🚨 URGENT UPDATE: WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW on the 7th Ave & Brommer Development 📣

🚨 URGENT UPDATE: WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW on the 7th Ave & Brommer Development 📣

The County has already approved the sale of the 7th & Brommer property to Community HousingWorks, and after direct conversations with both the County's assigned planner and California Coastal Commission staff, we now have confirmation, on the record, of exactly why this project's design and process should concern every neighbor here. The current proposal calls for at least 100 affordable homes (County Application No. 26178/261178; APN 026-261-13, -16, -17) on just 2.36 acres, including a four-story apartment complex directly bordering existing single- and two-story homes.

What's now confirmed, directly from County and Coastal Commission staff

This is a two-phase project, not one. The County's own assigned planner confirmed in a direct phone call that the current 100-unit project is only Phase 1. A second, separate housing project is already anticipated on the additional acreage the County sold in the same transaction. The public review happening right now does not account for the site's full, eventual build-out.

Coastal Commission staff confirmed there is no good reason the building has to be placed against our homes. In a direct call, a Coastal Commission staff member confirmed that the second parcel, the one not being built on right now, has zero adjacent neighbors. When asked directly why the developer is concentrating 100 units against existing homes when a neighbor-free option exists on the same site, staff had no answer and agreed it "doesn't make sense."

Parking is seriously inadequate for the unit mix proposed. The current plan provides only 66 parking spaces for 100 units, and approximately 25 of those units are 3-bedroom, family-sized homes, households that often need two vehicles. There is no additional parking on Brommer Street or 7th Avenue near the site, meaning overflow parking has nowhere to legally go. This isn't just an inconvenience; it's a foreseeable, ongoing conflict for both new residents and the existing neighborhood.

We are asking whether this project meets the County's own objective design standards. Whether a 4-story building complies with any adopted, written design requirements for this zone, such as required materials, colors, or architectural elements for Coastal Zone development, has not been publicly confirmed. We've asked the County directly to confirm whether such standards exist here and whether this project has been reviewed against them.

Emergency vehicle access is a real safety concern in an already congested area. With a single access point currently planned and no clear plan for how 100+ households will safely enter and exit, we are asking whether fire trucks and ambulances can reliably reach the building during an emergency, particularly given existing traffic congestion at this intersection even before any new units are added.

A public hearing is now confirmed but with public requests. This project requires a Coastal Development Permit, which will be heard by the County's Zoning Administrator. This is our real opportunity to formally weigh in, and we intend to use it.

Left-turn access now being granted onto 7th Avenue directly contradicts the County's own 2001 planning decision for this exact intersection. In 2001, the Board of Supervisors adopted a plan, at residents' own request, to keep 7th Avenue a neighborhood street rather than a thoroughfare, and the County then built a right-turn-only lane at this intersection in 2003.

The current design blocks public access to the site's green space, despite this site's history and designation calling for public recreational access as part of its intended use.

Stormwater and drainage compliance is unconfirmed. Given this site's direct proximity to the harbor, we've asked whether the parking areas and driveways meet standard permeable-surface and drainage requirements, and where runoff will ultimately go.

This project is under real financial time pressure, reportedly tied to $40–50 million in state and federal funding that could be lost if the developer doesn't break ground by a set deadline. This is precisely the moment for the community's voice to carry weight, not after decisions are locked in.

What we're asking for:

• Distribute the housing across the full site, using the parcel confirmed to have no adjacent neighbors, rather than concentrating all density against existing homes.
• Fully disclose and review the second phase now, not later, so the true cumulative impact of this site is studied honestly.
• A parking plan that actually reflects the unit mix, including adequate parking for family-sized units, given that no street parking exists nearby to absorb overflow.
• A real, public traffic and circulation study, including emergency vehicle access and whether Brommer Street can provide a second access point.
• Written confirmation of whether objective design standards apply to this site, and whether the current design complies with them.
• Resolve the left-turn access contradiction with the County's own 2001 traffic plan before final approval.
• Guarantee genuine public access to the site's green space.
• Confirm stormwater and drainage compliance in writing before approval.

We are not against affordable housing. We are against a process that concentrates every impact on the families who already live here, when the County's and the Coastal Commission's own staff can't explain why.

Get involved, here's exactly what to do:

Sign this petition and share it with neighbors on 7th Avenue, Brommer Street, and Stagg Lane.

Email these people directly, it takes two minutes:

Supervisor Manu Koenig: Manu.Koenig@santacruzcountyca.gov
Supervisor Justin Cummings: Justin.Cummings@santacruzcountyca.gov
County Planner Jonathan DiSalvo : jonathan.disalvo@santacruzcountyca.gov and Planning.ZoningInfo@santacruzcountyca.gov
Senator John Laird (State Senate District 17) sd17.senate.ca.gov/contact-us

or call the Santa Cruz district office at (831) 425-0401 and Planning Department (831) 454-3157

Watch for the Zoning Administrator hearing date and plan to attend and speak. Ask specifically about the phasing, the site orientation, the 2001 turn restriction, parking, emergency access, public access, design standards, and stormwater. Repeating the same specific asks, from many voices, is what actually moves County staff and elected officials.

Time is running out. The more voices they hear now, the greater our chance to influence this project before it's too late. This is not about opposing housing, it's about demanding a responsible, balanced approach that protects the people and character of our community. ACT NOW. Every email, every signature, and every voice could make the difference. 📣

We'll keep this petition updated as we get responses. Thank you for standing with your neighbors.

There is another active community group, called Harbor Neighbors, established in 2016, concerned with "protecting the quality of life in our neighborhoods from negative impacts of proposed developments at the 7th & Brommer site." Harbor Neighbors publishes updates frequently. To receive e-updates, use their Contact Us form found HERE.

Thank you to everyone who has signed, shared, attended meetings, and stayed involved. Community participation will continue to be critical as this project moves forward.