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Boys & Girls Club Opens in Live Oak
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 Over six years ago, a series of community meetings were held to find out what people in Live Oak and Soquel wanted to do with redevelopment funds that were available at the time. More than 500 people participated in these community discussions and developed a list of priorities. One of the key projects brought up by community members at nearly every meeting was facilities for young people. After a plan was adopted I went to every school district in the redevelopment area and asked to partner with them on new facilities projects for youth. Live Oak School District jumped at the opportunity and within thirty days of meeting, they had a partnership formed with the Boys & Girls Club with drawings for a proposed building. Their leadership proved fortuitous as that same month, the governor proposed elimination of redevelopment agencies across the state.
The County worked quickly to secure funding, and with a donation of land from the school district and fundraising for the Boys & Girls Club, a plan was developed for a 10,000 sq. ft. Youth Center with a Boys & Girls Club on the first floor and teen activities on the second. Located on the Shoreline Middle School campus, the new Club features a computer/work area for homework support, a kitchen for cooking and nutrition classes, a recording studio, a dance floor and games and activity space.
Membership for children is $40/year and is open to all in the Live Oak, Soquel and surrounding communities. This facility joins the Center for Public Safety, Heart of Soquel Park, and the East Cliff Parkway as major projects completed with the final redevelopment funds. I invite you to join us for a joyous celebration on Saturday, March 11th at 11 am at the new Boys & Girls Club site next to the Simpkins Swim Center.
Boys & Girls Club Dedication
March 19, 2016 11:00 am
Live Oak Clubhouse 855 17th Ave
Santa Cruz
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Vacation Rental Ordinance - Update
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Citizen Connect Image |
In 2011 when I worked with the community, the real estate industry, and private property owners to draft meaningful Vacation Rental permit guidelines there were a specific set of issues that the community expressed that I worked hard to address. Since the Board adopted the vacation rental ordinance there have been changes in the industry which have required the County to adapt.
Last year I directed the Planning Department to develop a website to to better address the required signage so residents knew who to call in case of issues and made changes to the ordinance to deal with what happens to a vacation rental when the home is remodeled and increases in size, as well as language to address permit revocation.
On February 9th the Board reviewed elements of the Vacation Rental Ordinance again and I took that opportunity to address two additional issues that have surfaced in our current vacation rental climate. One is to require ALL new vacation rental applications for homes 4 bedrooms or larger to require a public hearing. I have heard that these larger homes often attract large groups and they have a more significant impact on the community. By requiring a public hearing it gives the neighbors of that proposed vacation rental an opportunity to voice their concerns and potentially get some permit conditions in place to protect our neighborhoods. The second amendment was to add children to the maximum people numbers. Some homes periodically serve as sports team bunk houses as large groups of kids accompanied by a couple parents took over a vacation rental. I am hoping these two updates will continue to ensure that vacation rental owners operate with responsibility and respect of our neighborhoods.
Additionally I'd like to let you all know that the County of Santa Cruz "Citizen Connect Application" now allows a user to search using a map function or by address for the vacation rental contact phone number in the event that you need to call because of an issue, or concern.
See the County's updated Vacation Rental page HERE with a searchable database for contact information OR download the smartphone "Citizen Connect" Application HERE
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It has been just over a year since the FAA implemented new NextGen jet paths over Santa Cruz County that have impacted many residents of the first district and other communities. I have been working throughout this period to amplify your voices and press for relief from the FAA. On March 7th, the FAA Regional Director and technical staff came to Santa Cruz County for a second time to meet with Representatives Farr and Eshoo, local elected officials including myself and Supervisor McPherson, as well as local advocacy groups Quiet Skies Coalition and Save our Skies Santa Cruz.
I have some promising news to report. The FAA has expedited their feasibility study of the problems that Save our Skies provided to the FAA and that are listed in the FAA's "Initiative to Address Noise Concerns Executive Summary" that was released last October. Their analysis and recommendations to address the hundreds of thousands of noise complaints filed in the last year will be finished and released to the public in mid-April. Reps. Farr, Eshoo, and Speier have arranged for the formation of a South Bay Select Committee to be formed under the auspices of the SFO Roundtable, made up of elected officials from Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties. This committee will review the FAA's analysis and recommendations, take public comment, and work with the FAA to implement solutions that will address the jet noise impacts that have so drastically affected our lives. We expect to receive a list of actions that can be taken by the FAA; simpler steps may be accomplished in a relatively short amount of time; more complex changes may take longer. To the dismay of all present, the FAA was unable to specify these timelines at our meeting. However, we should know more and have a better sense of these timelines once the FAA report is released in April. Be assured I will be working closely with our Congressional Representatives, local officials, and advocacy groups to hold the FAA accountable and address our noise issues as quickly and as comprehensively as possible. I will continue to update you via my newsletter and other announcements as events unfold.
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Email me a favorite First District photo
or video and it may appear here next month
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People's Coffee
1200 17th Ave - Live Oak
Wednesday, Mar. 16
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Loma Prieta School Forum
23800 Summit Road
Wednesday, April 6
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Michael's on Main
2591 Main Street - Soquel
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Live Oak Youth Violence Prevention Task Force
March 23 - 3 pm
Simpkins Swim Center
979 17th Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA
Boys & Girls Club Dedication
March 19 - 11:00 am
Live Oak Clubhouse
855 17th Ave
Santa Cruz, CA
Soquel High School Jazz Band & Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band
March 30, 2016 7:00 pm
Kuumbwa Jazz
320-2 Cedar Street
Santa Cruz, CA
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First District Office
Contact Info
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| Phone: 454-2200
701 Ocean Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Staff
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