Santa Cruz city council approves plan to revitalize downtown area

Santa Cruz is moving ahead with its Downtown Recovery Plan.

The city council approved the plan Tuesday night hoping to revitalize the area and bring more affordable housing to the area. This also comes after years of the city trying to recover from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

It includes better access to the San Lorenzo River and taller buildings downtown not just for business, but for housing as well.

The plan was unanimously approved by the planning commission in October before the vote from the council.

One liquor shop owner has concerns that the plan will close his business. That’s because the plan only allows shops that sell to go alcohol, to stick around through 2020, except for businesses like Trader Joe’s where alcohol isn’t the main product.

“It seems like we’ve been picked on because of the wording,” Kash Johal, owner of Bonesio Liquors said, “Companies within a one mile radius are going to be allowed except us.”

Though most at Tuesday night’s city council meeting, supported the project, other concerns include the height of the buildings. The plan would allow certain properties to go up to 80 feet, something many say would cast a literal shadow on the area.