South County News

Aptos Village Gets Green Light from SqCWD

February 18 saw a major step forward for the long discussed and planned Aptos Village project. The Soquel Creek Water District board approved water service for Aptos Village and approved a request by the developer, Barry Swenson Builder to use a bond to pay the district $1.26 million in connection fees.

To qualify for the District’s approval the project has been designed to the highest level of water conservation standards available. According to Mary Gourlay of Barry Swenson Builder, “We have been accumulating water offsets since 2006 and have designed this mixed use (residential and retail) project to meet the strictest of green standards for both energy and water use. This includes both residential and commercial spaces inside the development and landscaping that will require almost no water.” Gourlay also pointed out that the commercial portion of the project will concentrate on small, locally owned businesses for its tenants.

Parade Street (In recognition of the famous Aptos 4th of July Parade) will provide an entrance into the village area from Soquel Drive crossing the rail line into the village and ending the Village Green and Aptos Villa Way cross street. The old apple barn will be relocated with a New Leaf Market occupying the renovated structure.

Traffic signals at the intersection of Soquel Drive and Trout Gulch Road and another at Soquel Drive and Aptos Creek Road are to be installed by the county this spring or early summer. According to Gourlay, if these are done in time, groundbreaking could take place as early as this September.

Ron Duncan of the SqCWD said the Aptos Village plans include recharge basins (aka Rain Gardens) where runoff will be collected to percolate back into the aquifer. It is estimated that the project will actually be able to offset its water usage by 200 percent.

Twin Lakes Campus Expansion Over First Hurdle

Also approved on February 18 was the water service for an expansion of the Twin Lakes Church campus. The three new buildings include a chapel, college building for Cabrillo College students, and an education building for Twin Lakes Christian K-8 School. The current school buildings include four temporary classroom buildings, which will be replaced by the new chapel. The new college building will front on Cabrillo College Drive and the new school building will be between the existing recreation and the nursery buildings.

As the school is already in operation, the actual water usage was used as a baseline. Along with planned “Green” improvements to the project including water gardens and drought resistant plants, it is estimated that this project will also be able to offset its water usage by 200 percent.

County Parcel Tax for Parks
Headed for June Ballot

At its February 25 meeting, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution to place a parcel tax measure on the June 3, 2014 ballot. The County is seeking a parcel tax of $8.50 on all improved parcels within the unincorporated County, outside of already existing recreation and park districts the tax is anticipated to generate approximately $355,000 per year for County parks maintenance, operations, and programs. The new parcel tax will replace the current annual service charge of $6.58 per residential unit which is due to expire at the end of the 2013-14 Fiscal Year on June 30.

The proposed parcel tax would provide funding for cleaning of park restrooms, pickup of garbage at all County parks, beaches and open space areas, and the maintenance and repair of recreational and restroom facilities. In addition, the funds would also be used to continue to offer activities including after-school and summer recreation programs for youth and children, as well as swim lessons and arts and science enrichment throughout the year.

County Parks includes 59 parks, beach access and open space areas encompassing over 1400 acres. In addition, to programs and activities for children, senior programming provides opportunities for older residents to maintain fitness and an active lifestyle. Parks staff also oversees the County’s Public Art Program.

Racing at County Fair Grounds Reaches Agreement

Ocean Speedway and Community Alliance for Fairgrounds Accountability (CAFA) agreed to each put $25,000 toward a prize for the development of a racecar muffler for racing at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds track. The $50,000 prize is part of a lawsuit settlement allowing racing to continue at the fairgrounds, with a shorter season, earlier curfew and reduced noise.

Fairgrounds manager Dave Kegebein announced approval of the settlement by the fair board. He said the legal fees spent on fighting the CAFA lawsuit amounted to more than a full year’s speedway rental income.

CAFA filed the lawsuit against the fairgrounds and Ocean Speedway in 2011 over noise, traffic and the environmental issues related to the use of the racetrack and other fairground events. CAFA leader Max Kelley said the settlement means there’s a process in place to eventually reduce noise from the track.

Track promoter John Prentice secured a three-year contract for racing at the fairgrounds last October subject to the lawsuit’s outcome. Prentice said shorter hours and fewer races will mean a loss in revenue. But he has agreed to a 20 percent track rent increase, raising the annual cost to approximately $80,000.

Watsonville to Ask Voters for Sales Tax Increase

On February 25, the Watsonville City Council unanimously voted to put a half-cent sales tax increase to last for seven years on the June 3 ballot. It will take two-thirds approval of city voters to raise the sales tax within the city limits to 9 percent, the highest rate in Santa Cruz County.

It is estimated that the tax will raise $2.1 million annually. The council approved a resolution that if the tax passed, allocates $1.26 million to the police department and $840,000 to the fire department for the 2014-15 fiscal year. That increase would be on top of funds already budgeted for the current year. The base level for these two departments could not be reduced during the life of the seven-year tax.

Both police and fire chiefs told the council they were understaffed and added revenue would enable them to increase the number of personnel and improve services.