Month: March 2020

State Park Volunteer Days for April Canceled

Hello, 
Safety is a top priority for the Monterey District State Parks and our Natural Resource Volunteer Program. In order to support state and local efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), all volunteer work days scheduled for April 2020 will be cancelled .  This includes the cancellation of our monthly programs (for April) in partnership with California State Parks Foundation at Fort Ord State Dunes and at Garrapata State Park.
We look forward to bringing together our community of volunteers for work days once it is safe to do so. We have been working diligently to plan fun and exciting projects for the future. We will provide updates on upcoming events as things continue to unfold. Stay safe and healthy and we look forward to seeing you all in the future. Please feel free to contact me via email or phone (listed below) if you have any further questions. 
For updates regarding COVID-19 please follow the Center for Disease Control (CDC). 
Best,

Kimiya Ghadiri, Forestry Aide, Volunteer Program Coordinator, California State Parks, Monterey District

Big Sur Highway 1 Sustainable Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan

Caltrans District 5 takes this opportunity to present the completed Big Sur Highway 1 Sustainable Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan.  The Plan, which builds upon the 1986 Big Sur Land Use Plan and the 2004 Coast Highway Management Plan, sought to develop viable alternatives to driving in Big Sur, identify support strategies needed to shift use patterns, address undesired visitor behavior, research potential electric vehicle charging stations, and create partnerships to identify funding and next steps.

On the project website you will find the final document and all appendices which includes not only the technical background but detailed comments received during the process.  Speaking of which, our project team again wishes to thank everyone for their participation in this effort.  During the outreach 33 stakeholder organizations were engaged, 9 workshops were held with some having 99+ attendees, 10 media outlets publicized the plan, and over 200 comments were received during the review period.

You will find all the documents at:

www.sustainablehighway1.com

Regards,

John Olejnik, Big Sur TDM Plan Project Manager

Vehicle Access to ALL State Parks Closed

California State Parks Closes Vehicular Access at all State Parks

 March 29, 2020 — California State Parks today announced it is temporarily closing vehicle access at all 280 state parks to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). On Saturday, many state parks once again experienced visitation surges that made it impossible for the public to implement appropriate social/ physical distancing practices. During this pandemic disease, every person has a role to play in slowing down the spread of COVID-19. Protecting individuals, families and communities comes down to common sense. As such, the public is reminded to adhere to the following guidance: 

  • Stay home if you are sick.
  • Stay close to home when you get outdoors. This is not the time for a road trip to a destination park or beach.
  • Venture out only with people in your immediate household.
  • Walk around the neighborhood and enjoy neighborhood parks.
  • Always maintain a physical distance of 6 feet or more when recreating in the outdoors. If you cannot maintain physical distancing, leave the park.
  • Do not congregate in parks.

To date, the department has implemented various safety measures such as temporarily closing all campgrounds, museums and visitor centers in the State Parks System; cancelling all events; and closing vehicular traffic at certain parks and beaches, and fully closing others.   California continues to issue guidance on preparing and protecting Californians from COVID-19. State Parks is monitoring the situation closely and is following guidance provided by the Governor’s Office via the California Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Protecting visitors and all who take care of state parks from the exposure to the pandemic disease is a top priority for the State of California.State Parks will continue to monitor visitation and physical distancing at all state park units, and if the safety measures implemented thus far are not sufficient to protect public health, additional measures may be taken to fully close parks, including trails, bathrooms and other amenities.  State Parks has developed a one-stop resource center––www.parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve––to find park safety and closure information, and messaging and graphics from the “Flatten the COVID-19 Curve at Parks” social media awareness campaign. Please check this webpage regularly, as it will be updated with new information as it becomes available.

Overnight work on Highway One to start Sunday

Today’s Date: Friday, March 27, 2020

District:           05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa       

                         Cruz Counties                                                  

Contact:          Susana Z. Cruz Ruiz or Colin Jones

Phone:            (805) 549-3138 or (805) 549-3189

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

*UPDATE*

PAVEMENT REHAB CONSTRUCTION PROJECT ALONG STATE ROUTE 1 FROM BIG SUR TO CARMEL–TEMPORARY GUARDRAIL STARTING SUNDAY NIGHT

MONTEREY COUNTY – A Caltrans pavement rehab. construction project along State Route 1 from Torre Canyon Bridge in Big Sur to just south of Carpenter Street in Carmel is underway with night time lane closures to set temporary guardrail (k-rail) at distinct locations, starting Sunday night, March 29.  The traffic impact should not exceed 10 minutes.

Overnight roadwork hours next week will be:

Sunday night, March 29: 9 pm to 6 am (next morning);

Monday through Friday night: 7 pm to 6 am (next morning).

******************************************************************************

Details on the overall project’s roadwork/closures are as follows:

Torre Canyon Bridge to Coast Rd. near Andrew Molera State Park:

Coast Rd. to Carmel Valley Rd.:

Carmel Valley Rd. to Carpenter St.:

·         Sundays through Fridays:  9 pm to 6 am (next morning)

Slab replacement work:

·         Mondays through Thursdays:  3 pm to 6 am (next morning)

–MORE—

Roadwork consists of pavement rehab on existing roadway and guardrail replacement. Electronic message signs will be activated to inform the public about this roadwork. This roadwork is necessary for the safety of the travelling public and to protect surrounding properties.

      The contractor for this $24 million project is Granite Rock Company of San Jose, CA and

      it’s expected to be completed in the Fall of 2021.

List of State Parks closed to Vehicular Traffic

Effective immediately, State Parks has temporarily closed vehicular traffic to parks experiencing high visitation. Below is a list of the impacted parks. This list is dynamic and will be updated regularly.

To stay up-to-date with any new listings see: http://www.oesnews.com/california-state-parks-takes-additional-steps-to-help-slow-down-the-spread-of-covid-19-vehicle-access-temporarily-closed-for-additional-parks/

For those wishing to take a break in the outdoors, public health officials are advising them to walk, run, hike and bike in their local neighborhoods and walk to parks. Most importantly, the public is being asked not to congregate in the outdoors. Everyone has the responsibility to “Flatten the COVID-19 Curve at Parks” by maintaining a social distance of 6 ft. or more when recreating in the outdoors, and staying home if they are sick. If visitors cannot maintain social distancing, they need to leave the park.

Calaveras County:

  • Calaveras Big Trees State Park (SP)

Contra Costa County:

  • Mount Diablo SP

El Dorado County:

  • Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point SP
  • Emerald Bay SP
  • Folsom Lake State Recreation Area (SRA)
  • Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park (SHP)

Los Angeles County:

  • Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook
  • El Matador State Beach (SB)
  • Leo Carrillo State Park SP
  • Los Angeles SHP
  • Malibu Creek SP
  • Malibu Lagoon SB
    • Malibu Pier and parking area were closed on 3/24/2020 to vehicular traffic and pier closed to pedestrian traffic at the western most point of concession restaurant.  Restaurant remains open with “To-Go” Services.
  • Point Dume SB
  • Robert H. Meyer Memorial SB
  • Topanga SP
  • Will Rogers SHP

Marin County:

  • Angel Island SP
  • China Camp SP
  • Marconi Conference Center SHP
  • Mount Tamalpais SP
  • Olompali SHP
  • Samuel P. Taylor SP
  • Tomales Bay SP

Mendocino County:

  • Jug Handle State Natural Reserve (SNR)
  • MacKerricher SP
  • Point Cabrillo Light Station SHP
  • Russian Gulch SP
  • Van Damme SP

Merced County:

  • George J. Hatfield SRA

Monterey County:

  • Andrew Molera SP
  • Carmel River SB
  • Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP
  • Monterey SB
  • Pfeiffer Big Sur SP
  • Point Lobos SNR
  • Point Sur SHP

Nevada County:

  • Donner Memorial SP
  • Empire Mine SHP
  • South Yuba River SP

Orange County:

  • Bolsa Chica SB
  • Chino Hills SP
  • Crystal Cove SP
  • Doheny SB
  • Huntington SB
  • San Clemente SB
  • San Onofre SB

Placer County:

  • Donner Memorial SP
  • Folsom Lake SRA
  • Kings Beach SRA

Riverside County:

  • Chino Hills SP
  • California Citrus SHP
  • Lake Perris SRA

Sacramento County:

  • Folsom Lake SRA

San Bernardino County:

  • Chino Hills SP
  • Silverwood Lake SRA

San Diego County:

  • Cardiff SB
  • Carlsbad SB
  • San Elijo SB
  • Silver Strand SB
  • San Onofre SB
  • South Carlsbad SB
  • Torrey Pines SB
  • Torrey Pines SNR

San Joaquin County:

  • Caswell Memorial SP

San Luis Obispo County:

  • Cayucos SB
  • Morro Bay SP
  • Morro Strand SB

San Mateo County:

  • Año Nuevo SP
  • Bean Hollow SB
  • Burleigh H. Murray Ranch SP
  • Castle Rock SP
  • Cowell Ranch
  • Gray Whale Cove SB
  • Half Moon Bay SB
  • Montara SB
  • Pescadero SB
  • Pigeon Point Light Station SHP
  • Pomponio SB
  • San Gregorio SB

Santa Barbara County:

  • Carpinteria SB
  • El Capitan SB
  • Gaviota SP
  • Refugio SB

Santa Cruz County:

  • Castle Rock SP
  • Henry Cowell Redwoods SP
  • Manresa SB
  • Natural Bridges SB
  • New Brighton SB
  • Seacliff SB
  • The Forest of Nisene Marks SP

Shasta County:

  • Castle Crags SP

Sonoma County:

  • Armstrong Redwoods SNR
  • Austin Creek SRA
  • Fort Ross SHP
  • Jack London SHP
  • Kruse Rhododendron SNR
  • Petaluma Adobe SHP
  • Salt Point SP
  • Sonoma Coast SP (and associated sub-units)
  • Sonoma SHP
  • Sugarloaf Ridge SP
  • Trione-Annadel SP

Ventura County:

  • Carpinteria SB
  • Mandalay SB
  • Point Mugu SP
  • San Buenaventura SB

Supervisor Adams’s Update

March 26, 2020

MONTEREY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
MARY L. ADAMS, SUPERVISOR – FIFTH DISTRICT
Dear Kate,
I hope this message finds you well and safe and that you are making adjustments to a new routine at home. Learning how to live and conduct business as we Shelter-in-Place (or SIP) is quite a process for all of us. I can’t thank you enough for the effort you and your family are making to help Monterey County slow the spread of COVID-19 through our community.
If we’re at all alike, you have been watching and reading the news constantly to be up to the minute and fully informed. The amount and speed of information coming out is both dizzying and frustrating at the same time. Not wanting to inundate you with too much information, but also feeling the need to connect, we have decided to email you a bi-weekly newsletter for the duration of the SIP Order. This newsletter will be a sort of compendium of information and resources and will include responses to the questions most frequently posed to us over the previous days. It will also include pertinent updates from the County related to the pandemic. I hope you will find it useful. For those who would like a day-to-day update on the status of COVID-19 and our local response, please refer to the Monterey County Daily Situation Report. Or, you can opt to receive real-time updates by texting “MCCOVID19” to 888777. 
Please know that while the way we conduct work at your Fifth District Supervisor’s Office has shifted, the work has not stopped. I have quickly become an interactive meeting pro, virtually attending both the Board of Supervisors and Transportation Agency for Monterey County Board of Directors meeting this week, as an example. My team and I remain committed to ensuring the needs and issues of District residents are heard and addressed as quickly as possible. While working remotely, you can reach us at district5@co.monterey.ca.us for assistance.
Take care and be well. Again, I repeat my birth state of Kentucky’s motto “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”. Together, we will survive this extraordinary challenge.
Best, Mary. SIP Digest for the Week of March 18 – 25
Shelter in Place Order: The County reissued its Shelter-in-Place Order to align with the State’s Stay-at-Home order. The most significant change is the County replaced a planned end date of April 8th to an indefinite time. The Monterey County Public Health Officer Order is consistent with the statewide order and orders issued by other Bay Area local Public Health Officers.The order can be found here.
Monterey County Government Center schedule: The Government Center at 168 W. Alisal has modified the Public Access hours to promote safety among the public and essential government employees and to reduce the spread of COVID-19. For the time being the Monday – Friday schedule is as follows:PUBLIC ACCESS – OPEN: 7am – 1pmLIMITED PUBLIC ACCESS (doors locked) – 1pm – 5pm
If you need to access the Clerk’s office or County Council between 1pm – 5pm to ensure filing timely claims, service of complaints etc., please knock or signal the security guard for entry.
COVID-19 Hotlines, Websites & Email Address:  The Monterey County Health Department COVID-19 webpage is continuously updated with news, information and data.For health related questions, call the Monterey County Health Department information hotline at 831-769-8700 or 831-755-4521, Monday – Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.  Or, email your questions to COVID-19@co.monterey.ca.us The COVID-19 Economic Assistance Hotline is available Monday-Friday from 8 am to 4 pm. 831-796-1909.Montage Health Virtual Care Option. Free to all community members experiencing mild respiratory symptoms including coronavirus/COVID-19. 831-622-8001. Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System Coronavirus Hotline.831-755-0793. The hotline is staffed with registered nurses and is available from 7:00am to 11:00pm, 7 days a week. 
Essential Businesses: The County has published a list of business types that may remain open and those which should close during the SIP Order.  Essential businesses include a variety of services for home repair and maintenance, including landscaping. Golf courses are closed as directed by the State’s Stay-at-Home (SAH) Order.House cleaning services, for the purposes of disinfecting, continue to be allowable so long as appropriate social distancing practices are followed.  
Property Taxes: The Treasurer Tax Collector has issued a statement with important information regarding Property Taxes. Unfortunately, the authority to delay tax payments does not reside at the County level. 
Parks: County-owned park facilities, except for Laguna Seca, are open at this time.  This includes Jacks Peak, Royal Oaks, Manzanita, Toro, San Lorenzo, San Antonio (both shores) and Nacimiento.  There may be certain amenities within each park that may be closed, including play structures.
Libraries: While our physical libraries are closed to the public, the County is providing all online services.  Anyone who doesn’t have a library card can apply online and a card will be mailed to use for all online services.  We expect “Library By Mail” to continue operating as long as the library items are safely processed and returned. 
Businesses and Restaurants Open for Delivery or Take-Away: A variety of groups and individuals are publishing lists of businesses and restaurants offering drive-up or delivery services including:Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau – Travel UpdatesMonterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce – Who’s Open Daily UpdatePacific Grove Chamber of Commerce Open RestaurantsCommunity member developed resource – Aid Monterey
We have received a number of requests for the County to require stores to provide “Senior Hours” or limit the number products any one person can purchase at a time. Unfortunately, these are not actions we can take under the existing SIP Order.  That being said, I am happy to share that a number of businesses have stepped up and implemented these strategies on their own accord. Click here for resources provided by State Senator Anna Caballero’s office. 
Utilities: The CPUC has directed that utilities can NOT shut off services due to non-payment during the current COVID-19 crisis. From PG&E: If a customer is experiencing financial hardships and has trouble paying their bill due to the economic impact of COVID-19, please call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000. For additional ways PG&E is supporting customers during the COVID-19 public health crisis, go to www.pge.com/covid19. From California American Water: To protect employees and customers, California American Water customer payment centers will be closed from Monday, March 16, until at least Monday, May 3. Customers may visit the website www.californiaamwater.com to view bills and pay online or may also pay by mail, by phone at 888-237-1333 or visit local third-party payment centers.
Educational Resources: The Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) offers FREE online college and career readiness resources for educators and students through its Monterey Bay Career Connect.
Pebble Beach Access: On March 25th, Pebble Beach Company closed tourist related access  into the Del Monte Forest to support social distancing directives. 1200 Aguajito Road, Suite 1, Monterey, CA 93940 | (831) 647-7755 | district5@co.monterey.ca.us
Supervisor Mary Adams | 1200 Aguajito Rd., Ste. 1, Monterey , CA 93940Unsubscribe kwnovoa@mac.comUpdate Profile | About Constant ContactSent by district5@co.monterey.ca.us in collaboration withTry email marketing for free today!

Weather Alert from MoCo OES

Advisory: Special Weather Statement for Monterey County, CA

Dear Nixle User,Northern Salinas Valley/Hollister Valley and Carmel Valley-Mountains Of San Benito County And Interior Monterey County Including Pinnacles National Park-Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast-Santa Clara Valley Including San Jose-Santa Cruz Mountains-Northern Monterey Bay- 250 PM PDT Thu Mar 26 2020 …AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN SANTA CRUZ…NORTHWESTERN SAN BENITO…SOUTH CENTRAL SANTA CLARA AND NORTHWESTERN MONTEREY COUNTIES… At 249 PM PDT, strong thunderstorms were clustered near Interlaken, or near Watsonville, moving east at 5 mph. Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail are possible with this storm. Accumulation of hail stones will be possible along with brief heavy downpours. Locations impacted include… Salinas, Watsonville, Gilroy, Hollister, Corralitos, Ridgemark, Brown Valley Road, Amesti, Prunedale, Interlaken, Freedom, San Juan Bautista, Aromas, Pajaro, Elkhorn and Las Lomas. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. https://inws.ncep.noaa.gov/a/a.php?i=43821516

USFS closes all developed recreation sites in CA

Forest Service closes developed recreation sites throughout California until April 30

GOLETA, Calif. – USDA Forest Service appreciates the public’s interest in outdoor recreation, particularly in light of current events. The Pacific Southwest Region of the Forest Service, in response to the recent statewide shelter-in-place order issued by the Governor of California, is joining the cause to aggressively mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by closing developed recreation facilities on our National Forests statewide.

“Developed recreation sites” refers to designated recreational use areas designed to facilitate public use. Information on individual recreation sites and opportunities are available from local National Forests.

Closures of developed recreation facilities are being put in place until at least April 30th in an attempt to avoid groups of people and promote social distancing of staying more than six feet apart.

While designated recreation sites will be closed, the general Forest area including the extensive trail system will remain open and available to the public. Hiking and walking outdoors are widely considered beneficial to maintaining one’s health. It is the intent of USDA Forest Service to maintain trail access to the extent practicable.

Please keep health, safety and the environment in mind when visiting National Forests. Your personal responsibility is critical to ensuring public safety and preventing further restrictions. We ask that you consider whether your personal participation in outdoor recreation at this time would pose an unnecessary risk to others as we all work together to flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19.

We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our National Forests safe and healthy for everyone’s use.

Instacart shopping

This is hard to read, unfortunately, as it is not aligned properly, but that is how I received it. If you read “between the lines,” just under the red NOTE:, the steps are given to sign up for curbside or home delivery of groceries from the stores in the blue box at the right. Website: Http://www.instacart.com

First, note they want you to enter your zip code and of course, there are no participating stores in this area. I tend to shop at the Albertson’s in Morro Bay, so I put in the zip code for Morro Bay. Turns out they only deliver to some areas of Morro Bay, so I picked a street I knew not too far from Albertson’s, then made up a likely house number, and voila, they deliver there. Of course, I will be requesting curbside delivery for a date and time specific. Don’t know how this will work, and it will be a week before I do it and can report back. If you live in town, you might have an easier time of it.

In addition to these listed stores, Wal-mart, Target, Grovemarketdelivery in Pacific Grove (I think) and Bruno’s in Carmel also have the service. Go directly to their websites.