Sunday, June 22, 2008

Random Reportings

ABSTRACT: Random Reportings on the State Water Resources Board Meetings of June 19 and 20, 2008, Ralph Anderson & Associates regarding the City's Community Planning and Building Director, the City's Affordable Housing Ordinance and Progress Report on Cal-Am/Monterey Peninsula Engineering Water Main Replacement Work are presented.

According to the article, No ruling on Cal Am compliance, The Monterey County Herald, the State Water Resources Board decided Friday, June 20, 2008, that the Board would not make a ruling on whether Cal Am failed to comply with Order 95-10. Additional hearings are scheduled for July 23-25 to determine recommended remedies or penalties if Cal Am is found to be in violation. Recommended actions against Cal Am will require approval of the State Water Resources Board; and a decision may be made by the end of 2008.

The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea retained Ralph Andersen & Associates to conduct a search for “outstanding candidates” for the position of Community Planning and Building Director. As stated in the brochure, the “City Administrator is particularly interested in candidates that will bring to Carmel-by-the-Sea a creative and innovative management style that is proactive in addressing issues that impact the community.” Candidates were to submit a resume, cover letter, current salary, and five work-related references to Ralph Andersen & Associates by December 31, 2007. The “new” Community Planning and Building Director was to begin in “February/March 2008 or sooner.”

REFERENCE: City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Community Planning and Building Director Brochure

On Wednesday, June 11, 2008, the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Planning Commission unanimously approved “recommendations to the City Council regarding amendments to the Land Use Element of the General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan and Revisions to the previously approved Affordable Housing Ordinance.”

According to the article, Coastal commission sends affordable-housing law back to city, Mary Brownfield reported that the California Coastal Commission requires changes to the City’s Affordable Housing Ordinance prior to the Commission’s consideration of approval of the amendment to the City’s Local Coastal Program. The Ordinance was approved by the City Council in March 2007; the Ordinance would “allow exceptions to certain development standards — such as setbacks, height, floor area, density and parking — to make it easier for 100 percent affordable projects to be built.”

Changes to the Ordinance include, as follows:

Exceptions allowed only in the multifamily residential and limited residential/commercial districts, not in the central and service commercial areas of Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Exceptions allowed only on 8,000 sq. ft. lots or smaller.

Eliminate parking allowance, since “the zoning code only requires one-third of a parking space per affordable unit...”

Requirements, including determinations that new construction would be an improvement over existing buildings and “the project will not diminish the village character by excessively blocking important public or private views and disturbing natural topography, mature trees or native growth.”

Planning and Building Services Manager Sean Conroy recommended the Planning Commission approve the Coastal Commission Staff’s changes and forward the revised Ordinance to the City Council for adoption; the City Council would then consider the amended Ordinance, and if approved, forward the amended Ordinance to the California Coastal Commission for final approval as an amendment to the City’s Local Coastal Program. The Planning Commission unanimously voted to recommend the City Council adopt the amended ordinance.

Progress Report on Cal-Am/Monterey Peninsula Engineering Water Main Replacement Work:

UPDATE (as of Friday, June 27, 2008):
PROJECT SITE PHASE 9: 12th Av. between Lincoln St. & Mission St. COMPLETE
PROJECT SITE PHASE 5: Junipero Av. @ Rio Rd & Ridgewood Rd. COMPLETE
Pending PROJECT SITE PHASES, as follows:
PROJECT SITE PHASE 4:
Carpenter St. – Forest Rd. between 6th Av. & 8th Av.
7th Av. between east of Forest Rd. & Hatton Rd.
PROJECT SITE PHASE 1: 3rd Av. between Carpenter St. & Hatton Rd.
PROJECT SITE PHASE 7: Hatton Rd. between Mountain View Av. and Martin Rd.)


PROJECT SITE PHASE 2 @ Ocean Av & Del Mar Av. COMPLETE
PROJECT SITE PHASE 6 @ Scenic Rd. between 8th Av. & 9th Av. COMPLETE
PROJECT SITE PHASE 3 @Torres St. & Ocean Av. COMPLETE
PROJECT SITE PHASE 8: Mission St. between 8th Av. & 10th Av. COMPLETE

Other pending PROJECT SITE PHASES, as follows:
PROJECT SITE PHASE 9: 12th Av. between Lincoln St. & Mission St. (Week of June 23-June 27, 2008)

PROJECT SITE PHASE 5: Junipero Av. @ Rio Rd & Ridgewood Rd.

PROJECT SITE PHASE 4:
Carpenter St. – Forest Rd. between 6th Av. & 8th Av.
7th Av. between east of Forest Rd. & Hatton Rd.

PROJECT SITE PHASE 1: 3rd Av. between Carpenter St. & Hatton Rd.

PROJECT SITE PHASE 7: Hatton Rd. between Mountain View Av. and Martin Rd.)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

A replacement for Brian Roseth had been selected but then apparently backed out of taking the job.

Brian Roseth will continue to work on projects for the City of Carmel from his home, consulting back to the city presumably. Wouldn't be surprised if he also is seen doing some work for the cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove.

More power to him. Best wishes and good-bye to a long-time employee. He will be missed.

Anonymous said...

For any potential Planning Director applicant, the city's lack of a Planning Director for four years may be a red flag. Applicants may see Carmel as not having a good working environment and pass Carmel up for a better position with another city planning department.
Six months since a planning director was anticipated to be on board in quite a long time. What is the status of Carmel's search for a new planning director at this point in time? Why hasn't the city administrator kept the public informed at council meetings?

Anonymous said...

So the city administrator is interested in applicants with a proactive management style...I guess that would rule him out of contention.
Maybe if the city found a person with these qualifications and willing to take the job, that person could double as the city administrator since I know of nothing Rich has done that could remotely be considered proactive, more like waiting for policy direction always.