Pebble Beach Company and CHP strategize to avoid the ‘mess’ of last year’s Car Week.

“Five days of hell” was how one Pebble Beach resident described his experience during last year’s Car Week, addressing the Monterey County Zoning Administrator on Thursday, July 30. In addition to all the traffic caused by private events throughout the Del Monte Forest, he asked how security was going to keep “all the influencers off the streets” – referencing the explosion of social media influencers who show up, bringing their own exotic autos to show off and blocking roadways.

At one point last year, the California Highway Patrol shut down an unpermitted exotic car event on 17-Mile Drive. An Instagram video posted on Aug. 13, 2025, shows the road choked with cars and dozens of bystanders.

“If you could all please leave. The first people who will be cited and towed are the exotics that everyone is here to see,” a CHP officer in his vehicle announces over a loudspeaker. “Please leave in an orderly fashion. Thank you for coming.”

This year the Pebble Beach Company and CHP are planning to thwart similar issues from happening. Three dedicated officers will be on patrol during the week, according to a CHP spokesperson. In addition, 17-Mile Drive will be closed to outside traffic Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 13-16, the day of the Concours d’ Elegance.

At the Zoning Administrator meeting, at least two residents showed up to protest a permit request by the property owner at 1062 Spyglass Woods Drive to allow French carmaker Bugatti to host up to 150 clients for showings of the exotic cars and a party. Three other private Car Week events were also on the agenda, all on Poppy Lane. Combined, the four events were expecting up to 575 guests over the 10 days of what constitutes Car Week.

Pebble Beach Company’s director of security, Peter Brown, agreed that “last year was a mess and it was not conducive to the residents.”

Brown told Zoning Administrator Mike Novo that this year, private events at homes are required to have guests park offsite and take a shuttle. The company will block off parking on neighborhood streets and post tow-away signs.

“We have a significant CHP and security presence throughout the week that will respond to and address [problems] immediately. We have a zero tolerance policy that week,” Brown said. “Essentially, if someone violates the rules, we will ask them to leave and not allow them back into Pebble.”

Acknowledging last year’s issues, Novo said he believed Bugatti organizers would be offering a smaller event than what took place at the same residence last year and approved the application with conditions, but only for 2026 – the property owner had been asking for a three-year permit. He approved the other three permits with conditions, as well.

Novo said it was “incumbent on the operators to really make this work this year,” and suggested they talk to neighbors to find out what the issues are “so when we come back next year everybody will be satisfied on a good, neighborly operation for this area.”