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Record of Proceedings

Monterey Planning Commission Meeting on Housing and Daycare - September 23, 2025

Boards and Commissions — Wednesday, September 24, 2025
BodyMonterey, California
SessionBoards and Commissions
DateWednesday, September 24, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:09:03

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
2:55

Okay.

3:00

Okay.

3:02

Okay.

3:32

So welcome to the September twenty third, two thousand twenty-five meeting of the City of Monterey's Planning Commission.

3:44

Sure.

3:45

Um Chair Silva has notified us he will be absent as commissioner as well as Commissioner Dawson.

3:51

So tonight with us, we have Vice Chair Latasa.

3:54

Here.

3:57

Commissioner Brassfield.

3:58

Present.

3:59

And Commissioner Freeman.

4:00

Here.

4:01

And our staff members present are planning manager Levi Hill, Principal Planner Fernanda Roveri, Principal Planner Christy Sabdo, Senior Associate Planner Chris Schmidt, and myself, recording Secretary Erica Brera.

4:14

Thanks.

4:15

So the first item on tonight's agenda is the um the approval of the consent agenda and the approval of the minutes from the September eleventh, two thousand twenty-five uh planning commission.

4:33

I'll make a motion to the ship.

4:35

Sorry, I did want to uh let the public know how to participate.

4:38

I apologize.

4:38

Go ahead.

4:39

Information on participating in this meeting and providing public comment, including remotely by Zoom or telephone, is on this meeting's agenda, which is online at Monterey.gov forward slash agendas.

4:49

Remote commenters will be muted until it's their turn to speak, and a timer will be shown on the screen.

4:53

If you're connected on Zoom, the timer is accurate with no delay.

4:57

In the chamber, we recommend keeping phones and devices muted to prevent audio interference with the meeting.

5:02

Thank you for participating in your city government.

5:05

Thanks, Erica.

5:06

So consent agenda.

5:19

Any uh comments or motions?

5:22

I believe we had a motion on the floor.

5:25

Okay.

5:26

Some minutes.

5:26

Okay.

5:28

I'm sorry, before we move on with the vote.

5:29

Did we open it up for public comment?

5:31

Well, the procedures that comes next.

5:34

No, not general public comment, but public comment on the consent agenda, which would be the minutes.

5:39

Oh, okay, good.

5:40

Thank you.

5:40

Uh, are there any uh comments from the public on the um this uh consent agenda item, the approval of the September 11th uh uh agenda minutes?

5:54

Anybody online?

5:56

I see no hands raised.

5:57

Okay.

5:58

So uh we'll move on.

5:59

So I believe we have a motion and a second, and um you wanna do a roll call?

6:06

Sure.

6:07

Vice Traça?

6:08

Yes, Commissioner Blue, yes.

6:10

Commissioner Brassfield, yes, and Commissioner Freeman.

6:13

Yes, okay, the minutes have been approved.

6:15

Great.

6:16

So uh next item is uh general public comments.

6:20

Is there anyone in the audience that would like to make a comment on an item not on this evening's agenda?

6:30

Okay, anybody online?

6:32

There are still no hands raised.

6:34

Okay, so we'll move right along to the uh regular uh public hearing.

6:40

Uh, the first item is item number three.

6:43

Um recommend the city council amend chapter 38, section 38-112.5 of the Monterey City Code to establish local density incentives for qualifying housing projects.

6:59

Uh so uh we'll start off with a staff report.

7:05

Yes, thank you, Commissioner Letassa.

7:09

Uh so yes, as Commissioner Latasa noted, we are getting started tonight with our first item.

7:14

This is an update to the city's local density bonus, and this comes out of section 38-115 of the Monterey uh City Code.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Miscellaneous█████████████████████21%
Affordable Housing██████████████████18%
Community Engagement████████████████16%
Youth Programs████████████12%
Public Safety███████████11%
Procedural█████5%
Meeting Procedures█████5%
Parks and Recreation███3%
Environmental Protection███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Monterey Planning Commission Meeting - September 23, 2025

The Monterey Planning Commission met on September 23, 2025, with Vice Chair Latasa presiding due to absences. The commission handled routine consent items, reviewed a proposed amendment to local density bonus ordinances, and considered a use permit and variances for a Montessori daycare on Garden Road. Key discussions centered on incentivizing affordable housing and addressing airport safety concerns related to the daycare proposal.

Consent Calendar

  • The commission unanimously approved the minutes from the September 11, 2025, meeting after no public comments.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • During the public hearing for the Garden Road use permit, multiple speakers expressed support for the Montessori school:
    • Applicant team members, including Henry Runkey and Bill Tursey, emphasized the school's educational value and alignment with community needs, particularly for upcoming housing developments.
    • School staff, parents, and community members, such as Madeline Tursey, Alex Schwartz, and Gracie Taramo, argued that parents should have the choice to assess risks and highlighted the shortage of quality childcare in Monterey.
    • Speakers generally dismissed safety concerns from the airport as overstated and urged approval to allow parental discretion.

Discussion Items

  • Local Density Incentives Amendment: Planning Manager Levi Hill presented a staff recommendation to amend Chapter 38 of the City Code to establish a 50% density bonus for 100% affordable housing projects, targeting low and very low-income units. Staff stated that this addresses a gap in existing incentives. Commissioners asked about water availability, contractor challenges, and potential reviews, but no opposition was expressed.
  • 2400 Garden Road Use Permit and Variances: Senior Associate Planner Chris Schmidt reported on the application for a daycare use permit and variances for reduced setbacks. Staff recommended denying the use permit due to inconsistency with the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan, which discourages vulnerable populations near runways, but supported the variance for a waste enclosure while opposing the deck variance. The applicant, Henry Runkey, contended that the school is vital for the new Garden Road housing and that airport risks are minimal, citing past overrides and community needs. Commissioners raised concerns about liability, jet effluent pollution, noise, and safety, with some suggesting that the city council should ultimately decide on the override.

Key Outcomes

  • Local Density Incentives: The commission adopted a resolution recommending that the city council approve the amendment, with a roll call vote of 4-0 (Vice Chair Latasa, Commissioner Blue, Commissioner Brassfield, and Commissioner Freeman in favor).
  • Garden Road Use Permit: The commission denied the use permit application (UP 25-0013) for the daycare, based on findings related to public health and safety, with a vote of 4-0.
  • Variances: The commission approved both variance applications (VA 25-0075) for the waste enclosure and deck, using findings of special circumstances and no detriment, with a vote of 4-0.
  • Other Business: Planning staff provided updates on future agenda items, including regulations for firearms retail and cannabis overlays, and noted the upcoming California APA conference in Monterey.

Meeting Transcript

Okay. Okay. Okay. So welcome to the September twenty third, two thousand twenty-five meeting of the City of Monterey's Planning Commission. Sure. Um Chair Silva has notified us he will be absent as commissioner as well as Commissioner Dawson. So tonight with us, we have Vice Chair Latasa. Here. Commissioner Brassfield. Present. And Commissioner Freeman. Here. And our staff members present are planning manager Levi Hill, Principal Planner Fernanda Roveri, Principal Planner Christy Sabdo, Senior Associate Planner Chris Schmidt, and myself, recording Secretary Erica Brera. Thanks. So the first item on tonight's agenda is the um the approval of the consent agenda and the approval of the minutes from the September eleventh, two thousand twenty-five uh planning commission. I'll make a motion to the ship. Sorry, I did want to uh let the public know how to participate. I apologize. Go ahead. Information on participating in this meeting and providing public comment, including remotely by Zoom or telephone, is on this meeting's agenda, which is online at Monterey.gov forward slash agendas. Remote commenters will be muted until it's their turn to speak, and a timer will be shown on the screen. If you're connected on Zoom, the timer is accurate with no delay. In the chamber, we recommend keeping phones and devices muted to prevent audio interference with the meeting. Thank you for participating in your city government. Thanks, Erica. So consent agenda. Any uh comments or motions? I believe we had a motion on the floor. Okay. Some minutes. Okay. I'm sorry, before we move on with the vote. Did we open it up for public comment? Well, the procedures that comes next. No, not general public comment, but public comment on the consent agenda, which would be the minutes. Oh, okay, good. Thank you. Uh, are there any uh comments from the public on the um this uh consent agenda item, the approval of the September 11th uh uh agenda minutes? Anybody online? I see no hands raised. Okay. So uh we'll move on. So I believe we have a motion and a second, and um you wanna do a roll call? Sure. Vice Traça? Yes, Commissioner Blue, yes. Commissioner Brassfield, yes, and Commissioner Freeman. Yes, okay, the minutes have been approved. Great. So uh next item is uh general public comments.

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