California Coastal Commission approves plans for a Pacific Grove hotel project
PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. (KION-TV)- UPDATE ON APRIL 13 AT 11:30 AM- A controversial hotel project in Pacific Grove will be moving forward.
The California Coastal Commission approved the plans to convert the American Tin Cannery Shopping Area into a hotel resort.
The vote was a 9-1 decision.
The plan has been years in the making with Pacific Grove City Council approving the decision in 2022.
The Coastal Commission has been working with city staff and the project applicant on revisions and conditions on approval.
Some of those changes include reducing the number of hotel rooms from 225 to 206 plus offering those rooms at lower rates.
The shopping area was originally the American Can Company which opened in 1926.
A long-debated hotel project in Pacific Grove will soon be moving forward.
Rising concerns on environmental and affordability as the project continues.
During the Coastal Commission meeting the public was able to speak on how they feel about this new project.
“This project that will negatively impact coastal resources by the staffs own analysis, whether that’s water, native Monterey cypresses that are protected trees that are recognized as vulnerable by the IUCN that are going to be destroyed."
The Costal Commission during the meeting were concerned about construction noise disturbing local marine wildlife.
The project developer from Foursome Development company responded saying, "all measures that will be applied to avoid and where unavoidable to minimize disturbance to birds, marine mammals, and other marine wildlife within the protection areas shall be clearly identified.”
18 hotel rooms will be capped at no more than $184 per night.
There will also be lower-cost options for low-income youth, school groups, and underrepresented communities.
“I think you could be really great," Ashley Curtsey who is visiting Pacific Grove. "It’s a historic site and it could bring in a lot of jobs for the city and it’s really close in walking distance to Cannery Row and all the little shops here.”
The original hotel design was altered in order to get the Coastal Commission's approval. Changes include reducing the number of rooms from 225 to 206, adding more affordable accommodations, and more public access.
