Santa Cruz Beekeeping, Parking Regulations, And Zoning Ordinance Clean Up/Update

Press release from the City of Santa Cruz:

July 9, 2020

Join Advance Planning for a Virtual Community Meeting July 23rd, 2020 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM to discuss the following:

Santa Cruz Beekeeping Ordinance Update

After consultation with local beekeepers and research into best practices, the City of Santa Cruz is seeking to amend its beekeeping ordinance.The City of Santa Cruz currently regulates the residential beekeeping of European Honeybees in the following ways (Santa Cruz Municipal Code §24.12.650): beehives must be set back twenty (20) feet from all property lines, and beekeepers require a city-issued permit, at a fee. In the past year, a coalition of local beekeepers has brought to the City’s attention that this current ordinance does not support current best practices for maintaining healthy and safe colonies of honeybees, a pollinator species integral to local and world agriculture.

Amendments to Parking Regulations

The City is proposing to amend various parking regulations in order to reduce requirements for residential development, modernize certain commercial parking standards, provide a process for proposing alternative methods to address parking needs in commercial and residential projects, and to clarify existing standards. Overall, the proposed amendments are intended to facilitate housing development and accommodate new commercial uses in the City, while maintaining an adequate supply of parking and mobility options for residents, visitors, and workers.

Zoning Ordinance Cleanup Amendments

The City is proposing a number of amendments to Title 24, Zoning Ordinance of the Santa Cruz Municipal Code to clarify and update various code sections, to remove obsolete sections and references, to streamline application processes, and to bring the Zoning Ordinance into conformity with State regulations. Some of these amendments are also amendments to the City's Local Coastal Program. Specific amendments would update the citywide sign ordinance to more closely align with the Downtown sign ordinance; update the Slope Regulations to be based on geotechnical information; revise the required findings for design permits to remove redundant information requirements and consolidate the findings to help streamline the application process; and clarify the definition of “lot coverage” and how to calculate the square footage of a “large home.” The intent of these amendments is to make the Zoning Ordinance more user-friendly and to improve clarity and processing time for residents, developers, staff, and any other users.

How to Participate:

Via Zoom app or Website:
https://zoom.us/j/98668679239

Via phone:
If the first number you try is busy, try the next number.

+1 669 900 9128 or
+1 346 248 7799 or
+1 646 558 8656 or
+1 253 215 8782 or
+1 301 715 8592 or
+1 312 626 6799

Follow prompts and enter the following information when asked:

Webinar ID: 986 8298 6552

No password is required

Zoom Participation Guide

FUTURE POLICY AND ORDINANCE UPDATES

Visit our Long-Range Planning Page to learn more and stay up-to-date on policies and ordinances the City is working on.

This press release was produced by the City of Santa Cruz. The views expressed here are the author’s own.