FORA executive officer attends National Security Seminar

Photo courtesy US Army War College

Michael Houlemard, Fort Ord Reuse Authority executive officer, (first row, third from left) poses with seminar colleagues from the U.S. military, Mali, Peru and Macedonia during the Army War College National Security Seminar. He was invited to join the special academic seminar and exchange thoughts about national security topics in the capstone phase of the graduate program.

Michael Houlemard, executive officer of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority was one of 160 business, government, academic and community leaders selected from across the country to take part in the week-long US Army War College 62nd annual National Security Seminar in Carlisle, PA last week.

Attending with students of the Army War College, Houlemard represented fellow American citizens in discussions with the next generation of senior leaders of the US Armed Forces giving the leaders a deeper understanding of perspectives across the American society they serve, according to a press release.

The National Security Seminar was the capstone event of the Army War College's 10-month curriculum, just before the class of 2016 graduated with the Master's degree in Strategic Studies.

The NSS forum was structured around a daily presentation about an issue of significance to the nation's security, followed by extended and candid discussion of the topic within one of 24 seminars. Featured speakers for this year's NSS included Ambassador Ron Kirk, a former U.S. Trade Representative in the Obama Administration;  Ambassador Ryan Crocker, a career ambassador within the U.S. Foreign Service and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom; Dr. Dan Drezner, professor of international politics at the Fletcher School Tufts University; and Michele Flournoy, former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and Senior Fellow at Harvard's Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs.

Mr. Houlemard became a member of USAWC Seminar 6, comprising Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force officers at the rank of colonel or lieutenant colonel, a senior federal civilian, and three international officers, representing Mali, Peru and Macedonia.  He was invited to share perspectives, background and experiences in the capstone event in the Strategic Studies graduate program.

The U.S. Army War College resident class of 2016 includes 380 students who represent a cross-section of the joint military, federal agency and multinational security environment: 218 Army officers, 11 Navy, 26 Air Force, 16 Marine Corps officers and one Coast Guard officer of the Active, Reserve/ National Guard forces.  The class includes 79 international officers from 73 countries, and 29 senior civilians of federal agencies.

The U.S. Army War College educates and develops leaders for service at the strategic level while advancing knowledge in the global application of land power.

Established in 1901 in Washington D.C., the Army War College relocated in 1951 to historic Carlisle Barracks, Pa. and today, it educates more than 1500 senior leaders and strategists annually through a variety of specialized strategic education programs.
Learn more about the U.S. Army War College and the National Security Seminar at www.carlisle.army.mil or www.facebook.com/usawc. 

Carmel Valley project broke new ground, built collaboration and cooperation

James Herrera - Monterey Herald

Panorama photo of the former site of the San Clemente Dam with the rerouted Carmel River, steelhead trout habitat and temporary footbridge during the project celebration on Monday, June 6, 2016.

Now that the largest dam removal in California history is complete, and the rerouting of the Carmel River and restoration of wildlife habitat is ongoing -- it is a definite feather in Granite Construction Company's hat.

Granite broke new ground and set the bar in both dam deconstruction and river restoration. The work took three seasons – in six-month blocks with 100 workers a day – to get to this point.

Restoration work continues with native vegetation being planted along the river’s banks and the Old Carmel River Dam, built down-river in the late 1800s, to be removed along with the artificial Sleepy Hollow crossing.

When the project is complete, 920 acres of the site and surrounding area will be donated to the Bureau of Land Management and, working with the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, will eventually open the area to public access.

Besides the core project partnership of California American Water, California State Coastal Conservancy and National Marine Fisheries Service -- these other project funders made the San Clemente Dam Removal and Carmel River Reroute Project possible.

• The California Department of Fish and Wildlife which contributed $7 million to the project and participated on the technical advisory committee for the restoration components of the project.

• The California Natural Resources Agency which contributed $4 million and assisted other state agencies in finding solutions to procedural obstacles to funding this project.

•  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service contributed $904,000 and oversaw restoration components related to the California Red-Legged Frogs.

• The Wildlife Conservation Board contributed $8 million.

• The Nature Conservancy contributed $1 million.

• The Resources Legacy Fund Foundation contributed $433,756 through a grant from the Packard Foundation.

The Conservancy contributed $9.2 million to the project and led the effort to raise an additional $25 million. While the Fisheries Service contributed $1.6 million and oversaw the fish passage restoration portions of the project while assisting with getting the permits required for the project.

California American Water contributed $49 million for which the average water customer on the Monterey Peninsula will pay $2.94 per month over 20 years, according to Cal Am.

Seaside Resort Development equity partner still a mystery

Vern Fisher - Monterey Herald

Construction on one of the thirty housing lots at The Enclave at Cypress Grove at Bayonet and Black Horse golf courses in Seaside on Thursday, February 25, 2016. The housing development is part of the Seaside Resort Development.

On Thursday, Mayor Ralph Rubio confirmed that the Seaside City Council/Successor Agency to Redevelopment Agency/Parking Authority would meet in closed session to discuss terms for the Seaside Resort Development project, concerning price and terms of payment as well as other contingencies.

There has been speculation of who the equity partner on the project is since earlier this year but neither  SRD nor the city will name it.

On Thursday, Rubio said he was not at liberty to announce who the development company's equity partner is because they "are still doing their due diligence."

But he said the announcement is imminent and he expects it "real soon."

In February, Craig Malin, Seaside city manager, confirmed that Seaside Resort Development, LLC had found an equity partner “associated with the highest quality projects in the nation” to bring on to the luxury resort development project that has been on the city’s books for about 16 years.

“Seaside Resort Development has secured a new partner to complete the full project,” said Malin. “I hope they announce who it is soon. I want to be gracious to them and their equity partner and not steal their thunder.

“This development means hundreds of millions of dollars of economic impact over the next few decades,” said Malin. “It’s a big deal.”

Fracking issue in Monterey County advances towards the November Ballot

James Herrera - Monterey Herald

An anti-fracking proponent speaks to a reporter as volunteers and supporters of the Protect Our Water initiative pose for a group photo after a press conference at a trail head to the Fort Ord National Monument in Salinas on Wednesday.

Salinas >> The group Protect Monterey County held a press conference Wednesday morning before delivering 16,108 signatures, more than double the amount needed to get the measure in front of voters in November, in support of an initiative to ban fracking and dangerous oil production practices in Monterey County.

The Protect Our Water: Ban Fracking and Limit Risky Oil Operations initiative:

• Bans fracking, acidizing, and other risky well stimulation treatments.

• Bans new, and phases out existing, wastewater injection wells and wastewater ponds. 80 percent of Monterey County’s wastewater injection wells are currently injecting contaminated water into protected aquifers, in violation of the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act. There are safer alternatives for disposing of wastewater from oil production. For example, San Ardo’s wastewater treatment facility can currently clean up to 1/3 of the oil field’s wastewater using reverse osmosis technology. Why not clean up the other 2/3 instead of injecting it into protected aquifers? Wastewater ponds are a well-known hazard for surface water, groundwater, and wildlife. These should be phased out.

• Bans new oil and gas wells within Monterey County. The easy-to-extract oil has been removed. Any new drilling would rely on high-risk methods, which endanger our water, health, and economy. 

The initiative does not prohibit Monterey County’s more than 1,500 existing oil and gas wells. They can continue to operate.

But a group called the Monterey County Citizens for Energy Independence opposes this initiative.  It says that Senate Bill 4, signed into law in 2013 by Governor Brown, created the most transparent and stringent environmental protections in the country for well stimulation.

According to the Energy Independence website, Senate Bill 4 requires:

• An independent, science-based study of fracking

• The development of a comprehensive EIR

• A mandatory public disclosure of all chemicals used

• Well integrity testing before and after fracturing

• Regular testing of nearby drinking water sources

• Prior notification of surrounding land owners.

The initiative was drafted by a coalition of concerned citizens with the help of the environmental law firm of Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger.

After the press conference, the Protect Monterey County group headed to the Monterey County Elections Office to submit the petitions for consideration.

Monterey corrects fake red zones on Garden Road near airport

Photo by James Herrera - Monterey Herald

Monterey city crews used a light gray paint to correct illegally-placed red zones along Garden Road near Monterey Regional Airport on Tuesday.

Monterey >> Less than a day after a story appeared in The Herald about fake red zones being painted on Garden Road near Monterey Regional Airport, the city of Monterey quickly took action to rectify the situation on Tuesday.

About 250 feet of curb was painted red, without permission or permitting, sometime after the city had performed a slurry seal resurfacing project over the weekend of April 16-17.

An unknown person or persons painted the curbs in an effort to keep people from parking along that stretch of road which is frequently used by travelers as an alternative to paid, long-term parking at the airport. Others are able to park there for work or to patronize businesses nearby.

Using a light shade of gray, city crews painted over the fake red sections of curbing at a cost to the city of about $300.

Red zones mean no stopping, standing or parking. They are typically reserved for emergency vehicles and are often found in front of fire hydrants. The zones are usually long enough to accommodate a fire truck. Drivers illegally parked in a red zone can be ticketed even if they are sitting in the car.

Parking is allowed for up to 72 hours on any city street though overnight camping in a vehicle between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. is prohibited.

People in other "Seasides" want their In-N-Out too

James Herrera - Monterey Herald

The interest in the newly opened In-N-Out Burger in Seaside reached readers in Oregon, New York and, especially, New Jersey. Seems people living in other "Seasides" are hungry for their own double-doubles.

Seaside >> The new In-N-Out Burger restaurant at 1350 Del Monte Blvd in Seaside has been open for two weeks now and people on the Monterey Peninsula seem to have settled into a happy daze knowing the prospect of a double-double is just a short drive away.

But from the time an article ran in The Herald announcing the opening day of March 22, there has been a heavy click rate on our website coming mostly from the right coast.

It seems people in New Jersey, New York and even Oregon have inquired about where exactly 'their" In-N-Out can be found. The latest email came in this morning.

"I saw a couple of weeks ago that you wrote an article about In N Out Burger opening in Seaside, NJ. Has there been any updates if it's open yet? Please let me know when you can, I've been dying to try In N Out for years now. Thank you."

Thank you for your email. It's always good to hear from our readers.
Unfortunately I have some good news and bad news for you.

First the bad news. The In-N-Out Burger written about in The Monterey  newspaper and carried on our website is in Seaside, California.

The good news is it has been open for two weeks now and fans of the burger joint, who have waited years for it to finally come to fruition, are happily downing all the restaurant has to offer.

I hope you have a passable alternative to In-N-Out Burger in your area because the family-owned restaurants are only in California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Utah and Texas.

How's Burger 25? (A search named this restaurant the top burger joint in Seaside Heights, NJ)

There are 7 cities with the name Seaside in the U.S. located in California, Oregon, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York and Connecticut. Seaside Heights is in New Jersey.

"Family-oriented atmosphere" working at In-N-Out, says Seaside manager

Photo by James Herrera - Monterey Herald

Ashley Guzman, manager of the In-N-Out Burger in Seaside stands with Yessica Martinez, one of the associates brought in for training and support of new hires for the new restaurant. Guzman was a babysitter for Martinez years ago before going to work for Martinez's father who managed an In-N-Out in Pittsburg.

Seaside >> In-N-Out Burger store number 312 is managed by Ashley Guzman, 31, who has been with the company for about 14 years. She said she started at the ground level and worked her way up through the ranks, learning about management and support through the company's programs.

Guzman said she got her first job with In-N-Out when she was a babysitter for the Pittsburg store manager in northern California. She said he encouraged her to apply with his company and when she started work in 2003, her starting wage was $8.25 an hour.

“That was more than the $6.75 I was making at my other job at the time,” Guzman said. “I started work with the company and fell in love with it.”

And that is not all Guzman fell in love with as she met her future husband when they both worked for In-N-Out. She said her husband’s family is from Soledad, but besides visiting The Monterey Bay Aquarium as a kid, she really did not know Seaside.

The Guzman’s have been married eight years, have two children and plan to move to the area soon. She said they first looked in Gilroy for a home but have since started looking on the Peninsula and hope to find something close to work.

"I love this area," she said.

The company helps find housing through research, assists in making the move and gives transplants time to get settled at home and in their new role, said Guzman.

“Associates, as well as myself, are very well taken care of,” said Guzman. “It’s a family-oriented atmosphere in every aspect.”

And, as if on cue, the girl Guzman once babysat all those years ago, came up to say hello and wish her well on opening day – an employee of In-N-Out herself.

Yessica Martinez, 21, proudly stood alongside her mentor for a quick photograph, the next generation of the empire ready to keep the In-N-Out family going.

Seaside approves twelve-month extension for Monterey Downs agreement

Seaside >> The City Council approved the third amendment to extend the life of the Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with Monterey Downs, LLC, at the Seaside council meeting on Thursday.

The ENA for the proposed Monterey Downs and Monterey Horse Park in the former Fort Ord keeps the document alive for another twelve-month period.

The extension is necessary because the CEQA (environmental review), the Disposition and Development Agreement and other agreements and entitlements that may be required as part of the project's approval, have yet to be completed.

The long-awaited Final Environmental Impact Report has yet to be delivered and no date for its presentation has been announced.

The City Council also received the applicant's presentation of the Monterey Downs Fiscal and Economic Impact Analysis Final Draft Report dated August 2015 and the peer review and supplemental sensitivity analysis done for the city. The council accepted the reports with no further direction to city staff.

In-N-Out Burger

Keep dreaming of that "double-double" because the opening of the Seaside In-N-Out Burger restaurant continues to be a moving target.

According to a company spokesman in Irvine, no opening date has yet been set and they are still taking applications for job openings at the 1350 Del Monte Blvd. site, so it is probably a few months out.

A Seaside city official said that no occupancy permit has been issued and even if it were, the burger chain could sit on it until they are ready to open, so it is up to In-N-Out.

When complete, the project will be a 3,750-square-foot restaurant with indoor and outdoor patio dining totaling 159 seats and a drive-thru window.

Marina interchange project plan back from Cal Trans' final review

The plan for the Highway1/Imjin Parkway interchange came back from Cal Trans' final review with comments and the City of Marina is in the process of negotiating its response.

The on- and off-ramps that usher traffic from Highway 1 to Imjin Parkway in Marina will be getting design improvements in the next few months though no start date has yet been set, a city engineer said work on the project may commence sometime this summer.

Since Caltrans owns the freeway right of way, all proposed Imjin Parkway interchange modifications with Highway 1 require its approval.

The existing intersection was constructed in the mid-60s and has not been modified since with the exception of the northbound ramp which was part of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority “Imjin Parkway Reconstruction Project.”

The project includes two traffic signals at the northbound and southbound ramp intersections with Imjin Parkway. It also includes the removal of existing northbound and eastbound free-right turn lanes, the widening of the Imjin Parkway northbound off-ramp terminal and all associated signing and striping at the Highway 1/Imjin Parkway interchange.

The city is also in talks with PG&E to coordinate any safety improvement projects or work to be done on a gas line that runs through that area at the same time the ramp work is to be done.

Seaside considers extending Monterey Downs agreement another year

The Seaside City Council will consider a third amendment to the Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with Monterey Downs, LLC for the proposed Monterey Downs and Monterey Horse Park in the former Fort Ord.

The amendment is an extension of the agreement for twelve months so the city can complete its compliance with the California Environmental Act (CEQA), to obtain the project entitlements and to complete negotiations of the Disposition and Development Agreement.

“The extension is necessary for the city and the applicant to both continue to meet the terms of the ENA and requirements for the parties to move forward,” said Teri Wissler Adam, Seaside contract project manager.

The Final Environmental Impact Report – a key component to completing the project – has not yet been submitted and there is no scheduled date for its publication.

“There are other thing that need to occur, but it is the EIR that is at the crux of it,” said Adam.

The council will also receive the Monterey Downs Fiscal and Economic Impact Analysis Final Draft Report dated Aug. 2015 at the Thurs. March 3 meeting. That report was prepared by Willdan Associates for Monterey Downs, LLC and the peer review and supplemental sensitivity analysis conducted by Economic & Planning Systems on behalf of the City of Seaside.

“The idea is to provide the council with economic and fiscal information on the project,” said Adam. “There are no decisions being made on the project.”

Some illumination on the Carmel bomb scare

Carmel >> Some light was shed on what the suspicious device was found in a Carmel restaurant on Wednesday.

“It was a makeshift flashlight,” said Sgt. Ronald Pfleger of the Carmel Police Department. “It was determined that is was left by the cleaning crew. We talked to them and they showed us how it worked.”

On Wednesday the Carmel police received a 7:45 a.m. call of a suspicious device found in plain site on a dining table in Il Fornaio restaurant on Monte Verde Street in Carmel.

Apparently the device used a child's electric car battery, LED lights and wiring. Pfleger said the lenses on the lights had been removed so it was not recognizable as a light source.

“It was a little scary having to evacuate the restaurant, the hotel and block off the street,” said Renne Kapsalis, Il Fornaio manager. “I'm just glad no one truly was threatening us and that it was a legitimate misunderstanding.”

The restaurant and The Pine Inn, which shares the building, were evacuated and the gas was shut off. The Monterey County Sheriff's Department bomb squad was called in to deal with the situation.

Events by Classic Group first commercial partner to lease space at Cooper-Molera Adobe in Monterey

Photo courtesy City of Monterey

Artist's rendering of the redwood barns being used as the Events Center on the Cooper-Molera Adobe property in Monterey. 

A little more on the company that's moving in to share space at Cooper-Molera:

Events by Classic Group is a full-service catering and event management company and has operations in two other historic buildings — the Perry House in Monterey and Gatherings in Pacific Grove.

Debbie Young, who owns Events by Classic Group with her husband and two other partners, said they have been in business for about 12 years. It is family-owned and operated – her husband Dean is executive chef and, in 2006, her father Jim and step-mother Cheryl came on board to round out the partnership.

Events by Classic Group has started taking bookings for a spring 2017 opening and will have the first weddings in May 2017.

Read the full story here.

A little more on the development partner who is renovating and upgrading the site to bring commercial use to the Cooper-Molera Adobe in Monterey.

Doug Wiele, founding partner of Foothill partners, got to know and work with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which owns Cooper-Molera Adobe, when he was building the shopping center next to the adobe that includes Trader Joe's.

"I learned a lot along the way," Wiele said.

But Wiele has other developments near the adobe and shopping center sites. One is finished and the other is in the works.

The Fidelity Investments building on Munras Street across from the Trader Joe's shopping center is a Foothill Partners property and the lot next to it that was last a Valero gas station is slated for a Foothill's development.

El Cuartel Nuevo will be Foothill’s first retail and residential mixed use project, located in downtown Monterey and comprises 5,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space and ten small second floor workforce rental housing units. 

The project will be a public/private partnership with the City of Monterey.

The parcel has historic significance as it once housed offices of the Mexican government when this area was still part of Mexico and, interestingly, the property has had only three owners -- the Mexican government, the U.S. government and the city of Monterey.

Seaside considers hiring firm to appraise proposed Monterey Downs land

Map of the proposed Monterey Downs project area. (Courtesy City of Seaside)

As the city awaits the final Environmental Impact Report for the Monterey Downs specific plan, the Seaside City Council will consider hiring a firm to appraise the property at the Feb. 4 council meeting.

“The city and developer can't negotiate a price without knowing the value of the property,” said Teri Wissler Adam, Seaside contract project manager. The council will likely authorize the city manager to draw up a Professional Service Agreement with The Dore Group to perform Real Property Appraisal Services for Monterey Downs, Monterey Horse Park and Central Coast Veterans Cemetery.

The Monterey Downs project is proposed to include a 225,000 square foot horse training facility with a track, stabling area and a 6,500 seat sports arena and grandstand. It is proposed to also include a 330,000 square foot commercial center, a 15,000 square foot horse park, visitor center, office space, veterinary clinic and stables. Two affordable hotels totaling 256 rooms, 1,280 residences, a 100,000 square foot office park, a 200-room hotel of 100,000 square feet, a 5,000 square foot tennis and swim club, a 73-acre habitat preservation area and 74 acres dedicated to open space, parks and infrastructure.

 The cemetery includes 13,838 burial sites, administration building, maintenance yard and building, memorial areas, veterans hall, cultural history museum, chapel and 300-seat amphitheater. The appraisal process would include all areas of the proposed project except the veterans cemetery, a habitat restoration area and a recreational habitat area.

It is not known how long the appraisal process would take. Upon city approval, city staff would finalize the $124,975 contract with Dore which would be reimbursed to the city by the developer.

According to the city, there is not yet a date for receiving the final EIR even though the draft EIR ended its public comment period eight months ago.

Seaside considers developer's ENA extension

The Seaside City Council will consider an extension of the exclusive negotiating agreement with Seasons Management, LLC for the development of a senior living and memory care facility on the "Shopette" site at 550 Monterey Road on Fort Ord land.

The extension would be for six months from Feb. 19 to Aug. 19.

Marina, Veterans Transition Center, developer enter into agreement

Permanent veterans housing in Marina recently moved closer to creation when EAH Inc., representing the VTC, entered into an agreement with the city in January.

EAH proposes to construct a permanent housing project on a 2.38-acre parcel consisting of 64 studio apartments and eight two-bedroom apartments for veterans and their families for a total of 72 units.

The concept plan includes a community garden, tot lot, community room, office, lobby, laundry facility, fitness studio, two lounges, rear private patio area and a front public patio area leading to a 60 parking space lot with two drive access points to Hayes Cicle.

The main structure would be three stories and span a length of over 300 feet along Hayes Circle.