Spruce Street could close to vehicles from the Kaiser arena to Pacific Avenue as part of a downtown expansion proposal. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local file)
Santa Cruz City Council meeting
- 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 13 at 809 Center St., Santa Cruz. Join in person, on Zoom or by phone at 833-548-0276, meeting ID 946 8440 1344. The meeting will be streamed on the city’s website.
- To comment ahead of the meeting, email [email protected] by 5 p.m. Monday, May 12.
SANTA CRUZ >> A plan to allow a new Santa Cruz Warriors arena in Downtown Santa Cruz and more homes south of Laurel Street could inch toward final approval at a Santa Cruz City Council meeting Tuesday.
Council members will consider acceptance of an environmental review of the Downtown Plan expansion. The Santa Cruz Planning Commission voted in favor of the plan April 17.
The downtown expansion plan would raise maximum building heights and aims to allow the development of 1,600 new housing units with at least 20% of them rented below market rate. City planners want the densest development from Pacific Avenue to the San Lorenzo River, Santa Cruz Senior Planner Sarah Neuse has said.
City officials have tried to quell fears about taller buildings with a policy that incentivises developers to limit their projects to 12 stories. With state density bonus laws, taller buildings could be proposed.
The April 17 planning commission meeting was attended by dozens of residents. Many expressed concerns about the proposed height limits of the buildings, affordability of the housing that could be built and potential displacement to residents and businesses.
Others spoke in support of the plan and the potential increase in activity and tourism to the neighborhood.
The downtown expansion plan includes proposals for:
- A 3,200-seat permanent arena for the Santa Cruz Warriors basketball team, likely south of Spruce Street between Pacific Avenue and Front Street.
- A car-free plaza along Spruce Street.
- Bike and pedestrian safety improvements.
- Ground-floor shops along the San Lorenzo Riverwalk.
- More seating and landscaping along the Riverwalk on the San Lorenzo River levee.
- Better connections between downtown and the river and beach areas, including a revamped Cliff Street stairs and viewpoint.
If the Santa Cruz City Council advances the plan Tuesday, it would need a second vote from the council and approval from the California Coastal Commission.
Read more
Inside the plan to expand Downtown Santa Cruz — June 14, 2024
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Nik Altenberg is a bilingual reporter and assistant editor at Santa Cruz Local. Nik Altenberg es reportera bilingüe y redactora asistente para Santa Cruz Local.
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.
