Monterey approves new massage establishment regulations; adopts state efficient landscaping regs

At Monterey’s Tuesday city council meeting, the council approved new regulations requiring massage establishments to have a conditional use permit and off-street parking. The new regulation mandates that the business must have one off-street parking space per 500 square feet or else it will not be issued a permit to operate. 

The city also noted the adoption of the state’s requirements for water efficient landscaping regulations.

New legislation requires that new construction projects with landscape areas of 500 square feet or more have to have a water efficient landscaping plan submitted and approved by the city.

The city adopted their present proposed regulations by staff back in 2010.

The California Water Commission created the rules for outdoor water use for landscapes in July 2015, which became law in December 2015.

Monterey planning commission unanimously approves aquarium's ed center

The Monterey Bay Aquarium's proposed education center was officially approved this week by a unanimous vote from the Monterey City Planning Commission.

Designed by San Francisco-based architectural firm Mark Cavagnero Associates, the new four-story $30 million dollar building will include five learning spaces/labs, a multipurpose room, office space for 35 staff members and a video lab. It will also feature an event center located on the top floor and have many features that qualify as “environmentally responsible,” such as solar panels on the roof. It's targeted opening date is for 2018.

“It was a big project approval,” said Kimberly Cole, Chief of Planning and Environmental Compliance for the city. “It's really taking the center of Cannery Row, which is a little dilapidated, and giving it new life.”

Cole said there was quite a bit of discussion at the planning commission meeting Tuesday, with most of it positive. She noted there were seven letters of support and one letter of concern from the New Monterey Neighborhood Association. Concerns centered mainly around the building's height.

“Concerns were about the fourth story height of the building and there was quite a bit of discussion whether the building would be set back from Hoffman Avenue or not,” said Cole. “Those were the two key issues that the neighborhood association was concerned about.”

As Cole explained, the bridge between the two buildings will actually be demolished, opening up the view corridor down Hoffman and the new 25,000 square foot building will be shorter than the current structure.

“What really swayed the planning commission was that the proposed new building will be smaller in height than the existing building that's there now,” she said.

Cole noted that the general mood during the meeting was one of excitement and anticipation for the education center.

“This is something that we've been waiting for for a really long time,” said Cole. “That heart of Cannery Row – we need a center to it.”

Monterey named a Tree City USA for the 35th year

The city of Monterey was named a Tree City USA for the 35th year. It's a designation that means Monterey qualified to meet the required four standards that lead to receiving such a title. They include having someone legally responsible for the care of all trees, having a basic public tree care ordinance and a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita, and having an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
At Tuesday's council meeting, the city was presented with the 35th Tree City USA flag. 

City of Monterey approves Osio lease; adopts Villa del Monte Neighborhood plan

By the end of the month, cinema lovers in Monterey will have another venue to lean back, break out the popcorn and candy watch movies.

It wasn't unexpected, but at Monterey's city council meeting on Tuesday, the terms of the Osio Cinemas lease were worked out in a closed session after the first part of the city council meeting. All that's left to make the agreement final, according to Assistant Manager Hans Uslar, are the needed signatures.

“I'm so pleased we're going to see that back in operation again,” said coucil woman Libby Downey, about news of the Osio's return to Monterey. And in the case of the Osio Cinemas, patrons will even be able to buy a glass of wine to accompany their film-watching venture because that too will be among the Osio's refreshment offerings.

Before the city approved the lease agreement, Mayor Roberson bestowed a proclamation to 17-year-old Sydney Martindale, who found the missing head of the decapitated Junipero Serra statue when she was exploring tide pools in Breakwater Cove last month.

“It was really a lucky find,” said Martindale as she accepted the proclamation. “The tide was just right.”

It was also fortunate that Martindale's grandmother was the head docent at the Carmel Mission and recognized what Martindale said “looked pretty much like a rock made of granite” after Martindale discovered it and decided to lug it up a hill to show her family.

Also on Tuesday, the city council adopted the Villa del Monte Neighborhood Revitalization Plan with residents praising the progress and teamwork that led to its approval bu council members.

“It will give our neighborhood an identity, which is sorely needed,” said resident Karla Blossom.

The council also heard from residents about the proposed neighborhood improvement plan involving Ferrante (ball) park with some residents speaking in favor of keeping the park. That's a discussion to be continued at future council meetings.

Wrapping up the meeting was a presentation by Tammy Blount of the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau who noted positive trends for the city's hotel tax and return on investment. She also said that the economic impact from groups booked in the city has grown by nearly 200 percent in the past year.

Spearheading city projects runs in the Roberson family

Besides approving the long anticipated Holman Highway/Highway 1 Roundabout project, new long-term vending locations and the TAMC-proposed 3/8 percent special sales tax, the Monterey city council approved of some special guests that made an appearance at Tuesday's city council meeting.

The council received a presentation from Bay View Academy students and Student Oceanography Club adviser Jennifer Ortiz, about a utility box at the corner of Pacific and Madison Streets in front of the Monterey Public Library that the students painted. Ortiz, who also happens to be Mayor Roberson's daughter, along with the students, spear-headed the endeavor that is the club's year-long “make the world a better place” project. During the presentation where the young people explained the steps involved in transforming the once gray box into a piece of artwork of colorful sea creatures, they were commended. At one point Roberson personally thanked Ortiz and said “I do not kiss all presenters – this was my daughter!”

City of Monterey hosts LEGO build event Saturday

The city of Monterey on Saturday is celebrating the revitalization of the Monterey Conference Center with a LEGO build event at Custom House Plaza from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. where kids of all ages can create and build their on LEGO model and community around the center.

The free event will be held in the white tent on the plaza with Play-Well TEKnologies, an engineering program for kids, providing the age-appropriate LEGO bricks for ages 3 and up.

“We want to celebrate this project with families and bring the community together now to help us visualize our city when the conference center revitalization is complete,” said Community Services Director Kim Bui-Burton.

Along with the city of Monterey and the Monterey Conference Center, the event is made possible by Stronghold Engineering and Ausonio Construction.

Osio Cinemas' new owner signs sublease

A sublease agreement between the Osio Cinemas' new owner, Le Prince Cinemas, and the building’s property manager, MCM Diversified was signed last week.

Now, all that's left before area movie goers can have their indie film desires quenched is for the Monterey City Council to actually approve the lease at their April 19 meeting. The Osio Building is owned by the City.

City officials say they don't foresee any problems with its approval because the use of the building is consistent with what is there.

As long as everything is fine and approved, the city will prepare a consent to sublease form and then will sign it along with the sublease tenant and ownership of building,” explained Monterey’s Housing/Property Manager Rick Marvin earlier this month. Marvin went so far as to predict a May 1 opening.

It was back in July that the independent theater closed abruptly with its previous owner filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy with debts of more than $382,000. The case was resolved in late November.

But soon after its closure, three theater employees – Shanneen Kirkpatrick, Brandi Lamb and Jirko Senkel (now incorporated as Le Prince Cinemas)– started an online fundraiser on Kickstarter to reopen the theater. Their campaign raised $76,000. But still, the theater sat vacant, which left many to wonder what was going on behind the scenes.

Now, plans for the theater's renovations seem on track. Those plans include having new carpet installed, fixing the outdoor marquee and cleaning and repairing the seats. The acquisition of a beer and wine license is also on tap.

One Starfish program in Monterey now official

It's official. The ink is now dry on the agreement between the city of Monterey and the One Starfish safe parking program.

Monterey's program joins Pacific Grove's, Seaside's and three Carmel Valley locations that already provide homeless women a safe place to park and sleep overnight. It's only fitting that Monterey join in since the city helped fund the program back in 2014.

The city even went so far as to use one of their own city parking lots since the original location of the
United Methodist Church at 1 Soledad Drive was ultimately struck down. Typically, the sites are located in church parking lots. Two churches in Monterey – Shoreline and St. John's Chapel – have expressed interest in providing future safe parking for homeless women.

Now, the city will look toward further solutions for the problem of homelessness, but not without gratitude from those who work regularly on behalf of the homeless population.

As Pastor Jim Nelson said in a recent City Council meeting, “I know that the One Starfish Program wouldn’t even exist if it hadn’t been for the city of Monterey,” he said. “All you officials doing all this leg work, we appreciate what you’re doing for us.”

Monterey city employees set for labor negotiations; Next Gen Jazz Fest slated for April 8-10

During Wednesday’s Monterey city council meeting, some 20 city employees stood in solidarity during the public comment period as Leslie Pressman, acting as a representative for the General employees, requested appropriate raises. The City is set to negotiate labor agreements because current contracts expire on June 30.

“It’s a rare day when visitors don’t comment what a wonderful city Monterey is,” said Pressman. “As you discuss our contract requirements, please do everything you can to help the hard-working employees of GEM (General Employees of Monterey).

On a lighter note, Monterey Jazz Festival’s Colleen Bailey announced the upcoming event Next Generation Jazz Festival, which will take place from April 8-10. The event will bring 1,400 young people from across the country to compete for the chance to play at the Monterey Jazz Festival in September. She also announced that the jazz festival will host Quincy Jones as its 2016 jazz legend. 

City of Monterey's Kim Cole steps in as interim Chief of Planning

The City of Monterey's Managing Principal Planner Kim Cole has stepped into a larger role for the city – that of interim chief of planning, engineering and environmental compliance.

The change for Cole comes with the departure of Chip Rerig. Rerig left the position last month for a city administrator position with the city of Carmel.

Cole, who reports to Dino Pick, Monterey's Deputy City Manager of Plans and Public Works, has also thrown her hat in the ring for the permanent position. The job recruitment for the position just closed.

“It's wonderful to work with a community that has such tremendous historic resources and to get to work on issues that include storm water protection, sustainability and good infill development,” said Cole, who said she looks forward to many more years working for the City.

City's master plan can benefit from other entities located near waterfront

When Assistant City Manager Hans Uslar was asked how long it would take to fully implement the City of Monterey's approved waterfront masterplan, his answer offered more than just an overstated time element.

“It's a good question. It can take a long long time but there are always opportunities there,” said Uslar. “A lot of things are changing.”

Uslar's comment was indicative of something that occurred at the meeting when a representative for MidPen affordable housing spoke to the council, soliciting their support for affordable housing grants using the waterfront intersection improvements. If supported, the city could benefit too.

“As of today, there is no money for the redesign of the Washington/Del Monte intersection improvements part of the plan,” said Uslar. “However with the sudden opportunity for this organization to receive $3 million in grant money comes the city being required to have up to 10 percent of matching funds as part of it.”

Uslar said a project like that illustrates well how opportunities can present themselves, which allow the city to implement elements of specific plans on short notice.

“So now we may actually find funding to implement the plans for the intersection and have that done in the next 3 years,” said Uslar. “With the project we can jump on that and say 'Council here's our plan, here's our funding strategy,” explained Uslar. “They can say 'yes' or 'no' but at the end of the day those opportunities open up.”

He cited the North Fremont plan as an example. Because the city identified a grant opportunity given by the state to cities that have plans ready to build better bike ways and pedestrian crossings, it was approved and is now progressing forward.

“So sometimes opportunities present themselves,” Uslar said. “These are interesting times. With the downtown specific plan and the waterfront master plan – now the city has a vision and we can implement things as opportunities happen.”