Marina's Plan and Aloha Tan

Marina's downtown plan taking shape: "A city effort to pump new life into downtown Marina will take another step forward Thursday. The Marina Planning Commission will meet to go over what should be addressed in a formal environmental report on the 'Downtown Vitalization Specific Plan." - Monterey Herald

When I drive into Marina, like I did last night, I never think to myself "what a cute little town!" It seems like a giant cut a sliver of Seaside and placed it a few miles north. There is nothing that really sets it apart from the surrounding towns. For example, Pacific Grove has its own character, as do Monterey and Carmel. Sand City is basically big-name store-land, three square miles of businesses - they don't even have a post office and their population is under 300 (based on the 2000 census). Seaside has some golden flecks as well - CSUMB, Fort Ord History, Message Mountain. But.... Marina? Um... let me think. There's a Walmart? That hardly counts as charm.

The Marina Planning Commission has developed a formal environmental report called the "Downtown Vitalization Specific Plan." Interesting.

What the plan entails:

• develop 225 acres that stretch across Reservation Road, Del Monte Boulevard, Reindollar Ave, Sunset Ave, Carmel Ave, and Crescent Ave.
• possibly change Reservation Road to 2 lanes (from the 4 current ones)
• transform Marina into a "lively mix of varied land uses"
• developing the culture of downtown Marina through the addition of a civic center at Del Monte/Reservation intersection
• establish development standards (infrastructure requirements, financing methods, etc)
• add 2,400 high-density housing units
• create 380,000 square feet of commercial space... for retail services along Del Monte Blvd

City Council makes the final decision in a couple of months, after lots of meeting with the project managers. I think that this is a great idea.... It seems faster for me to make the drive to Marina from Fort Ord than go all the way to Seaside via General Jim Moore road.

Last night I went to Marina .... not holding anything back on this blog so here goes ... to get a spray tan. I know, it's so silly! BUT - I'm going to Vegas and I have a job, so why not? I went to Aloha Tan (266-Q Reservation Rd, Marina) and I loved the experience. It was my first time doing an airbrush tan. I arrived 30 minutes until closing, no one was there. The airbursher took me into the back room and after about 20 minutes I was finished! Right next door was a CVS pharmacy, so I bought some travel shampoo, conditioner, and lotion that fit TSA's flying standards (under 3 ounces).

I can't wait for Vegas! Only a few more hours :)