Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We've got a packed Board of Supervisors agenda for tomorrow. It includes a report on the current pavement conditions of County Roadways. Spoiler alert: we need to increase spending more than five times just to maintain the current "fair" Pavement Condition Index of 57. If we increase spending by nine times the current level we could get our road network into a good, more maintainable state.
A de novo hearing on the 57-unit Builder's Remedy project at 841 Capitola Rd has been scheduled for February 10. A hearing for 100-unit project at 5940 Soquel Ave is coming before the Board on February 24.
A huge thank you to the Friends of the Capitola Library for raising $500K to power the Capitola Library with solar panels. We celebrated the ribbon cutting last weekend.
On February 11 you can join me for a Town Hall at Shoreline Middle School to help develop the County's next Strategic Plan. This is also an opportunity to meet our new County Executive Officer, Nicole Coburn. Hope to see you there!
Best, |
Manu Koenig 1st District Supervisor, Santa Cruz County
|
Highlights from Tomorrow's
Board of Supervisors Agenda
|
Image: Map of the Current Pavement Condition Index (PCI) of Santa Cruz County roadways.
|
At tomorrow's meeting, the Board will receive a presentation on the current condition of Santa Cruz County’s roadways. The County maintains roughly 583 miles of roads, a public asset valued at nearly one billion dollars.
The report shows that our average pavement condition has improved modestly in recent years to 57 out of 100, in the "fair" range. This is thanks to resurfacing projects completed since 2019, ongoing patching and repairs, and improved data collection methods that give us a clearer picture of roadway conditions across the county. The statewide average Pavement Condition Index is 65.
The countywide score is buoyed by better conditions on arterial and collector roads (which have a PCI of 69 and 61 respectively). Lesser trafficked residential streets have an average PCI of 51.
The challenge is that when pavement falls from a "fair" condition to a "poor" condition (a PCI of 50 or less), it becomes much more expensive to bring back into a state of good repair. The average cost goes from $476K per mile to rehab a road with "fair" pavement to $900K per mile to rehab a road with "poor" pavement and $1.4M per mile to rehab a road with "very poor" pavement. Forty-six percent of Santa Cruz County's residential streets are already in "poor" condition.
|
Image: County Road investment scenarios and the resulting Pavement Condition Index ten years from now.
The report outlines four investment scenarios (see table above). Currently the County invests an average of just $5.5 million per year into pavement resurfacing. If this level of investment is maintained, the average Pavement Condition Index countywide will fall to a 36 over the next 10 years. In order to just maintain the current Pavement Condition Index of 57, the County would need to increase its annual investment to $29 million (more than 5x current spending). The report recommends that the County invest $49 million per year in order to bring the average Pavement Condition Index to 70. In this condition it would be much easier and more cost-effective to maintain county roads going forward. The final scenario examined would invest $22 million per year and focus on major roads, bringing the PCI on those to a 70 while the PCI on local roads would fall to a 29 over 10 years.
The bottom line is that the County needs to invest more in roads. That means that other departments will need to be cut, taxpayers will need to pay more, or some combination of the two. I have consistently advocated for more road spending during the annual county budget process. Roads are the one county facility every resident uses every day. Our underinvestment is resulting in chart-topping injuries and fatalities for bikes and pedestrians. As recently as last year, I proposed cutting all other departments by 1% so that we could work on high impact road projects. Larger storm events are turning poor roads into broken roads with washouts and slides. This report did not even cover deferred storm repairs or failed culverts.
You can read the full Pavement Condition Index report here: https://www.santacruzcountyca.gov/Portals/0/County/COB/AMS%20Large%20Files/2025%20Pavement%20Management%20Program%20Update%20Report.pdf
You can email the full Board of Supervisors and share your feedback on this topic here: BoardOfSupervisors@santacruzcountyca.gov
|
The Board will receive a progress report on Streamline Santa Cruz County, an ongoing effort to make County permitting and development review processes more transparent, predictable, and user-friendly for residents, homeowners, and local businesses. This workplan includes a series of targeted projects aimed at reducing unnecessary complexity in getting a building permit while maintaining strong environmental and safety standards.
Over recent months, staff have made steady progress on most of these projects. 88% of building permit plan checks are completed on time (up from a low of 44% in December 2023). The median number of review days has improved from 80 to 74.
The update highlights measurable improvements that many in the community are already beginning to feel. Customer satisfaction surveys reflect high ratings for service quality and communication, and new tools like the Camino Guide are helping applicants better understand requirements before submitting permits. Staff have also been working to standardize internal procedures, improve access to data through dashboards and scorecards, and expand communication with stakeholders, all of which are important steps toward building trust and accountability in County services.
If you'd like to get information about average review time and costs for any permit type, ranging from ADUs to single family homes to decks, take a look at the Building Permit Dashboard here: https://www.santacruzcountyca.gov/VisionSantaCruz/CommunityResults/PermitCenter.aspx
To check overall data, regarding the number of permits issued and average times, check out the scorecard metrics here: https://www.santacruzcountyca.gov/portals/0/StrategicPlan/pdfs/Q3%202025%20Building%20Permit%20History.pdf
I appreciate the dedication of County staff who are balancing this reform work with day to day responsibilities, and I look forward to continued updates as we refine these processes.
|
At their November 7, 2025 meeting, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) certified the 2025 Miscellaneous Amendments approved by the Board of Supervisors (Board) on June 10, 2025, with modifications. The Board is required to accept the modifications at a public hearing to complete the certification process. A revised ordinance will also need to be adopted to formally amend the Santa Cruz County Code (SCCC).
|
The Board will hold a study session on the County Climate Resilience Project Inventory, a new tool that brings together nearly one hundred climate, hazard mitigation, and sustainability projects from across County departments into a single, transparent framework. This inventory was developed in response to Board direction and is designed to show where climate and resilience work is already underway, where projects are ready to move forward, and where funding or capacity gaps remain. By consolidating this information, the County now has a clearer picture of how our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate impacts fit together across departments and communities.
|
Also at tomorrow’s meeting, the Board will consider a proposal to transfer the Santa Cruz County Veterans Service Office from the Human Services Department to the County Executive Office, effective March 2026. The Veterans Service Office assists veterans and their families in accessing federal, state, and local benefits, including disability compensation, pensions, education benefits, and health care navigation. This item is being brought forward for Board consideration following feedback from veterans and service providers about how the office is currently structured within County government.
The Board’s discussion will focus on whether this proposed transfer would improve service delivery, coordination, and oversight, as well as how it may affect staff, operations, and veterans seeking assistance. The item does not propose changes to the services provided or introduce new costs, as staff positions and funding would transfer with the program. I look forward to a careful and thoughtful conversation that weighs the potential benefits and considerations of this organizational change and ensures that the needs of veterans remain the central focus of any decision. |
At tomorrow’s Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board will be asked to schedule a public hearing for February 10, 2026, to consider Application 241371 for a proposed 57 unit multifamily residential project at 841 Capitola Road in Live Oak. Because the Planning Commission’s approval of the project was appealed, the Board is required to hold a new public hearing and serve as the decision-making body on the application.
|
The Board is also being asked to approve a public hearing for February 24, 2026, to consider Application 241488 for a proposed 100 unit residential subdivision at 5940 Soquel Avenue in Live Oak. The Planning Commission has reviewed the project and forwarded a recommendation to the Board, which is the final decision making body and is required to hold a public hearing on the application and related environmental documents. |
On February 11, I will host a District 1 Town Hall focused on Santa Cruz County’s next Strategic Plan. This plan is the County’s long-term roadmap for setting priorities, allocating resources, and delivering services, and it works best when it is grounded in the real experiences, ideas, and values of the people who live and work here. At the Town Hall, I’ll be joined by County Executive Officer Nicole Coburn to share an overview of the Strategic Plan process, explain how community input directly informs it, and hear from residents through an interactive planning activity where participants can share their priorities, perspectives, and ideas, while also learning more about County programs, services, and resources available in their community. I'll see you there!
|
Capitola Branch Library CelebratesNew Solar Panels and Battery Storage System
|
Image: (Top) Solar panels on the Capitola Library (Credit: Gerry Jensen). (Bottom) First District Staff Jillian Ritter and Second District Supervisor Kim DeSerpa present a certificate of recognition to Toni Campbell and Friends of the Capitola Library.
|
This past weekend, the First District office was proud to join Second District Supervisor Kim DeSerpa in presenting a proclamation to Toni Campbell and the Friends of the Capitola Branch Library in celebration of the completion of a long-envisioned solar and battery storage project at the Capitola Library, a powerful example of community persistence and sustainability in action.
Thanks to Measure S, voters helped modernize library facilities countywide, and while solar was part of the Capitola Library’s original 2021 design, funding gaps delayed installation until the Friends of the Capitola Library stepped up through years of grassroots fundraising, community donations, and partnerships with the City of Capitola and Santa Cruz Public Libraries to make the approximately $500,000 project a reality.
The result is the first public building in Capitola to achieve energy neutrality, delivering clean energy resilience and more than $30,000 in annual savings for the library system, and demonstrating what is possible when volunteers, public agencies, and the community work together to invest in a more sustainable future for our public spaces.
|
Beginning tonight, the southbound State Park Drive Offramp will be closed through February 10, with a detour to Park Avenue. |
Tuesday, January 27 - Board of Supervisors Meeting starting at 9:00 AM. The meeting will be held via Zoom and in person at the County Government Center Community Room, located in the basement at 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.
Friday, January 30 - Board of Supervisors Retreat starting at 9:00 AM. The retreat will be held in person in the Live Oak Community Room at Simpkins Family Swim Center, 979 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95062. The retreat agenda for this public meeting will be released by Tuesday, January 27.
Wednesday, February 4 - Monthly Office Hours from 1:00-3:00 PM at our First District Office located in the Sheriff's Administration Building at 5200 Soquel Ave. Join us for drop-in office hours and discuss what's on your mind. First come, first served.
Tuesday, February 10 - Board of Supervisors Meeting starting at 9:00 AM. The meeting will be held via Zoom and in person at the South County Center Community Room located at 500 Westridge Drive, Watsonville, CA 95076
Wednesday, February 11 - First District Town Hall with County Executive Officer Nicole Coburn from 5:30-7:00 PM in the Shoreline Middle School Gym, 855 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95062. Please join us to discuss pertinent issues in Santa Cruz County and help us develop the next County of Santa Cruz Strategic Plan.
Thursday, February 19 - Town Hall with Assemblymember Gail Pellerin from 5:30-7:00 PM. Location TBA.
Tuesday, February 24 - Board of Supervisors Meeting starting at 9:00 AM. The meeting will be held via Zoom and in person at the County Government Center Community Room, located in the basement at 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. The County Board Chambers are currently under renovation through February 2026. Board meetings will be held at various locations throughout the County of Santa Cruz during this time. The Fall 2025/Winter 2026 meeting schedule with updated locations can be found here.
|
|
