City of Gonzales
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: January 20, 2026
FROM: Taven Kinison Brown, Community Development Director THROUGH: Carmen Gil, City Manager
SUBJECT: Community Development Department Activity Report
HOUSING
The Vista Lucia Specific Plan. On Thursday, January 8, 2026, city staff gathered a meeting together with LAFCo, the Agricultural Land Trust of Monterey County, the Pembrook Development Team, and representatives of a potential agricultural mitigation site for the conversion of agricultural lands on the Fanoe Family Properties. The meeting revealed that additional work and collaborative efforts will be necessary between all parties. Once the City’s agricultural mitigation offer has been determined, the mitigation proposal will be incorporated into the City of Gonzales’s Annexation proposal before LAFCo.
The Housing Element. Placeworks Inc. is underway preparing the implementation programs for the 6th Cycle Housing Element. Placeworks’ aid to the city is being paid with our REAP 2.0 Grant administered through AMBAG.
The Puente Del Monte Specific Plan. On Monday, January 26, 2026, the Planning Commission will convene to consider the EIR kick-off and EIR Scoping meeting for the revised Puente Del Monte (PDM) Specific Plan Project. The PDM Specific Plan area covers approximately 500 acres and will include a range of housing types and property sizes comprising approximately 2,600 living units, school sites, commercial sites and abundant recreation and open space opportunities. The site is aligned along Gloria Road adjacent to the future Rianda Cooler site annexed into the City previously.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AGENDA
ITEM
7 The Freeway Oriented Electronic Billboard. Ground breaking and on-site construction for this longanticipated addition to Gonzales will happen in the week January 19-23. City staff has been making our best effort to have PGE complete their electrical service to the sign, prior to, or upon construction.
BUILDING DIVISION ACTIVITY
From November 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025 (61 reporting days) the City issued 14 permits for removal and replacement of a generator, a garage conversion to an ADU, reroofs and plumbing among others. The estimated value of improvements was $280,021.60.
CODE ENFORCEMENT
The City continues to meet with property owners, inspect potential violations and start documentation to progress to remedies.
CITY BUSINESS LICENSES
City staff recently mailed and followed through with ~70 incomplete business license applications to seek compliance. Responses were robust, and local businesses are becoming compliant.