Planning OK’s temporary employee housing ordinance – News – Ridgecrest Daily Independent – Ridgecrest, CA

Up next: city council

The Ridgecrest Planning Commission has taken the first step toward allowing temporary employee housing anywhere in the city, regardless of previous zoning.

The recommendation moves the matter to the City Council, which has final authority.

The temporary quarters would house workers for a multi-billion dollar earthquake reconstruction at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the huge rebuild is reportedly on schedule, with a temporary workforce expected to reach 1,500 workers.

In every estimate, this exceeds Ridgecrest’s available housing. The first workers are scheduled to arrive this summer.

The first reading of the ordinance is scheduled for the City Council meeting June 17. A second and final reading would be required after that.

If enacted, the municipal code amendment will allow the housing in any zoning area in Ridgecrest that meets the needs of NAWS China Lake.

Possible city-owned locations for the housing include East Bowman Road and San Bernardino Boulevard; San Bernardino Boulevard and East Church Avenue; West Ridgecrest Boulevard adjacent to the City Corp Yard. The city has also discussed the possibility of a smaller temporary housing location on North Las Flores Avenue and East Norma Street.

According to Planning Commission Chair Warren Cox, one camp location under consideration is in unincorporated Kern County. That location would not be subject to city codes.

As originally written, the amendment would have given City Manager Ron Strand authority to grant or deny the housing application, amend conditions or revoke the permit at any time over issues of public health, safety, convenience or general welfare. The Planning Commission prior to approval added a section requiring applications to be referred to a City Council committee for consideration and recommendation to the city manager.

The temporary housing permit would be valid for a specific time. Applicants would be required to provide a surety bond and liability insurance. According to Strand, if the housing is developed on city land the negotiated agreement would include conditions such as restoring the land to its previous condition, fencing and security.

The sole objection to the housing during the meeting came from Skip Gorman. Although Gorman writes a column that is published by the Daily Independent, he spoke for himself and did not represent the newspaper.

Gorman submitted an email to the commission opposing “man camps” in Ridgecrest, particularly near the Desert Empire Fairgrounds. In the email read aloud at the meeting, Gorman expressed concerns the housing will bring noise, lights and general lawlessness to adjacent residential neighborhoods. Gorman also objected to what he argued was lack of due process and public involvement in decision-making.

The camps could transform the city into an “Orwellian ghetto for at least three years,” Gorman warned, adding, “This man camp prospect is much worse than a pig in a poke. It is a spiritual slaughter of the city.”

See Gorman’s letter in its entirety elsewhere this edition.

What’s in a name?

Prior to the meeting, the housing was referred to as “man camps” or “labor camps.” Rebecca McCourt called in with objections to the term “labor camps.”

“I think it has a very negative connotation,” McCourt said. “I think that from a public relations and a marketing standpoint, especially considering where they are looking at locating some of these potentially, that not using the term ‘labor camp’ would be very advantageous.”

Strand agreed that the former name was misleading.

“There was some confusion where somebody thought that we were bringing actual prisoners into town,” he said. “We’ve been struggling [with the name] because the Navy calls it ‘berthing,’ they call it ‘man camp.’ We went with ‘labor camp’ because that is what the code says.”

The commission and staff settled on “temporary employee housing” after consulting with Assistant City Attorney Lloyd Pilchen.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos