Planning Commission approves finding that Car Lake/Ensign Park conveyance to Salinas is consistent with general plan

The Salinas Planning Commission on Jan. 15 accepted a staff report finding that the proposed conveyance of 73 acres of the Car Lake/Ensign Park project from Big Sur Land Trust to the City of Salinas is consistent with the city's 2002 general plan and is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Lisa Brenton, Salinas community development director, presented the staff report and recommended the commission affirm the findings.

Brenton told the commission the project is being delivered in two phases: Phase 1 would convey six acres as a neighborhood park with amenities including restrooms, picnic tables, a skate spot, trails, a parking lot, basketball courts, a gazebo, a playground, and two existing houses described in the report as a front house and a back house. The back house is planned to be renovated for storage and meeting space. Phase 2 is a later conveyance of 67 acres as a restoration area that Brenton said would include passive recreation, trails, interpretive signage, water-quality improvements and flood-management work.

The staff repor…