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Santa Cruz County Land Use & Development Articles



Tahoe Daily Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
‘Governors Are Going to Have to Create a New System’: Leaders in the West Lambast Insurance Industry Over Rising Costs for Homeowners

Smoke and burned trees are pictured near Sylvan Lake State Park during a wildfire that erupted south of Eagle in the White River National Forest on June 20, 2021. With intense wildfires becoming a greater threat in the West, homeowners …

KSQD logo LOCAL NEWS
Sibley Simon on Tackling Housing Challenges in Santa Cruz: Insights From Workbench’s Partner

On this episode of "Talk of the Bay", host Bodhi Shargell dives into housing issues in Santa Cruz with Sibley Simon, a local housing advocate, founder of New Way Homes, and a partner at Workbench. The conversation stems from Simon’s …

San Lorenzo Valley Post logo LOCAL NEWS
Scotts Valley Water District to Drill New Well

The Scotts Valley Water District (SVWD) will begin construction of a new production well at 5299 Scotts Valley Drive this winter. The work begins by removing a former commercial building at the project site before the start of well drilling. …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Scotts Valley Housing Updates: Town Center, Valley Gardens Golf Course and More

A proposal at 4444 Scotts Valley Drive includes a three-story, L-shaped building with 25 apartments. (BSB Design)
SCOTTS VALLEY >> Four housing projects in Scotts Valley could provide more than 500 new homes if they come to fruition.
The city …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Cotoni-Coast Dairies Trails Expected to Open in Summer 2025

Miles of North Coast hills and grasslands are set to open with trails at the Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument unit in 2025. (Bureau of Land Management)
DAVENPORT >> Hiking and mountain biking trails are expected to open this summer at …

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Cabrillo College Housing Project Takes Shape

In a little less than a year, Cabrillo College will break ground on a sprawling, multi-story housing project on its Aptos campus, a development that will offer 624 beds for students attending both the college and UC Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Map: Rezones Could Boost Housing Development in Live Oak, Soquel

A property at 3500 Paul Sweet Road could be rezoned to allow multi-family housing. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local)
Santa Cruz County supervisors meeting

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Vital Questions About the Rail Project

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission’s (RTC) $9 million Zero Emission Passenger Rail and Trail project study (ZEPRT) has generated heated debate and confusion.

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Cabrillo College Housing Project Taking Shape

In a little less than a year, Cabrillo College will break ground on a sprawling, multi-story housing project on its Aptos campus, a development that will offer 624 beds for students attending both the college and UC Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Graham Hill Housing Proposal Faces Challenges, Ownership Lawsuit

A proposal to build 157 homes on Graham Hill Road near Rollingwoods Drive has several hurdles to clear. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local)
SANTA CRUZ >> A controversial proposal for 157 new homes on Graham Hill Road faces an …

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
Scotts Valley Council Eases ADU Rules, Expands Junior Unit Options

They didn’t exactly have a choice in the matter, but when it came down to updating their secondary residence policy, Scotts Valley City Council opted to allow larger accessory dwelling units (ADUs) than required to incentivize building these further away …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
City of Santa Cruz Must Provide UCSC With Water as University Expands

A Nov. 21 appeals court decision obligates the City of Santa Cruz to provide water to campus areas outside city limits. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)
SANTA CRUZ >> The City of Santa Cruz must supply the entire UC …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Westside Santa Cruz Rail Trail Could Open Late December

After several delays, officials said they hope to open the rail trail from California to Beach streets in Santa Cruz by the end of December. The path had not been paved as of Nov. 21. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
New Rail-Trail Map Tracks Work in Santa Cruz, Live Oak, Capitola, Aptos

SANTA CRUZ >> A new interactive map tracks the status of rail-trail work across Santa Cruz County.
The Coastal Rail Trail is a planned 32-mile path mainly along the right-of-way of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line. The trail’s 20 …

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
New Rail Trail Details

A new overhead rail line near the Boardwalk and a bridge or tunnel crossing Highway 1 at Cabrillo College are amongst two new proposals that the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) revealed last week at its Watsonville and …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
5-Year West Cliff Plan Takes Shape With Road Shift at Lighthouse Field

A wave splashes near Its Beach and the West Cliff path on Nov. 11. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local)
SANTA CRUZ >> Santa Cruz city leaders on Tuesday suggested a priority list of potential projects to help shore up …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Mission Street Updates: La Reina Market, Food Bin, Arrow Surf Shop, 1815 Mission

An apartment complex on the Food Bin site approved by the Santa Cruz City Council in May has been stalled by a lawsuit over 11 in-law units. (Workbench)
SANTA CRUZ >> Four projects on Mission Street in Santa Cruz moved …

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
Scotts Valley City Council Approves New Facility Rental Fees

Scotts Valley City Council has taken the next step in addressing a $700,000 deficit in recreation funding by approving new facility rental and special-event fees.

Tahoe Daily Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
Sierra Nevada May Hold Key to Meet California’s Ambitious 30×30 Goal

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – California's 30×30 goal was a topic at the Sierra Nevada Alliance Conservation Conference held at Lake Tahoe Community College, Nov. 7-8. In 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom committed the state to conserving 30% of lands …

Hilltromper Silicon Valley logo LOCAL NEWS
Veteran Pacifica Surfers Hope Artificial Reef Can Quash the Need for a Beach-Destroying Seawall

Former Surfrider president and his allies propose an offshore reef to protect Sharp Park Beach—and create a nice wave for surf competitions.

Featured

Lighthouse Field in Santa Cruz, which might be a huge resort if not for the Coastal Commission.
The Public Shore Protectors
Born amid controversy, this public agency is responsible for managing some of the most precious real estate in the world.
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 is everywhere, but is it a way to regulate development or a tool for social engineering?
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
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
Since 1972, the California Coastal Commission has ruled over the state’s shoreline.
California Coastal Commission: Where It Comes From, What It Does
How a nuclear plant, a real estate development and an oil spill led to a landmark law.
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
Starting in 1976, the legislature began creating agencies to buy up open land, and keep it open.
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
54-year-old environmental law is often blamed for causing the state’s housing crisis. Is it getting a bad rap?
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
More than half of California farmland is under contracts that prevent its development.