Future of Loma Linda's Citrus Groves Is Uncertain

The fate of the orange groves will be discussed tonight by the Loma Linda City Council.

The dissolution of California’s redevelopment agencies means a lot of programs and service once funded under the agency have been placed on chopping blocks. That may be the fate that awaits the 60 acres of groves south of Redlands Boulevard and west of California Street.

On Feb. 1, the state took possession of Loma Linda RDA’s $7.5 million. Redevelopment had carried $1.5 million in operating costs, Loma Linda’s director of community development Konrad Bolowich recently told one of the city’s commissions.

Among the programs and services once funded by redevelopment the Loma Linda Chamber of Commerce for was funding ($60,000), the senior center, watering and maintenance of the community gardens, a percentage of some employee salaries and $30,000 a year the city earmarked to water the trees, Bolowich said.

“That will all now have to come out of general fund,” Bolowich said. “$30,000 a year is a third of a fireman, a third of a policeman, half of a parks maintenance worker or street paving or water guy. We have watered those groves to help keep them alive.”

City staff has been looking at reducing the watering to the very minimal water that may carry them through the year, maybe year and a half, Bolowich said.

A green belt would replace trees around Mission Road and Heritage Park that the city will continue to water, he said. The city may consider leaving the stumps in place because the root system on the stumps will help with erosion control.

“Is anyone excited about getting rid of them? Absolutely not,” Bolowich said. “This round of cuts for us, we’ve been cutting for five years, up until this round of cuts, we’ve cut fat, we’ve cut nice stuff, we’ve cut things that do not impact services. This (next) round of cuts will impact city services. And that (watering) is one of the services will be impacted.”

They estimate the city will need to cut the $1.5 million out of the $8.5 million city budget, that’s a big percentage. There will be jobs, services and programs, that the city will be running differently, he said.

Loma Linda's City Council will meet tonight at 7 p.m. at the city hall.