Monterey County Board of Supervisors consider a proposal for an assisted care facility in the Las Palmas neighborhood
SALINAS, Calif. (KION) On Tuesday afternoon, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors discussed a potential plan to consider building an assisted living senior community within the Las Palmas neighborhood off of River Road in Salinas.
The senior community, The River View, would consist of three levels of care.
Homeowners in the Las Palmas Ranch residential community are strongly opposed to the commercial building in their neighborhood citing concerns for traffic, neighborhood character, and fire danger for its vulnerable residents.
Lombardo and Associates are proposing the project and some say the increase in a senior population call for it's need.
"In the year 2010, the county of Monterey had a population of roughly 63,000 over the age of 60 and 6,800 people over the age of 80 by the 2030 which is now only nine years away that population will increase to over 100,000 over the age of 60 and 10,000 over the age of eighty," said one person.
However, some at today's county board of supervisors meeting expressed concern over the plan saying it would increase traffic and pose a potential fire safety with one retired fire chief explaining the location of the plan would be similar in topography like Salinas. The proposed facility would fall within the burn scar area of the River Fire.
“You say what does this have to do with this potential project, well, if you have limited capacity to venture Alzheimer's patients, then you're going to have problems getting patients in and out," said one person.
According to the project, the plan would implement all fire protection regulation requirements and reflect the current requirements for Uniform Fire Code for fire-safe but for some fire- safe structures but for some residents, this isn't enough.
"There are literally thousands and thousands of acres of good flat land in this county where this could be built, much safer than on a top of a hill," said Jeff Dietrich, a resident.
Some of that concern is rooted in the fear of limited access and traffic congestion.
"Although the increase traffic volumes be minimal, the project to existing unacceptable traffic conditions on the highway. Mitigations have been applied to an extent feasible," said one person.
The vote for the proposal ended with a tie, 2-2, with Supervisors will revisiting the project on August 31. Supervisor Wendy Root Askew was not present for a vote.
