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Dear Arcata Planning Commissioners,
I am writing in support of the planned Gateway Area Plan. Housing in Arcata is already
in short supply, and Humboldt County’s population is likely to grow considerably, with
the expansion of the university, development of offshore wind, the Nordic Aquafarms
project, and expansion of broadband internet allowing more remote workers to choose
to live in Humboldt County. Providing affordable housing options in Arcata is critical, in
order to reduce the traffic and carbon emissions that would result from Cal Poly students
having to commute in from more distant communities like Eureka and McKinleyville.
Given the likelihood of population growth in Arcata, it makes sense for Arcata to
preserve open space and minimize travel-related carbon emissions by densifying
housing within walking distance of downtown and the university. For environmental
quality, it is much better for whatever growth Arcata chooses or accepts to be within the
community’s existing developed footprint, and the best way to densify is by growing
upward with multi-story housing, rather than growing outward as Arcata did during the
20th century. The Gateway area, with its proximity to downtown and its extensive lands
that are previously developed but currently under-used, is the ideal candidate to absorb
most of this needed densification.
The vision of Gateway described in the draft Gateway Area Plan is a good direction to
move in from the area’s current condition land uses. I endorse adoption of the plan
essentially in its current form.
In addition to the ongoing discussion on building heights, setbacks, and other dimensional characteristics, I would also like to see the City adopt standards on color as part of the Gateway Area Plan. In recent new housing and commercial developments I have seen in Humboldt County and other locations I have recently visited, it seems to be the current fashion to use outdoor building finishes in dismal colors like gray, charcoal, putty, and black. Think of the finishes you see on recent model Subaru Outbacks. Bleah. These are not colors to inspire a sense of joy and wonder in the people who inhabit such buildings. Arcata has plenty of good examples of bright, vibrant color schemes in its buildings that do transmit joy. I hope that the City will adopt guidelines that steer clear of the current, hopefully short-lived fad of painting buildings in drab, goth-fan color schemes.

Thanks for considering my comments.
Sincerely,
Richard Engel