When they meet tonight, Capitola Planning Commissioners are expecting to hear preliminary re-design plans for the site of the Capitola Mall. Capitola City Staffers say that the “project” is mis-named, because the so-called “Capitola Town Square” project “…lacks a true Town Square, or ‘common open space’, of adequate size to evoke a Town Square concept/experience.” The project that includes shops on the ground floor and housing above, is expected to increase Capitola’s population from just over 10-thousand people, to more than 12 thousand people….which would necessitate the increase of city services, but would add money to the city coffers to pay for at least some of that. The current tallest structure on the 46-acre site is the main building which is 35 feet tall. The new plan includes structures from one story to 85 feet in height. Tonight’s meeting is slated to begin at 7 p.m. in Capitola City Hall.
