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Whispering Oaks, the proposed business park anchored by a 24-acre Monterey-Salinas Transit headquarters on the former Fort Ord, took a big step forward June 14, when the Board of Supervisors overturned the Planning Commission's unanimous nix of the project's oak-studded location on the former Fort Ord.

But LandWatch and forU, a new activist group opposing Monterey County's three big Fort Ord redevelopment projects, still hope to stop the development by popular vote.

"Your testimony and letters [against the project siting] were outstanding and sent a clear message," reads an email to members of the forU Google group, referring to the five hours of public comment and hundreds of signatures against to the project.

"forU intends to continue its efforts to get MST to build at a different location. The Supervisors will make an official ruling on July 12…Between now and July 12, we are getting organized for a referendum."

The county Planning Commission unanimously rejected the Whispering Oaks proposal in March, largely on account of the large number of trees to be cut. Redevelopment officials subsequently scaled back the oak removal plans from 4,400 to 3,400 trees.

forU is also rallying against the Monterey Downs Horsepark and the Eastside Parkway.