Update on Tiny Homes, CZU Rebuilds, Taxes on June Ballot, By Bruce

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Update on Tiny Homes, CZU Rebuilds, Taxes on June Ballot

By Bruce McPherson, Supervisor, Fifth District

As we head toward spring, I’m excited about a new affordable and environmentally-friendly housing initiative that could address development challenges in the Fifth District, especially for CZU Fire survivors in search of alternatives to costly or complicated rebuilds.

The County’s Planning Commission recently indicated support for a draft ordinance that would permit tiny homes, a program that has been in development since last year when District 1 Supervisor Manu Koenig and I brought a request to the Board of Supervisors to explore a new set of regulations.

Homes as small as 150 square feet are already permitted under the County’s Accessory Dwelling Unit rules. But we believe it is important to distinguish tiny homes as a separate affordable housing product, including those on wheels. There is a lot to be explored before approval, including questions about utilities, parking and mobility. We also are seeking to expedite the permitting process for fire survivors who are seeking a temporary living arrangement on their land or a more permanent, yet smaller, footprint for the future.

The County’s Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience has premiered a new dashboard that tracks CZU rebuilding progress. The site shows how many permits are in process, how many pre-clearances have been approved, and the locations of permit activity by supervisorial district. The Board has removed geological hazards review as a barrier, and reduced or eliminated many permitting fees. And we will continue to offer expedited service through our dedicated fire Recovery Permit Center and Long-Term Recovery Group. All of these resources, plus the dashboard, can be accessed at santacruzcounty.us/ firerecovery. It’s my hope that two other recovery barriers are removed soon.

First, we are still waiting for the California Office of Emergency Services to resolve the roughly $8 million in damage to Countymaintained and private roads caused by a state contractor during post-fire debris removal operations. Second, while PG&E works to remove tree debris from properties where owners have requested clean-up of the utility’s post-fire operations, the County is still awaiting enforcement by state agencies regarding

CZU rebuilding dashboard shows 60 properties in the Fifth District ready to submit for dwelling unit permit

notices of violation issued to PG&E for breaking environmental regulations and forestry practice rules.

You may have heard about PG&E’s plans to underground more of its infrastructure to reduce wildfire risk. We look forward to any undergrounding done in our County, but a more realistic and less expensive system-hardening endeavor would be to coat bare wires and replace other aging equipment.

I’ll conclude with a few notes about the upcoming June 7 ballot, starting with our rail line.

In early March, the Board of Supervisors will receive a report from County departments regarding potential impacts of the Greenway initiative, which has received more than 13,000 qualified signatures on a petition to establish a multiuse trail on the corridor. Under election law, the Board is obligated to put the matter before voters, though I personally have not taken a position on the initiative. However, I did receive a unanimous vote of the Board on Feb. 1 to pause for 30 days and get more information so that voters have a more informed view of the initiative.

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SPECIALTY SCREEN & GLASS SHOP

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Fabrienne: Shy But Affectionate

Fabrienne is a 3 year old brown tabby and white domesticated shorthair who has been at the shelter for a month. Fabrienne is as beautiful as her name, starting with her sweet little heart-shaped nose.

She is a little shy at first, but she loves pets, and is very gentle and affectionate. They say good things come in small packages, and inside this furry little girl, is a big heart full of love.

Adoptions are first come, first served! Please view available animals on our website and then visit the Shelter to turn in your application. All adoptions require proof of home ownership or landlord approval. Please have this information prepared. If an animal is in Foster Care, please bring in your adoption application and schedule an appointment to meet the animal. Call 831-454-7200 x0 during business hours or visit www.scanimalshelter.org for more information! n

•••

Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter’s full-service, open-admission shelter:

Santa Cruz Location (Public Entrance): 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz, 95062

Hours: Daily Noon – 5 p.m.

Watsonville Location: CURRENTLY CLOSED 580 Airport Blvd, Watsonville, CA 95076

SCCAS Main line: 831-454-7200. Animal Control: 831-454-7227. After-Hours Emergency: 831-471-1182 • After Hours: jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us

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© Statepoint Media “McPherson” from page 22

Meanwhile, Regional Transportation Commission Executive Director Guy Preston has pledged to reopen talks with Roaring Camp in Felton to discuss impacts of potential future actions related to freight service on the Santa Cruz Branch and Felton lines — all while maintaining Roaring Camp’s popular Beach Train.

Also expected to get underway soon is the Highway 17 undercrossing, a project critical for wildlife safety and one my office worked hard to have included in the Measure D plan passed by County voters in 2016.

Two County revenue measures will be on the ballot — an increase in the Transient Occupancy Tax paid by overnight guests of local hotels or vacation rentals, as well as a dedicated County share of a new single-use disposable cup fee. Together, these measures are expected to bring in $3 million annually to fund a host of vital public services.

CZU rebuilding dashboard: https:// www.santacruzcounty.us/FireRecovery/ RecoveryPermitCenter/RecoveryPermitCenterDashboard.aspx n •••

As always, please contact my office at Fifth.District@santacruzcounty.us or 831454-2200 if we can be of assistance. •••

Editor’s note: For those wondering about the wood piles at Henry Cowell State Park in Felton, California State Parks plans to ignite them March 3-6, part of the program to improve the health of the forest for wildlife and lower the chance of catastrophic wildfire. Monitoring is planned through the weekend.

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The event strives to encourage inclusion and change the way that people think about and treat individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Costumes for the event are encouraged (judging at 11:30 a.m.) but not necessary.

Sign-in is at 10 a.m. Register at: https://p2p. onecause.com/santacruzplunge Questions? Email Allie Bakalar at Allieb@sonc.org or Officer John Hohmann at jhohmann@scottsvalley.org

Tuesday March 15 Wednesday March 16

ROADMAP TO RECOVERY WILDFIRE WORKSHOPS

Tues. 6 p.m / Wed. 5 p.m., Online Seminars The nonprofit United Policyholders is offering the Roadmap to Recovery workshops for people affected by the 2020 wildfires in California and Colorado.

Tuesday: Survivor to Survivor Forum — Connect with trained volunteers who navigated recovery after previous wildfires, and others on the road to recovery. Register: www.uphelp.org/mar15

Wednesday: Collecting Every Dime — This workshop will help you track and understand what you’ve been paid on your insurance claim, and helps you collect what’s owed to you. Register: www.uphelp.org/mar16

Saturday March 19

ROTARY TRI-TIP DRIVE-THRU BBQ

5-6 p.m., Scotts Valley Community Center, 360 Kings Village Road The Scotts Valley Rotary invites you to a drive-through Tri-Tip Roast BBQ at the Scotts Valley Community Center.

The meal includes a 40 oz. roast, a loaf of garlic sourdough bread, garden salad and ranch-style beans to serve four for $60. Add a bottle of wine for $20. Buy tickets at https://drivethrubbq.brownpapertickets.com

Saturday March 26

BOARDWALK FUN RUN

8 a.m., Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Lace up your shoes and get outside with a family-friendly race through the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Register by March 25 at https://tinyurl.com/ boardwalk-fun-run-signup

Two options: 1K (six-tenths of a mile) for age 12 and under and 5K for ages 4 and up (parents too). Cost is $20 for the short run, $40 for the longer run, plus sign-up fees. Runners get a medal, Boardwalk Swag Bag, up to 3 hours of free-play in the Casino Arcade and $15 off Ride Wristband on Race Day.

Wednesday May 4 Thursday May 5

NEST FLIGHT

Virtual Conference, Details to come NEST Flight will be a 2-day virtual experience, in time for graduation season. This annual conference is geared toward young professionals, recent grads and current students in high school or college. If you are 17 to 24 and exploring your options for the future, this conference is for you.

Hosted by Digital NEST and founder Jacob Martinez, this event features 20 inspiring speakers, hands-on workshops, powerful panel discussions and one of a kind networking opportunities — crafted to help students propel their careers, no matter where you are in your job exploration.

Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings is keynote speaker. Emcee is Amber Gonzalez-Vargas, senior program manager at Latino Community Foundation, which has invested $17 million in 150 grassroots Latino-led nonprofits. Registration: $20. See https://www.nestflight.org/

Friday May 20

REGIONAL ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

9 a.m.-11 a.m., Online Seminar MBEP’s 8th Annual Regional Economic Outlook will feature Christopher Thornberg, Founding Partner of Beacon Economics, LLC.

Widely considered to be one of the nation’s leading economists, Dr. Thornberg is an expert in revenue forecasting, regional economics, economic policy, and labor and real estate markets.

Beacon Economics is a leading independent research and consulting firm dedicated to delivering accurate, insightful, and objectively-based economic analysis to public and private sector clients in California and across the United States. Tickets are $29. Register at https://tinyurl.com/MBEP-REO2022-register n