City presents ITC outreach survey; staff to complete conditions analysis and report back by year end

City planning staff on Wednesday presented results of a public-outreach survey about the Intermodal Transportation Center, saying respondents view the ITC as a valuable downtown asset and favor improved service, safety and visitor amenities.

Grant Leonard, planning manager, told the Historic Resources Board that the city and consultant Harrison Associates completed an existing-conditions phase in 2024 and carried out a public-opinion survey. “ITC is a valuable asset for the city,” Leonard said. He summarized survey interest in improving service frequency, safety and comfort, expanding the welcome center and adding historic exhibits, restrooms, food vendors and green space.

The consultant contract with Harrison Associates ended Dec. 31, 2024, Leonard said, and staff will finish the remaining opportunities-and-constraints analysis in house. “Yesenia Segovia and myself will be working on that with our public works department and our city manager’s economic development division,” Leonard said. He said staff expect to report back “no later than the end of the year.”

Board members and members of the public asked about several topics the survey raised. Board member Sal Munoz asked that the later report include period-appropriate color palettes for historic buildings at the station so future paint and remodel work can reflect historic character. Leonard said staff will include analysis of existing colors on the train-station buildings.

Leonard also said the follow-up work will document baseline data the city needs to evaluate changes: parking counts and usage, circulation and pedestrian and bicycle access, traffic congestion, and service frequencies for Amtrak, Monterey–Salinas Transit and Greyhound. “We’ll get that documented as a baseline,” he said, and then work with stakeholders on opportunities to enhance the site as both a transportation center and an economic driver.

On housing, Leonard said the idea dates back to the 2015 downtown vibrancy plan, which identified the ITC area as an opportunity for transit-oriented development. “It scored low compared to the other questions,” he said of the survey result on housing; he said the low score makes housing a question for decision-makers to weigh against other priorities.

The survey also touched on proposed naming for the site. Leonard said the city has a naming policy for city-owned facilities and that any proposed name would be evaluated against that policy in the next report.

Denise Estrada, a resident who attended the meeting, thanked the board and noted a related public meeting of the TAMSI rail committee scheduled later in the day at the California Welcome Center. Leonard said staff would review prior stakeholder meeting records and the work Harrison Associates compiled, because there was turnover in both the consultant contract and city staff during the project.

The staff presentation did not include any formal decisions. Leonard said staff will bring the completed analysis and recommended next steps back to the board and the community for additional input.