What happened at the April 11, 2023, Planning Commission meeting?
Click or press here to go directly to the video and transcription of the six minutes where the amount of public input was decided.

The Chair first announced that there would be just a single period for public comment. Then, after a one-minute private discussion with David Loya, the Chair relented and allowed additional public comment at the conclusion of the main topic of the night.

Of course, having public comment at the end of the Commissioners’ discussion — after their consideration and decisions — seems counter-intuitive to the concept of the public comment being actually taken into consideration. You can read more on that in the article:  Discarding the democratic process even further: The Planning Commission meeting – April 11, 2023.

The hot-button area of interest of the audience — an audience far larger than typical for these Planning Commission meetings — was the proposed L Street – K Street couplet. This proposal would transfer all the southbound traffic that’s now on K Street onto a newly created L Street thoroughfare truck route, running next to the Creamery, the Pub, and alongside an L Street pathway. Also part of the discussion was ideas for dealing with the traffic on K Street, as well as discussion of city-wide circulation policies.

Here is a 6-minute video and transcription of that section of the meeting. 

This portion is from about two minutes from the beginning of the April 11 meeting — on the YouTube video, it’s at the 6:08 mark. (There is 3-minutes 45-seconds of empty video before the meeting starts.) You’ll see a brief blank spot at 4:12, prior to where David Loya asks “Chair, can I have just a brief moment?” This video skips past the time of first public speaker of the evening, Jim Becker. To see the full video of the April 11, 2023, Planning Commission meeting, see the article:  Discarding the democratic process even further: The Planning Commission meeting – April 11, 2023

The transcription

The times shown are the timestamps from the full video of the meeting. 

Scott Davies (Chair)  06:30
Next, we will have public comment. During this time people may make comments about items that *are* on the agenda. I want to recognize the agenda for tonight’s meeting states that this period is for matters that are *not* on the agenda and this was printed in error. This time is provided for the public to speak on the agenda items.

Since this is a Special Meeting, we will not be re-opening public comment on each item individually.

If you have comments about items that are listed on our agenda or not on the agenda for this evening, please line up now behind the lectern. If you are on Zoom, and you wish to make oral communications, please raise your hand by selecting the raise hand icon on the right side of your screen, or by pressing star-nine if you are calling in. For those on Zoom, when it is your turn to speak, the clerk will unmute you. Each speaker will have three minutes to comment. Feel free to state your name for the record. May we have the first speaker please.

Judith Mayer (Commissioner)  08:01
Point of Order. I’m wondering why this is listed as a Special Meeting. This is the regularly scheduled second Tuesday of the month.

David Loya (Community Development Director) 08:09
That’s because the Commission decided to take 5:30 meetings instead of 6:00. So your regular scheduled meetings are at 6:00. And so even though they’re on the same day, they’re at a different time. So they’ll be Special Meetings from here until June.

Judith Mayer (Commissioner)  08:24
Then I would suggest that we allow public commenters to comment on material on or not on the agenda, since that’s our usual practice.

Scott Davies (Chair)  08:33
That’s what I said — I would take comment either way. On or not on the agenda.

Judith Mayer (Commissioner)  08:38
I thought you said you wanted comments on items on the agenda.

Scott Davies (Chair)  08:41
No, we’ll take it either way.

[Comments and questions from the audience.]

This evening, and during our Special Meetings, we will have a comment period at the beginning of the meeting — now — for all of the items on the agenda, but we will not be opening public comment for each of those pieces as we move through. So now’s your chance.

[More comments and questions from the audience.]

Scott Davies (Chair)  09:38
The agenda says that this section is for communications that are not on the agenda and the Chair is allowing you to speak for matters that are on the agenda or not on the agenda.

[More comment from audience.]

Scott Davies (Chair)  10:02
You’re welcome to speak to items that are on the agenda. But we’re only going to take public comment at the beginning of the meeting. In part this is because we’re in Special Meetings and are trying to move through things. So we’re here for public comment now.

David Loya (Community Development Director) 10:23
So, Chair, the agenda does not say that each agenda item will be open for public comment.

Note: What David Loya said is a factually correct statement. But it is logically reprehensible.  The City of Arcata agendas never say “that each agenda item will be open for public comment.” Just because it is not printed there does not mean it is not what happens — at every regular meeting.  The agendas also do not say “The Chair runs the meetings” or “The meetings follow Rosenberg’s Rules of Order for parliamentary procedure.” And those things happen at every meeting too.

This statement represents a bluffing, bullying action on the part of David Loya — all too common, unfortunately. No decent public official should resort to the misuse of language and logic and the misdirection of communication like this. But Mr. Loya does this regularly. It is unfortunate that he is not censured for his efforts to mislead the public.

[More voices from audience.]

Scott Davies (Chair)  10:41
We’re changing it because we’re in a Special Meeting format. And go ahead, Jim, if you’re ready, we’re ready for you.

[The section of the video where Jim Becker speaks has been removed.]

David Loya (Community Development Director) 16:08
Chair, can I have just a brief moment? Take like a 20-second break?

Scott Davies (Chair)  16:12
Absolutely. 

[A one-minute break while David Loya speaks in private with Chair Scott Davies.]

Scott Davies (Chair)  17:11
Okay. In recognition that the printed agenda was a little confusing [see the printed agenda, below] and given concerns about commenters, we will take public comment now, preferably on items that are not on the agenda. And then I *will* open comment later, but for two minutes, because we have a lot to do. And we do have a lot of business items this evening.

[Note:  The Chair misspoke; this is an acceptable error. It is not that there are a lot of business items on the agenda. At the time, there were two… and one was postponed, and so there was only one. But that one item — Circulation, which includes safety  improvements to K Street and the entire L Street – K Street couplet question — would require a lot of time and work.] 

So I hope that helps. Go ahead.

Gregory Daggett  17:41
Well, it helps a little bit. But still, it’s quite a surprise. And it’s feeling more and more and undemocratic all the time as far as input from the public. So I’ll make that statement pretty clear. I don’t know how many more times I’m going to show up. It’s just — You don’t, you’re not interested in our comments. It seems like it’s just being controlled more and more. And that’s my opinion. But I think most of the audience probably feels that way too.

The particular paragraph in the agenda that is referenced:

The 3-page agenda for the April 11, 2023, Planning Commission meeting. Page 2 has the “on matters not on the agenda” paragraph.