Supervisor Monica Martinez: San Lorenzo Valley Spring Update
New Trails, Park Upgrades, Veterans Housing, and What’s Coming in the County Budget
It’s been a busy spring, and I am excited to share a lot of news from around the San Lorenzo Valley and at the County level—from park enhancements to community clean-ups and big milestones for local organizations. I hope you’ll join me in celebrating this progress and stay engaged as we head into important budget and strategic planning decisions in the months ahead.
Let’s start in Felton, where County Parks and the Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship kicked off construction of the new pump track at Felton Covered Bridge County Park on April 23. The Felton Pump Track will be the first of its kind in the San Lorenzo Valley, offering a safe and exciting new outdoor activity for kids. Projects like this do more than expand recreation; they strengthen community, support healthy living, and keep our parks welcoming for generations to come.
Groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the new Felton Pump Track. Construction has begun!
The Felton Pump Track will replace the underutilized volleyball court with a paved asphalt surface suitable for bikes, skateboards, scooters, and roller skates or roller blades. The design thoughtfully preserves views of the historic bridge, incorporates native plant landscaping, and includes a comprehensive stormwater management system.
Another local recreation activity now open is the new Pace Trail at Quail Hollow Ranch County Park. I hope you will take time to explore the 2.5 miles of scenic trail connecting Quail Hollow Ranch County Park to the Pace Family Wilderness Park, granting public access to this land for the first time ever. Along the way, you’ll experience sweeping views, majestic trees, unique sandhills habitat, and a stunted redwood grove. A big thank you to the dedicated volunteers who helped build the Pace Trail over the past two years, including the California Conservation Corps, Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship, and Americorps.
I’m also pleased to share that Ben Lomond County Park has undergone a series of improvements. Through a collaboration with my office, the Ben Lomond Village Alliance, generous donors, and dedicated volunteers, these enhancements have come together just in time for the warmer weather. If you visit the park, you will see a new ADA ramp that connects the Ben Lomond Library to the sidewalk near the park entrance. The park also has a more welcoming, open feeling due to shorter fencing and open entrances. Other improvements include an upgraded flagpole (thanks to SLV Rotary & Eagle Scouts), freshly painted bathroom, new flower beds, the vibrant mural by Yeshi Jackson, and river access. This summer, District 5 Measure K funds will also support needed maintenance work on Wilder Hall, ensuring that the Kreative Kids program and other community events can continue to take place in the facility.
May brings other opportunities for residents to get outside while making a difference. Consider joining me and the Boulder Creek Business Association on Saturday, May 9 from 9-11:30 a.m. to remove litter and spruce up the town as part of the countywide Pitch In Clean Up Day (pitchinsantacruz.org.) And May 30 marks the next free green waste disposal day in my program for residents of the unincorporated area of District 5 to take yard trimmings and other green waste at no cost to the Ben Lomond Transfer Station from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to reduce wildfire risk, harden homes and strengthen resiliency.
Speaking of strengthening our community, I also wanted to share updates on milestones achieved by local groups in the San Lorenzo Valley. First, please join me in congratulating the San Lorenzo Valley Museum on its 50th anniversary, which I was honored to acknowledge in a proclamation declaring April 14 as San Lorenzo Valley Historical Society Day in Santa Cruz County. The Historical Society has played a vital role in preserving and sharing stories through art exhibitions and programs—a legacy explored in the Retrospect exhibition at the Museum’s Grace Gallery in Boulder Creek.
Another piece of exciting news is that Veterans Village in Ben Lomond has finally secured federal funding to complete its permanent housing development. After years of financial setbacks, the County recently secured $13.3 million in federal funds to move this project forward. Veterans Village will provide permanent housing for local veterans and their families, including the renovation of 10 existing cabins and a main house, along with addition of 10 new modular one-bedroom units, office and laundry facilities, and an on-site property manager’s unit. Completion is anticipated in 2027. This project helps local veterans in our community, particularly those experiencing homelessness, by offering a safe, stable place to call home, along with the supportive services they need to thrive.
Finally, the Board of Supervisors will be busy this spring shaping the next County budget and strategic plan. The Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget will be especially challenging because of H.R.1, the federal law that reduces funding for vital healthcare services and could cost counties statewide more than $9 billion. We anticipate that at least 25 percent of our County residents enrolled in Medi-Cal will lose coverage, while hundreds more will lose access to CalFresh.
While counties seek support from the Governor and Legislature, I am pleased we are on pace locally to reduce our structural deficit—a separate problem caused by low property tax reimbursement and increasing costs through belt-tightening and one-time adjustments. The Board will receive an initial presentation on May 5 and hold budget hearings on June 10 and 11 before approving the plan on June 24.
On May 19, the Board is scheduled to review the first draft of our County’s Strategic Plan 2032, which was shaped through robust public input, including a standing-room-only community meeting in Felton this February. I am excited for the community to see how this plan will outline our priorities and guide our policymaking for the next few years. Details about the budget and the strategic plan will be posted soon on the Board of Supervisors webpage. In the meantime, as always, please contact my office at fifth.district@santacruzcountyca.gov or 831-454-2200 with questions or requests for assistance.
Monica Martinez
Monica Martinez is a lifelong public servant, nonprofit leader, and committed advocate for health equity. In 2024, Monica was elected as the Santa Cruz County Supervisor for District 5, becoming the first woman elected to represent the district. Learn more about Monica, find constituent times and locations, and write to her at santacruzcountyca.gov/government/boardofsupervisors/district5.aspx
