Santa Cruz · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Santa Cruz public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Downtown Plan Expansion
Staff plan to map future street cross-sections starting with the downtown expansion plan area, then Soquel Avenue. Commissioners agreed with that order, flagged key intersections like Broadway at the river, and even floated long-term ideas like using plan lines to eventually phase out gas stations.
Sidewalk safety and 'sidewalk upon sale' ordinance
Commissioners hammered on the fact that Santa Cruz is missing about 45 miles of sidewalks and has pedestrian fatality and severe injury rates roughly double Capitola's and worse than San Francisco's. They want a six-foot minimum sidewalk standard, citywide (not piecemeal) sidewalk funding, and pedestrian-first investment before more bike projects.
Bathroom and Water Access for Unhoused Residents
Housing Matters ends drop-in day services March 31, cutting restrooms, showers, mail and charging for dozens of people daily. The city is reallocating up to $409,115 for public restrooms and hand-washing stations while the county works on mail services and showers.
Homelessness and safety in parks
Chair Ussat proposed the commission take up homelessness and safety in parks at a future 2026 meeting. It's one of the leading topics commissioners want on this year's agenda.
Lighthouse Point Hazard and Engineering Analysis
The Council spent $387,032 on an engineering study of hazards at Lighthouse Point, part of the broader West Cliff Drive coastal erosion response.
ADU Regulation Updates and Short-Term Rental Policy
Final adoption of ordinances aligning local ADU rules with new state law, including Coastal Commission appeal changes and junior ADU tenancy rules.
Flock ALPR contract termination
The Council ended the city's license plate reader contract after testimony about data security lapses, potential ICE access, and the vendor's conduct. Police said the tool helped 26 arrests; critics said the only safe data is data never collected.
BESS zoning ordinance
Santa Cruz County is rolling out new rules for where and how massive battery storage systems can be built. This could seriously impact the look and feel of our local energy landscape.
Downtown Expansion
Get ready for a bigger downtown Santa Cruz! The City Council just approved a major expansion, which means more buildings and businesses are coming. But, drivers might want to plan ahead, as traffic could get a bit more intense.
District Maps
Get ready, Santa Cruz! Your City Council just approved new district maps, and this could totally change how your vote matters in upcoming elections. It's all about how representation is divided up across the city.
City Manager Appointment
Santa Cruz has a new City Manager, Matt Huffaker, who previously managed Watsonville. He's now responsible for the city's daily operations, and it'll be interesting to see what changes he brings.
Predictive Policing Ban
Santa Cruz is making waves by banning predictive policing tech, becoming the first city in the US to do so. This means cops can't use algorithms to forecast crime hotspots, a move designed to tackle worries about bias in policing.
Psychedelics Decriminalization
Santa Cruz is ditching the handcuffs for people caught with psychedelics. The city council voted to make personal use and possession of these substances the lowest law enforcement priority.