Santa Cruz County Local Land Use & Development News Articles and Digest

Land Use & Development Transportation

Santa Cruz RTC Seeks Aesthetic Design Input for Highway 1 Project

11/28/2023
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission will host an open house Dec. 5 in Aptos to gather input on aesthetic design elements for a major transportation project along Highway 1 to effectively blend elements such as retaining walls, bicycle and pedestrian fencing, and landscaping with the character of the town of Aptos.

From CalMatters...

Land Use & Development Housing Government

How San Diego Hacked State Housing Law to Build ADU ‘Apartment Buildings’

11/27/2023
A 2021 state law has radically changed the housing equation in San Diego. Advocates, developers, and policymakers are split on whether it should be exported to other jurisdictions.

From Press Banner...

Land Use & Development Government City of Scotts Valley

Scotts Valley Gets First Look at General Plan

11/22/2023
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The last time Scotts Valley got a new General Plan, Pete Wilson was California’s governor and Seagate Technology—which was still based in the community—hadn’t even expanded overseas.

From Santa Cruz Local...

Land Use & Development Housing County of Santa Cruz

Housing Plans Approved for Live Oak, Aptos, Soquel

11/17/2023
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Santa Cruz County Supervisors approved a plan to allow more than 6,000 new homes in unincorporated areas of the county in the next eight years.

From City on a Hill...

Education Land Use & Development

Kresge Renewal Phase I Unveiled, Construction Continues

11/10/2023
Beyond the whirring of power tools and sprawling construction of Old Kresge, new residence halls and academic centers stand among the redwoods. These are the buildings that have sprouted out of the first phase of the Kresge Renewal project.

From Los Angeles Times...

Environment Land Use & Development

A Proposed Development Might Threaten California’s Oldest Tree

11/06/2023
A shrubby Palmer oak tree in Riverside County is around 13,000 years old, making it California’s oldest tree and one of the longest-lived organisms on earth. Some people are concerned that a proposed development could threaten the tree.

From Santa Cruz Local...

Land Use & Development Transportation City of Santa Cruz

Proposed Hotel Height Allowed in Downtown Santa Cruz

10/25/2023
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Plus: Bus depot housing project expected to start in February.

From Press Banner...

Business, Economy & Jobs Land Use & Development City of Scotts Valley

Scotts Valley Selects Urban Field Studio for $160,000 Town Center Design Update

10/18/2023
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Scotts Valley City Council voted Oct. 4 to hand a $160,000 contract to Urban Field Studio for the plan refresh of the previously mothballed Town Center project.

From CalMatters...

Environment Land Use & Development Government

‘Another Attempt to Industrialize the Coast’: California’s Central Coast Residents Want to Halt Offshore Wind

10/15/2023
Massive ocean wind farms off Morro Bay and Santa Barbara County—which could transform these quiet coastal towns and affect marine life—face a turbulent path.

From The Pajaronian...

Land Use & Development Transportation Sustainability City of Watsonville

Council Approves Plan to Transform Downtown Watsonville

10/12/2023
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Watsonville officials envision downtown as a vibrant place where commerce, mixed-use housing and a transit system intermingle and trees line a two-lane Main Street.

From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

Land Use & Development

Aptos Village Phase 2 Construction in Progress

10/08/2023
“The second phase of the Aptos Village will complete a long-promised project for local residents,” wrote 2nd District Supervisor Zach Friend, who represents the Aptos region.

From Good Times...

Land Use & Development City of Santa Cruz

The Future of Downtown Santa Cruz

09/27/2023
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Visions clash over Santa Cruz’s urban development.

From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

Land Use & Development Housing

Watsonville Council, Planning Commission to Review Housing Element Draft

09/25/2023
The Watsonville City Council and Planning Commission both deal with land-use matters, and they will be joining forces to discuss one of the biggest land-use matters: how to allocate and construct 2,053 housing units over the next eight years.

From Santa Cruz Local...

Land Use & Development Housing City of Santa Cruz

Soquel Avenue Apartment Proposal Clears Hurdle in Santa Cruz

09/22/2023
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Neighborhood group concerned about safety and parking.

From Santa Cruz Local...

Land Use & Development Housing County of Santa Cruz

Thousands of Homes Planned for Aptos, Live Oak, Soquel in County’s Housing Element

09/21/2023
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The planned rezonings may reignite a years-old struggle over the fate of a former golf course in Aptos.

From CapPublicRadio...

Land Use & Development Government

Construction Around California Capitol Can Finally Start

09/21/2023
Work on a new annex, visitors center and underground parking garage can legally begin after the state issued a final, court-ordered review of the project. Plans have been on hold since early 2021.

From KSQD...

Land Use & Development Sustainability Housing State of California

Sustainability Now! Sunday, September 17th: Why Are Some People So Up in Arms About CEQA? With Professor Deborah Sivas, Stanford Law School

09/14/2023
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What do you know about CEQA, the California Environmental Quality Act, passed in 1970 and signed into law by then-Governor Ronald Reagan? Professor Deborah Sivas of Stanford Law School explains.

From CalMatters...

Environment Land Use & Development Water Government

Your Lawn May be Gone. New Bill Bans Irrigation of ‘Ornamental’ Lawns

09/13/2023
The irrigation bill, which aims to force businesses and institutions to remove their lawns, now goes to the governor.

From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

Land Use & Development City of Watsonville

Watsonville Planning Commission Clears Way for Council Vote on Downtown Plan

09/06/2023
Planning commissioners unanimously approved city staff's recommendation for the council to adopt the Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan.

From CalMatters...

Education Land Use & Development Housing Government

Legislative Fix Would Save Student Housing at Some California Community Colleges

09/05/2023
A June budget deal required community colleges to raise their own money to build affordable student housing. Some campuses said that plan prevented them from building the dorms, even with help from the state to pay the debt.

Santa Cruz County Local News: Land Use & Development