Students say no to huge Marina development.

The Marina Planning Commission began its review of the high-profile, mixed-use University Villages development last week.

At the April 14 meeting, commissioners were slated to evaluate the project’s final Environmental Impact Review (EIR). That didn’t happen—the EIR won’t be completed until the April 28 meeting. But that didn’t stop concerned residents and students from voicing their opinions.

For more than an hour, CSU Monterey Bay students and a handful of Marina residents griped about the 1,267-unit project: its projected water usage, transportation issues, “suburban sprawl,” and distasteful palm trees.

“Do we want to model ourselves after Seaside?” questioned one palm tree detractor. Many suggested planting cypress trees, pine trees or other vegetation native to Marina’s unique environment as alternatives.

Resident Dan O’Brien urged commissioners to dump the project. He argued that the project will use too much water, that the increase in traffic will generate too much noise, and he pointed to toxic plumes and traces of carcinogens found in existing water supplies as a result of years and years of military usage.

“It would take three to 25 years to clean-up,” he said. “It’s not responsible to build until that’s complete.”

Most concerning to the commissioners, however, was the sheer amount of documents they will need to review between now and May 5.

Along with the EIR, the planning commission must sift through seven other critical and extensive reports and recommendations, including a general plan amendment, zoning map amendment, specific plan, tentative tract map, design review, tree removal permit and development agreement.

“I don’t think two meetings is enough time to do these things justice,” said Chris Fitz, vice chair of the commission. “I share the excitement of University Villages, it has great elements, but we need one meeting just on the EIR alone,” he said.

Thirty percent of the project’s 1,267 housing units will be priced “affordable” and sold at below market rate. Projected home prices for the remaining 70 percent will be made available to the public within the next two weeks, according to the University Villages planning team.

The “Village Center,” the project’s commercial arm, will include 600,000 to 700,000 square feet of retail space. University Villages planner Christi di Iorio said the two anchor stores that would be visible from Highway 1 would not surpass preexisting heights of present buildings.

Planners estimate sales revenue from commercial businesses at around $200 million, and anticipate $5 million in tax dollars for the city.

During the meeting, several CSU Monterey Bay students criticized the project.

Zeke Bean, a community affairs representative for CSU Monterey Bay’s Associated Students, said the planning team had not listened enough to the ideas and concerns of the community in mapping out the large-scale project.

“I believe the developer can do a much better job,” Bean said. “They’ve created a ‘90s style, big-box center and it’s happening all across the country. We can’t afford it.”

THEWEEKLYTALLY
1,200	The average number of babies born each year at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. Source: Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula