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You are here: Home / Archives for seascape

seascape

Seascape Park

March 2, 2015 by Seb Frey

Seascape Park
Seascape Park 4.0 star rating 18 reviews Yelp logo

Seascape Park is a six-acre park located along the bluff over Monterey Bay, adjacent to Seascape Resort. The park features a number of benches created by artist Mary Fuller. The benches are carved with images of local wildlife, and make a fine place to sit as you catch awesome views of Monterey Bay. The park also features a picnic area, wheelchair accessible playground, and restrooms. There’s a walking path which leads from the park along the bluff and to the adjacent Seascape Resort, which provides access to the beach below.

Seascape Park holds a footnote in history, as it was here on March 16th, 1905 that John Montgomery first flew in a glider airplane, launched from a hot air balloon at altitudes ranging from 800 to 3000 feet. These were the first high altitude aircraft flights in history.

In December 2016, Seascape Park in Aptos finally received an an updated playground. In addition to the new playground equipment, the County added a new small grass area for playing, new drinking fountains and picnic tables as well as an upgrade to the public art piece.

See also: Seascape Park Web Page

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Filed Under: Parks, Parks and Recreation Tagged With: flight, glider, park, seascape

Seascape Golf Course in Aptos

December 20, 2014 by Seb Frey

Seascape Golf Club
Seascape Golf Club 3.5 star rating 74 reviews Yelp logo

The Seascape Golf Course in Aptos, first opened in 1958, and offers a full 18 holes of golf with 6,034 yards of top-notch golfing. Green fees run between $40 and $60, with special twilight rates. They have a 12-station driving range and a practice putting green, and offer golf cart rentals as well.

They have a clubhouse with a restaurant and a full bar and banquet facilities, which are often used for a number of events, including weddings and various community meetings. The Capitola-Aptos Rotary Club meets here weekly. Fundraising tournaments and corporate events are also routinely held on the golf course. Full memberships are available for die-hard regular players, but non-members can book a tee time through the web site.

See also: Seascape Golf Course web site

Seascape Golf Course
The 15th hole at the Seascape Golf Course in Aptos

Filed Under: Parks and Recreation, Sports/Fitness Tagged With: clubhouse, golf, rotary, seascape

First Annual Aptos Little League Poker Tournament

December 20, 2014 by Seb Frey

Aptos Little League Poker Tournament
First Annual Aptos Little League Poker Tournament, January 24, 2015

The First Annual Aptos Little League Poker Tournament is being held on Saturday, January 24th at the Seascape Golf Club Clubhouse starting at 5:30 PM and going on until 11 PM. The buy-in is $125 and the game is Texas Hold ’em – but if you just want to go to the party, non-player guest passes are $25. Your entry gets you beverages and light appetizers. Players and guests must be at least 21 years old.

The Aptos Little League is on a major fundraising push due to several thefts of expensive equipment this year. For example, in November, a Little League ATV was stolen from Aptos Junior High.

If you’d like to sign up, visit this page on the Aptos Little League web site.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: little league, poker, seascape, texas hold 'em

Aptos Vacation Rental Vote on November 12

November 7, 2014 by Seb Frey

Santa Cruz County Seal
Santa Cruz County Seal

The Santa Cruz County planning commission is meeting for a final Aptos vacation rental vote on November 12. The meeting agenda is posted on the county web site. The meeting starts at 9:00 AM, and is to be held in the Board of Supervisors Chambers, Room 525 in the County Government Center at 701 Ocean Street in Santa Cruz (aka the Courthouse).

The county is proposing to bring vacation rental restrictions to the coastal, suburban areas of Aptos (i.e. Seacliff and Seascape, and Rio del Mar), similar to those currently imposed in the “Live Oak Designated Area” (LODA). This move has the support of many area residents, but not surprisingly, many are also opposed, in particular those in the real estate industry. Paul and Robert Bailey of Bailey Properties have sent a letter to affected owners, and have written a detailed response to the county’s proposed ordinance, both of which are worth taking a few moments to read.

You can also read the complete details of the proposed ordinance here.

Whatever your position on the vacation rental ordinance, this is an issue which many people care deeply about, and concerned citizens are encouraged to attend the meeting on November 12 if at all possible. Those unable to attend but would like to make their voices heard are encouraged to contact the office of Supervisor Zach Friend:

701 Ocean Street, Room 500
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 454-2200 (phone)
Email: zach.friend@co.santa-cruz.ca.us

Filed Under: News, Real Estate Tagged With: county, government, rio del mar, seacliff, seascape, vacation rentals

Vacation Rental Restrictions coming to Aptos?

October 5, 2014 by Seb Frey

There is a move afoot to limit the number of vacation rentals in the “coastal” areas of Aptos, specifically Seacliff, Seascape, and Rio del Mar. The limits would be identical to what is now presently permissible in the <a href="http://www.sccoplanning about his.com/Portals/2/County/Planning/policy/052-11LiveOakWeb.pdf” target=”_blank”>Live Oak Designated Area (LODA), which is the coastal area that encompasses Pleasure Point and the area near the Santa Cruz harbor.

If the restrictions are approved by the Santa Cruz county board of Supervisors, the designated areas in Aptos (SADA, or “Seacliff Aptos Designated Area”) would not allow vacation rental permits in excess of 20% of the homes on any one block. There is apparently a concern that the increasing number of homes used as vacation rentals would diminish the availability of homes used for long-term rentals, and increase the cost of renting in Aptos.

There are presently two streets in Aptos which have vacation rentals that exceed 20% of the homes on the street: Beach Drive, and Rio del Mar Boulevard between Beach Drive and the Kingsbury/Cliff Drive intersection. Under the ordinance, no new vacation rental permits would be approved on these streets.

The board of supervisors is to take up the issue at a public hearing on Tuesday, October 28 at 9:00 AM at the Board Chambers, County Administrative Building, 701 Ocean Street in Santa Cruz. People who are concerned with the issue, in favor or against, are encouraged to contact Supervisor Zach Friend or attend the hearing on October 28th.

We have posted some notes from the Santa Cruz County Planning Commission meeting on September 16, for those who are interested in learning more.

Seacliff Aptos Designated Area

Seacliff Aptos Designated Area

Filed Under: News, Real Estate Tagged With: aptos, county, rio de mar, seacliff, seascape, vacation rentals, zach friend

Seascape Village Shopping Center

August 26, 2014 by Seb Frey

Palapas Restaurant & Cantina
Palapas Restaurant & Cantina 3.0 star rating 430 reviews Yelp logo

Full Of Beans Coffeehouse & Delicattessen
Full Of Beans Coffeehouse & Delicattessen 3.0 star rating 49 reviews Yelp logo

Village Host Pizza & Grill
Village Host Pizza & Grill 3.0 star rating 221 reviews Yelp logo

Seascape Foods
Seascape Foods 4.5 star rating 133 reviews Yelp logo

Seascape Village Wine & Spirits
Seascape Village Wine & Spirits 4.0 star rating 3 reviews Yelp logo

The Seascape Village Shopping Center – also known as the Shops at Seascape Village – is located just across Sumner Avenue from the Seascape Resort. It boasts a number of popular restaurants, cafes, and shops, as well as a number of professional offices.

 

See also: The Shops at Seascape Village

Seascape Village Shopping Center
Seascape Village Shopping Center

Filed Under: Shopping Tagged With: seascape, seascape village, shopping center

Seascape Village Farmer’s Market

August 26, 2014 by Seb Frey

The Seascape Village Farmer’s Market is a Certified Organic Farmer’s Market is located at the Seascape Village Shopping Center, at the corner of Seascape Blvd. and Sumner Avenue. This is a seasonal market, and is open only from May through October, on Sundays form 11 AM until 2 PM.

 

See also

  • Seascape Village Farmer’s Market on Facebook, Explore Santa Cruz

Filed Under: Shopping Tagged With: aptos produce, farmer's market, fruits, seascape, seascape village, vegetables

Alternatives to Passenger Rail Service in Santa Cruz

July 24, 2014 by Seb Frey

Last week, I posted about the trouble with passenger rail service in Santa Cruz. This week, I’m going to talk about a few alternatives to passenger rail service in Santa Cruz which would be more cost effective and achieve better results for the county.

Much to their credit, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission has bigger plans for the rail corridor than merely passenger rail. The grand vision for the project includes building out the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail, using the rail corridor as a backbone. A pedestrian and bicycle path is to be built along the train tracks, and the corridor will be the spine of the network, which will ultimately comprise some 50 miles. A trail such as this would surely be a boon to the community, allowing for residents and visitors alike to travel over a large portion of the county, and a lot of the county’s main business centers and tourist draws, on foot or on bicycle.

Santa Cruz Coastal Rail
A scenic ride along the Santa Cruz Rail Corridor

As mentioned in my previous posting about Santa Cruz passenger rail service, the RTC is currently working on a study of the feasibility of passenger rail service. If the study determines that passenger rail service is not feasible for Santa Cruz county, they will at that time begin looking into alternative uses for the corridor. A key question is, why wait until another 12-18 months have gone by to look into alternative uses for the rail corridor? Why not begin looking into alternatives now, so we don’t have to wait an additional 12-18 months for another study to be completed?

After all, this is not the first time that the RTC has done a passenger rail feasibility study. The RTC conducted a study in 2003 and determined that passenger rail service was not feasible. What has changed in 11 years? The biggest change, obviously, is that the county now owns the rail corridor, and that may change the economics of the project somewhat. And that is undoubtedly true, but not likely near enough to make the project feasible today, or for the foreseeable future.

Abandoned Train
The Santa Cruz Rail Project will probably be abandoned

It seems likely that the ongoing feasibility study will conclude that passenger rail service is not feasible today, and probably not until far in the future. So why not abandon the study, the result of which is almost a foregone conclusion? The RTC points out that the Proposition 116 funds which were used to purchase the corridor requires that the corridor be used for train service, and that if the corridor is not to be used that way, the funds must be returned to the state. However, as I understand it, if can be shown that such a service is not viable, the county can convert the corridor to other uses and will not need to repay the state.

So if not a train, what else can be done to alleviate our congested roads and highways, and cut down on greenhouse gasses? There are, in fact, a number of alternatives, which will likely both be more cost effective, quicker to implement, and will have much better outcomes for county residents and visitors. In the longer term, there are a number of emerging technologies which have better promise for our community as well.

There are a number of people who say the best thing to do is to just rip out the tracks and convert the the rail to trail for use by pedestrians and bicycles. To me, this is an outstanding idea. The train tracks follow a virtually level path for miles – no steep grades. Comparatively few street crossings. It passes by some awesome scenery along its route. Imagine if you could hop on your bike in Aptos Village and ride the trail down to Capitola Village, Seabright Beach, the Boardwalk, and downtown Santa Cruz? Or down to Manresa Beach for the afternoon? It’s likely that taking your bike on this path would take considerably less time on the trail than making the same trip in a car along those congested routes.

Aptos Rail Trail Map
Aptos Rail Trail Map

Think of the boon to business as well. Local businesses in Aptos Village, Seacliff center, Seascape Village and the Seascape Resort could be easily accessed by visitors from further afield in Capitola, Live Oak, and Santa Cruz. Such a trail would be a huge draw for tourists. Using services like Air BnB, tourists could find accommodations in greater portions of the county – like Aptos – and park their cars and hop on the trail to quickly and easily access many of our area’s most popular attractions. Tourists wouldn’t need to worry about bicycles – Santa Cruz county could have its own bike sharing system like in San Francisco, or leave this as an opportunity for small business to fill the gap.

The cost to build such a trail would not be insignificant – I don’t have any estimates, but I hear it costs $1 million per mile to pave a road. 32 miles, that’s $32 million. Let’s add some more money to that, so we can make other improvements, like adding lighting, benches, a few mini-parks along the path, and maybe create a paracourse for exercise such as runs under portions of the BART tracks in the East Bay. So let’s call it $2 million per mile: $64 million to build out out. Seems like a lot of money, except of course it’s a small fraction of what a rail system would cost to build out, and would surely require far lower subsidies on a per-user basis.

But hey, why stop there? Let’s think a bit outside the box: what more can be done with the corridor to get people off the roads? How about alleviating the need to get on the road at all? Most of the high-income workers in our county don’t actually work for business physically located in Santa Cruz county. They work in Silicon Valley, tele-commute to jobs in the Valley, or work in some kind of on-line capacity. Why don’t we make it easier for those workers, today and in the future, to stay in their homes and become distance-workers?

Fiber Optic Cable:  the future of tele-commuting
Fiber Optic Cable: the future of tele-commuting

Santa Cruz county is already working with Sunesys on a plan to bring fiber-optic cable to the county. The proposed route of the cable is still in the planning stages, but I have heard that it will largely follow Soquel Avenue and Soquel Drive. That’s all very well and good – but why not install it down the rail corridor when the new path is being built? The more the merrier I say: install it along Soquel and the trail corridor, for superior bandwidth and an easier build-out to actually get to people’s doors.

And not just to the doors of people: how about to the doors of business? A few weeks ago there was a story in the Santa Cruz Sentinel about Looker, a growing, successful Internet start-up company which is moving into the top floor of the Rittenhouse building in downtown Santa Cruz. They’re relocating from the Cruzio building, and the relocation is only possible because Cruzio is going to run a new fiber optic line a couple of blocks from their current building. Think of the possibilities for Aptos, and the rest of Santa Cruz county for that matter, if we had abundant fiber optic cable to start a whole new wave of domestic, high-tech start ups throughout the county?

Not everyone, of course, is going to be working in a high-tech startup company. How is everyone else going to get around the county in the future, if not on a train? In my previous article, I indicated how the current Metro system isn’t exactly a wild success: metro busses roll throughout the county, almost completely empty, most of the time.

But why is that? For me, personally, it’s because there are comparatively few of them. They don’t run frequently, and they don’t go where I want to go, when I want to go. Also, they’re slow. What could be done to improve Metro service?

Bus Rapid Transit
Bus Rapid Transit

They’ve probably done studies on that as well, but I can think of a few things. Currently, vehicular traffic is oriented around Highway 1 and Highway 17. Long term, why don’t we create a dedicated, high-speed bus lane, to enable bus rapid transit? This idea is growing in popularity in many cities which are growing, too. It’s comparatively economical, and provides a great example of what could be done to make bus service more attractive to residents and dramatically increase usage.

Smart Highways: the Next Big Thing?
Smart Highways: the Next Big Thing?

The future, though, holds even more possibilities. Ever heard of Uber? Check it out. On-demand ride sharing services like Uber can help alleviate congestion and lessen the need for people to own their own vehicles. Autonomous cars? Smart highways? As we go forward into the future, there are many possibilities for personal transportation that will make train systems such as are currently being contemplated for Santa Cruz effectively obsolete. Trains will probably be used in the future for inter-city transport, for example from San Jose to Los Angeles, and other systems such as Uber, bus rapid transit, autonomous vehicles and the like will get travelers “the last mile” which is usually the hardest piece of the puzzle to solve.

The Santa Cruz rail corridor represents a huge, untapped resource for Santa Cruz county. Making smart choices about its future will be a lasting benefit for our community, for our children, and our children’s children. Let’s not get distracted by shiny objects like a train system we can’t afford and will likely be outmoded before it is even built, which probably won’t ever happen. Let’s get to work on something practical which will pay dividends for our health, welfare, and lifestyle for decades to come. Let’s start working on alternatives today, instead of 12-18 months from now when the RTC finishes its latest feasibility study. We already waste enough time sitting in traffic. Let’s get moving on our future today.

See also: Santa Cruz can’t afford the train, the Trouble with Trestle Upgrades

Filed Under: Developments, Lifestyle Tagged With: air bnb, bus rapid transit, fiber optic, Rail Trail, santa cruz metro, seacliff center, seascape, sunesys, train, uber

Seascape Sports Club

June 4, 2014 by Seb Frey

Seascape Sports Club
Seascape Sports Club 3.5 star rating 27 reviews Yelp logo

The Seascape Sports Club is located across the street from the Seascape Resort, and offers a wide variety of activities, including tennis courts, swimming pool, and a fitness center with an aerobics room. They have over 50 classes daily, including Aerobics, Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Aqua, Dance, Cardio Tennis and Circuits; Basketball, Sand Volleyball, Bocce Ball and swimming classes for adults and kids. Massage is also available.

Their lap pool is heated year round, and they also feature a children’s pool with a “raindrop waterfall.”

They also offer Camp Seascape, a day camp for kids aged 3-13, between June 9 and August 29. Camp sessions are two weeks long and the fee is $695 and runs Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM.

Tip: Every First Friday of the month is a Free Guest Day at the Club. Be a guest, go and enjoy the benefits of membership for the day – free! At 5 PM, go to the Club House for appetizers, live music and refreshments while you watch a tennis match on Center Court.

See also: Seascape Sports Club web site

Seascape Sports Club
Seascape Sports Club

Filed Under: Sports/Fitness Tagged With: aerobics, fitness, recreation, seascape, summer camp, swimming, tennis

Aptos Real Estate Report – May 2014

May 12, 2014 by Seb Frey

The Aptos real estate market is alive and well in May 2014! In April 2014, the median home price in Aptos was $715,671 – up 11% compared to a year ago, when the median price was $645,000. 34 homes closed escrow in April, which is almost the same as a year ago, when 33 homes closed sale in April 2013. These homes sold in an average of 56 days, which is about higher than March of last year, when homes sold on average in 50 days. Not only did these homes sell quickly, they also sold, on average, for 100.06% of full asking price. Sweet!

As of today there are 114 homes presently listed, and of those, 72 are available, 42 under contract. Given the ratio of active listings to pending sales, and assuming an average escrow length of 45 days, the amount of available inventory is about 77 days.

When it comes to condominiums and townhouses, there were a total of 15 sold in Aptos in April, with a median price of $620,000 – a rise of 7.8% over last year. These condos had an average of 71 days on market, with a sales-to-list-price ratio of 98.84%. This compares to 7 sales in March 2013, a year ago, when the median price was $575,000, the sales-to-list-price ratio was 96.4%, and the average days on market was 57.

As of today, there are 40 condos/townhouses listed, 31 are active, and 9 are under contract. Given the ratio of active listings to pending sales, and assuming an average escrow length of 45 days, the amount of available inventory is about 155 days. 40% of the available units (16 of the 40), however, are in the Seascape Resort, which is almost a market in itself.

What’s YOUR Aptos House Value?

Interested to know what your Aptos house is worth in todays’ real estate market? Then head over to AptosHomeValues.com for an instant, on-line evaluation of your Aptos home’s value.

What Your Money Buys You – Houses

While the median price for homes in Aptos in April 2014 was $715,671, the least expensive home went for $120K and the most expensive went for $4.5 million. Here’s what that kind of money buys you in Aptos today:

220 Hayward Road
$120K: 220 Hayward Road – a foreclosed “REO” home with serious soil issues
801 Bear Valley
$668K: 801 Bear Valley – 2 bed, 2 bath, 1939sf
629 Beach Drive
$4.5M: 629 Beach Drive – 9 bed, 8 bath, 6900sf

What Your Money Buys You – Condos

While the median price for condos in Aptos in April 2014 was $620,000, the least expensive home went for $355K and the most expensive went for $765,000. Here’s what that kind of money buys you in Aptos today:

7555 Sunset Way #7
$355K: 7555 Sunset Way #7 – 2 bed, 2 bath, 1020sf
122 Tiburon Ct
$620K: 122 Tiburon Ct – 2 bed, 2.5 bath, 2000sf
38 Seascape Resort Drive
$765K: 38 Seascape Resort Drive – 2 bed, 2.5 bath, 1220sf

What about the rest of Santa Cruz county?

Want to know what’s going on in all of Santa Cruz county? For a complete report on Santa Cruz county as a whole, check out the Santa Cruz County Real Estate Report for May 2014

Filed Under: News, Real Estate Tagged With: home prices, home sales, home values, real estate, rio del mar, seacliff, seascape

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