Two Big Bear Lake residents urged the Planning Commission during public comment to pause a proposed relocation of the city’s waste transfer site and to provide residents with permit documents and environmental review before any approvals.

Susan Ellis, a full-time resident at 39420 Lark Road, told the commission that, “According to city staff, this project was approved by city council during a closed session,” and said residents have been excluded from the process. Ellis said she was told by a city employee that the city is seeking to relocate the waste transfer site from Highway 18 into a residential neighborhood zoned public use/open space and that grading, tree removal and heavy equipment activity have already begun.

Ellis argued the city is relying on a temporary use permit (TUP) and that, under city code, a TUP requires a finding that the proposed use is compatible with surrounding land uses. “A waste site in a residential area clearly fails that test,” she said, and she told the commission no public hearings, environmental review, or traffic studies have been completed. Ellis cited the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), saying discretionary uses require environmental review and that a TUP cannot avoid those CEQA duties.

Theresa Carrera, a retired resident who lives on Lark Trail, raised safety and nuisance concerns if the transfer site is located near the neighborhood. She described potential traffic conflicts at the Cienega/Lark intersection during high-volume tourist checkouts and said frustrated drivers could dump trash on neighborhood property or create collisions that block a main artery. Carrera also warned the site could increase wildlife interactions, saying, “The bears have figured out the trash cans…The bears are gonna love having an entire clean their site at their disposal.”

Commissioners and staff did not take action on the public comments during the hearing. Vice Chair Beverage requested a copy of the temporary use permit referenced by speakers and asked staff to provide it before a neighborhood meeting; staff said Kelly Tinker, who is leading the matter, would provide the permit. Andrew Mellon, community development manager, said staff would pass along contact information and that department heads were better positioned to respond on operational details.

No formal application or action on the transfer site was taken by the Planning Commission at the meeting. The public comments were recorded as part of the meeting record and commissioners encouraged residents to contact their council members and relevant department staff for additional follow-up.

Clarifying details disclosed during comments and staff follow-up requests include: the resident speaker address (39420 Lark Road), the land use zoning described by speakers as public use/open space, references to Big Bear Lake Municipal Code sections cited by speakers in shorthand, and the residents’ claim that grading and tree removal activity had already begun. Staff agreed to provide the temporary use permit to commissioners prior to a neighborhood meeting and to have Kelly Tinker follow up with interested parties.

Why this matters: If the city proceeds without required hearings or environmental analysis for a discretionary action, affected residents can lose opportunities for input and legal reviews required under state and local rules. The commission did not take any formal action on the matter at this meeting and directed staff to provide the TUP to commissioners for review prior to community outreach.

Sources: Public comment by Susan Ellis and Theresa Carrera during the Planning Commission meeting; follow-up responses by staff including Andrew Mellon.