Fortuna City Council
July 20, 2026

STAFF REPORT
Business Agenda Item
DATE: July 20, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Amy Nilsen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Hiring Freeze Exception – Police Chief
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the City Council approve an exception to the current hiring freeze to allow recruitment and appointment of a Police Chief and begin the recruitment and appointment process.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The appointment of the Interim Police Chief, Matthew A. Eberhardt, occurred at a special City Council meeting on March 19, 2025, to be effective March 29, 2025, to October 3, 2026. Since this time Interim Chief Eberhardt has requested to remain in the Interim capacity until the end of 2026, which the City Manager approved. Therefore, with the pending departure of the City’s Interim Police Chief at the end of the calendar year it is recommended to begin the recruitment and appointment process for a new Police Chief.

Human Resources staff will conduct the recruitment and not rely on contracting out recruitment services, which are common for high-profile positions such as this one, in order to save General Fund dollars.

The Police Chief plans, organizes, directs, and coordinates the law enforcement and crime prevention functions of the City; to ensure the protection of life, property, and individual rights of all community members through public engagement and enforcement of applicable laws and ordinances. The Police Chief oversees a staff of 28.13 allocated positions. Given the legal, operational, and economic impacts of leaving this role vacant, staff request an immediate exception to the hiring freeze to fill this position.

STRATEGIC PLAN 2026-2036:

This action supports the following area(s) of your City Council’s Strategic Plan 2026-2036.

Core Values:

Quality of Life: Family, Nature and Neighbors: Safety, family life, care for youth, cleanliness, parks, forests, and river.

Priority 2: Our People – Staff Retention, Pay & Succession Priority 7: Pedestrian Safety & Connections
Priority 8: Youth, Recreation & Community Life
Business Agenda Item 4f

FISCAL IMPACT:

No additional appropriation is requested. Salary and benefits for the position are included in the adopted budget. The Police Chief’s salary is currently set at $148,000 and is funded through the General Fund.

ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
• Deny the exception – Not recommended. This would leave an already short-staffed department with even more vacancies and a lack of organizational structure. • Delay recruitment until freeze is lifted – Not recommended. The City’s high standards for “quality of life” do not support delaying this recruitment.

RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:

1. Receive staff presentation and review Council questions

2. Open and close Public Comment

3. Motion to approve an exception to the hiring freeze for the Police Chief position and begin the recruitment and appointment process. Roll Call vote.

ATTACHMENTS:

A. Draft Police Chief Job Announcement

NOW HIRING

POLICE CHIEF

A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD AND SHAPE THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC SAFETY

IN A VIBRANT AND CLOSE-KIT COMMUNITY

CITY OF

FORTUNA

CALIFORNIA

COMMUNITY

FOCUSED

MEANINFUL
IMPACT

LEADERSHIP

OPPORTUNITY

QUALITY OF LIFE
A collaborative
community that
values public safety
partnerships.

Lead a dedicated
team committed to
service, integrity,
and professionalism
Live and work in
beautiful Humboldt
County, where
natural beauty meets
small-town charm.

Guide a progressive
department with
strong community
support.

The City of Fortuna is an equal opportunity employer.

Women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

FriendlyFortuna.com
DRAFT
APPLICATION DEADLINE:

Annual Salary: $148,000 (DOQ/DOE)
with a Bi-Annual Stipend
CalPERS Retirement:

First Level 3% @ 50; Second Level 3% @ 55
or PEPRA 2.7% @ 57
Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
City contribution
Life Insurance
City paid
Take-Home Vehicle or Vehicle Allowance
Vacation: 100-160 hours annually
(based on service)
Sick Leave: 96 hours annually
Executive Leave: 80 hours annually
Deferred Compensation Plan (457 available)
Holidays: 12 paid holidays annually

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Must be willing to work irregular hours including nights, weekends and holidays.

Eight (8) years of increasingly responsible law enforcement experience, including at least three (3) years in a supervisory or command level position
Posession of a California P.O.S.T Supervisory Certificate Valid California Class C Driver License

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field (preferred)
LEAD. INSPIRE. PROTECT.

Make a lasting impact in the Friendly City.

THE COMMUNITY
Fortuna is the heart of California’s North Coast. With a population of approximately 13,000, we offer the perfect blend of small-town charm and big outdoor adventure. From the Eel River and redwood forests to the Pacific Ocean, Fortuna is a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family.

THE POSITION
The Police Chief is a visionary leader responsible for the overall management of the Fortuna Police Deparatment. Reporting to the City Manager, the Chief provides executive leadership, fosters community trust, and ensures high-quality law enforcement services through collaboration, innovation, and sound fiscal management.

IDEAL CANDIDATE
We are seeking a proven law enforcement executive with credibility, integrity, and a servant leadership mindset. The ideal candidate is a collaborative communicator who builds relationships, inspires staff, engages the community, and champions professionalism,
transparency, and accountability.

Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM
APPLY TODAY!
Apply online at:
www.GovernmentJobs.com
City of Fortuna Employment Opportunities Questions? Please contact Human Resources at 707-725-1409
DRAFT
Business Agenda Item 4g

STAFF REPORT
Consent Agenda Item
DATE: July 20, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Brian Issa, Public Works Director
THROUGH: Amy Nilsen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Approve an $83,690 Supplemental Budget Request and Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Task Order with GHD, Inc. Under the City's Existing On-Call Professional Services Agreement for Preparation of the City of Fortuna Water System Master Plan.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:

The Public Works Department recommends that the City Council approve an $83,690 Supplemental Budget Request and authorize the City Manager to execute a task order with GHD, Inc. under the City's existing Professional Services Agreement for preparation of the City of Fortuna Water System Master Plan.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The City's existing Water System Master Plan was completed in 2005 and no longer reflects the current configuration, operational practices, growth patterns, regulatory environment, or capital planning needs of the City's water system. Through a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process released only to the City's engineering on-call consultants, the City solicited proposals to prepare a comprehensive Water System Master Plan that will serve as both a planning document and a practical decision-support tool for future capital improvement planning.

The requested scope of work includes development of an updated hydraulic model, preparation of a prioritized 5-year and 20-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP), evaluation of long-term water system capacity needs, documentation of normal and alternative operating configurations.

Also included is an evaluation of replacement options for the Drake Hill hydropneumatic system, and a comprehensive assessment of Vancil Reservoir which has shown signs of deterioration of the roof structure and is currently operated below capacity due to ongoing leaks in the liner and (despite multiple attempts to repair) and past difficulties retaining disinfection residual when operated at full pool. The project is also intended to provide City staff with GIS-based tools and project prioritization methodologies that can be updated and reused annually during CIP development and budget preparation.

Two proposals were received in response to the RFP. Following evaluation by a review committee consisting of City staff, GHD, Inc. was determined to be the highest-ranked proposer. The committee found that GHD's proposal demonstrated a strong understanding of the City's objectives, extensive municipal water master planning experience, familiarity with the City's infrastructure and GIS systems, and a practical approach for developing a long-term planning tool that can be integrated into future capital improvement planning efforts. Because GHD is already Business Agenda Item 4g

under contract with the City as an engineering on-call consultant, the project will be awarded through a task order under the City's existing Professional Services Agreement with GHD.

The adopted Fiscal Year 2026-27 Water Capital Projects budget includes $200,000 for completion of the Water System Master Plan. Final proposals received exceeded the original budget estimate with the winning proposal fee coming in at $257,900. The attached Supplemental Budget Request provides an additional appropriation of $83,690 which includes 10% contingency, increasing the total project budget from $200,000 to $283,690.

The project schedule calls for work to be completed within approximately twelve months of starting work. Completion of the Water System Master Plan will provide the City with a current planning framework for evaluating infrastructure needs, prioritizing system improvements, supporting future rate and impact fee studies, coordinating infrastructure investments with future development, and positioning priority projects for future grant and loan funding opportunities.

COUNCIL STRATEGIC VISION ALIGNMENT:

This project supports several elements of the City Council's Strategic Vision, including:
• Maintaining and improving critical public infrastructure. • Promoting fiscally responsible long-range asset management and capital planning. • Ensuring reliable delivery of essential water services. • Supporting sustainable community growth through proactive infrastructure planning. • Positioning the City to compete for future state and federal infrastructure funding.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

The Supplemental Budget Request in the amount of $83,690 will be funded with Water Fund reserves and appropriated to Professional Services account 500-6025-6000. This action will increase the total project budget for preparation of the Water System Master Plan from $200,000 to $283,690. The GHD task order amount does not include the 10 percent contingency; the contingency is included only in the overall project budget authorization.

ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION:

1. Do Not Approve the Task Order. This option would delay development of an updated Water System Master Plan and limit the City's ability to proactively identify, prioritize, and fund future water system improvements.

2. Direct Staff to Rebid the Project outside of the pool of existing on-call consultants. Two competitive proposals were received through the RFP process released only to the City's engineering on-call consultants, and the proposals were within approximately one percent of each other. Given the specific tasks included in project including development of alternative operating conditions and structural inspection of Vancil Reservoir, the proposed cost is not unreasonable. The parity of the two bids received provides high certainty that the proposed fee is appropriate for the scope and market. Rebidding would likely delay completion of the project and may not result in lower costs.

3. Delay the Project. Delaying the Water System Master Plan would postpone planning efforts needed to support CIP development, infrastructure investment decisions, future rate studies, development review activities, and grant funding pursuits.

Business Agenda Item 4g

RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:

Approve a motion to:

1. Approve the Supplemental Budget Request in the amount of $83,690; and

2. Authorize the City Manager to execute a task order with GHD, Inc. under the City's existing Professional Services Agreement for preparation of the City of Fortuna Water System Master Plan in the amount of $257,900. Roll Call vote.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. GHD Proposal

2. Supplemental Budget Request (SBR)
Submitted to: City of Fortuna

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL
Professional Services -
Water System Master Plan
June 1, 2026
June 1, 2026 GHD Reference No. 12695947
Mr. Brian Issa
Public Works Director
City of Fortuna
621 11th Street, Fortuna, CA 95540
Subject: Technical Proposal for City of Fortuna, Professional Services - Water System Master Plan Dear Mr. Issa and Members of the Selection Committee:

GHD is pleased to submit this proposal in response to the City of Fortuna’s (City) Request for Proposals to prepare a Water System Master Plan. We understand the City requires an updated, practical planning framework to support nearterm capital decisions while addressing long-term system needs, including aging infrastructure, system performance, and future growth.

GHD’s approach is centered on delivering a Master Plan that functions as an active decision support tool. Building on the City’s strong GIS foundation and our prior involvement with the 2005 water system study, we bring an existing understanding of system configuration, historical assumptions, and operational characteristics that allows us to focus effort efficiently. We will develop a new hydraulic model and use it to evaluate system performance under existing and future conditions. Results will be directly translated into clearly defined capital improvement projects and a transparent, repeatable prioritization framework that supports annual budgeting and capital planning.

Our team brings extensive experience developing water master plans for California agencies facing similar challenges, including multi-pressure zone systems and distributed storage. This experience enables us to efficiently move from system evaluation through a model → projects → prioritization → capital improvement program workflow. The result is implementation-ready outputs that City staff can directly use and update over time for planning, budgeting, and transitioning into design.

GHD’s delivery team combines subject matter expertise with local knowledge and long-standing familiarity with the City’s infrastructure and planning processes. Nathan Stevens, PE, will serve as Project Manager & Engineer of Record, supported by Brett Vivyan, PE, QSD/P, as Project Director. Together with our broader team, we are well positioned to provide a focused, efficient, and practical planning effort aligned Wwith the City’s needs.

The GHD team is prepared to begin work immediately upon authorization. We appreciate the opportunity to continue our partnership with the City and look forward to supporting this important planning effort.

STATEMENTS:
– Brett Vivyan is a principal of GHD, and is authorized to negotiate and contractually bind the company. – Nathan Stevens is your primary point-of-contact.
– This proposal is valid for 90 days from the submission date. – We acknowledge receipt of Responses to Submitted Questions dated 4/30/2026 and 5/4/2026, respectively.

Regards,
GHD Inc.
718 Third Street
Eureka, CA 95501
(707) 443-8326
www.ghd.com
Brett Vivyan, PE, QSD/P
Business Group Leader
(707) 267-2275
[email protected]
Nathan Stevens, PE
Project Manager & Engineer of Record
(707) 267-2204
[email protected]
| 2
Contents

1. Cover Letter 02

2. Project Understanding & Approach 05

3. Team & Organization 12

4. Relevant Experience 17

5. Schedule 24

6. Cost Proposal N/A
Per RFP instructions, submitted under separate cover

7. Administrative 26
Total Pages Utilized = 19
© GHD 2026: This document is and shall remain the property of GHD. The document may only be used for the purpose for which it was commissioned and in accordance with the Terms of Engagement for the commission. Unauthorized use of this document in any form whatsoever is prohibited.

GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 3 → Project Understanding &
Approach
02 Project Understanding &
Approach
Project Understanding
The City of Fortuna (City) is at a point where near-term capital improvement decisions must be made in parallel with longer-term planning considerations, including anticipated growth, aging infrastructure, and evolving operational needs.

With a General Plan update currently underway and a system that relies on multiple pressure zones, storage facilities, and well-based supply, the City requires a practical decision support tool in the form of a Water Master Plan and associated deliverables that can be used to guide annual budgeting, capital planning, and development coordination.

The most effective outcome will be tools that can be actively used and updated by the City each year, rather than a static report.

The City's system has several defining components and considerations that shape this effort:
– A multi-pressure zone system influenced by distributed storage, PRVs, and booster stations – A well-based supply system with evolving questions around long-term capacity and expansion triggers – A legacy hydraulic model developed in 2005 that is not reflective of current conditions – A strong GIS foundation
– A planning horizon aligned with the General Plan update, further emphasizing the need for a robust, forward-looking planning framework
In addition, the City has identified focused planning needs at key facilities:
– Vancil Reservoir: which is currently operated at reduced capacity due to leakage and water quality considerations – Drake Hill Hydropneumatic Station: where long-term configuration/replacement alternatives are being considered Table 1. Understanding key challenges and GHD’s approach Key Challenge GHD Approach
Develop a calibrated model that is both
accurate and practical to maintain
Develop a steady-state model calibrated using operational data and targeted validation, structured to represent actual system behavior and provide reliable inputs for planning and decision-making without unnecessary complexity.

Establish a transparent prioritization
framework usable by City staff
Provide a transparent prioritization framework that translates City staff input and modeling results into defined capital projects and links Excel-based evaluation with GIS/Diamond Maps visualization.

Deliver a CIP that is actionable for
annual updates and long-range planning
Provide implementation-ready CIP outputs developed from defined system needs and performance requirements, translating identified constraints into prioritized projects and sequencing strategies that support both near-term decisions and long-range planning.

Resolve key facility decisions, including
Vancil Reservoir and Drake Hill
Apply focused evaluations that define the role of key facilities within the overall system and compare alternatives based on system needs, operational performance, implementation constraints, and planning-level costs to support clear recommendations.

Maintain the usefulness of the Master
Plan as system conditions evolve
Structure deliverables around a system-driven workflow (model --> projects --> prioritization --> GIS/Diamond Maps) that allows the City to update inputs, reflect changing conditions, and maintain planning outputs without requiring full re-engagement.
02 GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 5 GHD’s approach builds on our long-standing familiarity
with the City’s staff, infrastructure, and capital planning processes. It is centered on addressing the City’s needs by delivering a Master Plan that is not only technically sound, but actively used by the City each year. GHD will provide an understanding of system performance under various
conditions, a transparent prioritization framework, and clearly defined capital improvement projects.

Data Assembly and System Baseline
GHD will establish a system baseline using the City’s
existing data resources, focusing on efficiently leveraging information that is already available rather than performing unnecessary reconstruction of the system.

The City’s water system GIS was developed with
assistance from GHD and constitutes a reasonably
complete and accurate representation of the water
system. GHD’s direct involvement in developing
and regularly using this dataset provides a strong
understanding of current system configuration, including areas where recent development updates may need to be
incorporated. This dataset, combined with staff knowledge and available record drawings for recent developments,
will form the basis of the system inventory. In addition to system inventory data, GHD will work with City staff to confirm system operations, including pressure zone
boundaries, storage influences, and key system controls (e.g., PRV settings, pump operations). Where uncertainty exists, GHD will apply targeted validation through
coordination with City staff, review of record drawings, and focused verification where needed to resolve decisioncritical gaps. This includes leveraging existing condition information and correlating it with readily available system attributes (e.g., pipe material and age) to support planninglevel evaluation.

Existing operational data will serve as a key input to both demand development and model calibration. The data that may be considered includes:
– Known system deficiencies and concerns
– Continuous SCADA monitoring of storage levels
– Daily pump runtime records
– Available production data
– Meter data
GHD will prepare a brief memorandum to summarize the
data gathered in this process.

Hydraulic Modeling and Calibration
GHD will develop a new hydraulic model of the
City’s water system using WaterGEMS, leveraging our
experience developing and calibrating practical planninglevel models that are efficient to build, reliable for decision-making, and structured for effective handoff to City staff and future consultants. This platform supports efficient model development and provides clear, graphical outputs that enhance interpretation of results and support communication of system performance to City staff and
decision-makers.

GHD also prepared the original 2005 water system study
and developed the associated model. We have applied
the existing EPANET model to support development
evaluations and reviews, including the Mill District Specific Plan. This work provides a clear understanding of how the system has evolved, how it performs under future growth conditions, and where previous assumptions may no
longer reflect current conditions.

While the existing model has been useful at a high level, it was last used extensively at a master plan level in 2005 and is not sufficient to support current planning needs.

Rather than attempting to build onto and re-calibrate the existing model, GHD will use our understanding of the
City's GIS system and experience with the 2005 water
system study to efficiently build a useful, new hydraulic model.

The proposed model will:
– Represent the water distribution system for the master planning level study
Staff Input | GIS Data | Operational Data | Record Drawings | Prior Studies Understand
Existing System
Baseline system conditions
using GIS, records,
and available data
› Develop
Hydraulic Model
Develop and calibrate a
practical, City-usable system
model
›
Evaluate
System
Performance &
Identify Constraints
Assess system capacity and
identify constraints under
existing and future conditions
›
Develop
Prioritization
Framework and
Decision Support
Tool
Prepare an Excel-based
prioritization tool that can
export candidate projects to
GIS
›
Develop and
Package Phased
CIP
5-year and 20-year plans,
phasing, project sheets, and
costs
›
Prepare Water
Master Plan
Document
Deliver an actionable Master
Plan document that
summarizes findings,
priorities, and
recommendations
Hydraulic Model | GIS Data Package | System Schematics | Prioritization Tool | Technical Memoranda Inputs:

Deliverables:

Phased CIP (Maps & Project Sheets) | Water Master Plan Document | Council Presentations Project Approach
Figure 1. Project approach flowchart and deliverables
GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 6 – Simulate existing and future conditions, including
alternative operating conditions
– Support evaluation of system performance, capital
improvements, and development impacts
– Be structured for long-term usability and exported to EPANET for accessibility
Model Development
The model will be constructed using:
– GIS-based network geometry
– The latest USGS LiDAR data and City photogrammetry
with record drawing verification of critical operation
infrastructure such as tank elevations and water surface elevations
– System controls and operational data (tanks, pumps,
PRVs)
– Demand allocations based on SCADA, production data,
and system characteristics
Representative demand conditions (average daily demand, maximum daily demand, peak hourly demand) will be
developed using current trends and available data, along with projected future demands based on General Plan
growth.

Model Calibration
Calibration will be performed at a level appropriate for master planning and development reviews, providing
a reliable foundation for decision-making without
overextending into design-level analysis.

The calibration process will include:
– Establishing boundary conditions using SCADA data
(tank levels, pump operation, system controls)
– Verifying model geometry and connectivity at a high
level
– Developing demand distributions and applying
appropriate scaling factors
– Calibrating both facility-level behavior and
representative distribution pressures
– Using representative system data, supplemented by a
limited set of hydrant-based pressure measurements
and/or other targeted field verification as needed
to support calibration. Calibration efforts may be
coordinated with planned or ongoing testing activities
(such as pitot testing) to efficiently support multiple City objectives.
– Iteratively refining friction factors, demands, and system settings
– Confirming that model results are consistent with
observed system behavior and physically realistic
parameters
Calibration targets will be appropriate for planning
decisions, providing confidence in identifying system
constraints, and evaluating improvement alternatives.

Model Application
The calibrated model will be used to evaluate:
– Existing system performance
– Projected future conditions
– Fire flow and pressure performance
– Alternative operating scenarios (e.g., outages,
maintenance conditions)
These analyses will support identification of system
constraints and associated capital improvement projects, with WaterGEMS outputs used to clearly visualize
deficiencies and define corresponding improvements.

Evaluation of System Performance and
Constraints
The evaluation process will begin with input from City staff to identify known system issues, operational challenges, and areas of concern (e.g., the 2-inch cast iron water
mains in the area generally bound by 9th, 12th, I, and
L streets). This initial step makes it so that the analysis reflects both modeled results and real-world system
knowledge and experience. GHD will evaluate the system
under typical and alternative operating conditions to
identify constraints and inform improvement strategies.

This evaluation includes both distribution system
performance and overall system capacity considerations.

GHD understands that several key storage facilities
have been recently rehabilitated or constructed and are currently performing well. The evaluation will therefore focus effort on identifying systems, components, and
facilities where condition, performance, or operational constraints may influence future planning decisions.

This evaluation will include:
– Pressure and fire-flow performance across pressure
zones
– Storage adequacy and operational flexibility
– Identification of bottlenecks and redundancy gaps
– Assessment of system performance during alternative
operations
GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 7 – Evaluation of system demand relative to available
source capacity to identify potential triggers for supply expansion
Alternative operating conditions will be evaluated at a planning level to identify:
– How the system behaves under disrupted conditions
– What operational adjustments may be required
– Which improvements most effectively reduce risk
GHD will prepare schematics to document operating
conditions, and the City's GIS will be updated to represent normal operating conditions.

Source Capacity (Demand vs. Supply)
Projected system demands will be evaluated alongside
available system production to evaluate source capacity and identify thresholds that may trigger future supply
expansion. This assessment will be based on existing
operational data (including SCADA records, pump
runtimes, and system production data) to evaluate how
current and projected demands compare to available
capacity.

The analysis will begin by comparing projected system
demands to existing production capabilities. If initial results indicate potential constraints or the need for
further refinement, the evaluation can be focused on well system performance to better define capacity and inform future improvements.

The assessment will focus on defining the relationship
between demand and production with a focus on
planning-level evaluation rather than detailed site-specific analysis. This approach provides a practical basis for
long-term planning while avoiding unnecessary analytical complexity. The evaluation will also frame relevant
regulatory considerations to inform discussions of future source expansion, including addressing high manganese
in the lower aquifer, while remaining consistent with the planning-level scope of this Master Plan.

GHD will incorporate regional understanding of
groundwater conditions developed through preparation
of the Eel River Valley Groundwater Sustainability Plan, including groundwater modeling of the basin in which
the City’s wells are located. This provides additional
context for evaluating long-term supply considerations
and identifying whether more detailed analysis may be
warranted in the future.

Drake Hill Hydropneumatic Station
Evaluation
The Drake Hill Hydropneumatic Station serves Pressure
Zone 7, which currently operates without dedicated
storage. As a result, system pressures are maintained
through hydropneumatic operation rather than gravity
storage, limiting operational flexibility and system
redundancy.

GHD has previously completed preliminary evaluation
of storage siting in this area as part of the 2005
study, providing a useful foundation for the current
evaluation. Building on this prior effort, GHD will evaluate alternatives for the Drake Hill system at a planning level, with a focus on developing a storage-based configuration to improve system performance and operational flexibility.

This evaluation will include:
– Evaluating pressure zone 7 for future development
potential
– Evaluating potential storage siting and hydraulic grade line considerations
– Assessing associated infrastructure needs, including
pumping, system controls, and pipeline improvements
– Identifying parcels and corridors required for locating facilities
– Understanding interactions between pressure zones
and opportunities to assess storage needs and improve
system-wide performance
The evaluation will also consider opportunities to
enhance system-wide storage utilization, operational
flexibility, and system resilience through pressure zone connectivity (e.g., potentially connecting zone 7 with
zone 6 via pressure reducing valve) and integration with existing infrastructure, where appropriate. The evaluation will provide a clear, decision-oriented recommendation
supported by planning-level cost considerations and
operational implications, allowing the City to select an approach aligned with long-term system performance and
CIP development. GHD will prepare a memorandum to
summarize the results of the evaluation.

Vancil Reservoir Evaluation
The Vancil Reservoir evaluation will focus on identifying cost-effective and operationally appropriate long-term
solution for the City, in the context of both existing
constraints and overall system needs. The reservoir is
currently operated at approximately half capacity due
to leakage at higher operating levels and challenges
maintaining chlorine residual at full storage volume,
indicating that its effective role in the system may differ from its nominal 5-MG capacity.

GHD’s approach will begin with evaluating the role of
the reservoir within the broader system by assessing
how storage currently supports peak demands, fire flow
requirements, and operational flexibility, and how these needs are distributed across pressure zones. This will
include consideration of how storage capacity at Vancil interacts with other system facilities and whether existing system redundancy or pressure zone connectivity can
influence the level of storage required at this location.

Based on this system-level understanding, GHD will
conduct a targeted site visit and planning-level structural and geotechnical review, informed by available records, to confirm facility condition and key constraints influencing rehabilitation or replacement, including consideration
GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 8 of applicable potable water storage standards, building code standards, and safety and security requirements.

Alternatives will then be developed and compared,
including rehabilitation of the existing facility (e.g., liner or structural/roof improvements) or replacement with a
new storage facility. This evaluation will consider whether a replacement facility of equal capacity is warranted or whether a smaller facility could meet system requirements.

The evaluation will also consider implementation
constraints, including site limitations and the operational implications of taking the reservoir offline during
construction. Alternatives will be evaluated with respect to constructability, ability to maintain system service levels during implementation, and long-term operational flexibility.

Each alternative will be assessed at a planning level with respect to cost, lifecycle considerations, operational
performance, and system integration, resulting in a clear, decision-oriented recommendation that supports the
City’s capital planning objectives and long-term system reliability. GHD will prepare a memorandum to summarize the results of the evaluation.

The selected alternative will be integrated into the overall capital improvement program, with implications for
project prioritization, sequencing, and long-term system investment.

Capital Improvement Identification
and Prioritization
The results of the system evaluation will directly inform identification of capital improvement projects and
development of the City’s prioritization framework. The core outcome of the Master Plan effort will be a clear, practical, and implementable CIP that builds on the City’s current capital improvement program and reflects both
existing priorities and future system needs. Identified capital projects will also be highlighted visually so that future developments do not preclude future transmission mains, system looping, or other backbone infrastructure enhancements. Recommended projects will reflect both
system deficiencies and capacity needs identified through the evaluation process.

System deficiencies and long-term capacity needs will be translated into candidate projects, potentially including:
– Pipe replacements and upgrades
– Storage improvements
– Pressure management improvements
– Well and supply system improvements
– Future source capacity projects triggered by
demand thresholds identified through system
evaluation
– Operational and resilience-related projects
Projects will be categorized to distinguish between
maintenance/state-of-good-repair and capacity/growthrelated improvements. This will provide the City with the ability to allocate costs between ratepayers and
development.

Prioritization Framework
GHD will work collaboratively with the City to develop a prioritization framework based on criteria such as:
– Likelihood of failure
– Consequence of failure
– Service, operational, redundancy, and resilience
benefits (e.g., looping, redundant pipelines, security) – Fire flow and pressure deficiencies
– Cost
This framework will provide a project implementation
schedule and be structured so that it can be updated over time as priorities evolve.

Project Name CIP Description Total Cost Likelihood
of failure
Consequence
of failure
Level of service
benefit/
redundancy &
resilience
Cost Constructability Total
Weighted Avg
5 9 9 10 5
Pleasant Hill
Loop
Pleasant Hill Road water system connection loop from
Pleasant Hill Tanks at Lynch Road to the intersection
at Pleasant Hill road at Mitchell Cr.
$ 952,780 0.5 1 1 0.5 0.25 26.75
Seismic
Retrofit Study
for Existing
Water Tanks
Design for seismic retrofit and construction project for First Street Tank and Pleasant Hill Tanks. $ 141,750 0.25 0.25 0.5 1 1 23 Structural
Assessment of
Existing Water
Tanks
Study of structural assessment of First Street Tank
and Pleasant Hill Tanks. $ 126,000 0.25 0.25 0.5 1 1 23 Well 4
Replacement
Replacement of the City's municipal Well #4 that has
passed its lifespan and is required to be replaced. $ 3,352,000 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.25 0.5 22.25 Valley View
Drive Water
Service
Connection
Replacement
Replace approximately 94 service connections using
approximately 20 feet ,3/4 inch diameter HDPE pipe
along Valley View Drive .
$ 682,870 1 0.25 0.25 0.5 0.75 18.25
Projects Weighting
Figure 2: Subset of recommended capital projects in
prioritization tool from City of Sebastopol Water
Master Plan prepared by GHD
GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 9 The prioritization outputs will also support development of a preventative maintenance schedule for critical
system components, including pressure reducing valves
and other assets with a high consequence of failure.

Existing maintenance practices will be reviewed relative to manufacturer-recommended maintenance intervals to
identify gaps and inform prioritization of maintenancerelated improvements.

Workflow-Based Prioritization Process
The prioritization process will follow a simple, repeatable workflow, beginning with input from City staff to identify known system issues, operational challenges, and areas of concern:

1. Identify system deficiencies

2. Define improvement projects

3. Evaluate projects against established criteria

4. Generate ranked CIP lists

5. Export and visualize results
The prioritization tool will be developed in Excel for
transparency and accessibility, and integrated with GIS and Diamond Maps for visualization.

Candidate projects identified through modeling results
will be compiled and exported to Excel to support
prioritization and ongoing updates. These projects and
associated attributes will then be linked to GIS and
visualized in Diamond Maps, the City’s preferred webbased GIS platform.

City staff will be able to update inputs directly within Excel, with built-in formulas automatically recalculating project rankings and priorities based on updated inputs.

This will allow prioritization to be re-run and updated outputs to be propagated through the workflow without
requiring specialized software.

Cost Estimation and Funding Strategy
GHD will use our in-house construction cost estimating
team to promote accuracy in developing planninglevel cost estimates. These cost estimates will include construction, soft costs, and contingency, and will be
developed for recommended projects to support:
– CIP budgeting
– Evaluation of project feasibility
– Future funding pursuits
For each project, we will indicate cost allocation between maintenance and capacity/growth. GHD will also consider and identify potential funding opportunities when
developing and packaging capital projects, recognizing
that project definition, timing, and scope can influence eligibility for external funding sources and support
implementation of the City’s capital program.

CIP Packaging and Implementation
Outputs
To support immediate usability, GHD will prepare:
– 5-year and 20-year CIP tables and phasing plans
– Project sheets for high-priority projects, including:
– Location and limits
– Purpose and justification
– Planning-level cost estimates
– Implementation considerations
– GIS deliverables structured for direct integration into City systems
These outputs are designed to support:
– Annual budgeting cycles
– Capital planning
– Communication with City Council and stakeholders
CIP development will also consider opportunities to:
– Coordinate water, sewer, and roadway improvements
– GHD will build on our prior preparation of the City’s Sewer Master Plan to align water and wastewater
planning assumptions, including relationships
between water demand, wastewater generation,
and future growth. This coordination supports more
efficient project packaging, design, and construction.
– Group projects geographically to reduce construction
costs, minimize disruption, and improve overall
implementation efficiency
Considerations will also be made to balance system
needs with cost-effectiveness and minimize impacts to
ratepayers. This includes recognizing that both premature replacement and deferred investment can result in
increased long-term costs.

Implementation and Project Handoff
GHD will structure the Water Master Plan deliverables
to support immediate implementation and long-term
use beyond plan adoption by both City staff and future
consultants.

GHD will provide focused training sessions to support
City staff, recognizing that while the model may be used primarily by future consultants, it should remain accessible and understandable for internal use.

While the deliverables are intended to be independently usable, GHD remains available to provide targeted
support, including model updates or prioritization
refinements, as needed to respond to changing system
conditions or planning priorities.

GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 10 → Team & Organization
03 PROJECT ENGINEER
Malia Duin, EIT

HYDRAULIC MODELING LEAD
Farzane Ashouri

GIS ANALYST
Julia Clark, GISP

STRUCTURAL
Cody Cruz, PE, SE, CDT

GEOTECHNICAL
Chris Trumbull, PE
(Crawford)
Organizational Chart
The organizational chart illustrates our team’s leadership, with Nathan Stevens, PE serving as Project Manager and Engineer of Record, Brett Vivyan, PE, QSD/P as Project Director, and Steve McHaney, PE and Matt Kennedy, PE, TE, ENV SP acting as QA/QC Managers. Steve will provide QA/QC services from a local perspective, bringing familiarity with regional standards, agency expectations, and site-specific considerations to confirm deliverables are practical and aligned with the City’s needs. Complementing this, Matt offers a strong historical perspective based on his direct experience with the previous City of Fortuna Water Master Plan. His understanding of prior assumptions, data sources, system challenges, and decision-making context will help maintain continuity, avoid redundancy, and verify that updates to the Master Plan reflect current priorities.

Choosing GHD offers the City the advantage of working with a team that has a strong local presence, extensive experience, and a proven track record of delivering high-quality, responsive, and cost-effective services. Their collaborative approach and commitment to quality and client satisfaction makes them a reliable and valuable partner for your project. Our project team members have been identified for each of the required service categories. Key team members are actively available to support the project and have been allocated to meet the City’s schedule.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT
→
12,000+ Global | 5,000+ North America | 450+ California

GHD GLOBAL RESOURCES
→→
City of Fortuna

PROJECT MANAGER &

ENGINEER OF RECORD
Nathan Stevens, PE

PROJECT DIRECTOR
Brett Vivyan, PE, QSD/P
QA/QC
Steve McHaney, PE
Matt Kennedy, PE, TE, ENV SP
03 Team & Organization
GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 12 Project Team Bios
Nathan Stevens, PE | Project Manager & Engineer of Record | 13 years
Nathan is a project manager with 13 years of experience in water and wastewater infrastructure planning, design, and funding. His work includes hydraulic modeling, alternatives analysis, preparation of technical reports and development of capital improvement projects.

Nathan has supported utility master planning efforts for McKinleyville Community Services District, including system evaluation, modeling verification, and development of capital improvement recommendations. He also has extensive experience preparing and securing funding for municipal infrastructure projects and managing projects through design and construction. As Project Manager, Nathan is responsible for overall project delivery, including budget and schedule management and coordination across technical disciplines.

Availability: 30%
Brett Vivyan, PE, QSD/P | Project Director | 15 years
Brett is a civil engineer with 15 years of experience leading multidisciplinary water, wastewater, and resilience projects throughout California. He has supported clients from planning through design and construction, including hydraulic modeling, permitting, and funding assistance.

Brett has extensive experience working with the City of Fortuna across multiple infrastructure projects and served as Project Manager for the City’s Sewer Master Plan, providing him with detailed knowledge of the City’s collection system, GIS, and capital improvement priorities.

His prior work with the City provides direct familiarity with system constraints, planning assumptions, and capital improvement decision drivers that will inform this effort. He has led complex, multi-benefit projects involving stormwater, wastewater, and climate resilience planning and implementation.

Availability: 10%
Steve McHaney, PE | QA/QC Manager | 39 years
Steve is a senior civil engineer with over 39 years of experience in municipal infrastructure planning, evaluation, and design. His work includes extensive water, wastewater, and stormwater master planning, hydraulic modeling, and development of capital improvement programs for communities throughout California. Steve has served as City or District Engineer for multiple agencies in Humboldt County, providing long-range planning, infrastructure evaluation, and funding support. His experience developing system-wide plans and implementing improvements provides valuable senior technical oversight and quality review for this project. He will focus on independent review of key assumptions, evaluation methodologies, and capital improvement prioritization to support development of practical, implementable recommendations.

Availability: 10%
GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 13 Project Team Bios (cont.)
Matt Kennedy, PE, TE, ENV SP | QA/QC Manager | 21 years Matt is a principal engineer with more than 21 years of experience delivering complex water, wastewater, and infrastructure planning and design projects. His experience includes utility master planning, hydraulic and hydrologic modeling, and development of capital improvement strategies for municipal systems. He served as project lead for the City of Fortuna’s 2005 Water Master Plan, providing foundational system evaluation and planning that continues to inform current infrastructure decision-making. Matt has led multidisciplinary teams through planning, environmental compliance, design, and construction for large-scale infrastructure programs, providing senior-level guidance on system evaluation, modeling, and implementation strategies.

Availability: 10%
Malia Duin, EIT | Project Engineer | 7 years
Malia is a project engineer with 7 years of experience in water and wastewater infrastructure, including hydraulic modeling and analysis, civil site and utility design, and preparation of construction drawings, specifications, cost estimates, and technical reports. She served as staff engineer for the McKinleyville Community Services District water and sewer master plans, supporting system evaluation and development of capital improvement recommendations. Malia has provided municipal clients throughout Humboldt County with construction management services, including construction inspection, field documentation, review of contractor pay requests, and preparation of change orders.

Availability: 30%
Farzane Ashouri | Hydraulic Modeling Lead | 17 years
Farzane has extensive experience in the modeling and design of water supply and distribution systems. Her experience spans a wide range of infrastructure, including pumping stations, reservoirs, distribution networks, and complex hydraulic structures such as canals, culverts, inverted siphons, and spillways. She specializes in hydraulic modeling for both open-channel and pressurized systems, combining technical precision with practical, real-world solutions.

Farzane is highly proficient in industry-standard modeling tools, including Bentley WaterGEMS for system optimization and Bentley HAMMER for transient analysis of pumping systems. She also utilizes Visual Hydraulics and AutoCAD Civil 3D to develop detailed plans, profiles, and technical drawings. Her work is supported by strong capabilities in preparing technical reports and design documentation, confirming projects are technically sound. Her modeling work directly supports identification of system constraints, evaluation of improvement alternatives, and prioritization of capital improvement projects for implementation.

Availability: 35%
GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 14 Project Team Bios (cont.)
Julia Clark, GISP | GIS Analyst | 11 years
Julia is a GIS professional with experience supporting infrastructure planning, asset management, and capital improvement programs through advanced geospatial analysis and data management. She has supported municipal clients by integrating geospatial systems to document infrastructure condition, prioritize improvement areas, and enable modeling efforts.

Julia has previously worked closely with the City of Fortuna to manage their GIS data systems, and more recently assisted with GIS-based mobile data collection for the City's stormwater systems. She provides familiarity with the City’s GIS data structure and history.

Availability: 20%
Cody Cruz, PE, SE, CDT | Structural | 18 years
Cody Cruz is a senior structural engineer with 18 years of experience designing and evaluating water and wastewater infrastructure, including tanks, pump stations, and other water-retaining structures. His experience includes structural design and rehabilitation of reinforced concrete and steel facilities in corrosive environments, as well as construction support. Cody has worked on numerous projects involving tanks and associated facilities and will support the Vancil Reservoir evaluation and design components of this project.

Availability: 25%
Chris Trumbull, PE, GE, D.GE | Geotechnical | 38 years (Crawford) Chris delivers complex infrastructure projects across Northern California. He brings significant value to water master planning efforts through his experience in subsurface conditions, drainage design, and infrastructure resilience. His deep understanding of soil behavior, groundwater, and slope stability informs practical, risk-aware recommendations for water system improvements. Chris has supported several tank projects throughout Humboldt County, providing geotechnical investigation, design recommendations, and construction support.

Availability: 15%
GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 15 → Relevant Experience
04 Relevant Experience
GHD brings extensive experience delivering master plans that translate hydraulic modeling and system assessment into practical, implementable capital improvement programs. The projects summarized below reflect work for agencies facing challenges similar to the City—aging infrastructure, evolving demands, and the need to prioritize capital projects within constrained budgets.

The Project Matrix below highlights key elements of GHD projects that are similar in scope to the City’s Water Master Plan.

After that are brief project descriptions for five key projects that provide additional context on our approach and outcomes.

Together, these examples demonstrate our ability to develop calibrated models, identify system deficiencies, and prioritize improvements that support both near-term decision-making and long-term system planning. 04 Project Hydraulic
Modeling
Existing + Future
Conditions
Capacity /
Deficiency
Analysis
Prioritization
Framework
CIP
Development
Phasing
Strategy
GIS/Data
Integration Pump Stations System-Wide Planning
City of Fortuna – Sewer Master Plan ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
McKinleyville CSD – Water and Sewer Master Plans ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ City of Sebastopol – Water System Master Plan and CIP
Development ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
City of Sonoma – Water Master Plan ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
City of American Canyon – Water/Recycled Water/Sewer
Master Plans ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
City of Crescent City – Stormwater Master Plan ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ County of Del Norte – Stormwater Master Plan ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ City of Fortuna – 2005 Water Master Plan ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
City of Spokane – 2045 Water, Wastewater, Sewer, and
Stormwater Multi-Objective Decision Analysis ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory – Water System
Hydraulic Model ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
Long Beach Utilities Department – Sewer Master Plan Update ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ City of Berkeley – Sanitary Sewer Master Plan ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ Napa Sanitation District – Collection System Master Plan ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ City of Cloverdale – South Cloverdale Infrastructure
Assessment and Plan ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
Town of Corte Madera – Sanitary Sewer Master Plan ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ University of California, Irvine – Medical Center Master Plan ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 17 #
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
11 12
10 8B
14C
9C
8C
15B
15A
13 9B
7A
6C
5A
14B
6B
7B
5C
14A
9A
CCC
WWTP
Run Dell
David Way
North Main
Laurelwood
Rohnerville
Strong's Creek
Xavier Ct (Astor)
Rancho Buena Vista
FIGURE ES-4
0 500 1,000 1,500
Feet
Project No.

Revision No. 0
12559529
Date 12/15/2023
City of Fortuna
Sewer Master Plan
Map Projection: Lambert Conformal Conic
Horizontal Datum: North American 1983
Grid: NAD83 California zone 1 ftUS
Paper Size ANSI A
o
Data source: S ources: Esri, HERE, Garmin, USGS , Intermap, INCRE MENT P, NRCan, Esri Japan, ME TI, Esri China (Hong K ong), Esri Korea, Esri (Thailand), NGCC, (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User Community. Created by: afisher2
US\Eureka\Projects\561\12559529\GIS \Maps\Deliverables\SMP 529_ES -4_Gravity CIP Plan.mxd
Dec 2023 - 17:03
Gravity Sewer CIP Project
Implementation Plan
Owner
City of Fortuna
Year Completed
2024
Role
Prime Consultant
Fee
$325,000
Contact
Brian Issa
Public Works Director
(707) 725-1469
[email protected]
Lessons Learned
Reconciling GIS, record drawings,
and observed system behavior
early in the process is critical to
developing a credible hydraulic
model.

Incorporating flow monitoring
and operational data into model
calibration verified the model
reflected actual conditions.

Using realistic operating conditions
and growth assumptions leads
to more practical and defensible
infrastructure sizing and phasing
recommendations.

GHD prepared a comprehensive Sewer Master Plan for the City of Fortuna to support long-term system planning, capacity evaluation, and capital improvement prioritization. The effort began with development of a systemwide hydraulic model—integrating available GIS, as-built drawings, record information, and flow monitoring data to establish a reliable baseline representation of existing system conditions.

Targeted data review and quality control were performed to reconcile discrepancies between mapping, record drawings, and observed system behavior. Available flow monitoring and operational data were incorporated to improve model confidence. The model was then calibrated to reflect observed operating conditions and used as the primary analytical tool for evaluating system performance.

Using the calibrated model, GHD assessed system capacity under existing conditions and projected future loading scenarios, including anticipated growth, land use changes, and potential shifts in flow patterns. This analysis identified key capacity constraints, hydraulic bottlenecks, and areas of elevated risk associated with aging or undersized infrastructure, with results presented through system mapping and capacity-based evaluation metrics.

Findings from the model informed development of a prioritized capital improvement program focused on addressing identified deficiencies and improving overall system reliability. Improvement alternatives were evaluated at a planning level. GHD prepared cost estimates and provided recommendations structured to balance near-term needs, long-term system resilience, and to support a program that identifies sustainable funding sources for a long-term planning horizon.

The final Sewer Master Plan provides the City with a clear, technically defensible roadmap for phased infrastructure investment, supporting regulatory compliance, risk reduction, and planned community growth.

City of Fortuna | Sewer Master Plan
Fortuna, CA
GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 18 Owner
McKinleyville Community Services
District
Year Completed
2022
Role
Prime Consultant
Fee
$250,000
Contact
Pat Kaspari
General Manager
(707) 839-3251
[email protected]
Lessons Learned
Integrating planning‑level
replacement modeling with targeted
physical condition assessment
significantly improves the
credibility and defensibility of CIP
prioritization.

Risk and consequence‑of‑failure
criteria produce more
implementable capital programs
than age‑based rankings alone.

Early coordination between master
planning and funding strategies
(e.g., rate studies, identification
of potential grants) increases the
likelihood that master plans are
actively implemented.

GHD provided comprehensive, multi‑phase master planning services for the McKinleyville Community Services District (MCSD), delivering integrated water distribution and sanitary sewer master plans that progressed from system‑wide assessment through staff‑implemented capital improvement programming. The work was structured to directly support CIP implementation, rate‑supported funding decisions, and ongoing use of planning models by MCSD staff.

Phase 1 established a defensible baseline through review of GIS data, hydraulic models, operational records, and prior studies. GHD developed long‑range replacement scenarios and lifecycle cost analyses to quantify overall system needs and inform near‑term and long‑term capital planning.

Phase 2 advanced the program into a detailed, pipe‑by‑pipe capital improvement framework. GHD developed a risk‑based prioritization methodology that evaluated asset age, material, consequence of failure, constructability, and cost to define rehabilitation/replacement strategies. GHD prepared cost estimates for both systems and coordinated with rate studies, resulting in Board‑adopted, rate‑supported capital programs that continue to guide annual budgeting and project delivery.

To validate and refine planning assumptions, Phase 3 incorporated targeted physical condition assessment of critical assets. This work included soil corrosivity analysis, destructive and non‑destructive testing of asbestos‑cement and ductile iron pipe, ultrasonic thickness testing, and CCTV inspections. Results were used to confirm staff‑adopted prioritization rankings, distinguish risk categories by pipe diameter and material, and refine replacement timing based on consequence of failure rather than age alone.

Throughout the program, GHD transitioned GIS datasets, capital prioritization tools, and hydraulic models to MCSD staff, who continue to use them for ongoing CIP updates, development review coordination, and grant applications. The final master plans serve as active management tools.

McKinleyville CSD | Water and Sewer Master Plans
McKinleyville, CA
GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 19 Owner
City of Sebastopol
Year Completed
2026
Role
Prime Consultant
Fee
$115,000
Contact
Oriana Hart
Public Works Director
(707) 823-5331
[email protected]
Lessons Learned
Pairing master planning with
project‑sheet development for
priority improvements accelerates
the progression from planning to
funding, design, and construction.

Using current operational data and
field hydrant testing to support
modeling improves confidence in
identifying and prioritizing pressure
and fire‑flow deficiencies and
aligning CIP actions to measurable
system performance needs.

Early engagement with City staff
helped identify priority projects
based on observed system risks and
maintenance history.

Presenting priorities through
clear documentation will promote
long‑term usability for staff as
projects advance.

GHD prepared the City of Sebastopol’s Water Master Plan Update to evaluate system performance and develop a prioritized, implementation‑ready CIP.

The plan assessed the City’s water supply sources, storage facilities, water quality considerations, and distribution system, and evaluated pressure and fire‑flow performance to identify infrastructure deficiencies and operational vulnerabilities.

This planning effort informed a set of recommended capital improvements addressing aging pipelines, wells, tanks, pressure‑reducing valves, treatment systems, and operational controls, providing the City with a basis for near‑ and mid‑term capital planning.

As part of the Water Master Plan Update, GHD developed a hydraulic model to evaluate existing and projected system conditions, including pressure and fire‑flow performance. Model results were used to identify localized deficiencies and to support the development and prioritization of recommended infrastructure improvements documented in the Master Plan.

Projects were prioritized using a combination of asset condition, operational history, hydraulic performance, likelihood of failure, and consequence of failure. Emphasis was placed on improvements addressing aging or failure‑prone assets, facilities serving critical system functions, locations with recurring maintenance issues, and infrastructure directly affecting pressure and fire‑flow performance.

The Water Master Plan Update resulted in 14 recommended water system projects. Planning‑level cost estimates were developed for multiple projects, including construction and soft costs. For high‑priority projects, GHD advanced recommendations beyond list‑level planning and prepared individual project sheets defining project location and limits, justification and system need, planning‑level quantities, and an engineer’s opinion of probable construction and soft costs. This level of definition supports direct use in CIP budgeting, funding applications, and transition into design.

City of Sebastopol | Water System Master Planning and
Capital Improvement (CIP) Development
Sebastopol, CA
GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 20 2235 Mercury Way Suite 150 Santa Rosa CA 95407 USA T 707 523 1010 F 707 527 8679 E [email protected] W www.ghd.com A@
A@
A@
A@
A@
A@
A@
Ú[
Ú[
TU
TU
TU
A@

EAST NAPA ST

BROADWAY

SEVENTH ST EAST

FIFTH ST WEST

DENMARK ST

EIGTH ST EAST

FIRST ST WEST

LOVALL VALLEY RD

EAST MACARTHUR ST

CASTLE RD

SECOND ST EAST

WEST NAPA ST

ANDRIEUX ST

LEVERONI RD

THORNSBERRY RD

CHASE ST

THIRD ST WEST

PATTEN ST

FRANCE ST

OLD WINERY RD

RIVERSIDE DR

FIRST ST EAST

GEHRICKE RD

WOOD VALLEY RD

SECOND ST WEST

CLAY ST

OREGON ST

MANOR DR

FOURTH ST WEST
OAK ST

PETALUMA AVE

SMITH ST

LINDA DR

HARRINGTON DR

FIFTH ST EAST

PUEBLO AVE

BROCKMAN LN

CHURCH ST

PALMER AVE

RRY HILL

RAMON ST

DEL RIO PASEO

HAYES ST

JUNIPERO SERRA DR

ARKAY CT
HALF

BIRCH RD

NORTH CASTLE RD

LOVALL VALLEY CT

BRAGG ST

DAVILA CT

BUENA VISTA DR

EL NIDO CT

LOVALL VALLEY RD

FIFTH ST EAST
Arroyo Seco
Nathanson Creek
Sonoma Creek
Haraszthy Creek
Dowdall Creek
Carriger Creek
Felder Creek
Schell Creek
Dowdall Creek
\ghdnet\ghd\US\Santa Rosa\Projects\111\11140097 Sonoma Water Master Plan Update\08-GIS\Maps\Deliverables\FINAL\1-1 City of Sonoma Service Area.mxd © 2012. Whilst every care has been taken to prepare this map, GHD (and DATA CUSTODIAN) make no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and cannot accept liability and responsibility of any kind whether in contract, tort or otherwise) for any expenses, losses, damages and/or costs (including indirect or consequential damage) which are or may be incurred by any party as a result of the map being inaccurate, incomplete or unsuitable in any way and for any reason. 0 500 1,000 1,500
Feet
Map Projection: Lambert Conformal Conic
Horizontal Datum: North American 1983
Grid: NAD 1983 StatePlane California II FIPS 0402 Feet
City of Sonoma
Water Master Plan Update
Figure 1-1
Job Number
Revision 1
11140097
24 Jan 2018
City of Sonoma o Service Area
Date
Data source: Sonoma Veg Mapping, Imagery, 2013; City of Sonoma GIS, Water Utility, Roads and Streams, 2010; GHD, Water Demands, 2017. Created by:lphilbert Paper Size ANSI B
Thornsberry Tank
Well No. 2
Well No. 3
Well No. 6 Well No. 5
Well No. 1
Napa St. Tank
Sonoma Tank 1
Napa St. Pump Station
Well No. 7
Well No. 8
TU Tank
Ú[ Pump Station
A@ Production Well
A@ Non-Production Well
Mains
Creeks
Pressure Zones
City Limits
Outside Service Area
Thornsberry A.D.

Service Area
Zone 1
Zone 2
Note:

The City of Sonoma serves
water to all the Service
Areas listed.

Owner
City of Sonoma
Year Completed
Ongoing
Role
Prime Consultant
Fee
$117,839
Contact
Mike Berger
Public Works Director
(707) 938-3332
[email protected]
Lessons Learned
Calibrated hydraulic models
anchored to field data provide a
defensible basis for identifying
deficiencies and prioritizing capital
improvements, supporting both
technical decision-making and
funding justification.

Managing aging infrastructure
effectively requires a long-term,
programmatic renewal strategy
tied to asset age, condition, and
coordination with other capital
projects—not isolated reactive
replacements.

Structuring capital improvements
around clearly defined system
objectives strengthens the
transparency, defensibility, and
fundability of recommended
projects.

The City of Sonoma’s potable water system is critical infrastructure that provides high quality, dependable water for a variety of community needs, including consumption, irrigation, and fire protection. The Water Master Plan (WMP) report included an evaluation of City water distribution system infrastructure based on available data and planning information for current and future conditions. The WMP Update provided the City with a roadmap for the management of its potable water system. The water system serves approximately 4,400 customers and is comprised of 55-miles of 4- to 14-inch pipes, three storage tanks, and eight wells.

The City retained GHD to update their existing 2011 Water Master Plan (WMP) by incorporating water system projects that the City has completed since 2011, revising water supply and demand data, and identifying proposed water system improvement projects for inclusion in the City’s CIP. The proposed water system improvement projects identified in this WMP Update were tailored to achieve the following objectives:
– Supply Reliability: Strengthen the City’s ability to reliably supply potable water based on current and planned demand
– City Well Resilience: Protect the City’s potable water supply against emergencies, drought, or natural disaster by bolstering potable water supply from City wells
– Public Safety: Promote public safety by addressing system pressure and fire flow deficiencies
– Cost-Effective Renewal and Replacement: Minimize life-cycle costs by planning for the cost-effective renewal and replacement of aging water system components.

Recommended CIP projects included enhancement of data resources, condition assessment and risk assessment for aging infrastructure, meter system upgrades to Advanced Metering Infrastructure, development of new well supply, renewal and replacement of aging infrastructure, and addressing fire flow deficiencies. With the development of more robust data resources and condition data, the WMP Update recommended data-driven decisions for the City’s CIP. This approach included strategy for determining renewal and replacement for infrastructure in collaboration with other utility purveyors.

City of Sonoma | Water Master Plan
Sonoma, CA
GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 21 Owner
City of American Canyon
Year Completed
Ongoing
Role
Prime Consultant
Fee
$400,000
Contact
Jason Holley
City Manager
(707) 647-4351
[email protected]
Lessons Learned
Clear separation of deficiency vs.
growth projects improves both
prioritization and defensibility of
capital improvements.

Storage solutions are governed
as much by siting, environmental
clearance, and land availability as by
model results.

Model results are highly sensitive
to development timing and demand
assumptions; plans must remain
adaptable.

The City of American Canyon initiated this project to update its potable water, recycled water, and sewer master plans and bring them current on unit flows/demands and to reflect planned growth within the various service areas. GIS-based hydraulic models (WaterCAD and SewerCAD) of the three utilities were developed to evaluate existing performance and identify priority CIP improvements for the next 10 years, and also to evaluate system improvements to accommodate build-out conditions in a long-term CIP.

GHD utilized historical water billing records and sewer flow monitoring data as the basis to establish existing potable water demands and sewer flows by land use category, and then to project future demands, including for recycled water, under buildout conditions. The water demands and sewer flows were correlated with each other and with other City planning documents, including their 2015 Urban Water Management Plan. This provided the City with a consistent means with which to evaluate proposed development projects that was based on actual conditions observed by the City. It is also important that the City track availability of recycled water to meet growing demands and also to track conversion of potable water demands to recycled water.

Sewer system improvements were prioritized to address immediate risks and were focused on I&I reductions as a means to manage peak flows and minimize capacity requirements in the trunk conveyance system and pump stations.

Replacement of pump stations nearing the end of their useful service life were being completely renewed or replaced as development occurred.

The sewer CIP totals $51 million. The potable water CIP is higher than the others because it includes renewal and replacement of multiple lines smaller than 6-inch, leaking mains, and non-PVC mains. Although this program was listed in the near-term CIP, it would actually be implemented over the next 40+ years. The total CIP for potable water is $142 million. The recycled water near-term CIP consisted of converting existing irrigation and process water demands that were within 100-feet of an existing main, and extending lines to serve new development projects. Long-term CIP projects consisted of serving future development and upgrading pumping capacity to meet demand as it grew. The total recycled water CIP is $22 million.

City of American Canyon | Water/Recycled Water/Sewer
Master Plans
American Canyon, CA
GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 22 → Schedule
05 Schedule
The schedule is aligned with the City’s anticipated milestones in Section 5 of the RFP. Work will begin upon Notice to Proceed (June 16, 2026)—with the draft Water System Master Plan provided within approximately 10 months, and final Water System Master Plan completed within approximately 12 months. The schedule also reflects other key project milestones, deliverables, workshops, and meetings. This schedule also reflects a proactive approach to risk management, including early coordination with City staff, targeted data validation, and iterative review checkpoints to identify and 05 address data gaps, confirm assumptions, and maintain alignment with project objectives.

Task Name Jun-26 Jul-26 Aug-26 Sep-26 Oct- 26 Nov-26 Dec-26 Jan-27 Feb-27 Mar-27 Apr-27 May-27 Jun-27 Task 1 - Project Management & Collaboration
Kickoff Meeting and Workplan / Project Management Plan Development Ongoing Coordination Meetings and Workshops
Task 2 - Data Assembly & System Baseline
Data Collection, Review, and Validation
System Baseline Definition and Memorandum
Task 3 - Hydraulic Model
Model Development (geometry, demands, controls)
Model Calibration and Validation
Scenario Development and Analysis
Task 4 - Documentation of Normal and Alternative Operating Conditions
Develop System Schematics
Evaluate and Document Alternative Operating Conditions
Task 5 - Project Identification & Prioritization Framework/Schedule Identify Deficiencies and Define Candidate Projects
Develop Prioritization Criteria and Scoring Framework
Develop Excel/GIS Prioritization Tool and Workflow Instructions Task 6 - Cost Apportionment & Funding Readiness
Develop Planning-Level Cost Estimates
Identify Funding Opportunities and Cost Allocation
Task 7 - Drake Hill Hydropneumatic Station Replacement
Evaluate Storage Alternatives and System Integration
Develop Planning-Level Costs and Recommendations
Prepare Technical Memorandum
Task 8 - Vancil Reservoir Evaluation
Site Visit and Condition Assessment
Alternatives Analysis (Rehab vs. Replacement)
Cost Comparison and Final Recommendation Memorandum
Task 9 - CIP Packaging, Visuals & Adoption Support
Develop 5-Year and 20-Year CIP
Prepare Project Sheets, GIS Deliverables, and Visualizations Draft Master Plan and Supporting Materials
City Review Period and Workshops
Final Master Plan, Model, and GIS Deliverables and Council Presentation KEY: = Deliverable Milestones = Task Duration
| 24
→ Administrative
07 Administrative
→Conflict of Interest
Statement
GHD has reviewed the requirements of the RFP and
confirms that we have no actual or potential conflicts of interest related to this work.
→Acknowledgment of
City's PSA and Insurance
Requirements
GHD confirms our ability to comply with the professional services agreement and insurance requirements,
consistent with our existing on-call contract.
07 GHD | Proposal | City of Fortuna, Water System Master Plan | 26

Requesting Department: Packet #
JV #
Fund Name/s Amended: Prepared By
Checked By
Fund #/s Amended: Post Date
New Budget Appropriation Intra‐Department Budget Transfer Additional Budget Appropriation Other Budget Transfer

REVENUES
Account Description Account Number Current Budget  Proposed Amendments
Amended
Budgets
TOTAL

EXPENDITURES
Account Description Account Number Current Budget  Proposed Amendments
Amended
Budgets
TOTAL

PURPOSE
Department Head: Date:

Finance Director: Date:

City Manager: Date:

CITY OF FORTUNA
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET REQUEST
7/20/2026
Business Agenda Item 4h

STAFF REPORT
Business Agenda Item
DATE: July 20, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Amy Nilsen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Adoption of Strategic Plan 2026-2036, General Plan Recommendations, and Future Fortuna Workshops Results Report
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that the City Council:

1. Adopt the City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026-2036.

2. Adopt the General Plan Recommendations document.

3. Direct staff to incorporate the Strategic Plan, General Plan Recommendations, and Future Fortuna Workshop Results Report into department work plans, personnel evaluations, budget development, City Council staff reports, hiring and onboarding, policy development, and City Council orientation.

BACKGROUND:

The City of Fortuna initiated a comprehensive planning process to establish a clear vision, priorities, and policy direction to guide decision-making and community development over the coming years.

This effort included the development of two complementary documents:
• The Strategic Plan, which establishes City Council priorities, goals, and implementation actions.
• The General Plan Recommendations, which provide policy direction and potential updates for the City’s long-range land use, infrastructure, housing, and community development framework.

The process was designed to ensure alignment between Council priorities and broader General Plan policy direction, while incorporating significant community input.

Planning and Engagement Process
The Strategic Plan and General Plan Recommendations were developed through a multi-phase process that included:

1. Project Initiation – Contract awarded to Jen Rice Consults March 2025 o Identification of project scope, goals, and deliverables.

2. Community Listening and Stakeholder Outreach – Summer and Fall 2025 o Staff, City Council, and community interviews conducted to gather input on community priorities, challenges, and opportunities.

3. Listening Campaign Report to City Council on December 15, 2025 Business Agenda Item 4h

4. Detailed description of community, staff, and City Council workshops from November 2025 to April 2026 in Chart 1 as shown on the next page.

5. Draft Plan Development – May – June 2026
o Preparation of draft Strategic Plan goals and General Plan Recommendations based on staff, community input and Council direction.

6. Finalization – July 2026
o Final Strategic Plan and General Plan Recommendations prepared for Council consideration and adoption.

Chart 1:

Event Date & Location
or Method
Participants Purpose
Staff
Workshop 1
Nov. 18, 2025
Monday Club
13 department
directors &
deputies
Turn listening results into early planning
frameworks; begin developing the
Compass.

Champions
Design Session
Feb. 3, 2026,
Monday Club
8 community and
staff leaders who
guided the listening
campaign
Provide feedback on draft listening
campaign report, identify findings that need
to be explored in workshops, guide agenda
and Compass elements, and plan outreach
Community
Workshop 1
(W1)
Mar. 25, 2026
River Lodge
~75 residents
(including a few
staff &
commissioners as
community
members)
Test and refine listening results for broad
co-ownership; test and expand guiding
principles; open the conversation about
Fortuna's future priorities.

Bilingual
Polls*

1. March 25:
paper
Online:

2. Mar. 25–April
2 3. Apr. 2–9

1. n=40 during W1

2. n=162 during +
1 week after W1
(157 Eng., 5 Span.)

3. n=24 between
workshops (23
English, 1 Spanish)

1. Understand community vision and values
priorities to refine the Compass

2. Understand strategic and land use
priorities

3. Refine workshop 2 design
Community
Workshop 2
(W2)
Apr. 11, 2026
River Lodge
~75 residents
(including 15
Workshop 1
attendees and some
staff residents)
Apply Compass’ draft guiding principles
toward indications of community priorities;
broaden co-ownership of City direction; test
City spending and land use ideals.

Staff
Workshop 2
Apr. 21, 2026
Monday Club
11 department
directors &
deputies
Translate community results into priorities;
develop strategy maps to prepare for joint
session with Council.

Staff-Council
Joint Session
Apr. 27, 2026
Monday Club
11 staff, 4 Council
members, 1 public
Confirm Compass and strategic and land
use priorities; establish Council's role going
forward.

Spanish-language translations of both the Strategic Plan and General Plan Recommendations are included with the July 20, 2026, agenda materials to ensure accessibility for Spanish-speaking community members.

Business Agenda Item 4h

DISCUSSION:

Strategic Plan
The Strategic Plan establishes a framework for City Council priorities and organizational focus.

While the specific goals are detailed in the attached document, the plan generally:
• Identifies key priority areas for the City (e.g., staff retention, economic development, parks, trails, and fiscal sustainability).
• Establishes measurable goals and objectives.
• Provides implementation actions to guide staff work plans and resource allocation.

The Strategic Plan is intended to be a living document that will guide annual budgeting and policy decisions.

General Plan Recommendations
The General Plan Recommendations document provides a policy-level update framework that:
• Identifies areas of the existing General Plan that may require updates or modernization. • Reflects community priorities gathered during the engagement process. • Aligns long-term land use and development patterns with Council priorities. • Supports land use, housing, economic development, infrastructure investment, parks and public facilities.

These recommendations are not themselves a full General Plan update but are intended to guide future amendments and implementation efforts.

Alignment Between Documents
The Strategic Plan and General Plan Recommendations are designed to work together:
• The Strategic Plan establishes near- to mid-term priorities and actions. • The General Plan Recommendations provide longer-term policy direction and framework guidance.

Adoption of both documents will ensure consistency between policy direction and implementation priorities.

Future Fortuna Workshop Results Report
This report contains results from six planning workshops and related polling conducted between November 2025 and April 2026 as part of the Future Fortuna project to develop the City’s first Strategic Plan while also informing an update to the City’s General Plan. The purpose of this report is to:
• Put detailed workshop results in the hands of staff, Council, community members, and partner organizations who want to understand and apply them in a variety of ways; and • Illustrate the "process trail" of how those results informed development of Fortuna’s Strategic Plan 2026–2036 and General Plan Update (GPU) Recommendations.

This document walks through each source of information in sequence, describing what was designed and why, what was heard and produced, and how specific themes emerged and were traced through the process, and reinforced each other across a continuous “trail” of results that built upon each other, from fall 2025 listening campaign results to the final staff-Council working session in April 2026.

Business Agenda Item 4h

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no immediate fiscal impact associated with adoption of the Strategic Plan, General Plan Recommendations, and Workshop Results Report.

Implementation of identified strategies and recommendations may have future fiscal implications, which will be evaluated and brought to the City Council for consideration as part of future budgeting and project approval processes.

ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:

The City Council may:

1. Adopt the Strategic Plan and General Plan Recommendations as presented, and this is the recommended action based on input from staff, the community, and your City Council.

2. Adopt the documents with modifications, not recommended as significant time, resources and community participation helped shape these documents.

3. Continue the item and provide additional direction to staff, not recommended.

RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:

1. Receive staff presentation and review Council questions

2. Open Public Comment

3. Close Public Comment

4. Motion to adopt the City of Fortuna’s Strategic Plan 2026-2036, the General Plan Recommendations, and Future Fortuna Workshop Results Report, and direct staff to incorporate these documents into department work plans, personnel evaluations, budget development, City Council staff reports, hiring and onboarding, policy development, and City Council orientation. Roll Call vote.

ATTACHMENTS:
• Strategic Plan (English)
• Strategic Plan (Spanish Translation)
• General Plan Recommendations (English)
• General Plan Recommendations (Spanish Translation)
• Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 Report

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036:

A Navigation Guide for City Leadership
Prepared by Jen Rice Consults for the City of Fortuna ● June 2026 Table of Contents
Introduction 1

1. The Fortuna Compass 2

2. Why This Plan, Why Now 4

3. Priorities 6
Priority 1: Clarity, Culture & Capacity for Organizational Health 7 Priority 2: Our People — Staff Retention, Pay & Succession 8 Priority 3: Fiscal Foundation — Revenue, Cost Accounting & Honest Commitments 9 Priority 4: Economic Development to Build Fortuna's Future 11 Priority 5: A Development-Ready City — Permitting, Design & Standards 13 Priority 6: Parks, Trails & Outdoors — Fortuna's Natural Advantage 14 Priority 7: Pedestrian Safety & Connections 15
Priority 8: Youth, Recreation & Community Life 16
Priority 9: Building A Communication Culture & Fortuna's Voice 17

4. This Plan In Practice 18
A. Using This Plan to Guide Daily Work 18
B. Feedback, Learning, & Adaptation 18

5. Ideas Bank 23
A. Ideas the City Can Lead or Directly Support 23
B. Ideas That Need A Champion, Collaborative, or Nonprofit Partner 25 C. Needs Ripe for Business Development 26
Appendix: Community & Staff Engagement Results Summary
Cover photo courtesy of Fortuna Chamber of Commerce. Other photography by Justin Grimaldo of Sightseer Productions or Jen Rice Consults.

Introduction
This Strategic Plan is a working guide for City staff and Council, designed to be used at the table, not stored on a shelf. It grew from nearly a year of listening — and from the genuine common ground that emerged across community members of diverse constituencies, business owners, staff, and Council. It guides how staff and Council set priorities, make decisions, allocate resources, learn, and adapt together — whoever is leading, whatever comes.

Every element in this plan emerged from the most comprehensive community listening process in Fortuna’s history: 63 people were engaged during interviews and two focus groups in the fall, then roughly 150 people during two community workshops, 155 online, 64 in a community-led business survey, plus staff and Council workshops. The consistency across those voices is the mandate behind this plan.

How to use this document

1. The Compass is a pull-out tool for every staff report, every Council orientation packet, every leadership meeting, and every significant decision.

2. Why This Plan, Why Now provides clarity and context about the mandate behind the plan.

3. Priorities tell you where the City is headed and what it is committed to. Commitments are organized by urgency, with clear performance tracking guidelines.

4. This Plan in Practice tells you how this document connects to department work plans, budgeting, Council proposals, and hiring.

5. The Ideas Bank is for directors and partners: promising ideas from the process that are not yet first-priority commitments.

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 1 of 27 June 2026

1. The Fortuna Compass
The Compass is the most durable result of this planning process. Why a Compass? A compass doesn't tell you where to go, it helps you find your way once you decide, regardless of the surrounding conditions. It is a graphic tool representing the City’s guiding principles in practice. Every Council member (5/5) and many staff and community members interviewed said a version of the same thing: Fortuna needs direction that doesn’t leave when a City Manager does. The Compass is that direction — not a personality, not one leader’s goals, but shared principles the City owns together and uses to navigate — consistently, transparently, over time.

City leadership may determine the Compass needs to be updated or reformatted at some point, and departments or staff are welcome to adapt it to their specific needs in a way that is consistent with the master version.

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 2 of 27 June 2026 City Vision
Fortuna is a vital economic engine and a thriving, connected community for people of all ages.

The City leads with clear direction, delivers reliable services, and finds a way forward, together.

In an online poll with 128 participants responding, 88% said Fortuna needs a vision. Community workshop participants ranked economic engine first; a community poll initiated at the first workshop, with a strong showing from Fortuna high school students, ranked a connected community first. Both lead this vision, because Fortuna residents across generations repeated them again and again. The need for a clearer sense of direction, vision, or plan was widely stated across interviews and earning the top priority rank in the online poll between workshops. Reliably “making civilization possible” was a point of staff pride. “Finding a way forward – together” is from two sources: 1) staff, during interviews and workshops, noted that being adaptable and accomplishing a lot with few resources (or being “scrappy”) is an essential part of their operating culture; and 2) during (and the week after) the first community workshop online poll, this sentiment ranked second highest in importance.

Core Values
What is uniquely important to this community for every action the City takes? Quality of Life:

Family, Nature &
Neighbors
Safety, family life, care for youth, cleanliness, parks, forests, and river. Fortuna’s #1 value across every instrument and generation in this process.

Community
Connection & Care
Close-knit feel, big community events, volunteering, showing up for each other.

Economic
Resilience
The status quo is not sustainable. Generating City revenue is essential to keeping City services and investing in what Fortuna residents want.

Clear Direction Consistent decisions based on shared principles that outlast any one leader. Every Council member interviewed named this as essential.

Community
Character
Keeping the historic feel, charm, and access to the outdoors — while making room for growth that supports Fortuna’s identity and priorities.

Committed Service Recognition that staff put care into their hard work to provide vital and efficient services, are appreciated by the community, and deserve support.

These values were not assigned by the consultant or the City Manager. They were the words that appeared repeatedly, across every engagement method and every group when participants were asked open-ended questions about what matters most to this community. Quality of Life ranked #1 as a value in every instrument, every generation, and both language polls. Clear Direction was named as essential by all five Council members when interviewed independently.

City Purpose Statement
This statement will be developed by a staff team within 90-days of plan adoption. A Mission Statement describes what an organization does. A Purpose Statement describes why it matters. In our fast-changing world, purpose is what guides people when rules don’t cover new situations. Purpose helps a diverse team of departments and individuals pull in the same direction as the world around them changes.

This statement should appear at the opening of every Council meeting, in job postings, and in new Council member and employee onboarding materials.

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 3 of 27 June 2026 Council-Level Policy Decision Filters
Questions that arose in the process for staff and Council to use when facing important decisions. Not a checklist — a discipline. Ask these questions to foster critical thinking and to guide discussion before recommending or approving
significant actions.
• Does this help young people see a future here?
• Who benefits, and who bears the cost?
• Can we afford to do it? Can we afford not to?
• Can we maintain it, not just build it?
• Does this serve all Fortuna residents in their
neighborhoods and languages?
• Does this honor what makes Fortuna itself while
creating room for who we’re becoming?
Staff-Level Operational Decision Filters
Staff have been using these filters since November 2025 and find them genuinely helpful in preparing proposals. The more they are practiced, the more automatic they become.
• Mission prioritized over comfort?
• Avoiding a difficult but necessary conversation?
• Can we say no?
• Have the capability and resources?
• Increase or protect City capacity?
• Does this strengthen us for the long run — and help us get there?
• Impacts on the community?
• Impacts on affected employees?

2. Why This Plan, Why Now
The Honest Picture
Fortuna is a city that works hard against structural headwinds. The industries that once generated reliable revenue — timber, cannabis — have contracted. General Fund revenue has been declining for five years. The City has been subsidizing development with fees well below comparable jurisdictions. Infrastructure deferred too long now costs multiples of what earlier investment would have. Staff retention is fragile. And there is no dedicated economic development function.

At the same time, something rare happened during this process: genuine agreement across groups that rarely land in the same room. Community members, teens, business owners, Spanish-speaking families, City staff, and Council members named the same priorities — independently, across months. That agreement is political resilience and the foundation this plan is built on.

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 4 of 27 June 2026 What Makes This Plan Different
Most strategic plans can easily become outdated or irrelevant because they only ask one question: did we do what we said? This plan asks: is what we are doing actually working? That distinction matters because Fortuna is navigating real uncertainty — economic pressure, budget realities, state mandates, leadership transitions. No one can predict the perfect path in advance. Strategic plans also fail when they feel like a pile of new obligations rather than a tool for doing existing work better and with clearer purpose. Shared principles enable staff to know they are headed in the right direction while trying things, learning from what happens, and adjusting course together.

This plan is designed as a tool to help the City learn faster than the challenges accumulate instead of the more traditional approach to static “compliance” planning and operations. Every Priority includes not just commitments but a performance tracking pair: an Action Trigger or occurrence that prompts a specific response when conditions change, and Check-In Questions structured for the team to ask regularly and evaluate whether the approach is working or needs modification. These are not novel add-ons, they are what keeps this plan alive and useful.

The Strong Community & Staff Voice This Plan Is Built On Community members, teens, business owners, Spanish-speaking families, City staff, and Council members named the same priorities — independently, across months, using different words and different methods. That cross-source consistency is not an artifact of
facilitation or framing. It is what happened.

The table in the Appendix summarizes findings
across nine instruments of listening and engagement
— interviews, focus groups, community workshops,
online polling, and staff and Council working
sessions — organized by the Strategic Plan's nine
priorities. A few patterns are worth naming here.
● In the between-workshops online poll (162
respondents, in English and Spanish), 88% said
Fortuna needs a vision and 66% didn’t know if one
ever existed.
● Quality of life, as Fortuna residents define it, was
the top-ranked value in every instrument and
across every generation and language.
● Economic development and revenue generation
emerged
independently as the
most urgent priority,
named first or
near-first by
community members,
staff, Council members,
the immigrant focus
group, and the teen
focus group alike.
● Young people’s needs appeared at every collaboration station in both community workshops – all but one, without being asked. Youth needs were named by adults across age groups, and teens named their own. ● Pedestrian safety issues, including the 12th Street and Newburg intersections, were raised as a safety concern in community interviews, the immigrant focus group, and teen focus group independently, without cross-pollination between those sessions.

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 5 of 27 June 2026 The staff and community engagement in this process is not a statistical sample of Fortuna's population, and it is not designed to be. It is a broad, multi-method effort to hear from a diverse variety of the community (and staff), including people the City doesn’t often reach like teens, Spanish-speaking families, and local business owners, alongside residents and staff who often do show up. The same priorities surfaced in response to open questions, regardless of who was speaking. That consistency is what makes this plan's direction defensible. When resources are thin and decisions are hard, this kind of clarity is rare. When it exists, it is both a basis for action and protection against the inevitable pressure to relitigate settled questions.

For detailed findings organized by topic and method, see the City of Fortuna Listening Campaign Report and the Future Fortuna Workshops Report.

3. Priorities
Nine Priority areas emerged through the full engagement process — community interviews, focus groups, business survey, community workshops, and online poll – and were iteratively explored and refined during two staff and one staff-Council working sessions. The Priorities that follow are organized with internal commitments first, because the City's ability to deliver anything external depends on a high-functioning City Hall. A regular cycle of feedback and learning is described in Section 4: This Plan In Practice.

Each Priority is structured to include the following:
● Where We're Headed describes the future
state the City is working toward — specific
enough to be meaningful, durable enough to
outlast budget cycles.
● Near-Term Commitments are actions the City
is committing to within two years.
● Longer-Term Direction describes where the
Priority is headed over ten years — less
prescribed, because conditions will change, yet
identifies the target to work toward.
● Council and/or Partner Roles names the
specific asks that staff cannot fulfill alone.
● Performance Tracking is where this plan departs most clearly from the strategic plans of old. Each Priority includes two tools that, together, are what keeps this a working document rather than a record of good intentions:
o Action Triggers — a pre-agreed condition that automatically triggers a specific response when it is crossed, removing the need to debate the condition mid-crisis. Action Triggers are about staying on course.
o Check-In Questions — (a) structured question(s) the
leadership team asks itself on a regular cycle to evaluate whether the approach is actually working. Check-In Questions are about whether the course itself is still the right one.

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 6 of 27 June 2026 Priority 1: Clarity, Culture & Capacity for Organizational Health The mud in the water is starting to clear up. — City staff Organizational health topics were named during 16 of 19 staff interviewees and by 4 of 5 Council members. It was a dominant theme of top priorities in both staff workshops.

Where We’re Headed
The City operates from shared values and clear roles. Every staff member understands how their work connects to Fortuna’s purpose and direction. The Compass is a working tool — not just a laminated wall display — embedded in how staff prepare proposals, run meetings, and onboard new colleagues. Leadership meetings focus on strategy, not just status reports.

Near-Term Commitments (2 Years) Longer-Term Direction
(10 Years)
❑1N1. Develop a City Purpose Statement: staff team, 90-day deadline from plan adoption; embed in Council meetings, job postings, and onboarding ❑1N2. Rewrite job descriptions aligned with Strategic Plan priorities and Core Values, including staff development pathways and accountability measures ❑1N3. Redesign department director meetings to center on Strategic Plan implementation, not reporting, and organize department meetings to feed into/from director meetings
❑1N4. Update the Council Orientation Guide built from this year’s process ❑1N5. Require Compass review in all major staff reports before Council, including multi-department analysis where issues reach across the organization ❑1N6. Implement time-tracking to capture true operational costs by department ❑1L1. Succession planning
conversations embedded
at department level
❑1L2. Annual review of
organizational structure
relative to City priorities
❑ 1L3. Strategic Plan
incorporated into all
work plans, performance
reviews, and hiring
criteria
Council Role
Council sets policy; staff executes within that direction. Trusting staff to make operational and ministerial decisions based on clear policy direction is empowering staff while retaining accountability — it is the appropriate division of roles. When pulling agenda items, give staff maximum advance notice and name the driving question and related Compass principle/s.

Organizational Health: Performance Tracking
Action Trigger: If director meetings go a quarter without explicitly referencing and tracking progress and learning contributing toward a Strategic Plan Priority, the City Manager conducts a structured review of meeting design.

Biannual Check-In Questions: Is the Compass actually changing how decisions get made? What would we need to change to tell the difference between a plan we have and a plan that helps us be and do our best?
Notes about questions, coordination needs, compass consistency, and updates to the longer-term direction:

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 7 of 27 June 2026 Priority 2: Our People — Staff Retention, Pay & Succession I stay because the people I work with — we have each other's back. — Staff interviewee Staffing, compensation, and succession came up unprompted in 17 of 19 staff interviews and 3 of 5 Council member interviews. Workforce and staffing emerged as important near-term priorities in the April 2026 staff workshop and as a top theme in the independent community-led survey of 64 Fortuna businesses. In the between-workshops poll, “young people leaving — not enough jobs or housing” ranked third among urgent issues (ranked #1 by 14% of respondents in English). Multiple staff interviewees and workshop participants named it as the issue most likely to undermine every other Priority if left unaddressed.

Where We’re Headed
The City is known as a solid employer. Competitive pay, a strong culture, and clear career paths make Fortuna a place people choose to stay. Turnover is treated as a cost the Council understands and takes seriously — not a background condition.

Near-Term Commitments (2 Years) Longer-Term Direction (10 Years) ❑ 2N1. Calculate and communicate full cost of turnover (recruitment, training, lost institutional knowledge) as a standard part of every compensation conversation
❑ 2N2. Develop a competitive compensation and growth roadmap tied to revenue growth milestones
❑ 2N3. Protect the 4-day work week explicitly as a retention strategy, named as such in City communications
❑2N4. Identify and document highest-risk positions for succession vulnerability, prioritizing roles with significant institutional knowledge or specialized expertise
❑ 2N5. Morale and team-building investment is practical, not optional ❑ 2N6. Build formal cross-department coordination time into meeting structures
❑ 2N7. Conduct, collect, analyze, and apply results of exit interviews; check in with new staff about what is keeping them here
❑2L1. Employee pay within 10% of
comparable jurisdictions
❑2L2. Living wage for every position
❑2L3. Clear internal advancement
pathways
❑ 2L4. Staff development and
training as a standard budget line
❑2L5. Explore retention incentives
such as stipends and bonuses that
are time-vested and/or tied to
achieving priority objectives
Council Role
Competitive pay is critical — Council must treat it as a priority, not a wish. The cost of not acting is compounding and calculable. Staff will provide the numbers.

Our People: Performance Tracking
Action Triggers: If annual turnover exceeds a threshold set at first plan review of ____% (TBD), Council receives a full cost-of-turnover analysis before any budget decision affecting compensation.

Check-in : Annually: What are we learning about why people stay or leave? Have our assumptions about what drives retention held up — or do we need to revise them? City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 8 of 27 June 2026 Priority 3: Fiscal Foundation —
Revenue, Cost Accounting & Honest Commitments
If I find a way to save money or earn more money for the City, it really is benefiting the whole community. — Staff interviewee
Fiscal honesty and revenue sustainability appeared in 14 of 19 community interviews and all 5 Council member interviews — and was the only priority where Council members and community members converged with equal intensity. In the between-workshops poll, responsible fiscal management ranked among the top three priorities for the next one-to-two years across all respondent groups.

Where We’re Headed
The City knows exactly what everything costs — not just to build, but to operate and maintain over its full life. Legacy commitments that cost more than they return are honestly evaluated. New commitments consider both a maintenance plan and potential funding options for ongoing costs. City fees reflect the real cost of services.

A new ¾-cent sales tax measure will be on the November 2026 ballot. This is in addition to Measure E, also a ¾-cent sales tax. Measure E expires in 2033. An additional ¾-cent sales tax will help maintain essential services as the City transitions to a Fortuna that generates enough revenue through economic vitality that it can begin to invest in its future. The measure’s value to the community is clearest when paired with a specific spending plan. This is a bridge, not a foundation.

Near-Term Commitments (2 Years) Longer-Term Direction (10 Yrs) ❑3N1. ¾-Cent Sales Tax Measure:
❑ 3N1a. Council helps form a volunteer committee to coordinate community education and canvasses door to door using tested messaging – transition this committee into an oversight function that helps bring in partners, communicates progress, and provides real-time feedback to the City ❑ 3N1b. Police Chief, City Manager, and Finance Director lead community education on the difference between the tax measure as a bridge and economic development as the destination
❑ 3N1c. Use tested community messaging
❑ 3N1d. Develop a specific, public-facing spending plan that shows what the measure funds and how it is essential to achieving Fortuna’s Vision ❑3N2. Complete asset inventory for highest-priority systems; required consultation and recommendation from department tasked with maintenance before any capital project reaches Council
❑3N3. Implement time-tracking that captures real operational costs — start with departments where the data gap is largest
❑3N4. Update and act on River Lodge & Museum decision processes: evaluate full-burdened costs, community use value, and alternatives ❑3N5. Audit and review fee schedule annually to ensure updated fully-burdened rates and full cost recovery, where appropriate ❑3N6. Educate Council and public on the structural difference between General Fund and Enterprise fund revenue
❑3N7. Conduct structured reviews of inherited legacy commitments (programs, facilities, agreements) against their current cost-benefit profile ❑3N8. Consistently apply fee schedule for all user groups and applicants ❑3N9. Negotiate with Humboldt County to increase Fortuna’s share of property tax, currently the lowest of any local jurisdiction ❑ 3L1. Revenue growth roadmap:
❑ 3L1a. What milestones unlock
what City investments?
❑ 3L1b. Revenue growth goal:
tax revenue provides a bridge
to a point where economic
development generates
sufficient revenue to meet
ambitious investment goals
beyond the basics
❑ 3L1c. Communicate explicitly
and publicly that residents
invested in a plan, and they
should see and feel progress
❑ 3L1d. Plan for the renewal of
Measure E in 2033.
❑ 3L2. Level of Service framework
applied to all budget
conversations with Council
❑ 3L3. Explore feasibility of
annexation south of Highway 36
❑ 3L4. Consider establishing (an)
endowment/s with community
donors to raise needed a
sustainable fund for priority
amenities
Continued
City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 9 of 27 June 2026 Priority 3: Fiscal Foundation, continued
Council Role
Council needs to be clear and consistent on addressing legacy decisions that cost more than the City can currently justify spending and be aware of the impacts of deferred maintenance decisions.

Council must support this new measure publicly, individually, and loudly, canvass, and help establish a volunteer committee. This is the most time-sensitive item in the plan.

The City can turn this around with Council supporting staff, and making decisions for the public good using the Compass as a guide.

Fiscal Performance Tracking
Action Triggers: No capital project or grant acquisition advances to Council without this non-negotiable process requirement: 1) maintenance department’s recommendation, 2) funded life-cycle cost estimate, and 3) maintenance plan.

Check-In Questions:

Annually: Which of our inherited commitments have changed in their cost-benefit calculus? What do we do about that this year?
Long-term: Which inherited commitments — programs, facilities, agreements — have we evaluated this year against their true cost and community return? What did we do with what we found? Tax Measure Performance Tracking
Action Triggers:

Measure passes: spending plan and volunteer oversight committee activated immediately.

Measure fails: City Manager convenes a strategy session on the fiscal path forward within 30 days.

Check-In Question: Are our outreach strategies reaching the right audiences and sharing relatable stories, including Spanish-speaking residents and renters who may not connect tax revenue to services they use? Notes about questions, coordination needs, compass consistency, and updates to the longer-term direction:

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 10 of 27 June 2026 Priority 4: Economic Development to Build Fortuna’s Future The City of Fortuna is part of my American dream. — Community listening campaign participant Economic development ranked as the top priority in every instrument across this process — named first or near-first by community members, Council, staff, teens, and the immigrant focus group, each independently.

Where We’re Headed
Fortuna has a clear identity and the City is actively pursuing economic revitalization. Economic development does not happen by accident — it is a core City function with staff time, a strategy, and partners. We know what kind of development we are after and are actively pursuing it.

Infrastructure is complete for the Mill Site to be development ready. Residents work, spend, and invest locally.

Affordable workforce housing is treated as an economic development issue: the City connects workers to options and county/state assistance programs. The GPU is designed to facilitate desired, revenue- and local employment-contributing development, as well as housing types that help workers and their households stay in Fortuna.

Near-Term Commitments
(2 Years)
Long-Term Direction
(10 Years)
❑4N1. Establish a City economic development function, including a plan for dedicated staff time and partnerships before a new position is funded ❑4N2. Create and/or participate in an economic development working group with diverse community perspectives that acts on community survey data, in partnership with the Chamber, economic development partners, and City staff ❑4N3. Develop Fortuna’s economic identity and brand — define who we are chasing and why, including options for targeted Fortuna-niche-specific economic development in the GPU process (such as maximizing identity as a sports/trails/outdoors town, healthcare hub, or other potential regional draws ❑4N4. Create a draft vision for Downtown Fortuna that fits the economic identity and brand
❑4N5. Streamline and incentivize process for “right-fit” businesses ❑4N6. Review inherited economic programs for revenue and community value ❑4N7. Prioritize Mill Site development prerequisites: infrastructure funding, environmental clearances, zoning
❑4N8. Advance Kenmar and Ross Hill roundabout projects
❑4N9. Develop a partnership with the McLean Foundation and/or other public/private foundations to help each other attract resources, including donors, who will support pursuit of high priority community endeavors/amenities, including pool development
❑4L1. Roundabouts
complete at Kenmar, Ross
Hill, and 12th Street
❑4L2. Develop a ~1%
CDBG-style loan
program for business
property improvements
❑4L3. Lower Eel River Park
and river access
❑4L4. Mill Site with active
commercial/light
industrial development
❑4L5. Economic focus
areas in play: e.g.
family-focused, outdoor
recreation/sports events;
skills/ entrepreneurship;
healthcare services;
agritourism
Continued
City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 11 of 27 June 2026 Council Role
Free up staff time for economic development — too many boards and committees are consuming capacity without real benefit. Allocate and protect budget and time. Infrastructure money for the Mill Site is the investment priority.

Economic Development Performance Tracking
Action Trigger: If Mill Site prerequisite conditions (infrastructure, zoning) will not be in place by the summer of 2029, the City Manager reports to Council with a revised timeline and explicit resource ask.

Check-In Questions:

Annually: Which economic development strategies are showing traction? Are we pursuing the right economic identity for Fortuna, or has the landscape shifted in ways that require a pivot?
Long-term: Is our economic identity and how it has influenced the development types we decided to pursue and why — still the right one?
What has changed in the regional economy, in development interest, or in community priorities that should inform whether we stay the course or pivot?
Notes about questions, coordination needs, compass consistency, and updates to the longer-term direction:

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 12 of 27 June 2026 Priority 5:

A Development-Ready City — Permitting, Design & Standards Design standards result in cohesive and vibrant citywide developments that reflect Fortuna's character:
residents and businesses are proud and we attract economic activity. — Staff Permitting process and development standards frustration surfaced in 11 of 19 community interviews and 13 of 19 staff interviews. Permitting process delays and regulatory barriers were cited as one of four top cross-sector obstacles by developers, industrial operators, healthcare leaders, and downtown merchants alike in the independent community-led survey of 64 Fortuna businesses — alongside housing, downtown vitality, and economic diversification as the survey's dominant themes.

Where We’re Headed
Building in Fortuna is predictable, fair, and fast for the right projects. Design standards are clear and objective. The Planning Commission has a Compass and uses it. Fortuna’s character is protected through standards — not used as a barrier to good development. Quality developments that Fortuna needs are emerging, and they are contributing to City revenue, employment opportunities, and necessary local infrastructure and amenities.

Near-Term Commitments
(2 Years)
Longer-Term Direction (10
Years)
❑5N1. Complete permit process audit; eliminate pre-design steps without value ❑5N2. Establish predictable permit timelines and communicate them to applicants ❑5N3. Develop and adopt clear and objective design standards for Main Street and Fortuna Boulevard — don’t wait for the GPU
❑5N4. Establish a simple, transparent fee schedule
❑5N5. Require pre-applications for large projects with clear checklists ❑5N6. Explore developing a library of pre-approved residential plan sets to streamline ADU and infill permitting
❑5N7. Train Planning Commission to seriously evaluate project design; co-create and apply their version of the Compass
❑5N8. Apply for and offer façade improvement grants
❑5N9. Develop incentive pathways for owner-occupied low- and moderate-income housing development.
❑5L1. Ministerial (by-right)
approval path for projects
meeting adopted design
standards
❑5L2. “Right-fit”
framework: clear
incentive pathways for
desired development
types
❑5L3. Planning Commission
routinely applies Compass
principles — decisions are
consistent and defensible
Council Role
Trust staff to make ministerial decisions based on approved design standards and process improvements already reviewed by Planning Commission and City Council. Hold developers accountable for application quality at time of submittal. At the dais, community direction is clear: protect Fortuna’s character and attract the right kind of growth.

Development-Ready Performance Tracking
Action Trigger: If permit timelines are exceeded by more than ____ days (TBD) on average in a quarter, the Community Development Director figures out what's causing the delays and reports back to the City Manager with a plan to fix them.

Check-In Questions: Annually: Are our design standards producing the character we want? ● Are they creating barriers we didn’t intend?
● What are the Planning Commission and developers telling us about how standards are working in practice?
City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 13 of 27 June 2026 Priority 6:

Parks, Trails & Outdoors — Fortuna’s Natural Advantage
Beloved and highly used. — Staff, on the current state of Fortuna’s parks Parks, trails, and outdoor access surfaced at every community workshop collaboration station and in 14 of 19 community interviews as the broadest demographic spread of any quality-of-life priority across the engagement process. A connected trail system – specifically Riverwalk Trail restoration and connectivity to the Great Redwood Trail – were among the opportunities with the most support at the Outdoors & Public Spaces station across both community workshops.

Where We’re Headed
Fortuna’s parks, trails, and river access are well-maintained, connected, and a genuine economic asset. No new outdoor facility is approved without a maintenance plan and funded ongoing costs. The Eel River and Great Redwood Trail corridor are protected and activated as Fortuna’s most significant natural resources.

Near-Term Commitments
(2 Years)
Longer-Term Direction
(10 Years)
❑6N1. New commitments consider both a maintenance plan and identification of ongoing funding
❑6N2. Maintenance plan required for all current project proposals ❑6N3. Define the City’s role on the Great Redwood Trail: what it can and cannot sustain, what roles the Public Works and Parks & Recreation Departments each play, and consider the need for a Trails Master Plan given the scope, scale, and potential economic role these facilities play in Fortuna, and the need for guidance about planning and requirements for trail easements
❑6N4. Consider establishment of a volunteer corps and possibly an endowment to leverage very high community goodwill and assist with maintaining and even building basic new amenities
❑6N5. Explore how to attract overnight visitors — trail-adjacent lodging, hospitality connections — as part of the broader economic development strategy ❑6L1. Connected trail
system from downtown
to river
❑6L2. Robust volunteer
parks and trail
maintenance program
❑6L3. Regional sports
event destination at
Newburg Park
❑6L4. Lower Eel River
Park development with
river access
Council Role
A dedicated grant writer is the highest-starred Council commitment from the parks sprint map. Grant capacity is the key to most of the longer-term direction. Decide whether trail easements, based on a trail system plan noted above, are a sufficient condition of approval for adjacent development, whether they will be required to build the facilities themselves, or if one or the other option is appropriate depending on the circumstances.

Parks Performance Tracking
Action Trigger: If a new park, trail, or facility is proposed and approved without an evaluation of ongoing maintenance costs and funding mechanisms, the commitment does not advance until both are in place.

Check-In Questions: Annually:

What volunteer and partnership models have worked for comparable small cities? Are we learning from them? What is our trail system actually delivering for Fortuna’s economy, and how is that evolving? City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 14 of 27 June 2026 Priority 7: Pedestrian Safety & Connections
Safe to walk… that's the dream. — Community Interviewee Pedestrian safety was one of the most urgent issues named by Spanish-speaking respondents in the focus group and between-workshops poll, as well as during the teen focus group.

Where We’re Headed
Fortuna is walkable, especially where economic activity and youth needs are concentrated. Safe pedestrian connections to schools, parks, Main Street, the Riverwalk, and the Mill Site are infrastructure that drives economic vitality — not optional amenities.

Near-Term Commitments
(2 Years)
Longer-Term Direction
(10 Years)
❑7N1. Identify and prioritize planning, permitting, and funding top 3–5 pedestrian connections linking economic activity nodes, and complete construction
❑7N2. Advance 12th Street & Newburg intersection improvements — pursue construction funding
❑7N3. Develop plans for – and, where possible, move toward implementation of – extending the Riverwalk to connect with the regional trail system to the north and south and with downtown via pedestrian/bicycle access; the Great Redwood Trail; and connecting both to the Strongs Creek Trail ❑7N4. Require pedestrian and bicycle connectivity in all new development as a condition of approval
❑7N5. Identify funding partners and grants; prioritize connections near schools and for residents who depend on walking and/or bicycling in partnership with schools and other interested partners
❑7L1. Pedestrian/bike
routes connection:

Riverwalk → Mill Site →
Strongs Creek
❑7L2. A plan for Riverwalk
connecting to downtown
is in place
❑7L3. Sidewalks across
Fortuna
❑7L4. Secure permitting and
funding for the Strongs
Creek Trail
❑7L5. Grant-funded trail
construction underway
Council Role
Grant-writing capacity is essential (a highly prioritized Council commitment needed by staff) to secure funding for building new infrastructure that the City has determined it can maintain. Make sure the projects we've identified actually get into the budget and get built — not just onto a list. Balance between beautification and accessibility in decisions.

Pedestrian Safety Performance Tracking
Action Trigger: Any new development approval must include a pedestrian and if possible bicycle connectivity condition/s – whether via construction or fees. If a staff report omits this, Community Development Director flags before Council vote.

Check-In Questions: Annually: Are the pedestrian investments we’re prioritizing actually changing how people move and spend in Fortuna? What does observation tell us about where the gaps remain? Notes about questions, coordination needs, Compass consistency, and updates to the longer-term direction:

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 15 of 27 June 2026 Priority 8: Youth, Recreation & Community Life
Kids form habits early around opportunities for things to do. — Staff member Youth needs appeared at every collaboration station in community workshops but one, without being prompted — named by adults across all age groups and by teens themselves. Heavy star density focused on the lack of and need for desirable activities for teens. This topic was a clear outlier as a response to open questions about what could improve during interviews and, in the between-workshops poll, youth programming tied with economic development as the #1 five-to-ten year priority among Spanish-speaking respondents.

Where We’re Headed
Young Fortuna residents have reasons to make Fortuna their long-term home. The City’s Parks & Recreation programs are financially sustainable, meet community demand, and are fully staffed – they are an essential element of Fortuna’s high standards for “quality of life.” Fortuna’s sports and outdoor assets are a regional economic draw that contributes to City revenue and self-sustain residents’ local priorities. A diverse array of youth and other residents are active, productive civic participants rather than passive recipients of City services.

Near-Term Commitments (2 Years) Longer-Term Direction (10 Years) ❑8N1. Maintain existing programs while developing sustainable funding strategies
❑8N2. Track, analyze, and apply learning from user numbers and program participation as a baseline for future experimentation and investment conversations
❑8N3. Send a letter to partner organizations about what was learned in this process about the community’s take on youth needs: name what is in high demand, affirm what the City can do, and voice support for partner-led complementary efforts (draft under separate cover)
❑8N4. Coordinate with FUHS/HCOE, nonprofit organizations, the County, and community donors on youth and other experiential programming
❑8N5. See Priorities 3 and 4 related to development of Foundation and donor partners, since the City’s reach in matters of youth is limited
❑8L1. Consider pursuit of all-weather
sports fields at Newburg for regional
tournaments and niche experiential
outdoor facilities that drive regional
and traveling overnight stays and sales
tax revenue
❑8L2. Recreation programming and
staffing is funded at levels that match
community demand
❑8L3. Youth and community civic voice
embedded in ongoing City planning
and review processes
❑8L4. Consider supporting an expansion
of high school career technical
education per high community
interest/demand
What Requires Partners
Local foundations, Fortuna School Districts, county organizations, and community donors are essential. The City can coordinate, advocate, and support — but cannot and should not try to do this alone.

Youth, Recreation & Community Life: Performance Tracking Action Trigger: If recreation program participation drops by _____% (TBD) in a budget year, Council receives a full analysis of what was cut, what it cost, and the restoration path before the next budget cycle.

Check-In Questions: Are young people enjoying and seeing a future in Fortuna? What are we hearing from teens and young adults, and how does that compare to what we assumed they needed?
City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 16 of 27 June 2026 Priority 9: Building A Communication Culture & Fortuna’s Voice We need to be proactively communicating about what staff actually do. — April 21 staff workshop Improving how the City communicates ranked in the top priorities at the ‘Our City Leadership & How We Participate’ community workshop station, receiving more starred contributions than any other topic at that station (22 stars).

Where We’re Headed
The engaged community is not a communications outcome, it is a governance resource. The City communicates proactively, in English and Spanish, about what it is doing, why, and what it costs. Every department builds communication priorities and messages into daily work, flags newsworthy items, coordinates outreach across the organization, and routes it through a communications lead. Spanish-speaking residents have equal access to information. Staff work is visible.

Near-Term Commitments (2 Years) Long-Term Direction (10 Years) ❑ 9N1. Build City communications as a culture and system — not just a social media presence – including incorporation of communication priorities and messages into each department’s daily work ❑ 9N2. Develop an internal communications protocol: how departments flag items, coordinate messaging, and route outreach to the communications lead with clear purpose
❑ 9N3. Spanish translation and interpretation is provided ❑ 9N4. Clean up and maintain the City’s online presence to become a relied-upon source of accurate, current information
❑ 9N5. Develop a proactive social media presence: share staff stories, Council decisions, and why the City does what it does
❑ 9N6. Explore engaging communications interns from local high schools, College of the Redwoods, and Cal Poly Humboldt
❑ 9L1. Public understands what it costs to
deliver City services — the invisible work
is visible – and how and where to engage
❑ 9L2. City communications function
sustains a proactive, cross-organizational,
bilingual presence
❑ 9L3. Departments own their
communication responsibility as a
professional standard
❑ 9L4. Spanish-speaking residents are a fully
integrated civic audience, not a
supplemental one
❑ 9L5. Consider a communications lead role
Council Role
Actively share City communications with constituencies about City strategic priorities, where they came from as backup for making tough decisions, and how current activities are “getting us where we want to go.” Let staff know what you’re learning.

What Requires Partners
Building relationships with Fortuna Union High School, East High School, College of the Redwoods, and Cal Poly Humboldt for communications (and other types of) interns is worth pursuing in the near-term. Established Spanish-language interpretation partners for community engagement and translation review. Spanish-language media outlets and community-serving nonprofits for reaching households that don't follow City channels. Community members who are trusted across different Fortuna neighborhoods and networks — people who can extend the City's reach, share what they're hearing, and bring others into civic participation. The City's ability to build a genuinely engaged public depends on these relationships being actively cultivated, not assumed.

Communications Performance Tracking
Action Trigger: Major City announcements are not in both English and Spanish as standard practice and the City is not reaching traditionally unengaged populations.

Check-In Questions:

Annually: are we reaching residents who didn’t previously engage with the City? Are Spanish-speaking residents participating more in civic processes? What does our social media data actually tell us about who we’re reaching? Long-term: Is public understanding of City decisions, tradeoffs, and priorities actually broadening and deepening — and is that producing more sustained, diverse civic participation beyond the same handful of voices? What does attendance, social media engagement, and public comment data tell us about whether the community feels welcomed, engaged, informed, and empowered enough to participate? City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 17 of 27 June 2026

4. This Plan In Practice
A strategic plan that lives in a binder is not a strategy. It is a record of a conversation that never got put to work. This Plan is designed to enter the rhythm of City Hall — so that the decisions staff and Council make every week are grounded in shared principles and tested against what’s actually happening.

A. Using This Plan to Guide Daily Work
Department Work Plans
Departmental Staff Work Plans should name which Strategic Plan Priority each major initiative advances — so staff, Council, and the public can see how daily work connects to the City's direction — without having to read between the lines.

Personnel Evaluations
Personnel evaluations across all departments and staff should name strategic priorities so that staff can understand how the Strategic Plan intersects with their daily work.

Budget Cycle
When a budget proposal can't fund everything, the staff report names which Strategic Plan Priority is being advanced and which is being deferred, so Council is making an informed tradeoff decision, not an invisible one.

Council Proposals & Staff Reports
Every major staff report includes a brief Compass check: which decision filters are relevant to this decision, and what do they surface? This is not a box to check — it is the thinking staff does before the conversation, so the conversation can be substantive. All staff reports will include a section titled “Strategic Plan.” Each recommended action presented to the City Council must clearly identify and align with one or more goals or priorities outlined in the Strategic Plan.

Hiring, Onboarding & Accountability
Job descriptions are updated to reflect Strategic Plan priorities and Core Values. New employees encounter the Compass and the Strategic Plan on day one — so they understand the City's direction and values before they learn about the organizational structure.

Quarterly Review & Learning Rhythm
Leadership meets quarterly to ask: what are answers to our Check-In Questions telling us? Are Action Triggers being deployed and working? What is changing in our environment that this plan hasn’t anticipated? The goal is not compliance reporting, it is honest learning and course correction.

Council Orientation
New Council members receive this plan as a primary orientation document. The Compass is introduced as a regularly used tool to maintain the City’s shared sense of vision and direction, built from common ground across nearly 40 community and staff conversations and focus groups that were confirmed and underscored with nuance during public, staff, and staff-Council workshops.

B. Feedback, Learning, & Adaptation
This plan is designed to stay alive — not through compliance, but through honest conversation on a regular basis.

The following structure gives staff and Council a shared rhythm for evaluating what is working, what has changed, and what needs to shift.

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 18 of 27 June 2026 Department Meetings: The Monthly Feedback Loop
Feedback begins at the community and department levels, not at the top. Each month, department directors bring two standing items to their leadership meetings:
• What are important lessons we are learning from community interactions? • How have we used Compass filter/s in decision/s or proposal/s this month, and what did that change? • Is there anything emerging in daily operations — a pattern, a friction point, a community signal — that leadership (including other department/s) should know about before the quarterly pause? This is not a reporting requirement. It is a listening habit. The goal is to make sure the people closest to the community and implementation have a regular, low-barrier channel to flag what they are seeing. Issues that surface here get carried into the quarterly pause rather than waiting for an annual review to surface them.

The Quarterly Pause for Learning & Reflection
Four times a year, City leadership sets aside 90 minutes to ask three questions — not to report on progress, but to think together:
● What are we learning that we didn't know when we wrote this plan? ● Where are our assumptions proving wrong, and what do we need to adjust? ● Is anything we committed to no longer the right thing to do — and do we have the courage to say so? The output is not a report. It is a shared answer to the question: are we still navigating well? If the answer reveals a course correction, the City Manager documents it and it becomes part of the annual plan review. This is how the plan stays relevant — not through compliance, but through honest conversation on a regular clock, recognizing that high-functioning organizations in today’s state of high disruption need to learn and evolve.

The Annual Plan Review & Update
Once a year, leadership conducts a fuller review of the Strategic Plan against performance tracking Action Triggers and Check-In Questions. The annual review asks:
• Which Action Triggers were crossed, did we respond as committed, and are larger adjustments needed? • What are answers to the Check-In Questions telling us: are our strategies actually producing the outcomes we intended? Are we adapting them, if not? Are different or additional Check-In Questions needed? • What has changed in the community, the economy, or the organization that this plan didn’t anticipate? • Does the Ideas Bank need to be updated – as ideas are ready to move into priority commitments and are there new ideas worth documenting and sharing?
The annual review produces one simple output: a brief written record of what changed, what was learned, and what — if anything — is being adjusted in the plan. This record is shared with staff and Council and becomes the institutional memory that keeps the plan honest over time. It should spur discussion and adaptation as needed.

When the Plan Needs a Bigger Update
Minor adjustments — updated timelines, revised Action Triggers and Check-In Questions, new ideas in the Bank — happen through the annual review without formal adoption. A more substantial revision of the plan is warranted when:
• A significant change in the City’s fiscal situation alters what is feasible • A major community or economic shift – or establishing clear direction among potential options currently being explored – changes the context for one or more priorities • Staff or Council determine through Check-In Questions that a core strategy is not working and needs to be rethought — not just refined
City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 19 of 27 June 2026 Substantial revisions go back to Council for adoption. The standard for triggering a revision is not discomfort with a priority — it is evidence that the direction needs to change.

Keeping the Community in the Conversation
The community’s voice does not end at plan adoption. Each annual review should include at least one structured opportunity for community participation — whether a brief public comment period on the review findings, a targeted check-in with underrepresented groups, or a broader update session. Underrepresented and seldom-seen community members, like the Spanish-speaking community and youth, warrant actual outreach beyond general public notice – often “going to them” in places where they are more likely to engage. What the community is experiencing should inform what staff and Council are learning and applying to adjustments in strategy.

The City’s Learning Rhythm at A Glance
Cadence Who Purpose
Monthly
Meetings
Department
Director Meetings
Flag emerging and collaborative issues, note where Compass filters were applied, surface items for quarterly pause
Quarterly
Pause &
Reflect
Department
Directors Meeting:
90 minutes
Quarterly Pause: three shared questions, course corrections documented by City Manager
Annual Plan
Update
Directors + Council
briefing
Full plan review: Action Triggers, Check-In Questions, Ideas Bank update, community re-entry, written record of changes
As Needed City Manager +
relevant leads
Plan revision: fiscal shift, major community/economic change, or evidence a core strategy isn't working
An Indicator of Progress: City Performance Tracking
At the start of this process, staff and community members were asked to rate City performance from 0–10 on a set of issues that have since become this plan’s priorities. These ratings and the words used to explain them are documented below as a starting baseline (see table, next page). They are not scientific measures, they are honest snapshots of how people felt in fall 2025 that are useful for anchoring future conversations about whether things are getting better.

How this baseline was collected. Staff were asked to rate the City on three dimensions: ability to work with others and get things done, clarity of vision and direction, and housing and economic development guidance. Community members were asked to rate the City against their own expectations, and on their interactions with City staff. These were not identical questions, and the community question in particular produced mostly qualitative responses rather than numeric scores. The averages below reflect careful interpretation of those responses and four corrected attribution errors made during Listening Campaign Report development.

How to use this going forward. The City’s Strategic Plan review cycle creates natural moments to return to these questions. At the Year 1 review, the same questions should be asked again of staff, and of a comparable community sample to establish a first year-over-year comparison. At Year 2, as implementation gets underway, the City should add performance questions tied directly to each Strategic Plan Priority, so the tracking system grows alongside the work. By that point, the original broad questions will have given City leadership a clear baseline and one year of trend data to bring into that conversation.

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 20 of 27 June 2026 The community question most in need of redesign is the expectations question: because each interviewee rated whatever they personally cared about, the baseline reflects different things for different people. For Year 2 and beyond, structured questions tied to specific priorities will produce results that are consistent, comparable, and directly actionable. The staff questions, with minor refinement, are ready to repeat as-is. One useful adjustment:
separating the rating of staff effectiveness from the effect of Council on outcomes — currently combined in the Ability question — would produce clearer and more useful data for both leadership groups. The City’s growing regional partnership work, including with the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria, is worth acknowledging in the performance framework as implementation progresses.

Citywide Performance Tracking
Issue Fall ‘25
Ranking
Where We Were Where We Want to Be Year 1†
Checkup
Year 2
Checkup
Clear
Vision &
Direction

4.7*
staff avg.

Either I'm uninformed on
what the vision is, or it
doesn't exist. — Staff
interviewee
Having that framework from the
beginning sets the foundation
for the next people that come
after us — it's not us making the
decision, it's the Fortuna
community telling us what [they
want]. — Council member during
Staff-Council Joint Session, April 2026
Score: Score:

Ability to
Get
Things
Done

6.6 staff avg.

It's hard to be effective when
everybody's kind of catching
up all the time. — Staff
interviewee
Hopefully this tool helps us…
get to finish what we started. —
Staff during Staff-Council Joint
Session, April 2026
Score: Score:

Economic
Direction
& Growth

3.5**
staff avg.

The Mill Site has been a
topic of conversation the
whole time I've worked here
— 16 years — and nothing
has happened. — Staff
interviewee
If we knew what the focus was,
it would help. — Community
interviewee
Score: Score:

Community
Sense of
City
Direction

4.1 community
avg.

I don't know whatsoever
what we are doing in City
government... I am kind of
just drifting in the dark while
waiting for someone to tell
me. — High school interviewee
If you know what the City's
direction is, people who develop
programs like me can do what
the community needs. Because
if we don't know, and we aren't
asked… — Community interviewee
Score: Score:

City Staff
Interactions

9.1††
community
avg.

Community members with
direct access to City staff
rated those interactions
positively. Those without
access were largely unaware
how to assess the City.

Staff interactions were largely
positive across community
feedback — the goal is for
feedback to be consistent across
City interactions and making
City access more visible and
equitable.

Score: Score:

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 21 of 27 June 2026 * Vision average adjusted to 4.7 (n=17): two respondents who explicitly scored the current planning process at a 10 rather than institutional track record are excluded from the baseline. The unadjusted average, 5.3 (n=19), is the more accurate starting point for year-over-year comparison.
** Housing & Economic Development average is 3.5 (n=11 of 19): eight staff members declined to score this dimension, most citing state and federal constraints as the primary limiting factor rather than City decisions. This question is a strong candidate for replacement with Priority-specific questions at the Year 2 review.
† At the Year 1 review, ask staff the same three questions. Ask a comparable community sample about their sense of City direction and their interactions with staff — as two distinct questions. Note any major changes in context before comparing. †† In the listening Campaign Report, this number was reported as 8.2 and has been revised to reflect a more clear delineation of answers that leave out references to only one department or to the Council.

In closing, the goal is both a mindset and a discipline: the City of Fortuna learns faster than its challenges accumulate and avoids the costly and frustrating cycle of outdated plans that leave an organization without guidance. This is as much an organizational culture goal as a strategic one.

No plan survives contact with reality unchanged, but this system is meant to build in honest reflection so the City can adjust before losing momentum, opportunity, and relevance.

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 22 of 27 June 2026

5. Ideas Bank
The following are promising ideas that emerged from the community and staff engagement process — things that are not yet first-priority City commitments but deserve a documented home, so they don't get lost. They are organized into three sections: ideas within the City's direct reach, ideas that belong to community organizations, collaborative groups, and civic champions, and opportunities ripe for entrepreneurial business development. The City's role varies by section: direct actor, coordinator and advocate, or simply a City that has listened carefully and wants to make what it heard available to people who can act on it. There are many additional ideas included in the City of Fortuna Listening Campaign Report and Future Fortuna Workshops Report.

These possibilities arose from community and staff engagement and are not commitments. They should be updated every couple of years during the plan review cycle and shared with community and economic development partners.

A. Ideas the City Can Lead or Directly Support
Youth Activities, Recreation & Gathering
❑ Enhancing youth recreation activities and programs – this has the added benefit of providing more opportunities for youth employment
❑ River access for paddle-boarding, kayaking, and fishing ❑ A disc golf course and/or other amenity enhancements at a City park ❑ A running track around Newburg Park — named in the teen focus group alongside requests for more trails ❑ Youth civic engagement program: structured partnerships with local schools for teens to engage with and advise on City decisions that affect them, including engaging visits from Council members and City staff about issues-of-interest and opportunities to influence City decision-making ❑ Community garden space/s, especially connected to schools or parks (perhaps managed by partners) Economic Development & Housing
❑ Workshop participants were particularly interested in pursuing development of novel outdoor experiences.

Interviewees and workshop participants alike emphasized an interest in enhancing Fortuna’s outdoor activity appeal as a regional and tourist-attracting destination, akin to the Skywalk in Eureka and Humboldt Bay Trail.

For example: all-weather sports field/complex, “trail town,” mountain-biking, ziplining. ❑ Housing accessibility was noted in especially the focus groups with traditionally unheard or marginalized groups to be a primary concern – even teens were repeatedly emphatic about it without prompting. While this is a challenge across the state and the county, identifying Fortuna’s particular approach to meeting these needs will have support.
❑ Housing assistance communication strategy: connect residents to existing county and state programs that most people don't know exist.
❑ Employer-assisted housing: a) develop a communication strategy so prospective City staff understand housing assistance options in the region; and b) consider incentives for commercial/industrial developments to incorporate housing into their projects.

We need to sell experiences — remind people how they felt in our small town close to nature. — Community Workshops participant
Community Engagement & Civic Participation
Improving how the City communicates and how residents participate was the highest-energy topic at the “Our City Leadership and How We Participate” station, receiving more starred contributions than any other topic at that station. This is a challenge for every government: how people engage has changed substantively since standard civic engagement protocols were developed. Public expectations for transparency, access, and participation are evolving City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 23 of 27 June 2026 faster than most municipal systems have, and staffing capacity makes it harder still. The ideas below span a spectrum from zero-cost culture shifts to investments worth planning for. ❑ A single, consistent communication channel — one email list, one social media presence, one website — so residents know where to find things and the City's capacity is not split across platforms. ❑ Explore a communications intern pipeline through local high schools, College of the Redwoods, and/or Cal Poly Humboldt — particularly for bilingual and social media engagement — a low-cost way to build capacity while creating a civic pathway for young people.
❑ Develop a brief presentation and/or visuals about what the City learned in the Future Fortuna process and how that influenced a major update in City direction and leadership approach to spread the understanding that the City listened and is putting residents/businesses interests to work. Share in familiar places like civic clubs and in unfamiliar places for this type of engagement (e.g. schools, nonprofit board meetings, Farmers' Market tabling). ❑ Cultivate an "invisible work" communication habit: short social media posts/reels showing what City staff actually do — the maintenance crew fixing a water main at 2am, the permit desk processing a small business application. Costs almost nothing; builds public goodwill the City will need when it asks for something hard. ❑ Workshop participant: "1 sheet of paper in the envelope with the water bill listing the events coming up that month" and opportunities to engage. While the reality is that fewer and fewer people receive their water bills by mail, it may be a population that engages less online. ❑ Proactive bilingual social media presence: use automated tools to transform minutes and transcripts into engaging points about Council and Commission decisions, staff stories, and why the City does what it does — in English and Spanish as a standard – including in occasional separate posts to trigger Spanish-language algorithms. Consider asking regularly: what do you want to hear more about? ❑ Low-barrier, recurring engagement that doesn't require coming to City Hall: school visits, community events, the Farmers' Market. "I would love to see our local City leaders engaging more with students – come talk to us!” — High school staff and teens, focus group
❑ Youth civic engagement: structured partnerships with local schools for teens to engage with and advise on City decisions that affect them, including visits from Council members and City staff about issues of interest and opportunities to influence City decision-making. A teen participant noted that "the main reason I would come to a workshop like [Future Fortuna] is if I knew I would really have a voice and it would matter." ❑ Outreach to encourage a broader, more diverse pool of Council and Commission/Committee candidates — including people with young children, working families, and non-English speakers. "There shouldn't just be retired people on Council — then our voice becomes very limited." — Council interviewee I think we've spoiled our community — they don't really see the full picture of what a typical employee really does. — Staff interviewee
If people saw that their input actually mattered, they would be more likely to speak up. — Community interviewee
Healthcare Access
Healthcare access came up in listening campaign interviews as both a quality-of-life concern and an economic development opportunity for the region. The City's land use authority is the primary lever – zoning that supports healthcare services as a priority use, GPU policies, and incentives that make it easier for healthcare providers to locate in Fortuna:
❑ Work with GPU consulting team to consider healthcare services as a potential economic focus area in the Economic Development Element in terms of regional demand and return on investment for providers to locate in Fortuna, and revenue generation for the City
❑ Explore what land use designations, zoning and/or incentives would attract or support expanded healthcare presence
City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 24 of 27 June 2026 B. Ideas That Need A Champion, Collaborative, or Nonprofit Partner The City does not have the capacity (especially for the near future), jurisdiction, and/or responsibility to operate or host many ideas that arose with fervor, including the ideas below. It can advocate, support through land use and coordination, and make visible what the community has asked for. A draft letter to youth-serving partner organizations – inviting them to review what the City learned and to help the City put the results to work – is under separate cover.

Youth, Activities, Recreation, Enrichment & Gathering
❑ Expanded after-school and summer programs, particularly for teens ❑ Youth-focused skills and entrepreneurship programming, such as local internships and business mentorships (from coffee shops to niche trades), a maker space, to expanded career technical education/trades training Engaging indoor and outdoor youth/family/community activities and gathering spaces outside the scope of Parks & Rec were named often across teen focus groups, community interviews, and workshop stations as “anywhere that isn’t a parking lot”:
❑ A music venue for live events — this came up across the listening campaign and community workshop stations ❑ A skate and bike park — named repeatedly in the teen focus group and referenced a prior Tony Hawk donation effort that didn’t fully materialize, which gives it historical resonance ❑ Restoring the Fortuna Theater as a theater-pub for a mix of local productions, music events, and movie nights (a cross between the Eureka and Arcata Theaters). In an era of online streaming, the depth and consistency of love for theaters was striking.
❑ Spanish classes for all ages
Economic Development & Downtown
❑ During the second workshop, “partner with schools and college to develop trades education facilities” received the highest number of stars in the spending preference exercise. ❑ A dedicated arts and makers market, enhanced Farmers' Market, and other events that activate Main Street for as much economic as social purposes came up in interviews, focus groups, and were very popular topics at the workshops — with existing events as proof of concept for what’s possible, including expansion of the downtown Farmers' Market by relocating to another downtown area out of the wind and adding a weekend day with a more festival-like atmosphere of offerings beyond just produce and plants. ❑ Business incubator or shared workspace for local entrepreneurs and remote workers. ❑ Healthcare and behavioral health services as an economic development focus area — demand is high, regional draw potential is real to offer alternatives to driving to Santa Rosa, S.F., Redding, and Medford. (See also:

Healthcare Access under Section 5A, above, for GPU and zoning implications.) ❑ Investing in Fortuna as a “Trail Town” to attract regional and 101 visitors to stay, spend, and play — and providing locals with more activity options — requires dedicated, long-term partnership efforts to dedicate easements and expand and connect downtown/visitor-serving amenities with the Riverwalk, Great Redwood Trail, and Strongs Creek Trail.
❑ Experiential outdoor offerings were very popular topics: pursuing development of regional attraction(s) — akin to Sequoia Park’s Skywalk — for Fortuna locals and visitors alike. ❑ Agritourism: connecting visitors to the Eel Valley’s niche agricultural producers, landscape, and activities.

A Main Street that is both recognizably Fortuna and genuinely alive. — Community Workshops, Station 6 Fortuna needs color — periodic events that allow having an audience that spends money in local businesses. — Workshop participant (in Spanish)
City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 25 of 27 June 2026 Homelessness
The lack of locally accessible services and support for houseless people was raised in listening campaign interviews, focus groups, and workshops as a widespread community concern. As a complex regional challenge, all jurisdictions are struggling with this issue. The City's capacity and authority here is very limited, as this issue is generally addressed through county/state programs and nonprofit services. While this is not a Fortuna-specific problem to solve alone, it is one the City and local organizations can participate in addressing through regional solutions. To be successful, these efforts literally “take a village,” and partners should bring proposals that the City can utilize available levers — land use, public safety, and information about services coordination — to bring to the table.

C. Needs Ripe for Business Development
The following opportunities are documented gaps in Fortuna’s local economy — not City projects, but an open invitation to partners, entrepreneurs, and investors who want to build something that serves this community and generates the sales tax revenue that will fund a healthy local government and everything Fortuna values.

Any business plan in this market should be grounded in Fortuna’s actual population size, retail realities, and unmet needs that would draw patrons from the greater region. In the current online retail environment, the region is not large enough to sustain some general retail concepts — even in the population center, Eureka’s independent shops are under sustained pressure from online competition. The strongest opportunities are in providing experiences, local services, food and beverage, and niche offerings that can’t be replicated online or replaced by a delivery truck and that attract patrons from Southern Humboldt, the Humboldt Bay Area, and U.S. 101 travelers.

Community Need What the Engagement Process Told Us
Evening dining
and gathering
Residents consistently named the need for more places to eat, drink, and gather — especially options that don't require driving to Eureka.

Theater and live
performance
venue
Love for theaters across the listening campaign was striking. Two model ideas emerged:
restoring the Fortuna Theater as a theater-pub for local productions, music events, and movie nights (a cross between the Arcata and Eureka Theaters); and development of a contemporary movie theater. Both require a private operator or community development organization, not the City.

Arcade or family
fun center
Named repeatedly in teen focus group, including ideas like bowling, mini-golf, go-carts, trampoline, and arcade. Identifies a real gap in supervised, engaging options for youth 12–18 that Parks & Rec doesn't fill – and could attract families from across the region.

Music venue for
live events
Named in teen focus groups and across workshop stations; a natural complement to the theater-pub model or a standalone opportunity for a smaller operator. An outdoor venue for music also came up a fair amount, given Fortuna's warmer climate than the Humboldt Bay Area.

Skate and bike
park
Named repeatedly in the teen focus group; a prior Tony Hawk donation effort shows the community appetite exists and has history. Could be privately developed, foundation-funded, or a hybrid. This is not a City operational commitment.

Outdoor activities
and adventure
services
Consistent interest in services that make it easier for residents and visitors to access Fortuna's outdoor assets — river, trails, redwoods. Strongest opportunity tied to “trail town” positioning and river access development.

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 26 of 27 June 2026 Markets & street
fairs
Significant interest across all types of engagement and groups in a Farmers' Market that is in a less windy location and provides more of interest to families as an outing. Street fairs, perhaps inspired by Eureka’s Friday Night Market, also came up as an interest, particularly from teens, as social events that appeal to a wide variety of people.

Agritourism
experiences
Connecting visitors to the Eel Valley's niche agricultural producers, landscape, and activities — named by business owners and community members; requires entrepreneurial operators and marketing capacity, not City infrastructure.

Experiential
regional attraction
Pursuing development of a regional draw akin to Sequoia Park's Skywalk — an attraction that puts Fortuna on the map for day-trippers and 101 travelers. Requires a developer, operator, and likely a public-private partnership.

Healthy & local
food options
Named across age groups and backgrounds; Farmers' Market was a consistently appreciated touchstone, especially with a downtown home that is less windy and a more vibrant weekend format.

Skills training and
maker space
Youth and young adults named interest in local opportunities to develop trades, creative, and entrepreneurial skills — could be an independent operator, a CR partnership, or an employer-led program.

Childcare Consistently named as a barrier to workforce participation, especially for young families and Spanish-speaking households.

Niche retail and
apparel
Named by teens and young adults as a consistent gap — currently requiring a drive to Eureka. Note that it is likely the strongest local retail concepts in markets this size tend to be experience-oriented, tightly curated, or tied to a specific community identity (outdoor gear, local makers, heritage goods) rather than general merchandise.

Trail-connected
lodging and
hospitality
Visitors often pass through without staying. Lodging, food, and hospitality services close to the river — with river-viewing decks, bike storage, and local character — and future trail developments represent a documented gap with real economic upside.

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 27 of 27 June 2026 This page intentionally left blank as a back page for notes about questions, coordination needs, Compass consistency, and updates to longer-term Plan elements or direction.

Appendix: Informing the Strategic Plan – Future Fortuna Listening Campaign & Workshops Results Summary This information is provided for transparency and illustration of how Strategic Priorities in the Future Fortuna planning process arose over several seasons of listening and then exploring and refining the results. Analysis is based on the frequency of topics that emerged as themes across instruments of listening and engagement (interviews, focus groups, workshops, and polling). Topical themes were coded for presence when any related underlying concern is clearly mentioned or addressed, even when planning terminology is absent — for example, teen requests for arcades, restaurants, street markets, and internships are coded as economic development signals (Priority #4); the same comments are also coded as youth-supporting amenities (Priority #8). As this indicates, participation themes may be related to more than one Priority, e.g. youth sports facilities and amenities were named both as a youth/family need and as a potential strategy for regional economic draw. Interview and focus group results reflect coding of detailed, synthesized reports on each; results from workshops are based on photographs of work products with content arising from the listening campaign and/or developed by participants (see example images, below table, and note that generational results are not included here). Results of the final staff-Council session in April are not depicted here as a presentation and discussion of priorities crafted in the staff workshop were turned into the Strategic Plan and GPU Recommendations. For detailed results see the City of Fortuna Listening Campaign Report and the Future Fortuna Workshops Report.

Strategic Plan Priority &
Top Related Participation
Themes
Community
Interviews*
(n=19)
Staff
Interviews*
(n=19)
Council
Interviews*
(n=5)
Immigrant Focus
Group *
Nov. 2025
(n=12)
Teen Focus
Group*
Dec. 2025
(n=8)
Staff Workshop 1,
Nov. 2025
Turned initial listening
campaign results into
exploratory strategic
priorities
Community Workshops 1-2,
March & April 2026 **
(n=~150 participants)
Workshop products were cumulative. Participants contributed ideas via post-its and emphasis with stars for preferences about ideas shared. See photos, below.

W1 Feedback Card & W1-W2 Mentimeter Polls,
March-April 2026 ***
(n=40: W1 feedback cards re: draft compass)
n=186) 162 respondents during and the week
following W1 re: guiding principles; 24 respondents re:

City priorities between workshops. See photos, below.

Staff Workshop 2,
April 2026
Priority commitments developed
and Council asks named****

1. Clarity, Culture & Capacity
for Organizational Health
Establish direction that outlasts any
one leader; protect institutional
knowledge through succession
transitions; build cross-department
collaboration as standard practice;
use Compass as working tool, not a
wall display
12/19
(63%)
19/19
(100%)
3/5 Present —
participants
described not
knowing what the
City's priorities are
or how decisions
get made; the
tokenism quote
reflects a vision/
accountability gap
Weak/indirect —
teens engaged
when the facilitator
introduced the
concept of a plan,
but did not raise
the City's lack of
direction
independently
Dominant theme —
staff named "north
star," spinning
compass, and "once
City Managers leave,
the vision leaves" as
their top organizational
concern
“Having help with long-range planning... wow, that's huge" ★10 — highest starred item on Points of Gain at Station 1. Points of Pain:

Vision & Direction drew multi-generational response: "Either I'm uninformed on what the vision is, or it doesn't exist" ★3.

Opportunity: "ensure the new Strategic Plan is rooted in community and staff priorities — not any one leader's preferences" ★12; develop clear decision-making filters ★11; review legacy commitments ★8
Strong – 88% of 157 respondents during and immediately
after Workshop 1 said Fortuna needs a vision; 66% didn't know if one had ever existed. "Leadership with clear
direction" ranked #1 in the 2040 vision (Workshop 1
English poll). Between-workshops priority poll: "Fortuna needs a plan" ranked #2 most urgent issue and was the
single most-selected top issue (7 of 21 respondents named it first). Clear Direction ranked #1 Fortuna value for
Boomers; consistent top-3 across all generations and both language polls.

Staff confirmed Compass elements
and decision filter use since
November. Internal priorities matrix:

Purpose Statement, job
descriptions/onboarding, and
meeting redesign named as
pre-commitments.

2. Our People — Staff
Retention, Pay & Succession
Competitive pay is critical; avoid City
as stepping-stone-to-elsewhere
dynamic; 4-day work week helps
morale; plan for succession and
maintain institutional knowledge
9/19
(47%)
19/19
(100%)
3/5 Absent — not a
focus of the
Spanish-speaking
immigrant
community's
experience
Indirect — teens'
aspirational
framing of leaving
Fortuna for lack of
jobs/futures is the
community-facing
consequence of
this priority
Strong — staff named
pay compression,
turnover risk, and
"stepping stone"
dynamic consistently;
34-hour week named
as morale tool
Consistent with this being an internal City Hall concern, not a top public priority. Staff recruitment and retention received ★10 in spending priorities, present as a mid-tier preference. Staff capacity constraints named explicitly at Station 1: "everyone playing multiple roles, impacting their ability to provide communications beyond the basics."
Indirect — not a named issue in either poll, consistent with this being an internal City Hall priority not visible to the general public. Indirectly present in the values ranking:
"Committed Service — recognition that staff work hard"
ranked in all generational responses, signaling community awareness of and appreciation for staff.

Internal priorities matrix: competitive
pay as non-negotiable; 4-day work
week as explicit retention tool; full
cost of turnover calculation identified
as near-term commitment. Council
role: treat compensation as a priority,
not a wish.

3. Fiscal Foundation —
Revenue, Cost Accounting &
Honest Commitments
Know the true cost of everything
before committing; evaluate legacy
commitments honestly; sales tax
measure as bridge to economic
vitality; fees should reflect real cost
of services; stop accumulating
unfunded maintenance obligations
16/19
(84%)
18/19
(95%)
5/5 Present — job
opportunities and
economic security
named as top-3
priorities;
affordable housing
a recurring concern
connected to
economic stability
Indirect — teens'
requests (arcade,
theater,
restaurants, skate
park) reflect
awareness that
Fortuna lacks
amenities; not
discussed in fiscal
terms
Strong — revenue
generation
acknowledged as the
utmost priority above
all others; River Lodge
and legacy
commitments
discussed explicitly
At Station 3, Economic Future of Our City, revenue & retail capture “pain” garnered ★51 (the highest single starred cluster across all six station banners) and “opportunities” garnered ★24. Spending priority exercise at Station 1 was the primary signal: participants distributed stars across categories with economic development ★18, police ★20, parks ★18, and pool support ★17 all in the top tier — reflecting implicit prioritization of City revenue spending. "How are we going to grow and support City services sustainably?" named in What's Missing. Pre-permitting Mill Site named as a spending priority ★★.

Present – Economic Resilience ("the status quo is not
sustainable") ranked #2 core value in Workshop 1 overall, behind only Quality of Life; named in top 3 by every
generation. Between-workshops poll: "Fortuna needs a
plan — generating City revenue to meet our needs"
ranked #2 most urgent issue, with revenue generation
explicitly embedded in the framing. "Balancing character with growth" ranked #4 most urgent issue
(between-workshops poll, n=23 English), reflecting the
trade-off tension this priority navigates.

Strategy Maps for Revenue
Generation, Tax Measure &
Long-Term Cost Accounting both
developed sprint maps. Top issues:
educate community on General Fund
vs. Enterprise Fund ★3; asset
inventory and time-tracking. Council
asks: create volunteer Tax Measure
committee, canvass, support
messaging, do not edit tested ballot
language ★9; investment in
infrastructure★4.

4. Economic Development to
Build Fortuna's Future
Dedicated City economic
development function needed; Mill
Site development prerequisites;
Main Street and downtown vitality;
business attraction and brand
identity; freeway capture and
lodging; living wage jobs and career
pathways; workforce and affordable
housing as economic development
foundation
19/19
(100%)
19/19
(100%)
5/5 Strong — job
opportunities and
economic security
named as top-3
priorities;
immigrant
participants
expressed desire
for businesses,
entrepreneurship
resources, and jobs
that allow families
to stay
Strong — teens as
underserved age
group for local
activities; youth
entrepreneurship
resources; sports
programs and safe
gathering spaces;
affordable housing
named as essential
to family stability
and youth ability to
stay in Fortuna
Dominant — dedicated
Econ Dev't function
named as #1 City need;
Mill Site prerequisites
and revenue growth
roadmap were top
priorities. Economic
development sprint
map future ideal:
roundabouts built out
+ Mill Site ★★; vibrant
retail/sales/tax base
★★.

In top spending tier at Station 1, economic development ★18 and business recruitment/retention ★17; with tourism/marketing ★21.

Partner with local education for internships and youth
entrepreneurship ★23 was the highest starred item in the station's opportunity set. Mill Site infrastructure readiness ★8; pre-permitting Mill Site ★★. At Station 3 (Economic Future of Our City) drew heavy star density for key topics: revenue/retail capture, Main Street vitality, Mill Site vision, and living wage jobs. "Get people to stop, spend, stay" and "become a hub — draw businesses Eureka is pushing away" named across community, business, and Council voices.

Dominant – Economic Development & Businesses
selected by 57% as a top-two 5–10 year focus in Workshop 1 (highest of all options by a wide margin); Spanish poll:

Economic Development tied #1 at 67%.

Between-workshops poll: "Main Street going quiet — early closures, empty storefronts, dollars leaving to Eureka" ranked #1 most urgent issue by average score; "The Mill Site — Fortuna's biggest land opportunity, still waiting" ranked #5. Economic Resilience ranked #2 core value
across all generations. Convergence across both polls,
both languages, and all generations.

Near-term priorities: establish City
Econ Dev't function, develop
Fortuna's economic identity and
brand, streamline process for right-fit
businesses, prioritize Mill Site
infrastructure prerequisites. Council
role: free up staff time from boards
★3; create a community Econ Dev't
working group; give staff time to
pursue grants.

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 APPENDIX A1 of A4 June, 2026 Strategic Plan Priority &
Top Related Participation
Themes
Community
Interviews*
(n=19)
Staff
Interviews*
(n=19)
Council
Interviews*
(n=5)
Immigrant Focus
Group *
Nov. 2025
(n=12)
Teen Focus
Group*
Dec. 2025
(n=8)
Staff Workshop 1,
Nov. 2025
Turned initial listening
campaign results into
exploratory strategic
priorities
Community Workshops 1-2,
March & April 2026 **
(n=~150 participants)
Workshop products were cumulative. Participants contributed ideas via post-its and emphasis with stars for preferences about ideas shared. See photos, below.

W1 Feedback Card & W1-W2 Mentimeter Polls,
March-April 2026 ***
(n=40: W1 feedback cards re: draft compass)
n=186) 162 respondents during and the week
following W1 re: guiding principles; 24 respondents re:

City priorities between workshops. See photos, below.

Staff Workshop 2,
April 2026
Priority commitments developed
and Council asks named****

5. A Development-Ready City
— Permitting, Design &
Standards
Make building in Fortuna
predictable, fair, and fast for the
right projects; clear design standards
protect character without blocking
good development; streamlined
permitting enables economic dev’t
the community wants
3/19
(16%)
9/19
(47%)
2/5 Absent — not a
focus of immigrant
community's
experience
Absent — not
raised
Present — staff named
burdensome
permitting as a barrier
to economic
development; "did our
process create
something so
burdensome people
say 'yeah, no, I'm
good'?"
Building permit streamlining received ★4 in Workshop 1 spending priorities — low but present. Pre-permitting Mill Site development ★★. Consistent with interview pattern: public names community and economic development outcomes they want; permitting process is not independently surfaced as a priority concern.

Indirect — not named as a standalone issue in either poll; embedded in economic development and Mill Site
framing. "Infrastructure" tied at 27% in Workshop 1
spending priorities, overlapping with the infrastructure prerequisites that make development-readiness possible.

The public names the outcomes (businesses, jobs, Mill Site activity); permitting is the mechanism staff and Council understand as the path there.

Strategy maps for Streamlining
Development Process, Design
Standards & Housing. Permit
timelines and permitting audit
named as urgent ★5. Simplify fee
schedule ★4. Design standards
adoption ★4 as a GPU planning
priority; train the Planning
Commission ★ and provide them
with Compass ★. Council role: trust
staff to make ministerial decisions ★.

6. Parks, Trails & Outdoors —
Fortuna's Natural Advantage
Beloved key of Fortuna’s identity;
only expand what we can maintain;
Riverwalk restoration as visible proof
of City commitment; pursue a trail
system (Great Redwood, Strongs
Creek, Riverwalk) and Eel River
access as economic/recreation asset;
regional sports destination potential;
volunteer corps to reduce costs and
build community ownership
18/19
(95%)
12/19
(63%)
3/5 Present —
Riverwalk named as
a source of
community pride
and also visible
neglect; desire for
safe outdoor spaces
for families
Strong — river
access (fishing,
kayaking,
paddleboarding),
more trails, cleaner
parks, and
skate/bike park
named repeatedly;
outdoor spaces a
top gap
Present —
maintenance burden of
grant-funded
acquisitions; parks &
rec staffing constraints;
volunteer
infrastructure noted as
asset
Parks & Rec programs rated highly across all generations. Natural beauty (river, redwoods, trails) named as widely source of community pride. Riverwalk is both beloved and visibly neglected — "prime real estate you can make something of" — with a clear multi-generational shared vision: trail system, riverfront park, connected to the Great Redwood Trail. Maintenance burden of grant-funded acquisitions named as a structural concern. What's Missing: sidewalks and trails the highest-starred cluster; community pool called for across multiple generations; river access named independently by multiple contributors. Becoming "Trail Town" and GRT connection to Mill Site named economic opportunity. Spending priorities at Station 1: parks ★18, parks maintenance ★15, trails ★13, river access ★13, GRT development ★11, pool support ★17.

Present — Quality of Life ranked #1 Fortuna value across every instrument, every generation, and both language
polls — 20 of 26 paper card respondents ranked it first (avg 5.43 of 6); #1 on W1 Mentimeter (n=162 combined);
top-3 across every generation. Parks, trails, river, and natural beauty are explicitly embedded in its definition as stated in the Compass. W1 City Focus question: Tourism
and City marketing selected by respondents as a top-two focus, consistent with outdoor recreation and trail-town positioning (n=100 English respondents to that question).

Strategy map for Parks + Trails +
Outdoors: maintenance plan
required for all projects ★3;
[pursuing] grants identified as urgent
but limited by staff capacity. Ideal:
connected trail system town to river
★★; all-weather sports fields at
Newburg ★★. Council role:
dedicated grant writer ★5.

7. Pedestrian Safety &
Connections
Safety to walk around town, day and
night, is a widely shared aspiration;
12th St/Newburg intersection a
safety priority across community;
pedestrian connections that link
economic activity nodes; safe routes
to school
7/19
(37%)
4/19
(21%)
1/5 Strong — traffic
light at 12th &
Newburg named as
an immediate
safety priority;
pedestrian
infrastructure for
children and
families a top
concern; police on
bikes requested
Present — feel
unsafe as
pedestrians,
especially near
school; 12th Street
named as unsafe
(convergence with
immigrant focus
group)
Present — pedestrian
connectivity named as
an infrastructure
priority; school-route
gaps identified
Pedestrian safety surfaces as a secondary signal at Station 2, concentrated in "Places to Go": teens describe it as unsafe to get to many places as a pedestrian, especially at night ★★; safe pedestrian infrastructure near schools and on Main Street named in Opportunities ★6. Station 4 (Outdoors & Public Spaces) What's Missing banner: sidewalks drew the highest starred cluster, with multiple independent contributions across generations; bike trails and multi-use path from River Lodge to Main Street also starred. "Fix Newburg & 12th St — possible roundabout?" named in Station 1 What's Missing. Spending priorities: sidewalks ★9, improved ped/bike facilities ★9, street lighting ★6. Cross-station presence without single-participant inflation concerns.

Present — Between-workshops poll (n=24 combined; 23
English + 1 Spanish): "Getting around safely — walkability, lighting, and dangerous crossings" ranked #1 most urgent issue by the Spanish-language respondent and #7 (last) by average score among English respondents. This
cross-language divergence — last for English speakers, first for the Spanish-language respondent — directly mirrors
the pattern in interviews and focus groups and is one of the strongest signals in the dataset that this priority is felt most acutely by communities least represented in
traditional civic participation.

Strategy map for Ped Safety/Access:
identify funding partners ★ + most
important connections; transport for
disadvantaged populations as
priority. Ideal: Riverwalk → Mill Site
→ Strongs Creek connection ★★;
sidewalks across all of Fortuna ★;
connecting Riverwalk to downtown
★★. GPU priorities: require
sidewalks in all developments;
require trail easements ★. Council
role: grant-writing capacity ★4; CIP
access to funding.

8. Youth, Recreation &
Community Life
Close the activity programming gap
for teens; give young people reasons
to stay and come back; expand
“third places” beyond school and
home; career pathways that don't
require leaving; community events
as economic and social anchors; lean
into family-friendly developments
e.g. becoming a sports destination
18/19
(95%)
12/19
(63%)
4/5 Present — teen
activities as
underserved age
group;
entrepreneurship
resources for
youth; sports
programs; safe
gathering spaces
Dominant — the
focus group
centered on topic;
nothing to do after
school, bored,
unsafe as peds,
need for arcades/
theater/skate
park/restaurants;
feel cared about
but not always
seen
Present — youth
programming, career
pathways, and
community events all
named; sports
destination potential
for regional revenue
The "Growing Up & Feeling At Home" station had participation energy across both workshops, particularly from younger generations: Gen Z & Alpha post-its and stars were concentrated here more than any other station. Highest single star cluster at this station: "theater closed, no arcade, no music venue, it feels flat and boring" ★12. Top starred opportunities: gathering spaces teens can call their own ★12; sports destination as youth retention AND revenue strategy ★7. Spanish additions: free/low-cost arts classes, day and night recreation for all ages, cultural events representing all communities. "Genuine engagement — not tokenism" ★4. Trades education partnership with schools/college was the single highest spending priority across all categories at Station 1 ★23, and visual preference for images of youth sports/activities/training ★58.

Youth needs appeared at the other 5 collaboration stations without prompting. Youth in action images were among the highest-starred visual preferences.

Strong — "Young people leaving — not enough to do as
teens or families; not enough jobs or housing" ranked #6 most urgent issue in between-workshops poll (n=23
English); ranked #2 by the Spanish-language respondent.

W1 City Focus question: Youth programs selected by 30%
of English respondents and 67% of Spanish respondents
(n=5) as a top-two focus — tied for #3 overall in English, tied for #1 in Spanish. Youth needs appeared at 5 of 6
collaboration stations without prompting.

Econ Dev’t & Ped Safety strategy
maps named Active All-Weather
Sports Center at Newburg ★★ and
assist McLean with pool
development as longer-term
priorities. Youth Outreach Letter to
partner organizations named as
Important + High Impact on priorities
matrix ★★★. Youth + family
oriented development: GPU to
identify where and how to zone ★.

City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 APPENDIX A2 of A4 June, 2026 Strategic Plan Priority &
Top Related Participation
Themes
Community
Interviews*
(n=19)
Staff
Interviews*
(n=19)
Council
Interviews*
(n=5)
Immigrant Focus
Group *
Nov. 2025
(n=12)
Teen Focus
Group*
Dec. 2025
(n=8)
Staff Workshop 1,
Nov. 2025
Turned initial listening
campaign results into
exploratory strategic
priorities
Community Workshops 1-2,
March & April 2026 **
(n=~150 participants)
Workshop products were cumulative. Participants contributed ideas via post-its and emphasis with stars for preferences about ideas shared. See photos, below.

W1 Feedback Card & W1-W2 Mentimeter Polls,
March-April 2026 ***
(n=40: W1 feedback cards re: draft compass)
n=186) 162 respondents during and the week
following W1 re: guiding principles; 24 respondents re:

City priorities between workshops. See photos, below.

Staff Workshop 2,
April 2026
Priority commitments developed
and Council asks named****

9. Building a Communication
Culture & Fortuna's Voice
Community in the dark about what
City does and why — a solvable
problem; make staff's invisible work
visible; Spanish-language access as
civic equity and legal obligation;
proactive communication as
governance accountability tool, not
PR
13/19
(68%)
9/19
(47%)
3/5 Strong — language
barrier is the
defining civic
participation
barrier; participants
described sending
children to pay
water bills; not
knowing Council
members or City
priorities; tokenism
quote
Present — only
hear about City via
election yard signs;
desire for genuine
engagement
("come to us");
experience with
tokenism
Present — "invisible
work" outreach
strategy named; staff
described public as not
understanding what
they do; social media
and communications
capacity identified as a
need
Comments about improving the means for community participation received the most energy at the “Our City Leadership & How We Participate” station ★22. "If people saw that their input actually mattered, they would be more likely to speak up" ★4. Staff work invisible to the public ★7. Spanish-language access named repeatedly and independently across generations: City Hall working for all Fortuna residents in their language ★★; Spanish content in Parks & Rec announcements and City news named separately.

Trusted messengers (Centro del Pueblo, Black Humboldt, churches, Farmers Market booth) named as outreach strategy.

Tourism/marketing ★21 in spending priorities — the public understands communication as an economic development tool.

Present — Public Communications & Engagement selected
by 23% of English respondents as a top-two City Focus
(W1 City Focus Mentimeter question, n=100 English).

Between-workshops poll: "Fortuna needs a plan" (#2 most urgent, n=23 English) is fundamentally a communication
and governance accountability finding — 66% of W1
Mentimeter respondents (n=157 English) didn't know if
Fortuna has had a vision, reflecting a communication and planning. Poll in Spanish poll (n=5): include
Spanish-speaking residents named a priority. Betweenworkshops respondent in Spanish named "online participation option" that would make participation easier — consistent with the access gap this priority addresses.

External priorities matrix, highest on
the “meaningful impact” scale:

Spanish Access — standardize
communications to Spanish
translation + interpretation ★5.

Social media proactive engagement
★4; online presence for [providing]
correct info ★★. Explore
communications interns ★. Council
role: support tax measure messaging;
talking points for staff.
* All interviews and focus groups were based on open-ended questions that did not bring up specific issues, allowing respondents to answer in any way they deemed fit. ** While the first community workshop (W1) was designed to review listening campaign results, provide feedback about “what’s missing” from results, and test initial compass principles, and W2 was designed primarily to apply the draft compass to development of strategic/land use ideas and indications of preferences, many of the work product results generated during workshops were cumulative from both, so reporting above cannot be distinguished between the two events. Post-its and stars were color-coded by generation – primarily to visually understand interests of the youngest generations (red) since the community is so clear about their importance – however, generational differences in results are not delved into in reports. *** Includes responses in English and Spanish. Out of 40 total W1 paper feedback surveys, there were 26 valid values rankings and 25 valid vision rankings. For the between-workshops Mentimeter poll, n=100 of 157 English W1 respondents who answered the question about priorities for City Focus. Before roughly 70 high school students weighed in on the last day the first poll was open, results were slightly different (but not fully documented before results changed quickly within hours), so the final results lean toward 55% Gen Z-Alpha participation. **** For a description of the final staff-Council joint working session, see the Future Fortuna Workshop Results Report.

Example Images of Work Products from Community Workshops 1-2 & Associated Polls City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 APPENDIX A3 of A4 June, 2026 City of Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036 APPENDIX A4 of A4 June, 2026

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036:

Guía de navegación para el liderazgo municipal
Preparado por Jen Rice Consults para la Ciudad de Fortuna ● junio de 2026 Índice
Introducción 1

1. La Brújula de Fortuna 2

2. Por qué este plan, por qué ahora 4

3. Prioridades 6
Prioridad 1: Claridad, cultura y capacidad para la salud organizacional 7 Prioridad 2: Nuestra gente — retención del personal, salarios y sucesión 8 Prioridad 3: Base fiscal — ingresos, contabilidad de costos y compromisos honestos 9 Prioridad 4: Desarrollo económico para construir el futuro de Fortuna 11 Prioridad 5: Una Ciudad lista para el desarrollo — permisos, diseño y normas 13 Prioridad 6: Parques, senderos y aire libre — la ventaja natural de Fortuna 14 Prioridad 7: Seguridad peatonal y conexiones 15
Prioridad 8: Juventud, recreación y vida comunitaria 16 Prioridad 9: Construir una cultura de comunicación y la voz de Fortuna 17

4. Este plan en la práctica 18
A. Usar este plan para guiar el trabajo diario 18
B. Retroalimentación, aprendizaje y adaptación 18

5. Banco de ideas 23
A. Ideas que la Ciudad puede liderar o apoyar directamente 23 B. Ideas que necesitan un impulsor, colaborador o socio sin fines de lucro 25 C. Necesidades listas para el desarrollo de negocios 26 Apéndice:

Resumen de resultados de la participación de la comunidad y el personal Foto de portada cortesía de la Cámara de Comercio de Fortuna. Otras fotografías por Justin Grimaldo de Sightseer Productions o Jen Rice Consults.

Introducción
Este Plan Estratégico es una guía de trabajo para el personal y el Concilio de la Ciudad, diseñada para usarse en la mesa de trabajo, no para guardarse en un estante. Surgió de casi un año de escucha — y del terreno común genuino que surgió entre miembros de la comunidad de diversos sectores, dueños de negocios, personal y el Concilio. Guía cómo el personal y el Concilio establecen prioridades, toman decisiones, asignan recursos, aprenden y se adaptan juntos — sin importar quién esté liderando ni lo que se presente.

Cada elemento de este plan surgió del proceso de escucha comunitaria más completo en la historia de Fortuna: se contactó a 63 personas durante entrevistas y dos grupos focales en el otoño, luego a cerca de 150 personas en dos talleres comunitarios, 155 en línea, 64 en una encuesta de negocios liderada por la comunidad, además de talleres con el personal y el Concilio. La consistencia entre todas esas voces es el mandato detrás de este plan.

Cómo usar este documento

1. La Brújula es una herramienta desprendible para todo informe del personal, todo paquete de orientación del Concilio, toda reunión de liderazgo, y toda decisión importante.

2. Por qué este plan, por qué ahora brinda claridad y contexto sobre el mandato detrás del plan.

3. Prioridades indican hacia dónde se dirige la Ciudad y con qué está comprometida. Los compromisos están organizados por urgencia, con lineamientos claros de seguimiento de desempeño.

4. Este plan en la práctica explica cómo este documento se conecta con los planes de trabajo de los departamentos, el presupuesto, las propuestas al Concilio y las contrataciones.

5. El banco de ideas es para directores y socios: ideas prometedoras del proceso que todavía no son compromisos de primera prioridad.

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 1 de 34 junio 2026

1. La Brújula de Fortuna
La Brújula es el resultado más duradero de este proceso de planificación. ¿Por qué una Brújula? Una brújula no te dice a dónde ir; te ayuda a encontrar tu camino una vez que decides, sin importar las condiciones del entorno. Es una herramienta gráfica que representa los principios rectores de la Ciudad en la práctica. Cada miembro del Concilio (5 de 5) y muchos miembros del personal y de la comunidad entrevistados dijeron una versión de lo mismo:

Fortuna necesita una dirección que no se vaya cuando se va un administrador municipal. La Brújula es esa dirección — no una personalidad, no las metas de un solo líder, sino principios compartidos que la Ciudad posee en conjunto y usa para navegar — de manera consistente, transparente, a través del tiempo.

El liderazgo de la Ciudad puede determinar que la Brújula necesite actualizarse o reformatearse en algún momento, y los departamentos o el personal pueden adaptarla a sus necesidades específicas de manera consistente con la versión maestra.

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 2 de 34 junio 2026 Visión de la Ciudad
Fortuna es un motor económico vital y una comunidad próspera y conectada para personas de todas las edades. La Ciudad lidera con dirección clara, ofrece servicios confiables, y encuentra un camino hacia adelante, juntos.

En una encuesta en línea con 128 participantes, el 88% dijo que Fortuna necesita una visión. Los participantes del taller comunitario clasificaron el motor económico en primer lugar; una encuesta comunitaria iniciada en el primer taller, con una fuerte participación de estudiantes de la preparatoria de Fortuna, clasificó la comunidad conectada en primer lugar. Ambas encabezan esta visión, porque los residentes de Fortuna de todas las generaciones las repitieron una y otra vez. La necesidad de un sentido más claro de dirección, visión o plan se expresó ampliamente en las entrevistas y obtuvo el primer lugar en la encuesta en línea entre talleres. Lograr de manera confiable que “la vida cotidiana funcione” fue motivo de orgullo para el personal. “Encontrar un camino hacia adelante — juntos” proviene de dos fuentes: 1) el personal, durante las entrevistas y los talleres, señaló que ser adaptable y lograr mucho con pocos recursos (o ser “ingenioso”) es una parte esencial de su cultura de trabajo; y 2) durante (y la semana después de) la encuesta en línea del primer taller comunitario, este sentimiento quedó en segundo lugar en importancia.

Valores centrales
¿Qué es exclusivamente importante para esta comunidad en cada acción que toma la Ciudad? Calidad de vida:
familia, naturaleza
y vecinos
Seguridad, vida familiar, cuidado de los jóvenes, limpieza, parques, bosques y el río. El valor #1 de Fortuna en todos los métodos y generaciones de este proceso.

Conexión y cuidado
comunitario
Un sentido de comunidad unida, grandes eventos comunitarios, voluntariado, y apoyarse mutuamente.

Resiliencia
económica
La situación actual no es sostenible. Generar ingresos para la Ciudad es esencial para mantener los servicios municipales e invertir en lo que los residentes de Fortuna quieren.

Dirección clara Decisiones consistentes basadas en principios compartidos que perduran más allá de cualquier líder. Todos los miembros del Concilio entrevistados nombraron esto como esencial.

Carácter
comunitario
Conservar el ambiente histórico, el encanto y el acceso a los espacios naturales — mientras se hace lugar para un crecimiento que apoye la identidad y las prioridades de Fortuna.

Servicio
comprometido
Reconocer que el personal pone empeño en su trabajo arduo para ofrecer servicios esenciales y eficientes, que la comunidad lo valora, y que merece apoyo.

Estos valores no fueron asignados por la consultora ni por el administrador municipal.

Fueron las palabras que aparecieron repetidamente, en todos los métodos de participación y en todos los grupos, cuando se les hicieron preguntas abiertas a los participantes sobre lo que más importa a esta comunidad. Calidad de Vida quedó en el puesto #1 como valor en todos los métodos, todas las generaciones y ambos idiomas de las encuestas. Dirección Clara fue nombrada como esencial por los cinco miembros del Concilio entrevistados de forma independiente.

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 3 de 34 junio 2026 Declaración de propósito de la Ciudad
Esta declaración será desarrollada por un equipo del personal dentro de los 90 días posteriores a la adopción del plan. Una Declaración de Misión describe lo que una organización hace. Una Declaración de Propósito describe por qué importa. En nuestro mundo de cambios acelerados, el propósito es lo que guía a las personas cuando las reglas no cubren situaciones nuevas. El propósito ayuda a un equipo diverso de departamentos y personas a avanzar en la misma dirección mientras el mundo a su alrededor cambia.

Esta declaración debe aparecer al inicio de cada reunión del Concilio, en los anuncios de empleo, y en los materiales de orientación para nuevos miembros del Concilio y empleados.

Filtros de decisión de política a nivel del
Concilio
Preguntas que surgieron en el proceso para que el
personal y el Concilio las usen al enfrentar
decisiones importantes. No es una lista de
verificación — es una disciplina. Hagan estas
preguntas para fomentar el pensamiento crítico y
guiar la discusión antes de recomendar o aprobar
acciones importantes.
• ¿Esto ayuda a que los jóvenes vean un futuro
aquí?
• ¿Quién se beneficia y quién asume el costo?
• ¿Podemos costearlo? ¿Podemos costear no
hacerlo?
• ¿Podemos mantenerlo, no solo construirlo?
• ¿Esto sirve a todos los residentes de Fortuna
en sus vecindarios e idiomas?
• ¿Esto honra lo que hace única a Fortuna
mientras crea espacio para lo que estamos
llegando a ser?
Filtros de decisión operativa a nivel del
personal
El personal ha estado usando estos filtros desde
noviembre de 2025 y los encuentra genuinamente
útiles al preparar propuestas. Mientras más se
practican, más automáticos se vuelven.
• ¿Se priorizó la misión sobre la comodidad?
• ¿Se está evitando una conversación difícil pero
necesaria?
• ¿Podemos decir que no?
• ¿Tenemos la capacidad y los recursos?
• ¿Esto aumenta o protege la capacidad de la
Ciudad?
• ¿Esto nos fortalece a largo plazo — y nos ayuda a
llegar ahí?
• ¿Impactos en la comunidad?
• ¿Impactos en los empleados afectados?
Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 4 de 34 junio 2026

2. Por qué este plan, por qué ahora
El panorama honesto
Fortuna es una ciudad que trabaja duro contra vientos estructurales en contra. Las industrias que antes generaban ingresos confiables — la madera, el cannabis — se han contraído. Los ingresos del Fondo General han disminuido durante cinco años. La Ciudad ha estado subsidiando el desarrollo con tarifas muy por debajo de las de jurisdicciones comparables. La infraestructura postergada por demasiado tiempo ahora cuesta varias veces más de lo que hubiera costado invertir antes. La retención del personal es frágil. Y no existe una función dedicada de desarrollo económico.

Al mismo tiempo, ocurrió algo poco común durante este proceso: un acuerdo genuino entre grupos que rara vez coinciden en la misma sala. Miembros de la comunidad, adolescentes, dueños de negocios, familias de habla hispana, personal de la Ciudad y miembros del Concilio nombraron las mismas prioridades — de forma independiente, a lo largo de varios meses. Ese acuerdo es resiliencia política y la base sobre la que se construye este plan.

Qué hace diferente a este Plan
La mayoría de los planes estratégicos se vuelven obsoletos o irrelevantes con facilidad porque solo hacen una pregunta: ¿hicimos lo que dijimos que haríamos? Este plan pregunta: ¿está funcionando realmente lo que estamos haciendo? Esa diferencia importa porque Fortuna está navegando una incertidumbre real — presión económica, realidades presupuestarias, mandatos estatales, cambios de liderazgo. Nadie puede predecir de antemano el camino perfecto. Los planes estratégicos también fallan cuando se sienten como un montón de nuevas obligaciones en lugar de una herramienta para hacer mejor el trabajo existente y con un propósito más claro. Los principios compartidos permiten que el personal sepa que va en la dirección correcta mientras prueba cosas nuevas, aprende de lo que sucede, y ajusta el rumbo en conjunto.

Este plan está diseñado como una herramienta para ayudar a la Ciudad a aprender más rápido de lo que se acumulan los desafíos, en lugar del enfoque tradicional de planificación y operación de “cumplimiento” estático.

Cada Prioridad incluye no solo compromisos, sino también un par de seguimiento de desempeño: un Detonante de Acción, es decir, un suceso que provoca una respuesta específica cuando las condiciones cambian, y Preguntas de Revisión estructuradas para que el equipo las haga regularmente y evalúe si el enfoque está funcionando o necesita ajustes. Estos no son elementos adicionales novedosos, son lo que mantiene vivo y útil a este plan.

La fuerte voz de la comunidad y el personal en la que se basa este Plan Miembros de la comunidad, adolescentes, dueños de negocios, familias de habla hispana, personal de la Ciudad y miembros del Concilio nombraron las mismas prioridades — de forma independiente, a lo largo de varios meses, usando palabras y métodos distintos. Esa consistencia entre fuentes no es producto de la facilitación ni del enfoque de las preguntas. Es lo que realmente sucedió.

La tabla en el Apéndice resume los hallazgos de nueve métodos de escucha y participación — entrevistas, grupos focales, talleres comunitarios, encuestas en línea, y sesiones de trabajo del personal y el Concilio — organizados según las nueve prioridades del Plan Estratégico. Vale la pena señalar aquí algunos patrones. ● En la encuesta en línea entre talleres (162 encuestados, en inglés y español), el 88% dijo que Fortuna necesita una visión y el 66% no sabía si alguna vez había existido una. ● Calidad de vida, tal como la definen los residentes de Fortuna, fue el valor mejor clasificado en todos los métodos y en todas las generaciones e idiomas.
● El desarrollo económico y la generación de ingresos surgieron de forma independiente como la prioridad más urgente, mencionada en primer o casi primer lugar por miembros de la comunidad, el personal, el Concilio, el grupo focal de inmigrantes y el grupo focal de adolescentes por igual.

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 5 de 34 junio 2026 ● Las necesidades de los jóvenes aparecieron en todas las estaciones de colaboración en ambos talleres comunitarios — todas menos una — sin que se les preguntara. Los adultos de todas las edades nombraron las necesidades de los jóvenes, y los adolescentes nombraron las suyas propias. ● Los problemas de seguridad peatonal, incluidas las intersecciones de la Calle 12 y Newburg, se plantearon como una preocupación de seguridad en las entrevistas comunitarias, el grupo focal de inmigrantes y el grupo focal de adolescentes de forma independiente, sin que hubiera contacto entre esas sesiones.

La participación del personal y la comunidad en este proceso no es una muestra estadística de la población de Fortuna, ni está diseñada para serlo. Es un esfuerzo amplio y de múltiples métodos para escuchar a una variedad diversa de la comunidad (y del personal), incluyendo a personas a las que la Ciudad no suele llegar, como adolescentes, familias de habla hispana y dueños de negocios locales, junto con residentes y personal que sí suelen participar. Las mismas prioridades surgieron en respuesta a preguntas abiertas, sin importar quién hablara. Esa consistencia es lo que hace defendible la dirección de este plan. Cuando los recursos son escasos y las decisiones son difíciles, este tipo de claridad es poco común. Cuando existe, es tanto una base para la acción como una protección contra la inevitable presión de volver a discutir asuntos ya resueltos.

Para conocer los hallazgos detallados organizados por tema y método, consulte el Informe de la Campaña de Escucha de la Ciudad de Fortuna y el Informe de los Talleres de Future Fortuna.

3. Prioridades
Nueve áreas de Prioridad surgieron a través de todo el proceso de participación — entrevistas comunitarias, grupos focales, encuesta de negocios, talleres comunitarios y encuesta en línea — y se exploraron y refinaron de forma iterativa durante dos sesiones de trabajo del personal y una del personal con el Concilio. Las Prioridades que siguen están organizadas con los compromisos internos primero, porque la capacidad de la Ciudad para ofrecer cualquier cosa hacia afuera depende de un Ayuntamiento que funcione bien. En la Sección 4, Este Plan en la Práctica, se describe un ciclo regular de retroalimentación y aprendizaje.

Cada Prioridad está estructurada para incluir lo siguiente:
● Hacia dónde nos dirigimos describe el estado futuro hacia el cual trabaja la Ciudad — lo suficientemente específico para tener sentido, y lo suficientemente duradero para perdurar más allá de los ciclos presupuestarios.
● Compromisos a corto plazo son acciones con las que la Ciudad se compromete dentro de dos años. ● Dirección a largo plazo describe hacia dónde se dirige la Prioridad en diez años — menos definida, porque las condiciones cambiarán, pero identifica la meta hacia la cual trabajar. ● Roles del Concilio y/o socios nombra las solicitudes específicas que el personal no puede cumplir por sí solo.
● Seguimiento de desempeño es donde este plan se distingue más claramente de los planes estratégicos tradicionales. Cada Prioridad incluye dos herramientas que, juntas, son lo que mantiene a este documento como una herramienta de trabajo y no solo un registro de buenas intenciones:
o Detonantes de acción — una condición acordada de antemano que provoca automáticamente una respuesta específica cuando se cruza, eliminando la necesidad de debatir la condición en medio de una crisis. Los Detonantes de Acción tienen que ver con mantener el rumbo. o Preguntas de revisión — una o más preguntas estructuradas que el equipo de liderazgo se hace regularmente para evaluar si el enfoque realmente está funcionando. Las Preguntas de Revisión tienen que ver con si el rumbo mismo sigue siendo el correcto.

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 6 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 1:

Claridad, cultura y capacidad para la salud organizacional El lodo en el agua está empezando a aclararse. — Personal de la Ciudad Los temas de salud organizacional se mencionaron en 16 de 19 entrevistas al personal y por 4 de 5 miembros del Concilio. Fue un tema dominante entre las principales prioridades en ambos talleres del personal.

Hacia dónde nos dirigimos
La Ciudad opera desde valores compartidos y roles claros. Cada miembro del personal entiende cómo su trabajo se conecta con el propósito y la dirección de Fortuna. La Brújula es una herramienta de trabajo — no solo una decoración plastificada en la pared — integrada en cómo el personal prepara propuestas, dirige reuniones, y orienta a los nuevos compañeros. Las reuniones de liderazgo se enfocan en la estrategia, no solo en informes de estado.

Compromisos a corto plazo (2 años) Dirección a largo
plazo (10 años)
❑ 1N1. Desarrollar una Declaración de Propósito de la Ciudad: equipo del personal, plazo de 90 días desde la adopción del plan; incorporarla en las reuniones del Concilio, los anuncios de empleo, y la orientación de nuevo personal
❑ 1N2. Reescribir las descripciones de puesto alineadas con las prioridades y los Valores Centrales del Plan Estratégico, incluyendo trayectorias de desarrollo del personal y medidas de responsabilidad
❑ 1N3. Rediseñar las reuniones de directores de departamento para centrarse en la implementación del Plan Estratégico, no en informes, y organizar las reuniones de departamento para que se retroalimenten con las reuniones de directores ❑ 1N4. Actualizar la Guía de Orientación del Concilio basada en el proceso de este año ❑ 1N5. Exigir la revisión de la Brújula en todos los informes importantes del personal antes del Concilio, incluyendo análisis entre varios departamentos cuando los temas abarquen a toda la organización
❑ 1N6. Implementar el registro de tiempo para capturar los costos operativos reales por departamento
❑ 1L1. Conversaciones
de planificación de
sucesión integradas a
nivel de departamento
❑ 1L2. Revisión anual de
la estructura
organizacional en
relación con las
prioridades de la
Ciudad
❑ 1L3. El Plan
Estratégico
incorporado en todos
los planes de trabajo,
evaluaciones de
desempeño, y filtros
de contratación
Rol del Concilio
El Concilio establece la política; el personal la ejecuta dentro de esa dirección. Confiar en que el personal tome decisiones operativas y administrativas de rutina basadas en una dirección de política clara empodera al personal a la vez que mantiene la rendición de cuentas — es la división de roles apropiada. Al retirar puntos de la agenda, den al personal el máximo aviso posible e indiquen la pregunta central y el o los principios de la Brújula relacionados.

Salud organizacional: seguimiento de desempeño
Detonante de acción: Si las reuniones de directores pasan un trimestre sin hacer referencia explícita ni dar seguimiento al progreso y aprendizaje que contribuye a una Prioridad del Plan Estratégico, el administrador municipal realiza una revisión estructurada del diseño de las reuniones.

Preguntas de revisión semestrales: ¿Está la Brújula realmente cambiando cómo se toman las decisiones? ¿Qué necesitaríamos cambiar para notar la diferencia entre tener un plan y tener un plan que nos ayude a ser y hacer lo mejor posible?
Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 7 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 2:

Nuestra gente — retención del personal, salarios y sucesión Me quedo por la gente con la que trabajo — nos apoyamos unos a otros. — Entrevistado del personal Los temas de personal, compensación y sucesión surgieron sin que se preguntara en 17 de 19 entrevistas al personal y en 3 de 5 entrevistas a miembros del Concilio. La fuerza laboral y el personal surgieron como prioridades importantes a corto plazo en el taller del personal de abril de 2026 y como un tema principal en la encuesta independiente liderada por la comunidad a 64 negocios de Fortuna. En la encuesta entre talleres, “los jóvenes se van — no hay suficientes empleos ni vivienda” quedó en tercer lugar entre los temas urgentes (en primer lugar para el 14% de los encuestados en inglés). Varios entrevistados del personal y participantes de los talleres lo nombraron como el problema más propenso a debilitar todas las demás Prioridades si no se atiende.

Hacia dónde nos dirigimos
La Ciudad es reconocida como un empleador sólido. Salarios competitivos, una cultura fuerte, y trayectorias profesionales claras hacen de Fortuna un lugar donde la gente elige quedarse. La rotación de personal se trata como un costo que el Concilio entiende y toma en serio — no como una condición de fondo.

Compromisos a corto plazo (2 años) Dirección a largo plazo (10 años)
❑ 2N1. Calcular y comunicar el costo total de la rotación de personal (reclutamiento, capacitación, pérdida de conocimiento institucional) como parte habitual de toda conversación sobre compensación
❑ 2N2. Desarrollar una hoja de ruta de compensación competitiva y crecimiento ligada a metas de crecimiento de ingresos
❑ 2N3. Proteger explícitamente la semana laboral de 4 días como estrategia de retención, nombrada como tal en las comunicaciones de la Ciudad ❑ 2N4. Identificar y documentar los puestos de mayor riesgo por vulnerabilidad de sucesión, priorizando los roles con mayor conocimiento institucional o experiencia especializada
❑ 2N5. La inversión en moral y trabajo en equipo es práctica, no opcional ❑ 2N6. Incorporar tiempo formal de coordinación entre departamentos dentro de la estructura de las reuniones
❑ 2N7. Realizar, recopilar, analizar y aplicar los resultados de las entrevistas de salida; consultar con el personal nuevo qué los hace quedarse ❑ 2L1. Salarios del personal
dentro del 10% de
jurisdicciones comparables
❑ 2L2. Salario digno para cada
puesto
❑ 2L3. Trayectorias claras de
ascenso interno
❑ 2L4. El desarrollo y la
capacitación del personal
como partida
presupuestaria habitual
❑ 2L5. Explorar incentivos de
retención como estipendios
y bonos con periodo de
consolidación y/o ligados al
logro de objetivos
prioritarios
Rol del Concilio
Los salarios competitivos son fundamentales — el Concilio debe tratarlos como una prioridad, no como un deseo. El costo de no actuar se va acumulando y se puede calcular. El personal proporcionará las cifras.

Continuación
Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 8 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 2: Nuestra gente, continuación
Nuestra gente: seguimiento de desempeño
Detonantes de acción: Si la rotación anual supera un umbral establecido en la primera revisión del plan de ____% (por determinar), el Concilio recibe un análisis completo del costo de la rotación antes de cualquier decisión presupuestaria que afecte la compensación.

Revisión : Anualmente: ¿Qué estamos aprendiendo sobre por qué la gente se queda o se va? ¿Nuestros supuestos sobre qué impulsa la retención se han sostenido — o necesitamos revisarlos? Notas sobre preguntas, necesidades de coordinación, consistencia con la Brújula, y actualizaciones a la dirección a largo plazo:

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 9 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 3: Base fiscal —
ingresos, contabilidad de costos y compromisos honestos Si encuentro una manera de ahorrar dinero o generar más ingresos para la Ciudad, realmente beneficia a toda la comunidad. — Entrevistado del personal
La honestidad fiscal y la sostenibilidad de los ingresos aparecieron en 14 de 19 entrevistas comunitarias y en las 5 entrevistas a miembros del Concilio — y fue la única prioridad donde el Concilio y la comunidad coincidieron con igual intensidad. En la encuesta entre talleres, la gestión fiscal responsable quedó entre las tres principales prioridades para el próximo uno a dos años en todos los grupos de encuestados.

Hacia dónde nos dirigimos
La Ciudad sabe exactamente cuánto cuesta todo — no solo construirlo, sino operarlo y mantenerlo durante toda su vida útil. Los compromisos heredados que cuestan más de lo que aportan se evalúan con honestidad. Los nuevos compromisos consideran tanto un plan de mantenimiento como posibles opciones de financiamiento para los costos continuos. Las tarifas de la Ciudad reflejan el costo real de los servicios.

Una nueva medida de impuesto sobre ventas de ¾ de centavo estará en la boleta de noviembre de 2026. Esto es adicional a la Medida E, también un impuesto sobre ventas de ¾ de centavo. La Medida E vence en 2033. Un impuesto adicional de ¾ de centavo ayudará a mantener los servicios esenciales mientras la Ciudad transiciona hacia una Fortuna que genera suficientes ingresos a través de la vitalidad económica como para empezar a invertir en su futuro. El valor de la medida para la comunidad es más claro cuando se combina con un plan de gastos específico. Esto es un puente, no una base permanente.

Compromisos a corto plazo (2 años) Dirección a largo plazo (10 años)
❑ 3N1. Medida de Impuesto sobre Ventas de ¾ de Centavo:
❑ 3N1a. El Concilio ayuda a formar un comité voluntario para coordinar la educación comunitaria y hacer recorridos casa por casa usando mensajes ya probados — transformar este comité en una función de supervisión que ayude a atraer socios, comunique el progreso, y brinde retroalimentación en tiempo real a la Ciudad
❑ 3N1b. El Jefe de Policía, el administrador municipal y el Director de Finanzas dirigen la educación comunitaria sobre la diferencia entre la medida de impuestos como un puente y el desarrollo económico como el destino final ❑ 3N1c. Usar mensajes comunitarios ya probados
❑ 3N1d. Desarrollar un plan de gastos específico y público que muestre qué financia la medida y por qué es esencial para lograr la Visión de Fortuna ❑ 3N2. Completar el inventario de activos para los sistemas de mayor prioridad; se requiere consulta y recomendación del departamento encargado del mantenimiento antes de que cualquier proyecto de capital llegue al Concilio ❑ 3N3. Implementar el registro de tiempo que capture los costos operativos reales — comenzando con los departamentos donde la brecha de datos es mayor ❑ 3N4. Actualizar y actuar sobre los procesos de decisión de River Lodge y el Museo:
evaluar los costos totales, el valor de uso comunitario, y las alternativas ❑ 3N5. Auditar y revisar la tabla de tarifas anualmente para asegurar tarifas actualizadas y con el costototal plenamente recuperado, cuando sea apropiado Continuación
❑ 3L1. Hoja de ruta de
crecimiento de ingresos:
❑ 3L1a. ¿Qué hitos habilitan
qué inversiones de la
Ciudad?
❑ 3L1b. Meta de crecimiento
de ingresos: los ingresos
fiscales sirven de puente
hasta un punto en que el
desarrollo económico
genere ingresos suficientes
para cumplir metas de
inversión ambiciosas más
allá de lo básico
❑ 3L1c. Comunicar de forma
explícita y pública que los
residentes invirtieron en
un plan, y que deben ver y
sentir el progreso
❑ 3L1d. Planificar la
renovación de la Medida E
en 2033.
❑ 3L2. Aplicar el marco de Nivel
de Servicio en todas las
conversaciones
Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 10 de 34 junio 2026 ❑ 3N6. Educar al Concilio y al público sobre la diferencia estructural entre los ingresos del Fondo General y del Fondo Empresarial
❑ 3N7. Realizar revisiones estructuradas de los compromisos heredados (programas, instalaciones, acuerdos) frente a su relación costo-beneficio actual ❑ 3N8. Aplicar la tabla de tarifas de manera consistente para todos los grupos de usuarios y solicitantes
❑ 3N9. Negociar con el Condado de Humboldt para aumentar la participación de Fortuna en el impuesto predial, actualmente la más baja de cualquier jurisdicción local
presupuestarias con el
Concilio
❑ 3L3. Explorar la viabilidad de
anexión al sur de la Autopista
36 ❑ 3L4. Considerar establecer
uno o más fondos
patrimoniales con donantes
comunitarios para reunir un
fondo sostenible para
instalaciones prioritarias
Rol del Concilio
El Concilio necesita ser claro y consistente al abordar decisiones heredadas que cuestan más de lo que la Ciudad puede justificar gastar actualmente, y estar consciente de los impactos de las decisiones de mantenimiento postergado. El Concilio debe apoyar esta nueva medida públicamente, individualmente y en voz alta, hacer recorridos, y ayudar a establecer un comité voluntario. Este es el punto más urgente en el plan en cuanto a tiempo. La Ciudad puede cambiar este rumbo si el Concilio apoya al personal, y toma decisiones para el bien público usando la Brújula como guía.

Seguimiento de desempeño fiscal
Detonantes de acción: Ningún proyecto de capital o solicitud de subvención avanza al Concilio sin este requisito de proceso no negociable: 1) la recomendación del departamento de mantenimiento, 2) una estimación financiada del costo durante toda la vida útil, y 3) un plan de mantenimiento.

Preguntas de revisión:

Anualmente: ¿Cuáles de nuestros compromisos heredados han cambiado en su relación costo-beneficio? ¿Qué hacemos al respecto este año?
A largo plazo: ¿Qué compromisos heredados — programas, instalaciones, acuerdos — hemos evaluado este año frente a su costo real y beneficio comunitario? ¿Qué hicimos con lo que encontramos? Seguimiento de desempeño de la medida de impuestos
Detonantes de acción:

Si la medida se aprueba: el plan de gastos y el comité voluntario de supervisión se activan de inmediato.

Si la medida no se aprueba: el administrador municipal convoca una sesión de estrategia sobre el camino fiscal a seguir dentro de 30 días.

Pregunta de revisión: ¿Nuestras estrategias de difusión están llegando a las audiencias correctas y compartiendo historias con las que la gente se identifique, incluyendo a los residentes de habla hispana y a los inquilinos que tal vez no relacionen los ingresos fiscales con los servicios que usan? Notas sobre preguntas, necesidades de coordinación, consistencia con la Brújula, y actualizaciones a la dirección a largo plazo:

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 11 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 4:

Desarrollo económico para construir el futuro de Fortuna La Ciudad de Fortuna es parte de mi sueño americano. — Participante de la campaña de escucha comunitaria El desarrollo económico quedó como la prioridad principal en todos los métodos de este proceso — mencionado en primer o casi primer lugar por miembros de la comunidad, el Concilio, el personal, los adolescentes, y el grupo focal de inmigrantes, cada uno de forma independiente.

Hacia dónde nos dirigimos
Fortuna tiene una identidad clara y la Ciudad busca activamente la revitalización económica. El desarrollo económico no ocurre por accidente — es una función central de la Ciudad con tiempo del personal, una estrategia, y socios. Sabemos qué tipo de desarrollo buscamos y lo estamos persiguiendo activamente.

La infraestructura está completa para que el Sitio del Molino esté listo para el desarrollo. Los residentes trabajan, gastan e invierten localmente. La vivienda asequible para trabajadores se trata como un tema de desarrollo económico: la Ciudad conecta a los trabajadores con opciones y programas de asistencia estatales y del condado. La APG está diseñada para facilitar el desarrollo deseado que genera ingresos y empleo local, así como tipos de vivienda que ayuden a los trabajadores y sus familias a quedarse en Fortuna.

Compromisos a corto plazo (2 años) Dirección a largo plazo (10 años)
❑ 4N1. Establecer una función de desarrollo económico de la Ciudad, incluyendo un plan de tiempo dedicado del personal y alianzas antes de financiar un nuevo puesto
❑ 4N2. Crear y/o participar en un grupo de trabajo de desarrollo económico con perspectivas comunitarias diversas que actúe según los datos de la encuesta comunitaria, en asociación con la Cámara, socios de desarrollo económico, y el personal de la Ciudad
❑ 4N3. Desarrollar la identidad y marca económica de Fortuna — definir a quién estamos buscando atraer y por qué, incluyendo opciones de desarrollo económico específico para el nicho de Fortuna dentro del proceso de la APG (como maximizar la identidad como pueblo de deportes/senderos/aire libre, centro de atención médica, u otros posibles atractivos regionales) ❑ 4N4. Crear una visión preliminar para el centro de Fortuna que encaje con la identidad y marca económica
❑ 4N5. Simplificar e incentivar el proceso para negocios “adecuados” ❑ 4N6. Revisar los programas económicos heredados en cuanto a ingresos y valor comunitario
Continuación
❑ 4L1. Rotondas completas
en Kenmar, Ross Hill, y la
Calle 12
❑ 4L2. Desarrollar un
programa de préstamos
estilo CDBG de
aproximadamente 1%
para mejoras de
propiedades
comerciales
❑ 4L3. Parque del Bajo Río
Eel y acceso al río
❑ 4L4. Sitio del Molino con
desarrollo
comercial/industrial
ligero activo
❑ 4L5. Áreas de enfoque
económico en juego: por
ejemplo, orientado a
familias, eventos
Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 12 de 34 junio 2026 ❑ 4N7. Priorizar los requisitos previos para el desarrollo del Sitio del Molino:
financiamiento de infraestructura, autorizaciones ambientales, zonificación ❑ 4N8. Avanzar los proyectos de rotonda en Kenmar y Ross Hill ❑ 4N9. Desarrollar una alianza con la Fundación McLean y/u otras fundaciones públicas/privadas para ayudarse mutuamente a atraer recursos, incluidos donantes, que apoyen iniciativas comunitarias de alta prioridad, incluyendo el desarrollo de la piscina
deportivos/recreación al
aire libre;
habilidades/emprendimi
ento; servicios de salud;
agroturismo
Rol del Concilio
Liberar tiempo del personal para el desarrollo económico — demasiadas juntas y comités están consumiendo capacidad sin un beneficio real. Asignar y proteger presupuesto y tiempo. El financiamiento de infraestructura para el Sitio del Molino es la prioridad de inversión.

Seguimiento de desempeño de desarrollo económico
Detonante de Acción: Si las condiciones previas del Sitio del Molino (infraestructura, zonificación) no estarán listas para el verano de 2029, el administrador municipal informa al Concilio con un cronograma revisado y una solicitud explícita de recursos.

Preguntas de revisión:

Anualmente: ¿Qué estrategias de desarrollo económico están mostrando avance? ¿Estamos persiguiendo la identidad económica correcta para Fortuna, o el panorama ha cambiado de manera que requiere un giro?
A largo plazo: ¿Sigue siendo correcta nuestra identidad económica — y cómo ha influido en los tipos de desarrollo que decidimos perseguir y por qué?
¿Qué ha cambiado en la economía regional, en el interés de desarrollo, o en las prioridades comunitarias que debería informar si mantenemos el rumbo o hacemos un giro? Notas sobre preguntas, necesidades de coordinación, consistencia con la Brújula, y actualizaciones a la dirección a largo plazo:

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 13 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 5:

Una Ciudad lista para el desarrollo — permisos, diseño y normas Las normas de diseño resultan en desarrollos cohesivos y vibrantes en toda la ciudad que reflejan el carácter de Fortuna: los residentes y negocios se sienten orgullosos y atraemos actividad económica. — Personal
La frustración con el proceso de permisos y las normas de desarrollo surgió en 11 de 19 entrevistas comunitarias y en 13 de 19 entrevistas al personal. Los retrasos en el proceso de permisos y las barreras regulatorias se mencionaron como uno de los cuatro principales obstáculos entre sectores por desarrolladores, operadores industriales, líderes de salud, y comerciantes del centro por igual, en la encuesta independiente liderada por la comunidad a 64 negocios de Fortuna — junto con la vivienda, la vitalidad del centro, y la diversificación económica como los temas dominantes de la encuesta.

Hacia dónde nos dirigimos
Construir en Fortuna es predecible, justo y rápido para los proyectos adecuados. Las normas de diseño son claras y objetivas. La Comisión de Planificación tiene una Brújula y la usa. El carácter de Fortuna está protegido mediante normas — no se usa como una barrera para el buen desarrollo. Están surgiendo desarrollos de calidad que Fortuna necesita, y están contribuyendo a los ingresos de la Ciudad, a oportunidades de empleo, y a la infraestructura y los servicios locales necesarios.

Compromisos a corto plazo (2 años) Dirección a largo plazo (10 años)
❑ 5N1. Completar una auditoría del proceso de permisos; eliminar pasos previos al diseño que no aporten valor
❑ 5N2. Establecer plazos de permisos predecibles y comunicarlos a los solicitantes ❑ 5N3. Desarrollar y adoptar normas de diseño claras y objetivas para Main Street y Fortuna Boulevard — sin esperar a la APG
❑ 5N4. Establecer una tabla de tarifas simple y transparente ❑ 5N5. Exigir preaplicaciones para proyectos grandes con listas de verificación claras
❑ 5N6. Explorar el desarrollo de una biblioteca de planos residenciales preaprobados para agilizar los permisos de ADU y desarrollo en lotes vacantes ❑ 5N7. Capacitar a la Comisión de Planificación para evaluar seriamente el diseño de los proyectos; crear en conjunto y aplicar su propia versión de la Brújula
❑ 5N8. Solicitar y ofrecer subvenciones para mejoras de fachadas ❑ 5N9. Desarrollar rutas de incentivo para el desarrollo de vivienda ocupada por el propietario de ingresos bajos y moderados.
❑ 5L1. Ruta de aprobación
administrativa (por
derecho) para proyectos
que cumplan las normas
de diseño adoptadas
❑ 5L2. Marco de “ajuste
adecuado”: rutas claras de
incentivo para los tipos de
desarrollo deseados
❑ 5L3. La Comisión de
Planificación aplica de
forma habitual los
principios de la Brújula —
las decisiones son
consistentes y defendibles
Continuación
Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 14 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 5: Una Ciudad lista para el desarrollo, continuación Rol del Concilio
Confiar en que el personal tome decisiones administrativas de rutina basadas en normas de diseño aprobadas y mejoras de proceso ya revisadas por la Comisión de Planificación y el Concilio. Responsabilizar a los desarrolladores por la calidad de la solicitud al momento de la presentación. En las sesiones del Concilio, la dirección de la comunidad es clara: proteger el carácter de Fortuna y atraer el tipo correcto de crecimiento.

Seguimiento de desempeño de Ciudad lista para el desarrollo Detonante de acción: Si los plazos de permisos se exceden en más de ____ días (por determinar) en promedio durante un trimestre, el Director de Desarrollo Comunitario investiga la causa de los retrasos e informa al administrador municipal con un plan para solucionarlos.

Preguntas de revisión: Anualmente: ¿Nuestras normas de diseño están produciendo el carácter que queremos?
● ¿Están creando barreras que no pretendíamos?
● ¿Qué nos dicen la Comisión de Planificación y los desarrolladores sobre cómo funcionan las normas en la práctica?
Notas sobre preguntas, necesidades de coordinación, consistencia con la Brújula, y actualizaciones a la dirección a largo plazo:

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 15 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 6:

Parques, senderos y aire libre — la ventaja natural de Fortuna Querido y muy utilizado. — Personal, sobre el estado actual de los parques de Fortuna Los parques, senderos y el acceso al aire libre surgieron en cada estación de colaboración de los talleres comunitarios y en 14 de 19 entrevistas comunitarias, con la distribución demográfica más amplia de cualquier prioridad de calidad de vida en todo el proceso de participación. Un sistema de senderos conectado — específicamente la restauración del Riverwalk Trail y su conexión con el Great Redwood Trail — estuvo entre las oportunidades con más apoyo en la estación de Aire Libre y Espacios Públicos en ambos talleres comunitarios.

Hacia dónde nos dirigimos
Los parques, senderos y el acceso al río de Fortuna están bien mantenidos, conectados, y son un verdadero recurso económico. Ninguna instalación nueva al aire libre se aprueba sin un plan de mantenimiento y costos continuos financiados. El Río Eel y el corredor del Great Redwood Trail están protegidos y activados como los recursos naturales más importantes de Fortuna.

Compromisos a corto plazo (2 años) Dirección a largo plazo (10 años)
❑ 6N1. Los nuevos compromisos consideran tanto un plan de mantenimiento como la identificación de financiamiento continuo
❑ 6N2. Se requiere un plan de mantenimiento para todas las propuestas de proyectos actuales
❑ 6N3. Definir el rol de la Ciudad en el Great Redwood Trail: qué puede y no puede sostener, qué papel juegan los Departamentos de Obras Públicas y de Parques y Recreación, y considerar la necesidad de un Plan Maestro de Senderos dado el alcance, la escala, y el posible papel económico que juegan estas instalaciones en Fortuna, así como la necesidad de orientación sobre la planificación y los requisitos para las servidumbres de senderos
❑ 6N4. Considerar el establecimiento de un cuerpo de voluntarios y posiblemente un fondo patrimonial para aprovechar la enorme buena voluntad de la comunidad y ayudar a mantener e incluso construir nuevas instalaciones básicas ❑ 6N5. Explorar cómo atraer visitantes que se hospeden durante la noche — hospedaje cercano a los senderos, conexiones con la hospitalidad — como parte de la estrategia más amplia de desarrollo económico
❑ 6L1. Sistema de
senderos conectado
desde el centro hasta el
río
❑ 6L2. Programa sólido de
voluntarios para el
mantenimiento de
parques y senderos
❑ 6L3. Destino de eventos
deportivos regionales en
Newburg Park
❑ 6L4. Desarrollo del
Parque del Bajo Río Eel
con acceso al río
Rol del Concilio
Un escritor de subvenciones dedicado es el compromiso del Concilio con más estrellas del mapa de estrategia de parques. La capacidad de conseguir subvenciones es clave para la mayor parte de la dirección a largo plazo. Decidir si las servidumbres de senderos, basadas en un plan del sistema de senderos mencionado anteriormente, son condición suficiente para aprobar un desarrollo adyacente, si se les exigirá construir las instalaciones ellos mismos, o si una u otra opción es apropiada según las circunstancias.

Continuación
Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 16 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 6: Parques, senderos y aire libre, continuación Seguimiento de desempeño de parques
Detonante de acción: Si se propone y aprueba un nuevo parque, sendero o instalación sin una evaluación de los costos de mantenimiento continuo y los mecanismos de financiamiento, el compromiso no avanza hasta que ambos estén en su lugar.

Preguntas de revisión: Anualmente:
¿Qué modelos de voluntariado y alianzas han funcionado en ciudades pequeñas comparables? ¿Estamos aprendiendo de ellos?
¿Qué está aportando realmente nuestro sistema de senderos a la economía de Fortuna, y cómo está evolucionando eso?
Notas sobre preguntas, necesidades de coordinación, consistencia con la Brújula, y actualizaciones a la dirección a largo plazo:

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 17 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 7: Seguridad peatonal y conexiones
Poder caminar seguro… ese es el sueño. — Entrevistado comunitario La seguridad peatonal fue uno de los temas más urgentes nombrados por los encuestados de habla hispana en el grupo focal y en la encuesta entre talleres, así como durante el grupo focal de adolescentes.

Hacia dónde nos dirigimos
Fortuna es transitable a pie, especialmente donde se concentran la actividad económica y las necesidades de los jóvenes. Las conexiones peatonales seguras hacia las escuelas, los parques, Main Street, el Riverwalk, y el Sitio del Molino son infraestructura que impulsa la vitalidad económica — no son servicios opcionales.

Compromisos a corto plazo (2 años) Dirección a largo plazo (10 años)
❑ 7N1. Identificar y priorizar la planificación, permisos, y financiamiento de las 3 a 5 principales conexiones peatonales que unen puntos de actividad económica, y completar su construcción
❑ 7N2. Avanzar las mejoras en la intersección de la Calle 12 y Newburg — buscar financiamiento para la construcción
❑ 7N3. Desarrollar planes para — y, cuando sea posible, avanzar hacia la implementación de — extender el Riverwalk para conectarlo con el sistema de senderos regional al norte y al sur y con el centro mediante acceso peatonal/en bicicleta; el Great Redwood Trail; y conectar ambos con el Strongs Creek Trail
❑ 7N4. Exigir la conectividad peatonal y para bicicletas en todo desarrollo nuevo como condición de aprobación
❑ 7N5. Identificar socios de financiamiento y subvenciones; priorizar las conexiones cerca de las escuelas y para los residentes que dependen de caminar y/o andar en bicicleta, en asociación con las escuelas y otros socios interesados
❑ 7L1. Conexión de rutas
peatonales/para bicicleta:

Riverwalk → Sitio del
Molino → Strongs Creek
❑ 7L2. Existe un plan para
conectar el Riverwalk con
el centro
❑ 7L3. Banquetas en todo
Fortuna
❑ 7L4. Asegurar los permisos
y el financiamiento para el
Strongs Creek Trail
❑ 7L5. Construcción de
senderos financiada con
subvenciones en marcha
Rol del Concilio
La capacidad de redactar solicitudes de subvenciones es esencial (un compromiso del Concilio muy priorizado y necesario para el personal) para asegurar financiamiento para construir nueva infraestructura que la Ciudad ha determinado que puede mantener. Asegurarse de que los proyectos identificados realmente lleguen al presupuesto y se construyan — no solo queden en una lista. Equilibrar entre embellecimiento y accesibilidad en las decisiones.

Continuación
Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 18 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 7: Seguridad peatonal y conexiones, continuación Seguimiento de desempeño de seguridad peatonal
Detonante de acción: Toda aprobación de desarrollo nuevo debe incluir una o más condiciones de conectividad peatonal y, si es posible, para bicicletas — ya sea mediante construcción o tarifas. Si un informe del personal omite esto, el Director de Desarrollo Comunitario lo señala antes de la votación del Concilio.

Preguntas de revisión: Anualmente: ¿Las inversiones peatonales que estamos priorizando realmente están cambiando cómo la gente se mueve y gasta en Fortuna? ¿Qué nos dice la observación sobre dónde quedan las brechas?
Notas sobre preguntas, necesidades de coordinación, consistencia con la Brújula, y actualizaciones a la dirección a largo plazo:

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 19 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 8: Juventud, recreación y vida comunitaria
Los niños forman hábitos desde temprano según las oportunidades que tienen para hacer cosas. — Miembro del personal
Las necesidades de los jóvenes aparecieron en todas las estaciones de colaboración de los talleres comunitarios menos una, sin que se les preguntara — nombradas por adultos de todas las edades y por los propios adolescentes.

Hubo una gran concentración de estrellas en la falta y la necesidad de actividades atractivas para adolescentes. Este tema fue claramente distinto como respuesta a preguntas abiertas sobre qué podría mejorar durante las entrevistas y, en la encuesta entre talleres, la programación juvenil empató con el desarrollo económico como la prioridad #1 a cinco-diez años entre los encuestados de habla hispana.

Hacia dónde nos dirigimos
Los jóvenes residentes de Fortuna tienen razones para hacer de Fortuna su hogar a largo plazo. Los programas de Parques y Recreación de la Ciudad son financieramente sostenibles, satisfacen la demanda comunitaria, y cuentan con personal completo — son un elemento esencial de los altos estándares de “calidad de vida” de Fortuna. Los recursos deportivos y al aire libre de Fortuna son un atractivo económico regional que contribuye a los ingresos de la Ciudad y sostiene las prioridades locales de los residentes. Una amplia variedad de jóvenes y otros residentes son participantes cívicos activos y productivos, en lugar de receptores pasivos de los servicios de la Ciudad.

Compromisos a corto plazo (2 años) Dirección a largo plazo (10 años) ❑ 8N1. Mantener los programas existentes mientras se
desarrollan estrategias de financiamiento sostenibles
❑ 8N2. Dar seguimiento, analizar, y aplicar lo aprendido sobre el número de usuarios y la participación en los programas como base para futuras conversaciones de experimentación e
inversión
❑ 8N3. Enviar una carta a las organizaciones asociadas sobre lo que se aprendió en este proceso acerca de la perspectiva de la comunidad sobre las necesidades juveniles: nombrar lo que tiene alta demanda, afirmar lo que la Ciudad puede hacer, y expresar apoyo a los esfuerzos complementarios liderados por socios (borrador en documento aparte)
❑ 8N4. Coordinar con FUHS/HCOE, organizaciones sin fines de lucro, el Condado, y donantes comunitarios en programación juvenil y otras experiencias
❑ 8N5. Ver las Prioridades 3 y 4 relacionadas con el desarrollo de fundaciones y socios donantes, ya que el alcance de la Ciudad en asuntos de juventud es limitado
❑ 8L1. Considerar la construcción de
canchas deportivas para todo clima en
Newburg para torneos regionales e
instalaciones especializadas al aire
libre que impulsen estadías nocturnas
regionales y de viajeros, así como
ingresos por impuesto sobre ventas
❑ 8L2. La programación y el personal de
recreación están financiados a niveles
que corresponden a la demanda
comunitaria
❑ 8L3. La voz cívica de los jóvenes y la
comunidad está integrada en los
procesos continuos de planificación y
revisión de la Ciudad
❑ 8L4. Considerar apoyar una expansión
de la educación técnica vocacional en
la preparatoria según el alto
interés/demanda comunitaria
Qué requiere socios
Las fundaciones locales, los distritos escolares de Fortuna, las organizaciones del condado, y los donantes comunitarios son esenciales. La Ciudad puede coordinar, defender, y apoyar — pero no puede ni debe intentar hacer esto sola.

Continuación
Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 20 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 8: Juventud, Recreación y Vida Comunitaria, continuación Juventud, recreación y vida comunitaria: seguimiento de desempeño Detonante de acción: Si la participación en los programas de recreación cae en _____% (por determinar) en un año presupuestario, el Concilio recibe un análisis completo de qué se recortó, cuánto costó, y el camino de restauración antes del siguiente ciclo presupuestario.

Preguntas de revisión: ¿Los jóvenes disfrutan y ven un futuro en Fortuna? ¿Qué estamos escuchando de los adolescentes y los adultos jóvenes, y cómo se compara eso con lo que asumíamos que necesitaban?
Notas sobre preguntas, necesidades de coordinación, consistencia con la Brújula, y actualizaciones a la dirección a largo plazo:

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 21 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 9:

Construir una cultura de comunicación y la voz de Fortuna Necesitamos comunicar de manera proactiva sobre lo que realmente hace el personal. — Taller del personal del 21 de abril
Mejorar cómo se comunica la Ciudad quedó entre las principales prioridades en la estación del taller comunitario “Nuestro Liderazgo Municipal y Cómo Participamos”, recibiendo más aportes con estrellas que cualquier otro tema en esa estación (22 estrellas).

Hacia dónde nos dirigimos
La comunidad involucrada no es un resultado de comunicación, es un recurso de gobernanza. La Ciudad se comunica de manera proactiva, en inglés y español, sobre lo que está haciendo, por qué, y cuánto cuesta. Cada departamento incorpora prioridades y mensajes de comunicación en el trabajo diario, señala temas noticiosos, coordina la difusión en toda la organización, y la canaliza a través de un encargado de comunicaciones. Los residentes de habla hispana tienen igual acceso a la información. El trabajo del personal es visible.

Compromisos a corto plazo (2 años) Dirección a largo plazo (10 años) ❑ 9N1. Construir las comunicaciones de la Ciudad como una cultura y un sistema — no solo una presencia en redes sociales — incluyendo la incorporación de prioridades y mensajes de comunicación en el trabajo diario de cada departamento
❑ 9N2. Desarrollar un protocolo interno de comunicaciones: cómo los departamentos señalan temas, coordinan mensajes, y
canalizan la difusión hacia el encargado de comunicaciones con un propósito claro
❑ 9N3. Se ofrece traducción e interpretación al español ❑ 9N4. Depurar y mantener la presencia en línea de la Ciudad para convertirla en una fuente confiable de información precisa y actualizada
❑ 9N5. Desarrollar una presencia proactiva en redes sociales:
compartir historias del personal, decisiones del Concilio, y por qué la Ciudad hace lo que hace
❑ 9N6. Explorar la incorporación de pasantes de comunicaciones de las preparatorias locales, el College of the Redwoods, y Cal Poly Humboldt
❑ 9L1. El público entiende lo que cuesta
ofrecer los servicios de la Ciudad — el
trabajo invisible se hace visible — y
cómo y dónde participar
❑ 9L2. La función de comunicaciones de
la Ciudad sostiene una presencia
proactiva, bilingüe, y de toda la
organización
❑ 9L3. Los departamentos asumen su
responsabilidad de comunicación
como un estándar profesional
❑ 9L4. Los residentes de habla hispana
son una audiencia cívica plenamente
integrada, no una audiencia adicional
❑ 9L5. Considerar un rol de encargado
de comunicaciones
Rol del Concilio
Compartir activamente las comunicaciones de la Ciudad con los electores sobre las prioridades estratégicas de la Ciudad, de dónde vinieron como respaldo para tomar decisiones difíciles, y cómo las actividades actuales nos están “llevando hacia donde queremos llegar”. Que el personal sepa lo que están aprendiendo.

Continuación
Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 22 de 34 junio 2026 Prioridad 9: Construir una cultura, continuación
Qué requiere socios
Vale la pena buscar en el corto plazo relaciones con Fortuna Union High School, East High School, College of the Redwoods, y Cal Poly Humboldt para pasantías de comunicaciones (y de otros tipos). Socios establecidos de interpretación en español para la participación comunitaria y la revisión de traducciones. Medios de comunicación en español y organizaciones sin fines de lucro que sirven a la comunidad para llegar a los hogares que no siguen los canales de la Ciudad. Miembros de la comunidad con la confianza de distintos vecindarios y redes de Fortuna — personas que puedan ampliar el alcance de la Ciudad, compartir lo que están escuchando, y sumar a otros a la participación cívica. La capacidad de la Ciudad de construir un público genuinamente involucrado depende de que estas relaciones se cultiven activamente, no que se den por sentadas.

Seguimiento de desempeño de comunicaciones
Detonante de Acción: Los anuncios importantes de la Ciudad no se publican en inglés y español como práctica habitual y la Ciudad no está llegando a poblaciones tradicionalmente poco involucradas.

Preguntas de revisión:

Anualmente: ¿estamos llegando a residentes que antes no participaban con la Ciudad? ¿Los residentes de habla hispana están participando más en los procesos cívicos? ¿Qué nos dicen realmente los datos de redes sociales sobre a quién estamos llegando?
A largo plazo: ¿Está realmente ampliándose y profundizándose la comprensión pública de las decisiones, compensaciones, y prioridades de la Ciudad — y eso está produciendo una participación cívica más sostenida y diversa, más allá del mismo puñado de voces? ¿Qué nos dicen la asistencia, la participación en redes sociales, y los comentarios públicos sobre si la comunidad se siente bienvenida, involucrada, informada, y con suficiente poder para participar?
Notas sobre preguntas, necesidades de coordinación, consistencia con la Brújula, y actualizaciones a la dirección a largo plazo:

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 23 de 34 junio 2026

4. Este Plan en la práctica
Un plan estratégico que vive en una carpeta no es una estrategia. Es el registro de una conversación que nunca se puso en práctica. Este Plan está diseñado para integrarse al ritmo del Ayuntamiento — de modo que las decisiones que el personal y el Concilio toman cada semana se basen en principios compartidos y se pongan a prueba frente a lo que realmente está pasando.

A. Usar este plan para guiar el trabajo diario
Planes de trabajo de los departamentos
Los Planes de Trabajo del Personal de cada Departamento deben indicar qué Prioridad del Plan Estratégico avanza cada iniciativa importante — para que el personal, el Concilio, y el público puedan ver cómo el trabajo diario se conecta con la dirección de la Ciudad — sin tener que leer entre líneas.

Evaluaciones de personal
Las evaluaciones de personal en todos los departamentos y para todo el personal deben nombrar las prioridades estratégicas para que el personal pueda entender cómo el Plan Estratégico se relaciona con su trabajo diario.

Ciclo presupuestario
Cuando una propuesta de presupuesto no puede financiar todo, el informe del personal indica qué Prioridad del Plan Estratégico se está avanzando y cuál se está posponiendo, para que el Concilio tome una decisión informada sobre las compensaciones, no una decisión invisible.

Propuestas al Concilio e informes del personal
Todo informe importante del personal incluye una breve revisión de la Brújula: qué filtros de decisión son relevantes para esta decisión, y qué revelan. Esto no es una casilla para marcar — es el pensamiento que el personal hace antes de la conversación, para que la conversación pueda ser sustantiva. Todos los informes del personal incluirán una sección titulada “Plan Estratégico”. Cada acción recomendada que se presente al Concilio debe identificar claramente y alinearse con una o más metas o prioridades descritas en el Plan Estratégico.

Contratación, orientación y rendición de cuentas
Las descripciones de puesto se actualizan para reflejar las prioridades del Plan Estratégico y los Valores Centrales.

Los nuevos empleados conocen la Brújula y el Plan Estratégico desde el primer día — para que entiendan la dirección y los valores de la Ciudad antes de aprender sobre la estructura organizacional.

Ritmo de revisión trimestral y aprendizaje
El liderazgo se reúne trimestralmente para preguntar: ¿qué nos dicen las respuestas a nuestras Preguntas de Revisión? ¿Se están implementando y funcionando los Detonantes de Acción? ¿Qué está cambiando en nuestro entorno que este plan no anticipó? El objetivo no es un informe de cumplimiento, es un aprendizaje honesto y una corrección de rumbo.

Orientación del Concilio
Los nuevos miembros del Concilio reciben este plan como documento principal de orientación. La Brújula se presenta como una herramienta de uso habitual para mantener el sentido compartido de visión y dirección de la Ciudad, construida a partir de puntos en común entre casi 40 conversaciones y grupos focales con la comunidad y el personal, confirmados y matizados durante los talleres públicos, del personal, y del personal con el Concilio.

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 24 de 34 junio 2026 B. Retroalimentación, aprendizaje y adaptación
Este plan está diseñado para mantenerse vivo — no mediante el cumplimiento, sino mediante una conversación honesta de manera regular. La siguiente estructura da al personal y al Concilio un ritmo compartido para evaluar qué está funcionando, qué ha cambiado, y qué necesita ajustarse.

Reuniones de departamento: el ciclo mensual de retroalimentación La retroalimentación comienza a nivel de la comunidad y los departamentos, no desde arriba. Cada mes, los directores de departamento llevan dos puntos fijos a sus reuniones de liderazgo:
• ¿Qué lecciones importantes estamos aprendiendo de las interacciones con la comunidad? • ¿Cómo hemos usado el o los filtros de la Brújula en decisiones o propuestas este mes, y qué cambió eso? • ¿Está surgiendo algo en las operaciones diarias — un patrón, un punto de fricción, una señal comunitaria — que el liderazgo (incluidos otros departamentos) debería conocer antes de la pausa trimestral? Esto no es un requisito de informe. Es un hábito de escucha. El objetivo es asegurar que las personas más cercanas a la comunidad y a la implementación tengan un canal regular y de fácil acceso para señalar lo que están viendo. Los temas que surgen aquí se llevan a la pausa trimestral en lugar de esperar a que una revisión anual los revele.

La pausa trimestral para aprender y reflexionar
Cuatro veces al año, el liderazgo de la Ciudad dedica 90 minutos a hacerse tres preguntas — no para informar sobre el progreso, sino para pensar juntos:
● ¿Qué estamos aprendiendo que no sabíamos cuando escribimos este plan? ● ¿Dónde están fallando nuestros supuestos, y qué necesitamos ajustar? ● ¿Hay algo con lo que nos comprometimos que ya no es lo correcto — y tenemos el valor de decirlo? El resultado no es un informe. Es una respuesta compartida a la pregunta: ¿seguimos navegando bien? Si la respuesta revela una corrección de rumbo, el administrador municipal la documenta y se convierte en parte de la revisión anual del plan. Así es como el plan se mantiene relevante — no mediante el cumplimiento, sino mediante una conversación honesta en un ciclo regular, reconociendo que las organizaciones de alto funcionamiento en la actual era de gran disrupción necesitan aprender y evolucionar.

La revisión y actualización anual del plan
Una vez al año, el liderazgo realiza una revisión más completa del Plan Estratégico frente a los Detonantes de Acción y las Preguntas de Revisión del seguimiento de desempeño. La revisión anual pregunta:
• ¿Qué Detonantes de Acción se cruzaron, respondimos como nos comprometimos, y se necesitan ajustes mayores?
• ¿Qué nos dicen las respuestas a las Preguntas de Revisión: nuestras estrategias realmente están produciendo los resultados que buscábamos? ¿Las estamos adaptando, si no es así? ¿Se necesitan Preguntas de Revisión distintas o adicionales?
• ¿Qué ha cambiado en la comunidad, la economía, o la organización que este plan no anticipó? • ¿El Banco de Ideas necesita actualizarse — a medida que las ideas están listas para convertirse en compromisos prioritarios y hay nuevas ideas que vale la pena documentar y compartir? La revisión anual produce un resultado sencillo: un breve registro escrito de qué cambió, qué se aprendió, y qué — si algo — se está ajustando en el plan. Este registro se comparte con el personal y el Concilio y se convierte en la memoria institucional que mantiene honesto al plan con el tiempo. Debe generar discusión y adaptación según sea necesario.

Cuando el plan necesita una actualización mayor
Los ajustes menores — cronogramas actualizados, Detonantes de Acción y Preguntas de Revisión revisados, ideas nuevas en el Banco — ocurren mediante la revisión anual sin necesidad de adopción formal. Una revisión más sustancial del plan se justifica cuando:

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 25 de 34 junio 2026 • Un cambio significativo en la situación fiscal de la Ciudad altera lo que es factible • Un cambio comunitario o económico importante — o el establecimiento de una dirección clara entre las opciones que se están explorando actualmente — cambia el contexto de una o más prioridades • El personal o el Concilio determinan mediante las preguntas de revisión que una estrategia central no está funcionando y necesita repensarse — no solo ajustarse
Las revisiones sustanciales regresan al Concilio para su adopción. El criterio para justificar una revisión no es la incomodidad con una prioridad — es la evidencia de que la dirección necesita cambiar.

Mantener a la comunidad en la conversación
La voz de la comunidad no termina con la adopción del plan. Cada revisión anual debe incluir al menos una oportunidad estructurada de participación comunitaria — ya sea un breve periodo de comentarios públicos sobre los hallazgos de la revisión, una consulta específica con grupos subrepresentados, o una sesión de actualización más amplia. Los miembros de la comunidad subrepresentados y poco vistos, como la comunidad de habla hispana y los jóvenes, merecen una difusión real más allá del aviso público general — muchas veces “ir hacia ellos” en los lugares donde es más probable que participen. Lo que la comunidad está viviendo debe informar lo que el personal y el Concilio están aprendiendo y aplicando en los ajustes de estrategia.

El ritmo de aprendizaje de la Ciudad de un vistazo
Frecuencia Quién Propósito
Reuniones
mensuales
Reuniones de
directores de
departamento
Señalar temas emergentes y de colaboración, anotar dónde se aplicaron los filtros de la Brújula, identificar temas para la pausa trimestral Pausa
trimestral y
reflexión
Reunión de
directores de
departamento: 90
minutos
Pausa Trimestral: tres preguntas compartidas, correcciones de rumbo documentadas por el administrador municipal
Actualización
anual del Plan
Directores +
informe al Concilio
Revisión completa del plan: Detonantes de Acción, Preguntas de Revisión, actualización del Banco de Ideas, reincorporación de la comunidad, registro escrito de los cambios
Según se
necesite
Administrador
municipal +
encargados
relevantes
Revisión del plan: cambio fiscal, cambio comunitario/económico importante, o evidencia de que una estrategia central no está funcionando
Un indicador de progreso: seguimiento de desempeño de la Ciudad Al inicio de este proceso, se pidió al personal y a los miembros de la comunidad que calificaran el desempeño de la Ciudad de 0 a 10 en una serie de temas que desde entonces se han convertido en las prioridades de este plan. Estas calificaciones y las palabras usadas para explicarlas se documentan a continuación como punto de partida (ver tabla, página siguiente). No son medidas científicas, son capturas honestas de cómo se sentía la gente en el otoño de 2025, útiles para anclar futuras conversaciones sobre si las cosas están mejorando.

Cómo se recopiló este punto de partida. Se pidió al personal que calificara a la Ciudad en tres dimensiones:
capacidad de trabajar con otros y lograr resultados, claridad de visión y dirección, y orientación en vivienda y desarrollo económico. Se pidió a los miembros de la comunidad que calificaran a la Ciudad frente a sus propias expectativas, y sobre sus interacciones con el personal de la Ciudad. Estas no fueron preguntas idénticas, y la Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 26 de 34 junio 2026 pregunta comunitaria en particular produjo mayormente respuestas cualitativas en lugar de puntajes numéricos.

Los promedios a continuación reflejan una interpretación cuidadosa de esas respuestas y cuatro correcciones de errores de atribución hechas durante el desarrollo del Informe de la Campaña de Escucha.

Cómo usar esto en adelante. El ciclo de revisión del Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad crea momentos naturales para volver a estas preguntas. En la revisión del Año 1, se deben hacer las mismas preguntas nuevamente al personal, y a una muestra comunitaria comparable para establecer una primera comparación año contra año. En el Año 2, a medida que avanza la implementación, la Ciudad debe agregar preguntas de desempeño ligadas directamente a cada Prioridad del Plan Estratégico, para que el sistema de seguimiento crezca junto con el trabajo. Para entonces, las preguntas amplias originales habrán dado al liderazgo de la Ciudad un punto de partida claro y un año de datos de tendencia para llevar a esa conversación.

La pregunta comunitaria que más necesita rediseñarse es la de las expectativas: como cada entrevistado calificó lo que personalmente le importaba, el punto de partida refleja cosas distintas para personas distintas. Para el Año 2 en adelante, preguntas estructuradas ligadas a prioridades específicas producirán resultados consistentes, comparables, y directamente aplicables. Las preguntas del personal, con un ajuste menor, están listas para repetirse tal como están. Un ajuste útil: separar la calificación de la eficacia del personal del efecto del Concilio en los resultados — actualmente combinados en la pregunta de Capacidad — produciría datos más claros y útiles para ambos grupos de liderazgo. El creciente trabajo de alianzas regionales de la Ciudad, incluido con la Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria, merece reconocerse en el marco de desempeño a medida que avanza la implementación.

Seguimiento de desempeño en toda la Ciudad
Tema Otoño de ‘25
clasificación Dónde estábamos A dónde queremos llegar Revisión año 1†
Revisión
año 2
Visión y
dirección
clara

4.7*
promedio del
personal
O no estoy informado
sobre cuál es la visión, o
no existe. — Entrevistado
del personal
Tener ese marco desde el
principio sienta las bases para
las próximas personas que
vengan después de nosotros —
no somos nosotros quienes
tomamos la decisión, es la
comunidad de Fortuna
diciéndonos [lo que quiere]. —
Miembro del Concilio durante
la Sesión Conjunta
Personal-Concilio, abril de 2026
Puntaje: Puntaje:

Capacidad
de lograr
resultados

6.6 promedio del
personal
Es difícil ser eficaz cuando
todos están tratando de
ponerse al día todo el
tiempo. — Entrevistado
del personal
Ojalá esta herramienta nos
ayude a… terminar lo que
empezamos. — Personal
durante la Sesión Conjunta
Personal-Concilio, abril de 2026
Puntaje: Puntaje:

Dirección y
crecimiento
económico
Continuación

3.5**
promedio del
personal
El Sitio del Molino ha sido
tema de conversación
durante todo el tiempo
que he trabajado aquí —
16 años — y no ha pasado
nada. — Entrevistado del
personal
Si supiéramos cuál es el
enfoque, ayudaría. —
Entrevistado comunitario
Puntaje: Puntaje:

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 27 de 34 junio 2026 Sentido
comunitario de
la dirección
de la Ciudad

4.1 promedio
comunitario
No sé en absoluto qué
estamos haciendo en el
gobierno de la Ciudad...
simplemente ando a la
deriva en la oscuridad
esperando que alguien me
diga. — Estudiante de
preparatoria entrevistado
Si sabes cuál es la dirección de
la Ciudad, las personas que
desarrollan programas como yo
pueden hacer lo que la
comunidad necesita. Porque si
no lo sabemos, y no se nos
pregunta… — Entrevistado
comunitario
Puntaje: Puntaje:

Interacciones con
el personal
de la Ciudad

9.1††
promedio
comunitario
Los miembros de la
comunidad con acceso
directo al personal de la
Ciudad calificaron esas
interacciones de manera
positiva. Quienes no
tenían acceso en su
mayoría no sabían cómo
evaluar a la Ciudad.

Las interacciones con el
personal fueron mayormente
positivas en la
retroalimentación comunitaria
— el objetivo es que la
experiencia sea consistente en
todas las interacciones con la
Ciudad y que el acceso a la
Ciudad sea más visible y
equitativo.

Puntaje: Puntaje:
* El promedio de Visión se ajustó a 4.7 (n=17): se excluyeron del punto de partida dos encuestados que calificaron explícitamente el proceso de planificación actual con un 10, en lugar de la trayectoria institucional. El promedio sin ajustar, 5.3 (n=19), es el punto de partida más preciso para la comparación año contra año.
** El promedio de Vivienda y Desarrollo Económico es 3.5 (n=11 de 19): ocho miembros del personal se abstuvieron de calificar esta dimensión, la mayoría citando las limitaciones estatales y federales como el factor limitante principal, más que las decisiones de la Ciudad.

Esta pregunta es una buena candidata para reemplazarse con preguntas específicas de cada Prioridad en la revisión del Año 2. † En la revisión del Año 1, hacer al personal las mismas tres preguntas. Preguntar a una muestra comunitaria comparable sobre su sentido de la dirección de la Ciudad y sus interacciones con el personal — como dos preguntas distintas. Anotar cualquier cambio importante de contexto antes de comparar.
†† En el Informe de la Campaña de Escucha, este número se reportó como 8.2 y se ha revisado para reflejar una delimitación más clara de las respuestas que excluyen referencias a un solo departamento o al Concilio.

En conclusión, la meta es tanto una mentalidad como una disciplina: que la Ciudad de Fortuna aprenda más rápido de lo que se acumulan sus desafíos y evite el ciclo costoso y frustrante de planes obsoletos que dejan a una organización sin dirección. Esto es tanto una meta de cultura organizacional como una meta estratégica.

Ningún plan sobrevive el contacto con la realidad sin cambios, pero este sistema está pensado para incorporar una reflexión honesta para que la Ciudad pueda ajustarse antes de perder impulso, oportunidad, y relevancia.

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 28 de 34 junio 2026

5. Banco de ideas
Las siguientes son ideas prometedoras que surgieron del proceso de participación de la comunidad y el personal — cosas que todavía no son compromisos de primera prioridad para la Ciudad, pero que merecen un lugar documentado para que no se pierdan. Están organizadas en tres secciones: ideas dentro del alcance directo de la Ciudad, ideas que pertenecen a organizaciones comunitarias, grupos colaborativos, y defensores cívicos, y oportunidades listas para el desarrollo empresarial. El rol de la Ciudad varía según la sección: actor directo, coordinador y defensor, o simplemente una Ciudad que escuchó con atención y quiere poner lo que escuchó a disposición de quienes pueden actuar. Hay muchas ideas adicionales incluidas en el Informe de la Campaña de Escucha de la Ciudad de Fortuna y el Informe de los Talleres de Future Fortuna.

Estas posibilidades surgieron de la participación de la comunidad y el personal y no son compromisos. Deben actualizarse cada dos años durante el ciclo de revisión del plan y compartirse con la comunidad y los socios de desarrollo económico.

A. Ideas que la Ciudad puede liderar o apoyar directamente Actividades juveniles, recreación y espacios de encuentro ❑ Mejorar las actividades y programas de recreación juvenil — esto tiene el beneficio adicional de generar más oportunidades de empleo para los jóvenes
❑ Acceso al río para remo de pie, kayak y pesca
❑ Una cancha de disco golf y/u otras mejoras de instalaciones en un parque de la Ciudad ❑ Una pista para correr alrededor de Newburg Park — mencionada en el grupo focal de adolescentes junto con solicitudes de más senderos
❑ Programa de participación cívica juvenil: alianzas estructuradas con las escuelas locales para que los adolescentes participen y asesoren sobre las decisiones de la Ciudad que los afectan, incluyendo visitas de miembros del Concilio y del personal de la Ciudad sobre temas de interés y oportunidades para influir en las decisiones municipales
❑ Espacio(s) de huerto comunitario, especialmente conectados a escuelas o parques (posiblemente administrados por socios)
Desarrollo económico y vivienda
❑ Los participantes de los talleres mostraron especial interés en el desarrollo de nuevas experiencias al aire libre.

Tanto los entrevistados como los participantes de los talleres enfatizaron su interés en mejorar el atractivo de las actividades al aire libre de Fortuna como destino regional y turístico, similar al Skywalk de Eureka y el Humboldt Bay Trail. Por ejemplo: canchas/complejos deportivos para todo clima, “pueblo de senderos”, ciclismo de montaña, tirolesas.
❑ La accesibilidad de vivienda se señaló especialmente en los grupos focales con grupos tradicionalmente no escuchados o marginados como una preocupación principal — incluso los adolescentes la mencionaron con insistencia sin que se les preguntara. Aunque es un desafío en todo el estado y el condado, identificar el enfoque particular de Fortuna para atender estas necesidades contará con apoyo. ❑ Estrategia de comunicación sobre asistencia de vivienda: conectar a los residentes con los programas existentes del condado y del estado que la mayoría de la gente no sabe que existen. ❑ Vivienda con apoyo del empleador: a) desarrollar una estrategia de comunicación para que el futuro personal de la Ciudad entienda las opciones de asistencia de vivienda en la región; y b) considerar incentivos para que los desarrollos comerciales/industriales incorporen vivienda en sus proyectos.

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 29 de 34 junio 2026 Necesitamos vender experiencias — recordarle a la gente cómo se sentían en nuestro pueblo pequeño, cerca de la naturaleza. — Participante de los Talleres Comunitarios Participación Comunitaria y Cívica
Mejorar cómo se comunica la Ciudad y cómo participan los residentes fue el tema con más energía en la estación “Nuestro Liderazgo Municipal y Cómo Participamos”, recibiendo más aportes con estrellas que cualquier otro tema en esa estación. Este es un desafío para todo gobierno: la forma en que la gente participa ha cambiado sustancialmente desde que se desarrollaron los protocolos estándar de participación cívica. Las expectativas públicas de transparencia, acceso, y participación están evolucionando más rápido de lo que la mayoría de los sistemas municipales lo han hecho, y la capacidad de personal lo hace aún más difícil. Las ideas a continuación abarcan desde cambios de cultura sin costo hasta inversiones que vale la pena planificar. ❑ Un solo canal de comunicación consistente — una lista de correo, una presencia en redes sociales, un sitio web — para que los residentes sepan dónde encontrar las cosas y la capacidad de la Ciudad no se divida entre varias plataformas.
❑ Explorar un programa de pasantías de comunicaciones a través de las preparatorias locales, el College of the Redwoods, y/o Cal Poly Humboldt — particularmente para participación bilingüe y en redes sociales — una forma de bajo costo de aumentar la capacidad mientras se crea una vía cívica para los jóvenes. ❑ Desarrollar una breve presentación y/o material visual sobre lo que la Ciudad aprendió en el proceso Future Fortuna y cómo eso influyó en una actualización importante en la dirección y el enfoque de liderazgo de la Ciudad, para difundir el mensaje de que la Ciudad escuchó y está poniendo en práctica los intereses de los residentes y negocios. Compartirlo en lugares habituales como clubes cívicos y en lugares menos habituales para este tipo de participación (por ejemplo, escuelas, reuniones de juntas de organizaciones sin fines de lucro, puestos en el Mercado de Agricultores).
❑ Cultivar un hábito de comunicación sobre el “trabajo invisible”: publicaciones breves o videos cortos en redes sociales que muestren lo que realmente hace el personal de la Ciudad — la cuadrilla de mantenimiento arreglando una tubería de agua a las 2 de la mañana, la ventanilla de permisos procesando la solicitud de un pequeño negocio. Cuesta casi nada; genera la buena voluntad pública que la Ciudad necesitará cuando pida algo difícil.
❑ Participante del taller: “1 hoja de papel en el sobre del recibo del agua con los eventos del mes” y oportunidades para participar. Aunque la realidad es que cada vez menos personas reciben su recibo del agua por correo, podría tratarse de una población que participa menos en línea. ❑ Presencia proactiva y bilingüe en redes sociales: usar herramientas automatizadas para convertir minutas y transcripciones en publicaciones atractivas sobre las decisiones del Concilio y las Comisiones, historias del personal, y por qué la Ciudad hace lo que hace — en inglés y español como práctica habitual — incluyendo publicaciones separadas ocasionales para activar los algoritmos en español. Considerar preguntar regularmente: ¿de qué les gustaría escuchar más?
❑ Participación recurrente y de bajo costo que no requiere ir al Ayuntamiento: visitas a escuelas, eventos comunitarios, el mercado de agricultores. “Me encantaría ver a nuestros líderes locales de la Ciudad participando más con los estudiantes — ¡vengan a hablar con nosotros!” — Personal de la preparatoria y adolescentes, grupo focal
❑ Participación cívica juvenil: alianzas estructuradas con las escuelas locales para que los adolescentes participen y asesoren sobre las decisiones de la Ciudad que los afectan, incluyendo visitas de miembros del Concilio y del personal de la Ciudad sobre temas de interés y oportunidades para influir en las decisiones municipales. Un adolescente participante señaló que “la principal razón por la que vendría a un taller como [Future Fortuna] es si supiera que de verdad tendría voz y que eso importaría”. ❑ Difusión para fomentar un grupo más amplio y diverso de candidatos al Concilio y a Comisiones/Comités — incluyendo personas con hijos pequeños, familias trabajadoras, y personas que no hablan inglés. “No debería haber solo personas jubiladas en el Concilio — entonces nuestra voz se vuelve muy limitada.” — Entrevistado del Concilio
Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 30 de 34 junio 2026 Creo que hemos malacostumbrado a nuestra comunidad — no ven todo el panorama de lo que realmente hace un empleado típico. — Entrevistado del personal
Si la gente viera que su opinión realmente importa, hablaría más. — Entrevistado comunitario
Acceso a servicios de salud
El acceso a servicios de salud surgió en las entrevistas de la campaña de escucha tanto como una preocupación de calidad de vida como una oportunidad de desarrollo económico para la región. La autoridad de la Ciudad sobre el uso de suelo es la principal palanca — zonificación que apoye los servicios de salud como uso prioritario, políticas de la APG, e incentivos que faciliten que los proveedores de salud se ubiquen en Fortuna:
❑ Trabajar con el equipo consultor de la APG para considerar los servicios de salud como una posible área de enfoque económico en el Elemento de Desarrollo Económico, en términos de demanda regional y retorno de inversión para que los proveedores se ubiquen en Fortuna, y generación de ingresos para la Ciudad ❑ Explorar qué designaciones de uso de suelo, zonificación, y/o incentivos atraerían o apoyarían una mayor presencia de servicios de salud
B. Ideas que necesitan un impulsor, colaborador o socio sin fines de lucro La Ciudad no tiene la capacidad (especialmente en el futuro cercano), la jurisdicción, y/o la responsabilidad de operar o albergar muchas de las ideas que surgieron con entusiasmo, incluyendo las siguientes. Sí puede defenderlas, apoyarlas mediante el uso de suelo y la coordinación, y hacer visible lo que la comunidad ha pedido.

Hay una carta preliminar a organizaciones asociadas que atienden a jóvenes — invitándolas a revisar lo que la Ciudad aprendió y a ayudar a ponerlo en práctica — en un documento aparte.

Juventud, actividades, recreación, enriquecimiento y espacios de encuentro ❑ Programas ampliados después de la escuela y de verano, particularmente para adolescentes ❑ Programación de habilidades y emprendimiento enfocada en jóvenes, como prácticas laborales locales y mentorías de negocios (desde cafeterías hasta oficios especializados), un espacio de creación (“maker space”), y educación técnica vocacional ampliada
Espacios y actividades atractivas para jóvenes/familias/comunidad, tanto bajo techo como al aire libre, fuera del alcance de Parques y Recreación, se mencionaron con frecuencia en los grupos focales de adolescentes, las entrevistas comunitarias, y las estaciones de los talleres como “cualquier lugar que no sea un estacionamiento”:
❑ Un lugar para eventos de música en vivo — esto surgió en toda la campaña de escucha y en las estaciones de los talleres comunitarios
❑ Un parque de patinetas y bicicletas — mencionado repetidamente en el grupo focal de adolescentes, con referencia a un esfuerzo previo de donación de Tony Hawk que no se concretó del todo, lo que le da resonancia histórica
❑ Restaurar el Teatro Fortuna como un teatro-bar para una mezcla de producciones locales, eventos de música, y noches de cine (una combinación entre los teatros de Eureka y Arcata). En una era de transmisión en línea, la profundidad y consistencia del cariño por los teatros fue notable. ❑ Clases de español para todas las edades
Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 31 de 34 junio 2026 Desarrollo económico y el centro
❑ Durante el segundo taller, “asociarse con escuelas y el colegio comunitario para desarrollar instalaciones de educación técnica” recibió el mayor número de estrellas en el ejercicio de preferencias de gasto. ❑ Un mercado dedicado a las artes y los artesanos, un Mercado de Agricultores mejorado, y otros eventos que activen Main Street con fines tanto económicos como sociales surgieron en las entrevistas, los grupos focales, y fueron temas muy populares en los talleres — con eventos existentes como prueba de lo que es posible, incluyendo la expansión del Mercado de Agricultores del centro reubicándolo a otra zona del centro fuera del viento y agregando un día de fin de semana con un ambiente más festivo con ofertas más allá de solo productos y plantas.
❑ Incubadora de negocios o espacio de trabajo compartido para emprendedores locales y trabajadores remotos. ❑ Servicios de salud y salud conductual como área de enfoque de desarrollo económico — la demanda es alta, el potencial de atracción regional es real para ofrecer alternativas a manejar hasta Santa Rosa, S.F., Redding, y Medford. (Ver también: Acceso a Servicios de Salud en la Sección 5A, arriba, para implicaciones de la APG y la zonificación.)
❑ Invertir en Fortuna como un “Pueblo de Senderos” para atraer a visitantes regionales y de la 101 a quedarse, gastar, y disfrutar — y ofrecer a los locales más opciones de actividades — requiere esfuerzos de alianza dedicados y a largo plazo para destinar servidumbres y ampliar y conectar las instalaciones del centro y para visitantes con el Riverwalk, el Great Redwood Trail, y el Strongs Creek Trail. ❑ Las ofertas de experiencias al aire libre fueron temas muy populares: impulsar el desarrollo de atracciones regionales — similar al Skywalk del Sequoia Park — tanto para los residentes de Fortuna como para los visitantes.
❑ Agroturismo: conectar a los visitantes con los productores agrícolas especializados, el paisaje, y las actividades del Valle Eel.

Un Main Street que sea reconociblemente Fortuna y que esté genuinamente vivo. — Talleres Comunitarios, Estación 6
Fortuna necesita color — eventos periódicos que permitan tener un público que gaste dinero en los negocios locales. — Participante del taller (en español) Personas sin hogar
La falta de servicios y apoyo accesibles localmente para las personas sin hogar se planteó en las entrevistas, grupos focales, y talleres de la campaña de escucha como una preocupación comunitaria generalizada. Como un desafío regional complejo, todas las jurisdicciones están luchando con este tema. La capacidad y autoridad de la Ciudad en esto es muy limitada, ya que este tema generalmente se aborda a través de programas estatales/del condado y servicios sin fines de lucro. Aunque no es un problema exclusivo de Fortuna que deba resolver sola, es uno en el que la Ciudad y las organizaciones locales pueden participar mediante soluciones regionales. Para tener éxito, estos esfuerzos literalmente “necesitan de todo un pueblo”, y los socios deben traer propuestas que la Ciudad pueda usar con las palancas disponibles — uso de suelo, seguridad pública, e información sobre la coordinación de servicios — para poner sobre la mesa.

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 32 de 34 junio 2026 C. Necesidades listas para el desarrollo de negocios
Las siguientes oportunidades son vacíos documentados en la economía local de Fortuna — no son proyectos de la Ciudad, sino una invitación abierta a socios, emprendedores, e inversionistas que quieran construir algo que sirva a esta comunidad y genere los ingresos por impuesto sobre ventas que financiarán un gobierno local saludable y todo lo que Fortuna valora.

Cualquier plan de negocio en este mercado debe basarse en el tamaño real de la población de Fortuna, las realidades del comercio al menudeo, y las necesidades no atendidas que atraerían clientes de la región en general.

En el entorno actual del comercio en línea, la región no es lo suficientemente grande para sostener algunos conceptos de comercio general — incluso en el centro poblacional, las tiendas independientes de Eureka están bajo presión constante de la competencia en línea. Las oportunidades más sólidas están en ofrecer experiencias, servicios locales, comida y bebida, y ofertas de nicho que no se puedan replicar en línea ni reemplazar con un camión de entrega, y que atraigan clientes del sur de Humboldt, el área de la Bahía de Humboldt, y los viajeros de la autopista 101.

Necesidad
comunitaria
Lo que nos dijo el proceso de participación
Cenar y reunirse
por la noche
Los residentes mencionaron constantemente la necesidad de más lugares para comer, beber, y reunirse — especialmente opciones que no requieran manejar hasta Eureka.

Teatro y sala de
espectáculos en
vivo
El cariño por los teatros en toda la campaña de escucha fue notable. Surgieron dos ideas modelo: restaurar el Teatro Fortuna como un teatro-bar para producciones locales, eventos de música, y noches de cine (una combinación entre los teatros de Arcata y Eureka); y el desarrollo de un cine moderno. Ambos requieren un operador privado o una organización de desarrollo comunitario, no la Ciudad.

Salón de juegos o
centro de
diversión familiar
Mencionado repetidamente en el grupo focal de adolescentes, incluyendo ideas como boliche, minigolf, karts, cama elástica, y salón de juegos. Identifica un vacío real en opciones supervisadas y atractivas para jóvenes de 12 a 18 años que Parques y Recreación no cubre — y podría atraer familias de toda la región.

Lugar para
eventos de música
en vivo
Mencionado en los grupos focales de adolescentes y en varias estaciones de los talleres; un complemento natural al modelo de teatro-bar o una oportunidad independiente para un operador más pequeño. Un lugar al aire libre para música también surgió bastante, dado el clima más cálido de Fortuna comparado con el área de la Bahía de Humboldt.

Parque de
patinetas y
bicicletas
Mencionado repetidamente en el grupo focal de adolescentes; un esfuerzo previo de donación de Tony Hawk muestra que existe interés comunitario y tiene historia. Podría desarrollarse de forma privada, financiarse con una fundación, o ser un modelo híbrido.

Esto no es un compromiso operativo de la Ciudad.

Actividades al aire
libre y servicios de
aventura
Interés constante en servicios que faciliten a residentes y visitantes el acceso a los recursos al aire libre de Fortuna — el río, los senderos, las secuoyas. La oportunidad más sólida está ligada al posicionamiento de “pueblo de senderos” y al desarrollo del acceso al río.

Mercados y ferias
callejeras
Interés significativo en todos los tipos de participación y grupos en un Mercado de Agricultores ubicado en un lugar menos ventoso y que ofrezca más interés para las familias como paseo. Las ferias callejeras, quizás inspiradas en el Mercado Nocturno de Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 33 de 34 junio 2026 los Viernes de Eureka, también surgieron como interés, particularmente entre los adolescentes, como eventos sociales que atraen a una amplia variedad de personas.

Experiencias de
agroturismo
Conectar a los visitantes con los productores agrícolas especializados, el paisaje, y las actividades del Valle Eel — mencionado por dueños de negocios y miembros de la comunidad; requiere operadores emprendedores y capacidad de mercadeo, no infraestructura de la Ciudad.

Atracción regional
experiencial
Impulsar el desarrollo de una atracción regional similar al Skywalk del Sequoia Park — una atracción que ponga a Fortuna en el mapa para visitantes de un día y viajeros de la 101. Requiere un desarrollador, un operador, y probablemente una alianza público-privada.

Opciones de
comida saludable
y local
Mencionado en todas las edades y orígenes; el Mercado de Agricultores fue un punto de referencia constantemente apreciado, especialmente con una sede en el centro menos ventosa y un formato de fin de semana más vibrante.

Capacitación en
oficios y espacio
de creación
Los jóvenes y adultos jóvenes mencionaron interés en oportunidades locales para desarrollar habilidades de oficios, creatividad, y emprendimiento — podría ser un operador independiente, una alianza con el College of the Redwoods, o un programa liderado por un empleador.

Cuidado infantil Mencionado constantemente como una barrera para la participación laboral, especialmente para familias jóvenes y hogares de habla hispana.

Comercio y ropa
de nicho
Mencionado por adolescentes y adultos jóvenes como un vacío constante — actualmente requiere manejar hasta Eureka. Es probable que los conceptos de comercio local más sólidos en mercados de este tamaño tiendan a estar orientados a la experiencia, ser cuidadosamente seleccionados, o estar ligados a una identidad comunitaria específica (equipo para actividades al aire libre, artesanos locales, productos de herencia cultural) en lugar de mercancía general.

Hospedaje y
hospitalidad
conectados a los
senderos
Los visitantes a menudo pasan sin quedarse. El hospedaje, la comida, y los servicios de hospitalidad cerca del río — con terrazas con vista al río, almacenamiento de bicicletas, y carácter local — junto con futuros desarrollos de senderos representan un vacío documentado con verdadero potencial económico.

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 34 de 34 junio 2026 Esta página se dejó intencionalmente en blanco como contraportada para notas sobre preguntas, necesidades de coordinación, consistencia con la Brújula, y actualizaciones a los elementos o la dirección a largo plazo del Plan.

Apéndice: Información que dio forma al Plan Estratégico – Resumen de resultados de la campaña de escucha y los talleres de “Futuro Fortuna” Esta información se presenta para dar transparencia y mostrar cómo surgieron las Prioridades Estratégicas del proceso de planificación Future Fortuna a lo largo de varias temporadas de escucha, y luego de explorar y refinar los resultados. El análisis se basa en la frecuencia con que aparecieron ciertos temas en los distintos métodos de escucha y participación (entrevistas, grupos focales, talleres y encuestas). Se registró un tema cuando se mencionaba o abordaba claramente alguna preocupación relacionada, aunque no se usara terminología de planificación — por ejemplo, cuando los adolescentes pidieron salones de juegos, restaurantes, mercados callejeros y prácticas laborales, esto se registró como una señal de desarrollo económico (Prioridad #4); los mismos comentarios también se registraron como necesidad de espacios para jóvenes (Prioridad #8). Como esto demuestra, un mismo tema de participación puede relacionarse con más de una Prioridad; por ejemplo, las instalaciones y actividades deportivas para jóvenes se mencionaron tanto como una necesidad de las familias y los jóvenes, como una posible estrategia para atraer visitantes a la región. Los resultados de las entrevistas y los grupos focales reflejan la codificación de informes detallados y sintetizados de cada uno; los resultados de los talleres se basan en fotografías de los productos de trabajo generados durante la campaña de escucha o por los mismos participantes (vea las imágenes de ejemplo después de la tabla; los resultados por generación no se incluyen aquí). Los resultados de la sesión final de abril entre el personal y el Concilio no se presentan aquí, ya que la presentación y discusión de las prioridades desarrolladas en el taller del personal se convirtieron en el Plan Estratégico y las Recomendaciones de la APG. Para ver los resultados detallados, consulte el Informe de la Campaña de Escucha de la Ciudad de Fortuna y el Informe de los Talleres de Futuro Fortuna.

Prioridad del Plan
Estratégico y
Principales temas de
participación relacionados
Entrevistas
comunitárias*
(n=19)
Entrevistas
con el
personal*
(n=19)
Entrevistas
con el
Concilio
* (n=5)
Grupo focal de
inmigrantes*
nov. de 2025
(n=12)
Grupo focal de
adolescentes*
dic. de 2025
(n=8)
Taller del
personal 1,
nov. de 2025
Convirtió los
resultados iniciales de
la campaña de
escucha en prioridades
estratégicas
exploratorias
Talleres comunitarios 1 y 2,
marzo y abril de 2026 **
(n=~150 participantes)
Los productos de los talleres fueron acumulativos. Los participantes aportaron ideas mediante notas adhesivas y marcaron sus preferencias con estrellas. Vea las fotos más abajo.

Tarjeta de retroalimentación T1 y encuestas
Mentimeter T1-T2,
marzo-abril de 2026 ***
(n=40: tarjetas de retroalimentación del T1 sobre la
brújula preliminar)
n=186) 162 encuestados durante y la semana después
del T1 sobre los principios rectores; 24 encuestados
sobre las prioridades de la Ciudad entre talleres. Vea
las fotos más abajo.

Taller del personal 2,
abril de 2026
Se desarrollaron los compromisos
de prioridad y se nombraron las
solicitudes al Concilio****

1. Claridad, cultura y
capacidad para la salud
organizacional
Establecer una dirección que perdure
más allá de cualquier líder; proteger
el conocimiento institucional durante
los cambios de liderazgo; hacer de la
colaboración entre departamentos
una práctica habitual; usar la Brújula
como herramienta de trabajo diario,
no solo como decoración de pared
12/19
(63%)
19/19
(100%)
3/5 Presente — los
participantes
dijeron no saber
cuáles son las
prioridades de la
Ciudad ni cómo se
toman las
decisiones; la cita
sobre el
“tokenismo” refleja
una falta de visión
clara y de rendición
de cuentas
Débil/indirecto —
los adolescentes
se interesaron
cuando el
facilitador
introdujo el
concepto de un
plan, pero no
mencionaron por
su cuenta la falta
de dirección de la
Ciudad
Tema dominante —
el personal
mencionó la falta de
una “estrella guía”,
una brújula que gira
sin rumbo, y que
“quien administra la
Ciudad se va, y la
visión se va con
ellos” como su
principal
preocupación
organizacional
“Tener ayuda con la planificación a largo plazo... vaya, eso es enorme” ★10 — el punto con más estrellas en Puntos Positivos de la Estación 1.

Puntos Difíciles: Visión y Dirección generó respuestas de varias generaciones: “O no estoy informado sobre cuál es la visión, o no existe” ★3. Oportunidad: “asegurar que el nuevo Plan Estratégico se base en las prioridades de la comunidad y el personal — no en las preferencias de un solo líder” ★12; desarrollar criterios claros para tomar decisiones ★11; revisar los compromisos heredados ★8
Fuerte – el 88% de 157 encuestados durante e
inmediatamente después del Taller 1 dijo que Fortuna
necesita una visión; el 66% no sabía si alguna vez había existido una. “Liderazgo con dirección clara” quedó en el puesto #1 de la visión para 2040 (encuesta en inglés del Taller 1). En la encuesta entre talleres: “Fortuna necesita un plan” quedó en el puesto #2 como el tema más urgente y fue el tema más elegido en primer lugar (7 de 21
encuestados lo nombraron primero). Dirección Clara
quedó en el puesto #1 como valor de Fortuna para la
generación de los Baby Boomers; se mantuvo
constantemente entre los 3 primeros en todas las
generaciones y en ambos idiomas de la encuesta.

El personal confirmó que ha usado
los elementos de la Brújula y los
criterios de decisión desde
noviembre. En la matriz interna de
prioridades se nombraron como
compromisos ya en marcha: la
Declaración de Propósito, las
descripciones de puesto y la
orientación de nuevo personal, y el
rediseño de las reuniones.

2. Nuestra gente — retención
del personal, salarios y
sucesión
Los salarios competitivos son
esenciales; evitar que la Ciudad sea
solo un trampolín hacia otros
empleos; la semana laboral de 4 días
ayuda a la moral del personal;
planificar la sucesión y conservar el
conocimiento institucional
9/19
(47%)
19/19
(100%)
3/5 Ausente — no fue
un tema relevante
en la experiencia
de la comunidad
inmigrante de
habla hispana
Indirecto —
cuando los
adolescentes
hablan de querer
irse de Fortuna
por falta de
empleo o futuro,
eso refleja, desde
la perspectiva de
la comunidad, la
consecuencia de
esta prioridad
Fuerte — el personal
mencionó
constantemente la
compresión salarial,
el riesgo de rotación
de personal y la
dinámica de
“trampolín”; la
semana de 34 horas
se mencionó como
herramienta para la
moral
Esto coincide con que se trata de una preocupación interna del Ayuntamiento, no una prioridad principal para el público. La contratación y retención de personal recibió ★10 en las prioridades de gasto, una preferencia de nivel medio. En la Estación 1 se mencionó directamente la limitación de capacidad del personal: “todos desempeñan varios roles a la vez, lo que afecta su capacidad de comunicarse más allá de lo básico.” Indirecto — no se mencionó como tema en ninguna de las
dos encuestas, lo cual es consistente con que se trata de una prioridad interna del Ayuntamiento, no visible para el público en general. Está presente de forma indirecta en la clasificación de valores: “Servicio Comprometido —
reconocer que el personal trabaja duro” apareció en las respuestas de todas las generaciones, lo que muestra que la comunidad reconoce y valora el trabajo del personal.

Matriz interna de prioridades: el
salario competitivo se considera
innegociable; la semana laboral de 4
días como herramienta explícita de
retención; se identificó como
compromiso a corto plazo calcular el
costo total de la rotación de
personal. Rol del Concilio: tratar la
compensación como una prioridad,
no como un deseo.

3. Base fiscal — ingresos,
contabilidad de costos y
compromisos honestos
Conocer el costo real de todo antes
de comprometerse; evaluar con
honestidad los compromisos
heredados; una medida de impuesto
sobre ventas como puente hacia la
vitalidad económica; las tarifas
deben reflejar el costo real de los
servicios; dejar de acumular
obligaciones de mantenimiento sin
financiamiento
16/19
(84%)
18/19
(95%)
5/5 Presente — las
oportunidades de
empleo y la
seguridad
económica se
mencionaron entre
las 3 principales
prioridades; la
vivienda asequible
fue una
preocupación
recurrente ligada a
la estabilidad
económica
Indirecto — las
peticiones de los
adolescentes
(salón de juegos,
cine, restaurantes,
parque de
patinetas) reflejan
que reconocen
que a Fortuna le
faltan servicios y
espacios; no se
habló de esto en
términos fiscales
Fuerte — se
reconoció que
generar ingresos es
la prioridad más
importante, por
encima de todas las
demás; se habló
directamente de
River Lodge y de los
compromisos
heredados
En la Estación 3, El Futuro Económico de Nuestra Ciudad, la captura de ingresos y ventas al menudeo como “dificultad” recibió ★51 (el grupo con más estrellas de los seis carteles de todas las estaciones) y como “oportunidad” recibió ★24. El ejercicio de prioridades de gasto en la Estación 1 fue la señal principal: los participantes repartieron estrellas entre varias categorías, con desarrollo económico ★18, policía ★20, parques ★18 y apoyo a la piscina ★17, todas en el nivel más alto — lo que refleja una prioridad implícita hacia los ingresos de la Ciudad. En “Qué Hace Falta” se mencionó: “¿Cómo vamos a crecer y sostener los servicios de la Ciudad de manera sustentable?” El pre-permiso del Sitio del Molino se mencionó como prioridad de gasto ★★.

Presente – la Resiliencia Económica (“la situación actual no es sostenible”) quedó en el puesto #2 entre los valores centrales del Taller 1, solo detrás de Calidad de Vida; se mencionó entre los 3 primeros por todas las generaciones.

En la encuesta entre talleres: “Fortuna necesita un plan — generar ingresos para la Ciudad que cubran nuestras
necesidades” quedó en el puesto #2 como tema más
urgente, con la generación de ingresos incluida
directamente en el planteamiento. “Equilibrar el carácter del pueblo con el crecimiento” quedó en el puesto #4
como tema más urgente (encuesta entre talleres, n=23 en inglés), lo que refleja la tensión que esta prioridad busca resolver.

Los mapas de estrategia para
Generación de Ingresos y para la
Medida de Impuestos y Contabilidad
de Costos a Largo Plazo desarrollaron
planes de trabajo. Temas principales:
educar a la comunidad sobre la
diferencia entre el Fondo General y
el Fondo Empresarial ★3; inventario
de activos y registro de tiempo.

Solicitudes al Concilio: crear un
comité voluntario para la Medida de
Impuestos, hacer recorridos casa por
casa, apoyar la comunicación, no
modificar el texto ya probado de la
boleta ★9; invertir en
infraestructura ★4.

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 APÉNDICE A1 de A5 junio, 2026 Prioridad del Plan
Estratégico y
Principales temas de
participación relacionados
Entrevistas
comunitárias*
(n=19)
Entrevistas
con el
personal*
(n=19)
Entrevistas
con el
Concilio
* (n=5)
Grupo focal de
inmigrantes*
nov. de 2025
(n=12)
Grupo focal de
adolescentes*
dic. de 2025
(n=8)
Taller del
personal 1,
nov. de 2025
Convirtió los
resultados iniciales de
la campaña de
escucha en prioridades
estratégicas
exploratorias
Talleres comunitarios 1 y 2,
marzo y abril de 2026 **
(n=~150 participantes)
Los productos de los talleres fueron acumulativos. Los participantes aportaron ideas mediante notas adhesivas y marcaron sus preferencias con estrellas. Vea las fotos más abajo.

Tarjeta de retroalimentación T1 y encuestas
Mentimeter T1-T2,
marzo-abril de 2026 ***
(n=40: tarjetas de retroalimentación del T1 sobre la
brújula preliminar)
n=186) 162 encuestados durante y la semana después
del T1 sobre los principios rectores; 24 encuestados
sobre las prioridades de la Ciudad entre talleres. Vea
las fotos más abajo.

Taller del personal 2,
abril de 2026
Se desarrollaron los compromisos
de prioridad y se nombraron las
solicitudes al Concilio****

4. Desarrollo económico para
construir el futuro de Fortuna
Se necesita una función dedicada de
desarrollo económico dentro de la
Ciudad; requisitos previos para
desarrollar el Sitio del Molino;
vitalidad de Main Street y el centro;
atraer negocios y crear una
identidad de marca; aprovechar el
tráfico de la autopista y el
hospedaje; empleos con salario
digno y trayectorias profesionales;
vivienda para trabajadores y
vivienda asequible como base del
desarrollo económico
19/19
(100%)
19/19
(100%)
5/5 Fuerte — las
oportunidades de
empleo y la
seguridad
económica se
mencionaron entre
las 3 principales
prioridades; los
participantes
inmigrantes
expresaron el
deseo de tener más
negocios, recursos
para emprender, y
empleos que
permitan a las
familias quedarse
Fuerte — los
adolescentes son
un grupo de edad
con pocas
actividades
locales; recursos
para el
emprendimiento
juvenil; programas
deportivos y
espacios seguros
para reunirse; la
vivienda asequible
se mencionó como
esencial para la
estabilidad
familiar y para que
los jóvenes
puedan quedarse
en Fortuna
Dominante — se
nombró una función
dedicada de
Desarrollo Económico
como la necesidad #1
de la Ciudad; los
requisitos previos del
Sitio del Molino y una
hoja de ruta para el
crecimiento de
ingresos fueron las
principales
prioridades. Ideal
futuro del mapa de
estrategia de
desarrollo económico:
construir las rotondas
+ el Sitio del Molino
★★; una base
comercial y fiscal
vibrante ★★.

En el nivel más alto de gasto en la Estación 1: desarrollo económico ★18 y reclutamiento/retención de negocios ★17; junto con turismo y mercadeo ★21. Asociarse con las escuelas locales para prácticas laborales y emprendimiento juvenil ★23 fue el punto con más estrellas dentro de las oportunidades de esa estación. Preparación de infraestructura del Sitio del Molino ★8; pre-permiso del Sitio del Molino ★★. La Estación 3 (El Futuro Económico de Nuestra Ciudad) concentró muchas estrellas en temas clave: captura de ingresos y ventas, vitalidad de Main Street, visión del Sitio del Molino, y empleos con salario digno. “Lograr que la gente se detenga, gaste y se quede” y “convertirnos en un centro que atraiga los negocios que Eureka está dejando ir” se mencionaron entre voces de la comunidad, los negocios y el Concilio.

Dominante – Desarrollo Económico y Negocios fue elegido por el 57% como uno de los dos temas principales a 5-10 años en el Taller 1 (el más alto de todas las opciones, por un margen amplio); encuesta en español: Desarrollo
Económico empatado en el #1 con 67%. Encuesta entre
talleres: “Main Street cada vez más silenciosa — cierres tempranos, locales vacíos, el dinero se va a Eureka” quedó en el puesto #1 como tema más urgente según el puntaje
promedio; “El Sitio del Molino — la mayor oportunidad de terreno de Fortuna, todavía en espera” quedó en el puesto #5. Resiliencia Económica quedó en el puesto #2 entre los valores centrales en todas las generaciones. Hay
coincidencia entre ambas encuestas, ambos idiomas y
todas las generaciones.

Prioridades a corto plazo: establecer
la función de Desarrollo Económico
de la Ciudad, desarrollar la identidad
y marca económica de Fortuna,
simplificar el proceso para los
negocios adecuados, priorizar los
requisitos de infraestructura del Sitio
del Molino. Rol del Concilio: liberar
tiempo del personal en comités ★3;
crear un grupo de trabajo
comunitario de Desarrollo
Económico; dar tiempo al personal
para buscar fondos y subvenciones.

5. Una ciudad lista para el
desarrollo — permisos,
diseño y normas
Hacer que construir en Fortuna sea
predecible, justo y rápido para los
proyectos adecuados; normas de
diseño claras que protejan el
carácter del pueblo sin frenar el
buen desarrollo; un proceso de
permisos más simple que permita el
desarrollo económico que la
comunidad quiere
3/19
(16%)
9/19
(47%)
2/5 Ausente — no fue
un tema relevante
en la experiencia
de la comunidad
inmigrante
Ausente — no se
mencionó
Presente — el
personal mencionó
que el proceso de
permisos, al ser tan
pesado, es una
barrera para el
desarrollo
económico; “¿acaso
nuestro proceso se
volvió tan pesado
que la gente prefiere
decir 'no, mejor
no'?”
Simplificar los permisos de construcción recibió ★4 en las prioridades de gasto del Taller 1 — bajo, pero presente. Pre-permiso para el desarrollo del Sitio del Molino ★★. Esto coincide con el patrón de las entrevistas:
el público nombra los resultados que quiere en desarrollo comunitario y económico, pero no menciona por sí solo el proceso de permisos como una preocupación prioritaria.

Indirecto — no se mencionó como tema independiente en
ninguna de las dos encuestas; está incluido dentro del
desarrollo económico y del Sitio del Molino.
“Infraestructura” empató con el 27% en las prioridades de gasto del Taller 1, lo cual se relaciona con los requisitos de infraestructura que hacen posible que la Ciudad esté lista para el desarrollo. El público nombra los resultados que quiere (negocios, empleos, actividad en el Sitio del
Molino); el personal y el Concilio entienden que el proceso de permisos es el mecanismo para llegar ahí.

Mapas de estrategia para Simplificar
el Proceso de Desarrollo, Normas de
Diseño y Vivienda. Los plazos de los
permisos y una auditoría del proceso
se nombraron como urgentes ★5.

Simplificar la tabla de tarifas ★4.

Adoptar normas de diseño ★4 como
prioridad de planificación de la APG;
capacitar a la Comisión de
Planificación ★ y darles la Brújula
como herramienta ★. Rol del
Concilio: confiar en que el personal
tome decisiones administrativas de
rutina ★.

6. Parques, senderos y aire
libre — la ventaja natural de
Fortuna
Un elemento querido y central de la
identidad de Fortuna; solo expandir
lo que podamos mantener; la
restauración del Riverwalk como
prueba visible del compromiso de la
Ciudad; desarrollar un sistema de
senderos (Great Redwood, Strongs
Creek, Riverwalk) y el acceso al Río
Eel como recurso económico y
recreativo; potencial para ser un
destino deportivo regional; un
cuerpo de voluntarios para reducir
costos y fortalecer el sentido de
pertenencia de la comunidad
18/19
(95%)
12/19
(63%)
3/5 Presente — el
Riverwalk se
mencionó como
fuente de orgullo
comunitario, pero
también como un
lugar visiblemente
descuidado; se
expresó el deseo
de tener espacios
al aire libre seguros
para las familias
Fuerte — el
acceso al río
(pesca, kayak,
remo de pie), más
senderos, parques
más limpios, y un
parque de
patinetas/bicicleta
s se mencionaron
repetidamente;
los espacios al aire
libre fueron
señalados como
una de las
principales
carencias
Presente — la carga
de mantenimiento
de terrenos
adquiridos con
fondos de
subvenciones; falta
de personal en
Parques y
Recreación; se
mencionó la
infraestructura de
voluntariado como
un recurso valioso
Los programas de Parques y Recreación recibieron una alta calificación en todas las generaciones. La belleza natural (el río, las secuoyas, los senderos) se mencionó ampliamente como fuente de orgullo comunitario. El Riverwalk es a la vez querido y visiblemente descuidado — “un terreno de primera del que se puede hacer algo” — con una visión compartida y clara entre generaciones: un sistema de senderos, un parque junto al río, conectado al Great Redwood Trail. Se mencionó la carga de mantenimiento de las adquisiciones financiadas con subvenciones como una preocupación estructural. En “Qué Hace Falta”:
las banquetas y los senderos fueron el grupo con más estrellas; se pidió una piscina comunitaria en varias generaciones; el acceso al río se mencionó de forma independiente por varios participantes. Convertirse en un “Pueblo de Senderos” y conectar el Great Redwood Trail con el Sitio del Molino se nombró como oportunidad económica. Prioridades de gasto en la Estación 1: parques ★18, mantenimiento de parques ★15, senderos ★13, acceso al río ★13, desarrollo del Great Redwood Trail ★11, apoyo a la piscina ★17.

Presente — Calidad de Vida quedó en el puesto #1 como
valor de Fortuna en todos los métodos, todas las
generaciones y ambos idiomas de la encuesta — 20 de 26
encuestados en tarjeta de papel lo pusieron en primer
lugar (promedio de 5.43 de 6); #1 en la encuesta
Mentimeter del Taller 1 (n=162 combinados); entre los 3 primeros en todas las generaciones. Los parques,
senderos, el río y la belleza natural están incluidos
explícitamente en su definición dentro de la Brújula.

Pregunta de Enfoque de la Ciudad del Taller 1: Turismo y mercadeo de la Ciudad fue elegido por los encuestados
como uno de los dos temas principales, lo cual coincide con el posicionamiento de Fortuna como destino de
recreación al aire libre y pueblo de senderos (n=100
encuestados en inglés que respondieron esa pregunta).

Mapa de estrategia para Parques +
Senderos + Aire Libre: se requiere un
plan de mantenimiento para todos
los proyectos ★3; buscar
subvenciones se identificó como
urgente, pero limitado por la
capacidad del personal. Ideal: un
sistema de senderos conectado
desde el pueblo hasta el río ★★;
canchas deportivas para todo clima
en Newburg ★★. Rol del Concilio:
contratar a alguien dedicado a
buscar subvenciones ★5.

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 APÉNDICE A2 de A5 junio, 2026 Prioridad del Plan
Estratégico y
Principales temas de
participación relacionados
Entrevistas
comunitárias*
(n=19)
Entrevistas
con el
personal*
(n=19)
Entrevistas
con el
Concilio
* (n=5)
Grupo focal de
inmigrantes*
nov. de 2025
(n=12)
Grupo focal de
adolescentes*
dic. de 2025
(n=8)
Taller del
personal 1,
nov. de 2025
Convirtió los
resultados iniciales de
la campaña de
escucha en prioridades
estratégicas
exploratorias
Talleres comunitarios 1 y 2,
marzo y abril de 2026 **
(n=~150 participantes)
Los productos de los talleres fueron acumulativos. Los participantes aportaron ideas mediante notas adhesivas y marcaron sus preferencias con estrellas. Vea las fotos más abajo.

Tarjeta de retroalimentación T1 y encuestas
Mentimeter T1-T2,
marzo-abril de 2026 ***
(n=40: tarjetas de retroalimentación del T1 sobre la
brújula preliminar)
n=186) 162 encuestados durante y la semana después
del T1 sobre los principios rectores; 24 encuestados
sobre las prioridades de la Ciudad entre talleres. Vea
las fotos más abajo.

Taller del personal 2,
abril de 2026
Se desarrollaron los compromisos
de prioridad y se nombraron las
solicitudes al Concilio****

7. Seguridad peatonal y
conexiones
Poder caminar seguro por el pueblo,
de día y de noche, es una aspiración
compartida por muchos; la
intersección de la Calle 12 y
Newburg es una prioridad de
seguridad para toda la comunidad;
conexiones peatonales que unan los
puntos de actividad económica;
rutas seguras hacia las escuelas
7/19
(37%)
4/19
(21%)
1/5 Fuerte — un
semáforo en la
Calle 12 y Newburg
se mencionó como
prioridad de
seguridad
inmediata; la
infraestructura
peatonal para
niños y familias fue
una de las
principales
preocupaciones; se
pidió que hubiera
policías en bicicleta
Presente —
sienten que no es
seguro caminar,
especialmente
cerca de la
escuela; la Calle 12
se mencionó como
insegura (coincide
con lo dicho en el
grupo focal de
inmigrantes)
Presente — la
conectividad
peatonal se
mencionó como
prioridad de
infraestructura; se
identificaron vacíos
en las rutas escolares
La seguridad peatonal apareció como una señal secundaria en la Estación 2, concentrada en “Lugares Adonde Ir”: los adolescentes describieron que es inseguro llegar a pie a muchos lugares, especialmente de noche ★★; en Oportunidades se mencionó infraestructura peatonal segura cerca de las escuelas y en Main Street ★6. En el letrero “Qué Hace Falta” de la Estación 4 (Aire Libre y Espacios Públicos): las banquetas recibieron el grupo de estrellas más alto, con aportes independientes de varias generaciones; también recibieron estrellas los senderos para bicicleta y el camino de uso múltiple de River Lodge a Main Street. “Arreglar Newburg y la Calle 12 — ¿tal vez una rotonda?” se mencionó en “Qué Hace Falta” de la Estación 1. Prioridades de gasto: banquetas ★9, mejores instalaciones peatonales/para bicicleta ★9, alumbrado público ★6. Este tema apareció en varias estaciones sin depender de un solo participante.

Presente — Encuesta entre talleres (n=24 combinados; 23 en inglés + 1 en español): “Poder moverse con seguridad — caminar, iluminación, y cruces peligrosos” quedó en el puesto #1 como tema más urgente según el encuestado de
habla hispana, y en el puesto #7 (el último) según el
promedio de los encuestados en inglés. Esta diferencia
entre idiomas — último lugar para los angloparlantes,
primer lugar para el encuestado hispanohablante —
coincide directamente con el patrón visto en las
entrevistas y los grupos focales, y es una de las señales más fuertes de que esta prioridad se siente con más fuerza en las comunidades que menos participan
tradicionalmente en la vida cívica.

Mapa de estrategia para Seguridad
Peatonal/Acceso: identificar socios
de financiamiento ★ + las
conexiones más importantes; el
transporte para poblaciones de
escasos recursos como prioridad.

Ideal: conexión Riverwalk → Sitio del
Molino → Strongs Creek ★★;
banquetas en todo Fortuna ★;
conectar el Riverwalk con el centro
★★. Prioridades de la APG: exigir
banquetas en todos los desarrollos
nuevos; exigir servidumbres de paso
para senderos ★. Rol del Concilio:
capacidad para redactar solicitudes
de subvenciones ★4; acceso del
Programa de Mejoras de Capital (CIP)
a fondos.

8. Juventud, recreación y
vida comunitaria
Cerrar el vacío de actividades para
adolescentes; dar a los jóvenes
razones para quedarse y regresar;
ampliar los “terceros lugares” más
allá de la escuela y el hogar;
trayectorias profesionales que no
obliguen a irse del pueblo; eventos
comunitarios como ancla económica
y social; apostar por desarrollos para
familias, por ejemplo, convertirse en
un destino deportivo
18/19
(95%)
12/19
(63%)
4/5 Presente — los
adolescentes son
un grupo de edad
con pocas
actividades;
recursos para el
emprendimiento
juvenil; programas
deportivos;
espacios seguros
para reunirse
Dominante — el
grupo focal giró en
torno a este tema;
no hay nada que
hacer después de
la escuela, se
aburren, no es
seguro caminar,
falta un salón de
juegos, cine,
parque de
patinetas y
restaurantes;
sienten que se les
quiere, pero no
siempre que se les
toma en cuenta
Presente — se
mencionaron
programas para
jóvenes, trayectorias
profesionales y
eventos
comunitarios; el
potencial de ser un
destino deportivo
como fuente de
ingresos regionales
La estación “Crecer y Sentirse en Casa” tuvo mucha energía de participación en ambos talleres, especialmente de las generaciones más jóvenes: las notas adhesivas y estrellas de la Generación Z y la Generación Alfa se concentraron aquí más que en cualquier otra estación. El grupo de estrellas más alto en esta estación: “el cine está cerrado, no hay salón de juegos, no hay lugar para música, se siente aburrido y sin vida” ★12. Oportunidades con más estrellas: espacios de reunión que los adolescentes puedan sentir suyos ★12; un destino deportivo como estrategia de retención de jóvenes Y de ingresos ★7.

Aportes en español: clases de arte gratuitas o de bajo costo, recreación de día y de noche para todas las edades, eventos culturales que representen a todas las comunidades. “Participación genuina — no tokenismo” ★4. La capacitación en oficios en colaboración con las escuelas y el colegio comunitario fue la prioridad de gasto más alta en todas las categorías de la Estación 1 ★23, y la preferencia visual por imágenes de jóvenes en deportes/actividades/capacitación fue la más alta ★58. Las necesidades de los jóvenes aparecieron también en las otras 5 estaciones de colaboración, sin que se preguntara directamente por ellas. Las imágenes de jóvenes en acción estuvieron entre las preferencias visuales con más estrellas.

Fuerte — “Los jóvenes se van — no hay suficiente que
hacer para adolescentes o familias; no hay suficientes
empleos ni vivienda” quedó en el puesto #6 como tema
más urgente en la encuesta entre talleres (n=23 en inglés); quedó en el puesto #2 según el encuestado en español.

Pregunta de Enfoque de la Ciudad del T1: los programas
para jóvenes fueron elegidos por el 30% de los
encuestados en inglés y el 67% de los encuestados en
español (n=5) como uno de los dos temas principales —
empatado en el #3 en general en inglés, empatado en el
#1 en español. Las necesidades de los jóvenes aparecieron en 5 de las 6 estaciones de colaboración sin que se
preguntara directamente.

Los mapas de estrategia de
Desarrollo Económico y Seguridad
Peatonal mencionaron un Centro
Deportivo Activo para Todo Clima en
Newburg ★★ y ayudar a McLean
con el desarrollo de la piscina como
prioridades a más largo plazo. Carta
de Difusión a la Juventud a
organizaciones asociadas, señalada
como Importante y de Alto Impacto
en la matriz de prioridades ★★★.

Desarrollo orientado a jóvenes y
familias: la APG debe identificar
dónde y cómo zonificar ★.

9. Construir una cultura de
comunicación y la voz de
Fortuna
La comunidad no sabe qué hace la
Ciudad ni por qué — un problema
que se puede resolver; hacer visible
el trabajo invisible del personal; el
acceso en español como cuestión de
equidad cívica y obligación legal; la
comunicación proactiva como
herramienta de rendición de cuentas
del gobierno, no como relaciones
públicas
13/19
(68%)
9/19
(47%)
3/5 Fuerte — la barrera
del idioma es el
obstáculo principal
para la participación
cívica; los
participantes
contaron que envían
a sus hijos a pagar el
recibo del agua; no
conocen a los
miembros del
Concilio ni las
prioridades de la
Ciudad; se mencionó
la cita sobre el
'tokenismo'
Presente — solo
se enteran de la
Ciudad por los
letreros de las
elecciones; desean
una participación
genuina (“vengan
a nosotros”); han
vivido el
tokenismo
Presente — se
mencionó la
estrategia de dar a
conocer el “trabajo
invisible”; el personal
describió que el
público no entiende
lo que hacen; se
identificó la
necesidad de más
capacidad en redes
sociales y
comunicación
Los comentarios sobre cómo mejorar la participación comunitaria recibieron la mayor energía en la estación “Nuestro Liderazgo Municipal y Cómo Participamos” ★22. “Si la gente viera que su opinión realmente importa, hablaría más” ★4. El trabajo del personal es invisible para el público ★7. El acceso en español se mencionó repetidamente y de forma independiente en todas las generaciones: que el Ayuntamiento funcione para todos los residentes de Fortuna en su idioma ★★; se mencionó por separado el contenido en español en los anuncios de Parques y Recreación y en las noticias de la Ciudad. Se nombraron mensajeros de confianza (Centro del Pueblo, Black Humboldt, iglesias, el puesto del mercado de agricultores) como estrategia de difusión.

Turismo/mercadeo ★21 en prioridades de gasto — el público entiende la comunicación como una herramienta de desarrollo económico.

Presente — Comunicación Pública y Participación fue elegida por el 23% de los encuestados en inglés como uno de los dos temas principales de Enfoque de la Ciudad (pregunta
Mentimeter del T1, n=100 en inglés). Encuesta entre talleres:
“Fortuna necesita un plan” (#2 tema más urgente, n=23 en inglés) es, en el fondo, un hallazgo sobre comunicación y rendición de cuentas del gobierno — el 66% de los
encuestados en el Mentimeter del T1 (n=157 en inglés) no sabía si Fortuna había tenido alguna vez una visión, lo cual refleja una falta de comunicación y planificación. Encuesta en español (n=5): incluir a los residentes de habla hispana se mencionó como prioridad. Un encuestado en español entre talleres mencionó “una opción de participación en línea” que facilitaría la participación — algo consistente con la brecha de acceso que aborda esta prioridad.

Matriz externa de prioridades, lo más
alto en la escala de “impacto
significativo”: Acceso en Español —
estandarizar la traducción e
interpretación al español en todas las
comunicaciones ★5. Participación
proactiva en redes sociales ★4;
presencia en línea para dar
información correcta ★★. Explorar
pasantías de comunicación ★. Rol
del Concilio: apoyar los mensajes de
la medida de impuestos; puntos de
conversación para el personal.

Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 APÉNDICE A3 de A5 junio, 2026 * Todas las entrevistas y grupos focales se basaron en preguntas abiertas que no mencionaban temas específicos, lo que permitió a los encuestados responder como quisieran. ** Aunque el primer taller comunitario (T1) se diseñó para repasar los resultados de la campaña de escucha, recoger comentarios sobre “qué hace falta” en los resultados, y poner a prueba los principios preliminares de la brújula, y el T2 se diseñó principalmente para aplicar la brújula preliminar al desarrollo de ideas estratégicas y de uso de suelo y conocer las preferencias, muchos de los productos de trabajo generados en los talleres fueron acumulativos entre ambos eventos, por lo que en este informe no se distingue entre uno y otro. Las notas adhesivas y las estrellas se codificaron por color según la generación — principalmente para poder entender visualmente los intereses de las generaciones más jóvenes (en rojo), ya que la comunidad reconoce claramente su importancia — sin embargo, este informe no profundiza en las diferencias de resultados por generación. *** Incluye respuestas en inglés y en español. De un total de 40 encuestas de retroalimentación en papel del T1, hubo 26 clasificaciones válidas de valores y 25 clasificaciones válidas de visión. Para la encuesta Mentimeter entre talleres, n=100 de los 157 encuestados en inglés del T1 que respondieron la pregunta sobre las prioridades de Enfoque de la Ciudad. Antes de que cerca de 70 estudiantes de preparatoria participaran el último día que la primera encuesta estuvo abierta, los resultados eran un poco distintos (pero no se documentaron completamente antes de que cambiaran rápido en cuestión de horas), así que los resultados finales tienden a un 55% de participación de la Generación Z y la Generación Alfa. **** Para una descripción de la sesión final de trabajo conjunta entre el personal y el Concilio, consulte el Informe de Resultados de los Talleres de Future Fortuna.

Ejemplos de imágenes de los productos de trabajo de los talleres comunitarios 1 y 2 y las encuestas relacionadas Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 APÉNDICE A4 de A5 junio, 2026 Plan Estratégico de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2026–2036 APÉNDICE A5 de A5 junio, 2026 Fortuna's Voice in the General Plan Update:

Community & Staff Priorities for the Process
Prepared by Jen Rice Consults for the City of Fortuna ● June 2026 What This Document Is & How to Use It
This document is intended to inform the General Plan Update consulting team. It translates nearly a year of community and staff engagement in the “Future Fortuna” process into guidance for the GPU process (City of Fortuna Listening Campaign Report and Future Fortuna Workshop Results Report, 2026). The primary audience is the Planwest team, and it is a public document that should be readable by anyone interested in Fortuna’s future.

A word about scope: Fortuna’s current General Plan 2030 is widely regarded by community members, staff, and the consulting team that helped develop it as largely sound in its direction, yet with a weakness in its implementation. Many of its policies have never been carried out, and several are actively undermined by zoning codes and municipal regulations that work at cross-purposes to the plan’s intent. With this in mind, the GPU’s most critical work is:
1) An overhaul of the City’s zoning codes and related municipal codes, which are overdue for replacement, and
2) An actionable Economic Development Element. Updates to other elements should be targeted and purposeful, building on what is sound.

This document is organized by California’s ten General Plan elements. Each section identifies community and staff direction, specific staff needs or ideas, “cornerstones” to protect or achieve, and design questions to work out through the process. Where the Mill District Specific Plan (MDSP, 2024) is directly relevant, it is noted. The Implementation Element also introduces a performance orientation as an alternative to purely compliance-based policy: where defined conditions trigger responses, reducing the need for case-by-case deliberation and making implementation more predictable. Cross-element priorities that apply across every element appear at the end of this document.

Each GPU element section contains four parts:
• What We Heard: a summary of what the
community and staff want this element to
achieve, drawn from listening campaign and
workshop sources.
• Staff Requests: specific needs from the
people who will implement the General Plan.
• Cornerstones: things most important to this
community that should be reflected in
foundational policy language.
• Design Questions: the questions this
element should answer through the
research, engagement, and policy
development process. These are complex
areas of community interest and strategic
tension that the GPU engagement process
should address.

1. Land Use
What We Heard
Fortuna’s existing General Plan land use framework is largely sound. The priority for this element is ensuring land use designations are internally consistent, are fully aligned with the Mill District Specific Plan (which provides the detailed planning framework for the city’s most significant development opportunity), and are supported by updated zoning codes that reflect the community’s direction.

The community’s vision is strong for a walkable, active downtown that balances a historic feel with vibrant economic activity; a Mill District that fulfills its potential as an employment and commercial center; neighborhoods that feel like Fortuna; and land near US 101 interchanges that attracts travelers off of the interstate and generates revenue without looking like everywhere else.

Staff Requests
● Determine Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for residential/non-residential uses and align with Fortuna Municipal Code coverage and design standards.
● Residential parking requirements have been a deterrent to mixed-use development. Current policy requires designing to the highest level of parking requirements when commercial uses are undefined during construction and should be modified/simplified to allow development and accommodating realistic parking requirements.
● Fortuna’s Municipal Code is due for an update. It would be nice to see the GPU put forward goals such as clarity, brevity, objectivity, and so forth. We need to decrease the discretionary decision points to the maximum extent practicable.

Cornerstones this element should protect and achieve:
• The Mill District Specific Plan (MDSP, 2024) establishes the planning framework for the former mill site.

The GPU should ensure that General Plan land use designations are fully consistent with the MDSP’s vision of a mixed-use employment center — light industrial, flex, commercial, office, residential — connected to the 12th Street corridor, Fortuna Boulevard, and US 101 access. • Downtown Fortuna and the Fortuna Boulevard corridor are the city’s primary commercial areas. Land use policies should actively support their vitality, not passively permit it. • Development patterns should reflect what the community has consistently said it wants: walkable neighborhoods, a living downtown, and a character that is distinctly Fortuna. When asked to choose, Fortuna residents chose their own existing downtown and other walkable streetscapes — by a wide margin — over every other visual preference alternative presented.

Design Questions the planning process needs to answer:
• How do General Plan land use designations need to be updated to ensure full legal and policy consistency with the MDSP?
• What land use designations and policies best support the 12th Street corridor as a connector between downtown and the Mill District?
• How should the General Plan address the commercial opportunity areas near US 101 interchanges in ways that generate revenue and feel distinctly Fortuna rather than generic highway commercial? • Where does the current zoning map need to change to reflect and implement updated land use designations, particularly for mixed-use and employment-supportive zones? City of Fortuna GPU Process Recommendations 2 of 12 June 2026

2. Economic Development
What We Heard
This is the element the community and staff most want from this General Plan Update. Fortuna does not currently have an Economic Development Plan; this GPU section is the closest equivalent the City is likely to have for the foreseeable future. Its purpose is to establish a framework for what kinds of economic activity Fortuna wants to attract, support, and sustain — and the policies, infrastructure conditions, and regulatory environment that make that possible. Feedback to staff from developers indicates that a project that "pencils out" is the biggest motivator to pursue and complete a project.

Economic development work is also where the GPU and the Strategic Plan most directly intersect. The Economic Development Element should be developed in close coordination with the Strategic Plan’s economic priorities, and its implementation will require the City to build organizational capacity alongside policy.

Staff Requests
● Consider economic incentives and partnerships/agreements or Tax Increment Financing to complete necessary infrastructure improvements.

Cornerstones this element should protect and achieve:
• The Mill District, as framed in the MDSP, is Fortuna’s primary economic development opportunity. The Economic Development Element should treat it as one of the City’s most important investment zones and align policies, infrastructure priorities, and incentive strategies accordingly, especially to consider infrastructure as the starting point for investment.
• Downtown Fortuna is the City’s economic and cultural heart. Economic development policy should actively support a downtown that is open, active, accessible, and attractive to businesses, customers, and tourists alike — including uses and events (like the Farmers Market, which emerged independently across multiple engagement channels as a catalytic opportunity) that generate activation and spending. • Economic activity that generates both revenue for the City and living-wage jobs for residents is the measure of success. The GPU should provide a framework for distinguishing high-value economic development opportunities from those that primarily benefit developers or produce low-wage, non-durable employment.
• Regulatory barriers to desired economic development are a documented problem in Fortuna. This element should drive a parallel code reform process — removing barriers to the “right fit” development the community wants is as important as identifying what that development looks like.

Design Questions the planning process needs to answer:
• Interests in the following potential economic development direction/s emerged from community and staff engagement as areas to explore: family-focused businesses and services; outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism; regional sports events and facilities; skills development and entrepreneurship; the regional and local gap in healthcare services and medical facilities; and agritourism. For instance, might Fortuna be able to meet regional needs for family-friendly activities, workforce development, and/or health care as economic development strategy/ies? For each: Would it generate meaningful City revenue and living-wage jobs? Does it align with Fortuna’s character and values? What land use, zoning, or infrastructure changes would be needed to support it? Are creative options like a family-oriented and/or healthcare district zoning useful tools toward these ends? This evaluation should be a structured City of Fortuna GPU Process Recommendations 3 of 12 June 2026 part of the Element’s development, ideally with targeted community input from people with economic development experience and community investment in the outcome. • What are remaining infrastructure prerequisites for Mill District development (utility systems, street network, interchange/roundabout improvements), and how should the City sequence investment to unlock private development?
• How does the Economic Development Element align with and implement the Mill District Specific Plan, and what GP policy language is needed to ensure that alignment is durable? How might priorities in the Economic Development Element – for instance a focus on developing a regional niche in family-friendly activities or health care services – be reflected in other elements, like creative zoning approaches or process incentives?
• What regulatory changes — zoning, design standards, permitting streamlining — would most directly remove barriers to the economic development Fortuna wants? • What is Fortuna’s role in the Great Redwood Trail/regional trail system economy, and what trail-adjacent land uses should the GPU support or incentivize? (See also: Natural & Cultural Resources Element.)

3. Housing
What We Heard
Housing is important to Fortuna’s future both as an economic development driver to attract and retain workers, professionals, and young families, and as a quality-of-life priority, noted emphatically by Spanish-speaking residents and teens. The community has expressed consistent interest in both owner-occupied and family-affordable, also known as workforce, housing options. State RHNA Cycle 7 requirements are a planning mandate to be met thoughtfully in a way that is consistent with Fortuna’s character.

Staff Requests
● Undeveloped areas with larger minimum parcel size will need to be rezoned to allow for smaller parcels.

Other residentially zoned vacant areas should add density. FAR should accommodate multi-story structures. We should revisit the SB9 ordinance as the language currently does not allow for the intended number or size of units.
● Revisit density and permitting of smaller lot sizes in residential zoned areas with smaller setbacks. ● Consider mid-density (4-6 units per parcel) developments in transitional areas built to design standards – may be owner-occupied, e.g. "Cottage Cluster" or "Pocket Neighborhoods" – to provide for a variety of income levels without creating overly dense developments.

Cornerstones this element should protect and achieve:
• Housing types and locations should support economic development goals — providing options that attract and retain the workers, professionals, and young families Fortuna wants to grow. • Community character and neighborhood scale are important to residents. Infill and incremental density increases in appropriate locations are more consistent with the community’s direction than large-scale redensification of established neighborhoods.
• Family-affordable and owner-occupied housing are consistent community priorities. The Housing Element should include policies that actively support these outcomes.

City of Fortuna GPU Process Recommendations 4 of 12 June 2026 Design Questions the planning process needs to answer:
• What housing types, locations, and densities best serve Fortuna’s economic development and demographic goals?
• How should the GPU address RHNA Cycle 7 requirements in a way that is consistent with Fortuna’s community character?
• What opportunity sites — particularly near employment centers and schools — are best suited for family-affordable housing?
• What design standards would allow gradual infill that adds housing capacity without disrupting existing neighborhood character?

4. Transportation & Circulation
What We Heard
Getting around Fortuna on foot, by bike, and by vehicle is central to both quality of life and economic vitality. The community consistently named walkability, sidewalk connectivity, and safe pedestrian access, routes, and crossings as priorities. The 12th Street/Newburg roundabout project (CEQA complete, active development) is a near-term capital priority and should be reflected as such in the Circulation Element.

The GRTA recently released a Master Plan for the Great Redwood Trail. Fortuna has not yet conducted site-specific planning for the GRT corridor within City limits, so full implementation will follow completion of plans and designs, permits, and fundseeking for each trail segment. Communities that have waited for trail development to begin before planning adjacent uses have consistently missed the opportunity to incorporate trail access designs into adjacent projects and attract trail-supportive businesses (lodging, services, outdoor equipment) that need to be planned and incentivized well in advance. One community voice in this process specifically called for a Fortuna-specific GRT Master Plan, and that is a recommendation worth taking seriously. The GPU is an opportunity to get ahead of this.

On trail planning responsibility: Public Works typically plans, engineers, and oversees construction of trail infrastructure; Parks and Recreation should play a role in planning and design, and manages and maintains trails after they are built. The GPU should make this partnership explicit so it is durable across administrations and project teams.

Staff Request
● Reconsider the past practice of not requiring developers to build planned trails as part of the development exaction process. This is atypical and the City has been unsuccessful thus far in securing grants for trail construction.

Cornerstones this element should protect and achieve:
• Pedestrian infrastructure — connected, safe sidewalks linking neighborhoods to parks, schools, downtown, and medical facilities — is a community priority the Circulation Element should actively support and sequence for implementation.
• The 12th Street/Newburg and Kenmar roundabouts are in active development. The Circulation Element should recognize them both as near-term capital projects and as long-term structural connectors between downtown and the Mill District.

City of Fortuna GPU Process Recommendations 5 of 12 June 2026 • Bicycle and multimodal transportation should be planned for in connection with the Great Redwood Trail, Riverwalk and John Campbell Memorial trail corridors. Prior to development of a Trails Master Plan for Fortuna’s aspiring multi-use trail network, the GPU should designate this network as a planning priority and identify how to leverage adjacent development as well as grant funding for project planning, permitting, and implementation to complete these systems.

Design Questions the planning process needs to answer:
• What pedestrian and sidewalk infrastructure gaps are the highest priority, and how should the Circulation Element sequence their resolution?
• How should the Circulation Element address the full connectivity sequence: Mill District — 12th Street — downtown — US 101?
• What intersection and roadway improvements does the network need to support Mill District build-out, and how are they to be funded and sequenced? • What trail-adjacent land uses should the GPU designate or incentivize along the Great Redwood Trail, Riverwalk and John Campbell Memorial trail corridors — lodging, food, outdoor services, support facilities — and what design standards would attract those uses? • Should the GPU call for a Fortuna-specific GRT corridor planning study or master plan tied into the GRTA Master Plan?

5. Natural & Cultural Resources
What We Heard
Fortuna's natural resources are a visible and fundamental part of Fortuna’s identity. The Eel River, Strongs Creek, forested parks and ridgelines, and the open river bottom agricultural landscapes came up across all types of community engagement as one of the most important things residents want to protect. Equally, they are things people want to use and enjoy: river access, trail connections, parks, and outdoor recreation were named across multiple stations and demographic groups as quality-of-life essentials and reasons people choose to stay.

Fortuna's natural setting is an economic asset. The community's outdoor orientation isn't incidental to Fortuna's identity — it is central to it. Development that showcases these resources, improves access to them, and supports the kinds of businesses and experiences they attract is broadly consistent with what Fortuna said it wants.

Culturally, Fortuna has a historic character that is real and worth protecting — even if it is not as architecturally concentrated as neighboring Ferndale’s “Victorian Village.” The lesson from Ferndale is instructive: that character was preserved because policy protected it. Fortuna has a parallel opportunity. Its early-twentieth-century commercial and residential fabric, agricultural heritage, and the community identity enveloping both are worth naming and planning for — before they are incrementally lost to decisions made in their absence.

Fortuna's broader community character — tight-knit, family-centric, rooted in the outdoors, the river and the working landscape — may not be a formal planning category, but it surfaces in development decisions. Land use policy that actively supports this character is different from policy that merely fails to prohibit its erosion.

City of Fortuna GPU Process Recommendations 6 of 12 June 2026 Staff Requests
● Given the community’s strong interests in open space and outdoor activities as a lifestyle and potential economic development opportunity, similar to recent partnerships in Eureka and McKinleyville with neighboring private timberlands, might we negotiate or offer incentives for adjacent open space to be made available to the public?
● How might recovering salmonid populations also offer potential benefits to Fortuna’s economy? ● Based on a strong public interest in river access throughout the process by all ages, might there be existing examples of river and dock access, given strict levee management requirements by the Corps of Engineers and Department of Fish & Wildlife, such as seasonal river access structures installed by the North Coast Redwoods District of California State Parks? Cornerstones this element should protect and achieve:
• The Eel River and creek riparian corridors are protected natural assets. Land use and development decisions in or adjacent to these corridors should be evaluated against their impact on these resources — and also for whether they improve public access, visibility, and enjoyment of them. • Fortuna's natural setting is a competitive economic asset. Land use designations and design standards adjacent to natural resources should affirmatively support development that showcases and draws on those assets — lodging, outdoor hospitality, river access, and recreation-oriented services — not just avoid degrading them.
• Fortuna's existing historic fabric — its early commercial streetscapes, residential neighborhoods, and agricultural heritage — has planning value even where it is not fully intact or formally designated. The GPU should establish a policy foundation for identifying, assessing, and protecting cultural resources before development decisions make that work harder.
• The community character that has developed around Fortuna's natural setting and history — its family-oriented, outdoor-rooted, place-specific identity — is worth treating as a value in planning decisions, not just as a description of current conditions.

Design Questions the planning process needs to answer:
• What natural resource assets in Fortuna are most important to protect from incompatible development, and what policy tools are appropriate — setbacks, view corridor protection, riparian buffers, access easements?
• What land use designations, design standards, and incentive structures best support development that draws on Fortuna's natural assets — outdoor hospitality, river-oriented recreation, fishing, nature-adjacent lodging — in locations and at scales consistent with community character and that contribute toward economic development and revenue generation objectives? • What historic resources or cultural landscapes within Fortuna are potentially eligible for state or federal designation, and what are the CEQA and planning implications of that eligibility? • How should the GPU balance protection of existing historic fabric with the economic development goal of attracting new investment — particularly in the downtown and along commercial corridors? • Is Fortuna's community character — its particular outdoor-oriented, family-centric identity — something that can or should be articulated in General Plan policy language, and if so, where does it fit most naturally?
City of Fortuna GPU Process Recommendations 7 of 12 June 2026

6. Parks, Recreation, & Open Space
What We Heard
Parks, recreation, and open space ranked at or near the top of every engagement instrument in this process. The community’s message is not primarily about expanding what exists — it is about protecting it, maintaining it well, and making it genuinely accessible to all Fortuna residents, including families with young children, teens, and Spanish-speaking residents.

Staff Requests
● Fortuna currently provides well above the standard total acres of parkland per person, but it's all located in two large parks that have poor connectivity to most residential areas. Expansion of these parks should be weighed against the creation of small neighborhood "pocket" parks in close proximity to higher density areas.
● Consider partnerships with schools who own more land than they are likely to be able to use or manage to explore interim or long-term pocket parks development. ● A parks master plan that identifies underserved areas.

Cornerstones this element should protect and achieve:
• No new parks, trails, or recreation facilities should be approved without an evaluation of on-going maintenance costs and funding mechanisms. The maintenance feasibility filter is the single most consistent operational demand from staff, and it belongs in this element explicitly. • Youth and teen recreation — gathering spaces, sports facilities, and programmed activities — is a priority across every generation and demographic group that participated in this process. The GPU should support land uses and facility standards that enable investment in youth. • Equitable access to parks and open space for Spanish-speaking residents, for lower-income households, for residents in areas with less park proximity should be an explicit policy direction. Given that Spanish-speaking students represent close to half of elementary school populations (and therefore are a good indicator of proportionality in the larger Fortuna population, especially since immigrants are undercounted), widespread cultural differences in recreational use preferences and patterns should be acknowledged and included in future parks and recreation planning efforts.

Design Questions the planning process needs to answer:
• How might we balance the desire for open space with the desire for infill development? • What park, trail, and open space deficiencies have the greatest impact on the residents with least access?
• How should the GPU address the long-term maintenance implications of the City’s existing parks and trails inventory before approving new facilities?
• What role, if any, should the GPU assign to a community volunteer corps model for parks and trail maintenance — and what enabling policies would support it? • How might Fortuna learn from and apply lessons from the increasing pressure on open spaces and outdoor recreation facilities by a growing homeless population? City of Fortuna GPU Process Recommendations 8 of 12 June 2026

7. Public Facilities & Services
What We Heard
Fortuna’s community members consistently named quality public services — library, public safety, public works, and utilities — as important to quality of life and civic identity. Staff capacity constraints are real and documented; the GPU should not create new service obligations without accounting for organizational capacity to deliver them.

Staff Request
● Provide clarity on City-funded vs. developer-funded infrastructure and how capacity charge-backs and the like are handled.

Cornerstones this element should protect and achieve:
• No new facility or service commitments should be created without accounting for staffing and maintenance capacity. Development approvals should be contingent on the City’s ability to serve new growth without degrading services to existing residents. • Utility infrastructure — water, sewer, drainage — in and around the Mill District needs significant upgrading to support anticipated development. The GPU should identify these improvements as development prerequisites, not afterthoughts.

Design Questions the planning process needs to answer:
• What public facility and service standards does Fortuna want to establish — and how does the GPU make those standards actionable in development review?
• What specific utility infrastructure improvements are required to serve Mill District development, and how are those improvements to be funded and sequenced relative to development approvals?

8. Health & Safety
What We Heard
Public health and safety emerged during community engagement primarily in terms of livability: safe streets, accessible parks, and the management of flood and wildfire risk. Healthcare access, including medical facilities and services, was named as an economic development priority and a quality-of-life indicator across multiple groups.

Cornerstones this element should protect and achieve:
• Flood hazard management in the Eel River floodplain should be reflected in land use designations and development standards. This is both a safety requirement and a legal mandate. • Wildfire risk in the hillside areas east of Fortuna should be addressed in land use and development policies proportional to Fortuna’s actual risk profile. Other coastal communities in the Pacific Northwest such as Brookings, Oregon have faced wildfire impacts and scares in recent years, so it is not out of the question that Fortuna could face similar threats in the right conditions.

City of Fortuna GPU Process Recommendations 9 of 12 June 2026 • An increase in impacts from significant weather events is a reality that most communities (and insurance entities) are planning for – Fortuna’s proximity to the Eel River and creeks makes this an especially important consideration.
• As learned during the cluster of “Rio Dell” earthquakes during the winter of 2022-23, Fortuna pulls together in times of crisis – and, yet, all of our north coast communities have work to do to continue to become more earthquake resilient.

Design Questions the planning process needs to answer:
• How should the Health and Safety Element address an updated understanding of wildfire risk in a way that is actionable and proportional?
• What is the appropriate relationship between the Health and Safety Element and the Housing Element regarding development in or near flood-hazard areas?
• Might the region’s and community’s demand for improved healthcare be strategically addressed as a niche opportunity in the Economic Development Element by targeting specific land use designations and incentives? If so, does the Health and Safety Element need to say anything about it? • What does long-term hazard planning look like for Fortuna's river and creek corridors, given trends in flood frequency, storm intensity, and insurance availability? • What planning considerations need to be given to infrastructure stability and other potential challenges that will reduce problems for the community during upcoming earthquakes?

9. Community Design
What We Heard
Fortuna has a strong sense of what it looks like and what it wants to look like. When given choices in visual preference exercises, residents chose Fortuna’s own existing Main Street landscape and other walkable streetscapes with landscaping, youth activities, and historic buildings — by a wide margin. The GPU should protect and build on that character, including for residential areas and multi-family developments, instead of accepting generic standards as the default.

Objective, predictable design standards — replacing the current discretionary design review process — are among the most requested tools from staff and the community. This element should drive their adoption through code reform rather than relying on discretionary review to do design’s job.

Cornerstones this element should protect and achieve:
• Design standards — objective, enforceable, and predictable — are a priority. The Community Design Element should establish the policy foundation for standards to be codified in the Municipal Code. • The historic character of downtown and some residential areas of Fortuna is a community asset.

Design policies should protect and reinforce it – perhaps even expand it to other commercial areas. • The Fortuna Boulevard corridor represents an opportunity to shape the City’s primary gateway. The GPU should treat design standards for this corridor as a priority, with particular attention to the segment near US 101 where generic commercial development has historically defaulted.

City of Fortuna GPU Process Recommendations 10 of 12 June 2026 Design Questions the planning process needs to answer:
• What design elements — scale, materials, façade treatment, signage, setbacks, landscaping — define a distinctly Fortuna commercial character worth building toward? • How do objective design standards incentivize the development Fortuna wants without creating barriers that favor chains over local operators?
• How should the Community Design Element address the relationship between new development and Fortuna’s historic buildings and streetscapes?
• What interim design standards could apply during the GPU process to prevent development decisions that undercut the direction this Element will establish?

10. Administration & Implementation
What We Heard
The most carefully written General Plan will not produce results if it is not implemented, which is where Fortuna’s current General Plan has struggled most — not because its policies are wrong, but because zoning codes and organizational practices have worked against them. The Administration and Implementation Element has an opportunity to address this directly.

Critically, the GPU and its implementation program should call out the code update as its essential companion.

The General Plan’s policies are only as good as the codes that carry them out.

Staff Requests
● The General Plan should be a citywide document and promote shared responsibility for program, policy, and goal implementation.
● Consider crafting and making “design questions” available to and easy for the public to review and provide input on during the public engagement process.
● Allow and encourage the use of technology as a “force-multiplier” to help staff accomplish more with less.

Cornerstones this element should protect and achieve:
• The GPU should include a realistic, phased implementation program — with assigned responsibilities, timelines, and explicit connections to the City budget and Strategic Plan. • Implementation priorities should be sequenced to support economic development and quality-of-life goals, not just processed by element number. • Code reform — particularly for zoning and design standards — should be treated as a co-equal companion to General Plan adoption, not a follow-on task of indefinite timing.

Design Questions the planning process needs to answer:
• How should the implementation program account for current and anticipated staff capacity constraints?
City of Fortuna GPU Process Recommendations 11 of 12 June 2026 • How should the City sequence GPU implementation alongside the code overhaul process — and what interim measures are appropriate in the gap?
• What role should community members and partners play in monitoring and accountability for GPU implementation?
• How and where might a performance orientation (over a compliance orientation) in the GPU policies and in the codes that implement them replace some prescriptive rules with measurable outcomes?

11. Cross-Element Priorities
These themes apply across many or all GPU elements, and in some cases are exploratory. They should not be treated as a standalone section — they are a lens to apply throughout.

Maintenance Feasibility Filter
No new parks, trails, facilities, or infrastructure should be approved without an evaluation of on-going maintenance costs and funding mechanisms and a recommendation from the maintaining department. This is the single most consistent operational demand from both staff and community engagement, and it belongs explicitly in the Implementation Element and in the policies of every relevant element.

Youth & Family Lens
Teen and youth needs represented one of the two strongest cross-issue interests (along with economic development) during listening and community engagement processes. Any land use, economic development, or parks decision with implications for youth programming, gathering spaces, or family-affordable housing should be evaluated explicitly through this lens. It would be worthwhile in a place like Fortuna, where youth and families are a strong part of community identity, to consider a creative approach like zoning for family-friendly uses, especially if economic development priorities lean in the direction of Fortuna becoming a place in the region that caters to family-friendly activities.

Improved Health Care for the Region as an Economic Strategy for Fortuna? Northwestern California is widely understood to have poor access to robust medical care – predictably, this issue arose during the listening campaign. Consider if Fortuna wants to become a regional hub for improved access to quality medical care, instead of many residents driving to places like Santa Rosa or Redding or going without adequate care. This could be a consideration both in Economic Development and linked to specific zoning.

Spanish-Speaking Community & Environmental Justice Inclusion Fortuna’s Spanish-speaking population participated actively in this process and identified two cornerstones:
inclusion of Spanish-speaking residents in City processes, and investment in youth. SB 1000 requires environmental justice goals, policies, and objectives for applicable communities. The GPU process should engage Spanish-speaking residents in its own public engagement process, and the resulting document should reflect their priorities. Translation of materials and interpretation at community meetings are baseline requirements, not extras.

City of Fortuna GPU Process Recommendations 12 of 12 June 2026 La voz de Fortuna
en la Actualización del Plan General:

Prioridades de la Comunidad y del Personal para el Proceso Preparado por Jen Rice Consults para la Ciudad de Fortuna ● junio de 2026 Qué es este documento y cómo usarlo
Este documento tiene el propósito de guiar al equipo consultor de la Actualización del Plan General. Traduce casi un año de participación de la comunidad y del personal en el proceso “Fortuna del Futuro” en orientación para el proceso de la APG (Informe de la Campaña de Escucha de la Ciudad de Fortuna e Informe de Resultados del Taller Fortuna del Futuro, 2026). El público principal es el equipo de Planwest, y este es un documento público que debe poder leer cualquier persona interesada en el futuro de Fortuna.

Una palabra sobre el alcance: el Plan General 2030 actual de Fortuna es considerado, por miembros de la comunidad, el personal y el equipo consultor que ayudó a desarrollarlo, como acertado en su orientación general, aunque con debilidades en su implementación. Muchas de sus políticas nunca se han llevado a cabo, y varias se ven activamente afectadas por códigos de zonificación y reglamentos municipales que van en contra de la intención del plan. Con esto en mente, el trabajo más importante de la APG es:
1) Una renovación completa de los códigos de zonificación y códigos municipales relacionados de la Ciudad, que ya deberían haberse actualizado, y
2) Un Elemento de Desarrollo Económico viable y capaz de ponerse en práctica. Las actualizaciones a los demás elementos deben ser específicas y con un propósito claro, construyendo sobre lo que ya funciona bien.

Este documento está organizado según los diez elementos del Plan General de California. Cada sección identifica la orientación de la comunidad y del personal, necesidades o ideas específicas del personal, los “pilares” que se deben proteger o lograr, y las preguntas de diseño que hay que resolver durante el proceso. Donde el Plan Específico del Distrito del Molino (MDSP, 2024) sea directamente relevante, se indica. El Elemento de Implementación también presenta una orientación basada en resultados, como alternativa a políticas basadas únicamente en el cumplimiento:
es decir, que ciertas condiciones definidas activen respuestas automáticas, reduciendo la necesidad de decidir caso por caso y haciendo la implementación más predecible. Las prioridades que aplican a todos los elementos aparecen al final de este documento.

Cada sección de un elemento de la APG contiene cuatro
partes:
• Lo que escuchamos: un resumen de lo que la comunidad
y el personal quieren lograr con este elemento, basado en la campaña de escucha y los talleres.
• Solicitudes del personal: necesidades específicas de las personas que pondrán en práctica el Plan General.
• Pilares: lo más importante para esta comunidad, que
debe reflejarse en el lenguaje de las políticas
fundamentales.
• Preguntas de Diseño: las preguntas que este elemento
debe responder mediante la investigación, la
participación y el desarrollo de políticas. Son áreas
complejas de interés comunitario y tensión estratégica
que el proceso de participación de la APG debe abordar.

1. Uso de Suelo
Lo que escuchamos
El marco de uso de suelo del Plan General actual de Fortuna es, en general, acertado. La prioridad de este elemento es asegurar que las designaciones de uso de suelo sean internamente consistentes, estén totalmente alineadas con el Plan Específico del Distrito del Molino (que ofrece el marco detallado de planificación para la oportunidad de desarrollo más importante de la ciudad), y estén respaldadas por códigos de zonificación actualizados que reflejen la dirección de la comunidad.

La comunidad tiene una visión clara: quiere un centro activo y transitable a pie que combine un ambiente histórico con actividad económica vibrante; un Distrito del Molino que cumpla su potencial como centro de empleo y comercio; vecindarios que se sientan como Fortuna; y terrenos cerca de los accesos a la autopista US 101 que atraigan a los viajeros y generen ingresos sin parecerse a cualquier otro lugar.

Solicitudes del personal
● Determinar el Índice de Superficie Construida (FAR) para usos residenciales y no residenciales, y alinearlo con los estándares de cobertura y diseño del Código Municipal de Fortuna. ● Los requisitos de estacionamiento residencial han sido un obstáculo para el desarrollo de uso mixto. La política actual exige diseñar según el nivel más alto de requisitos de estacionamiento cuando los usos comerciales aún no están definidos durante la construcción; esto debe modificarse o simplificarse para permitir el desarrollo y ajustarse a necesidades de estacionamiento más realistas. ● El Código Municipal de Fortuna necesita actualizarse. Sería bueno que la APG estableciera metas como claridad, brevedad y objetividad. Es necesario reducir al máximo posible los puntos donde se requieren decisiones discrecionales.

Pilares que este elemento debe proteger y lograr:
• El Plan Específico del Distrito del Molino (MDSP, 2024) establece el marco de planificación para el antiguo sitio del molino. La APG debe asegurar que las designaciones de uso de suelo del Plan General sean totalmente compatibles con la visión del MDSP de un centro de empleo de uso mixto — industrial ligero, flexible, comercial, oficinas, residencial — conectado con el corredor de la Calle 12, el Bulevar Fortuna y el acceso a la US 101.
• El centro de Fortuna y el corredor del Bulevar Fortuna son las principales zonas comerciales de la ciudad. Las políticas de uso de suelo deben apoyar activamente su vitalidad, no solo permitirla. • Los patrones de desarrollo deben reflejar lo que la comunidad ha dicho constantemente que quiere:
vecindarios transitables a pie, un centro vivo, y un carácter que sea distintivamente de Fortuna.

Cuando se les pidió elegir, los residentes de Fortuna prefirieron —por un amplio margen— su propio centro actual y otras calles transitables a pie, por encima de cualquier otra alternativa visual presentada.

Preguntas de Diseño que el proceso de planificación debe responder:
• ¿Cómo deben actualizarse las designaciones de uso de suelo del Plan General para asegurar una consistencia legal y de política totalmente compatible con el MDSP? • ¿Qué designaciones de uso de suelo y políticas apoyan mejor el corredor de la Calle 12 como conector entre el centro y el Distrito del Molino?
Recomendaciones del Proceso APG de la Ciudad de Fortuna 2 de 13 junio de 2026 • ¿Cómo debe el Plan General abordar las zonas de oportunidad comercial cerca de los accesos a la US 101 de manera que generen ingresos y se sientan distintivamente de Fortuna, en lugar de parecer una zona comercial genérica de autopista?
• ¿Dónde necesita cambiar el mapa de zonificación actual para reflejar y poner en práctica las designaciones de uso de suelo actualizadas, particularmente en zonas de uso mixto y que apoyen el empleo?

2. Desarrollo Económico
Lo que escuchamos
Este es el elemento que la comunidad y el personal más desean de esta Actualización del Plan General. Fortuna no cuenta actualmente con un Plan de Desarrollo Económico; esta sección de la APG es lo más parecido que la Ciudad probablemente tendrá en el futuro cercano. Su propósito es establecer un marco sobre qué tipos de actividad económica quiere Fortuna atraer, apoyar y mantener — y las políticas, condiciones de infraestructura y entorno regulatorio que lo hagan posible. Según lo que los desarrolladores han comentado al personal, que un proyecto “sea rentable” es el mayor motivo para llevarlo a cabo y terminarlo.

El desarrollo económico es también donde la APG y el Plan Estratégico se conectan más directamente. El Elemento de Desarrollo Económico debe desarrollarse en estrecha coordinación con las prioridades económicas del Plan Estratégico, y su implementación requerirá que la Ciudad fortalezca su capacidad organizativa junto con sus políticas.

Solicitudes del personal
● Considerar incentivos económicos, asociaciones o acuerdos, o financiamiento por incremento fiscal (Tax Increment Financing), para completar las mejoras de infraestructura necesarias.

Pilares que este elemento debe proteger y lograr:
• El Distrito del Molino, tal como lo define el MDSP, es la principal oportunidad de desarrollo económico de Fortuna. El Elemento de Desarrollo Económico debe tratarlo como una de las zonas de inversión más importantes de la Ciudad, y alinear las políticas, prioridades de infraestructura y estrategias de incentivos en consecuencia, considerando especialmente la infraestructura como punto de partida para la inversión.
• El centro de Fortuna es el corazón económico y cultural de la Ciudad. La política de desarrollo económico debe apoyar activamente un centro abierto, activo, accesible y atractivo tanto para negocios como para clientes y turistas — incluyendo usos y eventos (como el Mercado de Agricultores, que surgió de manera independiente en varios canales de participación como una oportunidad clave) que generen actividad y consumo.
• La actividad económica que genera ingresos para la Ciudad y empleos con salario digno para los residentes es la medida del éxito. La APG debe ofrecer un marco para distinguir las oportunidades de desarrollo económico de alto valor de aquellas que principalmente benefician a los desarrolladores o generan empleos de bajo salario y poca estabilidad.
• Las barreras regulatorias al desarrollo económico deseado son un problema documentado en Fortuna.

Este elemento debe impulsar un proceso paralelo de reforma de códigos — eliminar las barreras al desarrollo “adecuado” que la comunidad quiere es tan importante como identificar cómo debe ser ese desarrollo.

Recomendaciones del Proceso APG de la Ciudad de Fortuna 3 de 13 junio de 2026 Preguntas de Diseño que el proceso de planificación debe responder:
• Del proceso de participación de la comunidad y el personal surgieron varias posibles direcciones de desarrollo económico que vale la pena explorar: negocios y servicios enfocados en la familia; recreación al aire libre y turismo basado en la naturaleza; eventos y instalaciones deportivas regionales; desarrollo de habilidades y emprendimiento; la falta regional y local de servicios e instalaciones médicas; y agroturismo. Por ejemplo, ¿podría Fortuna atender necesidades regionales de actividades familiares, desarrollo de la fuerza laboral, o atención médica, como estrategias de desarrollo económico? Para cada una: ¿generaría ingresos importantes para la Ciudad y empleos con salario digno? ¿Es compatible con el carácter y los valores de Fortuna? ¿Qué cambios de uso de suelo, zonificación o infraestructura se necesitarían para apoyarla? ¿Son útiles opciones creativas como una zonificación orientada a la familia o a la salud? Esta evaluación debe ser parte estructurada del desarrollo del Elemento, idealmente con la participación de personas con experiencia en desarrollo económico y con interés genuino en el resultado. • ¿Qué requisitos de infraestructura faltan para el desarrollo del Distrito del Molino (sistemas de servicios públicos, red de calles, mejoras en accesos y rotondas), y cómo debe la Ciudad organizar la inversión para permitir el desarrollo privado?
• ¿Cómo se alinea el Elemento de Desarrollo Económico con el Plan Específico del Distrito del Molino, y cómo lo pone en práctica? ¿Qué lenguaje de política del Plan General se necesita para que esa alineación sea duradera? ¿Cómo podrían reflejarse en otros elementos las prioridades del Elemento de Desarrollo Económico —por ejemplo, un enfoque en actividades familiares o servicios de salud como nicho regional— mediante enfoques creativos de zonificación o incentivos en los procesos? • ¿Qué cambios regulatorios —zonificación, estándares de diseño, simplificación de permisos— eliminarían más directamente las barreras al desarrollo económico que Fortuna desea? • ¿Cuál es el papel de Fortuna en la economía del Gran Sendero de las Secuoyas (Great Redwood Trail) y el sistema regional de senderos, y qué usos de suelo junto a los senderos debería apoyar o incentivar la APG? (Ver también: Elemento de Recursos Naturales y Culturales.)

3. Vivienda
Lo que escuchamos
La vivienda es importante para el futuro de Fortuna, tanto como motor de desarrollo económico para atraer y retener a trabajadores, profesionales y familias jóvenes, como prioridad de calidad de vida, señalada con énfasis por los residentes hispanohablantes y los adolescentes. La comunidad ha expresado un interés constante tanto en vivienda propia como en vivienda asequible para trabajadores. Los requisitos estatales del Ciclo 7 de RHNA son un mandato de planificación que debe cumplirse de manera cuidadosa y compatible con el carácter de Fortuna.

Solicitudes del personal
● Las áreas sin desarrollar con lotes mínimos más grandes deberán rezonificarse para permitir lotes más pequeños. Otras áreas residenciales vacantes deben aumentar su densidad. El FAR debe permitir estructuras de varios pisos. Debemos revisar la ordenanza SB9, ya que el lenguaje actual no permite el número o tamaño de unidades que se pretendía.
● Revisar la densidad y los permisos para lotes más pequeños en zonas residenciales, con retranqueos (setbacks) más reducidos.
● Considerar desarrollos de densidad media (de 4 a 6 unidades por lote) en zonas de transición, construidos según estándares de diseño —posiblemente vivienda propia, como “Cottage Cluster” o “Pocket Neighborhoods”— para ofrecer opciones a distintos niveles de ingreso sin crear desarrollos demasiado densos.

Recomendaciones del Proceso APG de la Ciudad de Fortuna 4 de 13 junio de 2026 Pilares que este elemento debe proteger y lograr:
• Los tipos y ubicaciones de vivienda deben apoyar las metas de desarrollo económico — ofreciendo opciones que atraigan y retengan a los trabajadores, profesionales y familias jóvenes que Fortuna quiere que crezcan aquí.
• El carácter comunitario y la escala de los vecindarios son importantes para los residentes. El desarrollo de lotes vacantes y los aumentos graduales de densidad en lugares adecuados son más compatibles con la dirección de la comunidad que una redensificación a gran escala de vecindarios ya establecidos. • La vivienda asequible para familias y la vivienda propia son prioridades constantes de la comunidad. El Elemento de Vivienda debe incluir políticas que apoyen activamente estos resultados.

Preguntas de Diseño que el proceso de planificación debe responder:
• ¿Qué tipos, ubicaciones y densidades de vivienda sirven mejor a las metas demográficas y de desarrollo económico de Fortuna?
• ¿Cómo debe la APG abordar los requisitos del Ciclo 7 de RHNA de manera compatible con el carácter comunitario de Fortuna?
• ¿Qué sitios de oportunidad —particularmente cerca de centros de empleo y escuelas— son los más adecuados para vivienda asequible para familias?
• ¿Qué estándares de diseño permitirían un desarrollo gradual de lotes vacantes que aumente la capacidad de vivienda sin alterar el carácter actual del vecindario?

4. Transporte y Circulación
Lo que escuchamos
Poder moverse por Fortuna a pie, en bicicleta y en vehículo es fundamental tanto para la calidad de vida como para la actividad económica. La comunidad mencionó constantemente la posibilidad de caminar, la conectividad de las aceras y el acceso, las rutas y los cruces peatonales seguros como prioridades. El proyecto de la rotonda en Calle 12/Newburg (con el proceso CEQA completo y en desarrollo activo) es una prioridad de capital a corto plazo y debe reflejarse como tal en el Elemento de Circulación.

La GRTA (Agencia del Gran Sendero de las Secuoyas) publicó recientemente un Plan Maestro para el Great Redwood Trail. Fortuna aún no ha realizado una planificación específica para el tramo del sendero dentro de los límites de la ciudad, así que su implementación completa dependerá de que se terminen los planos, diseños, permisos y financiamiento de cada segmento. Las comunidades que han esperado a que comience la construcción del sendero antes de planificar los usos adyacentes han perdido, sistemáticamente, la oportunidad de incorporar accesos al sendero en proyectos cercanos y de atraer negocios que dependen del sendero (hospedaje, servicios, equipo para actividades al aire libre), los cuales necesitan planificarse e incentivarse con anticipación. Una persona de la comunidad pidió específicamente un Plan Maestro del GRT propio de Fortuna durante este proceso, y esa es una recomendación que vale la pena tomar en serio. La APG es una oportunidad para adelantarse a esto.

Sobre la responsabilidad de planificar los senderos: Obras Públicas normalmente planifica, diseña y supervisa la construcción de la infraestructura de senderos; Parques y Recreación debe participar en la planificación y el diseño, y Recomendaciones del Proceso APG de la Ciudad de Fortuna 5 de 13 junio de 2026 se encarga de darles mantenimiento una vez construidos. La APG debe dejar clara esta colaboración para que se mantenga a través de distintas administraciones y equipos de proyecto.

Solicitud del personal
● Reconsiderar la práctica anterior de no exigir a los desarrolladores construir los senderos planificados como parte del proceso de exacciones al desarrollo. Esto es poco común, y hasta ahora la Ciudad no ha tenido éxito en conseguir fondos (grants) para la construcción de senderos.

Pilares que este elemento debe proteger y lograr:
• La infraestructura peatonal —aceras seguras y conectadas que unan los vecindarios con los parques, las escuelas, el centro y los centros médicos— es una prioridad de la comunidad que el Elemento de Circulación debe apoyar activamente y organizar para su implementación. • Las rotondas de Calle 12/Newburg y Kenmar están en desarrollo activo. El Elemento de Circulación debe reconocerlas tanto como proyectos de capital a corto plazo como conectores estructurales a largo plazo entre el centro y el Distrito del Molino.
• El transporte en bicicleta y multimodal debe planificarse en conexión con los corredores del Great Redwood Trail, el Paseo del Río (Riverwalk) y el sendero conmemorativo John Campbell. Antes de desarrollar un Plan Maestro de Senderos para la red de senderos de uso múltiple que Fortuna aspira a tener, la APG debe designar esta red como prioridad de planificación e identificar cómo aprovechar el desarrollo cercano y los fondos disponibles (grants) para planificar, permitir e implementar estos sistemas.

Preguntas de Diseño que el proceso de planificación debe responder:
• ¿Qué vacíos en la infraestructura peatonal y de aceras son la mayor prioridad, y cómo debe el Elemento de Circulación organizar su solución?
• ¿Cómo debe el Elemento de Circulación abordar toda la secuencia de conectividad: Distrito del Molino — Calle 12 — centro — US 101?
• ¿Qué mejoras en intersecciones y calles necesita la red para apoyar el desarrollo completo del Distrito del Molino, y cómo se van a financiar y organizar?
• ¿Qué usos de suelo junto a los senderos debería designar o incentivar la APG a lo largo del Great Redwood Trail, el Paseo del Río y el sendero John Campbell —hospedaje, comida, servicios al aire libre, instalaciones de apoyo— y qué estándares de diseño atraerían esos usos? • ¿Debería la APG solicitar un estudio de planificación o un plan maestro específico de Fortuna para el corredor del GRT conectado con el Plan Maestro de la GRTA?

5. Recursos Naturales y Culturales
Lo que escuchamos
Los recursos naturales de Fortuna son una parte visible y fundamental de la identidad de la ciudad. El Río Eel, el Arroyo Strongs, los parques boscosos y las crestas, y los terrenos agrícolas junto al río surgieron en todo tipo de participación comunitaria como algunas de las cosas más importantes que los residentes quieren proteger. Al mismo tiempo, son cosas que la gente quiere usar y disfrutar: el acceso al río, las conexiones con senderos, los Recomendaciones del Proceso APG de la Ciudad de Fortuna 6 de 13 junio de 2026 parques y la recreación al aire libre fueron mencionados en múltiples estaciones y grupos demográficos como elementos esenciales de calidad de vida y razones para quedarse a vivir aquí.

El entorno natural de Fortuna es un activo económico. La orientación de la comunidad hacia el aire libre no es algo incidental a la identidad de Fortuna — es parte central de ella. El desarrollo que muestra estos recursos, mejora el acceso a ellos y apoya los negocios y experiencias que atraen es, en general, compatible con lo que Fortuna ha dicho que quiere.

Culturalmente, Fortuna tiene un carácter histórico real que vale la pena proteger — aunque no esté tan concentrado arquitectónicamente como el “Pueblo Victoriano” de la vecina Ferndale. La lección de Ferndale es clara: ese carácter se conservó porque las políticas lo protegieron. Fortuna tiene una oportunidad parecida. Su arquitectura comercial y residencial de principios del siglo veinte, su herencia agrícola y la identidad comunitaria que envuelve a ambas merecen nombrarse y planificarse — antes de que se pierdan poco a poco por decisiones tomadas sin tenerlas en cuenta.

El carácter comunitario más amplio de Fortuna —unido, centrado en la familia, arraigado en el aire libre, el río y el paisaje de trabajo— tal vez no sea una categoría formal de planificación, pero se manifiesta en las decisiones de desarrollo. Una política de uso de suelo que apoya activamente este carácter es diferente de una que simplemente no prohíbe que se pierda.

Solicitudes del personal
● Dado el fuerte interés de la comunidad en los espacios abiertos y las actividades al aire libre, tanto como estilo de vida como oportunidad de desarrollo económico, similar a las asociaciones recientes en Eureka y McKinleyville con terrenos madereros privados cercanos, ¿podríamos negociar u ofrecer incentivos para que los espacios abiertos adyacentes estén disponibles para el público? ● ¿Cómo podría la recuperación de las poblaciones de salmónidos también beneficiar a la economía de Fortuna?
● Dado el fuerte interés público en el acceso al río entre personas de todas las edades durante este proceso, ¿existen ejemplos de acceso al río y muelles, considerando los estrictos requisitos de manejo de diques del Cuerpo de Ingenieros y del Departamento de Pesca y Vida Silvestre, como las estructuras temporales de acceso al río que instala el Distrito de las Secuoyas de la Costa Norte de los Parques Estatales de California? Pilares que este elemento debe proteger y lograr:
• Los corredores ribereños del Río Eel y los arroyos son activos naturales protegidos. Las decisiones de uso de suelo y desarrollo dentro o cerca de estos corredores deben evaluarse según su impacto en estos recursos —y también según si mejoran el acceso público, la visibilidad y el disfrute de ellos. • El entorno natural de Fortuna es un activo económico competitivo. Las designaciones de uso de suelo y los estándares de diseño cerca de los recursos naturales deben apoyar activamente el desarrollo que aproveche y muestre estos activos —hospedaje, servicios al aire libre, acceso al río y recreación— y no solo evitar dañarlos.
• El tejido histórico existente de Fortuna —sus primeras calles comerciales, vecindarios residenciales y herencia agrícola— tiene valor para la planificación, aunque no esté completamente intacto ni designado formalmente. La APG debe establecer una base de políticas para identificar, evaluar y proteger los recursos culturales antes de que las decisiones de desarrollo hagan ese trabajo más difícil. • El carácter comunitario que se ha formado alrededor del entorno natural y la historia de Fortuna —su identidad orientada a la familia, arraigada en el aire libre y propia de este lugar— vale la pena tratarlo como un valor en las decisiones de planificación, y no solo como una descripción de las condiciones actuales.

Recomendaciones del Proceso APG de la Ciudad de Fortuna 7 de 13 junio de 2026 Preguntas de Diseño que el proceso de planificación debe responder:
• ¿Qué recursos naturales de Fortuna son más importantes de proteger del desarrollo incompatible, y qué herramientas de política son adecuadas —retranqueos, protección de corredores visuales, zonas de amortiguamiento ribereño, servidumbres de acceso?
• ¿Qué designaciones de uso de suelo, estándares de diseño e incentivos apoyan mejor el desarrollo que aprovecha los activos naturales de Fortuna —hospedaje al aire libre, recreación junto al río, pesca, alojamiento cerca de la naturaleza— en lugares y escalas compatibles con el carácter comunitario, y que contribuyan a las metas de desarrollo económico e ingresos? • ¿Qué recursos históricos o paisajes culturales dentro de Fortuna podrían ser elegibles para una designación estatal o federal, y cuáles son las implicaciones de CEQA y de planificación de esa elegibilidad?
• ¿Cómo debe la APG equilibrar la protección del tejido histórico existente con la meta de desarrollo económico de atraer nueva inversión —particularmente en el centro y a lo largo de los corredores comerciales?
• ¿Es el carácter comunitario de Fortuna —su identidad particular, orientada al aire libre y centrada en la familia— algo que se pueda o se deba expresar en el lenguaje de las políticas del Plan General, y si es así, dónde encaja de forma más natural?

6. Parques, Recreación y Espacios Abiertos
Lo que escuchamos
Los parques, la recreación y los espacios abiertos estuvieron entre las prioridades más altas en todas las herramientas de participación de este proceso. El mensaje de la comunidad no es principalmente ampliar lo que ya existe — es protegerlo, darle buen mantenimiento y hacerlo verdaderamente accesible para todos los residentes de Fortuna, incluyendo a las familias con niños pequeños, los adolescentes y los residentes hispanohablantes.

Solicitudes del personal
● Fortuna actualmente tiene mucho más terreno de parques por persona que el estándar, pero todo está ubicado en dos parques grandes con poca conexión con la mayoría de las zonas residenciales. La expansión de estos parques debe compararse con la opción de crear parques vecinales pequeños (“de bolsillo”) cerca de zonas de mayor densidad.
● Considerar asociaciones con escuelas que tienen más terreno del que probablemente puedan usar o manejar, para explorar el desarrollo de parques de bolsillo, ya sea temporal o a largo plazo. ● Un plan maestro de parques que identifique las zonas con menos servicio.

Pilares que este elemento debe proteger y lograr:
• No se debe aprobar ningún parque, sendero o instalación recreativa nueva sin una evaluación de los costos de mantenimiento continuo y de cómo se van a financiar. El filtro de viabilidad de mantenimiento es la solicitud operativa más constante del personal, y debe incluirse explícitamente en este elemento.

Recomendaciones del Proceso APG de la Ciudad de Fortuna 8 de 13 junio de 2026 • La recreación para jóvenes y adolescentes —espacios de reunión, instalaciones deportivas y actividades organizadas— es una prioridad para todas las generaciones y grupos que participaron en este proceso.

La APG debe apoyar usos de suelo y estándares de instalaciones que permitan invertir en la juventud. • El acceso equitativo a los parques y espacios abiertos para los residentes hispanohablantes, para los hogares de bajos ingresos y para los residentes en zonas con menos parques cerca debe ser una dirección de política explícita. Dado que los estudiantes hispanohablantes representan casi la mitad de la población de las escuelas primarias (y por lo tanto son un buen indicador de la proporción en la población general de Fortuna, especialmente porque los inmigrantes suelen no contarse completamente), se deben reconocer las diferencias culturales en las preferencias y patrones de uso recreativo e incluirlas en la futura planificación de parques y recreación.

Preguntas de Diseño que el proceso de planificación debe responder:
• ¿Cómo podríamos equilibrar el deseo de espacios abiertos con el deseo de desarrollar los lotes vacantes?
• ¿Qué carencias en parques, senderos y espacios abiertos tienen el mayor impacto en los residentes con menos acceso?
• ¿Cómo debe la APG abordar las implicaciones de mantenimiento a largo plazo del inventario actual de parques y senderos de la Ciudad, antes de aprobar nuevas instalaciones? • ¿Qué papel, si acaso, debería asignar la APG a un modelo de cuerpo de voluntarios comunitarios para el mantenimiento de parques y senderos —y qué políticas lo harían posible? • ¿Cómo podría Fortuna aprender y aplicar lecciones sobre la creciente presión sobre los espacios abiertos y las instalaciones recreativas debido al aumento de la población sin hogar?

7. Instalaciones y Servicios Públicos
Lo que escuchamos
Los miembros de la comunidad de Fortuna mencionaron constantemente la calidad de los servicios públicos —biblioteca, seguridad pública, obras públicas y servicios básicos— como algo importante para la calidad de vida y la identidad cívica. Las limitaciones de capacidad del personal son reales y están documentadas; la APG no debe crear nuevas obligaciones de servicio sin tomar en cuenta la capacidad de la organización para cumplirlas.

Solicitud del personal
● Aclarar qué infraestructura es financiada por la Ciudad y cuál por los desarrolladores, y cómo se manejan los cargos de capacidad y cosas similares.

Pilares que este elemento debe proteger y lograr:
• No se deben crear nuevos compromisos de instalaciones o servicios sin tomar en cuenta la capacidad de personal y mantenimiento. Las aprobaciones de desarrollo deben depender de la capacidad de la Ciudad para atender el nuevo crecimiento sin reducir la calidad de los servicios a los residentes actuales. • La infraestructura de servicios públicos —agua, drenaje sanitario, drenaje pluvial— dentro y alrededor del Distrito del Molino necesita mejoras importantes para apoyar el desarrollo previsto. La APG debe identificar estas mejoras como requisitos previos al desarrollo, no como algo secundario.

Recomendaciones del Proceso APG de la Ciudad de Fortuna 9 de 13 junio de 2026 Preguntas de Diseño que el proceso de planificación debe responder:
• ¿Qué estándares de instalaciones y servicios públicos quiere establecer Fortuna, y cómo hace la APG que esos estándares se puedan aplicar en la revisión de desarrollo? • ¿Qué mejoras específicas de infraestructura de servicios públicos se necesitan para atender el desarrollo del Distrito del Molino, y cómo se van a financiar y organizar en relación con las aprobaciones de desarrollo?

8. Salud y Seguridad
Lo que escuchamos
La salud pública y la seguridad surgieron durante la participación comunitaria principalmente en términos de calidad de vida: calles seguras, parques accesibles, y el manejo del riesgo de inundaciones e incendios forestales. El acceso a la atención médica, incluyendo instalaciones y servicios médicos, se mencionó como una prioridad de desarrollo económico y un indicador de calidad de vida en varios grupos.

Pilares que este elemento debe proteger y lograr:
• El manejo del riesgo de inundación en la llanura de inundación del Río Eel debe reflejarse en las designaciones de uso de suelo y los estándares de desarrollo. Esto es tanto un requisito de seguridad como un mandato legal.
• El riesgo de incendios forestales en las zonas de colinas al este de Fortuna debe abordarse en las políticas de uso de suelo y desarrollo de manera proporcional al riesgo real de Fortuna. Otras comunidades costeras del noroeste del Pacífico, como Brookings, Oregón, han enfrentado impactos y sustos por incendios forestales en años recientes, así que no se puede descartar que Fortuna enfrente amenazas similares bajo ciertas condiciones.
• El aumento de impactos por eventos climáticos significativos es una realidad para la que la mayoría de las comunidades (y las aseguradoras) se están preparando —la cercanía de Fortuna al Río Eel y a los arroyos hace que esto sea una consideración especialmente importante. • Como se aprendió durante la serie de terremotos de “Rio Dell” en el invierno de 2022-23, Fortuna se une en momentos de crisis — y, aun así, todas nuestras comunidades de la costa norte tienen trabajo por hacer para ser más resistentes ante los terremotos.

Preguntas de Diseño que el proceso de planificación debe responder:
• ¿Cómo debe el Elemento de Salud y Seguridad abordar una comprensión actualizada del riesgo de incendios forestales de una manera práctica y proporcional? • ¿Cuál debería ser la relación entre el Elemento de Salud y Seguridad y el Elemento de Vivienda en cuanto al desarrollo dentro o cerca de zonas de riesgo de inundación? • ¿Podría abordarse estratégicamente la demanda regional y comunitaria de mejor atención médica como una oportunidad de nicho en el Elemento de Desarrollo Económico, mediante designaciones de uso de suelo e incentivos específicos? Si es así, ¿necesita el Elemento de Salud y Seguridad decir algo al respecto?
Recomendaciones del Proceso APG de la Ciudad de Fortuna 10 de 13 junio de 2026 • ¿Cómo se vería la planificación de riesgos a largo plazo para los corredores del río y los arroyos de Fortuna, considerando las tendencias en frecuencia de inundaciones, intensidad de tormentas y disponibilidad de seguros?
• ¿Qué consideraciones de planificación se deben tener en cuenta sobre la estabilidad de la infraestructura y otros posibles retos, para reducir los problemas de la comunidad durante futuros terremotos?

9. Diseño Comunitario
Lo que escuchamos
Fortuna tiene un sentido claro de cómo se ve y de cómo quiere verse. Cuando se les dieron opciones en ejercicios de preferencia visual, los residentes eligieron —por un amplio margen— el paisaje actual de Main Street y otras calles transitables a pie con áreas verdes, actividades para jóvenes y edificios históricos. La APG debe proteger y construir sobre ese carácter, incluso en zonas residenciales y desarrollos multifamiliares, en lugar de aceptar estándares genéricos como opción predeterminada.

Los estándares de diseño objetivos y predecibles —que reemplacen el actual proceso de revisión discrecional— son una de las herramientas más solicitadas tanto por el personal como por la comunidad. Este elemento debe impulsar su adopción mediante la reforma de códigos, en lugar de depender de la revisión discrecional para hacer el trabajo del diseño.

Pilares que este elemento debe proteger y lograr:
• Los estándares de diseño —objetivos, exigibles y predecibles— son una prioridad. El Elemento de Diseño Comunitario debe establecer la base de políticas para que estos estándares se incorporen al Código Municipal.
• El carácter histórico del centro y de algunas zonas residenciales de Fortuna es un activo de la comunidad. Las políticas de diseño deben protegerlo y reforzarlo —quizás incluso extenderlo a otras zonas comerciales.
• El corredor del Bulevar Fortuna representa una oportunidad de dar forma a la entrada principal de la Ciudad. La APG debe tratar los estándares de diseño de este corredor como una prioridad, prestando especial atención al tramo cerca de la US 101, donde históricamente ha predominado el desarrollo comercial genérico.

Preguntas de Diseño que el proceso de planificación debe responder:
• ¿Qué elementos de diseño —escala, materiales, tratamiento de fachadas, letreros, retranqueos, áreas verdes— definen un carácter comercial distintivamente de Fortuna que valga la pena construir? • ¿Cómo pueden los estándares de diseño objetivos incentivar el desarrollo que Fortuna quiere sin crear barreras que favorezcan a las cadenas comerciales sobre los negocios locales? • ¿Cómo debe el Elemento de Diseño Comunitario abordar la relación entre el nuevo desarrollo y los edificios y calles históricas de Fortuna?
• ¿Qué estándares de diseño provisionales podrían aplicarse durante el proceso de la APG para evitar decisiones de desarrollo que vayan en contra de la dirección que este Elemento establecerá? Recomendaciones del Proceso APG de la Ciudad de Fortuna 11 de 13 junio de 2026

10. Administración e Implementación
Lo que escuchamos
El Plan General mejor redactado no dará resultados si no se pone en práctica, que es precisamente donde el Plan General actual de Fortuna ha tenido más dificultades — no porque sus políticas estén equivocadas, sino porque los códigos de zonificación y las prácticas organizativas han trabajado en su contra. El Elemento de Administración e Implementación tiene la oportunidad de abordar esto directamente.

Es fundamental que la APG y su programa de implementación reconozcan la actualización de los códigos como su complemento esencial. Las políticas del Plan General son tan buenas como los códigos que las ponen en práctica.

Solicitudes del personal
● El Plan General debe ser un documento para toda la ciudad, que promueva la responsabilidad compartida en la implementación de programas, políticas y metas.
● Considerar redactar “preguntas de diseño” y ponerlas a disposición del público, de manera fácil de revisar y comentar durante el proceso de participación pública. ● Permitir y fomentar el uso de la tecnología como “multiplicador de fuerza” para ayudar al personal a lograr más con menos recursos.

Pilares que este elemento debe proteger y lograr:
• La APG debe incluir un programa de implementación realista y por etapas —con responsabilidades asignadas, plazos y conexiones explícitas con el presupuesto de la Ciudad y el Plan Estratégico. • Las prioridades de implementación deben organizarse para apoyar las metas de desarrollo económico y calidad de vida, no solo procesarse según el número del elemento. • La reforma de códigos — particularmente en zonificación y estándares de diseño— debe tratarse como un complemento de igual importancia a la adopción del Plan General, no como una tarea posterior sin fecha definida.

Preguntas de Diseño que el proceso de planificación debe responder:
• ¿Cómo debe el programa de implementación tomar en cuenta las limitaciones actuales y previstas de capacidad del personal?
• ¿Cómo debe la Ciudad organizar la implementación de la APG junto con el proceso de renovación de códigos —y qué medidas provisionales serían adecuadas mientras tanto? • ¿Qué papel deben tener los miembros de la comunidad y los socios en el seguimiento y la rendición de cuentas de la implementación de la APG?
• ¿Cómo y dónde podría una orientación basada en resultados (en lugar de una orientación basada en el cumplimiento) en las políticas de la APG y en los códigos que las implementan, reemplazar algunas reglas rígidas con resultados medibles?
Recomendaciones del Proceso APG de la Ciudad de Fortuna 12 de 13 junio de 2026

11. Prioridades entre Elementos
Estos temas se aplican a muchos o a todos los elementos de la APG, y en algunos casos son de carácter exploratorio. No deben tratarse como una sección aparte — son un lente que debe aplicarse en todo el documento.

Filtro de Viabilidad de Mantenimiento
No se debe aprobar ningún parque, sendero, instalación o infraestructura nueva sin una evaluación de los costos de mantenimiento continuo y los mecanismos de financiamiento y sin una recomendación del departamento encargado de darle mantenimiento. Esta es la solicitud operativa más constante tanto del personal como de la comunidad, y debe incluirse explícitamente en el Elemento de Implementación y en las políticas de cada elemento relevante.

El Lente de Juventud y Familia
Las necesidades de los adolescentes y jóvenes representaron uno de los dos intereses transversales más fuertes (junto con el desarrollo económico) durante los procesos de escucha y participación comunitaria. Cualquier decisión de uso de suelo, desarrollo económico o parques que tenga implicaciones para la programación juvenil, los espacios de reunión o la vivienda asequible para familias debe evaluarse explícitamente bajo este lente.

Valdría la pena, en un lugar como Fortuna, donde los jóvenes y las familias son una parte fuerte de la identidad comunitaria, considerar un enfoque creativo como la zonificación para usos orientados a la familia, especialmente si las prioridades de desarrollo económico se inclinan hacia que Fortuna se convierta en un lugar de la región que atienda actividades familiares.
¿Mejor atención médica para la región como estrategia económica para Fortuna? Se sabe ampliamente que el noroeste de California tiene poco acceso a atención médica sólida —como era de esperar, este tema surgió durante la campaña de escucha. Hay que considerar si Fortuna quiere convertirse en un centro regional de acceso a atención médica de calidad, en lugar de que muchos residentes tengan que manejar hasta lugares como Santa Rosa o Redding, o se queden sin la atención adecuada. Esto podría considerarse tanto en el Desarrollo Económico como en la zonificación específica.

Inclusión de la Comunidad Hispanohablante y Justicia Ambiental La población hispanohablante de Fortuna participó activamente en este proceso e identificó dos pilares: la inclusión de los residentes hispanohablantes en los procesos de la Ciudad, y la inversión en la juventud. La ley SB 1000 exige metas, políticas y objetivos de justicia ambiental para las comunidades correspondientes. El proceso de la APG debe involucrar a los residentes hispanohablantes en su propio proceso de participación pública, y el documento final debe reflejar sus prioridades. La traducción de materiales y la interpretación en las reuniones comunitarias son requisitos básicos, no algo adicional.

Recomendaciones del Proceso APG de la Ciudad de Fortuna 13 de 13 junio de 2026 What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 What We Built Together:

Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026
July 2026 Prepared for the City of Fortuna by
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 How to Use This Document
This report contains results from six planning workshops and related polling conducted between November 2025 and April 2026 as part of the Future Fortuna project to develop the City’s first Strategic Plan while also informing an update to the City’s General Plan. The purpose of this report is to:
• Put detailed workshop results in the hands of staff,
Council, community members, and partner organizations
who want to understand and apply them in a variety of
ways; and
• Illustrate the "process trail" of how those results informed development of Fortuna’s Strategic Plan 2026–2036 and
General Plan Update (GPU) Recommendations.

This document walks through each source of information in sequence, describing what was designed and why, what was heard and produced, and how specific themes emerged and were traced through the process, and reinforced each other across a continuous “trail” of results that built upon each other, from fall 2025 listening campaign results to the final staff-Council working session in April 2026.

Images of workshop products are provided throughout the document as well as in the Appendix. Companion documents include the City of Fortuna Listening Campaign Report (the foundation for workshop planning and design), the Fortuna Strategic Plan 2026–2036, and Fortuna’s Voice in the General Plan Update (referred to here as GPU Recommendations), all produced in 2026 and available from the City of Fortuna.

Acknowledgements
Future Fortuna is unfolding because people gave it time, honesty, and care for a place and people they love.

City Manager Amy Nilsen had the vision to approach City strategy differently and made all of it possible. Shepherding an open-ended, trust-heavy, deeply engaged planning process is not a small ask of any City Manager. The City Council's willingness to back an unconventional investment in Fortuna's future made it real. Amy's leadership throughout was strong, open, and genuine at every step.

City department directors and staff who were interviewed, who gave evenings and Saturdays to workshops, who worked through the findings together, and dedicated effort to getting the word out — thank you.

Listening campaign interviewers channeled honest answers into the foundation everything else rests on. Interviewees shared openly shared their hopes and experiences. Felicia Stansbury at the FUHS Wellness Center made two focus groups possible and comfortable – and Marcelina Mejia de Castillo at Providence’s Loleta Community Resource Center, Raven Bermea at Teen Court, Sandy Radic-Oshiro at HCOE and others were the reason participants showed up. Several East High students served as advisors and, thanks to Natalie Heckman, a dozen of them made blank workshop banners shine.

Community Champions Becky Giacomini, Felicia Thomsson, Marcelina Mejia de Castillo, and Fred Robinson provided a regular stream of Fortuna wisdom that shaped this process throughout. The Fortuna Chamber of Commerce and Diego Mejia helped make sure the community knew these workshops were happening. Jon Sapper and a team of local volunteers conducted the business community survey that shaped the economic development findings here.

Volunteer workshop station hosts – Planning Commissioner Neleen Nichols, Amy Jester, Martha Spencer, Leila Roberts, Ani Carrillo, Noelle Melchezidek, and Chris Lohefener – and of course City staff – drew people out and made a room full of simultaneous conversations feel like a coherent experience.

Interpreters and translators helped demonstrate a more accessible public planning process – Agustin Amaro and the North Coast Interpreters & Translators in particular. Humboldt Area Foundation helped make it possible.

Michelle Carrillo and Leslie Tergas of ThinkPlace US were foundational design partners for the workshops arc, Collaboration Stations, and Mentimeter polls. Rob Holmlund brought creative planning engagement savvy, a thoughtprovoking exploration of why residents should “manifest with precision,” and engaging poster exercises everyone is still talking about. Michelle and Rob brought care and valued experience to community workshop co-facilitation. Interns Raven Ross shepherded logistics and Owen Caldwell tallied a whole lot of stars.

Most of all: to the people of Fortuna who came to workshops, answered questions honestly, and kept their kids and their beautiful places in mind — thank you for being clear about what isn't working and bold about what could be. That's what makes this report mean something.

What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 Table of Contents
How to Use This Document & Acknowledgements

1. Following Fortuna's Voices: A Standard Planning Process Redesign 1 1A. Public Engagement That Works for Everyone Involved 1 1B. Establishing Common Ground First: A Good Investment 2 1C. A Note on How to Read These Results 3

2. The Six Workshops & Polling At a Glance 4

3. Fall Staff Workshop 5
3A. Purpose & Design 5
3B. What the Staff Workshop Produced 5
3B1. Seeds of the Compass 5
3B2. Values 6
3B3. Purpose 6
3B4. Decision Filters 6
3B5. Initial Priority Planning Sketches 7

4. Community Champions: Workshops Design Session 8

5. Community Workshop 1: Imagine Future Fortuna 9
5A. Purpose & Design 9
5B. Shaping Fortuna's Compass of Guiding Principles: Visioning Exercises 10 5C. The Six Collaboration Stations: What Participants Emphasized & Added 12 5C1. Station 1: Our City Leadership & How We Participate 12 5C2. Station 2: Growing Up & Feeling at Home in Our City 13 5C3. Station 3: The Economic Future of Our City 14
5C4. Station 4: Our Outdoors & Public Spaces 16
5C5. Station 5: How Our City Works: Infrastructure, Services & Safety 17 5C6. Station 6: What Our City Looks & Feels Like: Land Use & Character 18

6. Community Polls 21
6A. Workshop 1 Paper Feedback Guide Survey 21
6B. Workshop 1 Mentimeter Vision & Values Polling 22
6C. Between-Workshops Mentimeter Poll 23
6D. Agreement Across Polls 24

7. Community Workshop 2: Charting a Course to Future Fortuna 25 7A. Workshop 2 Overview 25
7B. Collaboration Station Design Tables & Exercise Results — Workshop 2 27 7B1. Station 1: Our City Leadership & How We Participate 27 7B2. Station 2: Growing Up & Feeling at Home in Our City 28 7B3. Station 3: The Economic Future of Our City 29
7B4. Station 4: Our Outdoors & Public Spaces 30
7B5. Station 5: How Our City Works: Infrastructure, Services & Safety 30 7B6. Station 6: What Our City Looks & Feels Like: Land Use & Character 30

8. Community Workshops Feedback 34

9. From Community Voice to City Direction 35
9A. Spring Staff Workshop: April 21, 2026 35
9A1. Internal-Facing Staff Priorities 36
9A2. External-Facing Staff Priorities 36
9A3. Collaborative Development of Strategy Maps & Council Presentation Materials 37 9B. Staff-Council Joint Session: April 30, 2026 38
9B1. The Compass in Practice 38
9B2. Staff Priority Presentations 39
9B3. Types of Support Staff Requested for Success 40
9C. What the Staff Workshop & Joint Session Produced 41

10. What the Whole Process Demonstrated 42
Appendix: Community Workshop Participation Results: March 25 & April 11, 2026 What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 1A. Public Engagement That Works for Everyone Involved
Most government public engagement processes start with ideas, assumptions, and background planning research already framed or written. People are usually invited to react to expert-driven, predetermined options at a public hearing, meeting, or workshop. Often, the loudest voices, of those most comfortable with standard civic engagement processes, shape the record, and then a consultant or staff team incorporates some of that input into a plan. Familiar consequences are plans that don't materialize, take years to develop, and/or gather proverbial dust, goals that change with leadership, and a growing distance between what the community says and what is decided.

That pattern has impacts beyond any one plan. It hardens assumptions — that civic engagement is stressful, participation isn't worthwhile, important decisions are already made, and government is something that happens to people rather than something they direct – and it sows distrust between neighbors as well as between community members and their government.

The Future Fortuna process reversed that traditional sequence. This former mill town in a far corner of Northwestern California, on the bank of the Eel River, had not previously had the chance to reimagine itself since a shift away from a timber-dominated economy transformed the community's identity. This process stepped into that opening.

Before any plan was written, a season of listening came first. During the fall of 2025, open-ended conversations occurred with 63 people: 19 community members, 19 City staff from every department, and all five Council members, a focus group of 8 teens, and a focus group of 12 Spanish-speaking neighbors. The questions were genuinely open. No one was steered toward answers or pre-determined ideas. A detailed process description and results are shared in the City of Fortuna Listening Campaign Report produced in March 2026.

1. Following Fortuna’s Voices:

A Standard Planning Process Redesign
The City really is at a pivot point right now. So having this future goal setting and long-range planning… wow, that's huge.
— Staff, listening campaign
1 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 1A. Public Engagement That Works for Everyone Involved (continued) What came back — from people of different ages, different backgrounds, different relationships to City Hall — was a consistency that forms the foundation on which the workshops were designed and ultimately the Strategic Plan and GPU Recommendations were built.

The workshops didn't ask staff or community members to react to even a roughly formed plan. Staff first made sense of what they heard and used it to shape shared sense of initial direction. Community workshops were designed to start a civic conversation by establishing common ground before getting into strategic details. Participants were asked to look at what their neighbors, staff, and Council members had already said and then to share what resonated, what was missing, and what the City should do about it now. Everything community-facing was in English and Spanish, since Fortuna has a large and growing Spanish-speaking community – the best population indicator may be that 40% of elementary school students are from Spanish-speaking households.

This is an entirely different process. We felt
heard... helping to address the 'us versus them'
that exists in this world, with staff, in the
community, and with our City government.
— Staff member comments to Council, December 2025
1B. Establishing Common Ground First: A Good Investment One of the most important (often skipped) steps in a successful planning process is to build a shared sense of what a community stands and hopes for, before anyone is asked to set priorities or make decisions.

Without that foundation, every priority negotiation restarts when leadership changes or from a position of protecting personal interests, and plans tend to reflect whoever was in the room rather than what the community holds and needs in common. Though it is understandable that undertaking civic engagement feels messier and riskier than ever, trying to minimize and control it can exacerbate those problems.

Fortuna's most enduring outcome of this process – a tool that represents common ground between the community and City Hall – is a "Compass" of guiding principles. This framework emerged, rather than being drafted in advance, so that the community and government now share a vision, core values, and decisionmaking filters as a driving force for design of the entire process and at the center of the Strategic Plan. As a transparent tool to guide the simplest to most complex decisions, every element of the Compass can be traced to specific things said collectively by community members, staff, and/or Council members during the listening season, then reinforced and refined during the workshops. That traceability matters and is part of what follows, because when hard decisions come before Council, the Compass – in the words of staff, Council, and community members – can be applied with confidence, instead of memorized and cited.

This is great! I'm so excited to see city
leaders and community collaborating!
— Workshop 1 Baby Boomer participant feedback (★3)

1. FOLLOWING FORTUNA’S VOICES: A STANDARD PLANNING PROCESS REDESIGN 2 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

1. FOLLOWING FORTUNA’S VOICES: A STANDARD PLANNING PROCESS REDESIGN 1B. Establishing Common Ground First: A Good Investment (continued) Building this kind of shared foundation takes time. The listening campaign, the workshops, and the synthesis of that work required sustained effort from elected officials willing to support an unfamiliar process, from City staff working beyond their already full days, and from hundreds of community members across many months. The result is a plan the people of Fortuna had a genuine hand in shaping — one that begins with co-ownership rather than needing to earn it.

The intent is that a Strategic Plan built this way is more likely to be used than filed: by staff who recognize their own expertise and priorities in it, by community members who were part of it from the beginning, and by partners who helped shape it. 1C. A Note on How to Read These Results
The listening campaign and workshops were not scientific surveys. They were structured conversations — designed carefully, yet shaped, as all conversations are, by who was in the room and how questions were asked. The numbers that follow in terms of topic mentions, star counts, and polling results are meaningful but not statistical. They describe what a committed and reasonably diverse cross-section of Fortuna residents said when given a genuine opportunity to be heard. They didn’t need to be statistically validated (no local government’s decision–making usually is), but they did need to be generated, validated, augmented, and refined – or co-created – by the community and staff, together.

The same unprompted things surfaced from — and were reinforced by — teens and retirees, business owners and department directors, Spanish-speaking neighbors and Council members, across a full season of listening and six workshops from fall to spring. When the same ideas appear across listening phases, types and settings of groups, and formats of engagement over time without being prompted, they are reliable. And, just as or more valuable, people who take part in these conversations develop an inner confidence in results that are built together, which builds more locally-held value and productivity than standard consultant-driven plans.

Struggles that come out: between the desire for a small town with local character and economic growth, and that the community doesn’t feel heard but they do feel taken care of by staff.
— Reflection on listening campaign results, Community Champions session, February 2026 3 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 Very little in the process surprised anyone, except
perhaps the consistency and clarity of shared
interests from very diverse sources.

Results of the six workshops (two were design or
working sessions) characterized in this report span
six months and represent two distinct types of
work: community-facing sessions that opened
the process to broad public participation, and
internal staff and Council sessions that translated
what was heard into planning, prioritization, and
decision-making frameworks. They were
designed as an iterative sequence with each built
directly on and refining what came before it. Table
1 illustrates the series of working sessions.

Together, two community workshops drew
approximately 150 participants. That figure
includes several City staff and Planning
Commission members who attended as
community members, 15 repeat participants in
the second community workshop, and may
undercount late arrivals. One paper and two
online polls engaged 226 participants during and
between workshops – some of them workshop
participants, some not.

Staff turned a large volume of material into a clear
set of strategic and land use priorities to present
to the Council at a final joint session.

2. The Six Workshops & Polling at A Glance
Event Date & Location
or Method
Participants Purpose
Staff
Workshop 1
November 18, 2025
Monday Club
13 department directors & deputies Turn listening results into early planning frameworks; begin developing the Compass.

Champions
Design Session
February 3, 2026,
Monday Club
8 community and staff leaders who
guided the listening campaign
Provide feedback on draft listening campaign report,
identify findings that need to be explored in workshops, guide agenda and Compass elements, and plan outreach
Community
Workshop 1
(W1)
March 25, 2026
River Lodge
~75 residents
(including several resident staff &
commissioners)
Test and refine listening results for broad co-ownership; test and expand guiding principles; open the conversation about Fortuna's future priorities.

Bilingual
Polls*

1. March 25: paper
Online:

2. March 25–April 2

3. April 2–9

1. n=40 during W1

2. n=162 during + 1 week after W1
(157 English, 5 Spanish)

3. n=24 between workshops (23
English, 1 Spanish)

1. Understand community vision and values priorities to refine the Compass

2. Understand strategic and land use priorities

3. Refine workshop 2 design
Community
Workshop 2
(W2)
April 11, 2026
River Lodge
~75 residents
(including 15 W1 attendees and
several staff residents)
Apply Compass’ draft guiding principles toward indications of community priorities; broaden co-ownership of City
direction; test City spending and land use ideals.

Staff
Workshop 2
April 21, 2026
Monday Club
11 department directors & deputies Translate community results into priorities; develop strategy maps to prepare for joint session with Council.

Staff-Council
Joint Session
April 30, 2026
Monday Club
11 staff, 4 Council members, 1
public
Confirm Compass and strategic and land use priorities;
establish Council's role going forward.
* Not all participants answered every question. An unknown number of Spanish-speaking participants completed polls in English.

Table 1. Overview of Future Fortuna participation opportunities for staff, community and Council members. 4 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 November 18, 2025 • Fortuna Monday Club • 13 City department directors and deputies 3A. Purpose & Design
Thirteen department directors and deputies gathered at the Fortuna Monday Club to consider listening campaign findings, begin developing early planning frameworks from listening results, surface clear opportunities to begin to evolve daily operations, and to practice collaborative sense-making and prioritization. This workshop was designed for participants to work from initial listening results from 19 members of staff – leadership and a diverse cross-section across staff levels and tenure – said during interviews. Nearly all the staff in the room had interviewed multiple community members and staff and had been interviewed themselves, so they had a strong sense of emerging themes. Developing a shared recognition of patterns and building initial strategy together had its own durable value.

3. Fall Staff Workshop
3B. What the First Staff Workshop Produced
3B1. Seeds of the Compass
Staff worked with and refined listening campaign themes into the beginnings of a shared sense of direction for the City. They organized results into the framework of a Venn diagram to visually map common ground among staff’s motivating ideals, core values, driving interests, and organizational realities – with a backdrop of information about common ground with the community. This staff-specific Venn diagram pulled ideas and inspiration from a similar set of results mapped during process design sessions with Fortuna Champions and the initial interview training with a mix of staff and community volunteer interviewers who practiced interviewing each other and mapped the results (for more information, refer to the Listening Campaign Report).

Core concepts that arose as strong common ground from staff listening results organized at the intersection of the diagram included:
• Sustainable public service
• Coherent governance
• Effective efficiency as a revenue and savings tool
Other important elements included: adaptable, nimble government; prioritizing mission before comfort; staff dedication; teamwork and collaboration; service as an identity, not an obligation; competence as care; and engaging with and being an important part of the community. 5 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

3. FALL STAFF WORKSHOP
3B. What the Workshop Produced (continued)
Based on what arose repeatedly during the listening campaign and what emerged in staff’s map of common ground, they drafted early test concepts of core City values, vision, purpose, and decision-making filters to begin to test in their daily work. While a demand for clear direction and sense of vision was articulated as a frequent need during staff and community interviews, we did not begin to surface elements of that vision until Fortuna Champions (a mix of staff and community leaders) had reviewed listening campaign results and identified ideas to test during community workshops (Section 4). 3B2. Values
Staff pulled from the initial map of common ground to build ideas about core values that are uniquely important in the City’s organizational culture for every action they take. An example was used to illustrate why understanding shared values is important: hiring processes. Staff strongly identify with being “scrappy” and highly adaptable – doing a lot with a little and with care, needing to apply a wide variety of skills and knowledge (vs. having the budget for bringing many specialists on staff), and adjusting to changing realities and constraints. They had experienced hiring processes where that reality was not clear to applicants who prefer specialist roles, impacting some new staff’s sense of effectiveness and spurring turnover.

Other important values they identified included: honesty over harmony, community service, providing support for the community by the community, work hours flexibility, dedication or pride in their work and each other, and consideration of how to include a growth mindset in day-to-day operations. 3B3. Purpose
Staff began to experiment with a statement of City Purpose as a tool to support adaptability while staying on track. Ideas like pride in nimbly and sustainably “making civilization possible” – against the odds and together – were popular. Staff also identified regular instances where they would use and refer to a clear statement of purpose such as at the beginning of every Council meeting, job postings, and as a check-in to ensure they are living their purpose. They did not come to conclusions but identified it as a task for the future. 3B4. Decision Filters
Staff developed an initial set of Operational Decision-Making Criteria (later renamed as Decision-Making Filters): questions to experimentally apply to daily decisions, from hiring to budgeting to program development. These were explicitly preliminary, organized around purpose, capability, impact on employees and community, financial reality, and organizational health. 6 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 3B. What the Staff Workshop Produced (continued)
3B5. Initial Priority Planning Sketches
Informed by patterns in listening campaign results,
several (explicitly) preliminary priorities were
generated from across the organization's diverse set
of responsibilities. Staff developed sketches for several early priorities that emerged from the listening
campaign and mapping process on structured
worksheets: long-term cost accounting, streamlining
development to generate revenue, and updating the
department director meeting format.

After the workshop, these priorities were then
considered during day-to-day operations.

In the spring, the list of priorities was revisited,
explored and expanded upon with a similar worksheet
structure, and formalized at the Spring Staff Workshop, after staff better understood how community priorities
converged (Section 9A).

Draft Operational Decision Filters
Staff Workshop 1, November 2025
• Is the mission being prioritized over comfort?
• Are we avoiding a difficult but necessary
conversation?
• What is the financial impact?
• Is this a long-term decision?
• How does this impact the community?
• How does this impact affected employees?
• Who bears the brunt of this decision?
• Is there an alternative?
• Can we say no?
• Do we have the actual, fully-burdened
capability and resources?
• Does it increase or decrease our capacity as an
organization?
• Intended for use in hiring, staff reports,
development proposals, program
development, Capital Improvement Projects
planning, and decisions about using in-house
vs. contract labor.

I’m motivated about asking questions before making
decisions and having more direct conversations.
— Staff November workshop participants
7 of 42

3. FALL STAFF WORKSHOP
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 In early February, Fortuna Champions — a mixed group of community and staff leaders who helped guide and conduct the listening campaign — met for a third and final session. They provided feedback on the draft report itself, used that information to guide their thinking about community workshop design elements, and generated ideas about how to boost turnout in a way that would build broad coownership of the results.

Group insights from the draft Listening Campaign Report informed Champions’ suggested clarifications, a reordering of material, and addition of a substantive executive summary. They then considered what the community needed to explore together during two workshops in March and April.

Champions also reviewed draft vision phrases and core City values that had emerged as themes across community, Council, and staff interviews. They refined those drafts and suggested that they should be part of the emerging Compass to be employed at the Council level. They responded to an early concept for how to share, test, and seek additions to listening campaign results during community workshops — an illustration of beneficial and challenging community and staff experiences and hopes for Fortuna.

Their feedback shaped the decision to organize material into the four tall banners in the format used at all six collaboration stations (Sections 5 and 7).

A way to explore a tension appearing across the listening campaign – how to balance Fortuna’s rich history while becoming a stronger community in the future – was discussed, including how to design it as a self-paced workshop exercise rather than a facilitated exploratory process. The group also honed an outreach strategy, with a focus on generating both broad participation and the kind of diverse, cross-community turnout that would make the results politically durable.

This session is where the Compass moved from a consultant's proposed synthesis in the Listening Campaign Report into a concept that had been shaped and tested by a first group of Fortuna residents and staff leaders. This step mattered both for what the tool became and for who can claim ownership of it.

February 3, 2026 • Fortuna Monday Club • 8 participants

4. Community Champions: Workshops Design Session
Fortuna’s a wellrounded City
— Champions design
session participant
We find a way.

We help each
other.
— Champions design
session participants
8 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 March 25, 2026 • Fortuna River Lodge • approximately 75 participants

5. Community Workshop 1: Imagine Future Fortuna
5A. Purpose & Design
Approximately 75 residents — including a few City staff, Council, and Planning Commissioner who live in Fortuna participated jointly as community members and City representatives — gathered at the River Lodge during a weeknight evening for the first of two community workshops, three weeks apart. The space was primarily organized around six “collaboration stations” representing major themes that emerged from the listening campaign with displays illustrating what neighbors, staff, and Council had said to start the conversation. Most stations were hosted by one or more staff and/or community volunteers. Materials and polling were in English and Spanish. Interpretation and childcare were avail able.

Just before the workshop, about a dozen East High School students added artistic flair to and briefly reviewed station materials about growing up and feeling at home in Fortuna. Because the listening campaign indicated that the wellbeing and future success of youth is a widely and strongly shared interest, participants were provided with participation materials that indicated their generation – a color-coded, folded orientation and survey card with color-matched sticky notes and star stickers inside. While generational information is not a primary result pre sented in this report, it will occasionally illuminate generational patterns.

Participants were welcomed by the Mayor, oriented to materials and stations in the room by facilitators and encouraged to participate fully.

Facilitators paused the proceedings occasionally to prompt participation in an online poll while displaying the responses as they came in (Section 6). The poll in English was displayed in the main hall and the same poll in Spanish displayed in a partitioned room. This Mentimeter platform extended the conversation online during the workshop and for a week after, reaching a broader and younger audience.

Participants were invited to review listening campaign results, add what was missing and place star stickers on what rang true of both printed materials and each other’s contributions. Participants weighed in on “guiding principles” – vision, values and decision filters – a “Compass” for decision-making.

Some materials were presented for information only (full text in Appendix A1–A3). Posters displayed how the listening and workshops process would inform the Strategic Plan and GPU Recommendations, what City governments do and do not do (and where their partners play a lead role), how City revenue is used, and the little-known fact that 40% Fortuna elementary students are from Spanish-speaking households – perhaps a better indication of community demographics than the Census.

One thing this workshop was designed for that is easy to understate: providing a large and diverse group of Fortuna residents with understanding of what their neighbors, staff, and Council members think and feel — together, in one room — before anyone asked them to set priorities or debate solutions. In a community that had not had that kind of collective reflection for a generation or more, if ever, that experience was itself significant. 9 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 5B. Shaping Fortuna's Compass of Guiding Principles: Visioning Exercises The listening campaign surfaced consistent themes about what Fortuna stands for, what it wants to be, and how it wants to make decisions. After having access to the Listening Campaign Report for almost a month, Workshop 1 was the public's first chance to test, confirm, and add to what had been heard. In addition to stars, sticky notes, and polls during the workshop, online polling up to one week following the workshop gave residents another structured way to weigh in on the Compass. See Section 6 for polling information and the Appendix for more visual and detailed results from the workshop.

Near the “neighbor's lounge” area set up for refreshments and visiting at Workshop 1, several poster exercises asked participants for their sense of Fortuna's identity and vision. These exercises ran alongside and fed directly into Compass development polling feedback.

Who Is Fortuna? Participants placed three stars each on items from a grid of two dozen options (plus participant additions) to indicate what best defines Fortuna today. Top choices (from options that were not exhaustive) were unambiguous and crossgenerational: the Rodeo (★23), Fortuna's weather (★18), parks, playgrounds, and trails (★17), small-town charm (★15), proximity to Headwaters and State Parks (★14), locally-owned businesses (★13), Redwood AutoXpo (★12), Apple Harvest Festival (★11), the relationship to the Eel River (★10), and Clendenen's Cider Works (★10). Downtown drew only two stars: a quiet signal that sits alongside everything else heard about the gap between what Fortuna could be and what it currently offe rs on Main Street. An overall picture emerged of Fortuna's identity rooted in events, nature, and local character. See Appendix B1 for a more complete list of star accounting.

The Friendly City. A free-response poster asked what "The Friendly City" means to participants. Responses captured a genuine warmth alongside honest critique: people wave to each other on less-traveled roads, chat with tourists, and pull over to help when someone is stalled on the side of the road (★2), “people living and working together, knowing each other and being kind” (★2). One wrote simply "needs to get more friendly"(★), mirroring feedback heard particularly in focus groups with teens and Spanish-speaking residents. See Appendix B5 for an image and more information.

Vision Drawing & Description: two companion posters – one for "the artsy types" and one for "the wordy types" — invited open-ended visions for Fortuna's future (more in Appendix B4). Written visions included a pitch for the farmers’ market to be moved to the park to avoid the wind and offer more family activities (★8 + yes!!!), creating an outdoor event venue on the Mill Site, small-town and country tourism experiences (horseback rides, nature spas), Spanish taught as a second language in town (★), farm-to-table cookouts, and large community events. Drawings included an indoor sports arena (soccer, basketball, volleyball), a farmers’ market accessible from the freeway, a movie night at the theater, and a fried chicken drive-thru (★2).

5. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 1: IMAGINE FUTURE FORTUNA
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5. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 1: IMAGINE FUTURE FORTUNA
5B. Shaping Fortuna's Compass of Guiding Principles: Visioning Exercises (continued) How You Feel About the Future? A free-response poster asked participants to share their feelings about Fortuna's future in whatever form they chose (more in Appendix B2). Responses ranged across the emotional register — cautious optimism, genuine worry, and pointed generational clarity. Responses that received stars include a Gen Z-Alpha participant's that was among the most direct of the workshop: “it could go two ways,” either their generation is given the space to contribute and grow the community they have invested in, or they leave for opportunities not available here and Fortuna becomes a childhood memory. A Millennial wrote that they're worried about resistance to change but hopeful that Fortuna will learn to do better. A Gen X participant noted worry, and the need to include younger generation activities and jobs, and that “Humboldt is hurting.” A Millennial transplant from Southern California described themselves as a climate refugee who finds Fortuna lovely and sees its climate drawing more population. The responses reflect a community that cares enough to worry about the community’s future, particularly for younger generations.

What's Up in Fortuna? Participants were asked what's great, what's not so great, and the first three things participants would change – responses that received stars are included here. Great: small town values and relationships (★3), warm, diverse and friendly; kind City staff.

Not so great: need more spaces for young people especially in rainy season (★2), limited job and activity opportunities for teens, no movie theater, no economic vision. First three things to change: big box stores (★2), recruit and support businesses downtown, strategize on reducing the unhoused population, more club sports and activities for teens (“yes!”).

Which Communities Inspire You? Participants named communities they admired and what Fortuna might learn from them. Moststarred: Rio Dell for its clean entry and professional cannabis shops (★4), Arcata Theatre Lounge and Eureka Theatre as inspiration for reviving Fortuna's Main Street theater (★3), and Arcata's town square and Eureka's Old Town were named for their ability to serve both adults and young people (★), a town square with a lit Christmas tree (★3), Silverthorne CO for outdoor space and music (★), Redding and Medford for sports fields and facilities (★). An extended point about Truckee – which developed a tag line ("Basecamp for a Big Life"), a Legacy Trail, outdoor markets, and artist lofts that transformed the downtown — named it as a model for what deliberate investment in identity and infrastructure can produce. A Millennial participant from the Spanish-speaking community wrote that Fortuna is not seen as a place to locate your job or grow up, and asked “what is your motivation to come back or stay here?” Results from the Fortuna Vision Spectrum exercise became one of the most-discussed and referenced workshop results, which, while prompted as visioning, are reported with Station 6, What Our City Looks & Feels Like: Land Use & Character (Section 5C6), as they inform land use planning efforts.

It could go 2 ways. Either my gen and I are given the space to contribute and grow fortuna. Make Fortuna OUR town that we’re investing in protecting. OR… We leave town for opportunities not available here. Fortuna will hold space in our hearts as our childhood town, but it's not where we live. — Gen Z-Alpha participant (★) 11 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 5C. The Six Collaboration Stations: What Participants Emphasized & Added Dominant themes across the entire listening process – from interview training to focus groups to an initial staff workshop – uncovered and shaped a story to display to the community at large. Representative quotes and summary material was drawn directly from the listening campaign and organized into the following categories on long, upright banners at each station, where City staff, consultants, and/or volunteers engaged and encouraged participants to add to material about:
• What's working and worth protecting,
• Where the gaps are,
• Opportunities to improve, and
• A blank space was provided for participants to add “What’s Missing.” At a lobby table providing interpretation support, a handout was available with a Spanish translation of station materials. What follows are quote, theme, and sticky note highlights that received the most stars. The four upright station banners were present at both W1 and W2, therefore sticky note and star contributions are not differentiated by workshop and are all summarized in this section. Results from additional posters and worksheets introduced at W2 are described in Section 7.
5C1. Station 1: Our City Leadership & How We Participate This station surfaced Fortuna's governance tension most directly: deep pride in what staff and Council bring to this community, frustration with the absence of a shared direction that outlasts any one leader and hopes for a more robust array of voices to be engaged in future decision-making. Every group represented across this process — a diverse array of community members, staff, teens, Spanish-speaking neighbors, Council members, and business owners — named both sides of this tension.

What’s working and worth protecting: Appreciation of this process as a productive way to engage and produce a long-range plan (★28). Televised/online Council meetings (★5).

5. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 1: IMAGINE FUTURE FORTUNA
The main reason I would come to a workshop like [these] is if I knew I would really have a voice and it would matter. — Teen listening campaign participant quote at Station 1 (★5) 12 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 5C. The Six Collaboration Stations: What Participants Emphasized & Added (continued) Where gaps are: A diverse range of listening campaign and workshop participants share a desire for a clear, lasting City direction — and noted that level of cross-group agreement is rare and meaningful.

Popular opportunities: Interest in improving clarity of the City’s vision, sense of direction, and decision-making received ★32. Ideas about improving City communications and transparency received ★15.

Ideas participants added: Expanding City communications, access, transparency, and civic engagement (★17). Desired business services and the link between a need for economic development and City revenue (★13). At this and other stations, participants shared appreciation for the City hosting this kind of engagement process as a more productive way to be involved. 5C2. Station 2: Growing Up & Feeling at Home in Our City Helping young people feel engaged, stay in, or return to Fortuna was among the strongest cross-station themes, appearing independently at five of the six Collaboration Stations without being prompted. Points that received a lot of stars are highlighted below. Related issues came up at other stations.

What's working and worth protecting: Parks & Recreation programs for younger children and community events (★17), teens care and want to use their voice (★6), feeling safe and supported by the community (★5).

Notable gaps: Teens’ boredom and lack of options including structured activities that drop off sharply after elementary school and limited gathering spaces or businesses with appealing things to do” (★46). Spanish-speaking families and teens independently named a variety of types of interactions making them feel like they do not fully belong as part of Fortuna's identity (★20). —

5. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 1: IMAGINE FUTURE FORTUNA
Gathering spaces
teens can actually
call their own, and
families feel
welcome.
— Station 2 listening
campaign finding (★12)
Youth-led projects &
events
— Gen Z & Alpha
participant, Station 2
Embracing diversity in all
forms, so it doesn't feel
like a IYKYK [if you know
you know] club.
— Millennial participant, Station 6
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What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 5C. The Six Collaboration Stations: What Participants Emphasized & Added (continued) Popular opportunities and ideas:
• Expanding gathering places for teens (★7) and youth
employment and workforce development opportunities (★5). • More family-friendly options, including education and enrichment opportunities like Spanish classes and support groups for moms.
• Sports destination programming (★7) and attractive outdoor activities.
• A street market, social club, and music/event/movie venue/s, especially that welcome teens and young adults.
• Diverse food options, entertainment, and gathering spaces (popular across generations at other stations, as well). • Increasing education and enrichment options (★4) and
becoming a community where its diverse cultural spectrum is welcomed and engaged while honoring Fortuna’s history.
5C3. Station 3: The Economic Future of Our City
The need for economic development activity produced the strongest and most unanimous agreement across the entire process, from the earliest training of interviewers to the last staff-Council session. Every group — community members, staff, Council members, teens, Spanish-speaking neighbors, and 64 businesses in a community survey — said economic development is not optional. Staff underscored that they have cut services so deeply in recent years that business development providing City revenue generation is the only option for providing desired City services and achieving a new vision for Fortuna’s future.

5. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 1: IMAGINE FUTURE FORTUNA
Fortuna as sports destination — tournaments
bring revenue AND give youth reasons to stay.
— Listening campaign finding displayed at Station 2 (★7) Develop! Bring people off the 101.

Create jobs and destinations.
— Gen X participant, Station 6 (★)
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5C. The Six Collaboration Stations: What Participants Emphasized & Added (continued) This widespread agreement is worth emphasizing. It is uncommon for a community and its government representatives to reach this level of shared urgency about anything, including economic development. Listening campaign frustrations named a past inability to attract economic development in the form of large commercial enterprises for fear of political backlash about assumed impacts on Fortuna’s character. Here, a clear message surfaced that pursuing growth and maintaining community history and character is not a dividing line but is a shared challenge of growing the right kinds of development activity in ways that honor what people love about this place while generating the revenue and jobs the City and community need. Highlights from a Station 6 exercise to help participants “balance” this strategic tension is reported in Section 7B, Table 4.

What's working and worth protecting: Adjacency to the freeway, river, forests, appeal to families, and existing historic and small-town character were noted to be and emphasized as strong economic development assets.

Where the gaps are: The need to capture retail (and generate City revenue and local jobs) before it flows out of Fortuna every time a resident leaves town to shop (★51). A need for improved healthcare access (★21), investment in the Mill Site (★19) and Main Street (★16), and easier access to living wage jobs and career pathways (★16) were specific interests. The City’s current permitting process is named by businesses and the development community as a real economic development barrier.

Popular opportunities and ideas about what was missing (many of which are interrelated):
• Development that provides living wage jobs and a career pipeline that starts early and keeps young people connected to Fortuna as a place of possibility (★42).
• Downtown vitality, tourism, increased entertainment options, and design standards for commercial development that preserves character drew multi-generational support (★38). • Developing the Mill Site as a mixed use and visitor-serving attraction for freeway traffic, and/or with facilities for regional workforce development (★30) which was a top-ranking City investment idea referenced in Section 7B1. • Prioritization of economic development activity that increases City revenue (★27). • A desire for greater restaurant variety was a thread throughout the process and across many stations, most prominently among teens and young adults, who named specific chains and food types desired. • Participants across multiple generations (in several stations) asked for consideration of a cannabis dispensary to keep dollars local and provide desired services.

Where does Fortuna's sales tax go?
Material from a City-produced informational poster at Station 3:
images of posters provided in Appendix A2
Of every $1 collected in Fortuna's 9.5% sales tax:
• 63¢ goes to the State of California
• 16¢ goes to Humboldt County
• 10¢ goes to the City of Fortuna General Fund
• 8¢ goes to Measure E (voter-approved local funding)
• 3¢ goes to County Transportation
• About 18¢ of every dollar stays with the City
• Nearby cities Eureka and Arcata collect 10.25% sales
tax — 3/4¢ higher than Fortuna's 9.5%
Need more sales tax revenue in Fortuna!
Music concerts, retail shopping, etc….
— Millennial workshop participant, Station 3 (★3)
Business Incubator to create new jobs.
— Gen X workshop participant, Station 3 (★3)
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What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 5C. The Six Collaboration Stations: What Participants Emphasized & Added (continued) Business survey highlights: A small poster summarizing results from a communityled business survey with 64 respondents (available as an Appendix to the Listening Campaign Report) found that local businesses' top concerns were consistent with what came up during the listening campaign. Fortuna's business community is engaged and wants Fortuna to thrive — and they have specific ideas about what would help, which participants added stars to: permitting processes are a barrier (★11), Fortuna needs to leverage outdoor access and character assets (★11); housing shortages impacting workforce attraction and retention and a limited labor market for youth (★10), the loss of economic anchors (timber and cannabis) has hurt the business environment (★9), and a lack of downtown vitality leading to retail leakage (★4). 5C4. Station 4: Our Outdoors & Public Spaces
Fortuna's outdoor assets — the Eel River, parks and their redwoods, trails — are a nearuniversal source of pride across every group that participated in this process. This element of strong Fortuna identity and pride is also underutilized as an economic asset and unevenly maintained as community infrastructure.

What's working: Community events are a major part of Fortuna’s identity and pride (★43). Natural beauty, parks, programs and facilities are very highly valued (★38). The volunteer infrastructure around parks, events, and public spaces is strong. Riverwalk trail and Eel River are loved (★33).

Popular gaps, opportunities, and ideas to address them:
• Events like Rodeo, Apple Harvest, and Auto Expo need to capture and extend the economic and social energy they generate (★78).
• Extending and improving the Riverwalk, including concerns about problematic uses and a wish for volunteer maintenance opportunities (★48). • A connected trail system that facilitates access to places people want to go – many outdoor spaces including the river don't feel fully connected to the rest of Fortuna (★21). One idea: becoming and marketing Fortuna as a “trail town”.

5. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 1: IMAGINE FUTURE FORTUNA
REAL River Access
— Baby Boomer workshop
participant, Station 4 (★7)
There is a clear disconnect – Riverwalk to town.

How can we connect them?
— Gen X workshop participant, Station 4 (★3)
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What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 5C. The Six Collaboration Stations: What Participants Emphasized & Added (continued) • While to some extent a topic for Stations 3+6, nightlife and gathering spaces like outdoor (or indoor) music venue/s and markets were popular ideas (★21). • The capability and resources to enable the City to maintain what Fortuna has before building more (★20).
• An infrastructure element for Station 5: improvements to sidewalks, accessibility, and bicycle facilities (★17) accompanied trail system hopes. • Improving river access for fishing and water sports was a popular idea to explore (★10).
• Support for the current pool project led by the Gene Lucas Center and McLean Foundation (★9).
• Capitalizing on Fortuna’s regional sports niche by expanding sports facilities, increasing youth activities, and becoming even more of a family destination – for instance, by improving indoor/outdoor sports facilities and/or providing outdoor activities akin to Eureka’s Skywalk – was noted as both a benefit to residents and an attraction for visitors and their dollars (★8). This came up at other stations as well.
5C5. Station 5: How Our City Works: Infrastructure, Services & Safety
What's working and worth protecting: Public safety drew the most stars of any category (★34) – police professionalism and responsiveness praised often across groups (★10), the community's broadly felt sense of safety (★10), with security as a core community value (★5). Appreciation was affirmed that the community can rely on City infrastructure (★15), that services are delivered reliably by a small, dedicated staff (★13) and, overall, for staff service, loyalty, and how much they do with little (★26). Pedestrian safety and connectivity drew ★15 simply because where sidewalks and paths do connect, people use and appreciate them.

5. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 1: IMAGINE FUTURE FORTUNA
Sidewalk & ADA
— Silent Generation workshop participant,
Station 5 (★6: all Baby Boomers)
Hotels are too far away from shops/stores, activities.

Travelers have to drive, can't walk into town.
— Millennial workshop participant, Station 6 (★3)
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5C. The Six Collaboration Stations: What Participants Emphasized & Added (continued) The gaps, opportunities and ideas to address them:
• Pedestrian safety and connectivity concerns were a common topic throughout the listening campaign, and participants added emphasis to points made about sidewalk system disconnects (★54). A safe crossing at 12th and Newburg was the most-requested active transportation infrastructure fix across the entire process; desire for a connected sidewalk system; and walkability improvements that facilitate economic acti vity instead of customers driving to Eureka. Active transportation and accessibility needs were also listed at Station 4 (★17). Support for a trails system (★3). • Averting loss of more staff – officers lack adequate backup staffing, staff pay is not competitive, and staff are stretched thin with too many tasks and not enough people (★8). Officer retention through competitive pay, framed explicitly as a revenue challenge as much as a staffing one (★16). • Infrastructure: unlocking Mill Site investment (★10), and, like Station 4, an interest in accounting for and covering maintenance costs (★8). • Safety concerns associated with the unhoused population were raised across multiple groups, particularly teens regarding the lack of local services available for them or a need for increased law enforcement activity (★9). • Specific traffic safety needs regarding traffic flow and specific intersections drew ★7. • Asks for improved public or private transportation services drew ★2. • Numerous comments addressed a combination of economic development and land use planning ideas (related to Stations 3+6), and about supports for youth, families and community cohesion (Station 2).

If we want to
attract
professionals
like medical
staff, we
need to
provide
housing they
want.
— Gen X-Alpha
participant,
Station 6 (★2)
Address officer retention
through competitive pay
and to ensure adequate
backup — a revenue
challenge as much as a
staffing one.
— Listening campaign finding
shared at Station 5 (★16)
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5C6. Station 6: What Our City Looks & Feels Like: Land Use & Character The broadest range of material to engage participants was provided at Station 6: four station banners highlighting key land use issues that arose in the listening campaign, plus exercises that explored how to balance growth and character, downtown business type pre ferences, perspectives on housing, and development option preferences.

What's particularly working and worth protecting:
• Community character and identity drew a very high total topical star count across stations (★55), where people emphasized what they love: neighborly, feeling safe, space to breathe, clean, calm, family-oriented, close to nature, and that there is room to grow. • Main Street’s historic elements and events offer a downtown vibrancy that's already proven to build on (★13). • Community vision for Mill Site is strong and includes a lot of interests for mixed use, being connected to the Great Redwood Trail, and/or offering reasons to get off the freeway (★10).

What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

5. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 1: IMAGINE FUTURE FORTUNA
5C. The Six Collaboration Stations: What Participants Emphasized & Added (continued) Notable gaps, opportunities and ideas to address them:
• A lack of unified community and economic identity is real, impacting community character and identity with the timber identity is gone and nothing to replace it (★15); fear that growth will destroy the small-town feel has itself prevented growth for more than ten years (★4); "the bigger you get, the more you lose that small town feel" (Council, ★4); clean and safe, but lacking direction (★3). • A tidal wave of support for pursuit of economic development opportunities and business types that enhance quality of life took the day (★75 on sticky note additions).
• Develop a new Fortuna identity and narrative — not a former timber town, not a bedroom community, but something Fortuna chooses (★25).
• While largely the realm of economic development (Station 3), keen interest emerged for greater restaurant and food diversity (★47) here and at several other stations.
• The love of what Main Street was has sometimes made it harder to become what it could be; it is underdeveloped and aesthetically weak, with little invitation to get out and walk and shop (★20).

Reinvigorate Main Street as a vibrant place with character protected by design standards that invite people to walk, eat, and stay (★20). • A shortage of affordable and workforce housing was named directly by the business community; new houses are gone as fast as they're built so young families can't find affordable options to stay; staff housing affordability affects recruitment and retention directly; state housing development mandates are real and Fortuna needs to lead the conversation rather than just react (★18).
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5C. The Six Collaboration Stations: What Participants Emphasized & Added(continued) • A decade of resisting large commercial development on the Mill Site to protect small-town character has left this site empty and the infrastructure to attract development lacking, highlighting the unresolved tension between what Fortuna wants to preserve and what it needs to become (★18). Pursuing mixed uses on the Mill Site that attract visitors with a community-defined vision as a visible chance to show that protecting character and enabling growth can be the same decision (★28). • Burdensome, jumbled, and ad hoc permitting means developers choose easier options elsewhere; and lack of City vision hampers productive development, leaving staff spinning wheels without clear direction (★9). Streamline permitting with a clear, objective, user-friendly framework that makes Fortuna competitive for investment (★14).
• Housing access and affordability challenges (★18). A broad understanding that successful economic development requires more diverse types of housing, including for the workforce (★20). Lead a proactive housing conversation about growth tradeoffs before state mandates force the issue and there is clear guidance where housing types belong, including workforce housing (★9). • On cannabis policy, there was a lively range of views from "no" to "allow one professional, clean dispensary" to "we need the revenue — be Rio Dell not Eureka." • Many suggestions related to a desire for entertainment and events, like re-opening the movie theater (multiple sticky notes across generations, including ideas for a variety of creative uses for the space like a music venue for teens, open mic, and theater productions), concerts in the park, and a drive-in (noted as rare and a potential tourism draw).

Vision Spectrum Exercise: Participants placed one star along each of seven scales that offered examples of opposing visions for what Fortuna should become. The results were clear and became one of the most discussed and referenced outputs of the first workshop. When staff saw the results emerge, they described a new sense of clarity about community direction for planning efforts.

Results indicated that participants want Fortuna to be walkable, green, vibrant, and character-rich — not the same as it is, but recognizable as itself. Additional exercise posters that examined participants’ land use preferences are reported in W2 results, below. For details, see Appendix Section D1.

Activities, events,
places that will attract
young families.
— Millennial workshop
participant, Station 6 (★4)
Lesson Learned
While many creative approaches
and elements were incorporated
into both workshops to welcome
Spanish-speaking residents and
teens, almost none attended who
needed interpretation, and very
few teens or tweens participated. It
would likely take sustained efforts
to provide more welcoming and
engaging participation than
standard formats to indicate to
these groups that it was worth
their time and safe to participate.

Additionally, “going to them” or to
a space that feels safer to them is
usually a more productive form of
engagement with groups like
these, indicated in part by the
successful turnout of 12/12 people
invited to the fall focus group with
Spanish-speaking immigrant
community members and the large
number of high school students
who participated in online polling.
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What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 March 25 – April 9, 2026 • During and after Workshop 1 • 226 total participants

6. Community Polls
A combination of paper and online polls provided another format for feedback and guidance from a diverse array of participants. All polls were in English and Spanish, though an unknown number of Spanish-speaking participants completed polls in English, and an unknown number of people participated in more than one of the following polls.
6A. Workshop 1 Paper Feedback Guide Survey
On tri-fold paper cards provided upon entry, participants ranked five vision elements and five values that arose from the listening campaignto inform development of a draft Compass for W2 participants to test. Tables 2 and 3 illustrate some of those results. Survey cards (and participation materials within them) were color-coded by generation. Because the importance of youth often surfaced during the listening campaign as a community priority, there was a desire to understand if younger generations’ contributions differed from that of other generations. For more details, see Appendix Section E1.

Polls at a
Glance
40 Workshop 1 Compass Vision
& Values Paper Feedback
Survey
162
Workshop 1 Mentimeter
Poll (responses during
through one week after the
workshop)
24 Between-Workshops
Mentimeter
= 226
Poll responses
Overall
Rank
Element of Vision Paper:

Avg of 5
Menti:

Avg of 5
1 Vital, high-functioning economic engine 3.9 3.2
2 Community and government that finds a
way, and helps each other in the process

3.5 3.3
3 Leadership with clear direction and service 3.2 2.8
4 Complete connected community for all ages 3.1 3.5
5 Capable government and team that delivers 2.0 2.8
Of approximately 40
cards collected, 25
had complete vision
rankings and 26 had
complete values
rankings usable for
analysis. In space
made available for
suggesting other
ideas and making
comments about
preferred decision
filters, several
participants added
nuance.

Table 2. Paper survey Fortuna vision scores; averages of 5-point scale, 5 highest priority. 21 of 42
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6. COMMUNITY POLLS
6B. Workshop 1 Mentimeter Vision & Values Polling
Overal
l Rank
Core Value Paper:

Avg of 6
Menti:

Avg of 6
1 Quality of Life: safety,
cleanliness, family life, care for
youth, parks, forests, and river

5.4 4.8
2 Connected, Caring Community:
close-knit feel, big community
events, volunteering, showing up

3.7 4.4
3 Economic Resilience: The status
quo isn't sustainable, generating
City revenue is essential

4.3 3.4
4 Clear Direction: Clear what
Fortuna stands for; consistent
decisions that outlast a leader

3.3 3.0
5 Community Character: Keeping
the historic feel, charm, and
access to the outdoors

3.0 3.2
6 Committed Service: Recognition
staff work hard, care about
community, deserve support

1.6 3.0
An online Mentimeter poll ran during and for a week after Workshop 1. It captured a broader and younger audience than the in-room paper cards – roughly 70 Gen Z and Alpha respondents weighed in on the last day the poll was open from Fortuna Union High School (FUHS) for a total of 162 participants (157 in English, 5 in Spanish). A final Mentimeter poll between workshops with 24 participants helped facilitators hone workshop design. See Appendix Sections E2 and E3 for more Workshop 1 Mentimeter results.

Responses to Mentimeter queries asking for “one word to describe the Fortuna of today” and “one word to describe the future you want for Fortuna”
Table 3. Paper survey Fortuna values scores; averages of a 6-point scale, with 6 as highest priority score.
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6. COMMUNITY POLLS
6C. Between-Workshops Mentimeter Poll
The between-workshops poll was open for one week
between the two community workshops and reached 24
respondents — 23 in English and 1 in Spanish. Its dual
purpose was, based on requests at W1, to 1) provide an
opportunity for people who couldn’t attend the workshops to participate and 2) understand which W2 topics may need more time and space, and whether the direction
established in W1 was holding. See Appendix Section E4 for more Between Workshops Mentimeter results.

When asked to rank seven issues by urgency, "Fortuna
needs a plan” drew the most first-place votes among
English respondents. Healthcare close to home drew the
second, and young people leaving, third.

The single Spanish-language respondent ranked getting
around safely first — pedestrian safety, lighting, and
dangerous crossings — with young people leaving ranked
second. If Fortuna doesn't act, they wrote, interest will be lost. If the City does act on issues of urgency, their son will probably move back. That single response, from a Gen X
resident, represents the youth retention and walkability themes that appeared independently across every other
instrument and group.

Does Fortuna
need a vision?
Yes: 88%
(113 of 128 respondents)
Has Fortuna ever
had a vision?
65% don't know (75% in Spanish)
When developing a
vision, should Fortuna
look to the past, the
future, or both?
Both: 71%
Workshop 1 Mentimeter
n = 162 (English: 157 + Spanish: 5)
The difference between the in-room and online rankings is useful information. It shows thatthe vision is broad enough to hold both priorities:
economic engine and connected community belong together. The high school students' participation moved “connected community” from third place to first on the last day the poll was open — a clear indicator about what matters most to the youngest generation, and an understandable difference from older generations who are concerned about economic vitality and the City's fiscal solvency. The final Compass vision was drafted to hold both.
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6. COMMUNITY POLLS
6D. Agreement Across Polls
Across three polls, different formats, and different
audiences, findings held:
• Fortuna needs a clear, lasting direction:
unanimous on paper cards, 88% agreement on the W1
Mentimeter, and the #1 ranked “urgent” issue in the
between-workshops poll.
• Quality of Life is the core community value:
ranked as #1 value on paper cards and W1
Mentimeter, across both languages. Defined
consistently as safety, family life, care for youth, parks, and access to nature.
• Economic development and City revenue are
the top planning priority: a "vital, highfunctioning economic engine" ranked top of vision elements in the paper survey. Top-ranking topic for the City’s focus in the W1 Mentimeter. Economic health
dominated responses to the question "If Fortuna gets
this right in the next 5 years, what changes for the
better?" in the between-workshops Mentimeter.
• Youth retention runs through everything:
named at five of six Collaboration Stations
unprompted, “care for youth” was part of the local
definition of “quality of life” and raked at the top by every generational cohort on the paper cards and W1
Mentimeter, and as the third most urgent issue in the
between-workshops poll.

Lesson Learned
The fact that a significant share
of the Workshop 1 Mentimeter
poll's participation was
accomplished in one day by
high school students indicates
both the power of the tool for
youth engagement and an
option for targeted outreach to
engage a broader set of voices
in local government. This type
of effective engagement was
also possible via a deliberate
relationship with the high
school garnered through a cohost of the teen focus group on campus and project
“Champions” that were
convened several times to
provide process guidance. In
addition, workshop participants
of all ages were delighted with
the ease of participation in and
immediate gratification of
visualized common ground via
an online poll. This may be a
tool that a small, capacitylimited City like Fortuna could use more frequently.

Keep that small-town/tight-knit vibe but give non-residents a reason to come to Fortuna.

Values. Put yourself in a young family's shoes today. What would you want and need to survive here?
— Mentimeter responses to: Is there anything the City shouldn't lose sight of, no matter what else changes?
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What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 April 11, 2026 • Fortuna River Lodge • approximately 75 participants

7. Community Workshop 2: Charting A Course to Future Fortuna 7A. Workshop 2 Overview
The second community workshop was a half-day Saturday working session — doors opened at 10:00 a.m. for participants to review listening campaign results and W1 work, with the workshop running from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Where residents were asked to add their voices to what the City heard during the listening campaign at W1, here, they were asked to share concrete future ideals and specific steps to get there. All materials were again in English and Spanish, and interpreters were available.

On entry, participants provided a draft Compass handout — Fortuna's proposed vision, values, and decision filters plus materials to provide feedback that were color-coded by generation. The draft was generated from listening campaign themes (Listening Campaign Report), refined by staff in November (Section 3) and the Champions in February (Section 4), visioning exercises in W1 (Section 5), and shaped further by polling feedback (Section 6).

Participants were encouraged to apply and test draft Compass principles as they worked through the stations to see if they resonated when put to practical use. The between-workshops poll results also informed W2 design, confirming which topics would need the most time and space and signaling that the Compass direction established in W1 was holding.
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What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025 -2026

7. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 2: CHARTING A COURSE TO FUTURE FORTUNA 7A. Workshop 2 Overview (continued)
During the opening session, former Eureka
Community Development Director Rob Holmlund
presented a challenge to participants to “manifest
with specificity.” Rather than naming general
aspirations, he explored visuals of Fortuna
neighborhoods alongside images from other
communities and planning concepts, encouraging
participants to describe specific, concrete futures to
provide Council and staff with clear direction. That
framing carried through the workshop's design table
worksheets and land use planning exercises.

Each of the six original collaboration stations was
augmented with a design table— a structured
worksheet asking participants what a great Fortuna
looks like in 2040 and what steps would get there.

Participants at Stations 1 and 6 also worked through
additional exercises to explore spending preferences,
visual preferences, and land use planning scenarios.

Fifteen attendees signed in at both workshops, and
word of mouth was the primary draw for W2 (★10),
significantly outpacing all other channels.

A note on what follows: Workshop 2 reporting covers
design table results for each station and augmented
exercises at Stations 1 and 6. The four-banner
display results (Points of Gain, Points of Pain,
Opportunities, What's Missing) were cumulative
across both workshops and are reported in Section 5.
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What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

7. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 2: CHARTING A COURSE TO FUTURE FORTUNA 7B. Collaboration Station Design Tables & Exercise Results — Workshop 2 7B1. Station 1: Our City Leadership & How We Participate City Spending Preferences Exercise: The popular centerpiece at Station 1 asked each participant to allocate 10 stars, treating each as $100,000 of a hypothetical $1,000,000 individual budget, across a broad list of options (complete ranked list in Appendix C).

Highest priorities (16–25 stars): trades education in partnership with schools and the college (★23), tourism and city marketing (★21), police (★20), economic development (★18), parks — existing and new (★18), business recruitment and retention programs (★17), support for the pool project (★17), and recreation and youth programs (★16).

Other priorities (11–15 stars): parks maintenance (★15), trails — existing and new (★13), river access (★13), events — existing and new (★13), more restaurants including Jamba Juice, Chick-Fil-A, and Panda Express as a written-in addition (★13), developing the Great Redwood Trail (★11), and services and housing for the unhoused (★11).

The pattern is consistent with what surfaced during the year: economic development and quality of life for families are not competing but complementary ideas. Engagement outreach requests reflected the ongoing Station 1 theme of wanting clearer, more accessible communication from City government.

Station 1 design table participants largely affirmed what the banners showed — that distance from City government is real, that language is a barrier, and that engagement works when it's genuine and informal. There was appreciation for existing online Council meetings (★3),. Additional contributions called for advertising Council meetings regularly with what will be covered and why, actively using social media to promote agendas (not just as a broadcast channel), and using the Chamber of Commerce as an information hub. Several participants acknowledged the need for more staff capacity dedicated to growing what people want to see. Several participants called for more leadership from the Spanish-speaking community, and/or access to meetings in Spanish.

Talk to people and meet them where they are… how do you know what people need if you don't talk to them?
— Gen Z-Alpha W2 participant, Station 1
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What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

7. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 2: CHARTING A COURSE TO FUTURE FORTUNA 7B. Collaboration Station Design Tables & Exercise Results — Workshop 2 (continued) Spanish
included
during
meetings.
— Silent
Generation W2
participant’s
ideal future at
Station 2
Lesson Learned
The City spending exercise was a very
popular and simple way to gather and
simultaneously illustrate community
interests. This and several other
preference exercises displayed at both
W1 and W2 to augment the core upright
gain-pain-opportunities-what’s missing
banners arose at the last minute. They
would have been even more productive
if the consulting team had provided staff
more time to consider what they
wanted to seek community feedback,
especially after they became familiar
with the power of this form of public
engagement at W1. For instance, in this
case, it would have been useful to gauge
responses on a current hot topics about
whether to continue spending more
than the City generates on popular
facilities like the River Lodge and Depot
Museum, and in the case of W1, to
solicit images that City planners wanted
to test in visual preferences.
7B2. Station 2: Growing Up & Feeling at Home in Our City Station 2 design table participants sharpened the “feeling at home” theme without substantially departing from what upright banner contributions surfaced. The most substantive additions came from Spanish-speaking participants: workshops designed specifically for Latino parents and teenagers, getting the word out about programs and opportunities through channels other than social media, and including diverse community members in events and programming decisions.

Diversity is
encouraged
while holding
onto our
historical feel
and character.
— Gen X W2
participant’s
ideal future at
Station 2
Photos submitted by B. Conley to illustrate
Fortuna from a young person’s viewpoint.
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Theater is closed. No arcade. No music venue. It feels flat and boring here. — Gen Z Teen Focus Group Participants (★15)
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

7. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 2: CHARTING A COURSE TO FUTURE FORTUNA 7B. Collaboration Station Design Tables & Exercise Results — Workshop 2 (continued) 7B3. Station 3: The Economic Future of Our City
Station 3 design tables drew ★42 across pre-printed quotes and summaries that illustrated what the listening campaign told us about residents’ and businesses’ current experiences and examples of hopes for what great looks like, making it among the stronger design table responses.

Sticky note contributions about “What great looks like in 2040” (★20) centered on economic diversification: value-added agriculture and specialty foods (★4), marketing Fortuna as a North Coast gateway leveraging the Eel River, redwoods, and trails (★3), manufacturing and higher-paying jobs rather than just retail (★3), and internships at local businesses willing to take in and teach students (★2).

Naming specifics about “How to get there,” participants specified early career opportunities from companies with a local hub (★2), and one taped a list of suggestions to a worksheet, receiving support for the following points in particular:
• Partner with local education to strengthen work experience and internship opportunities in Fortuna businesses and
promote youth entrepreneurship through competitions,
mentoring and support. (★4)
• Create a community led structure exclusively focused on economic development to develop action plans, attract
resources and monitor progress. (★)
We need to allow
new industry to
come into Fortuna
+ area to create
jobs. There needs
[to be] a balance
so we do not just
become welfare or
retirement
community.
— Baby Boomer W2
participant (★2)
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Partner with local education to strengthen work
experience and internship opportunities in Fortuna
businesses and promote youth entrepreneurship
through competitions, mentoring and support.
— W2 participant, (★4)
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

7. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 2: CHARTING A COURSE TO FUTURE FORTUNA 7B. Collaboration Station Design Tables & Exercise Results — Workshop 2 (continued) 7B4. Station 4: Our Outdoors & Public Spaces
Station 4 design table participants affirmed banner findings and added contributions that were largely cross-station in nature — tourism, accessibility, and trail connectivity ideas that also appeared at Stations 5 and 6. Some additions included: supporting residents who live near the river to visit and care for those areas (★); including diverse community members in all City planning for parks and outdoor spaces (★); developing horse riding stables with wine and beer tasting at the end of the trail, and river campgrounds modeled on the Presidio in San Francisco. Tourismoriented contributions called for creative highway signage to get travelers off 101, and for more marketing that connects outdoor spaces to lodging and dining.
7B5. Station 5: How Our City Works: Infrastructure, Services & Safety Station 5 design table participants largely affirmed what the banners showed. The design table contributions underscored a desire for pedestrian, ADA, bicycle, and trail accommodations, and in river-town connectivity. Tie-ins with economic development included reinforcing a listening campaign observation that visitors are challenged to walk through town (★2). Appreciation for “friendly and helpful” staff was underscored (★6), including a specific mention about the accessibility of police, including visibility at events on foot, bikes, or horseback. 7B6. Station 6: What Our City Looks & Feels Like: Land Use & Character Station 6 was the most complex station of the two workshops, with a large variety of ways to share preferences and ideas that would inform both the Strategic Plan and GPU Recommendations.

Station 6 design table participants named several issues that received affirmation from others, including a vibrant, walkable Main Street: "I remember Main Street was just vibrant — the theater was going, people were on the streets. How do we get back to that?" (★7), and inspiration from Arcata's town square and Eureka's Old Town, for adults and youth alike, drew ★5. Design standards that protect character while enabling economic growth were noted to not be in conflict (★2). Housing requests included: diverse options so that workers at all income levels have places to live (★2), low-cost housing made easy to build (★2), and affordable options for single-parent households.

Participants envisioned the Mill Site developed with combined multi-use commercial, residential, and open spaces alongside public access. One participant called for vibrant colors for downtown with “less beige.” [Connect] downtown + the Riverwalk area (and Mill Site)… to encourage flow between different city spaces.
— Gen X W2 participant (★)
Coordinate large volunteer events to get a lot done in a day – have a benefit at the end, like a BBQ & live music.
— W2 Participant (★)
Get people off
101 to use our
outdoor
spaces, stay in
our hotels, and
eat in our
restaurants.
— Millennial W2
participant
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What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 7B. Collaboration Station Design Tables & Exercise Results — Workshop 2 (continued) Future Fortuna Vision (Visual) Preference Posters, W1 and W2 combined: Two posters with images representing a variety of community spaces, streetscapes, architecture, landscape design, and activities asked participants to place stars on images that should guide Fortuna's future — five stars per poster (a list of broad categories and star counts is in Appendix D2). Top choices from both workshops were unambiguous and inform land use character goals for GPU Recommendations: walkable downtown streetscapes and storefronts (★77 combined), youth sports and activities (★58), the Fortuna Theatre (★45), historic streetscapes and downtown (★43), Main Street fairs, markets and events (★36), and landscaping and forest integrated into a historic downtown streetscape (★21). Few stars marked large-format retail, distribution centers, futuristic development, and unattractive multi-family housing.

How Residents Feel About Housing: feedback garnering the most support included the following (see Appendix D3 for the range of responses):
• Expensive! ★3
• More owner-occupied less rentals ★3
• Low income and senior housing needed – we all spend money! ★ • Senior apartment housing ★
Commuting map and housing preferences: A printed infographic showed Fortuna's commuting inflow and outflow, drawn from Census data (see Appendix D7 for the poster and participant comments on commuting patterns). Roughly 75% of working residents commute out of town each day, taking their labor and daily economic activity with them.

Participants were asked whether this is a problem: the near-universal response was yes, which some participants connected directly to the economic development urgency.

7. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 2: CHARTING A COURSE TO FUTURE FORTUNA 31 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

7. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 2: CHARTING A COURSE TO FUTURE FORTUNA 7B. Collaboration Station Design Tables & Exercise Results — Workshop 2 Honoring Our Roots Building Our Future
The good
stuff:
we strike the
right balance
Keep the small-town vibe,
make it more walkable and
bikeable ★5
Medical care – invest in
supporting providers to stay ★3
Studio apartments. Preserve
historic architecture, let chain
stores move in but no huge
renovations ★2
We are falling behind on
amenities, trying to chase small
town feel. This is why we can’t
keep doctors, vets, and new
people moving here ★3
Affordable Owner-Occupied
homes ★3
Need to set a goal for growth
that balances these issues ★2
New businesses and jobs, housing
options, amenities for all ages…
[printed examples] ★2
The risk if we
go too far:
we lose the
balance
The town dies, our population
is aging with not enough young
blood to continue the town. If
there is no opportunity, we’ll
keep leaving ★2
Need economics to bring in $$
& keep our kids ★
We lose our roots, but the
town survives and younger
generations will have more
opportunities
Gen Z & Alpha, Millennials, Gen X, Baby Boomers, Silent Generation Table 4. Example responses in the “balancing roots and future” exercise at Station 6.

Design standards that protect
character WHILE enabling
economic growth — they are not
opposites.
— Workshop 2 participant, Station 6
Design Table, ★2
Balancing How Fortuna Honors
Our Roots & Builds Our
Future, Workshop 1 and Workshop 2
combined: A mapping exercise asked
participants to navigate a tension that
has arisen since the earliest
conversations in this project about the
future of Fortuna – how to honor
Fortuna's roots while building its future.

Four quadrants were offered for
participants to place examples within,
representing both the benefits if we
balanced how we “Honor Our Roots”
and “Build our Future” right and the
downsides if we don’t. Participants’
contributions depicted in Table 4
received the most stars.

Lesson Learned
At W2, the upright gain-painopportunities-what’s missing banners on the walls (and some of
the preferences exercises)
continued to attract the most
engagement, with less interest in
the design table worksheets –
evidenced by significantly fewer
sticky notes and stars than on the
banners. Some of this difference
was likely due to a much greater
visibility and access comfort of
engaging with material at eye-level
on the wall rather than on a table
with limited seats. Some
participants understood the
nuanced difference of a focus on
ideating steps to their desired
future, some did not, and the
results were less specific with
fewer stars than the upright
banner contributions.
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What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 7B. Collaboration Station Design Tables & Exercise Results — Workshop 2 Manifest with Precision: Participants placed stars along spectrums to vote on specific future scenarios to help staff get clear about community land use planning preferences – a table of top-ranking results are included in Appendix Section D4.

Overall, there was a high level of agreement about:
• A desire for a noticeable, but not substantial difference in Fortuna’s look and feel, with new buildings and businesses
• A reasonable number of new housing units that “don’t overdo it” and retain a neighborhood feel with a gentle density (ADUs, duplexes, starter homes in the right places)
• Slightly more jobs than workers in Fortuna
The dominant picture: moderate, intentional growth that can be felt as positive change without erasing what makes Fortuna feel like Fortuna. One interesting tension – which would be helpful to explore in the GPU process – lies in a roughly equal desire for little and significant population growth. Participants do not want stagnation, but they want growth that Fortuna can recognize as itself.

Your Ideals & Limits for Downtown: Two W2 poster exercises at Station 6 asked participants to indicate types of settings that would encourage them to visit downtown, and specific business types they would approve for downtown or that they would prefer vacancy over that use (a complete list of preferences is provided in Appendix D5 and an approve/vacant preference star tally for roughly 30 business types is provided in Appendix D6). The strongest approvals: climbing gym (★13), upper-floor residential (★11), nightclub or live music venue (★9), arcade (★9), microbrewery or craft taproom (★8). The strongest rejections: vape and tobacco shop (★9 for vacant), homeless shelter (★8 for vacant), sober living and transitional housing (★5 for vacant), tattoo and piercing parlors (★5 for vacant), McDonald's or similar (★5 for vacant). Written-in additions:
concert or music venue or theater (★2), cannabis dispensary (★), dance studio (★). This exercise gives the GPU specific, community-derived guidance on what types of uses residents want to see prioritized in downtown commercial zoning.

7. COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 2: CHARTING A COURSE TO FUTURE FORTUNA We need more affordable housing.

Can't afford housing in Fortuna.

Cost of rent is too high.

Home ownership — not more rentals
— Baby Boomer & Millennial participants, Stations 5 + 6 (★2) 33 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025 -2026
Feedback received across stations, on posters
designed to collect feedback, and via
Mentimeter included: • This is great! I’m so excited to see city leaders and community collaborating!
(Added:) YES!! ★3
• It’s nice to have the opportunity to be heard • Well marketed + delivered, thank you for the childcare
• Bringing the community together to share
goals and visions
• Thank you! So much effort to help our
people. We needed this.
• [Email address] has ideas to share on
outreach the city could do
• More general public surveys like this • Love my town :) • Wow! Strong work Fortuna Town! • We need direct input from our Latin American, Central American, and immigrant
communities.
• Continue surveys and events like this every
year to understand our desires and needs as
things change quickly.

March 25 & April 11, 2026 • Fortuna River Lodge • approximately 150 participants

8. Community Workshops Feedback
It’s nice to
have the
opportunity
to be heard. —Millennial, W1 feedback
One participant attached a list of tangible
improvements that could be made regarding
specific workshop logistics, encouragement to
get a (participation information or Mentimeter)
QR code to more high schoolers, and the
presence of too much signage.

One of the interpreters also shared suggested
improvements for engaging more Spanish-
speaking community members, including
outreach ideas and logistical suggestions for this
type of free-form workshop design. A posted
question echoed by several verbal requests --
“is there an online participation option for this
workshop?” -- inspired quick action to design
and publicly release a second Mentimeter poll.

Word of mouth was indicated as a successful
outreach medium(★18), as well as Facebook
(★10), flyers (★5), and other social media (★4).

Thirteen participants said they would return for
the second workshop – and 15 did.

This input evening is VERY fantastic! Continuing these gatherings as a close-knit community is vital for common growth.
— Silent Generation, W1 Feedback Card
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What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 The work to date and coming out of two community workshops produced a clear body of direction. The Fall Staff Workshop and Staff-Council Joint Session were designed to receive that community direction and turn it into something the City can act on. Altogether, the four sessions over a one-month period — beginning March 25 and concluding April 30 — formed a single arc, where community voice informed staff judgment that was confirmed by elected leadership before going into the Strategic Plan and GPU Recommendations. This arc was planned in rapid succession deliberately, to avoid the common planning process failure of being drawn out over too many months (or years), allowing momentum, memory, and energy to dissipate, frustrating everyone’s ability to track what is happening and why.

Staff Workshop 2, April 21 • Staff-Council Joint Session, April 30

9. From Community Voice to City Direction
9A. Spring Staff Workshop: April 21, 2026
Fortuna Monday Club • 11 department directors and deputies Ten days after Community Workshop 2, eleven department directors and deputies gathered to translate the full year of listening plus two public workshops and polls into the beginnings of future guidance. The task: take clear community priorities and begin to translate them into actionable steps for each department. Staff knew enough about community needs and preferences to map what was most urgent and most impactful, and to begin developing strategy maps into priorities that would be presented to Council.

Staff mapped priorities into two matrices – one for internal-facing and another for external-facing – to organize them by urgency or importance and the level of meaningful impact. Items in the urgent- and high-impact zone became immediate Strategic Plan commitments. Items in the important-but-not-urgent zone informed a longer-term horizon. Staff starred the priorities they felt most strongly about and collaboratively moved sticky notes across the matrices. These were rapid exercises, not meant to be precise, but to concentrate limited staff availability to generate a first cut of their collaborative thinking. The emerging priorities were translated by department teams (or groups of departments that work closely) into more specific strategy maps by issue, which informed the spine of the staff presentation to Council just over a week later.

Help us help the community understand what it
takes to get what they want.

We need to be able to charge the full costs of
projects, including maintenance over time.

Competitive pay is critical — Council needs to
treat this as a priority, not a wish.
— Staff recommendations of Council’s role for joint session 35 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

9. FROM COMMUNITY VOICE TO CITY DIRECTION
9A1. Internal-Facing Staff Priorities
The internal matrix — organizational work that needs to happen inside City Hall for the community-facing work to succeed — produced a sharp picture of where staff energy concentrated. Those priorities are outlined in Table 4, below.

The sales tax measure drew the most stars of any single item on either matrix (★9, highest impact), positioned firmly in the urgent-and-high-impact zone. Staff retention drew ★7 (tied for highest impact) as did protection of the four-day work week as a specific retention strategy. Applying the Compass as an operational tool drew a very urgent ★5 — a signal that staff wanted the guiding principles they helped build to show up in how they run meetings and make decisions, not just in planning documents. Incorporating the true cost of deferred maintenance drew ★4 and was also tied for highest impact.

Lesson Learned
While this crucible-style succession
of workshops was productive, it
would be better suited to a project
with a budget for more consulting
staff to process this quantity of
information rapidly, especially
considering late additions of
generationally-coded feedback
mechanisms and a substantial
number of preference exercises.

While AI is sometimes reliable to
assist in tallying large amounts of
information, in this case checking
and revising its initial work may have
required more labor, on balance,
especially when it comes to counting
stars and assessing generational
color coding. As it was, the Strategic
Plan and GPU Recommendations
were produced with an overall sense
of the workshop results; however
this detailed report was completed
the following month so that the
large amount of detail could be
better organized and truthed.

Revenue growth: develop a roadmap, what milestones
unlock what City investments?
— Staff external priorities mapping exercise, April 21 (★5) 9A2. External-Facing Staff Priorities
The external matrix captured priorities requiring community-facing action, permitting, funding, partner engagement, and/or Council authorization. The most-starred external priorities: in the position judged to be both the highest importance and impact by a wide margin was making a decision about the River Lodge (★8); permitting audit and timeline compression were noted to be more urgent (★8); generating revenue, increasing the City’s social media presence and expanding Spanish language access each received ★5, all noted as somewhat urgent, with the language access receiving the highest impact assessment on the map. Many of the priorities mapped here were tasks that would be tackled by administratively-focused staff, indicating how important “getting the house in order” is for external-facing staff to feel effective.

When faced with strategy maps to populate, they generated more external-facing priorities related to infrastructure, parks, and so forth (Table 5 in Section 9C, below).
9A. Spring Staff Workshop: April 21, 2026 (continued)
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What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

9. FROM COMMUNITY VOICE TO CITY DIRECTION
9A. Spring Staff Workshop: April 21, 2026 (continued)
9A3. Collaborative Development of Strategy Maps & Council Presentation Materials
Staff worked in department pairs to develop and refine strategy maps — structured sketches that prompted them to briefly outline the priority, its lead and team, conditions of the current reality and ideal future, near-term commitments, longerterm aspirations, specific questions the General Plan Update process should answer (if relevant), and the related role for Council members to play for each priority. Strategy maps covered staff retention, the sales tax measure, long-term cost accounting, and organizational capacity, economic development, revenue generation, development process streamlining, pedestrian safety and access, youth programs, parks and trails, design standards, housing, infrastructure and maintenance, public safety staffing, and community communications and outreach.

Staff then provided feedback on each other’s maps for refinement — adding stars for emphasis, surfacing coordination opportunities, naming gaps, and refining their work. Staff discussed what they most needed from Council to be successful. The highest-starred Council roles were to provide grant writing capacity (★10), support for tax measure outreach per polling results including canvassing and a volunteer committee (★9), the need for an economic development-focused staff role, understanding the costs of deferred maintenance, funding for Mill Site infrastructure prerequisites (roundabouts, interchange improvements, utility capacity) as a condition for attracting development (all ★4).

After the workshop, the consultant and City Manager turned staff strategy maps into a framework for staff to complete presentation content over several days before the joint session with Council. Several priorities were added when the group realized they were missing from important topics that arose throughout the year, like public communications (Table 4).

We need Council to understand the real
importance and costs of deferred maintenance,
the cost of not having a maintenance plan, and
to be clear about making deferred
maintenance decisions.
— Staff recommendations of Council’s role, preparing for joint session 37 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

9. FROM COMMUNITY VOICE TO CITY DIRECTION
9B. Staff-Council Joint Session: April 30, 2026
Fortuna Monday Club • 11 staff, 4 Council members, and one member of the public The final workshop of the Future Fortuna series brought together the staff leadership team, several deputies, and four of five Council members for the first time in this process. The design principle was for staff to present what had emerged throughout the year as clear top interests and opportunities, and for Council to ask questions, signal where they stood, and make commitments.

City Manager Amy Nilsen opened by walking through the year-long process "trail", including 63 listening campaign interviews across community, staff, and Council, two focus groups, polling, two community and two staff workshops, and the contribution of a community-led business survey of 64 businesses. The results are built on the vision and priorities that arose from community, Council, and staff together for a successful future Fortuna. 9B1. The Compass in Practice
Early in the session, the group reviewed Compass elements and recommended uses for it as the guiding principles framework built from listening campaign and workshop results, and to transcend and inform City priorities and decision-making. Near the end of the workshop, after priorities were reviewed, the group returned to exploring examples of how to use the Compass as an operational tool, and fielded questions about where key elements of the tool arose. One Council member shared that the core values felt too general to be of use as a decision tool and asked for more specificity. The response produced a useful exchange — that the supporting detail about where each key element came from in the process was included in the W2 participant handout cards, is included in the Strategic Plan, and that the Compass is a field tool, not a substitute for the full document.

Having the core values at the center provides a foundation for future Council members as opposed to just [for] us. It’s not us making the decision — it’s the Fortuna community telling us what to do. We’re just implementing it. — Council member, joint session on April 30, 2026
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We have to go further than just paying our bills. We need this [tax measure] to pay our bills and we need this to invest in our future. — Council member, joint session on April 30, 2026
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

9. FROM COMMUNITY VOICE TO CITY DIRECTION
9B. Staff-Council Joint Session: April 30, 2026 (continued) Staff presented a real scenario to test the Compass together: the Vancil forest acquisition. The City had received notification that a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant had been awarded, requiring a lot line adjustment, decisions about surrounding land, and a commitment to maintaining the acquisition. The group worked through the Compass decision filters applied to that specific project: Can we afford to maintain it, not just acquire it? Does it honor what makes Fortuna, Fortuna? Does it help young people see a future here? The exercise surfaced a genuine question about whether accepting a grant and acquiring new parkland is the right move when maintenance capacity is already stretched — and what the alternative, the land developed into housing, would cost the community in terms of what it was trying to build. 9B2. Staff Priority Presentations
Staff presented priorities to Council by department, touching on the current reality, future ideals, and key tasks to get from here to there (Table 5). On the economic development priority, one Council member drew the connection between retail leakage and job creation explicitly: the 75% of working residents who commute out of town each day (referenced in Section 7B6) are not just taking their labor elsewhere, they are taking their grocery runs, their hardware purchases, and their evening spending.

On infrastructure, the discussion of long-term cost accounting turned concrete: staff described how the City had been charging below full cost for water and sewer installations, subsidizing development from rate-payer funds without a transparent policy decision to do so. The rest of the priorities presented are illustrated in Table 5, below, and the details became part of the Strategic Plan and GPU Recommendations.

A conversation about the ¾ cent tax measure was candid. A Council member raised the political difficulty directly: the City had asked voters before, and the problems it was meant to address were not completely explained and supported. Staff acknowledged the history and made the case for why this time is different:
there is now a plan, a community mandate behind it, and a clearer connection between the revenue and specific outcomes. Staff named what they needed: Council members to champion the measure publicly, to support the formation of a volunteer campaign committee, and to ensure that all City representatives speak consistently to the plan and the rationale as informed by polling results. 39 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

9. FROM COMMUNITY VOICE TO CITY DIRECTION
9B. Staff-Council Joint Session: April 30, 2026 (continued) 9B3. Types of Support Staff Requested for Success
The closing portion of the workshop was explicit about what roles staff needed Council to play going forward to achieve the priorities discussed:
• Champion the tax measure publicly and back it with a volunteer community committee.
• Name economic development a City priority and provide staff the capacity and support they need, including dedicated grant-writing capacity.
• Support competitive pay as an essential budget priority, not a wish. • Allocate funding for and approve infrastructure projects aligned with the plan.
• Trust staff to exercise ministerial judgment on design standards and permitting decisions — and resist softening requirements when applicants push back in public meetings.
• Lean on the community mandate that emerged through this process as backup for making hard decisions.
• Consistent, transparent treatment in every decision-making situation, with no exceptions.

Staff also noted that embedding the Strategic Plan in staff reports, performance evaluations, and the annual staff-Council review would give the Plan institutional staying power beyond changes in City Managers or Council composition. One Council member observed that having core values at the center leaves a foundation for future elected officials who were not part of building this Plan.

We have to go further
than just paying our bills.

We need this [tax
measure] to pay our bills
[and] we need this to
invest in our future.
— Council member, during joint
session on April 30, 2026
Dedicate staff time to economic
development and grantwriting.

Support the tax measure with
poll results, outreach, canvassing
and a volunteer committee.
— Staff identification of Council roles in
pursuit of the City’s financial security
Mentimeter poll responses between workshops: if Fortuna doesn’t act on my top issue in the next five years? Does act?
40 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026

9. FROM COMMUNITY VOICE TO CITY DIRECTION
Table 5. Staff priorities presented to Council as they were organized into the Strategic Plan and GPU Recommendations. 9C. What the Staff Workshop & Joint Session Produced
Staff Workshop 2 and the StaffCouncil Joint Session completed the democratic arc this process
was designed to traverse into a
new era for Fortuna leadership,
where what the community
wants and what the City is doing
are the same thing, making the
possibilities much more realistic.

The strategy maps produced at
the Spring Staff Workshop and
shared with Council became
direct inputs to the 2026–2036
Strategic Plan and the GPU
Recommendations.

Table 5 maps each staff priority
sketch to the Strategic Plan
priority it informed and the GPU
element it connects to.

Staff Priority Sketch Strategic Plan Priority GPU Recommendations Staff retention & pay Organizational Resilience, Staff
Retention, Pay & Succession
Staffing capacity assumptions in implementation programs Economic development & revenue
generation
Economic Vitality & Revenue
Generation
Economic Development Element; Mill Site priorities; design standards
Sales tax measure Fiscal Sustainability Revenue-generating land use policies Long-term cost accounting Fiscal Sustainability Maintenance feasibility requirements for new development Infrastructure & safety Economic Development & Pedestrian Safety & Connections
Public facilities and services; health and safety;
transportation and circulation
Development process streamlining Economic Vitality Ministerial approval pathways; permit process reform Design standards Community Character & Land Use Objective design standards; GPU design policies Pedestrian safety & access Infrastructure & Connectivity Pedestrian and trail requirements in new development Youth & recreation programs Youth Opportunity & Retention Zoning for youth-serving uses; safe routes Parks, trails & outdoor spaces Outdoor Recreation & Environment Trail corridor policies; maintenance funding mechanisms Housing Housing ADU support; workforce housing types permitted outright Community communications &
outreach
Civic Engagement & Communication Public engagement standards; Spanish-language requirements
Public safety Staff Retention, Pay & Succession Health & safety, public facilities and services 41 of 42
What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A focus on economic development is urgent and not optional. Young people must be able to see a future here. Fortuna’s outdoor identity and town character are genuine assets worth protecting, investing in, and leveraging. The City needs clear direction that outlasts any single leader. And the people of Fortuna, when given a genuine chance, show up to be heard.

That kind of harmony across a wide range of voices over time is not common. It is meaningful to see the same unprompted values, ideals, and priorities surface from a teenager in a focus group, a multi-generation Spanish-speaking neighbor’s sticky note at a community workshop, a survey of businesses, a City department director mapping it on a priority matrix, and a Council member articulating the same thing in a one-on-one interview — all without having heard each other’s responses.

This is what the Strategic Plan 2026–2036 and the GPU Recommendations are built from. Every priority traces to specific, verifiable needsthat specific people, across a variety of groups, expressed. The Compass — Fortuna’s vision, values, and decision filters — is drawn from the same well and should serve City representatives and communities alike for years to come, no matter the changing conditions on the ground or in funding streams. When hard decisions come before Council, the record documented here is the backup.

This isn't meant to gather dust. Put it to work — City and community alike!

10. What the Whole Process Demonstrated
Bringing the community together to share goals and visions.

Thank you! So much effort to help our people. We needed this.

Love my town :)
Wow! Strong work Fortuna Town!
— Workshop participants’ feedback
A thread runs through every step, every session, and every group in this process: when Fortuna residents, staff, Council members, teens, Spanish-speaking neighbors, and business owners were each asked open questions independently, they said the same things. Not approximately the same things. The same things, broadly, repeatedly. What emerged from the full arc is what Fortuna said, as a small yet diverse and representative sample of the community doing the speaking.

The process was designed to surface and then test whether that consistency was real and turn it into clear strategic guidance . The listening campaign asked open questions. The workshops showed participants what others had said and asked them to respond and emphasize. The polling ran in parallel and engaged significantly more young people. The staff sessions translated what was heard into operational terms. The staff-Council session handed the translation to elected leadership for confirmation and a clear articulation of the role they are requested to play in seeing it through. At no point did any single voice or group get to set or redirect the agenda. 42 of 42
What follows are images of workshop and working session products and/or more detailed compilations of results not included in Sections 5–7 about community workshop results in the What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026.

Most participant contributions were handwritten on sticky notes or directly on posters and are represented in italicized text. Illegible or uncertain handwriting is shown in [brackets]. One or more ★s indicate where participant/s “liked” a sentiment with star sticker/s – (★5) indicates how many stars were applied to a specific sentiment or observation.

A color-coding system was used as an experimental effort to identify generational interests and preferences due to the prevalence of concern for younger generations. Because these specifics were not critical to development of City strategy, this information is only tallied in some instances. Challenges this experiment presented were the difficulty in discerning colors of some types of star stickers in a range of photographic lighting, and in processing the sheer amount of content (the reason this report followed the associated planning documents).

A colored box icon indicates a sticky note comment from someone of the corresponding generation. “Likes” or votes for a given sentiment or observation are represented by black stars in most cases, or in limited instances, by generationally representative colors of hearts where that information was tallied. Color-coding key:

Red sticky notes and hearts (stars) for Gen Z & Alpha
Green sticky notes and hearts for Millennials
Blue sticky notes and hearts for Gen X
Yellow/gold sticky notes and hearts for Boomers
White sticky notes and hearts (in images, silver or black stars) for the Silent Generation □ Written directly on a poster
Community Workshops Appendix:

What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025 - 2026 APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A1 of A17 Table of Contents
A. Informational Postings A2
A1. What a City Does & Doesn't Do A2
A2. City Spending Posters A4
A3. Station 2: Did You Know? A4
B. Visioning Poster Exercises A5
B1. Who Is Fortuna? A5
B2. How do you feel about the future? A6
B3. Help The City Do Better A6
B4. Your Vision of Fortuna: Drawings & Words A6
B3. The Friendly City & What's Up in Fortuna A8
C. Station 1: Our City Leadership & How We Participate A8 D. Station 6: What Our City Looks & Feels Like: Land Use & Character A9 D1. Vision Spectrum Results Detail — Broadly Categorized A9 D2. What's Your Preference? Visual Image Posters A9
D3. Which Communities Inspire You & How You Feel About Housing A11 D4. Manifest With Precision A12
D5. Your Ideal Downtown Fortuna A12
D6. Your Ideals & Limits for Downtown A13
D7. Commuting to Work: Fortuna's Inflow & Outflow A14
E. Polling & Workshops Feedback A15
E1. Write-In Responses on Paper Survey Cards A15
E2. Vision Word Clouds: Workshop 1 Mentimeter A15
E3. Vision & Values Poll: Workshop 1 Mentimeter A16
E4. Inaction & Possibilities Word Clouds: Between Workshops Mentimeter A17 Area What This Includes
Streets & Sidewalks Local road maintenance, sidewalks, storm drains, streetlights, local traffic signals, pedestrian infrastructure Parks & Recreation City parks, recreation programs, facility rentals (Monday Club and River Lodge) Public Safety Fortuna Police Department, code enforcement, emergency preparedness Water & Sewer Water system, wastewater treatment, utility billing Land Use & Planning Implement state law and guidelines, including for environmental permitting; zoning, building permits, General Plan, development review, design standards Economic Development Business attraction, development incentives, Main Street/Mill Site planning City Facilities City Hall, community buildings, public spaces Communication City website, public notices, community engagement, Council meetings A. Informational Postings
A1. What a City Does & Doesn’t Do
Working Together for Fortuna's Future: Understanding Who Does What — And How We Can Partner Fortuna's future depends on many organizations working together. The City plays a vital role, and so do our partners. This guide helps us focus our energy where it can make a difference — and where partnerships are key.

What the City of Fortuna Does
The City provides local services, manages local land use, and shapes community investment priorities.

At Today's Workshop
When you have an idea or recommendation:

If it's something the City can act on directly: Jot it on a post-it and share on the “What's Missing” sheet at any station! That's what we're here for.

If it requires a partner: Name the partnership needed. The City can't do it alone.

Both kinds of recommendations are valuable. Knowing who needs to be at the table helps good ideas become real action.

The City's planning tools:
• General Plan — Long-term vision for land use, housing, circulation, community character • Strategic Plan — Organizational priorities, service levels, resource allocation APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A2 of A17 APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A3 of A17 Priority City Role Partner Role
Youth Retention Parks & Rec programming, public gathering spaces, pedestrian safety
Schools (career pathways), CR (workforce training), Employers (jobs), Businesses & Nonprofits (youthtargeted services) Mill Site Development Zoning, local permits, incentives Caltrans (interchanges), PG&E (utilities), Developers (investment) Housing Affordability Land use policy, permit streamlining County (assistance programs), State (funding, RHNA), Developers (construction) Career Pipelines Economic development, youth engagement Schools, CR, Employers (internships, jobs, training) Healthcare Access Zoning for facilities, economic development Healthcare providers (recruitment), County (public health) Partner What They Handle
Fortuna Union High School District & Fortuna Elem. With local property taxes: K-12 education, school facilities, after-school programs on school sites, youth sports leagues College of the Redwoods Higher education, workforce training, career pathways, adult education Humboldt County Social services, mental health, public health, housing assistance programs, Sheriff (unincorporated areas), elections, property assessment State of California & Caltrans Highway 101, state highway interchanges (Kenmar, 12th Street), state regulations (e.g. housing development requirements), Great Redwood Trail development oversight
Chamber of Commerce, Local Employers & Businesses Private business development/investment, jobs, career opportunities, workforce needs Healthcare Providers Hospital, clinics, specialist recruitment, medical services Nonprofits & Faith Organizations Food assistance, youth mentoring, crisis support, community programs, houseless support, Gene Lucas Center PG&E Electricity and gas service
Special Districts Fortuna Fire Protection District, Harbor District, Rohner Community Recreation and Park District, Palmer Creek, cemeteries Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria Tribal services, potential housing/amenity partnerships What The City’s Partners Do
Many community priorities require collaboration with organizations that have their own governance, funding, and expertise.

Where Partnership Makes the Difference
Some of Fortuna's biggest priorities explored here today require both City action and partner collaboration:

A2. City Spending Posters
City staff created and displayed two posters explaining City revenue and budgeting at Station 2.

A3. Station 2: Did You Know?
40% of Fortuna elementary students are Hispanic/Latino, signaling that a major portion of the community is, as well, even if some are undocumented and relatively invisible to the Census.

APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A4 of A17 B. Visioning Poster Exercises
B1. Who Is Fortuna?
Workshop 1 only, image in Section 5B. Participants were asked to place three stars on items that best describe Fortuna today.

Highest star counts Moderate to few star counts
The Rodeo ★23
Our weather ★18
Parks, playgrounds, and trails ★17
Our small-town charm ★15
Proximity to Headwaters & State Parks ★14 HUGE!
Our locally-owned businesses ★13
Redwood AutoXpo ★12
Apple Harvest Festival ★11
Our relationship to the Eel River ★ 10
Clendenen's Cider Works ★10
Written in:

The redwoods — tourism
Gene Lucas Community Center
Pool
Our friendly residents ★6
Fortuna Fireworks Festival ★6
Fortuna Museum Depot ★5
Our restaurants ★
More restaurant diversity ★4
Get city people, tourists from the avenue into town. expand! Our schools ★3
Add more sports tournaments ★★
Music venue for teens
OTHER: Gene Lucas Community Center ★
If utilized to its fullest
Downtown ★★
Residential neighborhoods ★★
Our Chamber of Commerce ★★
Daffodil Festival ★★
The Brewery ★★
Our logging legacy ★
Important to know who we are
and what made Fortuna unique
and special. What are proven
successes? What makes people
come, where do they go to spend
their time and money?
— Baby Boomer participant, Station 1 (★3)
APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A5 of A17 B2. How do you feel about the future?
It could go 2 ways. Either my gen and I are given the space to contribute and grow fortuna. Make Fortuna OUR town that we’re investing in protecting. OR… We leave town for opportunities not available here. Fortuna will hold space in our hearts as our childhood town, but it's not where we live.

I’m worried about resistance to change, but I’m also hopeful that we will learn to do better More tourism, attractions visible from the freeway
I’m somewhat worried in general. Need to include the “younger” generation (in) activities, jobs. Humboldt is hurting
□ Skeptical
Our economy has cratered with the lose of pot & timber. Need to fund anchor business to replace I see the climate attracting more population. As a SoCal transplant, I consider myself a climate refugee living in Fortuna. It is lovely ★
Not good with the Democrat regime in Sacramento
Good! Keep the small town feel!! Walkable + bikeable
B3. Help The City Do Better
Make it easy to build low-income houses
More general public surveys like this
How many staff have urban/city planning degrees or education? We’re a good home base, but why? Who are we?
B4. Your Vision of Fortuna: Drawings & Words
Workshop 1 only. Participants were asked to share what they envision, in words or images. Written descriptions:
• Teach[ing] Spanish as a second language is needed to be available in fortuna ★ • Revitalized without losing the community feel
• Farm to table food
• Town cookouts
• More large community events
• Farmers’ Markets: Move them to the Mill District - expand it and make it visible from the freeway. In winter, convert it to a food truck mall • 10th street is a wind tunnel, even on sunny days. Please move them to the Park. We can enjoy shopping, and kids can play. Vendors won’t have their canopies blown away. ★8 +(yes!!!)
• Small town/country experiences in tourism: horseback rides, nature spas, nature tourism • Use the Mill Site as an event space for outside activities/events, like circuses, so all the work of putting on frequent events doesn’t fall to the town government APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A6 of A17 APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A7 of A17 B5. The Friendly City & What's Up in Fortuna
Workshop 1 only, “What’s Up In Fortuna” image in Section 7B. Participants were asked to share what they think is going on in Fortuna, and expound upon what “The Friendly City” means. • People wave to each other when driving past on less traveled roads. People say “hello” or “excuse me” when passing on the sidewalk. Locals are willing to chat with tourists. People will pull over to help when someone is stalled on the side of the road ★★
• People living and working together, knowing each other, and being kind. I love our community! ★★ • Needs to get more friendly ★
• We are supportive of every worthy fundraiser and work parties • Ownership, community, safety, friendship, home
• Inclusivity, diversity, getting to know one another
Highest star counts: Moderate star counts:

Partner with schools/college to develop
trades ed. + Facilities ★23
Tourism/Marketing ★21
Police ★20
Economic development ★18
Parks (existing + new) ★18
Business recruitment-retention programs
★17
Support pool project ★17
Recreation/youth programs
(existing + new) ★16
Parks maintenance ★15
Trails (existing + new) ★13
River access ★13
Events (existing + new) ★13
More restaurants: Jamba Juice,
Chick-Fil-A, Panda Express ★13
Developing the Great Redwood Trail ★11
Services/housing for homeless ★11
Staff recruitment + retention ★10
Library / Biblioteca ★10
Water & wastewater infrastructure ★9
Sidewalks ★9
Improved ped/bike facilities ★9
Public art ★9
Code enforcement ★8
Enhanced local transit ★8
Destination sports facilities ★8
Street trees/landscaping ★8
Infrastructure readiness at the Mill Site ★8
Street pavement maintenance ★7
Outdoor event space/venue for events (free)
★7
Street lighting ★6
Stormwater/flooding infrastructure ★6
C. Station 1: Our City Leadership & How We Participate
City Spending Preferences Star Tallies
Workshop 2 only, images in Section 7B. Participants placed 10 stars, each worth $100,000 on their top ten priorities for City spending.

APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A8 of A17 D. Station 6: What Our City Looks & Feels Like: Land Use & Character D1. Vision Spectrum results detail – broadly categorized:

Workshops 1 and 2, image in Section 7A. Participants were asked to place a star on each of the following items on the end of a spectrum that matched their preferences:

Invest in art and murals: ★23 agreed vs. ★2 preferred to not waste time or money on art Change with the times: ★20 agreed, vs. ★3 preferred a focus on sticking with traditions A cute commercial riverfront: ★20 agreed vs. none preferred an industrial riverfront Prioritize walking and trails: ★17 agreed vs. ★3 slightly preferred a focus on cars and parking Busy and bustling community: ★16 agreed vs. ★5 preferred cozy and quiet Investing in street trees and landscaping is a waste of money: ★16 disagreed vs. ★1 agreed D2. What’s Your Preference? Visual Image Posters
Workshops 1 and 2, images in Section 7B. Two posters where participants placed stars on images they want to guide Fortuna's future: 5 stars per poster, 10 total. What follows are general interpretations of types of depictions, and in many cases, those descriptions incorporate multiple images. 20 or more stars on images that depict: 5-15 stars on images that depict:

Walkable downtown streetscapes and storefronts ★77
Youth sports/activities/training ★58
Fortuna Theatre ★45
Historic streetscape/downtown ★43
Main Street fair/market/gathering ★36
Landscaping/forest integrated into historic downtown streetscape ★21 Fortuna AutoXpo ★15
Agree more community gatherings
Mid-century storefront ★10
Modern, multi-story mixed-use downtown ★10
Historic home ★7
Futuristic development ★7
Suburban residential ★7
RV park ★5
Amazon warehouse/distribution center ★5
Dangerous game
APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A9 of A17 D

3. Which Communities
Inspire You & How You Feel
About Housing
Workshops 1 and 2. Participants were
asked to share about communities that
inspire them and about how they feel
about housing.

Housing: how do you feel about it?
Low income and senior housing
needed– we all spend money!
Senior apartment housing
Expensive! ♡
□ More owner-occupied less rentals 3
Reliable options for transportation!
Important that elders can still feel a
sense of [illegible]!
Affordable housing, Habitat for
Humanity model
More affordable utilities or included
Too many vacant houses, just empty,
not selling
More single-family housing
More clean, maintained friendly
housing at an affordable cost
Affordable “owners” housing i.e.
townhome for 1-2 people, buildings in
walkable communities, upstairs owner
[illegible] etc… So many renters, not
enough owners
APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A11 of A17 D5. Your Ideal Downtown Fortuna
Workshop 2 only, image in Section 7B. Are you ready for Fortuna's downtown to evolve? What would get you there more often? Or deter you? Two axes:
• Vertical: whether downtown activity and setting are attractive to you or repel you • Horizontal: examples of businesses and/or settings you prefer or would avoid I would visit downtown: Type of Business
Wheelchair supply & maintenance — plus accessible lot 2 Events — street vendors, children's activities, music, festivals Food Market, Gym, Office Supply / Photocopies (Mercado de alimentos, Gimnasio, Material Oficial / Fotocopias)
Disco/dance venue, art store, galleries/museums, microbrewery restaurant, artisan tasting room, free co-working spaces, (Discoteca, tienda arte, galeria/museos, restaurante microb[rewery}, sala de degustacion artesanal, espacios co-working free, [illegible]) I would visit downtown: Type of Setting
• Better lit at night
More walkable: create a car-free/ped friendly road
As a non-Fortuna resident, I would shop there if it was more unique: markets, concerts in the parks, but it has to earn it in general! 2
Allow UBER or TAXI for more nightlife
I'll avoid downtown: Type of Business
Nightclub — avoid
Pet Store; Vape Store
Autozone and O'Riley's have an auto tool loan program.

I'll avoid downtown: Type of Setting
Loud with too many bars with unlit parking and unmaintained walkways.

Interests: Types of Businesses
Café/diner
Hardware store
Food market Natural foods
Toy store
Office supplies/copying
Co-working & Maker Space
Axe Throwing Bar
Indoor Vertical Farm
Tool Lending Library
Repair café
Food trucks
APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A12 of A17 D4. Manifest With Precision
Workshop 2 only, images in Section 7B. What exactly do you want in Fortuna’s Future? Category Ideal Future State (categories with highest star counts) Stars City look &
feel
I notice a difference — new buildings and businesses we didn't have before. Not substantially different, but I can feel the change
★10
New housing Don't overdo it — a good new number of housing units, but keep it reasonable
★10
Jobs Fortuna has slightly more jobs than it has workers ★9 Housing
density
Gentle density: ADUs, duplexes, starter homes in the right places — keep neighborhood feel
★8
City growth The City has grown and changed a lot — new buildings, housing, businesses; architecture is new and contemporary ★5
Population A little population growth ★5
Population Significant population growth ★4
Housing
types
Mix it all up — apartments, condos, townhouses, shops, highend, low-end, workforce★4 D6. Your Ideals & Limits for Downtown
Workshop 2 only, image in Section 7B. Star Voting Table – Left: Approve for Downtown; Right: I'd rather a storefront was vacant Type of Business Approve Vacant
Write-in ideas:
□ Concert/Music Venue/Theater (Teatro) ★2
□ Cannabis Dispensary ★
□ Dance Studio ★
□ Downtown Xmas tree decorating, window display contests, potted planters in front of stores ★ □ Bank, Hardware store, cafe
□ Boutique bodega, art supplies, cat cafe
Skateboard store / Tienda de patinetas ★6 0
Vape & Tobacco Shop ★ ★9
Pawn Shop / Casa de empeños ★4 ★2
McDonalds or similar ★2 ★5
Funeral Home / Funeraria ★2 0
Upper-floor residential / Viviendas en plantassuperiores ★11 0 Microbrewery or craft taproom ★8 0
Sober living–transitional housing facility ★ ★5
Liquor store / Licorería [Handwritten note] we are an old lumber town ★ ★2 Axe Throwing Bar ★7 0
Tattoo and piercing parlor ★2 ★5
Private School / Colegio privado ★3 ★
Nightclub / Discoteca ★9 0
Adult/Elder Daycare Center ★6 0
Climbing gym / Gimnasio de escalada ★13 0
Podcast Studio / Estudio de podcasts ★6 0
Chain Dollar Store ★ ★4
Large Retail Chain / Gran cadena minorista ★4 ★5
Tow truck and impound lot ★2 ★4
Drug Rehabilitation Center 0 ★4
Automotive Repair Shop ★2 0
Payday Loan Center / Centro de préstamos a corto plazo ★2 ★2 Dog Boarding center / Residencia canina ★5 0
Laundromat / Lavandería automática ★2 ★
Homeless Shelter / Refugio para personas sin hogar ★ ★8 Postal Shipping Center / Centro de envíos postales ★4 0 Bail Bonds Office / Oficina de fianzas 0 ★3
Salvage Items Store / Tienda de artículos recuperados ★6 0 Accounting or Law Firm ★4 ★
Arcade ★9 0
APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A13 of A17 D7. Commuting to Work: Fortuna’s Inflow & Outflow
Workshop 2 only.

Is this a problem?
YES 4 4 4 3 3
NO 2
Any study on the profiles of inflow? Our guess, lots of family/friends/visitors (esp grandparents & grandkids). How can Fortuna serve them better and attract more coming to visit and stay?
We need more businesses hiring people in town
Are the inflows coming from smaller towns? Are the outflows going for professional jobs? Office Work? Our housing/community is better than Eureka’s so I’d live here either way.

Bring people into the city to work also bring in $ [illegible], etc… Downside is gas pollution.

How do we work w/County to solve common problems like limited transportation for people working outside Fortuna?
Inflow may also include retirees and work-age transplants from various areas. They bring in $ and resources as well. What helps them settle in and invite more to come if so desired? Overall, county wages are peanuts. Many have to have second homes to make good wags far away.

Employers only offer under 30 hr jobs, forcing workers to piecemeal jobs. NOT GOOD This means we’re not offering opportunities to our residents so that they can work those jobs. It also means professionals can’t find housing here.

Bedroom community households tend not to participate in the town, they tend to be spectators. Is that good for community development?
APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A14 of A17 E. Polling & Workshops Feedback
E1. Write-In Responses on Paper Survey Cards
Workshop 1 only
Other/missing core values:

Education
Unity – we are currently a divided community
Housing (as part of quality of life)
Respect for diversity
All (listed values) are important and all are connected Other/missing elements of vision for the future:

People want access to land to practice land-based economics and build seed-totable economics More activities for kids, especially in winter. Variety and nightlife for adults.

Need thoughtful bold leadership, not same old same old
Questions Council should ask when making decisions:

Will young people consider building family here?
How do we fit in the state's larger economy?
How do we allow diversity to flourish and ensure belonging for BIPOC community? Comments provided:

YouTube meetings very helpful! Thank you!
Insane leadership in Sacramento is wrecking Fortuna
This input evening is VERY fantastic! I’m grateful it happened! Continuing these gatherings as close knit community is vital for common growth.

E2. Vision Word Clouds: Workshop 1 Mentimeter
Responses to “one word to describe the Fortuna of today” Workshop 1 Mentimeter | n = 141 respondents in English, n = 5 in Spanish Boring (29), sunny (10), small (10), friendly (7), beautiful (7), wet (6), cold (6), fun (5), lacking (4), good (4), clean (4), wonderful (4), nice (4), sleepy (3), welcoming (3), potential (3), lovely (3), amazing (3), calm (3), family (3), lively (3), progressing (2).

Responses to “one word to describe the future you want for Fortuna” Workshop 1 Mentimeter | n = 123 respondents in English, n = 3 in Spanish Fun (15), thriving (13), vibrant (5), safe (4), clean (4), happy (4), alive (3), destination (3), diverse (3), beautiful (3), friendly (3), successful (2), family (2), prosperous (2), active (2), welcoming (2), educated (2), exciting (2), innovative, welcoming, child-friendly, safe, diversity.

APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A15 of A17 E3. Vision & Values Poll: Workshop 1 Mentimeter
Is there anything the City shouldn't lose sight of, no matter what else changes? (English n=89, Spanish n=3) Substantive responses (filtering out entries like "idk," "no," "Dc," and a lawn care advertisement):
• Change is inevitable. Don't get stuck holding onto the past because there's no space for future generations there. • Keep that small-town/tight-knit vibe, but give non-residents a reason to come to Fortuna. • Part of what makes Fortuna what it is are the events and the "hometown" feel. • Keep the old-timey feel, as well as the beautiful murals. • How much we work together as a community. Youth are our future, they are who we are passing Fortuna onto. If we do not make room to engage youth, Fortuna will have no future. • Values. Put yourself in a young family's shoes today. What would you want and need to survive here? • They need to do more or have more available to teenagers to help keep them out of trouble. • The youth (La juventud)
• Keep kids from doing drugs.
• The city needs more reliable and consistent income without continuing to raise taxes. We need to encourage better choices for shopping — we are now forced to go to another town oronline.
• Small business is great but we shouldn't have to travel three hours for all the big items we need or rely on Amazon. We want local shopping options that don't break the bank. • Support locally owned businesses and finish the pool as well as bring back the theatre. • Bringing in community events and tourism. Make recreational areas open and inviting to youth. Keep the streets clean and safe . • Community voices. Continue surveys and events like this every year to understand our desires and needs as things change quickly. • Include more of the Spanish-speaking population (Incluir más a la población hispanoparlante) • Respect for diverse and vulnerable populations.
• We need direct input from our Latin American, Central American, and immigrant communities. (originally in Spanish: Necesitamos la opinión directa de nuestras comunidades latinoamericanas centroamericanas e inmigrantes.)
• Land-based livelihoods and value-added processing.
• Reliable transportation systems for students to get to school, jobs, or activities. • The Farmer's Market and the auto expo.
• The schools, public library, Rohner Park, and museum. • Keeping parks open and as parks. Our town is small — enjoy the homey feeling. Restore what we once had and possibly add more. • We need to keep things safe and well-designed before we expand our city limits. • Abandoned sites and locations.

Single-word responses: Downtown, employees, safety, parks, rivers, Main Street, the nature, the people, the community, the trees, hope.

APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A16 of A17 E4. Inaction & Possibilities Word Clouds: Between Workshops Mentimeter If Fortuna doesn't act on my top issue in the next five years, what is the result? Between-Workshops Mentimeter | n = 20 respondents in English, n = 1 in Spanish • Decline cluster: population decline, economic collapse, loss of tax base, loss of city services, broke, continued recession • Exodus cluster: Fortuna becomes a bedroom community, leave to spend money, go to Ferndale, businesses will not thrive • Identity/safety cluster: no character, loss of city revenue, less community, less safe, less attractive, less retail traffic • General: failure, decline, stagnancy, lost opportunities • Respondent in Spanish: interest will be lost
If Fortuna gets this right in the next five years, what changes for the better? Between-Workshops Mentimeter | n = 18 respondents in English, n = 1 in Spanish • Economic health: economy (3), progress (2), jobs, revenue stays in Fortuna, increased tax base, stable population growth • Quality of life: health (3), housing, livable wages, atmosphere, income, liveability, healthcare, sustainable employment • Community vitality: a great place, a busier downtown, more focus as a community, welcoming, prosperity, advance • Population: population increase, viable community, increase in city services, character, tourism, expansion • Respondent in Spanish: my son will probably move back APPENDIX -- What We Built Together: Future Fortuna Workshop Results 2025-2026 A17 of A17 Change is
inevitable. Don't
get stuck
holding onto the
past because
there's no space
for future
generations
there.
— Workshop 1
Mentimeter
participant in
response to "Is there
anything the City
shouldn't lose sight
of, no matter what
else changes?"