Carmel Mayor Dale Byrne announces he won't run for a second term.

Carmel Mayor Dale Byrne announced on Thursday, April 2, that he will not be running for a second term this November. He made the announcement in a column he writes for the Carmel Pine Cone.

"This is not a step away from Carmel for me. It is a decision about where I can be most effective in contributing to the community and the broader Monterey Peninsula," he wrote. "My instincts will always be to build, organize and help bring people together around practical solutions."

Byrne, who has a background in the tech business, rode into office on a wave of popularity in November 2024, after several years of founding and building up the volunteer group Carmel Cares. He defeated incumbent mayor Dave Potter and Councilmember Jeff Baron.

The decision comes at a time when Byrne is facing harsh criticism for a letter he wrote to the California Department of Housing and Community Development that runs counter to an amendment to the city's housing plan that was developed in collaboration between a citizen's group and city staff.

After the letter came to light, members of the group Affordable Housing Alternatives said they felt hurt and betrayed by the mayor's March 20 letter, which argued in favor of putting two city parking lots up for development.

Byrne told the Weekly he believed all options should be on the table to provide for the future of the city. When told that some residents were questioning his motives by helping developers, Byrne denied it and said he was only working to benefit the future of the city.

Prospective candidates will be able to file candidacy papers in August, giving Byrne time to change his mind.