Parking

Here's what they said on parking: "Must ensure that sufficient parking provided for both residents and visitors to and employees of local businesses, given rural nature of area and to ensure that parking doesn’t infringe on nearby/local residential neighborhoods. Don’t presume that students, staff, or residents won’t have cars needing to be parked somewhere. 80% of current students are non-local. " **** Here's what ended up in the General Plan recommendations: "Ensure adequate parking for local businesses and employees."

Do we want more cars in Arcata? No! We want fewer cars on our roads. Who would want more cars? Well -- people who buy these T-Shirts, maybe.

During the transition from discussion to final document, it seems that many issues raised by the Economic Development Committee are not included in the final document. Among what is absent was their stance on adequate parking for business and residential purposes. Also: "Don't presume that students, staff, or residents won't have cars needing to be parked somewhere. 80% of current students are non-local."

UPDATED WITH DRAFTS and the August 2, 2022 video ---- The Economic Development Committee's Recommendations for the General Plan update. From their August 2, 2022 meeting.

In the Gateway Plan, if a developer does not want to supply any parking whatsoever for the residents of newly-constructed apartments, that's an option. But if the developer wants to include enough parking spaces to make those apartments be competitive with other apartments in Arcata? Can't do that. The number of parking spaces that can be provided AT A MAXIMUM amounts to one parking space for every 4 to 8 residents.

The Draft Gateway Plan pretends that there will be an increase in on-street parking in the Gateway area. In actuality, there will be 50% or so of current parking spaces. In some blocks, there will be less than 25% of what is there now.

The Gateway code includes a MAXIMUM number of parking spaces at 1 per every 4 units -- which works out to one per every 4 to 8 tenants. A restaurant with a staff of six and hosting 35 or 40 diners would have a MAXIMUM of ONE space. How will this work out for Arcata?

This map provides an orientation for some of the buildings and business locations in the Creamery area. The background is taken from the Draft Gateway Plan, and shows the proposed street parking situation. However, this parking plan is very inaccurate -- it is "high level" and does not incorporate driveway cutouts, business frontages, and other aspects of reality.

8th & 9th Streets are proposed as one-way streets with bike lanes. That sounds good. But it comes with a 30% reduction of parking on those streets. That sounds bad.

New proposed bike lanes for K & L Streets and for 8th & 9th Streets. Could we do without a K Street bike lane and instead keep L Street bikeable, walkable, and protected from vehicle traffic?

Parking in the Gateway Area