By Denise Ward for the Aptos Chamber of Commerce
Many people are wondering about the status of the Aptos Village Plan. Second District Supervisor Ellen Pirie delivered some answers at the Aptos Chamber's January breakfast meeting at the Best Western Seacliff Inn.
In a nutshell, the Aptos Village is trying to become a place where people can live, shop, work and play. Since 1975 many meetings have taken place to get input from residents, planners, developers, architects and property owners to lay some groundwork for developing a plan that will be suitable for the Aptos community. Recent community meetings asked attendees to break up into smaller groups based on common interests and the expertise of its members.
The key goal of the plan is to create a "heart" of the Aptos community by developing small-scale mixed-use structures. The total area encompasses 15 acres in the core of the village.
Aesthetically, the plan requires that the style of buildings and related structures give the appearance that the village developed over time beginning in the 1890s. In addition to commercial uses, it proposes about 200 residences in a mixture of market rate and affordable homes including townhouses and apartments.
Many other issues have been addressed such as parking, traffic and landscaping. A current draft of the plan is posted at www.sccoplanning.com.
Please join the Aptos Chamber of Commerce for our February breakfast meeting featuring special guest Robert Bailey of Bailey Properties. He will discuss "What Now? The Future of Real Estate" from 7:30-9:00 a.m. Please contact 831-688-1467 for reservations. $20 for members, $25 for non- members.
Mall Will Host Business Showcase
The Aptos Chamber of Commerce along with the Capitola/Soquel Chamber present "The Greatest Showcase on Earth," coming to the Capitola Mall on Feb. 18. Premier sponsors Yellow Pages, the Santa Cruz Sentinel, along with many other sponsors including the Palo Alto Medical Foundation and PG&E, will be joined by over 130 exhibitors.
Visitors will have the opportunity to see what businesses and organizations are doing in our community. There will also be a gourmet food pavilion available for re-fueling and wine tasting. Dishes will be provided by local restaurateurs.
The exhibition is free to the public and open from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Remember to shop locally.
If you are interested in participating as an exhibitor please call 831-688-1467 to reserve your space.
Polo Subject of History Museum Dinner
Dining for History at Au Midi Restaurant & Bistrot will present historian Colleen McInerney Meagher on Feb. 3. She will give a talk about polo in the early 20th century in Santa Cruz County.
At that time it was a hotbed of equestrian polo. Meagher not only played polo as a young woman, she has chronicled the story of the sport that was played locally from the 1920s through the 1940s in a book she authored with Joan Gilbert Martin, "Pogonip – Jewel of Santa Cruz."
Meagher will discuss her life as a polo player and explain how it was instrumental in advancing the recognition of women's polo throughout the United States.
Dining for History is at 6 p.m. on Feb. 3 and is open to the public. Dinner tickets are $45, and reservations are required.
Au Midi Restaurant & Bistrot is located in Aptos Village Square at 7960 Soquel Drive. For more information and reservations call 831-688-1467.
This is the last "Around Aptos" article that I will be contributing on behalf of the Aptos Chamber.
It's been fun being involved with the Chamber, but I'll be leaving in order to devote more time to my own business. I'll see you Around Aptos!
