ARTICLE
The Santa Cruz City Council approved two important projects at Tuesday’s meeting. The two projects in the downtown area of Front Street and Laurel are moving forward based on the latest action by the Council. The city staff recommended amendments to the Downtown Plan. Item 25 on the city council agenda as stated: “Downtown Plan Amendments Related to Removing Public Hearing Requirements for Day Care and Supportive Housing, Consistent with State Law; Expanding Hotel, Residential, and Recreational Use Allowances; Revising Additional Height Criteria; Adding Language to Encourage Activated Rooftop Amenities; and Amending Landscape Requirements to Allow More Flexibility with Landscaping and Tree Selection.” The city council resolution was reworked by council members to better reflect the nuisance plan for expanding the downtown. The motion was to “Adopt a resolution approving the amendments to the Downtown Plan and the Local Coastal Program to clarify and update various sections, remove obsolete sections and references, streamline application processes, and bring the Downtown Plan into conformity with State law, finding that the public necessity, and the general community welfare, and good zoning practice shall be served and furthered with the adoption of the Downtown Plan amendments; and that the proposed amendments are in general conformance with the principles, policies and land use designation outlined in the General Plan, Local Coastal Program, and the Downtown Plan.” As always the case in Santa Cruz, when a project or modification to the Downtown Plan is presented to the community, many views are noted by the public mostly to seek clarification on the city staff report or to offer specific suggestions on how to ‘improve’ the project. The primary concern noted by the public concerned increased height and rooftop amenities. The discussion continued into the late afternoon when the council, with some minor adjustments to the language of the proposed amendments, approved the plan. The second project (Item 26 on the council agenda) under general business was presented by the City Economic Development and Housing Department recommending a motion to: 1) Adopt a resolution approving plans and specifications for the METRO Downtown Transit Interim Operations Plan (Plan) pursuant to Government Code Section 830.6 (design immunity), and authorizing the removal of unlawfully parked vehicles when the Plan is implemented; 2) Direct staff to review the potential impacts of the Plan on parking revenue with the Downtown Commission; 3) Direct staff to return to the Transportation and Public Works Commission with an update on the conditions of the Plan after it has been implemented; 4) Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to negotiate and enter into a commercial lease with the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transportation District (METRO) for a storefront facility at 603 and 605 Front Street for a METRO ticket sales/call center function, in a form approved by the City Attorney; 5) Adopt a resolution amending the FY 2024 budget to allocate $500,000 of METRO funding to the Pacific Station North Project for the METRO Interim Operations Plan; and 6) Authorize the City Manager to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with METRO and For the Future Housing/EDEN that defines roles and financing commitments for the Plan. The Plan will utilize curbside space on Soquel Avenue, Front Street, River Street and River Street South to create two new bus stops and create multiple bus layover spaces. On Front Street and River Street, the Plan will create a shared bus/bicycle lane adjacent to the curb to facilitate bus movements, bus layover, bus station service, and bicycle movements. METRO plans to board and deboard passengers at two bus stops, located at the Front Street/Cooper Street intersection and near the mid-block crossing on River Street South. The Pacific Station North Project will begin construction in February 2024. The METRO station will be required to have an Interim Plan during the two-year construction process. The Plan designs include temporary traffic circulation patterns, determines associated traffic and sidewalk revisions, and identifies locations for ancillary facilities to support METRO’s operations during the redevelopment of Pacific Station. Key elements include establishing a clockwise traffic flow around the area bounded by Soquel Avenue, Front Street, River Street and River Street South, the removal of the traffic island at the River Street South/Front Street intersection to facilitate METRO bus movements, general traffic restriping, the conversion of River St. South to one-way southbound with a contraflow bicycle lane, and a temporary storefront facility at 603-605 Front Street for a METRO ticket sales/call center function. METRO will consolidate all its routes to two stops, one at Front Street and Cooper Street and one on River Street South at the pedestrian bridge. Buses will primarily layover on River Street South in the provided parking lane. There is no question that the METRO service will be altered with the new traffic design. The Transportation Public Works Commission (TPWC) has serious concerns with the initial interim plan and rejected the proposal offering changes: 1) Explore contraflow bicycle lane options on River Street South; 2) Improve levee access within the mid-block access point across from the pedestrian bridge on River Street South; 3) Remove parking spaces on River Street South in favor of additional and safer bus facilities; 4) Remove parking spaces on Front Street in favor of separate facilities for bicycles and bus/car use; and 5) Maintain accessible parking spaces. The Downtown Commission (DTC) also reviewed the plan and offered some additional suggestions: 1. Provide more communication to the public and businesses regarding the impacts and timeline of the Plan. The DTC also requested that the Plan be presented to the Downtown Association and Visit Santa Cruz. 2. Provide security in the area of the Plan. 3. The loss of 55 on-street parking spaces is significant and could impact the Parking District Fund. The future of downtown is taking shape with these two projects and several others that are in various stages of the planning and construction process.
The Santa Cruz City Council approved two important projects at Tuesday’s meeting. The two projects in the downtown area of Front Street and Laurel are moving forward based on the latest action by the Council. The city staff recommended amendments to the Downtown Plan.
Item 25 on the city council agenda as stated:
“Downtown Plan Amendments Related to Removing Public Hearing Requirements for Day Care and Supportive Housing, Consistent with State Law; Expanding Hotel, Residential, and Recreational Use Allowances; Revising Additional Height Criteria; Adding Language to Encourage Activated Rooftop Amenities; and Amending Landscape Requirements to Allow More Flexibility with Landscaping and Tree Selection.” The city council resolution was reworked by council members to better reflect the nuisance plan for expanding the downtown. The motion was to “Adopt a resolution approving the amendments to the Downtown Plan and the Local Coastal Program to clarify and update various sections, remove obsolete sections and references, streamline application processes, and bring the Downtown Plan into conformity with State law, finding that the public necessity, and the general community welfare, and good zoning practice shall be served and furthered with the adoption of the Downtown Plan amendments; and that the proposed amendments are in general conformance with the principles, policies and land use designation outlined in the General Plan, Local Coastal Program, and the Downtown Plan.”
As always the case in Santa Cruz, when a project or modification to the Downtown Plan is presented to the community, many views are noted by the public mostly to seek clarification on the city staff report or to offer specific suggestions on how to ‘improve’ the project. The primary concern noted by the public concerned increased height and rooftop amenities. The discussion continued into the late afternoon when the council, with some minor adjustments to the language of the proposed amendments, approved the plan.
The second project (Item 26 on the council agenda) under general business was presented by the City Economic Development and Housing Department recommending a motion to:
1) Adopt a resolution approving plans and specifications for the METRO Downtown Transit Interim Operations Plan (Plan) pursuant to Government Code Section 830.6 (design immunity), and authorizing the removal of unlawfully parked vehicles when the Plan is implemented;
2) Direct staff to review the potential impacts of the Plan on parking revenue with the Downtown Commission;
3) Direct staff to return to the Transportation and Public Works Commission with an update on the conditions of the Plan after it has been implemented;
4) Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to negotiate and enter into a commercial lease with the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transportation District (METRO) for a storefront facility at 603 and 605 Front Street for a METRO ticket sales/call center function, in a form approved by the City Attorney;
5) Adopt a resolution amending the FY 2024 budget to allocate $500,000 of METRO funding to the Pacific Station North Project for the METRO Interim Operations Plan; and
6) Authorize the City Manager to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with METRO and For the Future Housing/EDEN that defines roles and financing commitments for the Plan.
The Plan will utilize curbside space on Soquel Avenue, Front Street, River Street and River Street South to create two new bus stops and create multiple bus layover spaces. On Front Street and River Street, the Plan will create a shared bus/bicycle lane adjacent to the curb to facilitate bus movements, bus layover, bus station service, and bicycle movements. METRO plans to board and deboard passengers at two bus stops, located at the Front Street/Cooper Street intersection and near the mid-block crossing on River Street South.
The Pacific Station North Project will begin construction in February 2024. The METRO station will be required to have an Interim Plan during the two-year construction process. The Plan designs include temporary traffic circulation patterns, determines associated traffic and sidewalk revisions, and identifies locations for ancillary facilities to support METRO’s operations during the redevelopment of Pacific Station. Key elements include establishing a clockwise traffic flow around the area bounded by Soquel Avenue, Front Street, River Street and River Street South, the removal of the traffic island at the River Street South/Front Street intersection to facilitate METRO bus movements, general traffic restriping, the conversion of River St. South to one-way southbound with a contraflow bicycle lane, and a temporary storefront facility at 603-605 Front Street for a METRO ticket sales/call center function. METRO will consolidate all its routes to two stops, one at Front Street and Cooper Street and one on River Street South at the pedestrian bridge. Buses will primarily layover on River Street South in the provided parking lane.
There is no question that the METRO service will be altered with the new traffic design. The Transportation Public Works Commission (TPWC) has serious concerns with the initial interim plan and rejected the proposal offering changes:
1) Explore contraflow bicycle lane options on River Street South;
2) Improve levee access within the mid-block access point across from the pedestrian bridge on River Street South;
3) Remove parking spaces on River Street South in favor of additional and safer bus facilities;
4) Remove parking spaces on Front Street in favor of separate facilities for bicycles and bus/car use; and
5) Maintain accessible parking spaces.
The Downtown Commission (DTC) also reviewed the plan and offered some additional suggestions:
1. Provide more communication to the public and businesses regarding the impacts and timeline of the Plan. The DTC also requested that the Plan be presented to the Downtown Association and Visit Santa Cruz.
2. Provide security in the area of the Plan.
3. The loss of 55 on-street parking spaces is significant and could impact the Parking District Fund.
The future of downtown is taking shape with these two projects and several others that are in various stages of the planning and construction process.