MONTEREY – The Judicial Branch of California will have a decision to make concerning where to build a new Monterey County Superior Courthouse with sites being considered in Greenfield and Seaside.

But that has District 1 Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo concerned that what was once promised to South Monterey County residents and communities is now being scuttled.

“It’s hard not to be upset when you are told one thing and find out they’re doing another,” said Alejo. “It’s a betrayal for a community that’s been waiting for years for a courthouse.”

In March 2010, the court and Administrative Office of the Courts (now the Judicial Council of California), announced that the city of Greenfield had been selected as the preferred site for a new courthouse because the now defunct King City courthouse had become unsafe and physically deficient. The King City facility was closed in September 2013, forcing South County residents to drive long distances to access courts.

But last September, Monterey County judges expressed an interest in up to 10 acres of the possible Seaside Civic Campus concept, which could include a new Monterey County Superior Courthouse along with a new Seaside City Hall and a community building for the arts and other uses, within 30 acres of the 625-acre Seaside East planning area.

“The feasibility study is in progress,” said Craig Malin, Seaside’s city manager. “An update will be provided to the City Council (Thursday) at 5:30. The final report will be complete by mid-May.”

That prospect has raised the ire of South Monterey County leaders, including Alejo, District 3 Supervisor Chris Lopez, and Greenfield Mayor Lance Walker.

The three wrote an op-ed piece, “A South County Courthouse Must Have Priority,” decrying the possibility of a Greenfield courthouse being abandoned for one in Seaside.

The opinion piece states that South Monterey County was promised a new courthouse by judicial leaders including entering into a memorandum of understanding with the city of Greenfield. A parcel of land was dedicated for the purpose and the project received an early planning grant by the Judicial Council.

California Courts, the Judicial Branch of California, says on its website that the new South County courthouse would provide the southern region a modern, secure, full-service facility and reduce the overcrowding at the Monterey and Salinas courthouses by appropriately hearing South County matters in a South County facility.

“A proposed courthouse in Seaside is now receiving preference with our local courts citing ‘seismic’ and other concerns at the existing Monterey-Aguajito Road facility,” said the opinion piece.

But the state did declare the Superior Court of California, Monterey Division courthouse on Aguajito Road in Monterey a seismic risk.

In a Judicial Council report from October 2017, “Seismic Risk Rating of California Superior Court Buildings Volume 1 & 2,” the Monterey Courthouse, which was built in 1965, received a “very high risk” rating recommended as highest priority for mitigation of risk, and would take between $22 million and $28 million to retrofit.

The South County leaders said: “We have some of the most hardworking people in the county that need access to local courts and need the system to start working for their interests now.”

Alejo believes that before anything else is considered, the Judicial Council and Monterey County judicial leaders should prioritize a Greenfield courthouse over a Seaside courthouse because of previous agreements and stated need.

Alejo said the South County leaders will meet with state Sen. Anna Caballero and Assemblyman Robert Rivas to ensure that the Greenfield facility is built first, and though it has not happened yet, Seaside city leaders will also be contacted to talk about the situation.

California courts has not given any indication of where it would like to build a new courthouse now that Seaside is a consideration. The Judicial Council will make recommendations but the eventual decision will be up to the California Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom.