Bobby Richards

Candidate for City Council (At-Large), Carmel-by-the-Sea · Driving Instructor

Richards is a driving instructor and property manager. He grew up on the Monterey Peninsula, attending Pacific Grove High School, and became an engaged Carmel-by-the-Sea resident and business owner. He served on the Board of the Carmel Chamber of Commerce, was appointed to the city's activities and cultural commission, and was elected to the Carmel-by-the-Sea City Council, serving from 2016 to 2024. He has also served on the Board of the Carmel Residents Association. Earlier in his career he worked for over a decade for Carmel hotelier Denny LeVett, including as general manager of the Cypress Inn and other Carmel hotels, and co-owned the Fly Away Cafe, Bar and Lounge at the Monterey Peninsula Airport with restaurateur Rich Pèpe. He stepped away from public service due to a brief health challenge and says he has since fully recovered.

Richards describes his years in Carmel — as a teenager, a business owner, a Chamber of Commerce board member, an appointed cultural commissioner, and an elected councilmember from 2016 to 2024 — as 'growth rings' that shaped him into a better listener and stronger advocate for the village. He says he stepped away from public service due to a brief health challenge, is now fully recovered, and wants to bring his experience, perspective, and a collaborative spirit back to the council as Carmel faces important decisions about its future.

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