Welcome to the Carmel Residents Association WebsiteSince 1987, the Carmel Residents Association has been the premier community civic non-profit organization for full and part-time residents and owners or renters in Carmel-by-the-Sea and everyone who cares for and wants to stay connected to everything in our "Village in the Forest by the Sea". You can now also join, renew and make donations to the CRA, register and pay for CRA-sponsored events and much more, all online. Click here for a more detailed overview. Why should you join or renew? Here's why. Monday October 23rd 7-8PM Don't miss it! Our Town Hall will be Monday October 23rd 7-8 PM, Doors will open at 6:30 at Carmel Highschool Center for the Performing Arts. Join the Carmel Residents Association and Local Officials as we connect and interact with our California State - Sacramento Senate and Assembly Representatives who represent our Coastal Community. Paul Miller, Publisher of the Carmel Pine Cone will moderate this session. Senator Laird and Assemblywoman Addis are looking forward to joining us to explore the latest in recent Housing legislation. Learn more about about critical housing laws and explore protecting Land Use and Zoning Local Controls in our Monterey Peninsula Community. Visit this page for more details on our Town Hall. You can submit your questions in advance. Plus you must register to attend. HERE Everyone is welcome!
CRA's - Hot Topics, The Voice, News You Can Use, Events and More Upcoming & Ongoing "Hot Topics" We've compiled important history and background information on these pages. Each of these receive frequent updates as these initiatives continue to receive Council or Board/Commission updates via City Teams. Please check them out and provide your suggestions and comments. * Housing Element & RHNA Challenges - All meetings information, background and push back efforts are on our page. The final draft was reviewed and approved at City Council Aug 1st prior to submission to HCD in Sacramento. Now to move on to the follow-up programs proposed in this Housing Element and in parallel, the community work to assure long-term local control of land use and zoning. Sacramento is continuing to pass legislation that removes local control (see here; our Village is mentioned in this article). Don't miss our October 23rd Housing Town Hall.
* Architecture in Carmel - Design Traditions Project - Public Steering Committee meetings are continuing. Desired reinstatement of the Design Review Board covered. The next Steering Committee Meeting is October 5th. * ADU Ordinance (Accessory Dwelling Unit) Target for public drafts coming in October/November at Planning Commission. Updates are required to reflect State mandates ideally also our local ordinances and ideally also embracing our Design Guidelines.
* Parking and Traffic Management Project - Paid Parking was briefly discussed at Aug 30 Strategic Priorities Meeting and pushed to November City Council for expanded review. Chamber & CRA Survey Summer survey results included.
* Wireless/Telecom Ordinance - The August Drafts have now been approved by both Planning Commission and City Council in August & September respectively. These will require a second reading at City Council in October; they then go to the Coastal Commission as next step. * 5th&Dolores (aka Ulrika Plaza & The Pit) - At the Aug 9th Planning Commission meeting the newest project plan was approved. The Annex wall plans for the 7th&Dolores (JB Pastor Building) were ok'd at the July 17th Historic Resource Commission - but then were rescended at the City Council on Sept 12th. The Voice - Sept/Oct 2023 HERE Articles include: The Culture of Carmel, President's Musings - We Persist - Our Village - Our Home, One Size Does NOT Fit All, Reach out to Sacramento Representatives, The New Pine Cone - first 50 years, Profile - Reese Leads the Cherry, The City's Housing Element Survey Says...., Supporting OurNeighborhoodVoices.com - a proposed Constitutional Amendment for Local Control, Still here - Civic Topic, Events Past & Coming Up in Town and CRA too, Feast in the Forest - Opa!, Please join us on the CRA Board. News You Can Use - September & August September 17 Issue HERE Articles include: Save the Date Oct 23 - Carmel-by-the-Sea meets Sacramento Town Hall, Oct 14 Ken White Bohemian of the Year, Sept 22 Carmel High Homecoming, October 18 CRA's No Host at Little Napoli, City Council Highlights, Join Your CRA Board, Feast in the Forest Thanks & Photo's, and Calendar Dates 9/17- 10/31.
Thanks to the 132 CRA Members who provided your views on these Carmel hot topics making headlines and influencing the future character of this Village where we choose to live, play, or work and always enjoy. The full report, background and coverage on this Survey can be found HERE. And check out our Updated "Carmel Eats & Drinks" Listing HERE. ...as of 10/18/2022 Archives of these email and printed publications can be found HERE. For Your Upcoming CRA Calendar: Saturday October 14th 2:PM - Celebrate Ken White as Bohemian of the Year 2023 - at Forest Theater Be sure to get your tickets to join everyone to honor this great Carmel Citizen with the most! Celebrate with wine and light hors d'oeuvres, as KSBW's Erin Clark emcees this specital event featuring guest speakers Tom Parks and Sam Farr. And original Jo Mora "Carmel" map 1942 will be auctioned, following by a desert recemption with our honoree. Click here to get your tickets to join us to Celebrate Ken! And to learn more of Ken's contributions to our Village and beyond, click here.
Wednesday October 18th 4:30-6:00PM CRA Members please join us at our next No-Host Gathering in the bar at Little Napoli - NE Corner of Dolores and 7th.  Plus you can always find us at the CRA Beach Clean Up - every 3rd Saturday at the bottom of Ocean avenue from 9:30-Noon. And the at the Carmel Weekly Farmers Market - but we are there on the last Thursday of each Month at a Community Table. Be sure to stop by and chip in! CRA's & Carmel's Past EventsFriday September 22nd - 3:45 PM - Carmel High Homecoming Parade - where CRA has sponsored the Class of 2027! Join in the fun on Ocean Ave as everyone celebrates our next generation of Carmel-ites! (photos from 2022) September 9th our Feast in the Forest in Pebble Beach, this year with a Greek theme - OLA! Enjoy the photo's and event details HERE  July 4th Celebration in Devendorf Park - Great music, munching and mingling. Thanks to Monterey County Pops fitting holiday tunes and a barbershop performance by the Monterey Peninsula Cypressaires. Plus thanks to City Staff and Volunteers who produced this event for our enjoyment.
June 11th CRA Members Only Beach Gathering. We met at the bottom of the 13th Avenue stairs in Cooke's Cove on Carmel City Beach for Wine or Beer on us. More details and past year's picture's can be found here. Good times had by all...2 legged and 4 legged too!
May 18th was our CRA Members-Only Annual Meeting - where we held a Q&A Session with Chip & Dave (our Village Mayor Dave Potter and Administrator Chip Rerig). We also honored Café Carmel as our Carmel Business of the year and our Carmel Public Library with a Lifetime Achievement. More details and past years programs can be found here.  Apr 19 - Mock City Council Session. CRA Board Members Ken White & Graeme Robertson supported the City Council, City Staff and Carmel High School (CHS) Leadership to create this Student Government Day. 12 CHS Students engaged in a serious relevant (and definitely humorous) meeting for our annual budget approval. HERE. Here is the YouTube Video from this year! TWO Fun in Devendorf (yes, pun intended) Apr 20 - "Third Thursday" in Devendorf Park - City Activities & Farmers Market teams host this every third Thursday April through October, with Fun, Food, Music and Activities for all. Your CRA Board Members hosted the adult beverages section this month. Good times had by all. Plus April 22nd was was Carmel's Annual Earth Day Celebration, tree planting, activities and more, also in Devendorf Park. Apr 5th - CRA's Members Only No-Host Gathering was held at La Balena (Junipero between 5th & 6th), with a small but mighty crowd! This and prior No-Host Gatherings pictures plus, can be found HERE.
Mar 26 - Citizen of the Year Celebration - was our biannual award & recognition program celebration. For more information on our program this year and Donna Jett as well as the past 2021 year program, nomination process and prior honorees please visit this page HERE. Fred Bologna, President of CRA says "Donna is an extraordinary example of a sustained committed volunteer for our Village. With over 25 years on nonprofit boards and event leadership, her contributions are almost too many to mention. ... We are pleased to add her to our honor role of Citizens of the Year."   Feb 22 - CRA Hosts, the coauthor of "Humbled, How Monterey Bay Escaped Industrial Ruin" with Katheryn McKenzie. This program showcased the power of local environmental activists. Full program details are available HERE. The YouTube link is HERE. Feb 2 - CRA's No-Host Gathering at Seventh & Dolores. Once again a great gathering! All of our recent No-Hosts & pictures are shown HERE. Sadly, the CRA family extends our warmest thoughts to all of the Family and Friends of Skip Lloyd who passed in March of 2023. Skip was a co-founder of Carmel Residents Association and its President in 1989. He was a Carmel and area Champion throughout his life and will be missed with lasting memories. Learn more about Skip HERE. Jan 26 - CRA proudly Hosted "Experience the Monterey Bay as Seen by early California Artists" at the Carmel Woman's Club. This program celebrates our area's natural beauty through renowned local painters, as presented by locals professor Cynthia Weick and artist/gallery owner Joaquin Turner. Program YouTube Video is available HERE. Full program details and pictures are available HERE. Dec 9 2022 - We help our Annual CRA Members Holiday Gala & Dinner at La Playa once again! Details HERE. Great times, with Board Member Kilts, Two winners of $1000 of wine, and a toast for Graham & Moira's upcoming nuptials! UPDATE - our 2023 Gala date will be Saturday Dec 2nd - details coming in September here. Nov 3rd 2022 - CRA's No0Host Gathering was held at Edwin's - corner of San Carlos & 6th. Pictures and details of all of our No-Hosts are available HERE. Oct 31 2022 - Halloween - CRA Board, our Members & the whole Community marched in the Carmel-by-the-Sea Anniversary Parade. A grand time had by all! Adults and Kids alike! Pictures from this year and 2021 can be found here. Sadly Carmel lost a former Mayor, former CRA Board Member, Citizen of the Year and long term champion for our Village on 10/31/2022 - Charlotte Townsend, may she Rest In Peace. Video interview and 4 articles on Charlotte's life and times are available on this page. She will be missed. Oct 19 2022- CRA Hosts - John Sanders with new insights on 17 Mile Drive and Del Monte Hotel. The program YouTube video, photos and presentation details are all available Here Sept 21 2022 - CRA Hosts - Our 17th Biannual CANDIDATES FORUM - at the Carmel Woman's Club - Click on image below for the YouTube Video and more content, contact details are all available Here. CRA Beach Clean Up Season - every 3rd Saturday at 9:30AM - See You in OctoberThis year marks our 30th Anniversary of this great community volunteer event. We are starting a month early this year, beginning in March through October. Farmers Market Serving Carmel Area - WeeklyThursdays - from 10 AM to 2 PM In Carmel by the Sea - just behind Devendorf Park on Sixth Avenue between Junipero and Mission Streets on 6th. PLUS - CRA leadership hosts the Community Table there at the corner of 6th and Junipero - EVERY LAST THURSDAY of EACH MONTH! (taking off Nov & Dec) Please stop by to pick up your reusable, free "Loving Carmel-by-the-Sea" shopping bag. Enjoy local certified organic fresh farm produce, plants, fresh cut flowers, baked good and various specialty items...and some entertainment too. Please Support our VIP Business MembersTake a look at the list of the local businesses with offers for our membership that are participating in the CRA's Village Incentive Program here. All current CRA members receive a yearly new VIP card with their renewal or when they join. For more information on this program and membership benefit visit this page.
Carmel Chamber of Commerce Catalyst NewsletterSign Up for the Chamber's Catalyst online newsletters here. It provides great information on and to our valued local Businesses. Sign up for the Weekly Carmel Friday LetterOur Village City Administrator and Staff produce a weekly update with a highlight video and other key info on the current week and week to come. Be sure to signup for this important information here and check out past issues there too. More...As always, please stay safe and healthy. Thank you for working to keep our community strong. (see Carmel Code) |
