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CRA News April 2000
Selected articles from the newsletter of the Carmel Residents Association
| Unless the City Council enacts an ordinance prohibiting mail boxes on the street, this could become a common sight everywhere in our village. |
| Tuesday, April 25 -- CRA Meeting | |
| 4 p.m. -- Light Refreshments 4:30 p.m. -- Post Office Discussion Vista Lobos Meeting Room, Torres between 3rd & 4th Following the meeting, delicious hot and cold hors d'oeuvres |
|
The Post Office Discussion Continues!
Those who attended the March CRA meeting and the April 7 City Council session on the Post Office are aware that there were more questions than answers and far more people wanting to speak than time available. For this reason, Daryl Ishizaki, Manager of Post Office Operations in the San Jose office, has agreed to return. A "straw poll" will be conducted on the proposed changes.
The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25, because the City Council has a special stormwater management meeting on the 27th.
Mr. Ishizaki explained that there are two interrelated postal issues: (1) The proposed remodeling and modernization planned by the United States Postal Service (USPS); and, (2) The question of whether or not Carmel will have home mail delivery.
The foremost reason for the remodel is the increase in advertising mail, combined with the small size of Carmel postal boxes. Mr. Ishizaki has agreed to change the color scheme to one more in keeping with Carmel and to replace the plastic siding with wood. It will also be more accessible for those with disabilities. He suggested that if Carmel residents do not fight his remodeling plan, he will not push home delivery. And, at the April 7 meeting with the City Council and Congressman Sam Farr, Mr. Ishizaki agreed to let the city appoint a key person to work with the USPS on design and construction issues in the remodel. He also said he would consider not adding the proposed 1,000 new boxes, but needs to do further research first.
Because there has been aggressive lobbying for home mail delivery in Carmel by a City Council candidate and a few others, the USPS has decided that they must offer this service. Because we do not have addresses, it would be rural route delivery, which requires grouped mailboxes or large metal multi-box units on the street to make it convenient for delivery vehicles. Great concern has been expressed about the visual and traffic-congestion consequences as well as possible lost parking spaces and mail security. The only way to avoid this situation is for the City Council to pass an ordinance prohibiting the installation of street-side mail boxes. On April 4 the Council voted 3-2 to direct the Planning Commission to prepare a report on the consistency to the General Plan and City ordinances of individual mailboxes within the City and to direct staff to prepare an ordinance prohibiting mailboxes in the public right of way. (White, Hydorn and Livingston voted yes; Hazdovac and McCloud voted no.)
The plight of shut-ins who cannot get to the post office was a concern to all at the council meeting. Many residents commented that they already pick up mail for friends and would be willing to do so on a more organized basis. The Postal Department will also look into solutions to this problem.
Among the public comments from CRA members: John Ambro "One of the charms in moving here was the ability to go the Post Office." Frankie Laney: "It is even more important with so many neighborhoods having absentee homeowners to go to our post office for fellowship." Pope Coleman: "I am amazed we would be considering losing our central meeting place. Tradition, charm and livability are larger than the needs of any business."
In contrast, Carolina Bayne, who recently circulated a petition for home delivery, had distinctly different comments: "Bologna! Tradition be damned. This is still a free country."
|
The voters have spoken |
|
It is no secret that the Carmel Residents Association Board and many members, while delighted with the re-election of Barbara Livingston, are disappointed that Ken White and Marshall Hydorn did not succeed. However, this is a democracy, the voters have spoken and the CRA Board intends to do all it can to work with and help the new City Council as it faces continuing and new issues. It is interesting to analyze the final election results. With 1748 people voting, Sue McCloud beat Ken White by only 36 votes. Barbara Livingston captured only 18 more votes than Dick Ely. Clearly, the electorate of Carmel-by-the-Sea is evenly divided between two groups of residents who both want the best for our village but have quite different viewpoints of how to move forward. The concern of many voters in this election was that the City Council could lose its balance and the ability to have both sides represented in decisions. That is exactly what has happened. The victors are elated, as they should be, and eager to move forward with their ideas. We would hope, however, that Mayor McCloud and Councilmembers Hazdovac, Ely and the person they choose to fill the empty seat will remember that this was an extremely close election and take into consideration the viewpoint of those who see things differently than they do. Again, we offer our congratulations to Sue McCloud, Dick Ely and Barbara Livingston and our heartfelt thanks to Ken White and Marshall Hydorn for all they have done for our community. We hope that they will continue to be active and give us the benefit of their wisdom and experience. |
Water Board Director gives report to CRA
Getting an improved water supply on line is currently the main goal of the Monterey County Water Management District (MCWMD) Board, according to our representative, Alexander "Zan" Henson, who briefed CRA members at the March meeting. The board has struggled for twenty years, drilling four wells in Carmel Valley in the mid 80's and the Peralta well in Seaside in the 90's. He feels that one of the chief problems with the board has been its attempt to find one project that would solve all of our problems. Because there is broad disagreement over whether new water should be for existing residents or for growth, plus the problems with Cal Am's right to pump, it has been impossible to get majority approval for anything.Henson is encouraged by Plan B, for which he credits Assemblyman Fred Keeley. This plan compels the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to come up with a set of solutions that are alternatives to the dam at the same time the PUC is analyzing Cal Am's "no growth" dam proposal. Plan B was formulated to address only water for existing residents, not even for lots of record, in order to totally remove the polarizing discussion of growth. He did say, however, that a majority of the board favors remodeling because it doesn't increase consumption, although when the dwelling is later sold, it could.
Because the Federal government is requiring all communities to do something about storm water, a possibility under Plan B is the capturing of this runoff and putting it into the aquifer. It might be possible to secure Federal funding for this. The plan may also include a desalination plant. Henson feels that a dam will not be allowed because the Federal government will not let the steelhead population be exterminated.
One problem with the increasing demand for water is that people are trying to drill new wells--on Scenic Road, at Heritage Harbor, all over--and no one knows the impact. The board recently voted 4-3 to bring single wells within the jurisdiction of the District. The board will also be regulating water-supply delivery services as well as all water credit transfers. Henson said that, according to a MCWMD staff report, there has been a 25% increase in water use after water credit transfers.
When questioned about the possibility of a smaller dam, since the public generally believes that the "no growth" appellation is a misnomer, Henson said that the fishery issue would still be a problem and, because of economies of scale, it wouldn't make sense.
Monthly Beach
Cleanup
Saturday, April 29
10 a.m. - noon
* Volunteers meet at foot of Ocean Avenue* Please bring gloves
* Coffee and pastries served
Please note that the Beach Cleanup has been moved to the 5th Saturday of April because the week before is Easter weekend.
Nine years! The Beach Cleanup keeps going and growing ...
The March Beach Cleanup was a great success, thanks in part to the Herald's
publicity, which brought out many enthusiastic new participants. Of course,
the faithful regulars were there as well. Participants enjoyed the donated
coffee from Caffe Cardinale and the delicious pastries from Carmel
Bakery.This effort has given Carmel-by-the-Sea 5,546 hours of community service during the past nine years. Forest and Beach Director Gary Kelly estimates that the value of this service now stands at over $75,000, intensive cleaning that city crews do not have time to accomplish.
We get many compliments on our work from out-of-state and foreign visitors. Several said they would like to initiate similar programs in their communities.
Kay Kuffner, who with husband Harvey, always seems to find the most unusual and bizarre items, went home with a bag full of interesting items with which she is going to create a beach cleanup sculpture. Where should this art be displayed?
City Council Adopts Moratorium
on
Demolition of Historic Buildings
An Urgency Ordinance prohibiting the demolition
for the next 45 days of any building over 50 years old was discussed at
the April 4 meeting of the City Council. Prompted by a law suit, part of
which might involve having a judicial moratorium imposed on Carmel, this
ordinance was recommended in March by the City Attorney but delayed a month
to provide time to negotiate with the litigants. The outcome of these discussions
was that the litigants would take no further action on their suit during
the next 45 days. Despite the politically-charged pre-election atmosphere,
the ordinance passed 4-1. (Paula Hazdovac voting no)For buildings 50 years old or older, provisions of the Ordinance are:
- Exterior remodels or alterations must comply with the Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Resources;
- The Ordinance does not affect interior remodels;
- The Ordinance does not affect repair and maintenance of exterior surfaces as long as the design, architectural details and type of materials are retained;
- Demolition of buildings over 50 years old is prohibited during the term of the ordinance unless a building permit has already been issued;
- For projects currently in process that involve a demolition or that do not comply with the Secretary of Interior Standards, the City will continue to process the application but during the term of the ordinance such projects will be denied. Applicants may request that their application be withdrawn. Applicants also may request that their application be continued until after the 45-day term of the ordinance.
What is missing from Carmel?
The question is often asked, "What has Carmel got that charms us so?" To this question, we reply, "It's not what Carmel has but what it doesn't have that charms."We have no traffic lights; no parking meters; no mail delivery that tempts people to remain at home and isolated; no neon signs or other gaudy retail shop displays; no loud music along the shopping streets; no multi-storied buildings creating sunless canyons of concrete, steel and glass; no sidewalks in the neighborhoods; no street lamps to block out the stars.
We do have older people, living on their own, less fearful of the dark because there are usually caring neighbors close at hand.
We do have a sense of safety along our beaches and roads and wooded streets. We see young women running without anxiety along Scenic Road after dark.
We have the benefits of world-class music and theater and the finest restaurants for a village this size anywhere in the world.
We have an overwhelming sense of joy that we have been blessed with the good fortune to find ourselves living here in this haven of beauty and tranquility.
We have a good many people willing to give their time and energy to preserving it as we found it.
One afternoon, during our sand castle day, I overheard a visitor remark to her friend, the sound of wonder in her voice, " ... and everyone here is always smiling."
