News You Can Use - July 8th 2021

 Celebrating 34 Years of Community Service

Great Times Had By All 

CRA Members gathered Sunday June 27th on our Carmel Beach. We believe you might recognize some smiles here.   

This link provides an expanded slide show of June 27th gathering. 

And once again, at the July 4th Concert in our Devendorf Park.  Thanks to all who attended and especially the Monterey County Pops, musicians, singers, and the warm introduction to all from our own former Mayor and CRA VP Ken White.

This link provides an expanded slide show of July 4th gathering.

Reminder - Please Complete Your Membership Satisfaction Survey!

Be sure to let us hear from you to help guide our planning and efforts in the program years to come.  Please take a few minutes to participate in our Membership Satisfaction survey by July 15th.  It's only 7 quick questions with more comments welcome but optional   (If you've already replied - you are all set and thank you).

Click HERE to complete our Survey Online
Click HERE to Download a PDF to print, complete and mail in by July 15th 

Celebrating Bob Condry

CRA Board Member, Mary Condry welcomes you to join her and her family at the Celebration of Life for her husband Bob Condry who passed over 1 year ago. Please join them Thursday July 15 at the 10 AM Mass at our Carmel Mission Basilica and the following Luncheon on site.  Bob’s obituary can be found here,

With the courtyard redo underway, signs will guide access into the Basilica.

CRA Carmel Beach Clean Up - Saturday July 17 from 9-noon

And thanks to those who volunteered on June 19…now with masks optional!  For more information click here

Save the Date! 

Our Fiesta in the Forest is September 11th at Indian Village in Pebble Beach. Watch this space for details in the weeks to come.


City Council Meeting Highlights 
Tuesday July 7, 4:30 to 5:45 PM

Link to Online Agenda,  Link to Agenda Packet PDF, 
and 
Link to YouTube Recording,

Extraordinary Item:

As an assignment from the Strategic Planning Meeting this May (link to YouTube), Karen was chartered to create a shared values of inclusion proclamation on behalf of the City Council of Carmel-by-the-Sea, elevated due to the past years’ events.  Karen orchestrated and then read the Carmel Welcoming and Inclusive Community Proclamation on behalf of Dave Potter. This proclamation is shown in full here.  

Open comment received from Carol McKibben. As a resident and Stanford Historian, Carol spoke thanking the Council for their action and reinforced that Carmel has not been spared as there has been Confederate flag flying.  Her messages were that as a community we must not be complacent and we must proactively address symbols, words and any actions of hate. 

Public Comment:

Commander Brian Andrus of Post 512 American Legion is increasing their engagement with the community.   For more visit www.alposte512carmel.org 

Council Announcements: 

Chip R. Thanks all for July 4 Monterey County Pops in the Park, it was well attended. The team is targeting in-person Council meetings beginning September, with Zoom options as well.

Karen F. Thanks Public Works’ Harary and our Fire & Police Chief’s Panholzer & Tomasi and for their Wildfire Prevention session earlier in June at Forest Theater.  And thanks to those who made the July 4 event possible.

Jeff B. Announced next Climate Meeting July 15 at 3:30 with vulnerability assessment work review, regional waste management district update, greenhouse gas inventories and other subcommittee work.  

Bobby R. Congratulates local Sara Greasley CCS pole vault winner, for more click here

Council Approved Consent Agenda Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 & 9  - Items 6 & 7 to follow separately

Karen F. offered these supplemental comments, including a) she is discouraged on quantity of illegal beach fires and resulting losing ground on our white sands, b) in the Public Works report we are losing ground on the replanting public and private spaces, c) extended thanks to Agnes Martelet for the great work on obtaining the grant on the fire fuel abatement, d) she is also concerned on the bathroom cleaning costs. (Harary – noted these are already discounted rates)

# 6 Ordinance for approval of Postal Mail Delivery Rate Table

Clarified delivery rate table in the Council packet provided covers the fee for the total of the city qualified/paid for residents’ locations plus those who do not qualified for city paid delivery.   

Jeff B. Commented that this item raises the bigger picture and future community wide topic of revisiting decisions on issuing addresses (for safety and package delivery) and/or postal mail delivery as standard.

Karen F. Reinforced the challenges of today’s model and the costs incurred.

Item Approved 5-0 vote

# 7 Ordinance for Telecom knowledgeable Attorney funding to provide guidance to City Staff.

Brandon Swanson clarified that this item is funding to provide specialized legal counsel with expertise to assist in updating our Carmel code/ordinance/zoning to current state and federal guidelines.  He does not expected policy updates in this work. Based on council comments, Brandon clarified that once the updates to code are drafted, the updates would first go to the Planning Commission, and then onto Council for first reading and subsequent adoption. Jurisdictions upstream from our city may limit our local ability to develop Carmel specific requirements based on local city and community guidance.

Jeff B. – Questions that there would not be policy changes as a part of this effort?

Dave P. – Per Jeff’s comments – he agrees we should have a public hearing in advance of final code adoptions.

Carrie T. – She offered that at this time we don’t know if the city has jurisdiction to supplement or deviate from state and federal regulations until the findings are prepared.

Karen F. – She supports the of comments made by Carrie and she is looking for public education on implications of the ordinance recommendations.

Brian P. – states that a narrative will be included in the report to explain why the ordinance updates are required.

Public Comment - Sue McCloud – Inquired with background on the proposed firm’s alignment to similar needs such as our Village.   Tripp May of this firm reinforced their background in working on Telecom/Wireless infrastructure implications and codes for various public agencies.

Item Approved with 5 votes.

#10 Ordinance Requests Approval to select “PARS” to prepare Creation of Fund – Section 115 Trust (for addressing our UAL for CalPERS)

Chip R. – Thanks Council for their guidance on longer term financial stability, including on addressing Carmel’s UAL.  This item is narrowly focused on formalizing the cost to engage the trust administrator.  There will be future decisions on the substance of the trust. The trust fund, as established, will be irrevocable ($’s ONLY to be used for UAL purposes).

Sharon F. – Reinforced that in multiple prior public sessions on topic, Council has clarified the critical requirement to move more aggressively on driving down our UAL, in part, by the creation of a trust for this purpose.

Dave P. – Proud that we have focused on addressing this financial liability and appreciates the passion and investment related skills in our residents.  

Bobby R. – So very pleased that we are finally moving ahead to address our UAL: an item he has pressed for action in multiple prior annual budget cycles.

Jeff P. – He mentions that there is a love/hate relationship with CalPERS.  And as we move into the funding specifics, he reinforces the critical requirement of NOT investing in high-risk instruments.  

Motion Passes with 5 votes.

Requests for Future Agenda Items

Karen F. - Addresses & Mail Delivery and Need Overall Plan for Commercial District Design/Relook

Dave P. - On this last point, he notes that our Planning Commission should be focused on Planning vs Design Review.

---End of City Council Highlights---


Carmel has Heart!

If you haven’t made the rounds yet, the Leadership Carmel class project of “Hearts of Carmel” are on display about our Village.  The local artist creations on the 10 hearts will be in town through the summer and will conclude with a public auction. The proceeds will be issued to future Carmel leaders via scholarships through the Carmel Woman’s Club and the Carmel Chamber’s Leadership Programs.
Here are many, but not all, of these hearts.

Don’t forget August’s Monterey Car Week

Do plan all your coming and going accordingly.  Starting August 6 – through the finale with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday August 15, our Village highways, airways, streets, businesses and more will be buzzing.   Some adaptations, comparing to 2019 event happenings, have been made.  Carmel-by-the-Sea plans include closing a few Village downtown blocks on Tuesday August 10 and Thursday August 12. Visit this link and others online for the latest.  

Images in Carmel-by-the-Sea During COVID19

The Carmel Heritage Society collaborated with local photographers to create an exhibit chronicling life in Carmel during COVID19.  Be sure to stop by The First Murphy House or view these moments online here

Wrap Up

It is so very outstanding to be seeing your smiles and more.  Please stay cautious, respect that much of our youth has not yet been vaccinated and this darn Delta variant is so very contagious. 

If you have read this far….please once again, be sure to complete your survey online or print and mail in by July 15!   Thanks so much.

 Your comments, questions and suggestions are always welcome.   

Carmel Residents Association
PO Box 13, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
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