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It is Sand City’s intent to become a contemporary and balanced Monterey Peninsula city, deserving of its Peninsula gateway location. The City has gradually phased-out heavy industrial uses with a preference for becoming a more pedestrian and residentially oriented community. The old town district, commonly referred to as the “West End”, has begun transforming from its historically industrial presence on the Peninsula to a more visitor friendly mixed-use neighborhood, allowing for a montage of compatible mixed residential and commercial land uses. This area also features a mixture of talented artist workshops and galleries, thus enriching the community’s character.
Included in the City’s goals is to develop a residential enclave in that area referred to as the East Dunes, adjacent to and west of Highway One, south of Tioga Avenue. Development in this area is currently inhibited by the lack of water resources on the Peninsula and sensitive habitat issues specific to this area.
In realization of early goals to eliminate industrially blighted properties, the City now has two regional shopping centers; the Sand Dollar Center (completed in 1991), and the Edgewater Shopping Center (completed in 1997). Not only do these centers generate revenues for the State of California and Sand City and stimulate the Peninsula economy, but they revitalized blighted industrial properties by replacing an asphalt/concrete batch plant operation, multiple storage warehouses, heavy manufacturing uses, and industrial open storage yards.
Limited coastal development with one or two resorts has also been a long-standing goal of Sand City. Due to a Memorandum of Understanding between Sand City, the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation, 75% of Sand City’s coastline has been targeted for open space and habitat protection in conjunction with limited coastal development.
The City’s Planning Department and Redevelopment Agency continue to work towards realizing a balance between reasonable development, compatible uses, economic stimulation, and environmental protection.
