By Noel Smith
The county has given its approval to the plans presented by Barry Swenson Builder and the permits are in place; the project has met all the requirements demanded by the water district including water offsets — so what is the holdup?
Railroad Crossing
The first unexpected hurdle has just recently been overcome. That was moving the railroad crossing 120 feet west along Soquel Drive to provide access to Parade Street that will be the new entrance to Aptos Village. The current crossing leads into the parking lot between Norma Jean’s Coffee and the Bayview Hotel. According to Jason Hoppin, Santa Cruz County Communications Manager, “It took the county going to the California Public Utilities Commission and then waiting to get their approval to make the change in the location of the crossing before we could go ahead.”
The Apple Barn
The second hurdle has been preserving and then moving the historic and iconic Apple Barn to its new location where it will serve as a grocery store. The first step in the process was to remove all of the partitions and and other elements that had been added through the years (and there were many!) down to the original structure. The second step has been to structurally strengthen the three buildings that actually make up the Apple Barn so that they can be moved.
Because the purpose is to both preserve and to move the three structures that make up the Apple Barn, much care, consultation and time has been taken to meet the high standards required by the developer. Mary Gourlay, Development Project Manager said, “As always with a complex development such as this, there will be issues that come up. The Apple Barn with its combines preservation and strengthening has presented a complex series of solutions that we’ve had to overcome before it’s ready to move.”
Some of the features found during preservation were: roof vents for air circulation and cooling (No AC!), a balance scale at one of the entrances (for weighing apples possibly?) metal printing plates from the 1920’s for a local newspaper that were used as roofing material, and wooden floors which will be preserved for the new grocery store.
Infrastructure Contracting
The third hurdle has been that the county is responsible for the infrastructure – the roads and curbs for the new Aptos Village. This includes Aptos Village Way, which runs east and west through the development between Aptos Creek Road and Trout Gulch Road, and Parade Street that enters the new village from Soquel Drive, crosses the railroad track ending at Aptos Village Way and the Village Green.
According to Hoppin the county had expected a bid from contractors of about $1.2 million for the project. However, the board of Supervisors turned down a bid of $2 million from the only contractor that had responded to the county’s request for bid. The next opportunity for awarding the contract most likely won’t be until after the first of the year (2017).
In the meantime, according to Gourlay, the Apple Barn can be moved and other elements of the project can be accomplished but until Aptos Village way is completed, much of the phase one of the project cannot proceed. During phase one Aptos Creek Road will be right turn only onto Soquel Drive. Those on Aptos Creek Road wanting to turn left will have to detour through Aptos Village on the new Aptos Village Way, then turn right onto Trout Gulch Road to reach Soquel Drive.
Aptos Village has Another Hurdle
Then there is the suit against the county by We Are Aptos, which claims that the development map approved by the county last year for the project is not accurate and therefor the project should not proceed. The predisposition hearing before Judge Burdick is Thursday, September 1 at 8:30 a.m. Neither party, the county nor We Are Aptos is willing to provide any information about the suit at this time.