Sign the petition
Let your voice be heard
Join your neighbors in standing up for responsible growth and protecting the future of our community. Tarpy Flats is under threat from high-density development that would increase traffic congestion, strain fire evacuation routes, raise wildfire risk and disrupt local wildlife habitats.
Sign our online petition—it’s quick, easy, and makes a real difference.
Let your voice be heard
Join your neighbors in standing up for responsible growth and protecting the future of our community. Tarpy Flats is under threat from high-density development that would increase traffic congestion, strain fire evacuation routes, raise wildfire risk and disrupt local wildlife habitats.
Sign our online petition—it’s quick, easy, and makes a real difference.
Let your voice be heard
Join your neighbors in standing up for responsible growth and protecting the future of our community. Tarpy Flats is under threat from high-density development that would increase traffic congestion, strain fire evacuation routes, raise wildfire risk and disrupt local wildlife habitats.
Sign our online petition—it’s quick, easy, and makes a real difference.
The petition
Add your voice to the growing number of local residents who want to preserve the character and safety of our community. By signing this petition, you’re helping to oppose reckless high-density development that threatens Tarpy Flats, increases traffic, worsens wildfire risk, and disrupts local wildlife.
Your information is safe and will never be sold. It will only be used to show decision-makers that the community stands united in protecting this vital open space.
PETITION TO PROTECT TARPY FLATS FROM UNSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
To: Monterey County Board of Supervisors, Monterey County Planning Commission, and California Department of Housing and Community Development
Subject: Opposition to Proposed Housing Development at Tarpy Flats
We, the undersigned residents and stakeholders of Monterey County, strongly urge the City and County of Monterey to reject all proposed housing development at Tarpy Flats (APNs: 259-091-011-000, 259-011-064-000 and 259-011-072-000) due to the following substantiated environmental, safety, and infrastructure concerns:
1. Severe Traffic Impacts on Highway 68
Tarpy Flats’ direct adjacency to Highway 68 presents critical congestion and public safety concerns. Current traffic studies show this corridor operates at Level of Service F during peak hours, with average delays exceeding 45 minutes. Adding residential development would exacerbate the problem by adding several thousand car trips per day through the intersection, significantly impair emergency response times, and increase vehicular emissions in violation of Monterey County Air Quality standards. The Transportation Agency for Monterey County itself has acknowledged the need for adequate transportation infrastructure to support population growth, emphasizing that “adequate transportation infrastructure must be available to serve population growth and land use development identified in adopted general plans across the county.”
2. Increased Wildfire Risks
The proposed development site lies within a CAL FIRE-designated High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, which is adjacent to a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Expanding residential development into this area directly contradicts California’s Fire Safe Regulations (Title 14, CCR, Division 1.5, Chapter 7, Subchapter 2) and would place both new and existing communities at unacceptable risk of catastrophic wildfire damage. The City of Monterey’s own Safety Element highlights the known risk “Monterey faces the risk of hazards associated with coastal flooding, sea level rise, tsunamis, and wildfire”. Emergency evacuation of several thousand additional cars through the Olmsted-Highway 68 intersection would be catastrophic.
3. Destruction of Rare Highland Grasslands
Tarpy Flats contains one of Monterey County’s last intact highland grassland ecosystems, home to multiple species protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act, including (as identified by the California Native Plant Society) Yadon’s rein-orchid, an endemic species found nowhere else in the world except the Monterey region as well vernal pools and at least 23 element occurrences of sensitive status plants and animals (many of which are protected by either Federal or State Endangered Species Act). Development would irreversibly destroy this California Native Plant Society-designated sensitive habitat and violate multiple provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) regarding habitat preservation, thus inviting community conflict if not litigation.
4. Archeological concerns
Mayor Mary Ann Carbone of Sand City in her letter to the Monterey County Commission, identified that Indigenous artifacts have been found on these properties and it is likely that Indigenous people lived and perhaps, are buried in this area as well. This was also pointed out by the Big Sur Land Trust.
In light of these core concerns, we urge our local governments to:
- Reject any rezoning or development proposals for Tarpy Flats.
- Direct housing development to already-identified infill opportunities within existing urban areas, as specified in the Monterey County General Plan’s Housing Element, which can accommodate growth without compromising critical environmental resources or public safety.
- Engage in transparent decision-making processes that include community input and comprehensive environmental assessments.
We urge you to uphold your obligations to protect public safety and preserve irreplaceable natural resources by rejecting development proposals at Tarpy Flats, thereby ensuring sustainable community growth that aligns with both California Environmental Quality Act requirements and our unique communities’ conservation objectives.
Show your support by adding your information to the form below. Your information is safe and will never be sold. It will only be used to show decision-makers that the community stands united in saving Tarpy Flats.
*Each signer acknowledges and agrees that by signing this petition electronically via typing a name in the Signature field—they are adopting and accepting their electronic signature as the legal equivalent of a handwritten signature. The signer intends their electronic signature to authenticate this petition.
The petition
Add your voice to the growing number of local residents who want to preserve the character and safety of our community. By signing this petition, you’re helping to oppose reckless high-density development that threatens Tarpy Flats, increases traffic, worsens wildfire risk, and disrupts local wildlife.
Your information is safe and will never be sold. It will only be used to show decision-makers that the community stands united in protecting this vital open space.
PETITION TO PROTECT TARPY FLATS FROM UNSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
To: Monterey County Board of Supervisors, Monterey County Planning Commission, and California Department of Housing and Community Development
Subject: Opposition to Proposed Housing Development at Tarpy Flats
We, the undersigned residents and stakeholders of Monterey County, strongly urge the City and County of Monterey to reject all proposed housing development at Tarpy Flats (APNs: 259-091-011-000, 259-011-064-000 and 259-011-072-000) due to the following substantiated environmental, safety, and infrastructure concerns:
1. Severe Traffic Impacts on Highway 68
Tarpy Flats’ direct adjacency to Highway 68 presents critical congestion and public safety concerns. Current traffic studies show this corridor operates at Level of Service F during peak hours, with average delays exceeding 45 minutes. Adding residential development would exacerbate the problem by adding several thousand car trips per day through the intersection, significantly impair emergency response times, and increase vehicular emissions in violation of Monterey County Air Quality standards. The Transportation Agency for Monterey County itself has acknowledged the need for adequate transportation infrastructure to support population growth, emphasizing that “adequate transportation infrastructure must be available to serve population growth and land use development identified in adopted general plans across the county.”
2. Increased Wildfire Risks
The proposed development site lies within a CAL FIRE-designated High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, which is adjacent to a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Expanding residential development into this area directly contradicts California’s Fire Safe Regulations (Title 14, CCR, Division 1.5, Chapter 7, Subchapter 2) and would place both new and existing communities at unacceptable risk of catastrophic wildfire damage. The City of Monterey’s own Safety Element highlights the known risk “Monterey faces the risk of hazards associated with coastal flooding, sea level rise, tsunamis, and wildfire”. Emergency evacuation of several thousand additional cars through the Olmsted-Highway 68 intersection would be catastrophic.
3. Destruction of Rare Highland Grasslands
Tarpy Flats contains one of Monterey County’s last intact highland grassland ecosystems, home to multiple species protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act, including (as identified by the California Native Plant Society) Yadon’s rein-orchid, an endemic species found nowhere else in the world except the Monterey region as well vernal pools and at least 23 element occurrences of sensitive status plants and animals (many of which are protected by either Federal or State Endangered Species Act). Development would irreversibly destroy this California Native Plant Society-designated sensitive habitat and violate multiple provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) regarding habitat preservation, thus inviting community conflict if not litigation.
4. Archeological concerns
Mayor Mary Ann Carbone of Sand City in her letter to the Monterey County Commission, identified that Indigenous artifacts have been found on these properties and it is likely that Indigenous people lived and perhaps, are buried in this area as well. This was also pointed out by the Big Sur Land Trust.
In light of these core concerns, we urge our local governments to:
- Reject any rezoning or development proposals for Tarpy Flats.
- Direct housing development to already-identified infill opportunities within existing urban areas, as specified in the Monterey County General Plan’s Housing Element, which can accommodate growth without compromising critical environmental resources or public safety.
- Engage in transparent decision-making processes that include community input and comprehensive environmental assessments.
We urge you to uphold your obligations to protect public safety and preserve irreplaceable natural resources by rejecting development proposals at Tarpy Flats, thereby ensuring sustainable community growth that aligns with both California Environmental Quality Act requirements and our unique communities’ conservation objectives.
Show your support by adding your information to the form below. Your information is safe and will never be sold. It will only be used to show decision-makers that the community stands united in saving Tarpy Flats.
*Each signer acknowledges and agrees that by signing this petition electronically via typing a name in the Signature field—they are adopting and accepting their electronic signature as the legal equivalent of a handwritten signature. The signer intends their electronic signature to authenticate this petition.