SANTA CRUZ >> The city of Santa Cruz recently announced that it received the 2025 Resilience and Sustainability Award of Excellence from the American Planning Association for its 50-year Community Vision for West Cliff Drive planning document.

“For generations, West Cliff Drive has been a beloved public treasure, offering breathtaking views, recreation and a sense of peace that defines Santa Cruz,” said Vice Mayor Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson in a statement. “The 50-Year Vision reflects our community’s shared commitment to protecting and enhancing this cherished space for generations to come. We’re already putting the Vision into action, seen most recently through the adopted West Cliff 5-Year Roadmap, which is the first of many steps in the implementation of the 50-year vision.”

According to the statement, the city’s long-term planning document for West Cliff Drive was one of many applications received by the California chapter of the American Planning Association and was chosen for its “bold planning approach, deep community engagement and commitment to long-term climate resilience.”

“This award is a testament to the incredible dedication of our City staff and the deep engagement of our community,” said Santa Cruz City Councilmember Renee Golder in a written statement. “It took cross-departmental coordination, creativity and a genuine partnership with residents to bring the 50-year Vision to life. The process was about listening, learning, and building a shared path forward. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”

The farsighted planning document imagines the state of West Cliff Drive five decades into the future and was composed by order of the Santa Cruz City Council in May 2023 after the delivery of a progress report about the damaged road and pedestrian path given by city staff.

According to the city, the process to create the vision included more than 1,500 public outreach touch points, including surveys, community conversations and public meetings, among others.

To view the document, visit cityofsantacruz.com.