What the Greenway Initiative Says

Below is Ballot Title and Summary prepared by the County Counsel (black ink).  Cal. Elections Code limits the summary to 500 words. We’ve added to the summary excerpts from the text of the ballot initiative in blue ink.  -CFST Editors

Santa Cruz County Greenway Initiative

Under state law, every city and county is required to adopt a comprehensive, long-term “General Plan” that outlines the future growth and development of land use for that jurisdiction. In 1994, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors adopted a General Plan and Local Coastal Program. In subsequent years, it has been amended at various times. The County’s general plan only applies to areas in the unincorporated areas; it does not affect land use within the city limits of Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Capitola, or Scotts Valley.

The Circulation Chapter is one of seven required “elements” or chapters that must be included in a general plan. Since 2011, the Circulation Chapter must also describe a “balanced, multimodal transportation network that meets the needs of all users of streets, roads, and highways.” In this County, this chapter serves as the key policy statement regarding transportation facilities and programs serving the unincorporated areas.

If approved by the majority of voters, this proposed measure seeks changes to “Chapter 3: Circulation” of the County’s General Plan. As submitted, this measure includes a total of nine pages of single-spaced text with amendments to six sections of this chapter. Voters are referred to the initiative documents for complete details. The proponents have outlined the purpose and policy goals of the measure as follows:

    1. Supporting the development and interim use of a portion of the Santa Cruz Branch Line Corridor (“Corridor”) between certain designated local landmarks as a “high-quality, multi-use Greenway” for various community uses while preserving future rail options through railbanking;
    2. Prioritizing interim use of existing trestles and railbed for the Greenway, while preserving future rail options through railbanking; and
    3. Preserving the use of a portion of the Corridor for existing freight service in Watsonville, existing Santa Cruz Big Trees & Pacific Railway recreational service, and a future Watsonville/Pajaro Junction station.

As amended, “Objective 3.7 Rail Facilities” in the “Transportation Management System” would add “Greenway Planning” to the title and define its specific uses and goals. “Greenway” shall mean a trail between the San Lorenzo Bridge in the City of Santa Cruz and Lee Road in the City of Watsonville for commuting, active transportation, and recreation by pedestrians, bicycles, wheelchairs, e-bikes, skateboards, and personal e-mobility that includes two lanes of wheeled traffic on a paved path, a divider, and a separate walkway for pedestrians, with a shoulder on both sides.

Under the “Policies” subsections, the titles and descriptive paragraphs of 3.7.1 and 3.7.3 would be modified to be compatible and consistent with the addition of the Greenway concept. Other Policies would also be amended.

[Text to be inserted in the General Plan is indicated in bold/italics type, and text to be deleted is indicated in strikethrough type. Text in standard type currently appears in the General Plan.]

3.7.1 Rail Ridership Potential Compatible Development

(LCP) Ensure that new development adjacent to rail lines or the Greenway is compatible with the General Plan and LCP Land Use Plan objective Objective 3.7to preserve and protect existing railroad right-of-way and existing rail facilities for current seasonal recreational travel, for availability to carry freight, for possible future passenger rail service within the County, and for possible future passenger rail transportation for intra-County commuter use.

3.7.3 Greenway Rail-Trail Planning – Santa Cruz/Watsonville

Support development of the RTC-owned Corridor, including existing trestles and railbed, rail corridor for use as the Greenway. While development of the full multi-lane Greenway is encouraged where feasible, support reduced Greenway widths where necessary to accommodate physical barriers, minimize environmental impacts, or avoid the need for new infrastructure, like major retaining walls, in order to reduce costs and expedite implementation. passenger transit, recreational, and goods movement; as well as. Support development of the Greenway as part of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail and in County plans. as a bicycle/pedestrian trail, with improvements to move forward as they are determined by the RTC to be feasible, fundable, and deemed to meet current or future transportation needs.

In the “Programs” section, subsection (a) would be modified to encourage and support other agencies to study the Greenway, and subsections “(b)” and “(c)” would be eliminated.

The measure also includes several conforming amendments to additional sections of Chapter 3. These relate to the potential use of the Santa Cruz Branch Line Corridor for the Greenway as well as encouraging and supporting the development of the Greenway in improving transportation systems, recreation systems, the movement of commodities, and in responding to new regional plans.