Please vote for the top four candidates.
Details are here.

A library? A proposal by Group 4 Architecture:

This rendition envisions a new library, buried under a six-story garage that would completely cover what is now "Parking Lot 4", the space between Lincoln and Cathcart Streets where the popular Farmers Market now takes place on Wednesday afternoons. Although this proposal was endorsed by the Downtown Library Advisory Committee in 2017, it is NOT a good idea. Click here for more information about the issues.

Five consultants told the City that building a parking garage
should be a last resort...

...after pricing, commuter benefits, technology and reform of
parking requirements have had a chance to work. Read more...

Is it feasible to rebuild our current library?

YES. Here's a rendition by Jayson Architecture.
Click here for details.

Can we create a Downtown Commons on Lot 4?

Mark Lakeman tells us how. Click here to learn what Mark told us.

Speed:

Latest posts

September 12: We have endorsed Sandy Brown, Kelsey Hill, Kayla Kumar and Alicia Kuhl for the Santa Cruz City Council. A summary appears in the first header image above, and all the details are posted here.

June 17: We have added three columns by Stephen Kessler about the proposal to bury a new library in a big GARAGE in Downtown Santa Cruz. You may read them by clicking here.

May 14: Click here for a few photos of new Rail Trail construction.

April 19: To enhance our efforts to ensure the creation of a beautiful and effective Downtown Commons in Downtown Santa Cruz, there is a new website, entitled “Alternatives to a Downtown Parking Garage”.

For additional details, click here and here.

February 5: We've added two short videos and a statement to our Bus Rider Testimonials page, so have a look at them.

In addition to this Home page, we have quite a few new or revised pages on our site.

The new Garage/Library tab summarizes a number of issues related to both the proposal for a new Downtown garage and a new Downtown library.

There are eight links under this tab:

  1. Mark Lakeman's presentation to us, on the creation of a Downtown Commons and the key importance of “Gathering Places”.
  2. 10 reasons why a new garage is not needed Downtown, including a video of Patrick Siegman's presentation to our City Council.
  3. An essay by Rick Longinotti that exposes background details about the political situation.
  4. Testimony from Downtown business owners opposed to the new garage.
  5. A link to the Facebook page for “Downtown Commons Advocates”, a new organization.
  6. Jayson Architecture's presentation about how our current Downtown library could be rebuilt and improved.
  7. Four of Stephen Kessler's Columns, published in the Sentinel, that relate to the proposed new garage and the library.
  8. A Guest Editorial, published in the Sentinel, by several Downtown business owners who are opposed to a new garage and in favor of a Downtown Commons.
Issues: A key to the footnotes in our first header image.
  1. Downtown Parking Garage:

    In June 2020 the City Council majority voted to approve the concept of a 400-space parking garage (the size of the garage at Soquel/Front St.), library and minimum 50 units of affordable housing at Lot #4, site of the Downtown Farmers Market. The Council majority voted in favor of the garage concept without ever placing on their agenda a report by Nelson\Nygaard on their Downtown Parking Strategic Plan, prepared under a $100,000 contract with the City. Nelson\Nygaard did not recommend a new parking structure. Voting no were Sandy Brown and Katherine Beiers.

  2. Bus Passes for All Downtown Workers

    Consultants advising the City recommended free bus passes for anyone working in the Downtown Parking District order to free up weekday parking for visitors to Downtown. Instead, City staff recommended funding just 144 free bus passes per month on a first-come, first-served basis. The vote on February 12, 2019 for bus passes for any worker Downtown passed 4-3 with Councilmembers Brown, Cummings, Glover, and Krohn voting yes. Voting no were Councilmembers Mathews, Meyers and Watkins.

  3. 20% Affordable Units in New Development

    CFST supports affordable housing close to jobs as a strategy for reducing transportation demand and build a stable community. The City Council voted to increase the required affordable housing in new private developments from 15% to 20%. The December 10, 2019 vote passed 4-3 with Councilmembers Brown, Cummings, Glover, and Krohn voting yes. Voting no were Councilmembers Mathews, Meyers and Watkins.

  4. Transit on the Rail Corridor

    The survey asked candidates, “Do you support the development of transit on the rail corridor, along with a multi-use trail?

  5. Unbundled Parking

    The survey stated, “Reform of parking requirements is a social equity issue, as well as a climate issue. Currently people who rent or purchase apartments in Santa Cruz are required to pay for the parking that accompanies their unit—whether or not they own a car. Studies of developments that allow tenants to opt out of purchasing parking show reduced vehicle ownership and lower rents and purchase prices. Would you support an ordinance that requires developers to give tenants a choice in purchasing parking?

  6. Zero New Trips to UCSC

    The survey stated, “Stanford University has successfully achieved zero increase in peak period vehicle trips to campus since 2001 in spite of a large growth in commuters to campus. Would you support a policy of zero new vehicle trips to UCSC campus, and if necessary enforce the policy through a City tax on parking at UCSC, if that tax revenue were devoted to METRO and alternative commute modes?”

  7. Safe Streets, Not Road Expansion

    The survey stated, “Santa Cruz has the worst record of injuries to bicyclists out of 103 California cities according to the state Office of Traffic Safety. The City averages #11 worst record of injuries to pedestrians. CFST proposes a moratorium on funding projects that expand auto capacity, along with redirecting those funds to make our streets safer for all users, lasting until Santa Cruz is ranked among the best 20% of California cities in rate of injuries to bicyclists and pedestrians. Would you support such a moratorium and reallocation of funds?

We're in the Process of Creating a New Website
market

Thanks to Rick Longinotti, Bruce Van Allen, John Hall and Agora Media Services, a new website is being created for the Campaign for Sustainable Transportation. We urge you to check it out. It's right here.

This new site has lots of good information, including

  • A Scorecard that Shows where Santa Cruz City Council Candidates stand on our issues. Click here for details.
  • Alternatives to a Parking Garage,
  • Alternatives to Expanding Highway 1,
  • Safe Streets and
  • Sustainable Land Use Planning.

along with several other useful links.

There's MORE:
Voices from the Village interviews John Hall, Karen Simmons and Bob Morgan on Youtube—an excellent review of the issues related to the proposed garage on Lot #4, the future of our Downtown Library, and the how to create a beautiful and promising Downtown Commons.

You can watch this good one right here. It's a half-hour video.

New Rail Trail construction on the Westside of Santa Cruz

Here below are some photos of new mini-segments of the Rail Trail, taken on the afternoon of May 11, 2020. These are in the stretch between Bay Street and Dufour Street, although work now is extending west from Dufour almost to Younglove Avenue and the Mission Street Safeway.

The first photo is taken from Bay Street looking west. The second is from Lennox Street east toward Bay Street. The third is from Palm Street east toward Lennox and Bay Streets, and the fourth is from Palm Street west toward Dufour.

The trail is on the ocean side of the tracks in this stretch. Ride your bike down and have a look.

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