L Street would be one lane/one-way car traffic and K Street would be one-way (K-L Street couplet). Under existing conditions, L Street is a stinted 2-way street, and K Street could be considered a “stroad.” Coined by Strong Towns, a stroad is “what happens when a street (a place where people interact with businesses and residences, and where wealth is produced) gets combined with a road (a high-speed route between productive places).” As Strong Towns demonstrates, stroads are expensive to build, are ultimately financially unproductive, and they are dangerous. By calming K Street traffic and eventually gaining projects that will bring more foot-traffic, K Street could feel more like L Street, and L Street could feel more like the new K Street, both being more walk- and bike-friendly.
Note: What is shown below is a copy of the original letter, made for this website. It is included here only so that the contents of the original letter can be searchable. (The PDF received from the City is in the form of an image, and so is not a searchable document.)
What is below is not the letter sent by the letter-writer. It will contain typographical errors and other departures from the original. The PDF displayed above is accurate. The text below is not accurate. It is printed here for indexing purposes, so that each word can be indexed and included in the search.
Thank you for the opportunity to share comments with the Council and Planning Commission to
consider as you move forward with the draft Gateway Area Plan.
The Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG), in its role as the Regional
Transportation Planning Agency, strives to support and encourage the best outcomes from the
nexus of transportation planning and land use planning. In adopting the 20-year regional
transportation plan, Variety and Rural Options of Mobility 2022-2042 (VROOM), HCAOG has
committed to working more proactively to address transportation’s interconnected challenges of
climate change, land use, safety, and equity. HCAOG is aware that our agency cannot possibly
achieve the regional goal, adopted in VROOM, to “have a carbon-neutral, multi-modal
transportation system that is comprehensive, safe, sustainable, and equitable” without the
local cities and the unincorporated County pursuing land use/development policies that
minimize, avoid, or reverse car-oriented development.
Item III. A. Background and Context
The objectives of the Gateway Area Plan (from “Gateway Area At-A-Glance” in the meeting
packet) include Mobility and Alternative Transportation; Economy and Jobs; Sustainability and
Climate Adaptation; Racial Equity and Social Justice, and Equitable Housing. These objectives
align with and will support VROOM’s strategic framework, which sets out to address:
• CLIMATE CHANGE: Achieving a substantial mode shift to more walking, biking and
transit trips is a pillar for climate action in Humboldt County.
• HOUSING & VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOODS: Strategies to reduce vehicle miles travelled
(VMT) are a key component of a sustainable transportation system. One of the most powerful
ways to shift how people move around is to focus on where they live in relation to everyday
destinations. In concert with the complete streets policies that encourage walking, biking,
and transit, HCAOG supports effective land use policies to create places with a mix of uses
and pleasant, vibrant streetscapes.
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• SAFETY & HEALTH: HCAOG adopts “Vision Zero” an initiative to reduce roadway
fatalities to zero, with a focus on the crisis of pedestrians and bicyclists hit by cars.
• EQUITY: Transportation equity means all people benefit equally from transportation
investments and that no group is disproportionately impacted negatively by the
transportation system.
Item III. B. Gateway Area Districts/Building Heights
Encouraging high-density residential infill development is consistent with VROOM’s goal to
help create a safer and better multi-modal, sustainable transportation system. If you were
looking at where housing in the region has the greatest potential to create robust multi-modal
options and active transportation, you would find that the Gateway Area is one of the most
walkable and bikeable locations in Humboldt County. Looking at results from the Walk Score
methodology (walkscore.com), which assigns a walkability score of 0 (car-dependent) to 100
(car-free), you will find that out of all the housing units permitted or constructed in
Humboldt County from 2018 to 2021, the Sorrel Place units on 7th Street have the highest
Walk Score at 95. Certain locations within the Gateway Area Plan, such as the carwash parcel,
have a Walk Score of 97; in the O Street area scores range in the 70s; currently the “Barrel
District” scores 57. Reviewing scores across Humboldt County, this metric can serve as a fairly
good proxy for how conveniently trips can be accomplished by foot.
The walkability in the Gateway Area would be further enhanced by the proposed street and trail
network, mixed-use development pattern, and pedestrian-oriented characteristics built into the
form-based code. Additional planning to incorporate frequent transit service and on-demand
mobility (e.g., car- and bike-share) will further residents’ (and visitors’) opportunities to enjoy
car-free days and avoid single-occupancy driving.
HCAOG supports the Gateway Area Plan’s measured high-density infill strategies as an effective
and practical means to encourage affordable housing and vibrant neighborhoods.
Item III. C. Transportation Circulation: L Street Couplet
HCAOG staff sees the promise in the Gateway Area Plan’s conceptual design of the circulation
plan. Of particular benefit is that:
➢ The total length of trails in the Gateway Area would nearly triple. Transportation
research shows that having bikeways separated from car traffic results in more people
riding, and it makes the difference for people who are “Interested but Concerned” to
switch from driving to bicycling.1
➢ L Street would be one lane/one-way car traffic and K Street would be one-way (K-L
Street couplet). Under existing conditions, L Street is a stinted 2-way street, and K Street
could be considered a “stroad.” Coined by Strong Towns, a stroad is “what happens when
a street (a place where people interact with businesses and residences, and where wealth
is produced) gets combined with a road (a high-speed route between productiveplaces).”2 As Strong Towns demonstrates, stroads are expensive to build, are ultimately financially unproductive, and they are dangerous. By calming K Street traffic and
eventually gaining projects that will bring more foot-traffic, K Street could feel more like
L Street, and L Street could feel more like the new K Street, both being more walk- and
bike-friendly.
Having the cities and the County locate new housing in areas with high accessibility is critical to
achieving the regional targets adopted in VROOM. HCAOG staff recognizes that the draft
Gateway Area Plan will support VROOM’s Safe & Sustainable Transportation Targets,
specifically:
➢ To reduce vehicle-miles travelled by 25% by 2030.
➢ Starting by 2022, 80% of all new permitted housing units are in places with safe,
comfortable, and convenient access to employment, shopping, and recreation by
walking, biking, rolling, or transit.
➢ Starting by 2022, all new housing contributes to a countywide reduction in per capita
VMT from cars.
➢ By 2023/24, all jurisdictions have adopted GP/zoning incentives for building in “highly
connected” areas and for other climate-friendly housing-development. (VROOM, Table
Renew-3).
HCAOG appreciates the extensive and thorough work that Community Development and other
department staff have put into drafting and publicizing the draft Gateway Area Plan and
explaining form based code and infill development. Moving forward, we encourage the
Commission and Council to maintain the staff’s momentum by continuing the planned public
outreach and approving and implementing the plan as close to schedule as possible.