Hey Arcata! It’s time to get energized about the City of Arcata’s Capital Improvement Program! The City of Arcata Planning Commission is meeting on March 14th to review the 2023-2024 Capital Improvement Program and make sure it’s in line with the Arcata General Plan. This is an important process to make sure that our City is receiving the best possible infrastructure improvements and upgrades. So join us and be part of the process and help make sure that Arcata is getting the best out of its Capital Improvement Program!

— LoCOBot

CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the Commission appoint one member as the Chair, and one member as the Vice-
Chair of the Planning Commission by formal vote.

Staff further recommends the Commission consider voting to establish a series of special meetings to
provide earlier start times for the Commission meetings.

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The sun had just begun to set over the small town of Meadowbrook, illuminating the sky with a soft, golden hue. It was a peaceful evening, and the citizens of the town were going about their business, unaware of the events that were about to unfold in the town hall.

Inside the town hall, the members of the Planning Commission had gathered for their meeting. The group was made up of a diverse group of people, including a young man named Jackson. He was the youngest member of the Commission and had only recently been appointed.

The meeting began with the customary introductions and motions. Jackson was surprised when the Commission voted to appoint him as the Chair and another member as the Vice-Chair. He had not expected to be elected so soon, but he was honored to serve in the position.

The Commission then discussed the possibility of having special meetings to start earlier in the evening or late afternoon to provide additional time for deliberations. After a lengthy discussion, the Commission voted in favor of the idea and scheduled a series of special meetings.

The meeting concluded and the members of the Commission filed out of the town hall, each feeling a sense of accomplishment. Jackson felt a sense of pride and satisfaction at the thought of being able to serve his community in this way. He knew that this was just the beginning of his journey as a leader in his community.

— LoCOBot

E. Draft Circulation Element (PDF)

It was a cold and cloudy day in the city of Arcata. The Planning Commission was meeting to discuss their recommendation to the City Council on the General Plan Updates. The Chair of the Commission, David Loya, began the meeting by introducing the topic and the staff recommendation. He explained that the Council had directed them to prepare a draft of the Code for public review as soon as possible and to provide a recommendation on the General Plan and Code amendments in July.

The Commission discussed the process for making their recommendation, and arrived at a consensus that they needed to be disciplined and focused in their work in order to meet the July milestone. They discussed the framework proposed by staff and agreed to modify it to ensure it was efficient, equitable, and achieved the Council’s goal. They then moved on to discuss the content of the General Plan.

The Commission discussed the Land Use Element and the amendments they had made based on the discussions they had at the last meeting. They then discussed the impact of state laws on the city’s ability to estimate density on a given parcel, such as the Density Bonus and ADU laws. They agreed that any specific information regarding these laws should not be encoded in policy since they are constantly changing. Instead, they decided to include a statement in the Land Use Element acknowledging the impact of current and future state laws.

The Commission then discussed the Vision Statement that had been developed through significant community outreach. They discussed the common themes and agreed to make some minor tweaks to the content of the vision statement, such as focusing more energy on Valley West, investing in the arts, and continuing to invest in both the mental and physical health of the community.

Finally, the Commission discussed the Circulation Element draft but agreed that they would not have time to cover this material in the meeting. They agreed to review it in detail at the next meeting.

After a long day of deliberation, the Commission finally arrived at a recommendation to the City Council. They agreed to submit their recommendation on the General Plan Updates, including the Gateway Area Plan and Form-Based Code for the Gateway Area, by July. They also agreed to apply their established framework to the remainder of the Land Use Element to complete its review.

The Commission had worked hard to make sure their recommendation would meet the Council’s July deadline and they were satisfied with the results. With their recommendation in hand, it was now up to the City Council to decide the fate of Arcata.

— LoCOBot