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SANTA CRUZ CORRIDOR

REZONING PLAN

SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL OPINION PAGE MAY 28, 2017
Nobody wants ‘projects’ along traffic conduits
High density, ghetto-like “projects” are planned everywhere
in the county along our main traffic conduits, no less.
These are uniformly opposed by the residents yet
the politicos keep passing them citing state law and requirements.
Well, if Santa Cruz can ignore federal law on immigration,
they can certainly ignore the state fiats as well.
The only people who support these things don’t intend to be here
when the damage is all said and done. They’ll be retired on their
own 5 acres someplace else.
— Pureheart Steinbruner, Aptos
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SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL OPINION PAGE MAY 26, 2017
UC Santa Cruz needs more housing on campus
Why doesn’t UCSC build apartments up at the university for the
students to live in? So many other colleges do this.
There are many acres of land up there. I understand that
it’s all environmentally protected, but can’t they give up
some of it for buildings?
If the students were allowed to live at the university,
our traffic would be less everywhere in the county and
the housing costs would work itself out. They could build
nice, low-energy apartments. The university community
would be better off and Highway 1 traffic would ease up.
— Kris Kirby, Aptos
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SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL OPINION PAGE MAY 22, 2017
Planning Commission not listening to community
After attending the May 18 Planning Commission meeting
it is apparent to me that:
1. The General Plan is not being followed or enforced.
2. There is a serious lack of professional unbiased conduct,
accountability and sensitivity to existing community desires,
needs and concerns among members of the Planning Commission.
3. Developers are moving rapidly with the help of the
Planning Commission to push through the building of high
density projects in our communities that will turn a big
profit for them and leave our communities with adverse
traffic, pollution and overcrowding problems to name a few.
The Planning Commission staff use a lot of “nice” and
“fuzzy” terms in their presentation like “community benefits,
” “affordable housing,” “input from the community.”
In reality when I look at the actual details it is really
“community sacrifice,” “market rate housing” and “ignore the community.”
— Drew Lewis, Santa Cruz
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SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL OPINION PAGE MAY 22, 2017
Traffic study no longer relevant to Corridor Plan
If you travel on our streets, you know that traffic
is a problem. The Corridor Plan, part of the Santa Cruz City
General Plan, has proposed several areas which would allow
high density zoning, multi-use housing (five stories, up to
65 feet) on the streets where we have
heavy traffic — Soquel Avenue, Water Street, Ocean Street
and Mission Boulevard. The plan used a traffic study completed
in 2009 to project how traffic will be impacted for high
density housing. In 2009 we were in a recession, traffic
was reduced. Traffic patterns have changed significantly
since 2009. Today after 3 p.m. these streets are gridlocked.
How will high-density housing impact already congested local
streets? In order to have a truly meaningful housing plan that
addresses realistic traffic concerns, the current Corridor Plan
should not be further considered until a new updated traffic study
is made at peak traffic times.
— Lin Florinda Colavin, Santa Cruz
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SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL OPINION PAGE MAY 18, 2017
Keep the small-town qualities that we love
The Santa Cruz Planning Commission and City Council are
heading down a path that threatens to destroy the very
small-town qualities that make our community such a desirable
place to live and visit. The proposed Corridor Rezoning plan
incentivizes high-density developments up to 65-feet tall that
will increase traffic, overwhelm infrastructure and violate
principles in the general plan. We can do better.
Instead of mimicking growth models of more affluent
Bay Area neighbors, Santa Cruz should reject the excesses
of the Corridor plan. Lets protect family-friendly neighborhoods
and limit buildings along our already impacted avenues to lower,
medium-density projects.
We need a plan that values our classic beach town — with its
historic buildings, businesses and neighborhoods — not one
that favors untenable development. It’s time to transition
away from models that pursue prosperity through expansion
and instead plan for a sustainable future, compatible with
the carrying capacity of this small county.
— Debora Bone, Santa Cruz
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SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL OPINION PAGE MAY 16, 2017
We don’t want our town to be San Jose-by-the-Sea
Will we lose the Santa Cruz we know and love? Will the
city’s push for high-density rezoning on the “Corridors”
Soquel Avenue, Water, Ocean and Mission streets pave the
way for massive, unaffordable development and drive out
our homegrown small businesses as has happened in other places?
Worried about increased traffic and parking congestion,
higher rents, more noise, less sunlight, impacts on water?
If you don’t want our historic seaside town turned into
San Jose-by-the-Sea, if you want rezoning which enhances
our historic neighborhoods and small businesses, show up
this Thursday May 18 for the Planning Commission meeting
7 p.m. at City Hall. Oral Communications is allowed at 7 p.m.
— Isabelle Scott, Santa Cruz
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