INTRODUCTION A. SANTA CRUZ 2005 Concern with and commitment to quality of life are revealed in community attitudes about the type of place Santa Cruz should be and a resulting vision of Santa Cruz in 2005 as a sustainable community. The General Plan vision has defined this vision of a sustainable Santa Cruz as: • A compact, vital, urban place defined and enhanced by an ocean, greenbelt and diversity and quality of its natural and built environment, contributing to a satisfying lifestyle for all its residents and workers and offering an inviting experience for visitors. • … Maintaining this compact urban form makes it easy for residents, workers, and visitors to circulate and promotes efficient land use by concentrating growth and development within already developed areas. • … striving for … a multi-modal transportation system, …; protecting … open space land uses, biotic habitats and preserving the integrity of residential neighborhoods, historic areas, and landmarks. B. PURPOSE OF THE GENERAL PLAN C. PURPOSE OF THE LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM D. CONTENT AND ORGANIZATON OF THE GENERAL PLAN E. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND UPDATE PROCESS F. ADMINISTRATION OF THE GENERAL PLAN AND LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM G. SUMMARY OF THE 1990-2005 GENERAL PLAN GOALS COMMUNITY PROFILE - 1992 A. REGIONAL SETTING, CITY LIMITS, AND PLANNING AREAS B. POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHICS 1. Population Growth … From 1990 to 2005, the City is projected to grow at an annual rate of 1.22% adding 9,959 new residents resulting in a population of approximately 59,670 people by 2005. This represents an increase of 20% in the City’s population. During the same 15-year time frame, the County, including cities, is projected to grow at an annual rate of 1.27%, adding 47,800 residents for a population of 277,500 by 2005. Which is a 21% increase. … In 1990, UCSC had an enrollment of 9,396 full time students. By 2005, UCSC enrollment is projected to 15,000 full time students, … By 2005, the on-campus resident population is expected to increase … from 5000 to 12,100 people, assuming that UCSC’s on-campus housing goals are met. (The University’s LRDP states a goal of providing on-campus housing for 70% of all undergraduates, 25% of faculty, and 50% of graduate students in degree programs, and 50% of staff hired from outside of Santa Cruz County on-campus by the year 2005.) … The City, excluding UCSC on-campus resident population, will grow … from 45,100 to 47,500 people, reflecting a .46% annual rate of growth. … C. HOUSEHOLDS AND HOUSING D. ECONOMY 1. Economic Activity and Employment … In 1990, it was estimated that approximately 93,700 jobs were located in the County and 28,300 jobs, 30%, were located in the City … By 2005, the entire County is projected to contain 130,700 jobs, with approximately 39,200 jobs within the City, including the University. … A large percentage of this [employment] increase will be the result of University expansion [and] increased jobs within the City will result from development of the Downtown, South of Laurel, Beach, Mission St., and Eastside Business areas, and development in the Harvey West and Natural Bridges industrial parks. … E. CIRCULATION PATTERNS … 1. Commute Behavior As a general trend, the percentage of the City’s and County’s labor force that commutes out of the County to work has increased over the past 30 years and in 1990 approximately 21.9% of workers living in the County commuted outside of the County to work. 2. Distribution of Trips While increased awareness about the effects of the automobile and alternative transportation programs have reduced the percentage of automobile trips within the County slightly over the years, in 1985, automobiles still comprised approximately 87.9% of all trips. Walking was the second most utilized form of travel, composing 7% of all trips, while bicycles, transit and school buses comprised the remaining percentage. Increased focus on alternative transportation and changing land use patterns are projected to reduce the percentage of automobile trips by the year 2005. [2005 projection is 76.7% auto, 10% transit, 5% bicycle, 7% walking] Within the City of Santa Cruz, the 1990 Census estimated that 62.5% of the residents drove automobiles to work by themselves, 11.7% carpooled, 7.8% took transit, 5.5% biked and 6.7% walked. F. COMMUNITY FACILITIES G. LAND-USE INVENTORY ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ELEMENT A. INTRODUCTION B. AIR QUALITY … GOAL EQ 1: Protect City residents from the health hazards of air pollution and maintain high air quality standards by implementing air quality monitoring and control strategies that comply with State and Federal Clean Air Acts. C. WATER QUALITY … GOAL EQ 2: Protect the water quality of ocean, watershed lands, surface waters, and groundwater recharge areas from sedimentation, pollution, and saltwater intrusion. D. SOILS … GOAL EQ 3: Preserve agricultural and grazing lands and control erosion and siltation to reduce loss of valuable soils, damage to water resources and biotic resources, and potential hazards. E. BIOTIC DIVERSITY AND STABILITY 1. Vegetation 2. Wildlife 3. Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat 4. Rare, Endangered and Sensitive Species and Limited Habitats 5. Ecological and Scientific Study Areas GOAL EQ 4: Protect and enhance natural vegetation communities and wildlife habitats throughout the City. … POL/PGM EQ 4.8: Encourage street tree planting and preservation programs … … F. ENERGY … GOAL EQ 5: Implement, to the greatest degree possible, transportation strategies that reduce the consumption of fossil fuels … … POL/PGM EQ 5.2: Approach UCSC to develop a joint energy efficiency program addressing waste management, transportation, and new construction. … G. NOISE 1. Noise Measurement Program … Transportation control measures (TMC’s) and land use programs, although generally not conducted with the express purpose of controlling air pollution, also contribute to improving air quality. … Heavy morning and evening commute traffic produced a noise level of approximately 71dB along Mission Street. … Comparison between existing noise contours and those projected for 2005 reveals that noise levels along arterial streets will not increase significantly. While this may seem surprising since more cars will likely be on the roads, the dynamics of noise depend more on traffic speed and truck traffic than on volume. Traffic speeds are not likely to increase and in fact, they may decrease somewhat. Thus future noise levels, although they are already significantly high along major arterials, will be similar to 1990 levels. GOAL EQ 6: Maintain an environment that is not degraded by excessive urban noise by establishing compatibility standards for land uses and noise levels, protecting new land use from the impacts of excessive traffic noise and mitigating the impacts of road projects. POL/PGM … COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT A. INTRODUCTION The community design element is concerned with how Santa Cruz looks and feels. It attempts to define the intangible sense of place and well being that characterizes Santa Cruz and to develop tangible policies and programs needed to keep Santa Cruz a quality place to live, work, raise a family and visit. … B. URBAN FORM … GOAL CD 1: Maintain a compact City with clearly defined urban boundaries. … POL/PGM CD 1.3: Preserve open space land uses at the edge of the City to inhibit urban sprawl and maintain identity. … POL/PGM CD 1.3.3: Develop a master plan to provide for the long-term preservation of the City’s greenbelt lands. POL/PGM CD 1.3.4: Encourage the continued preservation of significant portions of the UCSC campus in open space land uses. … C. NATURAL SETTING … GOAL CD 2: Protect and enhance the City’s natural setting and scenic resources. POL/PGM … D. UNIQUE CHARACTER AND SCALE OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT The City’s mix and distribution of land uses provide residents and visitors with convenient access to a number of different living, shopping, recreation and working opportunities. … Building height and the articulation of building facades, particularly at the ground floor level have been key factors in developing a pedestrian scale to Santa Cruz’s built environment. The preservation and enhancement of natural, historical, architectural, cultural, and archeological resources, landscaping, public art, walking paths, and bike lanes have also contributed to this and enhanced the City’s image as well as its continuity with the past. … GOAL CD 3: Maintain and enhance the City’s unique built character and emphasize a human / pedestrian scale to development. … POL/PGM CD 3.2.1: Develop and implement design guidelines for … Mission … to preserve unique characteristics of the City’s unique built environment. … POL/PGM CD 3.6: In pedestrian areas, require building design to be responsive to the pedestrian environment. These areas include … commercial shopping areas. POL/PGM CD 3.6.1: Encourage the use of pedestrian scale fenestration, awnings, marquees, entrance lobbies, balconies, landscaping, paving materials and other amenities. … E. NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY Many factors serve to define the quality of life within a neighborhood. For instance, when traffic increases through a neighborhood, it may disrupt the area by introducing barriers and changing the character of the area. Street improvements, street tree planting, neighborhood improvement projects and the preservation of natural land forms can all serve to reinforce valued neighborhood qualities and boundaries. … GOAL CD 4: Enhance neighborhood diversity and reinforce the desirable elements of neighborhood character or quality. POL/PGM CD 4.1: Work with neighborhood groups to plan for improvements to their neighborhood and, in the process, evaluate street width, landscaping, street lighting and furniture, architectural, pedestrian and natural amenities, rehabilitation opportunities and make recommendations and develop incentive programs for enhancing neighborhood quality. … POL/PGM CD 4.5: Strive to protect neighborhoods from the effects of heavy through traffic and on-street parking congestion while also providing neighborhood stores within walking and biking distance of neighborhood areas. POL/PGM CD 4.5.1: Reexamine remaining policies and programs in the Liveable Street Plan for the Downtown Neighborhood and consider developing plans for other streets and neighborhoods in the City. … POL/PGM CD 4.7: When sound walls are used, ensure that they are visually interesting and well-landscaped. POL/PGM CD 4.8: Public and private development should be designed to improve the character of existing neighborhoods and factors causing instability or creating urban barriers should be removed or discouraged. POL/PGM CD 4.9: Develop neighborhood places for interaction among residents such as parks, community centers, schools, commercial areas, libraries, churches, and other gathering points and encourage festivities at neighborhood levels throughout the community. F. IMAGEABLE PATHS AND ENTRANCES Imageable paths and entrances are defined as heavily traveled and/or scenic corridors transporting residents and visitors through the community. Some of these paths and entrances are along the City’s major arterial streets, commercial corridors, and coastal access routes. Because they happen to be among the most widely travelled roads and areas within the City, it is important that they offer a pleasing visual experience and that their scenic qualities and diversity be maintained and/or enhanced. Mission (Highway 1)/ Water Street and Soquel Avenue serve as the City’s primary east-west routes and are among the most heavily travelled … … While some of the City’s entrances and roadways are well-defined and aesthetically pleasing, many are not. In many cases, visual clutter, sparse landscaping and exposed parking areas detract from their visual appeal. Distinctive landscape treatments, screened parking, coordinated signs and entry markers, in conjunction with improved building and landscape design could substantially improve the clarity and appeal of streetscapes. … GOAL CD 5: Improve the visual quality of the City’s major roadways and entrances to enhance an areas’s sense of place and provide imageable paths and entrances throughout the City. POL/PGM CD 5.1: New development and right-of-way improvements along designated imageable paths and entrances should enhance the visual quality of the streetscape and entrances. … POL/PGM CD 5.1.3: Underground utilities when major road improvement or reconstruction is proposed, if possible. POL/PGM CD 5.2: Prepare and implement corridor plans for imageable paths addressing visitor serving uses, high traffic volumes, pedestrian and bicycle access, building and parking citing and design, landscaping theme, undergrounding of utilities, commercial-residential transition, comprehensive signs and other amenities. POL/PGM CD 5.2.1: Prepare a corridor design plan for Mission / Water Street. … POL/PGM CD 5.4: Inventory each of the City’s entrances and develop building design, landscape, and sign criteria to define and enhance their characteristics. POL/PGM CD 5.4.1: Development near the western entrances of the City should take into account the rural / urban transition and protect natural views. POL/PGM CD 5.5: Identify visitor serving corridors and establish design concepts that make them attractive and interesting through landscaping, banners, flags, art and displays. G. LANDSCAPING … GOAL CD 6: Enhance the landscaped quality of the City and ensure an emphasis on landscape practices and plant species that are climate appropriate to Santa Cruz. POL/PGM CD 6.1: Protect significant existing vegetation and landscaping that provides scenice as well as wildlife habitat and forage value. POL/PGM CD 6.1.1: Protect heritage trees and shrubs by reviewing all construction plans to determine their impacts on heritage trees and shrubs and providing technical information to assist owners in maintaining heritage trees and shrubs on private property. … POL/PGM CD 6.1.4: Minimize tree cutting between the nearest through public road and the coast. POL/PGM CD 6.2: Develop landscape design plans to create a more coherent visual environment, showcase the City’s commitment to conservation and aesthetics, and encourage pedestrian activity. POL/PGM CD 6.2.1: Develop a street tree master plan and landscaping theme for the CIty’s imageable paths and entrances and designated residential areas. POL/PGM CD 6.2.2: Maintain high quality landscaping on City-owned lands, parking lots, schools and parks. … POL/PGM CD 6.2.5: Implement streetscape and other landscaping plans in the City’s area and specific plans … LAND USE ELEMENT A. INTRODUCTION B. BALANCED COMMUNITY 1. Sustainable Development Sustainable development is at the heart of the CIty’s General Plan. … In its broadest sense aims to promote harmony among human beings and between humanity and nature. The pursuit of sustainable development requires: • A political system that secures effective citizen participation in decision-making. … • An administrative system that is flexible and has the capacity for self-correction. These requirements are more in the nature of goals that should underlie the City’s action in pursuing sustainable development. What matters is the sincerity with which these goals are pursued and the effectiveness with which departures from them are corrected. 2. Jobs and Housing Balance Santa Cruz residents have become increasingly concerned with worsening traffic congestion and deterioration of air quality related to reliance upon the automobile. Reliance on the automobile has created patterns of development and employment that are often inefficient. Some residents now routinely commute 30 miles or more from their homes to their places of employment in Santa Clara County. Jobs are dispersed throughout the region making the use of public transit problematic and inefficient. Additionally, car trips between home and the grocery store, bank, dentist, restaurant, etc. are necessary because in many places residential and commercial areas are not convenient to each other. Job / housing balance is based on the premise that commuting, the overall number of vehicle trips and resultant vehicle miles travelled can be reduced when sufficient jobs are available locally to balance the employment demands of the community and when commercial services are convenient to residential areas. GOAL L 1: Develop a sustainable community in terms of environmental protection, land-use distribution and densities, housing types and styles, economic development and job opportunities, and opportunities for social and cultural expression and recreation. … POL/PGM L 1.2: Work cooperatively with contiguous and regional communities to coordinate land use and transportation planning. POL/PGM L 1.3: Develop and promote a model community vision for Santa Cruz aimed at fostering the City’s sustainable development and promoting the well-being of the community and all life on the planet. … POL/PGM L 1.8: Establish and promote education and outreach programs, informing citizens of Santa Cruz City about the principles stated within the General Plan and elicit their involvement in achieving the identified goals. … POL/PGM L 1.10: Where feasible, encourage installation and utilization of “best available technologies” to mitigate environmental impacts to air, water, soil, wildlife, habitat, noise, and human health, as the alternative preferred to more temporary mitigation measures. C. RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL LANDS 1. Residential Development 2. Commercial / Office Development Santa Cruz has little vacant commercial and office land and as such commercial and office development will mostly result from private redevelopment and/or intensification of existing development. The lack of larger parcels is likely to constrain larger commercial developments such as supermarkets. Commercial and office areas are designed to respond to 3 levels of need. At the neighborhood level, areas are designed to reduce the need to travel distances for specific types of goods. Existing neighborhood commercial areas at Cardiff Place, Avalon and Emeline, Ocean and Barson, Seabright and Murray, Laurel and Washington, and the Circles area are good examples of how this land use relates to surrounding residential uses. To increase convenience and reduce the need for automobile travel protection of existing neighborhood commercial areas and development of new neighborhood commercial areas where they can increase convenience and blend with an existing neighborhood is being pursued. UCSC may also construct a small amount of on-campus commercial space. At the community level, commercial and office areas are designed to satisfy a broad range of general commercial goods, service, and office needs. Existing community commercial areas are found along arterial streets such as Mission, Soquel, Water, and Ocean Street and are more or less characterized as strip commercial areas. Professional office areas are also found along Mission Street and in other areas to provide a transition from commercial to residential uses. While these areas are generally accessible and concentrate land uses along major travel corridors, they may create certain conflicts. Abutting residential areas may be impacted by noise and traffic. The lack of mixed uses and orientation toward automobile travel also create greater arterial street traffic. To improve these areas the General Plan focuses upon the development of commercial nodes. Mixed use commercial centers, commercial corridor design plans, and the development of mixed use and high-density housing projects along or within close proximity to these areas. 3. Industrial Development 4. Mixed Use Development Future population and employment pressures coupled with limits of the circulation system and desires to reduce dependency on the automobile foster diversity and not to expand City size provide a strong push toward developing mixed residential, commercial and industrial land uses within given development projects or areas such as the Downtown, South of Laurel, and North River Street areas. Mixed use developments have particular design requirements in order to be successful. Design considerations include buffering traffic and noise from residential areas, relating developments to existing residential neighborhoods, providing aesthetics and urban open space appropriate to residential uses and reducing parking conflicts. Fostering mixed use development is particularly crucial since the CIty’s goal is to accomodate of urban activities and land use types including housing, office / commercial and visitor-serving developments. 5. Redevelopment GOAL L 2: Provide for a variety and balance of residential, commercial, and industrial land uses while protecting environmental resources and responding to changing community needs, interests, and development constraints. POL/PGM L 2.1: Relate residential, commercial, and industrial land use intensities to the capability and location of the land while ensuring optimum utilization of vacant infill parcels. … POL/PGM L 2.1.2: Maximize land intensity or densities in areas unconstrained by resources or hazards and having adequate service capabilities. POL/PGM L 2.2: Develop and implement updated area or specific plans to resolve complex land use, location and design issues for residential, commercial and industrial areas of community-wide importance. … POL/PGM L 2.2.8: Combine the Western Drive Master Plan and the Moore Creek Access and Management Plan and other General Plan policies regarding land use and environmental protection for the area. POL/PGM L 2.2.9: Develop and implement plans for the Eastside business redevelopment project area, Mission St., and Ocean St. corridors to improve their economic competitiveness, and develop aesthetically pleasing places to drive, bike, walk and shop. POL/PGM L 2.2.9.1: Encourage nodes of commercial development, limited in size, with adequate transit, pedestrian, and bicycle access to encourage one-stop shopping and serving a cluster of neighborhoods. … POL/PGM L 2.6.5: Protect neighborhood quality through improvement of blighted areas, traffic management design guidelines, adequate buffers and other development techniques. … POL/PGM L 2.7.2: Improve the quality of visitor-serving commercial areas to encourage more off-season and overnight visits. POL/PGM L 2.7.3: Designate, develop and maintain neighborhood commercial districts to provide limited services to nearby residential areas. POL/PGM L 2.7.3.1: Encourage the location of shopping and services near UCSC to service the local needs. … D. OPEN SPACE LANDS Open space lands are defined as any parcel or area essentially unimproved for the purpose of 1) preservation of natural resources, 2) public health and safety, 3) managed production of resources, and 4) recreational and aesthetic purposes. Open space land uses within the City include agriculture / grazing lands, natural areas, coastal recreation areas, and parklands. The desire to maintain open space lands surrounding as well as within the City is an enduring concept. These lands help to define and protect the City’s sense of place and environmental quality and provide public safety, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities … GOAL L 3: Protect the quality of, and prevent significant new incursion of urban development into areas designated as open space or agricultural lands and provide, when possible, permanent protection of these lands, recognizing their value in inhibiting urban sprawl and maintaining City identify, as a natural resource with significant biotic resources and/or their potential for providing scenic, recreational and educational enjoyment. … POL/PGM L 3.5.4: Wherever feasible and appropriate, distribute public facilities (including parking areas) throughout the coastal recreation area to mitigate the impacts of overcrowding or overuse by the public of any single area. … E. CONCURRENCY Concurrency is the concept that adequate community infrastructure and services be in place or made available to support current and projected population growth. … The impacts of new development on infrastructure and community services is expected to be significant. Santa Cruz is an old community by California standards and as such infrastructure is aging, sometimes inadequate or missing and as is appropriate for a nearly developed community often operates at or close to capacity. GOAL L 4: Plan community facilities and services to serve the projected population allowing development only when adequate facilities and services are provided and are available to serve it. … POL/PGM L 4.1.3: Cooperate with UCSC to assure that adequate services are paid for and provided as part of any expansion of the campus. … F. LAND USE AND CIRCULATION ...GOAL L 5: Develop compatible relationships between land-use and circulation patterns and encourage land use patterns that encourage an efficient transportation system and discourage urban sprawl and excessive dependence on the automobile. POL/PGM L 5.1: Evaluate development proposals for their direct traffic impact and effect on the overall number of automobile trips and require mitigation measures focused on reducing the number of automobile trips and effects of increased trips. … POL/PGM L 5.3: Provide for high-density development and mixed uses where appropriate as well as transit and pedestrian oriented land use patterns to reduce dependence on the automobile and support the use of mass transit and other alternative transportation modes. … POL/PGM L 5.3.2: Restrict drive-through and other land uses that generate unnecessary auto-emitted air pollution. POL/PGM L 5.3.3: <insert text> POL/PGM L 5.3.4 <insert text> POL/PGM L 5.3.5: <insert text> POL/PGM L 5.3.5.1: <insert text> … POL/PGM L 5.6: <insert text> POL/PGM L 5.6.1: <insert text> POL/PGM L 5.6.2: <insert text> POL/PGM L 5.6.3: <insert text> POL/PGM L 5.7: <insert text> H. LAND USE DIAGRAM AND DESIGNATIONS 1. Residential Land Use Designations 2. Commercial / office land use designations Neighborhood Commercial designations serve residential neighborhoods with small-scale commercial uses such as laundromats, grocery and convenience stores and mixed-use projects. These areas usually involve only a few stores and can minimize automobile trips out of a neighborhood and possibly serve to reinforce a neighborhood focus. Community Commercial designations primarily serve the general needs of the community and include retail, service and office establishments. Allowable uses in these areas include furniture, restaurants, grocery, appliance, auto parts, general merchandise, doctors offices, legal offices and mixed use projects. These areas are located along many arterial streets. 3. Industrial Land Use Designations 4, Mixed Uses 5. Community Facilities <insert text> 6. UCSC <insert text> 7. Open Space Land Use Designations <insert text> CIRCULATION ELEMENT A. INTRODUCTION <insert text> … Increased automobile traffic congestion on City streets during peak commute periods and summer and holiday weekends is a major concern. With no change in transportation behavior, traffic volumes and congestion are projected to increase to 2005. Regional population growth, increasing numbers of visitors, growth of UCSC, increased car miles travelled per person, and development and population growth within the City are all factors with the potential to increase traffic. With these potential traffic increases come increased fuel consumption, air pollution, noise, traffic accidents and impacts upon residential neighborhoods. B. CIRCULATION PLANNING Circulation planning and projects have traditionally focused on increasing the capacity of the road system to solve congestion problems during peak traffic periods … <insert text> It is the City’s goal to reduce automobile trips and congestion by integrating land use and circulation planning, improving alternative transportation modes, developing effective travel demand management strategies, and wherever possible improving the efficiency rather than increase the size of the road system. [emphasis in original] This goal is based on the premise that expanding the size of the road system will be the last resort approach to reducing congestion problems. This planning approach attempts to reduce dependence on the automobile and protect the scale, quality and character of life in the City. To achieve this goal, the City will refocus land use and circulation planning strategies and work with residents, property owners, employers and local and regional agencies to achieve this and parallel land use, circulation, and air quality management goals. Land use planning will focus on integration of land use and circulation in a manner that reduces dependence on the automobile by: encouraging mixed use developments, telecommuting, neighborhood commercial developments, and home delivery services; locating child care centers near employment centers and high-density developments along or near major circulation corridors and employment centers; phasing development with transportation projects and assessing and mitigating the impacts of local and regional growth on the circulation system. … Circulation planning will focus specifically upon the development of viable pedestrian, bicycle and mass transit systems, ride sharing, traffic operations improvements, and other TSM strategies. Where deficiencies in the road system exist, alternative transportation improvements and TSM programs will be used to mitigate the deficiencies. Road widenings / expansions will only be considered when these strategies have not proven effective. (See Pedestrian, Bike, Mass Transit, Road System, and Transportation Systems Management Sections of the Circulation Element for specific policies and programs.) GOAL C 1: Develop a comprehensive, multi-modal transportation circulation planning program that takes as its highest priority reduction of automobile trips by the creation of viable alternative transportation modes, effective transportation systems management programs, and integration of land-use and circulation planning. POL/PGM C 1.1: <insert text> POL/PGM C 1.1.1: <insert text> POL/PGM C 1.1.2: Evaluate and phase circulation system improvements to ensure that the goal of reducing use of the automobile is being met. • On any multi-phase development project, including pedestrian or bicycle facilities, ensure that pedestrian and bike improvements are made in parallel with other improvements. POL/PGM C 1.2: <insert text> POL/PGM C 1.3: <insert text> POL/PGM C 1.4: <insert text> POL/PGM C 1.5: <insert text> POL/PGM C 1.6: <insert text> POL/PGM C 1.7: <insert text> POL/PGM C 1.8: <insert text> C. PEDESTRIAN SYSTEM The pedestrian system is an essential “human” element of the circulation system providing City residents and visitors with a form of relaxation and recreation as well as allowing for increased mobility. Sidewalks, promenades, and hiking trails currently provide the City with a system of predestrian walkways. However, while many residential and business areas have access to pedestrian walkways, others do not. Also, while some pedestrian walkways may be accessible to persons with physical disabilities, others may not. Developing a comprehensive, convenient, linear, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing system is a key step in promoting pedestrian travel throughout the City … Lack of sidewalks, inadequate width, nonlinear curb cuts and wheelchair ramps for the physically disabled, tripping and other hazards such as street lights, utility poles and signs, and the predominance, volume, and speed of automobile travel on many local streets, all lessen the desireability for pedestrian travel. Increased automobile speeds and mobility also affect pedestrian mobility and safety because noise and air emissions make pedestrian paths unpleasant places to walk. Areas where pedestrian travel is being inhibited must be identified and improved to encourage pedestrian travel. Additionally, road projects must be designed with the pedestrian in mind to avoid having negative impacts upon the pedestrian environment. GOAL C 2: Develop and promote pedestrian travel as a viable transportation mode by developing and maintaining a safe, comprehensive, convenient, accessible and aesthetically pleasing pedestrian system. POL/PGM C 2.1: <insert text> POL/PGM C 2.2: Develop a Pedestrian Master Plan, prioritizing development of a complete, continuous, and structurally adequate system of pedestrian paths and walkways, taking people to destinations throughout the City. POL/PGM C 2.2.1: Develop level of service criteria based on sidewalk widths and conditions. … POL/PGM C 2.3: Remove or reduce obstructions or sidewalk tripping hazards including poles, signs, benches, trees and branches. Ensure accessibility to the physically disabled and elderly and improve amenities along existing and potential paths and walkways. POL/PGM C 2.3.1: Revise standards for sidewalk width to develop minimum width in proportion to expected pedestrian usage, i.e., 12 ft along Pacific Ave., 7-8 ft in the Downtown and heavier pedestrian areas, and standard minimum of 5 ft throughout the rest of the City. … D. BIKE SYSTEM … New streets should be designed to accomodate bicycles, the widening of existing arterial streets should be designed to include bike lanes … GOAL C 3: Develop a safe, convenient and effective bikeway system that promotes bicycle travel as a viable transportation mode and connects work, shopping, schools, residential and recreational areas. POL/PGM … E. MASS TRANSIT 1. Bus and Paratransit Services 2. Rail Transit / Fixed Guideways ... GOAL C 4: Aggressively pursue development of a comprehensive and integrated mass transit policy …system including buses, paratransit and rail / fixed guideways to provide increased mobility in the community. POL/PGM … F. ROAD SYSTEM 1. Street Classification and Standards 2. Existing Traffic Conditions Other than the freeway portions of Highways 1 and 17, Mission St. between Chestnut and Bay Streets carries the heaviest traffic flow. In 1990, it had a peak month average daily traffic of 53,000 vehicles per day and peak hour traffic volume of 5,700 vehicles per hour. In 1990, 1231 collisions were recorded … Through traffic and speeding in residential neighborhoods are also a problem. In neighborhoods where these problems exist, traffic control devices such as median barriers, traffic circles, cul-de-sacs, channelization, turn prohibitions, diverters, one-way streets, and chokers may be used to divert traffic back to arterial and collector streets. A 1991 traffic survey that while speed limts are typically posted for 25 mph, many streets cannot be enforced at that speed limit unless traffic control devices are installed because prevailing speeds exceed the limit. 3. Future Traffic Conditions and Road Projects To identify potential road projects, an Arterial Streets Master Plan Study was prepared to analyze projected traffic conditions and growth through 2005. (… 3 types of traffic growth rates projecting future increases in traffic on City streets and State highways regardless of new development in the City were used. The first growth rate was related to regional growth and projected at 1.01% a year. The second background growth rate related to the historical increase in traffic due to increased driving per capita by City residents and was set at 0.76% annually. The third growth rate, affecting only traffic on State highways was set at 2.80% annually.) GOAL C 5: Maximize the efficiency and safety of the existing road system while ensuring that it accommodates all modes of travel, operates at an acceptable level of service, and is not expanded unnecessarily. … POL/PGM C 5.2.4: Monitor deficient intersections and the success of alternative transporation improvements, TSM strategies, and amount of arterial spillover into neighborhoods and adjust these strategies and propose mitigations as traffic volume and collision data warrant. … POL/PGM C 5.6: Develop a visitor / coastal access plan consistent with circulation planning goals and promoting alternative transportation modes to provide convenient and clear access into and out of major destination areas, reduce conflicts with residential traffic and make Santa Cruz an “inviting” place to visit. … POL/PGM C 5.8: Mitigate the impacts of existing and proposed roads on adjacent land uses, neighborhoods, environmental quality and alternative transportation modes. … POL/PGM C 5.8.2: Incorporate pedestrian, bicycling and mass transit facilities in the design of bridges and road projects. … POL/PGM C 5.9: Improve the safety and physical appearance of the City’s roads. … POL/PGM C 5.9.7: Where possible, underground utilities along the City’s roads and prioritize utility undergrounding for streets scheduled for reconstruction. … G. TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT 1. Travel Demand Management a. Trip Reduction Ordinance b. Ridesharing c. Parking Management d. Intermodal Connections Intermodal connections can be achieved in a variety of ways and are designed to increase the convenience of utilitizing alternative transportation modes. Connections include park and ride lots. 2. Traffic Operational Improvement Program GOAL C 6: Develop a Transportation Systems Management (TSM) program that reduces automobile use by reducing travel need, encouraging the use of alternative transportation, increasing average number of persons per automobile, and improving the operation of the existing road system. POL/PGM … HOUSING ELEMENT GOAL H 1: Provide adequate sites and opportunities to meet identified regional fair share housing allocations for Santa Cruz. GOAL H 2: Provide for the development of adequate housing and supportive services for special needs populations such as the elderly, physically disabled, chronically ill, mentally disabled, large / overcrowded households, agricultural workers, students, single parent households and the homeless. GOAL H 3: Stive to provide an increased number of affordable housing units to meet the needs of very low, low and moderate income households in the City in particular, smaller sized rental units in order to approximate as closely as possible the actual income distribution of the City’s population. GOAL H 4: Conserve and improve the existing housing stock throughout the City and in designated target areas. GOAL H 5: Facilitate the development of nontraditional housing types such as transit-oriented developments, half-plexes, zero-lot-line developments, co-housing, and other community-oriented and energy-conserving housing and land uses. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT A. INTRODUCTION B. ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES … GOAL ED 1: Foster economic development programs that … meets retail and service needs of residents and visitors … and enhances the character and quality of community life. POL/PGM ED 1.1: Use redevelopment and other mechanisms to create a positive working relationship between the public and private sectors, foster economic development in the community, and improve the City’s commercial and industrial areas. POL/PGM ED 1.1.1: Prepare and implement plans and design guidelines for the commercial corridors along Mission St., Ocean St., … to provide for commercial development consistent with adjacent residential areas and attractive to uses and customers. … POL/PGM ED 1.2: Promote local economic strength by attracting and retaining investment, by responsible business interests and providing a predictable business environment through consistent application of policy and regulatory process. POL/PGM ED 1.2.1: Build an image of Santa Cruz that actively supports the development and expansion of businesses that make a balanced contribution to the cultural, environmental, and economic health of the City. POL/PGM ED 1.3: Support and prioritize the development of locally owned small and cooperative businesses recognizing the special character and recirculation of capital they bring to the community. … POL/PGM ED 1.8: Involve the Chamber of Commerce, The Santa Cruz Conference and Visitors Council and other organizations in evaluations and recommendations regarding the City’s progress and effectiveness in economic development. … C. RETAIL TRADE AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES … GOAL ED 2: Enhance Santa Cruz’s role as a retail and service center within the region and expand the existing retail and service base. … POL/PGM ED 2.4: Attract visitors and shoppers to retail areas by using retail recruitment programs, design planning and promotional activities that recognize and protect environmental, historic and neighborhood quality and emphasize the area as an enjoyable place to shop and visit. … POL/PGM ED 2.4.2: Promote and develop clean and visually inviting shopping environments recognizing the importance of a positive social environment in enhancing retail trade. … D. INDUSTRY GOAL ED 3: Encourage the development of a diverse industrial base that is socially beneficial, non-polluting, non-depletive of natural ecosystems and provides jobs for Santa Cruz workers. E. DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION GOAL ED 4: Promote revitalization of the Downtown Central Business District as the City’s center for commerce, office, culture, entertainment, restaurant activity and mixed-use residential. F. TOURISM … GOAL ED 5: Encourage the growth of off-season and off-peak tourism by enhancing the City’s potential to attract tourists through urban design improvements, promotion, development of visitor attractions and provision of a variety of overnight accommodations. … POL/PGM ED 5.6.4: Improve visual appearance of visitor routes and entrances to the City. … COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES ELEMENT A. INTRODUCTION B. CITY GOVERNMENT GOAL CF 1: Manage City government efficiently, ensuring environmental quality, maximum benefit to the community at reasonable tax expense. Citizen’s access and participation in decision-making, accessibility to all public facilities, and cooperation with other jurisdictions and private service and facility providers. C. EDUCATION GOAL CF 2: Work in cooperation with the Santa Cruz City schools, private schools, UCSC, Cabrillo College, and other educational providers to promote their educational objectives. D. CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES 1. Childcare and After-School Programs GOAL CF 3: Ensure that children, youth and families of Santa Cruz line in a secure, healthy and safe environment and are provided with opportunities to develop to their full potential. E. HEALTH AND MEDICAL SERVICES GOAL CF 4: Encourage a full range and adequate distribution of health and medical services serving CIty residents. F. COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION NETWORKS GOAL CF 5: Expand and optimize the quality of the City’s libraries and communication and information network. G. WATER SUPPLY, CONSERVATION, QUALITY AND DISTRIBUTION 1. Sources and Supply Outlook 2. Water Conservation 3. Water Quality GOAL CF 6: Supply the water needs of the City’s projected 2005 population through water conservation and then through augmentation of the City’s water supply only if necessary and also ensure water quality and enhance the water distribution system. H. WASTEWATER TREATMENT 1. Wastewater Collection System 2. Wastewater Treatment Plant GOAL CF 7: Provide an adequate and environmentally sound wastewater collection, treatment and disposal system. I. SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL AND RECYCLING 1. Collection and Recycling GOAL CF 8: Increase, to the greatest extent possible, the use of recycled materials, and eliminate practices resulting in the unnecessary waste and disposal of natural resources. J. STORM DRAINAGE GOAL CF 9: Provide a stormwater drainage system capable of conveying a 100-year storm in the trunk drainage system and a 10-year storm in the minor storm-drainage system. PARKS AND RECREATION ELEMENT A. INTRODUCTION B. PARKS AND RECREATIONAL LANDS 1. Neighborhood Parks a. Upper Westside b. Lower Westside c. Central Core d. Harvey West … Although Pogonip and Harvey West Park are near to residences, in most cases, they are not within safe and convenient walking and biking distance. e. Upper Eastside f. Lower Eastside 2. Community Parks 3. Community Gardens 4. Plazas and Promenades 5. Regional Parks 6. Natural Areas The natural beauty and open space character of the CIty’s natural areas compel residents and visitors to utilize them for passive recreational activities such as interpretive walks, jogging, biking, hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, reading and resting. These areas are a highly valued natural resource providing valuable wildlife habitats, scenic and recreational enjoyment and offering an escape from the built environment. 7. Coastal Recreation GOAL PR 1: Provide an adequate and well-balanced supply of parks and recreational lands to meet the needs of Santa Cruz residents. POL/PGM … C. RECREATIONAL FACILITIES 1. Community Center and Meeting Rooms 2. Baseball and Athletic Fields 3. Gymnasium 4. Swimming Pool GOAL PR 2 : Ensure that adequate types, numbers and distribution of recreational facilities are available to residents of Santa Cruz. D. RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS AND CULTURAL FESTIVITIES GOAL PR 3: Provide and support recreational programs, cultural events and festivities that relate to the diverse needs, customs, traditions, interests, and resources of the community. E. RECREATIONAL CORRIDORS … Residential neighborhoods in the City contain perhaps the most important recreational corridors with sidewalks and bike lanes serving as play areas for children and providing linkages from neighborhoods to parks, schools, bus stops, local services and businesses. GOAL PR 4: Establish a city-wide system of pedestrian, bicycling and hiking trails to enhance opportunities for recreational enjoyment. CULTURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT A. INTRODUCTION B. ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES GOAL CR 1: Ensure the protection and proper disposition of archaeological and paleontological sites to preserve resources important to the community’s heritage. C. HISTORIC AND ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GOAL CR 2: Designate, protect and enhance those structures and landmarks contributing to the cultural, historic and architectural character of Santa Cruz. D. MUSEUMS GOAL CR 3: Maintain adequate local museum and exhibition facilities. POL/PGM CR 3.2: In preparing the Pogonip Master Plan, include a natural history museum in accordance with the mixed use alternative of the Pogonip options assessment report. E. VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS GOAL CR 4: Support and encourage visual and performing arts exhibits, events, festivals and classes throughout the community. SAFETY ELEMENT A. INTRODUCTION B. GEOLOGIC HAZARDS GOAL S 1: Minimize geologic hazards to people and property that result from conditions of the land and human activity. C. SEISMIC HAZARDS 1. Effects of Seismic Activity GOAL S 2: Minimize hazards to people and property resulting from seismic activity. POL/PGM S 2.2: Adopt new state approved uniform building codes and require that all new construction conform with the latest edition of the UBC. D. FLOODING HAZARDS 1. Flooding 2. Tsunamis 3. Seiches 4. Dam Failure GOAL S 3: Minimize risks to residents as a result of flood hazards. E. FIRE HAZARDS 1. Urban Fires 2. Wildfires 3. Fire Protection GOAL S 4: Provide an adequate level of fire protection and prevention services to minimize the risks from fire. F. POLICE SERVICES GOAL S 5: Provide a safe and secure environment for people and property in the community by promoting community-oriented policing as the preferred approach to providing law enforcement services. G. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS GOAL S 6: Protect City residents and natural resources from the risks inherent in the transport, distribution, use, and storage or hazardous materials and reduce the use of toxic materials to the greatest extent possible rather than permitting their disposal into the air, water or land. H. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GOAL S 7: Enhance and improve City disaster planning for earthquakes, flooding, tsunamis, hazardous materials incidents and other hazards. LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM A. INTRODUCTION B. SCOPE OF THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL ACT AND LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM 1. Marine Resources 2. Coastal Water Quality 3. Coastal Habitat Areas and Sensitive Species 4. Agriculture and Grazing 5. Visual Resources and Special Communities and Neighborhoods issues focus on the protection of coastal views and visual quality, highly scenic coastal areas, and special communities and neighborhoods by: identifying highly scenic coastal areas and special communities and neighborhoods; developing land use designations that will protect scenic and visual qualities of coastal areas and the unique characteristics of communities and neighborhoods, developing uniform sign and design criteria, and encouraging landmark registry programs such as the National Register of Historic Sites to preserve individual historic areas. 6. Orderly and Balanced Development issues focus upon the type, pattern, intensity, location and phasing of new development, the expansion of new and protection of existing coastal-dependent land uses and the provision of adequate community services and facilities in conjunction with development. Policies are aimed at: identifying environmental constraints to development within the coastal zone, protecting historical, archaeological, and paleontological resources, designating areas where divisions of land are to be limited or prohibited, designating appropriate parcel sizes, designating appropriate land use categories for existing and planned community facilities, designating areas in appropriate land use categories consistent with remaining and planned water, sewer and road capacities, allocating a portion of existing and proposed public service system capacities needed to serve visitors to the coast and phasing and funding programs for necessary community facilities. 7. Coastal Hazard Area 8. Dredging, Filling, and Shoreline Structures 9. Shoreline Access 10. Recreational and Visitor Serving Uses 11. Industrial Development 12. Energy C. COASTAL LAND USE PLAN 1. General Plan Policies and Maps Coastal land use policies … programs maps and definitions provide the basis for coastal permit requirements, changes to them require amendments to the Coastal Program. 2. Area and Specific Plan Policies and Maps D. COASTAL ACCESS PLAN 1. Existing Access 2. Access Improvements E. COASTAL PERMIT PROCESS AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 1. Extent of Coastal Commission Review and Authority 2. Coastal Land Use Implementation Matrix 3. Implementation Regulations INDEX BIBLIOGRAPHY