PART I: Widewaters Group Open House

ABSTRACT: At the Widewaters Group Open House on Wednesday, June 17, 2009, the SAVE OUR CARMEL NEIGHBORHOODS COALITION (SOCNC) distributed a flyer to individuals as they entered the Carmel Women’s Club. The flyer presents excerpts of comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Villas de Carmelo proposed project by the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Community Planning and Building Department, The League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Residents Association, Land Watch Monterey County and the California Coastal Commission. The flyer is reproduced (PART I: Widewaters Group Open House). In the Carmel Women’s Club, Widewaters Group had available brochures on the Villas de Carmelo project; the brochure is reproduced (PART II: Widewaters Group Open House). Various presentations of the project were displayed in the room on poster boards on easels. Both Ed Shagen and Kevin Kane were present to answer questions from the public. Robert and Curtis Leidig were also present.

SAVE OUR CAMREL NEIGHBORHOODS COALITION
NO HIGH DENSITY ZONING

Save Our Carmel Neighborhoods Coalition
P.O. Box 221001
Carmel, CA. 93922-1001
SOCNCWatch@aol.com


SAVE OUR CARMEL NEIGHBORHOODS COALITION

Mission Statement

o To support the WISE and CURRENT Zoning and Smart Growth Policies that exists in Carmel’s Local Coastal Plan and in the Monterey County General Plan

We support the historical restoration and adaptive reuse of the Carmel Convalescent Hospital within the current single-family residential zoning (i.e., 2 units per acre or 7 homes for 3.68 acres).

We support the current zoning as the only compatible zoning for the infrastructure, resources, and community character of the surrounding neighborhoods.

The Save Our Carmel Neighborhoods Coalition
o We Support our Present Local and Coastal Plan
o We support our Present Zoning


June 18, 2009

To: Attendees at the Widewaters Group Presentation on the proposed Villas de Carmelo 46-condo Project

Re: Comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)

The Organizations listed below have expressed their serious concerns about the proposed Villas ce Carmelo condo project in their responses to the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). The following are some of their concerns.

City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Community Planning and Building Department
(Emphasis Added)

“The removal of 213 existing trees, many of which are significant Monterey Pines and Coast Live oaks is also a significant impact.”

“The City concurs with the finding of the EIR...the resulting rehabilitation and renovation of the existing structures would cause a substantial adverse change to a historic structure."

“The character of the property is being drastically altered.”

“...(t)he project will degrade the (traffic) Level of Service to an unacceptable level at several locations.”

“...(t)the proposed project will only increase the road deterioration (of Valley Way).”

The League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula

“Inconsistent with Housing Element; The project is inconsistent with the County Housing Element because it fails to provide housing for low and very low-income groups. The DEIR fails to address the impact of locating residents adjacent to a heavily traveled roadway (Highway 1).”

Carmel Residents Association
(Emphasis Added)

“We are opposed to the removal of 785 of the pines and 44% of the oaks...They are part of our urban forest...”

“This project is in Carmel-by-the-Sea’s "Sphere of Influence" and if this project is approved it would set a very dangerous precedent of Up-zoning for Carmel-by-the-Sea and surrounding areas.”

Land Watch Monterey County
(Emphasis Added)

“The proposed project would add about 269 total daily trips to the local streets and Highway 1, which have been identified as not meeting LOA (Level of Service) standards. The DEIR finds this increase is a potentially significant impact that can be reduce to a loss-than-significant level with implementation of numerous highway improvements that are included in the unconstrained list of projects in the Regional Transportation Plan. These projects are un-funded and have no schedule for implementation. They do not meet requirements for mitigation measures under CEQA.”

California Coastal Commission
(Emphasis Added)

“...we do not believe that the DEIR accurately analyzes the water supply,...associated with the project. In addition, the analysis of consistency with existing plans and policies is incorrect and incomplete.”

“The determination of water credits and water availability in the Cal-Am service area comes form the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD), and the DEIR states that the MPWMD has not made a final determination regarding water credits for this site. ...(e)ven if the MPWMD grants the historical water credits consistent with their Rule 25.5 the site is currently not utilizing that amount of water and the DEIR still must evaluate the actual physical increase in water supply to the site that would occur under the proposed development.”

“We also disagree that the project’s light and glare would be less then significant. The removal of 213 trees and the development of 46 new residential units...would substantially increase light and glare in the project area. ...The removal of 213 trees and other vegetation would “open up” the site for light and glare to extend outward, particularly given the level of light-generating development proposed."

“(T)he increase...to high density residential...has the potential to conflict with the Coastal Act policies that protect scenic areas and resources, [and] water supplies.”

If there is a Question and Answer period during the developer’s presentation, we encourage you to ask a question regarding your concerns that have arisen from the presentation or from the above comments.

Thank you for your support.

Save Our Carmel Neighborhood Coalition (SOCNC)
Mark Baynes, Nelson French, Myrna Hampton, Barry Kohler, Michael LePage