An excellent presentation of Building Height and Massing in the Gateway area. 47 minutes. With 3D modeling. A "must see" video.

Maps of the "Land Use Designation" zoning districts of the Gateway area, with a proposal for a new district around the Creamery Building. The line through the central portion is a potential "L Street Pathway" linear park and walking "mall" that would extend from Alliance Road at the north and go to Samoa Boulevard at the south. It would be a car-free area, adjacent to the Creamery District arts area, alongside The Pub restaurant and many future restaurants and shops.

Request for the Arcata City Council to establish a Gateway Plan Advisory Committee, 1 page document. Accompanied with 82 signers including former Planning Commissioners and Committee members, members of the General Plan 2020 team, Cal Poly Humboldt professors, professional engineers, business owners, and more.

The "couplet" created by making K Street and L Street be one-way, one-lane streets seems unlikely to happen. And if it were to take place, the joyful humanity of the current L Street Pathway would be destroyed. Why does it seem that the City is not being forthcoming on this? Why aren't we presented with alternatives?

"The L Street pathway could be a community jewel in the heart of the Gateway area. --- Request for a “Plan B” if the K Street & L Street couplet cannot be constructed -- The City wants to destroy a quiet strolling pathway so that car and truck traffic will be split between L Street and K Street. Meanwhile, cities all over the world are attempting to get rid of car traffic in favor of walkable public spaces. A "Plan B" has been promised since January [2022]. So far, nothing. ---- The K & L Street one-way couplet cannot feasibly be built. The City does not have the rights-of-way, and seems unlikely to be able to obtain them -- The not-yet-negotiated old railroad rights-of-way, individual property owners’ rights of way."

Gobbledygook: Could the Gateway Plan be approved before we even see the Form-Based Code that defines the design? This is what David Loya has outlined... and which the Commissioners say cannot possibly occur.

Ben Noble’s Form-Based Code presentation is good -- but far from perfect. The presentation could have been soooo much better.  Here's what was missing.

The "plan" for human-access parks in the Arcata Gateway area is woefully inadequate. To make the Gateway area livable for thousands of people, we need real parks.

Letter submitted to the Arcata Parks and Recreation Committee for their July 13th, 2022 meeting. Agenda item:  “Consider the Gateway Area Plan and provide a recommendation to Council”

Sure, there's open space.  But where are the parks? Gateway needs parks! How is Arcata going to supply adequate parks for 2,000 people? Parks = Community. Places to meet, talk, hang out. Children's playgrounds too. If we don't insist on this, it's not going to happen.

July 13, 2022, letter to Parks and Recreation Committee on the need for dedicated parks within the Gateway area -- in particular, playgrounds for children. Request for differentiation between adult recreation (bocce, basketball) and children's playgrounds. Request for differentiation between open space in the form of trails versus open space in the form of parks where people can congregate, sit, and play. Points out falseness of draft plan's “Existing Parks and Recreational Facilities” map.

Here is a one-hour presentation on what a Form-Based Code is, some background of its development, some examples nationally, some Northern California examples, and the nature of the Ministerial Review permitting process. 

Economic Development Committee meeting - May 12, 2022 With a presentation by Jennifer Dart, Deputy Director, Arcata Community Development DepartmentHer presentation starts at around 7:21...

Economic Development Committee meeting - May 12, 2022 With a presentation by Jennifer Dart, Deputy Director, Arcata Community Development DepartmentHer presentation starts at around 7:21...

Is this really the Community Engagement Report? The one we've been waiting FIVE -- no make it SIX -- months for? It's supposed to be a summary of what Arcatans want. Oh well. There's no Summary, no compilation of what people have said. Do we want 8-Story apartment buildings in the Gateway area? It still might be a while before we find out -- from official sources -- what the community wants. Unless, that is, we already know.

3D images and Aerial Views combined with 3D images. Get a visual representation of development in the Gateway area. Includes an imaginary proposal by local architect Julian Berg for the car-wash site.

To the Planning Commissioners and the City Council members: Let's move forward. While it's all good to be looking at the different pieces of the draft Gateway plan as you've been doing, there are larger unanswered questions present. It is my view that if you can get matters settled, then there'll be more efficient motion toward accomplishing what we all want:  A good plan for the Gateway area.

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?

A view of the whole story. The Gateway plan for 8,000 people, possibly within 8-10 years. Is it feasible?

Public comments from Planning Commission and City Council meetings. Transcribed from videos of the meetings.

A full transcription of the 1 hour introductory video presentation of the draft Gateway plan. With comments and opinions about misrepresentations and false information in the video.

WITH VIDEO -- A full transcription of the 1 hour introductory video presentation of the draft Gateway plan. With comments and opinions about misrepresentations and false information in the video.

Excellent brief video about the background and basis of the Gateway plan. Date: January 16, 2022. 3 minutes 42 seconds

Economic Development Committee - May 12, 2022 With a presentation by Jennifer Dart, Deputy Director, Arcata Community Development Department Her presentation starts at around 7:27 on...