Staff of Life & Parking, Smoking Ban

Staff of Life & Parking
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The same is true of New Leaf (westside), the new Safeway (westside) and now Staff of Life (east side):  building more parking.  (The 2 new Whole Foods  used strip malls, already with too much parking.)

One of the recommendations from Santa Cruz Master Transportation Study (2003?) was to reduce parking on new development, from current 3.3 spaces (per 1000 sq ft of retail) to 2.75 spaces.   According to recent Sentinel article, the new Staff of Life will have 150 spaces (21,000 sq ft), which is 7 spaces per 1000 sq ft.  Moreover the Staff of Life is on several bus lines.

Not trying to pick on Staff of Life, a local store known for good service and reasonable wise policies (although they did do away with the excellent and slightly eccentric vegetarian restaurant in about 2000).

Safeway boasts its new westside location has adequate public transportation:  did anyone check?   And, I couldn't even find the entrance to the westside New Leaf because all  the entrances are in the parking lot.  I showed up at intersection on foot - no entrance.

But where is the City leadership?  Where is the will to emphasis alternative transportation over the automobile?  Friendly communities over sprawl?  To follow the recommendations the City paid half a million for?


Santa Cruz Bans Smoking
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What took so long?  After all, the American Lung Association gave us a rating of 'D'.
And if the issue is really health why not ban smoking in all interior places?

To those who live here, we know the probably reason is related to situation on Pacific Street, where there is abundant pan-handling, perhaps some drugs and an increasing uncomfortable situation for many.

Like all the other ordinances to combat this, let see how the smoking ban is enforced.


Full article in Sentinel:
Staff of Life

Smoking Ban