But what are the facts to help you decide?

Two multi-unit project plans in town have some residents concerned, particularly Sharon and Glen Baker, and Jeff Taylor, who began a petition some weeks ago to “stop the development of high-density housing in the Idyllwild area,” according to the petition.

The smaller of the two projects is on land to the left facing La Casita Mexican Restaurant on North Circle Drive. Brad and Jacqueline Rechtfertig, builders and former owners of The Grand Idyllwild Lodge, submitted plans for a 12-bedroom resort hotel, innkeeper’s residence and guest pool on a lot size less than 1 acre.

The larger of the two is Developer Shane Stewart’s Rustic Rentals Pinewoods Residence off Oakwood Lane, with an address of 25840 Idyllwild Road. That’s because it is tied into the old Tahquitz Motel, now Pinewoods, on Highway 243 (Idyllwild Road), according to Stewart, that he also owns.

These are called “new multifamily units” on the plans, giving the impression that they are possibly long-term rentals. But the 25-unit, two-story structures are described differently in the plan’s Scope of Work as “New development of 25 units for short and extended stay for apartment for Rustic Rentals Pinewoods Residences.”

“These are full-time apartment rentals,” said Stewart. He said the county required him to put in that wording to designate them as a motel in case, down the road, another owner wants to turn them into short-term rentals. Riverside County Project Planner for both projects Bret Dawson had not confirmed or denied this by press time.

Of concerns to the petitioners are that the first proposed hotel is three stories high and the second is two stories, and both require natural vegetation removal. They also question whether Idyllwild has the capacity to serve these units — such as water and sewer needs.

“Both the culture of Idyllwild, wildlife, the forest and Idyllwild are all mingled together,” said Glen. “We want to keep Idyllwild naturally and culturally intact,” added Taylor.

“The wildlife has no voice up here … They need to breathe and to have a life,” added Glen. He said that Idyllwild has lost 1,300 acres to wildfire and they do not want to see the biological biosphere becoming pavement.

The trio are not interested in attacking the developers. “We don’t want to go after people. That’s not what this is about,” said Glen. “Let’s just put a pause on this.”

He is hoping to bring back a county local group, Hill Mountain Advisory Committee, long since disbanded, a group of county appointed volunteers who heard community concerns and took those to the county supervisor. On the petition it states, “We request that any new and existing development first be approved by a local review board (to be designated) and suggest the formation of a cultural heritage board to protect Idyllwild’s roots and natural resources.”

Sharon expressed concerns because the Bakers own vacant land near to the larger project. “We’re not very happy about working our whole life to move up here and be next to a development,” she said.

Stewart expressed frustration: “This whole situation — there’s so much bad information going out there.” He said he spoke with people who signed the petition and who thought he was putting in 144 units. Neither the petition nor the website gives any detail but Glen said he had the plans to show anyone at the card table when they were collecting signatures at the post office.

“’We don’t think the town can handle 144 units,’” Stewart said signers told him. “The maximum is 25 units,” he emphasized. And, he added, they aren’t all going to be built tomorrow or even the next year. The plans call for six buildings he plans to construct in stages. The high cost of materials is a driving force in the construction. “We’re talking about years of a project.” And no pools are in the plans.

He also disputes the argument he’s heard about so many trees coming down. “You can look at the property. There’s only about a dozen trees on the two parcels,” he said, and added that he has had the property since 2016 with a total of four trees removed, one of which was a dead oak. “You can go to Google Earth and go all the way back to 1998 to see how many trees,” he said. “It’s just not true.”

“My vision has always been full-time rentals on the mountain. I don’t own any short-term rentals. I’m against them,” Stewart said.

“What I can say is we have a waiting list of full-time residents. Those are people who live right her right now,” he added and said he has half a dozen people on the list who are being forced out of their local homes because the owners are turning them into short-term rentals.

“The argument that these full-time rentals use a lot of water is just not true,” he also said, adding that the short-term rentals often use more water than the full-time ones.

“I do not anticipate any issues with additional connections in the near future,” Idyllwild Water District General Manager Leo Havener said to a question about whether both projects will impact water or sewer.

Stewart is concerned about people who work in the area not having a place to live. He also is a local real estate broker and said the people coming from off the Hill are buying homes, not renting so much.

“Most of you reading this know me and my wife Jacki,” said Rechtfertig. “We’ve lived in Idyllwild for 15 years. We designed and built (literally with our own hands) the Grand Idyllwild Lodge. If you think the Grand Idyllwild Lodge didn’t contribute positively to Idyllwild or ‘fit in’ to the Idyllwild culture, then you should sign the petition.

“The Grand Idyllwild Lodge brought high-end lodging and customers to Idyllwild. We also raised over $35,000 in charity events and room donations during the five years we owned it.

“Evidently, the petitioners don’t know how to read a site plan so let me describe the project. This is a 12-room luxury eco-hotel designed to preserve the trees on the lot. It is three stories (just like the Grand Idyllwild Lodge) so it has a smaller footprint so we could save the large trees; we only have to remove a handful of trees. All of the big black oaks and big pines at the front and back of the property stay.

“A typical two-story home is about 27 feet tall. The hotel will be just under 35 feet, measured at the center of the lot. There are hundreds of homes in Idyllwild that are three stories so this is not unusual. The trees surrounding the hotel are more than 50 feet tall. It will not block anyone’s view.

“The property is zoned commercial. There is a hotel across the street, there is a commercial plaza development across the street, there is a restaurant next door, there is an 11-room hotel 300 yards away, there are more than 10 hotels within a mile radius. Is there a more appropriate place to build a hotel?

“I’ve been approached by more than eight people on the street who said they heard we were building a 60-room high-rise hotel by the people trying to obtain signatures. One even said it had a pool on the roof.

“In my opinion, misinformation and exaggeration of the scope of development is being used to obtain signatures. My wife and I love Idyllwild and will be here the rest of our lives.

“There is a proper balance between growth and preserving the charm of Idyllwild. The design on the county website is preliminary to establish the scope and footprint of the hotel. I can assure you my wife and I will build another masterpiece that will enhance Idyllwild.

“Our permit process has been going on for two years. We’ve done every environmental study there is, including botanical, archaeology, paleontology, oak tree survey, wildlife, noise pollution and air pollution. This project is 100% compliant.

“We have will-serve from Idyllwild Water District for water and sewer. We don’t need another board in Idyllwild. The county of Riverside and the Idyllwild Historical Society have done a fine job and will do so in the future to keep Idyllwild the best small town in America.

“The vacation rental boom in Idyllwild has been a blessing and a curse. On the positive side, it’s skyrocketed property values and provided housing for much needed tourists. On the negative side, it’s created noise problems and a critical shortage of long-term rental housing.

“Talk to any restaurant or shop owner: The biggest issue is finding employees because they have nowhere to live in Idyllwild. Small hotels like ours and more long-term rental housing done correctly will balance this equation and make Idyllwild better.

“Jacki and I would sign a petition to prevent a 60-room hotel or apartment development — that’s not Idyllwild. The petitioners’ hearts are in the right place, but this petition is too broad and not based in pragmatism, facts, reality or experience. I also wonder if it’s certifiable because anyone can go online and enter information; real petitions have a certification process.

“Now that you have some facts, you may feel compelled to contact the petitioners and have them remove your name. God Bless Idyllwild.”

Several departments must sign off on the projects before they are ready for a Planning Commission hearing, according to Dawson.

Dawson said in the review stage, some of the departments who must sign off are “Environmental Health, Transportation, Idyllwild Fire, Environmental Protections Division (Biology), Geology, Paleontology, Archaeology, etc.

“Both projects are in the review stage. They are working on final items to obtain clearance from the departments before they are ready for Planning Commission/Directors Hearing.

“In regards to water, the Department of Environmental Health conditions that the projects to provide a ‘Will Serve’ letter from the Idyllwild Water District for water prior to building permit issuance. The will serve is a guarantee that the water agency can provide the proposed project adequate water supplies,” said Dawson.

IWD already has given a will-serve letter to Stewart for three meters. He said he met with then-IWD General Manager Jack Hoagland and then-Idyllwild Fire Station Capt. Patrick Reitz back in 2018. “We had a big meeting. I put in two fire hydrants, all the new meters, put in the new pipeline to the well.” A well on one of the properties belongs to IWD. “I even paved the road at my own expense,” he said and said he did this to satisfy both IWD and IFPD.

The petitioners received around 479 signatures as of Wednesday, Aug. 18, with a personal goal of 500. Visit saveidyllwild.greencafe.com to view the petition. Dawson will be the petition recipient.

Dawson said, “If they have concerns, questions or have letters/emails in support or opposition they can contact me:” Brett Dawson, Project Planner, County of Riverside Planning Department, 4080 Lemon Street, 12th Floor, Riverside CA 92501-3634, bdawson@rivco.org, (951) 955-0972.