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      Help Set the Standards in Pleasure Point

We are re-posting this article because the links did not all work

About ten years ago, the County undertook a series of works hops about residential  design standards for the Pleasure Point community. Monst er  h omes were being proposed and residents wanted to work to maintain the char acter that is uniquely Pleasure Point.  Over a series of well-attended meetings, the County engaged in a useful dialogue about what the community wanted and how they could accommodate modest changes to residential building design guidelines.  The result was the Pleasure Point Community Plan  that included the community's desire not to have sidewalks or curbs; to prioritize community interaction the County would not count porches as part of the floor area ratio and, that in exchange for slightly smaller second stories to allow in sunlight, larger first stories would, instead, be permitted.  The neighborhood also pioneered new regulations for driveways - allowing tandem parking with no garages that has become  a standard in other parts of the County. This plan has worked well in most places in the neighborhood.
 
Over the last 18 months, a lot of concerns have been raised about what kind of commercial construction has been approved or even considered along Portola Drive. With the vibrant successful businesses along lower 41 st Avenue, property owners are starting to investigate redeveloping sites on Portola. It is important to me to ensure our commercial development patterns along Portola Drive thoughtfully reflect the needs of business owners and the residents that live adjacent to them. In an effort to address community concerns I asked the Board to support conducting a community process to help define commercial design standards and pedestrian and vehicle needs for the commercial corridor of Pleasure Point along Portola Drive. The Planning Department has hired the same consultants who worked with the community on the Pleasure Point Community Plan to come back to look at the commercial corridor.  The first public meeting of this effort will be a workshop on Saturday, September 16 th from 10 am to noon at the Live Oak Elementary School.  This will be one of your chances to help shape the guidelines for new commercial construction and other amenities like the sidewalks and roads.

                               Saturday, September 16th
                                        10 am - Noon
                             Live Oak Elementary School
                                      Multi-Use Room
                          1916 Capitola Road, Santa Cruz

Wednesday, September 13
5:30-6:30 p.m.
People's Coffee
1200 17th Avenue
Live Oak
CANCELED
(Due to Jewish New Year)
Wednesday, September 20
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Loma Prieta School 
CANCELED
(Due to Speaking Engagement)
Wednesday, October 4
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Porter Memorial Library

STAFF
831-454-2200
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