Just considered individually, any number of factors should disqualify this development proposal, as currently proposed — density, traffic, parking, and shadow-casting, among others. Please take a few minutes to learn why residents throughout the city are concerned about this proposed project:

• Size and Scale — This particular project is completely out of scale for its location. Read more.
• Transportation — This project, as currently described, proposes a massive number of residential units, retail, and a bar that would completely overwhelm an intersection that for years has operated at near “failing” levels. Read more.
• Casting a Shadow — The project height, 6 stories with the top-floor bar level included, would literally place many existing homes on its closest street, Belvedere Terrace, in a project shadow for many months of each year. Read more.
• Parking Problems — The project would have a tremendous impact on available parking on any street or side street in the project’s vicinity. Read more.
• Water Drainage — This project, proposed at such an over-the-top scale, has the potential to exacerbate water drainage issues already present on the site, on Water Street hill, and in surrounding neighborhoods. Read more.
• Noise Nuisance — The noise from a project of this size, especially with a rooftop bar overlooking entire neighborhoods, would be completely unacceptable as an environment impact. Read more.
• Architecture and History — The proposed architectural design for this project could not be less compatible with a neighborhood that sits at the gateway to the historic Villa de Branciforte area of Santa Cruz. More.
• Rooftop HVAC — Many projects of this kind design the buildings so that HVAC and other utility equipment are unfortunately located near, at, or above the roofline. This project is no exception, with substantial mechanical equipment shown on the roof (along with the elevator to the bar). Read more.
• Infrastructure Woes — People smarter than us can pass judgement on this, but it seems like bringing out-of-scale development such as this project, as currently proposed, would only tax our city’s already strained infrastructure, including sewer, water, and parks. Read more.
• Rooftop Bar — As if the 5-story towers that the developer is proposing aren’t already very oversized for that parcel, for that area of our city, and for the neighbors who would have to (literally) live in their shadow, the proposal also includes the equivalent of a 6th floor to accommodate a rooftop bar. Read more.
• Fire Easement — It appears that the project is proposed for a portion of the site that includes a fire easement that was established at the time the units were built at the end of Belvedere Terrace. This would put the occupants of a number of homes at the end of Belvedere Terrace at a significant health and safety risk. Read more.