Unsafe in an Earthquake!
Has one of these signs posted:
The solid brick building with its sandstone facade is currently home to Sotheby’s International Realty and three additional tenants. But at one time it was also the location of Bank of America until the 1950s when Jay and Gladys Lewis purchased it. A Bank of America branch eventually ended up across the street while Tom Bratty, Bob Bratty’s father, bought the building from the Lewis couple.
Moe never supports anything south of Sinex. Good
America’s Last Hometown, which in 1995 adopted a ban on any additional “formula fast food” establishments in the city, is getting a new Starbucks.
The coffee chain store is being “grandfathered in” as it will occupy two-thirds of the property at 100 Country Club Gate where McDonald’s used to preside. It still isn’t clear what business will occupy the remainder of the building there.
Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce President Moe Ammar confirmed the news, acknowledging it was good for Starbucks lovers while noting that Pacific Grove residents tend to be loyal to local coffeehouses rather than corporate coffee chains.
Sure. Any more lies?
While news that the developer behind the proposed luxury hotel Project Bella has yet to pay its $80,000 special election fee back to the city has ruffled more than a few feathers, the city’s plans for its Local Coastal Program that would give it more control and allow the project to go before voters, isn’t ready either.
Passing Measure X, an initiative voted on during a special election held in April to change the zoning of the site that is currently the American Tin Cannery to allow a 225-room eco-friendly resort hotel, was touted by those in support of it as crucial so the project could move forward without unnecessary delay. But that was also predicated upon the city receiving its Local Coastal Program certification by the Coastal Commission this month, which isn’t going to happen.
5 years at one end of the Lighthouse Avenue traffic jam. Pushed a longtime business out to the lonely ATC that faces a dead end.
Who do you take advice on Pacific Grove hospitality? People that have spent time and $$ in the locations or a self serving “Information Center”?
Ed Flatley, who owns Pacific Grove’s Victorian bed and breakfast the Seven Gables Inn with his sister Susan, proposed creating the center as a way to generate business for the city during the economic downturn. Since it opened its doors five years ago, the center has served over 550,000 visitors from 120 countries, according to Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce President Moe Ammar.
“The internet is great to get people to the area but once you’re here it’s a great way for visitors to get local information,” said Flatley, noting that hospitality is the number one money generator in Pacific Grove. “It actually saves time to stop in here. Visitors can find out where to eat, stay, etc. in a matter of minutes.”
This will change the old Fishermans Wharf atmosphere as Canner Row style tourist traps take over the wharf.
Monterey’s Housing and Property Manager Rick Marvin confirmed that Balesteri’s Wharf Front gift shop, the Paluca Trattoria Italian restaurant and The Coffee House, all located on the wharf and part of property leased by Sam Balesteri, had been sent lease termination letters notifying them that their current leases were up at the end of the month.
Last year the Monterey City Council voted to shorten lease agreements with wharf tenants. Since the new guidelines, the city has negotiated with three existing tenants and has offered lease terms that exceed 10 years due to the improvements the tenants want to make to the premises.
City flip flops on allowing the pig to stay
The hearing, which had the Hanes, Magsalay, the city’s animal control officer Liz Conti-Yeo, code compliance officer Terri Schaeffer, Humane Society program manager Robert Lucius, the Hanes’ attorney Michael Lykken and independent hearing officer Kim Murdoch in attendance, was to determine whether the pig should stay or go within 30 days.
Murdoch reviewed the matter and determined the Hanes were in violation of municipal code, said Pacific Grove City Manager Ben Harvey, noting that initially the city had issued a compliance order for three to four violations, including the accumulation of excrement and proximity to the neighbor’s house and impact on neighborhood.
While they are required to remove the pig within 30 days, they were also ordered to pay $500 in administrative fees to the city.
Greed and corruption. The fines ought to be higher than $1,000. They make that back under the table in a day.
The suspects gave the team estimates for different home improvement jobs such as landscaping, painting and installing ornamental fencing that ranged from $2,000 to $14,100. State law prohibits unlicensed contractors from bidding on construction-related work valued at $500 or more.
The contractors alleged to have made bids without a license are Francisco Enrique Siera Vasquez of Seaside, Pierre Riche of Watsonville, Rolanda Oseguera Bautista of Seaside, Berndt Dieter Von Zehren of Carmel Valley, Emmanuel Moro Soto of Marina, Kevin Smith of Pacific Grove, Carlos Hernandez of Seaside, John Lewis Young of Pebble Beach, Paul Thomas Curatolo of Castroville, Nicholas Christian Larson of Carmel Valley, Daniel Lee Baron of Watsonville and Michael Alan Rowe Pacific Grove.
All 12 were cited for illegal advertising because state law requires all unlicensed operators to state they are not licensed in ads. The penalty is a fine of $700 to $1,000.
But no increase in business license cost. Don’t want to run more shops out of town. Does Moe have chamber members that are unlicensed?
After weeks of speculation, the city of Pacific Grove on Wednesday took another step toward instituting a citywide admission tax by approving the measure 4-3 for the November ballot.
Conversely, a potential ballot measure that would increase the existing business license tax by 40 percent and remove its existing cap, was voted down 5-2.
Eleven California municipalities currently collect admission taxes including San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Pasadena.
Moe Ammar recommended that the city collect money from P.G. businesses that are operating without a license. According to a physical audit by the chamber, there are estimated to be 60 businesses operating in the city and 100 businesses operating out of the post office and UPS store without a permit.
Been here for 3 whole years and has the experience and background to help the city deal with the various and wide-ranging concerns that a city has to face. The city? a City? Can not remember the name of the city he is running for office in. Oh well, all the come-heres that P.G. has elected as leaders have done so much already why not.
Originally from the San Joaquin Valley, Smith, 36, moved to Pacific Grove in 2013 and has served the last two years on the Planning Commission while working as a civil litigation attorney. He works at the public agency law firm Lozano Smith, LLP .
“Because my law practice is in the public agency realm and I have defended public agencies from lawsuits, I feel I have the experience and background to help the city deal with the various and wide-ranging concerns that a city has to face,” said Smith.
Smells like a rate hike for improvements to the poo pumps, Norton.
The civil grand jury found that since the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency owned and operated the pump station and was making repairs when the overflow occurred, it was responsible for the spill. In its report, the grand jury said the pollution control agency did not have a procedure to address potential false pressure readings and that the agency’s response was appropriate given the alternative.
The 2015 sanitary sewer overflow, which released 220,000 gallons of untreated sewage, occurred at the Fountain Avenue pump station owned and operated by the water pollution control agency.