Hi-Desert homeowners say Joshua tree law is pricing them out of basic improvements

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) Morongo Basin residents say California's Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act is forcing them to pay thousands and in some cases tens of thousands of dollars in state mitigation fees just to connect their homes to the sewer or build a fence.

The 2023 law requires a permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for any "ground-disturbing work" near a western Joshua tree, with fees ranging from $150 to $2,500 per tree.

A three-bill package from Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) aimed to ease that burden, but the results were mixed. SB 1061 and SB 1062 passed out of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee with amendments. SB 1063 did not.

That third bill was the one most directly tied to the complaints News Channel 3 heard from Hi-Desert homeowners — it would have created an expedited, fee-free pathway for septic-to-sewer hookups and similar "life-sustaining" projects.

"I am deeply disappointed that SB 1063 did not pass," Ochoa Bogh said. "That bill would have helped homeowners who are simply trying to maintain their property and access basic services without unnecessary delays. I will keep working to address these barriers."

The two bills that did advance target different pieces of the law. SB 1061 would let homeowners relocate up to 10 western Joshua trees without fees or mitigation requirements under certain conditions, and would clarify that moving a tree without a net loss doesn't count as a traditional "take." SB 1062 would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to weigh proportionate, tiered fees based on a project's actual impact — so a homeowner putting in a fence isn't hit with the same cost as a large commercial development.

Both bills now head to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

News Channel 3 spoke with affected homeowners, the bill's author, and state regulators about whether relief is coming.