The County contributes about $4.879 million of General Fund money every year to support non-profits that are vital to the social safety net. In order to provide a degree of stability, funding is allocated in three-year increments. Tomorrow the Board of Supervisors will decide how to award the funds over fiscal years 2025-2028.
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Image: people review a map with proposed zoning changes The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on November 19, 2024, at 9:00 AM in the Board Chambers at 701 Ocean Street, Room 525, Santa Cruz, to consider the proposed rezoning of 30 parcels and required General Plan Land Use Map amendments for 27 parcels to implement the 2023 Housing Element. This hearing is a key step in the Housing Element Rezone Program. For a list of the parcels and maps, click here: https://santacruzcountyca.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=4&ID=58807 This public hearing marks a key step in the Housing Element Rezone Program, which is part of the County’s broader efforts to expand housing opportunities while ensuring alignment with local and regional planning goals. The upcoming hearing provides an opportunity for community members to learn more about these proposed changes, ask questions, and voice their opinions. To ensure transparency and engagement, all interested parties are encouraged to attend the hearing. Learn more on the Housing Element website: bit.ly/2023housingelement
Full agenda: 2024/11/19 09:00 AM Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting - Web Outline - Santa Cruz County, CA
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District 1 has an opening on the Women’s Commission and Planning Commission. This is your chance to get involved in your community! Apply using the button below.
To learn more about the commissions, go here:
Planning Commission
Women's Commission
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Image: a map showing projects funded by the NOAA grant in Santa Cruz County
The Santa Cruz County Commission on the Environment is hosting a presentation on a recently awarded $71.1 million National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration grant to help make the Central Coast region more resilient to climate change. Led by the Santa Cruz-based California Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the grant was made through a competitive $575 million program funded under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The work will: - Implement adaptation strategies that create a regional, collaborative approach for addressing flood and wildfire risks;
- Focus on transformative approaches designed to strengthen ecosystem and habitat resilience while protecting human communities;
- Provide meaningful engagement with tribes and marginalized communities;
- Build capacity through workforce development.
“This grant was awarded to the Monterey Bay region because we had over 20 excellent partners who were ready to go with well-designed projects that directly address risks to vulnerable communities from sea level rise, storm surge, river flooding and wildfire. The program will build substantial capacity for regional coordination that will assess risks and develop solutions well into the future,” said COE Commissioner John Hunt, Ph.D., a Foundation Science Advisor. As part of the meeting, Central Coast Community Energy will also highlight its Electrify Your Home Program, which provides renters and homeowners rebates for HVAC and water heat pump installations. Community members wishing to learn more are invited to attend the meeting on November 20th from 5-7 p.m. at the County Governmental Center, 701 Ocean St., 5th Floor Board Chambers, Santa Cruz. They can also join via Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83095924894. (Webinar ID: 830 9592 4894.)
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The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) is providing information on the ongoing development of the ZEPRT Project Concept Report and in response to community feedback received during Milestone 2 in summer 2024.
The purpose of this Virtual Open House is to provide updates on rail and trail alignment options in development, project funding opportunities, ridership modeling approach, stations, bridge structures, and noise impacts. Your feedback will help identify community needs and areas for improvement in the development of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line and Coastal Rail Trail Segments 13-20 as well as the Capitola Trestle reach (Segment 11, Phase 2). The RTC is requesting community feedback by December 20, 2024.
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Image: Monterey County Rail Extension logo.
The Pajaro-Watsonville Multimodal Transit Hub is Phase 2 of the Monterey County Rail Extension project. The Monterey County Rail Extension Project will extend passenger rail service from Santa Clara County south to Salinas. The Pajaro-Watsonville Multimodal Transit Hub will serve as one of the stations for the planned extension project. TAMC is hosting a Public Open House on Wednesday, November 20th. Attend to learn more about the Pajaro-Watsonville Multimodal Station Project and provide written comments. For more details on this and other upcoming events, view Meetings & Events. The proposed Pajaro-Watsonville station is located in the Monterey County unincorporated community of Pajaro. The station site is approximately 1.5 miles from downtown Watsonville, which is in the County of Santa Cruz. This station will be the connection point for Santa Cruz County to new passenger rail service on the Coast mainline tracks between Salinas and the San Francisco Bay Area. The station will transform a currently underserved area by providing a new community transportation hub that will entice transit-oriented housing and community services to the surrounding area.
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Photo: A prescribed burn is conducted at Wilder Ranch State Park in 2023. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group file)
California State Parks plans to conduct prescribed burns at Wilder Ranch State Park beginning week of Nov. 11th and continuing for the next two weeks between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monitoring and patrol will occur throughout this period and extend into the evening when required. All burning is dependent on weather and air quality conditions that are favorable for smoke dispersal and to meet ecological goals. If conditions are not conducive for burning, burns will be rescheduled.
Roughly 400 acres of grassland habitats will be included in the prescribed burns and some trails may be closed temporarily to ensure public safety. These may include portions of the Chinquapin Trail, Long Meadow Trail and Englesman Loop Trail. People around the Monterey Bay area, as well as those driving on Highway 1, may see smoke on the day of the burns.
These prescribed burns are part of the prescribed fire program for vegetation management, hazardous fuel reduction, wildlife habitat improvement, and other ecological benefits. Treatments enhance the health of the forest by removing fuel buildup and restoring essential nutrients to the soil while reducing the chances of catastrophic wildfires. These burns are permitted, planned, and coordinated with the Monterey Bay Air Quality Management District to minimize smoke impacts to surrounding communities. Prescribed burns produce significantly less smoke than wildfires. Should the public see or smell smoke in their surroundings, officials recommend avoiding strenuous outdoor activity and remaining indoors as much as possible. These precautions are especially important for children, the elderly, and people with respiratory and heart conditions
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Photo: Erosion and drainage controls information.
The Resource Conservation District is hosting a FREE technical training and tour - Managing Drainage and Erosion on Rural Roads - that will cover design, maintenance, and management options for rural roads (paved and unpaved). The event will include a classroom presentation followed by a tour of a recent RCD private road project that incorporates best management practices and provides a firsthand look at various options for improving your road. December 9, 2024 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM Boulder Creek, CA Event topics include anatomy of a road, road grading and shaping, drainage controls, culvert sizing and placement, road surfacing, erosion controls, and streamside and hillside roads. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. Registration required. |
Photo: volunteers planting succulents along East Cliff Dr this past weekend
Fall is the best time to plant in California because plants can get well established throughout the rainy months and before the heat of the summer. This past weekend planting continued along East Cliff Parkway (see photo above) thanks to the Nature Lodge, Santa Cruz County Parks, and generous community volunteers.
There are still multiple opportunities for you to get involved beautifying our community:
Saturday, Dec. 7th from 9:00am to noon – Moran Lake County Park – 22775 East Cliff Dr. Volunteers will help with planting native trees. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/d188mof6LQg9E9cWA
Wednesday, Dec. from 11th 3:00pm to 5:00pm – The County Building at 701 Ocean St. Volunteers will be preparing the ground at the main entrance of the building and planting succulents. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/LHtAJfRRXKxAE9mb7
In addition to the opportunities above, you can adopt a street planter of your own by signing up here.
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Image: a woman reading a bedtime story to kittens, generated by ChatGPT
Bedtime Stories for Shelter Pets
Pay a special visit after hours and read to the cats, dogs, bunnies, and guinea pigs at the Shelter in your PJs and drink some hot chocolate! $5 donation is appreciated and space is limited. - Saturday, November 30th from 5-6pm
- Saturday, December 7th from 5-6pm
At the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter in Live Oak, 1001 Rodriguez St, 95062
FREE Vaccine Clinics for Cats & Dogs for Limited Income Residents- Friday, November 22nd from 11am-2pm at VFW Post 7263, 2259 7th Avenue, Live Oak
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County
Soquel Drive Buffered Bike Lane and Congestion Mitigation Project Time: Weekdays 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM,
Dates: 12/16/24 through 1/31/25
Impacted Locations: - Soquel Avenue from Seabright Ave to La Fonda Ave
- Seabright Avenue from Water Steet to Soquel Ave
- Water Street from N. Pacific Ave to Seabright Ave
Sections within the impacted area may be reduced to one lane of travel in each direction. Impacts to traffic will be intermittent as work progresses at multiple sites.
Single lane closures are due to underground fiber optic installation and fiber optic pull box installation/replacement in the sidewalk.
Caltrans
Flagging for Vehicles and Pedestrian Detour on Soquel Ave. Crews are continuing with construction on the sidewalk on Soquel Ave. between 17th Ave. and Chanticleer Ave. The sidewalk will be modified to provide access to the new Chanticleer Ave. bicycle/pedestrian overcrossing. Detour signage will direct pedestrians on Soquel Ave. around the work area via Rodriguez St. Sidewalk construction will result in intermittent daytime flagging closures for vehicles on Soquel Ave., Monday through Friday, between 7 am to 3 pm. Sidewalk construction on Soquel Ave. is scheduled to take place through early December.
Bay Ave./Porter St. Onramp to Southbound Highway 1 In Aptos to Close Sept. 29 For Two Months
A project to construct north and southbound auxiliary lanes and bus-on-shoulder improvements on Hwy. 1 between the Bay Avenue/Porter Street and State Park Drive interchanges continues next week with a closure of the Bay/Porter onramp to southbound Highway 1.
Starting Sunday Sept. 29, travelers will encounter a two-month closure of the Bay Ave./Porter St. onramp to southbound Highway 1 in Aptos. This ramp closure will allow crews to reconstruct the pavement elevation to accommodate the permanent bus-on-shoulder feature. The Bay Ave./Porter St. onramp to southbound Highway 1 is expected to reopen Nov. 29.
A detour is available. Message and directional signs are in place to alert travelers in advance of the ramp closure and to guide travelers through the detour. Travelers on Porter St. will be directed to Bay Ave. and to Park Ave. where they will be able to take the southbound Hwy. 1 onramp at Park Ave. Travelers on Bay Ave. will continue on Bay Ave./Porter St. to Soquel Dr. until they reach Park Ave. and rejoin southbound Hwy. 1 at the Park Avenue onramp.
This ramp closure will allow crews to partially excavate the existing onramp, correct the slope to accommodate the bus-on-shoulder feature, widen the mainline shoulder, as well as install drainage inlets, and complete electrical work and striping. |
Photo: Board of Supervisors meeting in Board Chambers.
Tuesday, November 19th - Board of Supervisors Meeting starting at 9:00 AM. The agenda is here. The meeting will be held via Zoom and in person at the Board Chambers at 701 Ocean Street, Rm 525.
Wednesday, December 4th - Office Hours from 1 PM to 3 PM. Meet with Supervisor Koenig at the 1st District Office in Live Oak at the Sheriff's Center, 5200 Soquel Ave, ground floor. Bring your questions and meet one-on-one. First come, first served.
Tuesday, December 10th - Board of Supervisors Meeting starting at 9:00 AM. The agenda is pending. The meeting will be held via Zoom and in person at the Board Chambers at 701 Ocean Street, Rm 525.
FINAL MEETING OF 2024 Tuesday, December 17th - Board of Supervisors Meeting starting at 9:00 AM. The agenda is pending. The meeting will be held via Zoom and in person at the Board Chambers at 701 Ocean Street, Rm 525.
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