The proposed project would result in the construction of a 219,000 square foot agricultural processing facility, with a separate 35,000 square foot office building located on 34 acres of commercially productive agricultural land specially designated as ‘Farmland Security Zone’ land, intended to preserve it for agricultural ‘production.’

• The project applicant is D’Arrigo Brothers Company.
• The project would construct a 219,000 square foot agricultural processing facility and a 35,000 square foot office building on 34 acres designated for agricultural production.
• The County of Monterey is the lead agency.
• The project is governed by the policies of the 1982 Monterey County General Plan.

• The County Board of Supervisors approved this project in March 2004.
• The County prepared a Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration.
• The project application was submitted in 2002.

• Lack of Adherence to State Law
  The project used a Mitigated Negative Declaration even though there are environmental impacts. The project should undergo complete review through the California Environmental Quality Act.
• Lack of Due Process
  The entirety of the Mitigated Negative Declaration was not provided for the public and therefore they couldn’t provide substantive comments on the analysis.

LandWatch engages in the public process in a variety of ways. For this project, here is a list of our engagement strategies.

• Letter: Requesting Project Denial (111K PDF)
  LandWatch requests denial of the project due to issues with the California Environmental Quality Act, incompatibility with the Farmland Security Zone, and General Plan. (02.18.04)
• Letter: Comments on the Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration (134K PDF)
  LandWatch requests a full Environmental Impact Report instead of a Mitigated Negative Declaration because of the impacts with the project. (02.16.04)
• Letter: Opposition to the Project (206K PDF)
  LandWatch urges no decision on the project until a full Environmental Impact Report is complete and if action is taken, the request is to deny the project. (12.07.03)
• Letter: Request to Remove the Project from Consent Calendar (107K PDF)
  This LandWatch letter requests removal of the project from the agenda and requests the Supervisors determine consistency with the County’s compatible uses within Farmland Security Zones. (11.28.03)
• Letter: Request for a Full Environmental Impact Report (183K PDF)
  This LandWatch letter objects to the issuance of a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the proposed use permit. (11.24.03)