emails must be received by Monday, Dec `13, 5 pm Do not delay.
The afternoon of Tues., Dec `14 is when the Santa Cruz City Council decides what to do about the 831 Water St. project which has numerous health and safety issues for our town. Vision Zero and The Community Traffic Safety Collation have documented the negative health and safety issues the slope of the road has for those entering and exiting the garage as young students cross on their way home from school and residents travel through town.
You may copy and paste the following information in your email stating you agree with the following which The Community Traffic Safety Collation wrote:
"The entrance/exit for the underground parking garage would be located on a hill with a protected bike lane and wide sidewalk that allows safe travel for bicyclists and pedestrians making their way through this neighborhood. Our understanding is that the proposed parking garage would generate approximately 140 vehicles entering and exiting at this location. This poses safety issues for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists with a potential for increased conflicts as drivers turn into and exit the garage. Bicycle and motor vehicle speeds traveling downhill on Water Street can reach 30-40 MPH and slow to a stop at these speeds will be difficult. We fear there may be increased crashes at this location that reverse the increased safety of the active transportation infrastructure previously installed."
You may also pick reasons from this letter:
https://831responsibledevelopment.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/council-letter_12-10-2021.pdf
Please write the city council members. Here are the emails addresses: https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-council/councilmembers
The city must grant these waivers unless they violate state or federal law, create a specific adverse impact on health and safety or the physical environment that cannot be mitigated, or adversely impact real property. The health and safety impacts are state due to the dangerous entrance and exit from the parking structure.
There are other over 1,000 units many affordable in the pipeline for units to be built in Santa Cruz. This project needs to be reduced in size and made safe.
Show you care about safety in Santa Cruz. Write today. This will be may be the last opportunity to speak up on this project. Thank you.