When will the Gateway Area Plan and the General Plan be completed? Who knows? In 2022, we were told by the end of 2022. In 2023, we were told by the end of 2023. Now we are told that it'll be possibly around Winter 2024. Reading time: 3 minutes.

Arcata's Housing Element specifies that 20% of the new apartments in the Gateway area be affordable at 80% mean income level. The current draft plan is satisfied with just 6%. Have we given up on seeing affordable housing in the Gateway area? Is the City of Arcata abandoning the requirements of the Housing Element? Reading time 4 minutes.

Reading time 5 to 20 minutes. Where does David Loya get his ideas? What is the source of the notion of dissolving the Gateway Area Plan and make its policies be city-wide. This will be discussed at the November 15, 2023, Council meeting and hopefully will be rejected. Article includes videos, transcriptions, specific proposed policies and a "What's next?" section of what is still missing (after two years of talking) from the Gateway Area Plan.

For their September 26, 2023, joint study session, City Councilmembers and Planning Commissioners were invited to supply their pre-meeting policy ideas. Their ideas were supplied a few hours prior to the meeting, as an addendum to the standard agenda packet. Each person's comments are included in this article.

Reading time:  15-30 minutes. -- The second draft of the Gateway Code (form-based code) came out on September 22, 2023. This article compares the details of this draft as compared with the June 5 1st draft. There is much that is missing. This Gateway code is in need of much work. In my view, it is inadequate, and will lead to sub-standard results. 

Three new articles: A high-density building, the State Density Bonus Housing Law, and reducing regulatory costs. The State Density Bonus Housing Law and how it affects us here in Arcata is the single most important issue facing the Planning Commission with regard to the success of the Gateway Plan.

If we want to build equity into the Gateway Plan, the percentage for inclusionary zoning (for affordable units) is much too low at 3% to 5%. I can't get behind the GAP Plan at all if it's just going to be mostly market rate housing. That's a plan for gentrification, not equity. I do understand about Density Bonus Law, and the pressure from the State. However, we don't need a gentrification plan (i.e. the GAP) to start building affordable housing that fits in with the character of our town.

As a preview to the August 22, 2023, joint City Council / Planning Commission study session, the City Council says a big NO*NO*NO to the L Street Couplet, and a Yes to the Woonerf and full-width Linear Park. PLUS - thoughts on Inclusionary Zoning and BUILDING HEIGHTS in the Gateway area.

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.

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.

Written to the Planning Commissioners following the August 8, 2023, meeting. In the David Loya video on the Density Bonus laws, he states “And our design standards and Community Benefits programs are unlikely to be implemented due to waivers and concessions.”

During the past more than one-and-a-half years of discussion on the draft Gateway Plan, we've seen a variety of important aspects of the plan come and go. Critical issues seemed to have arrived as firm promises and later vanished like smoke following a Planning Commission conversation of just a minute or two. Or vanished with no conversation whatsoever. *** An area that's near and dear to the hearts of Arcatans are building heights and the set-back and step-back requirements for new buildings.

David Loya dismisses the Transportation Safety Committee's input in a major way -- yet again. Arcata's Community Development Director David Loya has inadequately, inaccurately, or in a diminished fashion presented recommendations from the Transportation Safety Committee to the Planning Commission. **** David Loya's reply, and a response from Fred Weis ****

The Gateway Community Benefits Program is simple in concept. In order to construct a building higher than three stories -- and have it go through the streamlined "ministerial review" process -- a developer has to provide something for the community.  But the existing State Density Bonus laws may entirely subvert our Community Benefits program and render it meaningless.

A letter to Arcata's City Councilmembers and Planning Commissioners: This draft Form-Based Code has about 40% of the information and code that is needed for a good Form-Based Code. It fails to provide for the intents and interests and purposes of the Gateway Plan. It does not fulfil our needs.

A response from David Loya to the original letter from Fred Weis, and the reply from Fred Weis to him. --- David Loya apparently believes that there is no difference and no problem for him to state the Transportation Safety Committee's recommendation was **FOR** the K/L Street couplet . . . when in fact their recommendation was **AGAINST** the K/L Street couplet.

Affordable Housing, Home Ownership, and Gentrification were featured topics for discussion at the May 9, 2023, Planning Commission meeting.  But there was no discussion of affordable housing or home-ownership opportunities at that Planning Commission meeting.  No discussion at all -- just a staff report on this crucial topics. **** This is that staff report -- with COMMENTARY.

Land Use Element notes for the March 27 Planning Commission Meeting ------- HOW IT IS NOW: “The early settlement of the town, initially called Uniontown, grew around a central plaza.”   CHANGE THIS TO: The early non-indigenous settlement that formed a town, initially called Uniontown, grew around a central plaza.  OR::  The early European-American settlement that formed a town, initially called Uniontown, grew around a central plaza. ---The very next paragraph in the Land Use Element is an acknowledgement to the Wiyott tribe. ---- 14 pages of notes to the Planning Commission of suggestions for the update of the Land Use Element.

Community Development Director David Loya provided a concise explanation of California's myriad Density Bonus housing laws in the March 2023 Planning Commission staff reports. It is included it here so it can be referred to at any time.

A special page for City Council and Planning Commission members -- and a great place for all readers to learn more about the Gateway Plan. This page will be updated regularly. Come back for more!

I look forward to delving into it more as it is a relevant and important topic, surrounded byurban myths which likely contain some truths. Comment on the message from David Loya that "The Gateway Plan already incorporates policy to offset the potential > stresses that could lead to displacement. The plan includes relocation > assistance for displaced individuals. It also incorporates inclusionary zoning, which will set a base percentage of affordable housing within new market rate buildings. There are incentives for going above the inclusionary zoning base for affordable housing."

Contains 62 pages of information, collected from people's comments and viewpoints, that the City has not included in their engagement report about the Gateway Plan. Includes the comments on the Post-Its from the two-day January 2022 Open House meeting -- information that the City has been unwilling to assemble and published.

A view of the whole story. In Arcata, California, the Gateway plan calls for 8,000 people, possibly within 8-10 years. This will alter our town forever. Is it feasible?

Affordability and Home Ownership for housing in Arcata Community Development Director David Loya's ideas and writings on how to achieve Affordability and Ownership: Click here..