ABSTRACT: On the 3 November 2009 General Election Ballot, there appears the following question: “Shall discontinuance and abandonment of the Flanders Mansion Property (APN 010-061-005) as public parkland, and authorization to sell the Flanders Mansion Property 'with Conservation Easements and Mitigation' as passed on May 12, 2009 by the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea City Council by Resolutions No. 2009-30 through 2009-33, be approved.” A Summary of the SALIENT POINTS AGAINST THE SALE OF THE FLANDERS MANSION PROPERTY gleaned from Letters to the Editor and Editorial Commentaries between March 13, 2009 and November 1, 2009 are compiled and presented. REFERENCES consisting of links to the entire original letters and commentaries are provided. Polls open Tuesday, 3 November 2009 from 7:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M.
SALIENT POINTS AGAINST THE SALE OF THE FLANDERS MANSION PROPERTY:
• The City’s purchase of the Flanders Mansion property was “visionary.” And it was “a great investment!” “It has appreciated, since 1972, by about $2.7 million, or about $70,000 per year, with minimal maintenance.” (10/31/2009)
• “...the lawsuit was necessary to make the council follow state law and hold an election regarding the sale. The council shouldn't have to be forced to act lawfully.” (10/31/2009)
• “Blowing all of this taxpayers' money in an attempt to sell this irreplaceable parkland, which appreciates at $70,000 per year, at a time when the city, with its $10.5 million in reserves, needs no money, is, fiscally speaking, shortsighted.” (10/31/2009)
• When the Carmel City Council purchased the Flanders estate in 1972 it was “presumed the property would be dedicated to use and enjoyment by Carmel taxpayers” and it has “served that purpose for many years.” (10/31/2009)
• “There's a reason people live in Carmel...It has to do with values that are intangible, but greater: beauty, nature and community.” 10/30/2009
• “Carmel's general plan requires the city to 'acquire and enhance parkland'—certainly not sell it.” 10/30/2009
• “The city has put forward other arguments to sell the parkland that are based on similarly flimsy assumptions. For example: No viable use has been found for the historic home...It's too expensive for the city to repair and maintain...Too much money has been spent already on Flanders...The house is not accessible to the handicapped...The property is at the edge of the park...Neighbors would not tolerate the traffic and noise from public use.” 10/30/2009
• “We are not alone in our belief that we live in a village that does not sell its parkland. We are joined by the Carmel Residents Association, the Monterey Peninsula Chapter of the League of Women Voters, the Sierra Club, the National Trust of Historic Preservation, the California State Office of Historic Preservation, the Monterey Regional Park District, and the Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society.” 10/30/2009
• “Carmel and its precious beach and parklands are a gift from our predecessors, a gift we are holding in trust for those who will follow us. Measure I betrays that trust.” 10/30/2009
• “I believe the defeat of Measure I will make the City Council and the Flanders Foundation find the best usage of the parkland/estate; selling it means putting the money into the General Fund so it can be wasted.” (October 29, 2009)
• “Ask yourself two questions: Does selling the parkland/estate now make sense, when housing values are at their low value; and what is the city thinking when it wants to compete with its residents in the sale of parkland/property?” (October 29, 2009)
• “Selling Flanders breaks up the Mission Trail Nature Preserve and creates an inholding in its midst. Inholdings within parks cause problems: privacy issues, noise, fences, etc.” (October 23, 2009)
• If the Flanders Mansion Property is sold, “it would greatly impact the use and enjoyment of the Harriet Rowntree Native Plant Garden, the Martin Meadow, and access to many of the trails.” (October 23, 2009)
• The sale of the Flanders Mansion Property “would create a private in-holding completely surrounded by parkland. Bad idea.” (10/19/2009)
• “...voting 'NO' on Measure I. That would be a step towards preserving Carmel's precious parklands.” (10/19/2009)
• “As one of only two Carmel properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Flanders Mansion is an important community asset and should be accessible to all. Its sale would not only fragment a public park, it would deprive Carmelites access to a key piece of their heritage that can be retained and enjoyed through adaptive reuse.” (10/17/2009)
• “The sale of parkland is particularly unwise as there are other ways to reduce the city's costs and keep the historic resource in public hands. The city has the authority, for instance, to lease the property and contribute the revenue to the estate's maintenance and upkeep at no cost to the taxpayer.” (10/17/2009)
• “When elected to public office the stewardship of public property became the responsibility of the city council. To abandon that public trust and duty in the application of personal political agendas is both arrogant and irresponsible.” (October 16, 2009)
• Since the current City Council has been “unable to achieve a good solution to the issue of an appropriate use for the Flanders Mansion that no council, now or at some time in the future, can...That position ignores the fact that there are good uses that have been proposed for Flanders, but McCloud and the council apparently don’t like the people making the offers.” (October 16, 2009)
• “One of the main selling points that the mayor and the council members have stressed is that the Flanders Mansion will remain forever a historic single-family residence. There is absolutely no guarantee that the residence will be just a single-family home. California law does not allow them to make that determination...There is absolutely no guarantee that the residence will be just a single-family home.” (October 15, 2009)
• “Stewardship of public assets is a significant responsibility of elected public officials. Public use options, such as an art and/or natural history venue, should be publicly explored prior to a decision to sell the Flanders Mansion property. Vote no on Measure I and make certain our public servants fulfill their stewardship and open government responsibilities.” (10/14/2009)
• “Selling Flanders breaks up the Mission Trail Nature Preserve and creates an inholding in its midst. Inholdings cause problems: privacy issues, noise, fences, etc.” (10/14/2009)
• If the Flanders Mansion Property “is sold, it would greatly impact the use and enjoyment of the Rowntree Native Plant Garden, the Martin Meadow, and access to many trails.” (10/14/2009)
• “Bravo to those who support preserving this special piece of parkland so future generations can know of the work of this amazing woman (Lester Rowntree, author, plant collector, lecturer and early popularizer of California native plants for the garden) who died in Carmel in 1979 at the age of 100!” (October 9, 2009)
• “A precedent-setting sale of Flanders could empower current or future Carmel-by-the-Sea city councils to carve up more of the Mission Trail park. For starters, there are nine 40-by-100 lots in the native plant garden which could be sold and developed. Imagine the years of construction disruption, traffic congestion, noise and parking problems that would cause.” (October 9, 2009)
• “...the long battle to save the integrity of Carmel’s one lovely natural park, Mission Trail Nature Preserve. Without a doubt, the nature-loving artists, writers and musicians whose vision gave our town its original soul would turn over in their graves that the idea to sell a part of this treasure could gain any currency here. Though the mansion itself would not be to their taste, since “small is beautiful” expressed their value system, its location within the park and the potential for its use to serve as a venue to preserve and celebrate Carmel’s remarkable past would gain their enthusiastic support. To them it would be a no-brainer!” (October 9, 2009)
• “Back in 1987, when faced with another council’s intention to sell Flanders Mansion and adjacent Martin Meadow, a group of us, neighbors of the park, natives and enlightened newcomers, got together a petition and in a week garnered over 600 signatures to save the mansion and the meadow. It was an inspiring grassroots effort, and we got the city’s promise that they would not ever sell these treasures.” (October 9, 2009)
• “Over the years, there have been a number of suggestions as to a use for it. One, which is echoed by the Flanders Foundation, which is waging a further inspiring battle on behalf of the park, was to utilize the mansion as a library, heritage museum, natural history study center and small gathering place. It had the support of CSUMB and all the Monterey Peninsula’s living artistic luminaries. This is the use that cries out to be implemented.” (October 9, 2009)
• “A precedent-setting sale of Flanders Parkland could empower the current or future Carmel City Councils to carve up more of the Mission Trail Park…there are nine 40-foot-by-100-foot lots in the Native Plant Garden that could be sold and developed. Imagine the years of construction disruption, traffic congestion, noise and parking problems that would cause.” (10/05/2009)
• “Sell Flanders and a precedent is set to carve up another large chunk of our park. The public loses recreational, educational and environmental treasures.” (09/21/2009)
• “I always thought that the city leaders were to be stewards of the public's land, not the agents of their demise.” (09/21/2009)
• ”Land matters. If a piece of our city is taken away, if our parkland is sold off acre by acre, bit by bit, our community begins to lose the distinctiveness, and charm it once created.” (09/19/2009)
• “The park thus would lose its most dramatic area with incomparable views of the Carmel Mission, and the littoral of the Carmel River entering the Pacific with Carmel Bay and Point Lobos in the background.” (September 18, 2009)
• The Flanders Mansion Property “is so clearly a central part of the park that the wooden map signs at park entrances feature the Flanders Mansion as a prominent landmark.” (September 11, 2009)
• “Once the property is sold, this beautiful piece of our park is gone forever.” (September 11, 2009)
• “...substantive reasons for voting not to sell the Flanders Mansion property, including maintaining the physical integrity of Mission Trail Nature Preserve and retaining a National Register of Historic Places resource as a public asset...” (09/10/2009)
• “For over nine years, the mayor has refused to meet and confer with the Flanders Foundation to explore possible public uses; City Council members have failed to present persuasive reasons for the sale of the Flanders Mansion; and the sale of the Flanders Mansion Property would result in the loss of significant parkland that is considered an integral component of Mission Trail Nature Preserve.” (09/10/2009)
• General Plan goals and objectives: "To protect, conserve and enhance the unique natural beauty and irreplaceable natural resources of Carmel"; "Use, maintain, and enhance publicly owned land for the benefit of Carmel residents"; "Establish an acquisitions list when opportunities arise to obtain land and/or facilities within the Carmel city limits"; and "Develop, preserve and enhance areas of scenic interest." (09/07/2009)
• “...tragic to permit this irretrievable loss.” (09/07/2009)
• ”...if our parkland is sold off acre by acre, bit by bit, our community begins to lose the distinctiveness, and charm it once created.” (SEPTEMBER 03, 2009)
• General Plan encourages the city “to preserve, protect our forest and open space; conserve and enhance the irreplaceable natural resources of Carmel.” (SEPTEMBER 3, 2009)
• The City, since Sue McCloud was elected mayor, has “failed to look at lease options that keep the park public and achieve restoration.” (08/23/2009)
• The City, since Sue McCloud was elected mayor, has not “explored any viable uses” for the Flanders Mansion Property; five task forces “looked for uses” “11 to 30 years ago.” (08/23/2009)
• “Once parkland is sold, it is gone forever.” (07/13/2009)
• City has rejected offers to “lease and refurbish” Flanders Mansion from “numerous individuals and organizations” and City has failed to “avail itself of public or private grants.” (07/13/2009)
• City does not lack money to maintain or rehabilitate Flanders Mansion; City reserves $10 million, FY 2008/09 budget “$1.2 million in the black.” (07/13/2009)
• “No reason to sell” Flanders Mansion Property, a 1.25 acre parcel in the “heart of the park.” (7/13/2009)
• Encourages “all of good faith to join the committee to preserve and enhance Flanders Mansion, instead of selling it to a rich party-developer for personal gain.” (6/24/2009)
• Senses “some ulterior motive for the city not putting energy and foresight into Flanders.” (6/24/2009)
• Flanders Mansion a “jewel in the crown of Carmel;” it “could be as well-known and visited as the Carmel Beach and Ocean Avenue." (6/24/2009)
• “Win-win proposition” of a resident curatorship; City leases Flanders Mansion Property to an individual for life and upon death property reverts to the City. Resident curator restores Flanders Mansion at his/her expense and allows public access to Flanders Mansion Property at specified times. (5/8/2009)
• “...once Flanders is gone, it is gone forever.” (4/16/2009)
• Flanders Mansion is “a beautiful mansion situated in spectacular park setting.” (4/16/2009)
• Urges city government representatives and Carmelites in favor of selling the Flanders Mansion Property to meet with Carmelites opposed to selling the Flanders Mansion Property and “work out a solution that keeps this priceless property in the community’s hands.” (4/16/2009)
• Comparison made between what Flanders Mansion and Mission Trail Nature Preserve could be and Villa Montalvo, Gamble House, Filoli, Steinbeck House and La Mirada. (3/13/2009)
• City cites reason to sell Flanders Mansion Property based on need of “significant” repairs, yet the City had failed to apply for grants and meet with local groups during the last 10 years. (3/13/2009)
• Sale of parkland in the “heart of the park” “will damage the park irrevocably." (3/13/2009)
REFERENCES:
The Monterey County Herald, (Flanders sale shortsighted, Francis "Skip" Lloyd, Carmel), 10/31/2009
The Monterey County Herald, (Outsiders flex Flanders muscle, Brie Tripp, Carmel), 10/31/2009
The Monterey County Herald, (Flanders Mansion sale betrays trust, ANNE BELL, Guest commentary) 10/30/2009
MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY, The Public Voice, Letters (Flanders Founder, Mike Brown | Carmel) October 29, 2009
The Carmel Pine Cone, LETTERS, (The wonder of parks, Karen and Hugo Ferlito, Carmel) October 23, 2009), 21A
MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY: MEASURE I ‘No,’ October 22, 2009
The Monterey County Herald, Letters to the Editor, (See Flanders Mansion, then vote, Roy L. Thomas), Carmel), 10/20/2009
The Monterey County Herald, Letters, (Preserve Carmel parks, Joyce Stevens, Carmel) 10/19/2009
The Monterey County Herald, Letters, (Preserve Flanders Mansion, Brian R. Turner, NTHP regional attorney), 10/17/2009
The Carmel Pine Cone, Letters to the Editor, (Power grab? David Maradei, Carmel), October 16, 2009, 28A
MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY, Letters, (Flanders Flap, Karen Brown), October 15, 2009
The Monterey County Herald, Letters to the Editor, (Help fulfill potential of Flanders site, D.L. Trout, Carmel), 10/14/2009
The Monterey County Herald, Letters to the Editor, (No vote on Measure I preserves Flanders, Karen and Hugo Ferlito, Carmel), 10/14/2009
The Carmel Pine Cone, Letters to the Editor, October 9, 2009 (Move the garden? Mary Ann Matthews, Carmel Valley) 22A & 15 IYD
The Carmel Pine Cone, Letters to the Editor, October 9, 2009 (‘Be careful what you wish for,’ Robert E. Kohn, Carmel) 15IYD
The Carmel Pine Cone, Letters to the Editor, October 9, 2009 (The importance of parks, Linda Lachmund Smith, Carmel) 15IYD
The Monterey County Herald, Letters to the Editor, 10/05/2009, (Be wary of parkland sale, Robert E. Kohn, Carmel)
The Monterey County Weekly, The Public Voice Letters, SEPTEMBER 24, 2009 (WHAT’S AT STAKE, Margaret L. Purchase | Carmel-by-the-Sea
The Monterey County Herald, 09/21/2009 (Save Carmel park, vote no on Measure I, Margaret L. Purchase Carmel)
The Monterey County Herald, 09/19/2009 (Don't sell off Carmel parkland, Roberta Miller Carmel)
The Carmel Pine Cone, September 18, 2009 (‘Simple solution,’ Olof Dahlstrand, Carmel) pg. 28A
The Carmel Pine Cone, Letters to the Editor, September 11, 2009 (Same parcel? Ann Flower, Carmel) 20A
The Monterey County Herald, Letters to the Editor, 09/10/ 2009 (Don't sell Flanders Mansion for short-term gain, Barbara Stiles, Carmel)
The Monterey County Herald, Letters to the Editor, 09/10/ 2009 (Carmel council failed residents on mansion, L.A. Paterson, Carmel)
The Monterey County Herald, Letters to the Editor, 09/07/2009 (Protect Carmel: Vote 'no' on Measure I, Richard M. Flower, Carmel)
The Monterey County Weekly, Letters to the Editor, SEPTEMBER 03, 2009 (PARK PLACES, Roberta Miller|Carmel)
The Monterey County Herald, Letters to the Editor, 08/23/2009 (Flanders options ignored, Shirley Humann, Carmel)
The Monterey County Herald, Letters to the Editor, 07/13/2009 (No reason to sell Flanders Mansion, Brie Tripp, Carmel)
The Monterey County Herald, Letters to the Editor, 06/24/2009 (Invest in Flanders Mansion, JoAnn Vincent, Carmel)
The Carmel Pine Cone, Letters to the Editor, May 8, 2009 (‘Resident curatorship,’ Virginia Connelly, Carmel) 26A
The Monterey County Herald, Letters to the Editor, 04/16/2009 (Flanders priceless property, Richard Stiles, Carmel)
The Carmel Pine Cone, Letters to the Editor, March 13, 2009 (‘Enrich our lives,’ Shirley Humann, Carmel) 26A
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