Client: County of Monterey

East Garrison is a large scale mixed-use project being developed on 245 acres of the former Fort Ord military base in Monterey County, just east of the City of Marina. The project can be described as a compact “new urban” community including 1,400 housing units, a town center, 45 acres of parks and open space, rehabilitation of numerous historic buildings for “artist studio space” within an arts/cultural district and other community amenities. The housing mix will include a variety of small-lot units, attached townhouses, condominiums and apartments. A minimum of 20% of the housing units will be affordable to very low- to moderate-income households.

Keyser Marston analyzed the fiscal impacts of this project to the Monterey County General Fund, Public Works Fund, Library District, Salinas Rural Fire District and the Monterey-Salinas Transit District.

Since the project is in an unincorporated area of the county, Keyser Marston’s analysis considered traditional municipal service costs as well as countywide services such as health and social services. Projected fiscal deficits from the project are to be addressed through a negotiated expansion in privately funded services. The economic benefit analysis quantified the employment and payroll benefits of the project to the surrounding community. Keyser Marston provided this work as part of ongoing services for the county as a member of the real estate negotiations team for this project. The East Garrison project was unanimously approved by the County Board of Supervisors in October 2005.