Planning panel recommends City Council find Monterey's five-year CIP (FY26–27) consistent with city plans

The Monterey Planning Commission recommended the City Council find the proposed five-year Capital Improvement Program for fiscal years 2026–27 consistent with the general plan, area and specific plans, the Move Monterey multimodal plan, coastal plans and traffic-calming plans.

Principal planner Christie Sabdo told the commission the CIP includes 79 projects, most previously reviewed for FY25–26. The packet lists two new projects: the Vasquez House Repairs and the Gordon House Repairs, both identified as historic-property repairs. Sabdo said 24 projects were determined to be "not a project" under CEQA (largely financing or administrative actions), 49 were CEQA-exempt under categories such as repair and maintenance or minor alterations, four projects require further CEQA review (examples cited: Marina structural repairs and replacement project, median upgrades, Monterey Conference Center cooling towers, and programmatic wharf inspections and maintenance) and two projects already have final initial study–mitigated negative declarations (Del Monte Avenue Groundwater Remediation Project and the CAL FIRE Greenbelt Fuel Reduction Project).

A commissioner asked where the conference center cooling towers are located; staff confirmed they are on the Monterey Conference Center roof. City engineer Andrew Easterling was present for technical questions, and planning staff said they remain available to address CEQA determinations.

The commission voted to adopt a resolution recommending the City Council find the CIP consistent with applicable plans. The motion to adopt the resolution was made by Commissioner Stoker and seconded by Commissioner Freeman; the roll call vote approved the recommendation.

What happens next: the Planning Commission's recommendation will be transmitted to the City Council for its consideration and final action.