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Supporters of the proposed Depot site park had reason to celebrate Tuesday when the City Council approved a preliminary description of the project.

The council also launched an environmental review for the site. These two conditions mean the city meets the state’s requirements for a $1 million grant awarded earlier this month.

The draft plan for the 4-acre site of a former railway hub that lies between Laurel Street and Neary Lagoon includes a transit center, featuring a shuttle, horse-drawn carriage, pedi-cab, bus and passenger rail access. The park also would include a "multi-use" sports field, a public plaza, natural history museum and a pedestrian/bike link.

Andy Schiffrin, chairman of a city task force formed last year to research the park site, said some trade-offs will have to be made when the park is developed.

He said there are some unresolved issues regarding what will happen to heritage trees on property planned for a parking area and whether the Depot site will include a permanent skatepark instead of the temporary Fun Spot skatepark.

Some council members, including Scott Kennedy, spoke in favor of building a replica of a depot.

Santa Cruz Feed and Mercantile owner Randy Clayton, who provides a horse-drawn carriage service during the holidays, expressed concern he would have to move his feed store to make way for the project.

"We need to find a place," he said, saying his two businesses needed to be located in town. "Where do we move?"

Council members Keith Sugar and Ed Porter suggested looking into ways the park could be developed without interrupting Claytons’ businesses.

Some other residents said they wanted to see the city clean up junky sections of the Depot site before the park is developed.

Contact Dan White at dwhite@santa-cruz.com.

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