Community group building pressure for Par 3 housing

By HEATHER BOERNER
Sentinel staff writer

APTOS — A nascent community group is asking its local county supervisor to support efforts to bring more housing, and higher-density housing, to Mid-County.

At an hourlong meeting of Communities Organized for Relational Power in Action held last week, the organization asked 2nd District Supervisor Ellen Pirie to support three things: South County’s affordable housing project proposed for Seacliff’s McGregor property; higher density for Cabrillo Commons, a complex proposed off Soquel Drive; and housing on the Par 3 Golf Course off Highway 1 near State Park Drive.

Pirie’s answers: yes, no and maybe.

She said she’d support the affordable housing project, but said she doesn’t think the Cabrillo Commons’ land is ample enough for more than the 43 houses proposed there.

Finally, she said she might consider housing on Par 3 Golf Course, which is now a 13-acre park, if the proposal is "really special."

"It’s zoned for parks and recreation and I’d like to keep it that way," she said. "But if a proposal really gave something special to the community, I’d consider it. But it would have to be something so special, do so many good things for so many people that it would be hard to turn down."

She said she wouldn’t support proposals involving several hundred market-rate homes.

But Andrew Goldenkranz of COPA said he saw some chance for discussion with Pirie on this.

"If we work together and we build a constituency for housing on (Par 3), we could change the landscape for housing in Mid-County," he said.

The group asked to meet with Pirie again in 90 days about Par 3. In the meantime, members of each congregation will meet to come up with their ideal vision for Par 3.

Pirie is running for re-election to the 2nd District seat on the Board of Supervisors. Her opponent, businessman Peter Truman, said he supports housing on Par 3.

"I’m for making it easier for people to build more," he said. "If (the Par 3 proposal) were hundreds of units with only one road, I’d have a problem with it. But I like the idea of housing there. I don’t think it’s a good place for a park, with the freeway right there."

Two years ago, a consortium of developers floated the idea of building houses, duplexes and condominiums on the site, a total of 153 units. Pirie said at the time losing the open space would be "a real blow."

COPA, a project of Central Coast Interfaith Sponsors, is composed of members of St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, the Center for Community Advocacy, Temple Beth El, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Resurrection Catholic Community and St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.