[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6615783,"mediaKeyId","2858189-1c01af9979a5fd1f96c2be97756a4570","parentId",2858189,"title","Scotts Valley council asks staff to draft graffiti-abatement ordinance after rise in large-scale tagging","audioSeconds",192,"startMs",4801000,"endMs",4993000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2858189-1c01af9979a5fd1f96c2be97756a4570&start=4801&end=4993","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2858189-1c01af9979a5fd1f96c2be97756a4570/thumbnail_4801000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6615783/Norco-City/Riverside-County/California/Scotts-Valley-council-asks-staff-to-draft-graffiti-abatement-ordinance-after-rise-in-large-scale-tagging","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6615783-3f0255a0762e68eb8c87aeb4cfeb8894/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442946&Signature=c2hJpimxLS8DHUGfca3Tz0AApOp1tPECXB6IeqIILTBdxxW0YpCQ5IUvNOndHqiNuCLx7Ze8p7SSEOE5ePda2UujRDRUoUK9O5xx6IswTTJ6nKKlSBXVaW2u2VlAVNH7U1mRXzIHxlwut~qzF9wcOSm-MsbQX~xmwjYcn0Wd0uxn8IrbywPUo0XRQL9uUu7nlnnlCka5Dag1bO2E0HaJt9pGOTV32Rat~TsdF0e3wbvXY5yPDo4~Vgo4-db3UvCTbHXMhgg8nKyVmJ3yGvXpws3JhaKDIUyaP~i7n6CehYO~A1VU4Mfod~MKMlINUsM9ZPMMgnidcjlv7dyiCd7tfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-03T05:48:37.7Z","article","Councilmember Jett asked staff to develop a proposed graffiti-abatement ordinance after noting an uptick in large-scale tagging at multiple sites in Scotts Valley.

Jett told colleagues the city has recently seen graffiti on the patio wall at the old Café Carlos, a retaining wall near Carmenera Creek that the speaker said is owned by Chevron, the Sound Wall, Bay Tree development property and other locations. “I'd like to propose an ordinance and work with staff to develop this, intended to provide tools for staff to encourage or compel reluctant property owners to quickly remove graffiti,” Jett said. The ordinance could amend Chapter 8 of the municipal code or be a standalone measure, the councilmember said.

City Attorney staff said consensus was sufficient for staff to begin drafting the ordinance; councilmembers agreed that quick removal helps reduce further tagging and blight. Councilmember Clark noted the city has historically removed graffiti quickly and that the scale of recent incidents is larger than in past years.

Why it matters: Quick removal of graffiti is a commonly used strategy to reduce repeat tagging and blight; the council requested options that would give public-works and police staff administrative tools to address noncompliant property owners.

Next steps: Staff will prepare an ordinance or code amendment for a future council agenda and return with recommended enforcement tools and implementation details. No formal vote was taken at this meeting; the item was referred for staff drafting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Regular Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Councilmember Jett asked staff to prepare a graffiti-abatement ordinance to give city staff tools to require or encourage property owners to promptly remove graffiti; council signaled consensus to place the proposal on a future agenda.","taxTitle","Norco City, Riverside County, California","taxId",72157,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6615787,"Scotts Valley youth softball groups warn proposed parks fees could force programs out",186,2098000,2284000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2858189-1c01af9979a5fd1f96c2be97756a4570&start=2098&end=2284","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2858189-1c01af9979a5fd1f96c2be97756a4570/thumbnail_2098000.jpg","/articles/6615787/Norco-City/Riverside-County/California/Scotts-Valley-youth-softball-groups-warn-proposed-parks-fees-could-force-programs-out","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6615787-2c14f758692eae145e502a9241aaac7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442946&Signature=evVxgybvy8ysKtPk91r2gGGPIeelqtcZyOK8WryH4aQct3mEyrulbB1aeW01DatgOOnZbQCpndbMBFlPk2KEsPabcnFr1Y99SdgIYYMctKSHru2g93nwJFpTkQovZ6YT4aHgB0v6cyVvzZEJFc4KndsGjr7CjLthNRFtE9RkQkwjuvy2mRqL3k9CdZTkkyJDU21BPyguNhz-j5lhR~duADAfP8mvT-VMM7R~9uPQIqpoaa4XzGcwTUjFxWBJC~~TDxgxunPUtjllr0WhCCb6jumFVD2-IFMU3rFhNnqMOKCl-JHEvvoZ40Rt-G0L5IDYrfQC9z7OC9Cgp2ge7XchEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives of two Scotts Valley youth softball organizations told the City Council their programs face displacement if a parks-and-recreation fee schedule is applied as written.

Alexandra Sklar, representing Scotts Valley Girls Softball and Travel Fast Pitch, said the organizations were told by parks staff they must follow the fee schedule adopted by council last fall, which sets a nonprofit hourly field rate of $22.50 per field. Sklar said the leagues currently pay per-player fees of $14 per player; switching to the hourly per-field charge would increase costs for the two programs by roughly $20,000 a year and “would put our program out of Scotts Valley.”

Sklar provided the council a letter reiterating maintenance concerns and the financial impact of the change and asked the council to consider the programs’ situation during budget review. City Manager Molly Legault said staff had invited the groups to a meeting to discuss the issue and review the facts.

Why it matters: The two programs together use more than 1,000 hours of field time per year, according to Sklar, and said applying the adopted hourly fee to that use would leave registration-fee revenue insufficient to cover field costs. Sklar said the per-child season fee would equate to about $95 under the hourly charge, compared with current registration of about $125 per child, leaving little margin to operate.

Next steps: The city manager offered to meet with the programs to review the fee interpretation and maintenance concerns. Council members did not take formal action during the meeting; city staff will follow up with the organizations.

","Representatives of two Scotts Valley youth softball programs told the council during public comment that planned changes to park-fee billing (from per-player to per-field hourly fees) would increase costs by about $20,000 combined and could force the programs to leave the city.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6615792,"Scotts Valley marks Autism Acceptance Month and becomes county’s first certified autism-friendly city; chamber seeks training funds",2698,415000,3113000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2858189-1c01af9979a5fd1f96c2be97756a4570&start=415&end=3113","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2858189-1c01af9979a5fd1f96c2be97756a4570/thumbnail_415000.jpg","/articles/6615792/Norco-City/Riverside-County/California/Scotts-Valley-marks-Autism-Acceptance-Month-and-becomes-countys-first-certified-autism-friendly-city-chamber-seeks-training-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6615792-9c084dfb902fb1dbafca90fb864ecb96/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442946&Signature=H7mOvegUeyBlB5nL0dBwGcAzwhvx5YLiXPx2DSjl-2RSrk73qX3jqWhCTKAbsQSCBVCVllFoT46oilKZw85cnBKZ7BFjSGaY1epu7o~SdUSQctMu7yn2MP3jjXOmrs9mGwTKhvPYV~LhC-xiu~Vcq087x48DuhFeoH4PF~Fc4WfteQ1NZOMfj-U8o-trjW7vZuS8YlR2l5~Ym7C6xqScPBJYbe1ArjkTKgl6VHC0TIBAo93nX73BbxML4MXz3oDM7nlfBUC05JHER8LaXfs7hc3AZQ3l6uZymYT0ievYSrNCjwxtX8sX6mHkFiBzYJglxquUYyp9xZZj5owoeb1gjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Scotts Valley officials announced the city has become certified as an autism-friendly community — the first city in Santa Cruz County to do so — and city leaders urged local businesses to pursue autism-certification training for front-facing staff.

City Manager Molly Legault introduced the recognition during a special set matter, saying the city is “really proud of our city's efforts to become a certified autism center. We are the first city in Santa Cruz County to achieve that.” Meredith Teakan of the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IVCCS), who joined by video, congratulated the city and said the certification supports inclusion and access.

Why it matters: Certification means public-facing staff have received specialized training to better serve people on the autism spectrum, and staff said the training focuses on recognizing sensory overwhelm and offering accommodations that reduce barriers to participation. Council members and community partners said training could also become a tourism and business asset.

Community partnership and business outreach: Visit Santa Cruz County and the Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce supported the effort. Chamber Executive Director Danny Reber told the council the chamber plans to certify front-line staff and board volunteers and to help other local businesses apply. The community-grants review panel recommended two small-business awards (Kumon of Scotts Valley and the Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce) to help those entities pursue certification training.

Public reaction and examples: Several speakers who had taken the training described its value. Meredith Teakan called it a “great achievement.” Chamber Director Danny Reber shared a personal example of small classroom accommodations that helped his daughter succeed in school, saying simple steps—excusing a child from loud rallies or allowing music during tests—can produce measurable results.

Implementation and next steps: The city manager said staff will review city facilities and event operations through an accessibility lens to implement accommodations. The grant-review panel’s recommendation to fund two business-certification requests was approved as part of the broader community-grants package; the council authorized the city manager to execute contracts for awarded grants.

","The City of Scotts Valley announced it has become the first city in Santa Cruz County to achieve autism-certification for public-facing staff; the council’s community-grants round also recommended small-business grants to help local businesses pursue certification.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6615795,"Scotts Valley council approves $50,000 in community grants; Meals on Wheels, Boys & Girls Club among recipients",2305,2509000,4814000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2858189-1c01af9979a5fd1f96c2be97756a4570&start=2509&end=4814","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2858189-1c01af9979a5fd1f96c2be97756a4570/thumbnail_2509000.jpg","/articles/6615795/Norco-City/Riverside-County/California/Scotts-Valley-council-approves-50000-in-community-grants-Meals-on-Wheels-Boys-Girls-Club-among-recipients","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6615795-8a744bfa00a50ed189eb7b29c12026c0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442946&Signature=VlZtTcZTrDm4IJWugX4W6dVjPazONRyU7RbMIiN3bsG7aObq2RQZpExdcQMNoMZYuCV3qr7llDJqRxn1p5HWMrUOMTT5~RWfCnHbAADN0CwZZQt2C2AWGOEnCNOBZDkfnk0pm31OHLmLwFSBwB24oQxcTxfnsc-kNOPOUAj-LFK8WZGYpc1wkXhfhH7lBs6Vz0zXnq7qqVTMy0R7-ofqGPF561yHi4EwHHw1ihxxfq0tgBkQueBroGmokO8lNXUpZkE6LQZNVI6GdM5vytQKmIEVkfyvdvy8hg43SbJIlTpNWHJdJgy94wPbSlvAyWO4ObvHH1O~tLwA0AcjXiOo9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Scotts Valley City Council voted unanimously to award $50,000 in community grants for fiscal year 2024–25, approving a slate of nonprofit recipients and two small-business grants for autism certification training.

City Manager Molly Legault presented staff's recommendations, saying, “I'm really happy to be here to present to you staff's recommendations for the fiscal year 24 25 community grant program.” The council approved the package as recommended by the grant-review panel and authorized the city manager to execute contracts.

Why it matters: The awards support local services for children, seniors and residents with disabilities at a moment when many nonprofits face funding uncertainty. The council allocated $50,000 in the FY24–25 budget; applicants requested about $113,000. The approved awards distribute the available funds across multiple local programs rather than fully funding all applicants.

What the council approved: The review panel recommended funding eight nonprofit projects (listed below) and two small-business grants to support pursuit of autism-certification training. The panel ranked proposals on eligibility, program content and financial criteria; the panelists included a community representative and three staff members. The council approved the panel's recommendations without alteration.

Recipients and purposes (recommended awards as presented by staff):
- Scotts Valley Multicultural Fair (fiscal sponsor: Scotts Valley Education Foundation) — event support for a community cultural festival.
- Hospice of Santa Cruz County — Camp Aaron bereavement program for youth ages 7–17.
- Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired — low- or no-cost vision rehabilitation services for local residents.
- Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz County (Joe and Linda Aliberte Clubhouse) — facility improvements and purchase of an automated external defibrillator (AED).
- Monarch Services — crisis intervention, emergency shelter and related services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.
- Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz County — community conflict-management and de-escalation training.
- Dientes Community Dental Care — support for low-cost or free oral health care for children, adults and seniors.
- Community Bridges (Meals on Wheels) — partial funding to support meal deliveries to Scotts Valley seniors; staff noted this award was reduced because it was the last recommended item before the panel reached the $50,000 allocation.

Small-business autism-certification grants (recommended): Kumon of Scotts Valley and the Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce requested support to pursue autism-certification training for front-line staff and volunteers. The chamber asked to certify roughly 33 people (board, ambassadors and front-facing staff) and to use certification as a model for other local businesses.

Applicant demand and limits: Grant applicants submitted requests totaling about $113,000; two autism-certification proposals requested a little over $5,000 combined. Because the city budgeted $50,000 for the program this year, not all requests could be funded. Staff included an alternative recommendation in the report that would reallocate funds to prioritize more autism-certification grants, but the council accepted the review panel's recommended distribution and directed staff to finalize contracts.

Public comment: Several applicants spoke in support of their proposals. Dana Wagner, program director for Meals on Wheels (Community Bridges), told the council the program delivered “over 5,300 meals to Scotts Valley Seniors last fiscal year” and said city funding would allow provision of “over 1,600 meals to Scotts Valley residents or 30% of city senior needs.” Lee (Lehi) Dubois, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club, described recent facility improvements supported by prior city funding and said the requested funds would pay for interior painting and an AED.

Vote: The motion to approve the FY24–25 community grant awardees as recommended by the review committee passed unanimously (5–0). The council authorized the city manager to execute grant agreements in a form acceptable to the city attorney.

What comes next: Staff will return signed grant agreements and begin disbursing funds. City staff also noted the option of continuing or expanding the autism-certification business grant program in the next fiscal year.

","The Scotts Valley City Council unanimously approved $50,000 in FY 2024–25 community grants, funding eight nonprofits and two small-business autism-certification grants; Community Bridges (Meals on Wheels) was partially funded due to budget limits.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Scotts Valley council asks staff to draft graffiti-abatement ordinance after rise in large-scale tagging

Scotts Valley youth softball groups warn proposed parks fees could force programs out

Scotts Valley marks Autism Acceptance Month and becomes county’s first certified autism-friendly city; chamber seeks training funds

Scotts Valley council approves $50,000 in community grants; Meals on Wheels, Boys & Girls Club among recipients