SEACLIFF — Pepper Golesh didn't plan on investing a decade of her life in a fight for a community park on a vacant lot overlooking Seacliff State Beach.
But that's what it took, she said, to stop a shopping center from being built at the site and keep part of the land as open space.
After years of neighborhood protests and petition drives, thousands of hours at community meetings and a march through Seacliff, Golesh can now say, "It's happening"
Last month, the California Coastal Commission gave a nod to the park, and the county Parks Department is expected to take control of the property within two months.
"It's been a very passionate 10 years," resident Kate Minott said. "People care very much about what happens at that corner"
The park is the latest success story for county residents who have fought for parks in their communities to stave off development.
Across the highway from Seacliff, Aptos residents have been given a chance to raise the necessary cash to buy the former Par 3 golf course and turn it into a recreational area. The 13-acre Par 3 land had been eyed for affordable housing up until last year. Neighbors are beginning to raise funds for the park.
In Santa Cruz, Seabright residents are trying to stop a housing development from being built next to Frederick Street Park. Neighbors are lobbying the city to help come up with money to buy the property and expand the park.
| "There's people who just don't want any more development in their community," said Jan Lindenthal of nonprofit developer South County Housing, which partnered with San-Jose based Standard Pacific Homes in an unsuccessful bid to build housing on the Par 3 site. |
When the Seacliff residents heard of the proposal by Barry Swenson Builder in the late 1990s to develop a shopping center in their town, they said it was inappropriate and would turn their community into "San Jose by the sea"
They rallied to sink the plan, which would have included a natural foods market and other retail shops, saying the traffic would be overwhelming.
What they did want was a park, so they formed a group called "Seacliff Needs a Park," or SNAP, and worked with the county to help them get what they wanted: A 3-acre public parcel. Neighbors needed to raise $1.8 million to buy the property.
In May 2005, Seacliff voters rejected a plan to tax themselves at $98 per parcel annually for 30 years to buy the three acres. The measure needed a two-thirds majority vote and fell short at 62 percent.
Opponents said the Seacliff area is filled with scenic beauty and has state parks nearby. But park proponents weren't willing to quit.
County Supervisor Ellen Pirie approached South County Housing to talk about splitting the property into a park and affordable housing units.
It worked.
"People were really dedicated to making this happen," Lindenthal said. "They never lost sight of it, and that's what it takes"
The Seacliff Highlands affordable homes have since been built on the corner, and an Episcopal church is forthcoming.
The 1.25-acre park, though smaller than what neighbors originally wanted, and a second affordable housing project on 1.7 acres, will round out the plan.
"It'll bring a lot of pleasure to the people in Seacliff," Pirie said of the park. "People can start feeling like it's public property"
For Golesh, it's been worth the fight.
"When the community gets together as activists," she said, "things can change"
Public hearings are planned to design the specifics of the park, set construction timelines and estimate playground equipment costs. The first meeting is 7 p.m. June 12 at the Aptos/La Selva fire station, 6934 Soquel Drive.
Contact Soraya Gutierrez at sgutierrez@santacruzsentinel.com.
