6-06-07 - Pacific Grove City Council reaffirms opposition to Measure A (November 2000).

Date: Wed, 06 Jun 2007 23:47:07 -0700
From: "D. Dilworth" <David7@1hope.org>
Subject: PG Council Votes Against Pebble Beach Pine Forest Destruction

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| HOPE - Helping Our Peninsula's Environment |
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| Box 1495, Carmel, CA 93921 - (831) 624-6500 |
| www.1hope.org |
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THIS IS IT !!!

After 15 years, the giant Forest Destruction
Project by Clint Eastwood / Pebble Beach Company
is coming to the end of its political rope.

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1. June 6, After a spirited discussion the
Pacific Grove City Council voted this evening
to reaffirm their "strong" opposition to the
Pebble Beach Monterey Pine Forest Destruction
rezoning and project. The lone vote in favor
of the destruction of 17,000 trees was former
Chamber of Commerce President Alan Cohen.

Voting to protect the forest were Lisa Bennett,
who put the item on the agenda, Dan Davis, who
gave a history of Pebble Beach Company's broken
promises especially concerning the Sawmill gultch
area neighboring the City's Del Monte park area,
and former POlice Chief Scott Miller who backed
up the other two with stories about how the
company deliberately routes golf tournament
busses, truck and car traffic through Pacific
Grove so that the traffic doesn't impact
Pebble Beach residents.

Susan Nilmeier also voted for it as did Vicki
Stillwell who said "I was going to vote against
this, but you have persuaded me. (Good for Vicki.)
Mayor Cort tried to delay the vote to a future
meeting (after the Coastal Commission votes) but
he voted for it when he saw it would easily pass.

HOPE was the only organization to speak in favor
of the forest protection and we provided extensive
materials about the project, and the best available
science on Monterey pine forest ecosystems.

But thanks go to John Fischer who also spoke
against the project. The Chamber of Commerce's
Mo Ammar opposed reaffirming the Council's
opposition to the forest destruction.

(Mo had earlier shot himself in both feet
when he adamantly opposed a Farmer's Market
in Pacific Grove saying all businesses he'd
spoken with opposed it. Right after him
came a string of business people who supported
a Farmer's market and others who said Mo
had told them he was "100 percent" in favor
of one. Quick, someone nominate Mo for
the 2007 Whopper award.)

Pacific Grove is the only city who voted
to take a position on the Pebble Beach
project. What seemed to make a difference
is the Monterey County Herald editorial
pointing our how Pebble Beach Company
"mislead" voters in 2000 by hiding the fact
that 17,000 trees would be destroyed to
build yet another golf course. The public
didn't learn about that until 2004 when the
Environmental Impact report was released.

PLEASE call to Thank the Council members
to let them know how much you appreciate
their effort.

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