Monterey County Land Use & Development Digest

The Big Sur Land Trust purchase of the 84-acre parcel protects and enhances the Canyon Del Rey watershed.

An update on efforts by the County of Monterey to meet state mandated levels of affordable housing shows lack of significant progress.

Some residents fear development could destroy parts of the historic land.

In its April 16 meeting, the Marina City Council approved funding for improvements to beach and ocean access to the Fort Ord Dunes State Park.

Sand City is seeking to acquire property adjacent to Art Park as part of that space's visioning plan.

The $15M Big Sur Land Trust project to build a six-acre park at Carr Lake in the center of Salinas has begun.

Rumors are flying that California Forever is using dodgy tactics to gather signatures.

The Highway 68 Coalition suit against the County of Monterey over operation of the Laguna Seca Raceway has been settled.

U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta has secured $3 million in federal funding for the Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement Project on the Carmel River.

The Imjin Parkway Widening and Roundabout Project has progressed, with tree and brush removal and temporary erosion control installed in preparation for construction work.

The Wildlife Conservation Board voted to award $10.3 million to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to preserve the 27,000-acre Camatta Ranch in Santa Margarita.

The California Environmental Quality Act has often been used, or misused, to block housing construction and other projects. A new state appellate court decision could reduce that practice.

Residents of San Rafael say the project could bring noise, pollution and crime to the area.

California Forever CEO Jan Sramek says promises of new homes, jobs, investments are binding, but legal experts and elected officials are skeptical.

The term “unsubsidized 100% affordable project” was once an oxymoron. Under Mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles is now approving them by the hundreds.

California voters this spring are considering a $6.4 billion bond to house people with serious mental health conditions. A similar 2018 ballot measure offers lessons about the obstacles that stand in the way of construction.

Downtown Sacramento faces many challenges, but the growing number of small businesses, hotels, homes and other major developments signal its transformation, says the city’s mayor.

Carmel Unified School District provided an update on the progress it has made on mitigating potential impacts the high school’s stadium improvements project will have on neighboring communities and habitats.

A tiny parcel of land was recently donated to Sand City which could have future implications for the flow of traffic between two big-box shopping centers and a transit center in the city’s busy retail district.

On Jan. 31, dozens of cities and counties are expected to convert thousands of suburban-style tracts into apartment-ready parcels. Will the state hold them to it?

Richmond Ranch in south San Jose may be preserved as open space if multiple government entities succeed in a quest to buy its thousands of acres, public documents show.

Raging storms brought major damage to California’s coastline last winter. But in Half Moon Bay, a different kind of coastal upheaval is gaining momentum—one that could decide the fate of billions of dollars of property and affect hundreds of public beaches.

The Hoopa Valley Tribe announced it is acquiring about 10,000 acres of land in Northern California for $14.1 million. As part of this, the tribe will remove dams along the Klamath River and restore salmon runs.

The Seaside City Council is scheduled to receive a presentation of the project and construction schedule for the Grand Hyatt Seaside Resort Hotel, the four-star property proposed for the Bayonet and Blackhorse Golf Course in Seaside.

An application will be considered by the Sand City Council for a conditional use permit for a multi-room boutique hotel near the West End artists’ district.

“The original concept that was selected was the Treehouse. After reviewing the conceptual cost estimates, it became apparent that the original concept was going to be too expensive.”

The Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust recently paid almost $10 million for a 1.86-acre site formerly used for oil drilling. It could be converted into a community center, park and affordable housing.

The California Rangeland Trust announced the 9,400-acre Silacci Ranch's conservation was finalized, preserving the family's 140-year ranching legacy on land in Monterey and San Benito counties.

California energy regulators are considering requiring homeowners to replace broken air-conditioning systems with heat pumps or HVAC systems that are more energy efficient. The change would go into effect in 2026.

The Fort Independence Indian Community is getting the Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at no cost in 2024. Native Americans had lived on this land for centuries before the hatchery’s construction.

A 2021 state law has radically changed the housing equation in San Diego. Advocates, developers, and policymakers are split on whether it should be exported to other jurisdictions.

A shrubby Palmer oak tree in Riverside County is around 13,000 years old, making it California’s oldest tree and one of the longest-lived organisms on earth. Some people are concerned that a proposed development could threaten the tree.