Santa Cruz Planning Commission weighs multimodal impact fee, sidewalks and new parking rules The Planning Commission reviewed staff options to reshape the city's traffic impact fee into a multimodal program, strengthen objective standards for development, and revise parking tools — including unbundled parking and tiered residential permits — to address neighborhood spillover from new, transit‑proximate projects.

Santa Cruz is rethinking its transportation policies, aiming to transform its parking impact fees and prioritize sidewalks to create a safer, more accessible city for all.

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Santa Cruz adopts 2026–29 Health and All Policies work plan to integrate equity, health and resilience The City Council approved the Health and All Policies (HIAP) 2026–29 work plan after a presentation by Sustainability and Resiliency Officer Tiffany Wise West; the plan adds equitable engagement, accessibility transition, housing policy work, tobacco-waste implementation and a report back schedule, with the HIAP committee meeting bimonthly beginning Feb. 4.

Santa Cruz City Council just approved a groundbreaking three-year plan to weave equity, health, and sustainability into the fabric of city operations!

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Museum of Natural History urges council to negotiate long-term lease tied to $20 million renovation The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History asked the City Council to direct staff to negotiate lease terms that reflect the nonprofit’s investment in a $20 million renovation campaign; the museum said donors have so far raised about $17.1 million and that $15 million of the project would go to building improvements.

The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History is on the brink of a $20 million renovation, but they need the City Council's support for a long-term lease to make it happen!

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Santa Cruz proclaims January 2026 as Orphan Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month Councilmember Gabriela Triguero read a proclamation declaring January 2026 as Orphan Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month; filmmaker Barack Laub spoke about the issue and urged state and federal regulation to protect children in residential care.

Santa Cruz is taking a stand against orphan trafficking by declaring January 2026 as Orphan Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month, emphasizing the urgent need for child protection reforms.

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Planning Commission recommends ADU ordinance updates; approves 90-day primary-residence short-term rental allowance The Santa Cruz Planning Commission on Jan. 15 unanimously recommended that City Council adopt ADU ordinance amendments aligning with state laws SB 543, AB 1154 and AB 462, and approved a friendly amendment to allow a primary residence to be short-term rented up to 90 days per year while keeping ADUs/JADUs off the short-term market.

The Santa Cruz Planning Commission just took a bold step by recommending significant updates to the ADU ordinance, allowing for more flexibility in housing options and short-term rentals!

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