10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAy 30-june 5, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com It’s two steps forward, one step back for Monterey-Salinas Transit’s SURF! project, a busway between Marina and Sand City that is proposed for the rail corridor owned by the Transportation Agency for Monterey County. In April, the Marina Planning Commission unanimously approved coastal development and tree removal permits for the project’s span through Marina; that decision was appealed to the City Council. The Council considered the appeal on Tuesday, May 21, but delayed a decision until June 4 due to some unexpected events. On May 15, Kevin Kahn, manager for the California Coastal Commission’s Central Coast district, wrote to Marina planner Alyson Hunter to ask that the City not consider the appeal until the Coastal Commission has a chance to vote. (The project needs a coastal development permit from the commission as well as from Marina and Sand City, as 2.5 miles of the proposed road are outside of both cities’ jurisdiction.) And on May 17, Kahn wrote to both the California Transportation Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission’s rail division, expressing a host of concerns about the project and asked both agencies to make a determination about its compatibility with Prop. 116 funding (TAMC used Prop. 116 money to acquire the land from Union Pacific) and its compatibility “with the intended future use of the rail corridor for rail.” (There are currently no active plans to revive the rail line.) “The rail corridor in question is made up entirely of dune environmentally sensitive habitat area,” Kahn writes, “where only development dependent on the [environmentally sensitive habitat area] is allowed pursuant to the Coastal Act. A busway does not so qualify.” The letter was forwarded to the City Council on the morning of May 21, which in part caused the meeting that night to go off the rails. Carl Sedoryk, MST’s general manager, was exasperated when addressing the council, saying that he felt it was inappropriate for the agency to weigh in on a matter under the City Council’s purview. Also, he says the Coastal Commission staff—until Kahn’s email—consistently advised MST to get permits from the cities first, before coming before the commission. The $91.5 million project is fully funded and construction is expected to take two years. Sedoryk hopes MST will be able to start construction this fall, advancing a goal of offering a way to avoid Highway 1 traffic. Within a week after the Monterey County Department of Housing and Community Development released its draft 2023-2031 Housing Element—a plan for adding more state-mandated housing units to the unincorporated areas of the county—critics were crying foul. The element would promote urban sprawl, according to one criticism, by allowing up to 10,257 housing units, three times the state requirement. By the time the draft element hit the Monterey County Planning Commission 11 days later, on May 15, commissioners agreed with critics that changes were necessary. Top of their list was to reduce the number of units to the state-mandated 3,326, plus a 30-percent buffer, or approximately 4,300 units. Chair Martha Diehl argued that the county’s reliance on an inclusionary housing ordinance that allows developers to build market-rate homes as long as they include 20 percent affordable units is no longer usable. “If we get one thing from this report and the past history, we know we can’t do business as usual,” she said. Completion of the draft element is overdue—the state’s deadline was in December and a grace period ended April 15—and county planners have been racing to get the draft approved to avoid penalties. They wanted the Planning Commission to approve so it could go to the Board of Supervisors on June 4. Diehl asked for a special commission meeting on June 5 with the board refraining from voting approval until later. “If you want something badly, that’s how you’re going to get it,” Diehl said, quoting a past commissioner. “This is too important to do it wrong.” Diehl’s request was fulfilled. On May 28, the county announced that the board is postponing its discussion until Tuesday, June 11. The Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for 9am Wednesday, June 5, inside the board chambers (at 168 W. Alisal St., Salinas). The meeting will also be available virtually. Slow Lane Monterey-Salinas Transit’s proposed SURF! busway is hitting bumps in the road. By David Schmalz news Meeting of the Minds Join a discussion on mental health with Dr. Emily Gray from Ohana Center for Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health, and Village Project founder Regina Mason and Executive Director Stacie Andrews. 6-8pm Thursday, May 30. Bayonet & Black Horse Golf Clubhouse, 1 McClure Way, Seaside. $30/members Democratic Women of Monterey County; $35/non-members; $20/ students, low-income; registration required. dw-mc.org. Forever Homes Hitchcock Road Animal Services is joining the statewide Adopt-a-Pet Day, offering free adoptions as well as free dog licensing and more. 10am-4pm Saturday, June 1. Hitchcock Road Animal Services, 160 Hitchcock Road, Salinas. 769-8850, hitchcockroadanimals.org. Straight to the Top Salinas City Manager René Mendez was sworn in on May 28, and holds his first meet-and-greet with community members one week in. Hear about his priorities for the city. 5pm Tuesday, June 4. Sherwood Hall, 940 N. Main St., Salinas. Free. 7587381, cityofsalinas.org. Talking Tourism See Monterey is conducting a survey and forum to understand residents’ opinions on visitors to the area. Those who love, loathe or are indifferent to tourists are invited to share their thoughts. 6-7:30pm Wednesday, June 12. Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza, Monterey. Free; registration required. Survey runs through the end of May. seemonterey.com. Give Blood The American Red Cross is asking blood donors to make an appointment now before their busy summer schedules fill up. Help fill a future life-saving emergency need by participating in upcoming blood drives. 9am-2pm Tuesday, June 4 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 255 E. Alvin Drive, Salinas; 9am-1pm Saturday, June 8 at Oldemeyer Center, 986 Hilby Ave., Seaside. 1-800-733-2767, redcrossblood.org. Free Lunch The Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are offering free meals to young people ages 18 and under during the summer months. Breakfast and lunch will be provided at the Seaside and Salinas clubhouses. 8-9am breakfast; noon-1pm lunch. Monday, June 3-Friday, July 26. Salinas Clubhouse, 85 Maryal Drive; Seaside Clubhouse, 1332 La Salle Ave. 3945171, bgcmc.org. Race to Finish The Monterey County Planning Commission gets another swing at a problematic housing plan. By Pam Marino A rendering of a stop for the SURF! busway, designed to mitigate Highway 1 traffic. “It will be transformative for people who rely on transportation,” says Carl Sedoryk of MST. e-mail: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “A busway does not so qualify.” Courtesy MST
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