Hello City Council,
I would like to bring up a discussion that occurred back in August when the City Council approved to make the (then) temporary closure of part of Santa Cruz Ave, permanent.
I recall a really poignant point from Councilmember Combs about how that closure was simply a remnant of our emergency COVID policies and not part of a broader plan. I also remember that Councilmember Taylor, while ultimately voted in favor of the resolution, was also concerned about how piecemeal our downtown plans are and noted that a proper downtown plaza would potentially need to come with some zoning changes. While the current closure is fine, I fully agree with the aforementioned comments that its entirely piecemeal and doesnt show thoughtful design on what our Main Street should be. Its also not particularly pedestrian friendly because the sidewalk is still the only available place to walk.
I know that Activating Downtown is a formal priority for the Council for this year. I also know that creating a Santa Cruz paseo was part of our Downtown Specific Plan (along with decreased parking and widened sidewalks for other parts of Santa Cruz). By closing off more of Santa Cruz and making it a proper promenade, we really open up the possibilities for art, entertainment, engagement, gathering, greenery and more. See the attached photo below for a beautiful example of what a difference this can make.
My general questions to the council are: Has there been discussion regarding a formal plan to make downtown MP more pedestrian friendly? Is that currently on the agenda either within the City Council or Planning Commission to explore? Why is there not a working group dedicated to this priority?
Some context on recent successful pedestrianized areas:
* Just this week Palo Alto resolved to keep their 2-blocks of Cal Ave and 1/2 block of Ramona St. car-free.
* Mountain View has made their 3-blocks closure of Castro St. permanent and has long term improvement plans to their pedestrian mall, including pavement improvements, more parklets, and art.
* Santa Barbara has continued their 8-blocks(!) State Street promenade, and has an entire committee & master plan dedicated to improving it, with a specific focus on economic vitality. Here are some more details of their current plans.
Thank you.
-Ross Silverstein
