Carmel-by-the-Sea commission adopts 2025 meeting calendar and outlines relaunch of Community Activities Commission

The Community Activities Commission in Carmel-by-the-Sea voted unanimously to adopt its 2025 meeting calendar and spent the rest of the session laying out a timeline and tasks to relaunch the commission's work on special events, outreach and a new strategic plan.

At a July meeting called to order at 9:36 a.m., commissioners approved a staff proposal adopting an alternate August meeting date and an adjusted November date. The motion to adopt the calendar with an August 5 special meeting date and a November 18 special meeting date passed unanimously at the roll call vote.

The vote matters because the commission oversees city special events, beach permits, the weekly farmers market and related community programming that require scheduling, volunteer support and cross-department coordination. Ashley (Library Director and staff lead for community activities) told commissioners the body must also align future work with the council's strategic priorities and the municipal code that governs the commission.

Commission discussion focused on several operational and strategic items: whether to promote new events or limit promotion to avoid overcrowding; how to coordinate permits, public safety and public-works support for large events like Car Week; and whether to update the commission's strategic plan, which last ran through 2024. Commissioners discussed possible ad hoc committees, greater liaison work with other local bodies (for example, Forest and Beach), and short-term "homework" assignments: each commissioner was asked to draft an updated mission statement and flag strategic priorities before the next meeting.

Staff outlined practical constraints and clarifications. Ashley explained remote participation rules under California's Brown Act, saying that remote participation is allowed but requires advance notice and publication of the physical address where a commissioner will participate so members of the public can attend in that location. She also reiterated the municipal-code baseline schedule: "Per the municipal code, we meet every the second Tuesday of every month at 09:30." The commission agreed to use special meetings where needed to accelerate the relaunch work.

Budget and promotion were a recurring topic. Staff said the commission's advertising line is roughly $7,000 for the year and described a separate account, labeled "community promotions" in the budget documents, that actually covers supplies and equipment (items such as tents, stage rentals, portable toilets and program printing). Commissioners discussed whether the commission should pay more for broader advertising or focus on partners and existing channels (the Pine Cone newsletter, the city's Friday letter, Visit Carmel listings and cross-promotion with the chamber and library). Ashley said staff will continue to rely on partner channels and targeted Pine Cone ads while being mindful of the town's carrying capacity for visitors.

Commissioners reviewed common event tasks and volunteer needs; staff asked commissioners to be prepared to serve as judges or marshals for events such as the Sandcastle Contest and the Pumpkin Roll, and to participate in pre-operation meetings for large events. Staff also noted deferred-maintenance limits on some facilities that might otherwise host programming: Vista Lobos, Scout House and Flanders Mansion are being used primarily for staff or are in need of maintenance, which limits immediate program expansion in those facilities.

The commission agreed to take the following next steps: (1) staff will share the slide deck and attachments from the meeting, (2) commissioners will draft suggested revisions to the commission's mission statement and strategic priorities and return them to staff ahead of the next meeting, and (3) staff will schedule additional meetings or special sessions as needed to complete a new strategic plan and to conduct pre-op planning for Car Week and other large summer events.

The meeting began at 9:36 a.m. and adjourned at 10:48 a.m.