Votes at a glance: key council actions on housing, public safety, youth and planning

The Santa Cruz City Council recorded the following formal outcomes at the May meeting. This serves as a concise reference for motions, movers/seconders and roll‑call tallies reported at the meeting.

Consent calendar - Items 7–16 (consent): Approved as a block. Clerk recorded ayes from all present council members. (Motion passed.) - Item 9 (CORE ad hoc committee): Council approved formation of an ad hoc committee to explore the city’s role in CORE and alignment with county efforts. (Mover: Council member Tragero; motion passed.)

Key final actions and outcomes 1) Saint George settlement and ordinance rescission (Agenda item 17) - Motion: Adopt staff recommendation to implement settlement (limits on rent increases, refunds for July 2024 notices) and rescind municipal code language tied to litigation. - Mover/Second: Scott Newsom / Kalantari Johnson - Vote: Unanimous recorded yes votes by the council present (motion passed).

2) Fire Department community risk assessment (Agenda item 18) - Motion: Accept the community risk assessment, standards of cover and deployment analysis report and direct staff to incorporate recommendations into capital and budget planning. - Vote: Unanimous recorded yes votes by council present (motion passed).

3) Youth well‑being report (Agenda item 20) - Motion: Accept staff report and recognize youth liaisons; direct staff to integrate findings into budgeting and programs. - Mover/Second: Council member Golder / Council member Bruner - Vote: Unanimous recorded yes votes (Bruner recused on a different item noted elsewhere) (motion passed).

4) Homeless Garden Project / 2394 Delaware (Agenda item 24) - Motion: Approve staff recommendations to redesignate the northern four acres for agriculture/grazing, cluster future housing capacity to the southern portion and submit the LCP certification materials for the certified portion; return for second hearing and transmit materials to the Coastal Commission. - Vote: Motion passed by recorded vote (ayes recorded).

5) Downtown expansion plan (Agenda item 23) - Motion: Introduce for publication the ordinances and adopt LCP and General Plan amendments to add the South‑of‑Laurel district to the downtown plan, with council amendments limiting most building heights to an 85‑foot practical cap, tightening in‑lieu fee timing, and directing design guidance work and other implementation steps. - Mover/Second: Scott Newsom / Kalantari Johnson - Vote: Motion passed by recorded roll call (ayes recorded; Bruner recused on other items earlier).

6) Leonard Street general plan map amendment (Agenda item 25) - Motion: Adopt resolution amending the General Plan land use map for three parcels at Leonard Street and May Avenue to preserve neighborhood scale and avoid hotel conversions that would change neighborhood character. - Vote: Motion passed (Bruner recused from this item earlier in the agenda).

Notes and next steps - Many of the plan and code amendments approved or introduced require follow‑up action: final ordinances, return for second readings, and Local Coastal Program certification where applicable. - For items involving capital and staffing (fire SOC report) or housing implementation (downtown expansion), staff will return with prioritized budgets, detailed implementation schedules and grant pursuits.

Ending This summary captures the official motions, movers and reported council roll‑call outcomes from the meeting; staff reports and adopted resolutions/ordinances will provide the authoritative text and dates for implementation.