During the Dec. 4 regularly-scheduled Council meeting, Scotts Valley removed a major impediment to building affordable housing and constructing a multifaceted mixed-use downtown, by agreeing to purchase a parcel of land that was once part of the Skypark airstrip from the City of Santa Cruz.
It also received a presentation from the consultant tasked with envisioning what the Town Center project should look like—right down to the thoroughfares.
“These streets are really important to knit everything together,” said Jane Lin, a partner with Oakland-based Urban Field, whose Scotts Valley-based dad came out to watch her present. “One thing that we know is that this is something that has to be attractive to the development community.”
The Town Center project has seen its fair share of false starts. And while many observers have complained about the sluggish pace, experts say it’s a good thing the original vision—which was rather retail-heavy—was never built, given developments in that vein built elsewhere are now failing (due to the rise of e-commerce).
There was a strong sense of optimism in Council Chambers, as Mayor Randy Johnson was able to sign-off on the property purchase terms before hanging up his Council cleats in a matter of days.
The land deal covers eight acres of the Skypark area. Scotts Valley agreed to pay $7.75 million for it. It will get an environmental cleanup credit of more than a quarter-million.
A deposit of $100,000 was due on signing, with a $1 million down payment required at close of escrow. The purchase will be financed over eight years at an interest rate of 4.5%. Scotts Valley hopes to be able to sell off the land to a developer and pay this debt off early.
Urban Field said it incorporated woodsy and water elements into the design and noted they factored in locals’ concerns about overdevelopment. The latest concept, prepared under a $160,000 contract authorized in October 2023, includes around 300 units of housing.
Johnson noted that the designs put forward by Urban Field are just a starting point.
“This is something that is living and breathing,” he said, adding that the plans are sure to change as dreams come up against various hard realities. “The community will come together.”
He’s been slogging away on the Economic Development Committee alongside Vice Mayor Derek Timm, who helped lead the charge to replace Kmart’s former home with a Target.
Timm said the fact that Scotts Valley already has a Nob Hill and a Target adjacent to where the new buildings are to go gives the project a huge leg up.
Allan Timms, the Council member from England, said he’s been hearing people are worried the Town Center could make traffic problems worse, and asked the consultant about it.
Lin said it’s too early to say for sure, but noted, if planners do things right, it could actually improve things.
“It will help alleviate some of your pinch points,” she said. “It just will flow better.”
Though it didn’t make it into the final design, they even considered a roundabout for Kings Village Road. This seemed to allay some of Timms’ concerns.
“Obviously, I’m a big fan of roundabouts,” he said, drawing laughter.
Ryan Call, another Urban Field principal, said the Town Center will have a “symbiotic” relationship with the surrounding area. He described one potential feature, one they’re calling Tower Point Plaza, which could include a structure that looks like an air traffic control tower and may serve as a “postcard moment” for visitors.
“We’re trying to connect through sight lines, through path-of-travel,” he said. “It starts to just build into your mind all the different exciting things you can do in this district.”
During public comment, Councilmember-elect Steve Clark congratulated staff on the hard work to get to this point. The former traffic cop also voiced concerns about potential parking issues. He said condos built recently near the Scotts Valley Drive and Mount Hermon Road intersection have led to people parking in surrounding neighborhoods.
But, overall, he was supportive of Urban Field’s plan.
“Let’s move forward,” he said. “Let’s make it happen.”
City Manager Mali LaGoe said Scotts Valley will work with Good City Company to update its Town Center Specific Plan, next year.
“That will include updated objective design standards,” she said, adding they’ll also be working on an environmental report. “We’re continuing down this path of removing barriers.”
This could be a challenging task for the City, considering it told the State that plan will pave the way for 657 housing units—of which 427 will be for people in the “Low and Very Low” Income category.
When questioned about the fact Urban Field is only planning for just 300 or so homes, LaGoe said the actual Town Center site is just a piece of the overall Town Center Specific Plan, adding there are other places that’ll be able to accommodate the rest.
And then, Scotts Valley will have to select a developer to take on the project.
In an interview with the Press Banner after the meeting, Timm said he was quite emotional at the progress.
“It’s been such a long road,” he said. “The community’s bought in. The Council’s bought in.”
