Major decisions regarding Highway 68 CANCELLED for Tuesday, March 29th

The Monterey County Board of Supervisors was supposed to decide on the Corral de Tierra Shopping Center and the Merrill / Wayland subdivision on Tuesday, March 29th. Both hearings have been postponed.

There are currently five major projects proposed along Highway 68: the Corral de Tierra Shopping Mall; the Merrill/Wayland subdivision with 9 new lots at Boots Road; the 212 unit/866 acre Ferrini Ranch subdivision that seeks to connect San Benancio Road and River Road through Toro Regional Park; the Harper Canyon/ Encina Hills subdivision with 17 new lots on 164 acres; and the 104 unit condominium complex at the Laguna Seca/Ryan Ranch business park.

The hearings scheduled for Tuesday, March 29th for the Corral de Tierra Shopping Center and the Merrill/Wayland subdivision have been postponed until April. The supervisors’ decisions on these two projects alone could determine whether Highway 68 remains in its relatively rural character or becomes more suburban. Furthermore, if approved, the Corral Shopping Center would have disastrous effects on existing businesses in South Salinas. The proposed grocery component alone is 40,000 square feet! Star Market is 25,000 square feet! Can Star Market and Knob Hill survive if their shoppers go elsewhere? Will South Salinas have more blight if this shopping center is allowed?

The Corral de Tierra Shopping Center would forever change the face of the Highway 68 corridor, which is why the decision is so contentious. The proposal is huge: a 128,000 square foot shopping center with 508 parking spaces - five times the size of the Stone Creek Shopping Center on Highway 68 in Del Rey Oaks which is only 26,000 sq. ft. with 170 parking spaces. The questions are many: Should the supervisors let the developer violate Toro Area policies protecting the scenic viewshed? Should the supervisors allow the development even though there is no sustainable water supply? Should travelers on Highway 68 be subjected to more traffic congestion? Does the community want a large shopping center in the rural Corral de Tierra area? Do the perceived benefits outweigh the costs of the development? 

The Planning Commissioners did not approve the project because of severe traffic and water concerns in the Toro Area. The Commissioners did a commendable job representing the competing interests of the citizens of Monterey County. But despite the Planning Commission’s sound recommendation and despite the over-crowded roads and sorely inadequate supplies of long-term sustainable water, the Board of Supervisors could still approve this irresponsible development. 

One of the project alternatives is a 112,000 sq. ft. project; it is possible that the Board will approve this alternative. However, reducing the gargantuan 128,000 sq. ft. project by a few thousand sq. ft. would not significantly reduce the project’s impacts. There would still not be enough water; there would still be severe traffic impacts, and scenic views would still be forever altered.

Proposed for the same day as the Board considers the Corral de Tierra Shopping Center, the Board will also decide whether to approve the Merrill/Wayland project. This proposal would subdivide two 38-acre parcels into 9 lots along Highway 68 near Boots Road. The developer is requesting permits from the County to allow the removal of 39 mature oak tress, development on slopes greater that 30%, and development in a visually sensitive area. The developer also wants the County to allow the use of wells with arsenic levels that far exceed legal limits. The Planning Commission overwhelmingly voted to deny the project, but the developers appealed that decision to the Board of Supervisors. That vote will come right on the heels of the vote on the Corral de Tierra Shopping Center. 

Monterey County already has thousands of houses approved but not yet built, in addition to millions of square feet of commercial and industrial space approved and not yet built. There are over 10,000 housing units, 1.8 million square feet of commercial space, and over 3.7 million square feet of industrial space approved throughout the county but not yet constructed. Unfortunately these facts are not included in discussions when considering new projects in Monterey County. There is also no discussion about how new shopping center proposals, such as the Corral de Tierra Center, would affect existing businesses which are already paying taxes to the County.

The Board’s decisions on these projects will surely be a meaningful for the future of the Toro Area and the scenic Highway 68 Corridor. LandWatch urges you to get involved. It is very possible that this large shopping center and sub-division will be approved by the Board. Please plan to attend the hearing and please contact your supervisor. As soon as the new date for the hearings are scheduled, LandWatch will let you know! In the meantime, please contact the Supervisors and let them know how you feel about the projects!

Supervisor Dave Potter of District 5
Monterey Courthouse
1200 Aguajito Rd., Ste. 1
Monterey, CA 93940
district5@co.monterey.ca.us
Ph- (831) 755-5055
(831) 647-7755
Aide - Kathleen Lee

Sup. Louis (Lou) Calcagno of District 2
Castro Plaza
11140 Speegle St.
P.O. Box 787
Castroville, CA 95012
district2@co.monterey.ca.us
Ph - (831) 755-5022
Aide - Henry Gowin

Supervisor Jane Parker of District 4
2616 1st Ave.
Marina, CA 93933
district4@co.monterey.ca.us
Ph - (831) 883-7570
(831) 755-5044
Aide - Kristi Markey

Supervisor Simon Salinas of District 3
168 W. Alisal, 3rd Floor
Salinas, Ca 93901
Ph - (831) 755-5033
district3@co.monterey.ca.us
Aide - Chris M. Lopez

Supervisor Fernando Armenta of District 1
168 West Alisal, 2nd Floor
Salinas, CA 93901
district1@co.monterey.ca.us
Ph - (831) 755-5011
Aide: Alejandro Chavez

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posted 03.25.11