Votes at a glance: Santa Cruz County supervisors approve midyear appropriations, immigrant and LGBTQ funding, subdivision and other items

What the board approved on March 11, 2025 — key outcomes

• Midyear General Fund actions and Measure K realignments — Approved The board accepted the midyear General Fund report and approved a series of cleanup and realignment actions (see staff memo). Actions included transfers from general fund contingency to fund Measure K spending plan items, a $400,000 transfer to Behavioral Health (partial item noted separately below), and $1.0 million set aside for homelessness-related activities in unincorporated areas. The motion passed; Supervisor Martinez abstained on the specific transfer of $400,000 to HSA Behavioral Health due to a stated personal/conflict abstention on items connected to her former employer. (Refer to staff report for itemized list.)

• Transfer Development Rights (TDR) letter to state — Approved (with one no) The board voted to ask Assemblymember Dawn Addis to sponsor state legislation to streamline creation of local Transfer Development Rights programs that could help owners in disaster‑impacted areas preserve property value and move to safer locations. The motion passed, with Supervisor Cummings recorded as “no.” The board directed staff to follow up with state advocacy.

• 25‑unit Madison Lane subdivision (Live Oak) — Approved The board approved, in concept, a planned unit development and related tentative map for a 25‑unit townhome subdivision at 2450 Madison Lane (APNs listed in staff packet). The project includes four affordable units (two low‑income and two moderate‑income units), pedestrian easement dedication for potential bike/ped bridge to Coffee Lane Park, and mitigation measures including riparian restoration and stormwater controls. The vote was unanimous.

• $100,000 for immigrant legal services and $100,000 for LGBTQ+ services — Approved The Board approved transfers totaling $200,000 from contingency: $100,000 earmarked for undocumented immigrant legal services (to be used for deportation defense, rapid response, case assessments and related supports) and $100,000 for LGBTQ+ community support (mental‑health and community outreach). Staff will work with HSA and Human Services to identify community‑based providers and may amend existing contracts to expedite fund deployment. Motion passed unanimously.

• CAO title change (County Administrative Office → County Executive Office) — Approved (in concept) The board approved a conforming ordinance changing the County Administrative Office title to County Executive Office and corresponding position names (county administrative officer → county executive officer); final adoption will return on the next agenda. Vote unanimous.

• Consent agenda — Passed unanimously The consent calendar (items 1–31, as posted) passed unanimously after a single pull (item 25 was pulled and moved to 6.1). Notable consent items included a resolution supporting statewide cannabis pesticide testing reforms (item 24), and an advisory group establishment for CARES, among others.

Votes at a glance (roll-call summary) - Midyear budget/Measure K realignments: Aye 5–0; abstention by Martinez only on $400,000 behavioral health transfer (procedural abstention noted). - TDR letter to state (requesting Assemblymember Addis consider enabling legislation): Aye 4 – No 1 (Supervisor Cummings no). - Madison Lane subdivision (PUD/tentative map/mitigated ND): Aye 5–0. - $100k immigrant legal + $100k LGBTQ funding (contingency transfers): Aye 5–0. - CAO → CEO ordinance (concept approval): Aye 5–0.

Context and next steps Staff will return with required ordinance text, implementation plans, grant/contract details, and budget adjustments as directed. For the subdivision, staff and the applicant will complete conditions and the clerk will docket the final ordinance. For Measure K realignments and midyear cleans, budget office will reflect transfers in the April proposed budget and provide updates at subsequent budget hearings.

Ending The March 11 meeting combined operational budget adjustments with several policy items. The board advanced a mix of short‑term contingency allocations and ordinance actions while directing additional staff work and community outreach on some of the more contentious matters.