Educational Segment for KAZU Radio

Aired 5. March 2005

New Development on the Former Fort Ord: The Highway 1 Corridor
I'm Carrie Mann.

Very soon an issue will come up for vote on the FORA Board agenda that could have significant implications for development on the former army base. It is the issue of the Highway 1 corridor through the former base, which runs from Seaside to Marina. Contentious is the subject of signage along the highway. This may sound mundane but it has been a point on which our Congressman and local Mayors have had much debate.

What is significant are the wishes of the Congressman as well as Carmel and Monterey to keep the corridor scenic, without commercial signs visible to those passing through. Seaside and Marina on the other hand, both cities that will develop along highway 1, would like to have the option for businesses to put up signs visible to drivers.

Eight different local cities have voting representatives on the FORA Board, and the decision for what type of signs the Board is going to allow along Highway 1 will come next Friday.

The real issue here is keeping the delicate balance laid out in the Fort Ord Base Reuse Plan. The Plan was a careful compromise between development for the benefit of the community, versus protection of our beautiful coastal land. This issue will come up for a final vote this coming Friday, March 11th at 4pm. If a compromise is not found, if one extreme wins out over the other, it has the potential of tipping that balance so carefully crafted in the Reuse Plan.

Learn more about the Board meeting and Highway 1 on the Sustainable Base Reuse Institute website: basereuse.org.

For KAZU, I'm Carrie Mann.

last updated: March 2005