Planning Commission approves consent items including Leonard Street land‑use correction and Delaware Avenue homeless-garden project

The City of Santa Cruz Planning Commission on April 17 approved its consent agenda, including an amendment to the General Plan land-use map for 111–119 Leonard Street and actions tied to 2394 Delaware Avenue (the Homeless Garden Project). The motion passed on a 5‑1 roll call.

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Commissioner Kennedy moved approval of the consent agenda; the motion carried after roll call (Commissioner Dan voted no; Commissioners Gordon, Kelly, Kennedy, McKelvey and Chair Paul Hammis voted yes). Commissioner Gordon verbally recused herself from the downtown item later in the evening because of a property ownership conflict in the downtown expansion area.

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The two consent items included: a city‑initiated correction to land‑use for 111–119 Leonard Street (changing the designation from mixed‑use visitor commercial to low‑medium residential per prior City Council direction) and a staff‑recommended action related to 2394 Delaware Avenue that includes the Homeless Garden Project and related General Plan/LCP clarifications. Members of the public — particularly residents of De Anza Mobile Home Park — used the public comment period to press concerns about traffic, evacuation safety, ecological impacts around Antonelli’s Pond and possible displacement from nearby development.

Highlights from public comment

- A Central Park neighborhood representative urged approval of the Leonard Street amendment, noting prior council direction and saying the change “preserves the original residential zoning.” The speaker thanked planning staff for their collaboration. - Several De Anza Mobile Home Park residents voiced opposition to upzoning near Delaware Avenue. Residents said shoreline ponds and the Antonelli’s Pond area are environmentally sensitive, described a single-egress evacuation constraint on De Anza/Delaware, and asked the commission to prioritize current residents’ safety and quality of life before approving added density. - Jillian Greenside requested more transparency about “no net loss” claims in the staff report and raised questions about whether upzoning elsewhere (downtown) was being used to compensate for changes at the Delaware site.

Staff and commission response

Staff noted the Leonard Street amendment implements…