SANTA CRUZ >> At its meeting Thursday evening in the council chambers at Santa Cruz City Hall, the city’s Planning Commission will consider approving a new ride at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and an appeal filed against a proposed six-story building on the 500 block of Ocean Street.

Before hearing the appeal, the commission will consider the approval of a special use permit, coastal permit and design permit to place a new ride on the eastern end of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk called the “Vertigo 360.” The ride would be about 60 feet high and requires a special permit because the existing zoning limit is 40 feet. The agenda report points out that, “The proposed amusement ride’s 60-foot maximum height is similar in height to multiple other existing amusement rides such as the Shockwave, Dream Wheel, and Giant Dipper.” For reference, the Giant Dipper is 69 feet high.

The meeting’s consent agenda also contains an item to approve the 2026 to 2030 capital investment program, which consists of new and ongoing infrastructure projects in the city. Following the approval of the consent agenda, the commission will hear an appeal filed in March by Eric Grabiel regarding the six-story mixed-use building proposed by the developer Riaz Capital to be built across three existing parcels on the 500 block of Ocean Street.

According to the agenda report, the existing commercial buildings on the parcels between Dakota and Soquel avenues would be demolished to make way for the approximately 70-foot-tall, six-story building called “ArtHaus Ocean” in the project plans.

The project utilizes the state’s Density Bonus Law and would contain 225 residential units, about 3,400 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor and 84 parking spaces for vehicles.

Of the 225 housing units, a combination of flexible density studio and one-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom units, 17 would be set aside for those considered to be making very low income and five for those considered to be making low income.

The agenda report states that a formal application for the project was submitted in August and was heard and approved by the city’s zoning administrator in a public meeting March 5, where nine community members spoke, seven of whom were opposed to the project.

Concerns voiced from community members included those about parking, building height, neighborhood compatibility and safety, among other issues.

The appeal letter filed by Grabiel and on behalf of others in the neighborhood, claims that the city and the developer did not follow the procedures to include the participation of city residents and commissions in the process of approving the project.

The appellant claims that the project does not meet the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act and has not analyzed or mitigated significant environmental impacts. The appellant claims that the developer didn’t meet the required burden of proof to justify the 15 concessions it requested through the Density Bonus Law in terms of building height and others.

The appellant also states that the traffic impact study associated with the project is inadequate and is contesting other components of the project, including the permit to remove five heritage trees on the project site.

The city’s planning staff recommends that the Planning Commission deny the appeal.

To view the meeting agenda, visit cityofsantacruz.com.