How Did We Get Here?
East Garrison’s (EG) development has been guided by the 2004 Specific Plan, which was approved by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. The Plan includes our “Town Center”. EG homeowners were assured that the Town Center would be built according to the Specific Plan. The East Garrison 2004 Specific Plan currently governs what will be built (and where) on the remaining undeveloped EG land - including the Town Center. Century marketed and “sold” this Plan to EG homebuyers as recently as 2020.
In theory, Century should be prepared to resume development under the Specific Plan. However, after a two-year pandemic, Century now wants to make significant changes to the EG 2004 Specific Plan.
In 2022 Century Communities (the Developer) proposed changes to the Plan.
Century and their consultants have presented to EG residents their reasons for wanting to make changes to the EG 2004 Specific Plan, and their proposed alternative 2022 Century Concept.
What Was Planned
2000 - East Garrison Town Center - Commercial Vision
2004 - East Garrison pattern Book
2004 - Specific Plan
The Town Center design includes Commercial buildings on BOTH sides of the Town Center Park (Seen in red above). As well, there is promised much parking to support the Town Center and uses, including 2 large parking lots.
It may be possible that these renderings are for a stretch goal of 75000 sqft Town Center, provided economically feasible. These details have not been confirmed by the 2004 Specific Plan nor Century.
2006 - Monterey County Subdivision Map
What Was Sold To Us
2017 - Century Communities - East Garrison Site Plan
2020 - East Garrison Sales Office
2022 - “Final Phase” before Re-design Proposal
A Town Center vision with Commercial buildings on both sides of the Town Center Park, as well as ample parking!
The “Future Town Center” images may have been derived from the 2004 Specific Plan, which is possible indicates a plot of land capable of 75,000 sqft of Town Center. It is not clear if Century or the 2004 Specific Plan ever defined these parcels.
What Century Now Wants To Build
2022 - Town Center Proposal
2023 - east-garrison.com blog post
One major change Century wants to make to the Town Center design is that they want to use the larger of the two Town Center Parcels to build 100+ row houses and townhomes. On the smaller of the two Town Center Parcels (on the Chapel Hill side of Sherman) Century is proposing to build 3-story and 4-story tall mixed use (Commercial and Residential) Town Center buildings.
An Alternative Design?
2023 - Plan B (A Resident’s Concept)
One of our own EG Residents has come up with a unique proposal for the Town Center that re-imagines many aspects of Century’s 2022 re-design proposal, but flexes to also take into consideration many of EG Resident’s concerns - atmosphere, parking, etc..
Three Concepts
Which do you prefer?
The following sections explore how the 2004 Specific Plan, Century’s 2022 Concept, and Plan B all address these concerns.
Parking
Parking is needed for:
66 affordable housing households and their guests.
A dozen or more commercial tenants and their employees.
Town Center Park visitors.
Amphitheater event attendees and performance support vehicles.
Shoppers and Restaurant patrons.
Delivery vehicles: FedEx, UPS, USPS, Amazon Prime, etc..
Restaurant food, alcohol, and linen supply vehicles.
Landscapers, moving vans/PODs, and repair and service vehicles.
Tenant improvement contractor trucks and building materials.
Chapel weekly service participants and wedding/funeral guests.
National Monument bicyclists and hikers.
Delivery trucks for a resident “highly-desired” neighborhood market.
Where will the Parking be?
AMPLE and CONVENIENT Parking and traffic flow are key concerns. When comparing the 3 concepts, evaluate both near-term and future Parking needs.
Sun or Shade?
The Town Center park is identical in size and details in all 3 concepts. What differs is the 3-and 4-story building placement. In two options building placements will shadow the entire Park in the afternoon.
Currently, in the afternoon, the Chapel and a large tree overshadow part of the Park.
Enjoy the views!
What can you see in the “Future Town Center park?”
Consider:
The 2004 Specific Plan offers views of Town Center buildings on either side of the park, as well as the Amphitheater, and the Library. What you may be able to see from the Park is the Chapel or mountainscape, pending low-height of the Town Center buildings.
The Century Concept offers views of the Town Center mixed use buildings on one side of the Park, with Housing on the other side of the park, as well as the Amphitheater, and the Library. What you can’t see from the Park, given the taller 3-story and 4-story mixed use buildings, is the Chapel, as well as our mountainscape in the distance.
Plan B retains the current Chapel views. It also offers views of the Amphitheater, Library, Community Gardens (with raised bed seating), the Town Center buildings, gathering spaces, and mountainscape.
When Will It Be Finished?
Short answer:
Depends on many factors, such as interest rates, funding timelines, etc.. Maybe as early as 2025, maybe longer.
Long answer:
On June 16, 2020, Century was granted a 15-year extension of the East Garrison project end date, pushing completion from 2020 to October 4, 2035.
The 2004 Specific Plan, 4 story workforce housing (along the West side fronting Ord and opposite the Chapel) is no longer popular or profitable. Century plans to build 3-story housing on this Parcel. They also plan to use the entire Upper Town Center Parcel to build more than 100 3-story homes. The Plan B design uses this Parcel for the Town Center and Parking. Under Plan B, Ord workforce housing opposite the chapel could remain high-density.
Affordable housing is dependent on Art Space securing grants and other special funding prior to construction. Under the Century 2022 Concept the high-density affordable artists’ housing will be moved, from adjacent to the Arts Park, to the Town Center. Both Parking and profitability issues with housing next to the Arts Park necessitated this move. Moving Art Space housing to the Town Center makes construction contingent on that same special funding, and “could speed up construction”, according to Century.
There is no guarantee if or when special funding will be available, or that Century’s 2022 plan will qualify. (It took CHISPA 7 years to secure the needed special funding to build the new apartments on Ord).
Choosing to make changes to Century’s 2022 Concept or to adopt Plan B design - will mean delays. Accepting Century’s Concept could result in a faster timeline (which is already delayed from the original builder DDA, via the granted June 2020 extension).