Around 2021, Mark Pahuta put up a video of Super-8 film he shot while in Arcata. The film is dated as being from 1968, but more likely it's from around 1976-1977. FILM and STILL IMAGES of Arcata from that era.
Merritt Perry has been the city manager in Fortuna for more than years. Prior to that he worked as City Engineer and director of Public Works in Fortuna for four years. He became interim City Manager following the resignation (after a second DUI) of former Fortuna city manager and Arcata city councilmember and 3-time mayor Mark Wheetley.
Three videos of the fire from June 19, 2024, in Miami. "I did get a chance to speak to one gentleman who tells me he was actually sleeping at the time. He awoke not because he smelled the smoke, not because he heard the commotion, but because he heard a firefighter knocking at his front door. That's what prompted him to get up, get outside."
The traffic crossings are not safe. IT WILL ONLY TAKE ONE FATALITY to have us wishing that we'd thought about this more and done things differently. WITH PHOTOS of 3D images, models, and flashing beacon lights.
Video and Transcriptions on the Sunset-101 Roundabout discussion. From the City Council meeting, February 21, 2024. "If you can make those changes -- the full separated bike and pedestrian facilities, the additional traffic calming measures, and getting rid of the slip lanes."
The letter that sent to the City Council, to request that the Sunset-101 Interchange funding be removed from the Consent Calendar, so that it can be further discussed. From the letter: "I believe there are unsafe elements to this design -- and that the design can be improved to make it safer for bicyclists and pedestrians. The design is good for vehicle traffic flow -- but not so good for bikes and walkers. My strong concern is that with this design there will be vehicle - bicyclist collisions. *** My concern is that someone will get hurt.***
Here are images of the design of the roundabouts for the multiple-lane intersection of Sunset Avenue, L. K. Wood Boulevard, and the four on-ramps/off-ramps for US Highway 101. The question is: WHERE ARE THE BIKE LANES?
Part 2. The multi-road intersections of Sunset Avenue, L. K. Wood Boulevard, G Street, H Street, and the four on-ramps/off-ramps for US Highway 101 are an acknowledged difficult situation. The solution that's provide is not, in my view, a good solution. I think this design would be the source of all kinds of problems. I believe there must be a better solution for us at this intersection. We can do better.
The letter sent to the City Council. This item was on their agenda for the February 21, 2024 meeting. The overall design of this interchange does not seem safe -- not safe for bicyclists, for pedestrians, and not even safe for cars. WE CAN DO BETTER,
If you tried to watch the live video stream of that May 29th meeting or wanted to review it by video, you may have felt some frustration or confusion. On the live video stream or in the video, we can hear the City Council -- but we couldn't see the Council. Some times for long stretches in the video -- up to 19 minutes in one case -- there is no image of any human being. With a SUGGESTION to correct this.
From the Arcata Fire District May 28, 2024 letter: "We are writing to request that approval of these elements be denied at this time and put on hold until the AP Triton Standard of Coverage (SOC) for the AFPD is completed and the Arcata City Council and AFPD Board of Directors achieve consensus on a plan for the likely expansion of the District's capacity."
To the City Council for the 1st public hearing at the Council on the General Plan, Gateway Area Plan, Gateway Code, and Program Environmental Impact Report. --- "As you must be aware, the Council is in a difficult situation here. You are being asked to approve a set of documents that are incomplete." With 5 very important topics suggested for review, and 5 other lesser but still very significant topics.
THIS NEWSLATTER WAS SENT OUT ON MONDAY, MAY 27, 2024. The two scheduled public hearings with the Arcata City Council take place on Wednesdays -- May 29 and June 5, 2024. If needed, the public hearing meetings will be continued. The City Council will consider, take public comment on, discuss, and perhaps vote to adopt the Gateway Area Plan, the Gateway Zoning Code, the Arcata General Plan 2045, and the Final Environmental Report.
Fresh from 1958, we have The Gateway Singers. Included here is the video and lyrics for "The Ballad of Sigmund Freud." Missing are the Gateway Singers performances of "Let's all Room Together" and "Supply and Demand."
The LU-9 Implementation Measure in the draft General Plan would allow 4 and 5-story buildings in the Bayview, Northtown, Upper I & J Street, and Sunset neighborhoods. A rezoning would allow "Local-serving commercial uses such as corner grocery stores and coffee shops" throughout those neighborhoods.
**** LU-9 does not belong in Arcata's General Plan **** WITH IMAGES OF WHAT COULD BE BUILT.
A special page for City Council and Planning Commission members -- and a great place for all readers to learn more about the Gateway Plan. This page will be updated regularly. Come back for more!
A special page for the L Street Pathway and Linear Park -- and a great place for all readers to learn more about the Gateway Plan. This page will be updated regularly. Come back for more!
A special page for Transportation Safety Committee members -- and a great place for all readers to learn more about the specific transportation and street issues.
A growing collection of non-local articles and links that pertain to Gateway, Arcata, Humboldt, California, national, global, and (perhaps) galactic issues. Please send us links to your favorites so they can be added.
A growing collection of local articles and links that pertain to Gateway, Arcata, Humboldt, California, national, global, and (perhaps) galactic issues. Please send us links to your favorites so they can be added.
The letter that sent to the City Council, to request that the Sunset-101 Interchange funding be removed from the Consent Calendar, so that it can be further discussed. From the letter: "I believe there are unsafe elements to this design -- and that the design can be improved to make it safer for bicyclists and pedestrians. The design is good for vehicle traffic flow -- but not so good for bikes and walkers. My strong concern is that with this design there will be vehicle - bicyclist collisions. *** My concern is that someone will get hurt.***
To the City Council for the 1st public hearing at the Council on the General Plan, Gateway Area Plan, Gateway Code, and Program Environmental Impact Report. --- "As you must be aware, the Council is in a difficult situation here. You are being asked to approve a set of documents that are incomplete." With 5 very important topics suggested for review, and 5 other lesser but still very significant topics.
THIS NEWSLATTER WAS SENT OUT ON MONDAY, MAY 27, 2024. The two scheduled public hearings with the Arcata City Council take place on Wednesdays -- May 29 and June 5, 2024. If needed, the public hearing meetings will be continued. The City Council will consider, take public comment on, discuss, and perhaps vote to adopt the Gateway Area Plan, the Gateway Zoning Code, the Arcata General Plan 2045, and the Final Environmental Report.
Keeping track of the latest General Plan, Gateway Area Plan, Gateway Zoning Code is not a simple matter. There have been three different versions of the General Plan in one week -- twice. ------- The City Council is reviewing the General Plan, Gateway Area Plan, Gateway Zoning Code (and also the Final Environmental Impact Report), with public hearings set for May 29 and June 4, 2024. These are the versions of these documents, as leading up to those dates.
Comments and suggestions on the draft Gateway Code. This is the form-based code that defines the look and feel of every building, street, park. and more of everything that will be built in the Gateway area. You can use this document along with the "Guides for the Council, Commission, and Community — to the Gateway Code comments and suggestions" to learn more about developers can and cannot do.
A guide to the Comments & Suggestions on the draft Gateway from-based Code. Commissioners, Council members, and the community can find what issues with the draft Gateway Plan are important to them. The most glaring omission is the lack of anything in the Gateway Code about the planned L Street Corridor full-width linear park.
At the April 9, 2024, Arcata Fire District's Board of Directors meeting, the Board discussed and approved a letter to be sent to the Arcata Mayor and Arcata City Council. That letter is re-printed here ----This letter formalizes and re-states what the AFD has been telling the City Council over these past two years. At the current time, the AFD cannot ensure the safety of people living in a building that is over 40 feet tall, which would be a three-story building.
A public hearing on a formal recommendation of the General Plan and the Gateway Area Plan will take place Tuesday, May 14, 2024. You are encouraged to attend and to send your comments and concerns to both the City of Arcata and to Arcata1.com.
Did UC Berkeley bring in more students than they'd promised? How much should the University contribute to infrastructure costs? And -- is any of this applicable to Cal Poly Humboldt and Arcata ?
There are many, many errors and omissions in the draft EIR for the General Plan update, as it was submitted. Here are the comments as submitted by Caltrans.
Maps that show the near-downtown neighborhoods of Arcata. With links to articles about the proposed "Implementation Measures" in the Land Use Element of the General Plan -- to re-zone these neighborhoods for high density housing, including 4-story buildings.
The fourth draft of the "Draft Gateway Area Plan" from December 2023. In chapters for easy viewing. Also includes the July 11, 2023, 3rd draft, the 2nd draft from October 2022, and the 1st draft, from December 2021.
The spice tumeric, used for curries and health benefits, is often contaminated with lead, which is used to enhance its yellow color. The FDA has no standards for the amount of lead allowed in spices. In Southeast Asia, where tumeric is grown and widely used, lead poisoning in children is a major issue. Bangladesh recently took steps to prohibit the use of lead additives. India, the world's largest producer and exporter of tumeric, should do the same, but at this time has not.
In an era of computer-generated images (CGI) and artificial-intelligence graphics, it is fun to look back on the joyfulness and creativity from pre-CGI imaginations, just 20 years ago.
On December 18, 2023, the Community Development Department hosted a public workshop to learn about, discuss, and contribute comments to Arcata's Local Coastal Program update. The workshop was held on a Monday from 4:30 - 6:00 PM, which prevented regular working folks from attending. The workshop was not recorded by the City. This is the presentation, in text and slides, from Amber Leavitt -- Coastal Resiliency Supervisor, North Coast District, California Coastal Commission. The comments from the participants will be assembled by City Staff and made available soon.
Culdesac became an urbanist darling in the US for its project in Tempe, a built-from-scratch zero-driving development that is transforming a vacant lot near a light rail stop into the kind of dense and walkable neighborhood that advocates say could be a model for other places trying to shun American-style car-centricity.
Reading time 2 minutes -- "The Orange Juice Test" is a way of determining which people are capable of solving a difficult problem, and which people are not. Home ownership in the Gateway and truly affordable housing are large problems. Difficult and demanding, but not impossible. "The Orange Juice Test" helps to determine if a specific person is capable of giving us an honest and practical solution.