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.
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.
This is a 14 minute section of the one-hour presentation by Ben Noble, from June 29, 2022. This section includes Ben's description of of the Ministerial Review permitting process. A link to the full presentation is included.
This is a 14 minute section of the one-hour presentation by Ben Noble, from June 29, 2022. This section includes Ben's description of of the Ministerial Review permitting process. A link to the full presentation is included.
Key to the success of Arcata’s Gateway Area Plan is the quick and certain approval of all projects that meet the standards of the Gateway Code. The current draft has new Gateway buildings up to 37 feet tall – that’s three-stories, generally – being seen only by the Zoning Administrator. This one person would have complete authority to approve new projects. There would be no public hearings for these approvals.
Ministerial Review in the Gateway Area Plan
Ministerial Review is a key ingredient of the Gateway Area Plan. Ministerial Review can include the review and...
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.***
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.
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.
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.
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 a General Plan document -- within one week. And this has happened twice. This article shows how these document-handling procedures are inadequate and poor, and differ from what is done by professionals in every field, all over the world. A solution is proposed.
This message was sent to the full City Council, the Planning Commissioners, City Manager and ComDev Director. Thi is a critique of the initial look at the latest draft of the General Plan. The General Plan 2045 draft and the Gateway Area Plan draft are supposed to be ready for a Public Hearing on May 14th. In my view, these documents are not ready.
What was slated to be a “final” review of Arcata’s Gateway Area Code took place at the April 23, 2024, Planning Commission meeting. On May 14, 2024, is the Public hearing on the General Plan 2045, the Gateway Area Plan, and the Gateway Code. Also on May 14 is a Planning Commission review of the three documents and the Commission's recommendation to the City Council. *** The full-steam-ahead pedal-to-the-medal accelerated pace will result in a sub-standard Gateway Code.
How many electric vehicle chargers are required for new apartments and non-residential buildings? The quantity is tied to the number of parking spaces that are built. In the Gateway area, the minimum parking required is zero... so there well could be no charging stations there too. ------ This fact sheet summarizes 2022 CALGreen requirements for residential construction, including single-family, multi-family, and hospitality (hotels and motels) facilities, as well as nonresidential new construction.
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.
The Community Benefits Program for Arcata's Gateway Area Plan has gone through many twists and turns and iterations. The basic idea is that if a developer wants to build at four stories and above, there must be some "community benefits" included in the project. The community benefits evolved from a list that was developed by the Community Development Staff and the Planning Commissioners -- with, in theory, input from the public.
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.
"So as far as I know, at this point, the existing Class One multi-use trail will remain in its current location, in its current configuration, in perpetuity -- you know, until something else changes." -- From the March 12, 2024 Planning Commission meeting. A statement from Arcata's Community Development Director, David Loya, in which he illustrates once again that he uses language in ways that no other English-speaking person does -- and then expects us to believe what he says.
Here's the 88-page document of comments on the draft Environmental Impact Report that was compiled and sent in by Fred Weis. With summary notes and a linked table of contents for easy viewing and to find what is of interest to you.
This is Colin Fiske's suggestions as to parking policies for the General Plan update, from February 11, 2024. We can note that he has written on eliminating the MINIMUM parking requirements -- that is, to have it be that a new apartment is not required to have parking. He does not speak to the MAXIMUM parking that is allowed.
There's a notion that by making it more difficult for people to USE a car, then people won't OWN a car. And perhaps in a mythical future, this may be true. But for now and likely the next 20 or 30 years, people do own cars. And there will need to be a place to park them.
Here is an extended and annotated Table of Contents for the 1,990 page Draft Environmental Impact Report. The Contents that came with this 1,990 page report consisted of 32 lines. This annotated contents has over 600 entries, to enable the reader to scan and find items within this document.
The Gateway Area Plan, the General Plan, the Environmental Impact Report, Local Coastal Plan... and articles about these documents.
There are many documents and videos...