12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com Next to the nearly 80-year-old iconic Rocky Point restaurant on a calm Tuesday morning, roughly 20 people gather in a circle on Sept. 22, views of Bixby Bridge visible in the distance. Lorenzo Piazza, an associate architect with the firm working with developer Patrice Pastor, who acquired the property in 2021 through his real estate development company, Esperanza Carmel, stands in the center of the circle holding a poster board. On it are renderings depicting drafts of a new building that will replace the old restaurant—what, from a distance, looks like a glass tube with 47 wooden arches spaced nearly five feet apart. “Our goal is to limit the number of materials and to find a color tone which integrates as much as possible into the environment,” Piazza said to a full room of attendees at a Big Sur Land Use Advisory Committee meeting held later that day, following the morning site visit to Rocky Point. Comments received at the meeting will inform recommendations to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors for review. Most people in the room knew the restaurant intimately, either as frequent visitors or as former employees. One man said he went to prom there, another woman in the audience is the daughter of the original owners. Since 2021, the owner has been working to resolve violations inherited with the property, including issues involving access to public land and several unpermitted projects. In 2024, the California Coastal Commission approved an agreement addressing those violations, clearing a path for the project’s development plans. Rocky Point is the smallest of Renzo Piano Building Workshop’s current projects, the international firm on the project, led by famous architect Renzo Piano and eight partners. The restaurant’s name will remain unchanged, and two employee housing units will remain on the property. In accordance with the Big Sur Land Use Plan, the restaurant’s seating capacity will be reduced by 40 percent, from 200 to 120 seats. The plan also includes public access and restoration of the site, removing eucalyptus trees and replacing them with native vegetation. A picnic area, a parking lot with 55 stalls and public access trails are part of the plan. Major concerns from the public include light pollution, obstruction of views and insufficient staff housing, among others. “Our main issue is, ‘Does it fit the rustic character of Big Sur?’” said Marcus Foster of Keep Big Sur Wild. South Monterey County Joint Union High School District, located in Greenfield and King City, has been overseen by the state since 2009, when the district received an emergency state loan of $13 million after facing financial hardship, mainly related to collective bargaining during the Great Recession. State oversight will end in October because the district has repaid the loan in full and met Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team standards, including community relations and governance, financial management and pupil achievement. District Superintendent Caroline Cota says the district has until August 2029 to pay its debt, but it is ahead of schedule. “We had enough in our reserves to pay it off. There was no reason not to just pay off the loan early,” Cota says. During receivership, the superintendent departed, the district lost local control and the state oversaw spending. Over the past decade, the district regained partial local control but still has an appointed trustee overseeing the school board to ensure the district is making responsible financial/educational decisions. Duane Wolgamott, a trustee appointed by county and state education officials to oversee the district, and Christy White, an external auditor who reviewed the district’s finances, recommended starting the process to exit state control. In August, Monterey County Superintendent of Schools Deneen Guss sent a letter to the state announcing the district’s improvement. “This transition marks a significant step toward full local control and reflects a deliberate and evidence-based determination of SMCJUHSD’s readiness to independently manage its fiscal responsibilities,” Guss wrote. Cota says coming out of receivership will help Measure J, a measure that seeks to reorganize three school districts into TK-12 districts in Greenfield and King City, respectively. SMCJUHSD and MCOE will celebrate the district’s milestone on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at King City High School. Point Made New plans revealed for Rocky Point Restaurant in Big Sur. By Katie Rodriguez NEWS SERVING THOSE WHO SERVED The County of Monterey Veterans Stand Down and Resource Fair offers various services, including health care enrollment, legal help, education, VA claims and more. Veterans are invited to attend. 9am-3pm Friday, Sept. 25. Military and Veterans Affairs Office, 2620 1st Ave., Marina. Free. (831) 647-7613, mvao. org. MIND MATTERS Alzheimer’s Association presents a talk on brain health and how to care for a loved one. 10am-noon Saturday, Sept. 26. St. Angela Merici Catholic Church, 362 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. Register at bit.ly/BrainHealthSept26. (831) 655-4160. MEET THE CANDIDATES League of Women Voters of Monterey County moderates candidate forums for Marina City Council District 4 and Seaside City Council and mayor. Marina forum: 10:30am-noon Saturday, Sept. 26 at Marina City Council Chambers, 211 Hillcrest Ave. Seaside forum: 6:30-8:30pm Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Oldemeyer Center, 986 Hilby Ave., Seaside. Free. (831) 648-8683, my.lwv. org/california/monterey-county. SAFETY FIRST For Child Passenger Safety Week, the County Health Department has certified safety technicians on hand to check car seat installations. Learn how to choose the right seat based on a child’s age and size. 10am-1pm Saturday, Sept. 26. 1441 Constitution Blvd., Salinas. Free. (831) 755-4575, bit.ly/MCCarSeatProgram. BE PREPARED Get ready for potential winter storms. The City of Monterey hosts a panel discussion with storm preparedness experts. 6-7:30pm Wednesday, Sept. 30. Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza. Free. (831) 646-3760, monterey. gov/stormcenter. TALKING TAX The City of Marina is asking voters to consider a 7-percent utility users tax on the November ballot. Ask questions of your own to city staff. 6pm Wednesday, Sept. 30. Council Chambers, 211 Hillcrest Ave., Marina. Free. cityofmarina.org/measureq. BUILD IT UP The County of Monterey Economic Development Committee has an opening for a member representing the construction industry. This committee advises the Board of Supervisors on economic development issues. Applications due midnight Oct. 9. Apply at apps.co.monterey.ca.us/bccsite. A rendering produced by the architecture firm depicts a new Rocky Point Restaurant, a “lightweight structure” with 47 timber arches and panoramic 360-degree views. E-MAIL: publiccitizen@montereycountynow.com PUBLIC CITIZEN “Does it fit with the rustic character of Big Sur?” RENDERING BY RENZO PIANO BUILDING WORKSHOP Paid Off South County high school district exits receivership three years early. By Celia Jiménez
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