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Dear Arcata City Councilmembers,
To date, over 950 people have signed the petition to create a car‐free linear park along L Street, yet our voices aren’t being heard. The Planning Commission went ahead with a vote to make the K‐L couplet a goal, despite strong opposition from Arcata residents. That demonstrates that they are not listening to the community.

My mom and I attended a meeting at the Arcata Playhouse on July 10 concerning the L Street linear park, and it was jam packed with every seat taken and more folks in the aisles. The people there were pretty darned upset that the City leaders are ignoring us by continuing to talk about the K‐L couplet as if it were already decided. It appears more and
more that we aren’t being listened to nor well represented by those we have elected, and people are taking notice.

As I wrote to you last October, the Gateway Plan touts “community benefits” like parks as an amenity to the community. We already have a beautiful linear park along the L‐Street corrider that just needs a bit of enhancement as to landscaping. My mom and I walk it regularly, and it’s such a peaceful oasis. Why on earth would you want to destroy a “community benefit” that already exists just to create a noisy, soul‐destroying truck route that would fundamentally change the character of this beautiful arts/park district?

Please rethink this! If you truly want an arts district that attracts people, best not to turn it into a noisy, congested corridor, don’t you think? A council member responded to my October letter on this topic by suggesting that we could have both a linear park and a truck route running next to it. So let’s be clear: Those of us advocating for the linear park
want it to be car‐free linear park with no truck route running alongside it, as that would destroy the tranquility and beauty of this park and arts district beloved by so many.
We love this peaceful oasis with the L Street linear path running through it ‐ perfect for walking, biking, skating ‐ and want to preserve it for future generations to enjoy. Please preserve what we already have in terms of “community benefits” ‐ the beautiful L Street linear park ‐ and don’t go about destroying it by placing a truck route next to it.
Thank you for your attention to our concerns.

Lisa Pelletier
Arcata resident