Community FAQ

LoveMore Ranch FAQ

THE PROJECT

What is LoveMore Ranch?

18.49 acres located at 61650 Alta Loma Drive in Joshua Tree, in unincorporated San Bernardino County. Two minutes from downtown Joshua Tree, roughly eight minutes from the National Park's West Entrance.

The development plan for the site includes 64 residential lots, three common lots, a central botanical preserve, a community and wellness building, a welcome and learning center, sport courts, and an on-site wastewater treatment facility.

Why 64 homes?

Low Density Threshold

The site is 18.49 acres, zoned JT/RS (Single Residential) in the County Development Code and designated Low Density Residential in the County's General Plan. Proposed density must meet the more conservative parameters of each. The General Plan contemplates 2 to 5 homes per acre, and the County Development Code requires 7200 square foot minimum lot size and 4 dwelling units per acre maximum, as well as various setback and lot-ratio requirements.

Subdividing even at the very lowest allowable density for a subdivision per the County Development Code and General Plan, onsite and offsite infrastructure requirements will bare a significant fixed cost, including an estimated multi-million dollar onsite wastewater treatment facility to ensure that wastewater is treated to higher quality than traditional per-lot septic. Per our own and third-party financial underwriting, which includes local contractor bids and knowledge, the lowest density that pencils economically is 64 homes, which gives us our low density threshold.

LoveMore Group-Imposed Density Considerations

In order to achieve LoveMore Group's mission (see above), we impose additional goals on the land design, which far exceed agency requirements and further inform the proposed density for LoveMore Ranch. We want to see more untouched desert landscape preserved than average similarly zoned lots in the area; walking paths; darker night skies; cleaner wastewater; more efficient energy and water infrastructure; and more.

Perhaps obviously, these goals are made possible via a master-planned community. One-off homes require all their own infrastructure per lot, like little islands, minimizing opportunity for—as we call it—“sustainabilities-of-scale". For example, we are able to cluster homes so that meaningful portions of the site stays undisturbed, and walking paths exist so that residents may utilize much more of the 18.49 acres than what is within their home's lot lines.

Density Conclusion

In order to achieve the above LoveMore-imposed goals while maintaining economic feasibility, we concluded that the lowest economically feasible density of 64 homes—or 3.46 homes per acre—is ideal, on lots ranging from 7,200 to roughly 13,000 square feet, with three dedicated community-owned lots that total about 2.75 acres.

Subdividing at this density enables the existence of a botanical preserve, passive open space, community amenities and the project's utility infrastructure. Homes are clustered so that meaningful portions of the site stay undisturbed, and existing Joshua trees are preserved on site where feasible.

The site sits within an established residential grid in Joshua Tree, roughly two minutes from downtown. It is bordered on the north, east and west by parcels under the same JT/RS residential zoning, and on the south by rural-zoned land and homes. The lot sizes planned here are consistent with the pattern already established in the surrounding neighborhood, and posit a much lower-density than many lots in downtown Joshua Tree when factoring in the community spaces available to and co-owned by residents.

What will the homes look like?

Current plans posit single-story, low-profile desert forms of roughly 2000 square feet. Natural material palette, deep roof overhangs, shaded glazing, and passive solar orientation to reduce cooling load. Flat roofs and staggered siting keep the street-facing profile low and preserve sightlines across the property.

Multiple floor plans mean the neighborhood won't read as uniform tract housing.

What stage is the project at?

Tentative Tract Map 20443 and the associated CEQA environmental document was approved by San Bernardino County in 2025. A Western Joshua Tree Incidental Take Permit was issued in February 2026 and all associated mitigation fees have been paid.

Following a June 2026 court ruling regarding a CEQA Petition, the court ordered prior approvals set aside based on narrow CEQA circulation and record-process issues, while denying the petition on all other grounds. The project is now proceeding through a targeted County corrective and reapproval process, followed by writ-compliance and final court procedures.

When will it be built?

Horizontal infrastructure would begin after final permitting, engineering and bonding, with home construction following. We'll post schedule updates here as we are able to.

LAND AND WILDLIFE

How much of the site stays undisturbed?

Over 30% of the site is planned to be protected as existing native landscape or restored to native and naturalized planting, including a 1.5-acre botanical preserve at the center of the community. All landscaping throughout the site is planned to be water-efficient native and naturalized planting.

What happens to the Joshua trees?

The property hosts 26 native plant species including jojoba and the Western Joshua Tree. Western Joshua Trees are preserved in place on home lots and in common areas wherever the plan allows. Any tree requiring disturbance is handled by a licensed arborist under the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act.

Will grading destroy the desert?

Grading is currently planned to be contained on site — no soil to be imported or exported. Foundations and street grades follow the existing 7% slope rather than flattening it, which reduces earthwork and preserves views.

Significant vegetation in the developed footprint will be removed, but, per our CEQA IS/MND, it will not have a significant adverse impact on the surrounding desert. We track and salvage plants during grading for replanting on site, and the plan currently calls for establishing more native plants than are removed.

What about wildlife?

Our biological assessments accepted by the County and years of on-site observation found no Burrowing Owls or Desert Tortoises on the property. Habitat mitigation obligations are addressed through the permits above, including the CEQA MMRPs (California Environmental Quality Act Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program).

WATER, WASTE, AND UTILITIES

Will this strain local water supply?

Water service comes from Joshua Basin Water District, supplied in part by the State Water Project through the Morongo Basin Pipeline. Every home is currently planned to be specified with ultra-low-flow fixtures, and all landscaping to be drought-tolerant native and naturalized planting.

Water service for the project is confirmed through JBWD's will-serve process. That process exists precisely so that supply is verified against demand before a project is built.

How does the project handle sewage?

Rather than 64 individual septic systems, the project includes a single on-site wastewater treatment facility — an approach that treats effluent to a substantially higher standard than conventional septic and consolidates monitoring in one engineered system. It's designed to be odor-free and visually screened from neighboring properties and the street.

Besides being the correct design choice from an environmental, visual, and odor perspective, it is a jurisdictional requirement for subdivisions with lots under .5 acres.

What about power?

Homes are currently designed for all-electric systems with EV charging and high-speed fiber. We are evaluating rooftop solar, battery storage, and community-scale energy infrastructure as part of final design.

NEIGHBORS

How will this affect traffic on my street?

The entrance is on Hillview Road, chosen over Sunset Road primarily for sight lines and reduced traffic for neighbors. Additionally, there are no visibility constraints turning on or off Hillview.

Most trips will route via Alta Loma Drive, a collector street already designed for through traffic. Residents arriving from Yucca Valley and from Park Boulevard both reach the site via Alta Loma. Sunset Road and Alta Vista are not on the natural route from either direction.

Neighbors directly on Hillview between Alta Loma and the entrance will see more vehicles than they do today, along with a paved road where Hillview currently requires four-wheel drive when it is washed out. The project's traffic and air quality studies were reviewed and accepted by San Bernardino County.

Will this block my views or add light pollution?

Homes are single-story with low street-facing profiles, and lots are staggered across the site's grade so each home has sightlines without standing in another's. Street lighting is planned to be minimal by design — ideally none — to preserve dark skies for residents and neighbors alike.

Will there be flooding or drainage impacts?

A hydrology study was completed and approved. Stormwater infrastructure is designed for a 100-year event, with final design and approval coming closer to the Final Map stage.

Will these become short-term rentals?

Short term rentals are regulated by Chapter 84.28 of the San Bernardino County Code of Ordinances. Future homeowners at LoveMore Ranch will be held to the same or possibly stricter standards as those engaging in short term renting in the surrounding community, due to the added layer of regulation provided by the future HOA.

What does this project mean for the wider community?

Before a single home is occupied, the project is projected to pay over $2 million in permit, entitlement, and development impact fees to public agencies, including Morongo Unified School District and Joshua Basin Water District for water connection and capacity.

Once built out, the 64 homes are projected to add over $1 million per year in property tax revenue at the current ad valorem rate, supporting the County, school districts, and special districts that serve Joshua Tree.

The project is also projected to fund over $1.5 million of off-site infrastructure — street improvements, dry utilities, landscaping, and signage — at no cost to the County or to existing residents, not to mention potential CFD improvements funded by future homeowners at LoveMore Ranch.

STAYING INFORMED

How do I ask a question or follow the project?

If you live within 1,000 feet of the site, San Bernardino County mails you hard-copy notice of public hearings directly. If you haven't received one, contact County Land Use Services at (909) 387-8311.

You can also always drop us a message using our Contact Form. We try to respond within 3 business days (typically in a few hours).