Stop the Skyscrapers Petition
Please sign this Petition if you agree that the City Council should not give developers a permanent entitlement to build multiple 20-30 story buildings in Santa Cruz.

We need to show up in large numbers at the City Council meeting on May 13th. Time to be announced. 
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To: Santa Cruz City Council
1.  Don't increase zoning density and height limits South of Laurel, as this would allow buildings of 20-30 stories.
2.  Don't allow developers to pay a fee instead of building affordable units.
See below for an explanation of these requests.
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What Is the Proposed Downtown Plan Expansion?
The City staff have proposed an increase in density and height of buildings on 29 acres of Downtown between Laurel St., Beach Hill and Depot Park. (See map on the center of this page.)
These changes, combined with a new 100% state "density bonus" law (AB 1287),  would require the City to approve building proposals of 20-30 stories. This would result in the largest development project in Santa Cruz history.
Keep Existing Zoning and Height Limits
As of January 1, 2024, state legislation revolutionized development in California. AB 1287 requires cities to approve projects at double the existing zoning density, and waive city restrictions on building height, bulk, and setback, if the projects include a net 15% affordable housing units. This could result in buildings 3 or 4 times taller than the height limit. If we want any local power to limit building height, the City should not be raising the height and density limits in South of Laurel. 

Clocktower Center Proposal Is a Warning

After AB 1287, a developer (Workbench) proposed this freakish 16-story  building near the Town Clock.  This 192-foot building is proposed in a 50-foot height limit zone (3.8 times the height limit). Under the same calculus, the City's plan to raise height limits South of Laurel to 85 feet would result in developers having the permanent right to construct buildings as tall as 320 feet. That's 30 stories.

Santa Cruz can achieve its housing goals without skyscrapers
The goals of the Downtown Plan Expansion project of 1,600 housing units, with 20% affordable, and a new Warriors/multi-use arena, can already be met under the existing zoning and height limits South of Laurel, with buildings of 6-8 stories. Moreover, AB 1287 applies to all zones of medium and high density housing, including Downtown, Water St., Soquel Ave., Mission St., and Ocean St. The increased city-wide capacity for residential development resulting from AB 1287 means Santa Cruz can meet the state housing requirements for many years to come without increasing height limits in the South of Laurel District that would result in 20-30 story skyscrapers.
City Plan Would Reduce Construction of Affordable Units
A part of the Downtown Plan Expansion proposal is a misguided incentive intended to increase affordable housing. The incentive would allow developers to pay an "in lieu" fee of $60 per square foot instead of  building the affordable units. However, this fee is considerably lower than the cost to actually build affordable housing. The result would be fewer affordable units built than under the state density bonus.  Hence, our petition asks the City Council not to allow developers to pay a fee in lieu of building affordable units.
Consequences of skyscrapers South of Laurel
This development would result in gridlock on Laurel St. and Front St., constraining travel from one side of the City to the other. The addition of 4000-5000 new residents would make even  less water available during droughts. It would put more people in a flood zone highly vulnerable to sea level rise. The City would incur costs for equipment capable of fighting fires in skyscrapers; expansion and repair of water and sewer infrastructure subject to rising groundwater, and additional costs for the upgrading of municipal services.

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