• City Offices closed for Labor Day
• City Council Meetings Sept. 9 & 10
• City Hall is being re-roofed so things are a bit noisy
• Thanks to everyone who attend the Employee Appreciation Luncheon yesterday and to Hacienda Hay and Feed
• Visit the City's website to view anything and everything related to street addresses in Carmel. It can be accessed by clicking the Government tab at the top of the page or using the search bar.

City offices, except Public Safety, will be closed on Monday, September 2nd in observance of Labor Day. All offices will reopen on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.

Public Works will have staff on duty so if you see anything that needs immediate attention please call the Police Department non-emergency number, 831.624.6403, and they will contact staff.

Due to the holiday the September City Council Meetings will be held on Monday, September 9, and Tuesday, September 10.

Tickets are now available for purchase for the 2024 House and Garden Tour to be held Sunday, September 8th, from 11am to 4 pm. The tour is a signature event for the Carmel Heritage Society and American Institute of Architects Monterey Bay (AIA Monterey Bay).

In the spirit of celebrating the 100th anniversary of builder Hugh Comstock's legacy in Carmel, the tour will feature 5 houses built by Comstock along with several other architectural marvels.

"This year we will feature four historic properties, including Hansel and Gretel, Comstock’s first houses, graciously made available by owners Bobbie and Mike Voris. Additionally, there will be 3 homes completed in 2014 as well as the First Murphy house which will be open all day", said Thomas Hood, President of the Carmel Heritage Society Board of Trustees.

Advance tickets are $50 for Carmel Heritage Society and AIA Monterey Bay members and $60 for non-members. Tickets purchased on the day of the event are $70. This year's tour will be followed by a reception at the First Murphy House sponsored by the local real estate group Staples, Gannaway & Weathers with wine by acclaimed local vineyard Chalone.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.carmelheritage.org or by calling 831-624-4447. 

All proceeds benefit the preservation of Carmel’s historic architectural legacy.

In addition to the tour, this year there is a complimentary Comstock lecture by noted local architect Brian Congleton on Saturday, September 7th at 4pm at the Carmel Foundation on Lincoln street. 

CRA's Traditional Residents Candidates Forum 

  Tuesday - September 17, 2024

Carmel Woman's Club, 9th & San Carlos,

  Doors Open at 5PM

Program Starts at 5:30 - 8:30 PM

Paul Miller of the Carmel Pine Cone who will moderate this Forum.

Carmel Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum

Tuesday, September 24th, 2024

Church of the Wayfarer, corner of Lincoln and 7th.

Doors open at 5:30pm

Program Starts at 6:00 - 7:30pm

Focus on business and economic issues the city faces.

MEarth will host its 12th annual fall fundraiser, The Glass Pumpkin Patch of Carmel on Saturday, September 14th and Sunday, September 15th, from 10 AM to 4 PM at the beautiful Hilton Bialek Habitat, 4380 Carmel Valley Road (Adjacent to Carmel Middle School). This is a free event.

Each year, the Glass Pumpkin Patch features over 1,600 dazzling, hand-blown glass pumpkins created by award-winning, nationally recognized glass artists, Nick Leonoff with Nancy Francioli and Kevin Chong. A portion of proceeds from pumpkin and food sales will support MEarth’s hands-on environmental education programs, reaching over 18,000 youth and community members across Monterey County every year.

New this year, attendees are invited to bring a reusable bag to fill at MEarth’s Donation Farm Stand, all the produce is harvested directly from MEarth’s organic garden. Guests can also purchase sweet treats

from Faby’s Creations, coffee from BrewBus, and kombucha on tap provided by Julia’s Vegetarian. A Kid Zone with fun, hands-on educational activities will also be provided by friends of MEarth on Saturday. On Sunday, local bilingual musician, Moshe Vilozny, will share his folk songs and children’s songs for everyone to enjoy.

Take a walk anywhere in Carmel and you'll find inspiration for this year's theme "Celebrate Carmel Architecture". In other words, anything and everything you see is a potential sandcastle.

No pre-registration is needed. Look for the tent on the beach at 11th to register your sandcastle and pick up your entry number. Building can start at 7:00 am anywhere within the boundaries of 10th to 12th. Judging will start at 11:00 am with awards presented close to noon (sometimes the judges have a hard time coming to a consensus!).

This event is free and open to everyone. All sandcastle-builder skill levels are invited to participate.

Come out and enjoy. And remember there is an award for the Best Bribe!

Job Well Done!

Last Monday afternoon, a large tree limb fell on Twelfth Avenue between Lincoln and Monte Verde Streets blocking more than half of the street. A resident called the City forestry number and within a matter of minutes, the City crew arrived, cut up the branches, put everything in their truck and finished by sweeping up the sawdust. The resident was pleased that this all happened within a half of an hour and received excellent service!

Mission Trail Nature Preserve, 3 Stream/Drainage Projects

Construction will begin on the Mission Trail Nature Preserve (MTNP), 3 Stream/Drainage Projects on Wednesday, September 4, 2024. This project is designed to improve several areas within the MTNP that are susceptible to flooding or erosion during the rainy season. The design targets improvements in three locations:

• Constructing an elevated boardwalk along Willow Trail near Serra Trail
• Reconstructing a rock swale crossing at Willow Trail
• Installing piping and drainage structures near the Rio Road entrance

Please contact Carmel-by-the-Sea's Project Manager, Javier Hernandez, at (831) 427-7665 with any questions.

Wood Chips in Mission Trail Nature Preserve and More Pine Trees

Public Works began spreading wood chips along the main trails in the Mission Trail Nature Preserve this week. Chipping will continue over the next few weeks.

Forestry staff planted nearly a dozen more Monterey Pine trees this week. 

CalAM Dolores Street Pipeline Replacement Project Update

The CalAM Dolores Street Pipeline Replacement Project is nearing completion. CalAm's contractor, Monterey Peninsula Engineers, will be conducting pavement trench restoration starting on Tuesday, September 3^rd. Access to Dolores Street, between Eighth and Santa Lucia Avenues, will be limited to residents who live within these limits.

Grease Control in Carmel Restaurants

The Carmel Area Wastewater District (CAWD) is revamping efforts to improve grease control in food service establishments in Carmel. CAWD intends to update the plumbing ordinance as it pertains to grease control during a public hearing on September 26th at 9 AM at the District office.

For more information, please visit their website at:  

https://www.cawd.org/intent-to-update-sewer-ordinances-concerning-grease-in-sewers-from-food-service-establishments

CAWD will be holding an informational meeting prior to the public hearing to provide a forum for public questions regarding the District’s ordinances and how we plan to enforce grease control measures in restaurants. The informational meeting will be held on September 4th, 2024 at 9 AM at the District office at 3945 Rio Rd in Carmel. 

Join Us for the Annual First Flush Event! We are excited to invite you to participate in the 24th Annual First Flush event, where we will be collecting water quality samples from storm drain outfalls across Monterey County during the first rain of the season. 

This annual event is a vital part of our efforts to monitor stormwater runoff entering the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. By joining, you’ll be helping to gather crucial data on water quality, including measurements of temperature, transparency, pH, and more. The samples we collect will be analyzed to detect bacteria, metals, nutrients, and other factors that impact the health of our marine environment.

Whether you have a passion for marine conservation or are simply curious about how human activities affect the ocean, your participation will make a difference in this important community effort.

What You Need to Know:

· To participate, you’ll need to attend one training session. If you're under 18, please ensure you have transportation and a guardian to sign the necessary forms.

· You can sign up through this Google Form. 

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Assistant City Administrator Brandon Swanson received a special birthday serenade from his daughter Dorthy and niece Hannah. We wish Brandon a happy birthday!

The City is blessed to be served by a dedicated team of professionals impassioned to protect, and indeed enhance, the character of the Village. As I've said ad nauseum, City staff respond to issues within the Village when others cannot or will not. Thank you Team Carmel-by-the-Sea! I hope you enjoyed our appreciation lunch, we'll get back together at the end of the calendar year for service awards. I remain grateful and humbled by your service. Take good care. CR.