Issues
Key Issues We’re Tracking
Working together to protect the Valley’s quality of life.
The Carmel Valley Association monitors and addresses a range of issues that directly affect our community, including responsible land use, traffic and safety, short-term rental regulations, affordable housing mandates, environmental review standards, dark-sky protections, and local development proposals such as Rancho Cañada Village. We work to ensure that each of these concerns is approached with care, transparency, and respect for the Valley’s rural character.
Affordable Housing Mandate
Final Approval of County Housing Plan by the Board of Supervisors. Next Stop, the State!
On June 11th, the Board of Supervisors approved the county plan to increase affordable housing and forwarded it to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for final review.
To recap:
The originally proposed number of 10,000 units was reduced to less than 5,000 county-wide. Some sites were eliminated, others modified, and new ones added. Each was thoughtfully discussed. For the location of the sites in the Carmel Valley, please refer to the County's Map.
Short Term ("Vacation") Rentals
The Planning Commission Forwards the Draft Vacation Rental Ordinances to the Board of Supervisors for Final Approval
On June 12, the Planning Commission completed its review of the draft ordinance and forwarded it to the Board of Supervisors. Hopefully, the supervisors will approve it when they meet on August 29th. Of importance to Carmel Valley residents is that the proposed ordinance prohibits "commercial" vacation rentals (that is, short-term rentals not managed by a resident) from residentially zoned areas in the Carmel Valley Master Plan area.
Rancho Cañada Village
Monterey County Supervisors Approve Revised Plan
How we got here:
In 2016, developer Alan Williams submitted and had approved by the Board of Supervisors a proposal for a 130-unit development on the former Rancho Cañada golf course. CVA challenged the decision in Superior Court based on faults in the Environment Impact Report, the failure of the County to properly follow the requirements of the Carmel Valley Revised General Plan, and the fact that the proposed 20% affordable housing did not meet county requirements. CVA’s suit was successful, and we entered into negotiations with the developer with what we felt were positive results. However, this spring the Court of Appeals overturned the decision of the lower court, and the developer was free to proceed with his original plan.
Traffic
A Primer on Carmel Valley Road Traffic Assessment with Comments on Monterey County’s Traffic Evaluation on Highway One by CVA Traffic Expert Dr. Tim Sanders
Carmel Valley Road is evaluated using traffic counts and service thresholds to determine how much additional traffic it can handle. Most two-lane segments are already close to or exceeding capacity, and alternative methods recently used by the County are considered invalid. Current data shows that only a small number of new housing units could be added before triggering significant environmental impacts, meaning traffic conditions are already critical and require strong community oversight.
EIR Guide
You Don’t Have to Be an Expert to Review and Comment on Environmental Impact Reports
Environmental review is integral to the land use decision-making process. Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) are required when a project has the potential of having a significant impact on the environment and mitigation measures are not readily available so that a Mitigated Negative Declaration can be prepared. Many sections of an EIR require technical expertise to evaluate such as traffic, air quality and biological resource impacts.
Land Use
Tracking the developments that impact our land, water, and way of life.
Several major land-use issues are active in Carmel Valley, including the withdrawal of the 3705 Rio Road commercial project, ongoing Phase 1 development at September Ranch (ONE Carmel), restoration and expansion efforts at the Palo Corona/Rancho Cañada Park, and updates on property near Carmel Middle School. These projects involve concerns about housing, environmental protection, traffic, flooding, and long-term land stewardship.
