The Idyllwild Historic Preservation District is on the cusp of approval. The county Board of Supervisor’s has a resolution approving the establishment of the district on its agenda for Tuesday, June 28.
A public hearing on the district’s creation is scheduled for Tuesday, July 12.
About 152 properties fall within the district’s boundaries. According to Keith Herron,chief preservation officer for the Riverside County Park and Open Space District, about 65 of these have unique historic value.
The Riverside Historic Commission evaluated the proposal on March 17 and recommended its approval.
If the district is established, Herron said Ordinance 578 requires the following steps:
Notice all property owners within the District
Convene a local review board;
Develop district guidelines;
Conduct several community meetings; and
Integrate the Historic District Alteration Permit (which will need to be developed) procedures within the existing permit process.
Supervisor Jeff Stone has already set aside funding if the district is approved.
Third District Supervisor Jeff Stone is sponsoring a performance of the Riverside county Philharmonic Orchestra. The event is 8 p.m., Saturday, June 18 at the Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre in Hemet. Supervisor Stone has 100 free tickets for this performance and is offering them to the Idyllwild community.
If you are interested in attending this performance, please call Lori VanArsdale, Ramona Bowl director, at (951) 492-8344.
Meetings set for residents in Supervisor Stone’s district to discuss tax bills Residents in the Supervisor Jeff Stone's third supervisorial district will be able meet with county officials by appointment to discuss property-tax bills at two special meetings in November. At the request of Supervisor Stone, representatives from the county Assessor-Clerk-Recorder, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors/Assessment Appeals Division and Treasurer-Tax Collector offices also will be on hand to answer questions about tax bills, valuation of assessments, applications for assessment appeals and related topics. Appointments are limited to 15 minutes each and must be made in advance by calling (951) 955-1030. The meetings will last from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and be held: Nov. 8 -- Supervisor Stone’s Hemet office, 43950 E. Acacia, Suite A, Hemet in the Riverside County Sheriff’s Valle Vista Station off Florida/Fairview. Nov. 22 -- Supervisor Stone’s French Valley office at the French Valley Airport, 37600 Sky Canyon Dr., Suite A, Murrieta. For more information, contact Supervisor Stone's office at (951) 955-1030.
Idyllwild may be a small part of Riverside Coiunty, but today, with the help of Supervisor Jeff Stone, Idyllwild was front and center at the board of supervisors meeting. The following story is a first person report from our new correspondent, Jenna Hunt.
The Riverside Board of Supervisors proclaim this July Lemon Lily month
By Jenna Hunt
correspondent
The endangered lemon lily native to Idyllwild now has its own month thanks to the efforts of Idyllwild citizens who are promoting the Lemon Lily Festival.
The Lemon Lily Festival scheduled for July 16, 17, and 18 in the heart of Idyllwild was honored and proclaimed as the “Festival of the Idyllwild Lemon Lily,” and the lemon lily received it’s own month in July, 2010 at the Riverside County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday morning.
“It’s an absolutely gorgeous flower with a beautiful scent,” said Third District Supervisor Jeff Stone during the proclamation. “There are very few of these lemon lily’s left. The Festival will be the start to bring the lemon lily back to prominence.”
Stone had previously given $2,000 towards the buying and planting of lemon lily plants throughout the creeks in Idyllwild, organizers said.
A group of seven Lemon Lily Festival volunteers sang the official Lemon Lily Song titled “Lemon Lily … I Love You,” to the Supervisors and a packed crowd of about 75 people. The song was written by Idyllwild resident Marilyn O’Connor.
“It’s really inspiring to have recognition by the county for our event,” said Doug Yagaloff, of the Idyllwild Business Roundtable.
Yagaloff and the group of volunteers presented lemon lily plants to the board of supervisors as a symbolic gesture, but they were for show and not to keep.
“They are so rare they have to go back to Idyllwild,” Yagaloff said of the plants.
Stone, a long supporter of Idyllwild, said he desires to keep the community flourishing.
“Idyllwild is one of the most special places in the third district,” Stone said.
The Lemon Lily planners said they hope that this year’s proclamation is the beginning of annual support for the three-day educational festival and the prolific growth and appreciation of wild lemon lilies in the mountains.
“It’s created a very special relationship between us and our supervisors,” said Brent Miller, with the Idyllwild Business Roundtable.
The Lemon Lily Festival has created a strong tie in the community with about 70 percent of businesses supporting the endeavor and other organizations like Rotary, American Legion and area churches signing up to provide assistance, said Yagaloff.
The inaugural event will have a Lemon Lily Walk with children’s scavenger hunt, crafts for children, a lemon lily planting and blessing. There will also be live music with a country hoedown with “Dennis Riley and the Mountain Pioneers,” and music by “Change Required.” There will be a pancake breakfast and a BBQ dinner in additions to the many restaurants offering specials for the event.
The educational seminars aimed as fostering education and appreciation for the lemon lily will be held throughout the festival, Yagaloff said. He said they will also have native plants for sale during the festival.
“The lemon lilies are disappearing and we are at a critical juncture,” Yagaloff said. “We want to spread the word about the Lemon Lily Festival.”
The Lemon Lily Festival was first conceived when local flora expert David Stith and U.S. Forest Services worker Kate Kramer teamed up and decided to help promote the Lemon Lily in its dwindling numbers, Stith said. Stith came to the Idyllwild Business Roundtable with Kramer’s idea and it launched, he said.
“The Roundtable group completely fell in love with the idea and that’s how it started,” Yagaloff said. “It’s an opportunity for every group in town to be involved.”
Stith said he is in awe at the progress the Lemon Lily Festival.“It’s unbelievable,” Stith said.
In a survey of Willow and Tahquitz Creeks, Stith said he found 2,662 lemon lily plants growing in the wild, but the numbers need to be double this or greater, he said. “My goal is to replant the lilies in the creek,” he said. “It’s wonderful that everybody is coming together for a similar goal.”
During the Idyllwild Business Roundtable (IBRT) dinner for 3rd District Supervisor Jeff Stone, he made several announcements regarding the idyllwild’s future.
Library
“I’m tired of the delay.” Stone began after announcing he had come directly to idyllwild from a meeting about the situation regarding the proximity of the propane to the Idyllwild Library. The idea of enlarging the library has been bouncing between the town and the county supervisors since 2000.
Stone said the county has decided to completely remodel the library at its present location. He said the remodeled facility will incorporate “green” concepts, abundant skylights and infused with state of the art technology.
For example, based on the new constructed library in Menifee and Sun City, individuals will be able to check out books using computers, thus avoiding the wait for the librarian to serve everyone.
Using Community Development Building funds, the county may be able to contribute $400,000 to $500,000 for the refurbishment of the town’s library.
Historic Preservation
Stone said the he has found money to complete the historic preservation overlay study. This step should be compelted within the next nine months. He is anxious to accomplish this project and avoid or deter the many frivolous lawsuits the were filed in Julian over the past five years.
Lemon Lily Proclamation
Stone read the Board of supervisor’s proclamation that will be adopted at Tuesday’s meeting. Doug Yagaloff distributed copies of “Lemon Lily, … I love you” song, written by Marilyn O’Connor. He said the locals who attend the Supervisors meeting will serenade the board before the proclamation’s approval.
A copy is posted in the previous blog. See below.
Idylliwild Trailer Park
“We’re putting the [owner] on notice,” Stone said. Remediation and mitigation work needs to occur, he said. Then emphasized that he and county will enforce the safety requirements with as much compassion as possible.
“We won’t close it down, but we won’t jeopardize the safety of Idyllwild,” he stressed. “We all need to be compassionate and cooperative.” But he expects cooperation to work in both directions.
Public restrooms
The county is also investigating the use of modular equipment which could accommodate visitors to the town. A site with water and plumbing may be necessary, he said. But the county is actively exploring options for this long-time problem.
Overall
“Idyllwild is a very important part of the county,” Stone emphasized and added his excitement over how many events will be held in the six months starting July 1. He mentioned the Lemon Lily Festival, Jazz Festival, the Christmas Tree Lighting and the next film festival.
Finally, he did declare how much Idyllwild means to him and this district. Following this year’s census, the county will be redistricting its five supervisorial districts and Stone wants to keep Idyllwlld. He gave notice that he may ask for support at future board meeting to help ensure it remains in the his district.
Riverside County, in June 9 initial reporting, showed the lowest voter turnout (16.52 percent) in the state for the June 8 election. But as over 100,000 ballots not counted in initial published tallies began to be counted, overall turnout rose to 20.71 percent by the morning of June 11, with 72,000 ballots still to be counted. In the county and state, most results came in as expected with the notable exception of the apparent upset by Judge Paul Zellerbach of first term Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco. June 9 tallies had Zellerbach defeating Pacheco by a relatively comfortable margin of 52.8 percent to 47.2. By the morning of June 11 that spread had narrowed slightly to 52.12 to 47.39 but it appeared that the remaining uncounted ballots would not overturn the result.
Zellerbach’s victory was unanticipated. His campaign was not as heavily funded as incumbent Pacheco’s, owing to a limited time he had to raise funds. Zellerbach took a leave of absence from his duties as judge to make the run and could only begin raising funds in February when his leave of absence became effective. Although there is an outside chance that currently uncounted ballots could change the result, Zellerbach is preparing his transition. Pacheco believed his “tough on crime” message would carry him to victory. Voters apparently looked for a broader vision for county justice administration, which a majority said Zellerbach offered.
In his race for State Senate District 36, Third District Supervisor Jeff Stone came up short against current Assemblyman Joel Anderson (AD 77). The 36th takes in Murrieta and Temecula in Riverside County where Stone is well known but the district is mostly comprised of a large swath of San Diego County where Anderson is better known because of congruencies between AD 77 and SD 36. Geography further complicated Stone’s chances because another candidate, Kenneth C. Dickson, is from Murrieta, Riverside County neighbor of Temecula, Stone’s hometown. Although Stone handily carried the Riverside County section of SD 36, 47.8 percent to Dickson’s 24.36 and Anderson’s 18.97 percent, he lost the full district 30.2 percent to Anderson’s 40.4 and Dickson’s 20 percent. Had Dickson not run, it is possible Stone could have defeated Anderson, since the aggregate of their vote totals would have beaten Anderson by a significant margin.
In other races, current Assemblyman Brian Nestande (AD 64) cruised to victory with 76 percent of the vote against Jeffrey Tahir; appointed Sheriff Stan Sniff soundly defeated retired Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Frank Robles 63.28 to 36.72 percent; John J. Benoit was elected to a full term as Fourth District County Supervisor over challenger Gary Jeandron by a margin of 55.86 to 44.14 percent; and Republican Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack easily outdistanced challenger Clayton Thibodeau 69.11 to 30.89 percent for the right to face Democrat and Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet for the California 45th Congressional District seat. Pougnet was unopposed in the Democratic primary.
State races played out as predicted. Former Democratic Governor Jerry Brown will face Republican political novice and EBay CEO Meg Whitman in a contrast of generations and political insider/outsider in the November 9 General Election; although Southlander Janice Hahn carried Riverside County in her race against San Franciscan Gavin Newsome, she lost to Newsome statewide. Newsome will face current appointed Republican Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado; in the race for California Attorney General, Democrat Chris Kelly carried Riverside County against Kamala Harris but Harris prevailed statewide and will face Republican Steve Cooley; former Hewlett-Packard CEO and first-time office seeker Carly Fiorina will face veteran Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer for U.S. Senate; and Democrat Dave Jones will face Republican Brian Fitzgerald for state insurance commissioner.
In state ballot measures, Propositions 13 and 14, Retrofitting and Open Primary won, with the retrofitting proposition winning overwhelmingly. Propositions 15, a trial balloon for public financing, in this case of the race for state Secretary of State went down 57.5 to 42.5 statewide, 60.77 to 39.23 in Riverside County; voters defeated Proposition 16, pushed largely by Pacific Gas and Electric, 52.5 to 47.5 statewide, 59.66 to 47.5 in Riverside County; and Proposition 17, funded largely by Mercury Insurance, allowing transfer of auto insurance loyalty discounts, failed by 52.1 to 47.9 statewide, 56.91 to 43.09 in Riverside County.
In the county, Republicans outvoted Democrats by almost 7 percentage points, 26.23 to 19.32 percent. Statewide, percentages of voters who voted by party will be available on July 16 when election results are certified.
In the June 8 primary election, Judge Paul Zellerbach upset sitting District Attorney Rod Pacheco, Riverside County Third District Supervisor Jeff Stone was unsuccessful in his bid for State Senate, Sheriff Stan Sniff cruised to a full elected term, and Bill Emmerson switched Chambers and strolled to election in Senate District 37.
Riverside County Fifth District Supervisor Marion Ashley and Second District Supervisor John Tavaglione were reelected by large margins, and in a closer race, appointed Fourth District Supervisor John J. Benoit was elected to a full term over Gary Jeandron by a margin of 55.8 to 44.1.
Otherwise the night played out in California much as predicted, with Propositions 13 (retrofitting), 14 (open primary) passing and 15 (trial balloon for public funding of campaigns), 16 (PGE utility initiative) and 17 (Mercury Insurance initiative) going down to defeat.
In the fall Carly Fiorina will take on Senator Barbara Boxer and Meg Whitman will face former Governor Jerry Brown.
