Morongo Basin homeowners say California's western Joshua tree rules are forcing them to pay thousands of dollars, and in some cases tens of thousands, just to connect to the sewer or put up a fence. On May 11, two bills aimed at easing those costs moved forward in the state Senate, while a third did not.
The bills that advanced, SB 1061 and SB 1062, passed out of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee with amendments and now head to the Senate Appropriations Committee. SB 1063, which would have created an expedited, fee-free path for septic-to-sewer hookups and similar life-sustaining projects, did not advance.
The fight grew out of a 2023 law that requires a permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for any ground-disturbing work near a western Joshua tree. Residents say the resulting mitigation fees, which range from $150 to $2,500 per tree, have become a barrier to ordinary home projects across the Hi-Desert and Morongo Basin. News Channel 3 spoke with affected homeowners, the author of the bills, and state regulators about whether relief is coming.
Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh said she was deeply disappointed that SB 1063 did not pass. She said the bill would have helped homeowners who are simply trying to maintain their property and access basic services without unnecessary delays, and added that she will keep working to address these barriers.
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 does not 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, which supporters said would stop a homeowner putting in a fence from being hit with the same cost as a large commercial development.
The broader dispute now turns on whether lawmakers will treat the conservation law as a safeguard that needs refining, or as a cost that must stay in place even when it reaches basic household work. For Morongo Basin residents waiting on sewer connections and other projects, the answer will come in the appropriations committee, where the two surviving bills now face their next test.
