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From: |
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Sent: |
Saturday, October 01, 2022 10:57 AM |
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To: |
Delo Freitas |
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Subject: |
SFChronicle : This part of California has the fastest sea level rise on the West Coast. Here’s what’s at stake |
Delo Freitas
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
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Dear Delo Freitas | Senior Planner ‐
Here is Saturday—1 October 2022 article in the SFChronicle—that may be of interest to the City of Arcata and pending Gateway Plan, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors’ recently approved Nordic Aquafarms project located in Samoa, the greater Humboldt Bay Area, as well as our county’s long term environmental, housing and economic concerns.
Additionally, are some thoughts regarding the current Arcata concerns, that include Cal Poly Humboldt and Gateway, specifically. Perhaps there may be something within this offered tome, of merit upon review.
With every good intention ‐ Rita Pender Arena
Resident of Humboldt County since 1975 | BA from HSU in 1979
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Context
Humboldt County’s population from 1970 – 2022:
1970 : <100,000 / – 4.96%
1980 : 108,500 / + 8.85%
1990 : 119,000 / + 9.77%
2010 : <135,000 / + 13.02%
2022 : <137,000
Population growth averages approximately .14% annually over the twelve year period between 2010-2022.
Presently
HSU | Cal Poly Humboldt
. HSU is rebranding and transforming into Cal Poly Humboldt (Cal Poly).
. It could be said Cal Poly is behaving like one who has recently received a windfall inheritance or lottery win.
. Currently Cal Poly is buying swatch’s of property in and around Arcata, allegedly above market value.
. Under ownership of California, property is no longer under local jurisdiction, nor does it remain a tax base.
. Inquiries of potential land on M Street where small businesses like Commercial Print Shop and a storage facility are located are occurring—whether allegedly by Cal Poly or the recently out-bid and displaced elder development looking for another viable option.
. One wonders what are the urban-centered California State University intentions for our greater agrarian community.
. Plans for campus expansion to accommodate the greater Cal Poly distinction and the projected near-double the current campus enrollment, are a few declarations from our local Cal Poly representatives.
. A multiple (up to) eight-storied student housing complex—on now State of California owned-land, west of campus and freeway, is one proposal.
Gateway
. Additionally. One wonders the same regarding Gateway.
. Several designated properties are being proposed and considered for up to eight-storied housing units—generally located within Arcata’s western and southern boundaries. This is problematic for nearby neighbors’ quality of life and property values.
. With an understanding of the perceived changes of an empty lot verses a building, the finished construction and lacking street setbacks along the southside of the Coöp and the more recent Sorrel Place are of concern. Both have resulted in the neighbors of these once daylight-plentiful environments—to now exist in the considerable shadows of massive, blocklong multi-storied and mixed-use complexes. In addition to loss of aesthetic and view.
. It could be said, the proposed housing+business design and construction options—of over three stories in the proposed, determined locations may be counterproductive, as do not integrate into existing neighborhoods, infrastructures and looming climate realities relating to our greater unique, rural community.
Questions
. Who is responsible for the infrastructure upgrades required to Arcata’s renown sewage treatment facility—that was planned for our agrarian region prior to Cal Poly expansion and California State University mandates—Arcata, Humboldt County or the State of California—taxpayers?
. Who is responsible for the infrastructure costs for upgrades to Arcata and Humboldt County’s water and treatment, roads and transportation, fire personnel and equipment, policing, hospital and schools that will accommodate the population increase?
Suggestions | Think outside of the box
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The elected public servant employee-representatives on the City of Arcata Council—please:
. Remember what makes Arcata and Humboldt County unique.
. Do not re-create urban conditions, developments and sprawl in our northcoast environment—whether Gateway or Cal Poly.
. Remind Cal Poly that it is a neighbor—not an entitled land baron.
. Take a leadership position with Cal Poly (and urban-centered State of California and State University policy makers) when determining our rural region’s collective present and future concerns.
. Contact our County Board of Supervisors, State Assembly and Senate representatives in regards to rural civic rights and polices.
. Integrate best land usage concerns and newer housing within the unique gestalt of our existing indigenous, historical and agrarian community and quality of life.
. Advocate designs that reflect the existing vernacular of quality, building materials, human-scale designs and coexistence within existing wildlife-habitat—with 21st century (and beyond) design innovations and solutions.. Advocate new building (Gateway or Cal Poly—whether commercial or housing) does not undermine, but enhances, the quality of life of what makes Arcata appealing. This is not an urban-Center—keep it human scale, un-obstructed and green-landscaped.
. Advocate any new building (Gateway or Cal Poly—whether commercial or housing) prioritize our local and-or pacificnorthwest professional designers and builders that reflect the reality of the climate crisis and the requirements of the 21st century. Rather than random, urban-centered designers that create generic structures for anywhere USA. Examples: the
Arcata Community center and Wildlife Department building-addition on the Cal Poly campus.
. Advocate neighbor Cal Poly creates *satellite campuses of academic-related facilities and residential housing, rather than within the immediate neighborhoods of the town.
. Advocate **coöperative housing for larger complexes—whether Gateway or Cal Poly.
. Advocate for compatible businesses within mixed use neighborhoods.
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*Cal Poly Humboldt
. Advocate creating new campus satellite sites that are academic-facilities-and-coöperative-residential-eco-centered communities established within sustainable and self-sufficient environments—where students live, study and recreate in a cohesive environment.
. Possible location options:
The greater Valley West—north along St Louis Road (east of the freeway)
West End Road
Giuntoli Lane and the property north of road Indianola and MidCity
. Satellite campuses would be accessible to the main campus with fuel efficient buses, bike lanes and pedestrian access. . Uncertain of the status of the Eureka waterfront campus. But years ago there was a discussion of a combined ecohousing and education facility along Eureka’s waterfront that was being proposed by a private individual.
. Keeping satellite campuses close to the main campus—rather than in Eureka—and constructing them with quality, sustainable materials and footprints—would be cost-efficient and advantageous for our collective long term (climate) concerns.
. Though only a distance of six miles, Arcata to Eureka seems further, physically and mentally. Especially when relying upon limited public transportation. Satellite campuses that are too distant, takes away from the overall university experience.
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**Coöperative Housing:
. For future housing complexes—including Cal Poly students and community members—advocate for coöperative, instead of private corporate university housing ownership that determines price-rates and or private developers’ management contracts that raise annual rents and fees.
. Agreement—adult residents work five hours per week on community determined tasks that need attending—towards the maintenance and upkeep of residence. This encourages lower overhead costs, as well as fosters a sense of pride and ownership. When people are committed to their living environments, people take care of them.
. The coöperative community is DEI—and may include elderly and disabled individuals who, when capable of contributing their skills, do want to participate.
. Reduced cost of living and determination of policies are great incentives for a sustainable community. . I have traveled extensively and observed a common result of housing in large complexes—whether vertical or horizontal. With the absence of ownership (or coöperative agreement) residents will not treat or voluntarily participate in the care and upkeep of the property. If Arcata’s Gateway is advocating public housing, please be mindful.
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Creative solutions | Regarding Cal Poly Humboldt and Gateway construction
. Recommend link to a recent NPR | Here&Now radio program broadcast on 21 September 2022—that featured: Vishaan Chakrabarti
Former Dean of the College of Environmental Design at the University of California Berkeley Founder of the New York–based Pau Studio.
Included is a link to the program (red button) along with the Chakrabarti TEDTalk:
https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2022/09/21/urban-planning-more-housing
Though clearly (sub)urban-centered, Chakrabarti presents valid points that our rural Arcata community and neighbor, Cal Poly would be encouraged to take into short and long term consideration, to best integrate newer housing into existing communities.
The following is an excerpt of the recent NPR conversation, with a few points highlighted in italics:
By the year 2100 earth will have 3 billion more people. How will we house them?
Here&Now | by Robin Young, Karyn Miller-Medzon, Jeannette Muhammad | 21 September 2022
Vishaan Chakrabarti:
“Our democracy’s in trouble because I think there’s just a lot of tension in the air about all of these converging crises. …The concerns center around both the building materials that can cause pollution and, once built, the energy the buildings will use. Sustainable materials like wood and brick would knock out the need for building towers. And solar panels can provide more environmentally friendly electricity.
Solar power won’t work if the building is too big or has too many occupants. If it’s too small, like with single-family homes, more people would lean into car dependency, creating more pollution. The plan needs to hit a Goldilockssweet spot.
…Hitting that sweet spot also means using materials in the right place. Wood works for a number of places in the U.S., while humid climates like India would benefit from using brick. International building codes say three-story buildings also don’t require elevators, so long as there is wheelchair access for ground floor units. Eliminating elevators would further reduce the use of concrete and building costs.
With the right kind of systems… three-story housing could also produce carbon-negative technology, meaning the buildings would create more energy than they use.”
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