Quick Take
As Workbench’s public profile has ballooned over the past year, CEO Tim Gordin has become the developer-of-the-moment in Santa Cruz County. Amid growing scrutiny over his dual role of developer and county planning commissioner, Gordin resigned from the commission in November.
Workbench chief executive Tim Gordin, who over the past year has become the developer-of-the-moment in Santa Cruz County, quietly vacated his county planning commission seat in November, just two months before his four-year term was set to expire.
Gordin’s resignation comes amid growing discomfort in some corners of the community with the notion of one of the county’s most high-profile developers serving on its premiere land-use policy body.
Appointed by District 1 County Supervisor Manu Koenig, Gordin had served on the five-member commission since January 2021, helping to advise the county’s board of supervisors on land-use and development policies and proposals. Gordin rose to lead the commission as chair in 2022.
Koenig said when he appointed Gordin after his election in 2020, Workbench was an upstart firm of modest scope, with expertise in state law and accessory dwelling units.
What a difference four years can make. Today, Gordin estimates his company has “1,700ish” units in the development pipeline throughout the county. Over that time, Workbench has been responsible for some of the most ambitious and controversial project proposals in recent memory, including the 16-story Clocktower Center in downtown Santa Cruz, which has been modified to an eight-story vision, and the Food Bin redevelopment, which is now being battled over in court.
Gordin formally resigned on Nov. 18. He told Lookout that he had been discussing stepping down with Koenig as “I have a lot going on with Workbench, and the planning commission requires a lot of energy.” Gordin said the decision was his, and he was not pressured to vacate the seat.
However, while Koenig confirmed that Gordin expressed workload issues, the supervisor acknowledged he had been fielding community concerns about Gordin’s position on the planning commission and decided he would not reappoint him when his term expired.
“I think it was time for a new planning commissioner,” Koenig said. “I don’t have any concern that there was actually an instance of Tim influencing the process in a way that is detrimental to the community. I’m confident he always served the interest of the county. But, fundamentally, people need to have faith in the process and trust in their elected and appointed leaders.”
In April, the local neighborhood group Save Pleasure Point wrote a letter to Koenig raising the issue of Gordin’s planning commission seat and citing some of Gordin’s public support for projects with maximum density and substantial height.
“We respectfully question Mr. Gordin’s ability to act impartially with understanding, appreciation and the obligation for a middle ground, which is preserving our community’s uniqueness to a developer’s wants for size, density and profit,” the letter read. “We ask that when you replace Mr. Gordin that you do not seat another developer (or the like) in this position.”
Gordin said he was aware that some people didn’t appreciate his double identity as a major developer and planning commissioner, but insisted no real conflict existed. Koenig said Gordin always stepped out of the room when there were any conflicts, and that he did not vote on any of his own company’s proposals.
“The benefit of having people who understand state policy and local regulations on the planning commission is vast,” Gordin said. “We need that. I believe I brought that benefit. There wasn’t anything about me being the big developer in town that swayed me in this decision. I just have to look at what’s best for me personally right now. I’ve just been working too much.”
Koenig has already chosen Gordin’s successor: Shane Pavonetti, an architect who owns Pavonetti Architecture, which focuses on designing and building single-family homes. Pavonetti started his career in Austin, Texas, but has since moved to Santa Cruz County. Luke Rizzuto will fill the role of alternate commissioner.
Koenig said planning commissioner is “probably the most important” appointment a county supervisor makes, as land use is where the county government traditionally has the most control, though state laws have encroached upon local authority in recent years.
“The commission dealing with land use is probably the most important [county commission],” Koenig said. “The planning commission really shapes the discussion around land use.”
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