VolumeThe 101 No. 31 Carmel On the Internet: www.carmelpinecone.com Pine Cone July 31 - August 6, 2015 TRUSTED BY LOCALS AND LOVED BY VISITORS SINCE 1915 Kiosks gone, two-hour limit back on Ocean New garbage bills By MARY SCHLEY bring sticker shock THE COMPANY that owns them removed the paid- parking kiosks along Ocean Avenue Monday and Tuesday, By MARY SCHLEY and then the city broke up the concrete pads they stood on and patched the holes in the sidewalks, bringing Carmel’s AFTER RANDY Bernett, owner of Katy’s Place on paid-parking experiment to an end. Mission Street, opened his garbage bill at the post office Soon after, the signs instructing motorists how to pay for Monday, he walked straight to Carmel City Hall to complain. parking were replaced with their former two-hour-limit “I was so outraged,” he said. “Because it was, in essence, signs, bringing the city’s experiment with paid parking to an a doubling of my former bill.” The invoice was the first end. Bernett had received from the The parking program that began in early December 2014 city’s new waste hauler, had motorists paying $2 per hour, for stays of up to four GreenWaste Recovery, which hours, to park on Ocean Avenue between Junipero and Monte took over garbage services A restaurant Verde streets. The idea was to discourage downtown business from Waste Management Inc. owners and their workers from taking up the valuable spaces July 1. gets hit with a that would better be used by customers. The switch was the result $620-a-month While the program accomplished that and earned about of a multiyear review and $120,000 for the city — and had support from some residents contract-negotiation process increase and business owners — others complained the kiosks were undertaken by several mem- ugly, that charging for parking negatively affected their busi- bers of the Monterey nesses, and that the whole program was counter to the char- Regional Waste Management acter of Carmel. As a result, the city council decided early District, and many Peninsula cities have replaced Waste this month to remove the parking kiosks and figure out other Management with the new company in recent months. The ways to deal with congestion downtown, including requiring city’s contract with GreenWaste spans 15 years and will cost people to move their cars outside the commercial core after customers about $30 million. being parked for two hours, charging for longer stays, and “The city had predicted a 10 percent to 12 percent increasing enforcement. increase, and it wasn’t,” Bernett said. In fact, his monthly bill On Friday, city administrator Doug Schmitz reported — which he said covered emptying a dumpster six days a some progress was being made on those fronts. week for the restaurant and an upstairs apartment — rose A new parking-enforcement scooter was ordered and PHOTO/KERRY BELSER should be delivered within the next two months, according to See BILLS page 24A Schmitz, for an estimated $41,000, including equipment. They weren’t spirited away in the middle of the night, but the parking kiosks on Ocean Avenue still disappeared quickly this week, as crews In order to ensure the parking officers can use license- removed them Monday and Tuesday and patched the sidewalks Post office gets where they stood. See KIOSKS page 31A police patrols LOCALS TAKE AIM AT STATE PARKS PROPOSALS By MARY SCHLEY By CHRIS COUNTS at a well attended meeting July 22. They are part of a lengthy process to develop general plans for four state parks proper- THE CITY’S police officers can now enforce vagrancy THE RESPONSE last week to a series of proposals that ties: Carmel River State Beach, Point Lobos State Reserve, and other laws in the Fifth Avenue post office, where postal would make “improvements” to Carmel area state parks was Point Lobos Ranch and Hatton Canyon. workers have been encountering problems with transients swift and unmerciful, as residents lined up against projects The process is particularly critical for the Point Lobos sleeping in the lobby at night. that make easy targets — like zip lines — as well as projects Ranch, which can’t open until a general plan for it has been “We reached out to the inspector in charge in the San that are much more important, such as parking lots and a developed. Taxpayers shelled out $13 million for the 1,300- Francisco division and had him put together a request-for- campground. acre property nine years ago. assistance letter directed to us, which gives us the authority Barbara and Bob Booker summed up the sentiments of State parks official Mat Fuzie conceded that most of the to go ahead and respond to situations like the vagrancy issue many locals when they accused state park officials of trying proposals discussed at the meeting have drawn fire from res- at the post office,” Police Chief Mike Calhoun told The Pine to destroy their “dream” retirement in the Carmel Highlands. idents. Instead, they prefer that the parks be kept just the way Cone Wednesday. “We have a little more standing now.” “They think it [is] a progressive idea to turn a majority of they are. “Most of our feedback is they don’t want anything,” The letter is the precursor to a more defined agreement the beauty of the area just south of Rio Road from a land of Fuzie said. between the U.S. Postal Service and the city authorizing the native deer and equally dear surroundings into what can no Fuzie, though, said he wasn’t surprised by the comments. police to enforce the laws in the post office, which is federal better be called a theme park,” they told The Pine Cone. He said the general plan process requires his agency to look property. The proposals — which include establishing one parking at every reasonable alternative. “It would be irresponsible for Police Cmdr. Paul Tomasi emailed Rafael Nunez, head of lot in the former agricultural field west of Highway 1 and another on the former Point Lobos Ranch — were unveiled See PARKS page 31A See POST OFFICE page 31A Commission makes no changes to theater plan
By MARY SCHLEY walls the driveway and parking spot will require, as recommended by the architect. DESPITE RECOMMENDATIONS from the The planning commission held the July 29 meet- council that last-minute changes be made to the ren- ing at the request of the city council, which earlier ovation plans for Forest Theater, the planning com- this month discussed ways to avoid the excavation, mission decided Wednesday to leave them pretty fill and retaining walls necessary to build a legal dri- much the way they are. veway and ADA-compliant parking spot at the the- In particular, after learning that keeping the exist- ater. The facility was shut down in April 2014 due to ing driveway at the Forest Theater and reorienting the health and safety hazards. sole handicap-parking spot — an idea proposed by “The council wanted to look at a reconfiguration the city council at a July 15 meeting — would require that they thought would have less of an impact,” plan- the removal of a few large pines and the construction ning director Rob Mullane explained. of several switchbacks of ramp to meet federal acces- But the council didn’t have detailed drawings or sibility laws, the commission unanimously voted the opportunity to discuss the idea directly with the- Wednesday to recommend the council go with the ater architect Chris Wasney, whose firm, Cody design it approved several months ago. Anderson Wasney, was hired by the city about a year PHOTO/KERRY BELSER The only change planning commissioners liked Planning commissioners and others donned hardhats for their tour of the Forest would be to add some fill dirt to soften the retaining See THEATER page 9A Theater, which they decided should be renovated as planned.
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Coda By Lisa Crawford Watson Coda is a 34 pound, 15-year- Sandy Claws old Queensland Heeler/Aus- tralian Shepherd mix. Coda is an all-around sweetheart that gets along with everybody Ridgeback on the run – cats, kids, dogs and strang- ers! She’s well behaved while AX LOVES to come to him to get tired and slow home alone and always hap- M down enough for us to grab py to go for a walk. Coda is Carmel from his San Francisco the perfect dog for just about Bay Area home with his fami- him.” any family! Coda came to us when her guardian had to move ly. They have a cottage just a Max was a gift, as a puppy, and could not take her along. few blocks from the beach, from his person’s mother, who knows she likes big dogs — If you’d like to meet Coda, and to the young, athletic please fill out an online adoption application. Rhodesian ridgeback, Carmel her last one was a Rottweiler. is all about the beach. Max was a cuddly 15 pounds As soon as the car rounds when he came home, but the wide bend that brings the now, at 3 years old, he weighs 831-718-9122 Monterey Bay into view, Max in around 105 pounds of pure Ad Sponsored by Sondra Meyrose. sticks his head out the win- muscle. (If you’d like to sponsor our next dow for a long drag of ocean “Max can seem a little scary ad, give us a call.) air. He knows he’s close. Once to those who don’t know the car stops near Scenic him,” says his person, “as he Road, he tries to bolt to the looks at you with those WWW.PEACEOFMINDDOGRESCUE.ORG beach as fast as he can, but intense yellow eyes. He has a P.O. Box 51554, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 not before his family fastens gorgeous red coat, with a on a long lead. darker muzzle that gives him “Max has to be on a leash, a sinister five o’clock shadow. because he has no re-call,” his He also has a significant bark, person says. “As soon as he but there is nothing behind it goes, he’s gone. He did get off whatsoever.” without a leash one time, and Max is actually very social, it was awesome to watch him particularly around people. run along the shore, super Yet, having been bitten by a fast, with the spray flying off Jack Russell in a sensitive spot, his feet. But the only way to he does whatever he can to get him back was to wait for avoid small dogs. JAMES E. RHEIM, M.D. • JOSEPH R. RHEIM, M.D.
• General Dermatology Celebrating the 126th anniversary of the first lighting of the Point Sur Lighthouse in August 1889! Council to discuss • Skin Cancer Forest Theater, fake • Diseases of the Skin LIVING HISTORY DAY • Cosmetic Procedures Point Sur Lightstation lawns, solar panels
Cosmetic Laser Center Consultations are complimentary. OPEN HOUSE - August 1, 2015 By MARY SCHLEY Please make your appointment by calling our offices today. Arrive anytime between 10am and 2pm Gift Certificates are available year-round. THE PLANNING commission’s recommendation to not Costumed keepers, crafts, games and fun! make any significant changes to the plans for the Forest Visit our website for additional treatment, product infor- Theater renovation, an extension of the moratorium on artifi- mation, NEWS and Specials. Bring a picnic to enjoy at the top. cial turf, and an ordinance that would expedite the permit (Transportation to the top will be provided) process for people who want to put solar panels on their rooftops are among the topics the Carmel City Council is set General Dermatology: 831.373.4404 Admission: Adults $25; ages 6-17 $15; 5 and under free. to discuss at its upcoming meeting Aug. 4. Cosmetic Laser Center: 831.373.0441 According to the draft agendas released Thursday, the 757 Pacific Street, Suite A-1, Monterey (831) 625-4419 www.pointsur.org council will review the audit of the 2103/2014 financial statement and allocate marketing and economic development Advanced Dermatology Medical Clinic funds for the 2015/2016 year. It will also consider recom- www.rheimdermatology.com mendations regarding design changes to the Forest Theater plans — which, planning commissioners decided this week, UPGRADE YOUR FURNACE should not be changed much at all — and adopt an “urgency ordinance” extending the moratorium on “artificial grass and WITH LARRY… other similar synthetic turf or foliage materials.” Finally, council members will also discuss an ordinance “relating to the expedited permitting procedures for small THE residential rooftop solar systems.” Also on the agenda aresalary changes and job descriptions new for various city positions, a new policy on sick pay for part- FURNACE time workers, a contract for the farmers market, relocation of ARRIVALS the Homecrafters Marketplace in November to the north lot jackets, sport coats GUY! at Sunset Center, the addition of more stop signs at two inter- shirts, sweaters sections, more contracts and several other items of routine Rebates Available business. The regular meeting will begin at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, in city hall. up to $190 for The council will also hold a workshop the afternoon of Energy Efficient Monday, Aug. 3, after meeting in closed session at 4:30 p.m. Furnace Installation Starting at 5:30, members will take on the topics of contract processing and shoreline assessment. For more information and complete agendas, visit www.ci.carmel.ca.us. City hall is We also Sell & Install located on Monte Verde Street south of Ocean Avenue. Fireplaces!
Bohn Heating & Sheet Metal FURNISHINGS Central Coast Fireplace “WITH DISTINCTION” WANTED 221 Grand Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 Office 831-372-4474 • Fax 831-372-4624 CONSIGNMENT CARMEL LTD “Serving the Monterey Peninsula since 1963” 232 CROSSROADS BLV D CARMEL
Call Tracy at (831) 624-2860 Get your complete Pine Cone by email — Mon - Sat 10 - 5pm free subscriptions at PHOTOS OR INQUIRIES TO: OCEAN AVE s CARMEL BY THE SEA s www.carmelpinecone.com WWWWKHAKISOFCARMELCOM [email protected] July 31, 2015 The Carmel Pine Cone 3A Dametra landlord unable to get business license in her name By KELLY NIX that also bars Laub from hiring new manage- ment and changing the restaurant’s merchant IN A blow to landlord Connie Laub’s services system. Matcham also determined legal case, the operators of Dametra Café that Nimri and Sneeh have a “reasonable have secured a Carmel business license in probability of success on the merits as to their own names — an issue that’s at the core ownership of Dametra Cafe” and they would of the lawsuit the men filed against Laub face “irreparable injury if Laub were allowed nearly three months ago. to continue to represent herself as Dametra’s Dametra founders Faisal Nimri and owner.” Bashar Sneeh on May 4 filed suit against Laub alleging she was trying to “abscond” A loss of seats? with their restaurant. The men later got a pair Laub’s San Jose attorney, Maureen of court orders barring Laub from interfering Harrington, did not respond to a message in Dametra’s operations and preventing her seeking comment. from representing herself as its owner. But Laub claims that if Dametra’s busi- But Laub has long claimed she owns ness license doesn’t have her name on it, the Dametra, pointing to the Carmel business restaurant’s profits will plummet. She says license for the restaurant in her name. that the business license she’s held for the However, Laub hit a snag when she went to restaurant, “due to its age,” has allowed city hall July 1 to renew the license. Dametra to have 49 patron seats — 16 more “I was informed that the city attorney had seats than Nimri and Sneeh’s license would a copy of the order issuing the preliminary allow. injunction,” Laub said in a July 7 court dec- “Taking away 16 out of 49 seats for a laration, “and based on that order, the city restaurant operator in the premises is a 33 would not accept payment of the taxes and percent reduction, which functionally leads renew [the license], as doing so would con- to a 33 percent reduction in revenue,” stitute my holding myself out as the owner of according to Laub. the restaurant, in violation” of the court That would amount to, she claims, a loss order. of $1,248,237.88 in annual revenue, and That prompted Nimri and Sneeh to obtain $87,300 to Laub herself, based on a 7 per- the business license for Dametra Café in cent return on Dametra’s sales. According to their names, Monterey attorney Crystal court records, from July 1, 2014, to June 30, Gaudette told The Pine Cone Wednesday. 2015, Dametra’s total sales were “We feel the business license is rightfully $4,107,631.32. in Bashar and Faisal’s hands,” Gaudette said. If Laub isn’t allowed to get Dametra back Nimri and Sneeh have maintained they’re in her name, she contends she would “suffer Dametra’s true owners, since they perform great damage,” since the rental and sale all the duties proprietors perform, including value of the property would be “greatly hiring and firing workers, paying wages, and diminished.” using their own recipes. They also paid for a The parties will be in court at the end of massive remodel of the restaurant. August on a motion by Laub asking In June, Monterey County Superior Court Matcham to reconsider the preliminary Judge Susan J. Matcham issued a court order injunction levied against her.
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