In 2022, environmental and community groups prevailed in an important CEQA case protecting rare and valuable wildlife habitat near the community of Rimforest in the San Bernardino Mountains. Astride the headwaters of Little Bear Creek above Lake Arrowhead, the project site includes old-growth trees and steep, landslide-prone hillsides that provide habitat for imperiled wildlife. The project proponent, Church of the Woods, proposed plans that would eradicate half of the remaining habitat on the site, scraping flat its steep hilltop and burying the headwaters of Little Bear Creek under nearly 40 feet of rock and fill.
Parking lots, access roads, ball fields, and buildings would take the place of ancient trees, a seasonal streambed, rock outcroppings, and riparian vegetation. The trial court’s 102-page ruling found the EIR’s environmental analysis and mitigation were deficient in a myriad of ways, and the County rescinded its approval. If the developer brings back the project, the County must comply with CEQA, and its EIR must adequately analyze and mitigate its impacts on this unique mountain area.