Excerpt from a letter from Fred Weis to the Arcata City Council.
From August 16th, 2022 — one year ago.

To: Honorable Mayor Stacy Atkins-Salazar, Vice-Mayor Sarah Schaefer, Arcata City Council Members Alex Stillman, Brett Watson, and Meredith Matthews

Topics:           
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1. The 3D Modeling is here
2. City Council / Planning Commission Joint Study Session next week
3. K Street / L Street Couplet Decision
4. Gateway Plan Advisory Committee
5. Building Height is not a popularity contest
6. Soils Testing in the industrial area is a must

3. K Street / L Street Couplet Decision

To me it is such a no-brainer decision that it defies any choice to the contrary. 

 

Cities and towns all over the world are trying to remove streets and create walkable areas.

 

They are taking pains to create one, and we already have one, on the L Street Pathway, right here.

There are decisions that need to be made that affect the consequences of all further discussions and design. One big example is on your Joint Study Session agenda:  The current plan proposes that K Street be one-way going north and a newly created L Street being one-way going south. The people and the Transportation Safety Committee in strong language wants to keep K Street as a two-way street and make L Street into a linear walking/biking park. That decision will affect discussions on every parcel along K Street and L Street — building height, setback from the street, upper-floor setbacks, the need for walkways and other public open space, the commercial frontage, parking, housing unit density, and on and on.

To me it is such a no-brainer decision that it defies any choice to the contrary.  Cities and towns all over the world are trying to remove streets and create walkable areas — whether linear parks or “walking malls” or whatever you want to call them. They are taking pains to create one, and we already have the start of one on the L Street Pathway, right here. And the December 2021 draft plan proposed to destroy this.

We want walkability, we want reduction of automobile dependency, we seek a vibrant town environment, we respect our natural spaces, we want parks, we promote meaningful shop spaces and the arts — it is all there, and more, with the L Street Pathway.

I am firm and clear on this — see my articles here and here and for the need for parks in the Gateway area here and here and in my June 9th letter to the Council and the Commission here. I’ll post the transcript of the Transportation Safety Committee discussion for you to read also. (here)

Links:
L Street Pathway: Aerial Views and Photos
The L Street Pathway
L Street – Proposed design does not fit
L Street – 2010 Rail with Trail Feasibility Study
The L Street Pathway Deception
Couplet on L? The L Street Pathway as we know it and love it will cease to exist

Gateway Needs Parks!
Quimby Act Dreams — How do we get parks in Gateway?
    Shouldn’t we be able to WALK to our parks?