The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors opened its Jan. 13 meeting with prayers, proclamations and a series of recognitions before moving into business that included appointments, disaster recovery actions and a major vote on accessory dwelling unit regulations.
Chair Dawn Rowe introduced guest speaker Amanda Uptergrove, co-founder of New Leaf Ministries and a city council member inAdelanto, who shared her story and led the invocation.
“New Leaf Ministries was launched in 2020 to provide practical help and lasting hope to children and families across the High Desert,” Rowe said in introducing her.
Uptergrove thanked the board and offered a prayer for the county.
After reports from county counsel and the CEO, supervisors gave individual comments highlighting community events, infrastructure projects and disaster response.
Vice Chair Joe Baca Jr. announced a used-oil exchange event and a community meeting. “It’s a great event from 9 to 2 at the AutoZone in Bloomington,” he said.
He also noted progress on infrastructure, including sewer expansion funding and park improvements, and said a new fire and sheriffsubstation in the Rosena Ranch area “is going to break ground in February and we’re excited about the progress.”
Supervisor Jesse Armendarez discussed storm impacts in mountain communities.
“My heart goes out to the families of the three young men who lost their lives out there,” he said of recent storm deaths near Mount Baldy.
Armendarez also announced a Jan. 20 public meeting in Upland.
Supervisor Curt Hagman highlighted funding for the Chino Airport and county management goals, saying, “I’m very proud of thedirection that the county is going under their leadership.”
Rowe closed the comment period by thanking county staff for storm response, calling the response by authorities “tremendous” whilesaying that she appreciates “the initial response and into the recovery.”
She also highlighted a consent item waiving fees for residents affected by December storms.
“This item will waive the land use services plan review and permit fees for up to $5,000 per property for residents whose properties were damaged by the extreme weather event that occurred in December,” she said.
During consent calendar public comment, Garth Peasant criticized large expenditures being approved without discussion.
He said, “That action raises a number of questions that the board needs to consider,” referring to more than $20 million in district priority funds.
After the consent calendar passed, the board took up its main discussion item: changes to accessory dwelling unit (ADU) and junior ADU regulations.
Land Use Services Director Miguel Figueroa told the board the changes were needed “to comply with current state law for ADUs and junior ADUs.”
He explained that attached ADUs would be limited to 25 feet, detached ADUs to 18 feet, and by-right ADUs to 16 feet, withminimum sizes of 200 square feet for ADUs and 150 square feet for junior ADUs.
Supervisor Armendarez questioned the height limits and infrastructure challenges.
“When you have no sewer in place, there’s no mechanism there other than bubbler systems that cost $80,000 per unit,” he said, adding that this makes ADUs hard to build in unincorporated areas.
With no public speakers on the item, the board voted unanimously to approve the ADU code amendments.
The Jan. 13 agenda included dozens of consent items, ranging from health care contracts to airport upgrades, disaster recovery fee waivers and discretionary district funding.
The board adjourned after completing public comment, closing a meeting that combined ceremony, community updates and majorpolicy decisions on housing and storm recovery.
