The Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce serves as a leading business voice on public policy and advocates on behalf of our members to ensure the business perspective is heard. By having a strong role in advocacy, Chamber staff and volunteer leaders do the day-to-day work that many business people simply do not have time to do. Many members – especially small businesses - do not have the time to keep up on issues – much less speak out on them.
Our Government Affairs Committee (GAC) plays a key role in our advocacy work and determining issues and policies important to businesses in our region. We continually stay informed and engaged, educating our members and organizing coalitions as necessary to speak with a common voice on key issues for businesses.
Key roles and responsibilities of the GAC include:
- Recommend priority issues to the Board of Directors about which issues are priorities.
- Monitor public policy proposals introduced at governments in the region.
- Evaluate proposed and existing public policies to determine if they promote member success and regional economic growth (or undermine member success and regional economic growth). Then, adopt formal positions on those policies.
- Promote awareness of official Chamber positions to members through electronic bulletins such as the "Prosperity Update" in the Chamber Connection and encourage members to petition their governments on priority issues.
- Promote awareness of official Chamber positions to elected officials, government staff, candidates, the news media, and the general public in the region.
- Work in conjunction with other organizations through coalitions on common issues.
- Assist in coordination of the Chamber's annual Leadership Luncheon, in which elected officials of the region inform Chamber members about their positions on public policies.
- Assist the Chamber's Candidate Review Committee to develop criteria for the evaluation of candidates and the endorsement of candidates for public office in the region.
- Encourage Chamber members to seek elected or appointed public offices in the region.
In addition to our GAC, our Chamber has a locally based Government Affairs Liaison to assist with these roles and responsibilities. The current Government Affairs Liaison has 30 years of professional experience in public policy and began working on behalf of the Chamber in April 2016. Having a Government Affairs Liaison adds great value to the services we provide our diverse membership.
The top four issues the GAC and our Government Affairs Liaison are focused on for 2024 include:
- Ensuring a Long-Term Sustainable Water Supply
- Housing Affordability for Local Workforce - A Balanced Choice of Options
- Child Care
- Transportation Improvements
The following outlines a two-year effort asking SWRCB to give MPWMD relief from a Cease and Desist Order so proposed affordable housing in the City of Monterey can receive water allocations.
Timeline - Garden Road Reserve Water and Water for Housing Initiative
Date | Action |
---|---|
January 21, 2020 | Monterey City Council Receives Report on Affordable Housing Site Analysis and Adopt Resolution (1) Requesting that the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District Allocate Water for Development of Affordable Housing; and (2) Authorizing Staff to Solicit Developer Proposals to Partner with the City to Develop City Sites and Pursue State Funding for the Development of the Sites for Affordable Housing. |
February 5, 2020 | City of Monterey requests Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) to allocate 17 AF of water to the City for the development of affordable housing on City owned properties, so it can issue an RFP that includes a commitment of available water. City of Monterey also reports a letter received from the developer of 2600 Garden Road, Monterey. The current project has water to create 59 new residential 2 or 3 bedroom units. Currently 12 units will be allocated to affordable housing. The developer has informed us that he could add another 35 units to the build out. make them ALL affordable units if he would receive an additional allocation of 1.68 AF of water. |
February 18, 2020 | City of Monterey informs Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) that 2000 Garden Road (former Gold's Gym site) is a project ready to start in June 2020 and 2600 Garden Road (former office building) is ready to start in October 2020. Developer says an additional MPWMD water allocation would allow am additional 36 affordable studio apartments at 2000 Garden Road and 35 additional affordable units at 2600 Garden Road. The City of Monterey asks for an allocation from a 9 AF reserve in Ordinance No. 168. |
March 4, 2020 | Office of Chief Counsel at State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) informs Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) that Condition 2 of State Water Board Order WR 2009-0060 prohibits California American Water Company (Cal-Am) from serving new service connections and also prohibits "increased use of water at existing service addresses resulting from a change in zoning or use." Also, the SWRCB informs MPWMD that neither the Ordinance No. 168 Local Water Project entitlement for the City of Pacific Grove nor the District reserve is exempt from Condition 2 in that 2009 order. |
March 5, 2020 | MPWMD Water Demand Committee is provided a spreadsheet of numerous proposed projects on a list of shovel ready projects in Monterey and Pacific Grove that could be developed within the next 3 to 4 years. |
May 14, 2020 | City of Monterey again requests from MPWMD "less than 8 acre feet" for a water allocation for new affordable housing, noting that Monterey does not have any water to allocate to a project while four other jurisdictions served by MPWMD have a combined average of 27 acre feet of water available but not designated for affordable housing projects. |
May 18, 2020 | Rejecting a staff recommendation to deny the allocation, the MPWMD board votes 5-2 to approve the allocation of water from the District's Reserve allocation for the project, provided that the City of Monterey indemnifies the Water Management District. City of Monterey staff reportedly said the City was willing to absorb the risk along with the developer and offer indemnity. |
Last half of 2020 | MPWMD continues developing a list of proposed projects from various jurisdictions in the district and plans to argue for the SWRCB authorization of the allocation based on health and safety findings in SB 330, the Housing Crisis Act of 2019. |
January 15, 2021 | City of Monterey informs MPWMD that it have to decline the request to indemnify and defend the MPWMD, because a lawsuit is very likely. |
March 9, 2021 | MPWMD sends letter to SWRCB seeking Relief from Condition 2 of WR 2009-0060 and WR 2016-0016 Cease and Desist Order (CDO) for Health and Safety Needs Related to Housing. Support letters are sent to SWRCB from City of Monterey and other organizations, including Monterey Bay Area Economic Partnership (MBEP), League of Women Voters, LandWatch Monterey County, Coalition of Peninsula Housing, a number of incorporated cities, and letters drafted by city mayors. then send support letters to SWRCB. The Sierra Club sends a letter to SWRCB opposing the request. |
April 2021 to Present | Various parties continue to lobby SWRCB to grant the MPWMD request and seek involvement of California Housing and Community Development. |