8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 5, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com A funding opportunity for an affordable housing project behind Monterey City Hall is in jeopardy, as the state Office of Preservation (SHPO) remains concerned about the project’s aesthetic impacts in a district filled with historic buildings. On Oct. 20, City of Monterey officials made their fourth submittal to SHPO asking the agency to find “no adverse effect” to the Monterey Old Town National Historic Landmark District if the project is built. The Madison Street project is a proposed partnership between the City and nonprofit MidPen Housing that seeks to build 41 units—ranging from studios to three-bedrooms—entirely reserved for households making 60 percent or less of the county’s median income. The project is on land behind City Hall that is currently a parking lot and a handful of small buildings, some which are being used as storage. This comes after several efforts by the City to obtain clearance from state officials. The City sent SHPO a letter Jan. 3 asking for clearance, along with detailed reports from the city’s historic and archaeological consultants to demonstrate no impact on the historic district. The letter, sent by planner Levi Hill, asked that SHPO agree with the City’s findings of no impact within 30 days. (This came after the City’s first request in 2023, which was then refined based on SHPO’s feedback.) No response came, and the City sent another letter to SHPO to follow up in July. SHPO found that “the massing, size, and scale” of the project is “incompatible with the general character and setting of known historic properties” within the area. It means the City may miss a chance to take advantage of a funding opportunity MidPen recently identified that requires a grant application this November. Monterey Community Development Director Kim Cole says construction could start as soon as spring, but another funding source would have to be identified. “All of a sudden things have gotten more real,” she says. The City’s Oct. 20 letter to SHPO emphasized that “the City has worked earnestly and diligently fulfilled the regulatory requirements” of historical preservation laws, and asked for an “expedient” review and response so the City doesn’t miss a critical funding opportunity. “It will be infuriating if we miss our funding deadlines,” Cole says, “and we may very well. It shouldn’t happen.” Ten companies are vying to become Pacific Grove’s first and only retail cannabis operator, city officials announced on Monday, Oct. 27, sharing a list of all 10 on the city’s website. At least two of the 10 companies are major cannabis retail chains with 15 or more locations. It brings the small town one step closer in a six-year struggle, including a majority of residents voting in favor of one store in 2022. The next step is a review of the applications by city staff to see if each company meets the minimum requirements, a process that could take through the end of the year, according to P.G. City Manager Matt Mogensen. The applicants that meet those requirements will then be placed in a lottery to choose the winner, which could take place in early January. Each application is being judged on its business, security and building plans, plus intentions of how the company will compensate employees, if it will employ local management and be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. The application had to include a financial responsibility agreement, an affidavit from the property owner or landlord, proof of insurance and zoning verification. The fee to apply was $9,272, plus an additional $300 fee for a background check and $210 for zoning verification. The two major retailers that applied are Embarc Dispensary, filing under Pacific Grove Responsible and Compliant Retail, which has 17 locations in the state. The other is NUG, with 14 stores in California and one in New York. Eight of the companies filed as LLCs in September using as their agent Sean Maddocks, an attorney with Green Consulting Partners based in Newport Beach. Maddocks also filed his own application under the name P.G. Retail LLC. Who is behind the other seven LLCs is unclear—Maddocks says he cannot share his clients’ names without their permission. The other LLCs that applied are: Marogy RE, ADM Biz Dev, MJRE, Robbinhood, OTC PG, OTC Pacific Grove and Rawy Rogers. Old Money Historic preservation threatens an affordable housing project in Monterey. By David Schmalz NEWS LISTEN UP County Supervisor Chris Lopez hosts a listening session for San Lucas. Attendees are invited to share their thoughts about the community and county government. 6pm Monday, Nov. 3. San Lucas Elementary School, 53675 San Benito St., San Lucas. Free. (831) 755-5033, district3@countyofmonterey.gov. BOARD BUSINESS Monterey County Board of Supervisors meets to discuss county business. 9am Tuesday, Nov. 4. Board of Supervisors chambers, 168 W. Alisal St., first floor, Salinas. Free. (831) 7555025, countyofmonterey.gov. ELECTION DAY Mail your ballot before the deadline or visit your nearest polling place to make your voice heard in the statewide special election. Voting ends at 8pm Tuesday, Nov. 4. (831) 796-1499, countyofmonterey. gov/elections. LET’S TALK HOUSING The City of Salinas’ Regional Housing Summit talks about the shortage of affordable housing. Speakers include Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and urban studies scholar Joel Kotkin. 8:30am-3:30pm Wednesday, Nov. 5. One Main Street, 1 Main St., Salinas. Free. (831) 758-7396, salinas.gov/ housingsummit2025. PUBLIC PROCESS Pacific Grove City Council meets to go over regular city business and accept public comment. 6pm Wednesday, Nov. 5. City Hall, 300 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. (831) 648-3181, cityofpacificgrove.org. GOING ONLINE Monterey Bay Economic Partnership is gathering public input to identify where broadband infrastructure is most needed. Survey ongoing at bit.ly/ MBEPDigitalSurvey. mbep.biz. COMMUTE CONVERSATION County of Monterey is studying which zero-emission transportation options are available that work in low-income, rural communities. A forum shares what has been learned so far. 5:30-7:30pm Thursday, Nov. 6. Castroville Library, 11160 Speegle St., Castroville. Free. RSVP at tinyurl.com/ CommunityMobilityForum. tinyurl.com/ MontereySharedMobility. IN CLASS North Monterey County Unified School District Board of Trustees meets and accepts public comment. 6pm Thursday, Nov. 6. North Monterey County High School media center, 13990 Castroville Blvd., Castroville. Free. (831) 633-3343, nmcusd.org. High Hopes Ten companies are vying for Pacific Grove’s one and only retail cannabis license. By Pam Marino Eight dilapidated buildings would be demolished to make way for 41 units of housing. It is not the buildings, but the surrounding neighborhood, that is viewed as historic. E-MAIL: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “It will be infuriating if we miss our funding deadlines.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==