Thank you for checking out the third issue of Elevation 6752', the official newsletter of the City of Big Bear Lake, CA! This brand new newsletter is presented to keep you well-informed about the City's issues, projects, and initiatives, and will be complemented by other public communications strategies in the future. The City Council, Planning Commission, City staff, and numerous others are all working hard to provide the highest quality City services, in a helpful and professional manner, and promote new public and private investment in our community - in order to enhance the quality of life and visitor experience - and we want to make sure you are well-informed about our efforts on your behalf!

The easiest way to stay-informed about the City of Big Bear Lake is to sign up for this new email newsletter. It's easy to sign up - simply visit https://www.citybigbearlake.com/ and click on "Text & Email Notifications" in the top center of the homepage. Simply click on the link, enter your name and email address, and you're all set. Signing up will ensure you receive the new Elevation 6752' newsletter each month, and also any special communications from the City of Big Bear Lake for emergency situations, special events, and more!

In addition to the new Elevation 6752' newsletter, you can also get the latest information from the City of Big Bear Lake via the following digital platforms:

Please help us spread the word, and share this new City newsletter with your friends, family, other residents, property owners, frequent visitors, or anyone else who is interested in Big Bear Lake!

The City continues to closely monitor the incidence of COVID-19 in the Big Bear Valley, and is now receiving additional data from San Bernardino County contact tracers.

As of August 14, the County reports a total of 8 active cases in the Big Bear Valley, and the City is pleased to see this number gradually decreasing. Since mid-March, there have been a total of 82 confirmed cases in the Big Bear Valley, and the County indicates that 74 of these cases have now recovered.

The 2020 Census is now underway, and the City of Big Bear Lake needs your help to make sure all of us in Big Bear Lake are counted! An accurate census count makes a huge difference in the amount of Federal and State funding distributed to California, San Bernardino County, and Big Bear Lake, and also determines how much representation we have in Sacramento and Washington, DC!

This year, it's SIMPLE to make sure you are counted - all you need to do is visit https://2020census.gov/ and complete the short questionnaire. We're only looking for about 10 minutes of your time, and you can even complete it on your smartphone - it's that easy! If you are a permanent resident of Big Bear Lake OR if you are a second homeowner in Big Bear Lake who spends more than 6 months and 1 day per year at your home in Big Bear Lake, PLEASE take the time to complete the questionnaire.

As of August 14, the response rate in the City of Big Bear Lake is at 16%. Considering our large number of second homes, that's not too bad, but we really need to get the rate up into the 22% or greater range! Please do your part, complete the short online questionnaire today, and help us maximize the funding allocated to our community and maximize our representation - so that we can do the best possible job serving you!

Construction of a new, dedicated pedestrian and bicycle trail along the west side of Stanfield Cutoff is scheduled to begin next week, and should be complete in October.

The project will convert the existing west shoulder to a segregated trail, providing a safe connection from Big Bear Boulevard to the Alpine Pedal Path on the North Shore. New guardrails and decorative fencing will be installed, the new path will be resurfaced, and new park amenities will be added. In addition, the entire length of Stanfield Cutoff will be completely resurfaced, and approximately 25 new parking spaces will be paved and delineated along both sides of Stanfield Cutoff near Big Bear Boulevard.

The City is pleased to construct this project, which is a key element of broader plans to develop a continuous system of dedicated pedestrian and bicycle trails throughout the City. The total project budget is approximately $1.3 million, and is funded by State grants and dedicated Measure Y (transient occupancy tax) funding. S. Porter, Inc., a local contractor, will construct the project on behalf of the City.

Work is currently underway on the rehabilitation of 1.1 miles of City streets to restore structural integrity, provide a smooth ride surface, and improve aesthetics in the affected neighborhoods. Contractor and City crews are currently improving Lagunita Lane, Francis Way, Gibralter Road, Gibralter Landing, Sahuaro Road, and a segment of Moonridge Road.

The total cost of this work is approximately $933,000, and is funded by a combination of restricted State road funds and City street maintenance reserves. Work is expected to be complete in October.

Big Bear Lake continues to be a relatively safe, convenient, and desirable location during the COVID-19 event, and the City continues to experience consistent high visitation levels. Big Bear Lake is not unique, as nearly all similar tourism destinations are currently experiencing high demand and facing similar challenges.

The City is working hard to manage these additional tourism impacts and preserve residential quality of life in Big Bear Lake. Vacation rental managers and City staff are responding to every complaint call, and the City has now implemented a new procedure whereby the San Bernardino County Sheriff now responds to all noise and party calls after 10 pm. In addition, the City is working closely with Big Bear Lake vacation rental management companies to ensure compliance, penalize offenders, and, if necessary, evict guests who do not comply.

In addition, the City has facilitated the deployment of additional Sheriff personnel on weekends, has been assisting the US Forest Service with trash and graffiti removal, and has deployed portable toilets when helpful.

If you have a complaint or concern, please call 909-866-CODE, and we will be happy to assist you and resolve the issue.

City Council recently approved a zone change for a small Elm Street parcel, and this zone change will help to facilitate the development of a new wedding venue and reception hall at the corner of Moonridge Road and Elm Street.

"The Barn at Big Bear" is expected to begin construction in the coming weeks, with a late 2021 opening date anticipated. The new facility will include a new 9,360 sf building, the conversion of an existing building on site, natural gardens, and ample parking on an approximately 2 acre site.

The new facility is consistent with established plans for the Moonridge corridor, and will be a nice addition to our community!

A City contractor recently demolished a City-owned building on Moonridge Road near Walgreens, removing this blighted structure and opening up this parcel for the planned extension of the Rathbun Creek pedestrian and bicycle trail in this area.

The City is pleased to clean up this site and restore it to a natural condition, and will develop a small parking area on the site in the future. The total cost of this work was approximately $33,000, and was completed by local contractor S. Porter, Inc.

Visit Big Bear, the destination marketing agency for our area, is funded by a special 3% assessment on all lodging and vacation rental stays in Big Bear Lake. This assessment, levied on all properties in the tourism business improvement district (TBID), was established in 2016, and is set to expire in 2021. Proceeds from the TBID are more than $2.5 million annually, and fund all marketing efforts, visitors center operations, and help to support special events in the Big Bear Valley.

City and Visit Big Bear officials are currently negotiating an extension of the TBID for either a new 5-year or 10-year term, and are working to establish a stronger partnership for future special events and the management of tourism impacts in our community. The City Council is expected to consider the TBID extension later this fall, with the extension expected to be effective in spring 2021.

The San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control Department is now the exclusive provider of animal control services in the City of Big Bear Lake. City Council approved the adoption of the County's animal control ordinance in July, and the County began providing services on August 13.

Big Bear Lake residents should still call 909-866-CODE to report any animal control concerns or complaints, however, the dispatcher will now deploy County personnel to respond to the call. These services are provided for City residents under an agreement with the County that allows the County to utilize the City-owned Big Bear Animal Shelter at no cost.

The City Council had previously planned a special ballot measure for November 2020 to allow the voters of Big Bear Lake to decide whether or not to increase the transient occupancy tax (TOT) rate from 8% to 10%, with the additional 2% earmarked for law enforcement and fire services. Due primarily to the uncertainties associated with COVID-19, this ballot measure has been delayed indefinitely and will not appear on the November 2020 ballot.

The City remains preoccupied by COVID-19, and is expected to be for the foreseeable future. City officials continue to investigate potential new revenue sources for law enforcement and fire, and will reconsider this issue once the City emerges from COVID-19. The earliest possible date that a new ballot measure could be presented to the voters is November 2022.

The filing period for 2 seats on the City Council has closed, and a total of 4 individuals are running for the 2 seats.

The November 2020 election is the first by-district election to be held in Big Bear Lake, with seats open in District 1 and District 5. Maureen Auer and Alan Lee are vying for the District 1 seat, while Bob Jackowski and Bynette Mote are vying for the District 5 seat.

To learn more, please cick here .

The City of Big Bear Lake was incorporated on November 28, 1980, and will be 40 years old in a few months! City officials are proud of the City's collective accomplishments over the last 40 years, and are planning an appropriate celebration for this important milestone, COVID-19 permitting! Stay tuned for more details!

The City's FY 2020-21 General Fund budget is approximately $14.9 million, and includes funding for general government, street maintenance, snow removal, parks maintenance, facilities maintenance, law enforcement, tourism management, code compliance, planning and inspections services, and more.

The City's primary General Fund revenue sources are property tax (approximately $4.5 million), transient occupancy tax (approximately $3.7 million), and sales tax (approximately $2.3 million). Combined, these three revenue sources provide more than 70% of the City's General Fund revenues.