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Cabrillo College Measure R on March 2020 Ballot

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Vote Yes on Measure R for Cabrillo College

The Board of Trustees of Cabrillo College has put together a new bond measure to appear on the March 3, 2020 primary ballot. Ballot Measure R will seek to raise $274.1 million dollars to improve facilities at both the Aptos and Watsonville campuses.

County residents may recall that there was a larger, $310 million bond measure for Cabrillo in 2016 (Measure Q). This effort failed to win the minimum necessary 55% “Yes” to pass – it fell about 1% short. This time around, the Trustees have put together a plan that has better support among students and faculty, and it is hoped that in 2020, the community will lend enough to support to get the measure passed.

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Specifically, this money will be spent on the following projects:

  • $84 Million: New Science Building
  • $72.9 Million: Library Renovation and Secondary Effects
  • $60.7 Million: Major Renovation of 200 Building to Co-Locate All Student Services
  • $23 Million: Watsonville Public Safety Center
  • $17 Million: IT and Facilities Allocation
  • $11 Million: Building 350 – Reconfigure Instructional Classrooms for Larger Lecture Halls
  • $3 Million: Building 500, 600, 1600 Modernization – CA State Match –
  • $2.5 Million: Critical Needs (emergency fixes)

Less specifically, the money will be used to:

  • Upgrade training classrooms to prepare students for 21st-century careers
  • Prepare more students to transfer to four-year colleges and universities
  • Improve educational resources for returning veterans
  • Update classroom technology and science, engineering and math labs
  • Expand access to college classrooms for people with disabilities
  • Upgrade aging classrooms and replace outdated wiring and sewer lines
  • Establish a public safety training center in Watsonville to train local firefighters and police to serve our community

If it passes, Measure R would impose a district-wide, 30-year property tax of $19 per $100,000 of assessed value. It is important to note that because of Proposition 13, assessed value is often much less than market value. Property owners that purchased years ago may have an assessed value of, say, $300,000 but a market value of $850,000 – in this case, those property owners would be looking at a $57/year increase in property taxes. If, however, you paid $1,000,000 for a home last year in the district, the assessed value will be roughly the same – meaning you’d be paying an additional $190/year in taxes in that case.

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The Board of Trustees is optimistic that the 2020 Measure R will be successful when 2016 Measure Q failed. The 2016 effort was not well planned, whereas boosters of the 2020 measure say the plan for how the money will be spent has been very carefully considered to closely align with the needs of the student body and the community.

Cabrillo College has put together a dedicated Yes on R web site, and has additional information on the bond measure on their main site.

In the most recent episode of the Bay to Bay Podcast, host Seb Frey discusses what’s going on at Cabrillo College, and spends about half the episode discussing the ins and outs, whys and wherefores of the 2020 Bond Measure R. You can listen to that below:

https://baytobaypodcast.com/2020/01/08/episode-49-cabrillo-college-in-2020

See also:

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Initiative Requiring Voter Approval for Santa Cruz Passenger Rail

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Ballot Initiative to give the people the power to best spend transportation dollars

Ever since the Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC, or just RTC) acquired the Santa Cruz Branch Line Rail Corridor, there’s been a lot of debate surrounding just what the future of the corridor would be.  The RTC is championing an extravagant vision of an active rail line built alongside a pedestrian and bicycle path, which a number of “feeder” trails leading into and out of different areas along the 32 mile length of the corridor.  This plan is known as the Monterey Bay Scenic Sanctuary Trail (MBSST), and it’s won accolades and plaudits from many corners.

As much as the MBSST plan has been praised, it has likewise been heavily criticized by a large contingent of the public who feels that passenger rail service is not economically viable for a relatively small population base.  There’s been a spirited debate online for a number of years between those seeking some kind of active rail transportation in the corridor, and those who prefer a “trail only” or “greenway”  – which would be essentially a linear park with a wide multi-modal trail that would accommodate walkers, runners, cyclists, skateboards, and other personal transportation devices which may not yet have been invented.

As the RTC continues to advocate and plan for a “rail and trail” dual use in the corridor, opponents of the rail are organizing an initiative to be put before Santa Cruz county voters on the November 2020 ballot.  The initiative will be titled “A MEASURE REQUIRING AN ELECTION TO APPROVE ANY CONTINUED OR FUTURE WORK FOR THE RAIL + TRAIL PROJECT.”  Notice of this initiative was recently published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, a formal requirement to begin the official process for getting the measure on the ballot.

If approved by voters, the initiative would:

  1. Require a majority of voters (at least 51%) to approve the continuation of any work related to a “Rail + Trail” Project in a regular election;
  2. Prohibit the RTC from taking any action that would authorize or permit the construction, studies, and/or continuation of a “Rail + Trail” project, or incurring any related debt or bonds, unless such election is held;
  3. Suspend any work currently in progress or associated with the “Rail and Trail” project until such election is held;
  4. Permit a “Trail Only” or “Greenway” project to proceed without any additional voter approval;
  5. Supersede and override any and all other requirements under which the RTC is governed; and
  6. Apply retroactively from the date the measure was found to have qualified for placement on the ballot.

A copy of the initiative can be downloaded using this link.

Those interested in helping gather signatures for the initiative are encouraged to contact Bill Smallman, who can be found hanging out on the Facebook group Rail AND/OR Trail Vote Group which he created for the purpose of facilitating this effort.

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Pure Water Soquel Discussed on Local Podcast

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Melanie Mow Schumacher and Ron Duncan of the Soquel Creek Water District (SCWD) were guests on the local BayToBayPodcast this week, to discuss the Pure Water Soquel Project. Melanie is the SCWD Special Projects Communication Manager, and Ron is the general manager. Pure Water Soquel is a project that aims to recycle water for Soquel Creek Water District customers, to both increase supply and also to stop or reverse saltwater intrusion into our aquifers.

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This past December, the board of directors of the Soquel Creek Water District voted to approve the EIR (Environmental Impact Report) for the project and it is now officially moving forward.  The aquifers that SCWD draws on are critically overdrafted – in fact, we have one of only 20-ish groundwater basins out of 500 in California that are designated as such by the State government.

Being in a state of overdraft is a big problem hereabouts, because it means that salt water is intruding into our fresh water supply.  This threatens to make our groundwater undrinkable, and that would be an unmitigated disaster for the Aptos community.

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The Pure Water Soquel project aims to address this overdraft by adding about 30% of the daily consumption of the aquifer back through recycling water. The plan calls for recycled water from the city of Santa Cruz Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility to be purified and pumped back down into the aquifer and thus back into the supply. This should push out the seawater and help to make the aquifer sustainable again – which it hasn’t been, for 50 years or more.

It’s a fascinating discussion about our water basin and how this new project an help sustain it for the long term.  Please listen to and share the podcast with your fellow Soquel Creek Water District customers!

Click here to listen to Episode 34 of the Bay to Bay Podcast.

Aptos Village December 2018 Update

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Aptos Village is Shaping Up!

The folks behind the Aptos Village have sent out an end-of-year announcement of progress of the development.  Here’s the news they want to share, sent via email on December 26th 2018:

We’ve come to the end of a productive year, and Phase One of Aptos Village is closer than ever to completion.

TOWNHOMES & CONDOS 
Townhome sales on Granite Way are ramping up, while the Building 11 cluster homes are taking shape inside and out. Each cluster home’s stylish modern kitchen is under construction now and, with the addition of smaller finishes throughout, Building 11 will be ready in no time.

The Building 3 condos overlooking the Village Green are on track for a February completion date, and the Building 7 condos at the corner of Aptos Village Way and Parade Street are virtually complete.

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RETAIL INTERIORS
As for retail, interior improvements in every building are moving right along, with the Village’s hotly anticipated stores, eateries and other businesses projected to open in Spring 2019. Building 3 storefronts at the Village Green should be finished in early January. Work continues inside Building 7’s space, with Buildings 6A and 6B not far behind. And although there is still a ways to go inside the Apple Barn, it won’t be long before the equipment goes out and the groceries go in.

The Aptos Village team wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

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TheAptosVillage.com is the place to go for the latest on the project, as well as how to contact the Residential and Commercial Sales and Leasing teams. Commercial inquiries can be directed to Joe Appenrodt at 831-234-8554 or joe@appenrodtcommercial.com. Learn more about coming home to Aptos Village here.

General project information, newsletters, FAQ sheets and updates can be accessed through the “Project News” tab located at the upper right.

Click here for Aptos Village area homes for sale.

Pure Water Soquel Project Meeting December 18th!

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Soquel Creek Water District

Mark your calendar for the next meeting about Groundwater replenishment and seawater intrusion prevention project (aka the Pure Water Sequel Project). Please plan to attend the public Soquel Creek Water District board meeting on December 18th at 6:00 pm at the Capitola City Chambers – 420 Capitola Ave. Capitola, CA.

Pure Water Soquel is a project of  groundwater replenishment and seawater intrusion prevention. This project will help recycle water for replenishing the groundwater basin and protecting against seawater intrusion using advance water purification methods.

Methods can vary, but many systems use water purification that includes three processes: micro-filtration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light/advanced oxidation.

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Where this Project will be sited

The Project includes facilities in portions of the cities of Santa Cruz and Capitola, and in the Live Oak, Soquel, and Aptos communities of unincorporated Santa Cruz County, California.

There are tree sites identified by the Soquel District for the Project water treatment facilities, and five potential sites (among four properties) for recharge wells, and several options for conveyance pipeline alignments.

The Project treatment system could include components at:

(1) the Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility,

(2) District-owned property near the Capitola Avenue-Soquel Drive intersection, and/or at property on the southwest corner of the Soquel Avenue-Chanticleer Avenue intersection.

Potential recharge well locations include:

(1) two sites at Cabrillo College

(2) one site at Twin Lakes Church

(3) one site on District property near Willowbrook Lane, and

(4) one site on District property near the Monterey Avenue-Kennedy Drive intersection.

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The objective of this Project is to help increase the sustainability of the groundwater supply while also stopping and reversing saltwater intrusion, which would be absolutely deadly to our precious aquifer.

This project will cost approximately $90 million. Soquel District has been awarded over $2 million in grants and exploring federal grants programs for construction.

It is currently in Year 4 of it’s evaluation with technical feasibility and environmental review underway. Once approved, construction could begin on late  2019 with the goal of being on-line by 2022.

If you want to learn more about this important project that is coming to our community don’t miss this meeting!  It is critically important that those in favor of replenishing and revitalizing our aquifer show up to this meeting and let the Soquel Creek Water District know you support their efforts.

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Capitola City Council Considers Rail, Trail Options

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The Capitola City Council held a public meeting on January 11, 2018 to discuss rail and trail options on the Santa Cruz Branch Line corridor. The rail corridor passes through the heart of Capitola, and the future use of the corridor is of great concern to many who live in or visit Capitola by the Sea.

The council heard from a proponent of “rail with trail” and also a “trail only” advocate. The invited guests were Mark Mesti-Miller, a leading advocate for “rail with trail” and Bud Colligan, local philanthropist, activist, and a founding and leading member of the Santa Cruz Greenway initiative. The council chambers were packed; it was standing room only, and people were invited to sit in the overflow room next adjacent to the council chambers.

Before the presentations, the mayor of Capitola, Mike Termini, asked for a show of hands as to who was in favor of having a train, and who was in favor of a trail only. It seemed that perhaps twice as many hands were raised in favor of a trail only.

Get the Audio-Only Version

You can listen to an audio-only version of this meeting! Check out the Bay to Bay Podcast and listen to it in your car, during a walk, at the gym, or wherever!

Each speaker was given twelve minutes for his presentation. Mr. Mesti-Miller spoke first, after which Mr. Colligan spoke for an equal length of time. After their presentations, each was given a three minute follow up presentation where they could rebut claims made in the other’s initial discourse.

Members of the community were also invited to make comments. Dozens of people rose to speak.  It seemed as if the speakers were evenly divided between those who wanted to see passenger rail service and those who were in favor of a “trail only.” A number of people urged the council members to make a public recommendation in favor of one scenario or the other before the completion of the Unified Corridor Investment Study (UCS), slated for fall 2018.

The city council of Scotts Valley did recently endorse Greenway’s vision, and the Greenway folks were hoping that the city of Capitola would do like wise at this meeting. However, towards the end of the evening, the city council decided that they would indeed wait for the UCS study to be completed before making any public proclamation one way or another.  Notably, three of the four council members did say that they were at this point favoring the Greenway’s “trail only” proposition. The fourth council member did not say which outcome he favored.  If this meeting held at the city of Capitola is any indication of public sentiment regarding the future use of the rail corridor, it seems that the trail-only solution will win out.

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Additional Photos

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Time Lapse Video shows Hihn Apple Barn Moving

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Hihn Apple Barn on the Move
Hihn Apple Barn on the Move

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’re probably aware that the construction work for the new Aptos Village began several months back. For months, passers by have seen the Hihn Apple Barn up on jacks, as it was being prepared to move to its new site. Last month, on September 22, the move began. The folks at Barry Swenson Builder have now released a cool time-lapse video showing the Hihn Apple Barn moving slowly on its way to its new permanent location within Aptos Village.

Time Lapse Video

The L-shaped building is 181 feet long and 100 feet wide, and has been divided into two sections. The division was made at the location where the first addition was made to the barn about 100 years ago.

So far, one section of the barn has been moved nearly 200 feet across the property and has been rotated 160 degrees. The move is being done on rollers, a laborious and slow process. When the first section of barn is in place, Kelly Brothers House Movers will begin work to move the second section.

The pad where the barn will be placed has been trenched for a foundation, and that work has been inspected and certified. The aim is to have both sections of the barn situated on the pad before the rainy season.

Relocating and rehabilitating the barn is a key element of the Aptos Village Project. Although the exact date the Hihn Apple Barn was constructed is not known, the barn is historically significant. Part of the building appears to have been constructed c.1891-1899, with substantial additions in 1915 and c.1920, with the last bay (88 feet long by 36 feet wide) c.1929-1930. The barn will become a New Leaf Community Market and open into the Village Green common area, a new civic heart for Aptos.

Local Aptos historian Kevin Newhouse was interviewed by Phil Gomez with KSBS Action News 8, and that video can be seen here:

KSBW Interviews Kevin Newhouse

Zach Friend Interview: Housing Affordability

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In the eighth segment of our Zach Friend Interview Series, the Supervisor talks about housing affordability and what needs to happen to improve it in Santa Cruz county. According to Friend, too many people live in substandard and overcrowded housing conditions, and it is simply unacceptable for this to be happening in a place and time as wealthy as we live in.  The Supervisor notes that if current trends continue, there will be more renters than home owners in Santa Cruz county in a couple of years.

He remarks that many of today’s problems with traffic can be attributed to the fact that most of the new housing in the county has been built in the southern portion of the county, but most of the job growth has been to the north. While the county does not build housing, what it can do is facilitate an environment where housing can be built that fits the present-day and future needs of Santa Cruz county.

The Supervisor also discussed redevelopment of the Par Three Golf Course and the Poor Clares property as well, as there’s been some talk in the community over the years about these properties.

Watch the Video Now

In the ninth segment of the interview, Supervisor Friend wraps up our interview and discusses the Aptos Village Project.

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Rancho del Mar Community Meeting Set for April 28th

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Terramar Retail Centers
Terramar Retail Centers

Supervisor Zach Friend has announced there will be a community meeting with Terramar Retail Centers, the new owners of the Rancho del Mar Shopping Center. The future of Rancho del Mar has been up in the air for a while now, and with increasing vacancies of late (especially the recent loss of the movie theater), a lot of folks are wondering what plans the new owners have for the property.

The meeting will be held at the Seascape Golf Club on Thursday, April 28th at 6:30 PM. Given the acute degree of interest which the community has expressed about the center, the event is expected to be heavily attended. For this reason, folks are being asked to RSVP for the meeting using this link.

If anyone has questions or input they would like to give in advance, they can contact Bruce Walton with Terramar at bwalton@terramarcenters.com

TrailNow Presentation Video

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TrailNow
Check out the TrailNow.org Web Site

Many in the community are aware of plans by the Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) to establish some form of passenger rail service alongside a trail which will form the backbone of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network. A lot of folks in the community feel that passenger rail service is neither feasible nor a desirable project, especially given the multi-hundred-million dollar cost to establish rail service when existing transportation systems are already badly under-funded.

TrailNow is a local grassroots political action committee whose goal is to establish a “world class” pedestrian and bicycle trail in the Santa Cruz Branch Line rail corridor in the next several years. Their goal is to have the tracks removed entirely to make way for a broad dual-mode (pedestrian, wheeled vehicles) path through the key 12-mile stretch of the corridor from the city of Santa Cruz to Manresa Beach.  One of the founders of TrailNow, Brian Peoples, recently made a presentation detailing the organization’s objections to the RTC’s vision for rail service in Santa Cruz county.

Watch the TrailNow Presentation Video

There are of course fierce advocates for passenger rail service in Santa Cruz county, many of whom have disputed some of the information in the TrailNow presentation above and in fact have created a web site highlighting what they consider to be the inaccuracies.  For a broader context, please see below for additional articles we’ve posted over time about the rail corridor, especially our interview with former supervisor Ellen Pirie.

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