12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY may 4-10, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com The city of Soledad is undergoing a transformation. One change is a 647-acre annexation, which includes the planned Miramonte project. This housing development could mean over 2,300 new homes to the north of the city’s current footprint. But in the core of Soledad’s existing downtown, city officials are working on a concept to create a village of shipping containers on Front Street. Soledad owns several parcels, totaling about three-quarters of an acre, that are long and narrow, which makes them unappealing for housing developers; however, these parcels, located along the commercial corridor near Cesar Chavez Park between Soledad and Kidder streets, are ideal for commercial use. This project aims to provide locals with more options and keep tax dollars within city limits. Many residents travel to Salinas or the Monterey Peninsula to purchase goods and services. “South Monterey County deserves a place to get a beer, a glass of wine, to go to a little concert,” says Bryan Swanson, Soledad’s community and economic development director. In recent years, the city has attracted new businesses including Premiere Cinemas and Grocery Outlet; now, they are focusing on the hospitality industry. The container village would host city-sponsored events and festivals, and planners hope it would attract new businesses, preferably local. (As one example of a successful container business, Fieldwork Brewing Company’s downtown Monterey location is made of shipping containers.) The spark for the container village started two years ago during an economic development workshop followed by surveys to determine what residents were looking for. On April 19, Soledad City Council and the Planning Commission reviewed three options for revitalizing city-owned downtown properties presented by ESL Architects. They chose the container village option. A village of about a dozen containers would cost up to $10 million and include space for restaurants, drinks, retail and an outdoor stage. Another component the city is considering is a community kitchen similar to El Pájaro Community Development Corporation’s commercial kitchen incubator for emerging food entrepreneurs. City staff are working on a dossier they will share with potential investors and tenants. They are looking for an anchor business, such as a brewery or winery. “There’s a ton of market here that’s being missed, that we feel would be advantageous for a brewery in our region to establish a second location,” Swanson says. Lawyers representing Monterey County Jail inmates in a settlement over conditions claim that the jail’s health care provider is in violation of the terms of the agreement—and they are requesting to unseal redacted reports detailing the alleged failures. In a motion filed April 26 in the U.S. District Court for Northern California, attorneys for the inmates asked a federal judge to find prison health care provider Wellpath “noncompliant with the settlement agreement,” which was reached in 2015 to resolve a class-action lawsuit that challenged “inadequate” medical and mental health care at the jail, as well as safety and security issues. The filing claims that nearly eight years after the settlement, Wellpath has “defied its court-ordered obligations” and continues to provide “systematically inadequate care to people incarcerated” at the jail— citing a death rate there that is “more than twice the national average” and a suicide rate “more than three times the average for California jails.” They also point to findings by court-appointed neutral monitors charged with overseeing services at the jail, whose reports are provided in the filing yet heavily redacted. The plaintiffs are seeking to have those reports unsealed “so that the public and people incarcerated at the Monterey County Jail can understand what the issues are,” according to Van Swearingen, partner at plaintiffs’ law firm Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld. The motion seeks fines of $25,000 against Wellpath for each noncompliant provision of the settlement agreement, with up to 44 such provisions alleged. A hearing is set for Aug. 24. In a statement, the Sheriff’s Office said it is “working diligently with Wellpath to comply with the terms of the settlement agreement” and is “focused on meeting the terms to ensure that our incarcerated population is cared for to meet their day-to-day needs and the expectations of the community.” Up Town Soledad seeks to transform Front Street to attract new businesses to downtown. By Celia Jiménez news Future of Marina Marina’s Planning Department hosts a virtual workshop related to the city’s general plan update for the next 20 years. Those interested in learning more about this project and the planning process are invited to join. Head to the website to register and read the meeting agenda. 6pm Thursday, May 4. Free. ahunter@ cityofmarina.org, marina2045.org. A River Runs This day-long Salinas River symposium brings together policy makers, scientists and other stakeholders to talk about issues like fire prevention, sustainability, climate change and water law that apply on this important river. The event takes place at the Atascadero Public Library, but is also available to attend virtually. 9am-3pm Friday, May 5. Register online for Zoom link. $10. 805-548-0597, stacey@ecologistics.org, ecologistics.org. Women Rock Rotary District 5230 and the Limitless Mentorship and Scholarship Program are inviting all women and girls to learn about local resources and opportunities available to help them succeed. Enjoy mental health workshops, a self-defense class, free school supplies and more. Free bus transportation is available and guests will be treated to a BBQ lunch. 11am Saturday, May 6. Salinas Valley Fairgrounds, 625 Division St., King City. Free. info@womenarelimitless.org, womenarelimitless.org. Park Identity Monterey’s Parks and Recreation Department hosts a charrette-style town hall with interactive activities to gather ideas and feedback on the future of Casanova Oak Knoll Park Center. The town hall will focus on hearing residents’ opinions on what programs and services are most in-demand. 6pm Monday, May 8. Casanova Oak Knoll Park Center, 735 Ramona Ave., Monterey. Free. 646-3866, haveyoursaymonterey.org/cokpc. Job Hunt This job fair offers an opportunity to network with employers from different industries in Monterey County and search for a new job or volunteer position where you can gain work experience and skills. 3pm Wednesday, May 10. Greenfield Civic Center, 599 El Camino Real, Greenfield. Free. 796-3335, bit.ly/ GreenfieldJobFair. Jail Fail Monterey County Jail is violating a settlement over living conditions, lawyers claim. By Rey Mashayekhi A rendering shows what Soledad’s concept for a container village downtown might look like. “It’s a vision,” says Bryan Swanson, noting the idea remains in the early stages. e-mail: publiccitizen@mcweekly.com TOOLBOX “South Monterey County deserves a place to get a beer.” Courtesy City of Soledad
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