Ongoing Community Outreach

NEW! Review the Draft Community Engagement Report

The City has been working on General Plan updates in earnest for the last three years, starting with the Housing Element adopted in 2019, the Infill Market Study adopted in early 2020, and the release of various elements of the General Plan, beginning with the Gateway Area Plan in 2021. The Housing Element and Infill Market Study each included a summary of engagement. The current phase of General Plan updates will also include an engagement report. This draft Community Engagement Report includes a review of the engagement and decision-making process.  

The General Plan update process has involved several different engagement strategies to ensure broad participation. The engagement is ongoing. This is the initial draft report and a final report will be completed at the end of the process. This working draft collates engagement efforts and input to-date. The final report, along with a report of the recommendations, will inform the decision makers before adopting the General Plan updates.  

REVIEW THE WORKING DRAFT OF THE ENGAGEMENT REPORT HERE.ENGAGEMENT REPORT 2 Opens in new window

Engagement Report Attachments

•    Visioning Meetings - Notes by Group

•    Walking Tour Poll Results - still under development

•    Town Hall Notes by Group - still under development 

•    Open House Poster Photos

•    Survey Results-Open Answer Questions - still under development 

how do I get involved


Upcoming Engagement Highlights

Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

On Wednesday, June 29 from 12-1:30 p.m., there will be an hour-long presentation from the City’s design consultant, Ben Noble, as well as 30 minutes for general Q&A from the public following the presentation. The session will be held as a lunch “brown bag” session and will be recorded and available on the City’s YouTube channel and the City’s website after the meeting.

This session will contain multiple informational segments, including 1) an introduction to form-based codes and how they function in regulating physical form, including examples from other northern California communities; 2) information regarding the current thinking from the City’s consultant on a form-based code’s application in our local context, as well as a review of guiding design principles currently under consideration; and 3) an overview of options for permit requirements within a form-based code model.

To attend the meeting, please use the following link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82611634660 

Or join by phone:1-669-900-6833  
Webinar ID: 826 1163 4660

If you are unable to attend the meeting but would like to submit comments, please do so to David Loya at dloya@cityofarcata.org and copy Delo Freitas at dfreitas@cityofarcata.org. Staff will ensure that questions submitted by June 28 are either addressed in the presentation or asked of the City’s consultant during the Q&A section of the recorded session. 

More opportunities for public engagement regarding the Gateway Area Plan and General Plan Update will be announced as dates are finalized.

Community members are encouraged to sign up for the Long Range Planning & Community Visioning email notification list to stay updated on public comment and engagement opportunities. 

  • Sign up by clicking here.

City Council Review

At the June 22 meeting of the City Council, staff will review the draft community engagement report and share next steps in engagement. The meeting will be held at 6 pm and can be attended in person at 736 F Street, Arcata, or via Zoom Communications and the link to the meeting is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86991986533

Or you can join by phone: *67 1-669-900-6833, Enter Meeting ID:  935 0963 5744

Full agenda can be viewed here. 


Planning Commission Review

The City of Arcata Planning Commission is continuing to work through various chapters of the draft Gateway Area Plan at its regularly scheduled planning commission meetings, which take place the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 6 PM. These meetings can be attended in person or via Zoom at this time. Here is a tentative public engagement schedule for the next few months:


Planning Commission Meeting Date

Gateway Plan Topic

General Plan Topic

May 10, 2022Mobility
May 24, 2022Employment/Arts/Open Space/StreescapeGrowth Management
June 14, 2022Mobility/Streetscape/InfrastructureOpen Space
June 28, 2022Housing
July 12, 2022CANCELED
July 26, 2022DesignDesign/Historic/Land Use/Resource Cons
August 9, 2022DesignInfrastructure/Public Safety
September 13, 2022EIRCirculation/Recreation/Health/EIR
September 27, 2022

October 11, 2022

October 25, 2022RecommendationRecommendation
November 8, 2022

December 13, 2022

Past Planning Commission meetings where Gateway Plan topics have recently been reviewed, as well as agendas for upcoming meetings, can be watched on the City’s website, here.

Click here to sign up for our Long-Range Planning & Community Visioning eNotification email list to receive updates on upcoming meetings, draft documents and more. 

General Plan Update

The City of Arcata released the Notice of Preparation (NOP) of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the General Plan Update. This EIR process includes an analysis of the Gateway Area Plan draft as a new Element of the City’s General Plan, and associated zoning changes needed in order to implement the General Plan. The NOP review period began on Friday, February 4 and closed on Monday, March 7 at 5:00 p.m. 

The City is currently working to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to support updates to the General Plan and the Gateway Area Plan. Director David Loya presented information regarding the growth assumptions that feed into this analysis via a public scoping hearing which was held March 10, 2022. His presentation can be can be viewed on the City’s SIRP YouTube channel, here. 

Local Coastal Program

The City is also currently working to update its Local Coastal Program, which contains development regulations pertaining to properties located within the Coastal Zone of the City of Arcata. These properties are regulated by the California Coastal Act in addition to local regulations, which primarily relate to the protection and preservation of coastal resources as well as encouraging coastal access. 

Want to talk to us directly? 

What comes next?

Blue and Green Bold Bright Project Progress Timeline Infographic


Public Engagement

In order to undertake necessary updates to the City’s General Plan, there are some big questions that we need the community to help answer: 

  • What are your big ideas for the future of Arcata’s built, natural, and economic environment?
  •  What are the characteristics of Arcata that make it a great place to live, work, and play? 
  • What actions can we take to combat as well as adapt to climate change? 
  • What are the things in your community that could change that will strengthen your community to be a better place to live, work or play in the next 20 years?

We are asking these questions through a variety of methods, in order to ensure engagement that is both robust and COVID-safe.

Questions? Get in Touch with us.

  • Click here to sign up for our Long-Range Planning & Community Visioning eNotification email list to receive updates on upcoming meetings, draft documents and more. 
  • Email us at comdev@cityofarcata.org or give us a call at 707-822-5955.
  • Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
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