Daniel Chandler — August 17, 2023 — A letter from 350 Humboldt

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    Note:  What is shown below is a copy of the original letter, made for this website.  It is included here only so that the contents of the original letter can be searchable.  (The PDF received from the City is in the form of an image, and so is not a searchable document.)

    What is below is not the letter sent by the letter-writer. It may contain typographical errors and other departures from the original.  The PDF displayed above is accurate.  The text below is not accurate.  It is printed here for indexing purposes, so that each word can be indexed and included in the search.

    Dear Council Members,
    350 Humboldt recently submitted to the Planning Commission a letter almost identical to the one attached, which is
    addressed to City Council members as well.
    Thank you for considering our views.
    Dan Chandler

    August 17, 2023
    To: Members of the Arcata City Council and Arcata Planning Commission
    Re: Gateway Area Plan Discussion August 22nd
    Thank you for your work on the Gateway Area Plan. 350 Humboldt supports infill projects that
    accommodate a greater population density than the surrounding areas have so far. Many factors—
    expansion of the university, other major developments, climate change—are all but guaranteeing a big
    population increase in the near future and for some time to come. Arcata is smart to plan now.
    Multi-story buildings can free up open space for creeks and public parks that will add to the area’s
    livability. De-emphasizing parking also frees up space and encourages reliance on public
    transportation. Other details in the Community Benefits package would deliver greenhouse gas
    reductions. These reductions are of primary importance to 350 Humboldt.
    However, affordable housing is also extremely important. Raising the percentage of inclusionary zone
    affordable housing to 4% for low-income people and 9% for median income people is a small step in
    the right direction. We understand the dilemma posed by state density bonus regulations, and we
    support anything you can do to improve that situation, including modifications of the Community
    Benefits package that might further incentivize developers to build more affordable housing.
    Knowing that many final details are yet to be decided in future discussions and environmental reviews,
    350 Humboldt encourages the Planning Commission and City Council to adopt the Gateway Area Plan
    at your joint meeting August 22nd. Thank you again for all of your hard work.
    350 Humboldt Steering Committee
    Martha Walden
    Dan Chandler
    Nancy Ihara
    Jenifer Pace