General Issues – Monterey

The City of Monterey has many important issues facing the area. LandWatch has been involved with these issues for more than a decade.

General Letters

  • LandWatch Comments on General Plan Update (312k PDF)
    LandWatch Monterey County supports a housing element that provides dense, infill housing in existing urbanized areas affordable to those who live and work in the City of Monterey. Environmental justice demands affordable housing that minimizes environmental harms. Accordingly, LandWatch urges the City to adopt the Relocated Housing Alternative, which would provide denser infill housing sufficient to meet the City’s 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) while avoiding significant environmental impacts to the City’s natural lands in the former Fort Ord. (03.21.24)
  • Strategy: Net Zero Carbon Strategy for the City of Monterey by 2045 (2.5MB PDF)
    The report identifies specific actions the City can take to reduce GHG emissions by addressing transportation, natural gas, and housing/land use policies. The housing policies identified in the report are especially timely because over the next few years Monterey County and its 12 cities will update their housing elements. Housing element updates present the best and most immediate opportunity to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions through infill and mixed use development. (10.06.21)
  • Letter: LandWatch Supports Downtown Overlay (1M PDF)
    LandWatch supports the proposed Downtown Specific Plan Density Overlay Cap, which allows up to 30 dwelling units per acre and increases allowable height to four stories. We also support increasing the density to 40 dwelling units per acre to allow for small, more affordable units. (12.02.19)
  • Monterey Projects Could Add Housing
    The City of Monterey is struggling to meet its housing requirements and a few projects will give it a boost. Several hundred units will be previewed in December by the City Planner. (11.29.19)
  • Letter: LandWatch Comments on Old Capitol Site Rezone (534K PDF)
    LandWatch Monterey County supports the proposed amendment to rezone the Old Capitol Site from very low density residential to parks and open space, as well as the proposed negative declaration. The rezoning proposal is consistent with LandWatch’s smart growth principles because the project fulfills the proposed mitigation measures for the Pebble Beach Company’s Morse Place Townhomes affordable housing project, which required dedication of the Old Capital Site as a park—among other things. (10.21.19)
  • Testimony: LW Supports Rezone at Council Meeting (473K PDF)
    LandWatch Executive Director Mike DeLapa spoke before the Monterey City Council to support the Garden Road Rezone because  it helps the City meet its Regional Housing Needs for lower income families. (06.04.19)
  • Testimony: LandWatch Comments on Project (474K PDF)
    During its testimony to the Architectural Review Committee, LandWatch offered two key recommendations on the Fremont Street project. First, to reduce building costs and encourage affordability-by-design, the City should approve the project without further conditions. Second, to address neighborhood concerns about parking, the City should encourage the project applicant to work with Monterey-Salinas Transit and the Transportation Agency of Monterey County to encourage building residents to forgo cars and use public transportation or bicycles. (05.28.19)
  • Letter: LandWatch Comments on Fremont Street Project (504K PDF)
    LandWatch supports the 40 unit mixed use project and encouraged the City to work with transit agencies to help with parking problems. The Fremont Street project helps the City meet the affordable housing unit requirements established by the state. (04.05.19)
  • Garden Road Rezone
    A determination that the Garden Road project will have no significant environmental impacts is being prepared for the project. Four hundred and five units will replace dozens of commercial offices if allowed. LandWatch supports this project. (03.15.19)
  • Letter: LandWatch Testimony (121K PDF)
    LandWatch testified before the City of Monterey’s Council to reiterate its concerns about developing the 126 acres on the former Fort Ord. From faulty assumptions to unanswered questions, development far from the city center doesn’t promote sustainability and severely impacts resources—like the overdrafted Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin. LandWatch submitted historical maps of the basin (2.7M PDF file). (03.05.19)
  • Monterey Eyes Fort Ord Development
    LandWatch urges the City of Monterey to question whether or not housing is a good fit on the former Fort Ord lands. Please join us in Council Chamber, 580 Pacific Street, Monterey on Tuesday, March 5 at 4:00 pm in testifying against the issuance of a request for proposals (item #11 on the agenda Review Outline and Direct Staff to Release a Request for Proposals to Solicit a Developer for the City’s Former Fort Ord Property).  (03.04.19)
  • Op-Ed: LandWatch Pens Opinion Piece on City’s Proposal
    The op-ed, written by LandWatch Executive Director Michael DeLapa, reminds the City Council about the clear lesson of Monterey Downs and Whispering Oaks: the public opposes paving open space when it isn’t necessary. It also urges the City Council to focus on more sensible growth strategies, including rezoning Garden Road and Ryan Ranch for mixed use, lowering barriers to building accessory dwelling units, and upzoning along transit corridors, including Fremont Street. (03.03.19)
  • Letter: LandWatch Comments on 126 acres (653K PDF)
    Stating concerns about the development of 126 acres on the former Fort Ord, LandWatch outlines issues.  These included water availability, lack of infrastructure, affordability, and potential risks to name a few. (01.21.19)
  • Letter: LandWatch Comments on Monterey Ownership (263K PDF)
    LandWatch commented on the future of a 126-acre parcel owned by the City of Monterey. The site has a business park/light industrial zone and an open space/recreational zone. Previous legal and expert comments (see technical letter from Monterey Downs above) on the Monterey Downs project were included to support this letter.  (01.21.19)
  • LandWatch Supports Garden Road Zoning Amendment (498K PDF)
    LandWatch supports the proposed zoning amendment to allow mixed uses (residential and commercial) and multifamily residential uses in certain properties located along Garden Road. The zoning amendment is consistent with LandWatch’s smart growth principles because it allows for infill residential use consistent with efficient and compact urban development and because it encourages higher density, multifamily residential development that typically increases affordability. We urge the City’s timely approval of the project. (10.09.18)
  • Mixed Use and Affordability Before Monterey Council
    LandWatch joins the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership in recommending to the City of Monterey that the City allocate limited water to mixed use housing and commercial projects, NOT to commercial projects solely. The City has some Water Allocations available and the current policy is to support mixed-use developments that have affordable housing components. Some business leaders are proposing that the Water Allocations be awarded to projects that only have commercial components. The Council has a balanced policy that meets both economic development and housing goals. (02.06.18)
  • Thank you, Monterey City Council!
    Tuesday, the Monterey City Council voted 5-0 to continue its policy of allocating limited water supplies to mixed use housing and commercial projects, not to commercial projects solely. This means the Council has a balanced policy that meets both economic development and housing goals. LandWatch submitted comments in favor of allocations to mixed use and affordable housing projects. We applaud the City Council for this thoughtful decision. (02.06.18)

Monterey Peninsula
Issues & Actions