CITY OF ARCATA
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
COUNCIL CHAMBER NOVEMBER 01, 2023
1 A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Arcata was held on the above date at 6:00 p.m. as a hybrid meeting, via teleconference utilizing Zoom Video Communications and in person, with Mayor Schaefer presiding. Notice of this meeting was posted on October 27, 2023. PRESENT:
Schaefer, Matthews, Atkins-Salazar, Stillman, White. ABSENT: None. STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Diemer, City Attorney White, Director of Community Development Loya.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Mayor Schaefer read a statement acknowledging that Arcata (Goudi'ni) sat on ancestral Wiyot land.
FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Schaefer led the Pledge of Allegiance.
EARLY ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
Rabbi Bob Rottenburg said he did not think the Council should devote time to adopting a resolution against the war in the Middle East. He said that if the Council wanted to adopt a resolution, he would be happy to assist in drafting it.
Theodore Lee, along with Steven and Buyah, advocated for speed bumps and mandatory speed limit signs at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in areas of key wildlife crossings.
Courtney Laudica, President of Temple Beth El, said she believed it was crucial for the Council to use caution in taking a position on the Israeli/Hamas conflict.
Amanda Devins, Membership Co-Chair of Temple Beth El, said that the Council would not be speaking for all its constituents if it adopted a resolution that did not mourn all civilian life lost in the Israeli/Hamas conflict.
Sofia Santos, Politics Student at Cal Poly Humboldt, asked the Council to support a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.
Jumila urged the Council to call for a cease-fire in Gaza.
Dave Meserve read a proposed resolution he was asking the Council to adopt calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.
Mayor Schaefer closed Early Oral Communications.
CEREMONIAL MATTERS
A. Proclamation Recognizing November 15, 2023, as Zero Waste Day.
Councilmember Atkins-Salazar read the proclamation and presented it to Layla Richardson, Executive Director, Zero Waste Humboldt.
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B. Proclamation in Recognition of the Great American Smokeout, November 16, 2023.
Councilmember White read the proclamation and presented it to Jay McCubbrey and Valerie from Tobacco-Free North Coast.
C. Proclamation in Recognition of California Retired Teachers Week, November 5–11, 2023.
Mayor Schaefer read the proclamation.
RECESS: The Council recessed from 6:34 to 6:40 p.m.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment. No one came forward to speak. Mayor Schaefer closed the public comment period.
ON MOTION BY STILLMAN, SECONDED BY WHITE, AND WITH A UNANIMOUS
VOICE VOTE, THE COUNCIL ADOPTED THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR NOVEMBER 1, 2023, AS PRESENTED. AYES: SCHAEFER, MATTHEWS, ATKINSSALAZAR, STILLMAN, WHITE. NOES: NONE. ABSENT: NONE. ABSTENTIONS:
NONE.
A. Approve the Minutes of the City Council Meeting of October 18, 2023.
B. Bi-Weekly Report on Disbursements.
C. Amend the Contract with Miracle Recreation—PlayPower, Inc. for Redwood Park Playground Equipment and Surfacing Purchase and Installation in the Amount of $27,953.21, Including Tax, and Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Applicable Documents.
NEW BUSINESS
A. Adopt Resolution No. 234-18 Declaring a Shelter Crisis in the City of Arcata.
City Manager Diemer gave a history of the Safe Parking Program over the past year. She noted that the funding used had been one-time ARPA funds, and now the County of Humboldt had stepped forward to provide funding for the Safe Parking Program for some months and up to a year. She said the grant providing the funds required the City Council to declare a shelter crisis in Arcata. She noted that this was a request for a one-year declaration as the declarations had to be temporary in nature.
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
An unidentified member of the audience said he had gotten into permanent housing, but was now being told he could not park his RV at the site where he now lived. He asked what he was supposed to do.
Jeremy said she had been trying to get housed for the last five years, but there was no help for her because she had a job and didn't qualify for assistance. She said vehicles in the Safe Parking Program were not getting registered.
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Veronica Chapman asked the Council to stop forcing people to move from one illegal place to another.
An unidentified member of the audience said safe parking should be allowed anywhere in the City.
She asked the City to stop harassing people, stop the sweeps and stop taking people's vehicles.
Nezzie Wade, Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives (AHHA), gave her support for declaring a shelter crisis which would allow the City to use other types of housing for the homeless population.
She said the shelter crisis needed to be longer than a year.
Justin Madsey asked why the City only worked with Arcata House Partnership. He said the vehicles homeless people were living in were actively being preyed upon by the Police. He said he felt constantly harassed and asked the Council to stop the war on the homeless.
Lissie Rydz said she had been doing community outreach for a year and a half, and had found that so many people in the community were suffering. She said there needed to be more safe parking places and that all of Arcata should be open to people sleeping in cars. She also said street vending needed to be legalized.
An unidentified member of the audience asked the City to stop sweeps of homeless camps.
Elijah Martin said some homeless people did not have a choice. He spoke against the Police destroying homeless camps when people had nowhere else to go.
Brandy spoke against sweeps of homeless camps.
Mason Harris said there was a lot being done to help the homeless. He said the actual complaint was that individual people were not giving enough recognition to each other and not helping each other.
Marlon Jones II said he felt the community was small enough and cared enough about its members that it could make things change. He said there needed to be a cap on rents in Arcata.
Colette asked about the new regulation allowing churches to house the homeless on their property.
Sara Bean relayed how she was trying to help a homeless man who was sleeping in the doorway of a liquor store. She said she did not want to see anyone freeze to death.
An unidentified member of the audience said she felt embarrassed at the lack of action by the City Council. She asked who the Council was catering to.
Tanya, a registered nurse, acknowledged this was a public health crisis. She said the shelter crisis declaration was necessary and the City needed to work with organizations other than Arcata House Partnership. She spoke against sweeps of homeless camps. She urged the Council to invest in housing first policies.
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Rabbi Bob Rottenberg said that on the highest Jewish holiday, the fast he chose was to take the homeless into his home. He commended the City for constantly looking for funding for programs and urged the City to keep it up.
Jane Woodward urged the Council to declare the shelter crisis and said it should not have an end date. She recommended a volunteer effort to help build housing for the homeless. She recommended a committee be formed to work with everyone to address the problem.
Mayor Schaefer closed the public comment period.
ON MOTION BY WHITE, SECONDED BY STILLMAN, AND WITH A UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE, THE COUNCIL ADOPTED RESOLUTION 234-18 DECLARING A SHELTER CRISIS IN THE CITY OF ARCATA. AYES: SCHAEFER, MATTHEWS, ATKINS-SALAZAR, STILLMAN, WHITE. NOES: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
B. Consider Funding Support for Extreme Weather Shelter Services between November 15, 2023 and March 15, 2024.
City Manager Diemer said this item was to share with the Council what staff and Arcata House Partnership (AHP) had been able to put together this year for an extreme weather shelter. She reminded the Council that it had put aside $30,000 for an extreme weather shelter. She said staff was working with a couple of faith-based partners, and was working on an agreement with the Veterans Hall to host a warming shelter during the day on a trial basis. She said the best plan was that intake would be done at the Annex through Arcata House Partnership providing showers, meals, clothing, laundry tokens, and transportation. She said that the night shelter would be at faith-based partner sites or The Grove, with possibly overflow sheltering at the Safe Parking site. For day services, it would be either at one of the faith-based partners or potentially the Veterans Hall. She said staff was asking the Council to put the $30,000 toward those programs. She said there were non-profit agencies willing to assist with providing food. She relayed that the County was holding weekly meetings with all extreme weather shelter and service providers and had purchased supplies to be dispersed in shelters or on the streets. She said AHP had found an additional $35,000 for this program, along with $20,000 to fill in the pool at The Grove to provide a better shelter site.
Darlene Spoor, Arcata House Partnership, said currently they had 12 partners working with them on extreme weather shelters. She said AHP believed it could provide a day warming center for 35-50 people, and provide 25 beds per night on extreme weather shelter days. She said her goal was to support 40 nights of extreme weather shelter. She said extreme weather shelter facilities would be coordinated county-wide this year. She said they had identified nine beds that could accommodate pets.
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
An unidentified member of the audience asked Darlene Spoor where the $19 million went. He said nothing had been built with it.
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An unidentified member of the audience asked that the temperature threshold for declaring an extreme weather shelter night be raised.
An unidentified member of the audience said people should consider how they could make a contribution or volunteer their time. She said there was a great need for men's pants.
An unidentified member of the audience, who said she was a member of the Humboldt Housing and Homeless Coalition, said that AHP was the only organization receiving the funding for an extreme weather shelter and it was not sharing that funding. She encouraged people to volunteer for one of the other agencies providing services.
An unidentified member of the audience said she was struggling and did not receive assistance because she had a job. She said the homeless were not being treated as human beings.
Joanne McGarry expressed her concern and said she was glad to see the issue was being talked about in November. She said the City should use its resources, such as the D Street Neighborhood Center and the Community Center. She said the community was willing to help and just needed to be asked.
Jane Woodward recommended a task force be set up to address sheltering during extreme weather.
She urged public facilities be made available on both a long-term and short-term basis.
Mayor Schaefer closed the public comment period.
Mayor Schaefer requested the Housing and Homelessness Working Group re-evaluate its membership makeup.
Councilmember White suggested a public task force be formed that included the unhoused.
ON MOTION BY STILLMAN, SECONDED BY ATKINS-SALAZAR, AND WITH A UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE, THE COUNCIL ALLOCATED $30,000 BUDGETED IN THE 2023/2024 FISCAL YEAR TO SUPPORT LOCAL EXTREME WEATHER SHELTER OPTIONS. AYES: SCHAEFER, MATTHEWS, ATKINS-SALAZAR, STILLMAN, WHITE.
NOES: NONE. ABSENT: NONE. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
RECESS: The Council recessed from 8:19 to 8:29 p.m.
C. Adopt Resolution No. 234-16 to Authorize a $150,000 Loan to Arcata House Partnership for Predevelopment Studies for Acquisition and Development of Affordable Housing at 3605 Heindon Road.
Director of Community Development Loya explained that the Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) was funded through a $75 recordation fee on real estate transactions and those funds were allocated to jurisdictions directly through an allocation process or a competitive grant process. He noted that Arcata had approximately $1 million in PLHA funds. He said the first two years' November 1, 2023
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allocation was $176,000 and the expenditure deadline for that was coming up in 2024. He said Arcata's allocation plan identified pre-development work as an allowable use of the funds. He updated the Council on where Arcata stood with regard to meeting its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
Director Loya explained that this project was located just outside the City limits at Heindon Road and Janes Road. He said that Arcata House Partnership had been approached by the owner of the property to see if it was interested in building a project on the property. He said the site was not served by City water and sewer and was outside the City's Urban Services Boundary. He said the site had a single-family home on it and was almost two acres in size. Arcata House Partnership was considering creating a 100 percent affordable housing project on the site and the details would be determined based on the pre-development studies. He said AHP was considering a medium-density project with a portion of it restricted to seniors. He said it would be a project focused on homelessness prevention and house those earning 80 percent or lower of the area median income.
Director Loya explained that the property had agricultural soils and was currently located in the county. He said that the pre-development loan for this property would set several things in motion:
Making a loan would mean the Council would have to consider other actions to make this a project; the property would have to be annexed into the City and zoned as residential medium or high density; the Council would have to commit to partner with AHP on funding for grants to build the project; and water and sewer service would have to be extended to the property. In regard to policy considerations, he said the site, and surrounding properties, were in agricultural zoning. Director Loya said that on one hand, the City had strong agricultural preservation policies, and on the other hand this was an opportunity to provide affordable housing. He said the loan would be $150,000 at
1.5 percent interest, which would not accrue until after the project received a Certificate of Occupancy. He said the term of the repayment would be 55 years which would match the term of affordability. He said staff was proposing the City's share of residual receipts be 75 percent. He said staff was recommending at a minimum one of the units on the site be a restricted affordable unit.
At this point in the meeting, Director Loya answered several questions for the Council regarding affordability, preservation of agricultural lands, annexation, extension of City services, lack of sidewalks and high traffic volume in the area, and RHNA numbers.
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
Sage Smukler, representing a nearby business, asked that there be an open line of communication where they could offer their input, advice and assistance.
Fred Weis said there was still time to consider other sites. He requested that if annexation was pursued, that it be tied to this project.
Joanne McGarry noted the area was dangerous for pedestrians. She reminded the Council that Arcata was committed to preserving agricultural lands. She spoke in favor of creative and experimental development.
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Sara Bean suggested a communal garden be installed on the site, or have it be a mixed agricultural/residential development.
Lisa Brown spoke in favor of preserving agricultural uses on the site and not building housing on it.
She urged the Council to fully support infill to provide housing and protect the natural resource lands.
Chris Richards felt there were better solutions to this. He said the questions asked would help guide the Council in its decision.
Mayor Schaefer closed the public comment period.
Darlene Spoor, Executive Director AHP, relayed how AHP struggled to find a site for this type of project. She said her vision was to have 20 stand-alone small units for seniors on one side, the stand of trees and community garden space in the middle, and 15 units for families on the other side. She explained why this project was important to AHP. She said all their projects had staff and transportation. She said this site was close to services and the hospital.
STILLMAN MOVED TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 234-16 TO AUTHORIZE A $150,000
LOAN TO ARCATA HOUSE PARTNERSHIP FOR PRE-DEVELOPMENT STUDIES FOR ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT 3605 HEINDON ROAD. THE MOTION DIED FOR LACK OF A SECOND.
D. Adopt Resolution No. 234-17 to Authorize a $150,000 Loan to Danco Communities for Predevelopment Studies for Development of Affordable Housing at 1622 Old Arcata Road.
Director of Community Development Loya said this item was to consider approving a loan for predevelopment studies for development of affordable housing at 1622 Old Arcata Road directly across the street from Jacoby Creek School. He recommended the Council increase the loan amount from $150,000 to $180,000. He said the property was two parcels totaling 1.8 acres currently zoned for mixed use. He said this project was being proposed by Danco Communities. He said the property was a brownfield and had lead contamination on it, with an open case with the Regional Water Quality Control Board. He said the contamination would have to be cleared before development could take place and that was one of the things the funds would be used for. He said this was an infill project and the current zoning would allow a much higher density than the surrounding neighborhood, which was all single-family development. He said Danco Communities was proposing a mixed-income project, probably targeting the 80-percent area median income, and market-rate housing as well. Conceptually Danco was proposing to continue to maintain a commercial component on the site. He noted the existing businesses on the site would have to be relocated at least temporarily, but could then continue to operate on the site. The number of restricted units would depend on funding, but the City would be looking to get at least one affordable unit based on the initial funding. He stated the loan would fund and set in motion brownfield assessment and remediation. He said the City would commit to partnering for the portion of the project that was affordable housing. He said the pre-development funds could also be used for environmental work. Regarding policy considerations, Director Loya said the Council needed to be November 1, 2023
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aware there would be concern among the neighbors. He said the loan terms were $150,000 at 1.5 percent interest for 55 years and the loan would be paid back through residual receipt payments.
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
Sara Bean asked why the City needed to lend money to Danco as she believed they were a successful company. She expressed her concern about remediation projects that might not result in complete cleanup of the property.
Joanne McGarry said ditto to Ms. Bean's comments.
Angela Copin spoke about the contamination on the site and her concerns regarding cleanup. She did speak in favor of low-income housing.
Fred Weis asked for information on the funding source. Regarding loan repayment, he asked what would happen if there was no profit from the project.
Sable, from the Northcoast Environmental Center, spoke in support of affordable housing and expressed concern that cleanup be done correctly. She requested the City make an assessment on the development actually being affordable before moving forward with the development.
Lisa Brown said she remembered the effort by the neighborhood to ensure remediation of the site was done before development. She noted the site was contaminated with lead, cadmium, copper, zinc and chromium. She said she spoke with the Regional Water Quality Control Board and its case was not closed.
Chris Richards was curious as to why the City was willing to loan a small amount of money to Danco that could possibly go to someone else who might need it more. He urged the Council to hold off on the loan.
Kathleen Stanton said it was unconscionable that this would be a CEQA-exempt project. She spoke about the contamination on the site as being deep and extensive. She encouraged the Council to not loan the money until the site had been cleaned up and the Regional Water Quality Control Board had closed its case.
Mayor Schaefer closed the public comment period.
ON MOTION BY STILLMAN, SECONDED BY WHITE, AND WITH A UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE, THE COUNCIL ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 234-17 A RESOLUTION
OF THE CITY OF ARCATA AUTHORIZING A PRE-DEVELOPMENT LOAN TO DANCO COMMUNITIES FOR $180,000. AYES: SCHAEFER, MATTHEWS, ATKINS-SALAZAR, STILLMAN, WHITE. NOES: NONE. ABSENT: NONE. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
RECESS: The Council recessed from 10:50 to 10:55 p.m.
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E. Public Hearing for Closeout of Arcata’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 22-CDBG-PI-00006 Project and Review of Accomplishments.
Mayor Schaefer opened the public hearing. No one came forward to speak. Mayor Schaefer closed the public hearing.
ON MOTION BY MATTHEWS, SECONDED BY STILLMAN, AND WITH A UNANIMOUS
VOICE VOTE, THE COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY
MANAGER TO SIGN THE CLOSEOUT CERTIFICATION AND SUBMIT FINAL
REPORTS AND CLOSEOUT PACKAGE TO CALIFORNIA HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, CDBG DIVISION. AYES: SCHAEFER, MATTHEWS, ATKINS-SALAZAR, STILLMAN, WHITE. NOES: NONE. ABSENT: ONE.
ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
Jumila requested the Council adopt a resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza.
An unidentified member of the audience urged the Council to adopt a resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.
Jasmine Jolly urged the Council to adopt a resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza.
An unidentified member of the audience said she was deeply uncomfortable with her money being used to fund the war in Palestine and demanded a cease-fire.
Olivia Fox urged the City Council to adopt a proposed resolution standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Judith Mayer urged the Council to exercise caution if it decided to adopt a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Israel/Gaza and not use words that could raise the risk of anti-semitism and Islamophobia in Arcata.
An unidentified member of the audience reminded the Council that the City had the Earth flag on top of its flagpoles.
An unidentified member of the audience told the Council it had to adopt a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.
An unidentified member of the audience urged the Council to adopt a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
An unidentified member of the audience questioned why it was so hard to see the Palestinians as people.
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An unidentified member of the audience said it would look hypocritical of the Council to state its land acknowledgment, but not adopt a statement against ongoing colonization going on in other places in the world.
An unidentified member of the audience urged the Council to reflect the opinions of the community as a whole.
Mayor Schaefer closed Oral and Written Communications.
COUNCIL AND STAFF REPORTS
Councilmember White invited anyone interested to attend the sidewalk clean-up in Valley West on Sunday, November 5, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. She also invited residents, business owners and employees to attend a participatory budgeting brainstorming event on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at 4:00 p.m., for Valley West/North Arcata.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:31 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bridget Dory
City Clerk