Photo by Paul Zaretsky
Letter from the Mayor
Jack Dilles
Mayor, City of Scotts Valley
Scotts Valley Tackles Challenges
By:JACK DILLES Published in the Press Banner March 13, 2023
Setting goals is essential for the City to be successful. The City Council discussed and approved nine strategic goals for 2023-24 to allow Scotts Valley to focus on the most important issues we face. Seven of these goals follow. Others will be described in a future article.
• Identify additional revenue sources to support a thriving City.
Ensuring long-term financial stability is important because you can’t spend what you don’t have. The Measure Z sales tax measure allowed the City to weather Covid-related economic hits and fully staff the Police Department. However, the City needs to increase maintenance staffing. Scotts Valley does not have ongoing resources to maintain parks, streets and other infrastructure to the level residents expect. The City has strived to do all it can, relying upon existing revenues, grants and hardworking staff. The City needs to identify new revenue sources.
• Plan for the future by completing the General Plan update, Housing Element and facilitating the future development of the Town Center.
These are critical undertakings. The General Plan describes what kind of city is envisioned. The Housing Element, under State law, must be updated by December and the City must plan for 1,220 more homes to be built over eight years. Complying presents a challenge. It is likely that Scotts Valley will need to rezone properties and identify opportunity sites for denser housing. For the Town Center, a City Council subcommittee is working with a consulting firm to rethink our development strategy.
• Explore new ways to connect and partner with local businesses to explore Scotts Valley’s brand and competitive advantage.
Scotts Valley’s unique location and quality of life give us a competitive edge but also puts us in the shadow of our larger, more famous neighbors. Partnering with the business community to hone our economic development strategies is key to raising Scotts Valley’s presence as a community of choice for new and expanding businesses. My belief is that future success will include a focus on recreational opportunities.
• Re-establish recreation programming that supports the diverse interests of our community.
The City knows that residents value recreation. Recreation staff are building a 2023 program based on community input and are excited to utilize the new Scotts Valley Cultural and Performing Arts Center. New classes and activities will result from partnering with local instructors and community groups. The Siltanen Park pool was repaired and the City is looking for an operator to run day-to-day activities starting this summer. The Community Garden was also repaired and awaits spring gardeners.
• Prioritize implementation of critical Wastewater infrastructure projects.
The aging Wastewater Treatment Plant needs major improvements and new funding to modernize operations and maintain our prized recycled water system. In addition to the plant, the City maintains 46 miles of collection pipes and eight lift stations (pumps) to bring all waste to the plant, and a 6-mile outflow pipe for treated water to safely flow to the ocean. During recent storms, the plant reached critical capacity and staff had to work incredibly hard to keep the plant safely operating. A budget of $3 million has been programmed for improvements in 2023 and another $2.8 million is needed over the next four years.
• Invest in improvements to bike and pedestrian safety.
Scotts Valley has been busy improving bicycle and pedestrian safety, relying upon grants and its Active Transportation Plan. Bicycle and pedestrian improvements are planned for the Granite Creek Road overpass. As striping is refreshed on city streets, bike lanes will be marked as identified in the Active Transportation Plan. As new development occurs, developers are asked to include bicycle infrastructure.
• Support cultural events, art and projects that celebrate Scotts Valley.
The City’s Arts Commission promotes cultural events, including past Art Walks and the upcoming Poetry Contest for youth and adults. Also, the City welcomes its first professional theater! The Scotts Valley Community Theater Guild opened the Scotts Valley Cultural and Performing Arts Center by the Library. Watch for plays, dance performances and the upcoming Alfred Hitchcock Festival. The City is also partnering with the School District for this year’s Multicultural Fair to be held at Skypark on May 6.
Let us know what you think about our strategic goals.
Jack Dilles is mayor for the City of Scotts Valley. To reach Jack Dilles, email jdilles@scottsvalley.gov or call 831-566-3180.
WELCOME TO THE
City of Scotts Valley
The City of Scotts Valley, incorporated on August 2, 1966, is a general law city with a population of approximately 11,858. Scotts Valley is located in Santa Cruz County and is six miles north of the City of Santa Cruz and 26 miles southwest of San Jose. The City operates under the council-manager form of government. Five council members are elected to four-year terms, and every year the council selects one member to serve as mayor. The City Council appoints the City Manager, who is responsible for supervising the day-to-day operations of the City. The City provides the following range of municipal services: police, parks, recreation, wastewater, streets and roads, public improvements, planning and zoning, construction inspection, and general administrative services The current sales tax rate is 9.75%
Mali LaGoe joined Scotts Valley as City Manager in January 2022. Prior to coming to Scotts Valley, Mali served in Nevada County, California for almost a decade in several roles, most recently as Assistant County Executive Officer. There she co-led pandemic response efforts both operationally and business/community support, championed operational high performance and process improvement initiatives, supported disaster response efforts and partnered with dozens of community partners on a variety of projects. Over her tenure, she held additional positions in the Health and Human Services Agency, and filled in as Interim Community Development Director, Interim Human Resources Director and Interim Deputy County Executive Officer. Prior to her public service career, Mali worked in the private and non-profit sectors in the field of project management and executive leadership. She received a BA in Political Science from the University of Nebraska and holds a Masters in Public Administration from California State University - Northridge. Mali lives in San Jose with her husband, stepsons and two Boston terriers.
Chief Steve Walpole has been a resident of Scotts Valley his entire life. His law enforcement career began over twenty years ago, but it wasn't until 2014 that started work here at the Scotts Val-ley Police Department. He was with the department for three years before being appointed the Interim Chief of Police at the beginning of 2017. When he is away from work Chief Walpole enjoys spending time with his wife and two teenage sons.
Ron Whittle the Fire Chief of Scotts Valley Fire Protection District moved to Scotts Valley in 197 4 from the Bay Area. He attended Vine Hill Elementary School, Scotts Valley Middle and graduated from Soquel High School. He began his fire service career in 1984 as a volunteer firefighter with Scotts Valley Fire. He was hired as a full-time Firefighter/EMT in 1988 and progressed through the ranks of Firefighter 2, Engineer, and Fire Captain. In 2004, He was promoted to Battalion Chief until becoming the Fire Chief in 2020. During his fire service career, he has also been a Fire Investigator and Hazardous Materials Technician. He completed the Reserve Police Academy at Cabrillo College to become a Reserve Police officer with Scotts Valley Police Department for 5 years. He enjoys spending time with his wife Traci, and his two daughters Bailey and Madison.
County Board of Supervisors
5th District, Bruce McPherson, 831.454.2200
Legislators
Governor, Gavin Newsom, 916.445.2841
State Senator, John Laird, 831.425.0401
Assemblymember, Mark Stone, 831.425.1503
Congressman, Jimmy Panetta, 831.429.1976
U.S. Senator, Alex Padilla, 415.981.9369
U.S. Senator, Dianne Feinstein, 415.393.0707
1 Civic Center Drive
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
Phone: 831-440-5600
Fax: 831-438-2793
About Scotts Valley
Nestled in the redwood forests, yet minutes from the beach, lies a thriving community that enjoys a booming high tech industry, excellent schools, and lovely residential neighborhoods. It is a juxtaposition of these and many other qualities that make Scotts Valley a unique place to live and work. Scotts Valley is unrivaled in its ability to balance industry and community, education and experience, and improvement and beauty. Perhaps it’s the dichotomy of vastly changing landscapes and diverging views, or maybe it’s the way local businesses support and foster a lucrative yet tranquil way of life. Whatever the reason, it is clear that Scotts Valley provides an optimal environment for its residents to thrive in their work and in their lives.
Climate: Scotts Valley’s climate is characteristic of mountainous coastal terrain. Summer is mild with occasional cool, foggy mornings and an average daily temperature ranging in the 60’s to 80’s. Autumn is typically warm with little rainfall. Winter brings necessary rain but is otherwise relatively mild with temperatures ranging from the 30s to 60s. Spring means gradually warming temperatures with occasional moderate rainfall. Annual average temperature is 68 degrees, and average annual rainfall is 41.18 inches.
Location: Scotts Valley is situated in northern Santa Cruz County, just a
short distance from Monterey Bay and nestled in the redwoods of the upland
of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is approximately six miles north of Santa
Cruz, 30 miles southwest of San Jose, and 68 miles south of San Francisco.
Naming: Scotts Valley is named after Hiram Scott, who settled in Santa Cruz and purchased Rancho San Augustin in 1852. The city is located on a part of his family’s old ranch site.
Commuting
MAP - DRIVE TIMES
To Google
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View. Driving Distance: 32.7 mi , Duration: 37 mins, Route: CA-17 N and CA-85 N
To Apple Computer
1 Apple Parkway, Cupertino. Driving Distance: 27.1 mi , Duration: 31 mins, Route: CA-17 N and I280 N
To Netflix
100 Winchester Cir, Los Gatos. Driving Distance: 17.6 mi , Duration: 24 mins, Route: CA-17 N
To Facebook
Facebook Way, Menlo Park. Driving Distance: 40.3 mi , Duration: 44 mins, Route: CA-17 N and CA-85 N
To Yahoo
721 1st Ave, Sunnyvale. Driving Distance: 32.7 mi , Duration: 40 mins, Route: CA-17 N and CA-85 N
Some Silicon Valley Companies, including Google, Apple, Yahoo, Facebook, Netflix and others send buses to the Scotts Valley Station for a round trip to work.
Santa Cruz Metro Online - http://www.scmtd.com/en/
Check out Metro Online, a service of the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District, the mass transit system for the Santa Cruz County in California. METRO recently purchased 3 full-sized 40-foot CNG fixed-route buses and 15 ParaCruz vehicles, including 12 standard vans and three larger vehicles.
Scotts Valley Demographics
Scotts Valley Statistics
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Scotts Valley covers 4.6 square miles
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Elevation is 527 feet at Scotts Valley – 1808 feet at the summit of the Santa Cruz Mountains
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Incorporated: 1966
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Population 11,903 (2010)
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Number of Jobs: 4,966
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Number of Employers: 706
Median household income is 63% higher than California. High school graduation is 19% higher than California. Median home value is 60% higher than California. Average summer temperature is 61°.
Crime Rate: Scotts Valley, CA to other cities in the state and across the country, Scotts Valley, CA is 74% safer than other cities of California. Total crimes are 25% lower than California.
Scotts Valley Award Winning Schools
The Scotts Valley Unified School District is a public school district which operates four schools educating about 2,700 students. www.scottsvalleyusd.org
The primary goal of SVUSD staff development plan is to engage teachers, administrators and staff in developing, researching and disseminating effective models of instruction. Effective professional development is essential to improving overall student outcomes. Our professional development plan is driven by the LCAP (Local Control Accountability Plan) and SPSAs (School Plans for Student Achievement.)
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Integration and Implementation of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) - Within the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), there are three distinct and equally important dimensions to learning science. These dimensions are combined to form each standard—or performance expectation—and each dimension works with the other two to help students build a cohesive understanding of science over time.
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English Language Development for Teachers (ELD) - Supporting literacy across content areas and interdisciplinary instruction by focusing on the relationships and convergences of mathematics, science, and English language arts practices
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International Baccalaureate (IB) - Scotts Valley High School is an IB school, offering both IB classes and a diploma. Founded in 1968, the International Baccalaureate® (IB) is a non-profit educational foundation offering four highly respected programmes of international education that develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills needed to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world. To find out more, visit the SVHS website
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Technology Integration - Student use of technology promotes development of twenty-first-century skills, such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking, and allows access to resources for students.
Scotts Valley Schools
Scotts Valley Unified School District
4444 Scotts Valley Drive, 5B,ScottsValley
831-438-1820 / www.svusd.santacruz.k12.ca.us
Vine Hill Elementary School
151 Vine Hill School Rd.,ScottsValley
831-438-1090 / www.vinehill.santacruz.k12.ca.us
Brook Knoll Elementary School
151 Brook Knoll Dr.,Santa Cruz
831-423-2454 / www.brookknoll.santacruz.k12.ca.us
Scotts Valley Middle School
8 Bean Creek Rd.,ScottsValley
831-438-0610 / www.svms.santacruz.k12.ca.us
Scotts Valley High School
555 Glenwood Dr.,ScottsValley
831-439-9555 / www.svhs.santacruz.k12.ca.us
Scotts Valley Private Schools
Baymonte Christian School
5000-B Granite Creek Rd.,ScottsValley
831-438-0100 / www.baymonte.org
Montessori School – Scotts Valley
123 S. Navarra Drive,Scotts Valley
831-439-9313 / www.montessoricommunity.school
Brite Horizons
749 37th Ave., Santa Cruz, 831.227.6338
Building Kidz of Scotts Valley Preschool
and Kindergarten
831.438.4813
Hearts to Hearts PIP
(Parent Involvement Preschool)
831.588.3189
Coast Redwoods Montessori
831.461.9330
Scotts Valley Unified (District) California School Ratings
Scotts Valley High CSR rank: 10
Scotts Valley Middle CSR rank: 9
Vine Hill Elementary CSR rank: 8
School-Ratings.com
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96% of our students graduate high school
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95% of our graduates go on to college
Excellence in our schools helps Scotts Valley stand out: It boosts property values, ensures a bright future for our kids, and keeps Scotts Valley the kind of community we all want to live in!
Higher Education
Cabrillo College
6500 Sequel Drive, Aptos, 831.479.6100
University of California Santa Cruz
1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, 831.459.0111
California State University Monterey Bay
100 Campus Center, Seaside, 831.582.3330
San Jose State University
One Washington Square, San Jose, 408.924.1000
History
Scotts Valley was named after Hiram Scott who purchased Rancho San Agustin, including the valley, in 1850 from Joseph Ladd Majors.
Before Majors, the property was owned by Jose Bolcoff. Bolcoff was the original settler and first European to claim title and live in what was to be Scotts Valley. He was born Osip Volkov around 1794 in Petropavlosk-Kanchatsky, a village on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Siberia. Working as a fur trader around 1815, Bolcoffjumped ship on the Monterey Bay shoreline, quickly assimilated into the Spanish culture, and was well received by the Spanish authorities. Volkov had his Russian Orthodox Baptism validated in Mission Soledad in 181 7, and was given the Spanish name Jose Antonio Bolcoff. Bolcofflived with and traveled with California's Governor Sota, acting as an interpreter. Becoming a Mexican citizen in 1833, Bolcoff moved his family to his 4,400-acre land grant building, an adobe casa historians speculate was located near present-day Kings Village Shopping Center. Bolcoff relinquished his interest in Rancho San Agustin, selling and accepting $400 from Joseph Ladd Majors, also known as Don Juan Jose Mechacas.
July 7, 1846 marked the shift in power in the region from Mexico to the United States.
Hiram Scott built Scott House in 1853 in Greek revival style. Sitting on the green lawn behind City Hall, it is a Santa Cruz County Historical Trust Landmark, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The house originally stood on Scotts Valley Drive, about where a Bank of America branch is now located.
In 1966, the City of Scotts Valley was incorporated, using the Scott family name. Scotts Valley's most famous resident was legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock. He was the Master of Suspense and his family lived in a mountaintop estate about the Vine Hill area for 32 years, from 1940 to 1972.
City of Scotts Valley
Scotts Valley City Hall
One Civic Center Drive
Scotts Valley, CA. 95066
831.440.5600, scottsvalley.org
Police Department - 831.440.5670 (routine calls)
Business License Department - 831.440.5611
Planning & Zoning Department - 831.440.5630
Parks & Recreation Department
361 Kings Village Road
Scotts Valley, CA. 95066
831.438.3251
Public Works Department
701 Lundy Lane
Scotts Valley, CA. 95066
831.438.5854
Scotts Valley Fire District
7 Erba Lane
Scotts Valley, CA. 95066 (routine calls) 831.438.0211
Scotts Valley Water District
2 Civic Center Drive
Scotts Valley, CA. 95066
831.438.2363
Cavallaro Scotts Valley Transit Center
246 Kings Village Road
Scotts Valley, CA. 95066
Santa Cruz METRO Reservations/Customer Service - 831.425.4664
METRO ParaCruz
2880 Research Park Drive Suite 160
Sequel, CA 95073
Reservations/Customer Service 831.425.4664
County of Santa Cruz
Government Office
701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz, CA. 95060
831.454.2123
Assessor - 831.454.2002
Controller - 831.454.2500
County Clerk - 831.454.2060
District Attorney - 831.454.2400
Economic Development - 831.420.5150
Environmental Health - 831.454.2002
Health Services Agency - 831.454.4800
Housing Authority - 831.464.0170
Planning Department - 831.454.2580
County Animal Shelter - 831.454.7200
Voter Registration/Elections Department - 831-454-2060 or 866-282-5900
Sheriff Office (unincorporated areas) - 831.454.7682
California Highway Patrol - 831.662.0511
Community Links
Largest Employers
The ten largest employers (in order of employees) are Threshold Enterprises, Central Coast Alliance, Fox Racing Shox, Bay Photo Lab, 1440 OPCO, LLC., Universal Audio, Inc., Bell Sports, Inc., Zero Motorcycles, The Camp Recovery Center, and Kaiser Permanente Medical Group. The Enterprise Tech Center is an ultramodern corporate campus that features unbeatable amenities, gorgeous balconies, courtyards, and plenty of beautiful glass and water features for a peaceful yet modern atmosphere. There are also athletic club facilities with an Olympic size swimming pool where the corporate offices of University of California at Santa Cruz are located. A perfect location for businesses to re-locate to with easy access Silicon Valley and Santa Cruz.