UPDATE on the 7th & Brommer Development

UPDATE on the proposed housing project at 7th Avenue and Brommer Street.

At the June 9 Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board unanimously accepted modifications required by the California Coastal Commission (CCC) for the site. These modifications are now part of the County's official planning documents and appear to reduce some of the potential impacts to neighboring residents, trees, and wildlife habitat.

The two key modifications are:

1. Housing Clustering
Housing must be concentrated within the smallest feasible footprint, limited to no more than 3.5 contiguous acres, and located closer to 7th Avenue and Stagg Lane.

2. Reversion of Remaining Land
Once the housing project is approved, the remaining land outside the housing area will revert to its previous zoning designation, allowing future public meetings and review for non-housing uses.

What This Means

Based on information presented at the June 9 meeting:

• Negotiations are underway to sell approximately 3.5 acres to the nonprofit developer Community HousingWorks.
• The project is proposed as 100% affordable rental housing.
• Onsite parking is planned.
• Existing Significant Trees (similar to what Santa Cruz City calls Heritage Trees) are expected to be preserved.
• Approximately 2 acres of the 6.4-acre site are expected to remain as open space, although exact boundaries have not yet been finalized.

The Bad News

Due to state housing laws and the ministerial approval process, this housing project will not go through the County Planning Commission and does not require traditional public hearings where the public can formally comment on the project.

What's Next

Community HousingWorks plans to hold an informational Zoom meeting, with additional community meetings potentially following. These meetings will be important opportunities for neighbors to provide input and advocate for project features such as:

• Preserving existing oak trees and natural buffers
• Meaningful setbacks from neighboring homes
• Safe placement of pathways and public access areas
• Adequate parking and traffic mitigation
• Protection of neighborhood character and open space

The Board of Supervisors is expected to consider subdivision and sale of the housing portion of the property at its June 30 meeting.

Thank you to everyone who has signed the petition and stayed engaged. Community involvement will continue to be important as the project moves forward. Please send me you email for more information on this project.