After a long and contentious public hearing, the Council voted 5-0 to approve the staff recommendation that the city build the proposed 226-space parking lot next door to City Hall, the Capitola Police Headquarters and the current 250 space public parking lot.
The estimated cost of the temporary parking lot that is to cover the former Pacific Cove Mobile Home Park increased to an estimated $1.373 million – up from the original $1 million cost. According to the staff report, “The biggest reason for the increase is the cost of constructing storm water flow and treatment facilities now required by Federal and State laws. Large-scale projects, those involving over 25 parking spaces are required to mitigate all pollutant and hydrologic impacts to pre-development (bare dirt) levels. These improvements account for approximately $200,000 of the additional costs.”
Those that opposed the project objected to spending the money on what has been described as a “temporary parking lot.” Because of the location of the Pacific Cove property in the middle of Capitola Village, the city wants the opportunity to revisit its use after a multi-level parking structure is built on the current parking lot. Some of the possibilities for the future use of the property include a public park or perhaps selling or leasing the property for development as residential town homes or a hotel.
The approved parking lot is expected to help relieve summer traffic congestion in Capitola Village — the dreaded “Esplanade Merry-Go-Round.” The project includes $75,000 for new restrooms and $90,000 to move parking pay stations into the current parking lot behind City Hall.
Soquel Vandals Apprehended
The day after Super Bowl Sunday, Soquel residents woke up to a blue Monday after the 49er’s loss, but some had the added tragedy of waking up to their cars having been vandalized. There were 90 cars in several neighborhoods south of Soquel Village that had one or more of their tires slashed during the night causing an estimated $50,000 in damage.
The slashed tires also happened about the same time as another incident in the area. The Pajaronian reported that at 6:30 a.m. Sunday, two men were seen on the side of Highway 1 near Orchard Street. “One of them heaved a large river rock straight through the windshield of a northbound vehicle traveling about 60 mph. The rock sailed through the white Chrysler and nearly crashed out the rear window,” the Pajaronian reported.
Six weeks after the incident, sheriff’s deputies arrested two teenage boys, one 15 and the other 16-years-old, on vandalism charges for the tire slashing. The 15-year-old is a Soquel High Student, while the 16-year-old attends Wagner Cottage. The boy’s parents will have to pay for the damage if the teenagers are found guilty.
The same boys are also accused of throwing the rock at a car on Highway 1 that morning causing the vehicle to crash. According to KSBW, CHP officers said that rock could have been deadly if someone had been riding in that front passenger seat.
Both teens were on probation and both stated they had been under the influence of drugs.
Capitola Employee Payroll for 2012 was $7.18 million
Pay accounted for $5.78 million and $1.39 million was for benefits.
Overtime for Police amounted to about 80 percent of the $198,000 spent on overtime pay, which was down from $259,000 in 2011. This fiscal year, the city has 60 full-time-equivalent employees, down from a max of 70 in 2008 before the economic recession.
In 2012, the Capitola Police Department operated with 15 officers and six supervisors, which included Police Chief Rudy Escalante. Looking for cost saving, Escalante, recommended the city of Santa Cruz run the Capitola lifeguard program, a change got approval from the lifeguards and the community.
2012 Top 6 Capitola employ earnings
Name – Job Title – Gross Pay
Jamie Goldstein – City manager – $171,619
Thomas Held – Police captain – $155,353
Steve Jesberg – Public works director – $154,068
Rene Mark Gonzalez – Police sergeant – $138,957
Matthew Eller – Police sergeant – $134,318
Cliff Sloma – Police sergeant – $132,657
SOURCE: City of Capitola
