Santa Cruz County Local News: Land Use & Development


All Local Land Use & Development News articles contributed by our local media allies and other local newsrooms.

Image caption: The 1965 law known as the Williamson Act has been responsible for keeping about half of California's farmland out of the hands of developers.
The Williamson Act: How the Law That Protects California’s Farmland Works

The Williamson Act, passed in 1965, now keeps more than 16 million acres of farmland out of the hands of developers. Here's how the law puts the brakes on the development of California agricultural properties.

Image caption: Does California’s signature environmental law protect the state’s scenic beauty, or cause more problems than it solves?
CEQA: The Surprising Story of CA’s Key Environmental Law

The California Environmental Quality Act, CEQA, is both the state’s signature environmental legislation, and is also often named as the villain in the state’s housing shortage. But the story may not be that simple.

Image caption: The Baldwin Hills area in South Los Angeles is one region where a state conservancy would keep open land accessible to the public.
California’s 10 State Conservancies: How They Protect Parks and Open Land

How California’s 10 state conservancies buy up open land and shield it from developers to preserve the natural environment for public use.

Image caption: Since 1972, the California Coastal Commission has ruled over the state’s shoreline.
California Coastal Commission: Where It Comes From, What It Does

What is the California Coastal Commission? How one of the state’s most powerful agency protects public access to the state’s scenic coast from Mexico to Oregon.

Image caption: How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland

California has used reclamation districts to turn millions of acres of unusable swamps into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush. Here’s how it happened.

Image caption: Zoning laws tell you what you can and can't build on the property you own. How does government get away with that?
How Zoning Laws Shape California and Society

Zoning laws determine what can be built and where. These laws have shaped California, but are they really just tools for social engineering? The history of zoning is closely tied to racial segregation, as well as the state's shortage of …

Image caption: Lighthouse Field in Santa Cruz, which might be a huge resort if not for the Coastal Commission.
The Public Shore Protectors

The future of 1,100 miles of spectacular coastline is in the hands of the California Coastal Commission, which is beloved by coastal environmentalists, notorious among those who favor development, and little-known in the inland parts of the state.

California Local Pin Marker From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

04/25/2024
Demolition of the church at the center of the Santa Cruz circles was completed on April 23, making way for construction of a ring of house to be built on the 1.6-acre parcel.

Good Times logo From Good Times...

04/24/2024
Image for display with article titled How Tall Will We Go?

When the Town Clock was dedicated in 1976, it represented Santa Cruzans’ hopes for the future and recalled memories of turn-of-the-century Pacific Avenue when trolleys lumbered by and the clock sat atop the Odd Fellows Building.

California Local Pin Marker From Lookout Local...

04/24/2024
Santa Cruz City Schools is exploring the development and building below-market rate housing for teachers and other staff priced out of the county rental market.

California Local Pin Marker From Lookout Local...

04/24/2024
The City of Santa Cruz acquired the Toadal Fitness parcel downtown for $2.5 million as part of the mixed-use library project.

The Pajaronian logo From The Pajaronian...

04/19/2024
Image for display with article titled U.S. Army Corps Seeks Public Input on Pajaro River Levee Environmental Study

The agency responsible for the rebuild of the Pajaro River Levee has completed an environmental assessment for Reach 6 of the project, and is seeking public input before finalizing it.

The Pajaronian logo From The Pajaronian...

04/19/2024
Image for display with article titled ‘Nuisance’ Homeless Camp on Airport Blvd. Approved for Clearing, Cleanup

In a weed-strewn, vacant lot on Airport Boulevard Tuesday, Bryan Hilgeman was busy around his makeshift tarp dwelling where he lives, along with about 40 people in the unsanctioned homeless camp.

KSQD logo From KSQD...

04/18/2024
Image for display with article titled Low-Impact Camping Ordinance Raises Questions in Fire Zone

The Low Impact Camping Ordinance drafted by the Santa Cruz County Planning Commission took some rural residents by surprise.

Santa Cruz Local logo From Santa Cruz Local...

04/18/2024
Image for display with article titled Transportation Commission Reaffirms Support for Rail Trail

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission on Thursday reaffirmed its support for a paved path parallel to the train tracks through Capitola and Seacliff.

California Local Pin Marker From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

04/17/2024
The City of Santa Cruz is set to begin a pilot program of neighborhood street sweeping, including a provision to tow vehicles not complying with posted parking limits.

San Lorenzo Valley Post logo From San Lorenzo Valley Post...

04/15/2024
Image for display with article titled AmeriCorps Team Improves San Lorenzo Valley Native Habitat

An AmeriCorps team led by San Lorenzo Valley Native Habitat Restoration Program founder and advisor Linda Skeff weeded invasive plants from the native plant demonstration beds at the San Lorenzo Valley Museum Grace Gallery in Boulder Creek on a rainy Saturday in April.

California Local Pin Marker From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

04/15/2024
California State Parks and partner Friends of California State Parks are working together on a project to rehabilitate a number of dunes at Rio Del Mar State Beach to reduce erosion, increase resilience and restore wildlife habitat.

Press Banner logo From Press Banner...

04/12/2024
Image for display with article titled State Certifies Scotts Valley’s Housing Element on First Try

During a report at the April 3 Council meeting, Scotts Valley City Manager Mali LaGoe announced the California Department of Housing and Community Development had certified its Housing Element—on its first try.

California Local Pin Marker From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

04/12/2024
The Downtown Streets Program is growing to 8 teams in the County with the start of a new 6 month pilot program in Boulder Creek on the Highway 9 commercial corridor.

California Local Pin Marker From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

04/12/2024
The next phase of the $94.2M project to add lanes and bike/pedestrian overpasses on the three mile span of Highway 1 between the three mile Bay Avenue/Porter Street has commenced.

KSQD logo From KSQD...

04/11/2024
Image for display with article titled California’s Insurance Crisis: Interview With Deputy Insurance Commissioner Michael Soller

In part II of "Have you Been Canceled?", a look at California's homeowner's insurance crisis, Rachel Anne Goodman talks with Deputy Insurance Commissioner and spokesperson for Commissioner Ricardo Lara, Michael Soller.

California Local Pin Marker From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

04/10/2024
In its April 9 meeting, the Watsonville City Council voted to seek contractor bids to clear out a homeless camp from the nearly 2-acre lot on Airport Boulevard.

Santa Cruz Local logo From Santa Cruz Local...

04/09/2024
Image for display with article titled One-Way Traffic on West Cliff Quashed by Santa Cruz City Council

The Santa Cruz City Council on Tuesday unanimously rejected a pilot program for one-way traffic on West Cliff Drive. 

California Local Pin Marker From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

04/07/2024
Marimo Berk and Brad Lewis joined the Board of Directors of Sempervirens Fund, the oldest land trust in California.
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