County of Monterey  
Government Center - Board Chambers  
168 W. Alisal St., 1st Floor  
Salinas, CA 93901  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Wednesday, January 29, 2025  
1:30 PM  
Special Meeting  
Monterey County Planning Commission  
1:30 P.M. - CALL TO ORDER  
The meeting was called to order by Chair Diehl at 1:31 p.m.  
ROLL CALL  
Present:  
Ben Work  
Ernesto G. Gonzalez  
Francisco Javier Mendoza  
Martha Diehl  
Etna Monsalve  
Jessica Hartzell  
Ramon Gomez  
Amy Roberts  
Absent:  
Paul C. Getzelman  
Christine Shaw  
Land Use Advisory Committees (LUAC):  
Present:  
Big Sur LUAC  
Steve Beck, David Smiley, Marcus Foster, Trey Kropp, John Wilson  
Cachagua LUAC  
Orville Myers  
Carmel Unincorporated/Carmel Highlands  
John Borelli, Donna Kostigen  
Carmel Valley LUAC  
John Heyl  
Castroville LUAC  
No members present  
Del Monte Forest  
Lori Lietzke, Rick Verbanec  
Greater Monterey Peninsula LUAC  
Molly McGee  
North County LUAC  
Lesley Noble, Gina Paolini, Andrea Estrada, Belinda Talban  
South Coast LUAC – Attend via zoom  
Constance McCoy, Dave Nelson  
South County LUAC  
No members present  
Toro LUAC  
Tamara Schwart  
PUBLIC COMMENTS  
None  
AGENDA ADDITIONS, DELETIONS AND CORRECTIONS  
Clerk McDougal informed the Commission that there are no agenda additions,  
deletions or correction.  
ACTION ITEMS  
LAND USE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (LUAC) MEMBER UPDATE  
1.  
Each Land Use Advisory Committee (LUAC) will be invited to present up to three issues from the  
past year for general discussion. These may include achievements, challenges or emerging issues.  
After the presentations are completed there will be a discussion which may result in Planning  
Commission or staff recommendations or actions.  
Each Land Use Advisory Committee (LUAC) will be invited to present up to  
three issues from the past  
year for general discussion. These may include achievements, challenges or  
emerging issues.  
After the presentations are completed there will be a discussion which may  
result in Planning  
Commission or staff recommendations or actions.  
Each LUAC presented their achievements, challenges and emerging issues to  
the Commission.  
Public Comment: Margie Kay  
The Commission and LUAC recessed at 3:14 p.m. and returned at 3:29 p.m.  
No motion required, the Commission received the update and provided  
direction to Staff.  
TRAINING ITEMS FOR PLANNING COMMISSION AND LUAC's:  
2.  
1. Role of Land Use Advisory Committees  
a. Review Procedures (Board Resolution 15-103) and Election of Officers  
2. Role of the Planning Commission  
3. Due Process and Brown Act  
4. Conflict of Interest  
5. Public Records  
6. Commissioner/Committee Member Comments  
Melanie Beretti, Planning Commission Secretary and Robert Brayer, County  
Counsel presented the training.  
Commissioner Gomez left the meeting at 4:18 p.m.  
Public Comment: None  
No motion required.  
ADJOURNMENT  
The meeting was adjourned by Chair Diehl at 4:59 p.m.  
APPROVED:  
/s/ Melanie Beretti  
Planning Commission Secretary  
ATTEST:  
BY: /s/ Melissa McDougal  
Planning Commission Clerk  
APPROVED ON: 04-09-2025