Story and Photos By Jondi Gumz
On Aug. 22, Scotts Valley residents came out to see the design options for the long-awaited Town Center, a new neighborhood of at least 300 housing units, affordable and market rate, shops, and green space, to fill the space left by Skypark Airport.
There are three designs, but City Manager Mali LaGoe said the city did not have to pick one design but could mix and match elements.
She said the design group, Urban Field Studio of San Francisco, has local connections — Ryan Call’s grandfather owned a cabin in Boulder Creek and Jane Lin’s father lives in Scotts Valley.
They were on hand answering questions, along with Councilman Alan Timms.
What’s driving this after some 25 years of dashed hopes is the city anticipating acquiring the 14-acre former Skypark Airport runway site from the city of Santa Cruz. City ownership puts the city in the driver’s seat.
It’s not too late to give feedback.
The city is showcasing the designs online and accepting input at www.scottsvalley.gov/525/The-Town-Center.
Or give input at the Multicultural Fair Sept. 7 at Skypark.
All three designs feature a half-acre plaza, named Town Square, surrounded by shops in Option 1, Mt. Hermon Square, a gathering place in Option 2 with outdoor seating next to The Hangar, and a 14,000-square-foot Hangar Plaza in Option 3 surrounded retail next to the Hangar.
All three designs call for building a new street (Park Street) as a connector. In Option 1, it follows the old runway and exits on Mount Hermon Road. In Option 2, it is parallel to Mount Hermon Road. In Option 3, it is parallel to Kings Village Road and exits on Mount Hermon Road.
The complication is to connect the new development to what exists now, The Hangar complex, the post office, the library, the performing arts center, the Kings Village Shopping Center, the Target shopping center, and the Skypark recreation area.
Ray Gorski, who spent hours to make the Scotts Valley Performing Arts Center a reality next to the library, asked for 20 feet to be able to install permanent restrooms and a dressing room for visiting theater groups. Currently restrooms are in a portable building.
That comment went on the map.
Option 2 proposed putting the new street in between the post office building and its parking lot, which brought questions from Michael Shulman, a former mayor, and another gentleman concerned about safety for people forced cross the street to enter the post office.
One woman was concerned the dog park near the Skypark soccer fields would be moved. She said she had seen many families bring children to play soccer and walk their dogs, so moving the dog park would mean more car trips — not as efficient.
John Lewis, a City Council candidate, shared his view that more people ages 20 to 40 want to live where they don’t need a car and they can walk to shop or to a park.
As for stops, that’s yet to be determined. Do you want the chain grocery, Trader Joe’s? Or smaller locally owned stores?
Now’s the time to speak up.