Community raises concerns over new housing development
We can all agree Santa Cruz County needs affordable housing, but recent moves by lawmakers in Sacramento have created a loophole for one local developer to abuse our planning process and circumvent all restrictions on density, fast-tracking a project almost nobody wants.
The state recently established mandates for housing with which the county has complied, but due to missing a deadline by one day it has allowed one outlandish development application to come forward through the “Builder’s Remedy” loophole.
“The Haven,” a 157-unit project, is proposed on a 40-acre Graham Hill Road property across from the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. The project would turn an environmentally sensitive site into a visual and environmental debacle—all to obtain a small number of affordable housing units.
Additionally, this project depends on the SLV Water District annexing the site and supplying all 157 units. In recent years, SLVWD has had considerable difficulty supplying water to its existing base. How can it stretch supplies even further? There are far better ways to reach the same housing goals.
The people of Santa Cruz County should be making these decisions, not politicians in Sacramento. Take back our local oversight and planning and let’s develop Santa Cruz in a sensible way. Stop “The Haven!”
Jack DeStories
Scotts Valley
I am writing to oppose the Tate housing development proposed in the endangered and rate Sandhill habitat in a High Wildfire Severity zone, which has no water infrastructure and no promise of a water source and for which there is no reasonable homeowner’s fire insurance available, nor sufficient fire and emergency services available directly across from the campground at Henry Cowell State Park.
I am opposed to this proposed development for all the reasons mentioned in the first sentence. Further, the impact on local roads, as a means of emergency egress from the San Lorenzo Valley would be greatly impacted. It is an ill conceived idea and should not come to fruition.
Tammi Blake
Felton
My wife’s family has been in the Scotts Valley community for over five decades and very much enjoyed the community and its mix of rural, suburban and urban life. We are very much opposed to The Haven between Hidden Glen and Rolling Woods neighborhoods on Graham Hill Road, as it is proposed today.
Our opposition is based upon: 1. ~200% greater than the adjacent Rolling Woods community. 2. Traffic—Graham Hill road is already a dangerous road to enter and exit and adding in more traffic will surely lead to more car accidents. There will also be ~200 new houses being built just behind this property. 3. Local children walking or biking to elementary or middle school would involve traversing Graham Hill road, which has no sidewalks. The developer has failed to address this fundamental public safety issue. 4. 18,000-square-foot club house proposed. This is way too large for 157 families and thus most likely the developer is planning an alternative use of this building, which they are hiding? 5. Blocking of wildlife corridor. The proposed high density development will have negative impacts on a variety of wildlife and Eagle creek. 6. Henry Cowell State Park: Traffic, light pollution, noise, etc., across from the rural and wonderful state park will degrade our community’s natural resources.
Any development should seek to preserve the enjoyability and character of Henry Cowell for all of us. In conclusion, a proposed development more in line with the existing Rolling Woods neighborhood would be more logical with set back for the Eagle Creek and Henry Cowell. We acknowledge the need for more affordable housing, but giant expensive 3,000-square-foot-plus mansions squished together is not a solution to our affordable housing challenges.
Jeff and Rebecca Wells McCartney
Scotts Valley
I attended the neighborhood meeting on Dec. 4 conducted by Tate Development of Del Mar California. It was unnerving to see the scope of the project dubbed “The Haven” planned for the 40 acres of undisturbed land on Graham Hill Road.
The developer is using a loophole called “Builders Remedy” to bypass the county and cram 157 homes and 600 parking places onto the site. What alarmed me more was his plan to have SLV Water annex the site into the SLV Water District, thus siphoning off a precious resource from the people of the San Lorenzo Valley.
The arrogance of this Southern California developer thinking that he is entitled to SLV Water, when there are CZU fire victims that still don’t have water, should ring alarm bells for everyone living in the valley. SLV Water District has not yet voted to annex “The Haven” development into the district.
Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond and Felton residents must let SLV water board members know how they feel about this project.
Rosemarie Slawinski
Scotts Valley
