A A SPECIAL SECTION A celebration of the special day to help make it perfect ... inside PERFECTWedding this weeks Pine Cone! Volume 97 No. 37 On the Internet: www.carmelpinecone.com September 16-22, 2011 Y OUR S OURCE F OR L OCAL N EWS, ARTS AND O PINION S INCE 1915 WITHOUT FANFARE, TWO TRAILS Cal Am: Rationing AT BRAZIL RANCH OPEN TO PUBLIC could be just By CHRIS COUNTS two years away FOR AS long as motorists have traveled down the Big Sur coast, Brazil Ranch — which looms over By KELLY NIX the iconic Bixby Bridge — has been a familiar and enticing sight along Highway 1. Now, for anyone NO MATTER how much it rains, Monterey Peninsula resi- with strong lungs and a sturdy pair of shoes, it can be dents could be forced to start rationing water as early as 2013 as a a picnic spot as well. state cutback order on pumping from the Carmel River is imple- U.S. Forest Service district ranger Sherry Tune mented, according to grim new statistics provided by California told The Pine Cone this week that, for the first time American Water. since the ranch was acquired by the U.S. government Cal Am said rationing will begin in 2015 if consumption stays nine years ago, casual hikers will be able to walk the same as last year. But several factors could force rationing a lot about 1.5 miles to reach Sierra Hill, which offers sooner, according to the water company. dazzling views of the Big Sur coast and backcountry. “If consumption increases by 1 percent, we will be in rationing The top of the hill is about 1,400 feet above sea by 2014,” Cal Am spokeswoman Catherine Bowie told The Pine level. Cone Monday. “If consumption increases by 2 percent, then we “It epitomizes the beauty of the Big Sur coast,” will be in rationing by 2013.” Tune said of the hike. “It’s just stunning.” For example, if there is an upswing in the economy — and more A second, shorter hike, meanwhile, leads to tourists come to the Peninsula to eat in restaurants and stay in Prominence Point, which offers a bird’s-eye view of hotels — water usage will increase. While that’s good for the hos- Bixby Bridge. pitality industry, it could also trigger rationing sooner. When the 1,200-acre ranch was acquired by the Less rainfall than last year, or worse, a drought, would further U.S. Forest Service in 2002 for $23 million, the complicate things. California Coastal Commission urged the federal “A 1 percent uptick in water consumption could easily happen government to permit general public hiking access to if we have a dry year or a dry spring,” Bowie said. the property. In 1995, the State Water Resources Control Board ordered the In response, the agency offered guided hikes on a Peninsula to stop taking so much water from the Carmel River. reservation-only basis for several years. But the Implementation of the order was delayed to give Cal Am and the guided hike program was ended because so few peo- PHOTO/CHRIS COUNTS government agencies that regulate it time to come up with an alter- ple used it. nate supply. The subject of general public hiking access at the Sherry Tune (left) and her husband, John Able, admire the But with little progress being made, in December 2009 the view north from a newly opened trail at Brazil Ranch. Tune See TRAILS page 13A is a U.S. Forest Service district ranger. See RATIONING page 5A Fire department to merge with Monterey’s Council decides Fink’s By MARY SCHLEY agency with Monterey’s, as recommended by interim city administrator John Goss. gourmet burger joint AFTER NEARLY a decade of discussing and debat- After the merger, the city will still have an engine and ing the most cost-effective way to run its fire department, three firefighters in the station 24/7, and will continue to will not be fast food the Carmel City Council voted Tuesday to merge the own the Sixth Avenue firehouse and equipment, but the firefighters and officers will become employees of the By MARY SCHLEY City of Monterey. During Tuesday’s debate on what would be the end of ESPITE SOME residents’ worries that allowing Carmel’s stand-alone fire department, which has existed D Estate liquidator restaurateur David Fink to open an upscale hamburger since the early 1900s, a crowd of firefighters from Carmel restaurant in the Carmel Plaza could pave the way for fast- and Monterey were in attendance to show their support. food chains to set up shop in town, the city council Tuesday arrested for stealing In a report presented Sept. 13, Goss evaluated the pos- denied interim city administrator John Goss’ appeal of the sibilities of continuing the stand-alone department; a planning commission’s approval of the permit last month. more than $100K “headquarters” option, in which Monterey or Cal Fire Fink, who owns and operates L’Auberge Carmel and would provide upper management but not frontline forces; Cantinetta Luca, plans to open his newest restaurant, which By MARY SCHLEY forming a regional fire department; or hiring Monterey or he’s calling What’s Your Beef?, in the space formerly housing Cal Fire to take over CFD. He told the council a stand- late architect John Thodos’ office and the Bank of the West. OLICE ARRESTED longtime Pebble Beach resi- alone department would be too expensive, Monterey has P The restaurant would contain seats for 66 people inside and dent and highly regarded businessman Joseph Rousso at no interest in continuing the headquarters option it is pro- 13 outside, and serve gourmet hamburgers, salads and sides, his Carmel office Tuesday morning on five counts of viding now, and the effort toward a regional agency has sweets, beer and wine. Patrons could order while seated at embezzlement and grand theft and one count of perjury, floundered. tables or from the counter, where a menu board would be alleging he stole from clients who hired him to liquidate Since Carmel has been working with Monterey for the mounted on the wall. After debating whether Fink’s concept estates on their behalf. past few years and the two departments are already well could be considered fast food — which the municipal code The charges stemmed from an investigation launched integrated in training, emergency response and other forbids — planning commissioners decided to approve his by retired Carmel Police detective Pete Poitras six months aspects of public safety, Goss suggested the city fully permit at their Aug. 10 meeting. ago after a lawyer representing a Virginia resident told merge its department with MFD. But Goss filed an appeal so the council “could determine police Rousso, who owns Estate Appraisal and Engineer Ken Hutchinson, vice president of the whether the planning commission’s decision was appropri- Liquidation Service of Carmel, never paid the woman for Carmel firefighters union, said Goss’ proposal “is the best ate.” the sale of her mother’s estate, even after she sued him in possible solution … to the decade-long challenge that The municipal code defines fast-food restaurants as sell- civil court and was awarded a $22,000 settlement. Carmel has had to providing permanent, professional, sus- ing pre-made, wrapped food and/or serving food with dis- While researching the case, the attorney discovered a tainable fire service.” See BURGERS page 12A See ARREST page 22A See FIRE page 13A Have the complete Carmel Pine Cone delivered every Thursday evening to your iPad, laptop, PC or phone. Free subscriptions available at www.carmelpinecone.com 2A The Carmel Pine Cone September 16, 2011 Poodle on Patrol When the pickup or the family’s all-terrain Sandy Claws vehicle heads out into TEMPERANCE is a 2-year-old white mini poodle that 300 acres of pasture was to the ranch born. But ever since her first field trip to feed chickens or By Lisa Crawford Watson to Carmel, she believes she belongs at the beach. gather goats, Tempie Living on a chicken ranch in Hollister among 10 rides shotgun on the guardian dogs and three working border collies causes driver’s lap. Her paws Tempie to believe she, too, is on the job. She actually brace against the cen- seems to think she is a collie, but the others don’t. And ter of the steering while they may tolerate Tempie as they ride around wheel; her head oscil- together in the back of the white Ford pickup, the big lates on patrol for dogs don’t have time for a 6-pound poodle who wears chipmunks, ground Best in Men’s Clothing baby clothes when it’s cold and wet, and cries until squirrels or bunnies. suits someone picks her up. When her family New Fall When Tempie first came home to the ranch, the fam- needs a break from sweaters ily’s biggest concern was that a hawk might swoop in life on the ranch, they jackets Arrivals! and collect her. But the same collies that are abjectly head into Carmel and park themselves on the deck at uninterested in the little dog also seem to defend her. Mission Ranch restaurant, to sip something soothing shirts and watch the sheep in the lagoon. But first they take trousers Tempie to Carmel Beach. There, she races across the sand, runs after birds, and chases the water as it ebbs and flows upon the shore. People say she looks like a New Arrivals cartoon character when she’s wet, and most children Open Daily think she’s a toy.