Quick Take
A Watsonville neighbor's appeal is asking the city to rescind approval of the zoning application for a “tiny village” project that would provide housing for the homeless on land at Westview Presbyterian Church. City officials approved the application by Santa Cruz and Monterey counties despite concerns by members of the city council, saying a state law promoting affordable housing growth supersedes local control over the project.
A neighbor has filed a formal appeal and is asking the Watsonville Planning Commission to rescind approval of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties’ zoning application for a 34-bed “tiny village” project that would provide housing to the homeless on land at the Westview Presbyterian Church.
The appeal, filed by resident Catalina Torres on Oct. 2, claims the approval of the zoning application was “defective and improper” for various reasons. City zoning officials approved the application, despite concerns from members of the city council, because they said it meets the requirements of a state law that supersedes local control in order to increase the state’s stock of affordable housing.
Torres alleges city staff improperly accepted the application without determining the size, location, capacity and character of the tiny village project. The appeal also alleges city staff failed to require that the applicants — Monterey and Santa Cruz counties — specify the organization responsible for managing the shelter and provide its qualifications.
Representatives of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties spoke at length to those issues at a recent city council meeting in which the city’s worsening problem with homelessness — more homeless people were counted in Watsonville this year than the city of Santa Cruz — was highlighted.
Torres’ appeal also claims that the Westview Presbyterian Church has not been transparent about “homeless-related crime” on its property.
The city council discussed the appeal at Tuesday’s meeting during closed session, and there’s not much that can be said about it publicly at the moment, said Michelle Pulido, public information officer for the City of Watsonville.
When appeals are filed to the city, a hearing is typically scheduled by the planning commission for the next available meeting, according to Watsonville’s municipal code.
Torres has been vocal about neighbors’ frustration with the project. She shared her concerns at the city council meeting on Sept. 24, saying that while she’s not opposed to the idea of helping the unhoused, she said she’s concerned for the safety of a neighborhood that’s already dealt with vandalism and “homeless-related crime.”
The zoning application approval was made without much say from the Watsonville City Council. State law — Assembly Bill 101 — expedites the review of low-barrier housing projects, such as the tiny village.
As long as the application criteria are met by the applicants, city zoning officials can approve the application without the approval of the city council, Matt Orbach, principal planner for the City of Watsonville, told the council. The law also prohibits the city from requiring a conditional-use permit or any other discretionary approval.
The tiny village will be made up of 26 individual single bed units, two double units and four Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant units. In addition to the units, the village will also have two laundry rooms, four shared bathrooms and a kitchen — all of which will reside on the Westview Church property off First Street.
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