29.212
Municipal Code
Section Number
(Proposed)
Section Title Curent code Description of proposed Change Theme
24.12.185.11.a.i,
24.12.185.11.a.ii
Building
Modulation
When buildings reach the first 30’ in
length, they have to have two
changes in plane.
When buildings reach the first 30’ or 50’
increment (depending on size) they have
to have one change in plane.
Building Shape and
Materials
Requirements
24.12.185.11.a.i,
24.12.185.11.a.ii
Building
Modulation
The depth of the change in plane
varies depending on how wide the
change is; there are three options for
meeting this standard
Buildings three stories or less: All
changes in plane are at least 2' deep and
6' apart from each other. Buildings more
than three stories: All changes in plane
are at least 4' deep and 6' apart from
each other. There are no options, these
minimums are the required standard.
Building Shape and
Materials
Requirements
24.12.185.11.a.i,
24.12.185.11.a.ii
Building
Modulation (Not specified)
Buildings three stories or less: Changes in
plane are required on the public street
frontages only. Buildings more than
three stories: Changes in plane are
required on all building faces 50’ or
longer
Building Shape and
Materials
Requirements
24.12.185.11.a.i,
24.12.185.11.a.ii.1
Building
Modulation (Not specified)
On all buildings, changes in plane
continue through the ground floor on
the public street frontage but are not
required to continue through the ground
floor on the other building faces.
Building Shape and
Materials
Requirements
29.213
Municipal Code
Section Number
(Proposed)
Section Title Curent code Description of proposed Change Theme
24.12.185.11.a.ii.2
Building
Modulation
One of the options for changes in
plane is through a larger “notch” cut
out from the building.
Buildings with a public street frontage of
100’ or more are required to incorporate
a notch at least 6’ deep and 12’ wide
above the ground floor, which counts as
two of the required changes in plane
Building Shape and
Materials
Requirements
24.12.185.11.a.ii,
24.12.185.11.a.iii
(current code)
Building
Modulation
Sometimes a change in plane also
requires an accompanying change in
material
No longer required
Building Shape and
Materials
Requirements
24.12.185.11.a.i,
24.12.185.11.a.ii.2
Building
Modulation (Not specified)
All changes in plane and notches must be
open to the sky with allowances for
eaves. Balconies are allowed in these
spaces as long as the railing is 75%
transparent / see through
Building Shape and
Materials
Requirements
24.12.185.11.ii.3
Building
Modulation (Not specified)
A building more than three stories in
height may waive the change in plane
requirement if the window inset depth is
at least 6" for all windows above the
ground floor and if the facade material is
either tile, brick, concrete, stone
(engineered or natural), or a living wall
(as defined). The intent is to create a
highly textured surface. If the project
frontage is one hundred feet or more in
length it must still include the required
notch.
Building Shape and
Materials
Requirements
29.214
Municipal Code
Section Number
(Proposed)
Section Title Curent code Description of proposed Change Theme
24.12.14.a
Architectural
Detail
Buildings that are mixed use and/or
three stories in height or greater have
to visually differentiate the ground
floor with a design element
Only mixed-use buildings have to visually
differentiate the ground floor
Building Shape and
Materials
Requirements
24.12.15.b Architectural
Detail
No single material may make up more
than eighty-five percent of any
building face. Buildings must
incorporate two or more of the
accepted materials on each face.
No longer required
Building Shape and
Materials
Requirements
24.12.185.14.d Architectural
Detail
Buildings three stories or less:
Windows above the ground floor
must be inset at least 2”. Buildings
four stories or more: Windows above
the ground floor must be inset at least
3”
Buildings three stories or less: no
change. Buildings more than three
stories: Windows above the ground floor
must be inset at least 4”
Building Shape and
Materials
Requirements
29.215
Municipal Code
Section Number
(Proposed)
Section Title Curent code Description of proposed Change Theme
24.10, multiple
sections: 710, 730,
801, 802, 811, 812,
821, 822, 831, 832,
842, 842, 851, 852
multiple
Some zone districts require 100%
“active uses” for the spaces on the
ground floor main frontage; others
require 50% active uses. Each zone
district has a custom list of uses that
qualify as “active”
Adding more types of uses to the
allowed active uses lists in the
Community Commercial and Mixed Use
zones, and making those uses principally
permitted. Specifically:
Communication and information (550);
Educational facilities (public/private)
(510);
Government and public agencies (530);
Hardware stores (indoor sales only)
(220A);
Professional offices (400), except as
associated with a visitor-serving use;
Thrift stores (290m);
Ground Floor Design
and Activities
Requirements
24.12.185.2 Definitions
In all Mixed Use and Commercial zone
districts, the ground floor along any
public frontage requires a certain
percentage of active uses.
Update to “public street frontage” (i.e.
not alleys, paths)
Ground Floor Design
and Activities
Requirements
24.12.185.5.d.i Public
Frontages
Uses for active frontage shall be built
to a minimum depth of at least
twenty-five feet, applied as an
average depth of the total depth of all
the active frontage spaces along the
predominant building face
Calculate by dividing the gross square
footage of the active frontage space by
the length of the predominant building
face. The result must be 25 or greater.
Ground Floor Design
and Activities
Requirements
29.216
Municipal Code
Section Number
(Proposed)
Section Title Curent code Description of proposed Change Theme
24.12.185.5.e Public
Frontages
Mechanical rooms and trash rooms
are never allowed on the public
frontage.
If applicants can show that they have no
other option (i.e. no alley or parking area
access to place a trash room or
transformer room elsewhere on the
ground floor), then mechanical rooms
and trash rooms are allowed on public
frontages. For buildings with double
frontage lots with the same size sidewalk
on both sides, mechanical rooms and
trash rooms are allowed on the public
frontage facing the street with lower
traffic volumes.
Ground Floor Design
and Activities
Requirements
24.12.185.13.a.i,
24.12.185.13.a.ii
Ground Floor
Design
All buildings have a minimum ground
floor height of fifteen feet. The
ground floor frontage has to be 75%
transparent between a height of two
feet and twelve feet (measured from
sidewalk grade)
Buildings where more than 50% of the
units are market rate: no change
Buildings where 50% or more of the
units are below market rate: Minimum
ground floor height of twelve feet. The
ground floor frontage has to be 75%
transparent between a height of two
feet and ten feet (measured from
sidewalk grade)
Ground Floor Design
and Activities
Requirements
29.217
Municipal Code
Section Number
(Proposed)
Section Title Curent code Description of proposed Change Theme
24.04.130
DECISIONMAKING BODY
WITH FINAL
AUTHORITY ON
APPLICATION
APPROVAL
(Not specified)
Correcting an error to ensure that all
possible development scenarios are
covered by the table
Clarify Details and
Define Terms
24.12.185.1.b General (Not specified)
Redevelopments that are remodeling
below the 50% threshold for demolition
are not required to bring any part of the
building into conformance with the code.
Clarify Details and
Define Terms
24.12.185.1.c General (Not specified) SB9 streamlined projects are exempt from the standards
Clarify Details and
Define Terms
24.12.185.1.d General (Not specified)
New buildings on developed sites have
to meet that standards that apply to
buildings, but not those that apply to
sites.
Clarify Details and
Define Terms
29.218
Municipal Code
Section Number
(Proposed)
Section Title Curent code Description of proposed Change Theme
24.12.185.4.b.iii Walkability
Regardless of the street frontage
length of the project proposed within,
if the property abuts a public street,
alley, path, paseo, trail, or other
public connection on a side or rear
property line, it must incorporate a
connection between the parcel street
frontage and that existing public
connection.
Only required if the project has a street
frontage over 100’ in length and if
there’s not an existing public connection
between the street and the other street,
alley, path, paseo etc. within 300’ of the
project frontage.
Clarify Details and
Define Terms
24.12.185.5.g
Public
Frontages
(Not specified)
Where outdoor dining is an allowed use,
the area allotted to outdoor dining does
not count towards the percentage of
required active use along the frontage.
Clarify Details and
Define Terms
24.12.185.7.b Landscape and
Buffering
In certain zones, all public frontages
shall incorporate twelve square feet
of planted area for each thirty linear
feet of building frontage counted by
rounding up to the next increment of
planted area.
All public frontages shall incorporate 0.4
square feet of planted area for each
linear foot of building frontage, with a
minimum of twelve square feet.
Clarify Details and
Define Terms
24.12.185.8.a Usable Open
Space
Not all zone districts have an open
space requirement (e.g. industrial
zones), but state law now allows
housing in those zones
In any district without an underlying
zone district open space standard, at
least forty square feet of private open
space and at least twenty square feet of
common open space shall be provided
per dwelling unit.
Clarify Details and
Define Terms
29.219
Municipal Code
Section Number
(Proposed)
Section Title Curent code Description of proposed Change Theme
24.12.185.14.e
Architectural
Detail
Walls or portions of walls that are
unfenestrated (without windows,
balconies, or glass doors) that extend
from grade up to the roofline are
limited to a maximum horizontal
width of fifteen feet.
With the exception of elevator towers Clarify Details and Define Terms
24.12.185.15 Building
Materials
Building Materials section Goal: To
ensure that building materials are
high-quality, durable, convey a sense
of permanence, and reflect the
existing character of buildings in the
urban environment.
To ensure that buildings look like a series
of volumes, giving them a sense of depth
and substantiality, and that materials are
high-quality, durable, convey a sense of
permanence, and reflect the existing
character of buildings in the urban
environment.
Clarify Details and
Define Terms
24.12.185.15.c Building
Materials
At building corners, except for living
walls, all materials shall wrap around
the corner to a depth of at least four
inches. This includes corners of insets,
reveals, or changes in plane that are
four inches or greater in depth, as
with a balcony, ground floor entry, or
change in plane.
At building corners, except for living
walls, soffits, and insets for balconies, all
materials shall wrap around the corner
to a depth of at least four inches. This
includes outside corners of changes in
plane that are four inches or greater in
depth, as well as outside corners of bay
windows.
Clarify Details and
Define Terms
29.220
Municipal Code
Section Number
(Proposed)
Section Title Curent code Description of proposed Change Theme
24.12.280.9.b Landscaping
and Screening
b. Standards for Multifamily, Over
Five Units, Commercial and Industrial
Developments. Every parking facility
shall include a minimum of ten
percent of area devoted to parking in
permanent landscaping.
b. Standards for Multifamily, Over Five
Units, Commercial and Industrial
Developments. Except for Multifamily
Housing projects subject to the design
standards in Section 24.12.185, every
parking facility shall include a minimum
of ten percent of area devoted to
parking in permanent landscaping.
Clarify Details and
Define Terms
24.22.284 Dripline (Not defined)
"Dripline” The outermost circumference
of the tree's canopy, from which water
drips onto the ground.
Clarify Details and
Define Terms
24.22.619
Private Open
Space
Definition: “Private open space”
means outdoor area either at ground
level or on a balcony which is
appurtenant to a dwelling unit and
designed for the exclusive use of the
occupants of that dwelling unit.
“Private open space” means outdoor
area either at ground level or on a
balcony, including patios, decks, or other
privately-accessed outdoor space, which
is appurtenant to a dwelling unit and
designed for the exclusive use of the
occupants of that dwelling unit.
Clarify Details and
Define Terms
29.221
29.222
Objective Design Standards for Multifamily Housing,
Roadways, and Bicycle Facilities
Housing Element and other Zoning Ordinance Updates
2025 Amendment Package
Planning & Community Development and Public Works
29.223
Objective Design Standards
for Multifamily Housing
Goals of design standards update
• Refine the standards approved in 2023
• Encourage variety of design
• More predictable and consistent design outcomes
• Support new businesses
• Better support below-market rate housing
www.cityofsantacruz.com/policyupdates 29.224
Proposed amendments – 3 examples
Objective Design Standards for Multifamily Housing
Encouraging
traditional
architectural
forms
Ground floor
changes to support
businesses and
public realm design
Add step-back
option for roof
forms
www.cityofsantacruz.com/policyupdates 29.225
Objective Design Standards for Multifamily Housing
www.cityofsantacruz.com/policyupdates
• Create appealing façades
with traditional materials
• Deeper window insets
• Use tile, brick, concrete,
stone, living wall
Encourage Traditional Architectural Forms
29.226
Objective Design Standards for Multifamily Housing
www.cityofsantacruz.com/policyupdates
• Encourage dooryards and
landscaping at entries
• Change some permit
processes to support
businesses
• Define where trash / electrical /
mechanical rooms can go
Ground floor design and activities
29.227
Objective Design Standards for Multifamily Housing
www.cityofsantacruz.com/policyupdates
• Gives appearance of smaller
building, reduces bulk
• Can fulfill one or more
required roof form
Add roof form step back option
29.228
New and updated diagrams and illustrations
Objective Design Standards for Multifamily Housing
• Increase legibility for
public, developers,
planners
29.229
Other Zoning Ordinance Updates
• Density Bonus to conform with state law
• Reasonable Accommodations for People
with Disabilities
• Licensed Community Care Residential
Facilities
• Low Barrier Navigation Centers
• Historic Structures on Mission St.
29.230
www.cityofsantacruz.com/policyupdates
• Bicycle Facilities and Parking
• Daylighting
Objective Design Standards for Roadways and Bicycle Facilities
29.231
www.cityofsantacruz.com/policyupdates
• Driveways- 24' unless approved by PW
• Loading Zones
• EV Charging- state law
Objective Design Standards for Roadways and Bicycle Facilities
29.232
Recommendation
www.cityofsantacruz.com/policyupdates
Motion that the City Council:
1) Adopt Ordinance amending Titles 10, 15 and 24 of the Municipal Code 2) Adopt Ordinance amending the Local Coastal Program (LCP) Implementation Plan (IP) and Title 24 of the Municipal Code
3) Adopt a resolution amending the General Plan Land Use chapter text. 4) Acknowledge the determination that the proposed amendments are covered by the Environmental Impact Report prepared for the City’s General Plan and approved in June 2012 and find that the changes are also Exempt under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
29.233
Questions
www.cityofsantacruz.com/policyupdates 29.234
City Council
AGENDA REPORT
DATE: 05/08/2025
AGENDA OF: 05/27/2025
DEPARTMENT: Finance/City Manager
SUBJECT: FY 2026 Proposed Budget (FN/CM)
LOCATION: Citywide
RECOMMENDATION: Conduct the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Budget Hearings, receive information from staff for the City’s requested budget across all departments and the Capital Investment Program, and provide feedback for preparation of the FY 2026 Adopted Budget.
The proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Budget can be found here:
https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-departments/finance/city-budget/fiscal-year2026-budget.
Any funding approved by the Council will not be implemented until the required meet and confer process is completed in accordance with City obligations under the MMBA and before any contract returns to City Council in open session.
30.1 Proposed FY 2026
Budget
Agenda:
- Advancing the 2023-2028 Strategic Plan
- General Fund Overview
- City/General Fund Capital Investment Program
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION
30.2 Advancing the Strategic
Plan Focus Areas and
HiAP Pillars
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
Building a Fiscally Sustainable Budget, Transparently, with Natural and Built Infrastructure Investments, while
Encouraging Local Businesses, Housing, and Homelessness Response, with
Public Safety and Community Well-Being at the Forefront, As an Organization that Supports its Workers to Thrive
In accordance with the Vision of a Vibrant, Healthy, and Resilient Community for All
30.3 Building a Sustainable
Budget, Transparently
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
Fiscal Discipline, with only 2.5% discretionary budget increases Enhanced Public Engagement
Revenue measures helping to sustain services and extend pandemic-era programs
Transparent reporting resulted in first-time Triple Crown award
30.4 Investing in Natural
and Built Infrastructure
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
Return of General Fund investments (transfers) in Capital Investment Program (CIP) and CIP-Streets Fund
Emphasizing remaining asset life, investment risk, and connection to Council priorities
Projects selected in accordance with CIP priority criteria ~$3M General Fund investment, ~$108M Citywide FY 2026 budget Over 40 projects that support climate action, over 75 that support climate adaptation, and 39 within the City’s Opportunity Zone
30.5 Supporting local
businesses
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
Revitalizing Downtown through alleyway upgrades and Downtown Pops! program; goal to decrease retail vacancy by 4%
Activation of public spaces through SculpTOUR Program and signal box murals
525 businesses contacted for retention/expansion support and 250 businesses projected to receive assistance to start/grow Public wi-fi expansion at the Wharf and continued operation of the Santa Cruzer shuttle
30.6 Supporting housing
development
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
Goal to develop 495 affordable units in FY 2026
Online monitoring dashboard in development to track and promote transparency of affordable housing assets
119 Coral Street- 121 units of permanent supportive housing; 136 River Street- new 100% affordable housing project; support for 313 Swift Street- 100-unit workforce housing project for Santa Cruz City Schools
30.7 Supporting
homelessness response
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
Multitude of programs, including shelter and interim housing, safe parking program, and hygiene services
Leveraging partnerships and continued support for shelter operations, outreach, and wraparound services
Encampment responses to remove 500 tons of debris Citywide in FY 2026
Team of 13.5 FTE who perform outreach and case management
30.8 Public Safety and
Community Well-Being at
the Forefront
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
41% of General Fund operating budget expenditures on public safety departments in FY 2026
Focusing on modernizing operations and transparency, with expanded community engagement
Enhancing emergency response and wildfire resilience through strategic planning and public safety wellness programs
Investing in public art, expanding inclusive access to public spaces, and diversifying Parks & Recreation programming
30.9 Encouraging Workers
to Thrive
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
Advancing Culture as a Competitive Advantage initative
Continuing work to enhance career pathways
Negotiations with bargaining groups on Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs)
Undergoing significant efforts to modernize operations, including implementing a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system
30.10 Diving Deeper into the Numbers
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
30.11 Breakdown of
City’s Budget
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
$533M $266 M
$533 M
$159 M
All Funds:
includes
Capital and
Operating
Budgets
Enterprise
Funds:
includes Capital
and Operating
Budgets
General Fund
Operating
Budget
30.12 General Fund Revenues and Expenditures
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
$159 M
0 20
40 60
80 100
120
140
160
FY 2024 FY 2025 (estimated) FY 2026 (proposed)
146.52 153.99
156.9
147.82 154.53 158.6
Millions of Dollars
No ED Trust Fund or CIP Transfer; Revenue Expenses
Reduced CIP-Streets Transfer
Return of
commitment
to ED Trust
Fund, CIP,
Streets
30.13 Unassigned Fund Balance Over Time
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
$159 M
5.27 5.66
6.55 6.79
4.78 3.03
3.16 2.13
0 2
4 6
8 10
12 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Millions
Operating Reserve Unassigned
Used to fund
2026 transfers
to ED Trust,
CIP, Streets
No reserve,
no unassigned
fund balance
30.14 General Fund Revenues by Source
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
30.15 PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
General Fund Expenditures by Category
30.16 Residents’ Return on Investment
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
Affordable housing development, revitalized downtown, and support for local businesses Community Services & Sustainable Infrastructure ($1.62) Police patrols, investigations, fire protection, emergency preparedness and disaster recovery services Public Safety ($2.85)
City governance, policy development, public wi-fi, access to City employment, reliable financial reporting Leadership & Support Services ($1.46)
Debt Service and Transfers ($0.33)
23.5%
9.4%
41.2%
Community Development ($0.65)
Beach maintenance, public parks, street maintenance, sidewalk repairs, trash and recycling in public areas For the low price of $6.91 per day, residents receive
Maintenance of key infrastructure, equipment, and financial stability $159M
21.2%
4.7%
30.17 Citywide CIP
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION Economic
Development and
Housing, $46.03M
Information Technology, …
Fire, $0.68M
Parks & Recreation,
$1.06M
Public Works,
$37.52M
Water , $18.18M
+ $118k contributed to the CIP Public Art Fund
$108M
May 27, 2025
30.18 Police, 9%
Information
Technology, 4%
Fire, 33%
Parks &
Recreation,
16%
Public Works,
33%
Economic Development
& Housing, 6%
Criteria for CIP Prioritization
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION ~$3M
May 27, 2025
Fiscal Sustainability
Strong Business
Communities and
Vibrant Downtown
Natural and Built
Infrastructure
Regulatory or Mandated
Requirements
Project Readiness
Health in All Policies
30.19 CIP Projects Receiving General Fund Funding
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION c302508
Demolish Pogonip
Clubhouse
c212601
Fire Engine Lease
Purchase
m401402
West Cliff Stair Repair
c402404
Traffic Calming Pilot
Program
$130k
$385k/yr
$150k
$575k
May 27, 2025
$80k
Police
Department, 9%
Information
Technology, 4%
Fire
Department,
33%
Parks &
Recreation,
16%
Public Works,
33%
Economic Development
& Housing, 6%
c402604
Public Facilities
Upgrades and Repairs
c212302 & c212306
Fire Station 2 & 3
Infrastructure
Enhancements
$300k
30.20 Recommendation
Conduct the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Budget
Hearings, receive information from staff for
the City’s requested budget across all
departments and the Capital Investment
Program, and provide feedback for
preparation of the FY 2026 Adopted
Budget.
PUBLIC HEARING – FY 2026 BUDGET | CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION May 27, 2025
30.21