Santa Cruz County Land Use & Development Digest

A new bill in Congress proposes banning new offshore fossil fuel drilling along the coast from Monterey to Mendocino County, U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, said this week. The Central Coast of California Conservation Act would prohibit new exploration, development or production leases for natural gas or oil along the Central Coast, and a portion of the North Coast.

With empty storefronts and a frenzy of building, Wallace Baine considers the future of downtown Santa Cruz.

A pre-application has been submitted to the City of Santa Cruz with a proposal to build an eight-story mixed-use building on the south side of Laurel Avenue.

A new online urban tree canopy mapping tool for California has been released by CalFire.

Builder and developer Barry Swenson, who was instrumental in the rebuilding of downtown Santa Cruz following the 1989 earthquake, has died at the age of 85.

The downtown Santa Cruz Farmers Market will be moving to a new location at Cedar Street between Walnut and Church Street on May 21.

California Senate Housing Committee Chair Aisha Wahab is a staunch progressive who is clashing with pro-development activists and other Democrats who want to build more, faster.

Renovations to the Capitola Community Center at Jade Street Park are set to begin, with construction expected to last about one year.

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas has asked San Mateo, Monterey and Santa Cruz County supervisors to nominate a person to serve on the Coastal Commission seat when it opens for a four-year term on May 1, and all three chose Santa Cruz County Supervisor Justin Cummings.

Six conservancies throughout the state will oversee work largely in Southern California and the Sierra Nevada.

After a three day hearing this week, State Farm is one step closer to approval for a rate hike on its California customers.

Competing housing measures with the same goal of providing more workforce housing are being advanced by Mayor of Santa Cruz Fred Keeley and the Santa Cruz County Association of Realtors, and the Mayor is not happy.

California’s Public Advocate has been pressing for new utility fire maps since 2023. Utilities are on board — but regulators turned them down.

The Delta faces a funding crisis to repair and maintain an aging network of 1,100 miles of levees. These earthen berms, mostly on private land, could rupture and endanger half a million people and flood thousands of acres of farmland.

A 32-bed Santa Cruz County Health Services transitional housing facility is set to begin construction at 2202 Soquel Avenue.

Following the partial collapse of a section of the popular Capitola coastal path, local officials are uncertain about whether repairs can be, or should be, made.

Residents in the local wildland urban interface can register through April 30 to participate in the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County Spring 2025 No-Cost Community Chipping Program to help dispose of yard waste or cut brush and trees ahead of the upcoming fire season.

Work will soon begin on a 32-bed transitional homeless center on Soquel Avenue in Santa Cruz.

Rural counties are some of the most reliant on federal funding and federal workers. But some still welcome Trump’s upcoming cuts to forestry and other departments

A report on an April 1 online forum in which the Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission presented details about passenger rail service to connect Watsonville and Santa Cruz and to regional and state rail routes.

A report on a town hall meeting held on April 2 and hosted by the City of Capitola and the Regional Transportation Commission to discuss the city's approach to the Coastal Rail Trail.

A handful of legislators rallied near the state Capitol Thursday to promote what they’re calling an “extremely unsexy,” but important, bipartisan bill package intended to put California’s housing development into overdrive.

Live Oak residents are concerned about parking and traffic as a 63-unit housing development planned for 841 Capitola Road begins to take shape.

In the recurring legislative fight between YIMBY legislators and defenders of California’s signature environmental law, one bill could be a final legislative showdown.

A report of the March 25 meeting of the Santa Cruz City Council, where a new infrastructure finance district, new library and new farmers market were among the items under consideration.

Hundreds of pile burns to reduce the fuel load will be taking place though April as Santa Cruz County prepares for fire season.

CalFire released its fourth and final round of color-coded hazard maps. Different colors come with different rules.

Up to three years of full or partial closures of the Murray Street bridge can be expected as the long-planned seismic rebuilding project begins March 24. Read on for details.

The impact of cannabis lounges and an update on the housing element of the General Plan were on the agenda of the March 19 meeting of the Scotts Valley City Council. Read on to learn more

Read on to learn more about upcoming neighborhood meetings at local libraries hosted by local homelessness nonprofit Housing Matters for discussion around the topic of “Neighbors for Neighbors: At the Intersections.”

Read on for details about a March 18 online community meeting discussing plans to build a seven-story housing development on the 900 block of Pacific Avenue.

A statement from Santa Cruz City Manager Matt Huffaker and Economic Development and Housing Director Bonnie Lipscomb addressing criticism about transparency and concerns about occupancy numbers of local affordable housing.