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CVA Holiday Party Rocks!
It was a full house, and then some, at Hidden Valley Music Seminars last Sunday.
Great music by Andrea's Fault, great food by
Jerome Viel, and a great time was had by all!
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Challenges to our Valley's
Rural Character Continue
Our successful appeal of Hilltop's special event venue is behind us, but our lawsuit challenging the approval of the Rancho Cañada subdivision is to be heard next year (see article below), and our legal defense fund still needs your help.
If you haven't made
a contribution yet,
Or send a check to
Carmel Valley Association
PO Box 157
Carmel Valley CA 92924
Thanks!
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CVA Is Creating a Record of Issues and Problems That Occur in Our Valley.
to record a problem you have or would like help in reporting
to authorities.
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It's not too late to donate to the Carmel Valley Angel Project, Camel Valley's very own holiday charity.
The Angel Store will be making the holidays brighter for more than 70 Carmel Valley families this year. The donation barrels have been collected, but you can still send donations to
PO Box 1305, Carmel Valley, CA 93924, or contribute through the website, thecvap.org.
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Rippling River Christmas Crafts Sale
Do drop by and pick up a couple stocking stuffers to help support the activities of our friends at Rippling River. Every Saturday 11 am - 4 pm until 12/23.
It's time for the Rippling River community's annual Christmas sale. The residents of Rippling River work all year creating ceramics made right in their Crafts Room. The income is administered by the Rippling River Residents Association to fund activities throughout the year. Your purchase helps them with events like community holiday BBQs, birthday parties, bingo, open mic music nights and buys popcorn for movie nights! They'll also have a fun White Elephant table.
Located just outside the Village at 53 E. Carmel Valley Road, the sales start at 11:00 and go till 4:00 for three Saturdays: 12/9, 12/16, and 12/23.
The Craft Room is located just past the office near the small upper parking lot. The sale also helps them buy clay and paints for more art projects. Your Christmas support keeps them going all year!
Prices are very reasonable. Please come!
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Come and Share the Wonders of
Point Lobos
Easy Access Adventures!
Visitors of all abilities are invited to experience the Easy Access Trails at Point Lobos. You are welcome to tour at your own pace, whether you walk fast or slow, are pushing a stroller or walker, using a cane or wheelchair.
We also have a presentation that we can show to your group or staff at your
location.
or contact Melissa Gobell, Docent Program Coordinator
or 831 625-1470
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Header photo by
Carmel Valley Photographer
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Palo Corona/Rancho Cañada Park Survey Closes Tomorrow, December 15th
Last Chance to Participate!
The Regional Park District has published results from surveys taken at three workshops and online. 127 responses came from the workshops, and 982 online. Trail connectivity, hiking and walking, and environmental restoration were favored uses by both groups. Major concerns were traffic, overuse, and human impact on the natural environment.
Second workshops were held November 15 and 16, with the stated purpose of refining ideas from the first. However, the three plans presented featured, in addition to the recommended three from the first survey, event staging areas, disk golf, camping, community gardens, a fitness course, pavilions, and "art in the park."
If you are interested in restoring the natural, rural nature of the park,
we strongly suggest taking the second survey!
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CVA's Position on Short Rentals
The Carmel Valley Association recognizes that short-term rentals have the potential to have negative impacts in residential areas, especially when unlimited, concentrated and unregulated. Control of STRs is necessary to ensure that they will be compatible with surrounding residential uses and will not harm or change the residential character of existing neighborhoods. Additionally, we are very concerned about ensuring that STRs do not further increase traffic on our over-burdened roads and intersections.
A review of local and non-local ordinances in other jurisdictions indicates that the following elements are critical to effectively control potential negative impacts of STR's:
- Short-term rentals must have permits and be regulated.
- Rental properties must comply with zoning and building codes.
- Number of occupants must be limited and parking adequate, preferably on site.
- Safety and health codes must be maintained by periodic inspection.
- Wells and septic systems must be inspected, maintained and meet public health standards.
- Density of STRS must be limited in neighborhoods to control their residential character.
- Nuisances must be controlled (such as noise, lights).
- Rentals must be subject to the County's Transient Occupancy Tax and initial fee must be paid in person directly to the County.
- Notice to, and approval by, neighbors of STRS must be required.. Permission of neighbors to use private road or shared driveway must be required.
- Owners/residents must live on site and be available and responsive.
- The ordinance must be enforced and adequate funds provided for that enforcement.
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County Supervisors re-affirm the Planning Commission's Decision
to to Deny Appeal for " Director's Interpretation"
at Hilltop/Cima Colima by a Vote of 4 to 1!
Carmel Valley residents breathed a sigh of relief as the Monterey County Board of Supervisors decided to deny the Appeal by Hilltop to overturn the Planning Commission decision. After testimony from neighbors, CVA members, and attorneys, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors denied Hilltop/Cima Colima's appeal to allow extensive commercial activities and events at Hilltop Ranch. Despite abundant evidence provided by residents and their attorney, HillTop/Cima Colina's attorney claimed that the activities at Hilltop were "educational activities" and a "marketing strategy" and not events.
Opponents successfully pointed out that commercial events are not permitted in areas zoned low density residential, and that allowing them at Hilltop would set a dangerous precedent for all areas zoned as low residential in the county. It would have meant that planting a few acres of grapes (about 3 acres in this case) in a residential area would automatically allow events.
The supervisors' decision comes not only as a great relief to Hilltop neighbors, whose tranquility had been shattered by the noise and traffic generated by Hilltop, but to all county residents who live in residential areas.
Thank you to CVA members and Carmel Valley residents who turned out in force to testify, to our attorney Molly Erickson, and to contributors to our legal defense fund, which allows us to continue to represent valley residents' interests. We also thank the Hilltop neighbors and their attorney Tony Lombardo for their vigorous testimony that helped win the day.
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Val Verde Development Denied
On September 12, the County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a motion of intent to deny the Carmel Rio Road subdivision. The supervisors agreed with CVA and the neighboring residents and businesses that the subdivision project does not fit the site or the county plans.
We thank Supervisor Jane Parker for making the motion to deny, and to Supervisor John Phillips for seconding the motion, and for their perceptive comments about problems with the project.
We also thank Supervisors Mary Adams, Simon Salinas, and Luis Alejo for voting for the motion.
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Rancho Cañada Opening Brief
Filed in Superior Court
The hearing has been moved from October 6, 2017 to January 26, 2018. The hearing will be in Department 1 of the Salinas Courthouse located at 240 Church Street. That is the new building adjacent to the County Government Building. (Some of you may have reported to jury duty in the basement.). Department 1 is on the top floor; there is an elevator. The Hon. Lydia M. Villarreal is the judge.
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Sincerely,
Pris Walton, President
Carmel Valley Association
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Safely Dispose of Your
Sharps and Meds!
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Curious About CVA?
Carmel Valley Association is one of the oldest, largest, and
most successful community organizations in Monterey County. We are entirely volunteer, with no paid employees. Our mission is to defend the beauty, resources and rural character of our beautiful valley. We do that by working with residents, businesses, and government.
CVA was instrumental in the adoption of the Carmel Valley Master Plan and recently settled a lawsuit with Monterey County regarding traffic measurement and capping future development on very favorable terms for our valley. Our volunteer experts represent Carmel Valley's interest, testifying before governmental bodies concerning development, water, traffic, road signs, and other quality of life issues.
We keep valley residents informed about important issues and events with our online Calendar, our weekly email Bulletin, which goes to over 900 residents, and our quarterly Newsletter, which is mailed to over 7,000 valley addresses
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