• The way the purposed ·objective standards are written many of the buildings in Santa Cruz along Water St and Soquel Ave could be 8 stories high.  

•   A long-time Santa Cruz City Planner reviewed the purposed Objective Standards that will be voted on this Tuesday, Nov 15 by the City Council and the city planner advised all of the proposed objective standards and other zoning provisions could still be adopted, and the height requirements could be separate. 

• ·  The planner is asking for this to retain the 3 story/40 foot height numbers in the community commercial (CC and the new mixed-use medium and high-density zoning districts)

• ·  This is important is because with the density bonus to allow affordable housing which we want, the heights can go to 8 stories. Because there are numerous provisions that allow these numbers to be adjusted upward. Our city council must consider the height the density bonus will add.

• · The planner said this is important because if greater height numbers are inserted in the zoning districts now as the objective standards the results could be taller buildings than what the objective standards are allowing and little chance of ever reducing heights in the future.

• · This is important.  Water St. and Soquel are too narrow to accommodate the additional traffic that 8 story building would bring. Our water supply is not robust enough to handle this increased density, especially with the high-rise buildings being built in downtown Santa Cruz. Our bus system is not adequate to supply transportation.

·         ACTION NEEDED: Please write the city council today or tomorrow before 5 pm to tell the city council to leave the height at 3 stories because with the density bonus the height will be much higher and you do not support buildings that are 8 stories high on Water St. and Soquel Ave. The objective standards must keep the base heights as they are.

Here are the addresses to write (Do not write just the main email. Please write to each council member.) Thank you.

sbrunner@cityofsantacruz.com

mwatkins@cityofsantacruz.com

sbrown@cityofsantacruz.com 

jcummings@cityofsantacruz.com  

rgolder@cityofsantacruz.com  

skalantari-johnson@cityofsantacruz.com 

dmeyers@cityofsantacruz.com 

 citycouncil@cityofsantacruz.com 

Thank you for your time to keep Santa Cruz from becoming the next San Jose. Your emails are very much appreciated. Your emails have made a difference before regarding retaining public hearings on building projects. Your emails are very much needed now. Thank you.