Category: Politics

Labor Day, in honor of Anna Walentynowicz

This is a repost of one I posted back in 2014. Worth reposting.

Who is she, one might ask. I would have, too, before I recently watched a Polish Film called “Strike.”

She is the woman responsible for the Solidarity movement and the eventual overthrow of Communism in Poland. Her dedication and hard work took decades, and many sacrifices. She was originally a welder at a shipyard and couldn’t read. Her son taught her how to read so she could take the crane operators test – more money and better shifts. She was afraid of heights and threw up in her bag the first time up. She was a strong, fascinating woman. Her name was Anna Walentynowicz. She was the women’s labor rep at the Lenin Shipyard and a trouble-maker. She went to jail numerous times for her labor and anti-communist views and activities.

The Solidarity Movement started when the Shipyard fired her 4 months before her retirement. She was one of 7 leaders of the movement, one of whom was a male named Lech Kaczynski, later President of Poland. He wanted her to head the movement which started with her firing. She felt a male would be better, and she also felt he was the better public speaker, at least as portrayed in the movie. She died at the age of 80 in 2010 in a plane crash which also claimed Lech and his wife. She was a fascinating, hard-working woman who made a huge difference in the Labor Movement and also in her country. So today, I honor her.

Events in MoCo – a way to get involved

Want to be heard on the holding of special events on Highway One? Like the Dream Drive promoted by California, Central Coast and MoCo tourist agencies? Consider coming to as many of these meetings as you can. Once a month, in Salinas. Or let’s set up a rotating crew of Big Sur residents and workers to make sure our voice is hear.

Monterey County Special Events Task Force
Post Car Week Discussion
The August Special Events Task Force Meeting will be held on August 30thin the Cayenne Room. This will allow for post Car Week discussion. The agenda is forthcoming. The Resource Management Agency (RMA) of Monterey County cordially invites you to participate in our Special Events Task Force.

WHAT: Special Event Task Force, a collaborative effort to promote hassle-free special event permitting to ensure safe and successful events in Monterey County.

WHO: Special event organizers and stakeholders (e.g. hospitality industry, tent rental companies, event support companies, etc), Monterey County regulatory agencies, interested members of the public.

WHY: Event organizers will gain valuable insights and feedback on the ins and outs of special event permitting in Monterey County. County regulators will get the opportunity to provide transparency on their processes to organizers and the public. Members of the public will be able to voice their comments, interests and concerns regarding event planning in their community.

WHEN: Every fourth Thursday once a Month from 9:00-10:30 am

WHERE: The Thyme Room, Monterey County Government Center, 1441 Schilling Place, 2nd Floor, Salinas 93901

STRs public meeting

From the CVA:

A Short-Term Rental Ordinance for Carmel Valley
with no Limitation on Location, Number, or Type?
Next Wednesday the Planning Commission will conduct a public workshop on short-term rentals (STRs) and receive a report on the consistency of the draft ordinance with local area plans. We urge you to attend.
The workshop will be held on Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 10:30 AM, in the Monterey County Board of Supervisors Chambers, County Government Center, 168 West Alisal Street in Salinas.
A survey by the firm Host Compliance, conducted at the request of CVA, determined that there are more than 140 advertised STRs in areas zoned residential in Carmel Valley. Over 80% of these are “whole homes,” generally investor-owned houses without a permanent resident, “managed” by off-site property management companies.
This category has been demonstrated to cause a loss of affordable housing and the disruption of neighborhoods. Many jurisdictions have enacted severe limits on STRs. Carmel and Monterey have banned them, Pacific Grove has limited their number (and may, through the initiative process, ban them completely), and cities such as San Francisco have limited them to “home stays,” where a resident owner must be present.
The ordinance proposed by county officials, although it does create a licensing procedure, does nothing to limit the number and type of STRs in our valley.
CVA has proposed what we believe is a reasonable compromise, limiting STRs to “home stays,” with the resident owner present. We have also made clear to the county that we expect any rules to conform to the Carmel Valley Master Plan, which limits the number of visitor accommodations in the area. We need your help to protect our valley! Plan to attend the workshop, or if you are unable, write or email the planners at:
RMAcomments@co.monterey.ca.us
 
Be sure to include your name and physical address.
Points you might consider including:
  • Unhosted STRs are essentially hotels in areas zoned residential. They violate the peace and quiet we expect when we purchase or rent a home.
  • Investor owned STRs have been proven to limit the availability of affordable housing.
  • Master Plan limitations on visitor serving units must be honored.
Read the notice from the county.
Read CVA’s April 20 letter to the county stating our position.

Board of Supervisor’s Meeting re STRs 6/19/2018

The Board meeeting starts at 9 am, but STRs are scheduled for 10:30 am. I did not download anything other than the 2 maps re STRS, but if you go to the county website, here Mo Co Main Page and on the bottom is the link to the Board of Supervisors Meetings.

These two maps may be of interest to some of you. If so, I suggest you download them, so that you can enlarge them.

0B16B263-CDDA-489A-81EA-70BB89FCE0FA85EAE1DA-D861-4FC2-8949-75654D3AE52E

CPOA letter re 2018-2019 County budget & visitor impacts on Big Sur

Hello Everyone,

The following letter was sent to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors among others concerning the need to address the growing impacts, from ever increasing visitation, to the environment, resources and community of Big Sur.

You may download a PDF version of the letter HERE (PDF, 2 pages, 103KB).

Monterey County Board of Supervisors
Government Center
168 W. Alisal St.
Salinas, CA 93901

Subject: Urgent need to address Big Sur visitor impacts in 2018-2019 Budget

Dear Chair Alejo and Honorable Supervisors,

The Board of Directors of the Coast Property Owners Association (CPOA) respectfully and urgently asks that your Board adopt a Monterey County budget for 2018-2019 which includes funding sufficient to address the growing public health and safety issues caused by an unprecedented increase in the number of visitors to Big Sur.

Visitors arrive in Big Sur and are met with traffic jams that can trap them for hours, trash, toilet paper and human waste lining the roads and turnouts, automobile break ins, theft and vandalism, and in general completely inadequate facilities and services to address the obvious needs of the traveling public. In previous letters to the Board, CPOA has described these issues at great length. We will not repeat all of the disturbing impacts in detail here. Please be assured that conditions have not improved noticeably to date.

We recognize and appreciate the efforts of Supervisor Adams and her staff to work with stakeholders to address these issues and we are prepared to continue work with the County and other agencies to find and implement solutions.

We are, however, in the unfortunate situation of again reminding the Board that existing facilities and services – many provided by resident volunteers – are dangerously overwhelmed throughout Big Sur and the South Coast, and the summer visitor season is just starting. Unless you take immediate action, everyone’s safety, quality of life, the natural environment, and the world-class visitor experience that helps support Monterey County’s economy will continue to degrade rapidly.  Nobody wants this.

Specifically, the CPOA board is requesting that funding be provided to ensure adequate law enforcement and emergency response including ambulance coverage. As the number of visitors increases to more than fill the capacity of roadways, turnouts, parking areas and public facilities there is a corresponding increase in the number of accidents and road hazards. Emergency response times increase as well since already stretched law enforcement and first responders are hampered by traffic conditions and cannot timely reach incident sites. Even a small delay can turn one minor incident into several more severe accidents before help can arrive and should an incident spark a wildfire the situation becomes even more dire. More Sheriff officers on duty are desperately needed, especially during heavy visitor use periods that can be expected during this upcoming summer and fall, and providing timely emergency medical response and ambulance is equally vital.

Additionally, we are asking for immediate funding to regularly clean up human waste and trash currently lining the roadsides including at some of our most important viewing areas. At a minimum, please provide funding for the installation and maintenance of temporary toilets. These temporary facilities to remain in place until such time permanent facilities are operational.

If enough properly serviced toilets are not possible (we note that the Big Sur International Marathon provided over 500 portable toilets for that event alone), we ask that the County provide hazardous waste cleanup crews who can regularly remove human waste and trash from roadsides including in turnouts and private driveway access points and dispose of it safely. Our visitors come from all over the world, and we believe that preventing residents, visitors and our natural environment from contacting or spreading pathogens transmitted in human waste is critical.

As we have stated in the past, we believe that while funding is very short, existing funds can be used to address these critical needs. One option is to use a portion of Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) funds generated by overnight stays in Big Sur and elsewhere by overnight visitors many of whom visit Big Sur during their stay.

As the County budget document points out on Page 600, the precise purpose of TOT is to“offset the jurisdiction’s general fund expenses for public safety, street cleaning, street maintenance, etc. that are, to a limited degree, consumed and utilized by visitors and transient occupants. This is exactly what we are asking to be done this year. Specifically, we suggest that the county reallocate a portion of the Development Set-Aside (DSA) Program funds. We believe this is a key step in creating a responsible, sustainable visitor economy, and that it is vital to make this investment now so our efforts to attract visitors are not undermined by our failure to address their needs. We estimate that 20% of TOT collected from Big Sur be brought back to Big Sur to address these issues.

We recognize that the County is only one of many governmental entities that have responsibility for the Big Sur area, but the County’s role is central to all the others.  We hope the County will continue to take the lead working with everyone involved so that the immediate actions outlined here can lead to a meaningful, long term solution. We at CPOA remain committed to working closely with the County to deal with these issues now and in the future.

Sincerely,

Butch Kronlund, President, Coast Property Owners Associatio

A Highlands response to the CVA Letter on STRs

 

There are some serious problems and omissions in the CVA position that will need to be addressed for it to have my support, for example a 4 bedroom home could legally have 2,912 guests per year. And in fact, they could rent rooms by the hour if they wish.
The CVA position is:
No absentee owners, property management companies, corporations, or LLC’s would be permitted. The owner would be required to be a permanent year-round resident, and the home would be his or her primary residence. The owner would be required to live in and be present on site during the short-term rental period. Owners would be limited to no more than one STR. Parking at STRs must be provided off-street for both visitors and residents, fires must be limited to existing barbecue pits, and STRs must be spaced at least 1000 feet from each other.
 
Finally, we wish to point out that STR’s must, of course, be counted as Visitor Serving Units (VSU’s), as defined in the Carmel Valley Master Plan (CVMP). When STR’s are added to other VSU’s, the combined total must not exceed the caps for VSU’s of the Carmel Valley Master Plan. The vast majority of such permissible VSU’s have already been allocated. A count by the organization Host Compliance states that as of April 9th there were “143 unique rental units that fit the STR definition” within the Carmel Valley Master Plan area, 120 of which were “entire homes.” Most, if not all, are unpermitted. This number far exceeds what remains of the Carmel Valley Master Plan VSU allowance. Limiting STRs to home stays would help to bring the number of VSU’s under the Carmel Valley Master Plan limits, which must be done. The Carmel Valley Association requests that the Short Term Rental Ordinance being developed by Monterey County, to be consistent the Carmel Valley Master Plan, include this proposal.
Additional Requirements Needed for My Support:
  • The “Home Stay” cannot be the owner’s principal source of income, nor be the only source of income to pay the mortgage.
  • The owner has to provide some proof they are there during the STR. This can be done by video or some other form of proof posted to a social media site. Otherwise the ordinance is completely unenforceable.
  • The County must do a study on required personnel and resources to enforce the ordinance, and then provide those resources.
  • The limits on Visitor Serving Units under the Master Plan needs to be observed for all areas, including Carmel Highlands and Big Sur. In Carmel Highlands generally there are only 28 additional Visitor Serving Units allowed. Big Sur is also near its limit (300 cap).
  • No rentals of less than one day.
  • The total number of STR guests cannot exceed 2 per the number of permitted bedrooms, less one bedroom for the in-residence owner.
  • No advertising of unpermitted rentals, and Host Compliance or equivalent service is required.
  • Leach fields must be maintained to commercial standards.
  • ADA Compliance (I need to think about this given all the restrictions)
  • Camping STR’s on unimproved land shall also be counted as Visitor Serving Units and subject to the same rules.

STRs – Carmel Valley Letter

The issues and concerns are similar. I suggest that each of you interested in this issue for Big Sur write to the county so concerns are recorded. The Carmel Valley letter does not address the issue of shared private roads and/or easements, which is filled with potential litigation.

CVA Letter to County Supervisors and Planners Regarding Short Term Rentals

Date: April 20, 2018

To: Supervisors, Planning Commissioners, Monterey County RMA Staff
From: Carmel Valley Association
RE: Short Term Rental Ordinance

The following is a supplement to our previous correspondence to you regarding Short Term Rentals:

The Carmel Valley Association strongly recommends that within the Carmel Valley Master Plan area, short-term rentals (STRs) be limited to “home stays.”  “Home stays” are defined as short-term rentals that are owner-occupied and managed. No absentee owners, property management companies, corporations, or LLC’s would be permitted. The owner would be required to be a permanent year-round resident, and the home would be his or her primary residence. The owner would be required to live in and be present on site during the short-term rental period.  Owners would be limited to no more than one STR.

This requirement would minimize the impact of STRs on the housing supply, discourage the conversion of long-term rentals to tourist use, and help address the shortage of affordable, decent, safe, long-term housing for people of all income levels in Carmel Valley.

Residentially zoned areas traditionally permit non-intrusive business activity. Examples of such permitted activities are home offices, bookkeeping services, and music instruction. Such services are conducted by owners or residents who live on the property and generally have a minimal impact on neighborhoods. Allowing non-owner-occupied STRs, which are, in essence, hotels in residential areas, would be inconsistent with residential zonings and would risk significant disruption of quiet neighborhoods.

Many California cities have dealt with this problem.  San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Bishop, West Hollywood, and Santa Monica, among others, have passed ordinances limiting STRs to home-stays. The opinion of the 6tth District Court of Appeal in a case involving the City of Carmel is especially applicable to STRs where the resident owner is not present:

“Such rentals undoubtedly affect the essential character of a neighborhood and the stability of community. Short-term tenants have little interest in public agencies or in the welfare of the citizenry. They do not participate in local government, coach little league, or join the hospital guild. They do not lead a scout troop, volunteer at the library, or keep an eye on an elderly neighbor. Literally, they are here today and gone tomorrow — without engaging in the sort of activities that weld and strengthen a community.”(Ewing v. City of Carmel-by-the-Sea, 234 Cal. App. 3d 1579.)

In addition to our recommendation that STR’s be limited to home stays, for the peace and safety of residentially zoned neighborhoods, we urge that parking at STR’s must be provided off-street for both visitors and residents, fires must be limited to existing barbeque pits, and STRs must be spaced at least 1000 feet from each other.

Finally, we wish to point out that STR’s must, of course, be counted as Visitor Serving Units (VSU’s), as defined in the Carmel Valley Master Plan (CVMP).  When STR’s are added to other VSU’s, the combined total must not exceed the caps for VSU’s of the Carmel Valley Master Plan. The vast majority of such permissible VSU’s have already been allocated.  A count by the organization Host Compliance states that as of April 9th there were “143 unique rental units that fit the STR definition” within the Carmel Valley Master Plan area, 120 of which were “entire homes.”  Most, if not all, are unpermitted.  This number far exceeds what remains of the Carmel Valley Master Plan VSU allowance. Limiting STRs to home stays would help to bring the number of VSU’s under the Carmel Valley Master Plan limits, which must be done. The Carmel Valley Association requests that the Short Term Rental Ordinance being developed by Monterey County, to be consistent the Carmel Valley Master Plan, include this proposal.

We appreciate your consideration of our proposals.

Sincerely,

Pris Walton
President, Carmel Valley Association

It is very important that residents of Carmel Valley express their thoughts to the Planning Commissioners.  The draft ordinance and correspondence relating to this discussion can be found by going to the County Website.

Here is the County’s Current Policy (July 2015)

Map of Carmel Valley STRS as of February 2018

STRs Meeting, Next Tuesday…

…At 9:30 am at the Conference Center at the Lodge.

Important Meeting on Tuesday, April 24th at 9:30 AM 

at the Conference Room at Pfeiffer State Park. 

Mark your calendar, tell your neighbors and friends. 

(if you can’t make the meeting please send an e-mail stating that STR’s are not consistent with the Big Sur LUP to: 
RMA Service Manager Melanie Beretti: BerettiM@co.monterey.ca.us
cc: Supervisor Mary Adams: district5@co.monterey.ca.us and bigsurlcp@gmail.com
 
 

A ‘Special Meeting’ to discuss STR’s in Big Sur.

Let’s all show up to demonstrate that allowing STR’s in Big Sur isn’t consistent with our LUP and that the community is close to united in its opposition to making STR’s legal. 

 

Many of us have testified at public hearings multiple times but it appears that, despite our efforts to clarify the issues, and despite the negative impacts on traffic, public access, housing, public safety and community, there’s still a chance decision makers will make STR’s legal in Big Sur. We need to prevent that from happening.

Again here’s the link to the County announcement of this ‘Special Meeting’

https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/home/showdocument?id=63641

Please share this with your neighbors  (and FB etc!) – it is a very good time to show up and help in the thoughtful protection of the Big Sur coast.

Community Forums on Cannibus Tax Revenue

County Supervisors to Hold Community Forums on Cannabis Tax Revenue

Monterey County is asking residents for their thoughts on how potential cannabis tax revenue should be spent.

In 2016, Monterey County voters approved a tax on legal cannabis. There may be excess revenue above program operating costs from the tax this year or in the future which could be spent on local programs.

In a series of community forums during the month of March, residents can talk with their elected officials about how the County could prioritize use of these funds. There will be forums in each of the county’s five supervisorial districts and residents are welcome to attend any or all of these meetings. Translation services will be provided and light refreshments will be served.

Here is a list of dates, times and locations for each of the forums:

March 16, 3:00 – 5:00 PM (District 5) – CHOMP Outpatient Campus at Ryan Ranch, Poppy and Lupine Conference Room, 2 Upper Ragsdale Dr. Suite D230, Monterey
March 20, 6:00 – 8:00 PM (District 1) – Martin Luther King Jr. Academy, Multi-Purpose Room/Cafeteria; 925 Sanborn, Salinas
March 21, 6:00 – 8:00 PM (District 4) – Oldemeyer Center, Laguna Grande Hall, 986 Hilby Avenue, Seaside
March 27, 6:00 – 8:00 PM (District 2) – Castroville Library, 11160 Speegle St, Castroville
March 28, 6:00 – 8:00 PM (District 3) – King City Recreation Center, 401 Division St, King City

Information from these forums and a professionally-conducted random telephone survey on the same topic will be presented to the Board of Supervisors next month. An online survey is also being prepared to gather additional community input.

Information about the community forums can be found on the county website (www.co.monterey.ca.us) or on the County’s Facebook page.