putting this site inches from the touch of the Coastal Commission and a coastal zone permit for development, although it is still clearly a sensitive site. It is zoned RA (see explanation page 14), which allows schools, but, depending upon the neighbors, a building permit may be difficult to get. If there are community objections during the public hearing by the Zoning Administrator, approval will wait on the planning commission, and then the board of supervisors, who will make a decision. The school is currently going through the approval process for improvements to the lower school, to allow for increased enrollment. There is strong community resistance to any growth in the area, though.
Land immediately surrounding the site is zoned TP, A, CA and SU. The site is not mapped for restrictions regarding Biotic Reserves (ie. restrictions on areas allowed to disturb), Critical Fire Hazards (ie heavily wooded areas, or other very flammable plants), Watershed or Water Supply Watershed (severe restrictions on septic systems and ground coverage), or Riparian Woodlands (extremely sensitive biotic resources, which would probably disallow any development). A creek, “Cave Gulch” (designated ‘Riparian Corridor’) runs through the back of one of the proposed site locations.
Allowable coverage: 10% of the total area of the parcel.
| Existing: |
288,350
|
sf |
|
0.1
|
|
28,835
|
sf |
| Site 1: |
260,040
|
sf |
|
0.1
|
|
26,004
|
sf |
| Site 2: |
179,600
|
sf |
|
0.1
|
|
17,960
|
sf |
|
(forested)
|
266,100
|
sf |
|
0.1
|
|
26,610
|
sf |
Maximum height: 28 feet tall.
Two stories permitted maximum.
| Setbacks: | Front: 40 feet |
| Sides and back: 20 feet |
ClimateSanta Cruz’ weather seems to have an inverse relationship with the bay area. In the summer, fog often rolls in from the ocean and makes it quite cold, whereas in the winter the sun will stay out much more consistently. Monterey’s climate models the city of Santa Cruz quite well, but once one gets up into the mountains a bit, the weather is more severe, with temperature range approximately 10°F larger in each direction. During the summer, it is less likely to be foggy than Santa Cruz and will get hot. It rains more here than in Santa Cruz, and in the winter the Santa Cruz mountains have been known to catch some snow—which lasts a few hours—on cold years. The psychrometric chart shows the weather consistently below the comfort zone for Monterey. Bonny Doon has two micro-climates: Thickly forested areas will trap the moisture from the night fog and stay cold most of the summer, with results very similar to Monterey. As soon as one is in a clearing, though, the temperatures in summer will usually be in the high 70s (°F). |
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