By Noel Smith
We last visited with Capitola City Manager, Jaime Goldstein for our March issue and thought it was time to revisit the issues we covered at that time.
Skate Parks in Capitola
The skate park, bicycle pump track, dog park and play area for Capitola’s McGregor Park is being held up by the county due to a soils issue. The site is mostly fill dirt and its chemistry may not meet the requirements for a public park without mitigation. No word yet on when the county will give its permission to continue construction. Further tests are underway and the park’s readiness has been delayed indefinitely.
The skate park proposed for Monterey Park, if approved, will be built with private funds. The plans have to be approved along with an EIR by the city, go though public hearings, then get the approval of the Coastal Commission.
New Civic Center
Since the flood of 2011 the city has been considering building a new City Hall to include the city administrative offices and the police department headquarters to be build on the east end of the 7-acre city property. The proposed location of the new Civic Center faces east onto Monterey Avenue between Park and Bay Avenues, which would take the new Civic Center out of the 100-year flood zone.
According to Goldstein, “This is a much more central, accessible location for both city services and for the police department. There have also been suggestions to the city council to consider including the new library facilities in the same structure because of its location, more parking, its proximity to New Brighton Middle School and the savings on construction costs as part of a larger building.”
When asked about the building’s location with the lack of level ground and the steep bank down to the new parking lot he said, “Our consultants tell us that it is actually more cost-effective to build such a structure on piers and then use the space under the building for additional facilities or parking rather than dealing with digging and soil compaction issues.”
Under the current proposal there would be two more buildings on the 7-acre city owned-property. The upper parking lot behind the current city hall would be the site of a new 3-story parking garage. Goldstein told us that the capacity of the new parking garage would be about 100 cars MORE than the combined total of the two city parking lots currently on the property. “So far the only time these parking lots have been filled even close to capacity,” said Goldstein, “Has been during the end of summer Begonia and Capitola Art and Wine festivals.”
That leads to the third building proposed for the property. In the location of the current city hall-police department would be an 80-room hotel. Goldstein said, “This hotel, through its property taxes, transient occupancy taxes and the sales taxes generated by its visitors as they shop and eat in the Village, would, over time, pay for our new Civic Center and parking garage.”
There are some who are vociferously objecting to having an 80-room hotel on the location saying that so many new people coming here would change the character of Capitola Village (Which we understand was originally built as a camp ground for visitors). Goldstein pointed out that a major problem for Capitola Village’s business community is the lack of long-term guests and the drop off in business during much of the year.
“Hotel guests spend much more than those that visit just for the day. Also we know that Capitola is a year-round destination but we currently don’t have the accommodations available to keep guests and their potential business here for several days rather than just for a few hours.”
Rispin Mansion and Grounds
“This is a real jewel for the city and its residents,” said Goldstein, “It will soon be open to the public. Compared to past plans for major development, it will now become a public park with trees, flowers, walking paths and eventually an open-air performance area. Truly a magical place along Soquel Creek.”