Watsonville City Council
October 24, 2023

1 49. Condemnation.
2 If the whole or any substantial part of the Premises shall be taken by any paramount 3 public authority under the power of eminent domain then the term of this Lease shall cease 4 as to the part so taken from the date the possession of that part shall be taken for any public 5 purpose, and from that day Tenant shall have the right either to cancel this Lease or to 6 continue in the possession of the remainder of the Premises under the term herein provided, 7 except that the square foot rental shall be reduced in proportion to the amount of the 8 Premises taken. Damages awarded for such taking shall be apportioned between the City 9 and Tenant in a ratio relating to the number of years expired and remaining in the Lease 10 Term between City and Tenant respectively; provided, however, that City shall not be 11 entitled to any portion of the award made for loss of business installation or improvements 12 belonging to Tenant.
13 50. Nondiscrimination- (FAA, MBE, DB Requirements).
14 The Tenant, for itself, its heirs, personal representatives, successors in interest, and 15 assigns, as a part of the consideration for this Lease, does hereby covenant and agree as a 16 covenant running with the land that in the event facilities are constructed, maintained, or 17 otherwise operated on the Premises for a purpose for which a Department of Transportation 18 (DOT) program or activity is extended or for another purpose involving the provision of 19 similar services or benefits, the Tenant shall maintain and operate such facilities and 20 services in compliance with all other requirements imposed pursuant to Title 49, Code of 21 Federal Regulations, DOT, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, Nondiscrimination 22 in Federally- Assisted Programs of the Department of Transportation-Effectuation of Title 23 VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and as such Regulations may be amended. 24 The Tenant for itself, its personal representatives, successors in interest, and 25 assigns, as a part of the consideration hereof, does hereby further covenant and agree as a 26 covenant running with the land that: (a) no person on the grounds of race, color or national 27 origin shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be otherwise 28 subjected to discrimination in the use of facilities; (b) that in the construction of any 29 improvements on, over, or under such land and the furnishing of services thereon, no 30 person on the grounds of race, color, or national origin shall be excluded from participation 31 in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subject to discrimination; (c) that the Tenant shall 32 use the with all other requirements imposed by or pursuant to Title 49, Code of Federal 33 Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 2 1, 34 Nondiscrimination in Federally-Assisted Programs of the Department of Transportation35 Effectuation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and as such Regulations may be 36 amended.
37 Tenant shall furnish its accommodations and/or services on a fair, equal and not 38 unjustly discriminatory basis to all users thereof and it shall charge fair, reasonable and not 39 unjustly discriminatory prices for each unit or service; PROVIDED, THAT the Tenant may 40 be allowed to make reasonable and nondiscriminatory discounts, rebates or other similar 41 type of price reductions to volume purchasers.
42 Tenant shall insert the provisions of this section in any lease agreement or contract 43 by which Tenant grants a right of privilege to any person, firm or corporation to render q:\council\2015\111715\tin can alley lease v2.0.docx
Attachment 1

1 accommodations and/or services to the public on the Premises. 2 51. Remedy for Discrimination.
3 In the event of breach of any of the nondiscrimination covenants identified in 4 Paragraph 48, City shall have the right to terminate this Lease and to reenter and repossess 5 the Premises and the facilities thereon, and hold the same as if this Lease had never been 6 made or issued. The provision does not become effective until the procedures of 49 CFR 7 Part 21 are followed and completed including expiration of appeal rights. 8 Non-compliance with paragraph 51 shall constitute a material breach thereof and in 9 the event of such non-compliance City shall have the right to terminate this Lease and the 10 estate hereby created without liability therefore or at the election of the City or the United 11 States either or both Governments shall have the right to judicially enforce paragraph 48. 12 52. Affirmative Action.
13 Tenant assures that it will undertake an affirmative action program as required by 14 14 CFR Part 152, Subpart E, to insure that no personal shall be on the grounds of race, 15 creed, color, national origin, or sex be excluded from participating in any employment 16 activities covered in 14 CFR, Subpart E. Tenant assures that no person shall be excluded on 17 these grounds from participating in or receiving the services or benefits of any program or 18 activity covered by such subpart. Tenant assures that it will require that its covered by such 19 subpart. Tenant assures that it will require that its covered sub organizations provide 20 assurances to the Tenant that they similarly will undertake affirmative action programs and 21 that they will require assurances from their sub-organizations, as provided by 14 CFR Part 22 152, subpart 2, to the same effect.
23 53. Subordination to Future FAA Agreements.
24 This Lease shall subordinate to the provisions and requirements of any existing or 25 future agreement between the City and the United States, relative to the development, 26 operation or maintenance of the Airport.
27 54. Notice to Federal Aviation Administration.
28 Tenant shall comply with the notification and review requirements covered in Part 29 77 of the Federal Aviation Regulations in the event of future construction of a building 30 planned for the Premises, or in the event of any planned modification or alteration of any 31 present or future building or structure situated on the Premises. 32 55. Non-Exclusive Right.
33 It is understood and agreed that nothing herein contained shall be construed to grant 34 or authorize the granting of an exclusive right within the meaning of Section 308 of the 35 Federal Aviation Act.
q:\council\2015\111715\tin can alley lease v2.0.docx
Attachment 1

1 56. Terms.
2 All the provisions of this Lease shall be deemed and construed to be "covenants" as 3 though the words imported such covenants were used in each separate paragraph hereof, 4 except when expressed as conditions.
5 57. Governing Law.
6 This Lease shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State 7 of California.
8 58. Binding Effect.
9 This Lease and the covenants and agreements herein contained shall bind and inure 10 to the benefit of the parties hereof, their heirs, successors, executors, administrators, and 11 when permitted assigns.
12 59. Time is of the Essence.
13 Time is of the essence regarding this Lease.
14 60. Consent.
15 Whenever consent or approval of either party is required, that part shall not 16 unreasonably withhold such consent or approval.
17 61. Corporate Status.
18 If either party is a corporation, that party shall deliver to the other party on 19 execution of this Lease, a certified copy of a resolution of its governing body authorizing 20 the execution of this Lease and naming the officers that are authorized to execute this Lease 21 on behalf of the corporation.
22 62. Brokers.
23 Each party represents that it has not had dealings with any real estate broker, finder, 24 or other party, with respect to this Lease in any manner. Each party shall hold harmless the 25 other party from all damages resulting from any claims that may be asserted against the 26 other party by any broker, finder, or other person, with whom the other party has or 27 purportedly has dealt.
28 63. Exhibits.
29 All exhibits referred to are attached to this Lease and incorporated by reference. 30 64.Entire Agreement.
31 This Lease contains the entire agreement of the parties, and by signing this Lease 32 they agree that there is no other written or oral agreement, promise, or representation q:\council\2015\111715\tin can alley lease v2.0.docx
Attachment 1

1 between them respecting the Premises. This Lease shall bind and inure to the benefit and 2 advantage of the assigns of City, and of the heirs, executors, administrators, and when 3 permitted hereunder the assigns of Tenant.
4 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Lease the day 5 and year first above written.
6 7
8 9
10 11
12 13
14 15
16 17
"City"
CITY OF WATSONVILLE, a
municipal corporation
By:l AJ d) aJ Cl<uf-un Mii"Cera Tavantzis, Interim City Manager
18 ATTEST:
19 20
21 22
23 24 APPROVED AS TO FORM:
25 26
27 28
29 30
31 32
33 34
"Tenant"

MATT WITTKINS & ITT KINS
dba Tin Can I
By: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arleen Wittkins
q:\council\2015\111715\tin can alley lease v2.0.docx
Attachment 1

1 2
3 4
5 6
7 EXHIBIT “A”
8 9
------------------------------190 ft ---------------------------- ------------------97 ft --------------------
Building 6,790 sq ft
Surrounding
Area
12,210 sq ft
---------70 ft -----------
--------------100 ft ----------------
q:\council\2015\111715\tin can alley lease v2.0.docx
Attachment 1

1 Reso No. ______ (CM)
Meeting Date: 102423 SWZ ______ RM ______ WMA ______
RESOLUTION NO.__________ (CM)

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

WATSONVILLE APPROVING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THAT

CERTAIN LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF

WATSONVILLE AND MATT WITTKINS AND ARLEEN WITTKINS, DBA

TIN CAN ALLEY, EXTENDING THE TERM FOR AN ADDITIONAL FOUR YEARS, FOR CITY OWNED PROPERTY LOCATED AT 75 AVIATION

WAY, WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA, THAT COMMENCED ON
DECEMBER 1, 2015, AND WILL EXPIRE NOVEMBER 30, 2027, AND

MAKING OTHER AMENDMENTS TO THE RENT AND OWNERSHIP OF
IMPROVEMENTS SECTIONS OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT; AND

AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE
SAME

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AS FOLLOWS:

1. Adopting a Resolution approving a First Amendment to Lease does not meet CEQA’s definition of a “project”, because the action does not have the potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.

2. That the First Amendment to that certain Lease between the City of Watsonville and Matt Wittkins and Arleen Wittkins, dba Tin Can Alley, adding an additional four years to the term of the Lease and making other amendments to the Rent and Ownership of Improvements sections of the Lease Agreement, for City owned property located at 75 Aviation Way, Watsonville, California, that commenced on December 1, 2015, and will expire November 30, 2027, a copy of which First Amendment to Lease is attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, is fair and equitable and is hereby approved.

3. That the City Manager be and is hereby authorized and directed to execute such Lease for and on behalf of the City of Watsonville. ******************************

4888-9039-7571 v1

FIRST AMENDMENT TO LEASE

BETWEEN

CITY OF WATSONVILLE
AND

MATT WITTKINS AND ARLEEN WITTKINS
(DBA TIN CAN ALLEY)
THIS FIRST AMENDMENT TO LEASE (this “First Amendment”), is made and entered into to be effective the 24th day of October, 2023, by and between the CITY OF WATSONVILLE, a charter city and municipal corporation, hereafter called "Landlord", and MATT WITTKINS AND ARLEEN WITTKINS, a married couple, jointly and severally, dba Tin Can Alley, hereafter called "Tenant".

WHEREAS, Landlord and Tenant entered into that certain Lease, dated December 1, 2015 (the “Lease”), relating to real property and improvements, commonly known and referred to as 75 Aviation Way; and
WHEREAS, Tenant desires to extend the term of the Lease for an additional four (4) years on the same terms and conditions set forth in the Lease;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and agreements set forth below and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

Section 1. Section 2 of the Lease is amended to read as follows:
“2. Term
The term of this Lease shall commence on December 1, 2015 and shall expire on November 30, 2027, hereafter “Lease Term.”
Section 2. Section 3 of the Lease is amended by deleting the text and amending the heading to read as follows:
“3. Reserved
Section 3. The first two paragraphs of Section 4 of the Lease are amended to read as follows:
“4. Rent During Lease Term
Rent is $2,444.71 (TWO THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR DOLLARS AND SEVENTY-ONE CENTS) (approximately $0.36/SF) per month for the first twenty-four months (December 1, 2015 to November 30, 2017).

Rent shall increase to $2,716.00 (TWO THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED SIXTEEN DOLLARS) (approximately $0.40/SF) per month commencing on December 1, 2017 through and including November 30, 2020. Thereafter, the rent shall be adjusted as set forth below. Tenant and City agree to this rent without regard to whether per square foot rent is more or less than the prescribed amounts above (i.e., a rounding error).”

4888-9039-7571 v1
The penultimate and ultimate paragraphs in Section 4 shall remain in the Lease without revision.

Section 4. Section 5 of the Lease is amended by deleting the text and amending the heading to read as follows:
“5. Reserved
Section 5. Section 14 of the Lease is amended to read as follows:
“14. Ownership of Improvements at Termination
Except as specified in Section 13 of this Lease, all buildings and improvements placed or constructed on said Premises as part of said project, as well as any and all other alterations, additions, improvements, and fixtures, except furniture and trade fixtures, made or placed in or on said Premises by Tenant or any other person, shall be considered part of the real property of said Premises and on expiration or sooner termination of this Lease, shall remain on said Premises and become the property of City free and clear of any liens or encumbrances whatsoever and without the payment of any consideration therefore.” Section 6. Except as set forth in this First Amendment, all the provisions of the Lease, shall remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

Section 7. This First Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, by facsimile signature or otherwise, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
[SIGNATURES APPEAR ON NEXT PAGE]
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10/19/2023 11:43:11 AM
C:\Program Files\eSCRIBE\TEMP\1143754099\1143754099,,,Report - Short Term Lease RV Spaces .docx Agenda Report
MEETING DATE: Tuesday, October 24, 2023
TO: City Council
FROM: PARKS & COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR CALUBAQUIB
THROUGH: CITY MANAGER MENDEZ
SUBJECT: SHORT-TERM LEASE FOR RV SPACES AT CITY OWNED
PROPERTY LOCATED AT 451 GREEN VALLEY ROAD
RECOMMENDED ACTION:

That the City Council adopt a resolution approving a short-term Lease Agreement with Salazar Construction, Inc. for RV spaces at City owned property at 451 Green Valley Road, Watsonville, California, and authorizing and directing the City Manager to execute same.

BACKGROUND:

The City owns Pinto Lake RV Park, located at 451 Green Valley Rd., Watsonville CA. 95076, within the City of Watsonville. Salazar Construction, Inc. is engaged in various local construction projects and would like to lease RV spaces within Pinto Lake RV Park on which to park Tenant-owned RVs, to house workers for the duration of the construction projects. It is not anticipated that Salazar Construction, Inc. will need housing to exceed a three-month period. Once the project terminates, Salazar Construction, Inc. will vacate the property occupied by its employees, contractors, and workers.

In 2013, the Council adopted Council Resolution No. 64-13 establishing rules and regulations for use of facilities at Pinto Lake. This resolution establishes that: “Permits for camping privileges shall be limited to a period of thirty (30) consecutive days for any permitee. No new permit shall be issued to a permitee who terminates camping or expends the thirty (30) day permit period until a thirty (30) day period has elapsed.

There will be no limit to the number of individual three (3) day weekend stays.” DISCUSSION:

The proposed short-term lease would allow for Salazar Construction, Inc. to rent RV spaces for the desired period, while maintaining the 30-day limit for camping permits as established by Council Resolution No. 64-13. This lease also establishes terms for termination of this lease.

10/19/2023 11:43:11 AM
C:\Program Files\eSCRIBE\TEMP\1143754099\1143754099,,,Report - Short Term Lease RV Spaces .docx STRATEGIC PLAN:
 4-Fiscal Health – This lease allows the City to collect revenue from the rental of RV spaces.
 6-Community Engagement & Well-Being – The RV park at Pinto Lake Park facilitates overnight stays at this natural resource.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

Main Street Enterprise is the City’s concessionaire that operates Pinto Lake RV Park.

Main Street Enterprise will collect established rental fees and compensate the City per the established agreement.

ALTERNATIVE ACTION:

The Council may elect to not approve this lease.

ATTACHMENTS AND/OR REFERENCES (If any):

None.

Reso No. (CM) 1
Meeting Date: 102423 SWZ ______ RM ______ PCS ______
RESOLUTION NO.__________ (CM)

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

WATSONVILLE APPROVING A SHORT - TERM LEASE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE AND SALAZAR
CONSTRUCTION, INC., A CORPORATION, FOR RV SPACES AT CITY OWNED PROPERTY LOCATED AT 451 GREEN VALLEY ROAD,

WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AND AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING

THE CITY MANGER TO EXECTE SAME

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AS FOLLOWS:

1. Adopting a Resolution approving a Lease with Salazar Construction, Inc. does not meet CEQA's definition of a “project,” because the action does not have the potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.

2. That the short-term Lease between the City of Watsonville and Salazar Construction, Inc., a corporation, for City owned property located at 451 Green Valley Road, Watsonville, California, a copy of which Lease is attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, is fair and equitable and is hereby ratified and approved.

3. The City Manager be and is hereby authorized and directed to execute such Lease for and on behalf of the City of Watsonville.
********************************

Short-Term Lease
This month-to-month lease, ("Lease") dated as of _________________, 2023 (“Effective Date”), is made and entered into by and between Salazar Construction, Inc., a California Corporation ("Tenant"), and the City of Watsonville, a Municipal corporation ("City" or "Landlord") (collectively referred to as the "Parties").

RECITALS
A. City owns Pinto Lake RV Park, located at 451 Green Valley Rd., Watsonville CA. 95076, within the City of Watsonville, and referred to herein as the “Property”.

B. Tenant is engaged in various local construction projects, and would like to lease space within Pinto Lake RV Park on which to park Tenant-owned RVs, to house workers for the duration of the construction projects.

C. The Parties do not anticipate Tenant’s need for housing to exceed a three month period. Once the Project terminates, Tenant will vacate the Property occupied by Tenant’s employees, contractors, and workers.

AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises herein contained, the parties agree as follows:

1. Premises. City hereby leases to Tenant, and Tenant hereby leases from City, portions of the Property. The leased portions are referred to herein as the “Premises,” and are described in Attachment 1 for housing the required construction workers for the Project and for no other purpose.

2. Term. The term of this Lease shall commence on October 25, 2023 (“Commencement Date”), and continue for three months until terminated pursuant to Section 9 below. The Parties have two (2) opportunities to extend the Lease by 30-days pursuant to Section 3 below.

3. Opportunity to Extend. The Parties have two (2) opportunities to extend the Lease by thirty (30) days upon mutual agreement of the Parties. The Tenant must provide written notice to the City of the Tenant’s intent to extend at

least seven (7) days prior to the termination of the Lease to the address provided in Section 24 of this Lease. If an extension is invoked, the Lease shall automatically terminate at the end of that 30-day extension period.

4. Rent. Tenant shall pay to Main Street Enterprise the daily rate for each RV spot used within the Premises for the term of the Lease as follows:

Recreational Vehicle Camping Fee $45.00 per night
One to two persons in one travel trailer $2.00 per night Each additional person or pet $5.00 per night
Main Street Enterprise will mail an invoice for the previous month’s rent due to Tenant at the address provided in Section 24. Tenant must pay the amount due within 21 days after receipt of the invoice at the following address: 451 Green Valley Rd., Watsonville, CA 95076

5. Condition of Premises. Tenant represents and warrants that Tenant has inspected and examined the Premises and accepts the Premises in its present "as-is" condition, with all faults. Tenant hereby fully and forever waives, and City hereby fully and forever disclaims, all warranties of whatever type or kind with respect to the Premises, whether express, implied or otherwise including, without limitation, those of fitness for a particular purpose or use.

6. Maintenance. Throughout the term of this Lease, Tenant, at its sole expense, shall maintain and preserve the Premises in good condition and repair.

Upon termination hereof, Tenant shall surrender to City the Premises in as good condition as they were in as of the date of execution of this Lease, reasonable wear and tear excepted.

7. No Alterations. No alterations, changes or additions shall be made to the Premises or any improvements thereon.

8. Entry of City. City reserves the right at all times to enter the Premises with no notice to Tenant.

9. Termination. The Lease shall automatically terminate on January 25, 2024, the three month anniversary of the Commencement Date. The City reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to unilaterally terminate this Lease at any time upon thirty (30) days written notice. The City reserves the right to unilaterally

terminate this Lease with three (3) day notice upon default or breach of this Lease as provided in section 10 below. The City shall provide written notice to Tenant of such termination to the address provided in Section 24 of this Lease. a. Tenant waives any and all claims for damages that might otherwise arise from the City’s termination under this Section. b. Upon termination, Tenant will remove all personal
property and alterations from the Premises. Property will be left in a clean and orderly fashion.

10. Breach. The occurrence of any one or more of the following events shall constitute a default and breach of this Lease by Tenant:
a. The failure by Tenant to make any payment of Rent or any other payment required to be made by Tenant as when due, which such failure shall continue for a period of five (5) days following Tenant’s receipt of written demand by City.
b. Tenant’s failure to observe or perform any of the conditions or terms of this Lease to be observed or performed by the Tenant, other than as described in Section 10(a), where such failure shall continue for a period of ten (10) days after written notice by City to Tenant.

11. Relocation. The City has no responsibility to relocate Tenant in the event of a flood or act of God.

12. Indemnification. In consideration for City's grant of the tenancy, Tenant shall exercise its privileges hereunder at its own risk and Tenant shall indemnify, defend, and hold the City and its officers, officials, employees, agents, representatives and volunteers (collectively, "City Parties") harmless from and against any and all liability, losses, claims, demands, liens, payments, suits, actions, recoveries and judgments (including attorneys' fees and costs) arising out of, or in any way connected with, the entry or use of the Premises by Tenant or Tenant's, subtenants, agents, representatives, employees, contractors, subcontractors, guests, invited visitors, and customers (collectively, "Tenant Parties"), except to the extent caused by City's sole or active negligence or willful misconduct.

13. Taxes. Tenant shall pay when due any taxes of any kind and every nature, including but not limited to possessory interest taxes, that may be imposed upon City or the Premises by virtue of this Lease or Tenant or Tenant Parties' use of the Premises.

14. Permits and Licenses. Tenant shall obtain at its own expense any and all permits or licenses that may be required in connection with the Tenant's presence on and/or use of the Premises and shall pay all debts incurred by Tenant for the purchase of supplies, materials, and equipment, and for services of any sort, for use in, or in connection therewith.

15. Utilities. Charges for utilities are included in the rent.

16. Compliance with Laws. Tenant shall at all times comply with, and shall pay all costs and expenses which may be incurred or required to be paid in order to comply with, any and all federal, state, and local laws, statutes, labor codes, ordinances, rules and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. §12101 et seq., as amended (collectively, "Laws"), which apply to Tenant or Tenant Parties' operation or use of the Premises or any portion thereof, including those requiring alterations or additions to be made to the Premises or any improvements thereon.

17. Compliance with Pinto Lake Rules and Regulations. Tenant shall at all times comply with, and shall pay all costs and expenses which may be incurred or required to be paid in order to comply with the Rules and Regulations for Use of Facilities at Pinto Lake, attached hereunder as Attachment 2. City agrees to waive subsection 13 of Section A in Rules and Regulations for Use of Facilities at Pinto Lake titled Travel Trailers and Campers which limits stays to less than 30 consecutive days.

18. No Mechanic's Liens. Tenant shall not permit or suffer any mechanic’s or other lien to be filed against the Premises, or any interest of City or Tenant therein, and shall immediately discharge any such lien and shall protect, indemnify, defend and hold harmless City in connection therewith.

19. Waiver and Release. Tenant fully waives, releases and discharges the City and its officers, agents, employees, contractors, volunteers and representatives from all and any manner of rights, demands, liabilities, obligations, claims, and cause of actions, in law or equity, of any kind or nature, known or unknown, now existing or hereinafter arising, which arise from or relate in any manner of the Premises, including any claims for the relocation of any person(s), business(es), or other occupant(s) located on within, on, or about the Premises following the termination or expiration of this Lease (collectively, "Claims"), including waiver and release of any relocation rights under the California Relocation Assistance Act of 1970, as amended (California Government

Code § 7260 et seq.) and the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 4601 et seq.) and implementing state and federal regulations (collectively, "Relocation Assistance Law"). Tenant acknowledges and agrees that the release and waiver set forth in this Section 19 is material consideration for Landlord’s agreements in this Lease, and that, but for this release and waiver, Landlord would not have entered into this Lease. By releasing and forever discharging such Claims, Tenant expressly waives any rights under California Civil Code section 1542, which provides:
"A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE

CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR

AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM OR

HER MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR."

20. No Assignment. Tenant shall not assign this Lease, or any interest therein, or rights under it, nor enter into any agreement with a third person or persons respecting the use or occupation of the Premises, without the prior written consent of City's Executive Director, which may be granted or withheld in his or her sole and absolute discretion. Any assignment in violation of this Section 20 shall be null and void.

21. Insurance. During the term of this Lease, Tenant shall take out and maintain the following insurance: (a) Commercial General Liability policy in the amount of Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000) combined single limit, (b) Automobile Insurance in the amount of Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000), (c) Workers’ Compensation Insurance in amounts required by Law, and (d) Renter’s Insurance in the amount of Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000), or such lesser policy limit as City may approve at its discretion, including contractual liability, as shall protect Tenant and City from claims for such damages. Such policy or policies shall be written on an occurrence form. Companies writing the insurance required hereunder shall be licensed to do business in the State of California. Insurance is to be placed with insurers with a current A.M. Best's rating of no less than A:VII. All insurance policies hereunder shall name City and City Parties as additional insureds. Tenant shall furnish City with a certificate of insurance evidencing the required insurance coverage and a duly executed endorsement evidencing such additional insured status. The certificate shall contain a statement of obligation on the part of the carrier to notify City of any material change, cancellation or termination of the coverage at least thirty (30) days in advance of the effective date of any such material change, cancellation or termination. Coverage provided

hereunder by Tenant shall be primary insurance and shall not be contributing with any insurance, self-insurance or joint self-insurance maintained by City, and the policy shall contain such an endorsement. The insurance policy shall contain a waiver of subrogation for the benefit of City. The required certificate and endorsement shall be furnished by Tenant to City upon request by City.

22. Subrogation. Landlord and Tenant hereby waive and shall cause their respective insurance carriers to waive any and all rights of recovery, claims, actions or causes of action against the other for any loss or damage with respect to Tenant’s property, the Premises, or any contents thereof, including rights, claims, actions and causes of action based on negligence, which loss or damage is (or would have been, had the insurance required by this Lease been carried) covered by insurance. For the purposes of this waiver, any deductible with respect to a party’s insurance shall be deemed covered by and recoverable by such party under valid and collectable policies of insurance.

23. Risk of Loss. City assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to any property of Tenant or any Tenant Parties that may be located from time-totime on the Premises.

24. Notices. All notices to be given hereunder shall be in writing and mailed postage prepaid by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, or delivered by personal or courier delivery, or sent by facsimile (immediately followed by one of the preceding methods), to City's address and Tenant's address set forth below, or to such other place as City or Tenant may designate in a written notice given to the other party. Notices shall be deemed served upon the earlier of receipt or three (3) days after the date of mailing.

Tenant's Address: Salazar Construction, Inc.
26306 Diamond Pl., Ste. 100
Santa Clarita, CA 91350
Telephone: (661) 291-1888
City’s Address: City of Watsonville, City Manager
Attn: Rene Mendez
275 Main St. Suite 400, 4th Floor
Watsonville, CA 95076
Telephone: (831) 768-3010

25. Entire Agreement. This Lease, including all Exhibits (which are hereby incorporated by reference), contains the entire agreement between the parties with respect to Tenant's use of the Premises and supersedes whatever oral or written understanding they may have had prior to the execution of this Lease.

No waiver, alteration, modification, or termination of this Lease shall be valid unless made in writing and signed by the authorized parties hereof.

26. Interpretation. This Lease shall be deemed to be jointly prepared by both of the parties hereto, and any ambiguities or uncertainties herein shall not be construed for or against either of the parties hereto. The words "including," "included," "include" and words of similar import shall be not be interpreted as words of exclusion but shall instead be interpreted as though followed by the words "but not limited to" or "without limitation." No waiver by City of any breach or default of any provision of the Lease shall be deemed a waiver of any other provision hereof or of any subsequent breach or default by Tenant of the same or any other provision. The invalidity of any provision of this Lease as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction shall in no way affect the validity of any other provision hereof.

27. Authority. The individual executing this Lease on behalf of Tenant has full power and authority to execute and deliver the Lease on behalf of Tenant.

28. Successors and Assigns. Subject to the prohibition on assignments set forth in Section 20 hereof, all of the covenants, conditions and provisions of this Lease shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns.

29. Third Party Beneficiaries. This Lease shall not be deemed to create any third-party beneficiary rights for any person or entity.

30. Attorneys' Fees. In the event any action is brought by either party hereto as against the other party hereto for the enforcement or declaration of any right or remedy in or under this Lease or for the breach of any covenant or condition hereof, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover, and the other party agrees to pay, all fees and costs to be fixed by the court therein including, but not limited to, attorneys' fees and costs.

31. Electronic Signatures. A signed copy of this Agreement or any other ancillary agreement transmitted by facsimile, email, or other means of electronic

transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original executed copy of this Amendment or such other ancillary agreement for all purposes.
[Signatures follow on next page]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Lease the day and year first above written.

CITY: TENANT:

CITY OF WATSONVILLE, Salazar Construction, Inc.
a Municipal Corporation, a California corporation,
Rene Mendez, City Manager
APPROVED AS TO FORM:

Print Name: Arturo Salazar
Position: ___President___
Samantha W. Zutler
City Attorney
ATTEST:

Irwin I. Ortiz
City Clerk

Attachment 1
Map of Pinto Lake City Park
Spaces 3, 4, 5 and 24 spaces under this lease agreement.

Attachment 2
Rules and Regulations for Use of Facilities at Pinto Lake Please take notice that recreational vehicles presented in the park for 21 nights or less may be removed from the premises for any of the following reasons:

FAILURE to pay for occupancy at this park before 12pm; and failure to comply with the park's rules and regulations pursuant to California civic code 799.20 et.seq.

Cancellation Policy
Cancelling 14 Days prior to arrival is a $15 penalty. Cancelling less than 14 days from your arrival date, you are liable to lose one night deposit.

Local traffic law Enforcement Agency phone number (831)471-1151

1.All permits for parking or camping shall be issued only to the registered owner or to such other person in charge of each camper, trailer house, or other vehicle equipped for camping and sleeping.

2.All persons requesting a permit to be issued for overnight camping shall be required to register with the park manager at the time of being assigned parking space and such registrant shall give his name, address, Identification, and the license number of this vehicle.

3.All vehicles shall park only in area designated for such purposes.

4.Only one vehicle may park within the camp area. Extra vehicles shall park in paved parking lot and will be subject to parking fee if appropriate.

5.All vehicles shall be parked in a uniform manner in order to accommodate the greater number.

6. Camping in tents or sleeping on the ground or sleeping in a vehicle not adequately equipped for camping shall be prohibited.

7. Clothes lines are prohibited

8.Undue noise or other disturbances are prohibited and will be cause for the park manager to order violators to leave the park.

9.All campers must clean up their areas and put refuse in the containers provided. Containers are provided for standard waste. Dumping of large items is strictly prohibited.

10. Curfew is at 9pm. Quite hours begin at 9pm and last through 8am the following day. Gates will be locked at sunset. Recreational vehicle owners

should be issue Keys’s to gate lock and will assume responsibility for their guest entering and leaving the park.

11. Maximum number of recreational vehicles permitted to rent space with full hookups should be limited to 28.

12. Permits for camping privileges should be limited to a period of 21 consecutive nights.

13. Clubs requesting reservation should guarantee number of spaces and pay first night fees. Fees are not refundable unless cancelation Is made 14 days prior to reservation date.

14. All pets must be kept on leash when outside of camping vehicle. Pet owners are responsible for picking up and disposing of their pet's waste. Pet owners are responsible for preventing disturbance to fellow guests, this includes excessive barking.

15. Any aggressive behavior or violence among guests will result in loss of rental and rental fees and a permanent ban from the facility.

I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THIS RENTAL

AGREEMENT AND THE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR PINTO LAKE
PARK. I UNDERSTAND ANY VIOLATION OF THESE RULES AND

REGULATIONS MAY RESULT IN THE PARK MANAGER REQUESTING
VIOLATORS TO LEAVE THE PARK.

1 Reso No. (CM)
Meeting Date: 10/24/23 SWZ ______ RM ______
RESOLUTION NO. (CM)

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE

NOMINATING MEMBER TO THE COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ LATINO

AFFAIRS COMMISSION
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Cruz established the Latino Affairs Commission and has requested that the City Council of the City of Watsonville nominate two (2) at-large members; and
WHEREAS, Syliva Mendez was previously serving as an at-large member, which term expires on April 1, 2025; and
WHEREAS, Sylvia Mendez resigned her position on June 8, 2023.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AS FOLLOWS:

1. Adopting a Resolution nominating a member to the Latino Affairs Commission does not meet CEQA's definition of a “project,” because the action does not have the potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.

2. That Micaela Lopez has met the residency requirements established by the Latino Affairs Commission and is hereby nominated by Council to the County of Santa Cruz Latino Affairs Commission to one of the at-large member seats on the Commission to represent the City of Watsonville, which term will end April 1, 2025, coinciding with the term for County Supervisorial District 5.

3. That the City Clerk is hereby directed to transmit a copy of this Resolution to the person nominated and to the Board of Supervisors of Santa Cruz County. ********************************

Reso No. ______ (CM) 1
Meeting Date: 101023 SWZ ______ RM ______ CDD ______
ORDINANCE NO. FINAL ADOPTION (CM)

AN UNCODIFIED ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY

OF WATSONVILLE ADOPTING THE DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE

SPECIFIC PLAN, A SPECIFIC PLAN PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT
CODE SECTION 65460 ET SEQ.

WHEREAS, the Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan (DWSP) has been prepared as a planning tool to implement the General Plan and to guide development in a specific area. While the General Plan is the overall guide for growth and development in a community, the goal of a Specific Plan is to focus on the unique characteristics of a special area by customizing the planning process and land use regulations to that area. The authority for preparation and adoption of specific plans is set forth in the California Government Code, Sections 65450 through 65457. The California Government Code authorizes jurisdictions to adopt specific plans by ordinance as regulatory documents; and
WHEREAS, the DWSP is intended to be a tool for developers, property owners, City staff and decision makers by providing strong and clear policies, development standards, and a vision that guides land use decisions, infrastructure improvements, design, and economic development activities in the project area; and WHEREAS, the overarching goals of the DWSP are to facilitate housing production and preservation; increase retail-entertainment activity; encourage higherdensity mixed-use residential projects; add visitor-oriented uses; support a greater range of civic and cultural activities; improve the safety and comfort of pedestrians; enhance bicycle infrastructure and connections; and target uses and activities that appeal to a wide range of Watsonville’s residents and employees; and

Reso No. (CM)
Meeting Date; 101023
2 WHEREAS, the DWSP establishes new zones and overlays, which are intended to concentrate urban activity and intensity in the center of downtown and allows development to transition to existing lower-intensity neighborhood settings at the periphery of the DWSP plan area and to industrial activity to the south; and WHEREAS, the new zones consist of the Downtown Core and Downtown Neighborhood Zones; and
WHEREAS, the Downtown Core Zone is an active, walkable environment, characterized by buildings up to six stories. This is the heart of Downtown—generally flanking Main Street—where the most active and intense development patterns and uses are anticipated. Upper floors contain residential units or office space. Buildings are close to the sidewalk and have little-to-no side setbacks; and WHEREAS, the Downtown Neighborhood Zone is characterized by smaller scale buildings than those of the Downtown Core Zone and generally includes a similar mix of active and residential uses; and
WHEREAS, the land use and development standards in the DWSP supersede the land use and development standards in the Zoning Ordinance (Title 14 of the Watsonville Municipal Code) for properties within the DWSP plan area; and WHEREAS, as part of implementing the DWSP, the City intends to amend the Zoning Map to reflect the boundaries of the DWSP plan area; and WHEREAS, as part of implementing the DWSP, the City intends to amend the Zoning Code to create a new DWSP district and reference the permitted uses and development standards in Chapter 6 of the adopted DWSP document; and

Reso No. (CM)
Meeting Date; 101023
3 WHEREAS, as the DWSP’s zoning is inconsistent with the Watsonville 2005 General Plan, the General Plan is being updated concurrent with the Specific Plan to ensure consistency between the two documents; and
WHEREAS, an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was prepared for the DWSP (SCH #2022100602) in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and
WHEREAS, on September 5, 2023, the Planning Commission of the City of Watsonville adopted Resolution No. 13-23 (PC), recommending to the City Council to adopt the DWSP, a specific plan pursuant to Government Code section 65460 et seq.; and
WHEREAS, before considering making a recommendation on the proposed DWSP, the Planning Commission of the City of Watsonville reviewed and considered the potential environmental impacts of the project and adopted Resolution No. 11-23 (PC), recommending that the City Council adopt and certify the EIR for the DWSP, as well as a set of CEQA Findings and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program; and WHEREAS, notice of time and place of the hearing to consider adoption of the DWSP, adoption and certification of an EIR for the DWSP, adoption of the proposed amendments to the Watsonville 2005 General Plan, and adoption of the proposed amendments to the Zoning Code and Map was given at the time and in the manner where appropriate public noticing procedures have been followed and a public hearing was held according to Section 14-10.900 of the Watsonville Municipal Code; and WHEREAS, the City Council has considered all evidence received, both oral and documentary, and the matter was submitted for decision.

Reso No. (CM)
Meeting Date; 101023
4 NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. RECITALS.

The foregoing recitals are adopted herein as true and correct and as the basis for this Ordinance.

SECTION 2. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT.

Before considering the adoption of the DWSP, the City Council of the City of Watsonville reviewed and considered the potential environmental impacts of the project and adopted Resolution No. ___-23 (CM), adopting and certifying the EIR for the DWSP, as well as a set of CEQA Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program.

SECTION 3. ENACTMENT.

The City Council hereby adopts the Findings, attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit “A” upon which, the City Council of the City of Watsonville does hereby adopt the DWSP, which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference.

This Ordinance shall not be codified in the City of Watsonville Municipal Code.

SECTION 3. SEVERABILITY.

If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance, or its application to any person or circumstance, is for any reason held to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases of this Ordinance, or its application to any other person or circumstance. The City Council declares that it would have adopted each section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase hereof, irrespective of the

Reso No. (CM)
Meeting Date; 101023
5 fact that any one or more other sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases hereof be declared invalid or unenforceable.

SECTION 4. PUBLICATION.

This ordinance shall be published in the Watsonville Register-Pajaronian and/or Santa Cruz Sentinel in compliance with the provisions of the Charter of the City of Watsonville.

SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This ordinance shall be in force and take effect thirty (30) days after its final adoption.
*************************************

CITY OF WATSONVILLE EXHIBIT A

CITY COUNCIL
SPECIFIC PLAN FINDINGS (WMC § 14-12.904)
a. That the proposed location of the development and proposed conditions under which it will be operated or maintained is consistent with the goals and policies embodied in the General Plan.

Supportive Evidence
The DWSP would facilitate housing production and preservation; increase retailentertainment activity; encourage higher-density mixed-use residential projects; add visitor-oriented uses; support a greater range of civic and cultural activities; improve the safety and comfort of pedestrians; enhance bicycle infrastructure and connections; and target uses and activities that appeal to a wide range of Watsonville’s residents and employees.

These conditions for downtown Watsonville are in harmony with the overall intent of the Watsonville 2005 General Plan, including the following goals and policies regarding land use, urban design, environmental resources, transportation and circulation, public facilities, and public safety:
 Goal 4.2 Neighborhoods – Conserve and improve the living environment of existing neighborhood commercial Services.
 Goal 4.3 Commercial Land Use – Revitalize the central business district and provide adequate neighborhood commercial services.
 Goal 4.4 Industrial Land Use – Achieve economic diversification, living wage employment, the preservation of agricultural economic base of the Pajaro Valley, and maintain a balance among jobs, housing, and other urban land uses.
 Goal 4.5 Public Land Use – Provide public and institutional land uses and service in proportion to population growth.
 Goal 4.6 Local Employment – Promote a variety of employment opportunities within the city providing living wage jobs to Watsonville residents. Stimulate creation of 7,500 additional jobs by 2005. Pursue opportunities for jobs skill training.
 Goal 4.7 Land Use Sustainability – Ensure that the orderly development of land for the needs of the existing and projected population within the City limit and Sphere of Influence is vase on the land’s overall sustainability, including: the accessibility of existing and proposed public facilities, services, and utilities; physical and financial constraints; and/or growth inducing impacts.

 Policy 4.A Residential Land Use – The City shall plan for housing production on a five-year cycle consistent with the policies of the adopted Housing Element (See chapter 6, Housing: Goals, policies, and Programs).

The overall housing objectives for the General Plan time frame shall also be considered in long-range planning for housing.
 Policy 4.B Neighborhood Preservation – The City shall plan for the protection of existing neighborhood qualities and the provision of adequate neighborhood facilities in developing areas.
 Policy 4.C Commercial Land Use – The City shall plan for revitalization of the central business district along with the distribution of convenient neighborhood commercial centers.
 Policy 4.D Industrial Land Use – The city shall promote modernization of existing industrial plants and the location of new industrial facilities on land planned for industry in Watsonville 2005.
 Policy 4.F Economic Development – The city shall plan for economic development.
 Policy 4.G Land Use Suitability – The City shall encourage the development of urban uses on those land best suited for urban uses and discourage it on land unsuited for urban uses.
 Goal 5.1 Visual Resources – Preserve and enhance the built and natural visual resources within Watsonville.
 Goal 5.2 Community Appearance – Blend new development with recognized values of community appearance and scenic qualities, and ensure that new development enhances, rather than detracts from, its surroundings.
 Goal 5.4 Downtown – Preserve and enhance the visual appearance of Main Street from the Pajaro River Bridge to Freedom Boulevard.  Goal 5.6 Urban Design – Achieve high standards of street, site and building design that are both efficient, and aesthetically pleasing.  Goal 5.7 Heritage Preservation – Enhance and protect structures, sites, and other landmarks that give residents of the Planning Area a link with their cultural heritage.
 Goal 5.8 Urban Beautification – Support public and private urban beatification activities and promote pride in community appearance.

 Policy 5.A Project Design Review – The preservation of visual resources shall be accomplished through the design review process.  Policy 5.B Design Consistency – The City shall review new development proposals to encourage high standards of urban design and to ensure that elements of architectural design and site orientation do not degrade or conflict with the appearance of existing structures.
 Policy 5.D Downtown Design Plan – The City shall prepare, adopt, and implement a design plan for the urban design, circulation, parking, and commercial sign location within the central business district.  Policy 5.E Viewscape Protection – The City shall use the General Plan Land Use chapter and the design review process to ensure that major new development projects do not impact scenic vistas now enjoyed throughout the city.
 Policy 5.F Design Factors – The design review process shall combine elements of aesthetics with considerations for project efficiency.  Policy 5.G Historic Preservation – The City shall evaluate and make recommendations for the preservation of historic structures, landmarks, and buildings of particular architectural interest.
 Policy 5.H Streetscape Beautification – The City shall promote streetscape beautification activities and civic pride in community appearance.
 Goal 9.1 Open Space Network – Provide a comprehensive network of open space land uses for outdoor recreation and environmental protection.  Goal 9.2 Open Space Preservation – Preserve the open space and agricultural land uses surrounding the urban limit line which contribute to the economic base, provide scenic vistas, and offer opportunities for scientific exploration.
 Goal 9.3 Natural Resources – Identify and protect the natural resources of the Watsonville Planning Area.
 Goal 9.4 Air Quality – Maintain or improve the present air quality level within the Pajaro Valley.
 Goal 9.5 Water Quality – Ensure that surface and groundwater resources are protected.
 Goal 9.6 Soil Conservation – Preserve and protect the soil resources throughout the community and minimize the environmental degradation

caused by soil erosion, construction impact on soils, and deterioration of water quality caused by suspended solids.
 Goal 9.11 Hazardous Materials – Protect the air, water, soil, and biotic resources from damage by exposure to hazardous materials through aggressive management of hazardous materials.
 Goal 9.12 Energy – Promote the conservation of energy and the use of alternative energy resources in transportation and residential, commercial, and industrial development.
 Policy 9.B Natural Resource Protection – The City shall designate land necessary for the preservation of natural resources and to avoid conflicts with urban land uses.
 Policy 9.C Air Quality – The City shall cooperate with the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District (MBUAPCD) to maintain and improve regional air quality. In addition to the measures listed below, measures

4.A.4 and 4.G.1 promote improved air quality by providing for a balance of jobs and housing, and by increasing the density of residential development which makes use of transit feasible.
 Policy 9.D Water Quality – The City shall provide for the protection of water quality to meet all beneficial uses, including domestic, agricultural, industrial, recreational, and ecological uses.
 Policy 9.E Soil Conservation – The City shall prevent degradation of local soil resources through erosion control improvement and grading guidelines.  Policy 9.H Archaeological Resources – The City shall foster and provide for the preservation of cultural resources and artifacts of historic and prehistoric human occupation within the Pajaro Valley.
 Policy 9.I Hazardous Materials – The City shall protect the natural environment through aggressive enforcement and compliance with hazardous materials plans.
 Policy 9.I Energy – The City shall strive to reduce non-renewable energy resource consumption and promote the use of alternative energy resources.  Goal 10.1. Street and Highway Facilities – Plan and provide for a safe, efficient, and environmentally sensitive network of streets and highways for movement of people and goods.
 Goal 10.4. Bicycle Circulation – Plan for and provide a safe, convenient network of bicycle facilities.

 Goal 10.5. Pedestrian Circulation – Recognize the importance of pedestrian travel, alone, or in combination with other travel modes, and to encourage walking.
 Goal 10.7. Aesthetic Considerations – Plan and provide for a circulation network that preserves and enhances scenic amenities.
 Goal 10.8. Truck Transportation – Recognize the importance of a truck transportation to the Watsonville area and to plan for the safe, unobtrusive movement of trucks.
 Goal 10.9. Utility Routing – Ensure the adequate provision of necessary public utilities in a way which minimizes their visual impacts and potential hazards to the safety of residents.
 Goal 10.10. Emergency Access – Ensure sufficient provision of emergency or secondary access and maintain acceptable response times for all parts of the service area.
 Policy 10.A Street and Highway Improvements – The City shall pursue a program of regularly scheduled maintenance and street improvements, accompanies by the planned extension of roadways to serve new development.
 Policy 10.B State Highway Improvements – The City shall encourage improvements to state highways within the Planning Area in order to increase their efficiency in the regional and local circulation network.  Policy 10.D Project Priority – The City shall maintain liaison with county, regional, and state transportation planning agencies to ensure the highest priority for completion is given to transportation system improvements that serve to implement the long-range land use policies of Watsonville 2005.  Policy 10.F Planning for Transit – The City shall use its land use planning authority to enhance the use of transit.
 Policy 10.G Transit Promotion – In order to encourage use of transit by all age groups and for all purposes, the City shall ensure that transit centers and stops are safe, attractive and do not deter transit use.  Policy 10.K Bicycle Facilities Development – The City shall plan for and implement a comprehensive network of bicycle facilities in order to promote the bicycle as an alternative to the private automobile.  Policy 10. M Bicycle Support Facilities – The City shall encourage bicycle facilities in new developments, as a commute alternative.

 Policy 10.N Pedestrian Travel – The city shall plan for and implement a comprehensive network of safe pedestrian facilities in order to promote pedestrian travel.
 Policy 10.O Walkway Aesthetic and Safety – Pedestrian walkways should be designed to promote walking by providing a safe and aesthetically pleasing path of travel.
 Policy 10.P Pedestrian Access – Access for pedestrian travel shall be maintained where it already exists and provided where it does not, in order to prevent or eliminate barriers to pedestrian travel.
 Policy 10.S Aesthetics – The City shall seek to preserve and enhance scenic vistas to and from the transportation corridors.  Policy 10.T Landscaping – The city shall encourage the use of vegetation to create or enhance scenic vistas and to serve as buffers for transportation facilities.
 Policy 10.P Truck Facilities and Routing – Commodity movement utilizing trucks shall be encouraged and facilitated while related impacts on City streets are minimized to the extent possible.
 Policy 10.Y Emergency Access – The city shall ensure that emergency or secondary access is provided for all new development in the city’s service area.
 Goal 11.1 Service Availability – Maintain or increase the current availability of public services and facilities consistent with projected population growth in the City limits and Sphere of Influence and according to the fiscal resources of the City.
 Goal 11.2 Public Services – Assure new development can be served by adequate public services and facilities.
 Goal 11.3 Water Supply – Construct and maintain a water system and institute water management policy that will provide a sufficient quantity of appropriate-quality water to meet the needs of the existing and planned community.
 Goal 11.4 Wastewater Management – Continue the safe and efficient collection, treatment, and disposal of domestic and industrial wastewater to meet the needs of the service population, protect the environment, and comply with all applicable regulations.
 Goal 11.5 Solid Water Management – Operate an efficient waste management program that protects the health of area residents, prolongs

the useful life of the landfill site, and encourages recycling of any and all materials found to be feasible for recovery and reuse.
 Goal 11.8 Public Services – Maintain public protection service levels consistent with City standards for acceptable risk levels.  Policy 11.B Infrastructure – The City shall identify public infrastructure needs and use the Capital Improvements Program to schedule improvements necessary for achieving long-term land use and community development objectives.
 Policy 11.C Water System Design – The Water system shall be designed, constructed, and managed to provide a sufficient quantity of appropriatequality water for the existing and planned community.  Policy 11.F Wastewater Management Design – The City shall continue to provide adequate wase-water treatment levels to meet the needs of the City and the service area users. Compliance with applicable state and federal standards will be pursued to the extent possible.  Policy 11.G Solid Waste Management – The City shall continue to operate an environmentally sensitive solid waste management program and encourage the recycling of paper, glass, plastics, and metals. The City shall encourage waste minimization and source reduction of all wastes, with special emphasis on hazardous materials.
 Policy 11.J Public Protection – The City shall continue to provide sufficient funding, trained personnel, and all necessary equipment and facilities to maintain city standards for public safety and response time.  Goal 12.1 Land Use Safety – Plan for and regulate the uses of land in order to provide a pattern of urban development that will minimize exposure to hazards from either natural or human-related causes.
 Goal 12.6 Personal Safety – Ensure that community standards for personal safety are enforced.
 Goal 12.7 Emergency Preparedness – Anticipate the potential for disasters; maintain continuity of life-support functions during an emergency; and maximize efforts for post-emergency recovery.
 Policy 12.A Environmental and Public Safety – The City shall plan for and maintain development standards that minimize risks to human lives and property resulting from environmental and man-caused hazards. The City shall protect neighboring residential development from the immediate threats of potentially hazardous industrial or agricultural materials and airport hazards through careful land use planning.

 Policy 12.B Seismic Hazards – The City shall use the development review process to ensure that potential geologic hazards are evaluated and mitigated prior to construction.
 Policy 12.C Soil Constraints – The City shall take all appropriate actions to ensure that current land use activities and new developments are mitigated to prevent soil failure and other soil-related dangers.  Policy 12.D Flood Hazard Reduction – The City shall pursue the protection of new and existing development from the impacts of flooding up to the 100-year event.
 Policy 12.E Hazardous Materials Control – The City shall strictly enforce ordinances and regulations for the use, storage, transport, and disposal of hazardous materials.
 Policy 12.F Fire Safety Standards – The City shall use development approval authority, code enforcement, and periodic inspections to ensure that fire prevention standards are maintained.
 Policy 12.H Fire Suppression Planning – The City shall maintain a level of fire protection for the community that emphasizes an aggressive initial attack to stop fires in early stages as well as to have adequate staff and equipment (including mutual aid) to prevent a conflagration.  Policy 12.I Crime Prevention – The City shall provide sufficient funding, adequate personnel levels, and necessary equipment to maintain civil order and prevent crime.
 Policy 12.M Noise – The City shall utilize land use regulations and enforcement to ensure that noise levels in developed areas are kept at acceptable levels, and that future noise-sensitive land uses are protected from noise that is harmful.
b. That the proposed development is in accordance with the purposes and objectives of this title and, in particular, will further the purposes stated for each zoning district.

Supportive Evidence
The purpose of Title 14 (Zoning) is, in general, to protect the public health, safety, peace, morals, comfort, convenience, and general welfare and, among other purposes, to assist in providing a definite plan of development for the City and to guide, control, and regulate the future growth of the City in accordance with such plan.

The purpose of the provisions in the Zoning Code concerning specific plans are to establish requirements and procedures for the development, adoption and amendments of specific plans and ensure that the City’s Zoning Code is consistent with law regulating Specific Plans and in particular, Article 8 of Chapter 3, of

Division of Title 7 of the California Government Code, commencing with Section 65450. In accordance with Gov’t Code Section 65450, the City may prepare specific plans for the systematic implementation of its general plan for all or part of the area covered by the general plan.

The DWSP would serve as a regulatory tool to implement the Watsonville 2005 General Plan and guide development in downtown Watsonville. The DWSP includes all required contents, as set forth in WMC Section 14-12.902(b) and Gov’t Code Section 65451.
c. That the development will not be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare of persons residing or working in or adjacent to such a development and properties or improvements in the vicinity or to the general welfare of the City.

Supportive Evidence
Development in downtown started before the City was incorporated in 1868. The area contains a mix of contemporary and historic buildings, urban plazas, higherdensity residential buildings, government offices, community-serving retail uses, and is home to numerous community events that attract both visitors and residents.

Once a thriving and bustling downtown, the Main Street has struggled to compete regionally with other commercial areas and has experienced high retail and commercial vacancy rates for the past several decades. The City has taken many steps to revitalize the downtown since the destructive 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, including several downtown plans and downtown design guidelines, as well as the development of a new Civic Plaza that is home to the South County Courthouse, City library, City administrative offices, City Council Chambers, and public meeting space.

The DWSP would help revitalize downtown by facilitating housing production and preservation; increase retail-entertainment activity; encouraging higher-density mixed-use residential projects; adding visitor-oriented uses; supporting a greater range of civic and cultural activities; improving the safety and comfort of pedestrians; enhancing bicycle infrastructure and connections; and targeting uses and activities that appeal to a wide range of Watsonville’s residents and employees. Adoptions of the DWSP will not be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare of persons residing or working in or adjacent to the DWSP area because it will implement the General Plan and guide development in the DWSP area.
d. That the Specific Plan and resulting development will be consistent with the provisions of Article 8 of Chapter 3 of Division I of Title 7 of the California Government Code, commencing with Section 65450.

Supportive Evidence
In accordance with Gov’t Code Section 65450, the City may prepare specific plans for the systematic implementation of its general plan for all or part of the area covered by the general plan. The DWSP would serve as a regulatory tool to

implement the Watsonville 2005 General Plan and guide development in downtown Watsonville.

D downto
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DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE

SPECIFIC PLAN
CITY OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA—Final Draft, October 2022

CITY OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA

DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Final Draft, October 2022
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watsonville
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© 2022 California Department of Transportation and City of Watsonville. All Rights Reserved.

Prepared By:

Raimi & Associates
Land Use & Urban Design, and
Community Engagement
Simran Malhotra AICP, AAIA, Principal
Jasmine Williams AICP, Senior Planner
Christian Ledezma, Graphic Designer
with
Sargent Town Planning
Urban Design
and Development Code
Peter VanderWal, Principal
Andrew Krizman, Senior Associate
EPS
Economics and Implementation
Ben Sigman, Principal
Nelson Nygaard
Mobility and Parking
Meghan Weir, Principal
Zach Zabel, Senior Associate
Monique Ho, Associate
Kimley-Horn
Traffic Modeling
Frederik Ventner, Vice President
Mehul Champaneri, Senior Project
Engineer
BKF Engineering
Infrastructure Engineering
Jacob Nguyen, Principal
Doug Peterson, PE, Project Manager
Sabrina Shuman, Senior Project Engineer
Rincon
Environmental Impact Report
& Historic Report
Megan Jones, Principal
George Dix, Project Manager
Stephen Treffers, Program Manager

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
City Council
Eduardo Montesino,
Mayor Pro Tempore, District 1
Vanessa Quiroz-Carter, District 2
Lowell Hurst, District 3
Francisco Estrada, District 4
Rebecca J. Garcia, District 5
Jimmy Dutra, District 6
Ari Parker, Mayor, District 7
Planning Commission
Daniel Dodge, District 1
Brando Sencion, District 2
Jenni Veitch-Olson, District 3
Veronica Dorantes-Pulido (Chair),
District 4
Anna Kammer, District 5
Lucy Rojas (Vice-Chair), District 6
Ed Acosta, District 7
Advisory Committee Members
Jane Barr
Eduardo Cervantes
Gina Cole
Maria Elena De la Garza
Francisco Estrada, Councilmember
Aurelio Gonzalez
Neva Hansen
Felipe Hernandez
Sylvia Luna
Carmen Herrera Mansur
Sal Orozco
Ben Ow
William Ow
Manuel Rodriguez
Shaz Roth
Tony Scurich
Brian Spector
Jenni Veitch-Olson, Planning
Commissioner
City of Watsonville Staff
City Manager
Tamara Vides, Interim City Manager
Matt Huffaker, Former City Manager
Community Development
Department—Planning
Suzi Merriam, Director
Justin Meek, AICP, Principal Planner
Ivan Carmona, Associate Planner
Sarah Wikle, Associate Planner
Deborah Muniz, Executive Assistant
Celia Castro, Permit Technician
Community Development
Department—Housing
Carlos Landaverry, Housing Manager
Elena Ortiz, Administrative Assistant I
Public Works & Utilities
Maria Esther Rodriguez, P.E., City
Engineer / Assistant Director
Murray Fontes, P.E., Principal
Engineer
Daniel Green, P.E., Principal Engineer
Police
Angelica Jauregui, Administrative
Analyst
Caltrans Staff
Gus Alfaro
Marissa Nishikawa
Douglas Hessing
Audrey Ogden
John Olejnik
Pedro Miguel
In collaboration with:

Watsonville Residents
Community Groups
Business and Property Owners
Non-Profit Organizations
DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN Page 191 of 1168

CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
Introduction 2
CHAPTER 2
Downtown Vision, Goals & Policy Direction 22
CHAPTER 3
Design Framework 48
CHAPTER 4
Mobility and Transportation 82
CHAPTER 5
Public Realm Improvements 124
CHAPTER 6
Land Use & Zoning 146
CHAPTER 7
Historic Preservation 204
CHAPTER 8
Infrastructure 222
CHAPTER 9
Implementation 238
Appendices
Community Engagement Summary (Appendix A) A.1
Applicable General Plan Goals & Policies (Appendix B) B.1 Historic Report (Appendix C) C.1
Funded By:

The work upon which this publication is based was funded in whole or in part through a grant awarded by State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), FHWA and FTA. The City of Watsonville was a recipient of a Sustainable Transportation Grant administered by Caltrans.

The statements and conclusions of this report are those of the City of Watsonville and the consultant team and not necessarily those of Caltrans, or its employees. Caltrans make no warranties, express or implied, and assume no liability for the information contained in the succeeding text.

2 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Chapter 1:

INTRODUCTION

1.1—What is a Specific Plan

1.2—Plan Context and Purpose

1.3—Existing Conditions

1.4—Plan Objectives

1.5—Relationship to Other Plans

1.6—Plan Structure

3 Page 194 of 1168
4 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
IN SUMMER 2019, THE CITY

OF WATSONVILLE (CITY)

INITIATED A SPECIFIC

PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN

WATSONVILLE WITH THE

PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING

A CLEAR DIRECTION FOR
ITS FUTURE.

The Downtown Watsonville Specific
Plan (Specific Plan) articulates a
community vision and planning
framework that will serve as a guide
for the city and other public agency
decision-makers, community members
and stakeholders over the next 20-
30 years. The Specific Plan has been
developed in accordance with the
California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA), California planning law,
City planning policies, and input from
community members, property owners,
decision-makers, and City staff.

The Specific Plan provides a
comprehensive land use and mobility
plan along with development and
design regulations that support the
Specific Plan’s goals and policies and
guides future public and private
development. In addition, the Specific
Plan includes an implementation
strategy and mechanisms to ensure that
development will be coordinated and
will meet the intent of the Specific Plan.

5 CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION
The Specific Plan and accompanying EIR is funded through a Sustainable Communities Grant from Caltrans, and SB 2. The intent of the SCS grant is to provide financial support to cities to encourage local and regional planning that furthers state goals, including the provision of a safe, sustainable, integrated, and efficient transportation system to enhance California’s economy and livability.

Additional funding is provided by a SB 2 grant from the State of California to complete the Program EIR.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT—The Terrace at 445 Main Street was built in 2018 and offers 54 Market Rate apartment rentals in Downtown Watsonville ; Main Street offers a charming scale and a mix of uses necessary to enhance the downtown.

6 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Section 1.1
WHAT IS A SPECIFIC PLAN?
PHOTO CAPTION— Watsonville Civic Plaza provides municipal services for residents of Watsonville. The building houses government offices, including the Watsonville legislative body, and provides public records, government services, and information about Watsonville services.

A Specific Plan is a regulatory tool that local governments use to implement their General Plan and to guide development in a localized area. While the General Plan is the overall guide for growth and development in a community, the goal of a Specific Plan is to focus on the unique characteristics of a special area by customizing the planning process and land use regulations to that area. The authority for preparation and adoption of specific plans is set forth in the California Government Code, Sections 65450 through 65457. The California Government Code authorizes jurisdictions to adopt specific plans by ordinance as regulatory documents. The law allows adoption of Specific Plans as may be required for the implementation of the General Plan.

A Specific Plan is intended to be a tool for developers, property owners, City staff and decision makers by providing strong and clear policies, development standards, and a vision that guides land use decisions, infrastructure improvements, design, and economic development activities in the project area.

7 CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION
A Specific Plan includes:

Distribution, location, intensity, and
extent of the uses of land.

Development and design regulations
for buildings and the public realm.

Major components of transportation
and infrastructure.

This Plan also provides opportunities for
streamlined CEQA review. The Program
Environmental Impact Report (PEIR)
prepared for the Plan may simplify
environmental review for projects that
are consistent with the Plan.

The Plan does not replace or augment
building safety codes or other nonplanning related codes. All applications for new construction, substantial
modifications to existing buildings, and
changes in land use shall be reviewed
for conformance with this Specific
Plan. This Plan is adopted by ordinance
under the authority of the City’s
Municipal Code, which establishes
Specific Plans as a tool to regulate land
use and development.

8 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Section 1.2

PLAN CONTEXT AND PURPOSE
The City has and continues to be the
economic, educational, and cultural
center of the Pajaro Valley, one of the
most productive agricultural areas
in the world. The City’s jurisdictional
boundaries are restricted by an urban
growth boundary and airport land
use restrictions. Because of these
limitations on growth, the City has put
efforts toward incorporating additional
housing and economic opportunities
through higher density infill along
the City’s major corridors, including
the downtown. The Specific Plan
will help achieve these objectives by
accommodating additional residential
uses in a compact and active mixeduse environment through both new construction and adaptive reuse of
historic buildings.

The Plan area constitutes about
195.5 acres with about 55.5 acres
dedicated to streets and rights-ofway. Downtown is centered on Main Street and extends west to the edge
of existing neighborhoods and the
industrial district, south to Pajaro,
and several blocks east to the existing
neighborhoods. The Downtown
Specific Plan area is shown in Figure
1–1 and Figure 1–2.

PHOTO CAPTION—California yarrow and California poppies bloom among native grasses on Watsonville Slough Farm.

The City of Watsonville is in the Pajaro Valley of Santa Cruz County and is approximately six square miles in size. The city is bounded by the Pajaro River to the south and unincorporated Santa Cruz County to the east, north and west. Regionally, the City is located near the epicenter of a rail transit network currently in the planning phases. The Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail envisions passenger transit along the rail line and the 2018 California State Rail Plan proposes rail service along the same line. A bicycle and pedestrian path is proposed next to the tracks. This provides Watsonville with a unique opportunity to establish critical connections and plan the appropriate location for a future transit stop along the Scenic Trail on Walker Street and determine appropriate land uses in the vicinity of the future rail transit station.

Pacific Ocean

MONTEREY COUNTY

SANTA CLARA COUNTY

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Watsonville
Gilroy
Las
Lomas
Aptos
La Selva
Beach
Amesti Aptos
Hills-Larkin
Valley
Aromas
Day Valley
Corralitos
Freedom Interlaken
Pajaro
Dunes
Pajaro
Rio del Mar
Seacliff
Gilroy
Las
Lomas
Aptos
La Selva
Beach
Amesti Aptos
Hills-Larkin
Valley
Aromas
Day Valley
Corralitos
Freedom Interlaken
Pajaro
Dunes
Pajaro
Rio del Mar
Seacliff
1 1
152
129
downtown
watsonville
specific plan
D Specific Plan Area
Highway
Arterial Road
Collector Road
City of Watsonville Boundary
County Boundary
City Boundaries
Railway
N
0 0.5 1
Mile
2 9
Figure 1–1

DOWNTOWN

WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC

PLAN CONTEXT AREA
Zones
County Boundary
City of Watsonville Boundary
Census-Designated Place/Unincorporated County Boundaries Specific Plan Area Page 200 of 1168
10 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Organized in a traditional urban street
grid with walkable neighborhoods
and shopping corridors, downtown
Watsonville is the heart of the
community. Development in
downtown started before the City
was incorporated in 1868. The area
contains a mix of contemporary and
historic buildings, urban plazas,
higher-density residential buildings,
government offices, communityserving retail uses, and is home to numerous community events that
attract both visitors and residents.

Once a thriving and bustling
downtown, the Main Street has
struggled to compete regionally
with other commercial areas and
has experienced high retail and
commercial vacancy rates for the
past several decades. The City has
taken many steps to revitalize the
downtown since the destructive
1989 Loma Prieta earthquake,
including several downtown plans
and downtown design guidelines,
as well as the development of a new
Civic Plaza that is home to the South
County Courthouse, City library, City
administrative offices, City Council
Chambers, and public meeting space.

State Highway 152 (SR-152), a Caltrans facility, operates along portions of Main Street and as a one-way couplet along E Lake Avenue and E Beach Street.

Riverside Drive on the south end of the Plan area is a part of State Highway 129 (SR-129). Caltrans has been an integral part of the planning process and for developing recommendations for right-of-way improvements such as sidewalks and streets within their facilities. The City has also worked on improvements to the downtown parking district and completed a downtown parking study to modernize the on- and off-street parking provided in the downtown to attract shoppers and assist in retail business investment and opportunity.

Downtown is also beginning to see interest from private developers for new mixed-use and residential development. With growing interest and attention to downtown Watsonville, the City has established this Plan as the visionary guide for development in downtown Watsonville.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM—A mixed-use development with ground floor commercial and parking garage; Martinelli’s has significantly contributed to Watsonville’s heritage; Corner business; Main Street intersection at Maple Street.

Figure 1–2

DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN AREA
Main St (SR 152)
Main St
Main St (SR 152)
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave (SR 152)
2nd St
1st St
Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr (SR 129)
E Riverside Dr (SR 129)
E 5th St
E Beach St (SR 152)
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
Radcliff
Elementary School
Transit
Center
Watsonville
Senior
Center YMCA
Cabrillo
College
Watsonville
High School
Watsonville
Public Library Post
Office
Santa Cruz
County
Superior Court
Fire
Department
Police
Station Youth
Center
Community
Dev
Dept
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Park/Open Space
Main St (SR 152)
Main St
Main St (SR 152)
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave (SR 152)
2nd St
1st St
Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr (SR 129)
E Riverside Dr (SR 129
E 5th St
E Beach St (SR 152)
Center S
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
Radcliff
Elementary School
Transit
Center
Watsonville
Senior
Center YMCA
Cabrillo
College
Watsonville
High School
Watsonville
Public Library Post
Office
Santa Cruz
County
Superior Court
Fire
Department
Police
Station Youth
Center
Community
Dev
Dept
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Park/Open Space
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parks/ Open Space
Waterway 11 Page 202 of 1168
12 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Section 1.3

EXISTING
CONDITIONS The Specific Plan area is served by a mix of uses which include retail, commercial, civic, religious, industrial, and residential. City Hall and the Police Station, Civic Plaza with Council Chambers, Library and County Courthouse, U.S. Post Office, and Cabrillo College are the major civic and institutional anchors in the downtown. The historic City Plaza is the significant downtown public open space that supports civic and community activities. At the center of downtown is Main Street, along which many of the historic and large mixed-use buildings are located with ground-floors consisting of local retail and services while the upper levels accommodate office and residential uses. Along Walker Street, single-story industrial buildings provide employment.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM—Downtown Watsonville has a wonderful foundation to build upon. From a charming Main Street, to historic buildings, to a strong civic plaza that includes City Hall, Police Station, and Fire Department.

Existing Land Use

13 CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION
Whereas citywide residential stock is overwhelmingly single-family (approximately two-thirds), housing stock downtown is the opposite. Roughly 60 percent of the downtown residential stock is in multifamily structures. From 2000 to 2022, the City-wide multifamily inventory has increased by 14 percent however, multifamily rents per square foot per month have increased by 42 percent making the housing stock less affordable.1 Watsonville’s downtown has seen the successful delivery of new mid-rise housing, a clear sign that denser housing may be viable at other sites in the downtown area.

There has been no office development in
downtown Watsonville since 2008, but
continued employment growth and fully
occupied existing stock hints at future
potential to incorporate more office
and employment type uses.1 The retail
industry is going through a complex
evolution and “brick and mortar” retail is
increasingly challenging, but downtown
retail is well occupied and additional
convenience retail and restaurants likely
will be market supportable as local
resident and worker populations increase.

Industry trends favor experiential retail
and featuring local food & beverage may
be a strategy for balancing uses in the
downtown while also attracting more
residents and visitors.

1. US Census Bureau, ESRI Business Analyst, California
Department of Finance, Economic & Planning
Systems, Inc
PHOTO CAPTION—The Downtown housing stock has architecturally unique singlefamily homes with heights ranging from one to three stories.

14 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Demographics Trends
The Specific Plan area and the City of Watsonville have social and demographic characteristics that define a unique part of Santa Cruz County. However, the 2010-2020 population trends of the city (2.71%) show a lower rate of population change than the state (6.13%) and county (3.23%).2 By comparison to Santa Cruz County and the State of California, the city and downtown are notably younger and culturally and ethnically diverse. The younger ages of downtown and city residents also likely contribute to other socio-economic discrepancies, such as household income discussed in the next section. The city-wide population is nearly 50 percent “other race” while countywide, roughly seven in ten residents are “white alone.” The relatively high reporting of the “other race” category in Watsonville likely is attributable to Spanish-speaking residents who do not selfidentify as white alone, and thus report “other race.”3

2. California Department of Finance E-5

3. US Census Bureau, ESRI Business Analyst, Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.

Population change between 2010–2020
City of
Watsonville 2.71%

3.23%
Countywide, roughly
seven in ten residents
are “white alone.”
Citywide, 50%
of population
identify as
“other race.”

6.13%
Santa Cruz
County
State of
California

15 CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION
Economic Trends
The city and downtown are distinctly economically disadvantaged, with relatively low educational attainment and income levels. The median household income in downtown, at roughly $36,500, is over $24,000 lower than that citywide. And at about $61,496, citywide median household income is over $28,000 below the countywide median.4 Household income is closely related to educational attainment. Data reveals a high concentration of downtown residents (40 percent) have less than a 9th grade education. By comparison, approximately 28 percent of city residents and about 11 percent of county residents have less than a 9th grade education.5
Watsonville has enjoyed growth in non-agricultural economic sectors and remains a county-wide leader in agricultural and logistics industries. Recent job growth in Watsonville has occurred at a healthy rate, significantly outpacing population growth in recent years. The annual employment growth rate in the city over the past decade (2008-2018) was 1.2 percent, which is slightly above the statewide growth rate (1.14 percent).6 Examining the city’s employment sectors more closely, the five largest industries are fairly evenly divided. These five sectors represent approximately 13,500 positions, or 62 percent of all jobs.

Because of the rural and agricultural nature of region, the largest industry in Watsonville comprises roughly 3,200 agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting jobs. This is followed by nearly 2,900 public administration jobs and the demographically driven sectors of healthcare and retail, which, combined, account for nearly 5,300 jobs. The fifth largest sector, manufacturing, accounts for about 2,100 positions.7

4. US Census Bureau, ESRI Business Analyst

5. US Census Bureau, ESRI Business Analyst, Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.

6. California EDD, Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.

7. California Employment Development Department; Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.

Median Household Income
Percentage of Population with Less
than a 9th Grade Education
Downtown
Watsonville
Downtown
Watsonville
City of
Watsonville
City of
Watsonville
Santa Cruz
County
Citywide:
$61,496
Countywide:
$89,496
$36,500
40%
28%
11%
$61,496

16 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Section 1.4

PLAN OBJECTIVES
PHOTO CAPTION—The city lights up the beloved City Plaza for the winter holidays. The annual tree lighting ceremony usually takes place the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

Downtown Watsonville is the heart of the community and the Specific Plan channels existing momentum and establishes a vision and framework that supports a high-quality of life. The goals, policies, and strategies in this Plan are grounded in the reality that no single plan for a limited geographic area can comprehensively address all the issues faced by a community. At the same time, a planning document like a Specific Plan is one of the best tools the city has available to state a vision directly and explicitly for the community and enact mechanisms to achieve it. Long-term success of the Plan will rely not only on the City and other public agencies (e.g., Caltrans) that fund and maintain public improvements and services, but also on the people who live, work, and visit downtown Watsonville. This is a plan to support a community-driven vision.

17 CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION
PHOTO CAPTION—The Holiday Lights
in the Plaza also activates the downtown
streets with entertainment for kids.

The Specific Plan strives to foster
higher-intensity and encourage mixeduse neighborhoods by building on the historic origins of the downtown
area, celebrating its historic buildings,
community events, and open spaces,
all while harnessing new ideas,
investment, and innovation. The
Specific Plan will knit together the
historic downtown with adjacent
industrial and residential areas
to create walkable and complete
neighborhoods with a mix of retail,
services, amenities, employment,
and residential uses that will help to
activate downtown; all day and into
the evening, seven days a week.

The Specific Plan aims to establish
a community vision, guiding
principles, policies, standards, and
a planning framework to guide how
the downtown should evolve into the
future. The Specific Plan is intended
to inform future public and private
actions relating to the Plan area’s
development to realize the
community vision.

It also provides the foundation for
the city to continue pursuing other
partners, strategies, and funding
sources for the improvements and
programs identified in the Plan.

Reinvestment, reuse and infill
development, redevelopment of
properties in the downtown area, and
strategic corridors shall be preceded
and guided by this plan.

The Specific Plan will also encourage
compact development near transit
to decrease automobile dependency,
reduce both local and regional traffic
congestion and related greenhouse
gas emissions, and provide additional
guidance and plans to increase
multimodal access to and from the
historic Downtown area.

18 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Section 1.5

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PLANS
The Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan takes into consideration numerous interrelated existing adopted plans, policies, and regulations, at the City, regional, State, and federal levels. This Plan balances the desires and aspirations of diverse group of community members and stakeholders, as well as local and regional initiatives with competing objectives. 2005 General Plan
Per California State law, specific
plans must be internally consistent
with the jurisdiction’s general plan.

The Watsonville 2005 General Plan
(adopted 1991) regulates the land
uses in the Specific Plan area. Where
Specific Plan zoning is inconsistent
with the 2005 General Plan, the
General Plan is being updated
concurrent with this Specific Plan
to ensure consistency between the
two documents.
2030 Draft General Plan
The Draft 2030 General Plan contains
policies and guidance for downtown
Watsonville including a vision that
contains the highest densities, the
most pedestrian friendly design,
and the greatest variety of uses in
downtown in attractive infill projects.

The Draft 2030 General Plan focuses
on most intensive redevelopment on
underutilized sites while protecting
and enhancing historic properties.

The Draft 2030 General Plan also calls
for strengthening retail and cultural
destinations, broadening available
housing options, and creating a
“sense of place.” The Plan focuses on
the importance of the design of the
interface between the public and
private realms and the goal to make
pedestrian-friendly streets and urban
environments.

Zoning Ordinance
The land use and development standards
in this document supersede the land
use and development standards in the
Zoning Ordinance (Title 14 of the City’s
Municipal Code) for properties within
the Specific Plan area. Regulations
not addressed in this Plan, such as
standards for specific land uses, will still
be regulated by the Zoning Ordinance.
(See Chapter 6: Land Use & Zoning for
additional information.)
Housing Element
The current Housing Element (5th
Cycle 2015-23) is a required element
of the City’s General Plan and includes
city-wide strategies to address housing.

The 6th Cycle Element is expected to
be updated in the coming months.

The City’s Regional Housing Needs
Allocation (RHNA) for the 6th Cycle
is approximately 2,053 units, many
of which may be built in downtown
Watsonville.

19 CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION
Complete Streets Plan
The Downtown Complete Streets Plan
provides a vision of a multi-modal,
revitalized Downtown that is safer
and more accessible for all users and
modes of transportation, including
pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders
and motorists. The Complete Streets
Plan describes improvements that
would improve safety, provide greater
access, and add amenities for those
traveling in the Downtown. The
recommendations in the Complete
Streets Plan are superseded by the
Specific Plan provisions.

Watsonville Urban Greening Plan
The Watsonville Urban Greening Plan
was developed in 2012 to identify
and design projects that address
greenhouse gas emissions or help
residents adapt to challenges posed
climate change. The Urban Greening
Plan is composed of six key elements,
three of which are referenced in this
plan: Citywide Street Tree Program,
Landscape Guidelines and Policy, and
Green Roof Design Report & Criteria.

Watsonville Climate Action and
Adaptation Plan
The Watsonville Climate Action and
Adaptation Plan was developed in 2021
to reduce the community’s greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions below certain
targets. As the transportation sector
contributes the greatest amount of
GHG emissions, the Climate Action and
Adaptation Plan calls for implementing
a range of strategies to reduce the
number and length of vehicle trips,
including facilitating smart growth,
increasing multimodal transportation
facilities, managing better available
parking, and supporting passenger
rail service. The Specific Plan supports
these strategies through fostering
high-density, infill development near
transit, identifying pedestrian and
bicycle enhancements, and revising
parking and other development
standards to reduce the transportation
sector’s GHG contribution by reducing
single-occupant vehicle driving and
encouraging alternative modes of
transportation.

Citywide Signage and Wayfinding
Master Plan
The City of Watsonville is working to
complete and adopt a Citywide Signage
and Wayfinding Master Plan that will
define the types and design of signs,
where they should be used, located,
and what information they include.

The program will consider all modes
of transportation and will outline
a phased implementation strategy.

The plan will also provide sufficient
detail to support the manufacturing,
fabrication and installation of signage
and wayfinding in the city.

20 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Section 1.6

PLAN STRUCTURE
The Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan (Specific Plan) is organized into the following chapters:

Chapter 1: Introduction sets the
stage for the rest of the document by
discussing the local context, relationship
to other planning documents, purpose of
the plan, and objectives.

Chapter 2: Downtown Vision, Goals &
Policy Direction describes the existing
context, issues and opportunities,
engagement efforts and the vision and
guiding principles to direct future
development in downtown Watsonville.

This included the physical design and
policy strategies to collectively shape the
future of the Plan area.

Chapter 3: Design Framework
provides recommendations for public
realm improvements in addition to
providing a description of the intent
and purpose for each downtown
Character Area.

Chapter 5: Public Realm
Improvements focuses on a series of
publicly accessible rights-of-ways, parks,
squares, plazas, courtyards, alleys,
paseos, and parklets and the connections
between those spaces.

Chapter 4: Mobility and
Transportation explores multimodality, the street network, street cross-sections and streetscape standards,
bicycle and pedestrian networks, and
parking and curb management.

21 CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION
Chapter 6: Land Use and Zoning
sets standards and guidelines to
regulate future development on
privately-owned properties in
downtown Watsonville. It establishes
standards related to allowed land use,
development intensity, height, building
frontage design, building placement,
open area, and block size. The chapter
also includes detailed guidance on
the design of ground floors, building
facades, building architecture,
landscaping character, and other
building and site design elements.

Chapter 7: Historic Preservation
explores the historic context of
downtown Watsonville and identifies
potential historic districts and
recommendations.

Chapter 8: Infrastructure frames
the infrastructure context of
downtown by identifying utility
networks and demand analysis. The
chapter includes a list of priority
infrastructure projects (including
water, sewer, and recycled water).

Chapter 9: Implementation provides
implementation actions necessary
to realize the Specific Plan vision, as
well as financing and funding tools to
implement the Specific Plan.

Appendices provides a thorough
Community Engagement Summary
(Appendix A), applicable General Plan
goals and policies(Appendix B), and
detailed information about Downtown
Historic Resources (Appendix C).

22 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Chapter 2:

DOWNTOWN

VISION, GOALS &

POLICY DIRECTION

2.1—Strengths, Issues & Opportunities

2.2—Community Engagement

2.3—Downtown Vision Themes & Guiding Principles

2.4—Specific Plan Goals and Policies

23 Page 214 of 1168
24 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN

THE SPECIFIC PLAN WAS

PREPARED THROUGH A

PARTICIPATORY

PROCESS THAT ENGAGED

THE COMMUNITY, AND

INFORMED AND INVOLVED

THE DECISION MAKERS

THROUGHOUT THE
PLANNING PROCESS.

In keeping with the goals of the SCS
grant, the Specific Plan process also
educated the community about the
benefits of infill and improved livability
through enhanced mobility strategies.

25 CHAPTER 2—DOWNTOWN VISION, GOALS & POLICY DIRECTION
Section 2.1

STRENGTHS, ISSUES & OPPORTUNITIES
PHOTO CAPTION—View of Downtown Watsonville from Civic Plaza The project was initiated through a thorough data gathering process, which included reviewing and evaluating relevant planning documents, performing an existing physical
conditions analysis of the downtown, and identifying issues and opportunities. The existing conditions analysis focused on mobility, noise, utility systems, water supply, and market trends. This phase of the project provided an initial level of understanding of the Specific Plan area and framed the direction and recommendations of the Specific Plan.

Downtown Watsonville has a great foundation to build upon, and the Specific Plan is focused on highlighting the opportunities that will lead to a more sustainable, active, healthy, and successful downtown environment. The key strengths, issues and opportunities are described in the following pages.

26 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
City and Downtown Identity
Watsonville is a unique community
with agriculture, wine, art, education,
and nature themes. The downtown has
charming historic and architectural
character that compliments its
vibrant potential. With gems like
the downtown plaza, murals, art,
and events (e.g., the weekly farmer’s
market), there is a distinct character
that draws people to downtown.

Watsonville is steeped in agricultural
history and heritage, with significant
ongoing economic activity and
culturally deep appreciation for
California-grown products. The
community also shares civic pride,
believes in the City’s future, and feels
a loyalty to the City and community.

The pride in Watsonville is driving
the vision for downtown through this
Plan, it aligns City and stakeholder
goals and establishes a common
understanding of the desired future
for the city center.

Downtown is, however, challenged
by the lack of cohesive identity and
functionality, density, and synergy
between residents and businesses
there is also a lack of activity necessary
to feel like a 24/7 bustling downtown.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO
BOTTOM—Aerial view of Main Street
facing south; Agricultural fields in front
of the Santa Cruz mountains; Folklórico
dance performance at the Watsonville
Strawberry Festival

27 CHAPTER 2—DOWNTOWN VISION, GOALS & POLICY DIRECTION
Downtown Land Uses and Street Grid
Similarly, there is significant
economic promise for new businesses,
especially those that can provide
essential missing services and needs.

Downtown is endowed with civic,
educational, and institutional anchors
that generate vibrancy and provide
essential public services to the City and
region. Leveraging the downtown’s
proximity to Cabrillo College will
attract a young and educated
demographic, and recent changes to
the alcohol ordinance will introduce
new uses within the downtown,
including new cafes and restaurants.

The presence of non-profits and the
agricultural industry create unique
opportunities for community services
and creative business types (e.g.,
kitchen and retail incubators). With
its historic urban fabric and walkable
street grid, the downtown is well
positioned to evolve into a unique
regional destination that invites
visitors in and captures their interest.

The limited residential development
makes it challenging to have the
activity needed to create a 24/7
downtown environment. As the
need for housing grows across the
state, and city demands increase,
code adjustments and incentives are
needed to promote new residential
development that increases the local
resident base and supports renewed
vibrancy. Traditional retail has
struggled in downtown, and fitness
studios and personal services, or other
unique customer-oriented businesses
may be the appropriate uses for
ground-floor spaces now and moving
forward to bring more vitality to
downtown.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM—Fox Theater; Mansion House; The Terrace at 445 Main Street
Downtown’s pedestrian scale, and recent beautification and streetscape improvements, have helped to make downtown more walkable. The downtown is also surrounded by neighborhoods that help to provide diverse housing options in addition to the synergy needed to keep downtown active 24/7. The downtown particularly lends itself to denser development that is suitable for a diverse mix of housing types and income levels (e.g., market rate and affordable) in addition to mixed uses and activities. The existing downtown affords a historic charm with several opportunities for adaptive reuse (e.g., Fox Theater and Mansion House).

28 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Mobility and Parking
With Main Street as the commercial
spine of downtown, there is also an
opportunity to widen sidewalks, add
bike lanes, and introduce parklets
that support a walkable community.

The Main Street presents a key
opportunity to become a strengthened
commercial backbone of downtown
with streetscape enhancements,
ground floor activations, facade
enhancements, and travel lane
reductions. Additionally, converting E
Lake Avenue and E Beach Street, which
currently operate as one-way couplets,
into two-way streets could enhance
safety in the area and encourage multimodal commuting. Last, squaring off the connection between Union Street
& Alexander Street could enhance
connectivity while the vacated portion
of Union Street could provide an
expanded opportunity site for
private development.

The existing roadway network in
Downtown is not developed in a
uniform grid but features a multitude
of varying block lengths, several
curvilinear streets, and some oneway streets. The downtown roadway network accommodates local access
through State Route 152 and State
Route 129 while they also serve as
conduits of regional travel which
includes heavy truck use. Main
Street (which is partially owned by
Caltrans as State Route 152 and the
City of Watsonville) serves as a spine
of the network, distributing traffic
beyond the Plan area throughout the
city and connecting to State Route 1.

The shared ownership of Main Street
makes enhancements challenging
and requires a heightened level of
coordination to achieve improvements.

Navigating the downtown is difficult
due to its auto-centric Main Street
environment, minimal wayfinding
signage, and unresolved traffic and
congestion. Downtown retailers
also deal with constrained parking
as it remains an issue despite the
presence of public parking facilities
in the vicinity of the city center.

Similarly, pedestrian and cyclist
safety are a concern due to limited and
unconnected bike facilities, narrow
sidewalks, and the lack of streetscape
amenities needed to create an
appealing and enjoyable public realm.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO
BOTTOM—Streetscape on Main Street
in Downtown Watsonville; Mosaic art
created through “Watsonville Brillante”
project”; Mid-block crossing connects
with a paseo to parking behind the
frontage buildings

29 CHAPTER 2—DOWNTOWN VISION, GOALS & POLICY DIRECTION
Business and Economic Environment
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT—Ortiz Store &
Deli; El Primo Produce
While downtown Watsonville is busy
during weekday business hours, it tends
to quiet significantly in the evening and
on weekends. The downtown possesses
great economic potential and is a great
place to start and grow a business,
and to make investments in new and
renovated real estate. The economic
potential is also supported by the city’s
general affordability by comparison
to the high-cost coastal California;
Watsonville offers lower cost housing
and commercial spaces. By attracting
new businesses to the downtown, the
additional daytime workers offer an
opportunity to support the evolution
of downtown and the new business
activity downtown will help enhance
the vitality of the city core.

Downtowns have suffered by the
ongoing trend in retailing toward
large-format stores and online
shopping. This will continue to be an
economic challenge for small-scale
retail businesses, and the growth of
downtown as the center of commercial
activity. Because of this, downtown
Watsonville has faced retail contraction
with the COVID pandemic accelerating
this trend. However, downtowns that
offer unique experiences, dining
choices and experiential retail are still
great places that people will want to
visit and experience.

30 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Social Issues Governmental Support
The limited number of high-skill
employees living in Watsonville
has the potential to impact the city’s
desirability as it relates to existing and
potential new business. There is an
opportunity to increase Watsonville’s
labor force skillset by prioritizing
programs and services focused on the
education and training of Watsonville
employees, making the city more
desirable for business. Growth of the
downtown will also require added
efforts to enhance community safety
for residents, workers, and visitors.

There are expressed safety concerns
that stem from a lack of perceived
cleanliness and various social issues,
such as ADA compliance, homelessness,
and mental health. The increasing
societal burden of homelessness, the
presence of transient hotels, and the
perception of crime has increased
and may be affecting downtown’s
economic development potential.

Downtown also struggles with
demographic imbalances, households
are concentrated in lower income
brackets and the area lacks critical
mass of middle-class consumers to
support new retail and entertainment
uses. While economic diversity is
important, demographic, and economic
shifts are also cause for fears and
concerns related to gentrification,
displacement, and small and local
business preservation. Similarly,
polarizing politics with vocal
opposition to growth and privatesector investment may slow or deter the evolution of the downtown.

City services in Watsonville have been at the forefront of effective governance.

The Community Development Department is credited for its accessible, creative, and nimble performance processing of development applications which streamlines and facilitates the development process. This planning effort will also provide clear articulation of the City’s intentions for Downtown, establishing better clarity for investors and less subjectivity in permitting and entitlement processes.

PHOTO CAPTION—The Civic Plaza houses City Council chambers, County Courthouse and City Library

31 CHAPTER 2—DOWNTOWN VISION, GOALS & POLICY DIRECTION
Drop in to share your ideas for the vision of Downtown!

Attendees will be entered into a raffle to have a pizza from Slice delivered during the meeting!
Spanish translation will be provided.

For more information about the project visit the project website:
www.cityofwatsonville.org/1626/Downtown-Specific-Plan
Meeting link info
Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan
Virtual Community Workshop
September 30, 2020
5:30 - 8:30 PM
Share your voice
Help shape Downtown Watsonville!
Section 2.2

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
PHOTO CAPTION—Opportunities for engagement were widely advertised.

Below is a flyer for the first virtual community workshop.

In 2019, the City of Watsonville started a community planning process to develop a Specific Plan for Downtown. The Specific Plan process presented a unique and important opportunity for community members to participate and share their ideas to guide Downtown’s future. A primary objective of the Plan was to accurately reflect community aspirations. The city highly prioritized having a community engagement process that was structured to provide multiple opportunities and avenues for engagement, to increase inclusion and participation in sharing input about potential Plan recommendations. This Plan has been developed with extensive input from a broad range of stakeholders which included residents, business owners, workers, property owners, Caltrans, and representatives of community organizations/associations. The Specific Plan’s cumulative engagement was a 3-year process and has led to valuable community input, which in turn, grew the visionary outcomes documented in this Plan.

32 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Engagement Objectives Engagement Plan
The project team listened, informed,
and translated the community’s and
stakeholders’ viewpoints and vision by
using easily understood informational
materials that were linguistically
and culturally inclusive. The project
team regularly reported back to the
public regarding how the information
gathered would be used in the
development of the Specific Plan. The
engagement effort was an open and
transparent process, centered on key
objectives that included:
• Consistent, two-way communication
between stakeholders and the City,
• Representation from diverse
stakeholders including community
members who may not usually
participate in civic projects and
government meetings,
• Education and communication to the
public about the planning process,
• Gathering meaningful input and
feedback from the stakeholders and
the community at large to inform the
planning process,
• Alignment of the plan with
stakeholder and community needs,
• Solicitation and integration of
feedback on key issues for downtown
Watsonville, and
• Community ownership of the process
and final plan.

Project overview, Existing
conditions, Identify issues
and opportunities,
Visioning
Develop guiding
principles, Establish
plan framework (streets,
public spaces, land use)
Create land use and
mobility alternatives, Refine
plan framework and
opportunity sites
Craft design
character/development
code, housing, mobility,
parking and economic
development
Public and decision makers
to review and adopt the
Specific Plan (2)
Fall 2019
- Summer 2020

EXISTING

CONDITIONS

REVIEW &

ADOPTION
PLAN
DEVELOPMENT +

VISIONING ALTERNATIVES EIR PREPARATION
2 AC Meetings 1 AC Meetings 1 AC Meetings 4 AC Meetings 2 AC Meetings Fall 2020
- Winter 2021
Spring -
Summer 2021
Summer - Fall
2022
Fall 2021 -
Spring 2022
At the beginning of the planning process, the project team developed a Public Participation Plan that presented a “roadmap” or synopsis of the activities to be undertaken to develop the Specific Plan. The Public Participation Plan outlined the engagement strategies used to support the technical planning and environmental efforts needed to help define a clear vision for downtown Watsonville. Engagement activities occurred throughout the planning process during key phases, and included the preparation and review of:
• Identification of Key Issues, Opportunities, and Visioning, • Land Use and Multi-modal Transportation Alternatives, • Design and development direction for the Specific Plan, and • Preparation of the Specific Plan and associated Environmental Impact Report.

33 CHAPTER 2—DOWNTOWN VISION, GOALS & POLICY DIRECTION
Engagement Activities
The City of Watsonville was committed to providing meaningful community engagement opportunities throughout the process. Detailed descriptions of each meeting can be found in Appendix A, where information about meeting format, location, content, and purpose are provided. In summary, the engagement process included the following activities and events:

Project Information Webpage
The City created a dedicated project
webpage on the City of Watsonville
website. It included information about
the project, documents produced for
the project, meeting summaries, and
meeting announcements, among other
materials.

Stakeholder Meetings
Meetings were held with
representatives of a range of
community groups, business
leaders, advocacy organizations,
and community leaders early in the
engagement process to help identify
key assets and opportunities.

Advisory Committee Meetings (9)
The City formed an Advisory
Committee (AC), comprised of
approximately eighteen (18)
individuals, which were strictly
advisory and non-voting and met nine
(9) times during the planning process.

One-on-one interviews with the AC
members were also held during the
process. The AC provided input on
plan concepts, guided the engagement
process, and provided advice on
plan direction. These meetings
were publicly noticed, and Spanish
translation was provided at every
meeting. All but one of these meetings
were held virtually on the City’s Zoom
platform, making it more convenient
for the public to attend.

Community Workshops (3)
Interactive community meetings were
held three (3) times during the project.

These evening meetings were held
virtually on the City’s Zoom platform
due to public health restrictions during
the COVID-19 pandemic. Spanish
translations were provided at every
meeting. The following meetings
were held:
• Workshop #1: The first workshop
contained an overview of the
Specific Plan objectives, existing
conditions, and a visioning exercise.
• Workshop #2: This workshop
covered an overview of the final
Vision Themes and Guiding
Principles. The presentation also
covered land use recommendations,
opportunity site concepts, as well
as the proposed street and bicycle
network concepts.
• Workshop #3: The final workshop
presented the Public Draft Specific
Plan for review and feedback.

Para más información sobre el proyecto,
visite el sitio web: www.rb.gy/jcyrb4
Enlace para la reunión virtual por Zoom:
https://cityofwatsonville-org
.zoomgov.com/j/1617235499
Está cordialmente invitado a revisar con nosotros los temas finales de visión, principios y áreas de carácter, así como, los conceptos propuestos para una red de calles y bicicletas y sitios de oportunidad en el centro de la Ciudad.

También puede participar por teléfono
marcando al 1-669-254-5252 código de
acceso 161 723 5499.

Plan Específico para el Centro de Watsonville
Taller comunitario virtual
Mayo 6, 2021, 5:30 - 8:00 PM
¡Comparta su opinión!
La reunión es en inglés con
traducción al español. Puede escanear este código QR
para entrar a la reunión por teléfono.

Habrá varios sorteos durante la reunión.

Lo esperamos en la reunión para que tenga la oportunidad de ganar una tarjeta de regalo de los negocios locales del centro de la Ciudad.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO
BOTTOM—Project webpage; Advisory
Committee Meeting on August 5, 2020;
Community Workshop on September
30, 2020; Meeting announcements
and materials were made available in
both English and Spanish to support an
equitable planning process.

34 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Online Engagement + CommunityWide Surveys (3)
As a parallel process to the workshops,
the City used online surveys to engage
with and receive input from the public.

Surveys were also translated into
Spanish to ensure that all voices in
the community were heard. The topics
covered included:
• Strengths, Issues, and Opportunities
Survey (666 respondents),
• Draft Vision Themes and Guiding
Principles Feedback (100 comments
received), and
• Public Space, Character Areas,
Streetscape & Bike Network (257
respondents).

Pop up Events
In conjunction with the two online
surveys, the project team conducted
nine pop-up events at the weekly
Farmers Market at Watsonville City
Plaza to enable a broader diversity
of community members to provide
their input. The project team hosted
informational booths at each pop-up
event to answer questions, hand out
project flyers and collect paper survey
responses in English and Spanish.

Additionally, the project team spoke
with a group of Watsonville High
School students on October 28th, 2020,
about the specific plan and to receive
the students’ input on Community
Survey #1.

Additional Engagement
The project team identified additional
engagement efforts to bring attention
to the Specific Plan project, while also
soliciting feedback from a wide range
of constituents. Meetings with the
following organizations/groups were
held in addition to the foundational
engagement efforts detailed above:
• Watsonville Citizens Academy
• Empower Watsonville (PVPSA Youth
Group)
• Interagency Technical Advisory
Committee (ITAC)
• Watsonville Vision Zero Task Force
(WVZTF)
• WVZTF Working Group on Bike
Friendly Communities
• Santa Cruz County Workforce
Development Board
• Watsonville High School
• Monterey Bay Economic Partnership
(MBEP)
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT—Strengths,
issues, and opportunities survey; Popup booth at the Farmer’s Market in the Plaza; Community survey flyer
For more information about the project,
visit the project website: www.rb.gy/jcyrb4
Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan
Community Survey #2
Share your voice
Share your ideas for the vision of Downtown!
Community Survey #2 is an opportunity to share
your thoughts about the future of Downtown
Watsonville. Your input and feedback will help the
City create a shared vision for the Downtown
Specific Plan.

Survey Link:

www.surveymonkey.com/r/DWSPSurvey2English
or scan this QR code with your smartphone!
Help shape Downtown Watsonville!

Vision Themes
Vitality Equity
Safety
Dignity
Preservation Innovation
35 CHAPTER 2—DOWNTOWN VISION, GOALS & POLICY DIRECTION
Section 2.3

DOWNTOWN

VISION THEMES
& GUIDING

PRINCIPLES
PHOTO CAPTION—The six vision themes for the Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan were informed by extensive community input.

As the heart of the town, and the center of life and culture, Watsonville’s downtown plays an important role in defining the city. Downtown’s vibrancy provides important amenities— attracting people to a common area, a place for festivals and celebrations, a great place to start a small business, and a lively place that is attractive to young and old alike. The success of the downtown requires focusing the most intensive redevelopment on underutilized sites while at the same time protecting and enhancing historic properties. This area can afford the highest densities, the most pedestrian friendly design, and the greatest variety of uses. It is not only a business district, but also a neighborhood. Watsonville’s downtown is envisioned to grow over time, and as such, the form and development of the downtown will be based on anticipated realities.

Downtowns are complex with
numerous physical, economic, social,
and programmatic layers – the needs
of each of which must be carefully
balanced to allow the whole place to
succeed. Developed with extensive
community input, the Vision Themes
and Guiding Principles are intended to
provide a high-level framework for the
Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan.

The Vision Themes and Guiding
Principles for the Specific Plan were
informed and created utilizing
community and stakeholder input
(See Appendix A). This input came in
the form of individual stakeholder
meetings, a community workshop,
several Advisory Committee meetings,
and a community wide survey.

The vision and guiding principles
seek to foster a cohesive downtown
as a destination, promote residential
development, afford land use flexibility,
attract business, and enhance the sense
of community safety.

36 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Guiding Principles and Implementation Strategies
Preserve key elements that make
downtown unique
• Celebrate the Plaza as an authentic
gathering place and central node for
the community and foster its energy
to elevate community connections.
• Foster a sense of place through
community driven murals and
public art installations.
• Continue and build off successful
community event momentum – such
as the Farmers Market, Film Festival,
Wine Walk and Music in the Plaza.
• Promote the uniqueness and smalltown charm of the downtown as a vibrant and safe place to live, work,
and play.
• Revitalize and showcase the
beautiful historic architecture and
urban fabric in downtown.

Establish a varied choice of uses
and experiences for our diverse
community
• Identify and recruit key missing uses
that would help diversify the options
of experiences in downtown.
• Ensure downtown offers a variety
of uses and experiences that are
accessible to a range of ages, income
levels, and other socioeconomic
status.
• Build on existing uses that provide
services and support to the
community.
• Activate downtown throughout the
day and into the evening through
strategically planned uses, programs
and events that serve diverse
community needs and interests.
• Improve surrounding
neighborhoods’ connection
physically and socially to the
downtown.

Create housing opportunities for all
• Encourage housing (market rate,
affordable, and low-income) that
supports the varied socioeconomic
interests and needs of the
community.
• Increase supply and diversity of
housing to support different types of
households including young adults,
families, seniors, empty nesters,
individuals or families with special
needs, and people experiencing
homelessness.
• Revitalize vacant historic structures
into vibrant mixed-use buildings
that incorporate housing.
• Promote higher density mixeduse residential near public transportation, along Main Street,
and other main corridors.

Promote local economic prosperity
• Maintain and strengthen
downtown’s diverse business
presence supporting economic
prosperity for all.
• Attract new commercial uses – retail,
restaurants, entertainment uses,
office uses – to downtown to expand
its economic base.
• Incentivize uses that help create an
18-hour downtown and encourage
social and commercial vitality in
downtown.
• Embrace local entrepreneurship,
talent, and creativity through public/
private partnerships (Cabrillo
College, Digital Nest, etc.) and use of
available vacant space.
• Support the non-profit presence in
the downtown, leveraging positive
community connections and
attracting residents to downtown.

37 CHAPTER 2—DOWNTOWN VISION, GOALS & POLICY DIRECTION
Create a vibrant, safe, and active
downtown
• Encourage mixed use with ground
floor commercial uses and housing
above.
• Reclaim and adaptively reuse
vacant historic buildings for new,
contemporary uses that contribute to
the desired character.
• Establish architectural aesthetic
and signage guidance for downtown
businesses to adhere to - creating
a distinct and unified look in the
downtown
• Incentivize more housing to bring
more people to downtown.
• Allow outdoor dining and seating
to encourage activity and provide
additional opportunities for
community gathering.
• Establish continuous active street
frontages to encourage a successful
pedestrian environment.
• Create a complete and safe
downtown for all users with
pedestrian, bicycle, and mobility-aid
friendly focused design.
• Improve pedestrian safety and
comfort throughout the downtown
through streetscape improvements
including additional lighting, shaded
sidewalks, plantings, and other
infrastructure.

Foster a healthy, inclusive, and
culturally connected community
where all can thrive
• Promote livability regardless of age,
ethnicity, income by focusing on
community connection, needs, and
sense of belonging.
• Ensure cleanliness downtown
through the investment in cleanup programs promoting a sense of community ownership and pride.
• Foster cultural pride through
community planned programs
and events that respect and honor
Watsonville’s history.
• Embrace Watsonville’s rich cultural
history by uplifting the past through
design, art, and event programming.
• Work cooperatively with community
members to help build a sense of
belonging and ownership.

Re-imagine and innovate mobility
options and connections
• Design safe pedestrian, bicyclist, and
mobility aid facilities that invite all
users regardless of age and ability to
use and enjoy.
• Connect downtown to the future rail
trail and commuter rail improving
regional mobility.
• Focus development momentum
around downtown transit facilities
creating a complete and connected
neighborhood.

Incorporate sustainable
design elements to improve
community health
• Leverage connections to the adjacent
natural environment (Pajaro River,
sloughs, etc.) with bicycle and
walking trails.
• Bring awareness to Watsonville’s
natural environment with
educational displays.
• Consider establishing targets for
urban greening and low-impact
development (street trees, native
plantings, and increase in plant
materials, pervious paving, etc.)

38 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Section 2.4

SPECIFIC PLAN GOALS AND POLICIES
PHOTO CAPTION—The historic Fox Theater, located on the corner of Main Street and Maple Avenue, is one of Santa Cruz County’s oldest movie theaters.

The goals and policies outlined in this
section set forth the framework for
realizing the vision for downtown
Watsonville, serve as guidelines for
decision making and provide direction
for the future. The goals and policies
demonstrate the intentions for the
physical development, redevelopment,
conservation, and growth of the
downtown. These policies strive
to facilitate housing production
and preservation; increase retailentertainment activity; encourage higher-density mixed-use residential
projects; add visitor-oriented uses;
support a greater range of civic
and cultural activities; improve the
safety and comfort of pedestrians;
enhance bicycle infrastructure and
connections; and target uses and
activities that appeal to a wide range of
Watsonville’s residents and employees.

These are organized in the
following topics:

1. Land Use

2. Urban Design

3. Affordable Housing and
Housing Production

4. Anti-displacement Strategies

5. Historic Preservation

6. Economic Development

7. Mobility and Parking

8. Transit

9. Infrastructure
The City’s General Plan also contains
goals and policies for the downtown.

The relevant goals and policies are
included in Appendix B.

Downtowns represent the heart of great cities. Great downtowns are commercial, cultural, and symbolic centers. They serve all residents and attract many visitors. They offer vibrant and inviting places to shop, work, live, and attend civic events. They also reveal the unique history of a place and the pride that the community has invested in it.

39 CHAPTER 2—DOWNTOWN VISION, GOALS & POLICY DIRECTION
Land Use
Goal 1
Diversify the mix of land uses
in Downtown Watsonville to
maximize its function as the
city’s vibrant and cohesive center,
while also maintaining its overall
historic scale and character.
• Policy 1.1: Mixed Use
Development. Encourage a broad
range of mixed-use development
(e.g., commercial on the ground floor,
mixed with dwelling units and/or
office on the upper floors).
• Policy 1.2: Range of Densities.

Encourage multifamily housing at
appropriate densities, both in mixed
use and stand-alone formats to bring
in more residents to Downtown
Watsonville and create an 18-hour
downtown.
• Policy 1.3: 18-hour Downtown.

Encourage new uses that bring
evening and weekend activity, such
as retail shopping and services;
food stores; restaurants and cafes;
entertainment venues; community
facilities; outdoor public spaces; and
other similar uses.
• Policy 1.4: Active Uses. Encourage
and reinforce areas of existing and
new street-activating retail and
other ground floor uses (see Chapter
6: Land Use & Zoning for details).
• Policy 1.5: Robust Retail. Attract
neighborhood and visitor serving
uses, including experiential
retail and restaurants, to increase
patronage from Watsonville
residents and the surrounding
region.
• Policy 1.6: Employment. Attract
office uses to bring additional
daytime population that further
supports restaurants and retail
and diversifies Watsonville’s
employment base.
• Policy 1.7: Opportunity Sites.

Prioritize development on the
identified opportunity sites to
catalyze revitalization in downtown.
• Policy 1.8: Priority CBD
Processing. Provide priority
development review processing for
mixed-use (residential/commercial)
projects.

PHOTO CAPTION—The City-owned right-of-way on Main Street has a landscaped median that contributes to the street environment.

40 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Urban Design
Goal 2
Identify and celebrate the various
parts of Downtown in creating a
mixed-use vibrant environment.

Goal 3
Incorporate placemaking
concepts to make Downtown a
pedestrian friendly, active, and
vibrant mixed-use environment.
• Policy 2.1: Character Areas.

Recognize that different parts
of the Specific Plan area have
distinct character and should be
designed to enhance those unique
characteristics. Promote, encourage,
and increase higher levels of
infill, reuse, reinvestment, and
revitalization within each of the
Character Areas.
• Policy 2.2: Historic Core. Prioritize
new active uses, adaptive reuse, and
pedestrian improvements in the
Historic Core along Main Street and
around the Plaza.
• Policy 2.3: Varied Intensity. Allow
the highest densities and heights in
the Historic Core and Civic Core with
moderate-intensity developments
in areas adjacent to single family
neighborhoods.
• Policy 3.1: Active and Attractive
Street Wall. Create an active
continuous street wall with
buildings at the back of walk
along Main Street and other
major corridors to create a
seamless pedestrian experience.

The downtown should offer an
attractive urban environment, with
pedestrian-friendly streets and
a high level of special enclosures
created by taller buildings built close
to the street.
• Policy 3.2: Built Form. Orient the
function, shape (height and mass)
and configuration of buildings to the
street to create an urban experience.
• Policy 3.3: Gathering Spaces.

Encourage entertainment, dining,
cultural uses, and other social
gathering spaces to activate the area,
draw visitors, and serve residents
throughout the day.
• Policy 3.4: Walkable
Environment. Improve the
pedestrian experience, public space,
aesthetics, and design quality to
attract visitors, serve residents and
workers, and promote walking.

41 CHAPTER 2—DOWNTOWN VISION, GOALS & POLICY DIRECTION
Goal 4
Celebrate Watsonville’s unique
setting and resources to make
Downtown a regional attraction.
• Policy 4.1: Sense of Place. Leverage
and strengthen Watsonville’s
cultural and historic identities to
create a sense of place.
• Policy 4.2: Tourism & Cultural
Destinations. Attract more visitors
by adding cultural activities and
facilities, such as regular concerts
and museums.
• Policy 4.3: Unique Elements.

Allow and encourage public and
private buildings and development
projects that promote Watsonville’s
history, arts, and culture through
the addition of signs, distinctive
landscaping, monuments, and/
or other features that identify the
downtown as a distinct place.
• Policy 4.4: Connections to Nature.

Connect to the Watsonville Slough
and Pajaro River with bicycle
and walking trails and provide
interpretive graphics to celebrate
these unique resources.

PHOTO CAPTION—The Watsonville City Plaza is a gathering place for the community.

42 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Affordable Housing and Housing Production
Goal 5
Increase the production of new
below market rate (BMR) and
market rate housing units in
downtown.

Goal 6
Leverage City resources and
funding for production of more
affordable housing in Downtown.
• Policy 5.1: Mix of Unit Types.

Encourage a range of housing
types and sizes – including small,
medium, and large residential
units, intergenerational housing,
co-housing, live-work, or other
innovative housing formats for a
variety of different household sizes,
income levels and stages of life
throughout the Plan area.
• Policy 5.2: Inclusionary Housing.

Pursue plan-wide affordable
housing production through existing
inclusionary policy and development
of all-affordable projects.
• Policy 5.3: Housing Needs.

Broaden available housing options
by identifying housing affordability
and typology gaps and providing to
developers.
• Policy 6.1: Incentives for Housing
Production. Develop new and
apply existing incentives for
affordable housing. Apply existing
city incentives (e.g., providing City
affordable housing funding such
as CDBG, Affordable Housing Fund,
etc.) to promote the development of
affordable housing in the Plan area.
• Policy 6.2: City Funding and
Expediting Processing. Encourage
100% below-market-rate housing
with City funding and collaborative,
streamlined project processing.
• Policy 6.3: Funding. Consider
innovative funding sources, tax
credit programs, and public-private
partnerships to make affordable
housing more viable in the Plan area.
• Policy 6.4: Publicly owned Sites.

Consider offering or developing
100% below-market-rate housing on
publicly owned opportunity sites.
• Policy 6.5: Fee deferrals. Provide
deferred low interest loans for
selected development impact
fees for 100% below-market-rate
housing projects.

43 CHAPTER 2—DOWNTOWN VISION, GOALS & POLICY DIRECTION
Anti-displacement Strategies
Goal 7
Pursue reinvestment in existing
affordable housing in the
downtown to stabilize existing
neighborhoods.
• Policy 7.1: Existing affordable
housing stock. Protect existing
affordable housing downtown
(older housing stock) by restricting
condominium conversions,
preserving existing SROs, instituting
replacement requirements, and
by expanding the City’s existing
Owner-Occupied and Rental Housing
Rehabilitation programs.
• Policy 7.2: Reinvestment. Partner
with non-profits and affordable
housing developers to support
acquisition of and reinvestment
in existing affordable housing
downtown.
• Policy 7.3: Education and
Outreach. Promote existing
programs among downtown
residents through outreach efforts
and educational opportunities.
• Policy 7.4: Existing City
Programs. Continue implementing
existing citywide housing programs
such as the inclusionary housing
ordinance, incentives such as
priority processing for 100%
affordable housing projects.
• Policy 7.5: Assistance Programs.

Continue to look for grant
opportunities to expand funding for
the First Time Home Buyer Program
and Down-payment Assistance
Program.

PHOTO CAPTION—Informational booth for the 2020 Census

44 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Historic Preservation
Goal 8
Maintain and enhance the
historic character of the
Downtown through coordinated
planning that builds upon its key
assets and reinforces its historic
development patterns.
• Policy 8.1: Historic Identity.

Identify and protect the integrity of
the historic core around the Plaza.
• Policy 8.2: Historic Preservation.

Continue to identify, designate, and
maintain significant buildings,
homes, and landmark features.
• Policy 8.3: Street Grid. Protect and
enhance the existing fine-grained
street grid pattern in Downtown.
• Policy 8.4: Adaptive Reuse. Protect
historic structures by strongly
encouraging their adaptive reuse.
• Policy 8.5: Sensitive Infill. Use
development and design regulations
to develop sensitively designed infill
projects.
• Policy 8.6: Historic Districts.

Evaluate and designate groupings
of historic structures as historic
districts.
• Policy 8.7: Historic Ordinance.

Update the City’s historic ordinance
to reflect best practices for the
preservation and modification of
historic structures.

PHOTO CAPTION—Historical view of Main Street in Downtown Watsonville

45 CHAPTER 2—DOWNTOWN VISION, GOALS & POLICY DIRECTION
Economic Development
Goal 9
Enhance commercial activity as a
driver for downtown’s economic
vitality and growth.
• Policy 9.1: Existing Businesses.

Retain existing retail and service
businesses that serve the needs
of the community and provide
employment opportunities for
residents.
• Policy 9.2: Mix of Uses. Ensure
the continued presence of a diverse
range of retail and service uses in
the Specific Plan area, even as the
character and use mix of downtown
Watsonville change over time.
• Policy 9.3: Regional Attraction.

Encourage location of new retail,
professional, and residential uses as
well as personal services within the
downtown to serve the entire Pajaro
Valley region.
• Policy 9.4: Opportunity Sites.

Prioritize infill development
on vacant and underutilized
sites to jumpstart Downtown’s
revitalization.

PHOTO CAPTION—Produce mural at East Beach Plaza

46 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Mobility and Parking
Goal 10
Provide convenient access
and circulation for all modes
of transportation, enhance
walkability and bikeability in
Downtown Watsonville.
• Policy 10.1: Complete Streets.

Design streets to provide safe and
comfortable facilities for all people
walking, biking, rolling, riding
transit, or operating motor vehicles.
• Policy 10.2: Main Street. Re-design
Main Street as a traffic calmed street
with an emphasis on active uses
and the highest levels of pedestrian
activity.
• Policy 10.3: Caltrans Facilities.

Work with Caltrans to re-imagine SR
152 to function as a Downtown Street
with priority given to pedestrians and
destination traffic.
• Policy 10.4: Truck Route. Consider
removing the truck route designation
from SR-152 within Downtown.
• Policy 10.5: Bicycle Network.

Provide a connected network of bike
facilities within the Specific Plan area
and connect to existing and planned
regional bike trails including the
Pajaro River Levee Path, Watsonville
Slough Trail, and the Monterey Bay
Scenic Sanctuary Trail.
• Policy 10.6: Bicycle Facilities.

Require bike repair stations at key
public locations and bicycle parking to
make bicycle usage more convenient.
• Policy 10.7: Pedestrian
Improvements. Improve pedestrian
facilities to improve safe and efficient
pedestrian circulation in Downtown
including upgraded crosswalks,
curb extensions, midblock crossings,
paseos, and ADA accessible facilities.
• Policy 10.8: Travel Demand
Management. Increase the
availability of mobility options to
access and travel within the Specific
Plan area without driving alone and
reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)
associated with new development.

Goal 11
Provide an efficient parking
strategy to manage parking
demand and supply in
Downtown.
• Policy 11.1: Parking Management.

Effectively manage parking to
accommodate demand through
increased utilization of existing
supply.
• Policy 11.2: Shared Parking.

Eliminate barriers to development
by reducing requirements for onsite parking through use of shared parking.
• Policy 11.3: Parking Minimums.

Reduce parking requirements to
increase housing affordability and
reduce construction costs.
• Policy 11.4: Parking District
Expansion. Expand the boundaries
of the existing Downtown Parking
District to match the Specific Plan
boundary.
• Policy 11.5: Curb Management.

Effectively manage competing
priorities for curb space to safely
accommodate active travelers,
passenger pick-up/drop-offs, and
deliveries.

47 CHAPTER 2—DOWNTOWN VISION, GOALS & POLICY DIRECTION
Transit Infrastructure
Goal 12
Leverage and support existing transit services to realize Downtown’s potential to become a multi-modal mixed-use district.

Goal 13
Ensure that the infrastructure in place is adequate to meet the needs of residents and businesses in Downtown Watsonville.
• Policy 12.1: Transit Center.

Capitalize on the presence and
function of the Transit Center at
Rodriguez Street by improving
pedestrian connectivity to the rest of
downtown.
• Policy 12.2: Historic Transit
Station. Work with the appropriate
agencies to establish a transit station
at the historic Watsonville Railroad
Depot and improve connections to the
rest of Downtown.
• Policy 13.1: Water Demand.

Evaluate demand for water use
and estimate needed upgrades to
ensure adequate water supply for the
anticipated amount of development.
• Policy 13.2: Sanitary Sewer.

Identify any needed upgrades
to ensure adequate wastewater
removal.
• Policy 13.3: Stormwater Quality.

Minimize impacts to stormwater
quality in a manner that improves
water quality by following City
of Watsonville’s Stormwater Post
Construction requirements.
• Policy 13.4: Urban Sustainability
Area. Consider pursuing approval
of an Urban Sustainability Area
designation from the Central Coast
Regional Water Quality Control Board.
• Policy 13.5: View Corridors.

Minimize the impact of utilities on
view corridors by undergrounding
utilities as infill projects are
developed.

PHOTO CAPTION—Santa Cruz METRO Bus

48 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Chapter 3:

DESIGN

FRAMEWORK

3.1—Introduction

3.2—Design Framework

3.3—Character Areas

3.4—Growth Projections for the Specific Plan Area

49 Page 240 of 1168
50 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN

DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE

ALREADY HAS THE FOUNDATION
FOR A GREAT CITY CENTER.

ITS HISTORIC BUILDINGS, SMALL

SHOPS, URBAN STREETS,

AND PLAZA MAKE IT A

MEMORABLE AND
PEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLY PLACE.

51 CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK
Section 3.1

INTRODUCTION
PHOTO CAPTION—Watsonville Civic Plaza At the same time, there are many promising opportunities to build upon downtown’s attractive features. The downtown also has vacant lots and nondescript low-rise buildings that, over time, might be replaced with urban uses that can contribute to the area’s vitality. The Specific Plan presents an extraordinary urban design opportunity to create a unique sense of place by building on these existing elements, as well as highlighting the historic character and architectural features of the area.

The goal of the Design Framework is
to develop the Plan area holistically,
as a system of spaces, structures,
and environments integrated into its
surroundings rather than as linear
strips of unrelated buildings and
undefined streetscapes.

A clear framework with a strong
sense of place provides visitors and
residents with an understanding of
how to find their way around easily
and safely and to efficiently identify
uses and activities. Arrangement
of land uses into identifiable nodes,
improved streetscapes, connected
courtyards and open spaces, and
enhanced landmarks and features will
help make Downtown Watsonville an
accessible, distinctive, and cohesive
identity.

52 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Section 3.2

DESIGN FRAMEWORK
The Design Framework, as illustrated in Figure 3–1, sets PHOTO CAPTION—Aerial view of Watsonville City Plaza forth the overall urban design approach that will achieve the Specific Plan’s goal of transforming the area into an active, vibrant downtown. The urban design approach is based on the major strategies, or “big ideas,” identified by the community during the development of the Specific Plan. Each of these strategies is intended to support the implementation of the Downtown vision with the creation of new housing, jobs, and improvements to transportation and public spaces for residents and businesses in the downtown.

These big ideas or strategies are:
• Retain downtown’s charming
historic architecture and
character
• Build on and extend downtown’s
walkable scale
• Activate downtown with
new uses, special events and
programming
• Provide improvements to the
public realm–streetscape, public
art, murals
• Re-imagine Main Street right-ofway to address traffic calming and walkability goals
• Provide more housing choices and
maintain affordability
• Improve bicycle and pedestrian
connectivity and safety
• Address traffic speed and
congestion concerns
The Design Framework recognizes that
the Plaza is the focus of the Downtown
and the area immediately surrounding
it should have the most prominence
in terms of activity, building intensity
and priority. This area (see Historic
Downtown Core character area in
the next section) will be the focus
of changes to the street network
with traffic calming and “road diet”
on Main Street, as well as several
placemaking elements to improve the
pedestrian experience. Adaptive reuse
of historic buildings and new mixeduse infill with new ground floor active storefronts will create an active street
frontage. Parklets, sidewalk extensions
and street amenities including highquality furniture and street lighting will contribute to the desired sense of
place. A palette of carefully selected
street trees will unify the variety of
existing and future land uses in the
Plan area.

The Design Framework also considers
the desired land use vision for other
parts of downtown. This vision is
described in the next section that
describes the identified character
areas. Along with the vision for the
character areas, the design concepts
for opportunity sites, and the bicycle
network recommendations together
also inform the design framework.

Design Framework
Opportunity Site
Gateway
Streetscape Improvements Active Frontages
Historic Core
Pedestrian Environment (Priority)
Activity Node
Paseos
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E 5th St
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D
Design Framework
Opportunity Site
Gateway
Streetscape Improvements Active Frontages
Historic Core
Pedestrian Environment (Priority)
Activity Node
Paseos
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside
E 5th St
E Beach St
Cen
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D Design Framework
Opportunity Site
Gateway
Streetscape Improvements Active Frontages
Historic Core
Pedestrian Environment (Priority)
Activity Node
Paseos
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E 5th St
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W Riverside Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D
Celebrate the
historic Watsonville
Plaza as a major
activity node
Provide streetscape
improvements on
Downtown streets
Use gateways and
wayfinding signage
to mark arrival in
Downtown
Recognize the Historic Core as the
heart of Downtown Watsonville; focus
revitalization efforts here and expand to
other areas over time
Prioritize a pedestrian environment
with a road diet on Main Street and
restoration of two-way traffic on E.

Lake Avenue and E. Beach Street
Catalyze downtown revitalization
with development on the
identified opportunity sites
Continue active ground-floor uses and
building design along Main Street and other
identified frontages to reinforce an active
pedestrian environment
53 Figure 3–1
DESIGN

FRAMEWORK
Specific Plan Boundary
Parks/ Open Space
Building Footprint
Rail Line
Paseos
Activity Node
Gateway
5 Active Frontages
7 7
6 5
4 3
2 1
Opportunity Site
Historic Core
Pedestrian Environment (Priority)
2 6 Streetscape Improvements
4 3
1 3
2

54 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Section 3.3

CHARACTER AREAS
TOP TO BOTTOM—Main Street streetscape; Fox Theater in Downtown Watsonville
Different parts of the Plan area have varied and distinct use and form characteristics which should be recognized and enhanced as the Plan area redevelops. Each of these subareas or “character areas” define the identity and “look and feel” of each area within downtown, the attributes that make each of these places distinct and unique, fostering a sense of place with consistent urban design.

Character Areas establish a framework that each one is developed with an appropriate mix of land uses, activities, public open spaces, and amenities, as these are the building blocks for a complete neighborhood.

There are eight-character areas within
the Specific Plan: Historic Downtown
Core, Civic Core, Gateway, East
Neighborhood, West Neighborhood,
Workplace/Industrial, Commercial
Flex, and Residential Flex. Figure
3–2: Character Areas illustrates the
boundaries of the character areas
within downtown.

For each of the character areas, this
section provides a more focused
vision, defines the desired urban
design characteristics, and provides
guidance for the land use mix. Each
character area contains strategies
and priorities to implement the vision
for downtown Watsonville, and to
create a unified sense of place and
address land use compatibility. This
section provides high-level guidance
on vision, use, placemaking strategies,
and opportunity sites within each
area. Chapter 6: Land Use & Zoning
prescribes development and design
regulations for all construction within
the Plan area.

E 5th St
Brennan St
Carr St
W Beach St
East
Neighborhood
Historic
Downtown Core
Civic
Core
Commercial
Flex
Residential Flex
Workplace/Industrial
Gateway
Commercial
Flex
West
Neighborhood
Character Areas
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Historic Downtown Core
Civic Core
Gateway
East Neighborhood
West Neighborhood
Workplace/Industrial
Commercial Flex
Residential Flex
Park/Open Space
Waterway
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside
E Beach St
Cent
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
Rodriguez St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Marchant St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D Historic Downtown Core East Neighborhood
Civic Core West Neighborhood
Gateway Commercial Flex
Workplace/ Industrial Residential Flex
E 5th St
Brennan St
Carr St
W Beach St
East
Neighborhood
Historic
Downtown Core
Civic
Core
Commercial
Flex
Residential Flex
Workplace/Industrial
Gateway
Commercial
Flex
West
Neighborhood
Character Areas
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Historic Downtown Core
Civic Core
Gateway
East Neighborhood
West Neighborhood
Workplace/Industrial
Commercial Flex
Residential Flex
Park/Open Space
Waterway
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
Rodriguez St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St
Marchant St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D Specific Plan Boundary
Waterway
55 Figure 3–2

CHARACTER AREAS

56 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Opportunity Sites
In some of the character areas,
vacant and underutilized sites have
been identified as opportunity sites.

Development on these opportunity
sites have the potential to be catalytic
projects that could help to spark
redevelopment and reinvestment in
the downtown. Many of these sites are
publicly owned, or if privately-owned,
have owner interest in redeveloping.

The concept designs shown for these
opportunity sites are intended to be
illustrative in nature. Development on
these sites shall follow the regulations
noted in Chapter 6. Figure 3–3
illustrates the location for Opportunity
Sites in downtown Watsonville.

PHOTO CAPTION—Martinelli’s property is identified as a opportunity site.

Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parks/Open Space
Waterway

PUBLIC REALM IMPROVEMENTS
Opportunity Site
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E 5th St
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D 57
CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK

PUBLIC REALM IMPROVEMENTS
Opportunity Site
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E 5th St
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
DFigure 3–3

OPPORTUNITY SITES
Opportunity Sites

E 5th St
Brennan St
Carr St
East
Neighborhood
Historic
Downtown Core Civic
Core
Residential Flex
Workplace/Industrial
Gateway
Commercial
Flex
Commercial
Flex
W Beach St
West
Neighborhood
Character Areas
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Historic Downtown Core
Civic Core
Gateway
East Neighborhood
West Neighborhood
Workplace/Industrial
Commercial Flex
Residential Flex
Park/Open Space
Waterway
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St Rodriguez St
Rodriguez St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St Marchant St
Walker St
W Riverside Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D
Character Area Boundary
Specific Plan Boundary
Parks/Open Space
58 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Historic Downtown Core
Existing Setting
The Historic Downtown Core is in the
heart of downtown and includes a mix
of well-regarded landmarks and places
like Watsonville Plaza as well as many
historic buildings that give downtown
Watsonville a unique and authentic
character. See Figure 3–4.

The Plaza is well programmed with
many special events, ranging from
weekly Farmers Markets to the annual
Strawberry Festival. The historic
buildings in this area are built at the
front property line with no setbacks,
creating a strong street wall presence
along the sidewalk. The sidewalks
are narrow, typically 10 feet in most
locations. Street amenities are limited
with sporadic street trees and street
furniture. The existing street network
establishes a clear hierarchy but is
challenged by the constraints posed by
Caltrans Route 152 along portions of
Main Street and E. Lake Avenue and
E. Beach Street. However, it presents
an opportunity to make enhancements
that are inclusive of transportation
and traffic management, safety,
and streetscape design (e.g., wider
sidewalks, parklets, bulb outs, etc.).

The Historic Downtown Core has the
potential to be a successful mixed-use
area that incorporates housing and
ground-floor retail. Today, there are
only a limited number of housing
units in this area. Several buildings in
the Downtown Core have vacant and
underutilized storefronts and are noncontributing to the street character with boarded or closed storefront
windows and openings, disrupting
the historic street pattern. Several
vacant parcels and surface parking
lots provide an opportunity for infill
development.

Figure 3–4

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN CORE CHARACTER AREA
* Note: Map is not to scale. Page 249 of 1168
59 CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK
Vision
The vision for this character area is to create an active, vibrant pedestrianoriented environment that builds on the historic fabric and brings more vitality to downtown throughout the day and into the evening. To achieve this vision, the Plan seeks to recalibrate this area to create and maintain a continuous street wall with transparent and visible storefronts. To preserve the historic charm of the Historic Downtown Core, façade rehabilitation will be necessary to restore the historic frontage character. Ground floors in this area should be designed to be retail-ready, with the appropriate height, street setbacks and outdoor space necessary to enable and encourage street activity.

The street network will be modified to create a traffic-calmed Main Street with reduced number of travel lanes, parklets and bulb-outs. The E. Beach and E. Lake one-way couplet will be converted to two-way with the Beach Street portion removed from the Hwy 152 system. Both streets will also accommodate parklets, on-street parking and new streetscape amenities.

Uses
The types of uses envisioned in the Historic Downtown Core include residential, commercial, office, and service uses among other similar uses deemed conditionally acceptable by the City.

Placemaking Strategies
The Historic Downtown Core is a critical location to support active modes of transportation and street activity in the downtown. To promote a people-centered use of public space, the following placemaking strategies have been identified for the Historic Downtown Core character area:
• Require active ground floor uses
(retail and restaurants), with
housing and office above.
• Encourage and enable outdoor
dining on sidewalks and new
parklets.
• Maintain and create a continuous
and active street-wall (e.g., new
shopfronts and façade rehabilitation
of existing buildings).
• Incorporate consistent and unifying
streetscape and public realm
improvements.
• Create and manage a Downtown
Improvement District including a
shared parking supply, branding and
wayfinding program, programming
of special events, etc.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM—Mansion House; Watsonville City Plaza; Lettunich Building; Fox Theater
Opportunity Sites
The Historic Downtown Core is home to two major opportunity sites for significant infill development, of which the city controls several key parcels.

These opportunity sites are the Mansion House block and Gottschalk block.

Figure 3–5 Mansion House Opportunity Site
Paseos and
Courtyards
Existing Ortiz Deli
(historic portion)
Plaza
New mixed use
buildings
Mansion
House
60 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
The opportunity site is located within the block bound by Main Street, Beach Street, Alexander Street, and Lake Avenue. The Watsonville Plaza is directly adjacent to the site. Prior to the 1960’s, Brennan and Union Streets were not connected and instead the Brennan continued to Alexander Street before ending at Beach Street. Similarly, Union Street stopped at Beach Street. In the 1960’s, Union and Brennan Streets were connected through the Mansion House block, which created an island between Union and Alexander Street. The Specific Plan considers restoring the former street configuration for this block, which would create a major development site in the heart of downtown. While issues of traffic flow, utilities relocation and other topics would need to be considered and addressed, this opportunity site would be a major catalyst. The development site includes the City-owned parking lot behind the Mansion House and the vacated street right-of-way.

The new site configuration could accommodate a shared parking structure as well as a new mixed-use infill project that could better define and connect to the Watsonville Plaza. The new development could include ground-level commercial spaces, residential above, and public courtyards connected with paseos. This mixed-use infill development would help to support activity in the Historic Downtown Core. The Ortiz Deli building located on the corner of E.

Beach and Alexander Streets, could be retained, and incorporated in the new site configuration.

A small plaza at the terminus of Union Street would create a view corridor, connecting street activity to the interior courtyards, alleyways, and paseos.

Programming of these interior public open and gathering spaces with outdoor dining, cinema, and other active uses will help activate the development. See Figure 3–5 Mansion House Opportunity Site for details.

Mansion House Block
Alexander St.

Main St.

Union St.

Brennan St.Lake Ave.

Beach St.

PHOTO CAPTION—Examples of multifamily residential units and shared public outdoor spaces to be programmed with various activities at different times of the day.

Figure 3–6 Gottschalks Block Opportunity Site
The
Terrace
Bus Depot
School
Dropoff
New School Over
Commercial
Long-term
Development
Opportunity,
Including Shared
Parking Structure
61 CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK
This block is one of the larger sites located directly in the heart of downtown, bound by Main Street, Beach Street, Rodriguez Street, and Lake Avenue. West of Main Street is the Gottschalk building which has a charter school use above vacant ground-floor commercial space. The 54-unit Terrace housing development is located in this block. Other uses on this block include a CVS Pharmacy, Auto Zone and the Resetar single room occupancy development. Much of the block interior is a privately-owned surface parking lot serving the various uses located in that block.

The concept for this opportunity site addresses the goal to improve pedestrian circulation through large blocks by using paseos and alleyways to break the large blocks up into smaller blocks. These smaller blocks would reinforce the historic nature of the Downtown Core as a walkable and easy to navigate environment.

These paseos could also create a comfortable pedestrian connection between the Watsonville Transit Center on the corner of W. Lake Avenue and Rodriguez Street and Main Street.

In the near term, there is an opportunity to provide better circulation on-site.

Connections could be improved by incorporating a drop-off/pick-up location and reconfiguring the shared parking lot to establish a pleasant walking path along the back of the buildings. Improvements could be as simple as reconstructing part of the building to providing critical access through the block from Main Street into the interior of the block. The parking lot presents a longer-term development opportunity to provide a shared parking structure, new uses along W. Lake Avenue and Rodriguez Street.

Gottschalks Block
Main St.

Rodriguez St.

Beach St.

Lake Ave.

62 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Civic Core
Existing Setting
The Civic Core is uniquely positioned
within downtown and is anchored
by City Hall, the joint-use Civic Plaza,
Library, Police Station, and Post Office.

Many properties in this character
area are publicly owned. The Civic
Core has some of the tallest buildings
and massing in the downtown with
prominent buildings like the jointuse Civic Plaza fronting Main Street.

Most buildings are located behind
parking areas or large landscaped
setback areas, providing a suburban
frontage. The City also owns the Fire
Station site with a large parking lot
to the rear along 2nd Street. The US
Post Office parcel with its expansive
parking lot surrounding the post
office is a large presence on Main
and Rodriguez Streets that is ripe for
intensification. Additionally, a shared
parking structure (located on 2nd
Street and Rodriguez Street) adds to the
shared parking supply for the Historic
Downtown Core and the Civic Core on
nights and weekends.

The Main Street segment in the Civic
Core is not under Caltrans jurisdiction
and is under the control of the City.

Recent streetscape improvements
along Main Street include a landscaped
median, crosswalks, street trees and
other street amenities. Improvements
to make Rodriguez Street more
pedestrian-friendly are needed. Main
Street is the gateway from the south
from Pajaro. Traffic calming along
Main Street is a desired goal.

E 5th St
W Beach St Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Carr St
East
Neighborhood
Historic
Downtown Core Civic
Core
Residential Flex
Workplace/Industrial
Gateway
Commercial
Flex
Commercial
Flex
West
Neighborhood
Character Areas
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Historic Downtown Core
Civic Core
Gateway
East Neighborhood
West Neighborhood
Workplace/Industrial
Commercial Flex
Residential Flex
Park/Open Space
Waterway
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St Rodriguez St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St Marchant St
Walker St
W Riverside Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D
Figure 3–7

CIVIC CORE CHARACTER AREA
Character Area Boundary
Specific Plan Boundary
Parks/Open Space
* Note: Map is not to scale. Page 253 of 1168
63 CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK
Vision
The vision for this character area is to maintain its core civic functions and to extend the active pedestrian environment from the Historic Core by adding active mixed-use infill development. This vision can be achieved by consolidating city functions in a couple of specific locations, allowing space for new development.

The vision also includes the long-term repurposing of the large, underutilized Post Office site, in addition to streetscape upgrades such as landscape medians and crosswalks to provide connectivity and improve walkability along Main Street and Rodriguez Streets.

Uses
The types of uses envisioned in the Civic Core are civic uses, mixed-use with retail, housing, and entertainment.

Placemaking Strategies
The Civic Core is a character area intended to be defined by civic focused uses in a mixed-use environment. There is an opportunity to consolidate similar uses while also integrating area-unifying public realm enhancements that are supportive of active modes and connections. The following placemaking strategies have been identified for the Civic Core character area:
• Redevelop the majority city-owned
block fronting Main Street between
Maple Street and 1st Street with
active, mixed-use infill including
retail, housing, entertainment, and
City Hall uses.
• Consolidate City essential services -
Police and Fire - on Rodriguez Street
and the Fire Station site.
• Allow higher densities and intensity
along Main Street to match the scale
of the Civic Plaza, while ensuring a
transition in scale to neighborhoods
east of Union Street.
• Establish a consistent and unifying
streetscape with public realm
improvements supportive of
walkability along Main Street and
Rodriguez Street.
• Leverage the underutilized Civic
Center parking structure to provide
significant shared parking on nights
and weekends.
• Extend Central Avenue from Main
Street to Union and Rodriguez
Streets to create a connection and
infill sites
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM—Watsonville Civic Plaza; Porter Building; Intersection of Main Street and Second Street in front of Porter Building Opportunity Sites
The Civic Core has several City-controlled, vacant, and underutilized sites on Main Street which present an important opportunity to evolve the Civic Core into a thriving civic mixed-use area within downtown. Opportunity sites in the Civic Core character area include The City Hall, Police Station, Fire Station, and US Post Office sites.

Figure 3–8 City Hall/Civic Campus & U.S. Postal Service Opportunity Site Main St.

Mixed-Use
Neighborhood
Scale Multifamily
64 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
This is a city-owned site where
municipal services and the Police
Department are located. This site
excludes the Porter building located
on the corner of Maple Avenue and
Main Street and will be sold to a
private entity. To achieve the site’s full
potential, the Police Department could
be relocated to the fire station site on
2nd Street and Rodriguez Street. The
redevelopment project could include
a mix of market rate and affordable
housing, new commercial uses along
with accommodating existing City
Hall functions. This site could be
occupied by 3-4 story mixed-use and/
or residential buildings over a singlestory podium, with courtyard space above the parking. The development
would need to be sensitive to adjacent
single-family uses by transitioning
into smaller neighborhood-scaled
multifamily buildings along the east
side of Union Street. Larger, taller
buildings would be located along the
Main Street frontage, echoing the scale
of the 4-story Civic Plaza.

U.S. Postal Service (Long-Term)
This is a prime location that is currently used by a one-story post office surrounded by a vast surface parking lot. If the postal service building were to cease operations in this location or be relocated elsewhere in the city in the future, this site has tremendous potential to connect to and support the City Hall/Civic Campus site and function as a Civic Core gateway into downtown. Redevelopment could create a more active environment and additional development sites by developing a smaller block and street network that extends Central Avenue to the west of Main Street towards Rodriguez Street.

City Hall/ Civic Campus
Maple Ave.Riverside Dr.

Main St.

Rodriguez St.

Union St.

PHOTO CAPTION—Example of mixeduse and residential development

Figure 3–9 Fire Department Opportunity Site
New Police
building
Historic Fire
Station
Existing Fire
Department
65 CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK
Fire Department
The site is located at 2nd Street and
Rodriguez Street where the existing
fire station and museum would be
anticipated to remain. Currently, the
back of the site is used for parking
and for conducting fire department
exercises. If this site is redeveloped,
then a new location for conducting
these activities would need to
be identified. The vision for this
site includes relocating the Police
Department to this site, consolidating
essential City services to one block.

In the event of a Police Department
relocation, while the interior of the
site will contain parking, additional
parking needs of the relocated station
would need to be supplemented with a
shared civic parking structure across
Rodriguez Street.
2nd St.

Rodriguez St.

66 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Gateway District
Existing Setting
The Gateway character area contains
the southern portion of the Plan
area along Main Street and includes
properties along Riverside Drive
and First Street. This character area
functions as a transition area and
gateway to the central portion of the
Plan area and the more active Historic
and Civic Core character areas.

E 5th St
W Beach St Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Carr St
East
Neighborhood
Historic
Downtown Core Civic
Core
Residential Flex
Workplace/Industrial
Gateway
Commercial
Flex
Commercial
Flex
West
Neighborhood
Character Areas
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Historic Downtown Core
Civic Core
Gateway
East Neighborhood
West Neighborhood
Workplace/Industrial
Commercial Flex
Residential Flex
Park/Open Space
Waterway
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St Rodriguez St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St Marchant St
Walker St
W Riverside Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D
Figure 3–10

GATEWAY CHARACTER AREA
Character Area Boundary
Specific Plan Boundary
Parks/Open Space
* Note: Map is not to scale.

PHOTO CAPTION—Existing view of Main Street near Riverside Drive, a proposed gateway site; Source: Google Maps 2022

67 CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK
Vision
The Gateway character area is envisioned to be a transition area and gateway to the central portion of the Plan area and the more active Historic and Civic Core character areas. Development in this character area would create a sense of entry to downtown. Consistent streetscapes and gateway treatments would help create the desired public realm.

Uses
The uses envisioned in the character area include a mix of commercial and residential uses, both as stand-alone and in a mixed-use format.

Placemaking Strategies
The Gateway character area is defined by its transitional nature and will establish a sense of arrival or departure from the downtown. The following placemaking strategies have been identified for this area:
• Establish a gateway into downtown
on Main Street near Riverside
Drive with gateway signage and/or
gateway monuments.
• Require new development to be
built at or near the street, creating
an urban form consistent with
the denser Civic Core and Historic
Downtown Core character areas.
• Establish consistent and unifying
public realm improvements.

PHOTO CAPTION—Example gateway to Downtown Montpelier, Vermont. 8 Opportunity Sites
No opportunity sites for this character area have been identified. However, connections to the Pajaro River Levee Trail have been identified at two potential access points including at Front Street at the Linear Park and on Walker Street. If provided, these access points could positively influence the Plan area in addition to reinforcing bicycle connectivity along Union Street to the Levee Trail.

8. “Montpelier Sign” by Carla Occaso

E 5th St
W Beach St Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Carr St
East
Neighborhood
Historic
Downtown Core Civic
Core
Residential Flex
Workplace/Industrial
Gateway
Commercial
Flex
Commercial
Flex
West
Neighborhood
Character Areas
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Historic Downtown Core
Civic Core
Gateway
East Neighborhood
West Neighborhood
Workplace/Industrial
Commercial Flex
Residential Flex
Park/Open Space
Waterway
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St Rodriguez St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St Marchant St
Walker St
W Riverside Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D
68 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Commercial Flex
Existing Setting
The Commercial Flex character area
covers portions of Main Street north of
the Historic Core, and along Rodriguez
Street at Beach Street. This area is
adjacent to historic neighborhoods
that provide a strong customer base
for downtown uses. The large block
sizes within this area limit walkability
for pedestrians. Much of the original
building stock is still in place, which
could be revitalized with minor
improvements. Along Main Street, the
uses evolve to less active uses such as
churches, schools, banks along with
commercial uses. The street frontages
along Main Street are generally intact
and can be improved with minor
interventions. The Rodriguez Street
section contains a variety of underutilized lots and buildings in a street environment with inconsistent street
treatments.

Figure 3–11 COMMERCIAL FLEX CHARACTER AREA * Note: Map is not to scale.

Character Area Boundary
Specific Plan Boundary
Parks/Open Space

69 CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK
Vision
The vision for this area is to become a lively, walkable mixed-use environment with new active ground floor uses that bring foot traffic to the area. The intent is to create a mix of uses that includes housing and commercial but is less intensive than the Historic Core and Civic Core areas. The Commercial Flex area is an ideal location to encourage, but not require, active ground floor uses as well as continue the street wall along Main Street with both horizontal and vertical mixed use.

Uses
The types of land use envisioned support a mixed-use environment inclusive of commercial, housing, and office uses.

Placemaking Strategies
The Commercial Flex area could evolve into a vibrant mixed-use area, providing a concentration of new jobs and residents within a short walk of the Historic and Civic Cores. The following placemaking strategies would support such a vision:
• Build off the strong existing street
network and incorporate improved
connectivity as infill occurs.
• Attract infill development types that
activate downtown.
• Incorporate diverse type and
affordability levels of new housing
options.
• Support vertical mixed use on Main
Street or stand-alone residential
projects on other sites.
• Establish consistent and unifying
public realm improvements.
• Construct a roundabout at Freedom
Boulevard and Main Street.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM—Two-story building on street corner in Downtown Watsonville; Multifamily housing; Mixed density housing in Downtown Watsonville; Blocked off shopfront openings on building side.

70 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
This is a three-parcel site that includes a city-owned parking lot and two privately-owned parcels. The site is serviced by an existing alley on 5th Street and a city parking lot off Lake Avenue. The site includes the Ramos Furniture Store, indoor playground store and a public parking lot. Bank of America is located on the corner of Main and 5th Streets. To the south of the site is a pleasant courtyard next to the Woman and Infants Center (WIC), which is currently not connected to the interior of the block.

Redevelopment of this site provides an opportunity to create new mix of uses, improve pedestrian connectivity within this large block, and highlight the existing gathering spaces such as the WIC courtyard. Reconfiguring the rear part of the site could connect the existing alley and parking, allowing for vehicular access and circulation to provide access to the new buildings. The internal block connections could also link to the WIC courtyard and provide pedestrian connections to Main Street and Lake Avenue.

The portion of the site fronting Main Street provides a development site for a new mixed-use building. The concept establishes a mixed-use development along Main Street with walk-up residential buildings toward the back of the site. The 3-4 story development could take the form of a podium building over parking that would line the ground floor of Main Street with commercial uses. The upper levels would access residential units or office use, and courtyard space. This building that could introduce a significant number of residences or office square footage into downtown.

South of the Bank of America building, is a second parking area that is underutilized. The concept for this portion of the site includes neighborhood scaled multifamily buildings (e.g., missing middle or multi-plex courtyard typology) with surface parking that blends into the single-family housing along 5th Street.

Main and 5th Street Infill
Figure 3–12 Main and 5th Street Opportunity Site
5th St.

Lake Ave.

Main St.

Mixed
Use
Upper level
residential
courtyard
PHOTO CAPTION—Example of mixed-use development

71 CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK
E 5th St
W Beach St Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Carr St
East
Neighborhood
Historic
Downtown Core Civic
Core
Residential Flex
Workplace/Industrial
Gateway
Commercial
Flex
Commercial
Flex
West
Neighborhood
Character Areas
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Historic Downtown Core
Civic Core
Gateway
East Neighborhood
West Neighborhood
Workplace/Industrial
Commercial Flex
Residential Flex
Park/Open Space
Waterway
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St Rodriguez St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St Marchant St
Walker St
W Riverside Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D
Residential Flex
Existing Setting
The Residential Flex Character Area is
located along the segment of Brennan
Street between E. Lake Avenue and
Freedom Boulevard. The area is more
suburban in character and includes
many existing single-family homes;
many of which have been converted to
commercial or office uses.

Figure 3–13 RESIDENTIAL FLEX CHARACTER AREA
PHOTO CAPTION—Existing view of
Brennan Street (between 5th Street and
Palm Avenue); Source: Google Maps 2022
* Note: Map is not to scale.

Character Area Boundary
Specific Plan Boundary
Parks/Open Space

72 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Vision
The vision for the Residential Flex character area is to continue a mix of residential and commercial uses with an appropriate scale of transition east into the residential neighborhoods. Small scale and stand-alone residential is permitted along Brennan Street and clustered to the east side of the street while the west side accommodates more service and business uses.

Uses
The types of land use envisioned in the Residential Flex Character Area support a mixed-use environment inclusive of small-scale residential, commercial and office uses.

Placemaking Strategies
This area would seek to retain its residential character while supporting compatible uses and development typologies of similar scales. The following placemaking strategies support in achieving the area’s vision:
• Create opportunities for new
housing choices in downtown, either
as stand-alone projects or as vertical
mixed-use infill along Brennan
Street.
• Consider increased density/intensity
that creates a scaled-down transition
to the surrounding single-family
neighborhood.
• Establish streetscape and public
frontage improvements that support
new and existing businesses on the
west side of the street.

PHOTO CAPTION—Examples of multi-story multifamily residential housing Opportunity Sites
Given the existing residential character of the Residential Flex zone, no opportunity sites were identified in this character area. The focus of this area should be on placemaking opportunities.

73 CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK
E 5th St
W Beach St Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Carr St
East
Neighborhood
Historic
Downtown Core Civic
Core
Residential Flex
Workplace/Industrial
Gateway
Commercial
Flex
Commercial
Flex
West
Neighborhood
Character Areas
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Historic Downtown Core
Civic Core
Gateway
East Neighborhood
West Neighborhood
Workplace/Industrial
Commercial Flex
Residential Flex
Park/Open Space
Waterway
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St Rodriguez St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St Marchant St
Walker St
W Riverside Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D
East Neighborhood
Existing Setting
The East Neighborhood character area
is anchored by the Martinelli’s property
and contains a mix of uses that include
traditional single-family residential of
which many have been converted to
offices and neighborhood commercial,
public, and industrial uses. There is also
a strong traditional urban development
pattern in the area where downtown
extends into the historic neighborhoods.

Many of the single-family homes are
historic and have been converted to
office uses. The East Neighborhood is
also home to a significant amount of
landmark civic and industrial buildings
that support an authentic neighborhood
character (e.g., Martinelli & Co., Veteran’s
Memorial Building, School, Church, etc.).

The Martinelli’s facility is an important
historic and cultural resource for
downtown. The iconic company started
business in 1886 at this location.

While business operations have
mostly been relocated to other more
modern facilities, this site has a special
significance for both the company and
the City of Watsonville.

The character area is flanked by the
Hwy 152 couplet on E. Lake Avenue and
E. Beach Street and is characterized
by higher traffic volumes and speeds.

The public realm is in need of major
improvements.

Figure 3–14

EAST NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER AREA
Character Area Boundary
Specific Plan Boundary
Parks/Open Space
* Note: Map is not to scale. Page 264 of 1168
74 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Vision
The vision for this character area is to create a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood with residential, commercial, office, civic, and educational uses. The buildings in the area would be appropriately scaled and step-back to smoothly transition into, and maintain compatibility with, the surrounding context and historic neighborhoods.

Uses
The types of land use envisioned support infill opportunities for housing (standalone multifamily or mixed-use), commercial, office and visitor-serving uses.

Placemaking Strategies
• Encourage the adaptive reuse of
the Martinelli’s Site with uses that
are supportive of the activation
of downtown (e.g., residential,
commercial/office, civic, college, etc.)
• Allow neighborhood-scale
multifamily and enable
neighborhood-scale mixed-use infill.
• Preserve the character and quality
of historic homes on Beach Street
and Alexander Street. Focus on
uses that leverage the value of these
significant architectural landmarks
(e.g., bed & breakfasts, restaurants,
coffee shops, galleries, etc.)
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM—Martinelli Building; Victorian-style home on East Beach Street; Victorian-style home; Multifamily housing adjacent to church; Veterans Memorial Building

75 CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK
The Martinelli’s site is a 2-acre property that is currently zoned industrial and serves as a production facility for the Martinelli’s company. Martinelli’s is a culturally meaningful business in Watsonville, due to its long-standing history.

The company has another, larger facility in town and no longer uses this property for its main operations. It has expressed the possibility of ceasing operations in downtown Watsonville in the future, and if that were to occur, the site would become available for a new development opportunity. While the Specific Plan does not provide a design concept for this site, the plan establishes parameters for the redevelopment of the site while also ensuring that Martinelli’s is not restricted in its use while it exists. Given the site’s cultural significance, adaptive reuse is strongly recommended.

New development must consider the site’s historic and cultural significance, proximity to the high school, the activation of Beach Street and the adaptive reuse of portions of the existing brick L-shaped building. New development would be appropriately scaled to respond to the adjacent housing located on Eaton Court and Center Street. New uses could include a mixture of housing, retail, and office as well as visitor serving uses, such as a museum, art gallery, coffee shops, and others.

Bethel Parking Lot
This is a vacant parking lot near Martinelli’s that has the potential to be developed with residential infill development.

Martinelli Site
PHOTO CAPTION—Martinelli property
Transition to
Residential
Neighborhood
Martinelli’s
Center St.

E. Beach St.

Marchant St.

Carr St.

Lincoln St.

76 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
E 5th St
W Beach St Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Carr St
East
Neighborhood
Historic
Downtown Core Civic
Core
Residential Flex
Workplace/Industrial
Gateway
Commercial
Flex
West
Neighborhood
Commercial
Flex
Character Areas
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Historic Downtown Core
Civic Core
Gateway
East Neighborhood
West Neighborhood
Workplace/Industrial
Commercial Flex
Residential Flex
Park/Open Space
Waterway
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E 5th St
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St Rodriguez St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St Marchant St
Walker St
W Riverside Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D
West Neighborhood
Existing Setting
The West Neighborhood character
area is a short walk from the Historic
Downtown and Civic Core areas and
has a strong mix of uses – residential,
commercial, and industrial – in
suburban patterns. Incompatible
uses currently exist adjacent to each
other with multifamily residential
directly adjacent to industrial uses.

Numerous historic houses with strong
architectural character exist in this
area, with many well-maintained
properties that have been improved
creating a charming and appealing
environment.

The large block sizes in the West
Neighborhood are long, up to 1,000
feet long and deter walking. The
West Neighborhood is also home
to Marinovich Park and Radcliff
Elementary School which bring people
to the area from all over the city. Figure 3–15 WEST NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER AREA * Note: Map is not to scale.

Character Area Boundary
Specific Plan Boundary
Parks/Open Space

77 CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK
Vision
The vision for this area is to build on existing uses and transition to a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood – allowing a wide variety of active uses, including multifamily housing, live-work, maker spaces, and light industrial uses.

Underutilized sites could be adaptively reused for live-work opportunities while leveraging the concentration of residents within proximity to the Workplace Industrial, Historic Downtown Core, and Civic Core character areas. Additionally, major street frontages such as Lake Avenue, Beach Street, and Rodriguez Street are envisioned to have a more urban feel with smaller setbacks.

Uses
The types of land use envisioned support infill opportunities for housing (standalone multifamily or mixed-use), commercial, office and incubator/light industrial uses.

Placemaking Strategies
• Support by-right neighborhoodscale multifamily and enable neighborhood-scale mixed-use infill.
• Evolve the area into a horizontally
mixed-use neighborhood with a
wide variety of active uses, including
multifamily housing, live-work,
maker space, light-industrial, etc.
• Enhance bike and pedestrian
connections by focusing on the
access point to the Watsonville
Slough along Walker Street/Harkins
Slough Road. The slough is located
outside the Specific Plan area but
still has a significant importance to
downtown.

TOP TO BOTTOM—Multifamily housing in Downtown Watsonville; Mix of commercial and residential uses
Opportunity Sites
There are limited vacant sites available; however, there are several underutilized properties that provide opportunities for reinvestment.

78 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Workplace/Industrial
Existing Setting
The Workplace/Industrial character area is located along Walker Street and is adjacent to the Westside Industrial Area. It is characterized by factory and lightindustrial businesses originally serviced by rail. The Workplace/Industrial area has a strong jobs base and presents a good opportunity for new businesses to locate in and near downtown. The vacant and underutilized industrial buildings in the area are not in pristine condition but have the potential for adaptive reuse.

Currently, the large block sizes and incomplete pedestrian infrastructure deter walkability. The truck-oriented public realm with multiple, large driveways, parking access and rolled curbs further contribute to this condition.

The historic rail depot is located at Walker Street and W. Lake Avenue, just outside the Plan boundary. In the future, the Historic Depot could potentially provide passenger rail access to Watsonville, making this area a new downtown gateway.

Walker Street contains the planned Segment 19 of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail, which is both a multi-use path and an on-street facility.

Vision
The vision for this area is to continue to provide jobs for residents and build off the existing workplace/industrial character by adapting underutilized sites into business incubators for tech, creative offices, makerspaces, galleries, breweries, coffee roasters, and coffee shops. This area could be more tactically activated to attract a critical mass to downtown. A prototypical approach can be applied to turn some of the parking areas of former industrial businesses into areas with outdoor dining, congregation, and usable outdoor space. This area will have a funky industrial-artsy feel with a continued eclectic mix of industrial and limited new infill housing. The historic depot could provide future passenger rail access to Watsonville, making this area a new downtown gateway.

This area has large, underutilized buildings that can be adaptively re-used while the lower cost of land in this area could incentivize new investment. Walker Street would become more active with public facing uses and amenities, while the future transit stop at the historic depot could provide linkages back to the Downtown Core. Residential uses may also be conditionally permitted in this character area, especially with the advent of passenger rail.

LEFT TO RIGHT—Industrial and residential uses; Industrial buildings in Downtown Watsonville

79 CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK
E 5th St
W Beach St Rodriguez St
Brennan St
East
Neighborhood
Historic
Downtown Core Civic
Core
Residential Flex
Workplace/Industrial
Gateway
Commercial
Flex
Commercial
Flex
West
Neighborhood
Character Areas
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Historic Downtown Core
Civic Core
Gateway
East Neighborhood
West Neighborhood
Workplace/Industrial
Commercial Flex
Residential Flex
Park/Open Space
Waterway
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St Rodriguez St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St Marchant St
Walker St
W Riverside Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D
Uses
The types of land use envisioned for this area focus on employment uses include industrial, flex, research and development, office, supportive commercial and limited residential.

Placemaking
Strategies
• Encourage and incentivize adaptive
reuse of vacant/underutilized
industrial sites.
• Focus a critical mass of activity
around the historic depot site and
Walker Street.
• Redevelop large vacant /
underutilized sites to provide a
concentration of new jobs and
within a short walk of the Historic
Core.
• Conditionally allow residential
uses on strategic sites, especially
in conjunction with transit service
along the rail corridor.
• Support streetscape and public
realm improvements on Walker
Street that activate building
frontages and support new
businesses and pedestrian activity
(including wide sidewalks, street
trees & furnishing, outdoor dining,
public plazas & paseos, etc.).
• Establish consistent and unifying
public realm improvements.

Figure 3–16 WORKPLACE/INDUSTRIAL CHARACTER AREA
Character Area Boundary
Specific Plan Boundary
Parks/Open Space

80 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
A major opportunity site in the Workplace/Industrial character area is located between W. Lake Avenue and W. Beach Street and one parcel east of Walker Street. Currently, an under-utilized truck parking lot, this large site is under single ownership. Redevelopment of this site could include a variety of different uses, including a light industrial flex development. It could also redevelop with a mix of uses including residential, as shown in Figure 3–17.

Beach/Lake Industrial Site
Figure 3–17 Beach/Lake Industrial Site
Lake Ave.

Lake Ave.

Walker St.

Beach St.

Beach St.

Walker St.

Historic Depot
Transition to
Residential
Neighborhood
Transition to
Residential
Neighborhood
Reconfigure:

Shared Parking
Opportunity
Reconfigure:

Shared Parking
Opportunity
Outdoor Patios
+ Dining
New Brewery +
Food Truck Plaza
Retail +
Restaurants +
Outdoor Dining
Multifamily /
Mixed Use
Signature
gateway building
Opportunity for
a Plaza with a
Market at retail
station
Retail + Restaurants
+ Outdoor Dining
Infill
Buildings
PHOTO CAPTION—Examples of re-purposed industrial buildings

81 CHAPTER 3—DESIGN FRAMEWORK
Section 3.4

GROWTH PROJECTIONS FOR

THE SPECIFIC PLAN AREA
The Specific Plan area is mostly developed with historic commercial buildings and established residential
neighborhoods. Hence, future potential growth is likely to be directed to the identified opportunity sites, vacant City-owned parcels, and a limited number of vacant or
under-utilized sites that could be redeveloped. The goal of this approach is to develop growth projections that can cover all anticipated development in the next 25 years but not overestimate what could be built.

These growth projections will be the basis for traffic forecasts, as well as the EIR technical studies for noise and air quality. The growth projections will also be used to forecast greenhouse gas emissions and analyze infrastructure demand (water, sewer, wastewater). The City will monitor development relative to the projections over time.

Table 3–1 Growth Projections for the Specific Plan Area Proposed Use Type Size (Square Feet) Total
Residential Residential 3,886 DU 3,886 DU
Restaurants, Cafes,
Bars
Commercial
Industrial
150,248 SF
7,537 SF
157,785 SF
Retail Commercial 57,788 SF 57,788 SF
Research and
Development
Industrial 56,524 SF 56,524 SF
Office Commercial
Industrial
23,115 SF
37,683 SF
60,798 SF
Civic Civic 114,572 SF 114,572 SF
Industrial Industrial 275,084 SF 275,084 SF
Total Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Civic
3,886 DU
231,151 SF
376,827 SF
114,572 SF
722,550 SF

82 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Chapter 4:

MOBILITY AND

TRANSPORTATION

4.1—Multimodal Network and Strategies

4.2—Street Network

4.3—Parking, Curb Management and Transportation Demand Management

83 Page 274 of 1168
Along with the associated standards
and guidelines for implementation.

The chapter includes the following
topics:
• Multimodal Network and
Strategies—a description of
the vision and framework for
pedestrian, bicycle, and transit
network recommendations in the
Plan area, including an overview of
existing networks and recommended
standards and guidelines for
implementation.
• Street Network—a description of
the street network, design concepts
for downtown streets, pedestrian
network improvements, and bike
network improvements.
• Parking, Curb Management and
Travel Demand Management—
a description of parking, curb
management and transportation
demand management strategies,
including an overview of existing
systems and recommended
standards and guidelines for
implementation.
84 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN

THE MOBILITY

AND TRANSPORTATION

CHAPTER PRESENTS

STRATEGIES AND NETWORK

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR

ALL MODES OF TRAVEL

WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN

WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC

PLAN AREA

85 CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
The multimodal network and strategies recommendations within this chapter are informed by the Specific Plan’s Vision Themes and Guiding Principles that were developed through stakeholder meetings, community workshops, and Advisory Committees.

Specific Plan Themes
• Safety—Create a transportation
network that is safe for all travelers
by reducing conflicts between modes
and implementing proven traffic
calming design elements throughout
the Plan area.
• Dignity—Design facilities for
walking, biking, and rolling that
provide safe and comfortable access
for travelers of all ages and ability.
• Equity—Provide a range of
affordable mobility options to
improve access for all residents,
employees, and visitors of the Plan
area.
• Vitality—Improve connectivity to
surrounding neighborhoods and
support access to local businesses
within the Plan area.
• Preservation—Enhance the
streetscape experience of the Plan
area though improvements like
additional lighting, planting, and
shading.
• Innovation—Reduce vehicle trips
and accommodate future demands
through implementation of parking,
transportation demand, and curb
management strategies.

Section 4.1

MULTIMODAL

NETWORK AND

STRATEGIES
PHOTO CAPTION—Streetscape of Main Street in Downtown Watsonville Mobility Framework

86 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Mobility Goals
Complete Streets—Design streets to
provide safe and comfortable facilities
for all people walking, biking, rolling,
riding transit, or operating motor
vehicles.

Parking—Effectively manage parking
to accommodate demand through
increased utilization of existing supply
and eliminate barriers to development
by reducing requirements for onsite parking through use of shared parking.

Curb Management—Effectively
manage competing priorities for curb
space to safely accommodate active
travelers, passenger pick-up/drop-offs,
and deliveries.

Travel Demand Management—
Increase the availability of mobility
options to access and travel within the
Plan area without driving alone and
reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)
associated with new development.

This chapter is also informed by recent transportation related planning efforts conducted by the City including the Vision Zero Action Plan (2021), Downtown Watsonville Complete Streets Plan (2019), and Downtown Watsonville Parking Plan (2017). The Specific Plan advances those efforts by providing standards, guidelines, and design concepts to implement the following in Downtown Watsonville:
• Install improvements to enhance pedestrian safety and access, ADA accessibility, bicycle connectivity, and revitalize Downtown streetscape. • Provide bicycle infrastructure that connects Downtown to key locations and provides a low stress environment for bicycle riding.
• Provide enhanced facilities for walking.
• Enhance parking, travel demand, and curb management to support an environmentally and fiscally sustainable downtown that increases quality of life in Watsonville.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM— Example of a multimodal street with separated bike lanes, on-street parking, and wide, shaded sidewalks Watsonville Brillante at the Civic Center parking structure; Rideshare pickup zone; Carshare parking

87 CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Pedestrian Network
Existing Conditions
All trips, whether by automobile,
transit, or bicycle, begin and end
with walking. Current street
design standards include provision
of sidewalks (7 feet wide) or a
combination of planting strips and
sidewalks (9 feet wide), which are
relatively narrow for downtown
commercial areas. The built
environment in the Plan area can
contribute to a welcoming atmosphere
for pedestrian activity where sidewalk
widths are adequate. Downtown
consists of a mix of land uses ranging
from residential to central commercial
to light industrial. The City has
already made some key investments
to improve safety, including sidewalk
and crosswalk upgrades, bulb-outs,
tactile warning devices, landscaped
medians, and added signage. These
improvements, while concentrated
along a limited number of corridors,
are a step in the right direction
towards improving pedestrian
visibility and comfort.

Standards • Continuous sidewalks shall be
provided on all streets within the
Plan area.
• Design and maintenance of
pedestrian facilities should
provide safe and comfortable
walking for the most vulnerable
travelers, including children,
seniors, and those with mobility
impairments.
• Complete street designs that
reduce conflicts between modes and
enhance the experience of traveling
by active modes should be installed
throughout the Plan area.
• Traffic calming measures that
reduce the speed of motor vehicles
and reduce collision severity should
be installed throughout the Plan
area as deemed feasible by City
engineers.
• Tactile warning measures such as
truncated domes shall be installed
with all ramp improvements to
enhance navigation for travelers
PHOTO CAPTION—Existing crosswalk on Main Street near Watsonville Civic Plaza with vision impairments.

88 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Guidelines
• A clear path of travel, at least
5’ wide should be provided for
pedestrians along all sidewalks,
without obstruction from lighting,
utilities, fire hydrants, or street
furniture (see Figure 4-10). Where
space allows, sidewalks should be
widened to at least 10 feet.
• Crosswalks should be clearly
marked and provided at each leg
of an intersection. Widths should
correspond to the sidewalks they
connect to or be a minimum of
12’ outside stripe to outside stripe,
whichever is greater. High-visibility
treatments, such as ladder or “triple
four” designs, should be used for
all crosswalk upgrades or new
installations to allow motorists to
see pedestrians more easily from
further away.
• Direct accessible ramps should
be provided and aligned to each
crosswalk at an intersection.
• Curb extensions or bulb-outs
should be installed at intersections
where feasible to reduce crossings
distances, slow turning vehicles, and
increase the visibility of pedestrians.

Curb extensions may also
accommodate streetscape features
such as lighting, landscaping, or
wayfinding.
• Lead-pedestrian intervals
should be provided at signalized
intersections to prioritize crossing
for people walking and using active
mobility devices before through
and right-turning vehicles are able
to enter an intersection. Examples
of active mobility devices include
manual or electric wheelchairs,
scooters, etc.
• Pedestrian access across
driveways should be provided
by maintaining the elevation and
material type of the sidewalk
across the driveway. Where feasible
the length and occurrence of
commercial driveways should be
limited.
• Human-scale lighting, such as the
historic double acorn design used in
some parts of Downtown should be
installed on block faces within the
study area that lack or have gaps in
lighting for pedestrians.
• Mid-block crossings may be
provided on block faces between two
intersections if warranted by the
presence of heavy volumes of desired
pedestrian crossings. Yield pavement
markings or “shark’s teeth” should
be provided in advance of mid-block
crossings to alert motorists.
• Pedestrian activated warning
systems such as Rectangular Rapid
Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) and
Audible RRFBs may be installed
at mid-block crossings without
a traffic signal or where heavy
traffic volumes and the visibility of
pedestrians warrant their presence.
• Chicanes are offset curb extensions
that may be installed on low volume
local streets to slow the speed
of motor vehicles. Chicanes are
typically installed with a gradual
taper so that it creates an S-shaped
roadway.

TOP TO BOTTOM—Example of a wide,
unobstructed sidewalk with pedestrian
amenities and curb bulb-out
TOP TO BOTTOM—Example of a highvisibility crosswalk and pedestrian activated warning system

89 CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Bicycle Network
Existing Conditions
The purpose of the citywide bicycle
network is to expand active travel
options within the city and adjoining
communities for commuters, and to
provide opportunities for recreation.

In the past decade, Class II bicycle
lanes and Class III bike routes have
been established along several major
collectors and arterial roads. Many of
these bikeways connect Downtown
Watsonville to the broader Santa Cruz
County bicycle network.

Key bicycle network connections to
Downtown include a Class II bicycle
lane along a portion of Freedom
Boulevard (from Miles Lane to Main
Street), a multi-class (I, II, III) on
Green Valley Road just outside the
Plan area, a Class II bicycle lane on
Airport Boulevard, and a Class II
bicycle lane on West Beach Road.

Outside City limits, a Class II bicycle
lane on Freedom Boulevard is part of
a contiguous, 9-mile route for cyclists
traveling from Watsonville to Aptos.

Four to five-foot-wide bicycle lanes
are also provided on both sides of the
majority of Rodriguez Street, some
with buffered area, and serve as a
key first/last mile connection to the
Watsonville Transit Center.

Bicycle travel within the Plan area is
limited to a few corridors and some
Class II and Class III bicycle facilities
are disconnected with limited
intersecting routes, which forces
people riding bicycles to share space
with motor vehicles. Bicycle lanes
along Beach Street are inconsistent,
changing between Class II and Class III
designations within Downtown before
discontinuing altogether north of
Lincoln Street. Bicycle parking in the
Plan area is also limited and may not
be easily accessible or provide security
for long-term storage.

PHOTO CAPTION—Bike lane along Walker Street

90 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Standards • Bicycle facility types shall be
designed according to the following
standards:
⸰ Bike Paths (Class I) provide a
separate right-of-way from motor
vehicles for the exclusive use of
bicycle riders and pedestrians.
⸰ Bike Lanes and Buffered Bike
Lanes (Class II) provide an
exclusive space for people riding
bicycles on the roadway within
a one-way striped lane, with a
minimum of 5’ of unobstructed
paved right-of-way. Striped or
vertical “buffers” at least 2’ wide
may be provided on one or both
sides to increase separation
between moving and/or parked
motor vehicles.
⸰ Bike Routes (Class III) provide
right-of-way for people riding
bicycles that is shared with motor
vehicle traffic. Bike routes should
be signed and may include shared
lane marking – “sharrows” – on
the pavement to increase the
awareness of motorists. Because
Class III facilities mix bicycle
travel with motor vehicles, they
should only be implemented on
low speed and low volume streets.
• Separation between bicycles and
vehicles shall be provided with
buffers on all bike lanes where
minimum travel lane, parking lane,
and sidewalk lane widths can be
maintained, especially on streets
with vehicle travel speeds of 35 mph
or greater.
• Design guidance for construction
of bicycle facilities shall be
referenced from the latest versions
of the California Manual on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices (CA-MUTCD),
National Association of City
Transportation Officials (NACTO)
Urban Bikeway Design Guide, and
documents produced by the Santa
Cruz County Regional Transportation
Commission (SCCRTC).
• Parking for bicycles shall be
provided throughout the Plan area
including short-term parking near
major activity centers and long-term
parking near the Transit Center.
• Minimum bicycle parking
supply shall be provided in new
developments, with ratios based on
the size of the land use, as prescribed
by the Association of Pedestrian and
Bicycle Professionals (APBP) Bicycle
Parking Guidelines.
• Bicycle detection shall be installed
at all actuated intersections along
existing and future bike facilities
as existing signals are repaired or
replaced. Bicycle actuated signals
automatically change to prioritize
bicycle movement after detection.
• Bicycle repair stations with
tools and space for the standard
maintenance of a bicycle shall be
provided in locations with public
long-term bicycle parking and
access-restricted rooms in new
developments.
• Conflict zone markings shall
be used to indicate the presence
of bicycle facilities through
intersections, right-turn pockets, and
driveways.
• Bike box markings shall
be installed at all signalized
intersections with bicycle facilities
where left turns are permitted to
provide a safe place for people riding
bicycles to establish themselves
TOP TO BOTTOM—Examples of a Class ahead of motor vehicles at stop lights.

II separated bike lane and Class III bike
route shared with vehicle traffic

91 CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Guidelines • Signal phasing at intersections
with separated bicycle facilities
(Class I or II) should have their
own signal phase for people riding
bicycles or a shared lead pedestrianinterval to reduce conflicts from right-turning vehicles.
• High-visibility paint, consistent
with CA-MUTCD colored paving and
striping standards, should be used
to delineate where on-street bicycle
facilities exist on the pavement of
the roadway.
• Bicycle parking types should be
installed as follows:
⸰ Long-term bicycle parking
should provide secure and covered
parking for periods longer than
two hours. This type of parking is
most appropriate for employment
sites, schools, transit stations,
and multifamily residential uses.

Long-term parking should provide
protection from the weather
and may be implemented using
lockers, cages, or access-restricted
rooms inside buildings; and
⸰ Short-term bicycle parking
should provide convenient
parking for where the typical
parking duration is less than two
hours. This type of parking is most
appropriate for retail, service,
and institutional uses. Short-term
parking should provide a rack
configured so the bicycle frame
and at least one bicycle wheel
can be secured with a U-lock or
padlock and cable.
• Bike share docking stations
may be installed on-street, similar
to a parklet, to encourage use at
enhanced bicycle facilities and
reduce obstructions to pedestrians
on the sidewalk.

PHOTO CAPTION—Example of a bicycle signal head

92 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Transit Network
Existing Conditions
The Watsonville Transit Center, located
on the corner of Rodriguez Street and
West Lake Avenue, provides inter- and
intra-city transit connections for the
Plan area. The Transit Center is served
by Santa Cruz METRO’s fixed-route and
paratransit services, in addition to a
limited number of Monterey-Salinas
Transit fixed-route and Greyhound
bus services.

Standards • Improve transit by working with
local agencies to expand the speed
and frequency of fixed-route bus
service.
• Enhance access to transit by
connecting pedestrian and bicycle
improvements to bus stops and
requiring new developments near
transit to improve stop amenities.
• Bus stops should provide shelters,
seating, digital real-time schedule
displays and lighting.
• Circulator service should be
supported by working with Santa
Cruz METRO to inform route
development and identify funding
sources to make the zero-emission
circulator pilot permanent.
• Support regional transit by
ensuring any future station in
Watsonville as part of potential
passenger rail on the Santa Cruz
Branch Line alignment provides
easy access to the Plan area.

PHOTO CAPTION—Watsonville Transit Center

93 CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
PHOTO CAPTION—Example of a bus shelter with real-time information display, enhanced lighting, and free public Wi-Fi
Guidelines • Bus stop improvements including
real-time information displays,
enhanced lighting, and upgraded
shelters may be included to improve
the transit riding experience and as
TDM mitigation measures for new
development.
• Future transit service may be
expanded by working with local
and regional transit operators
to adjust routes to enhance
connectivity between the Plan
area and parts of the community
with high concentrations of zero
vehicle households, lack current
transit options, or currently require
multiple transfers.
• Coastal rail trail access may
be provided by supporting the
implementation of the Monterey
Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network
bicycle and pedestrian trail within the
Sana Cruz Branch Line right-of-way.
• Travel lane use for buses may
include stopping in a travel lane
if approved by the City to reduce
transit delay. Where feasible in-lane
bus stops should only occur on the
far-side of intersections.
• Transit signal priority may be
installed to give buses priority at
intersections to enhance speed and
reliability.

94 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
The Specific Plan includes several key roadway improvements to support multimodal travel, increase safety, and improve access to local amenities and businesses. The future improvements are also designed to reduce potential conflict points between motorists, people who walk, and people who bike.

Key improvements include:
• Reducing the number of travel lanes
for Main Street from four to three
with a center running left turn lane
(or landscaped median) and one lane
in each direction between Riverside
Drive and Freedom Boulevard.
• Converting East Lake Avenue and
East Beach Street, which currently
operate as one-way couplets, into
two-way streets.
• Squaring off the connection between
Union Street and Alexander Street
from East Lake Avenue to East
Beach Street and vacating that
portion of Union Street for private
development.

Section 4.2

STREET NETWORK
PHOTO CAPTION—Existing view of Main Street.

The Downtown roadway network accommodates regional
traffic movement and local access. State Route 152 and State Route 129 pass through downtown east to west serving
as conduits of regional travel. State Route 152 continues as Main Street serving as the north-south spine of the network, distributing traffic beyond the Plan area throughout the city and connecting to State Route 1. The existing roadway network in Downtown is not developed in a uniform grid but features a multitude of varying block lengths, several curvilinear streets, and some one-way streets.

Figure 4–1 illustrates the recommended roadway improvements and changes to the directionality of East Lake Avenue and East Beach Street. Figure 4–2 Watsonville’s existing roadway classification from the 2005 General Plan, which is described below for reference.

Roadway Network

Roadway Network Improvements
Convert Lake Ave to Two-way
Road Diet on Main Street
Convert Beach Street to Two-way
Remove Segment from Caltrans SR-152
Vacate Portion of Union Street
Construct Roundabout at Freedom/Main
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E 5th St
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St Alexander St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D 95
Roadway Network
Major Arterial
State Route
Minor Arterial
Collector
Local Street
Paseos
Direction of
Travel
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E 5th St
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St Alexander St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D Specific Plan Boundary
Parks/ Open Space
Rail Line
Figure 4–1

RECOMMENDED SPECIFIC

PLAN ROADWAY NETWORK

IMPROVEMENTS
Road Diet on Main Street
Convert Lake Avenue to Two-way
Convert Beach Street to Two-way
Remove Segment from Caltrans SR-152
Vacate Portion of Union Street
Waterway
Construct Roundabout at Freedom/Main Page 286 of 1168
Roadway Network
Major Arterial
State Route
Minor Arterial
Collector
Local Street
Paseos
Direction of
Travel
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E 5th St
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St Alexander St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D96 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Roadway Network
Major Arterial
State Route
Minor Arterial
Collector
Local Street
Paseos
Direction of
Travel
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E 5th St
E Beach St
Center S
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St Alexander St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
t
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D Specific Plan Boundary
Parks/ Open Space
Rail Line
Figure 4–2

EXISTING SPECIFIC PLAN

ROADWAY NETWORK
Major Arterial
Minor Arterial
Collector
Local Street Paseos
Waterway
State Route

97 CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Street Types
• Major arterials are higher speed
streets that move large volumes of
traffic across the urbanized area and
provide access to the freeway. Some
major arterials, namely Riverside
Drive, have on-street parking on
segments that border residences
and neighborhood commercial
development. Major arterials near
thoroughfare commercial, shopping
centers, and/or industrial areas do
not have on-street parking. Main
Street is the only major arterial
with a landscaped median within
the Caltrans right-of-way between
Highway 1 and Freedom Boulevard.

Except for the portion of Main Street
that goes through downtown that
is not within the Caltrans right-ofway, no other roadway has both a landscaped median and on-street
parking. Major arterials in the
Plan area are East and West Beach
Street, East Lake Avenue, Freedom
Boulevard, Main Street, and
Riverside Drive.
• Minor arterials are medium speed,
medium capacity streets that connect
major arterials and local streets,
for regional and local circulation
between residential areas and areas
of employment or business. Many
minor arterials have on-street
parking, and these streets typically
border residential neighborhoods.

Minor arterials in the Plan area are
West Lake Avenue, Rodriguez Street,
Walker Street, and sections of Ford
Street and Union Street.
• Collector streets are relatively
low speed, low volume street used
for neighborhood circulation and
access to private property. Collector
streets also connect local streets to
the arterial network. Designated
collector streets in the Plan area are
Sudden Street, Carr Street, Brennan
Street, Marchant Street, Maple
Avenue, 2nd Street, and Front Street.
• Local streets are low speed, low
volume roadways that provide
direct access to primarily residential
areas and are characterized by
multiple driveways and on-street
parking. Local streets within the
Plan area typically do not have a
painted centerline, are less than 50
feet in right-of-way, and are mostly
found in residential neighborhoods
abutting Downtown. Examples of
designated local streets in the Plan
area include 5th Street, Grant Street,
Kearney Street, Center Street, Trafton
Street, Elm Street, and Grove Street.
• Paseos are narrower facilities
between buildings without
vehicular access, other than
potential fire access, and are
dedicated pedestrian-only facilities.

98 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Roadway Network
Figure 4–3 to Figure 4–10 present existing street views and cross-sections for future redesign concepts for certain roadways within Downtown Watsonville. These concepts aim to improve the safety and circulation of people walking and biking while preserving residential on-street parking. Street design features also expand the pedestrian realm by installing parklets intermittently along key commercial corridors.

The right-of-way dimensions are intended to serve as standards but allow for flexibility in the implementation process for other streetscape features. Implementation of future designs will require further study, engineering, and coordination with adjacent property owners.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT—Streetscape along Civic Plaza; Example of a Parklet

99 CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Main Street (East Lake Avenue to East Beach Street)
Figure 4–3 illustrates the existing view
and the future cross sections for Main
Street within the Caltrans right-of-way,
between East Lake Avenue and East
Beach Street. Future improvements
include reducing the total number of
travel lanes from four to three, with a
center running left turn lane and one
lane in each direction and reallocating
the additional right-of-way to expand
the sidewalk furniture zone with
on-street parklets and streetscaping
adjacent to on-street parking.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES:
• Reduce travel lanes from four to three
with a center running left turn lane and
one lane in each direction.
• Reallocate additional on-street right-ofway for parklets, sidewalk furniture, and widened sidewalks where feasible.
• Maintain on-street parking.
• Improve pedestrian crossings at
intersections.
• Provide medians at midblock locations
where feasible.

Figure 4–3 Future Main Street Cross Section (East Lake Avenue to East Beach Street) 8’ 7’ 7’ 10’ 10’ 10’ 7’ 7’ 8’ 1’ 1’
PHOTO CAPTION— Existing View of
Main Street (East Lake Avenue to East
Beach Street); Source: Google Maps 2022

100 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Main Street (Central Avenue to 1st Street)
Figure 4–4 shows the existing view
and future cross section for Main
Street between Central Avenue and
1st Street. This segment of Main Street
will reduce wide outside travel lanes
to create space for planters or planting
strips between the sidewalk and
outside vehicular travel lane. Planting
strips improve safety by adding more
separation between pedestrians and
vehicular traffic.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES:
• Maintain total right-of-way (ROW) of 78
feet.
• Require a public easement of 6 feet at
the front property line to expand the
sidewalk.
• Reduce travel lanes from four to two
with one vehicular travel lane in each
direction and maintain or widen the
existing landscaped median and/or
center running left turn lanes where
applicable.
• Replace outside travel lanes with onstreet parking and 2-foot buffers. • Consider expanding the pedestrian
realm with bulb-outs and planters at
intersections.

Figure 4–4 Future Main Street Cross Section (Central Avenue to 1st Street) 5’ 4’ 8’ 11’ 18’ 11’ 8’ 4’ 5’
2’ 2’
PHOTO CAPTION— Existing View of
Main Street (Central Avenue to 1st Street);
Source: Google Maps 2022

101
CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
East Lake Avenue
Figure 4–5 shows the existing view
and future cross section for East Lake
Avenue between Main Street and
Brennan Street. Future improvements
include converting East Lake Avenue
from one-way westbound to two-way
travel, with a center left turn lane
where necessary for traffic operations
or local access.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES:
• Maintain existing ROW.
• Maintain number of vehicular
travel lanes.
• Replace two westbound through
lanes and dedicated right turn lane at
intersections with one through lane in
each direction and dedicated center
turn lane at intersections or along the
full length of commercial blocks as
needed for local access.
• Preserve on-street parking.
• Center left turn lane may not be
necessary through the length of the
corridor and parking may be feasible
where no left turn is needed.

Figure 4–5 Future East Lake Avenue Cross Section (between Main Street and Brennan Street) 8’ 11’ 10’ 11’ 8’ 8’ 3’
PHOTO CAPTION— Existing View of East
Lake Avenue; Source: Google Maps 2022

102 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
East Beach Street
Figure 4–6 shows the existing view
and future cross section for East Beach
Street between Main Street and Union
Street. Like East Lake Avenue, the East
Beach Street future section calls for a
conversion from one-way eastbound
to two-way travel. This one-block
segment will include narrower vehicle
travel lanes to create space for parklets
used to expand the pedestrian realm.

Major intersections (not shown here)
will include crossing improvements
such bulb-outs and upgraded
crosswalks to improve pedestrian
safety.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES:
• Maintain existing ROW.
• Maintain number of vehicle travel lanes.
• Replace two eastbound through lanes
with one through lane in each direction.
• Preserve on-street parking where
feasible.
• Dedicate 7 feet of curb-to-curb rightof-way for parklets on north side or widened sidewalks on both sides.

Figure 4–6 Future East Beach Street Cross Section (Main Street to Union Street) 10’ 7’ 10’ 10’ 10’ 7’ 10’ 2’6” 2’6”
PHOTO CAPTION—Existing View of East
Beach Street; Source: Google Maps 2022

103
CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Rodriguez Street
Rodriguez Street provides connections
to the Watsonville Transit Center and
serves as a major north-south corridor
in the bicycle network. The right of way
and lane geometry varies along the
length of this corridor, and there are
several factors that will impact bicycle
facility design details. For example,
at the West Beach Street intersection,
Rodriguez transitions from one to two
northbound lanes before transitioning
back to one northbound lane north of
West Lake Avenue. To accommodate
buffered bike lanes and conform with
existing lane geometry north of West
Lake Avenue and south of West Beach
Street, one northbound vehicle travel
lane will be removed. Further study
will be required. Further south, where
there is already a bicycle lane present,
there may be an opportunity to
implement a parking protected bicycle
lane and/or protected intersection
design treatments to provide more
separation between people riding
bikes and moving vehicles. However,
the presence of driveways, bus loading
zones at bus stops, the fire department,
and other potential mid-block vehicle
conflict points must be considered.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES:
• Maintain existing ROW and vehicle lane widths.
• Maintain only one vehicle travel lane in each direction. • Increase northbound bicycle lane from 4 feet to 6 feet and maintain best practice bicycle lane widths of 6 feet minimum where feasible.
• Increase east and west side buffer widths and add vertical separation such as planters or flexible bollards where feasible.

PHOTO CAPTION—
Existing view of
Rodriguez Street; Source:

Google Maps 2022
Given Rodriguez Street’s function as a primary north-south corridor parallel to Main Street, the potential to elevate the public realm and support future development, and the various design factors for bicycle infrastructure, a focused corridor plan will require additional feasibility analysis and design to define specific recommendations.

104 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Union Street
Figure 4–7 shows the existing view
and future cross section for Union
Street between Maple Avenue and
Grant Street. The City has been
awarded transportation funding to
install corner curb extensions along
Union Street and Brennan Street and
is planned for construction in 2024.

Future improvements provide Class
III sharrows with signage along with
traffic calming measures to slow
vehicular traffic and increase comfort
for people biking. Traffic calming
measures may include chicanes with
planter boxes placed at midblock
locations, designed to minimize
impacts to on-street parking.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES:
• Maintain existing ROW.
• Maintain vehicle lane widths.
• Minimize impacts to on-street parking.
• Add Class III marked sharrows with
signage.
• Integrate traffic calming measures such
as chicanes or planter boxes.

Figure 4–7 Future Union Street Cross Section (Maple Avenue to Grant Street) 6’ 4’ 8’ 24’ 8’ 4’ 6’
PHOTO CAPTION—Existing View of
Union Street; Source: Google Maps 2022

105
CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Walker Street
Walker Street provides connections
to the existing and planned regional
trail network and to residential and
industrial neighborhoods along the
west edge of the Plan area. The right of
way and lane geometry varies widely
along the length of this corridor,
and there are several factors that
will impact bicycle facility design
details. For example, rail tracks run
through the center of the street south
of West Beach Street, and many of the
properties throughout the corridor
have rolled curbs and off-street
parking or long stretches of flexible
vehicle access along their frontages.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES:
• Maintain existing curb-to-curb dimensions and one vehicle travel lane in each direction • Integrate flexible delineators within existing buffers • Maintain and/or add a clear path of travel for pedestrians and complete sidewalks where possible PHOTO CAPTION—
Existing view of Walker
Street; Source: Google
Maps 2022
The curb-to-curb width and vehicle access needs vary along the length of Walker Street. Where there is sufficient rightof-way, existing bicycle lanes and buffers should be widened to maximize comfort while future phases of the rail trail network are in development.

On Walker Street south of West Beach street, plans for a bike path or bike lane connecting to Riverside Drive and the regional trail network are being considered. Additional feasibility and design strategies for addressing conflicts between onsite parking, driveways, rail tracks and bike access must be considered.

Long-term plans from the Monterey
Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network
Master Plan call for a bicycle and
pedestrian path connecting the
Downtown area to the existing trail
network in the Watsonville Slough
Wetlands and a future trail to Pajaro
Valley High School. The proposed
rail trail would be located along the
existing publicly owned railroad rightof-way, and additional feasibility and concept development will be necessary
to define the cross section on Walker
Street south of West Beach Street.

106 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
West 5th Street
Figure 4–8 shows the existing view
and future cross section for a typical
neighborhood street such as West
5th Street. Neighborhood streets will
provide sharrows with signage and
traffic calming measures to create a
low-stress environment for people
walking and biking. Neighborhood
streets connect to major east-west
and north-south corridors within the
bicycle network.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES:
• Maintain existing ROW and number
of vehicle travel lanes, maintain 11-foot
vehicle lanes
• Reduce parking lane width by 1 foot,
from 8 feet to 7 feet.
• Add Class III marked sharrows with
signage.
• Provide a 2-foot buffer between the
parking lane and Class III sharrows.
• Preserve residential on-street parking.
• Integrate traffic calming measures
such as bulb-outs at intersections, and
chicanes or planter boxes at midblock
locations where feasible.

Figure 4–8 Future West 5th Street Cross Section (Walker Street to Rodriguez Street) 8’ 7’ 20’ 7’ 8’ 2’ 2’
PHOTO CAPTION— Existing View of West
5th Street; Source: Google Maps 2022

107
CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Paseos
Figure 4–9 illustrates the conceptual
design for the minimum width of
a typical paseo that is proposed
throughout the study area. Alleyways
and the space between buildings are
repurposed to create gathering spaces
and comfortable walking paths that
connect to busier arterial streets.

Lighting and other amenities will be
provided to enhance the pedestrian
experience.

Figure 4–9 Future Paseo Cross Section
12’ minimum
PHOTO CAPTION—Example of paseos
with businesses and foliage

108 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Recommended Pedestrian Network Improvements
• Enhanced midblock crossings
(e.g., pedestrian refuge islands,
rapid flashing beacons, pavement
markings and signage) to connect
paseos intersecting arterial streets.

All improvements will be ADAcompliant.
• Create network of paseos at locations
shown in Figure 4–11, with
minimum widths of 12 feet.
• Improved pedestrian connections
(e.g., signalization, high-visibility
striping, curb extensions, and/or
other treatments) at the locations
shown in 4-10.

Figure 4–10 Sidewalk Zones for Downtown/Commercial Streets Pedestrian Network Improvements
The Specific Plan identifies pedestrian network improvements and best practices for sidewalk design. As illustrated in the cross sections above, there are opportunities to expand the pedestrian realm with parklets and curb extensions, and to increase the permeability of the Downtown street network with paseos.

Figure 4–10 presents the different elements of a Downtown sidewalk, which should include a frontage zone to accommodate building entryways and facades, a pedestrian through zone with a clear and unobstructed path of travel, and a street furniture/curb zone where utilities, landscape elements, and other amenities are located outside of the through zone. The dimensions of these elements will vary in width. For example, on some streets there is no available space for a frontage zone, and commercial land uses will not occupy sidewalk space. Likewise, the total width of the pedestrian through zone will vary depending on available right of way, and the furniture zone width will also vary depending on available right of way or may be accommodated in the expanded pedestrian zone via parklets. Similarly, available sidewalk width will determine if and where sidewalk dining is allowed.

Many of the pedestrian improvements address the need for safer, more visible crossings on high-speed, high-volume arterial streets and comfortable off-street facilities that provide alternative access routes to local amenities. Underutilized alleyways and spaces between buildings shall be repurposed to create a paseo network, which will provide pedestrians alternative paths to travel around Downtown. Upgrades at major intersections such as Main Street and East Lake Avenue may include curb extensions, crosswalk visibility enhancements, and leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs). Figure 4–11 shows the location of future pedestrian network improvements. 2’ 5’ Min.–10’ 4’ Min.–6’ 8’

Existing Pedestrian Network Future Pedestrian Network
Paseos
Intersection Improvements
Midblock Crossings
Midblock Crossings
Paseos and Mid-Block Walkways
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E 5th St
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St Alexander St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D 109
CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Midblock Crossings
Existing Pedestrian Network Future Pedestrian Network
Paseos
Intersection Improvements
Midblock Crossings
Midblock Crossings
Paseos and Mid-Block Walkways
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E 5th St
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St Alexander St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
St
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
F
Digure 4–11

PEDESTRIAN NETWORK

IMPROVEMENTS
Intersection
Improvements
Midblock Crossings
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parks/ Open Space
Rail Line
Paseos
Future Improvements
Waterway
Paseos and Mid-Block
Walkways
Existing Improvements

110 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Bicycle Network Improvements
The Specific Plan includes several new bicycle facilities. The new facilities will close gaps in the existing bicycle network, expand Downtown’s existing network, and allow for more convenient, safe, and comfortable travel by bicycle. Key destinations within downtown will be more accessible with these improvements, including schools, residential neighborhoods, and retail venues. Figure 4–12 illustrates the existing and future bicycle facilities within downtown.

To create a safe and inviting bicycle network for people of all ages and abilities and to reduce potential conflicts between bicyclists and motorists, it is critical for bicycle facilities to be designed beyond minimum acceptable widths. Many of the bicycle improvements address the need for more east-west connectivity to access Main Street and existing north-south facilities located near the edge of the study area, and to provide comfortable facilities along neighborhood streets.

Many residential streets in the Plan area have on-street parking with relatively high utilization rates, and bicycle network recommendations are designed to minimize impact on residential parking.

Recommended Bicycle Network Improvements
• New signed bicycle route on
Marchant Street between East Beach
Street and the Levee Trail.
• Identify Levee Trail as a designated
public bicycle and pedestrian
facility.
• New access improvements from
Marchant Street to the Levee Trail.
• New signed bicycle route on Sudden
Street between Freedom Boulevard
and East Beach Street.
• New signed bicycle route on
Brennan Street/Union Street
between Freedom Boulevard and the
Levee Trail.
• New access improvements from
Union Street to the Levee Trail.
• Improved connection to the Levee
Trail from River Park.
• Improved wider bicycle lanes,
with an enhanced buffer between
adjacent vehicular travel lanes and
the bicycle lane, on Rodriguez Street
between West Lake Avenue and West
Beach Street.
• New bicycle lanes on Walker Street
from West Riverside Drive to the
Pajaro River.
• New shared-use path from West
Front Street along Rodriquez Street
to the Levee Trail.
• New signed bicycle route on Ford
Street between Walker Street and
Main Street.
• New signed bicycle route on West 5th
Street between Walker Street and
Rodriguez Street.
• New bicycle lanes on 5th Street
between Rodriguez Street and
Brennan Street.
• New signed bicycle route on 2nd
Street/Maple Avenue between
Walker Street to Lincoln Street.
• New signed bicycle route on East
Front Street between Main Street
and Marchant Street.

PHOTO CAPTION—Recently installed bike lane at Bridge Street/Hushbeck Avenue

Bike Network
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Park/Open Space
Waterway
Existing Bicycle Network
& Opportunity Corridors
Class I Bicycle Path
Class II Bicycle Lane
Class III Bicycle Route
Class II Bicycle Lane
Recommended Bicycle Facilities
Class III with Sharrows
Upgraded existing
Class II with vertical
separation
Class I Shared-Use Path
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E 5th St
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
Jefferson St
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
D
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parks/ Open Space
Rail Line
Class I Bicycle Path Class I Shared-Use Path
Class II Bicycle Lane Class II Bicycle Lane
Class III Bicycle Route Class III with Sharrows
Upgraded existing Class II
with vertical separation
Future Bicycle
Facilities
Existing Bicycle Network &
Opportunity Corridors
Waterway
111
CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Bike Network
Specific Plan Boundary
Building Footprint
Parcel
Rail Line
Park/Open Space
Waterway
Existing Bicycle Network
& Opportunity Corridors
Class I Bicycle Path
Class II Bicycle Lane
Class III Bicycle Route
Class II Bicycle Lane
Recommended Bicycle Facilities
Class III with Sharrows
Upgraded existing
Class II with vertical
separation
Class I Shared-Use Path
Main St
Main St
Main St
Freedom Blvd
Walker St
Locust St
W Lake Ave E Lake Ave
2nd St Maple Ave
Grant St
Elm St
W Riverside Dr
E Riverside Dr
E 5th St
E Beach St
Center St
E Front St
W Front St
Union St
Grove St
Rodriguez St
W Beach St
Rodriguez St
Brennan St
Sudden St
Hyde St
Western Dr
efferson St
Marchant St
Carr St
Walker St
W
Riverside
Dr
W 5th St
6th St
Ford St
Kearney St
Watsonville
Plaza
Pa aj ro River
Watsonvil el S ol ugh
0 100’
200’
400’
downtown N 500’
watsonville
specific plan
DFigure 4–12

FUTURE BICYCLE

NETWORK

112 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Existing Conditions
As the commercial, civic, and entertainment center of the city, parking is a vital component of Downtown Watsonville. There are 16 municipal parking lots in Downtown with more than 1,000 publicly available off-street spaces. In addition, there are approximately 550 on-street parking spaces. Combined, there are nearly 1,600 public parking spaces in Downtown. Private parking facilities provide nearly 1,500 additional spaces, which are primarily reserved for customers and employees of specific land uses.

Section 4.3

PARKING, CURB MANAGEMENT

AND TRANSPORTATION DEMAND

MANAGEMENT
PHOTO CAPTION—Watsonville Civic Center Parking Structure Parking System

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CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
According to the Watsonville
Downtown Parking Plan completed
in 2017, nearly all parking facilities
within Downtown are significantly
underutilized. As corroborated by
staff in preparation for this Specific
Plan, a large parking surplus exists
with a few areas of high demand and
many underutilized parking lots and
garages. On average, approximately
half of the parking supply is available
across the system during the busiest
times of day. Time limits are also
inconsistent and may be confusing,
thereby discouraging efficient use
of existing facilities and “park-once”
behavior. The study also found that
Watsonville’s ratio of parking demand
per square foot is low compared with
peer cities on the West Coast of similar
size. These factors indicate that the
parking system would be supportive
of redevelopment at key opportunity
sites on existing surface parking lots
and should seek to accommodate
future parking demand through
the more efficient use and sharing
of existing supply before investing
in new public supply or requiring
construction of more spaces as part of
new development.

The Watsonville Municipal Code
(WMC) establishes minimum off-street
parking requirements for different
land uses, including residential,
commercial, and recreational parking.

Many of Watsonville’s parking
standards are higher than national
standards, set by the Institute of
Transportation Engineers (ITE),
particularly for commercial and
industrial uses. However, the city does
have a Downtown Parking District,
which is contained within but smaller
than the Plan area. Properties within
the district are exempt from providing
on-site parking for commercial uses,
which has helped lead to efficient
sharing of public parking lots and
garages between different land uses
with varying peak parking demand
times throughout the day and week.

For residential land uses, existing
parking requirements for multifamily
dwelling units are typically two spaces
per unit, with additional guest spaces
required depending on the number of
bedrooms and the number of units in
the building. Although all commercial
land uses within the Parking District
are not required to provide off-street
parking, minimum requirements
still apply to construction of new
residential units, even for the adaptive
reuse of an existing building. For
example, if the owner of an existing
building within the Parking District
wished to replace a ground-floor
furniture store with a restaurant,
no new parking would be required,
however, converting the upper floors
of the same building from vacant
office space to residential lofts would
require meeting off-street residential
parking requirements. The Downtown
Parking Plan (2017) recommended
an amendment to the zoning code
to remove these requirements for
residential conversions of existing
buildings and to consider removing
minimum requirements entirely
for all new development within
Downtown to make the construction
of new housing supply financially
feasible and encourage urban designs
that foster an improved experience
for multimodal travel. The following
standards and guidelines are informed
by the Downtown Parking Plan and
reflect many specific recommendations
from that plan.

114 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Standards (Public Parking) • Maximize the use of existing supply through time restrictions and
pricing that best reflect actual demand
and the needs of intended users while
incentivizing the use of underutilized
off-street supply through longer time
limits, lower pricing, and/or free
validation through local businesses.
• Accommodate the potential net
loss of on-street parking that
may result from installing buffered
bicycle facilities, traffic calming, and
pedestrian realm improvements.
• Prioritize in-fill development of
off-street parking lots that are
underutilized and not the highest
and best use of Downtown land; this
should especially be encouraged
where associated parking demand can
be accommodated by existing public
or shared private parking supply.
• Reinvest all parking revenues
generated to support the continued
provision of shared parking,
streetscape improvements, and TDM
options within the Plan area.
• Increase parking user safety
by providing increased hours of
enforcement in City owned facilities
during evening and weekend
hours and provide ample and wellmaintained lighting and clearly marked pedestrian routes of travel.

PHOTO CAPTION—Example of a well-lit parking lot

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CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Standards (Private Parking) • Expand the Downtown Parking District to the boundaries of the Plan
area to make all non-residential land
uses exempt from on-site parking
requirements.
• Encourage shared parking by
allowing new development to
accommodate parking demand offsite by using underutilized private or public off-street parking supply
through a shared parking agreement.
• Unbundle parking by requiring
residential developers and property
owners to separate the cost of parking
from rents so that tenants have the
option to purchase assigned parking
or forgo a parking space.
• Remove minimum parking
requirements for new residential
units in existing buildings that do
not result in a net parking loss, to
increase the feasibility of renovating
or adaptively reusing non-residential
buildings to accommodate housing in
the Plan area.
• Lower minimum parking
requirements for new residential
development within the Plan area to
right-size supply to support Specific
Plan objectives and lower the cost of
providing new housing units in the
Plan area. Provision of guest parking
should be based on market feasibility
and removed from requirements for
new multifamily housing. Future
reduced minimums are per Table 4–1.
• Projects containing affordable
housing should be exempt from
minimum parking requirements if
they meet one of the following criteria:
⸰ Rental senior projects 100%
affordable to lower income, either
with paratransit service or within
1/2-half mile of accessible bus
route (operating at least eight
times per day).
⸰ Rental special needs projects
100% affordable to lower income
households, either with paratransit
service or within 1/2-half mile of
accessible bus route (operating at
least eight times per day).
⸰ Housing developments 100%
affordable to lower income
households.
• Maximum parking limits should
be applied to projects that are
entitled under the California State
Density Bonus Law as shown below
in Table 4–2. AB 2345 sets a statemandated maximum limit for off-street parking spaces for projects
that qualify through meeting
specified amounts of affordable
housing.

Table 4–1 Off-Street Parking Minimum Requirements
Table 4–2 Off-Street Parking Maximum Requirements
for Density Bonus Projects
Multifamily
Residential
Existing Minimum
Requirement
Future Minimum
Requirement
Studio/1-bedroom unit 2 spaces per unit 0.8 spaces per unit 2-bedroom unit 2 spaces per unit 1.6 spaces per unit
3-bedroom unit 2 spaces per unit No change
4-bedroom unit 3 spaces per unit No change
5-bedroom unit 4 spaces per unit No change
* Existing Requirements based on WMC § 14-17.210
* Proposed based off ITE Parking Generation Manual 5th Edition (Land Use Code 221 Mid-Rise Multifamily in Multi-Use District)
Multifamily Residential Maximum Limit
Studio/1-bedroom unit 1 space per unit
2/3-bedroom unit 1.5 spaces per unit
4-bedroom unit 2.5 spaces per unit

116 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Guidelines (Public Parking) • Parking time limits should be set to best serve intended visitors. Most
on-street spaces geared towards
dining and “park-once” retail and
entertainment should allow for at least
2-hours of parking. Some locations
with high turnover of visitors may
benefit from shorter time limits, while
longer time limits should be permitted
at off-street facilities with the lowest
utilization.
• Price on-street parking where parking
occupancy rates routinely exceed
85% or near opportunity sites where
occupancy can be expected to exceed
85% if time limits are not in place.
• Performance-based pricing may
be implemented over time so that
rates for the highest demand public
off-street facilities and on-street
spaces best reflect actual demand
and regulations encourage target
utilization rates. Typical target
utilization rates for effectively
managed parking systems are 85%-
90% per block face for on-street spaces
and 90-95% for off-street facilities.
• Payment technology where parking
is priced should provide options for
payment by credit-cards, debit cards,
and pay-by-phone.
• Signage about parking regulations
should clearly communicate
restrictions and time limits in a
manner that is uniform throughout
the Plan area to limit confusion and
enhance a sense of place.
• Wayfinding for parking facilities
should clearly indicate the closest
available long-term public parking
options throughout the Plan area and
may include real-time availability by
number of spaces.
• Parking enforcement technologies
such as license plate recognition (LPR),
smart meters, parking access and
revenue control systems (PARCS), and
handheld citation units may be used
to improve occupancy monitoring,
regulation enforcement, and revenue
collection.
• Parking permit rates should be
evaluated on an annual or bi-annual
basis and may be increased to better
support the City’s ongoing costs for
providing public parking.
• Employee permit programs may be
implemented to provide designated
parking at reduced rates for Plan area
workers in underutilized off-street
facilities to increase turnover of spaces
closest to businesses and improve
availability for customers.

PHOTO CAPTION—Example of a debit and credit card accessible parking meter in Austin, TX9

9. “Parking Meter Austin Texas” by Larry D. Moore, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

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CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Guidelines (Private Parking) • Removal of minimum parking requirements for all new uses
within the expanded parking
district may be evaluated and
adopted in the future based on
evaluation of parking utilization
from development sites post
occupancy.
• Tandem and stacked parking
may be used for non-residential
uses with the condition that the
spaces are operated by a contracted
parking management/valet vendor
that has been certified by the City.

Mechanized vertical stacking
technologies allow for increased
developable footprint while
accommodating parking demand
on-site. Tandem parking that
accommodates no more than two
vehicles per space may be provided
for residential uses.
• Parking facility design should
conform with standards established
by the Public Works Department as
outlined in the City of Watsonville
Public Improvement Standards
Manual.
• Futureproofing should be
encouraged for any subsequent
construction of parking structures,
which may include level floors,
ramps at the center or external to
a garage, and high floor-to-ceiling
heights to sufficiently accommodate
conversion to commercial or
residential uses.

PHOTO CAPTION—Example of a privately-operated lot with stacked parking

118 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Curb Management
Existing Conditions
Curb space in downtown is designated
with loading zones for the exclusive
use of vehicles during the loading or
unloading of passengers or goods.

Commercial vehicles are restricted
from stopping at curbs for longer
than 20 minutes while loading or
unloading materials, and vehicles
loading or unloading passengers are
restricted to three minutes. There are
17 passenger loading (white curb)
spaces and 18 commercial loading
(yellow curb) spaces in Downtown,
which makes up 2 percent of the
Downtown parking supply. Most of
the commercial loading spaces are
concentrated on East Lake Avenue and
Brennan Street whereas most of the
passenger loading spaces are located
on Brennan and Union Street.

Standards • Flexible loading and pick-up/
drop-off (PUDO) zones in high
demand areas that allow for
passenger loading, curb-side
pick-ups from local business, and
immediate deliveries shall be
provided throughout the Plan area.

Flex loading zones reduce loading
impacts on traffic flow, allow for
faster taxi TNC pick-up/drop-off
times, increase customer access at
local businesses, and reduce conflicts
for people walking and biking.
• Freight and commercial loading
for all non-residential uses should
be accommodated off-street where
feasible and via alleyways where
available. These trips should also
be encouraged to occur in off-peak
hours to reduce impacts on traffic
and conflicts with other modes.

10.“Passenger loading zone” by John Robert McPherson,
licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
PHOTO CAPTION—Example of a passenger loading zone10

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CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Guidelines • Off-street truck loading spaces
should be provided for certain
commercial land uses as stated in
§ 14-17.1501.
• Consolidated deliveries should be
encouraged for parcels at businesses
and residential uses. Centrally
located parcel pick-up kiosks, such
as Amazon Hub Lockers, may be
used to provide secure deliveries
while reducing the amount of
vehicle trips and loading by
couriers at specific commercial and
residential addresses.
• Mobility data specification may
be required from private operators
of shared mobility devices such
as e-scooters, shared bicycles, etc.
to provide real-time information
about their vehicles, including their
availability and the location of
where they are parked.

11. “Amazon Hub Locker - Kebab Gig Harbor” by
Senapa, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
PHOTO CAPTION—Example of Amazon Locker in Gig Harbor, WA11

120 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
Existing Conditions
Transportation demand management
(TDM) aims to reduce single-occupant
vehicle (SOV) travel, minimize peak
period vehicle trips, and shift trips
to transit, biking, walking, or shared
rides. TDM is a multi-faceted approach
to manage transportation resources
through pricing, incentives, services,
communication, marketing, and other
techniques. Strategies work together
synergistically to achieve SOV trip
reduction and mode share goals. By
working to reduce SOV trips within
the Plan area, impacts from future
development such as congestion or
localized pollution can be reduced.

TDM also supports sustainability
and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction
goals by helping to reduce associated
vehicle miles traveled (VMT).

VMT is a measure of total vehicular
travel that accounts for the number
of vehicle trips and the length of
those trips. As of July 1, 2020, agencies
analyzing the environmental impacts
from transportation as part of the
California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA) can no longer define
impacts based on traffic congestion.

Instead, VMT has been identified
as a recommended measure of
significance. VMT impacts associated
with a project are often determined
based on a project’s location, which
reflects the surrounding density and
land use mix and the availability
of transit, bicycle, and pedestrian
facilities. To mitigate VMT impacts
associated with development in the
Plan area, an individual project
may adjust site design to maximize
connectivity to existing multimodal
networks and implement TDM
strategies to expand mobility choices
and support mode shift. Depending on
VMT mitigation needs, TDM plans that
outline a menu of options to be built
or programmed to increase modal
options and achieve a quantifiable
amount of trip reduction may be
required.

PHOTO CAPTION—Vehicle traffic on Main Street in Downtown Watsonville

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CHAPTER 4—MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION
Standards • TDM programs should be
developed, implemented, and
updated based on regular evaluation
to encourage traveling to and
within the Plan area by a variety of
affordable travel options.
• Marketing and education to
influence travel behavior change
should be conducted by the City
or a TMA to promote available
mobility options with the Plan area
and highlight the importance that
travel choices have on the vitality of
downtown.
• Guaranteed rides home should
be made available to all employees
within the Plan area through the
City’s preferred vendor to provide
free or subsidize rides in the
occasional event of an emergency for
commuters who do not drive alone
to work.
• Shared mobility should be
implemented in coordination with a
private vendor to install dock-based
bike share stations within the Plan
area. The City should work with
the County to identify additional
funding opportunities.
• Car share spaces and vehicles
with a preferred vendor should
be provided in municipal garages,
or in private facilities that allow
public access, to provide options for
residents that choose to live in the
Plan area without an automobile.
• TDM Plan requirements shall be
created for some or all development
proposals to include required TDM
measures—or an approved TDM
Plan—as a condition of approval.

Site specific TDM measures are
most effective when implemented at
major employment sites or at higher
density mix-use residential projects.
• VMT Mitigation Fee Program
should be created to assign a
monetary value for VMT reduction
such that a developer could purchase
VMT reduction credits for the
purposes of mitigating VMT more
than determined impact thresholds
which in turn fund the construction
of active transportation facilities
in the Plan area and enhance
connectivity to regional trails.

PHOTO CAPTION—Example of designated carpool and vanpool parking

122 DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
Guidelines • Transportation Management
Association (TMA) may be
established to manage, promote,
and communicate TDM options to
Plan area residents, employees, and
visitors more effectively. TMAs are
particularly useful in downtown
commercial areas where specific
businesses may lack the resources
to implement TDM programs
themselves. A TMA may also support
the creation and distribution of
marketing materials of travel options
or conduct more targeted educational
training with on-site property
managers and employers.
• Discounted transit passes may be
provided to Plan area employees and
residents through parking revenues
or be included as a TDM mitigation
measure for new development.
• Telecommuting and flexible work
schedules to reduce the frequency
of commuter trips during peak
hours should be encourage for major
employers and may be included as
a TDM mitigation measure for new
development.
• Rideshare matching that helps
connect commuters with similar
origins or destinations to available
carpools and vanpools should be
encouraged for employers and
multifamily residential projects and
may be includes as a TDM mitigation
measure for new development.
• Annual travel surveys of employer
and residents may be conducted to
assess the efficacy of TDM programs
and travel behaviors within the Plan
area.
• Digital platforms such as
a webpage or mobile phone
application may be created to
provide information, availability,
schedules, and pricing of mobility
options for the Plan area.
• Funding for TDM initiatives in
the Plan area may be supported
through revenue generated by public
parking.
• Affordable housing more than
inclusionary rates may be provided
as a TDM mitigation measure for
new residential development.

PHOTO CAPTION—Example of a mobile app (Moovit) that integrates all mobility options into one digital platform