The Oaks Do Whisper

The vast forestry lands of Fort Ord filled with coastal oaks, wild life, miles of hiking and biking trails, plus a long history of the military, could be changed before our eyes.

The Redevelopment Agency of Monterey has issued a “Request for Qualifications/ Proposals” from 15 companies requesting the development of a business park on a former Fort Ord landfill. One of these companies is the Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST). This project, known as Whispering Oaks, would demolish approximately 58 acres of Fort Ord lands.

The Redevelopment Agency insists that there is a “strong, consistent, and growing demand for a business park/light industrial park product in the Monterey Peninsula” and that “the site is well positioned in terms of location and access relative to key destinations.” MST and the Redevelopment Agency also recognize the detriment to air quality and climate change, aesthetics, biological resources, geology and soils, and more, as listed on the Whispering Oaks appendices.

Environmental groups are adamant to preserve these lands. Fort Ord Rec Users (ForU), composed of individuals and groups with the shared vision to preserve and enhance recreational use and natural habitat of the former Fort Ord for the benefit of all, was able to gather over 18,000 signatures for a petition in an attempt to reverse the initiation of the project, and potentially established a referendum for the June 2012 ballot.

Though the petition was a great achievement, it could take the Monterey County Board of Supervisors up to six months to decide what to do next. After accepting the petition, the supervisors could either rescind their earlier approval of the project or allow the county to vote on the matter on June 5. If the board chooses to reject the repeal, they would be required to set a vote 88 days before the election.

Environmentalists acknowledge they have a long way to go to preserve the lands.

“Professors and students at CSUMB were involved in gathering signatures for the referendum and if this item goes to the ballot,” Kay Cline, director of Sustainable Seaside and member of ForU, said.

Whispering Oaks would demolish over 3,700 oak trees, which is more than 77 percent of the 4,400 trees that make up the habitat.

The Environment:
Within Monterey area cities, Seaside has the lowest amount of parkland, Marina has the second lowest, and Salinas is third.

“Looking in terms of open space and park equity in this area, we (Seaside, Marina, Salinas) need community open-space and parkland.” Cline explained. Furthermore, according to Cline, horticulture experts assure that the oak forest roots are helping to sequester rainfall, which then goes into our aquifers in Seaside.
MST would be responsible for the demolition of about half the oaks, some of which are dead. They agreed to replace dead trees with new live trees under an enacted forest management plan to ensure healthy long-term growth of these new trees.

“It should be noted that an arborists’ survey of the site concluded that, like many of the trees on Fort Ord, many of the trees on the Whispering Oaks parcel are stunted, suffer from poor drainage, and are not considered to be particularly healthy,” explains Carl Sedoryk, general manager and CEO for Monterey Salinas-Transit District. “Of the two thousand trees on the MST parcel less than a dozen surveyed had a diameter of greater than 24 inches. Nearly all of the trees with a ‘landmark’ designation are being saved. The remaining trees to be removed are on the other non-MST parcels within the Whispering Oaks Business Park.”

With the development of MST’s facility on Whispering Oaks, there would be additional services without any new vehicles being put into use. Part of the plan is an “environmentally friendly” LEED building, which would include photovoltaic power, rainwater harvesting, and the use of native plants to reduce water usage impacts.

“Consolidating three outdated facilities into a single, modern building designed to LEED standards will result in less greenhouse gas emissions generated by MST,” Sedoryk said.
Additionally, The Base Reuse Plan requires the project to provide nearly 20,000 acres of new open-space and park plans. Many of acres, however, will not be cleaned-up for public use.

Even with the eco-friendly efforts by MST, a multitude of disturbances to the ecosystem is believed to ensue regardless. Direct loss of sand gilia is expected, and Whispering Oaks would disrupt the habitat of the coast horned lizard and American badger, along with other various plants and animals.

In order to receive state approval, the California Department of Fish and Game has directed MST to set up a California Tiger Salamander exclusion fence around the MST site. Parcels of land will be dedicated to preserving landmark oaks, as well as most of the land on the project site will be preserved for open space and habitat management. Despite these efforts, environmentalists are not convinced of the protection.

“The MST facility includes both maintenance and washing facilities for vehicles,” Gail Morton, co-founder of ForU, said. “Runoff of fuel and contaminants will impact the environment despite the best engineered plans for containment. Will the air smell the same?”

Morton elaborated her vision of the environmental detriment.

“Wildlife and plant life do not co-exist well with industrial buildings, 15 acres of paved and lit parking lots, concrete, buses, trucks, cars and people. Severing animal habitats with roads and industrial parks has a significant, if not catastrophic impact on survival.”

The University
With such a drastic shift in the environment of Fort Ord, there is speculation that Whispering Oaks could greatly impact the student population at CSUMB.

Intergarrison Road is planned to become the major east-west multi-modal corridor connecting Salinas to Marina.

“Students, who currently enjoy the ease and beauty of traversing the natural environment between campus and BLM land on bikes or foot, will now share Inter-Garrison Rd. with more traffic and no woodland forest to traverse and enjoy.” says Morton. She further explains that the buses would run late night and early morning. “Just as building a university like CSUMB on the former Fort Ord creates a public benefit, so too does improving our public transit infrastructure as both projects result in creating economic opportunity and improved public infrastructure on the former army base.”

[Ed. Note]: Below is an extended reporting on the Whispering Oaks development from differing perspectives on how the center will affect different groups.

The Equestrians:

Building on this site would destroy the Sgt. Allan MacDonald Cavalry Trail and greenway, which is regularly used by equestrians. It is the only existing trail from the Marina Equestrian Center to the Jerry Smith Corridor and open space. This trail has been in use since the 1950s; first by army personnel and later by the public when the base opened to civilians.

“It is my understanding that the alleged trail used by some is in fact not an official trail at all,” argues Sedoryk. The trail is not recognized on a map, and it operates as a PG&E access trail to a high-pressure gas line on the Redevelopment Agency’s (RDA) property; however, they have no legal right to do so.

Although the County has planned a 10-foot trail around and through the development in mitigation, ForU asserts simply the ground upon which it sits does not define a trail.

“A trail is defined by the landscape it traverses.” says Morton. “To reduce the Sgt Allen MacDonald trail to a 10’ swath between industrial parking areas is simply unacceptable.”

The Veterans:

“When I stand on the hill and look out over the Pacific my mind goes from it being 1966. I was very fortunate to have spent about a year at Fort Ord.”

Thaddeus sits in his Olympia home and reflects on his warm memories of Fort Ord. Dropping out of high school at 17 to become a trainee in 1966, Thad feels a strong connection to the lands. Though beneath sparks of appreciation for life, rests an unsettling ember of despair.

The Fort Ord lands act as a memory for the 2 million soldiers who trained here from 1917 to 1994, from World War I to Operation Desert Storm.

“I think there needs to be a lot more consideration as to preservation and protection of the physical history and thus create a sort of living memorial to all those who served at Ft Ord in this way”, says Thaddeus, “Many who never served in the military have no idea what some of these things mean to us veterans.”

Thaddeus reflects upon future generations when asserting why we should preserve the land. “I want the future and current generations to enjoy the physical beauty of the Fort Ord area as it has been for decades rather than another blighted area of malls, freeways and neon fast food signs.... remember once the trees are gone, they are gone”

The Politics:

Because the Fort has been open to the public in only the past recent years, MST and the Redevelopment Agency are hastening their project plans at a rate critics say is too fast to properly implicate the project. Thaddeus asserts, “I see a fractured process were one entity has little or no idea as to what another component is doing and the approval process…might very well need an ‘Oversight Committee’ of some sort so that all projects could be studied for environmental impact.”

The governing boards of the Redevelopment Agency, MST and the Fort Ord ReUse Authority are comprised of local elected officials who are held accountable to the constituents they represent. “The staff of MST and the RDA is accountable directly to all of the people of Monterey County, not a single interest group,” Sedoryk explained. “Given the numerous elected officials, federal and state oversight already involved, I am unconvinced that the creation of yet another body to provide oversight will provide value to the communities we serve.

The Economy:

Proponents of Whispering Oaks insist immense economic stimulation will occur. Before the closure of the former Fort Ord, the base employed 15,000 troops and thousands of local civilian employees.

Following the closure, the loss of jobs and tax revenue devastated the local economy, reducing funding for public infrastructure, government services, and local schools.

According to Sedoryk, the Whispering Oaks industrial park will create approximately 500 construction related jobs for an 18 month to 2-year period during the construction phase, which will help stimulate our local economy, which has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state and nation.

“The new businesses in the industrial park will create high paying jobs in areas of industrial design and engineering and offer an alternative employment to the historically low paying hospitality, agriculture, or public service positions that currently dominate the employment marketplace in our region.” Sedoryk elaborates. “It all comes down to a question of establishing a balance between environmental protection and economic opportunity.”

Though advocates of Whispering Oaks envision economic benefits, Gail Morton of ForU begs to differ. “Monterey County’s economy is dependent upon three things: education, agriculture, and tourism. The recreational opportunities on former Fort Ord attract tourists and have the potential to draw many, many more if protected.”

She urges the community to look outside and observe all the vacant commercial real estate that would be suitable for Whispering Oaks. According to Morton, the demand for more heavy commercial development does not exist and is not likely to exist in the near future.

ForU is not against MST transportation or the development of Whispering Oaks; ForU is against development at this location. Their stance is that the proposed location is detrimental to students, tourists, and the environment. And with $30 million of low interest loans for its project, the money will flow into our county’s economy regardless of which site Whispering Oaks is built on. ForU urges MST to build on other land and thus enhance the economy and protect the oak woodland.

The Activists’ Efforts:

There is a great push on our campus to protect the Fort Ord lands from development. Kay Cline recognizes the significance and passion at CSUMB regarding land protection.

“CSUMB Biology professor Suzy Worcester is very active in working with us. We have heard from students that they treasure the open space available now so close to campus. We hope that many will be interested in helping to preserve this for the future.”

Despite the efforts by CSUMB and environmental groups, Whispering Oaks is gaining political momentum. The Fort Ord subcommittee of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors (consisting of Supervisors Jane Parker and Dave Potter) voted to recommend progressing the project, and the Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on a memorandum, which qualifies the Redevelopment Agency and MST to work together.

MST monthly board meetings are held at One Ryan Ranch Road, Monterey and allow for public. Morton and Cline urge students to become involved by volunteering with forU, Sustainable Seaside, Sustainable Marina or another affiliate group. Gail Morton exclaims, “Write letters to your elected officials, attend informational meetings, and speak up at local government meetings. If the referendum is placed on the ballot there will be a political campaign, requiring volunteers and donations. Everyone has something to give, and a great deal to gain.”