IV. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES — Would the project:
e) Conflict with any local policies or ordinances protecting biological resources, such as a tree preservation policy or ordinance?
From Comments by Michael Emmett, President, Mal Paso Property Association
The Carmel Highlands community is completely surrounded by Federal, State and local parks plus natural preserve/protected areas including a number of ocean reserves. I’ve put forward additional anecdotal arguments for increased environmental impacts based on reported behaviors of STR tenants and the lack of adequate supervision and enforcement abilities in these sensitive habitat areas in and around the Carmel Highlands. Again, other communities would need to evaluate whether they have similar concerns.. . . For example, we have observed tenants collecting specimens from tide pools and other onshore/nearshore habitats, climbing down and damaging hazardous and environmentally sensitive cliffs, starting campfires in illegal locations and trespassing onto private property that contain sensitive habitats and cultural artifacts.”
