Quiet country living drew many residents to settle in one of 329 homes of the Las Palmas neighborhood off of River Road. A private security guard posted at the entrance on Las Palmas Road fosters a sense of peace and safety along the streets where kids ride their bikes and play soccer. Now residents are preparing to put up a fight against a perceived invader, the proposed 142-bed River View at Las Palmas senior living facility, and traffic that it would bring.
“My neighbors and I are not against senior housing,” says Roy Gobets, who turned 75 last month. He says River View – which will use Las Palmas’ private roads – “will fundamentally change the nature and texture and atmosphere of the neighborhood.”
Residents hold fast to the Las Palmas Ranch Specific Plan, which lays out development details for Las Palmas I and Las Palmas II developments. The plan allows for 1,031 homes total – 1,028 have been built, so to residents, that means only three more homes allowed. The River View project includes 13 single-story 26-unit casitas, a 43,400-square-foot, 40-unit two-story building and a 38,800-square-foot, 39-unit three-story memory care facility.
Tony Lombardo, attorney for developer Garrett Shingu, calls River View a “modest sized project,” only covering 13 percent of the 16-acre site. He says other local assisted living facilities – Shingu has developed projects in Monterey and Carmel – have minimal impact on surrounding areas.
Zoning for the area is medium residential density, which could allow for a “rest home,” according to the recently released final environmental impact report. Shingu is seeking a “small” amendment to the specific plan specifying that assisted living facilities are allowed, says Brandon Swanson, acting county chief of planning.
Dozens of residents are planning to speak out at a workshop at the Monterey County Planning Commission on Oct. 9. If the commission approves the project, Gobets says they’ll appeal to the Board of Supervisors and potentially go to court.