Carmel Unincorporated/Highlands Land Use Advisory Committee’s Unanimous Vote (6-0) to Deny Leidig’s Carmel Convalescent Hospital Redevelopment Project

ABSTRACT: On Tuesday, February 19, 2008, after the Carmel Convalescent Hospital Site Visit, developer Curtis Leidig’s “Response to Public Comment” power point presentation of the Leidig’s proposed Villas de Carmelo, Carmel Convalescent Hospital project and public comments, the six member Land Use Advisory Committee deliberated on the proposed project. Discussion focused on their responsibility to uphold the Monterey County General Plan and that, as presented, the Carmel Convalescent Hospital project was in violation of the Monterey County General Plan and Carmel Area Land Use Plan. A motion was made to deny the Leidig’s project as proposed; the Committee then voted unanimously to deny the Villas de Carmelo, Carmel Convalescent Hospital project. Their recommendation will be forwarded to the Monterey County Planning Commission.

View of West Elevation of Carmel Convalescent Hospital
Site Visit, Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Carmel Unincorporated/Highlands Land Use Advisory Committee
TUESDAY, February 19, 2008
4:00 PM at Carmel Highlands Fire Protection District Office, 73 Fern Canyon Rd, Carmel

Site Visit
1. Project Name: RIGOULETTE LLC
2:00PM File Number: PLN070497
Project Location: LOCATED BETWEEN HWY 1 & VALLEY WY CARMEL

Scheduled Item
1. Project Name: RIGOULETTE LLC Item continued from 1/22/08 meeting
4:00PM File Number: PLN070497
Project Location: HWY 1 & VALLEY WY CARMEL
Project Planner: ELIZABETH GONZALES
Area Plan: CARMEL LAND USE PLAN
Project Description: COMBINED DEVELOPMENT PERMIT TO INCLUDE AN LOCAL COASTAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO CHANGE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND A REZONING FROM MDR/2 TO HDR/12.5 IN THE COASTAL ZONE; A COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT AND STANDARD SUBDIVISION TO ONVERT A 10,350 SQUARE FOOT CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL INTO NINE CONDOMINIUM UNITS AND CREATE 37 ADDITIONAL CONDOMINIUM UNITS; COMMON SPACE WILL INCLUDE UNDERGROUND PARKING, RECREATION ROOM, STORAGE AND GYM; A COASTAL ADMINISTRATIVE PERMIT TO DEMOLISH ONE EXISTING STRUCTURE AND CONSTRUCT 12 BUILDINGS FOR A TOTAL OF 46 CONDOMINIUM UNITS; A COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT TO ALLOW DEVELOPMENT ON SLOPES OF 30% OR GREATER; A COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT TO ALLOW THE REMOVAL OF 97 TREES (21 COAST LIVE OAK AND 76 MONTEREY PINES); AND DESIGN APPROVAL. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED BETWEEN HIGHWAY ONE AND VALLEY WAY, CARMEL (ASSESSOR'S PARCEL NUMBERS 009-061-002-000, 009-061-003-000 AND 009-061-005-000), COASTAL ZONE.

Recommendation to: PLANNING COMMISSION

After the site visit and at the meeting, developer Curtis Leidig and his attorney Derinda Messenger, with the assistance of Julie Cavassa of Vincent Guarino Public Relations, gave a power point presentation of their proposed Villas de Carmelo project. Their presentation, “Response to Public Comment,” covered Adaptive Re-Use and Smart Growth, Landscape & Site Plan,Density, Previous Site Population, Building Heights & Slope, Parking, Property Values, Affordable Housing Qualifications, Building Historical Designation, Traffic, Green Practices Incorporated in Design, Water Allocation, Air & Water Pollution, Light Pollution and Sound Wall.

After their presentation, about sixteen members of the public addressed the Land Use Advisory Committee Members. Issues and concerns of the public included noncompliance with the Monterey County General Plan, rezoning from Medium Density Residential to High Density Residental/spot zoning sets a dangerous precedent and destroys existing neighborhoods, loss of community character and decreased quality of life, traffic impacts to surrounding area and view and noise impacts from removal of trees, et cetera.

After the public comment period, the six Committee Members deliberated on the proposed project. Discussion focused on their responsibility to uphold the Monterey County General Plan and that, as presented, the Carmel Convalescent Hospital project was in violation of the Monterey County General Plan and Carmel Area Land Use Plan.

In addition, the Chairman noted that the Leidig’s use of “smart growth” was not applicable to this project; “smart growth” involves entire communities, not one pre-existing parcel in an established neighborhood.

The six member Land Use Advisory Committee unanimously voted to deny the Villas de Carmelo, Carmel Convalescent Hospital project as submitted. Their recommendation is now forwarded to the Monterey County Planning Commission.

COMMENTS:
• The Land Use Advisory Committee Members articulated and complied with their mandate to uphold the Monterey County General Plan and Carmel Area Land Use Plan by unanimously denying Robert and Curtis Leidig’s proposed Villas de Carmelo, Carmel Convalescent Hospital project, as presented to the public at the meeting.

• Robert and Curtis Leidig’s and their PR firm’s focus on “smart growth” mischaracterized their proposed project. The context for “smart growth” is entire communities, not one pre-existing parcel in an established neighborhood.

• Robert and Curtis Leidig’s and their PR firm’s decision to frame their project around affordable housing and historic preservation was an example of elevating peripheral and subordinate issues above central issues of compatibility with existing planning documents, namely the General Plan and Land Use Plan.

• The Land Use Advisory Committee’s unanimous vote to deny the Leidig’s proposed project was wise mainly because they recognized that compliance with the General Plan and Land Use Plan is primary, whereas affordable housing and historic preservation enhance a project, but should not supersede or substitute for the more important issue of compliance with the General Plan and Land Use Plan.