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 will 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.

City of Arcata Community Open House
January 21 and 22, 2022
“Gateway Area Amenities I” poster – feedback results
(Collated by Responsible Growth Arcata volunteers, based on photos taken at the end of the event*)
Housing Creation:
Amenity: Vote Tally
High-density housing 14
Small units (750sf or less) 30
Family units (3 or more bedrooms) 16
Owner-occupied units 31
Single room occupancy 9
Preserving existing affordable housing 17
Creating new affordable housing (deed-restricted units) 16
Creation of new mixed income housing 25
Write-in:
Homeless housing allowing for pets and disability 3
Open Space:
Amenity: Vote Tally
Trail enhancement/new bike and pedestrian trails 32
Contribution to area beautification fund 7
Easements dedicated to city for parkland or creek daylighting 20
Contribution to parkland fund 4
Creek daylighting 20
Street trees 33
Community gardens 21
Edible/native landscape 19
Art and Culture:
Amenity: Vote Tally
Creation of public art or related infrastructure 16
New performance space 6
Art & culture fee program 6
Artist live/work housing 18
Community-building infra (seating along trail, drinking fountains, little free libraries etc) 24
Contributions towards partnership with Arcata Main Street on community connectivity
events between Plaza/Gateway 7
Green Building/Sustainability:
Amenity: Vote Tally
LEED Gold or higher, all electric development 15
Mass Timber Construction 6
Renewable energy generation 20
Contamination remediation 5
Stormwater runoff management in addition to state requirements 16
Light pollution reduction 17
Jolly Giant Creek water quality improvements 13
Improving fish passage for salmonids 19
“Wetland banking” for habitat restoration 16
Write-in:
Prevent bird window strikes 3
NOISE CONTROL esp at nite (sp) from HVAC equipment 2
General comments:
“100 AirBnB units? That’s housing that’s lost! And it’s a lot of units” (Seconded with four dots)
“Enforce limit _____ 100 short term rental units”
“Anyone looking at 3D printed units for single occupancy?”
“ADA accessible”
“Subsidies for homeless to ____ housing to home ownership”
“D) All of the above”
“Street trees are great. Make sure there is $ for biannual cleanup. There is very little street
cleaning & I see lots of debris going down sewer grates Lots of $$ to clean out once
underground” (Seconded with one dot)
“Do the Gateway Plan keeping _____ ecosystem function in mind – creeks, vegetation
corridors, pocket parks & playgrounds for kids”
“These should be necessities (requirements) not amenities” (Seconded with two dots)
“What about safe areas for youth sports. This will affect young families that would be
emotionally invested in our community.”
“Outdoor bandstand theater” (Seconded with one dot)
“All electric is good, LEED adds cost and not necessarily value”
“Preserve solar access to adjacent properties. Daylight more of Jolly Giant Creek” (Seconded
with one dot)
“How do we control noise from parties if these are to be also student housing mixed w/
professionals?”
“Have lots of lighting in diff forms & intensity. Well lit areas can create moods.”
*Note: Everything visible was collated. Some content is covered by stickies or illegible. Illegible is noted
with a blank line: .
City of Arcata Community Open House
January 21 and 22, 2022
“What Have We Heard So Far?” poster – feedback results
(Collated by Responsible Growth Arcata volunteers, based on photos taken at the end of the event*)
Citywide Visioning: Vote Tally
Creating housing for all user groups and incomes 27
Love of Arcata’s natural resources (ocean, forest, working ag lands, parks) 42+
Encouraging walkability and bike ability, investing in multimodal transportation 28
Comments: “Buses” “Public transit” “Horses”
Creating job opportunities, including Arcata’s arts and manufacturing sectors as well
as finding jobs for recent HSU graduates 11
Increasing feelings of safety in public spaces for all users 20
Coordination between HSU and the City 16
Thoughtful City growth, meaning both infill and protection of the City’s green spaces 35
Arcata for All and racial equity work 25
Comment: “Pay POC for the work”
Using arts for self expression, place making and mental health 16
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions 18
Climate change/sea level rise preparation and armoring 20
Youth/child support, care, representation and engagement 10
Re-connecting with local indigenous communities 23
Investing in mental and physical health care 18
Gateway Visioning: Vote Tally
Area has good potential and strong community of businesses and residents
looking for new ways to build on that potential 7
Area is a strong off-plaza center for the core downtown, and is well-positioned
to downtown, nature, and the ocean-connect to Plaza with bike/ped
priority-need safe routes to parks 6
Creamery District as strong center and Arcata Playhouse as strong center of Creamery 12
Area needs maintenance/investment-more and bigger sidewalks, repainting of
storefronts, more lighting, more landscaping and greenery, more
public art-murals, etc. 14
Focus on human-scale activity- flow designed for people, design that brings
people together 11
Encourage uses that lead to more events/ people on the street 11
Encourage a diversity of uses and business types, more jobs in the area 9
Focus on communal and shared space, green space, edible landscaping and
native plants-places to linger safely in a beautiful environment 18
Strong arts identity in Creamery and interest in expanding that beyond Creamerycreating spaces and structures for artists, including artist housing and
roles in decision making 13
Concerns of proposed building height/scale, and its effects-shading,
aesthetics, parking 33
Comments: “More parking” “3 max”
Incorporate Wiyot place naming and find ways to honor the fact the Gateway Area
is on unceded land 14
Concerns of re-configured roadway in impacts to surrounding neighborhood-
more cars 20
Other thoughts to share (on City vision and on Gateway vision):
*Note: lots of engagement on sticky notes; appears that as the poster filled up, thoughts shared were
not delineated between the City and the Gateway. Also, notes written on
Dots were included above. Some were not legible in the poster photos.
“Not at all Senior friendly. How many floors will get an elevator? Who will service?” – Sara
Turner
“Seniors and their needs – how about their accessibility issues (biking in rain)?”(Seconded with
three dots)
“Infrastructure concerns are very important – sewer, water, solid waste, electricity”
“Sound proof and color access – so important”
“Arcata has opportunity to bomb as an arts city with the right marketing to create job”
“Try to create (post around the City) messages of minority acceptance”
“Healthcare, transportation, sewage”
“Streamline Section 8 housing vouchers, not the approval process for Big Developers. Time to
stop using public policy to fatten the pocket of the wealthy!” (Seconded with one dot)
“We don’t need to provide housing for every person who wants to live in Arcata. We don’t
need high density.” (Seconded with three dots)
“Design pedestrian and cycling ONLY streets from Gateway Hood to Central Arcata”
“My biggest concern for Arcata is the homeless problem. Is there a formula for how many
homeless our town can manage. I think _____ are way_____our abilities to manage this issue.”
(Seconded with three dots)
“Business incubators – Platform Cooperatives:
• Artist/Artisan
• Child Care
• Elderly Care
• Home Care”
“More focus on safe spaces for youth, BIPOC residents and Queer celebrated areas, art
spaces” (Seconded with two dots)
“6-8 story buildings are not compatible and are out of scale!” “Yes, agree!” (Seconded with two
dots)
“Lets demonstrate mass timber construction (CLT) substitute for concrete & steel”
“Need more townhouses and condos for home ownership”
“Weather does not allow non-car lifestyle for all – Seniors, commuters to Eureka”
“Dog + kid friendly homes”
“Mandate owner occupied properties, to discourage buying and renting out of investment
properties, as we have now.”
“Work on _____ transportation out/in of area to help decrease cars”
“ZIP Cars”
“Waste treatment – will it meet the demand? Its a future (sp?) in 20/30 yrs. Consignally (sp?)
services”
“Moving forward with this project when residents are overwhelmed w/ current events is
WRONG”
“_____ I support multi-modal transportation, there is a severe lack of parking in Arcata so I
hope that increased housing goes hand in hand with consideration of increased parking”
“Provide more parking citywide and especially downtown”. (Seconded with one dot)
“Pay BIPOC + let lead rail equity/equality initiatives”
“Small electric buses run frequently, easy on/off (reduce auto use)” “good idea!” (Seconded
with one dot)
“Increase home ownership”
“Increase parking”
“Protect from flooding and sea level rise”
“The City needs to do a better job of planning and maintaining public spaces”
“People will leave their cars in SoCal IF we have excellent PUBLIC TRANSIT!“ (Seconded with
one dot)
“Four stories plenty! Love bikes + be realistic – most folks still have cars – need to park!”
“Does wastewater treatment system have capacity to accommodate all this?? Land should be
designated & saved for relocation of treatment plant esp. as sea level rises” “Duh” (Seconded
with two dots)
“BIPOC need to be the leaders of racial equity work for the City + need to get paid for it” “Yes”
“Minimum 3 stories for housing + walkability”
“Max 3 stories” “Healthcare” “Agree!” (Seconded with three dots)
“Preparedness for big tech coming to Humboldt?
• Housing
• Arts
• Culture
• Accessibility”

“Max 4 stories. Laundromats. Child care & mental health care accessibility” (Seconded with
one dot)
“More visibility and partnership with the Wiyot and other tribes”
“Invest in hemp and green waste from weed farms and trim jobs”
“Max 3 stories in all districts but Barrel – Max 4 stories in Barrel District”
“City of Arcata should keep maximum building height of 4 stories as stated in the General
Plan”
“4 story max ______ include more parking. I like the traffic _____ But 2 _____”
“Perhaps sharing some illustrations of projected building heights/outlines would help more
people accept the zoning changes. How many 2, 4, 6, 8 story buildings expected in 10
years?”
“Please explain how the number (3500) of proposed increased new dwellers who want to move
here to live in high rise apartments was figured” (Seconded with two dots)
• “No buildings >4 stories”
• Maintain planning commission & city council (public) approval process
• Maintain solar access as a human right”
“Building height 8 – 7 – 5 story buildings adverse affect on whole/shading surrounding area”
*Note: Everything visible was collated. Some content is covered by stickies or illegible. Illegible is noted
with a blank line: __________.
City of Arcata Community Open House
January 21 and 22, 2022
“Gateway Area Amenities II” poster – feedback results
(Collated by Responsible Growth Arcata volunteers, based on photos taken at the end of the event*)
Multi-Modal Transportation:
Amenity: Vote Tally
EV charging stations 14
Employee showers 4
On site bike parking/storage in addition to what is required in form based code 15
Bus passes for residents 17
_______ parcel frontage for transportation use 3
Comment: one person added a question mark to this category
Utility undergrounding 26

Comment: “Only way this plan does not become a huge blight”

Contribution to all-electric bus 15
Trail lighting and aesthetic improvements 21
Park & ride lots 7
Write-in:
A parking space for each new residence built 2
Enhanced Architecture/Design:
Amenity:
Roof form variation 14
Architectural detail, ornamentation, articulation in addition to what is required
in form based code 19
Comment: “think of sun”

Cantilevered upper floors 5
Retail/dining facing trail or creek 20
Comments: “think of sun” “south facing” (one other, illegible)
Rehab and adaptive reuse of existing history structures 25
Comments: “Very important”
“What happened to the log cabin at the fiber optic center?”
“What about architecture that fits in with architecture in neighborhood?”
Retail and Job Creation:
Amenity:
Ground-floor retail/mixed use developments 10
Outdoor dining 29
Comment: “think of sun”
Rooftop dining 9
Comment: “100″
Owner-occupied units 22
Comment: “Don’t let landlords buy up properties to jack up rents”
Creation of 50+ jobs 12
Community health/support services 22
Other ideas?
Amenity:
Public art – sculpture, music, dance, benches, _______ _______ 6
Solar outdoor decorative lighting 1
Etched glass or other ways to make windows bird safe 1
Solar panel covered picnic tables – yes! Generic CSU-style – no 1
Campground 1
Outdoor picnic area 1
General comments:
“If you build it, they will ride. We need an excellent public transit system!”
“Secure bike parking – covered. Outdoor racks in this weather are not encouraging…”
“Better public transportation and also to get out of the area. Decrease cars – HSU freshman no
cars if in Arcata. Can do other 1st years in other colleges.). HSU busses at holidays to Sacr,
SF, Oregon, etc and return after holidays.”
“Maintenance over long term!! Shabby paint, siding, balconies turn into slums!”
“Sight lines!”
“Lighting!”
“CCTV!”
“City sponsored ride share program”
“Stop pretending we don’t need cars…”
“Recreation facilities for new residents, i.e. tennis courts, basketball courts, soccer/baseball
fields” (Seconded with the note, “Public”)
“Need a transportation plan for people that work in Arcata but don’t live there, and vice versa.”
“3500 units with little parking is unrealistic and not workable.”
“Necessities & requirements (not amenities) (Seconded with “absolutely!)
“Maintain light industrial space for service work businesses” (Seconded with dot “Keep it ind
use”
“Keep light industrial use”
“8 stories is too high – max 3 or 4. Will change character of small Arcata”
“No stucco”
“No more than four storys. (sp) Put taller buildings on south side of block to avoid blocking sun
on neighboring buildings”
“We cannot keep businesses one on the Plaza. Why add more retail space now? (Seconded
with two dots)
“Mandates, not amenities” (Seconded with “Yes, please!” and “Me three!”)
“Where are the higher paying service/light industrial options? STEM businesses that support
HSU Poly?”
“The plan needs more public space as opposed to privately owned ‘public’ space”. (Seconded
with a heart)
“This plan proposes to allow windowed walls erected adjacent to the bird sanctuary and up the
riparian corridors. According to Sibly Guides and Audobon groups, windows are the highest
faster for bird mortality.”
“I feel saying 8 stories was a way to get people to agree to 4. Too High! 3 stories MAX!”
“Mandate affordability!” (Seconded with another dot and a “ditto”)
“100 AirBnB units? That’s housing that’s lost!” (Seconded with four dots)
“Enforce limitation of 100 short term rental units”
“Do deed-restricted units mean that low income families end up not building much equity in
their property? Is there a way to make housing more affordable for everyone without needing
subsidy programs?”
“Anyone looking at 3D printed units for single occupancy?”
“ADA accessible”
“Subsidies for homeless to transitional housing to home ownership”
*Note: Everything visible was collated. Some content is covered by stickies or illegible. Illegible is noted
with a blank line: __________.
City of Arcata Community Open House
January 21 and 22, 2022
“Arcata’s future multi-family housing developments should
look…More like this” poster – feedback results
(Collated by Responsible Growth Arcata volunteers, based on photos taken at the end of the event*)
Sticky notes:
“3 to 4 story max – save the look and feel of our town”
“Photos of reference of places w/ greater populations do not apply to us – too large for our
city”
“Unsafe – decreased visibility, more alley ways for crime.” 2 stories seems high enough for
down-town. Multi story building (sp) belong outside city _____” (Seconded with one dot)
“It should be 3 to 4 storie (sp) or less”
“These all have underground utilities. It will look much different with our awful above ground
utilities”
“Something that includes ample parking”
“I’m against all building (sp) on 3 stories. I like what Kramer(?) ___________ 2 story
apartments”
“5 stories too much”
“Where do cars park? Really!”
“No boxes please!”
“4 stories maximum”
“Better-looking 4-storey (sp) buildings with open space”
“3-4 stories ok. Design review over 8,000 sf”
“4 floors max, por favor!”
“Duplexes, triplexes, 4-plexes with yards AND common open space will still provide desirable
density. Larger apartments would be more likely for short term residents and students”
“4 story max. Intersperse with small gardens + parks, benches.”
“Need to encourage home ownership not tenement buildings owned by 2-3 rich developers”
“We are not Orange County! :-)”
“2-4 storys (sp) taller (4) near Plaza, smaller (2) as you get further away”
“I have to admit the renderings of higher-rise buildings are not very attractive and are hard to
imagine as part of Arcata. Greenspace is essential. Air space is essential.”
“The max should be 3-4 stories”
“EACH should have its own unique style! 4 floors is optional max. Many options are possible.”
“Limit ______ building based on shadow criteria for small communities. Example present tall
building block sunlight _____ produce dark areas in a city _____ should be _____ larger effect”
(Seconded with one dot)
Photos, left to right/top to bottom, with dots and/or written notes:
Dots indicate favor unless otherwise noted.
*Note: Everything visible was collated. Some content is covered by stickies or illegible. Illegible is noted with a
blank line: __________.
16 dots
36 dots and two notes:
“This looks nice but could be taller and have front porches”
“Also hot tub”
32 dots
14 dots “Yes,” 1 dot “No!”
2 dots “Yes” and 3 dots “No!”
13 dots “Yes” and 3 dots “No!”
10 dots
9 dots
4 dots “Yes,” 2 “No!”
40 dots and 1 note:
“Like the shared garden space”
9 dots, one with a note:
“Like the house!”
6 dots “Yes,” 5 dots “No!”
17 dots; 1 with initials? and 1 with note:
“Good compromise”
6 dots “Yes,” 2 dots “No!” and one note:
“I don’t want to live in Orange County!”
10 dots “No!” and three notes:
“Ugly!”
“No thank you!”
“Ewww”
8 dots “Yes,” 6 dots “No!”.
City of Arcata Community Open House
January 21 and 22, 2022
Arcata is Growing…Planning for Growth Helps Manage It
poster – feedback results
(Collated by Responsible Growth Arcata volunteers, based on photos taken at the end of
the event*)
Too much growth could lead to…
On the left side of the poster:
Some sticky notes were covered by others and/or the handwriting was too small
“Why are we not challenging State of CA mandates?” (Seconded with one dot)
“Growth may be inevitable but how much and what’s 1st? We need people to have major
behavior change” (Seconded with one dot)
“What about the empty buildings (lots of houses) in Arcata”
“Too tall buildings (over 4 stories) will ruin Arcata’s small town _____ -Traffic problems will erode
quality of life -Reasonable density only” (Seconded with seven dots)
“What are you planning for the 358 acre _____ 2,000 units near Sun Valley? Don’t see reference
to it on your map”
“Seems like great opportunity for Danco to build another city _____ How did Housing Element
go from 610 to 3,500+?”
“Too many buildings should comply with existing ordnance of 4 stories Parking is not at all
adequate!” (Seconded with four dots)
“Sewage _____” (Seconded with one dot)
“How will wastewater be addressed in the plan”
“_____ economic developments’ None of these _____ in Arcata _____”
“Buildings that look like everywhere else”
“_____ “ blue sticky
“Arcata should spread out development throughout the City”
“Housing _____ rental rates rising _____”
“Its not about too much – its about how we grow – Consider all _____ community small _____
Home Ownership” (Seconded with two dots)
“Growth isn’t really _____ We can _____” yellow sticky
“_____ infrastructure _____” blue sticky
“How will wetland be addressed in the plan”
“Water Waste Sea level _____”
“How much time has been dedicated to mitigating climate change – ocean rising -sloughs
filling up -bridges needed -poop from Marsh overflowing -Think about _____ our current
population”
“Quality of life problems – Traffic” (Seconded with one dot)
“Infrastructure failure Overpopulation for small _____ space” (Seconded with one dot)
“Our current public transportation is woefully insufficient _____” (Seconded with one dot)
“Housing and rental market getting way too expensive”
“Traffic Parking Sewage Need more parks for those people”
“_____ more housing in Valley West? It will _____ services there”
Not enough growth could lead to…
“Stagnant & _____ economy growth”
“Why put so many dwellings in one neighborhood especially when it is low lying?” (Seconded
with four dots, “No!”)
“8 story buildings become ghettos over time – create Parking issues Noise increase”
(Seconded with five dots)
“Arcata’s small town ‘charm’ is already being ruined by lack affordable housing & healthcare –
HSU _____” (Seconded with one dot)
“A _____ balance between _____”
“Building into the forest or Ag land will not be allowed FYI”
“How can we put the cart before the horse. We need to first build our infrastructure medical
services fire and police _____ services for the population _____” (Seconded with two dots)
“Local housing prices inflating from the sudden increase in demand lack of housing for locals”
(Seconded with two dots)
“Infringement on Bottoms” (Seconded with four dots)
“We home owners can’t park in front of our own houses during farmers mkt + events! No
parking!” (Seconded with one dot)
“Building in our forests, green spaces, agri-land”
“Longtime _____” pink sticky
“Keeping Arcata a special unique place + home for _____ who live and work here now”
(Seconded with one dot)
“_____ earn more money _____ workers _____ locally”
“Not enough _____” (Seconded with one dot)
“Humboldt County is huge we don’t need to put everyone in Arcata” (Seconded with two dots)
“YES! Urban infill _____ building UP is the best practice”
“Arcata has been growing by 10% _____ in the past. Why the huge jump. We need more
housing but why SO much”
“Lets be creative why are we trying to be like everyone else _____ buildings to (sp) tall?”
“The gateway is the only place for growth? This is horrible! A bunch of people living too close
together? When you put too many rats together the get aggressive. Not healthy for people or
rats!” (Seconded with two dots)
“People are not RATS – Check yourself – WE ALL DESERVE A PLACE TO LIVE”
“_____” blue sticky
“Arcata isn’t the only community in HumCo Is there a County-wide effort? (Seconded with one
dot)
“We don’t have to provide housing to everyone who wants to live in Arcata. This is not feasible
_____”
“But HSU enrollment was 7,206 in 1976 so going to 11,000 not really a big _____”
“McKinleyville considered? (Seconded with one dot)
“_____” Three yellow stickies with small print (Seconded with one dot)
“I’ve been here long enough to hear about HSU’s growth projections before. It is currently a
couple thousand less students than when I was a student 20 years ago. Eureka’s population
decreased in the Census 2020. _____”
“I think _____ will be hard for _____ people like me to work”
“PLEASE get more locals input, not enough folks know. 4 stories maximum _____”
“More trees more _____ more public art more _____”
*Note: Everything visible was collated. Some content is covered by stickies or illegible. Illegible is noted
with a blank line: __________.