Carving of Berwick Park's breaching whales begins

The process of carving out a pair of Cypress tree stumps into a sculpture of two breaching whales began in Pacific Grove's Berwick Park Friday. That's according to Pacific Grove Chamber President Moe Ammar, who said that three different donors stepped forward at Thursday's celebration of the Pacific Grove Tourist Information Center's fifth anniversary to fund the project announced last May. Ultimately, Ammar said that the city's rotary club would be donating the $8 thousand needed for the three local artists to transform the stumps into a symbol of the city's surrounding sea life.

It was John Bridges, a Monterey attorney that had the idea for the sculpture after noticing the big stumps on his drive home from work one day. They were left after high winds had broken the major branches off the tree during a January storm, causing the city to cut it down. 

Pacific Grove Library Improvement Project underway; city approves appointment of new police chief Amy Christey

Besides approving the admission tax measure for the November ballot while voting down the business license tax increase, the city of Pacific Grove on Wednesday approved an agreement with the Pacific Grove Public Library Foundation Corporation to fund the Library Renewal Project. The money will go towards ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) updates, painting the library’s walls and ceilings and new carpet, among other improvements. 

The council also approved the appointment of Amy Christey as the city’s new police chief with a salary adjustment to $151,000, what Christey currently makes as police chief in Morro Bay.

Carmel Film Festival moves Filmmakers Beach Dinner to Pacific Grove

At Pacific Grove's city council meeting Wednesday, the council approved Carmel Film Festival’s request to hold their Filmmakers Beach Dinner at Lovers Point Park this year. Organizers of the event requested that fire pits be placed on the beach and that alcohol would be allowed for the event. Pacific Grove’s municipal code prohibits both. 

“We approved it to go ahead but we need to review some aspects of events like that,” said Kampe. “We’ll need to look at city ordinances.”

The Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce also hopes to shift additional festival events in the future.

Festival organizers say they will pay for all needed city services in addition to rental fees for city parking lots and park areas and will utilize the city’s businesses for managing, catering and equipment rentals. 

While Pacific Grove Mayor Bill Kampe noted he didn't want to speculate, he said the change in venue was most likely due to space issues.

"I think they are just finding that the events have become very large for Carmel,” said Kampe.  

The event, which draws some 300 people, will held on Oct. 22.

Pacific Grove Police Chief search down to four with hire expected by July

The search for Pacific Grove's police chief is down to four, according to City Manager Ben Harvey, who said he hopes to name the city's new chief by July.

Harvey said the City had over 50 applicants and from that pool narrowed it down to 17 and then seven. Four of those candidates are being brought back for second interviews.

“I have been very pleased with the candidates and the process, and know that I will be able to select a highly qualified chief that is a good match for both the community, the department and the greater municipal organization,” said Harvey, noting that with the time needed for a background check and other reviews, he felt mid-summer was a good estimated hire date.

He also said that the city's interim Chief of Police Steve Belcher has been very involved in the selection process.

Recently, Salinas Chief Kelly McMillin announced his retirement and just this week, Seaside Police Chief Vicki Myers announced hers, which means that both of those city's officials will be conducting their own searches for a new police chief.  

Pacific Grove's Beach House at Lovers Point to add cafe

At Pacific Grove's Wednesday city council meeting, Kevin Phillips, owner of the Beach House restaurant at Lovers Point, said that after a four-year process, the building permit for their coffee shop has been approved.

Phillips, who expects the cafe to be completed by summer, said it will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Besides its coffee, baked goods and expanded food offerings, it will offer free Wi-Fi for the entire Lovers Point beach area. For Phillips, the project is personal. He's a long-time Pacific Grove resident whose son Jeremy is the restaurant's general manager. He said he hopes the cafe's offerings will not only attract visitors but provide local Pacific Grove residents with a new morning coffee ritual. 

Pacific Grove Chamber's Moe Ammar notes new interest in Lighthouse Avenue properties

During the public comment period at Pacific Grove's city council meeting this week, Chamber President Moe Ammar noted that three buildings on Lighthouse Avenue were being sold for “$3 and $4 million.” Later, Ammar confirmed to The Herald that the property at 522 Lighthouse where re-purposed furniture and clothing store Marina Patina is currently located, just sold for approximately $1 million. Ammar said the property’s new owner is Greg Zimmerman, the former owner of Pacific Grove’s Sea Breeze Inn and the current owner of the Monterey Peninsula Inn. According to Ammar, Zimmerman has plans to turn the property that still has gas pumps from when it served as a filling station in front of its facade, into a mixed use building with condos and retail/restaurant.
"It'll be kind of what the Holman is like but on a smaller scale," said Ammar. "Instead of 25 condos it would have probably 10."
Ammar credited the partners of Monterey Capital Real Estate Development, the development company behind Pacific Grove's Holman Building, for instigating the renewed interest in the downtown area. 
"Every city and every economic development person will tell you the way you revitalize cities is by mixed use," said Ammar. 

State estimate shows Monterey County grew by 1 percent in 2015

The University Village Apartments in Marina was completed in 2014. Marina's population grew by 2.4 percent in 2015. Vern Fisher — Monterey Herald

Monterey >> According to provisional estimates from the California Department of Finance, Monterey County's population grew 1 percent in 2015 from 432,637 to 437,178.

Soledad's population grew by 3 percent, the largest growth rate in the county and one of the 16 highest growth rates in the state, going from 24,809 to 25,556. A news release from the Department of Finance explained Soledad was among the cities that experienced some of the largest proportional population gains in 2015 due to increases in local correctional facilities. The Salinas Valley State Prison is located in the city.

Greenfield's population grew at a similar rate to Soledad, expanding 2.9 percent from 16,947 to 17,446 in 2015. Marina's population expanded by 2.4 percent from 20,496 to 20,982.

The only city in Monterey County that saw its population shrink was Seaside, where the number dropped 0.3 percent from 34,185 to 34,071. Only 43 other municipalities in the state saw their population decline.

The city of Monterey saw minor population growth, increasing 0.1 percent from 28,576 to 28,610. Pacific Grove grew 0.7 percent from 15,251 to 15,352. Sand City's population grew a whopping five people, increasing 1.3 percent from 376 to 381. Carmel expanded 0.2 percent from 3,824 to 3,833. Del Rey Oaks added 11 people to grow 0.7 percent (1,655 to 1,666).

Salinas, the county seat and by far the largest city in the county, added about 1,500 people to increase its population 1 percent (159,486 to 161,042). Gonzales grew 0.7 percent from 8,411 to 8,473. King City's population grew 1.5 percent, going from 14,008 to 14,221.

The rest of the county expanded 0.9 percent from 104,613 to 105,545.

The state's population grew by 0.9 percent, adding 348,000 residents to the new total of 39,256,000. San Joaquin County grew the most (over 1.3 percent), followed by Yolo, Riverside, and Santa Clara counties, which all expanded by just under 1.3 percent. Los Angeles, the state's largest city, added more than 50,000 people to break the 4 million mark for the first time (4,031,000).

San Jose, with a population of 1,042,000, added more than 12,000 people, while San Francisco, with a population of 867,000, added more than 9,000 people in 2015.

The population estimates are produced annually by the Department of Finance for use by local areas to calculate their annual appropriations limit.

Pacific Grove holds the line on housing and butterfly habitats

There were some different housing issues addressed in Pacific Grove this week. One involved a housing unit and the other involved housing some butterflies.

The council on Wednesday denied the appeal by resident Jacqueline Trees upholding the planning commission’s decision to not continue to allow a 4th housing unit at 210 17 Mile Drive to exist.

City Manager Ben Harvey said that city staff will work with the existing tenants of the unit to help them relocate.

Trees was represented by attorney Anthony Davi in the appeal. 

Also Wednesday, the city’s butterfly habitat bonds were addressed with the bond payment of .0035 percent on assessed value of property in Pacific Grove approved.

“Each year, we have to adopt a resolution that says the tax rate,” said Harvey. “This is the second year of essentially paying off the mortgage on the butterfly habitat. After this year, we’ll have one more year to go.”

Yes on Measure X signs stolen from outside Pacific Grove's Chamber office

Measure X is heating up in Pacific Grove just in time for the city's annual Good Old Days, which draws upwards of 10,000 people to the streets of downtown.

On Thursday, Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce President Moe Ammar provided video evidence of "Yes on Measure X" signs being taken down from in front of the Chamber's office on Central Avenue. The Chamber voiced its support of Measure X and the proposed Project Bella project early on.

The videos (available here) clearly show two incidents of signs being taken and replaced with "No on Measure X" signs.

The Pacific Grove Police Department is currently conducting an investigation and attempting to identify the suspects in the video footage.

According to Project Bella partner Ron Meer, over 100 Yes on X signs valued at $1,200 have been removed or stolen throughout Pacific Grove at both residential and commercial properties.

Speed limits, garage sales and election terms addressed this week by city councils

Tuesday’s Herald featured a rundown of some of the highlights from this week’s city council meetings. Here’s some more details from the agendas:

Pacific Grove, Wednesday. 6 p.m. :

-The council is expected to adopt an ordinance establishing some reductions in speed limits, including changing Central Avenue (from the east city limit line to Fourth Street) from 30 mph 25 mph. Other changes include reducing Sinex Avenue from Congress Avenue to the 17 Mile Drive from 30 mph to 25 mph. The same change would take place for a segment on Lighthouse Avenue from Asilomar Avenue to the 17 Mile Drive.

-The  ordinance to allow more outdoor dining on city sidewalks will go before the council. After a year-long pilot study testing how outdoor dining would work in the downtown, Community and Economic Development Director Mark Brodeur suggests that the city goes ahead and allows more sidewalk seating and dining in the city.

- The city will consider releasing donations from its stewardship fund for the Library Renewal Project. The fund was established in May of 2012 for the purpose of future capital improvements to the Pacific Grove Public Library by an agreement between the city, the Friends of the Pacific Grove Public Library and the Pacific Grove Public Library Foundation.

Monterey, Tuesday, 4 p.m.

-The Transportation Agency of Monterey County (TAMC) will present more information about the proposal for a sales tax measure.

-The city will consider creating regulations for garage sales.

Seaside, Thursday, 7 p.m.

The Seaside City Council will also consider and possibly approve adding two classifications to the Position Control List for Recreation Director and Human Resources Director and establish the salary for each position.

The council will also consider accepting the Assignment of Exclusive Negotiating Agreement from Seasons Management LLC to Seaside Senior Living. Seasons has an ENA with the city for a proposed senior living and memory care facility at the “Shopette” site at 550 Monterey Road on Fort Ord.

Marina, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.

The Marina City Council will also be receiving its Mid-Year Fiscal report and will consider authorizing the finance director to make appropriate accounting and budgetary entries and provide city staff with any further direction.

The council will consider adopting a resolution that changes the term for election of the mayor to four years starting with the 2018 election results and placing the matter on the 2016 election ballot or consider a different process for selecting the mayor. City staff and the city attorney may be asked to provide the council with information and time schedule to complete the process.

Pacific Grove's Chamber of Commerce against raising the city's TOT

The transient occupancy tax was at the center of debate at Pacific Grove's City Council meeting last week, and one of the first to voice his opposition and rally against it was Chamber President Moe Ammar.

That's because Ammar sees any raise in the TOT as not only inhospitable but harmful. The council is considering raising the tax from 10 to 12 percent in an effort to make up some lost ground when it comes to the city's financial deficit. The issue of whether to raise the TOT or not is set to appear as an item on the council's March 2 meeting agenda.

It's a move that Ammar says he's “grateful” hasn't happened yet, despite repeatedly coming up. Among his reasons for strong opposition: that 25 lodging establishments in the city already contribute 22 percent of the city's budget and that the TOT in neighboring cities Carmel and Monterey is at 10 percent.

“There's never a good time to raise taxes and we'd rather have taxes raised organically rather than being taxed,” said Ammar. “We have to stay competitive with Carmel and Monterey.”

Ammar also noted his view that the city should act as a partner with the Chamber and should be supporting the hotels and inns, not putting heavier burdens on them.

“They should be making it easier for them rather than harder,” he said.

Ex-NAACP head, Peninsula native Ben Jealous to endorse Bernie Sanders

Ben Jealous speaks at the Panetta Institute in Monterey on April 20, 2015. (Vern Fisher - Monterey Herald)

Ben Jealous, the former head of the NAACP who grew up on the Monterey Peninsula, is poised to endorse Bernie Sanders as the Democratic nominee for president, CNN reported Thursday.

Jealous, 43, is set to appear with Sanders in New Hampshire to announce his support before the Feb. 9 primary.

Said CNN:

"The endorsement is a potential boost to Sanders who has struggled to gain traction among African-American voters, though he has made small gains on Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton, according to recent polls."

Jealous, who comes from a family of civil rights crusaders, was educated locally at Ord Terrace Elementary School in Seaside, Pacific Grove Middle School and York School in Monterey. He was elected head of the NAACP in 2008 -- the youngest leader in its history -- and served for four years.

He is currently a partner at the Oakland-based Kapor Center for Social Impact, a venture capital firm whose stated focus is creating opportunities and leveling the playing field for young minorities who are interested in entering the field of information technology.