This Wednesday the PG Council has an agenda item to approve extending business hours at the hotly contested Golf Course Grill into the evening to accommodate non-golfers.
Because of the traffic and noise impacts to the neighborhood the Council is required to complete CEQA analysis before approving any such operation. In addition, because the land is zoned as Open Space any use that is not golf course or recreation related is prohibited by city law.
Pacific Grove City Manager Tom Frutchey
However, even though the City attorney has explained this, city staff and a few Councilmembers don’t want to wait.
According to the Herald — “Several issues requiring review under the state Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) must be dealt with, he said, and a draft report under the act requires 30 days for the public to comment on it.”
So staff has prepared a way to approve what they want and effectively evade the law.
What they intend to do is adopt this for “only 120 days” without complying with the law. The problem for the public is that when the court overturns this illegal decision – it will take at least a year – which is long after the temporary law has expired. Then the city’s defense to the judge will be – but “the law is no longer in effect so there is no dispute.”
Too bad there aren’t criminal penalties for City officials who deviously violate laws.
Herald Article: Interim night permit sought for grill at Pacific Grove golf course
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