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Monterra®…in the News

Saluting 25 Years of Monterey Service

Preserving the County's Best
Monterey, California's Roger Mills
SkyWest Magazine
July/August 2007

WHEN ROGER MILLS came to Monterey County 50 years ago, sardines were still packed on Cannery Row. A mere 20,000 people lived in Salinas, and native son John Steinbeck had yet to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Mills and his brother Basel sold vegetables. Today, their Mills Family Farms is a wholly integrated agricultural company with a heartfelt sense of community commitment. That philosophy of preserving the best of Monterey County spills over into private life and other ventures, including Monterra, a pristine hillside residential development with stunning views and an abundance of wildlife. Here, he discusses the changes his home place has experienced and the ongoing advantages of what he terms a "blessed life."

Q. Unlike many tony neighborhoods, Monterra promotes an intense sense of community. How important is that to you personally?

A. It's very important. My only daughter lives just a halfmile down the road. J have seven wonderful grandchildren. Children are so important; 1 want Monterra to be just the same as it is now 50 years from now, for them. So, we have functions here at my house where the people can get to know each other and become friends. We recently had a movie night. We put up a big screen in my living room and watched an old Clint Eastwood movie. We had other movies in another room for the kids. We also do nature walks and cooking classes. So, people can gather together and have fun.

Q. Clint Eastwood's Tehama development neighbors Monterra. 00 you two share similar philosophies regarding development?

A. That's right I really admire his commitment to open space and maintaining the environment. We try to do all we can to save the trees, even lowering the roads where there are low hanging branches. The long-range plan is that both Monterra and Tehama go on ad infinitum. This is a really special place, so beautiful and quiet and yet so close to Carmel and Monterey and all that they have to offer. Plus we're only three minutes from the airport and from there you can go anywhere.

Q. So regional air service plays an important role in the Monterra lifestyle?

A. Absolutely. It gives us fast access to either Los Angeles or San Francisco. I can get to the east coast where my granddaughter goes to school in Virginia. In the old clays you had to drive up to either San Francisco or San Jose. It's also very important to our business. Besides fanning in the Salinas Valley, we also contract with farmers in the Imperial Valley. Being able to fly right into Yuma has been a tremendous service.

Q. How does being a farmer affect your role as a developer?

A. Farmers, in my opinion are true environmentalists. We make a living from the soil. We know it has to be sustainable. And, when you have a beautiful area like Monterra, we want it to be sustained as well. It's important just to preserve it.  

Inside Tip:

Given all the wonderful attractions Monterey County presents visitors, Roger Mills thought hard before sharing a little-known local treasure. "If you go out Lighthouse to Pacific Grove, there's a beautiful park-like area on the right hand of the street. You walk down to the beach and you can still find seashells. I took my daughter there when she was a little girl and now she takes her children to the same spot. It's a beautiful and private area. In 40 years I've only seen people there two or three times. It's so tranquil, it's really magical," he said.

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