City of Marina Government News

Long-empty train tracks west of Highway 1 offer a spectacular view of the dunes and the Monterey Bay. Since 2021, people who signed up for handcar rides have enjoyed it while feeling the breeze.

Sara Rubin here, just after taking a hard-hat tour of Monterey County’s newest neighborhood. The Promenade in Marina, an idea 20-plus years in the making, finally exists in three dimensions.

Locke-Paddon Community Park is an oasis in the middle of Marina – but everyone agrees it is lacking in attention.

For years the City of Marina has contemplated a bond measure to upgrade its aging facilities. This includes a new city hall, as well as police and fire stations.

Joby Aviation may have passed on Marina as the spot for its massive production facility – instead opting for Dayton, Ohio in 2023 – but the Santa Cruz-based air taxi company has stated it remains committed to California, having recently broken ground on a manufacturing facility at the Marina Municipal Airport.

Time is ticking for those who want to provide feedback on Marina’s downtown specific plan. The last day for public review is Friday, May 24.

The City of Marina is known for its coastal access, diverse community and an array of international food options, but it’s missing a well-defined downtown area.

When the Marina City Council meets Jan. 17, Councilmember Cristina Medina Dirksen plans to announce her resignation, effective Jan. 28, with almost a year remaining on her term.

Between 2000 and 2010, Marina’s population dropped by 21 percent. During that same time, the city’s downtown flagged.

There aren’t many hurdles left to clear for Monterey-Salinas Transit’s SURF! project, a rapid transit busway between Marina and Sand City.

City expenditures are split among essential needs and quality-of-life benefits in a budgeting process. And with the fiscal year beginning July 1, government entities, including Monterey County’s 12 cities, are in various stages of tweaking and finalizing their annual budgets.

The prospect of a second cardroom, which allows games like blackjack and poker, has become a lightning rod of controversy.

The city of Marina joined the CSU Monterey Bay campus in becoming friendly to electric scooters after the council approved an agreement with Bird Rides Inc., a Miami-based bike and scooter rental company.

In the only contested council race in Marina, Liesbeth Visscher, chair of the group Citizens for Just Water, has an 8-percent lead against Les Martin, a Navy retiree, to represent District 4.