The desert community of Twentynine Palms, Calif., just north of Joshua Tree National Park. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

For years, residents of the desert city of Twentynine Palms have debated what to do about Ofland. The eco-style resort project, a collection of deluxe cabins set across 152 acres with access to amenities such as an outdoor movie theater, pool and hot tubs, has been hailed as an economic and tourism engine for the area east of the city of Joshua Tree by some and vilified as a nuisance - or worse - by others. Whichever side you fall on, Ofland now seems here to stay.

On Tuesday night, at a boisterous Twentynine Palms City Council meeting, council members formally approved the Ofland Resort project near the Indian Cove neighborhood, paving the way for rezoning and, very soon, construction. The project sits right at the edge of Joshua Tree National Park in what has historically been a residential area; now, thanks to a general plan amendment, the land can be zoned for commercial and tourist use. That amendment means Ofland Hospitality can move forward with its development plans, crafting a looping campgroundlike resort with 100 modern cabins of varying sizes. At its center, a pair of recreation and dining lodges are slated to hold a restaurant (open to the public), a pool, hot tubs and more.

The look largely mirrors the company's first resort, Ofland Escalante (formerly known as Yonder), in Utah near the Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks. That resort has earned praise from the Washington Post, Architectural Digest and the New York Times, mostly for its stylish look and easy access to parkland.

Opponents have spent years pushing back on the Twentynine Palms project, arguing that Ofland has not completed vital environmental impact reports and citing concerns about water use and desert tortoise migration. Ofland did conduct a mitigated negative declaration study on possible environmental impacts as part of the California Environmental Quality Act, noting that the company would designate 110 acres of the 152-acre property to open space conservation, with at least 500 feet of land serving as a buffer between any adjoining land. But some have said that's not enough, particularly with endangered desert tortoises around.

Some locals also said the project's amplified music and movie screens could detract from the desert serenity. Joshua Tree National Park was designated as an International Dark Sky Park in 2017.

"This property where the hotel is set to be is zoned as residential," said Indian Cove resident Travis Poston during a June meeting in front of the Twentynine Palms Planning Commission, as reported by the Desert Trumpet. "It's not a mistake that it was zoned as residential. I'd like to know what gives our City the right to change that to a commercially zoned property. I'm not trying to be a jerk. I'm just not sure our City Planner, the Planning Commission, is looking out for the community's best interest, or at least the neighborhood's best interest."

Planning documents for the Ofland Resort display its location near Joshua Tree National Park in California. (City of Twentynine Palms)

A rendering of a cabin that would be built as part of Ofland's planned resort property in Twentynine Palms, Calif. (Courtesy of Ofland Resort)

When asked about the project's approval on Tuesday night, Poston told SFGATE that his group, Say No to Ofland, believed the meeting "was kind of a charade." City officials are eager to say yes to the project, he said, and have allowed Ofland to continue forward without necessary guardrails. "A giant red flag is the lack of oversight," Poston told SFGATE. "No third-party environmental report, no light or sound report, no impartial oversight." Instead, he said, the city of Twentynine Palms was "just rolling out the red carpet" for Ofland.

Proponents of the Ofland Resort, including former mayor Liz Meyer, have previously said the "project promises significant economic benefits." The growing city, once mostly known as a military hub, recently retook control of its visitor center to ensure its continued operation despite nationwide cuts to the National Park System, and the city has also seen an influx of tourism. Luke Searcy, the head of development for Ofland, said at the Tuesday meeting that the property would likely bring in around $800,000 in annual tax revenue as well.

"We are honored and excited to collaborate with Twentynine Palms to bring the vision of Ofland 29Palms to life," Searcy said in a statement to SFGATE. "Together with our partners, we look forward to continuing to work with the city and its residents to showcase the natural beauty of the area and its unique culture and history."

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