Sometimes you really can fight City Hall. More than 50 residents and agencies wrote to the city of Pacific Grove in January, questioning city planners’ decision to not require developer Nader Agha to complete an environmental impact report for his proposed downtown hotel.
Several weeks later planners reversed course, announcing they would require an EIR for the 125-room Hotel Durell, located at 157 Grand Ave. The EIR will look at issues raised by residents, including how the hotel might impact water, traffic, neighborhood character, tribal resources and the site’s historical significance.
“On a personal level, the noise, traffic (foot and auto), parking issues and just the sight of this looming new structure will destroy our peace, mentally and physically,” wrote Patsy Volpe, who lives a block and a half from the hotel site.
Mark Brodeur, P.G.’s director of community and economic development, says it became clear from comments that a more “defensible” and detailed study was needed to allay residents’ fears. With an EIR, “we can fully explain these things so people understand a hotel is something they don’t have to worry about,” he says.
Both Brodeur and Agha say the hotel will create less traffic than other uses for the site.
Agha says he’s been planning the hotel for 20 years, and that it’s come down in size “drastically,” from over 200 rooms to 125. “We compromised a lot,” he says.
A public comment period for the EIR runs through April 14 and the city is holding a public meeting about the project at 6pm April 4 at the P.G. Community Center.