Polaris reveals Specs for RV Park, Retail/Commercial Space, Permanent “Vendors' Row” and More at Glamis
- Thread starter LegitDuner
- Start date
MWB
Well-known member
- May 3, 2021
- 2,675
- 2,601
All they have paid to have done so far is see if they can re-zone the area. I am sure that some budgeting was completed as well to see what it's going to cost for permitting and construction. I still see 5- 10 years getting thru the Environmental impact portion of the permits before we see one grain of sand gets moved. Biffles compound was a single family residence, not nearly the same as wanting to build a strip mall.
Poule43
Site Sponsor
- May 2, 2021
- 2,452
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Hopefully they will leave the Camp RZR Ferris Wheel and make it permanent !!!! Nothing says Nature like a carnival ride in the dunes! Kinda like taking a Chit on the beach! .... pure Beauty !
AHJHHHH - what a "Destination !"
oule:
AHJHHHH - what a "Destination !"
oule: 
HozayKwarvo
Forum Moderator
- May 1, 2021
- 722
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I'm still chewing through it but at first glance I'm for it.
As it's 100% private property, absolutely nothing that happens there should impact the RAMP... they can put in a Disneyland extension and a Walmart and it will not affect the RAMP or our fees one single bit. We are only talking about private property, not the ISDRA. The only possible impact is a minor revision for traffic/access (the 78 and wash road), as there is a proposed traffic light across from the entrance to GDS, funded by Polaris - not our fees. This isn't adding fire rings and picnic tables to the ISDRA though, this is private property.
A solar farm was part of the plan. I'm not stoked about that eye sore but it is what it is, they paid almost 7 mil for it, they can put up a farm if they want and work to get off the tens of thousands of gallons of diesel they burn each year.
Their current water well production is 1.5 acre feet per year (about 489k gallons) and it was approved to increase that to 25 acre feet per year (8.125B gallons). That's enough water to do whatever they want, including the bar, restaurant, hotel, and RV park. It sounds like whatever water issues they've had have been addressed.
The vendor areas would be permanent structures that Polaris would own and maintain. That may eventually end up as a cost savings for some of our vendors, though the plan says "shade structures" ...so it may just ben firmed up designated and powered pads that they set up their existing facilities on, underneath a high/large shade structure. There's 438 pages of the plan and I have not read much of it.
They have proposed an obstacle course and will have a test facility there. One minor concern is a "license" process that could eventually be imposed, once they have the means to do it. Believe GDS had wanted to do this for a while now.
Biggest concern is really for the vendors. Some of them truly live and love that desert and survive from October to April. It takes a truly committed person to endure and operate in that environment for ~7 months a year, not everyone can hack it and we've seen numerous come and go. I would hate to see some that have helped or saved some of us get a raw deal and am hopeful that Polaris will do right by them, give them first right of refusal and a fair deal.
Biggest hope for all of this is the investment that occurs and access to the other side of the tracks. With this capital investment, and a few parcels of their land on the east side (Funco Flats, etc), the likelihood that we can finally get sanctioned access across the tracks just shot through the roof. That is a very good thing. We have a lot of land on that side that goes uncamped, unridden, and untouched.
As it's 100% private property, absolutely nothing that happens there should impact the RAMP... they can put in a Disneyland extension and a Walmart and it will not affect the RAMP or our fees one single bit. We are only talking about private property, not the ISDRA. The only possible impact is a minor revision for traffic/access (the 78 and wash road), as there is a proposed traffic light across from the entrance to GDS, funded by Polaris - not our fees. This isn't adding fire rings and picnic tables to the ISDRA though, this is private property.
A solar farm was part of the plan. I'm not stoked about that eye sore but it is what it is, they paid almost 7 mil for it, they can put up a farm if they want and work to get off the tens of thousands of gallons of diesel they burn each year.
Their current water well production is 1.5 acre feet per year (about 489k gallons) and it was approved to increase that to 25 acre feet per year (8.125B gallons). That's enough water to do whatever they want, including the bar, restaurant, hotel, and RV park. It sounds like whatever water issues they've had have been addressed.
The vendor areas would be permanent structures that Polaris would own and maintain. That may eventually end up as a cost savings for some of our vendors, though the plan says "shade structures" ...so it may just ben firmed up designated and powered pads that they set up their existing facilities on, underneath a high/large shade structure. There's 438 pages of the plan and I have not read much of it.
They have proposed an obstacle course and will have a test facility there. One minor concern is a "license" process that could eventually be imposed, once they have the means to do it. Believe GDS had wanted to do this for a while now.
Biggest concern is really for the vendors. Some of them truly live and love that desert and survive from October to April. It takes a truly committed person to endure and operate in that environment for ~7 months a year, not everyone can hack it and we've seen numerous come and go. I would hate to see some that have helped or saved some of us get a raw deal and am hopeful that Polaris will do right by them, give them first right of refusal and a fair deal.
Biggest hope for all of this is the investment that occurs and access to the other side of the tracks. With this capital investment, and a few parcels of their land on the east side (Funco Flats, etc), the likelihood that we can finally get sanctioned access across the tracks just shot through the roof. That is a very good thing. We have a lot of land on that side that goes uncamped, unridden, and untouched.
Bansh88
Well-known member
- May 3, 2021
- 1,578
- 2,533
Best album...
https://youtube.com/watch?v=mHy6_vQueLI&si=PEwYpypRDG_IjUy-
Forgot how to embed from phone.
Last edited by a moderator:
HozayKwarvo
Forum Moderator
- May 1, 2021
- 722
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They have done a lot more than just an impact study. Some of it was already re-zoned in that meeting from S-2 and C-2 to CR-1. The article even talks to the fact that a CEQA eval was determined to be adequate, water supply assessment approved, wastewater treatment and collection, drainage, fire protection, you name it ....it's all been reviewed and approved. I was actually shocked that they are as far along through the hoops as they are. I'd expect that they'd be complete in less than 5 years and would expect phased changes to start taking place before next season.
Bobalos
Well-known member
- May 5, 2021
- 6,686
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what is RAMP?
thanks
Bob
thanks
Bob
Rockwood
Well-known member
- May 5, 2021
- 5,037
- 6,418
Recreation Area Management Plan
https://americansandassociation.org/images/isdra-ramp/isdra_rod-ramp_final.pdf
ChEFF
Forum Moderator
- May 1, 2021
- 14,680
- 8,812
I go to Glamis to get away from it all. Now all of it will be at Glamis
I go for the same reasons. Peace
South Bay
Well-known member
- May 5, 2021
- 1,288
- 1,060
Lolz,WTF is an adventure center an "off road experience". chit, um the dunes are right there, should be enough of an off road experience for anyone . . .
ROBERT L
Moderator
- May 2, 2021
- 4,763
- 3,565
I wonder if it’s like what Ocotillo has that’s more of an information center. That’s pretty cool to see what the history of the area is. Local critters plants and things. I would think the more people get educated about the area the better.
Bansh88
Well-known member
- May 3, 2021
- 1,578
- 2,533
Unless there's a fee, Polaris isn't going to fund a visitor center and staff like State Parks.
Because Glamis really has 5 months of almost Zero activity, I doubt anything will happen here minus a seasonal shop and possibly some RV pads.
Crusty
Well-known member
- Apr 29, 2021
- 4,885
- 4,947
@HozayKwarvo thanks for the details.
I'd rather see Polaris involved then nobody.
No big $$ ever got invested into Oceano Dunes and while the Orgs have fought the good fight, look at the size it is today.
Polaris at least makes their $$ keeping our sport alive.
I'd rather see Polaris involved then nobody.
No big $$ ever got invested into Oceano Dunes and while the Orgs have fought the good fight, look at the size it is today.
Polaris at least makes their $$ keeping our sport alive.
- Thread starter
- #34
LegitDuner
Well-known member
- May 5, 2021
- 1,695
- 2,119
The only problem I have is big business tends to buckle at the knees from special interest groups. There's no telling what kind of deals and pressure they'll be put under and what that will mean for the dunes.
I know they are a huge corporation with 100 attorneys on and retainer but that doesn't stop people from doing a class action lawsuit for deaths, injuries, or environmental issues. Seems like a whole lot of extra liability when you have a small city out there. Wonder what that looks like on the news..
I know they are a huge corporation with 100 attorneys on and retainer but that doesn't stop people from doing a class action lawsuit for deaths, injuries, or environmental issues. Seems like a whole lot of extra liability when you have a small city out there. Wonder what that looks like on the news..
honEXduner
Active member
- May 12, 2021
- 105
- 45
Not entirely sure how the liability thing works within corporate law but it appears to be a separate Polaris LLC entity that owns the parcels. Perhaps there's some insulation there?
Bobalos
Well-known member
- May 5, 2021
- 6,686
- 5,260
Funding
The Sierra Club Foundation is the tax-exempt charitable arm that provides financial support for the Sierra Club. According to the 2015 annual report, the foundation provided $54,164,581 in grants. The foundation’s single largest grant was for the “Beyond Coal” campaign which received $26,351,587 in grants.30
In 2015, the foundation raised $87,863,342. The foundation spent $63,424,535 in that year. Finally, the organization closed the year with $113,229,011 in assets, an increase from $89,083,509 the year before.31
The foundation and club are heavily backed by numerous corporations. Among the donors to the Sierra Club Foundation in 2015 were Aveda, Craigslist Charitable Fund, REI, and Whole Foods Market. In addition, Adobe, Coca-Cola Company, Boeing, eBay, ExxonMobil, Gap, GE Foundation, Microsoft, Pepsi, Pfizer, Wells-Fargo, and Norfolk Southern matched donations.32
The foundation is also heavily backed by other foundations, left-wing organizations, and even some government agencies. Among the donors to the foundation in 2015 were Bloomberg Philanthropies, the MacArthur Foundation, BlueGreen Alliance, the State of Montana, the Turner Foundation, the United Nations Foundation, the Tides Foundation, TomKat Charitable Trust, Oppenheimer Family Foundation, Natural Resources Defense Council, and The Pinkus Foundation.33
In 2015, the Washington Times’s Drew Johnson wrote that some Sierra Club donors were possibly benefitting financially from their donations. Among those Johnson looked into were Nathaniel Simons, Roger Sant, and Michael Bloomberg. Johnson also found that executives from “green energy” companies such as Solar City, Solaria, and Sun Run also sat on Sierra Club’s board.34
The largest single donor was David Gelbaum, a man who has invested $500 million in clean energy companies. He donated $100 million to the Sierra Club Foundation.35
Activity in Recent Elections
SIERRA CLUB INDEPENDENT ACTION
Also see Sierra Club Independent Action (PAC)
Sierra Club Independent Action is the Sierra Club’s 527 political action committee affiliate.
In 2016, the PAC raised $1,264,729 and spent $836,462. It supported Hillary Clinton for president spending $24,799 on her behalf and donating $3,538 to her campaign. They also spent $42,791 against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.36
2016 GENERAL ELECTION
The Sierra Club is a 501(c)(4) organization that can engage in independent political expenditures.
The Club spent the most in 2016 against New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte (R). They spent $386,552 in independent expenditures against her, which were by far the most they spent in any race. It also donated $9,496 to Ayotte’s opponent, then-Governor Maggie Hassan (D).38 Before he entered politics, Walser ran a land trust that purchased land for conservation.39
Among the expenditures the club made in the election was a poll from Public Policy Polling. The club also contracted out voter contact to Winning Connections, a Washington D.C. based political consulting firm.40 The club also gave $7,500 to the Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition, a PAC that is run by progressive U.S. House members.41
2014 MIDTERM ELECTION
In 2014, the Sierra Club was critical the effort by Democrats to retain the Senate and take control of the House of Representatives. In the 2014 election, the club did not support a single Republican candidate.42
Its biggest target was U.S. Senate candidate Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). The club’s PAC spent $417,557 in independent expenditures trying to defeat her. The club also gave $4,403 to her Democratic opponent Bruce Braley.43 Ernst defeated Braley.
The club spent $100,624 on behalf of Alex Sink, who was a Democrat running for the House in a special election for Florida’s 13th congressional district. The club also gave her $2,444.44 Sink was defeated by Republican David Jolly.
The club spent $43,362 on behalf of Ed Markey, the Democrat running for Senate in the special election to the Massachusetts U.S. Senate seat vacated by John Kerry in 2013.45 The club also gave him $4,368. He won.
The Sierra Club Foundation is the tax-exempt charitable arm that provides financial support for the Sierra Club. According to the 2015 annual report, the foundation provided $54,164,581 in grants. The foundation’s single largest grant was for the “Beyond Coal” campaign which received $26,351,587 in grants.30
In 2015, the foundation raised $87,863,342. The foundation spent $63,424,535 in that year. Finally, the organization closed the year with $113,229,011 in assets, an increase from $89,083,509 the year before.31
The foundation and club are heavily backed by numerous corporations. Among the donors to the Sierra Club Foundation in 2015 were Aveda, Craigslist Charitable Fund, REI, and Whole Foods Market. In addition, Adobe, Coca-Cola Company, Boeing, eBay, ExxonMobil, Gap, GE Foundation, Microsoft, Pepsi, Pfizer, Wells-Fargo, and Norfolk Southern matched donations.32
The foundation is also heavily backed by other foundations, left-wing organizations, and even some government agencies. Among the donors to the foundation in 2015 were Bloomberg Philanthropies, the MacArthur Foundation, BlueGreen Alliance, the State of Montana, the Turner Foundation, the United Nations Foundation, the Tides Foundation, TomKat Charitable Trust, Oppenheimer Family Foundation, Natural Resources Defense Council, and The Pinkus Foundation.33
In 2015, the Washington Times’s Drew Johnson wrote that some Sierra Club donors were possibly benefitting financially from their donations. Among those Johnson looked into were Nathaniel Simons, Roger Sant, and Michael Bloomberg. Johnson also found that executives from “green energy” companies such as Solar City, Solaria, and Sun Run also sat on Sierra Club’s board.34
The largest single donor was David Gelbaum, a man who has invested $500 million in clean energy companies. He donated $100 million to the Sierra Club Foundation.35
Activity in Recent Elections
SIERRA CLUB INDEPENDENT ACTION
Also see Sierra Club Independent Action (PAC)
Sierra Club Independent Action is the Sierra Club’s 527 political action committee affiliate.
In 2016, the PAC raised $1,264,729 and spent $836,462. It supported Hillary Clinton for president spending $24,799 on her behalf and donating $3,538 to her campaign. They also spent $42,791 against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.36
2016 GENERAL ELECTION
The Sierra Club is a 501(c)(4) organization that can engage in independent political expenditures.
The Club spent the most in 2016 against New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte (R). They spent $386,552 in independent expenditures against her, which were by far the most they spent in any race. It also donated $9,496 to Ayotte’s opponent, then-Governor Maggie Hassan (D).38 Before he entered politics, Walser ran a land trust that purchased land for conservation.39
Among the expenditures the club made in the election was a poll from Public Policy Polling. The club also contracted out voter contact to Winning Connections, a Washington D.C. based political consulting firm.40 The club also gave $7,500 to the Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition, a PAC that is run by progressive U.S. House members.41
2014 MIDTERM ELECTION
In 2014, the Sierra Club was critical the effort by Democrats to retain the Senate and take control of the House of Representatives. In the 2014 election, the club did not support a single Republican candidate.42
Its biggest target was U.S. Senate candidate Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). The club’s PAC spent $417,557 in independent expenditures trying to defeat her. The club also gave $4,403 to her Democratic opponent Bruce Braley.43 Ernst defeated Braley.
The club spent $100,624 on behalf of Alex Sink, who was a Democrat running for the House in a special election for Florida’s 13th congressional district. The club also gave her $2,444.44 Sink was defeated by Republican David Jolly.
The club spent $43,362 on behalf of Ed Markey, the Democrat running for Senate in the special election to the Massachusetts U.S. Senate seat vacated by John Kerry in 2013.45 The club also gave him $4,368. He won.
Bobalos
Well-known member
- May 5, 2021
- 6,686
- 5,260
I thought thw comment about Honda was interesting and put of character for thw company. so I poked around a bit. I can't seem to find any references to Honda donating anything to any environmental organizations. I'm not saying they haven't, I'm sure there are lots of ways to sway votes but in my experience it does not seem to jive with their company MO.
- Thread starter
- #38
LegitDuner
Well-known member
- May 5, 2021
- 1,695
- 2,119
This was the only thing that I had found.
https://hondainamerica.com/news/honda-and-the-honda-usa-foundation-award-more-than-2-7-million-to-advance-environmental-sustainability-and-conservation-activities/
April 27, 2023 — TORRANCE, Calif.
Honda commits $625,000 in funding to The Nature Conservancy
Honda and the Honda USA Foundation award more than $2 million in grants to 67 additional organizations to support environmental education and conservation initiatives across the U.S.
Bobalos
Well-known member
- May 5, 2021
- 6,686
- 5,260
Interesting, thanks. I don't recall the nature conservancy.
This is interesting. Sounds to me like buying carbon credits to appease the government mandates.
Honda is committed to addressing global environmental and energy issues by striving to realize carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050. Toward this goal, Honda will strive to make battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles represent 100% of auto sales in the U.S. and globally by 2040.
Honda also is working to reduce the environmental impact of its business operations. To slash CO2 emissions from its North American manufacturing operations, Honda has entered into long-term virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) for renewable wind and solar power seeking to cover more than 60% of the electricity that Honda uses in North America. This enables the company to fully offset the remaining carbon intensive grid-supplied electricity used in its Ohio, Indiana, and Alabama automobile manufacturing operations. Honda also promotes environmentally responsible business practices with its suppliers and retail dealer partners across North America.
This is interesting. Sounds to me like buying carbon credits to appease the government mandates.
Honda is committed to addressing global environmental and energy issues by striving to realize carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050. Toward this goal, Honda will strive to make battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles represent 100% of auto sales in the U.S. and globally by 2040.
Honda also is working to reduce the environmental impact of its business operations. To slash CO2 emissions from its North American manufacturing operations, Honda has entered into long-term virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) for renewable wind and solar power seeking to cover more than 60% of the electricity that Honda uses in North America. This enables the company to fully offset the remaining carbon intensive grid-supplied electricity used in its Ohio, Indiana, and Alabama automobile manufacturing operations. Honda also promotes environmentally responsible business practices with its suppliers and retail dealer partners across North America.
