Editor’s note: The Santa Cruz City Council item on the Food Bin redevelopment will take place no earlier than 7:15 p.m. April 30, said Santa Cruz City Clerk Bonnie Bush. This story has been updated.
Santa Cruz Local newsletter briefs for the week of April 29:
HOUSING
Housing and construction updates in Santa Cruz, Capitola, Live Oak
A 36-unit affordable housing project at 4401 Capitola Road started construction this month. (Studio T-Sq. Inc.)
Santa Cruz Local’s Housing and Construction page has been updated.
- 4401 Capitola Road, Capitola. The Bluffs at 44th is a 36-unit affordable housing project that started construction this month and is expected to finish in 2025. Twenty-five homes are expected to be filled through the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz’s Housing Choice Voucher waitlist which opens every several years. An interest list for 10 more units is expected to open in early 2025. One unit is for a manager.
- 111 Errett Circle, Santa Cruz: The Circle Church was razed this month. The Santa Cruz City Council in 2020 approved two versions of a housing project: one with 12 houses and 12 in-law units, and another with 10 houses, four in-law units and six detached condominiums.
- 2020 N. Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz: Clocktower Center includes two versions of a housing project. One version has 260 units in a 16-story building and another has 174 units in an eight-story building.
- Soquel Drive and Thurber Lane, Live Oak: Five apartment buildings are proposed on roughly 6 acres at the northeast corner of Thurber Lane and Soquel Drive. The number of proposed units and other details were not yet available. Developers from Anton Thurber LLC plan to have a community meeting on the proposal at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 29 at the Congregational Church of Soquel, 4951 Soquel Drive, Soquel.
—Stephen Baxter
Read Santa Cruz Local’s Housing and Construction Page
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Supervisors to revisit mid-county rail trail
Two designs for rail trail construction for Segments 9 and 10 are expected to be considered by the board of supervisors April 30. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local file)
9 a.m. Tuesday, April 30 / Online and at 701 Ocean Street, Room 525, Santa Cruz
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors April 30 is expected to reconsider approval of Segments 10 and 11 of the Coastal Rail Trail through Live Oak, Capitola and Seacliff.
On March 29, the supervisors accepted an environmental report for the project, but did not choose between two options for the segments: a permanent trail next to the tracks or an interim trail atop them. Supervisors also did not approve an agreement with the state due in June to accept a $68 million state grant.
In a report, county staff recommended that the supervisors approve the permanent trail next to the tracks and allow a funding agreement for the grant.
The state grant is supposed to be approved by June. Supervisors and staff have disagreed on whether missing the June deadline would put the $68 million at risk. Staff wrote that if the delay was due to the county’s inability to approve the project, the state would be unlikely to give an extension and the money could be withdrawn.
—Jesse Kathan
Supervisors to weigh North Coast projects
At the Santa Cruz County Supervisors April 30 meeting, supervisors are set to consider a master plan for restrooms, trails, parking lots and other facilities on the North Coast.
The North Coast Facilities Master Plan is a long-term vision for construction, maintenance and cleanup from Big Basin to Wilder Ranch. The plan has been crafted in coordination with Santa Cruz County Parks, State Parks, Land Trust of Santa Cruz County and other groups. The proposed projects aim to adapt local parks and beaches to recent increases in tourism. Some proposals include:
- Overnight cabins, a discovery center, dining hall and kitchen at Greyhound Rock County Park.
- Paved parking in Davenport and Panther Beach as part of the rail-trail project.
- Restrooms at Panther Beach, Shark Fin Cove and Four Mile Beach.
- A Highway 1 bridge replacement and restrooms at Scott Creek Beach.
Funding is still not assured for many of the projects.
—Jesse Kathan
To participate: Join on Zoom or call 669-900-6833, meeting ID 817 3220 2363. To comment ahead of the meeting, email [email protected] by 5 p.m. Monday. The meeting will be streamed on Facebook.
SANTA CRUZ CITY COUNCIL
City council to weigh Food Bin proposal
The Santa Cruz City Council on April 30 is expected to consider permits for a 59-unit housing proposal above a revamped Food Bin and Herb Room on Mission Street in Santa Cruz. (Workbench)
7:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 30 / Online and at 809 Center St., Santa Cruz
The Santa Cruz City Council is expected to weigh approval of a 59-unit housing proposal above the Food Bin and Herb Room on Mission Street.
The Santa Cruz Planning Commission approved the project on Jan. 18 after a crowded, four-hour meeting. It was then appealed to the city council. The council is set to vote on several permits including one for demolition.
The Food Bin, Herb Room and a takeout coffee bar are planned for the ground floor. Four stories of housing would be built above it, including 50 market-rate studios, eight affordable studios and one manager’s unit. Plans include 10 electric-vehicle charging stations, two accessible parking spaces and 92 bicycle parking spaces. Developers have said the hope is for a “car-free community.”
—Jesse Kathan
To participate: Join on Zoom or call 833-548-0276, meeting ID 946 8440 1344. To comment ahead of the meeting, email [email protected] by 5 p.m. Monday. The meeting will be streamed on Community TV.
SCOTTS VALLEY
Scotts Valley City Council to discuss parks plan
Skaters at Skypark in Scotts Valley in 2022. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local file)
5 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 / Online and at 1 Civic Center Drive
The Scotts Valley City Council and Parks and Recreation Commission plan to discuss the city’s parks and open spaces at a May 1 special joint meeting. A master plan developed last year outlines potential improvements and new facilities based on input from residents.
Some recommendations from the report include a new restroom at Skypark, a renovated playground at MacDorsa Park, replacing grass with native plants at several parks and trail maintenance at Lodato Park and Glenwood Open Space Preserve.
Many residents who completed a survey said they wanted another swimming pool and more dog parks. With limited money and city-owned land, the priority should be improving existing parks rather than building new facilities, city staff wrote.
—Nik Altenberg
To participate: Join on Zoom or call 669-900-9128, meeting ID 832 9573 0901. To comment ahead of the meeting, email [email protected]. The meeting will be streamed on YouTube.
Questions or comments? Email [email protected]. Santa Cruz Local is supported by members, major donors, sponsors and grants for the general support of our newsroom. Our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. Learn more about Santa Cruz Local and how we are funded.
Stephen Baxter is a co-founder and editor of Santa Cruz Local. He covers Santa Cruz County government.
Jesse Kathan is a staff reporter for Santa Cruz Local through the California Local News Fellowship. They hold a master's degree in science communications from UC Santa Cruz.
Nik Altenberg is a copy editor and fact checker for Santa Cruz Local. Altenberg holds a bachelor’s degree in Latin American and Latinx Studies from UC Santa Cruz.
