Assemblymember Greg Wallis’ western Joshua Tree permit relief bill passes Assembly

SACRAMENTO, Calif (KESQ)- The State Assembly passed a bill that would create a fee-free permit pathway for qualifying single-family residents who need to remove or trim a western Joshua tree for necessary safety or property maintenance work.

The bill AB 1663 was authored by local Assemblymember Greg Wallis.

Under the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, ordinary homeowners can face the same permit requirements and mitigation fees as commercial developers with fees ranging from $150 to $2,500 per tree.

“Our desert communities care deeply about the western Joshua tree,” Wallis said. “This bill keeps conservation in place while giving homeowners a clearer and more reasonable process.”

AB 1663 will now move to the Senate.

We previously reported on similar efforts for Joshua Tree residents, you can check out the report here.