The stated mission of RMA is to "bring together a range of Land Use and Capital services, including Building Services, Planning, Public Works, Facilities, and Parks to ensure reasonable and safe development, plan for the future needs of the County, manage infrastructure and county facilities, and protect natural resources."

Here are some of Citygate's 70 recommendations:

Rancho Cañada Subdivision Project

“Notice is hereby given that the County of Monterey is seeking written comment on the Second Revised Draft Environmental Report (SRDEIR)…We welcome your comments on revisions made in the SRDEIR during the public review period from Jun 22, 2020 through August 11, 2020."

Comments can be submitted by post or email to

Carl P. Holm AICP

Monterey County

Resource Management Agency

1441 Schilling Pl., 2nd Floor

Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 755-5103

The revised DEIR is available HERE.

The developer is still appealing his loss in Superior Court, but has decided to issue a second DEIR. The new DEIR does not appear to rectify some of the issues on which Judge Villarreal ruled in CVA's favor, such as affordable housing.

Our attorneys will be responding, and we welcome responses from our members. Further information about the project, and our successful lawsuit is available on our website.

Immediate response needed! 

A potential buyer for the Carmel Valley Village Vintage Airfield has emerged. 

For more information see cvsos.org

Curbside Pickup Service at the CV Branch Library is now:

Book Drops open! Please remember that the book drops are for library materials only! We must quarantine materials for 72 hours before we can handle them, and we have limited space to quarantine materials safely. Please hold on to your book donations for a little while longer. THANK YOU!

On July 8, the Monterey County Planning Commission met to consider the a letter to the Board of Supervisors asking for guidance on their consideration of a draft ordinance on short-term rentals (lately re-named "Vacation Rentals") which the commission had previously asked a committee four members to draft. Here is the first page:

Dear Chair Lopez and Members of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors:

The Monterey County Planning Commission is taking the unusual step of writing a letter to you about the draft regulations for vacation (short-term) rentals to accompany your staff report. At our June 10 Planning Commission hearing, we were unable to provide a recommendation on the draft proposed ordinances until several fundamental policy questions are addressed and further detailed analysis is conducted. This letter outlines policy questions we believe the Board of Supervisors

should address so we can proceed to an efficient and effective environmental review.

The draft ordinances represent county Staff’s best effort at addressing a variety of issues and concerns that have been raised by both the Public and Planning Commissioners over the years. Many provisions specifically reflect direction from the Commission and the Board of Supervisors.

However, in our most recent hearing, we still lack clarity about the basis for several underlying assumptions in key policy areas.

In order to make best use of the environmental review process, among many other requirements the following questions will need to be carefully considered:

• Affordable Housing: How will a new Vacation Rental ordinance affect affordable housing?

• Support, Monitoring and Enforcement: How will we effectively support, monitor and enforce new vacation rental ordinances?

• Character and Intensity: Staff assumes vacation rental is a ‘similar use’ consistent with character and intensity of residential use. Is there sufficient evidence to support this assumption?

• Visitor Serving Unit Caps: How do Vacation Rentals affect Visitor Serving Unit counts in areas with Visitor Serving Unit caps, if at all?

• Unique Neighborhoods: Some developments claim unique circumstances. Should developments such as this be provided with special rules?

CVA has two weed wrenches to loan -

making the work of removing genista much easier.

Contact:

 COVID-19 - The Risks - Know Them - Avoid Them

An Article by Comparative Immunologist and Professor of Biology (specializing in Immunology) at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Recent epidemics provide clues to ways the current crisis could stop.

Stay healthy! Research continues to show that parks and open spaces provide health benefits beyond just physical exercise. Fresh air and organic compounds produced by trees may be a natural pharmacy that can help support our immune systems. Along with other important recommended precautions, none of us should forget our Vitamin N — Vitamin Nature!

If solo time in nature sounds right for you, visit our website and sign up for a self-guided hike on one of our spectacular conserved properties. In the meantime, to be cautious, we are suspending our guided hike program for the foreseeable future. We will let you know as soon as they are available again.

Be Well,

The Team at Big Sur Land Trust

Sign up at alertmontereycounty.org

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.

 Meet Our Board Members

Douglas Steakley www.douglassteakley.com