New name for redwood property behind shuttered CEMEX plant announced

A new name for the 8,500-acre CEMEX Redwood property in Davenport was announced Tuesday by the four land trust groups who purchased the property in 2011.

San Vicente Redwoods was named after the creek that runs through the property and is the main water source for Davenport.

It is the largest intact redwood forest between the Silicon Valley and the Pacific Ocean other that state park land.

Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), Sempervirens Fund, Land Trust of Santa Cruz County and Save the Redwoods League all agreed on the name.

“San Vicente Redwoods is a wonderful name for this majestic piece of property. I am pleased to hear that the land trusts who now own the property have chosen a name that reflects its location, environment and history,” said county supervisor Neal Coonerty.

The CEMEX plant closed in 2010 leaving hundreds of people without jobs. The community will now have some say in what is done next with that part of the property.

In March, residents packed Hotel Paradox to voice their opinion and learn about the process to achieve public access on the property.

Stephen Slade, the deputy director of the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, told Central Coast News about what he heard from the community at the meeting.

“The things we’ve heard most so far is hiking, biking, horseback riding; some people want camping and we’ve heard Frisbee golf…Some people want dogs to be allowed, and some people don’t and so it’s pretty much the full range stopping short of we’re not going to have a big RV park,” he said.

Slade said the power plant property would be separate from the property they would open to the public.

The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County plans to hold another meeting this summer and expects to develop a plan to obtain coastal and county permits.