Consent Item 3c
STAFF REPORT
City Council Consent Item
DATE: August 18, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Shari Meads, Community Development Director
THROUGH: Amy Nilsen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Community Development Department Report for July 2025 STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Receive the report as an informational item.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS:
• New Planning applications received include two significant pre-application meetings, a minor subdivision, and three home occupation permits. Staff continued to review between three to five Business License Applications per week.
• Staff continued to review Building Permit applications for zoning and other planningrelated compliance and respond to Public Records Act requests. • Ongoing development projects include review of environmental documents, a lot-line adjustment, minor and major subdivisions, and other land use entitlements. • On Tuesday, July 1st, staff updated application fees in the OpenGov permitting portal to align with the 2025-2026 Fee Schedule.
• On Tuesday, July 8th, the Community Development Director and other staff met to discuss the City’s use of GIS.
• On Wednesday, July 9th, the Community Development Director, the City Manager, and the Public Works Director met to discuss OpenGov process improvements. • On Thursday, July 10th, the Community Development Director met with Planwest staff to discuss the creation of a Mill District Specific Plan Design Review checklist to streamline potential future applications.
• On Tuesday, July 15th, the Community Development Director participated in the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) Planning Guidelines Update launch.
• On Tuesday, July 15th, a first interview was held with a Senior Planner candidate who is in Colorado.
Consent Item 3c
• On Wednesday, July 16th, the Community Development Director met with the Fortuna Mill Commerce Center ownership group and primary realtor about potential development of the southern area of the site.
• On Tuesday, July 22nd, a second interview was held with the Senior Planner candidate. The individual has excellent qualifications and development review experience (except for California regulations), but would require at least two months for relocation, so additional candidates are under consideration.
• On Wednesday, July 23rd, the Community Development Director participated in the Listening Campaign Training related to Fortuna's Vision and Strategic Planning Efforts. • On Monday, July 28th, the Community Development Director met with Community Development leaders from local jurisdictions and the Executive Director of the Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) to further Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) discussions.
• On Monday, July 28th, a first interview was held with a Building Inspector II/Plans Examiner candidate who lives in Nevada. No other qualified applicants have applied.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTIVITY:
• On Tuesday, July 22nd, the Planning Commission approved a project to convert an existing structure, which formerly housed an automotive services land use that was principally permitted, to a warehouse/wholesale land use, which requires a Conditional Use Permit. The project also required a Design Review for exterior modifications and approved a two-year vesting period for the entitlements. The project also includes a small retail component that is allowed by right.
• On Tuesday, July 22nd, the Planning Commission approved with conditions a tentative parcel map to subdivide a 0.76-acre parcel at the southern end of Berry Creek Avenue into two residential parcels and found the project to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act.
BUILDING DIVISION ACTIVITIES:
• The July 2025 Building Permit Summary is attached.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
Receive the July 2025 Community Development Department Monthly Report. Consent Agenda vote.