Airport District Grants Easement for Construction of Big Bear Disposal Facility

Big Bear City, CA — The Board of Directors for the Big Bear Airport District, led by third-round President Jay Obernolte, convened for their monthly meeting this week and, among other items, addressed three ongoing topics. Among those, the revised Directors Policy Manual, which also outlines committee responsibilities, was approved. Airport staff, led by General Manager Pete Gwaltney, is working on updating the personnel manual and will then draft the airport’s first operations manual, which will be a go-to guide in the case of fire, fuel spill or other emergency. The Airport Board also completed their portion of terms and agreements with regard to the shared ownership of the airport building with Evergreen Properties (which owns 76% of the building, specifically the second floor and the two south wings). Upon completion of the preparations for the condo map, Evergreen will submit to the County, thereby opening the doors for potential transfer of ownership (of buildings, not the airport itself). The third ongoing item was with regard to comments made by Marge McDonald and printed in The Grizzly; though McDonald was not present this round, Director Butch Waymire reiterated the airport’s request for a retraction of erroneous comments by McDonald. The Airport District Board also took a field trip, across the runway, during the meeting of July 7. In response to an easement request, to allow for North Shore drainage (as required by the County) resulting from the pending construction of the Big Bear Disposal facility bordering the airport to the north, the board took a quick recess to visit the location for the easement, which will not impact airport operations or facilities. Upon return from the field trip, the meeting was resumed and the easement granted.

County’s Annual Property Assessment Roll Decreases by 4.5 Percent; Declines for Big Bear Average 2.1 Percent

San Bernardino County, CA – San Bernardino County’s annual property assessment roll was signed by Assessor Dennis Draeger last week, and calculated a –4.5 percent net decrease in value for the nearly 820,000 parcels, totaling a value of nearly $163 billion, as compared to the assessment roll for the prior fiscal year. The Assessor’s office reviewed approximately 250,000 residential properties for decline in market value conditions and, ultimately, removed more than $4.6 billion in value from the County’s assessment roll which, for many taxpayers, will result in a savings of hundreds of dollars on their tax bills this year. Unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County saw an average decrease of –7.7 percent, while declines for the Big Bear area averaged –2.1 percent, per the office of the Assessor.

Escrow Closes on New Zoo Property; Community Input on Relocation Project to Be Sought in August or September

Big Bear Lake, CA — County Supervisor Neil Derry has just announced the purchase of a 10.4 acre parcel of land in lower Moonridge, to relocate and expand the Moonridge Animal Park, as escrow on the $2 million property closed this week. For nearly a decade, the zoo relocation project has been in various stages of discussion and implementation with action in earnest occurring over the last five years, per Derry’s office. The parcel was financed with San Bernardino County funds that had been set aside over several years, as well as matching state funds from Proposition 40. Various bureaucratic obstacles had impeded progress on the project, per a statement issued by Supervisor Derry, and the county was at risk of losing the state’s matching funds had it not acted. Per Derry, “The zoo was a pipeline project in grave danger when I took office and I expressed my commitment and support for the relocation to the curator and county staff. This was a true collaborative effort, and I am very proud of the results and excited about the zoo’s future.” The Moonridge Animal Park, home to over 150 birds and animals, is one of only two alpine zoos in the country and is entirely self-sufficient, via ticket sales and fundraising efforts overseen by the Big Bear Valley Recreation and Park District. In its current location, at the south end of the Bear Mountain Golf Course, space limitations and rent increases, from $1 a year to $5,000 a month, necessitated action on the relocation, which will take the zoo to the northern end of the golf course. “If we had lost these state funds,” adds Derry, “I am not sure what the future would have held for the zoo.” Now that those funds are secured and escrow closed, the Recreation and Park District will proceed with the CEQA and civil engineering process, with plans to seek public input on the project in August or September. If all goes as planned, development of the new Moonridge Animal Park will begin in April 2011, with completion slated for May 2012.

City Council Terminates Agreement to Build Affordable Apartment Complex on Jeffries Road

Big Bear Lake, CA — The 53-unit, three-story affordable apartment complex proposed for Jeffries Road, on the almost three-acre parcel that is currently home to 12 cabins across the street from Big Bear Middle School, will not be moving forward, per a decision made by the City Council of Big Bear Lake in their meeting last night (June 28). This decision was not entirely made based on concerns of neighbors, however, but due to changes in the tax credit market and the additional subsidies that would be required from the City’s Improvement Agency, which would effectively amount to $7.7 million from the IA’s low-to-moderate housing fund. As explained by the City’s Redevelopment Director Lyle Haynes, who is working to develop the state-mandated 193 units of affordable housing for the City prior to a July 2012 deadline, “We feel that [the $7.7 million] is simply too high for development of this size and scope. It is not a reflection of [developer] National Core. It is just that the tax credit market is so down right now, it is not feasible to proceed.” Already, the City has fronted roughly $150,000 on the project, which is one of a few in the pipeline as the affordable housing is required to off-set other funding used for other redevelopment projects, including upgrades to the Village and the Moonridge business district. To the packed Hofert Hall, including over a dozen community members who spoke in opposition to the project, Mayor Liz Harris explained, “No matter where we plant workforce housing there will be people who say ‘not in my backyard,’ but this is not the reason this is being pulled now, but because of the financial subsidy commitment. We are going to be looking at workforce housing in our future, period.” Despite some tense moments during the hour or so discussion, the end result is that Council unanimously agreed to terminate the agreement with developer National Core. In the future, a new agreement will likely be formed, though it would include other potential sites for affordable housing. In the meantime, the 42-unit  (and aesthetically well-received) project billed as The Crossings is due to close escrow on Knickerbocker Road this week, which, per Haynes, will allow for construction to begin shortly.

Though City Council Holds on Jeffries Road Apartment Complex Decision, Neighbors Voice Their Concerns During Public Hearing

Big Bear Lake, CA — At the onset of yesterday evening’s Big Bear Lake City Council meeting, it was announced to a packed Hofert Hall that the agenda item pertaining to the affordable apartment complex on Jeffries Road would be held until Council’s June 28 meeting. Though no action was to be taken, per a request from the developer National Core of Rancho Cucamonga, to hold for two weeks, neighbors of the project waited through a Forest Care presentation, City and Improvement Agency budget approvals, PowerPoints by city staff and other items, to address Council during the June 14 Public Hearing for the affordable housing project, which remained on the agenda. Eleven community members—from Linda Carpenter, owner of the adjacent Alpenhorn B&B, to 62-year resident Richard LeRoy to new resident Monica Kesslar, who closed escrow in the neighborhood just weeks ago—politely contested and questioned the proposed project, especially given traffic impacts as it is across the street from Big Bear Middle School, home to Big Bear’s only football field. Residents on Pennsylvania Avenue voiced concerns that, given the new affordable housing complex The Crossings on Knickerbocker, that they would be “sandwiched” between two affordable housing projects, thereby subject to increased traffic and likely reducing their home value, when it was yet unclear whether the City would need this many affordable housing units, particularly the over 50 units proposed for the nearly three-acre parcel on Jeffries, currently home to 12 cabins. The Jeffries Road and Pennsylvania Avenue residents pointed out that they were not against affordable housing in theory, but were not pleased with the three-story design proposal for the Jeffries project (especially as compared to the look of The Crossings), in addition to the loss of trees, the impact of density, and the threat of a potential 299 additional residents on an already bustling street. City Council’s Improvement Agency, chaired by Bill Jahn, was not in a position to comment on the project as, having earlier decided to hold the item, they did not have the most recent specifics from the Planning Commission’s June 2 decision. The Public Hearing on the affordable apartment complex, and Conditional Use Permit consideration, will be readdressed on June 28 and, as Jahn pointed out, “The [Improvement] Agency has not made any decision on this project, and don’t know that we will on the 28th.”

Jeffries Road Apartment Complex Approval Goes Before Big Bear Lake Planning Commission Again; Public Hearing on June 2

Big Bear Lake, CA — Though no official action was taken on the proposed affordable apartment complex for Jeffries Road during last week’s Big Bear Lake Planning Commission meeting, the three of five Commissioners in attendance—VP Rich Lambert, Jim DeGroot and Craig Smith—did request project revisions from the developer National Core, Inc. Though the Planning Commission did move to continue the Public Hearing to their meeting of Wednesday, June 2, during which time the Conditional Use Permit will once again be considered, final contract approvals will still go before the City of Big Bear Lake’s City Council, which doubles as the Improvement Agency, the governing body that oversees the use of Redevelopment Funds which are designated for affordable workforce housing projects such as this. During the May 24 Council meeting, Jeffries Road neighbors contested many aspects of the project, slated to be built to the west of Big Bear Middle School. Of those concerns, the following revisions were issued to National Core by the Planning Commission during the May 26 meeting: save more trees, utilize less parking and move from the west side of almost three-acre parcel (which would otherwise back to Alpenhorn B&B), lower outdoor lighting to make it both dimmer and closer to ground, reduce apartment units from 59 to 53, construct sidewalk, curb and gutter from properties in Jeffries 500 block north to Big Bear Boulevard, and utilize a more mountain aesthetic in the architectural design. Despite all these revision requests forwarded by the Commission, others suggested by Council—including a reduction from three-stories to two, and conforming to the zoned 12 units per acre, making roughly 36 (rather than 53)—have not yet been incorporated into the apartment complex plan. Though, once again, the project goes before Council before moving forward, there will first be a continued Public Hearing item before the Planning Commission on June 2 at 1:15pm in Hofert Hall in the Big Bear Lake Civic Center.

City Council Forwards Community Input on Affordable Apartment Complex to Planning Commission for Wednesday Vote

Big Bear Lake, CA — The bulk of last night’s meeting of the City Council of Big Bear Lake was focused on a discussion item pertaining to the proposed affordable apartment complex on Jeffries Road, the contract for which the City Council’s Improvement Agency approved in February; the developer of the project, National CORE, held a community meeting in Big Bear on May 8, to solicit input on the project, which was potentially slated to include 59 units on three acres across the street from Big Bear Middle School. Neighbors to the project voiced their protests to Council during the May 24 meeting, citing issues of density and noise, in addition to concerns related to the removal of trees on the 81,000 square foot space. Entering into the meeting, National CORE had reduced their proposal, to instead build 53 units and expand upon the community center for the project. In doing so, this could reduce the overall number of parking spaces, which was another concern of neighbors. As the City Council was not slated to take action on this item, they have directed the Planning Commission to address these issues (including an assessment of parking spaces needed) in their Wednesday meeting, when the project goes before them for a vote on the Conditional Use Permit. As pointed out by members of Council, the City of Big Bear Lake does have more leverage on this project, as it falls under the Improvement Agency and use of Redevelopment funds, specifically designated to provide for affordable housing for the City’s workforce. The Planning Commission reviews the project, and associated permits, in their Wednesday meeting at 1:15pm in Hofert Hall.

Planning Commission Approves Two of Three Items in May Meeting; Affordable Apartment Complex to Be Reviewed on the 26th

Big Bear Lake, CA — The JazzTrax Festival returns to Big Bear Lake, starting June 18 at the Marina Resort, given permit approval issued by the Planning Commission in their meeting of May 5. The Commission, led by Chairman Anne Zimmerman, also granted approval for an addition to Blauer’s Ski and Board Shop, located at 41177 Big Bear Boulevard; the existing 5,880 square foot building will be expanded by 1,700 square feet, and will include a second story for storage and office space. The Planning Commission also discussed the demolition of 12 existing cabins, on Jeffries Road across the street from Big Bear Middle School, to accommodate a 59-unit affordable apartment complex, the contract for which had been approved by the City Council’s Improvement Agency in February. This workshop/discussion item will receive additional review during the May 26 meeting of the Planning Commission. As noted last week, National CORE, the developer of the affordable apartment complex, held a community forum on May 8; community input and recommendations on the project will be incorporated into a presentation before the Planning Commission on May 26, though action may be held until the June 2 meeting.

County Offers Online Auction of Tax-Defaulted Properties; Register by May 11

San Bernardino County will be offering an online sale of properties, starting May 15. According to the County’s Tax Collector Larry Walker, nearly 1,000 tax-defaulted properties will be available in the online auction, which opens for bidding on Saturday, May 15 and closes with staggered dates, May 17 through 21st. In order to participate, deposits are due by May 11, and all potential buyers must pre-register to bid; to do so, visit MyTaxCollector.com. The website also provides tax information, maps and other due diligence material on the sites, which will be offered at prices ranging from $800 to $269,950. “The benefit of a tax sale auction,” says Tax Collector Walker, “is getting tax-defaulted properties back into tax paying status to generate revenue for the County. Winning bidders have the opportunity to buy real estate at potentially reduced prices.”

Rite Aid’s May Closure Prompts Some Issues for Employees of Stater Bros. and Vons

Big Bear Lake, CA — The ice cream counter at Rite Aid has been a fun summer staple in Big Bear Lake since the mid-1970s when the store was a brand-new Thrifty, one of the original anchor stores, along with Safeway and Sprouse Reitz, of the Interlaken Center on Big Bear Boulevard. The retail location has been a Rite Aid since 1997, when the Pennsylvania-based corporation purchased a thousand Thrifty and Payless stores, but the Big Bear location will be closing in May, with a May 7 closure of the Rite Aid pharmacy. According to Eric Harkreader, spokesman for the Rite Aid Corporation, “On the one hand, our lease was up, but it is still a business decision and one that, like many retailers, we evaluate our operations from time to time, to make sure that our stores make good financial sense. Sometimes it is beneficial to the company to close underperforming stores.”
Though a definitive close date has not yet been named for the store, the pharmacy will close on May 7, at which time Rite Aid customers will have their prescriptions transferred to CVS, the pharmacy just a few doors to the south. The redirect of pharmacy clients to CVS does not make for an easy transition for Stater Bros. and Vons employees who belong to the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, however. In a conversation with KBHR, George Frahm, Executive Vice President of Retail Operations for Stater Bros. Markets, says, “Our employees receive their benefits through a trust fund, and rules of the trust do not allow employees to use Walgreens or CVS. They can have their prescriptions filled at any pharmacy, but then they have to pay up front and then submit for reimbursement. It wouldn’t be as easy as it is now, with a Rite Aid, but there are ways for people to get their prescriptions, including through the mail.” So, employees belonging to the food workers union may have to make the commute, as will existing Rite Aid employees, to another Rite Aid location, of which there are 15 (as the crow flies) within 25 miles of Big Bear Lake, including stores in Blue Jay, Yucaipa, Redlands, Apple Valley and Loma Linda.
So while Rite Aid, and likely the ice cream counter, move out of the Interlaken Center, no word yet on what will be moving in. According to the City of Big Bear Lake’s Redevelopment Director Lyle Haynes, “The retail industry is really changing, and there’s a lot of moving and shaking out going on. Really, we need to think about if we have a Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid, how many of these can the City really support?” Though the City was not involved in the lease negotiation between Interlaken’s owners, Sun Coast Development based in Orange County, and the Rite Aid Corporation, Haynes adds, “We are going to work with Sun Coast to find a suitable lessee. I view this as a great opportunity for the Interlaken Center and an opportunity for Big Bear Lake to diversify our retail base.”

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