Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Pacific Grove public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
21 issues with low priority
Architectural Review Board Appointment
Andrew W. Miller was appointed to the Architectural Review Board, filling a city board seat.
Liebert Cassidy Whitmore Contract Amendment
The council approved a contract amendment with law firm Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, capped at $87,000, for professional legal services.
City credit card and travel reimbursement policy changes
The council tightened rules on how the city's credit cards can be used and how travel expenses get reimbursed. Good-government housekeeping, but it affects how council and staff spend public money.
Demolition and rebuild of two homes on Funston Avenue
An old, structurally failing one-story house straddling two lots will come down and be replaced with two new single-story homes with two-car garages. The applicant said he considered triplexes, which the zoning allows, but found them too massive. A neighbor asked about construction schedules.
Freedom to Read community event
The Friends and Foundation will host a free all-ages event at Jewel Park on September 26 with book giveaways, live music, crafts, and face painting.
Transition to quarterly board meetings
The board confirmed it now meets every three months; the November 2026 meeting is canceled and the next meeting is December 1. This resolves a conflict with voting day.
Conflict of Interest Code Update
A first reading of an ordinance updating the conflict of interest code adds designated employee positions and confirms the city as the responsible agency.
Recreation resource web page
One member proposed a web page listing local recreation programs and resources, but the board decided to wait for needs assessment results before investing time in it.
SB 1383 organics compliance MOU
The city will partner with the Monterey Regional Waste Management District to meet California's food-scrap and organic-waste reduction law.
Recreation Board Communication with Residents
Residents complained that minutes don't record who speaks and that written comments are hard to find. The board agreed to keep publishing written comments in the agenda packet and will get a briefing next month on how its recommendations reach the city council.
Garage rehabilitation enforcement at 841 Laurel Avenue
A homeowner exceeded a re-roofing permit, tore into a historic garage, and got a stop-work order. The permit now legitimizes a proper rebuild matching the original look.
State legislation positions (AB 1942, AB 1383)
The Council backed an e-bike registration bill and formally opposed a bill expanding public employee retirement benefits.
Improvement district renewals (BID and HID)
The council started the annual process to levy downtown business and hospitality district assessments, with protest hearings May 20.
220 Willow Street historic renovation
A circa-1893 home on the historic inventory will get its original redwood shiplap siding restored and its crumbling non-historic 1928 garage rebuilt. The committee endorsed it for Planning Commission approval.
1140 Shell Avenue Addition and Privacy Improvements
The addition fixes existing privacy problems — an old door and balcony stare into the neighbor's window — and replaces a dangerous spiral staircase with a code-compliant one. Neighbors wrote letters of support and the board approved it unanimously.
Water Heater Electrification Program
City gas water heaters will be swapped for heat pump or on-demand units using PG&E incentive money — cutting emissions at no direct city cost.
Pacific Grove Cares community beautification
Pacific Grove Cares — now 50 volunteers and 75 donors — has joined Keep America Beautiful, completed a citywide litter assessment, applied for grants, launched a 'pickup posse' collecting hundreds of gallons of trash, and is planning a memorial tied to the 54th Coast Artillery Regiment recognition.
Work plan subcommittee consolidation
Member Rubin proposed merging the metrics subcommittee into a combined metrics and outreach subcommittee, since census data proved limited. The merged subcommittee will be led by Vice-Chair Doneux and Member Rubin.
Tobacco control scorecard improvement
Councilmember Garfield announced Pacific Grove went from an F to an A on the American Lung Association's smoke-control scorecard, though cigarette-litter cleanup continues.
Water board cease-and-desist order modification
The council backed the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District's request to modify a state cease-and-desist order on Peninsula water rights.
Traffic and parking enforcement concerns
The council liaison flagged a Thursday meet-and-greet with the police chief, noting speeding and parking are the top complaints he hears from residents.