Charles Paulden

Charles Paulden is a politician and activist from Santa Cruz, California, and former candidate for Candidate for County Supervisor for Santa Cruz County. He played a major role in an attempt to save the Pleasure Point roadhouse from demolition. He is also the founder of People for the Preservation of Pleasure Point, and is on the executive committee of the Sierra Club's Santa Cruz branch.
Background
Paulden worked with many local groups, RDA, SOS, COPA, LON, PPNF, Surfrider, CORE, Moran Lake Management Plan, Live Oak History Group, TFTF, the Coastal Staff and Commission and Board of Supervisors.
In addition to being an activist, he is also teaches yoga. He works as a landscape contractor. He has lived in the Santa Cruz area since 1972.
Political
Paulden is a member of the Santa Cruz Democratic Party, having been a member for more than 40 years. In June 2012, Paulden along with Gary Richard Arnold and John L. Leopold were in the race for the County Supervisor position. Susan Weber who had qualified for the ballot had withdrawn from the race. Paulden supported protecting local businesses. As an environmentalist he was also quite vocal about fighting for local preservation projects. He was also against a desalination plant in the area. At the time, he was described as a neighborhood activist and was critical of the East Cliff Drive makeover project and others projects. He also made known his doubts about Supervisor Leopold's vision to lead the district. He accused Leopold of not helping to the Pleasure Point Roadhouse and brought up the lack of any true environmentalists on the board of supervisors. He competed with Leopold for endorsements but couldn't get the major support needed. Despite out spending Paulden 20 to 1, Leopold only received 7 times more votes.
Groups and organisations
Paulden is the founder of a preservation group in the Santa Cruz area called People for the Preservation of Pleasure Point. In 2009, he was a candidate in the election for the executive committee for Santa Cruz branch of the Sierra Club. As of June 2012, he was still a committee member.
Activism
Paulden has been involved in various appeals and attempts to save landmarks and natural landscape of the Pleasure Point area. In February 2001, he was one of 70 activists who attended the LandWatch seminar which was about training citizens on ways to deal with unwanted land development.
Walkways and roads
By January 2001, he along with Sara Wan and Dave Potter had lodged an appeal against the Santa Cruz County Department of Public Works road improvement project in the Live Oaks area. The reason for Paulden's appeal was that the project would be a negative impact on character of the Pleasure Point community. It would also be an impact on the natural environment and the offshore surfing area. His appeal alleged a large number of inconsistencies with objectives, policies, and programs of the Live Oak area of Santa Cruz County.
In 2011, he was voicing concerns about East Cliff Drive in Pleasure Point possibly ending up looking like West Cliff Drive in LA. He said that development would take away the richness of the natural experience.
Demolitions
In June 2001, he had lodged an appeal against the demolition of a family home on the inland side of East Cliff Drive in the Live Oak area of Santa Cruz County. The house was sitting on a half-acre lot. He was appealing against the demolition of the house and the subdivision of the land into two and the building of two single family homes.
In 2003, representing People for the Preservation of Pleasure Point, he was involved in an appeal against an application to subdivide land next to the Roadhouse for large townhouses out of keeping with Neighborhood Compatibility 13.11.072 Site design.
Pleasure Point roadhouse
In 2007, he was heavily involved in a bid to preserve the Pleasure Point roadhouse and have it restored to be used as a museum or community center. Looking at what happened to the surrounding cottages that were demolished to make way for condos, he feared that the roadhouse would suffer the same fate. He was also working with the Live Oak History Group in a bid to save the building. In 2008, along with Ross Eric Gibson, he lodged an appeal against it's demolition. Despite their efforts the roadhouse was demolished in September 2008.
Recent activity
Paulden still remains active with speaking out about issues such as replacing porous pathways with concrete paved ones in coastal Live Oak area, and noise from the sewage pump station near Moran Lake Park. He holds fitness classes for the SilverSneakers fitness program.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu