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Grand Jury Report on the Arcata Fire District

The full 15-page Grand Jury report on the Arcata Fire District issues. Plus links to articles in the local media on this subject matter.

Arcata Fire District needs funds for safety — Who will pay?

The Arcata Fire District will need a large increase in funding to provide fire and safety services to Arcata's new tall buildings. It is my expressed opinion -- not based on any conversations or any outside input; just based my own speculation -- that the State of California will come up with the money, both the up-front funds and the annual expenses. I say this for a very simple reason: That something has to be done, and the local taxpayers will be completely unwilling to take on theses costs.

Arcata Fire District issues – Selected Articles

Arcata Fire District Fire and Safety issues in Arcata and the Gateway Plan

Arcata Fire District letter to the City Council, May 28, 2024: Don’t approve Gateway

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."

Director Loya provides misleading information to the Planning Commission on the Arcata Fire District’s letter

The Arcata Fire District wrote a letter that they wanted the Planning Commissioners to see. The Community Development Director did not send them the letter. Instead, he wrote a watered-down summary -- leaving out what is important, and adding in a summary that is not what the AFD said.

To the Planning Commissioners: The missing letter from the Arcata Fire District

3 MINUTES TO READ -- On April 9, 2024, the Arcata Fire District Board sent a letter to the City Council, stating that the AFD cannot ensure the safety of people living in a building that is over 40 feet tall — a three-story building. On April 18, 2024, the Arcata Fire District Board wrote to Community Development Director with a simple request:  To provide that April 9, 2024, letter to the Planning Commissioners. Director Loya did not honor this simple request.

A simple request from the Arcata Fire District — David Loya denies it.

The Arcata Fire District sent a letter to the City, stating that 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 subsequent letter requested that the earlier letter be provided to the Planning Commissioners. The Community Development Director David Loya did not do this. Instead he wrote a watered-down version as a summary, and created a summation that was not in the letter.

Arcata Fire District tells the Council: No building permits, no occupancy of 4-story and taller buildings, please

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.

Arcata Fire District Director: Eric Loudenslager – August 4, 2022

Eric Loudenslager, Board of Directors member of the Arcata Fire Protection District, weighs in on some of the challenges of the Gateway Plan, and some requests for information and involvement.

Arcata Fire District presentation to the Planning Commission – January 10th, 2023

Arcata Fire District Board Director Eric Loudenslager spoke at the Planning Commission meeting of January 10, 2023. Includes discussions of costs, staffing requirements, and potential response times involved for providing adequate fire and emergency protection in the Gateway area and throughout Arcata.

Cal Poly ignores Arcata Fire District response to the Draft EIR

The construction of a new dormitory at the site of the old Craftsman's Mall is of great concern to the Arcata Fire District. In summary, the proposed dorms will be two seven story buildings, and the Arcata Fire District has stated that they cannot provide adequate fire protection these structures.

Arcata Fire District Board Meeting – December 13th, 2022

A section of the Arcata Fire District Board Meeting of December 13th, 2022 regarding the costs, staffing requirements, and potential response times involved for providing adequate fire and emergency protection in the Gateway area.

Lisa Pelletier – September 7, 2022 – Arcata Fire District article in NCJ

"Why aren’t you listening to your own experts? -- Assistant Chief Sean Campbell cites a host of grievances from a shortage of staff and equipment to lack of funding and adequate training with absolutely zero capacity to respond to fires in high-rise or mid-rise buildings (6 to 8 stories). The district doesn’t even have a ladder truck!"

Mad River Union – Grand Jury foresees Fire District funding, staffing, equipment shortfalls

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury has released a report warning that the Arcata Fire District is “approaching desperate financial conditions” and may have to reduce services and close one of its stations. The report also delves into the District’s lack of a ladder truck and proper staffing to respond to fires in multi-story buildings.

Fire and Safety issues in Arcata and the Gateway Plan

Arcata Fire District Fire and Safety issues in Arcata and the Gateway Plan.

The City of Arcata needs revenue. “Rich Uncle” Cal Poly Humboldt isn’t paying its share.

Cal Poly Humboldt could be contributing a substantial amount to Arcata's costs for police, emergency services, infrastructure, and maintenance. Court cases have ruled that a local university should pay for their share of the costs resulting from university-oriented population.

UC Berkeley lawsuit decisions may affect Arcata too

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 ?

Could Gateway’s Barrel District be 100% free of cars? — Part 2

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.

Could Gateway’s Barrel District be 100% free of cars?

How about taking a big section of the Gateway area that could have housing for a thousand people -- and making it entire car-free from the start -- by designing it that way. Includes articles about the Culdesac car-free housing development in Tempe, Arizona. Reading and viewing time 7-15 minutes.

Big Issues of the Gateway Plan: Fire Protection — and a solution

Reading time: 8 minutes -- It is my opinion that, given time, the AFD, the City of Arcata, and Cal Poly will find a solution to the Fire Protection issue. In this BRIEF article, a possible solution is offered so that taller buildings can be planned for in the Gateway area. **** WITH VIDEO from the August 22, 2023, City Council / Planning Commission joint study session.

Should Cal Poly Humboldt Students Fear Fire? — 3-minute video from Eric Black

3-minute video by Eric Black, dated February 1, 2023. The CSU Board of Trustees had met the week before to consider Cal Poly Humboldt's planned construction of the 6-story and 7-story off-campus dorms at the Craftsman's Mall site in Arcata. Despite the Arcata Fire District's strong disagreement with the Final Environmental Impact Report regarding their inability to provide fire protection at the dorms, the project was approved.

Creamery District — Businesses and Maps

Here is a list of the approximately 75 businesses located in the Creamery area. With maps and links to other articles on the Creamery and the L Street Corridor Linear Park.

Re-Zoning Arcata: South of Craftman’s Mall, on Eye Street — to Residential High Density

The proposed re-zoning of certain Arcata parcels, as part of the updating of the General Plan, includes sections of our town both south and north of the Craftman's Mall site. **** Please recognize that the southern portion of this area is very much different from the central (the dorms) and the northern portions of this area. De-couple the southern portion, and do not re-zone that neighborhood as Residential High Density.

Former Arcata Mayor Susan Ornelas says: Let’s create opportunities for Home Ownership

Susan Ornelas served on Arcata's City Council for eleven consecutive years, from 2008 through March, 2020. She was Mayor of Arcata in 2011 and 2017. Among Susan's concerns for the future of Arcata's citizens is the difficulty for younger people to buy a home. "We know when people own a home in a town, they are more likely to volunteer for City boards, school boards, PTAs, as sports coaches for their kids, etc. Home ownership helps to create the kind of town we all want to live in!"

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