10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY december 26, 2024-january 1, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Walking around downtown Salinas can be an architectural adventure. There are dramatic bas relief busts on the original courthouse (now county offices) by artist Jo Mora, and large Queen Anne homes with asymmetrical facades, art deco flair and embellishments on several commercial buildings, such as those that are home to Alvarado on Main and Live@Heirloom Pizza Co. The city has a brochure that includes a map and over 50 historical buildings focusing mainly on art deco, a style that shaped the city during the agricultural boom from the 1920s-’40s. To learn more, and create a more thorough catalog, the Salinas City Council on Dec. 3 approved a citywide historic resources survey update, with a nearly $364,000 price tag. The last time the city embarked on an inventory of its historic assets was in 1989. Additional updates were made eight years ago during a downtown property survey, and this effort is meant to be more comprehensive. “The city is interested in exploring a new effort to fully catalog historic structures in Salinas,” Community Development Director Lisa Brinton wrote in a report to the city council. “I’m over the moon that the city has moved forward with this. It’s a great decision,” says Michael Mazgai, an architectural historian and a member of Salinas’ Historic Resources Board. “There are buildings in different parts of the city that are special, and we still don’t really have designated, official historic districts.” Historical surveys are important in guiding planning decisions and can aid in preservation programs, such as historical designation for buildings. Beyond planning relevance, Mazgai believes such an undertaking can increase pride in the community. “There’s so much history here that helped define Salinas, but frankly, I don’t think most of the residents know about it,” he says. “If they don’t know about it, how can tourists or the rest of the public find out about it? It’s great heritage tourism [and] promotes business.” According to Brinton’s report, the survey aligns with Salinas’ General Plan and a statewide historic resources preservation program the council approved in June, among other things. Page & Turnbull, Inc., an architecture, design and planning firm, will be in charge of conducting the survey, evaluating cultural resources and cataloging sites, structures and buildings. That process is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The iconic Big Red Barn in Aromas got a boost at the Monterey County Planning Commission meeting on Dec. 11, receiving unanimous approval for a permit to expand its uses. Since acquiring the Big Red Barn in 2020, Sal Jimenez says he has worked with agencies like Caltrans, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and the County’s Environmental Health Bureau, as well as meeting with neighbors, to address code violations and deferred maintenance and prepare the venue to host a wider variety of events. “I said [to the County], I’ll make the investment, just allow me to expand a little bit of the use of this and [create] different revenue sources so I can help pay for this long term,” Jimenez says. The barn currently draws about 8,000 to 10,000 people on Sundays for its famous flea market. The new permit, however, allows Jimenez to host a range of social and corporate events, including weddings, quinceañeras, car shows, food festivals and California Rodeo-related gatherings. “I ask you to consider the social impact, the jobs it will bring, the celebrations that will be possible there,” Jordan Caballero, board member of the North County Recreation and Park District, told commissioners during the meeting. “We are in desperate need of a venue of this scale, because what we currently have does not meet the demand.” While initially commissioners debated issues like noise, traffic and protection of wildlife corridors, those concerns were ultimately resolved. For residents of North County, the expansion of the Big Red Barn for social gatherings and other events represents a significant change, as the nearest larger venues now include the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville and Sherwood Hall in Salinas. “When we’re looking at a project like this, I think our developed commercial properties should be used to their fullest extent,” said Commissioner Martha Diehl. “I want to see us use what we’ve got, better.” Take Stock Salinas begins a survey to assess historical buildings in the city. By Celia Jiménez news ’Tis the Season Holiday trees can be dropped off for free at the Johnson Canyon Landfill and Jolon Road Transfer Station. Remove all tinsel, lights, decorations and stands before taking the trees to the landfill. Dec. 26-Jan. 31. Johnson Canyon Landfill, 31400 Johnson Canyon Road, Gonzales; Jolon Road Transfer Station, 52654 Jolon Road, King City. Free. 7553000, svswa.org/holiday-trees. Clean it up Friends of Seaside Parks Association (FOSPA) organizes weekly work days to clean up and maintain parks throughout the city. 10am-noon Saturday, Dec. 28. Farallones Park, Hilby Avenue between Flores and Harding streets, Seaside. Free. fospa.info@gmail.com, friendsofseasideparks.org. Know Your Rights The County of Monterey recently launched a website with immigration information and resources for residents and employers. The information is presented in English and Spanish. bit.ly/MontereyCountyKnowYourRights. Root for Recreation North County Recreation and Park District is recruiting to fill two vacant positions on its board. Those interested in applying must live within the boundaries of the district and have an interest in recreational services. Submit a letter of interest by Thursday, Jan. 2 at 5pm to Supervisor Glenn Church, district2@countyofmonterey. gov or PO Box 787, Castroville, CA 95012. Financial Aid The County of Monterey’s Pajaro Recovery Fund Program includes direct monetary aid for residents and business owners impacted by the 2023 flooding. Case workers from Catholic Charities and Community Bridges are working to assess losses and get payments out. If you believe you are eligible for a payment but have not received one, contact La Manzana to ask about how to apply. Ongoing; funds must be spent by Dec. 31, 2025. La Manzana center, 14 Porter Drive, Pajaro. 724-2997, communitybridges.org. Holiday Break Many of the County of Monterey’s operations will be closed Dec. 26-27 and 30-31 in observance of Christmas and New Year’s. During this time, many offices will be closed or have limited hours of operation. The recess will not close any public safety operations. For more updates, visit countyofmonterey.gov. Barn Party The Big Red Barn received long-awaited approval for a permit to host larger events. By Katie Rodriguez “Every city is unique and has its own personality,” says Michael Mazgai, an architectural historian who supports the process of updating the inventory of historic structures. e-mail: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “There’s so much history here that helped define Salinas.” Daniel Dreifuss
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