MAL PASO & CARMEL HIGHLANDS NEIGHBORHOODS

9.20.23

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THE NEED

• Rapid, unsustainable visitation growth at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve on peak days, summer weekends, and holidays
• Resource degradation
• Diminished visitor experience, especially at peak times
• Public safety issues along Highway 1
• High annual impact:
• 6M travelers through Hwy 1 corridor
• 600-800k annual visitors to PLR w/60-80% as free walk-ins parked on SR1 shoulder
• Visitors to Lobos Corona parklands and San Jose Creek trail

PARKIT! EST. 2018 - KEY PARTNERS

• Community members:
• Mike Novo, Former Monterey County Planning Director
• Steve Dennis, Mal Paso Resident and Former Vice-President of Point Lobos Foundation
• Sandy Hale, Mal Paso Resident and Former President of Point Lobos Foundation
• California State Parks, John Hiles, Monterey Sector Manager
• Point Lobos Foundation, Kathleen Lee, Executive Director
• Big Sur Land Trust, Rachel Saunders, Director of Conservation
• Big Sur International Marathon Foundation, Hugo Ferlito, Past Chairman of the Board
• Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, Rafael Payan, MPRPD District General Manager
• ParkIT! Project Coordinator, Steffanie Gamecho, NPO Strategist

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PARKIT! GOALS

• SAFER off-highway solutions for parking:
• No-parking on the east side of Highway 1 near Point Lobos (achieved!)
• Parking at Palo Corona Regional Park, Rancho Canada unit (achieved!)
• Parking lot at Marathon Flats (est. 200 cars off the side of SR1 daily; 100 spaces

turned twice daily)

• GREENER accessible solutions for transportation:
• Shuttles – 21-passenger vans to Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
• Drop-off within Point Lobos Reserve via eco-Trams (electric vehicles that reduce Reserve congestion)
• EASIER parkland access through visitor management:
• Day-use reservation system
• Design for ALL communities: underserved, local, national, global

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• Completion of CEQA documents
• Parking lot design & traffic study completed
• Application for Coastal Development Permit in beginning phase
• Coastal Commission project consultants established
• Point Lobos Visitor Use Survey underway
• Engagement of Spoke Consulting for Community Listening Project and marketing outreach
• Pilot program in planning for Q1-Q2, 2024

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WHERE WE ARE

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LEADERSHIP ENGAGEMENT (PARTIAL LIST)

Local Elected Officials:

• Jimmy Panetta – United States Representative
• John Laird – California State Senator
• Bill Monning – former California State Senator
• Mark Stone – former California Assemblyman
• Mary Adams – Monterey County Supervisor
• Dave Potter – Monterey County Supervisor
• Victoria Beach – Carmel City Council

Permitting Agencies:

• Monterey County Planning Commission
• California Coastal Commission
• Transportation Agency Monterey County
• CalTrans

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Land Management/Tourist/Conservation:

• Point Lobos Foundation – EDs and Presidents
• Big Sur Lighthouse
• BSMAAC – Big Sur Multi-Agency Advisory Council
• MPRPD Board
• Crossroads General Manager
• SeeMonterey
• Monterey Salinas Transit
• Carmel Chamber of Commerce
• Community Association of Big Sur
• Big Sur Marathon Foundation

Neighborhood Associations:

• Carmel Meadows
• Carmel Highlands
• Mal Paso
• Carmel Valley
• CABS (Big Sur)

PARKING LOT DESIGN AND LOCATION

• 100 spaces (removing a minimum of 200 cars from SR1 shoulder daily)
• Traffic study supported as not increasing traffic flow at the intersection of Rio Road and SR1
• Reservations will prioritize parking as:
• 1- Point Lobos Reserve
• 2- Marathon Flats second location
• 3- SR1 overflow parking
• Public restroom location in demand by public and local businesses
• Per the ISMND, screening and landscaping is part of development
• Events will still be held, taking no more than half of the lot (with the exception of BSIM)

RESERVATION/SHUTTLE SYSTEM HIGHLIGHTS

• On peak days, visitation to PLSNR can exceed 1,825 visitors daily. The reservation system will spread these visitors over the course of the day vs. at peak times:
• Trail crowding and impact will be minimized by managing visitation across the day.
• Visitor management by park staff and docents will be maximized (i.e. enforcement of staying on trails, bluff and shoreline human degradation, etc.)
• Per a project-specific Traffic Impact Analysis, greenhouse gases will be reduced up to 31,152 vehicle miles on weekdays and 34,628 per weekend day.
• Reducing parking on the side of SR1 West by approximately 200 cars per day will minimize dangerous pedestrian behavior and highway congestion.
• Fees associated with Reserve reservations will provide vital revenue for conservation and preservation efforts.

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RESERVATION/SHUTTLE SYSTEM HIGHLIGHTS (cont.)

• Three, 21-passenger vans; two, 14-passenger eco trams
• Shuttles run every 20 minutes
• Last-minute reservations built into to system
• Summer: 8am-6:40pm; Winter: 8am-5pm
• Fee structure tbd after discussions with Coastal Commission

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ESTIMATED TIMING OF MAJOR MILESTONES

• September 2023: Visitor Use Survey at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
• Q1 – Q2, 2024: Reservation Shuttle Pilot Program and data collection
• November 2023 - April 2024: Writing the Coastal Development Permit
• April 2024: Submit permit to Monterey County
• April 2025 - October 2025: Permit approval (estimating between 12-18 months)
• April 2025 - October 2025: Break ground at Marathon Flats
• April 2025 - October 2025: Begin Hudson House entrance development
• October 2025 - April 2026: Reservation implementation for Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
• October 2025 - April 2026: Shuttle implementation for Marathon Flats/PLSNR/San Jose Creek Trailhead/Palo Corona Park (Phase 1 of ParkIT!)

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LONG-TERM: ISHXENTA STATE PARK

Per the General Plan, developing Ishxenta State Park for additional parking directly to the East of Point Lobos , a pedestrian underpass and SR1 intersection improvements is a long- term goal. Major milestones include:

• Launch ParkIT! Point Lobos Reservation/Marathon Flats Shuttle system: the identified, most efficient solution to reducing SR1 parking and highway congestion
• Site analysis:
• Water table for pedestrian underpass
• Historic building and use determination
• CalTrans left turn lane/roundabout analysis/scheduling/construction
• Tribal Review
• Full site development plans for Point Lobos Ranch
• Funding requirements retained
• Approximate timing: Ten+ years to development

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Questions & Answers

FOR MORE INFORMATION Steffanie Gamecho, ParkIT! Project Coordinator, www.parkitforparks.com, parkitforparks@gmail.com

For more information

To donate to ParkIT!