Though they’re “not gloating,” Save Pleasure Point made enough sensical noise to 1st District Santa Cruz County Supervisor Manu Koenig, who helped make the group’s case to the planning department and other supervisors to limit development density on large parcels along the neighborhood’s main commercial artery.
Neighborhood group Save Pleasure Point scored a major victory this week in its fight to retain the character along the area’s main commercial artery, Portola Drive, as the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a plan that limits development density.
“But we’re not gloating,” said group leader and longtime Pleasure Point resident Patti Brady. “This was a real united effort based in reality. You drive around here and you see people out in the street talking to their neighbors. This is a real neighborhood.”
As the state makes demands on cities and counties to add housing inventory at a rapid pace, it’s up to citizens and their representatives to work toward compromise to make sure neighborhood character is part of the equation. While other projects, such as 831 Water Street, have left many neighbors feeling unheard and helpless, members of Save Pleasure Point say their efforts — with the assistance of 1st District Supervisor Manu Koenig — showed that the process can work.
The largest victory for the neighborhood of roughly 5,800 was capping density on eight parcels zoned for development, essentially limiting how high new buildings could climb vertically along the street that runs parallel to the popular walking/biking zone atop the cliff and prized surf spots below it a quarter-mile away.
Koenig said his office received “at least 150 emails personally and many more phone calls and physical letters” expressing concern about maxing out density levels.
“It was very clear to me that this was important to many people,” he said.
That maxed-out density was part of the county’s original sustainability update plan, even though it went against recommendations developed during a public input process in 2018 that resulted in a guide called the Pleasure Point Commercial Corridor Vision & Guiding Design Principles.
That’s what got Save Pleasure Point quickly mobilized — getting word about via Nextdoor, Facebook, word of mouth and the local media.
In an opinion piece written for Lookout, a group of residents laid out its concerns: “While we support increased housing projects, we must adamantly oppose this effort to rezone sections of Portola Drive to make it urban residential, flexible high-density housing. That would allow up to 45 units of housing per acre — rather than the current 17.4 units per acre. That is a shocking and highly noticeable change — potentially increasing allowed housing by more than double.”
Source: Lookout Santa Cruz