Very humbling to receive an award for the City of Watsonville's Downtown Specific Plan! We had a great consultant team led by Assistant Director Justin Meek. I look forward to the implementation of the Specific Plan and the revitalization of our historic downtown!
Congratulations to the City of Watsonville in recognition for their Hard-Won Victories Excellence Award for their work on the Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan. In October 2023, the City of Watsonville adopted a Specific Plan that established a long-term vision to help revitalize its historic downtown. The DWSP was developed with extensive community engagement that produced the visionary recommendations and expected outcomes documented in the Plan. The DWSP will help revitalize downtown by facilitating housing production and preservation; increasing retail-entertainment activity; encouraging higher-density mixed-use residential projects; adding visitor-oriented uses; supporting a greater range of civic and cultural activities; improving the safety and comfort of pedestrians; enhancing bicycle infrastructure; and targeting uses and activities that appeal to a wide range of Watsonville’s residents and employees. The DWSP presented a unique opportunity for diverse community members and stakeholders to participate and share their ideas to guide Downtown’s future. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the City highly prioritized an engagement process that provided multiple opportunities for virtual and in-person engagement to increase inclusion and input about potential recommendations. Get your tickets to attend the 2024 Awards Gala to celebrate our deserving winners and their outstanding work in our field as exemplified by this dynamic team - bit.ly/APACANorthernGala24