The future of Monterey’s Old Capitol Site is finally decided – maybe.

In 2019, the Monterey City Council approved accepting a gift from the Pebble Beach Company, 135 acres of Monterey pine forest south of Highway 1, across from the Del Monte Center. At the time, the land – called the Old Capitol Site – was zoned for “planned community,” and by accepting it, the council agreed to permanently rezone it as parkland. The transaction meant that PBCo would satisfy a condition of its 2012 approval with the county for a Pebble Beach subdivision; the condition required the Old Capitol Site be transferred to an approved entity to be managed as parkland.

And though the city was starting to get serious about tightening its expenses, city staff recommended accepting the offer. Even Carmel Mayor Dave Potter, who served on the Monterey City Council earlier in his political career, came over the hill to urge the council to take the land.

Only Tyller Williamson – now mayor, then councilmember – voted against it, expressing concerns, among other things, about the city taking on more financial responsibility.

The city has since spent close to $1 million on the property, including hiring BFS Landscape Architects to develop a park plan for the property based on site conditions, community feedback and environmental constraints like protected species.

With all the information in hand, city staff presented to the Parks and Rec Commission on Feb. 12. They offered a preferred plan for the park that would only allow hiking trails, and no bikes, citing costs and environmental constraints. Even still, that plan – which includes fenced trails through the forest – would cost an estimated $13 million to construct. The Parks and Rec Commission recommended the council approve the plan, but table it until more money was available.

On May 20 – just as the council deliberated about how to finance city infrastructure costs – the preferred Old Capitol concept finally came to City Council for approval. They were asked to decide on three options for the site: Approve the preferred concept, which would guide any future environmental review process; make the property open to the public only on existing fire roads, which would cost about $1 million in planning and permit costs; or, the now-cheapest option, continue to maintain it at a cost of about $300,000 annually.

The council voted 4-0 to approve the preferred plan (with Gino Garcia absent), meaning if the city can ever afford it, it could be a park someday.