City of Santa Cruz Government News Digest

In its April 18 meeting, the City of Santa Cruz Planning Commission agreed to postpone a decision on rule changes to restaurant outdoor seating for 60 days.

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.

Laura Schmidt is resigning from her position as assistant city manager for the City of Santa Cruz, effective August, to consult in the private sector.

An initial review of body cam footage indicated no violations of department policy or the law in the arrest by multiple officers of a lone Black cyclist on the Santa Cruz Westside, according to the police chief.

An item to discuss an emergency moratorium on new commercial cannabis businesses was removed from the Santa Cruz City Council April 9 meeting agenda.

Witnesses allege Santa Cruz police used excessive force arresting a Black man for a bike infraction on April 10 at the intersection of Bay Street and West Cliff.

Feedback is being solicited by the City of Santa Cruz for a new location for the downtown farmers market, which will be displaced when the library/parking garage project begins.

Local homeless and housing rights activist Reggie Meisler filed a challenge to the renewal of the City of Santa Cruz large-vehicle parking ban.

Plans for an 18 story building 192 feet tall were submitted to the City of Santa Cruz planning department.

Mayor Keeley speaks to the priority of building more affordable housing in Santa Cruz, touting the 320 units in progress downtown and the units built on River Street and in progress in Harvey West.

Susie O’Hara’s leads challenger Joe Thompson for the District 5 seat on the City Council with about 65% of the counted ballots.

Santa Cruz City Council District 2 incumbent Sonja Brunner maintained her lead over challenger Hector Marin.

After several public engagement workshops over the last year, the City of Santa Cruz has released the community vision for the 50-year future of its beloved West Cliff Drive.

The Santa Cruz Planning Commission voted unanimously to renew a controversial RV overnight street-parking ban for at least the coming five years, several months ahead of its expiration.

Dave Tannaci of the Santa Cruz Water Department is running for the Santa Cruz City Council’s District 1 seat against Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County Executive Director Gabriela Trigueiro.

Gabriela Trigueiro, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County, is competing for the Santa Cruz City Council’s District 1 seat against Dave Tannaci of the Santa Cruz Water Department.

Susie O’Hara, who has served on various local boards and commissions, is running against UC Santa Cruz student Joe Thompson in the race for the Santa Cruz City Council’s 5th District seat.

Santa Cruz has handed out more than 200 citations as part of its overnight parking ban, which took effect Dec. 4. City staff say everyone seeking overnight safe parking has been able to access the program, but some remained concerned about the law’s wider implications.

The message, laced with expletives, referred to a council-majority vote to pass a watered-down resolution calling for peace in the Middle East.

With the fate of the twin-trunked redwood tree on Walnut Avenue to be decided by the Santa Cruz City Council, the appellant of the heritage tree's removal will hold a fundraiser Jan. 6 to help protect it.

At age 73, Fred Keeley is wrapping up the first year of what will likely be the final chapter in his nearly 30-year public service career. As Santa Cruz’s first directly elected mayor, he has worked to set the tone for what it means to have a full-time leader.

A line of about 150 residents wrapped around Santa Cruz City Hall, as community members came out in force to urge the City Council to pass a resolution calling for a permanent cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas.

A group called Affordable Housing Advocates Santa Cruz has emerged to counter the ballot measure known as the Housing for People Citizen Initiative, which qualified at the end of November to be placed on the city of Santa Cruz March 2024 ballot.

The city of Santa Cruz and partnering consultant Farallon Strategies held a virtual public meeting to further gauge the community’s feelings about West Cliff Drive’s role in the city in the next 50 years.

Like silent guardians standing sentry on Walnut Avenue near Santa Cruz High School, two intertwined redwood trees, technically considered one, have inspired reverence in passersby and nearby residents for close to a century, possibly longer.

When Santa Cruz Water Director Rosemary Menard announced her retirement, the city began a national recruitment effort. After a weeks-long search, the ideal replacement was right here in Santa Cruz: Water Department Deputy Director and Engineering Manager Heidi Luckenbach.

The group behind the Measure O campaign, known as Our Downtown, Our Future, organized a conference that examined numerous facets of the affordable housing crisis.

Incumbent Councilmember Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson is running for the newly established District 3 seat on the Santa Cruz City Council against former Santa Cruz mayoral candidate Joy Schendledecker.

The San Lorenzo River mouth was breached by city workers Sept. 29 to prevent flooding of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and adjoining neighborhoods.

The Santa Cruz Warriors will remain on Laurel Street for at least a few more years after the Santa Cruz City Council agreed to amend and extend the lease agreement with the G-League team.