County of Monterey  
Government Center - Board Chambers  
168 W. Alisal St., 1st Floor  
Salinas, CA 93901  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Wednesday, February 25, 2026  
9:00 AM  
Para interpretación en español, haga clic aquí:  
County of Monterey Planning Commission  
NOTE: All agenda titles related to numbered items are live web links. Click on the title to be  
directed to corresponding Staff Report.  
9:00 A.M. - CALL TO ORDER  
The meeting was called to order by Chair Getzelman at 9:00a.m.  
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Commissioner Roberts.  
ROLL CALL  
Present:  
Paul C. Getzelman  
Martha Diehl – arrived at 9:03AM  
Jessica Hartzell  
Ernesto Gonzalez  
Ben Work  
Etna Monsalve  
Ramon Gomez  
Amy Roberts  
Christine Shaw  
Absent:  
Francisco Javier Mendoza  
Secretary Beretti reviewed the Zoom Protocols and provided instructions for the  
Wordly Interpretation services.  
PUBLIC COMMENTS  
Lynda Marin, Fred Faltersack  
AGENDA ADDITIONS, DELETIONS AND CORRECTIONS  
Clerk Navarro informed the Commission that there are agenda additions, deletions or  
corrections public comments for Agenda Item No. and an errata memo from staff for  
Agenda Item No.5 – REF250038 – CANNABIS CONSUMPTION VENUE  
ORDINANCE and Agenda Item No.6 - REF260001 (PLN250139 DEP, PLN110173  
AMD1, PLN190243, PLN170296) SOUTH  
COUNTY AREA PLAN, CARMEL VALLEY MASTER PLAN, CENTRAL SALINAS  
VALLEY AREA PLAN, AND GREATER SALINAS AREA PLAN  
AMENDMENTS  
COMMISSIONER COMMENTS, REQUESTS AND REFERRALS  
None  
APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR  
APPOINT ROBERT B. JOHNSON III TO THE SOUTH COUNTY LAND USE  
1.  
ADVISORY COMMITTEE.  
APPOINT VALERIE GAINO-BAER TO THE CARMEL VALLEY LAND USE  
ADVISORY COMMITTEE.  
2.  
3.  
Acknowledge the resignation of Barbara Varian from the South County Land Use Advisory  
Committee.  
Public Comment: None  
It was moved by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Gomez,  
and approve by the following vote:  
AYES: Getzelman, Gomez, Hartzell, Gonzalez, Work, Monsalve, Diehl,  
Roberts, Shaw  
NOES: None  
ABSENT: Mendoza  
ABSTAIN: None  
APPROVAL/ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES  
Approval of the January 28, 2026, Planning Commission Meeting Minutes.  
4.  
Public Comment: None  
It was moved by Commissioner Gomez, seconded by Commissioner Hartzell,  
and approved by the following vote:  
AYES: Getzelman, Gomez, Hartzell, Gonzalez, Work, Monsalve, Diehl,  
Roberts, Shaw  
NOES: None  
ABSENT: Mendoza  
ABSTAIN: None  
9:00 A.M. – SCHEDULED MATTERS  
REF250038 - CANNABIS CONSUMPTION VENUE ORDINANCE  
a. Conduct a public workshop to review and receive public input regarding ordinance options for a  
Cannabis Consumption Venue Ordinance for areas in unincorporated Monterey County; and  
b. Provide direction to staff.  
5.  
Project Location: Unincorporated Monterey County  
Proposed CEQA action: A planning workshop is exempt per California Environmental Quality Act  
(CEQA) Guidelines Section 15262.  
Mike Novo, Project Planner presented the item.  
Topic 1:  
Public Comment: Robert Roach, Aram Stoney, Valentia Piccininni, Michelle  
House, Elaine Narciso, Ricardo Diaz Jr., Malcolm, Joey Espinoza, Christabelle  
Zarraga, Bryan Flores  
The meeting recessed at 10:50a.m., and reconvened at 11:04a.m.  
Topic 2:  
Public Comment: Aram Stoney  
Topic 3:  
Public Comment: Aram Stoney, Robert Roach  
Topic 4:  
Public comment: Aram Stoney  
The meeting recessed for lunch at 12:03p.m., and reconvened at 1:03p.m.  
Clerk Janet Navarro took Roll Call  
Present:  
Paul C. Getzelman  
Martha Diehl - arrived at 1:04p.m.  
Jessica Hartzell  
Ernesto Gonzalez  
Ben Work  
Ramon Gomez  
Amy Roberts  
Etna Monsalve – arrived at 1:09p.m.  
Absent:  
Francisco Javier Mendoza  
Christine Shaw  
Topic 5:  
Public Comment: Aram Stoney  
Commissioner Gonzalez left the meeting at 1:34p.m.  
Topic 6:  
Public Comment: Aram Stoney, Robert Roach  
The Commission provided directions to Staff. No motion is required.  
Chair Getzelman recused himself from agenda item No.6 due to a potential  
conflict of interest with PLN250139 DEP and Commissioner Roberts sat in as  
chair.  
REF260001 (PLN250139-DEP, PLN110173-AMD1, PLN190243, PLN170296) - SOUTH  
COUNTY AREA PLAN, CARMEL VALLEY MASTER PLAN, CENTRAL SALINAS  
VALLEY AREA PLAN, AND GREATER SALINAS AREA PLAN AMENDMENTS  
Public hearing to consider proposed 2010 General Plan Amendments and Zoning Ordinance  
Amendments to:  
6.  
1. Amend Sectional District Map 79 and South County Area Plan Figure LU9 to rezone and  
redesignate four parcels (APNs: 423-381-006-000, 423-381-007-000, 423-381-008-000,  
and 423-381-009-000) from Light Commercial [LC] to Low-Density Residential [LDR/1];  
2. Amend Sectional District Map 17C and the Carmel Valley Master Plan Figure LU3 to rezone  
and redesignate a 4.47 acre parcel (APN: 015-171-019-000) from Low Density Residential,  
2.5 acres per unit, Design Control zoning overlay, Site Plan Review zoning overlay, and  
Residential Allocation Zoning overlay [LDR/2.5-D-S-RAZ] to High Density Residential, 5  
units per acre, Building Site 6 zoning overlay, Design Control zoning overlay, and Site Plan  
Review zoning overlay [HDR/5-B-6-D-S];  
3. Amend the text of the Central Salinas Valley Area Plan to add Policy CSV-1.8, which would  
create a Special Treatment Area over APN: 420-063-014-000 to allow up to 20,000 square  
feet of outdoor commercial cannabis cultivation and require submittal of compliance testing  
information; and  
4. Amend the text of the Greater Salinas Area Plan to add Policy GS-1.15, which would create  
a Special Treatment Area over APNs: 207-131-004-000 and 207-131-005-000, 207-121-  
014-000 to recognize the historic and ongoing commercial use of the properties.  
Project Location: The properties are located at 68202, 68210, 68226, and 68218 Interlake Road,  
Bradley (Assessor's Parcel Number [APN] 423-381-006-000, 423-381-007-000,  
423-381-008-000, and 423-381-009-000), South County Area Plan; No address assigned (APN:  
015-171-019-000), Carmel Valley Master Pla, 50700 Thompson Canyon Road, King City  
(Assessor's Parcel Number 420-063-014-000), Central Salinas Valley Area Plan; and 111/115/117  
Monterey Salinas Highway (APNs: 207-131-004-000, 207-131-005-000, and 207-121-014-000)  
Proposed CEQA action: Find the respective projects: 1) consistent with the adopted Mitigated  
Negative Declaration, together with an Addendum prepared for HCD Planning File No.  
PLN060078, and that the adoption of this project does not warrant a subsequent EIR pursuant to  
CEQA Guidelines Section 15162; 2) consistent with the Certified Final Revised Environmental  
Impact Report (FEIR) (SCH No. 19950803033) for the September Ranch Subdivision Project and  
that the adoption of this project does not warrant a subsequent EIR pursuant to CEQA Guidelines  
Section 15162; 3) Categorically Exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15304, and that none  
of the exceptions apply pursuant to Section 15300.2; and 4) Categorically Exempt pursuant to  
CEQA Guidelines section 15301, and that none of the exceptions apply pursuant to Section 15300.2  
Fionna Jensen, Project Planner presented the item, first project PLN250139  
DEP.  
Applicant Representative:  
None  
Public Comment:  
None  
It was moved to approve by Commissioner Work, seconded by Commissioner  
Diehl, by the following vote:  
AYES: Gomez, Hartzell, Work, Monsalve, Diehl, Roberts  
NOES: None  
ABSENT: Mendoza, Shaw, Gonzalez,  
ABSTAIN: Getzelman  
Commissioner Getzelman resumed as chair.  
Fionna Jensen, Project Planner presented the item, second project PLN110173  
AMD1  
Applicant Representative:  
None  
Public Comment:  
None  
It was moved to approve by Commissioner Hartzell, seconded by  
Commissioner Diehl, by the following vote:  
AYES: Getzelman, Gomez, Hartzell, Work, Monsalve, Diehl, Roberts  
NOES: None  
ABSENT: Mendoza, Shaw, Gonzalez,  
ABSTAIN: None  
Fionna Jensen, Project Planner presented the item, third project PLN190243  
Applicant:  
John Cumming  
Public Comment:  
Robert Roach, Michelle House  
It was moved to approve with included terms to the language, regarding the  
public benefit, subject to an 8-year pilot program, to be allowed by others with  
the same uniqueness, testing of the two mile buffer and to return to the  
Planning Commission at the end of the 8-year term with an update by  
Commissioner Gomez, seconded by Commissioner Hartzell, by the following  
vote:  
AYES: Getzelman, Gomez, Hartzell, Work, Monsalve, Diehl, Roberts  
NOES: None  
ABSENT: Mendoza, Shaw, Gonzalez  
ABSTAIN: None  
Fionna Jensen, Project Planner presented the item, fourth project PLN170296  
Applicant Representative:  
Alex Lorca  
Public Comment:  
None  
It was moved to approve by Commissioner Roberts, seconded by  
Commissioner Monslave, by the following vote:  
AYES: Getzelman, Gomez, Hartzell, Work, Monsalve, Diehl, Roberts  
NOES: None  
ABSENT: Mendoza, Shaw, Gonzalez  
ABSTAIN: None  
DEPARTMENT REPORT  
PLANNING COMMISSION REFERRALS  
7.  
Secretary Beretti reviewed the referrals, and the Commission received the  
referral update.  
ADJOURNMENT  
The meeting was adjourned by Chair Getzelman at 3:36p.m.  
APPROVED:  
/s/ Melanie Beretti  
Planning Commission Secretary  
ATTEST:  
BY: /s/ Janet Navarro  
Planning Commission Clerk  
APPROVED ON: April 8, 2026