Aptos Outlook Brightens as 2014 Approaches

By Noel Smith

Somehow even after a full year the Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay Railway is still stuck in Watsonville as “The Train to Christmas Town” waiting for repairs to the La Selva Beach trestle before it can come north to fulfill its promise. Just wait until it begins to rumble past its neighbors and (again) stir up cries against having a working railway so close to residences.

A light on the horizon is the $5.3 million dollars in funding from the state to the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC) to begin development of the Santa Cruz County portion of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network (MBSSTN).

The MBSSTN will be approximately 50 miles of planned multi-use bicycle/pedestrian trails spanning the length of Santa Cruz County and spur trails connecting to neighborhoods, schools, parks, coastal access areas, transit hubs, commercial centers, and existing trails. The network’s main artery is the 32-mile rail right of way adjacent to the operating rail line (aka “rail trail”) that is planned to provide convenient, active transportation options as it spans the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Aptos Village is still hanging fire waiting for the developer, Barry Swenson Builder, to apply for final approval from the Soquel Creek Water District. There finally seems to have been an agreement with rail operator Iowa Pacific on a railway crossing for Parade Street, the planned entrance into the village area and a planned community open space. However, there are more bureaucratic hoops to jump through, as the California Public Utilities Commission still must approve the agreement. The existing apple barn is to be relocated and renovated for a New Leaf Market. The area is also planned to have mixed use retail/residential buildings along Parade Street and an extended Valencia Street.

Safeway’s plans for the Ranch del Mar Shopping Center have been improved in response to complaints that local small businesses were being hurt and traffic would increase. Negotiations with a number of current business tenants of the shopping center have been successful in moving them into the current Safeway building. Safeway has pointed out that the available retail spaces in the center are too small to accommodate another big box store and that the amount of retail space in the center would not increase therefore traffic would not increase significantly.

The Nickelodeon Theatres showed its confidence in its future in Aptos by investing $250,000 in improvements including luxurious new theater seats, closed captioning for the hearing impaired, new digital 3D projectors and even reducing the number of seats to provide a much roomier and comfortable venue for its patrons.

The big surprise of 2013 for Aptos residents was the discovery that a 40-unit, low-income rental complex called Aptos Blue was being built behind the Community Foundation Building across from the Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center. The original plans called for owner-occupied condos with 40 percent allocated by the developer as low-income housing.

Then MidPen Housing bought the property and changed the plans to all rental, low-income 1, 2, and 3-bedroom apartment housing. In addition, 5 of the 40 units would be reserved by the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency for Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) tenants. In spite of the claim that all of this had taken place without the county properly giving notice to all those within 300 feet of the project, there was nothing that could be done to stop or modify the project.

Another surprise was in store for those living near the PG&E Freedom Corridor transmission line that runs through Corralitos and southern Aptos. New lines and larger poles some as high as 100 feet along with the widening of the right of way were being planned fro construction by 2016. PG&E said this was the first major upgrade along this corridor since the 1970s and due to the increased population and increased use of electricity, the increased capacity was necessary.

To end on a note that makes it clear why we all love living here along the Monterey Bay, this is a story and image that brings wonder to us as we watched nature in action in 2013.

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The Humpbacks Decided To Stay

Photo and Story by Tom Dexel

For Whale Watchers and Charter Boat owners, 2013 could be the best year ever. Sparked by a healthy Algae bloom attracting a huge population of krill, anchovies and other baitfish, Humpback and Blue Whales decided to visit Monterey Bay in amazing numbers.

The Monterey Bay seems to have returned to the “good ole days” of Cannery Row when a whole industry was built and flourished around harvesting Sardines, anchovies and their predators including the giant Humpback Whales.

Humpbacks require about 3000 pounds of food per day. In a teaming effort a group of Humpbacks swim in a shrinking circle around schools of fish while blowing bubbles that create a” bubble net” that confines the fish. The whales then rapidly lunge toward the surface with their mouths wide open swallowing thousands of fish in one gulp.

This picture was taken by Sarah Swanson- Dexel while we were on our boat on the bay with my granddaughters, Ocean, Eli and Phoenix. An amazing and thrilling close encounter with Humpback Whales.

Tom has competed in 15 ocean rowing marathons and two ultra marathons, crossing the Monterey Bay and from Marina Del Ray to Catalina Island. He is an Open Water Rowing Instructor and Coach, Santa Cruz Rowing Club, a Local Realtor with Alain Pinel Realtors and 2013 Director of the Santa Cruz Lighted Boat Parade. tdexel@apr.com