A proposed residential development near the nest of Big Bear bald eagles Jackie and Shadow is causing some concern among community members.
Moon Camp is a proposed 58-lot residential division on the shore of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino National Forest. It would be located along North Shore Drive (State Highway 38) about 180 feet east of Canyon Road in the unincorporated community of Fawnskin, according to the proposal, and the community would also contain a marina with 55 private boat slips.
The proposal had previously been approved by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors but quickly faced challenges due to a legal battle over inadequate fire evacuation routes and potential impacts on an endangered plant species.
Friends of Big Bear Valley, the organization that operates the live feed of Jackie and Shadow’s nest and provides the public with updates on their statuses, says they have been working to stop the proposed development for years due to the problems it could cause for local wildlife, including the federally protected bald eagles.
It’s not just the inhabitants of the environment that would be affected, but the environment itself, too; FOBBV says that the proposal would further cause “completely inadequate” fire evacuation routes — which have already been an issue in the past — and lead to more than 2,000 trees being cut down.
“The proposed site is visible from the Nest Camera…empty land just beyond the circle of water seen on the left side of lake,” FOBBV said in the Eagle Log entry dated Sept. 7, the title of which indicates the beloved birds need “urgent” help. “It is foraging habitat for Jackie and Shadow and other bald eagles…imagine seeing and hearing 50 large vacation rental type homes and 55 boat slips in what is now a natural habitat.”
FOBBV noted that they have won multiple environmental lawsuits against the project in the past, with the latest requiring additional environmental analysis.
On the other hand, one of the developers told KTLA that the plans for Moon Camp have been modified several times, and he said he believes the project is “environmentally sound for the area.”
Developers have also claimed that FOBBV is “using the eagles” to repeatedly stall their project and others around the Big Bear Lake area, reiterating that they are trying to be “good environmental neighbors.”
The latest round of discussion and voting on the Moon Camp proposal will take place on Tuesday at the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors meeting, as officials recently announced that they would be speaking on the matter then.
That meeting starts at 10 a.m. at the county building located at 385 N. Arrowhead Ave. in San Bernardino. FOBBV noted that the Moon Camp proposal plans are item No. 85 of 85 on the agenda, meaning that those who might want to go in person should pack their patience and plan to stay for awhile.
If you can’t make it to the meeting, you can submit public comment on the situation before the meeting by clicking here.
Click here to read the Moon Camp Final Environmental Impact Report.