Across PG: What I’m Hearing (Part 4)

I have really enjoyed meeting with so many PG residents to talk about the opportunities facing our city.

Here are some ideas shared in recent conversations.

Housing and ADUs

There’s considerable is interest in finding practical ways to create more housing choices while preserving the character of Pacific Grove.

ADUs come up frequently.

One particularly notable idea someone shared was whether the city could help facilitate a partnership with an outside organization that would finance or manage the construction of an ADU for a homeowner.

In exchange, the homeowner might forego some or all of the rental income for a defined number of years.

I don’t know yet whether the economics work, but it is exactly the kind of creative thinking worth exploring.

Protecting the places that make PG extraordinary

People care deeply about Pacific Grove’s natural environment.

That includes our coastline, the ecosystems around Point Pinos and George Washington Park, and the wildlife that depends on these habitats.

The former NOAA property has come up in several conversations. People see an opportunity to think thoughtfully about its future use while respecting the ecological sensitivity of the surrounding area.

There is also considerable interest in how we manage the coastline over the long term as erosion, sea-level rise, aging infrastructure, and public access increasingly intersect.

Taking care of the city we already have

Streets and sidewalks come up constantly.

So do drainage, parks, public facilities, and other infrastructure that residents interact with every day.

There is a strong desire to make sure we are taking care of the fundamentals while also planning ahead, rather than allowing deferred maintenance to become more expensive problems later.

A vibrant local economy

People want Pacific Grove to remain a place where local businesses can thrive and where residents can find the goods, services, and experiences they want close to home.

I’ve heard ideas about supporting entrepreneurs, creating opportunities for younger people and early-career professionals, strengthening connections to the region’s science and research community, and thinking creatively about remote work and coworking.

Economic vitality and quality of life do not have to be competing ideas. Done thoughtfully, they can reinforce each other.

Working regionally

I’ve also heard considerable interest in Pacific Grove working more intentionally with neighboring communities.

We already do this. Our partnership with Monterey on fire services is one example, and regional collaboration around water is another.

There may be more opportunities to work together on issues such as housing, good jobs, economic development, infrastructure, science, and other challenges that do not stop at city boundaries.

Pacific Grove should retain its distinctive identity while taking advantage of the capabilities and resources that exist across the Monterey Peninsula.

Technology and public safety

Technology is another recurring topic.

Residents want public safety tools to be effective, but they also care about how those tools are governed, who has access to information, and what safeguards are in place.

Those conversations reinforce something I believe strongly: technology policy should start with the specific problem we are trying to solve, followed by thoughtful consideration of appropriate uses, safeguards, and oversight.

Thinking beyond the next budget cycle

Perhaps the broadest theme I’m hearing is an appetite for longer-term thinking.

What will Pacific Grove need five, ten, or twenty years from now?

How do we make investments today that reduce costs later?

How do we protect the things residents treasure while making room for the next generation?

And where can partnerships, new ideas, or different approaches help us accomplish more with limited city resources?

Not every idea can become city policy, but that isn’t the point.

The value of these conversations is hearing how people experience Pacific Grove, what they want to protect, what they believe could work better, and the ideas they have for its future.

Please keep these ideas flowing, I’m listening.