976 8/13/2025 [0525] ADESSA BIGLER 206.73
0020977 8/13/2025 [1037] BURRTEC WASTE & RECYCLING (2692) 37,837.09 0020978 8/13/2025 [1070] CNTY SAN BERDO CLERK BRD SUPERVISORS 50.00 0020979 8/13/2025 [1087] DESERT HARDWARE (0301) 981.28
0020980 8/13/2025 [3730] FRIENDS OF BIG MORONGO CANYON PRESERVE 200.00 0020981 8/13/2025 [1107] FULTON DISTRIBUTING 394.50
0020982 8/13/2025 [1122] GOLD MOUNTAIN CA NEWS MEDIA 642.75 0020983 8/13/2025 [1341] HI-DESERT AIR INC (0336) 385.00 0020984 8/13/2025 [3569] MCCUE MECHANICAL 350.00
0020985 8/13/2025 [1167] MORONGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 32,904.48 0020986 8/13/2025 [0519] JORGE MURO 108.73
0020987 8/13/2025 [3884] ODP BUSINESS SOLUTIONS LLC 78.75 0020988 8/13/2025 [0001] ONE TIME VENDOR - SUNRUN INSTALLATION SERVICE 190.44 0020989 8/13/2025 [2591] PORTER EQUIPMENT 1,960.85
0020990 8/13/2025 [1212] RUTAN AND TUCKER 107,388.91
0020991 8/13/2025 [1230] SCE 21,066.38
0020992 8/13/2025 [1264] US BANK ST PAUL 1,325.00
0020993 8/13/2025 [1268] VAGABOND WELDING SUPPLY 130.50 0020994 8/13/2025 [1271] VCA 29 PALMS ANIMAL HOSPITAL (0319) 275.11 0020995 8/13/2025 [1744] YUNEX LLC 1,125.00
457DC072025 7/24/2025 [1044] CALPERS 1,466.91
AAP071525 7/15/2025 [3201] PACIFIC PREMIER BANK (9099) 1,434.37 EFT 7/25/2025 111,655.89
FSAR071525 7/15/2025 [2231] PAYCHEX INC 38.00
FSAR072225 7/22/2025 [2231] PAYCHEX INC 38.00
FSAR073025 7/30/2025 [2231] PAYCHEX INC 38.00
GA072025 7/24/2025 [1055] PAYROLL 323.07
INV10291929 7/21/2025 [2231] PAYCHEX INC 488.40
NWDC072025 7/24/2025 [1173] NATIONWIDE RETIREMENT SOLUTIONS 2,170.26 NWODC072025 7/24/2025 [1172] NATIONWIDE RETIREMENT SOLUTIONS OB 1,349.36 PRTX072525 7/24/2025 [1055] PAYROLL 21,804.16
RCPPE072025 7/24/2025 [1044] CALPERS 22,009.98
RCPPE072025 7/24/2025 [1044] CALPERS 405.34
RDR071525 7/15/2025 [3682] RECDESK LLC 106.08
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WIREHRA07162 7/16/2025 [2367] MIDAMERICA 6,788.00
Approved by: Date:
Total Checks: 1,263,133.61
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STAFF REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: Finance Director
FOR MEETING: Aug 26 2025
SUBJECT: Treasurer's Report - FY 2024-25 Quarter 4.
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council receive and approve the Treasurer's Report for the 4th Quarter of Fiscal Year 2024-25.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE:
Request Staff Report (Finance Director Presenting)
Council Questions of Staff
Request Public Comment
Council Discussion
Motion/Second
Discussion of Motion
Call the Question
ATTACHMENTS:
• Securities Report 6-30-25
• TREASURER'S REPORT
6.30.25 ENVIRONMENTAL:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A
City of Twentynine Palms RMB033895
Account eCD70981
Report Name Position Report Export
Executed 6/30/2025
Certificates of Deposit
Issuer Settle Date Maturity Date Principal Payment Frequency Market Value Rate Interest Earned Redeemed AMERICAN EXPRESS 6/29/2022 6/29/2027 $245,000.00 Monthly $242,263.35 3.40% $684.65 AUSTIN TELCO FED CR 9/21/2022 9/21/2027 $249,000.00 Monthly $248,063.76 3.80% $777.70 BEAL BK USA LAS 3/2/2022 2/24/2027 $245,000.00 Semi Annual $237,382.95 2.05% $412.81 CAPITAL ONE BK USA 5/11/2022 5/11/2027 $246,000.00 Semi Annual $242,484.66 3.20% $647.01 CAPITAL ONE NATL 4/27/2022 4/27/2027 $245,000.00 Semi Annual $240,303.35 2.90% $583.97 CAPITAL ONE NATL 5/18/2022 5/19/2027 $246,000.00 Semi Annual $242,472.36 3.20% $647.01 CITY FED CR UN 1/12/2024 1/12/2029 $240,000.00 Monthly $239,392.80 3.95% $779.18 COBALT FED CR UN 9/15/2022 9/15/2027 $249,000.00 Monthly $247,022.94 3.60% $736.77 CREDIT UN OF TEX 9/14/2022 9/15/2025 $245,000.00 Semi Annual $244,578.60 3.60% $735.00 DORT FINL CR UN 6/20/2023 6/20/2028 $247,000.00 Quaterly $250,445.65 4.50% $913.56 FIRST BK OF THE LAKE 2/7/2025 2/7/2030 $249,000.00 Monthly $250,566.21 4.20% $859.56 FIRST INTERNET BK 9/28/2022 9/25/2025 $249,000.00 Monthly $248,783.37 4.00% $818.63 FIRST TECHNOLOGY FED 7/15/2022 7/15/2027 $249,000.00 Monthly $247,189.77 3.60% $736.77 GREENSTATE CR UN 9/26/2023 9/26/2028 $248,000.00 Monthly $255,430.08 5.00% $1,019.18 LAFAYETTE FED CR UN 5/25/2022 5/25/2027 $245,000.00 Monthly $241,746.40 3.25% $654.45 MAINE SVGS FCU 7/21/2023 7/21/2028 $248,000.00 Monthly $253,679.20 4.80% $978.41 MORGAN STANLEY 6/11/2025 6/11/2030 $244,000.00 Semi Annual $246,623.00 4.30% $574.90 MORGAN STANLEY BK N 9/15/2022 9/15/2026 $245,000.00 Semi Annual $243,691.70 3.60% $724.93 QUORUM FED CR UN PUR 9/30/2022 9/30/2026 $249,000.00 Monthly $249,410.85 4.15% $849.33 STATE BK INDIA NEW 3/10/2022 3/10/2027 $245,000.00 Semi Annual $237,799.45 2.20% $443.01 SYNCHRONY BK RETAIL 7/29/2022 7/29/2025 $245,000.00 Semi Annual $244,804.00 3.40% $684.65 TOYOTA FINL SVGS BK 9/16/2022 9/16/2027 $245,000.00 Semi Annual $242,954.25 3.60% $724.93 Totals $5,418,000.00 $5,397,088.70 3.65% $15,986.41 $0.00 United States Treasury Bills
Issuer Settle Date Maturity Date Purchase Price Payment Frequency Market Value Rate Interest Earned Redeemed TSRYS5734118 1/31/2024 1/31/2026 $255,553.16 At Maturity $249,982.50 4.250% $880.53 TSRYS5477964 10/15/2024 9/30/2029 $753,551.83 At Maturity $752,333.05 3.875% $765.48 Totals $1,009,104.99 $1,002,315.55 4.063% $1,646.01
Cash, Money Funds, and Bank Deposits
CASH BALANCE $9,878.26
TOTAL INVESTMENTS $6,427,104.99 $6,409,282.51
City of Twentynine Palms
Treasurer's Report
June 30, 2025
Average
Interest Market Percent
Depository Term Matures Rate Amount Value of Total
Petty Cash and Cash on Hand On Hand N/A $950 $950 0.00% PPBI Bank
Checking Account Demand 0.00% $1,706,359 $1,706,359 8.05% PPBI Bank - Successor Agency Demand 0.00% $653,494 $653,494 3.08% Local Agency Investment Fund Demand 4.40% $11,736,644 $11,750,708 55.45% Cash with MBS Demand 0.00% $9,878 $9,878 0.05%
U.S. Treasury Bills 4.063% $1,009,105 $1,002,316 4.73%
Cerfificate of Deposit 3.65% $5,418,000 $5,397,089 25.47% Total City Funds $20,534,430 $20,520,794 96.84%
Funds Held in Trust:
Cash With Fiscal Agent (Project Phoenix) $670,355 $670,355 3.16% Total Funds in the Treasurer's
Custody $21,204,785 $21,191,149 100.00%
NOTES:
1) All the above investments are in compliance with the City's Investment Policy. 2) The City has sufficient funds to meet its expenditure requirements for the next six months.
Prepared by: Abigail Hernandez Conde
Date: 7/16/2025
STAFF REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
FOR MEETING: Aug 26 2025
SUBJECT: Adoption of an Ordinance Amending the Municipal Code to Add Chapter 1.06, City Seal.
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council adopt an Ordinance, adopting an amendment to the Municipal Code, adding Chapter 1.06, City Seal.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE:
Request Staff Report (City Manager Presenting)
Council Questions of Staff
Public Comment
Council Discussion
Motion/Second for Ordinance
Discussion of Motion
Call the Question (Roll Call Vote)
ATTACHMENTS:
• Ordinance re use of City Seal
BACKGROUND:
The City of Twentynine Palms (“City”) was incorporated on November 23, 1987. The City has designed and used a City Seal for several years. Recently questions regarding the use of the City Seal have arisen and City Staff is proposing that the City Council formally adopt regulations for its use in order to have clarity on this matter.
ENVIRONMENTAL:
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the proposed amendment to the Municipal Code is covered by the common-sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council can choose not to formally adopt the proposed regulations related to the City Seal.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
1 CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS
CITY COUNCIL
ORDINANCE NO. ___
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING AN AMENDMENT
TO THE CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS MUNICIPAL CODE, ADDING
CHAPTER 1.06, CITY SEAL
WHEREAS, the City of Twentynine Palms (“City”) was incorporated on November 23, 1987; and
WHEREAS, the City has designed and used a City Seal for several years; and
WHEREAS, the City now desires to adopt and approve the City Seal by ordinance to be incorporated into the Municipal Code, and adopt regulations for its use as set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, TAKES THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS:
Section 1. Based upon the review of the proposed amendment to the Municipal Code, Chapter 1.06, City Seal, the City Council finds that the proposed amendment does not have the potential to have an adverse impact on the environment and, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen, as here, with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Therefore, the Council finds and determines that the adoption of this Ordinance is not subject to CEQA.
Section 2. The City Council finds that the proposed amendment to the Municipal Code is consistent with the City’s adopted General Plan Goals and Policies.
Section 3. The City Council hereby amends the Municipal Code to add Chapter 1.06, City Seal, as fully set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated by this reference.
Section 4. The City Clerk of the City of Twentynine Palms shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and cause publication to occur as required by law.
2 Section 5. This Ordinance shall become effective thirty (30) days after the second reading and adoption by City Council.
Section 6. If any provision of this Ordinance or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications, and, to this end, the provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be severable.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms held on this ___ day of ________, 2025. ________________________________________
Steven Bilderain, Mayor
ATTEST:
_________________________________
Cindy Villescas, CMC, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________________
A. Patrick Muñoz, City Attorney
I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of Ordinance No. ___, introduced on the 26th of August, 2025 and duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms in a meeting held on the ___ day of _____, 2025, in Twentynine Palms, California by the following vote, to wit.
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
________________________________________
3 Cindy Villescas CMC, City Clerk
4 EXHIBIT A
TITLE 1 – GENERAL PROVISIONS
CHAPTER 1.06 – CITY SEAL
1.06.010 – Adoption.
The corporate seal for the City is hereby adopted and approved. The City Seal shall contain the name of the City and date of incorporation and shall appear substantially as follows:
1.06.020 – Custody and Use of the City Seal and Insignia.
The City Clerk shall have custody and charge of the City Seal and such other insignia that may from time to time be adopted pursuant to this Code. Except as provided by this Code, any seal, insignia, or other symbol officially adopted for use by the City shall not be affixed to any document or other instrument.
1.06.030 – Approval of Use by City Employees and Officials.
The City Council hereby approves the use of the City Seal and insignia by City employees and elected or City Council appointed public officials in connection with the performance of their duties as City employees and officials. Such use shall include the placement on City vehicles, equipment, business cards, stationery, the City’s website, and the City Flag. The City Council hereby specifically prohibits the use of the City Seal and insignia by City officials, candidates for City offices, or political campaign committees for purposes of any political campaign advertising, materials, literature, letters, or brochures.
1.06.040 – Approval of Other Uses.
The City Council hereby reserves the right to approve other uses of the City Seal and insignia by minute order so long as such use shall promote the interests of the City.
5 1.06.050 – Prior Approval Required for Use of the City Seal.
No person, corporation, organization or entity shall use of the City Seal, insignia, or other officially adopted symbol, unless authorized to do so pursuant to the provisions hereof. Any person, corporation, organization or entity may use of the City Seal, insignia, or other officially adopted symbol upon receiving the prior written approval of the City Manager or his or her designee, and subject to conditions herein provided.
1.06.060 – Criteria for Use.
The City Manager or his or her designee is authorized to permit the use of the City Seal by any person, corporation, or organization (“applicant”) which meets all of the following criteria:
(a) The use of the City Seal is for City, local civic, local cultural, local charitable, or other local nonprofit purpose.
(b) The applicant agrees not to use the City Seal for commercial or other purposes not allowed above.
(c) The applicant pays a fee, if applicable, and if established by resolution of the City Council.
(d) Samples shall be submitted of all documents, goods and other materials upon which the City Seal is to be used and objective evidence of good quality and workmanship is submitted so that the use of the City Seal on said items does not discredit or impair the integrity of the Seal in any manner.
(e) The applicant shall grant to the City the right, at all reasonable times, to inspect any item upon which the City Seal is used in order that the City may verify that the City Seal is being used correctly in an unadulterated form.
(f) Permission to use the City Seal shall not be assignable.
1.06.070 – Breach of Criteria.
If the applicant breaches any of the criteria set forth above, the City may serve written notice of such breach upon the applicant with request to cure or take appropriate affirmative action in good faith to cure the breach within five (5) days of the date of the notice. In the event the applicant fails to cure the breach to the satisfaction of the City, the City may terminate the applicant’s or user’s permission to use the City Seal and take all steps reasonably necessary to restrain the improper use of the City Seal.
6 1.06.080 – Penalties.
Any person corporation, organization or entity violating the provisions of this Chapter 1.06 shall be guilty of an offense chargeable as an infraction or misdemeanor and subject to punishment in accordance with Section 1.04.020 of this Code. Each and every day during any portion of which the provisions of this Chapter
1.06 are violated shall constitute a separate offense and may be charged accordingly.
STAFF REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: Community Development Director
FOR MEETING: Aug 26 2025
SUBJECT: Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance 322 (approving Development Code Amendment 25- 00004) and Ordinance 323 (approving Rezoning 25-000001).
RECOMMENDATION:
Due to non-substantive formatting changes, rather than adopt Ordinances 322 and 323, the City Council hold a new first reading and re-introduce both Ordinances and hold a second reading and adopt the Ordinances at a later date.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE:
Request Staff Report (Community Development Director
Presenting)
Council Questions of Staff
Receive Public Comment
Council Discussion
Motion/Second
Discussion on Motion
Call the Question
ATTACHMENTS:
• 6 - 29 Palms Ofland Hotel -
Proposed LU and Zoning
12.6.24 • Ordinance 322 - DCA
• Ordinance 323 - REZ
BACKGROUND:
The Ofland Resort Project (the “Project”) involves General Plan Amendment No. 24-000003, Rezoning 25-000001, Conditional Use Permit No. 24-000003, and Development Code Amendment No. 25- 000004.
At its meeting of June 25, 2025, the Planning Commission forwarded a recommendation to the City Council for approval of a Development Code Amendment creating the Open Space - Conservation Zone, and a Rezoning changing the land use designation and zoning designation for the property designated as Assessor's Parcel No 0614-121-15, changing the zoning designation on the subject property from Single Family Residential - Estate to Commercial Tourist (CT) and Open Space - Conservation (OS-C).
At the meeting of July 22, 2025, the City Council held a Public Hearing in connection with the Project and adopted Resolutions 25-17 and 25-18 Resolutions 25-17 and 25-18, which approved an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration and a Mitigation Reporting and Monitoring Program in
compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act, a Conditional Use Permit (“CEQA”), a Conditional Use Permit (“CUP”) and General Plan Amendment (“GPA”). The Council also approved and introduced Development Code Amendment 25-00004 (Ordinance 322), establishing the open-space conservation zone (OS-C) and Rezoning 25-000001 (Ordinance 323), rezoning Assessor’s Parcel NO. 0614-121-15 from Single-Family Residential, Estate Density (RS-E) TO Commercial Tourist (C-T) and Open Space-Conservation (OS-C).
Development Code Amendment 25-00004 (Ordinance 322), and Rezoning 25-000001 (Ordinance 323), were scheduled for second reading and adoption this evening. Staff has made various non-substantive, formatting changes to the Ordinances. As a result of the changes, by operation of law the City Council’s action to approve them constitutes a new so called first reading, or introduction. A new second reading must occur, and Staff intends to bring the Ordinances before the City Council at its next meeting for that purpose which would result in their adoption.
ENVIRONMENTAL:
A Mitigated Negative Declaration was already adopted for this project, so no further environmental documentation is required.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council could choose to:
1. Request additional information from Staff.
2. Make further modifications to the Ordinances and adopt them with such recommended changes.
3. Decline to move forward with the Ordinances for the Development Code Amendment and the Rezoning.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
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Single-Family Residential (RS-4)
Single-Family Residential (RS-E)
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Rural Living (RL-5) - Neighborhood Commercial (CN) - Tourist Commercial (CT) Open Space Recreational/Residential
E::| Conservation Area
Source: CIIXOITWSHIXHIHS Palms General Plan Amendment, NV5v3.21.2024 12.05.24 . E h'b't
y 1 Proposed Land Use and ZonIng x ' '
® L A TERRA NOVA 9‘"and”°’°' . . 6
—FLINWGIRESEAW .NC Twentynlne Palms, Callfornla
1 CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS
CITY COUNCIL
ORDINANCE NO. 322
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING
DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT 25-00004,
ESTABLISHING THE OPEN-SPACE CONSERVATION
ZONE (OS-C)
WHEREAS, in 2016, the City Council adopted Title 19 of the Twentynine Palms Municipal Code, which is referred to as the “Development Code”; and WHEREAS, in 2024, applications were submitted for General Plan Amendment No. 24-000003, Rezoning 25-000001, Conditional Use Permit No. 24- 000003, along with Development Code Amendment No. 25-000004, collectively known as the “Ofland Resort Project” or “Project”; and, WHEREAS, approximately 110 acres of the proposed Ofland Resort Project is proposed to be permanently set aside as open space; and WHEREAS, the Development Code does not currently recognize an Open Space-Conservation zoning district, and as such, does not contain any development standards or regulations related to this district; and
WHEREAS, this Development Code Amendment No. 25-000004 is intended to amend Chapter 19 of the Twentynine Palms Municipal Code to establish an Open Space-Conservation (OS-C) Land Use District and corresponding development standards that apply to that newly established district; and WHEREAS, following an Initial Study, a Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared for the Ofland Resort Project in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act; and
WHEREAS, the Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration was posted from May 14, 2025, through June 3, 2025; and
WHEREAS, a Public Hearing was held by the Planning Commission on Tuesday, June 25, 2025 at which time the Commission adopted Planning Commission Resolution No. 25-07, recommending approval of the Ofland Resort Project, including but not limited to Development Code Amendment No. 25-000004, to the City Council; and,
2 WHEREAS, the public hearing notice for the Project was published on July 2, 2025 in the Desert Trail newspaper; and
WHEREAS, a Public Hearing was held by the City Council on Tuesday, July 22, following which the City Council adopted the Planning Commission’s recommendation and introduced Development Code Amendment No. 25- 00004,establishing the Open Space – Conservation Land Use District; and, WHEREAS, Development Code Update No. 25-000004 was scheduled to be considered by the City Council for adoption on August 26, 2025, however due to changes to formatting, this Ordinance 322 was instead introduced a second time on that date by operation of law rather than being adopted.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Recitals. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are hereby incorporated as set forth in full into this Ordinance.
SECTION 2. Findings. The City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms makes the following Findings in support of Development Code Amendment No. 25-000004:
A. That the Zone Change or Development Code Amendment is consistent with the intent of the goals and policies of the General Plan, in that introducing the Open-Space Conservation (OS-C) land use district meets with the spirit of the goals and policies of the General Plan by indicating which parcels are to be set aside as permanent open space.
B. That the Zone Change or Development Code Amendment prescribes reasonable controls and standards to ensure compatibility with other established uses, in that the new Open-Space Conservation (OS-C) land use district property prescribes reasonable controls on proposed uses in this land use district.
C. That the Zone Change or Development Code Amendment provides reasonable property development rights while protecting environmentally sensitive land uses and species, in that the mitigation measures introduced in the Mitigated Negative Declaration will be placed as conditions of approval on the project, thus protecting environmentally sensitive land uses and species. Also, the creation of an open space buffer on the exterior of the property also protects the natural habitat in that location.
D. That the Zone Change or Development Code Amendment ensures protection of the general health, safety and welfare of the community, in that the creation of the Open Space Conservation Zone protects the
3 general health, safety, and welfare of the community by establishing those areas that are off-limits to development.
SECTION 3. Amendments. The Twentynine Palms Development Code shall be amended as follows:
A. Chapter 19-21 titled “Open Space – Conservation” is added to the Development Code and shall read as follows:
Chapter 19.21 - Open Space - Conservation (OSC)
19.21.010 – Purpose
The purpose of this Chapter is to describe the character and intent of the Open Space Conservation Land Use District, identify allowed uses and establish development standards for the district.
19.21.020 - Description and Intent of Land Uses
This district is intended for properties which are intended to be preserved in natural open space in perpetuity. Open Space Conservation-designated lands may be publicly or privately owned, but are intended to be set aside for environmental conservation purposes. Only minimum land development is allowed in this District, and would be limited to utilities, streets, and flood control measures only.
19.21.030 - Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements
Allowed uses and permit requirements for the Open Space Conservation Land Use District are listed in Table 19.08.030-1 (Allowed Land Uses and Permit Requirements). The table lists all use-related permits for primary and accessory uses that are permanent in nature. Additional permit requirements are listed in Chapters 19.28 through 19.64 related to permits and procedures. Allowed temporary uses are listed in Chapter 19.34 (Temporary Use Permit and Standards). Allowed accessory uses are listed in Chapter 19.70 (Accessory Uses and Structures).
B. Table 19.08.030-1 is hereby added to the Development Code and shall read as follows:
Table 19.08.030-1
Allowed Land Uses and Permit Requirements
Allowed Use OSC
Public safety uses and facilities SPR
Utility and Service Uses and Related
Structures
SPR
Flood control / drainage control facilities SPR
Trails / passive recreational uses requiring SPR
4 less than 500 cubic yards of grading
C. Section 19.20.040 is added to the Development Code and shall read as follows:
19.20.040 - Development Standards
All new land uses and structures or alterations to existing land uses and/or structures in the Open Space Conservation Land Use District shall be designed, constructed and established in compliance with the development standards in Table
19.08.040-2 (Development Standards).
D. Table 19.08.030-2 is hereby added to the Development Code and shall read as follows:
Table 19.08.030-2
Development Standards
Standard OSC
Allowed Density (Dwelling Units per
Gross Acre)
Minimum 0
Maximum 0
Lot Size and Dimensions
Minimum Lot Size 0
Minimum Lot Width 0
Minimum Lot Depth 0
Minimum Width to Depth Ratio none
Minimum Setbacks 0
Front, First Story and Above 0
Side, First Story 0
Street Side, First Story and Above 0
Rear, First Story and Above 0
Distance Between Buildings None
Lot Coverage
Maximum 0
Building Height
Maximum 0
Unit Size
Minimum n/a
SECTION 4. CEQA Determination. On July 22, 2025, the City Council adopted Resolutions 25-17 and 25-18, approving an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration and a Mitigation Reporting and Monitoring Program for the Project, in
5 compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) (“CEQA”) and the State CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code Regs., § 15000 et seq.). The MND identifies that the proposed Project, would result in no impact or less than significant impacts in the following environmental impact categories:
aesthetics, agriculture, air quality, energy, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, land use and planning, mineral resources, noise, population and housing, public services, recreation, wildfire, utilities and service systems. With the incorporation of mitigation measures identified in the MND, the potentially significant impacts of the proposed Project in the following categories would be reduced below a level of significance: biological resources, cultural resources, hydrology and water quality, tribal cultural resources, transportation and traffic, and mandatory findings of significance. No significant and unmitigable impacts have been identified in the MND.
SECTION 5. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance, and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional, without regard to whether any portion of the Ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms held on this __th day of September , 2025. ________________________________________
Steven Bilderain, Mayor
ATTEST:
_________________________________
Cindy Villescas, CMC, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________________
A. Patrick Muñoz, City Attorney
6 I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of Ordinance No. 322, introduced on the 22nd of July, 2025 and the 26th of August, 2025 and duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms in a meeting held on September ___, 2025, in Twentynine Palms, California by the following vote, to wit.
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
________________________________________
Cindy Villescas CMC, City Clerk
1 CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS
CITY COUNCIL
ORDINANCE NO. 323
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE
CITY’S ZONING MAP, APPROVING REZONING 25-000001
AND REZONING ASSESSOR’S PARCEL NUMBER NO.
0614-121-15 FROM SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL,
ESTATE DENSITY (RS-E) TO COMMERCIAL TOURIST (CT) AND OPEN SPACE-CONSERVATION (OS-C) WHEREAS, in 2016, the City Council adopted Title 19 of the Twentynine Palms Municipal Code, which is referred to as the “Development Code”; and WHEREAS, in 2024, applications were submitted for General Plan Amendment No. 24-000003, Rezoning 25-000001, Conditional Use Permit No. 24- 000003, along with Development Code Amendment No. 25-000004, collectively known as the “Ofland Resort Project” or “Project”; and
WHEREAS, the Ofland Resort Project is located at the southeast corner of Lear Avenue and Twentynine Palms Highway, in the City of Twentynine Palms, San Bernardino County, California (APN 0614-121-15) (the “Property”) and consists of approximately 152 acres, of which, approximately 110 acres is proposed to be zoned as Open Space-Conservation (OS-C) and approximately 42 acres is proposed be zoned Tourist Commercial (C-T) and
WHEREAS, Development Code Amendment No. 25-000004, processed concurrently herewith, established an Open Space – Conservation (OS-C) Land Use Zoning District within the City’s Development Code; and WHEREAS, the Land Use Element of the General Plan includes Implementation Policy LU-1.2, which provides that “The Land Use Map shall serve as the City’s Official Zoning Map;” and ,
WHEREAS, in accordance with the provisions of the General Plan, on May 8, 2012, the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms adopted Ordinance No. 246 and thereby adopted the General Plan Land Use Map (General Plan Exhibit LU-3) as the official Zoning Map for the City of Twentynine Palms; and WHEREAS, as part of the proposed Project, the City’s Zoning Map will need to be amended to reflect the new zoning districts applicable to the Property; and WHEREAS, an Initial Study was prepared for the Ofland Resort Project in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act; and
2 WHEREAS, the Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration was posted from May 14, 2025, through June 3, 2025; and
WHEREAS, a Public Hearing was held by the Planning Commission on Tuesday, June 25, 2025 at which time the Commission adopted Planning Commission Resolution No. 25-07, recommending approval of the Ofland Resort project to the City Council; and,
WHEREAS, the public hearing notice for the Project was published on July 2, 2025 in the Desert Trail newspaper; and
WHEREAS, a Public Hearing was held by the City Council on Tuesday, July 22, following which the City Council adopted the Planning Commission’s recommendation and introduced this Rezoning 25-000001; and, WHEREAS, Rezoning 25-000001 was scheduled to be considered by the City Council for adoption on August 26, 2025, however due to changes to formatting, this Ordinance 323 was, by operation of law, instead introduced a second time on that date rather than being adopted.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Recitals. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are hereby incorporated as set forth in full into this Ordinance.
SECTION 2. Findings. the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms makes the following Findings in support of REZONING 25-000001:
A. That the Zone Change or Development Code Amendment is consistent with the intent of the goals and policies of the General Plan, in that introducing the Open-Space Conservation (OS-C) land use district, along with placing Tourist Commercial (C-T) near a major intersection, meets with the spirit of the goals and policies of the General Plan by indicating which parcels are to be set aside as permanent open space.
B. That the Zone Change or Development Code Amendment prescribes reasonable controls and standards to ensure compatibility with other established uses, in that the new Open-Space Conservation (OS-C) land use district and placing a 500-800 foot buffer surrounding the area proposed for development protects the surrounding residential land uses from the commercial uses in the interior of the property prescribes reasonable controls on proposed uses in this land use district.
3 C. That the Zone Change or Development Code Amendment provides reasonable property development rights while protecting environmentally sensitive land uses and species, in that the mitigation measures introduced in the Mitigated Negative Declaration will be placed as conditions of approval on the project, thus protecting environmentally sensitive land uses and species.
Also, the creation of an open space buffer on the exterior of the property also protects the natural habitat in that location.
D. That the Zone Change or Development Code Amendment ensures protection of the general health, safety and welfare of the community, in that the creation of the Open Space Conservation Zone, along with the 500-800 buffer surrounding the area proposed for development, protects the general health, safety, and welfare of the community by establishing those areas that are offlimits to development.
SECTION 3. Amendments. The City’s Zoning Map, which was adopted by Ordinance No. 246 on May 8th 2012, is hereby amended so as to be consistent with the map set forth in Exhibit “A.” The revised Zoning Map shall reflect the new Open Space-Conservation (OS-C) and Tourist Commercial (C-T) zoning designations for the Ofland Resort Project. The remaining parcels depicted on Exhibit A are for demonstrative purposes only and shall not be impacted by the provisions of this Ordinance. The revised Zoning Map shall be incorporated into Article 2 (Land Use/Zoning Districts) of Title 19 (Development Code) of the City’s Municipal Code.
SECTION 4. CEQA Determination. On July 22, 2025, the City Council adopted Resolutions 25-17 and 25-18, approving an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration and a Mitigation Reporting and Monitoring Program for the Project, in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) (“CEQA”) and the State CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code Regs., § 15000 et seq.). The MND identifies that the proposed Project, would result in no impact or less than significant impacts in the following environmental impact categories:
aesthetics, agriculture, air quality, energy, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, land use and planning, mineral resources, noise, population and housing, public services, recreation, wildfire, utilities and service systems. With the incorporation of mitigation measures identified in the MND, the potentially significant impacts of the proposed Project in the following categories would be reduced below a level of significance: biological resources, cultural resources, hydrology and water quality, tribal cultural resources, transportation and traffic, and mandatory findings of significance. No significant and unmitigable impacts have been identified in the MND
SECTION 5. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance, and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional, without regard
4 to whether any portion of the Ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms held on this __th day of September , 2025. ________________________________________
Steven Bilderain, Mayor
ATTEST:
_________________________________
Cindy Villescas, CMC, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________________
A. Patrick Muñoz, City Attorney
I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of Ordinance No. 322, introduced on the 22nd of July, 2025 and the 26th of August, 2025 and duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms in a meeting held on September ___, 2025, in Twentynine Palms, California by the following vote, to wit.
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
________________________________________
Cindy Villescas CMC, City Clerk
STAFF REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
FOR MEETING: Aug 26 2025
SUBJECT: Innovative Federal Strategies (IFS) Fee Increase RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a two-year contract with Innovative Federal Strategies (IFS) for $4,300 monthly or $53,100 annually for year 1 and $4,515 monthly or $55,680 annually in year 2.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE:
Request Staff Report (City Manager Presenting)
Council Questions of Staff
Request Public Comment
Council Discussion
Motion/Second
Discussion of Motion
Call the Question
ATTACHMENTS:
• 2025-03-17 IFS City of
Twentynine Palms Fee Increase
Request
BACKGROUND:
Innovative Federal Strategies (IFS) is a federally-focused consulting firm offering comprehensive business development, consulting and strategic advocacy services. With over 150 years of combined federal service, IFS maintains outstanding awareness across a wide range of federal agencies, topics, issues, and programs. IFS understands the nuanced, complex federal planning, programming, budgeting, contracting, and regulatory processes used throughout the Executive Branch.
IFS’s leadership team has unique expertise in the intricate legislative processes that Congress uses for annual authorizations, appropriations, regulatory and policy issues, and agency oversight. IFS works effectively with officials in both political parties, and works closely with Senators, Members and Staff in the United States Congress and officials in many federal agencies.
IFS keeps their consulting efforts focused on a reasonably small number of clients (just over 70) within local governments and municipal organizations, small businesses, non-profit research entities, and major defense corporations. IFS works on issues across the federal ecosystem and spanning appropriations, authorization, local government issues, natural resources, tax, acquisition policy/reform, emergency response, science and technology policy, energy, and national security policy. IFS leverages first-hand experience within these areas to the benefit of local government organizations.
The City of Twentynine Palms (City) worked with IFS from 2003 to 2011 and then resumed working with IFS in February 2017. IFS has worked with the City to identify federal funding opportunities that align with the City’s short-term priorities and long-term transportation and infrastructure priorities, including through the return of Community Project Funding, Congressionally Directed Spending, and Member Designated Projects. Additionally, IFS works with City Staff to identify and resolve federal issues that could impact the City.
Thanks to IFS’s guidance and support over the last year, the City was awarded $1,938,224.00 to be used to substantially fund a United State Geological Survey (USGS) study. This USGS study will support wastewater management and reclamation. This study is vital in understanding the long-term health of Twentynine Palm’s water supply and what the City and the Twentynine Palms Water District need to do to protect our most valuable resource.
The last fee increase occurred in 2019. IFS has been charging the City $3,800 per month, or $45,600 per year. In 2024, IFS requested a fee increase to $4,300 per month in year one and $4,515 per month in year two. Given where the City was in the 2024/2025 budget, City Staff requested IFS wait until the 2025/2026 budget cycle for any fee increases.
The new monthly fee of $4,300 monthly, or $53,100 annually, for year one and $4,515 monthly, or $55,680 annually, in year two has been included in the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 budget, respectively.
ENVIRONMENTAL:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council could choose not to approve the fee increase.
FISCAL IMPACT:
If approved, this would take effect July 1, 2025. This change has already been budgeted into the twoyear adopted budget for FY 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.
INNOVATIVE FEDERAL STRATEGIES, LLC
Comprehensive Government Relations
511 C STREET NE • Washington, DC 20002 • 202-347-5990 • FAX 202-347-5941 • WWW.INNOFED.COM March 17, 2025
Mr. Stone James
City Manager
City of Twentynine Palms, California
6136 Adobe Road
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
Dear Stone:
I wanted to express my thanks for the opportunity to represent the City of Twentynine Palms since 2017 and from 2003 to 2011. Together, Innovative Federal Strategies (IFS) and the City of Twentynine Palms have made significant progress on a number of the City’s federal legislative and funding priorities. We would be honored to continue working on your behalf and serving as your staff in Washington, DC. We look forward to continuing to build on the strong working relationships the City and IFS have with our congressional delegation, their staff, and within federal agencies.
Innovative Federal Strategies is well suited to continue assisting the City in efforts to track and report on relevant legislation and policy efforts in Congress, to build and maintain relationships with key Members of Congress and staff, and to implement congressional outreach campaigns regarding ongoing and future City federal issues. The members of our bipartisan firm have over 150 years of combined federal service. We offer comprehensive business development, consulting and strategic advocacy services to a diverse set of clients. We maintain outstanding awareness across a wide-range of germane federal agencies, topics, issues, and programs. We understand the nuanced, complex federal planning, programming, budgeting, contracting, and regulatory processes used throughout the Executive Branch.
Members of the firm have unique expertise in the intricate legislative processes that Congress uses for annual authorizations, appropriations, regulatory and policy issues, and agency oversight. Our firm works effectively with officials in both political parties, and works closely with Senators, Members and staff in the United States Congress and officials in many federal agencies. We currently serve over 70 clients including local governments and municipal organizations, small businesses, non-profit research entities, and major defense corporations. We work on issues across the federal ecosystem and spanning appropriations, authorization, local government issues, natural resources, tax, acquisition policy/reform, emergency response, science and technology policy, energy, and national security policy.
Specifically, we look forward to continuing our work on behalf of the City to identify federal funding opportunities that align with the City’s short-term priorities and long-term transportation and infrastructure priorities, including through the return of Community Project Funding, Congressionally Directed Spending, and Member Designated Projects. Additionally, IFS will continue to work with City staff to identify and resolve federal issues that could impact the City.
Innovative Federal Strategies LLC
Given the long-standing relationship between the City and the IFS, we propose a two year renewal period to align with the City’s fiscal year structured as follows:
• Year 1 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026): Total funding not to exceed $53,100.00 ($4,300.00/mo., expenses NTE $1,500 annually)
• Year 2 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027): Total funding not to exceed $55,680.00 ($4,515.00/mo., expenses NTE $1,500 annually)
Invoices will be payable NET30 upon receipt of a monthly invoice, and reimbursement for customary business expenses will be limited to those supporting IFS travel to California or supporting City officials or priorities in DC. The proposed renewal rates reflect the first time since 2019 that IFS has increased fees to the City.
IFS proposes that either party may terminate the agreement with 60 days written notice, at which time all obligations with the exception of any nondisclosure agreements and outstanding payments due would cease.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to provide this renewal proposal. Innovative Federal Strategies looks forward continuing to advance the City’s government engagement priorities.
Sincerely,
Letitia H. White
Principal
Innovative Federal Strategies LLC
About Innovative Federal Strategies
Innovative Federal Strategies specializes in strategic legislative engagement and problem solving in the intricate, nuanced federal government milieu. IFS was founded in 1992 under a different name and is located a few blocks from Capitol Hill. In the past, IFS has successfully advocated for policies and funding favorable to our clients’ priority interests in authorization and appropriations bills across the federal government trade space. We have assisted clients through a wide variety of engagements with federal agencies, ranging from influencing complex policy issues to getting appropriated funds on contract. We work collaboratively as one team, enabling us to be agile and responsive to clients’ needs. The IFS team includes:
• Letitia White, a partner who served as a senior staff member for the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee;
• Jean Denton, a partner who served as a senior staff member for a Member of the House Appropriations Committee;
• Carl Kime, a partner who served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, a senior staff member for the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and a special advisor to the Director of the Defense Advance Projects Research Agency and other agencies in the national security and intelligence communities; • Taylor Jordan, a principal who has a decade of public policy experience from his time serving as a senior policy advisor at NOAA and as a professional staff member in the House of Representatives;
• Jeannette Windon, a senior advisor who served on the staff of a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee;
• Susan Paxon, a junior associate who worked on the staff of another DC consulting firm before joining IFS;
• Erynn Hook, a senior associate who served as the Chief of Staff to a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and comes with over seven years hill experience;
• Benjamin J. Jarrett, a senior associate who served as the defense policy staff for a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and served in the executive branch for the Appalachian Regional Commission;
• Dave Kilian, a senior advisor who worked for 29 years in the Department of Defense, the Department of the Treasury, and on the Professional Staff of the House Appropriations Committee;
• Joe Minges, an associate who served as a legislative advisor to Representative Ed Perlmutter for nine years;
Innovative Federal Strategies LLC
• Peter Engel, an associate who served as a legislative aide to Senator Tina Smith; • Katelyn Costello, an executive associate with 6 years of experience at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and over 4 years on Capitol Hill; • JD Key, an executive associate with 3 years of experience on Capitol Hill and additional experience working on Congressional campaigns;
• Sam Swinson, a legislative assistant who interned on Capitol Hill for multiple Members of Congress before joining IFS;
• Juan Palinkasev, a staff assistant working on his master’s degree in international Affairs Policy and Analysis with a concentration on security and defense; and • Michael Fearon, a staff assistant who interned for Rep. Mary Peltola and the Center for Political Accountability before joining IFS.
IFS members served as staff to Members of Congress from the states of Alabama, Alaska, California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Colorado, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas. One IFS official is a former military officer. Two IFS members served as Professional Staff on Congressional committees. Several IFS members hold security clearances.
Expertise
IFS is fully able to perform the services of federal legislative advocacy and consulting for the City of Twentynine Palms. Our firm’s leadership and staff have extensive experience in performing similar work for current and past clients, and we have been extremely successful in doing so. We believe that we have achieved an unprecedented level of success in helping advocate for federal funding and policy issues on behalf of our California-based clients. IFS is exceptionally effective at Congressional relations with an emphasis on Congressional appropriations and authorizations and the interplay between Congress and federal agencies. IFS provides services to major corporations, non-profit organizations, research institutions, and startup companies.
IFS is widely recognized as extraordinarily proficient in Congressional appropriations – specifically understanding and predicting the environment, knowing the timing of when to act, developing effective legislative proposals, and obtaining timely meetings with Members of Congress, their staff, and committee Professional Staff. IFS has been named by Bloomberg Government as a top lobbying firm in Washington, DC. Among the criteria, Bloomberg recognizes firms for client retention rate; our team prides itself on building and maintaining longterm relationships with our clients built on a solid foundation of understanding our clients’ needs and providing tangible value.
Innovative Federal Strategies LLC
We believe that bipartisanship is a critical component of our firm’s success for our clients, especially municipalities. It is also our strong belief that the issues facing cities are not partisan in nature but rather are ones that deserve the full support of both sides of the political spectrum. All of the members of our firm are comfortable working with Republican and Democrat offices in order to meet our clients’ needs.
IFS provides prompt strategic information on the emerging and evolving federal budget environment based on conversations with Members of Congress and their staff, review of professional publications, and collaboration with fellow consultants on multifaceted strategic federal budget issues. We pay particular attention to issues that affect municipalities, influence the operation of the federal government, impose spending restrictions on federal agencies, affect polities governing federal research and development investments, target programs as candidates for reduction or efficiency measures, and result in the introduction of policies that affect client business operations.
Working with Congressional sponsors, members of the firm have participated in successful funding efforts on behalf of local government clients for a variety and mix of appropriations and authorizations. We are hands-on and success-oriented, and we urge our clients to focus on issues that have the most impact and the best chance of success. We also have a deep understanding and appreciation for the burdens placed on local governments.
We believe the most effective representation of a local government involves arranging access for local officials at crucial times to key decision-makers at the federal level. We create an ongoing dialogue between the local government officials and their federal counterparts, facilitated by our experience and breadth of contacts so that the client is pro-active in the debate regarding their issues. IFS works with clients to develop the most effective advocacy strategy given the relevant issues and the existing political landscape. We devote an extensive amount of time to clients in order to immerse ourselves in relevant issues, understand the clients’ perspectives and work hand-in-hand with our clients to devise the most effective strategy to achieve their goals.
IFS monitors Congressional activity and hearings on a daily basis, to include monitoring the schedule for future hearings and researching transcripts/reporting of relevant past hearings to address client interests. We closely monitor federal data sources such as General Accountability Office reports, Congressional Budget Office and Congressional Research Service Reports, paid publication subscriptions, agency web sites, and a wide variety of press clippings to provide clients with timely information to facilitate lobbying objectives.
Innovative Federal Strategies LLC
Statement of Work
Innovative Federal Strategies will continue to assist the City of Twentynine Palms in the following areas during the proposed period of the contract:
• Tracking and Reporting on Legislation and Emerging Policy o Continue to meet collaboratively with the City of Twentynine Palms to remain intimately familiar with the City’s priorities and the breadth of policies and issues of interest to the City.
o Perform research on salient federal requirements, programs, processes, and legislative histories.
o Track and report on legislation that affects programs or funding in areas of interest to the City.
o Provide real-time situational awareness into the complex evolving current year budget environment to include passage of fiscal year 2025 appropriations and authorization bills; and fiscal year 2025 Continuing Resolutions. o Provide timely information on fiscal year 2026/2027 Congressional processes, schedules, and content; Member office and Committee appropriations and authorization request deadlines; Congressional hearing schedules, topics, and witnesses; Subcommittee and full Committee legislation mark-ups, subsequent floor debate and amendments; and conferences between the House and Senate. o Review committee hearing transcripts and other proceedings for relevant information of interest to the City.
• Build and Maintain Congressional Relationships with Members and Staff o Develop a Congressional relations engagement strategy, to include initiating, developing, maintaining, strengthening, and expanding relations between the City and its Congressional delegation.
o Increase the visibility of City issues and priorities with Professional Staff Members on key Congressional committees.
o Identify opportunities for City officials to testify before or provide written testimony to Congressional Committees if desired and, as appropriate, support testimony by City officials.
o Track and provide real-time information on key personnel changes in Congressional offices and to membership of and assignments for Professional Staff Members of relevant Congressional Committees.
Innovative Federal Strategies LLC
o Facilitate meetings with Members of Congress, their staff and Professional Staff Members to provide information and advocate for City priorities. • Implement Congressional Outreach Campaigns
o Develop a comprehensive annual legislative strategy to address and accomplish City objectives.
o Develop specific legislative proposals that align with City priorities for Congressional authorization and/or appropriations bills when appropriate. o Develop Congressional Subcommittee, Committee, and Floor strategies and tactics to address and advocate for City priority programs and legislation. o Draft and edit briefings, issue papers, technical amendments, testimony, other Congressional correspondence, and appropriations/authorization office and committee request forms as needed.
o Develop questions for use by Members of Congress at hearings with federal agency witnesses on City priorities.
Innovative Federal Strategies will assist the City of Twentynine Palms in maintaining strict compliance with all applicable federal statues, regulations, rulings and filing requirements including but not limited to laws, regulations and rules pertaining to lobbying activities conducted in connection with an IFS contract. IFS will comply with all federal, state, and local laws, regulations and rulings, including but not limited to all laws, regulations and rulings governing the registration and activities of advocates to the extent that said laws are applicable in our capacity as a registered lobbyist under the contract.
Project Management
Letitia White and Jean Denton will be the principal partners, and Jeannette Windon and Susan Paxon will directly support the City’s day-to-day engagement. However, all IFS members will be available to support the City’s legislative priorities and interests.
Innovative Federal Strategies will provide monthly reports detailing all actions taken on behalf of the City of Twentynine Palms to give real-time visibility into the work we are performing and the progress we are making to address and accomplish the City’s priorities.
Additionally, we will have periodic scheduled conference calls to discuss strategy, actions taken, and future plans, along with occasional ad-hoc calls to discuss emergent issues in response to legislative action or intelligence received from other congressional engagement.
Innovative Federal Strategies has a strict conflict of interest policy. In the event issues arise where interests between existing clients might conflict, the firm will notify both clients of
Innovative Federal Strategies LLC
the potential conflict in the interest of full disclosure and to judge whether, from either client’s perspective, a conflict exists that requires remediation. In the event a conflict is determined to exist, the firm, on a specific case-by-case basis and after discussion with both clients, will remain neutral on the issue in conflict. At this time, we do not believe any conflicts of interest exist between the City and the firm’s existing clients.
Because we appreciate the challenges that cities face, IFS prides itself on offering very reasonable retainers to our municipal clients. We understand that you are responsible for providing a vast number of services to your residents, including public safety, wastewater collection and treatment, water supply and numerous other community services.
Innovative Federal Strategies has a valid license to conduct business in the District of Columbia, has paid required annual federal income taxes, has complied fully with all lobbying activity disclosure and reporting requirements to the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, and has no pending disputes with any clients or vendors.
STAFF REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: Community Development Director
FOR MEETING: Aug 26 2025
SUBJECT: CEQA Consultant Selection.
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council receive the information on the selection of CEQA consultants for future projects, and provide direction.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE:
Request Staff Report
Council Questions of Staff
Receive Public Comment
Council Discussion
Motion/Second
Discussion on Motion
Call the Question
ATTACHMENTS:
• CEQA LIST
BACKGROUND:
It has been the historic practice of the City of Twentynine Palms to rely on one consultant to conduct environmental analysis on behalf of the City for City-led projects. Additionally, the City has allowed applications for private developments to choose their own CEQA consultant.
On April 4, 2024, the City Council authorized City Staff to establish a CEQA consultants list. As of the time of this writing, five companies have provided Statements of Qualifications.
Staff is suggesting the following procedures for future projects that are subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA):
1) Once the project is identified, solicit cost estimates from the firms on the Consultant List 2) For City-led projects, the City will choose the most qualified consultant and bring an agreement with the consultant to the City Council for approval.
3) For private developments, the City will choose the most qualified consultant and bring an agreement with the consultant to the City Council for approval. The applicant will reimburse the City for the cost of doing the environmental work.
ENVIRONMENTAL:
None.
ALTERNATIVES: Page 57 of 132
The City Council could direct Staff to modify these proposed procedures, or not to implement them.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS
Approved list of Pre-Qualified CEQA Consulting Firms
Eyestone Environmental Statement of Qualifications Link 101 Continental BLVd, Suite 240,
El Segundo , CA 90245
Tel: (424)207-5333
MSA Consulting Statement of Qualifications Link
34200 Bob Hope Drive
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
Tel:(760)320-9811
PGN Statement of Qualifications Link
P.O. Box 2473
Menifee, CA 92586
Tel: (951)301-7114
RCH Group Statement of Qualifications Link
6521 Chesbro Circle
Rancho Murieta, CA 95683
Tel: (916)782-4427
Terra Nova Planning and Reseach Statement of Qualifications Link 42635 Melanie Place, Suite 101,
Palm Desert, CA 92211
Tel: (760)341-4800
The City received statements of qualifications from all listed consultants in response to a City RFQ. The submittals were used as the basis for establishing a list of pre-qualified consulting firms to provide CEQA services for future projects that may be identified during the annual (Fiscal Year 2025-2026) duration of the list. The list below reflect all the responses received to date. 07/18/2025
STAFF REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: Community Events Coordinator
FOR MEETING: Aug 26 2025
SUBJECT: Subcommittee Recommendations for Contributions to Non-Profit Organizations.
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council approve the subcommittee's suggested contributions to non-profit organizations.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE:
Request Staff Report (Community Events Coordinator
Presenting)
Council Questions of Staff
Request Public Comment
Council Discussion
Motion/Second
Discussion of Motion
Call the Question
BACKGROUND:
On Tuesday, May 27, 2025, the City hosted the 2025/2026 Non-Profit Grant Applicant Workshop, giving local non-profit organizations that had submitted grant applications the opportunity to present information about their work and their funding requests directly to the City Council.
The City allocated $75,000 for FY 2025-26 to support local non-profit organizations. This year, eleven organizations applied for funding and presented their proposals at the workshop.
Funding requests were as follows:
29-PSP: $3,800
29 Palms 29ers Inc.: $6,970
The 29 Palms Community Food Pantry & Outreach Ministries, Inc.: $30,000 Girls on the Run Riverside County: $10,000
High Desert Community Foundation / Ready4ReadingBookClub: $3,000 The Hope Center (Community Learning Equipping Project, Inc.): $10,000 Inspiration's Edge: $10,000
Molding Hearts: $10,000
Morongo Basin Unity Home Inc.: $16,000
Reach Out Morongo Basin: $20,000
Theatre 29: $20,000
Following the workshop, the subcommittee reviewed all applications and provided the following funding recommendations:
29-PSP: $3,800 Page 61 of 132
The 29 Palms Community Food Pantry & Outreach Ministries, Inc.: $32,500 Morongo Basin Unity Home Inc.: $10,000
Reach Out Morongo Basin: $22,500
Theatre 29 (Youth Programs): $1,200
The subcommittee is also recommending allocating $5,000 from the "Contributions to Non-Profit" to Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts for its annual Art Expo. The subcommittee did not recommend funding for the following applicants:
29 Palms 29ers Inc.
Girls on the Run Riverside County
High Desert Community Foundation / Ready4ReadingBookClub The Hope Center (Community Learning Equipping Project, Inc.) Inspiration's Edge
Molding Hearts
ENVIRONMENTAL:
None.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council may choose to approve the subcommittee's funding recommendations or table the item for further discussion.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City Council has allocated $75,000 for FY 2025-26 to provide funding contributions to local non-profit organizations.
STAFF REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: Community Development Director
FOR MEETING: Aug 26 2025
SUBJECT: Approach to Updating the General Plan.
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council receive the information and provide Staff direction accordingly.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE:
Request Staff Report (Community Development Director
Presenting)
Council Questions of Staff
Receive Public Comment
Council Discussion
Motion/Second
Discussion on Motion
Call the Question
ATTACHMENTS:
• Wrong Zoning Examples
BACKGROUND:
The General Plan that the City of Twentynine Palms uses was adopted in 2012. There have been no significant changes to the General Plan, aside from the downtown area. It should be noted that, in large part, the City inherited its land use plan from San Bernardino County when it incorporated in 1987. As a result, much of the City has "legacy" zoning that may or may not be appropriate in the locations that have been established.
Two main examples, there is a large area on the west side of the City that has 1-acre lots that are zoned for 2 1/2 acres. Another large area on the east side of town is owned by the Federal Government that is zoned for residential development.
Although there is no definitive time frame as to when General Plans need to be updated, they are generally in place for approximately 15 years.
In preparation for a full update of the General Plan, Staff is recommending the following process:
1) Staff will do research into the ownership of parcels within the City limits to identify those parcels that are owned by government agencies, utility companies, and other such entities. (This may take up to 3 months); 2) Staff will do research into privately-owned parcels and determine if they are consistent with the land use designation (i.e. are the correct lot size, or if they are commercial in a residential zone, etc) (this may take up to 6 months);
3) Staff will then draft recommendations for changes in land use, and present them to each Councilmember for their respective districts. (This may take another 2-3 months). It should be noted that other elements of the
General Plan (Circulation, Recreation, etc.) are highly dependent on the assumptions made in the Land Use Element of the General Plan;
4) Once completed, then begin to engage with outside consultants to conduct the requisite studies and analysis, and to do the other work necessary to update the General Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL:
None.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council could describe other ways to approach this subject.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A
Area of 1 acre lots that are zoned for
2 ½ acre minimums
Parcels owned by the Federal
Government that are zoned for
residential development
STAFF REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
FOR MEETING: Aug 26 2025
SUBJECT: Draft Five-Year Strategic Plan.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is for review and discussion.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE:
Request Staff Report (City Manager Presenting)
Council Questions of Staff
Request Public Comment
Council Discussion
Motion/Second
Discussion on Motion
Call the Question (Roll Call Vote)
ATTACHMENTS:
• 2025-08-19 DRAFT Strategic
Plan 29Palms
SP_Administrative Draft_8-19-
25 BACKGROUND:
City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OR LETTER TO THE CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS
INTRODUCTION
Purpose of the Strategic Plan
The City of Twentynine Palms 2025 Five-Year Strategic Plan defines a shared vision and mission that will guide targeted directions for action into 2030. It serves as a roadmap for implementing objectives that advance realigned goals, establishes a framework for improving city services and public infrastructure, and provides financial guidance to grow the City as both a home and destination point. Informed by City leadership and Staff as well as broad community and Marine Corps input to collectively determine outcomes, the Strategic Plan outlines guideposts and milestones to evaluate successful implementation over the coming years.
PLANNING PROCESS OVERVIEW
From January to June 2025, we engaged the community, City Council, department leaders and Staff, and other stakeholders through various interviews, meetings, workshops, and surveys to craft this Strategic Plan. From this process, we heard many diverse ideas that are reflected throughout this Strategic Plan and organized in a manner that creates a structure for the City to implement and achieve the goals and priorities outlined in the Strategic Plan. Our planning process included four phases, guided by MIG as our strategic planning consultants.
Phase I – Engagement: Defined shared visions and identified emerging issues and priorities through a range of engagement activities, including City Council interviews and an executive staff workshop.
Phase II – Strategic Plan Framework: Refined the vision and values as well as emerging issues, priorities, and opportunities to develop goals for the next five years through a range of engagement activities, including a City Council priority setting workshop with community participation, Staff and stakeholder engagement survey, and a follow-up executive Staff workshop.
Phase III – Draft Plan: Developed responsive strategies, actions, and performance measures to meet the goals and emerging issues, priorities, and opportunities raised during Phases I and II.
Phase IV – Final Plan: Finalized a Strategic Plan for City Council adoption and implementation.
ELEMENTS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN
The City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan includes the following elements:
Values – Shared principles that reflect what the community considers significant Vision – A desired end state and preferred future
Mission – The purpose and associated responsibilities of the City as an organization Goals – Statements of direction toward the City’s desired future Objectives – Specific statements of action about what the City hopes to achieve Strategies – The means for accomplishing goals and objectives Actions – A prioritized list of steps needed to accomplish goals and objectives Implementation Plan – A timeframe for completing actions and responsible parties
STRATEGIC PLAN FRAMEWORK
VALUES
Community Pride
Willingness to Help
Long-Term Sustainability
Diversity
Hospitality
Access to Nature
VISION
The City of Twentynine Palms is a tight-knit, community-oriented rural town that values collaboration and diversity, and stewards the beautiful Mojave Desert landscapes and Marine Corps. We strive to be in a place of financial sustainability to support existing needs and new initiatives that help everyone in our community flourish.
We are enterprising, provide resources for your youth, elders, marines, veterans, and families, and create opportunities that encourage independent businesses to establish themselves. Our array of outdoor experiences, proximity to Joshua Tree National Park, views of starry skies, and foundational relationship with the Marine Corps attract both residents and visitors who choose the City as a unique home or regional wellness destination with welcoming hospitality.
MISSION
The mission of the City of Twentynine Palms is to maintain and improve the quality of life for those who live, work, or visit the City by providing a safe, well-planned family atmosphere that is rich and diverse in cultural and natural resources and promotes economic and educational opportunities.
GOALS
Financial Sustainability – Diversify revenue sources for long term financial health and sustainable reserves
Enhanced Local Character – Invest in the small-town, rural characteristics to maintain the identity of the City of Twentynine Palms
Improved Infrastructure – Repair existing infrastructure and build new systems so residents can live, work, and play safely
Access to Resources – Ensure that the City of Twentynine Palms City Staff and residents have adequate resources to support daily needs and long-term wellbeing Local Tourism – Grow as a regional destination to expand nature-based, outdoor, and wellness experiences Community Outreach and Engagement – Facilitate outreach and engagement activities to increase transparency into operations and foster relationships with leadership and staff
THIS PLAN
Each Strategic Plan Goal includes five elements:
1. 1 Objective Statement – What the City of Twentynine Palms hopes to achieve in the coming years.
2. 2. Actions – The set of activities the City of Twentynine Palms will use to reach each goal.
3. 3. Metrics – Milestones and/or indicators that will articulate annual process and achievements.
4. 4. Timeline – Completion target dates for each action are organized as short term (Years 1 and 2), medium term (Years 3 and 4), and long term (Year 5).
5. 5. Department(s) – The city management team will be responsible for executing and coordinating implementation and reporting actions under each goal. Key supporting partners for each action are identified. These are listed in the action plan.
IMPLEMENTATION
Strategic Plan implementation is a continuous and shared responsibility that must be managed as a project. City Council adoption marks the beginning of implementation, and this five-year Strategic Plan acts as a living document which will be reviewed and evaluated by the City Manager’s office. Each of the goals include associated strategies and actions organized into action plan matrices, which provide direction on when these actions are to be implemented and by whom. Each goal is important, and while there is no order of priority, some action items have dependencies and require sequencing for successful implementation.
The Strategic Plan will also inform and become part of the City of Twentynine Palms’ budget document. City department objectives and programs will include specific actions and projects that build upon and achieve this Strategic Plan’s goals. Broad metrics will be included in this Strategic Plan to help track progress and measure success.
The Strategic Plan’s progress will be regularly reviewed by the City Council and department directors, and updated annually to reflect evolving needs, changing conditions, and updated priorities. Short term actions should be implemented immediately upon approval of the Strategic Plan by the appropriate departments and support.
This will ensure timely progress, and that any dependencies are completed ahead of implementing medium and long term actions. Actions should also be evaluated to determine its progress status, including what else may be needed to further its advancement or to determine if it should be removed or revised. The outlined metrics for each goal can assist City Staff and leadership in tracking progress over time. Though the City Manager’s office oversees the implementation of the Strategic Plan, regular check-ins during department director meetings can help ensure actions are on track to meet goals.
GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS
CAA – Charles Abbott Associates
CMC – Copper Mountain College
CMO – City Manager’s Office
COM DEV – Community Development Department
FIN – Finance Department
HR – Human resources Department
IT – Information Technology Department
MAGTFTC – Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command MCAGC – Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Page 69 of 132 NPS – National Park Service
PAAC – Public Arts Advisory Council
P&R – Parks and Recreation Department
PW – Public Works Department
TBID – Tourism Business Improvement District
GOAL A: Financial Sustainability
Objective Statement – Diversify revenue sources for long-term financial health and sustainable reserves.
Metrics
Amount generated from taxes
Amount generated from updated city fees
Balanced budget and reserve balance
Increase in number of diverse revenue sources
Number of new partnerships, including those with foundations and organizations Number of relevant and competitive grant applications submitted and awarded Strategy A1. Initiate programs and practices that enhance the tourist economy. Develop an intentional and deliberate Economic Development Strategic Plan. Convene a workshop with department directors to align on financial goals, assumptions, needs, and future spending projections. Include updates during department directors meetings. Analyze what economic development strategies are within the City’s jurisdiction, and initiate a plan to implement corresponding actions (e.g. identify viable public-private partnerships that can be revenue generating for both parties).
Identify local tourism’s and businesses’ role with implementing the City’s economic development goals. Expand opportunities to increase entrepreneurial creativity in products and services provided by new and established local businesses and retailers.
Include economic development initiatives in the Economic Strategic Plan that align with the General Plan (e.g. develop a tracker that matches initiatives with General Plan land uses to ensure compliance).
Strategy A2. Explore and pursue tax-based revenue generating mechanisms. Assess the sales tax (7.75%) for a 1% increase in 2026, including revenue potential to fund City projects and initiatives.
Identify voter concerns and support for sales tax increase. Initiate an educational campaign to inform the community about potential opportunities for funding City projects and initiatives through the sales tax.
Assess the transient occupancy tax (9.0%) for a 1% increase in 2026, including efforts to understand impacts on hotels and businesses.
Evaluate Community Facilities Districts as a possible funding mechanism, and others.
Strategy A3. Explore and pursue funding opportunities to benefit the community. Direct on-call grant writer to research viable grants and fundraising opportunities. Establish a priority list of grants and fundraising opportunities developed by the on-call grant writer, and direct grant writer to pursue grants and fundraising opportunities. Foster partnerships with relevant foundations and/or organizations to identify and match funding needs with opportunities.
Prioritize memorandums of understanding with foundations and organizations to match funding needs. Establish a dashboard or tracking tool to monitor grant applications and awards. Comply with established financial policies and procedures to maintain grant funding agreements.
Strategy A4. Institute and adhere to established fiscal policies, practices, processes, and systems. Review existing financial policies to align with best practices and implement measures to achieve internal consistency.
Update procurement policies to improve purchasing processes. Allocate funding to conduct comprehensive user fee study and full cost allocation plan.
Review most recent user fee schedule and full cost allocation plan to identify opportunities for moderate increases.
Convene a study session with City Council to overview the proposed recommendations to the City’s fee schedule.
Complete process to update key increases on the City’s fee schedule. Implement and communicate where increases are found in the updated City’s fee schedule. Ensure the next user fee study and full cost allocation plan is conducted and implemented by 2030, and occurs at least every five years.
Conduct workshops to educate the public about finance processes related to accounts payable, City grant funding requirements, budget preparation, etc.
Strategy A5. Ensure all departments remain fiscally responsible. Evaluate cost/benefit relationship of City-provided services by reviewing department expenditures and savings.
Evaluate cost and comparative service levels between City-provided services with private sector, nonfor-profit, and non-governmental organizations to determine if any services can be outsourced, as a costsavings mechanism. Evaluate cost competitiveness of City-sponsored sports teams, department, and league sponsorships and marketing with nearby cities.
Strategy A6. Enhance partnership with Marine Corps to maintain and grow regional investments. Promote the City as a military-friendly community.
Regularly engage the Marine Corps to provide political support for military investments in MAGTFTC and the region.
Support the establishment, management, and sustained long-term growth of the Twentynine Palms Combat Center Alliance to mobilize the community to support Marine Corps initiatives. Work to advance the partnership with the Twentynine Palms Combat Center Alliance to achieve implementing its mission of educating, advocating, and supporting MAGTFTC. Foster partnership with the Marine Corps Community Services to support military quality of life programming that supports military families and encourages military veterans and retirees to live and stay in the community.
Explore feasibility of leveraging the Category C Waiver to increase community access to the Marine Corps’ facilities and build relationships between the City and Marine Corps. Continue research into and development of the Intergovernmental Service Agreement to explore contracting opportunities for the City to provide infrastructure services at the Marine Corps, growing the relationship between the City and Marine Corps and acting as a revenue generator for the City. Explore dedicated military-community partnerships and grant funding opportunities that benefit regional and local investment.
GOAL B: Enhanced Local Character
Objective Statement – Invest in the small-town, rural characteristics to maintain the identity of the City of Twentynine Palms.
Metrics:
Community perception of public rights-of-way, corridors, and other public spaces Developer perception of designing and constructing in the City Number of local businesses participating in Rediscover29, as well as City-led initiatives and events Number of new local businesses, commercial developments, and retailers Strategy B1. Enhance vibrant corridors and gateways.
Foster the partnership with Rediscover29 to build relationships with local businesses across the City as a way to assess needs and identify opportunities to support. Initiate a meeting with businesses to establish shared responsibility over cleanliness in key corridors, such as downtown, Freedom Plaza, Adobe Road, etc., and establish approach for regular check-ins over time.
Encourage local businesses, shops, and restaurants to participate in regularly occurring events to activate existing commercial corridors (e.g. art walks, bar crawls). Page 71 of 132 Identify and commission local artists to beautify City gateways as a way of establishing a sense of entry and identifiable city/community character.
Develop a public right-of-way improvement plan that identifies strategies to invest in urban design interventions that create experiential spaces.
Align corridor and gateway improvement projects with other capital improvement projects and economic development initiatives to bolster economic vitality.
Strategy B2. Prioritize initiatives that support locally-owned businesses. Explore feasibility of an incentive program to attract and retain new local businesses. Attract unique local businesses that provide goods and services to enhance quality of life for residents and contribute to value for visitors.
Review the feasibility to fund and establish a program that supports local businesses with physical improvements (e.g. streamline permitting, façade improvements). Develop a method to track development project review times across all relevant departments (e.g. internal dashboard).
Explore feasibility of establishing a restaurant exclusion zone to promote local eateries over chain restaurants.
Implement restaurant exclusion zone to dedicate space in high-traffic areas for new and existing local eateries.
Explore a spend local campaign to enhance exposure of local businesses and educate residents about the benefits of local spending.
Strategy B3. Enforce design and development guidelines that maintain local character over time. Evaluate existing code enforcement to identify where more actionable mandates can be implemented.
Include periodic updates during department meetings.
Explore feasibility of an adaptive reuse program that can be used to remediate, sell, and/or redevelop blighted buildings and vacant lots.
Implement adaptive reuse program targeted at blighted buildings and vacant lots. Create design guidelines identifying elements to preserve when constructing new projects to maintain small-town characteristics.
Implement updated design guidelines that maintain the small-town, charming, rural feel of the City. Evaluate existing development code and permitting rules to identify areas where requirements can be made clearer, more concise, and business-friendly. Include periodic updates during department meetings. Collaborate with developers to design and build projects that align with the aesthetic and charm of the City.
Explore community stabilization measures that allow the City’s existing residents, community groups, and organizations to stay and thrive-in-place.
Include engagement with the Marine Corps to ensure development and land use are compatible with sensitive military mission activities, operations, and security guidelines. (e.g. MCAGCC, civil-military coordination in emergencies, etc.).
GOAL C: Improved Infrastructure
Objective Statement – Repair existing infrastructure and build new systems so residents can live, work, and play safely.
Metrics:
Number of completed public infrastructure and public works projects Number of new housing projects at multiple levels of affordability Number of systems in place to manage water and waste management resources Strategy C1. Support development of housing stock.
Convene the Community Development Department to evaluate current and proposed housing projects’ status to determine how much of the 2021-29 Regional Housing Needs Allocation has been met and implemented, establishing future review benchmarks.
Determine future projection of housing construction needed to stay on track with the 2021-29 Regional Housing Needs Allocation requirement, creating a development timeline to help track potential projects and opportunities. Page 72 of 132
Develop strategies in coordination with the Economic Development Strategic Plan to identify colocation opportunities for increasing residential property values as a way to attract more developers. Explore feasibility of incentive program that attracts new housing developments at multiple levels of affordability.
Explore opportunities to streamline permitting and construction requirements to support new affordable housing development.
Consider enforceable restrictions that could limit the number of AirBnBs as a way to secure housing and home ownership, as well as promote local hotels.
Identify Marine Corps long-term needs for off-base housing and hospitality, and integrate into community housing needs and planning.
Strategy C2. Update and sustain water and waste management services. Foster partnership with Twentynine Palms Water District to ensure community has continued access to sufficient quantities of high-quality drinking water for the next 100 years, establishing periodic checkpoints to review status and progress.
Acquire baseline data from the US Geological Survey Groundwater Tables Study to accurately understand the groundwater and oasis level statuses.
Establish a system to utilize US Geological Survey Groundwater Tables Study data for informing and implementing necessary improvement projects, including a timeline to acquire and analyze new groundwater data compared to baseline.
Partner with relevant state and federal agencies to study groundwater quality to advance a centralized wastewater treatment system.
Design an educational program surrounding septic system management (e.g. social media campaign, workshops, tabling).
Implement the educational program on septic system management in partnership with relevant agencies and organizations.
Ensure appropriate oversight of community’s non-tribal package treatment plans. Acquire cameras with wireless cards to place at key locations to evaluate extent of flooding. Monitor camera data to inform and update upcoming flood mitigation measures. Explore efforts and projects that mitigate flood risks and support the regional water supply in coordination with the Marine Corps.
Strategy C3. Enhance community-serving facilities.
Repair and/or replace existing public works equipment needed to maintain paved and dirt roads as well as sidewalks.
Maintain paved roads, dirt roads, and sidewalks, including a schedule for regular maintenance and improvements.
Complete Sullivan-Hatch bike path to advance active transportation networks across the City. Initiate pursuit of grant opportunities to enhance and retrofit existing transportation infrastructure, working with the on-call grant writer to apply, track, and comply with active proposals. Create and begin implementing a strategy to engage the public to support a 1% tax measure dedicated to animal shelter construction.
Explore feasibility of a priority-based, phased construction approach to update the Palms-N-Paws animal shelter aligned with budgetary projections, initiating construction phases as possible. Foster existing partnerships and develop new partnerships to identify funding opportunities for PalmsN-Paws programming and capital improvement. Work with the Palms-N-Paws Animal Shelter to expand social media efforts and reach to increase adoption rates, volunteer base, and partnerships.
Support Palms-N-Paws with a website refresh to advertise information on a breadth of topics, including upcoming events and animal-related development code updates. Inventory locations at City parks, open spaces, and other public gathering areas to ensure they have adequate shade structures., exploring additional cooling amenities as needed. Identify specific steps to provide shade structures and additional cooling amenities at City parks, open spaces, and other public gathering areas.
Create and maintain a centralized online landing page where all community-serving programming and facilities can be easily accessible.
GOAL D: Access to Resources
Objective Statement – Ensure that the City of Twentynine Palms city staff and residents have adequate resources to support daily needs and long-term wellbeing.
Metrics:
Community perception of hazard mitigation and emergency preparedness measures Effective use of resources for city staff and department operations Effective use of resources for food pantry services Effective use of resources for physical and mental health and wellbeing for all residents, including marines and veterans
Effective use of resources for unhoused community
Increased rates of employment across diverse industries, including hospitality Staff perception of working for the City
Strategy D1. Improve services that support health and wellbeing. Foster partnerships with surrounding health providers who can provide telehealth and digital mental health care.
Explore feasibility of nonemergency medical transportation services to increase access to other facilities across the region.
Ensure urgent care resources are contracted for workers compensation services to provide care for all employees.
Explore options to convene an interdepartmental team to increase coordination of services and response to the City’s unhoused community.
Foster working partnerships with organizations that provide wraparound housing services to implement programs designed to identify, address, and eliminate root causes of homelessness. Identify and partner with mission-aligned nonprofit organizations to grow a network of food pantry services.
Identify and secure a new location to operate as a food pantry, meeting the community’s food needs and state’s landfill diversion requirements (e.g. co-location at another church, grocery store, or school). Ensure all food pantries can sustainably operate and meet CalRecycle diversion requirements. Maintain and expand existing programming that supports child, teen, and youth development and play.
Strategy D2. Expand and enhance employment opportunities within the City. Continue supporting Twentynine Palms High School Work experience Program on workforce training and development.
Partner with Copper Mountain Community College to develop and promote higher education options, workforce development programming, and curriculum that supports diverse career pipelines in a variety of industries.
Create and maintain a citywide volunteer mentorship program that partners local professionals with youth to explore different career pathways and gain hands-on experience across industries. Identify City initiatives that leverage the highly technical skills of active and retired marines to foster working partnerships between the City and Marine Corps. Connect with retired marines to identify economic development and business incubation opportunities that meet needs of marines, marine families, and retired military residing in Twentynine Palms. Foster partnership between the City, Marine Corps, and Copper Mountain Community College to promote skill building and training at the college.
Strategy D3. Grow and enhance organizational development and capacity. Develop Strategic Plan workplans for each department and regularly review progress and checkmarks at department director meetings with the city manager.
Initiate an internal landscape analysis to identify what departments need for capacity building and resource support (e.g. data, marketing, staffing).
Identify and operationalize opportunities for increasing capacity building and resource support for staff, and maintain periodic check-ins between department staff and directors. Foster and maintain interdepartmental coordination by applying a systematic approach to processes that taps various departments for shared workstreams (e.g. permitting with code enforcement).
Assess staffing levels across all departments and create a staffing plan to ensure the City has adequate capacity to deliver services.
Hire a community service specialist to support with administrative tasks within the sheriff’s department. Evaluate staff recruitment and retention efforts and policies, identifying opportunities for improving recruitment and hiring processes, new hire onboarding experiences, and ongoing staff development to ensure the City is a municipal employer of choice.
Review and refine existing training and professional development policies and practices to support and engage employees to grow professionally and excel in their field. Establish an organizational succession plan that identifies actionable opportunities for promoting talent within the organization.
Strategy D4. Ensure best-in-class municipal services to residents. Identify and create systems that facilitate purpose-driven, anticipatory customer service (e.g. services request system, contract management).
Utilize industry best practices, new technologies, and additional training to ensure operational efficiency and effectiveness.
Ensure all departments are compliant with internal and public-facing requirements, including public records retention.
Review and update finance department’s retention record list as needed. Identify and train a City staff member to serve in the emergency manager role and assume responsibility for the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan to ensure the City is up-to-date and equipped to proactively address identified hazards and retroactively responding to emergencies. Explore feasibility of and opportunities to co-train with the Marine Corps on emergency management systems and response.
GOAL E: Local Tourism
Objective Statement – Grow as a regional destination to expand nature-based, outdoor, and wellness experiences.
Metrics:
Increase in Transient Occupancy Tax and TBID revenue, reflecting growth in overnight stays Increase in Visit 29 Palms’ reach and engagement across owned digital platforms, including website, social media, and direct marketing channels
Number of attendees per event (residents and visitors) Number of day-time visitors per season
Number of new hospitality industry businesses (hotels, resorts, etc.) Number of over-night visitors per season
Strategy E1. Expand branding and identity as an attractive regional destination. Define the mission, vision, and values of the TBID to pursue a five-year 1994 law conversion. Confirm the TBID mission, vision, and values with City Council, TBID stakeholders, and community members.
Execute ongoing strategies from TBID 2024-25 Tourism Marketing Plan and Budget, communicating with and working alongside relevant TBID stakeholders and community members. Increase TBID assessment percentage to ensure the City remains competitive with comparable markets.
Grow and maintain Visit 29 Palms’ reach and engagement across owned digital media channels by promoting the key destination pillars using compelling visual content and storytelling. Foster Visit 29 Palms social media partnerships by leveraging user-generated content and collaborating with local businesses, creators, Marine Crops, National Park Service, and tourism partners to grow reach and strengthen regional brand identity.
Promote established and upcoming attractions and events that boost overnight, seasonal, and yearround stays. Procure and establish data management tools that support with tracking day-time and over-night visitor rates per season. Use these tools to monitor visitor rates over time.
Increase awareness of and drive visitation to the new National Park Visitor Center in Freedom Plaza, elevating the City’s positioning as the gateway of choice to Joshua Tree National Park.
Strategy E2. Strengthen and diversify local hospitality infrastructure. Initiate and facilitate a closer collaboration between established lodging and tourist-serving businesses to boost local and regional tourism rates and incentivize longer overnight stays. Identify and advance partnerships and job opportunities across all roles within the hospitality industry to support local hiring practices and ensure staffing capacity. Support future development and operation of upcoming Ofland lodging development. Explore additional opportunities for constructing diverse lodging options and hospitality infrastructure expansion, including any feedback from existing local hotels and retailers.
Strategy E3. Cultivate a robust local creatives scene.
Complete and execute regulations for enhancing local artistic and entertainment initiatives within the Arts Master Plan and Entertainment License Program.
Work with the local business community to develop and maintain a database of licensed entertainment venues to support local events.
Partner with the local business community to host and expand community event offerings that provide unique and creative experiences utilizing existing facilities to complement other local and regional events (e.g. Theater29).
Encourage organizations and businesses to apply for the TBID’s Sponsorship and Event Grant Program to receive financial support for locally-hosted, tourism-driving events. Maintain and advertise the Visit 29 Palms events calendar to increase attendance and participation from local residents and new/returning visitors. Confirm events and make updates regularly, in partnership with local businesses and creatives.
GOAL F: Community Outreach and Engagement
Objective Statement – Facilitate outreach and engagement activities to increase transparency into operations and foster relationships with leadership and Staff.
Metrics:
Improved community perception rating
Increased number of City communications shared out to residents Increased public understanding of City operations
Number of residents enrolled in citizen’s academy
Strategy F1. Deliver programs and initiatives that provide information and opportunities for engagement. Initiate and regularly host a semiannual “all hands” meeting that convenes staff and city leadership to stay aligned on projects and identifies updates that should be shared with the community. Execute and regularly manage a social media campaign to inform the public about City operations, upcoming events, and announcements.
Create and maintain a centralized digital hub within the City’s website that includes information and resources for residents to easily access and share.
Establish a youth-led advisory board to spearhead programming at existing community facilities that supports teen and youth development and recreation. Support and facilitate the work of the youth-led advisory board including regularly scheduled convening. Establish a Citizen’s Academy program to build transparency into City operations.. Initiate and regularly host focus groups or town hall forums to hear directly from community members, recognize specific residents for active engagement, and strengthen interconnections between the Marine Corps and community.
Strategy F2. Support meaningful community outreach to identify additional and ongoing community needs. Develop and execute an outreach and engagement strategy to determine if services are addressing the actual needs of the City’s diverse community and demographics, including the Marine Corps. Conduct a community satisfaction survey to objectively gather and evaluate community needs, preferences, and satisfaction rates on City services.
Complete a bi-annual community satisfaction survey, adjusting questions and dissemination methods over time and in alignment with community needs.
Convene a preliminary in-person coffee chat with community and Marine Corps base residents, Staff, and leadership to provide opportunities for shared relationship building and problem solving, hosting regularly if effective.
Next Steps:
Collect and incorporate feedback on this draft strategic plan. Upon finalizing any remaining feedback, Staff will bring a final draft of the Strategic Plan will back to the City Council for adoption and implementation.
ENVIRONMENTAL:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council could accept this plan as is, modify, or reject the plan in its entirety.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A
1 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OR LETTER TO THE CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS
INTRODUCTION
Purpose of the Strategic Plan
The City of Twentynine Palms 2025 Five Year Strategic Plan defines a shared vision and mission that will guide targeted directions for action into 2030. It serves as a roadmap for implementing objectives that advance re-aligned goals, establish a framework for improving city services and public infrastructure, and provide financial guidance to grow the City as both a home and destination point. Informed by city leadership and staff as well as broad community and Marine Corps input to collectively determine outcomes, the strategic plan outlines guideposts and milestones to evaluate successful implementation over the coming years.
PLANNING PROCESS OVERVIEW
From January to June 2025, we engaged the community, city council, department leaders and staff, and other stakeholders through various interviews, meetings, workshops, and surveys to craft this Strategic Plan. From this process, we heard many diverse ideas that are reflected throughout this Strategic Plan and organized in a manner that creates a structure for the City to implement and achieve the goals and priorities outlined in the Strategic Plan. Our planning process included four phases, guided by MIG as our strategic planning consultants.
Phase I – Engagement: Defined shared visions and identified emerging issues and priorities through a range of engagement activities, including city council interview and an executive staff workshops.
Phase II – Strategic Plan Framework: Refined the vision and values as well as emerging issues, priorities, and opportunities to develop goals for the next five years through a range of engagement activities, including city council priority setting workshop with community participation, staff and stakeholder engagement survey, and a follow-up executive staff workshop.
Phase III – Draft Plan: Developed responsive strategies, actions, and performance measures to meet the goals and emerging issues, priorities, and opportunities raised during Phases I and II.
Phase IV – Final Plan: Finalized a Strategic Plan for city council adoption and implementation.
ELEMENTS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN
The City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan includes the following elements:
• Values – Shared principles that reflect what the community considers significant • Vision – A desired end state and preferred future
• Mission – The purpose and associated responsibilities of the City as an organization • Goals – Statements of direction toward the City’s desired future • Objectives – Specific statements of action about what the City hopes to achieve • Strategies – The means for accomplishing goals and objectives • Actions – A prioritized list of steps needed to accomplish goals and objectives • Implementation Plan – A timeframe for completing actions and responsible parties
2 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
STRATEGIC PLAN FRAMEWORK
VALUES
Community Pride
Willingness to Help
Long-Term Sustainability
Diversity
Hospitality
Access to Nature
VISION
The City of Twentynine Palms is a tight-knit, community-oriented rural town that values collaboration and diversity, and stewards of the beautiful Mojave Desert landscapes and Marine Corps. We strive to be in a place of financial sustainability to support existing needs and new initiatives that help everyone in our community flourish. We are enterprising, provide resources for your youth, elders, marines, veterans, and families, and create opportunities that encourage independent businesses to establish themselves. Our array of outdoor experiences, proximity to Joshua Tree National Park, views of starry skies, and foundational relationship with the Marine Corps attract both residents and visitors who choose the City as a unique home or regional wellness destination with welcoming hospitality.
MISSION
The mission of the City of Twentynine Palms is to maintain and improve the quality of life for those who live, work, or visit the City by providing a safe, well-planned family atmosphere that is rich and diverse in cultural and natural resources and promotes economic and educational opportunities.
GOALS
• Financial Sustainability – Diversify revenue sources for long term financial health and sustainable reserves
• Enhanced Local Character – Invest in the small-town, rural characteristics to maintain the identity of the City of Twentynine Palms
• Improved Infrastructure – Repair existing infrastructure and build new systems so residents can live, work, and play safely
• Access to Resources – Ensure that the City of Twentynine Palms city staff and residents have adequate resources to support daily needs and long-term wellbeing • Local Tourism – Grow as a regional destination to expand nature-based, outdoor, and wellness experiences
• Community Outreach and Engagement – Facilitate outreach and engagement activities to increase transparency into operations and foster relationships with leadership and staff
THIS PLAN
Each Strategic Plan Goal includes five elements:
1. Objective Statement – What the City of Twentynine Palms hopes to achieve in the coming years.
3 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
2. Actions – The set of activities the City of Twentynine Palms will use to reach each goal.
3. Metrics – Milestones and/or indicators that will articulate annual process and achievements.
4. Timeline – Completion target dates for each action are organized as short term (Years 1 and 2), medium term (Years 3 and 4), and long term (Year 5).
5. Lead Department(s) – The city management team will be responsible for executing and coordinating implementation and reporting actions under each goal. Key supporting partners for each action are identified. These are listed in the action plan.
IMPLEMENTATION
Strategic Plan implementation is a continuous and shared responsibility that must be managed as a project. City council adoption marks the beginning of implementation, and this five-year Strategic Plan acts as a living document which will be reviewed and evaluated by the city manager’s office. Each of the goals include associated strategies and actions organized into action plan matrices, which provide direction on when these actions are to be implemented and by whom. Each goal is important, and while there is no order of priority, some action items have dependencies and require sequencing for successful implementation.
The Strategic Plan will also inform and become part of the City of Twentynine Palms’ budget document. City department objectives and programs will include specific actions and projects that build upon and achieve this Strategic Plan’s goals. Broad metrics will be included in this Strategic Plan to help track progress and measure success.
The Strategic Plan’s progress will be regularly reviewed by the city council and department directors, and updated annually to reflect evolving needs, changing conditions, and updated priorities. Short term actions should be implemented immediately upon approval of the Strategic Plan by the appropriate departments and support. This will ensure timely progress, and that any dependencies are completed ahead of implementing medium and long term actions. Actions should also be evaluated to determine its progress status, including what else may be needed to further its advancement or to determine if it should be removed or revised. The outlined metrics for each goal can assist city staff and leadership in tracking progress over time. Though the city manager’s office oversees the implementation of the Strategic Plan, regular check-ins during department director meetings can help ensure actions are on track to meet goals.
GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS
• CAA – Charles Abbott Associates
• CMC – Copper Mountain College
• CMO – City Manager’s Office
• COM DEV – Community Development Department
• FIN – Finance Department
• HR – Human resources Department
• IT – Information Technology Department
• MAGTFTC – Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command • MCAGC – Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center
• NPS – National Park Service
• PAAC – Public Arts Advisory Council
• P&R – Parks and Recreation Department
• PW – Public Works Department
• TBID – Tourism Business Improvement District
4 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
GOAL A: Financial Sustainability
Objective Statement – Diversify revenue sources for long-term financial health and sustainable reserves.
Metrics
• Amount generated from taxes
• Amount generated from updated city fees
• Balanced budget and reserve balance
• Increase in number of diverse revenue sources
• Number of new partnerships, including those with foundations and organizations • Number of relevant and competitive grant applications submitted and awarded Strategy A1. Initiate programs and practices that enhance the tourist economy. • Develop an intentional and deliberate Economic Development Strategic Plan. • Convene a workshop with department directors to align on financial goals, assumptions, needs, and future spending projections. Include updates during department directors meetings.
• Analyze what economic development strategies are within the City’s jurisdiction, and initiate a plan to implement corresponding actions (e.g. identify viable public-private partnerships that can be revenue generating for both parties). • Identify local tourism’s and businesses’ role with implementing the City’s economic development goals.
• Expand opportunities to increase entrepreneurial creativity in products and services provided by new and established local businesses and retailers. • Include economic development initiatives in the Economic Strategic Plan that align with the General Plan (e.g. develop a tracker that matches initiatives with General Plan land uses to ensure compliance).
Strategy A2. Explore and pursue tax-based revenue generating mechanisms. • Assess the sales tax (7.75%) for a 1% increase in 2026, including revenue potential to fund City projects and initiatives.
• Identify voter concerns and support for sales tax increase. • Initiate an educational campaign to inform the community about potential opportunities for funding City projects and initiatives through the sales tax. • Assess the transient occupancy tax (9.0%) for a 1% increase in 2026, including efforts to understand impacts on hotels and businesses.
• Evaluate Community Facilities Districts as a possible funding mechanism, and others.
Strategy A3. Explore and pursue funding opportunities to benefit the community. • Direct on-call grant writer to research viable grants and fundraising opportunities. • Establish a priority list of grants and fundraising opportunities developed by the on-call grant writer, and direct grant writer to pursue grants and fundraising opportunities. • Foster partnerships with relevant foundations and/or organizations to identify and match funding needs with opportunities.
• Prioritize memorandums of understanding with foundations and organizations to match funding needs.
• Establish a dashboard or tracking tool to monitor grant applications and awards.
5 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
• Comply with established financial policies and procedures to maintain grant funding agreements.
Strategy A4. Institute and adhere to established fiscal policies, practices, processes, and systems.
• Review existing financial policies to align with best practices and implement measures to achieve internal consistency.
• Update procurement policies to improve purchasing processes. • Allocate funding to conduct comprehensive user fee study and full cost allocation plan. • Review most recent user fee schedule and full cost allocation plan to identify opportunities for moderate increases.
• Convene a study session with city council to overview the proposed recommendations to the City’s fee schedule.
• Complete process to update key increases on the City’s fee schedule. • Implement and communicate where increases are found in the updated City’s fee schedule.
• Ensure the next user fee study and full cost allocation plan is conducted and implemented by 2030, and occurs at least every five years. • Conduct workshops to educate the public about finance processes related to accounts payable, City grant funding requirements, budget preparation, etc.
Strategy A5. Ensure all departments remain fiscally responsible. • Evaluate cost/benefit relationship of City-provided services by reviewing department expenditures and savings.
• Evaluate cost and comparative service levels between City-provided services with private sector, non-for-profit, and non-governmental organizations to determine if any services can be outsourced, as a cost-savings mechanism. • Evaluate cost competitiveness of City-sponsored sports teams, department, and league sponsorships and marketing with nearby cities.
Strategy A6. Enhance partnership with Marine Corps to maintain and grow regional investments.
• Promote the City as a military-friendly community.
• Regularly engage the Marine Corps to provide political support for military investments in MAGTFTC and the region.
• Support the establishment, management, and sustained long-term growth of the Twentynine Palms Combat Center Alliance to mobilize the community to support Marine Corps initiatives.
• Work to advance the partnership with the Twentynine Palms Combat Center Alliance to achieve implementing its mission of educating, advocating, and supporting MAGTFTC. • Foster partnership with the Marine Corps Community Services to support military quality of life programming that supports military families and encourages military veterans and retirees to live and stay in the community.
• Explore feasibility of leveraging the Category C Waiver to increase community access to the Marine Corps’ facilities and build relationships between the City and Marine Corps. • Continue research into and development of the Intergovernmental Service Agreement to explore contracting opportunities for the City to provide infrastructure services at the Marine Corps, growing the relationship between the City and Marine Corps and acting as a revenue generator for the City.
6 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
• Explore dedicated military-community partnerships and grant funding opportunities that benefit regional and local investment.
GOAL B: Enhanced Local Character
Objective Statement – Invest in the small-town, rural characteristics to maintain the identity of the City of Twentynine Palms.
Metrics:
• Community perception of public rights-of-way, corridors, and other public spaces • Developer perception of designing and constructing in the City • Number of local businesses participating in Rediscover29, as well as City-led initiatives and events
• Number of new local businesses, commercial developments, and retailers Strategy B1. Enhance vibrant corridors and gateways.
• Foster the partnership with Rediscover29 to build relationships with local businesses across the City as a way to assess needs and identify opportunities to support. • Initiate a meeting with businesses to establish shared responsibility over cleanliness in key corridors, such as downtown, Freedom Plaza, Adobe Road, etc., and establish approach for regular check-ins over time.
• Encourage local businesses, shops, and restaurants to participate in regularly occurring events to activate existing commercial corridors (e.g. art walks, bar crawls). • Identify and commission local artists to beautify City gateways as a way of establishing a sense of entry and identifiable city/community character. • Develop a public right-of-way improvement plan that identifies strategies to invest in urban design interventions that create experiential spaces. • Align corridor and gateway improvement projects with other capital improvement projects and economic development initiatives to bolster economic vitality.
Strategy B2. Prioritize initiatives that support locally-owned businesses. • Explore feasibility of an incentive program to attract and retain new local businesses. • Attract unique local businesses that provide goods and services to enhance quality of life for residents and contribute to value for visitors.
• Review the feasibility to fund and establish a program that supports local businesses with physical improvements (e.g. streamline permitting, façade improvements). • Develop a method to track development project review times across all relevant departments (e.g. internal dashboard).
• Explore feasibility of establishing a restaurant exclusion zone to promote local eateries over chain restaurants.
• Implement restaurant exclusion zone to dedicate space in high-traffic areas for new and existing local eateries.
• Explore a spend local campaign to enhance exposure of local businesses and educate residents about the benefits of local spending.
Strategy B3. Enforce design and development guidelines that maintain local character over time.
• Evaluate existing code enforcement to identify where more actionable mandates can be implemented. Include periodic updates during department meetings.
7 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
• Explore feasibility of an adaptive reuse program that can be used to remediate, sell, and/or redevelop blighted buildings and vacant lots.
• Implement adaptive reuse program targeted at blighted buildings and vacant lots. • Create design guidelines identifying elements to preserve when constructing new projects to maintain small-town characteristics.
• Implement updated design guidelines that maintain the small-town, charming, rural feel of the City.
• Evaluate existing development code and permitting rules to identify areas where requirements can be made clearer, more concise, and business-friendly. Include periodic updates during department meetings.
• Collaborate with developers to design and build projects that align with the aesthetic and charm of the City.
• Explore community stabilization measures that allow the City’s existing residents, community groups, and organizations to stay and thrive-in-place. • Include engagement with the Marine Corps to ensure development and land use are compatible with sensitive military mission activities, operations, and security guidelines. (e.g. MCAGCC, civil-military coordination in emergencies, etc.).
GOAL C: Improved Infrastructure
Objective Statement – Repair existing infrastructure and build new systems so residents can live, work, and play safely.
Metrics:
• Number of completed public infrastructure and public works projects • Number of new housing projects at multiple levels of affordability • Number of systems in place to manage water and waste management resources Strategy C1. Support development of housing stock.
• Convene the Community Development Department to evaluate current and proposed housing projects’ status to determine how much of the 2021-29 Regional Housing Needs Allocation has been met and implemented, establishing future review benchmarks. • Determine future projection of housing construction needed to stay on track with the 2021-29 Regional Housing Needs Allocation requirement, creating a development timeline to help track potential projects and opportunities. • Develop strategies in coordination with the Economic Development Strategic Plan to identify co-location opportunities for increasing residential property values as a way to attract more developers.
• Explore feasibility of incentive program that attracts new housing developments at multiple levels of affordability.
• Explore opportunities to streamline permitting and construction requirements to support new affordable housing development.
• Consider enforceable restrictions that could limit the number of AirBnBs as a way to secure housing and home ownership, as well as promote local hotels. • Identify Marine Corps long-term needs for off-base housing and hospitality, and integrate into community housing needs and planning.
Strategy C2. Update and sustain water and waste management services.
8 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
• Foster partnership with Twentynine Palms Water District to ensure community has continued access to sufficient quantities of high-quality drinking water for the next 100 years, establishing periodic checkpoints to review status and progress. • Acquire baseline data from the US Geological Survey Groundwater Tables Study to accurately understand the groundwater and oasis level statuses. • Establish a system to utilize US Geological Survey Groundwater Tables Study data for informing and implementing necessary improvement projects, including a timeline to acquire and analyze new groundwater data compared to baseline. • Partner with relevant state and federal agencies to study groundwater quality to advance a centralized wastewater treatment system.
• Design an educational program surrounding septic system management (e.g. social media campaign, workshops, tabling).
• Implement the educational program on septic system management in partnership with relevant agencies and organizations.
• Ensure appropriate oversight of community’s non-tribal package treatment plans. • Acquire cameras with wireless cards to place at key locations to evaluate extent of flooding.
• Monitor camera data to inform and update upcoming flood mitigation measures. • Explore efforts and projects that mitigate flood risks and support the regional water supply in coordination with the Marine Corps.
Strategy C3. Enhance community-serving facilities.
• Repair and/or replace existing public works equipment needed to maintain paved and dirt roads as well as sidewalks.
• Maintain paved roads, dirt roads, and sidewalks, including a schedule for regular maintenance and improvements.
• Complete Sullivan-Hatch bike path to advance active transportation networks across the City.
• Initiate pursuit of grant opportunities to enhance and retrofit existing transportation infrastructure, working with the on-call grant writer to apply, track, and comply with active proposals.
• Create and begin implementing a strategy to engage the public to support a 1% tax measure dedicated to animal shelter construction.
• Explore feasibility of a priority-based, phased construction approach to update the Palms-N-Paws animal shelter aligned with budgetary projections, initiating construction phases as possible.
• Foster existing partnerships and develop new partnerships to identify funding opportunities for Palms-N-Paws programming and capital improvement. • Work with the Palms-N-Paws Animal Shelter to expand social media efforts and reach to increase adoption rates, volunteer base, and partnerships. • Support Palms-N-Paws with a website refresh to advertise information on a breadth of topics, including upcoming events and animal-related development code updates. • Inventory locations at City parks, open spaces, and other public gathering areas to ensure they have adequate shade structures., exploring additional cooling amenities as needed.
• Identify specific steps to provide shade structures and additional cooling amenities at City parks, open spaces, and other public gathering areas. • Create and maintain a centralized online landing page where all community-serving programming and facilities can be easily accessible.
9 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
GOAL D: Access to Resources
Objective Statement – Ensure that the City of Twentynine Palms city staff and residents have adequate resources to support daily needs and long-term wellbeing.
Metrics:
• Community perception of hazard mitigation and emergency preparedness measures • Effective use of resources for city staff and department operations • Effective use of resources for food pantry services
• Effective use of resources for physical and mental health and wellbeing for all residents, including marines and veterans
• Effective use of resources for unhoused community
• Increased rates of employment across diverse industries, including hospitality • Staff perception of working for the City
Strategy D1. Improve services that support health and wellbeing. • Foster partnerships with surrounding health providers who can provide telehealth and digital mental health care.
• Explore feasibility of nonemergency medical transportation services to increase access to other facilities across the region.
• Ensure urgent care resources are contracted for workers compensation services to provide care for all employees.
• Explore options to convene an interdepartmental team to increase coordination of services and response to the City’s unhoused community. • Foster working partnerships with organizations that provide wraparound housing services to implement programs designed to identify, address, and eliminate root causes of homelessness.
• Identify and partner with mission-aligned nonprofit organizations to grow a network of food pantry services.
• Identify and secure a new location to operate as a food pantry, meeting the community’s food needs and state’s landfill diversion requirements (e.g. co-location at another church, grocery store, or school).
• Ensure all food pantries can sustainably operate and meet CalRecycle diversion requirements.
• Maintain and expand existing programming that supports child, teen, and youth development and play.
Strategy D2. Expand and enhance employment opportunities within the City. • Continue supporting Twentynine Palms High School Work experience Program on workforce training and development.
• Partner with Copper Mountain Community College to develop and promote higher education options, workforce development programming, and curriculum that supports diverse career pipelines in a variety of industries.
• Create and maintain a citywide volunteer mentorship program that partners local professionals with youth to explore different career pathways and gain hands-on experience across industries.
• Identify City initiatives that leverage the highly technical skills of active and retired marines to foster working partnerships between the City and Marine Corps.
10 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
• Connect with retired marines to identify economic development and business incubation opportunities that meet needs of marines, marine families, and retired military residing in Twentynine Palms.
• Foster partnership between the City, Marine Corps, and Copper Mountain Community College to promote skill building and training at the college.
Strategy D3. Grow and enhance organizational development and capacity. • Develop Strategic Plan workplans for each department and regularly review progress and checkmarks at department director meetings with the city manager. • Initiate an internal landscape analysis to identify what departments need for capacity building and resource support (e.g. data, marketing, staffing). • Identify and operationalize opportunities for increasing capacity building and resource support for staff, and maintain periodic check-ins between department staff and directors.
• Foster and maintain interdepartmental coordination by applying a systematic approach to processes that taps various departments for shared workstreams (e.g. permitting with code enforcement).
• Assess staffing levels across all departments and create a staffing plan to ensure the City has adequate capacity to deliver services.
• Hire a community service specialist to support with administrative tasks within the sheriff’s department.
• Evaluate staff recruitment and retention efforts and policies, identifying opportunities for improving recruitment and hiring processes, new hire onboarding experiences, and ongoing staff development to ensure the City is a municipal employer of choice. • Review and refine existing training and professional development policies and practices to support and engage employees to grow professionally and excel in their field. • Establish an organizational succession plan that identifies actionable opportunities for promoting talent within the organization.
Strategy D4. Ensure best-in-class municipal services to residents. • Identify and create systems that facilitate purpose-driven, anticipatory customer service (e.g. services request system, contract management).
• Utilize industry best practices, new technologies, and additional training to ensure operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Ensure all departments are compliant with internal and public-facing requirements, including public records retention.
• Review and update finance department’s retention record list as needed. • Identify and train a City staff member to serve in the emergency manager role and assume responsibility for the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan to ensure the City is up-todate and equipped to proactively address identified hazards and retroactively responding to emergencies.
• Explore feasibility of and opportunities to co-train with the Marine Corps on emergency management systems and response.
GOAL E: Local Tourism
Objective Statement – Grow as a regional destination to expand nature-based, outdoor, and wellness experiences.
Metrics:
11 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
• Increase in Transient Occupancy Tax and TBID revenue, reflecting growth in overnight stays
• Increase in Visit 29 Palms’ reach and engagement across owned digital platforms, including website, social media, and direct marketing channels • Number of attendees per event (residents and visitors) • Number of day-time visitors per season
• Number of new hospitality industry businesses (hotels, resorts, etc.) • Number of over-night visitors per season
Strategy E1. Expand branding and identity as an attractive regional destination. • Define the mission, vision, and values of the TBID to pursue a five-year 1994 law conversion.
• Confirm the TBID mission, vision, and values with City Council, TBID stakeholders, and community members.
• Execute ongoing strategies from TBID 2024-25 Tourism Marketing Plan and Budget, communicating with and working alongside relevant TBID stakeholders and community members.
• Increase TBID assessment percentage to ensure the City remains competitive with comparable markets.
• Grow and maintain Visit 29 Palms’ reach and engagement across owned digital media channels by promoting the key destination pillars using compelling visual content and storytelling.
• Foster Visit 29 Palms social media partnerships by leveraging user-generated content and collaborating with local businesses, creators, Marine Crops, National Park Service, and tourism partners to grow reach and strengthen regional brand identity. • Promote established and upcoming attractions and events that boost overnight, seasonal, and year-round stays.
• Procure and establish data management tools that support with tracking day-time and over-night visitor rates per season. Use these tools to monitor visitor rates over time. • Increase awareness of and drive visitation to the new National Park Visitor Center in Freedom Plaza, elevating the City’s positioning as the gateway of choice to Joshua Tree National Park.
Strategy E2. Strengthen and diversify local hospitality infrastructure. • Initiate and facilitate a closer collaboration between established lodging and touristserving businesses to boost local and regional tourism rates and incentivize longer overnight stays.
• Identify and advance partnerships and job opportunities across all roles within the hospitality industry to support local hiring practices and ensure staffing capacity. • Support future development and operation of upcoming Ofland lodging development. • Explore additional opportunities for constructing diverse lodging options and hospitality infrastructure expansion, including any feedback from existing local hotels and retailers.
Strategy E3. Cultivate a robust local creatives scene.
• Complete and execute regulations for enhancing local artistic and entertainment initiatives within the Arts Master Plan and Entertainment License Program. • Work with the local business community to develop and maintain a database of licensed entertainment venues to support local events.
12 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
• Partner with the local business community to host and expand community event offerings that provide unique and creative experiences utilizing existing facilities to complement other local and regional events (e.g. Theater29). • Encourage organizations and businesses to apply for the TBID’s Sponsorship and Event Grant Program to receive financial support for locally-hosted, tourism-driving events. • Maintain and advertise the Visit 29 Palms events calendar to increase attendance and participation from local residents and new/returning visitors. Confirm events and make updates regularly, in partnership with local businesses and creatives.
GOAL F: Community Outreach and Engagement
Objective Statement – Facilitate outreach and engagement activities to increase transparency into operations and foster relationships with leadership and staff.
Metrics:
• Improved community perception rating
• Increased number of City communications shared out to residents • Increased public understanding of City operations
• Number of residents enrolled in citizen’s academy
Strategy F1. Deliver programs and initiatives that provide information and opportunities for engagement.
• Initiate and regularly host a semiannual “all hands” meeting that convenes staff and city leadership to stay aligned on projects and identifies updates that should be shared with the community.
• Execute and regularly manage a social media campaign to inform the public about City operations, upcoming events, and announcements.
• Create and maintain a centralized digital hub within the City’s website that includes information and resources for residents to easily access and share. • Establish a youth-led advisory board to spearhead programming at existing community facilities that supports teen and youth development and recreation. Support and facilitate the work of the youth-led advisory board including regularly scheduled convening. • Establish a Citizen’s Academy program to build transparency into City operations.. • Initiate and regularly host focus groups or town hall forums to hear directly from community members, recognize specific residents for active engagement, and strengthen interconnections between the Marine Corps and community.
Strategy F2. Support meaningful community outreach to identify additional and ongoing community needs.
• Develop and execute an outreach and engagement strategy to determine if services are addressing the actual needs of the City’s diverse community and demographics, including the Marine Corps.
• Conduct a community satisfaction survey to objectively gather and evaluate community needs, preferences, and satisfaction rates on City services. • Complete a bi-annual community satisfaction survey, adjusting questions and dissemination methods over time and in alignment with community needs. • Convene a preliminary in-person coffee chat with community and Marine Corps base residents, staff, and leadership to provide opportunities for shared relationship building and problem solving, hosting regularly if effective.
13 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
ACTION PLANS
GOAL A: Financial Sustainability
Objective Statement – Diversify revenue sources for long-term financial health and sustainable reserves.
Metrics
• Amount generated from taxes
• Amount generated from updated city fees
• Balanced budget and reserve balance
• Increase in number of diverse revenue sources
• Number of new partnerships, including those with foundations and organizations • Number of relevant and competitive grant applications submitted and awarded Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
Strategy
1. Initiate programs and practices that enhance the tourist economy.
A1.1 Develop an intentional and deliberate Economic
Development Strategic Plan. X CMO/COM DEV TBID
A1.2
Convene a workshop with department directors to
align on financial goals, assumptions, needs, and
future spending projections. Include updates during
department directors meetings.
X CMO/COM DEV FIN
A1.3
Analyze what economic development strategies are
within the City’s jurisdiction, and initiate a plan to
implement corresponding actions (e.g. identify
viable public-private partnerships that can be
revenue generating for both parties).
X CMO/COM DEV TBID/FIN
A1.4
Identify local tourism’s and businesses’ role with
implementing the City’s economic development
goals.
X TBID COM DEV
A1.5
Expand opportunities to increase entrepreneurial
creativity in products and services provided by new
and established local businesses and retailers.
X TBID COM DEV
14 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
A1.6
Include economic development initiatives in the
Economic Strategic Plan that align with the General
Plan (e.g. develop a tracker that matches initiatives
with General Plan land uses to ensure compliance).
X COM DEV CMO/FIN
Strategy
2. Explore and pursue tax-based revenue generating mechanisms.
A2.1
Assess the sales tax (7.75%) for a 1% increase in
2026, including revenue potential to fund City
projects and initiatives.
X IT FIN
A2.2 Identify voter concerns and support for sales tax
increase. X IT
A2.3
Initiate an educational campaign to inform the
community about potential opportunities for funding
City projects and initiatives through the sales tax.
X CMO
A2.4
Assess the transient occupancy tax (9.0%) for a 1%
increase in 2026, including efforts to understand
impacts on hotels and businesses.
X TBID CMO
A2.5 Evaluate Community Facilities Districts as a
possible funding mechanism, and others. X FIN CMO
Strategy
3. Explore and pursue funding opportunities to benefit the community.
A3.1 Direct on-call grant writer to research viable grants and fundraising opportunities. X CMO All Depts
A3.2
Establish a priority list of grants and fundraising
opportunities developed by the on-call grant writer,
and direct grant writer to pursue grants and
fundraising opportunities.
X CMO All Depts
A3.3
Foster partnerships with relevant foundations
and/or organizations to identify and match funding
needs with opportunities.
X CMO All Depts
15 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
A3.4
Prioritize memorandums of understanding with
foundations and organizations to match funding
needs.
X CMO All Depts
A3.5 Establish a dashboard or tracking tool to monitor
grant applications and awards. X FIN All Depts
A3.6 Comply with established financial policies and
procedures to maintain grant funding agreements. X FIN All Depts Strategy
4. Institute and adhere to established fiscal policies, practices, processes, and systems.
A4.1
Review existing financial policies to align with best
practices and implement measures to achieve
internal consistency.
X FIN CMO
A4.2 Update procurement policies to improve purchasing
processes.
X FIN CMO
A4.3 Allocate funding to conduct comprehensive user fee study and full cost allocation plan. X FIN CMO
A4.4
Review most recent user fee schedule and full cost
allocation plan to identify opportunities for moderate
increases.
X FIN CMO
A4.5
Convene a study session with city council to
overview the proposed recommendations to the
City’s fee schedule.
X CMO FIN
A4.6 Complete process to update key increases on the
City’s fee schedule. X FIN CMO
A4.7 Implement and communicate where increases are
found in the updated City’s fee schedule. X FIN All Depts A4.8
Ensure the next user fee study and full cost
allocation plan is conducted and implemented by
2030, and occurs at least every five years.
X FIN All Depts
A4.9 Conduct workshops to educate the public about
finance processes related to accounts payable, City X FIN
16 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
grant funding requirements, budget preparation,
etc.
Strategy
5. Ensure all departments remain fiscally responsible.
A5.1
Evaluate cost/benefit relationship of City-provided
services by reviewing department expenditures and
savings.
X FIN All Depts
A5.2
Evaluate cost and comparative service levels
between City-provided services with private sector,
non-for-profit, and non-governmental organizations
to determine if any services can be outsourced, as
a cost-savings mechanism.
X FIN All Depts
A5.3
Evaluate cost competitiveness of City-sponsored
sports teams, department, and league sponsorships
and marketing with nearby cities.
X P&R
Strategy
6. Enhance partnership with Marine Corps to maintain and grow regional investments.
A6.1 Promote the City as a military-friendly community. X CMO All Depts A6.2
Regularly engage the Marine Corps to provide
political support for military investments in
MAGTFTC and the region.
X CMO
A6.3
Support the establishment, management, and
sustained long-term growth of the Twentynine
Palms Combat Center Alliance to mobilize the
community to support Marine Corps initiatives.
X CMO
A6.4
Work to advance the partnership with the
Twentynine Palms Combat Center Alliance to
achieve implementing its mission of educating,
advocating, and supporting MAGTFTC.
X CMO
A6.5 Foster partnership with the Marine Corps
Community Services to support military quality of X CMO
17 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
life programming that supports military families and
encourages military veterans and retirees to live
and stay in the community.
A6.6
Explore feasibility of leveraging the Category C
Waiver to increase community access to the Marine
Corps’ facilities and build relationships between the
City and Marine Corps.
X CMO
A6.7
Continue research into and development of the
Intergovernmental Service Agreement to explore
contracting opportunities for the City to provide
infrastructure services at the Marine Corps, growing
the relationship between the City and Marine Corps
and acting as a revenue generator for the City.
X CMO
A6.8
Explore dedicated military-community partnerships
and grant funding opportunities that benefit regional
and local investment.
X CMO
18 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
GOAL B: Enhanced Local Character
Objective Statement – Invest in the small-town, rural characteristics to maintain the identity of the City of Twentynine Palms.
Metrics:
• Community perception of public rights-of-way, corridors, and other public spaces • Developer perception of designing and constructing in the City • Number of local businesses participating in Rediscover29, as well as City-led initiatives and events • Number of new local businesses, commercial developments, and retailers Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
Strategy
1. Enhance vibrant corridors and gateways.
B1.1
Foster the partnership with Rediscover29 to build
relationships with local businesses across the City
as a way to assess needs and identify opportunities
to support.
X CMO/COM DEV
B1.2
Initiate a meeting with businesses to establish
shared responsibility over cleanliness in key
corridors, such as downtown, Freedom Plaza,
Adobe Road, etc., and establish approach for
regular check-ins over time.
X CMO/COM DEV PW
B1.3
Encourage local businesses, shops, and
restaurants to participate in regularly occurring
events to activate existing commercial corridors
(e.g. art walks, bar crawls).
X CMO/COM DEV TBID
B1.4
Identify and commission local artists to beautify City
gateways as a way of establishing a sense of entry
and identifiable city/community character.
X PAAC/COM
DEV City Engineer
B1.5
Develop a public right-of-way improvement plan
that identifies strategies to invest in urban design
interventions that create experiential spaces.
X COM DEV PW/City
Engineer
B1.6 Align corridor and gateway improvement projects
with other capital improvement projects and X COM DEV PW/City Engineer
19 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
economic development initiatives to bolster
economic vitality.
Strategy
2. Prioritize initiatives that support locally-owned businesses.
B2.1 Explore feasibility of an incentive program to attract and retain new local businesses. X CMO/COM DEV FIN
B2.2
Attract unique local businesses that provide goods
and services to enhance quality of life for residents
and contribute to value for visitors.
X CMO/COM
DEV/TBID All Depts
B2.3
Review the feasibility to fund and establish a
program that supports local businesses with
physical improvements (e.g. streamline permitting,
façade improvements).
X COM DEV FIN/Building and
Safety
B2.4
Develop a method to track development project
review times across all relevant departments (e.g.
internal dashboard).
X COM DEV
B2.5
Explore feasibility of establishing a restaurant
exclusion zone to promote local eateries over chain
restaurants.
X COM DEV CMO
B2.6
Implement restaurant exclusion zone to dedicate
space in high-traffic areas for new and existing local
eateries.
X COM DEV CMO
B2.7
Explore a spend local campaign to enhance
exposure of local businesses and educate residents
about the benefits of local spending.
X TBID/CMO Rediscover29
Strategy
3. Enforce and design development guidelines that maintain local character over time.
B3.1
Evaluate existing code enforcement to identify
where more actionable mandates can be
implemented. Include periodic updates during
department meetings.
X CMO/COM DEV Legal
20 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
B3.2
Explore feasibility of an adaptive reuse program
that can be used to remediate, sell, and/or
redevelop blighted buildings and vacant lots.
X CMO/COM DEV Legal
B3.3 Implement adaptive reuse program targeted at
blighted buildings and vacant lots. X CMO/COM DEV Legal B3.4
Create design guidelines identifying elements to
preserve when constructing new projects to
maintain small-town characteristics.
X COM DEV CMO
B3.5 Implement updated design guidelines that maintain
the small-town, charming, rural feel of the City. X COM DEV CMO B3.6
Evaluate existing development code and permitting
rules to identify areas where requirements can be
made clearer, more concise, and business-friendly.
Include periodic updates during department
meetings.
X COM DEV CMO
B3.7
Collaborate with developers to design and build
projects that align with the aesthetic and charm of
the City.
X CMO/COM DEV
B3.8
Explore community stabilization measures that
allow the City’s existing residents, community
groups, and organizations to stay and thrive-inplace.
X COM DEV All Depts
B3.9
Include engagement with the Marine Corps to
ensure development and land use are compatible
with sensitive military mission activities, operations, and security guidelines. (e.g. MCAGCC, civilmilitary coordination in emergencies, etc.)
X CMO COM DEV
21 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
GOAL C: Improved Infrastructure
Objective Statement – Repair existing infrastructure and build new systems so residents can live, work, and play safely.
Metrics:
• Number of completed public infrastructure and public works projects • Number of new housing projects at multiple levels of affordability • Number of systems in place to manage water and waste management resources Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
Strategy
1. Support development of housing stock.
C1.1
Convene the Community Development Department
to evaluate current and proposed housing projects’
status to determine how much of the 2021-29
Regional Housing Needs Allocation has been met
and implemented, establishing future review
benchmarks.
X COM DEV CMO
C1.2
Determine future projection of housing construction
needed to stay on track with the 2021-29 Regional
Housing Needs Allocation requirement, creating a
development timeline to help track potential
projects and opportunities.
X COM DEV
C1.3
Develop strategies in coordination with the
Economic Development Strategic Plan to identify
co-location opportunities for increasing residential
property values as a way to attract more
developers.
X CMO/COM DEV
C1.4
Explore feasibility of incentive program that attracts
new housing developments at multiple levels of
affordability.
X COM DEV CMO
C1.5
Explore opportunities to streamline permitting and
construction requirements to support new
affordable housing development.
X COM DEV Building and
Safety
22 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
C1.6
Consider enforceable restrictions that could limit
the number of AirBnBs as a way to secure housing
and home ownership, as well as promote local
hotels.
X COM DEV
C1.7
Identify Marine Corps long-term needs for off-base
housing and hospitality, and integrate into
community housing needs and planning.
X CMO
Strategy
2. Update and sustain water and waste management services.
C2.1
Foster partnership with Twentynine Palms Water
District to ensure community has continued access
to sufficient quantities of high-quality drinking water for the next 100 years, establishing periodic
checkpoints to review status and progress.
X CMO
C2.2
Acquire baseline data from the US Geological
Survey Groundwater Tables Study to accurately
understand the groundwater and oasis level
statuses.
X CMO/COM DEV
C2.3
Establish a system to utilize US Geological Survey
Groundwater Tables Study data for informing and
implementing necessary improvement projects,
including a timeline to acquire and analyze new
groundwater data compared to baseline.
X CMO/COM DEV
C2.4
Partner with relevant state and federal agencies to
study groundwater quality to advance a centralized
wastewater treatment system.
X CMO/COM DEV
C2.5
Design an educational program surrounding septic
system management (e.g. social media campaign,
workshops, tabling).
X COM DEV CMO
C2.6
Implement the educational program on septic
system management in partnership with relevant
agencies and organizations.
X COM DEV CMO
23 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
C2.7 Ensure appropriate oversight of community’s nontribal package treatment plans. X COM DEV CMO/Water District
C2.8 Acquire cameras with wireless cards to place at
key locations to evaluate extent of flooding. X IT San Bernardino County C2.9 Monitor camera data to inform and update
upcoming flood mitigation measures. X IT Emergency Manager C2.10
Explore efforts and projects that mitigate flood risks
and support the regional water supply in
coordination with the Marine Corps.
X CMO Emergency
Manager
Strategy
3. Enhance community-serving facilities.
C3.1
Repair and/or replace existing public works
equipment needed to maintain paved and dirt
roads as well as sidewalks.
X PW FIN
C3.2
Maintain paved roads, dirt roads, and sidewalks,
including a schedule for regular maintenance and
improvements.
X PW
C3.3 Complete Sullivan-Hatch bike path to advance
active transportation networks across the City. X Engineering PW C3.4
Initiate pursuit of grant opportunities to enhance
and retrofit existing transportation infrastructure,
working with the on-call grant writer to apply, track,
and comply with active proposals.
X Engineering CMO
C3.5
Create and begin implementing a strategy to
engage the public to support a 1% tax measure
dedicated to animal shelter construction.
X CMO/IT All depts
C3.6
Explore feasibility of a priority-based, phased
construction approach to update the Palms-NPaws animal shelter aligned with budgetary projections, initiating construction phases as
possible.
X PW Shelter
24 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
C3.7
Foster existing partnerships and develop new
partnerships to identify funding opportunities for
Palms-N-Paws programming and capital
improvements.
X CMO Shelter
C3.8
Work with the Palms-N-Paws Animal Shelter to
expand social media efforts and reach to increase
adoption rates, volunteer base, and partnerships.
X CMO Shelter
C3.9
Support Palms-N-Paws with a website refresh to
advertise information on a breadth of topics,
including upcoming events and animal-related
development code updates.
X CMO Shelter
C3.10
Inventory locations at City parks, open spaces, and
other public gathering areas to ensure they have
adequate shade structures., exploring additional
cooling amenities as needed.
X COM DEV/PW/
Engineering FIN/P&R
C3.11
Identify specific steps to provide shade structures
and additional cooling amenities at City parks,
open spaces, and other public gathering areas.
X COM DEV/PW/
Engineering FIN/P&R
C3.12
Create and maintain a centralized online landing
page where all community-serving programming
and facilities can be easily accessible.
X CMO All Depts
25 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
GOAL D: Access to Resources
Objective Statement – Ensure that the City of Twentynine Palms city staff and residents have adequate resources to support daily needs and long-term wellbeing.
Metrics:
• Community perception of hazard mitigation and emergency preparedness measures • Effective use of resources for city staff and department operations • Effective use of resources for food pantry services
• Effective use of resources for physical and mental health and wellbeing for all residents, including marines and veterans • Effective use of resources for unhoused community
• Increased rates of employment across diverse industries, including hospitality • Staff perception of working for the City
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
Strategy
1. Improve services that support health and wellbeing.
D1.1
Foster partnerships with surrounding health
providers who can provide telehealth and digital
mental health care.
X CMO/COM DEV
D1.2
Explore feasibility of nonemergency medical
transportation services to increase access to other
facilities across the region.
X CMO
D1.3
Ensure urgent care resources are contracted for
workers compensation services to provide care for
all employees.
X HR
D1.4
Explore options to convene an interdepartmental
team to increase coordination of services and
response to the City’s unhoused community.
X CMO COM DEV/Code
D1.5
Foster working partnerships with organizations that
provide wraparound housing services to implement
programs designed to identify, address, and
eliminate root causes of homelessness.
X CMO COM DEV/Code
26 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
D1.6
Identify and partner with mission-aligned nonprofit
organizations to grow a network of food pantry
services.
X CMO
D1.7
Identify and secure a new location to operate as a
food pantry, meeting the community’s food needs
and state’s landfill diversion requirements (e.g. colocation at another church, grocery store, or school).
X IT CMO/COM DEV
D1.8 Ensure all food pantries can sustainably operate
and meet CalRecycle diversion requirements. X IT
D1.9
Maintain and expand existing programming that
supports child, teen, and youth development and
play.
X P&R FIN
Strategy
2. Expand and enhance employment opportunities within the City.
D2.1
Continue supporting Twentynine Palms High
School Work experience Program on workforce
training and development.
X P&R HR
D2.2
Partner with Copper Mountain Community College
to develop and promote higher education options,
workforce development programming, and
curriculum that supports diverse career pipelines in
a variety of industries.
X P&R HR
D2.3
Create and maintain a citywide volunteer
mentorship program that partners local
professionals with youth to explore different career
pathways and gain hands-on experience across
industries.
X P&R HR
D2.4
Identify City initiatives that leverage the highly
technical skills of active and retired marines to
foster working partnerships between the City and
Marine Corps.
X CMO
27 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
D2.5
Connect with retired marines to identify economic
development and business incubation opportunities
that meet needs of marines, marine families, and
retired military residing in Twentynine Palms.
X CMO
D2.6
Foster partnership between the City, Marine Corps,
and Copper Mountain Community College to
promote skill building and training at the college.
X CMO
Strategy
3. Grow and enhance organizational development and capacity.
D3.1
Develop Strategic Plan workplans for each
department and regularly review progress and
checkmarks at department director meetings with
the city manager.
X HR All Depts
D3.2
Initiate an internal landscape analysis to identify
what departments need for capacity building and
resource support (e.g. data, marketing, staffing).
X HR All Depts
D3.3
Identify and operationalize opportunities for
increasing capacity building and resource support
for staff, and maintain periodic check-ins between
department staff and directors.
X CMO All Depts
D3.4
Foster and maintain interdepartmental coordination
by applying a systematic approach to processes
that taps various departments for shared
workstreams (e.g. permitting with code
enforcement).
X CMO All Depts
D3.5
Assess staffing levels across all departments and
create a staffing plan to ensure the City has
adequate capacity to deliver services.
X CMO/HR/FIN All Depts
D3.6 Hire a community service specialist to support with administrative tasks within the sheriff’s department. X CMO/FIN D3.7 Evaluate staff recruitment and retention efforts and policies, identifying opportunities for improving X HR All Depts
28 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
recruitment and hiring processes, new hire
onboarding experiences, and ongoing staff
development to ensure the City is a municipal
employer of choice.
D3.8
Review and refine existing training and
professional development policies and practices to
support and engage employees to grow
professionally and excel in their field.
X HR All Depts
D3.9
Establish an organizational succession plan that
identifies actionable opportunities for promoting
talent within the organization.
X CMO/HR All Depts
Strategy
4. Ensure best-in-class municipal services to residents.
D4.1
Identify and create systems that facilitate purposedriven, anticipatory customer service (e.g. services request system, contract management).
X CMO All Depts
D4.2
Utilize industry best practices, new technologies,
and additional training to ensure operational
efficiency and effectiveness.
X CMO All Depts
D4.3
Ensure all departments are compliant with internal
and public-facing requirements, including public
records retention.
X CMO All Depts
D4.4 Review and update finance department’s retention
record list as needed. X FIN
D4.5
Identify and train a City staff member to serve in
the emergency manager role and assume
responsibility for the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
to ensure the City is up-to-date and equipped to
proactively address identified hazards and
retroactively responding to emergencies.
X CMO
29 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
D4.6
Explore feasibility of and opportunities to co-train
with the Marine Corps on emergency management
systems and response.
X CMO
30 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
GOAL E: Local Tourism
Objective Statement – Grow as a regional destination to expand nature-based, outdoor, and wellness experiences.
Metrics:
• Increase in Transient Occupancy Tax and TBID revenue, reflecting growth in overnight stays • Increase in Visit 29 Palms’ reach and engagement across owned digital platforms, including website, social media, and direct marketing channels
• Number of attendees per event (residents and visitors) • Number of day-time visitors per season
• Number of new hospitality industry businesses (hotels, resorts, etc.) • Number of over-night visitors per season
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
Strategy
1. Expand branding and identity as an attractive regional destination.
E1.1 Define the mission, vision, and values of the TBID to pursue a five-year 1994 law conversion. X TBID
E1.2
Confirm the TBID mission, vision, and values with
City Council, TBID stakeholders, and community
members.
X TBID
E1.3
Execute ongoing strategies from TBID 2024-25
Tourism Marketing Plan and Budget,
communicating with and working alongside
relevant TBID stakeholders and community
members.
X TBID
E1.4
Increase TBID assessment percentage to ensure
the City remains competitive with comparable
markets.
X TBID CMO/FIN/TBID
Stakeholders
E1.5
Grow and maintain Visit 29 Palms’ reach and
engagement across owned digital media channels
by promoting the key destination pillars using
compelling visual content and storytelling.
X TBID
31 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
E1.6
Foster Visit 29 Palms social media partnerships by
leveraging user-generated content and
collaborating with local businesses, creators,
Marine Crops, National Park Service, and tourism
partners to grow reach and strengthen regional
brand identity.
X TBID
E1.7
Promote established and upcoming attractions and
events that boost overnight, seasonal, and yearround stays.X TBID NPS/Business
Community/
MCAGCC
E1.8
Procure and establish data management tools that
support with tracking day-time and over-night
visitor rates per season. Use these tools to monitor
visitor rates over time.
X TBID IT/FIN
E1.9
Increase awareness of and drive visitation to the
new National Park Visitor Center in Freedom
Plaza, elevating the City’s positioning as the
gateway of choice to Joshua Tree National Park.
X TBID P&R/NPS
Strategy
2. Strengthen and diversify local hospitality infrastructure.
E2.1
Initiate and facilitate a closer collaboration between
established lodging and tourist-serving businesses
to boost local and regional tourism rates and
incentivize longer overnight stays.
X TBID Business
Community
E2.2
Identify and advance partnerships and job
opportunities across all roles within the hospitality
industry to support local hiring practices and
ensure staffing capacity.
X COM DEV
TBID/CMC/
NPS/Business
Community
E2.3 Support future development and operation of
upcoming Ofland lodging development. X COM DEV TBID
E2.4 Explore additional opportunities for constructing
diverse lodging options and hospitality X COM DEV TBID
32 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
infrastructure expansion, including any feedback
from existing local hotels and retailers.
Strategy
3. Cultivate a robust local creatives scene.
E3.1
Complete and execute regulations for enhancing
local artistic and entertainment initiatives within the Arts Master Plan and Entertainment License
Program.
X PAAC/COM
DEV TBID
E3.2
Work with the local business community to develop
and maintain a database of licensed entertainment
venues to support local events.
X TBID/COM DEV
E3.3
Partner with the local business community to host
and expand community event offerings that provide
unique and creative experiences utilizing existing
facilities to complement other local and regional
events (e.g. Theater29).
X TBID
E3.4
Encourage organizations and businesses to apply
for the TBID’s Sponsorship and Event Grant
Program to receive financial support for locallyhosted, tourism-driving events.
X TBID
E3.5
Maintain and advertise the Visit 29 Palms events
calendar to increase attendance and participation
from local residents and new/returning visitors.
Confirm events and make updates regularly, in
partnership with local businesses and creatives.
X TBID
33 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
GOAL F: Community Outreach and Engagement
Objective Statement – Facilitate outreach and engagement activities to increase transparency into operations and foster relationships with leadership and staff.
Metrics:
• Improved community perception rating
• Increased number of City communications shared out to residents • Increased public understanding of City operations
• Number of residents enrolled in citizen’s academy
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
Strategy
1. Deliver programs and initiatives that provide information and opportunities for engagement.
F1.1
Initiate and regularly host a semiannual “all hands”
meeting that convenes staff and city leadership to
stay aligned on projects and identifies updates that
should be shared with the community.
X CMO All Depts
F1.2
Execute and regularly manage a social media
campaign to inform the public about City
operations, upcoming events, and announcements.
X CMO All Depts
F1.3
Create and maintain a centralized digital hub within
the City’s website that includes information and
resources for residents to easily access and share.
X CMO All Depts
F1.4
Establish a youth-led advisory board to spearhead
programming at existing community facilities that
supports teen and youth development and
recreation. Support and facilitate the work of the
youth-led advisory board including regularly
scheduled convening.
X P&R
F1.5 Establish a Citizen’s Academy program to build
transparency into City operations. X CMO All Depts
F1.6 Initiate and regularly host focus groups or town hall forums to hear directly from community members, X CMO All Depts
34 City of Twentynine Palms Strategic Plan – Administrative Draft Last Updated: 08-19-2025
Strategies/Actions
Timeline
Lead Support Short
1 Yr.
Med
2-3 Yrs.
Long
3-5 Yrs.
recognize specific residents for active engagement,
and strengthen interconnections between the
Marine Corps and community.
Strategy
2. Support meaningful community outreach to identify additional and ongoing community needs.
F2.1
Develop and execute an outreach and engagement
strategy to determine if services are addressing the
actual needs of the City’s diverse community and
demographics, including the Marine Corps.
X CMO All Depts
F2.2
Conduct a community satisfaction survey to
objectively gather and evaluate community needs,
preferences, and satisfaction rates on City
services.
X CMO All Depts
F2.3
Complete a bi-annual community satisfaction
survey, adjusting questions and dissemination
methods over time and in alignment with
community needs.
X CMO All Depts
F2.3
Convene a preliminary in-person coffee chat with
community and Marine Corps base residents, staff,
and leadership to provide opportunities for shared
relationship building and problem solving, hosting
regularly if effective.
X CMO All Depts
STAFF REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
FOR MEETING: Aug 26 2025
SUBJECT: Longevity Pay One-time Bonus.
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council authorize the City Manager to provide a one-time Milestone Catch Up Payment as defined in this Staff Report.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE:
Request Staff Report (City Manager Presenting)
Council Questions of Staff
Request Public Comments
Council Discussion
Call the Motion
Call the Question/Roll Call Vote
ATTACHMENTS:
• 2025-06-10 City Council Staff
Report Benefits Policy - Special
Compensation. - Pdf
• 2025-07-01 Approved Benefits
Policy Longevity
BACKGROUND:
On June 10, 2025, the City Council modified a May 23, 2023 longevity pay policy. The June 10, 2025, policy change (attached) was intended to make longevity bonuses (i) more attainable, (ii) the process to earn a longevity bonus more transparent, (iii) bring the City’s longevity policy into compliance with current CalPERS requirements, and (iv) reward tenured employees in a more fiscally responsible and sustainable manner.
While revising the policy was intended to benefit both the community and seasoned employees, the policy change “moved the goal posts” for those who had been working towards earning the May 23, 2023, longevity bonus. In an effort address this unintended consequence, the City Manager is suggesting to provide a one-time payment (Milestone Catch Up Payment) to current City employees who have been with the City longer than 15-years. This Milestone Catch Up Payment applies only to individuals who have passed a 15, 20, or 25-year anniversary milestone within the last 54 months and have not received a milestone payment as outlined in the July 1, 2025, Benefits policy. Anniversary dates are calculated from the official CalPERS enrollment date.
Payment must take place by October 2025, after which this one-time provision permanently expires for all current and future employees. If a milestone anniversary date (15, 20, or 25-years) falls within six (6)
months of this August 26, 2025, City Council action, the employee will not be eligible for this Milestone Catch Up Payment. Milestone Catch Up Payments will be $500 for employees who have passed the 15- year anniversary, $1,000 for employees who have passed the 20-year anniversary, and $1,500 for employees who have passed the 25-year anniversary. Employees eligible for a Milestone Catch Up Payment are eligible to only receive the most recent milestone-related payment. All employees hired before December 31, 2024, remain eligible for the July 1, 2025, Benefits Policy approved and adopted by the City Council on June 10, 2025.
Tonight’s policy modification will impact five employees at a total cost to the City of $5,000.00. This onetime payment will be paid as follows:
1)
1. ) Employee A: Over 25-years: $1,500
2. 2. Employee B: Over 25-years: $1,500
3. 3. Employee C: Over 20-years: $1,000
4. 4) Employee D: Over 15-years: $500
5. E.Employee E: Over 15-years: $500
ENVIRONMENTAL:
NA
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council could choose not to implement this policy adjustment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City Council will have to amend the budget to provide the additional $5,000 needed for this one-time bonus.
STAFF REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: Finance Director
FOR MEETING: Jun 10 2025
SUBJECT: Benefits Policy Special Compensation.
RECOMMENDATION:
City Council approve Resolution No. 25___, adopting the City's benefits policy for special compensation.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE:
Request Staff Report (Finance Director Presenting)
Request Public Comment
Council Question of Staff
Council Discussion
Motion/Second
Discussion of Motion
Call the Question
ATTACHMENTS:
• Resolution No. 25___ Benefits
Policy
• Exhibit A Benefit Policy
• Compliance Webpage Circular
Letter #20004121
BACKGROUND:
On May 23, 2023, as part of the biannual budget adoption for FY 202324 and 202425, City Council approved various employee benefits including longevity pay. Based on the initial direction longevity pay would start at 15 years but only if the employee was capped out AND received an exceptional performance, defined as 4.25 out of
5.0 overall evaluation performance. Eligible employees would receive additional pay as a percentage of the employee's base hourly rate (i.e., 15 years: 2.5%, 20 years: 5%). However, in order for Longevity Pay to be reported to CalPERS as special compensation, longevity pay cannot be based on performance and must meet other requirements as stated below.
Furthermore, the City must adopt a benefits policy that is in compliance with Government Code §20636 and §20636.1. The Policy must meet all the criteria listed under California Code of Regulations section 571(b) [Classic] and 571.1(a) [PEPRA] (see list below). Among the requirements, the California Code states that the City's governing body must duly approve and adopt the benefit policy; the benefits must be available to all members in the group or class; not paid exclusively in the final compensation period; and must be for normally required duties
Longevity pay based on the employee’s hourly pay of rate is very costly and not sustainable due to the hourly rate been impacted by factors such as CostofLiving Adjustments, annual step increases, pension rate increases, and other variable factors. In working with CalPERS’s representatives, Staff has identified a more costeffective, sustainable, and equitable basis for applying longevity pay. Page 115 of 132 Instead of applying longevity pay as a percentage of an employee’s hourly pay of rate, which would require annual payments to the eligible employees, Staff recommends that longevity pay be based on milestones, which would require single onetime lump sum payments when the employee completes certain years of continuous service with the City. Eligible employees would receive longevity pay as follows:
a)Upon completion of fifteen (15) years, a $500 single onetime lump sum payment. b)Upon completion of twenty (20) years, a $1,000 single onetime lump sum payment. c)Upon completion of twenty (25) years, a $1,500 single onetime lump sum payment.
The cost difference between the two methods for FY 202526 is approximately $28,100. No retroactive payments will be made. Employees hired on or after January 1, 2025, will not be eligible to receive longevity pay. Longevity Pay benefits previously reported to CalPERS prior to July 1, 2025 will be reverted back to CalPERS to avoid any penalties and/or audit findings.
In addition to the Longevity Pay, the attached benefit policy also includes the Bilingual Skills Pay. The current bilingual pay is $25 per biweekly period.
If approved, the attached benefits policy will be effective July 1, 2025.
California Code of Regulations section 571(b) [Classic] and 571.1(a) [PEPRA] CCR 571(b) – Nine Criteria
“(b) The Board has determined that all items of special compensation listed in subsection (a) are:
(1) Contained in a written labor policy or agreement as defined at Government Code section 20049, provided that the document:
(A) Has been duly approved and adopted by the employer's governing body in accordance with requirements of applicable public meetings laws;
(B) Indicates the conditions for payment of the item of special compensation, including, but not limited to, eligibility for, and amount of, the special compensation;
(C) Is posted at the office of the employer or immediately accessible and available for public review from the employer during normal business hours or posted on the employer's internet website; (D) Indicates an effective date and date of any revisions; (E) Is retained by the employer and available for public inspection for not less than five years; and (F) Does not reference another document in lieu of disclosing the item of special compensation; (2) Available to all members in the group or class;
(3) Part of normally required duties;
(4) Performed during normal hours of employment;
(5) Paid periodically as earned;
(6) Historically consistent with prior payments for the job classification; (7) Not paid exclusively in the final compensation period; (8) Not final settlement pay; and
(9) Not creating an unfunded liability over and above PERS' actuarial assumptions.” 571.1(a)For purposes of determining “pensionable compensation” pursuant to Government Code section 7522.34 for new members under 7522.04(f), it must meet all the following four criteria:
(1) “Pensionable compensation” means the normal monthly rate of pay or base pay and;
(A) Must be for normally required duties.
(B) Must be historically consistent with prior payments for the job classification. (C) Must be reported periodically as earned.
(2) “Pensionable compensation” is paid in cash to similarly situated members
of the same group or class of employment;
(A) As used in this part, “group or class of employment” means a number of employees considered together because they share similarities in job duties, work location, collective bargaining unit, or other logical workrelated grouping. One employee may not be considered a group or class.
(B) Increases in pensionable compensation granted to an employee shall be limited during the final compensation period applicable to the employee, as well as the two years immediately preceding the final compensation period, to the average increase in pensionable compensation during the same period reported by the employer for all employees who are in the closest related group or class. (3) “Pensionable compensation” is for services rendered on a fulltime basis during normal working hours; and
(4) “Pensionable compensation” is paid pursuant to a publicly available pay schedule which meets all the following criteria;
(A) Has been duly approved and adopted by the employer’s governing body in accordance with requirements of applicable public meetings laws; (B) Identifies the position title for every employee position used by the agency; (C) Specifies the pensionable compensation amount of each identified position, which may be stated as a single amount or as multiple amounts within a range; (D) Indicates the conditions for payment of the item of pensionable compensation, including, but not limited to, eligibility for, and amount of each component of pay;
(E) Is posted at the office of the employer or immediately accessible and available for public review from the employer during normal business hours or posted on the employer’s internet website;
(F) Indicates an effective date and date of any revisions; (G) Is retained by the employer and available for public inspection for not less than five years; and
(H) Does not reference another document in lieu of disclosing the item of pensionable compensation other than those outlined in Government Code section 20049.
ENVIRONMENTAL:
Not applicable.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council could choose not to approve the proposed policy and/or make other recommendations.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact of this policy has been incorporated into the twoyear budget for FY 202526 & 202627.
CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS
CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. 25-___
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TWENTYNINE
PALMS ADOPTING LONGEVITY PAY AND BILINGUAL SKILLS PAY
POLICIES.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms recognizes the importance of retaining experienced employees and compensating those who provide bilingual services essential to City operations; and
WHEREAS, the City seeks to implement a Longevity Pay policy to reward certain employees for long-term, continuous service; and
WHEREAS, the City seeks to implement a Bilingual Skills Pay policy to compensate employees who utilize their bilingual skills as part of their job duties; and WHEREAS, these policies will enhance employee retention and ensure that bilingual skills are appropriately utilized to serve the needs of the community; and WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that these policies serve the best interests of the City and its employees;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms as follows:
1. The City Council hereby adopts the Longevity Pay and Bilingual Skills Pay policies, attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference.
2. The City Manager is authorized to implement these policies and ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
3. The Policies shall be effective July 1, 2025.
/ / /
/ / /
/ / /
2 PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms at a regular meeting held on this ___ day of ______, 2025. ________________________________________
Steven Bilderain, Mayor
ATTEST:
_________________________________
Cindy Villescas, City Clerk
I hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 25-__ was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Twentynine Palms in a meeting held on the __ day of ________ 2025, in the City of Twentynine Palms, California, by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS:
________________________________________
Cindy Villescas, City Clerk
Benefits Policy
City of Twentynine Palms
1 Longevity Pay
Longevity pay is additional compensation paid to eligible employees for long-term continuous service, excluding temporary and seasonal employees who are not CalPERS members. For the purpose of computing years of service, the anniversary date of employment will be used for qualifications, based on the most recent hire date. Employees who have completed at least fifteen continuous years of service with the City shall receive an additional single one-time lump payment as longevity pay.
Eligible employees shall receive longevity pay in the pay period following milestone anniversary dates, as indicated below:
(a) Upon completion of fifteen (15) continuous years of service with the City, a $500 single onetime lump sum payment. (b) Upon completion of twenty (20) continuous years of service with the City, a $1,000 single one-time lump sum payment.
(c) Upon completion of twenty (25) continuous years of service with the City, a $1,500 single one-time lump sum payment.
Longevity Pay will be effective July 1, 2025. No retroactive payments will be made. Employees hired on or after January 1, 2025, will not be eligible to receive longevity pay.
The City will report longevity pay to CalPERS as special compensation pursuant to CCR 571 (a)(1) and CCR 571.1(2) of the CalPERS regulations. It is acknowledged that CalPERS' classification of longevity pay may change, and the City and its employees are subject to CalPERS' final determination.
2 Bilingual Skills Pay
Employees whose job duties require the use of bilingual skills may be eligible for additional compensation. To be eligible for bilingual skills pay, the employee must take and pass a language proficiency test administered by the Human Resources Department. Should an employee not pass the proficiency test, they may be permitted to retake the test after 180 days from the date of the last exam.
Use of bilingual verbal and written skills will be compensated at a rate approved by the City Council, currently at $25 per bi-weekly period. Bilingual skills pay is available to all employees whose positions require the use of bilingual skills as defined by the City Manager and City Council. Upon request, employees receiving bilingual pay are expected to assist other departments with translation upon request, provided that such assistance occurs during their regular work hours. Refusal to assist may result in the loss of bilingual pay. Bilingual pay will be discontinued if it is determined by the City Manager that the employee's position no longer requires the use of bilingual skills as part of their essential job functions. Employees will be notified in writing of this determination.
The City Manager, through the authorization of the City Council, shall designate which languages shall be eligible for bilingual pay, based on community needs.
Bilingual skills pay is considered a special form of compensation and will be reported to CalPERS accordingly, following Title 2 CCR Section 571 (a)(4) as a bilingual premium. It is acknowledged that CalPERS' classification of bilingual skills pay may change, and the City and its employees are subject to CalPERS' final determination.
California Public Employees’ Retirement System
P.O. Box 942715 | Sacramento, CA 94229-2715
888 CalPERS (or 888-225-7377) | TTY: (877) 249-7442
www.calpers.ca.gov
Announcements
Circular Letter
July 1, 2021
Circular Letter: 200-041-21
Distribution: IV, V, VI, X, XII, XVI
To: All CalPERS Employers
Subject: New Compliance in Compensation Reporting Webpage Purpose
The purpose of this Circular Letter is to inform you of CalPERS’ new Compliance in Compensation Reporting webpage. The webpage provides tools and resources available to educate employers about compensation reporting requirements to comply with the Public Employees’ Retirement Law (PERL).
Resources & Education
It is important to report accurate member information in compliance with the PERL, Government Code, and California Code of Regulations. This ensures accurate retirement benefits for members and their beneficiaries. Retirement benefits are calculated based on a member's years of service credit, age at retirement, and final compensation (average salary for a defined period of employment). Inaccurate reporting of compensation can cause inaccurate calculation of retirement benefits that may result in underpayment or overpayment for both members and you.
Circular Letter: 200-041-21
July 1, 2021
Webpage Features
The new webpage features the following:
Accurate compensation reporting information
Audit Compliance & Resolution Team contact information Common labor policy and agreement issues
Common reporting scenarios
Compliant labor policy and agreement information
Labor policy and agreement sample language
Resources
‒ Circular Letters
‒ Cognos reports
‒ Employer education schedules
‒ Job aids
Future Enhancements
Future webpage updates will contain the following:
Additional compensation language samples
Publicly available pay schedule samples
Training videos
Additional Resources
In addition to the Compliance in Compensation Reporting page, we’ve added a Special Compensation Reportability Table page which provides reportability details for each member category within the identified Special Compensation category and type.
Questions
If you have any questions about the information in this Circular Letter, contact the CalPERS Customer Contact Center at 888 CalPERS (or 888-225-7377).
Renee Ostrander, Chief
Employer Account Management Division
City of Twentynine Palms
Benefits Policy
Effective July 1, 2025
Passed, approved, and adopted at the regular City Council meeting on June 10, 2025 Page 125 of 132
1 Longevity Pay
Longevity pay is additional compensation paid to eligible employees for long-term continuous service, excluding temporary and seasonal employees who are not CalPERS members. For the purpose of computing years of service, the anniversary date of employment will be used for qualifications, based on the most recent hire date. Employees who have completed at least fifteen continuous years of service with the City shall receive an additional single one-time lump payment as longevity pay.
Eligible employees shall receive longevity pay in the pay period following milestone anniversary dates, as indicated below:
(a) Upon completion of fifteen (15) continuous years of service with the City, a $500 single onetime lump sum payment. (b) Upon completion of twenty (20) continuous years of service with the City, a $1,000 single one-time lump sum payment.
(c) Upon completion of twenty (25) continuous years of service with the City, a $1,500 single one-time lump sum payment.
Longevity Pay will be eƯective July 1, 2025. No retroactive payments will be made. Employees hired on or after January 1, 2025, will not be eligible to receive longevity pay.
The City will report longevity pay to CalPERS as special compensation pursuant to CCR 571 (a)(1) and CCR 571.1(2) of the CalPERS regulations. It is acknowledged that CalPERS' classification of longevity pay may change, and the City and its employees are subject to CalPERS' final determination.
2 Bilingual Skills Pay
Employees whose job duties require the use of bilingual skills may be eligible for additional compensation. To be eligible for bilingual skills pay, the employee must take and pass a language proficiency test administered by the Human Resources Department. Should an employee not pass the proficiency test, they may be permitted to retake the test after 180 days from the date of the last exam.
Use of bilingual verbal and written skills will be compensated at a rate approved by the City Council.
EƯective July 1, 2025, the bilingual rate is $70 per month paid on a bi-weekly basis. Bilingual skills pay is available to all employees whose positions require the use of bilingual skills as defined by the City Manager and City Council. Upon request, employees receiving bilingual pay are expected to assist other departments with translation upon request, provided that such assistance occurs during their regular work hours. Refusal to assist may result in the loss of bilingual pay. Bilingual pay will be discontinued if it is determined by the City Manager that the employee's position no longer requires the use of bilingual skills as part of their essential job functions. Employees will be notified in writing of this determination.
The City Manager, through the authorization of the City Council, shall designate which languages shall be eligible for bilingual pay, based on community needs.
Bilingual skills pay is considered a special form of compensation and will be reported to CalPERS accordingly, following Title 2 CCR Section 571 (a)(4) as a bilingual premium. It is acknowledged that CalPERS' classification of bilingual skills pay may change, and the City and its employees are subject to CalPERS' final determination.
STAFF REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
FOR MEETING: Aug 26 2025
SUBJECT: Affordable Housing Update
RECOMMENDATION:
This an informational item and an opportunity for City Council discussion and potential direction.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE:
Request Staff Report (City Manager Presenting)
Council Questions of Staff
Request Public Comment
Council Discussion
Motion/Second
Discussion on Motion
Call the Question
ATTACHMENTS:
• 2025-07-31 29 Palms
Expression of Interest Letter
BACKGROUND:
Pursuant to City Council direction, City Staff continues working with various housing providers to promote the development or maintenance of market rate, attainably-priced, and/or subsidized (affordable) housing.
Since the last update, some of the most notable actions which have taken place include:
1) Councilmember Scott and Councilwoman Ramirez met with the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition. They discussed next steps to move the self-building housing project forward. 2) The Housing and Homeless Subcommittee met.
3) Councilwoman Ramirez met with NPHS to discuss constructing affordable housing within Twentynine Palms. Councilwoman Ramirez also discussed what programs NPHS can leverage to help older Twentynine Palms residents age-in-place. NPHS submitted the attached letter of intent. 4) Councilwoman Ramirez met with an LA-based developer. 5) Staff is researching the status of the Millennium affordable housing development located on the three acres west of City Hall.
6) City Manager James (co-chair) and Councilwoman Ramirez (board member) continue to attend the East Desert Regional Steering Committee meeting. The EDRSC voted to reissue a RFA for the $98,000 HAAP 4 funds awarded and returned by MUSD.
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9551 Pittsburgh Avenue
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
(909) 988-5979
www.nphsinc.org
July 31, 2025
Councilwoman April Ramirez
Honorable Councilmembers
City of Twentynine Palms 6136 Adobe Rd,
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
Re: Expression of Interest – Affordable Housing Development Partnership (APN 0618- 262-05)
Dear Councilwoman Ramirez and Councilmembers,
On behalf of Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services (NPHS) and our development partner, Homes & Hope, we are writing to express our strong interest in partnering with the City of Twentynine Palms to develop high-quality affordable housing on the City-owned site identified as APN 0618-262-05 (“City Hall Site”).
NPHS is a nonprofit affordable housing provider with 35 years of experience creating innovative housing solutions across the Inland Empire and surrounding region. We have developed and preserved hundreds of affordable homes, administered millions in down payment and rehabilitation assistance, and partnered with multiple cities to transform underutilized land into thriving, sustainable neighborhoods. Our mission is to build equitable communities where every family has the opportunity to achieve housing stability and generational wealth.
Our partner Homes & Hope are more than developers, but rather architects of opportunity, crafting vibrant communities where everyone has a place to call home. As a mission-driven affordable housing developer, their leadership brings nearly 20 years of experience in delivering impactful housing solutions for low-income families, seniors, veterans, and special needs populations.
Homes & Hope combines the positive attributes of the nonprofit affordable housing model with the efficiency, market responsiveness, and innovation of a market-rate developer. With in-house general contracting and construction management capabilities, they reduce building costs and maximize limited public resources. Their developments span the full continuum of affordable housing, including permanent supportive housing, workforce housing, and low/moderate-income for-sale homes.
As an affiliate of McCarthy Companies, an established real estate development and construction firm with over 40 years of experience, Homes & Hope leverages shared resources and decades of expertise in managing tax credit and publicly financed projects.
We believe the City Hall Site is an ideal location for this type of catalytic investment. The site is located within a Qualified Census Tract (QCT), enabling a 30% LIHTC basis boost, and achieves a perfect site amenity score for tax credits. Its central location offers walkable access to schools, public facilities, transit, retail, and civic destinations—conditions which also support strong public and political alignment.
We respectfully request the City’s consideration in entering into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) or similar arrangement that would allow our team to conduct predevelopment due diligence and prepare a conceptual proposal. Specifically, we seek to:
• Collaborate with City staff to establish a framework for phased predevelopment and funding access to accelerate project readiness.
• Deliver a conceptual affordable housing proposal within approximately 60 days, including preliminary site planning, design concepts, financing strategy, and anticipated community benefits.
Our vision is to create a thoughtfully designed, sustainable housing community that addresses local needs, maximizes affordability, and enhances the surrounding neighborhood. With early City support and a collaborative planning process, NPHS and Homes & Hope are confident in bringing forward a competitive, fully financed development plan that leverages local, state, and federal resources.
We welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your staff at your earliest convenience to discuss next steps. Thank you for considering NPHS and Homes & Hope as partners in advancing the City’s housing goals.
Sincerely,
Jesse Ibarra
Chief Business Officer
Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services, Inc. (NPHS)