Year in Review
Cannery Row Projects Under Close Analysis
Review of development projects along Cannery Row to ensure that they meet land-use plans has been a priority task.
Following are some major projects that have been in the City process:

• Cannery Row Marketplace - The proposed Cannery Row Marketplace, a mixed-use project with retail shops, businesses and residential condos, was reviewed early last fiscal year and was not approved.
  The owner has resubmitted a new project, Ocean View Plaza, which is currently being evaluated. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for development of the property located between the El Torito and Chart House restaurants is currently being drafted by consultants for the City.
• Monterey Peninsula Hotel - Plans for a hotel that will replace the current eyesore and blight on both sides of Cannery Row have been approved.
  The Monterey Peninsula Hotel plan is an improvement over the project that was previously approved for the site located between Prescott Street and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Construction at the site was delayed for years due to financing issues.
  The revised project will provide additional public access to Monterey Bay, including:
  1. a plaza between the bayside hotel building and the Bubba Gump restaurant;
  2. a walkway with visual access to the Bay and historic Ed Ricketts’ Lab; and
  3. a currently fenced-off portion of McAbee Beach, which will be improved by the City with benches and steps down to the sandy beach.
  The development includes space for a restaurant, meeting rooms and retail shops. A parking structure for employees and hotel guests is planned for the corner of Prescott and Wave streets.
  The hotel project is scheduled to be reviewed this fall by the California Coastal Commission.
• IMAX Theater - The 500-seat, large-format IMAX theater proposed for Cannery Row was reviewed and approved.
  In order to preserve as much of the original fabric of the old warehouse as possible, our Historic Preservation Commission participated in the review process. A coastal permit has also been granted by the Coastal Commission.
  The development, which includes meeting, retail and office space, recently received verification that existing water credits are available for the project.

Vibrant Downtown Wins National Honor
Monterey’s downtown has been recognized as a National Main Street Community for the year 2000.
This award honors the Old Monterey Business Association (OMBA) for their programs geared to enhance economic stability and historic preservation. The honor comes from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the California Main Street Program.
Since the start of the downtown Main Street program in 1991, downtown vacancies have been reduced from 17% to almost zero; and the downtown has reached out to the community with programs such as the Old Monterey Market Place held on Tuesday afternoons.

Looking Ahead
Land-Use Plans Help Guide City’s Growth
Managing how land is developed within the City limits is part of our job. We develop policies and guidelines and work with property owners to ensure the orderly growth of our City.
Here is a status report on two of the activities that are currently a priority at the City:

• Complete the Coastal Plan Implementation Program -
  This program contains zoning information, development guidelines and permit procedures for developing land along our coast. We have Coastal Plans for all five segments of our coastline: Skyline, Laguna Grande, Del Monte Beach, the Harbor and Cannery Row. An Implementation Program certified by the California Coastal Commission will give us the authority to issue coastal development permits. The coastal development permit procedures should be very similar to the City’s existing permit procedures.
  Please note: Coastal development permits approved by the City can still be appealed to the Coastal Commission.
• Del Monte Beach Re-subdivision -
  The re-subdivision of some 40 undeveloped lots on the beach located between Beach Way and the U.S. Navy property is proceeding.
  The project, along with the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) which includes responses to public comments, will be submitted to the Planning Commission and City Council for review and consideration.
  The California Coastal Commission must also review the re-subdivision that calls for bringing 12 single-family houses and 8 townhouses to the area.

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