Monterey One Water outlines Coral Street pump-station electrical relocation; residents urge other sites

Matthew Thompson, director of engineering at Monterey One Water, told the Pacific Grove City Council at a special study session that the Coral Street pump stationserves a large portion of northwest Pacific Grove and handles roughly 500,000 gallons per day, and that flooding of the stationdry well could destroy electrical equipment and cause a major sewage spill.

"Pacific Grove is a special place, worthy of protection," Thompson said, explaining why Monterey One Water is proposing to relocate the pump station electrical system to an upland site and presenting three design alternatives intended to reduce visual impacts at the city-preferred golf-course site.

Thompson said the electrical relocation was conceived about 2010, that Monterey One Water used city-owned sites in lieu of connection fees, and that the agency eliminated the corporation yard option because it was roughly twice the distance and would cost about 50% more and require major disturbance of Ocean View Boulevard. He noted the agency circulated an initial study and a mitigated negative declaration and has received a $4,000,000 FEMA grant that requires timely expenditure.

Public commenters urged the council and Monterey One Water to reconsider alternatives, press for undergrounding, or locate the equipment in other city-owned sites. Lila Seldin, a nearby resident, said she and her neighbors oppose the Coral Street proposal and listed likely impacts: "It will adversely affect our lifestyle, reduce our property values with many negative environmental impacts," including construction noise, exhaust, light and effects on wildlife.

Others raised process and legal questions. Attorney Trin Rederer, representing a nearby resident, asked how public input would be incorporated given that the site selection was directed in closed session and noted possible zoning conflicts for an open-space golf-course parcel. Jacqueline Harmer said earlier outreach had produced thousands of comments for the 2019 shoreline management plan and urged equal transparency now: "Have you personally visited this site?" she asked, and invited staff to see conditions on Crest Avenue.

Thompson said Monterey One Water received 24 comment letters on the MND primarily from neighbors and is preparing a full response to those letters; he also presented three alternatives for the golf-course site, including lowered rooflines, partial subterranean vaults and a fully subterranean vault concept that may be constrained by bedrock and shallow groundwater. The project would build a small electrical building, an enclosed emergency generator and a roughly 1,300-foot underground duct bank; after construction the existing electrical equipment would be removed and the pump station hardened.

Thompson asked for city feedback within weeks so staff can move to final design and said he and the project manager will seek Monterey One Water board actions this July to certify the initial study and MND and award a final design contract, with the goal of advertising for construction bids in 2027.

The council emphasized that the session was informational and that no decision would be made that night; council members said they heard strong concern from residents about visual impacts and notification and that staff and Monterey One Water should continue refining designs and outreach. The special study session closed with the council noting letters and public testimony would be reviewed as the project moves forward.