Monterey is a city with a unique and diversified resident population of over 33,000. The City government provides services to a population closer to 70,000 due to the large visitor, employment, and military populations in our City. The City of Monterey is home to world-famous Cannery Row, Old Fisherman's Wharf, Naval Postgraduate School, Defense Language Institute / U.S. Army Garrison Presidio of Monterey, U.S. Coast Guard Station Monterey, and Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Monterey features the Peninsula's community college, hospital and healthcare facilities, and largest shopping center, the County Fairgrounds, and the largest number of hotels in the region. Our community is home to California's first public building, custom house, public library, and theater. The Royal Presidio Chapel in Monterey is the oldest continuously functioning church in California. Monterey's major challenge today is to continue to provide efficient, high-quality municipal services, while balancing reasonable economic vitality and growth with the preservation of our area's special historic and environmental resources.
