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CRA News October 2000
Selected articles from the newsletter of the Carmel Residents Association
| Thursday, October 26 -- CRA Meeting | |
| 4 p.m. -- Socialize before program 4:30 p.m. -- Councilmen Dick Ely and Gerard Rose Vista Lobos Meeting Room, Torres between 3rd & 4th Following the meeting, delicious hot and cold hors d'oeuvres |
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October
26 speakers: Council members Ely and Rose
CRA members and the public, on October 26,
will have the opportunity to hear Councilmen Dick Ely and Gerard
Rose, who have been in office for six months. Now that they have gotten
their feet wet, they will share their goals for the city. It will also be
interesting to hear how their notions of city process, policies and the
job of council member compare now to their perceptions before the election.
If you have not had a chance to personally meet these city officials or
to ask them questions, this is your chance. Both have interesting backgrounds
and hobbies.Gerard Rose, the third highest vote getter in the 1999 election, was appointed in May to the council to fill Sue McCloud's seat when she became mayor. He feels strongly about community service and is proud of his part in organizing community leaders, shortly after he moved here, into the Citizens' Action Group, which lobbied for the creation of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA). In 1990, after he became a full-time Carmel resident, Gerard joined the law firm of Heisinger, Buck and Morris. His specialty is business litigation. His real passion is writing, which he has been steeped in from early school years through college. Recently he finished his first novel, about Ireland in 1916. Being of Irish descent, he is fascinated with Irish history, particularly the early part of the 20th century.
A frequent visitor to Carmel since 1951, Dick Ely moved here in 1992. He is a civil engineer with a degree in systems management and a retired army colonel. After moving to Carmel, he and Barbara opened the Carmel Valley Roasting Company. Dick loves great coffee and, like all of us, has had too many bad cups over the years. While he and Barbara love gardening, reading and their dogs, their favorite activity is exploring coffee growing regions around the world. Dick gets joy from anything to do with coffee and he's done a book on home coffee roasting. And, to round out his interests, he has a collection of old marbles and is an avid golfer.
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The council seems also to support more site coverage. To the contrary, Steering Committee and workshop attendees overwhelmingly wanted less building coverage in order to have more room for trees and landscaping. What the council is about to do, from these indications, is gut the entire Design Traditions Project. All of the elements of the program work synergistically, and if the program is not mandatory, it will not be implemented. Developers will continue to build massive "cookie-cutter" houses, two and three in a row on minimum-sized lots. Carmel will lose its charm, character and individuality, just so that developer/speculators can line their pockets. Design Traditions needs a minimum trial period of one year to 18 months. Then, it should be revisited to see how it is working and if the results are good for the village. We hope that when the Planning Commission reviews the issue of height, it will reaffirm its 6 to 1 support for the program. We also hope that they will recommend strongly that Noré Winter, the project consultant, be invited back as budgeted and originally planned, to attend the council meeting in November to respond to public and council questions. Members and the public are encouraged to write to the City Council at P.O. Box CC, Carmel, CA 93921, to express their views on the Design Traditions Project. |
Join the fun on Nov. 9 at a CBA/CRA mixer
The Carmel Business Association is hosting a joint mixer with the Carmel Residents Association in the Poseidon Room of La Playa Hotel, Thursday, Nov. 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. Please plan to attend this lovely party. It is an excellent opportunity to see our business community friends socially and to make new acquaintances. And, you will enjoy the delicious refreshments. There is no charge. No-host bar. Plans
set for city birthday and parade
Tickets are on sale for the barbecue lunch
celebrating the city's 84th birthday, Saturday, October 28, at noon. They
are available at City Hall and Nielsen Bros. Market, or you
may mail a check to Alice Englander, Box 6328, Carmel, CA 93921.
Please include your name, address and telephone number; tickets will be
mailed to you. Adult tickets are $10 each; children 12 and under, $3 each.
On the day of the event, adult tickets will be $15. The Carmel Celebrates Community Committee has dubbed the party "Hats off to Carmel" and asks that you "keep yourself cool with your favorite hat." CRA members of the committee are Lisa Budlong, Bob Condry, Alice Englander, Wayne Kelley, Ken White and Barbara Livingston. The committee is looking for volunteers to serve cold drinks and hand out ice cream during lunch and to clear tables after lunch. If you can volunteer an hour of your time, please call the committee's city representative, Barbara Livingston, at 626-1610.
The annual Halloween parade, preceding the barbecue, begins at 11 a.m. Once again, CRA Beach Cleanup volunteers and all other interested CRA members will march in the parade with their familiar chant:
| In this town of pride and beauty To clean the beach is our first duty. Join us in our monthly quest. And keep our beach the very best! |
Please meet at the Vista Lobos parking lot at 10:15 a.m. for coffee, pastries and chanting practice. For more information, call Clayton Anderson at 624-3208.
Update on mail delivery
by Melanie Billig, CRA President
Many residents were dismayed by the council's action to table the issue of street numbering and home delivery. This action has not only confused the public but also has undoubtedly left a big question mark in the minds of postal officials. The city has not set forth a clear position on this matter.In response to the mayor's urging, as of Sept. 7, 580 post cards had arrived at City Hall; 481 people wanted to keep mail service as it currently is and 91 wanted home delivery. Out of the overall total, 30 people wanted home delivery for shut-ins regardless of other service. The public has spoken. Why is it so difficult for the council to take an equally strong and definitive position? Listening carefully to Daryl Ishizaki, Postal Service Manager, at two CRA general meetings and before the City Council, it was clear that all the city had to do was state its position clearly to the Postal Service in opposition to home delivery and street numbering. The Postal Service would have likely backed off. Instead, in the current leadership vacuum, Mr. Steinfeld and others are putting up mail boxes and are being exempted from the normal $250 fine for doing so.
Under postal regulations, if a city has an ordinance in opposition to home delivery, this ordinance supersedes the decision of postal authorities. Many other small communities around the country have done this successfully. The CRA has offered to deliver mail to those who cannot get to the Post Office. This offer has been made to the City Council and postal officials several times. A committee is in place and ready to assist. However, we have heard nothing from City Hall or the Postal Service, which has also committed to giving service to the disabled. The disabled should no longer be used as a political excuse to undermine the community and its desires.
Carmel has prospered both as a place to visit and a place to live because of its differences as a community. No street delivery of mail is one of those differences. The time has come for the council to pass an ordinance and end this debate once and for all. Had this been done the last time the issue came up, it would not be around today. If the city again does nothing, home delivery will come up again and eventually it may come to fruition by inaction.
How to maintain healthy Oaks and Pines
From now until November is the time to prune oaks, because they are dormant. However, this year, due to the oak moth invasion, the presence of cynipid wasps, wooly aphids and the sudden oak death fungus, it is best to only do minor trimming so as not to overly stress the already-besieged trees.Pines, however, should be pruned only during the rainy months--January to March, when they are dormant and the incidence of pitch canker and beetles is minimal. For optimal tree health, trees should grow naturally and be pruned only for safety reasons and to control "wind sail." Please only use city-approved tree services or landscape contractors. And remember that pruning a branch over 4" in diameter requires permission from the Forest and Beach Commission.
Questions? Please call Mike Branson, Acting City Forester, at 624-3543.
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"We will never bring disgrace to this our city by any act of dishonesty or cowardice, nor ever desert our suffering comrades in the ranks; we will fight for the ideal and sacred things of the city, both alone and with many; we will revere and obey the city's laws and do our best to incite a like respect in those above us who are prone to annul or set them naught; we will strive unceasingly to quicken the public's sense of civic duty. Thus, in all these ways, we will transmit this city not only not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us." The Athenian Oath |
Flanders update
by Melanie Billig, CRA President
Recently John Flanders Plunkett sent an e-mail to the Flanders Foundation reminiscing about his visits to his grandmother's home, known today as the Flanders Mansion. Then it was called Outlands. He encouraged us all to save this incredibly beautiful piece of historic property, a goal many are continuing to advocate and work towards.There have been several private offers to buy or lease the property in the last nine months, with another arriving very recently. There was even a proposal at the last council meeting that the property be used as a residence for the new city administrator. There is precedent for this in Carmel, plus, with the cost of our housing, it will be extremely difficult for even a top professional to afford local prices. This will have to be reflected in the salary for this position.
The good news is that in spite of the lack of response to their offer from city hall, the couple from Florida is still very interested in a long-term lease of Flanders. They will do the needed renovation, open it for public enjoyment, and return it along with their art and antique collections to the city upon their deaths. They have stated that they want the Flanders Foundation to facilitate and manage public activities. The foundation is most willing and happy to be involved and sees this offer as a wonderful way to retain the mansion, have it restored and also to obtain art and antiques for the community. Our only hope is that the city will support an open-minded exploration of this possibility and not be locked solely into the notion of a sale.
At the Sept. 19 council meeting on a 4-1 vote, with Barbara Livingston dissenting, it was agreed to engage realtor Greg Kraft to handle the long-term lease or sale of the property. It was evident from the discussion that Mr. Kraft viewed his charge as sale, not a lease. He admitted to having little knowledge or experience in putting together long-term leases, which does not bode well for the lease concept. However, the foundation intends to use all of its resources to prevent a sale of this historic property and the parkland that is to be sold with it.
[At press time, we understand that at the Oct. 17 council meeting Mr. Kraft's selection will be reconsidered because of his lack of long-term lease experience. Ed.]
Request to limit neighborhood noise is turned down by council
After a request from four property owners to do something about the increasing noise from power tools in the evenings and Sundays, Councilwoman Barbara Livingston asked the council to consider amending the municipal code to have "Class B" noise, " ... noise created by power mowers, trimmers, home appliances, home workshops, vehicle repairs, testing and home construction projects," allowed during the same hours as commercial construction—from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday - Saturday, and prohibited on Sundays and holidays. Currently, Class B noise is allowed daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Given the concern that our quiet neighborhoods are vanishing, this seemed like a reasonable request.According to Livingston, "Other communities have enacted similar or more restrictive ordinances. Atherton has an ordinance which bans commercial construction on weekends and holidays. Homeowners are allowed to use power tools between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Belvedere prohibits construction of any kind on weekends and holidays; Woodside allows contractors and residents to do construction work on Saturday mornings but not on Sundays and holidays. Violation of the law in these cities is a misdemeanor that carries a fine of as much as $1000."
One of the values we share in Carmel is the quiet and serenity of our neighborhoods. With all of the remodeling and new construction, residents have a right to some peace and relief at night, and on weekends and holidays.
The council majority, however, was not willing to adopt this amendment and it failed 4-1 with Council members Ely, Hazdovac, McCloud and Rose voting against it.
A win and a loss for preservation
Hopefully you saw the recent newspaper articles reporting that the Coastal Commission, in late September, delayed until November ruling on six Carmel demolition applications, saying they wanted more information on how the city will deal with the cumulative impact on the town's character of the destruction of so many older homes. The commission indicated that it will be more critical in evaluating all related Carmel land-use decisions. Preservationists will be awaiting city staff's responses.On Sept. 3, the council approved an appointment to the Historic Preservation Committee without advertising for the position as is usual city policy. Of greater concern is the fact that this appointee recently sent out a city-wide mailer from his real estate office making clear his strong views that historic preservation should only be voluntary. Certainly the candidate is qualified in terms of background, but can he possibly be open-minded and objective about the major preservation issues facing Carmel? Or, instead of representing the entire community, will he espouse only the viewpoint of local realtors?
Marina and Sand City--will their open space survive?
Outside, pro-growth pressures are taking aim at our county. The spillover from Santa Clara County and the high tech companies is headed for the Salinas Valley with its lower-cost housing. Some issues to consider: Will more prime ag land be subdivided? Will our county's economic base be changed forever? Will Monterey County become a Santa Clara look alike?On the Peninsula, Marina and Sand City are targets of the same kind of pressures, the development of the Armstrong Ranch and Sand City's huge Monterey Bay Shores 495-room coastal resort. The problems with both are extreme--impacts on scenic Highway One, potential saltwater intrusion, more water for developers while residents conserve, slope and dunes damage, traffic and loss of open space. It is important to stay abreast of these issues, because they will have major effects on Carmel, directly or indirectly.
