CRA News January 2009

Selected articles from the newsletter of the Carmel Residents Association

From Left, Helen and Mark d'Oliveira and Col. Dorothea Terry Layne – taken at Holiday Gala at La Playa Hotel

CRA Meeting:
"Strategic Communication in a Global World"

Col. Sue Ann Sandusky,
Commandant, Defense Language Institute

President's Message
Get involved! You'll love it!

by Barbara Livingston

It is my great pleasure to be elected the new President of the Carmel Residents Association by your Board of Directors. I've been associated with this remarkably enduring organization for many years, joining in the late 1980's and serving briefly on the board in 1991 until my election to the Carmel City Council, where I served for twelve rewarding years.

The Carmel Residents Association has had a long line of illustrious men and women who brought their own special blend of personality and life experience to the role of president. In particular, I am deeply honored to follow Roberta Miller whose two plus terms have been highlighted by her uniquely witty way of introducing speakers at our general meetings. Roberta is widely respected for her commitment to the preservation of our traditional village life. She and husband Monte, also a former CRA president, faithfully attend monthly meetings of the council and Planning Commission and speak on issues important to the residents of our village. Their long walks through town have kept them in touch with business owners and residents. Nothing could be more valuable than this daily personal contact. They definitely have their thumbs on the pulse of our community.

Every CRA president has left a lasting imprint on our organization. Hopefully I will be able to inspire members with a greater willingness to volunteer time and energy in our community. Given that many of you are retired and have had varied career and life experiences, it's a natural that you could offer to help one of the many organizations in our village. For example, four city support groups – Friends of Carmel Forest (plant trees, tree surveys), Lester Rowntree Native Plant Garden (work in the arboretum), Friends of Sunset (sell food and drink from the kiosk at the theater), and Friends of the Library (work on the annual book sale)– can always use another helpful hand.

And the Carmel Residents Association looks for volunteers within its ranks to take on leadership of its annual events or simply to help with their planning, mailing of the monthly CRA News and help with Beach Cleanup on the fourth Saturday of most months. The best way to get involved is to start attending our monthly meetings at Vista Lobos, which feature entertaining and informative speakers on a wide range of topics. From these meetings, it is a short skip to forging strong friendships and a great sense of camaraderie. Don't stay on the fringe–that's no fun. To get involved just call one of the board members listed in the CRA News or contact me by e-mail, [Note the "t" between barbara and livingston.]

The purest form of government is practiced in small towns like Carmel-by-the-Sea. I really hope that during my presidency I will be able to spark some interest in those of you who have never had the pleasure of getting involved in small town cultural, environmental, economic and political issues and will be able to encourage others to take on even greater roles. Certainly I have enjoyed my years of serving and observing our community. Volunteerism is good for the soul and the brain. After all, the more we do, the more interesting we become to others–and ourselves! Nothing more fun than keeping up with what is going on in our quirky little village.

We encourage your attendance at city meetings, where our board members often speak on issues critical to our quality of life. Some of you might want to serve on the city's Planning, Forest & Beach and Community Activities Commissions or the Design Review and Historic Resources Boards. Very little is asked of you–one monthly meeting for which city staff prepares agenda reports. Applications to serve on city commissions and boards are available at City Hall, west side of Monte Verde, south of Ocean Avenue.

Roberta's a tough act to follow, but with your commitment, enthusiasm and love of community, we can continue the work that she and other CRA presidents have achieved over the past 21 years.

About me–I live with my husband Bob Kohn in a two-story brown house built in 1924. We have two dogs, Chloe and Buddy, and Chica, the cat. Chloe and Chica were adopted from the SPCA thirteen years ago and Buddy, a three-year-old Shih Tzu, found a home with us through the kindness of a good friend.

Warmest regards,

Barbara

by Tom Parks

Greg D'Ambrosio is a new member of the Board of Directors of the Carmel Residents Association. He's no stranger to this village having worked for the city for thirty four years. We met him at his house the other morning.

Greg D'Ambrosio

First of all, welcome to the board of CRA. You're no stranger to this village. You served in this city's government for years. What were your titles?

Well, I progressed from tree worker to city forester. From there I was hired as the director of administrative services, and ultimately assistant city administrator.

And now you're on your own, married, remodeling a house and still keeping an eye on the workings of the town.

I have a keen interest in seeing the city's natural resources maintained. It is essential to residents' quality of life and the town's financial health.

Do you believe that the CRA is living up to its promises put forth in the mission statement? Let's quote it here:

The Carmel Residents Association is committed to the protection and enrichment of the traditional quality of life in Carmel-by-the-Sea and the preservation of its heritage and natural beauty through education, community activities and advocacy.

In general, yes. It's a big job. There is a need for a strong push to enhance our natural resources, especially the beach, parklands and urban forests.

We ask this knowing you have a thirty year history in Carmel: Assuming that no one, no organization, no government is perfect, what, in your opinion, should the CRA be doing to fulfill its mandate? Or is it doing that presently?

In the last eight years the long-term commitment of the city leadership seems to be backing away from the admirable job they did drafting and adopting the local coastal plan and the management plan documents that support that very plan. I would like to see the leadership expend more energy with respect to these issues.

We all know that Carmel has always been and will always be a tourist attraction/destination. And we know why. Are you comfortable with the current interaction between residents, tourists and businesses?

I am in the sense that there is a softening of the "us versus them" attitude. First, I'd like to refer to those who drop in as "visitors." Visitors implies that they are friends and are welcome in our village.

You've worn more than one hat in government. Would it be wrong to guess that as the city forester you were most in your element?

Yes. And most creative. However, when I became assistant city administrator I was involved in all aspects of the process-managing, long-range planning, finance to construction and completion. Now I watch our community enjoy all those things I helped create every day.

Well, now that you're no longer in city government, and a citizen of Carmel-by-the-Sea, would you agree that this is a good place to live? What is most pleasant and rewarding in the life here?

Absolutely. Where else can you walk out your front door into a park?

Finally, what would you like to see in positive change, if any?

I'd like to see an increase in the positive working relations between residents and business.

Thank you. And don't forget to plant a tree.

No, don't plant just one tree. Plant lots of 'em!

Free tree-care workshop scheduled

The City of Carmel and Friends of Carmel Forest will sponsor a free workshop for Carmel gardeners on how to care for young and mature trees on Monday, Feb. 23 , from 10 a.m. to noon at Vista Lobos, 3rd Ave. and Torres. Instructors are City Forester Mike Branson and Friends of the Forest Board member Peter Quintanilla. Both are certified arborists. A free lunch will be served. Call Mike at 620-2070 to register.

by Carolyn Hardy

At their December meeting, the City Council moved the Forest Theater one step closer to its renovation by approving a contract agreement with architects R. F. McCann & Company to enter the schematic drawing phase, estimated to take three months to complete.

Public input was received at the June 19, 2008 meeting held at the Forest Theater. City Administrator Guillen forwarded to McCann the following recommendations to be incorporated into the revised conceptual design:

• Use of a six-foot exterior grape stake fence exactly like the existing fence surrounding the property as opposed to McCann's masonry wall.
  
  
• Parking to remain inside the fenced area and not relocated to the exterior.
  
  
• Provision of a turnout and a disabled person parking space accessed from Santa Rita Street.
  
  
• Use of existing seat infrastructure. Eliminate the single aisle, create two new aisles and install new bench seats.
  
  
• Improve functionality of existing concessions building in its location. Eliminate the existing ticket and phone booths.
  
  
• Design new bathrooms as a single building, as opposed to McCann's pavilion of three connecting structures.
  
  
• Underground the control booth. Eliminate McCann's proposed underground corridor between the booth and stage.
  
  
• Maintain the basic dimensions of the stage and limit the height of the new construction to the existing height.

According to Guillen, the revised conceptual site plan met the desire to maintain the existing structures and infrastructure in its current configuration. The revisions currently concentrate on handicapped access, audience comfort and stage design. Lighting, sound systems, tree removal, landscaping and on-site parking configuration have yet to be addressed. No mention has been made as to renovation for the downstairs interior space currently occupied by Children's Experimental Theater.

McCann's revised conceptual site plan contained a discrepancy in seating capacity, but the city intends to maintain the 540 seating based on 21 inches per seat. A new thrust stage and orchestra pit remain in the plan, but the drawing does not depict the size of the existing stage footprint in comparison to a renovated structure.

The city is in control of the project as it was handed off by the Forest Theater Foundation (FTF), which originally hired McCann. The city's evolving concept now resembles more the site-driven Congleton Master Plan (2001) created under the direction of the Community and Cultural Commission than it does the technological-driven McCann Master Plan (2007) created under the direction of FTF user groups. At best, it might be described as a compromise between the two. As always, the devil will be in the details.

McCann's base fee for this schematic phase is $131,000 and an additional $10,000 will be required for boundary survey. An initial estimate for architectural services was $65,000. The updated cost is said to reflect inclusion of civil, electrical, structural and survey consultants as part of the schematic phase. It would not be a stretch to predict the entire cost for renovation will likely exceed 2001 projections of $1,423,000.

Which begs some questions: In light of the current perilous economic upheaval and uncertainty, can the city afford indebtedness for Forest Theater now? In a deep recession, should precious reserves be depleted for renovation or should the city's monetary policies remain conservative? Should the city once again consider phasing in the renovation as proposed in the 2001 Master Plan? Can private contributions be raised to help the city fund the renovation? Or will the city have to foot the entire cost? Will the project be given the proper vetting in the planning process and a full environmental review as with other major initiatives? And, finally, will the public have the opportunity, as assured by the city administrator, to weigh in on this project before it is so solidified that changes cannot be made? The schematic design phase will include construction cost estimates. At that point the public should learn the true cost of the proposed renovation.

CRA weighs in on Sands Hotel

In early December, then President Roberta Miller, on behalf of the CRA Board of Directors wrote to the Planning Department challenging the city's recommendation that the massive proposed Carmel Sands Hotel on Mission and 5th not be required to conduct an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The board's opinion was based upon:

• Aesthetics–the scale and mass of the buildings is not compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
  
  
• Biological Resources–the condition, health and replacement of significant trees has not been fully studied.
  
  
• Hydrology and water quality–with additional hardscape, the impact of water runoff has not been adequately evaluated.
  
  
• Land use–the project requires 15 more hotel units from existing hotels, which is problematic and it could diminish village character.
  
  
• Increased traffic and noise should be fully analyzed.
  
  
• Utilities and service systems–the project should be required to capture storm water runoff to use for landscaping.

No hearing date has yet been set.

Sharon Crino, CEO of the Carmel Area Chapter of the American Red Cross since March, 2008, has been working closely with the city on emergency preparedness. We were pleased when she agreed to write the article below about her organization.

The Carmel Area Chapter of the American Red Cross–
your shop around the corner

We are fast approaching that time of year when we are "blessed" with heavy rains, high winds, power outages, mud slides and house fires caused by the misuse of candles, overloaded sockets and dirty fireplace chimneys.

Are you prepared? We can help! The Carmel Area Red Cross is your shop around the corner that specializes in disaster preparedness. We are a short walk or a five-minute drive for most Carmel residents, at the corner of 8th & Dolores. We invite you to visit us for a cup of coffee and, while you're here, to pick up some advice on how to be prepared, not just for upcoming winter storms, but year round information on dealing with medical emergencies, pet emergencies or disaster emergencies.

Do you have a home disaster kit? We have a variety of standard kits, with all of the items you will need to survive the first days after a disaster. We can also tailor make kits according to your family, business or special needs.

We recommend when you come in that you pick up a "file of life." It is a refrigerator magnet that stores all of your pertinent medical information including emergency contacts and prescriptions. Firefighters are trained to look for this magnet during an emergency situation. It speaks for you when you can't speak for yourself.

Check out our class schedule for First Aid, CPR and Pet First Aid. We also have classes on the use of an automated external defibrillator and babysitting, as well as a home self-study caregiver class on DVD.

For youngsters, we have a wonderful book teaching them how to get help in an emergency using the 911 system and an additional bilingual book where Sesame Street characters help your child get ready for an emergency.

We give flu shots once a year, provide weekly free blood pressure screening and five times a year host the CHOMP bloodmobile at the Chapter house.

If you find yourself in need of crutches, walkers, wheel chairs and/or canes, we also have a loan closet that is supplied to help residents meet their short-term medical-equipment needs free of charge.

The chapter carries items that will be helpful during any time of emergency, such as crank radios and flashlights, "under the table safety tubes", which attach under a table in your home where you might take refuge during an earthquake. The tube contains a whistle; six-hour light stick, dust mask and water. We also have some fantastic items for our four-legged friends.

Every hour of every day our main concern and our efforts are directed to making our community a healthier safer and ultimately happier place to live.

Please come in and visit us in person at the Chapter, call us at 624-6921 or visit our "under construction" web site at www.arccarmel.org. We would love to have the opportunity to serve you.

Our Favorite Places

Em Le's Old Carmel Restaurant

SPOTLIGHT ON MEMBERS

The City recently received a $2,500 grant from the Colonel Dorothea Terry Layne Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County. The purpose of the grant is to support and expand existing programs for the beautification and maintenance of Carmel Beach.

The City previously has received three grants from longtime CRA member Terry Layne's fund, most recently a $2,000 grant in January, 2008. All previous grants were also designated for Carmel Beach.

Kathleen "Kay" Ambro recently published her first children's book, The Adventures of Bebe and Poppy–Why Lizards Wear Tennis Shoes. Written by Kay and illustrated by Marina resident Lenore Masterson, the book can be purchased for $16.95 by contacting Kay at Her web site is under construction. Kay is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and has written numerous magazine and newspaper articles, including profiles for CRA News. She works part time at the children's library while pursuing her writing career.

Remember that your City Council is on T.V.

City Council meetings are taped and re-broadcast
Sundays, 8 a.m. - 12 noon on
KMST Channel 26