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 “California is a place of invention, a place of courage, a place of vision, a place of the future. People who made California what it is were willing to take risks, think outside convention and build.” – Nicolas Berggruen

 

 

 

 

 


As a member of the Seaside City Council, I will become part of the group that has worked to create a solid vision of our city.  In addition to supporting the many worthwhile projects currently being considered, I would like to present my vision for the future. This vision was developed with input from over one hundred residents located in various parts of the city.

MY VISION FOR SEASIDE
Working to Keep the Community Safe
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The newest addition to the police force--electric cars

All of the groups at the community meetings expressed support for our police, especially the chief of police. However, some concerns need to be addressed.  Controlling the use of fireworks was a major issue.  Solutions included using a shot spotter to detect fireworks, providing more personnel to answer the non-emergency lines, and developing an internet site for non-emergency concerns. Speeding and crime were also topics of discussion. Some participants felt we needed cameras in high-crime areas and

a system to upload home security videos to the police website.  Our police force must continue to use community policing and develop strong relationships with the neighborhood watch associations. Residents and the police must work together so that the needed resources can be directed at targeted neighborhoods

to reduce crime, reduce drug dealing, stop reckless driving, deal with fireworks, tow away abandoned cars, and enforce parking regulations.

My Plan

  • Encourage the development of an internet link for non-emergency concerns

  • Ask the police chief to explore the possibility of uploading home security videos to the police website

  • Encourage the police to direct resources to targeted neighborhoods to reduce crime, reduce drug dealing, stop reckless driving, deal with fireworks, tow abandoned cars, and enforce parking regulations

  • Work to increase the police budget to fund the neighborhood watch and community outreach programs

Working to Complete the Vision for a Better Seaside
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In the short term

Participants supported the idea of more activities downtown, including First Fridays, wine walks, concerts, holiday activities, citywide dancing, more restaurants, and specialty stores, especially groceries. After doing research, I presented a plan in my April Newsletter for Lower Broadway (Obama Way). 

 

Currently, on Broadway, Seaside has three empty lots, fourteen vacant buildings, fifteen service-related businesses, twenty-one retail businesses, and thirteen places that sell food, including a bar, a brewery, and a grocery store, two houses, and one church.

 

I thought about our downtown ten years from today (2033), and  I envision Seaside as the multicultural center of the central coast. The C-Jobs Commission will effectively be the downtown association, and the partnerships created in 2023 will come to fruition. 

 

Fremont Blvd to Hillsdale (the first block of the downtown) will be commerce and service-oriented, with new and unique businesses prospering. The area between Hillsdale and Del Monte will become Seaside's cultural district, and it will honor the many different ethnic groups in this city. Vacant lots and buildings will be transformed into museums, restaurants, and shops that reflect the city's cultural groups. The vacant lot next to the house on Broadway will become the Seaside Cultural Plaza. There will be an outdoor stage and a community theater. The lot will be filled with trees, plants, tables, and benches in front of the stage. In addition, there will be ethnic food booths, a wine bar, and a local produce stand. People can order drinks and food from restaurants near the plaza and enjoy the strolling musicians (Mariachi, accordion, guitar) while eating dinner or lunch. People from CSUMB, the Grand Hyatt, and tourists will come to see our attractions.

 

The key to implementing this plan will be to develop partnerships.  CSUMB might be able to help fund and operate a community theater, the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association  can help to develop a wine bar and programs around wine, and the Ft Ord Association in Marina might help with a museum depicting the life of the recruits on the base. A prime partnering opportunity would be with Oaxaca, our sister city.  Perhaps we can jointly develop a museum or a cultural center. We will try to partner with the farmer's market organization to sponsor a monthly evening event downtown. Multicultural shows, music, a swap meet, and vendors will be included. Lastly, we will partner with Rancho Cielo to provide services while training our youth in culinary arts.

My Plan

  • Advocate to establish a commission or empower an existing commission to improve the downtown area

  • Support the development of partnerships to create the Seaside Cultural District and Plaza.

  • Support the projects that have already been approved, i.e., Campus Town, Ascent, and Main Gate

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The Seaside Amphitheater and Cultural Center would include a 2,000-seat amphitheater facing Monterey Bay, several classrooms, and a multipurpose room that would hold 300 people. The complex would be surrounded by gardens.

In the long term

The participants agreed that Seaside should be a destination city, and there should be a focus on the arts. In 2017, the general plan proposed a cultural center on Fort Ord land.  Let's sell part of our Fort Ord land to the state for a courthouse complex and use the money from the sale to construct the Seaside Amphitheater and Cultural Center at the top of Broadway. The amphitheater would provide a venue for the performing arts, and the center would allow for multicultural and visual art activities.  Cottage industries would thrive from being associated with the complex, including wedding planners, caterers, party supply businesses, and landscapers. I attended a meeting with a local art group, and they were 100% in favor of the proposal. This can't be built quickly, but we can start now to develop the plans, secure community support, and solicit funds from the county. Our county supervisor has expressed an interest in this project.

My Plan

  • Work with the county/state and stakeholders to establish the Seaside Amphitheater and Cultural Center

  • Work to secure an adequate source of funding for this project

Working to Make  City Agencies  More Responsive 
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Participants in many groups complained about communication with the city, such as not providing information about meetings in a timely manner, and some complained about the delay in getting permits.  One person felt that charging a flat fee for a building permit was foolish. The cost should be based on square footage. Others felt city planners should address the lack of sidewalks and restrooms in the public parks.  Handicapped parking in the downtown area was addressed.  It was also mentioned that we need to hire someone for economic development. It was felt that there should be no more cannabis dispensaries.  Lastly, there was the belief that we should focus on cleaning up the city, helping the homeless, and getting the shopping carts off the bike trails.

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My Plan

  • Establish the "Respond within 48 hours" policy, so no messages get ignored, and encourage other council members to do the same

  • Frequently ask department heads about their response times and their plans to improve responses to our residents.

  • Ask the appropriate departments to investigate placing restrooms in our parks, putting sidewalks in appropriate areas, providing handicapped parking in the downtown area, and changing the fee structure for building permits

  • Explore options for housing and services to the homeless

  • Vote No on any new cannabis dispensaries

Other Concerns

During the discussions, there were many ideas presented worth pursuing.  Medicine was a recurring issue, and it was felt that we need an urgent care facility within the city and possibly a healthcare complex.  Other concerns focused on providing senior citizens with affordable housing, rent relief, and transportation.  Lastly, our community needs faster Internet and our utility cables should be placed underground.

My Plan

  • Even though the city is not responsible for healthcare, I will support any well-thought-out proposal from the county or private agencies.

  • I support partnering with companies to provide better Internet and working with PG&E to bury power lines.

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