Dear District 5 Residents,
We are lucky to live in a place where we can easily explore redwood forests, sandy foothills, or miles of stunning coastline just outside our front door. Not only are these open spaces beautiful, but they also improve our physical and mental health, encourage social connection, and protect and preserve our local habitats. I was reminded of this when I recently joined local leaders, elected officials, and volunteers to celebrate two open spaces in our community – the newly improved, but longtime local favorite, Miller Property County Park in Boulder Creek, and the Cotoni-Coast Dairies near Davenport. The Miller Property County Park, which spans 400 acres of lush redwood forest, is now more accessible to residents with a dedicated parking area and new trails. I want to thank my predecessor Bruce McPherson who designated District Five funds to make this possible, and Santa Cruz County Parks. I am excited this special place will now be easier for residents to access and enjoy. Cotoni-Coast Dairies, which was designated as part of the California Coastal National Monument in 2017, is now open to the public. The park offers stunning views with nine miles of trails ranging from the Santa Cruz Mountains to the coastline. This week I also had the opportunity to tour land managed by the San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) in the Olympia Watershed. Featuring public paths and habitat for local endangered species, this open space also serves as an essential groundwater collection area, through which water filters to replenish our aquifers during the rainy season. Through a CAL FIRE-funded project and continued collaborations with the Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District and Santa Cruz Land Trust, the SLVWD has been able to reduce wildfire risk and encourage native species by removing invasive brooms and Acacia – helping to ensure that residents will have access to safe and high-quality water now and in the future. Most of us have chosen the mountains as our home because we appreciate the gifts that nature offers. As your supervisor, it is a pleasure to be able to continue to facilitate access to these open spaces. If you have not taken a moment to explore a local park lately, I encourage you to do so and let me know what you think! In community, |
Have a question for the Sheriff? The Sheriff’s Office invites community members to discuss current issues and trends in San Lorenzo Valley at an upcoming town hall in Felton. See below for more details. Event Details: Date: Tuesday, September 9, 2025 Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Place: Felton Public Library (6121 Gushee Street, Felton)
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Photo: Supervisor Monica Martinez, former 5th District Supervisor Bruce McPherson, County Parks Department Director Jeff Gaffney, and representatives from the offices of Assemblymember Gail Pellerin and Senator John Laird. |
Miller Property County Park is a hidden gem nestled in the redwoods of Boulder Creek. Thanks to my predecessor Bruce McPherson and Santa Cruz County Parks, this special park is now more accessible to the community than ever. I was honored to join a recent ceremony celebrating the park’s new features including a formal parking area, new picnic tables, and several in-process trails.
This property, which was donated to the County by the Save the Redwoods League, spans over 400 acres and plays an important role in protecting the region’s natural habitat and open space, as well as part of the King’s Creek watershed. I’m excited to see this special place become part of more people’s lives.
Future plans include a new loop trail and a forest management plan to balance increased access, resource protection, and the need for forest health initiatives in response to climate change. I hope you will find time to enjoy this local treasure!
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Photo: Valentin Lopez, chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, performs ribbon-cutting at opening of the Cotoni-Coast Dairies with former U.S. Congresswoman Anna Eshoo. |
I was happy to recently join over 100 leaders, elected officials, volunteers, and conservationists to celebrate the opening of the Cotoni-Coast Dairies new trail system. Cotoni-Coast Dairies, an onshore unit of the California Coastal National Monument, is named after the Cotoni tribe of the Ohlone people who inhibited the land for centuries. This beautiful property now includes nine miles of trails near Davenport ranging from the steep slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains to marine coastal terraces overlooking the ocean. Beyond supporting riparian and wetland communities, the waterways provide an important habitat for anadromous and freshwater fish, as well as water for the city of Santa Cruz and surrounding communities. To make this all possible Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship spent over three years building the trails with extraordinary support from volunteers - nearly 900 volunteers totaling over 10,000 hours of trail work. Take a trip to the coast and explore the diverse topography of this amazing space!
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Photo: Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley takes the first dip with eight kids into the newly reopened Harvey West Pool. |
After nearly two years, Harvey West Pool reopened offering free “Dip in Days” through September 28 on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. To celebrate the pool’s reopening, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held and Mayor Fred Keely took a ceremonial dip. The public was invited to dive into the pool afterward. A range of system improvements have been made to the pool, including an improved check-in process. The City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation is working hard to bring the pool fully back online with lessons, classes, and recreational swimming. A full schedule of aquatic programing is expected to roll out later this fall.
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Photo: Jason Lillion, General Manager, SLVWD; Garrett Roffe, Engineering Manager, SLVWD; Jodi McGraw, Biological Consultant; Alina Layng, Vice President, SLVWD Board of Directors; Chris Klier, Environmental Programs and Special Projects Manager, SLVWD; and Supervisor Monica Martinez. |
This week, I joined local leaders to welcome San Lorenzo Valley Water District’s (SLVWD) new General Manager, Jason Lillion. SLVWD serves 7,900 customers in Boulder Creek, Brookdale, Ben Lomond, Zayante, Quail Hallow, Scotts Valley, Whispering Pines, Manana Woods, and Felton. It is one of roughly 3,000 independent water districts in California and is governed by a five-member Board of publicly elected Directors. Lillion, who joined SLVWD in early July, brings nearly three decades of deep experience in water operations management. He will oversee key projects that the water district is undertaking to address aging infrastructure by replacing undersized pipelines, hardening against wildfires, and improved administration. This week I also had the opportunity to tour SLVWD’s facilities and learn more about their Olympia Watershed Forest Health project – a CAL FIRE-funded collaboration between the Resource Conservation District and SLVWD. SLVWD owns the Olympia Watershed property and operates two wells there that supply water to SLVWD customers. Previously quarry land, preserving this rare sandhill habitat not only benefits the endangered plants and species that live there, but it also plays an important role in protecting our continued access to safe drinking water by safeguarding space where rainwater is collected back into our aquifers.
Through the Olympia Watershed Forest Health project, SLVWD was able to remove invasive species on more than 60 acres, which reduced wildfire risk and helped safeguard the watershed and groundwater aquifer health. I hope to see more collaborative efforts between local entities like this one in the future and will continue to support this kind of cooperation from the County wherever possible.
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Photo: Lieutenant Nick Baldrige and Sheriff Chris Clark from Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, Supervisor Monica Martinez, David Reid, Director of Santa Cruz County Office of Response, Recovery & Resilience, and Chief Maxwell, Zayante Fire Protection District. |
This past weekend, I held a second town hall for Zayante and Lompico residents on emergency communications and evacuation processes. The town hall included a panel of local and state experts including the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, the Office of Response, Recovery & Resilience, and Zayante Fire Protection District. I was pleased to see another great turnout on Saturday. In total, nearly 150 residents attended both the town halls offered at the Zayante Fire House this summer. Thank you all for taking time out of your busy lives to be part of this important discussion. This event was focused on Zayante and Lompico because these canyons have been identified as particularly challenging to evacuate. However, you can never be too prepared for an emergency no matter where you live in the valley. I encourage you to please take steps to make sure you and your family are prepared. Sign up for CruzAware, know your zone, and download WatchDuty or Pulse Point to receive real-time information on nearby fire and emergency events. Be ready to evacuate and make a plan!
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Photo: Volunteers help remove invasive species at the San Lorenzo Valley Water District Olympia Watershed. |
Volunteers are essential to preserving and enhancing our parks and open spaces. If you’d like to get involved in trail building, vegetation management, or other local improvement projects, check out these opportunities:
Miller Property County Park Santa Cruz County Parks is working with the Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship to finalize plans for new trails that will begin construction soon. If you are interested in helping to build trails, please reach out to Santa Cruz County Parks using the online form, email volunteer@parks.santacruzcountyca.gov, or call 831-457-7927.
Cotoni-Coast Dairies The Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship have spent years designing and building trails at Cotoni-Coast Dairies. Please contact at info@santacruztrails.org or (831) 291-5137 for more information. You can also visit their events calendar and sign up to receive their newsletter.
San Lorenzo Valley Water District – Olympia Watershed The San Lorenzo Valley Water District held several volunteer events to remove invasive species such as French Broom at the Olympia Watershed. The next volunteer event will be in November. It’s a great hands-on opportunity to support local habitat and learn more about watershed care. For more information, see the flyer, sign up on their website, or email Chris Klier at cklier@slvwd.com.
Quail Hollow Ranch County Park
There are many rewarding volunteer opportunities at Quail Hollow Ranch County Park that promote the natural and cultural qualities of the park. For more information, visit Friends of Quail Hollow Ranch. If you are interested in joining a volunteer team, contact Emma Lee, County Parks Volunteer Coordinator, at Emma.lee@santacruzcountyca.gov.
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To reduce wait time, we are now utilizing a reservation system. Click here to reserve a 15 minute time-slot in advance. Drop-in visitors are still welcome, and will be seen in order of arrival as time allows between or after reservations. - September 16, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (Felton Office, 6062 Graham Hill Road, Suite A & B, Felton)
The purpose of In-District Office Hours is to provide a convenient way for me to hear from you. However, if you have a problem that will require more than 15 minutes to discuss, or you cannot come during the times listed above, my office is happy to work with you to schedule another time meet. Contact my staff at fifth.district@santacruzcountyca.gov or by calling 831-454-2200.
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Read meeting agendas here as they become available.
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*Please note, due to renovations of the Board Chambers (Room 525) at 701 Ocean Street, Board meetings will be held at various locations around the County beginning September 30 through the end of the year. For more information contact the Board of Supervisors at 831-454-2200. |
Upcoming meetings will take place at 9 a.m. until their conclusion on:
September 9 (Board Chambers, Room 525, 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz)
September 30 (Location TBD) |
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