Community Meeting Regarding EAST CLIFF DRIVE PARKWAY PROJECT

Community Meeting
Monday, AUGUST 8th- 7 pm
Simpkins Swim Center
979 17th Ave, room A

RE: PLEASURE POINT REDEVELOPMENT; EAST CLIFF DRIVE PARKWAY PROJECT

The Pleasure Point COMMUNITY is extremely upset with the way that the Santa Cruz County RDA and the Board of Supervisors have handled the East Cliff Drive Parkway project.

The community and local residents have been insisting on information & additional public dialogue about the details of this project, and it has been refused by the RDA. The RDA has FINALLY (as 8.1.2011) posted plans & the community is PROTESTING THIS PROJECT.

The RDA & Supervisor John Leopold have finally granted us a Community Meeting on Monday, August 8th 7pm---but they have not stopped bulldozing Pleasure Point in the meantime, nor have they gone to any lengths to inform the public of this meeting.

The plans posted violate the Pleasure Point Community Plan for open street design, are in clear violation of EPA best practices for Stormwater runoff & do not address any of the numerous other concerns that our community has voiced.

*BACKGROUND*

On 8.1.2011, the County Redevelopment Agency (RDA) initiated construction on the East Cliff Drive Parkway Project. Construction plans & informational signs had not been posted in the Pleasure Point neighborhood, and despite repeated requests for information, plans were JUST posted on the RDA website on Monday, 8.1.2011 as bulldozers were starting work.

There was not a request for community input as a response to the finalized construction plans finally published this week, but COMMUNITY PROTESTS have resulted in the RDA Community Meeting (announced via 3 small signs in Pleasure Point).

Prior to construction, petition signatures and comments were submitted IN OPPOSITION to lack of information available to the community & raising several tangible concerns about the project, including:

Fencing height, design, impact on views and location

Blocking of high tide escape routes and surf access ·

Removal of Jay Moriarty's memorial tiki & palm trees

Placement of benches with visibility above the 42 inch fence

Failure to publicize proposed scope of work and timeframes

· Impact of proposed curbs & gutters on storm drain discharge into popular surf waters; a blatant failure to follow PP Community Plan & EPA best practices.


*NEW CONCERNS & SURPRISES TO DATE INCLUDE:*

The destruction, paving, and fencing of the Dirt Farm

Fencing off access to 38th Ave for surfers & blocking escape routes at 38th

The failure of the RDA to notify residents of construction details &solicit input PRIOR to the initiation of work

The dangerous precedent set by the County RDA approach, failure to inform our community & failure to address community concerns

*MEETING DETAILS*

*Community Meeting*

*Monday, AUGUST 8th- 7 pm*

*Simpkins Swim Center*

*979 17th Ave, room A*

SURFRIDER URGES ALL OF YOU TO ATTEND THIS IMPORTANT MEETING and VOICE YOUR CONCERNS!

SEE 'YA THERE!