SQUIDFRY 01.12.23: Wrist Slap

WRIST SLAP… Squid knows it’s often easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, which is the only way Squid can pull off taking Squid’s bulldog Rosco P. Coltrane to the vet – Rosco loathes doctor’s offices. It’s also the strategy being deployed by local developer Nader Agha, owner of the Moss Landing Commercial Park.

Since 2015, cannabis operations have existed in the park without a coastal development permit, and not just here and there – there are currently 23 structures housing cannabis operations. At issue is whether or not to grant the property an “after-the-fact” permit to make them legal. That question came before the Monterey County Planning Commission Dec. 7, and despite the recommendation by county staff to grant the permit, the Planning Commission had questions about the proposed “general development plan” for the property, and continued the hearing until Jan. 11 so that it could be revised. But now county staff are recommending the commission continue the discussion again (to Jan. 25) because, per a county report, a “revised GDP has not been received.”

The Jan. 11 meeting took place after the Weekly’s deadline, so Squid doesn’t yet know if the commissioners delayed again. Perhaps a revised plan will be completed in a timely manner, but who knows – maybe whoever is revising it has been inhaling too many fumes on the property, and is too chilled-out for deadlines.

REPLY ALL… Squid still uses an old-fashioned paper calendar to keep track of appointments. Despite Squid’s personal preference, Squid thinks it is a pretty cool idea for government agencies to use modern technology in a practical way – for example, send Google Calendar invitations to public meetings.

So Squid appreciates that the Monterey County Housing Advisory Committee does that, even if the beginning-of-the-year calendar emails had the effect of spamming Squid’s inbox – there were invitations to meetings on Jan. 11, March 8, May 10 and beyond, through Nov. 8, 2023. (Squid’s analog calendar is not booked up that far out yet.)

Also on the e-invite list are all HAC members and county supervisors. On Jan. 3, committee member Esther Malkin sent an email to the whole list to ask: “I understand you’re very busy but is there a way to reduce the meeting emails please?” (Fellow committee member Raul Calvo had a simple idea: Don’t reply all.)

Deputy County Counsel Sean Collins was also reading the email thread and chimed in with legal advice: Stop the chatter. Not only will it unclog people’s inboxes, it will prevent violations of the Brown Act, which forbids committee members from engaging in discussions outside of a public forum.

Thanks to Collins, Squid’s spam filter seems to be working again.