We had the opportunity to spend a few minutes yesterday with
Congressman Sam Farr and State Senator Bill Monning at an open forum updating
everyone on the status of the Veterans Cemetery on Ft. Ord. It was a fairly
well attended event with parties from both sides of the issue.
My first thought is it’s rather odd that there would even be
two sides to this issue. Clearly the community has spoken out in support of the
Veterans Cemetery time and time again over twenty some years. Yet, there are
still a handful of people that continue to harp on the same issues that have
been addressed and readdressed time and time again. Clearly their collective opposition
is that they want nothing done at the site, or for that matter, anywhere else
on the former Ft. Ord. Period.
So please allow me to once again address the issues in a calm
and easy to understand form:
First, let’s address the biggest of the scare tactics
currently being used. The Veterans Cemetery is NOT connected in any way to the
Monterey Downs project. Senator Monning carried legislation a couple of years
ago to completely separate the two projects. So supporting the Cemetery does
not mean you support ‘gambling’ or any other perceived social ill the opposition
continues to throw out by connecting the two.
Second, the project is being reviewed for environmental
impacts by both the State and Federal government. Each has identified issues
that will be easily mitigated during the construction of the current 17 acre
project. These include the replacement of trees and the usual air quality,
drainage and other steps used during most any construction process in
California.
Next is the actual size of the project. When this project
was first envisioned twenty some years ago it was to be some 260 plus acres.
That was simply too big for everyone involved and has been completely re-imagined
under a much smaller total build out. Currently the only area under
consideration is the 17 acre columbarium. Any additional phases or additions
will require additional environmental review at that time. Legally, the current
proposed 17 acre site is all that can be reviewed at this time because there is
no funding or plans for the additional expansion that may or may not happen
over the next ten years or more.
Then there were comments made that the project needs more
review, that the site should be somewhere else and, of course, there will be
trees that will be removed. Let’s be clear about one thing. This project has
been reviewed, and reviewed, and reviewed - again over a twenty plus year
period. The site was selected years ago and reviewed in public by the Board of
Supervisors and by FORA. The general plans have been reviewed by FORA, the
County and the State. The voters weighed in with a special referendum and now
the State of California and the Federal government are making their final
reviews of the current 17 acre plan. This has been one of the most public
projects in the history of Monterey County and likely the State of California.
Trees. I will stipulate yes, there will be trees removed.
Just as there are trees removed for almost any other construction project. Of
course, there will be trees replanted as well. Let’s also be clear in that most
of the trees are scrub oaks, not the big majestic oaks that one might imagine.
Let’s also remember that this area has survived the most powerful army in the
world. It has withstood bombing, shelling, canons, grenades and just about any
other form of explosive, plus tanks, half tracks, trucks, jeeps and thousands
of troops stomping over the grounds… I do believe it will survive as the permanent
home for those that have served this country for generations.
It’s time that we ALL stand up and give our full support to
the Veterans Cemetery project and stop the fighting. As Congressman Farr stated…”he
has never seen so much made about so little”.
More later…
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