FORT ORD REUSE PLAN
Executive Summary

The former Fort Ord military installation has been an important piece of the Monterey Bay history, serving as temporary home to tens of thousands of soldiers since it opened in 1917. It was once central to the economic success of Monterey County, taking a position alongside the world-renowned agricultural and tourist industries of this region.

Since September 1993, when Secretary of Defense William Perry visited the base and declared FORA's reuse efforts a "national model" for base reconversion, local efforts have received special recognition and have been extended to other areas impacted by base closings. President Clinton's Five Point Base Closure Program - job-centered disposal, easy access to transition and redevelopment help, fast-track cleanup, transition coordinators at all major base closures, and larger economic development planning grants - formed the basis of FORA's policies from the time it was established in 1994 by Senate Bill 899. The broad focus on sustainable reuse efforts to convert the former base were commended by President Bill Clinton during his visit over the Labor Day weekend in 1995. "This thing we celebrate today is a decision that you made for yourselves, your children and your grandchildren," President Clinton told a cheering Labor Day crowd of 23,000 people on the new California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) campus, which had opened only the preceding week. "It's a decision you made for the 21st Century. It's a decision you made by working together to prepare for tomorrow." Given the accomplishments of the past two years and the pending property transfers we are beginning to realize, the community benefits and profits from working together as pronounced by President Clinton.

The FORA mission is to prepare, adopt, finance and implement a plan for the former Fort Ord, including land use, transportation systems, conservation of land and water, recreation and business operations. The comprehensive Fort Ord Base Reuse Plan was adopted in 1997. The following development is included in the Base Reuse Plan:

• Habitat/Open Space - approximately 20,000 of the 28,000 acres of the former Fort Ord will be retained for habitat (16,000 acres) and open space recreational uses.
• Commercial - light industrial, research and development (R & D) parks, business parks and retail. The University of California Monterey Ban Education, Science, and Technology (UC-MBEST) Center and others expect over 1.6 million square feet of R & D/light industrial producing 6,000-8,000 new jobs.
• Hospitality - Resort complexes, hotels and conference centers (3-4 hotels incorporating conference facilities.)
• Residential - wide range of pricing and type of single and multifamily housing in Seaside, Marina, and County areas.
• Recreation - golf courses, tennis, equestrian center, hiking, mountain biking and other eco-tourism activities.

FORA is governed by a 23-member board, 13 voting members consisting of three Monterey County Board of Supervisor, two City Council members each from the cities of Marina and Seaside and one city Council member each for the cities of Carmel, Del Rey Oaks, Sand City, Monterey, Pacific Grove and Salinas. In addition, there are a number of ex-oficio members of the Board, including the University of California and the California State University, along with several other regional agencies of note. The FORA Board oversees the transition of the former military at Fort Ord to civilian usage. It has jurisdiction over 45 square miles in one of the most beautiful areas in the world, on California's coastline.

FORA, through the cooperation of public and private sectors, has developed the Base Reuse Plan to establish a framework and basis to attract corporations and industries that value quality of life, environmental sustainability, and a business atmosphere that produces stellar employees. Approximately 1,600 people are now employed (through new jobs) at the former military base, only a small fraction of the 18,000 expected by the year 2015.

Environmental protection remains a key aspect of developmental plans. The Bureau of Land Management will manage about 63 percent of the former base under policies that were established in the multi-species Habitat Management Plan. The plan is financed by the surrounding communities and is in compliance with the Federal Endangered Species Act. California State Fish and Game requirements are being met. Working in eco-tourism - combining environmental attractions with economic development - are the Bureau of Land Management, California State University, Velo Club of Monterey, and the California State Parks system. Eco-tourism includes activities such as cross-country runs, hiking competitions and mountain bike competitions, not to mention skydiving and roller hockey!

In all, seven educational institutions have or will soon have facilities at the former base, providing both clean and beneficial economic development, including CSUMB which has now completed $60 million in renovation and boasts of a student population of 2,400 with eventual enrollment expected to top 12,500 students in the coming 15 years, the UC MBEST which has fully engaged the research community, begun construction of its first R & D facility, and (working with FORA) completed an internal roadway network for the UCMBEST Center. Additional educational institutions will include Monterey Peninsula College, the Monterey College of Law, the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, the Monterey Institute for research in Astronomy, and Golden Gate University.

Such advances in education add to a region already known as "The Language Capital of the World," attributable since the greater Monterey area is directly involved with 25 percent of the nation's post-secondary learning in non-English languages. Consequently, our regional institutions led by the prestigious Defense Language Institute and Monterey Institute for International Studies, play a major role in delivering translation and interpretation services around the globe.

During this past year(2001), we were successful in meeting some major challenges, completing several important projects, and initiating some new groundbreaking programs. In summary, FORA or its member jurisdictions:

1. Have entered a "No-Cost" Economic Development Conveyance;

2. Begun property transfers;

3. Selected several key developers;

4. Completed several infrastructure construction projects; and

5. Made substantial progress on the financing program for basewide and mitigation costs.

We thank all jurisdictions, elected representatives, city councils, and community members who have contributed to our successes. The conversion effort is considerable, complex, and challenging and can only be achieved through our collective cooperation, coordination, and collaboration.

Michael A. Houlemard Jr.
Executive Officer