‘MINUTES’ for One Noteworthy 11 July 2012 Planning Commission Agenda Item

CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA

PLANNING COMMISSION – “MINUTES”

July 11, 2012

Archived Video

I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL

PRESENT: Commission Members: Goodhue, Dallas, LePage, Paterson, Reimers
STAFF PRESENT: Sean Conroy, Planning & Building Services Manager
Margi Perotti, Administrative Coordinator

IX. PUBLIC HEARINGS

If you challenge the nature of the proposed action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Planning Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing.

6. Flanders Mansion
City of Carmel
25800 Hatton Road

Public hearing for receiving comments on the re-circulated draft environmental impact report prepared for the sale of the Flanders Mansion Project.

Janet Reimers, Chair, introduced the agenda Item.

Sean Conroy, Planning & Building Services, stated that the City has been in the process of looking at the potential of selling the Flanders Mansion for several years.  The City completed an EIR in 2009 which was legally challenged.  As part of the Court decision, the City was required to amend the EIR to include some additional analysis.  The City has prepared a RDEIR; there is a 45-day public comment period.  At the end of the 45-day comment period, the City will prepare responses to the comments and prepare a Final EIR.  Then, the Historic Resources Board, Forest and Beach Commission and Planning Commission will review the RFEIR and make recommendations to the City Council.  The City Council is the final decision-making body.  Conroy reiterated that the agenda item is receiving public comments on the adequacy of the RDEIR only. 

Janet Reimers, Chair, opened the meeting to public comment.

Joyce Stevens focused on Mission Trail Nature Preserve (34.17 acres), a “little dream of a park,” and characterized the Park as “smothered by invasive plants” and maintenance and improvement tasks undone.
Two recommendations:
1. The City begin a holistic, in-depth study of the park, including Flanders Mansion, as a unit, and develop a plan that considers the “highest and best use” for the entire glorious canyon that is geographically and historically one of Carmel’s best and uncelebrated assets.
2. If the City is fiscally or otherwise incapable, the City should consider transferring ownership and/or management of MTNP, including the Flanders Mansion, over to the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District which has an excellent stewardship record.

Skip Lloyd addressed the Court’s judgment, specifically the size of the parcel, and referred to CBRE appraiser’s report of comparable sales used for likely sales price using many parcels of residences on 50 x 100 ft. lots. Therefore the City does not need a whole lot of land for Flanders Mansion for a saleable product. It should be looked at from the standpoint of the Park. The aim is to “achieve a reasonable objective, but have the least overall impact on the Park.” “The problem with the RDEIR is that there is not a sufficient range of alternatives presented.”

Janet Reimers, Chair, closed the meeting to public comment.

ADJOURNMENT

ADDENDUM:

RDEIR Flanders Mansion Property June 2012 Maps

RDEIR Flanders Mansion Property June 2012 Maps