Tag Archives: Ben Harvey

P.G. Bella Players “Costly Mistake” Cited In Grand Jury Report

Posted on by

You need to approve it before you can see it. And the city manager that lives in another city needs to commute by jet. P.G. voters please don’t elect any more mistakes.

ATC

The mishandling of the failed luxury hotel project known as Project Bella ultimately cost Pacific Grove $100,000. That was the main finding of a recent Monterey County civil grand jury report investigating why the 160-room hotel development, which was proposed to replace the American Tin Cannery Outlets, failed to become a reality.

While Roufougar had also determined allegations that Harvey accepted paid airfare and other gifts from Domaine developer Ron Meer had no merit, the grand jury report looked deeper into Harvey’s part in a group membership into a private airline with his friend and sub-contractor of Domaine, Jared Ficker. Meer was also part of the membership.

P.G. Bella Players “Costly Mistake” Cited In Grand Jury Report

Harveyspeak: We’re Not Doing Work In A Nature Preserve . .

Posted on by

. . . We’re doing improvements to a recreation zone.

All to bring a car auction circus to the golf course. Will Morrie Fisher get free admission?

Red Ferraris On Golf Course

City Council unanimously authorized City Manager Ben Harvey to enter into a five-year agreement with Worldwide Auctioneers for the annual car auction special event to take place on the 18th fairway during Classic Car Week in August.

In doing so, council members also approved proposed changes to the golf course’s 18th hole designed to accommodate the auction event, which displays more than 60 vintage automobiles ranging in price from $50,000 to $2 million. Specifically, the improvements would involve leveling a portion of the hole, which includes grading and filling, cart path realignment and the installation of a pedestrian walkway along Asilomar Boulevard.

Harveyspeak: We’re Not Doing Work In A Nature Preserve . .

He’s Got A Ticket To Ride

Posted on by

To leave the the city he’s supposed to manage every weekend. Plus expenses.

Flying Ben Harvey

city manager Ben Harvey’s revised employment agreement includes a $4,000 per month reimbursement plan to fly to Southern California on the weekends to see his children and a $500 per month car allowance, according to the contract approved by the city council in late.

He’s Got A Ticket To Ride

Feel Free To Sell Out P.G. To AirBnB

Posted on by

Stop STRs

No lottery to ration out the licenses for weekend rental of homes. The mayor sides with other newcomers to pimp houses to short term rentals and further degrade the quality of life for permanent residents. Remember all this when election time comes around, non resident owners can’t vote.

That was the decision made Monday night on a 4-2 vote at a special meeting/workshop held at the Pacific Grove Community Center to clarify the short-term rental lottery procedure. The four-hour meeting had upward of 100 in attendance, many of whom were short-term rental owners. Council members Bill Peake and Nick Smith were those that remained in favor of keeping the lottery. Councilman Robert Huitt was not in attendance Monday.

It was in October that council members approved the first reading of Pacific Grove’s amended short-term rental policy. That ordinance incorporated the use of a lottery system that would siphon out short-term rentals in areas where their numbers exceed density requirements.

The ordinance, which will now have a new first reading at the Dec. 6 council meeting, allows only 15 percent of housing per block dedicated to short-term rentals and for that number to include both Type A (owner doesn’t necessarily reside at site) and Type B (owner resides on site) licenses. Other changes include adopting a 55-foot zone of exclusion to address density problems of short-term rentals and that the total number of STRs be capped at 250 citywide.

Feel Free To Sell Out P.G. To AirBnB

Pink Magic Carpet Fighting With Yellow Oxalis

Posted on by

So Harvey says hire a maintenance person on an $80K “grant”.

Magic Carpet 2011

City Manager Ben Harvey informed City Council on Wednesday night that in recent years the Drosanthemum floribundum or “magic carpet” as it is sometimes called, is being infiltrated by yellow oxalis.

“It’s something that there just isn’t enough labor available to maintain in its prestigious condition all the time,” said Mayor Bill Kampe. “The oxalis is something very deeply embedded – in truth no amount of manual weeding will eliminate it and we’re going to have to consider using appropriate herbicides – but otherwise the oxalis will be finished by the time the magic carpet blooms.”

In light of the $80,000 in grant funds for the replacement and addition of recycling receptacles throughout the city and landscaping needs around Ocean View Boulevard and the Recreation Trail, Harvey has requested bringing on a half-time maintenance person to monitor the area.

Pink Magic Carpet Fighting With Yellow Oxalis

No More Pet Pigs In P.G.

Posted on by

What about chickens? I’m Pro Chicken and I Vote!

Specifically, the proposed ordinance would amend municipal code to prohibit what are deemed “non-household animals” within the city and would clarify the responsibility by pet owners to keep and feed their animals in a way that “maintains a safe and healthy environment for residents, visitors and animals.” According to city officials, the revisions were needed to clarify permitting requirements, allocate responsibilities for feeding and harboring animals and streamlining the process for enforcement of policy related to animals within city limits.

“It clarifies what is allowed and what isn’t allowed,” said City Manager Ben Harvey, who said that barnyard farm animals would no longer be allowed.

No More Pet Pigs In P.G.

Captain Obvious Prepares To Battle Gulls

Posted on by

1. Forget about enforcing covered dumpster rules and gulls come back.
2. Birds of prey don’t help the situation

Gulls Fight The Power

On Wednesday, the Pacific Grove City Council will discuss bringing back the program to control gulls. With an additional $30,000 in city funding, the proposal will aim to kickstart the effort once again.

“It is prudent to get back on the program,” said Ben Harvey, the Pacific Grove city manager. “You have to do this year in and year out, otherwise the birds just come back.”

Harvey was hesitant to label the gulls as a problem, “We are a coastal community and this is their habitat,” he said. The real problem, he said, is that they skew away from natural behavior. “They are no longer hunting for food, but they are scavenging for garbage.”

Captain Obvious Prepares To Battle Gulls

Project Bella. It Keeps On Giving

Posted on by

Giving sketchy excuses. And Ben Harvey would love for it to be done.

Project Bella Overhead View

It is one of what has become a series of allegations by a partner in the project about financial wrongdoings and mismanagement on the part of Domaine Pacific Grove, LLC. Despite the accusations of Michael Crall, Domaine spokesman David Armanasco said the project continues to proceed.

At the Pacific Grove City Council meeting on Jan. 11, City Manager Ben Harvey gave council members an update on both the project and its development team and said the city was working to renegotiate a contract with Domaine.

Still, Harvey said that ultimately the city would love the project to come to fruition.

Project Bella. It Keeps On Giving

Project Bella Failing

Posted on by

People resigning, people not paying. Sounds like a failure.

ATC Hotel mockup

 

Despite the recent exit of one of its developers and the subsequent controversy that has followed, Pacific Grove officials on Wednesday seemed willing to move forward with Project Bella while they await the project’s plan and application from its developer, Domaine Hospitality.

“The architect hasn’t been paid $100,000 and the civil engineer hasn’t been paid $12,000 — these invoices are outstanding. You cannot start a project unless you have those fundamental documents and basic plans,” said Crall. “I had no clue about their history when I invited them into my project.”

Councilman Rudy Fischer said that despite the recent problems within Domaine’s management, the rezoning of the American Tin Cannery site was the right thing to do. “I still think that it gives the city a lot of flexibility in the future no matter what happens. I think anyone who feels that P.G. is going down the wrong road on this is not looking at it clearly.”

Project Bella Failing

Tax Vote Fails, What Next For Revenue?

Posted on by

I still offer up the John Denver Memorial RV Park.

John Denver Rv Park

After 77 percent of Pacific Grove voters resoundingly defeated Measure P, officials are determined to find new ways to raise revenue – fast. Measure P would have levied a 5-percent tax on event and venue admissions, bringing an estimated $4.2 million annually to the city.

Tax Vote Fails, What Next For Revenue?