Carmel-by-the-Sea council previews May agenda: 14 acre-feet water allocation, wildfire mapping, budget and Coastal Commission review of wireless ordinance

At a Friday meeting, Carmel-by-the-Sea council members previewed several items coming to next week’s meetings and later hearings, including how to allocate a newly awarded 14 acre-feet of water, citywide wildfire mapping policy direction, budget hearings and fee-adoption, a recommended contract for objective design and development standards, and final review of the city’s wireless ordinance by the California Coastal Commission on May 8.

The allotment of 14 acre-feet — described during the meeting as “a lot of water” — is the first new allocation the city has had since 1995, council members said. The council intends to seek direction on distributing that supply among commercial, residential, affordable-housing, city reserve and municipal-project uses before returning with a proposed division for formal action.

Council members also asked for policy guidance on the 2025 fire hazard severity maps and recommended applying the wildland–urban interface standard citywide for wildfire management. One council speaker said the current item is for policy discussion only and that maps would be brought back later for possible adoption.

The council previewed the FY25–26 budget process: a presentation and draft budget will be released ahead of a budget study session on May 21 and a planned adoption hearing in June. The agenda for the coming week also includes adoption of a fee schedule resolution and an award of contract for objective design and development standards (ODDS). The recommended consulting firm is based in Berkeley and has worked with other California coastal jurisdictions; the council noted part of the project cost will be covered by a state REAP grant.

Council members said the city will discuss the future of its paramedicine (ambulance) program and the possibility of consolidating the program with the City of Monterey, similar to prior consolidation of fire services.

The meeting included brief recognition of completed and ongoing public-works work: the San Antonio Eleventh storm drain project was completed and noted for contractor coordination that assisted residents on collection days. The council also referenced a recent Monterey County civil grand jury report on street conditions that mentioned Carmel’s online reporting system.

The council’s wireless ordinance — adopted locally about a year ago — is scheduled for review by the California Coastal Commission on May 8 in Half Moon Bay. Commission staff, the council said, is recommending the ordinance for adoption, and the council described the ordinance as among the most protective the commission staff has seen for local and coastal resources while remaining in compliance with Federal Communications Commission rules regulating wireless facilities.

Quotes and attributions in the meeting were made by two unnamed council speakers who conducted the announcements. One council speaker noted the water allocation and said, “It’s a lot of water.” Another speaker described the Coastal Commission staff recommendation and said the city was “really, really excited to close the loop on that.”

Next scheduled steps identified at the meeting include the city’s May meetings on discretionary grants and the fee-resolution/adoption item next week, a budget study session on May 21 and a June hearing for budget adoption, and a Coastal Commission hearing on the wireless ordinance on May 8. The council said further reports and draft documents will be provided ahead of each decision point.