West Mojave Plan FEIR/S - Desert Managers Group

with a full range of urban land use types including residential, commercial and industrial uses.The highest residential densities planned for this area are Rural High (one acre minimum parcelsize) and Rural Medium (2 ½ acre minimum parcel size). Existing and planned development atHaiwee, Dunmovin, Coso Junction, and Little Lake is oriented towards highway servicecommercial, residential densities of one-acre minimum parcel size and greater, and agriculturalactivities. The Homewood Canyon area of the county has been designated for residential use atdensities ranging from one dwelling unit per five to ten acres.Land use goals for the county include creating opportunities for reasonable expansion ofcommunities in a logical and contiguous manner, while providing and protecting open spaceareas; guiding growth to areas where services can accommodate urban growth; providing a rangeof commercial and industrial land uses to meet future needs; promoting recreation and a diversetourist industry; and maintaining and expanding the county tax base.The 1981 Conservation and Open Space Element of the county general plan, at page 22,has the following goal pertinent to biological resources: “Protect, conserve, develop and utilizenatural resources, while at the same time protecting the environment.”The Inyo County General Plan also provides for the designation of EnvironmentalResource Areas (ERA) where special management attention is provided to protect the mostimportant and critical environmental resources. Several sites within the planning area have beendesignated as ERAs including the Argus Bighorn Sheep Range, Haiwee Botanical Area, ChinaLake Naval Weapons Center, Rose Spring, and Little Lake-Fossil Falls. Residential densities forprivate lands within these areas are limited to one dwelling unit per 40 acres. Several generalplan policies are established for the ERAs that support cooperation between public agencies,encourage additional wildlife studies, encourage development and maintenance of fisheries,retention of riparian vegetation and management of riparian areas under principles of multipleuse. (Conservation and Open Space Element of Inyo County Plan at pages 31 through 37.)3.1.3.2 Kern CountyMost of the urbanized development within the unincorporated desert area of the countyoccurs around Mojave, Rosamond, and the Indian Wells Valley area near Ridgecrest. The LandUse, Open Space and Conservation Element of the County General Plan calls for thedevelopment of urban densities only in areas reasonably capable of receiving public services oralternative septic systems and encourages (1) higher density residential in urban areas nearcommercial facilities, (2) a variety of housing types and price ranges; and (3) the clustering ofdevelopment as a means of preserving open space. A density bonus of 20% over general plandensities is allowed for residential development that provides complete public infrastructureimprovements (County General Plan Land Use, Open Space, and Conservation Element at 5-2through 5-3). Lower density residential, resource and agricultural uses exist throughout most ofthe remaining area.The Kern County General Plan, at page 8-5, has the following policy pertinent tobiological resources: “Habitats of threatened or endangered species should be protected to thegreatest extent possible.” The county general plan also provides for sensitive wildlife protectionChapter 3 3-14