About Us

Current Projects

 

County Parks is constantly working to improve our parks, coastal access points, trails and facilities to maximize community benefit, recreational opportunity, and stewardship of natural resources! Parks projects include grant applications, master plans, environmental review and design and construction of capital projects including new playgrounds, restrooms, trails and other park amenities!

Projects Underway at County Parks

Chanticleer Avenue County Park

Chanticleer Avenue County Park is a 4.5-acre neighborhood park in the Live Oak community. Construction of phase 1 is complete. The park opened on January 18th, 2020. During fall 2020 Parks staff held a series of community meetings to get input on phase 2 park improvements at Chanticleer Park to include in the Prop 68 Statewide Park Program application. Based on the input received at these meetings, the Draft Phase 2 Site Plan has been developed.

Coastal Rail Trail

The Coastal Rail Trail Segments 10 and 11 Project is an approximately 4.5-mile ADA-accessible bicycle/pedestrian path that generally extends along the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line (SCBRL) corridor, from 17th Avenue in Live Oak to State Park Drive in the Seacliff neighborhood (see maps above). The trail will provide a safe and beautiful experience for recreation, active transportation, and environmental and cultural education along the Monterey Bay. Joggers, bicycle commuters, wheelchair users, kids walking/biking to school, families with strollers, and walkers will all be able to enjoy the paved asphalt surface. These two segments of the Coastal Rail Trail connect to 10 schools, 18 parks, 13 public beaches, 2 community centers, and multiple residential neighborhoods and commercial areas through some of the densest portions of Santa Cruz County.

Hidden Beach County Park

Hidden Beach County Park has one upcoming improvement: the installation of a permanent restroom. The County Parks Department is working with consulting firm SSA Landscape Architects to design a permanent restroom facility at the park. The restroom will be accessible to people with mobility impairments and provide flush toilets and running water for handwashing. Preliminary planning has the facility sited between the existing playground and the service road.

Live Oak Library Annex at Simpkins Swim Center

The Live Oak Library Annex project is managed by the County of Santa Cruz Department of Public Works.  Located at Simpkins Family Swim Center and Live Oak Community Center, it will include flexible program space, a classroom, study rooms, public computers and laptop bar, and a new plaza intergrated with the existing community facilities.  These improvements will support a wide range of library and enrichment programming for the benefit of the community for years to come.   

  • For more information click here.

Moran Lake County Park

County Parks is working with a consultant team to prepare a restoration and public access plan for Moran Lake County Park. The project will evaluate and continue with previous draft park improvement plans prepared by the Redevelopment Agency in 2010 and include community outreach and development and assessment of restoration goals as well as public access improvements at the park. The planning project is funded in part by the State Coastal Conservancy, including funding from Prop 1, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2023!

A project update was presented to the Parks Commission on June 6, 2022, in which comments received at the May 14th public event were presented. The following PowerPoint was presented in the presentation:

Previous community participation events were completed at the park in summer 2021.

Comments received at previous community meetings and through the online survey were summarized and shared with the Parks and Recreation Commission on October 4, 2021. Use the following link to view the meeting minutes: Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of October 4, 2021 Regular Meeting

Join the project email list for updates. Previous Park Plans & Studies:

 

PUBLIC NOTICE 2/21/2024 4:25PM: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has received a subgrant application for Santa Cruz County, CA. Pursuant to Executive Order (EO) 11988 and 44 CFR Part 9.12, final notice is hereby given of FEMA’s intent to provide funding for this project under the Public Assistance Grant Program (PA). Click here to read the Public Notice. Photo of Public Notice at Location.

North Coast Facilities Management Plan

Santa Cruz County’s North Coast has limited visitor amenities, infrastructure, and law enforcement, and high visitation levels have increasingly overwhelmed the area and threatened natural resources, public safety, and visitor experience. The intent of the North Coast Facilities Management Plan is to improve management while preserving one of California’s most beautiful stretches of coastline.

Led by Santa Cruz County Parks and funded through twin $100,000 grants from the California Coastal Conservancy and California State Parks, a group of federal, state, and local agencies are working together to identify priority coastal projects between the Santa Cruz city limits and San Mateo County line. Based on prior community and stakeholder engagement, a draft list of priority projects has been identified for inclusion in the North Coast Facilities Management Plan that aim to enhance the North Coast visitor experience, manage visitor impacts, and preserve natural resources.

Willowbrook County Park Memorial

The Santa Cruz County Parks Department, the Santa Cruz County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, County Park Friends, and Supervisor Zach Friend are honored to plan the reimagining of Willowbrook County Park in memory of Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller. The project will include the installation of a beautiful memorial seating area on the east side of the pedestrian walkway bridge, updates to the playground and play surface, and a new flagpole area at the Baseline Drive park entrance.

Led by County Park Friends, the Willowbrook County Park Gutzwiller Memorial campaign’s goal is to raise $805,000 in community donations and sponsorships. A variety of giving opportunities are available.Visit countyparkfriends.org/willowbrook for more information, view schematics of planned park renovations, or to make a donation.

Completed Projects

View some of our recently completed projects!

Contact Us

Phone:

(831) 454-7901

Monday – Friday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, except holidays

Our physical office is open, but staff availability is limited as most staff members are working remotely.