Santa Cruz · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Santa Cruz public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Sewer Rates and Charges Ordinance
Updates the sewer code so property owners who pay to upsize or fix existing sewer mains can be reimbursed as neighboring properties later connect — bringing old rules in line with today's redevelopment reality.
Graham Hill Water Treatment Plant Improvements
The water department is rate-funded and planning major projects — the Graham Hill treatment facility improvement (2027-2032) and pipeline replacements — with $300 million already invested system-wide. Demand keeps falling even as the service population triples.
Beltz Well 9 Aquifer Storage and Recovery Design
The Council hired EKI Environment & Water for $468,000 to design upgrades that let the city store water underground at Beltz Well 9, shoring up water supply.
EV Fast-Charging Infrastructure at Public Parking Sites
The Council approved site leases at three public parking locations so DC fast chargers can be installed and operated.
Wastewater Treatment Facility Energy and Electrical Resiliency (Project WEER)
The council awarded a $5 million design contract to Royal Electric and added $1.5 million to harden the wastewater treatment plant's electrical system — keeping sewage treatment running during outages and storms.
Water rate increases for 2027-2031
The city is reworking water rates so fixed charges cover about 20% of revenue instead of 10%, scaled to meter size — meaning big jumps for 6-inch and larger meters serving apartments and commercial sites. The commission supported the underlying financial plan but the actual rate adoption comes later.
Water supply planning and future rates
The adopted water plans project only minor shortages in extreme modeled droughts, thanks to decades of conservation and planned supply projects. Councilmembers flagged that low water use will make the next rate study contentious.
Scotts Valley Water Transfer Agreement
The council authorized a cooperative water transfer and purchase agreement with the Scotts Valley Water District for the Intertie 1 Project. One commenter questioned whether it complies with the charter's prohibition on selling the water system without a public vote.
UCAP Utility Assistance Expansion
The Santa Cruz Municipal Utilities customer assistance program is expanding to multi-family customers, with a $1.1 million budget amendment; O'Hara called it nationally leading.
Nonfunctional turf irrigation ban
The council finalized an ordinance restricting irrigation of nonfunctional turf in the city's water service area — a drought-resilience measure that limits watering of purely decorative grass.