Coastal Development Permit 2026 01 Caltrans Main Street School Street Repaving S — Point Arena City Council, July 21, 2026 (part 1 of 2)

STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
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APPLICANT: California Dept. of Transportation
Tony Symanovich, Project Mgr.
1656 Union Street
Eureka, CA 95501
OWNER: California Dept. of Transportation
AGENT: Devin Sutfin, Environmental Coordinator
California Dept. of Transportation
Project Description Repave Main Street and replace existing sidewalks on Main Street in the City of Point Arena. This work includes reconstructing existing northbound curb ramps, sidewalks and driveways from Pavement Marker (PM) 14.95 (intersection of Rt 1 with Iverson Ave) to PM 15.68 (3 parcels south of Lake St); reconstructing existing curb ramps and sidewalk from PM 14.96 (1 parcel north of Iverson Ave) to PM 15.23 (through corner parcel at School St); and reconstructing ADA ramps at Northbound PM 15.84 (Cypress Court).

LOCATION: Route 1 from Iverson Road to School Road, City of Point Arena.

Project area is located within the Coastal Zone.

TOTAL ACREAGE: 1.89 acres, 81,000 SF
GENERAL PLAN: Commercial Core (C) Urban Residential (UR), Public Facilities (PF) ZONING: Commercial Core (C) Urban Residential (UR), Public Facilities (PF) EXISTING LAND USE(S): Route 1, Main Street.

ADJACENT LAND
USE(S):

Commercial, residential and school.

ENVIRONMENTAL
DETERMINATION:

CEQA exempt per 15301(c)
APPEALS: This project is not appealable to the Coastal Commission.

RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the proposed project as conditioned is consistent with the applicable goals and policies of the Local Coastal Program (LCP) as described in further detail in this report.

STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
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SUMMARY OF APRIL 21ST PUBLIC HEARING
On April 21st the City Council held a public hearing, took public testimony and discussed this project at length. During this public hearing, the applicant, staff, community and City Council recommended various changes to the Special Conditions for the project. The recommended changes to the Special Conditions and project description and identified by Red Bold text in the staff report for ease of review. The remainder of this staff report remains unchanged.

The City Council voted four to one to continue the public hearing to May 19th so that Caltrans could confirm if they can accommodate the special scheduling that City Council requested to ensure that the sidewalk improvements and repaving in downtown can occur in 2028, giving the City sufficient time to complete the design for their sewer main replacement project and to secure funding for that project.

After the public hearing, the special condition 4-g was slightly re-worded, by staff, to include sidewalk work in 2028 as well as the repaving project as the rewording better represents the expressed concerns of the Council at the public hearing as follows (new rewording is underlined below):
4-g. The sidewalk construction in the downtown core (from Riverside to Iverson Street) and the project pavement overlay on main street which overlaps the sewer line project shall occur in 2028 and the construction schedule shall be coordinated, to the degree feasible, with the City’s sewer line replacement project on Main Street. If the City’s Sewer line replacement project is not scheduled for construction in 2028, Caltrans may proceed with the proposed project independently of the sewer line replacement project.

The last sentence of the above special condition has been added as there is some concern about if the City can design, fund and bid this project by 2028. Staff will endeavor to meet this deadline, but if the sewer replacement project is not ready for construction by 2028, staff recommends that Caltrans be allowed to proceed with their project.

BACKGROUND
In 2010, the City Council of Point Arena adopted the 2010 Point Arena Community Action Plan (prepared by Design, Community & Environment, Fehr & Peers, Inc. and Mark Thomas & Company, Inc.). This study includes many complete street recommendations and traffic safety recommendations for the project which have not been incorporated into the project design. Please see highlighted sections of Attachment 1.

STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
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Caltrans is required by state law to incorporate complete streets into their state highway improvement projects, where they go through urbanized areas (Attachment 2). This project was initiated in 2021 prior to the passage of SB 960, and Caltran’s notes that therefore the complete street policy does not apply to the project.

The Assistant City Manager worked with Caltrans to include sidewalk upgrades, and Caltrans agreed to include sidewalk repair and replacement in the project as part of that yearlong effort. However, the sidewalk improvements that Caltrans agreed to install do not include some key recommendations of the 2010 Point Arena Action Plan. Through conversations between Caltrans and the City Planner, Caltran’s agreed that some of these recommended improvements could also be incorporated into the project.

Therefore, Staff Recommends Special Condition 1 which is focused on these improvements, which Caltrans has agreed to incorporate into the project.

Special Condition 1: Caltrans shall include the following pedestrian and traffic safety features in Point Arena’s street and sideway improvement project:
a. The cross section of Main Street shall include Class III bicycle route with painted sharrow markings included on the paving in both directions. b. Existing sidewalks along Main Street shall be replaced and beveled to allow people to open and close their vehicle doors in areas with high curbs, as feasible.
c. The existing sidewalk elevation along business storefronts will be retained to allow for easy access to businesses, as feasible.
(Note: Visuals of Class III bike lane sharrows and beveled sidewalks are in Attachment 5.) Caltrans has met extensively with Point Arena residents and staff over the past three years and the proposed project aligns with those discussions. Caltran’s has reviewed all requests through this outreach process to analyze whether they could be incorporated into the project or not. Some features, including a new sidewalk connection to City Hall, were could not be included in this project, but Caltrans will include the additional scope in another upcoming project (0L270). City Council can clarify direction for this future projects by approving Option Condition 2, or this conversation can be continued in the future.

Optional Special Condition 2: In order to comply with City master planning documents related to the Main Street corridor in Point Arena the City of Point Arena requests that Caltrans include the following improvements as part of any future Caltrans Project in Point Arena:

STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
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a. Install a new pedestrian crosswalk and bulbouts across highway 1 at Riverside Drive.
b. Install a new pedestrian crosswalk and bulbouts across highway 1 at City Hall.
c. Install new Intersection treatment at Lake Street and School Street.

Consider in consultation with the City of Point Arena either installation of a Roundabout or other safety improvements for this intersection. d. Install new pedestrian warning signage on the centerline of the street in advance of the crosswalks at the School Street/Main Street/Route 1 intersection and the post office at route 1.

Additionally, In 2023 the Mendocino Council of Governments completed a Local Roadway Safety Plan (Attachment 4). This plan includes safety recommendations for various communities in Mendocino County, including Point Arena. Only one of the recommended safety measures for Point Arena have been included in Caltran’s proposed project, namely: all traffic signs, all traffic striping, delineators, and object markers will all be replaced to meet current design standards throughout Point Arena, including from northern city limits to Lake Street. Other items like flashing beacons and upgraded pedestrian crossings were not within the scope of the work programmed by Caltrans for Point Arena.

Table 16. List of Main Street Safety Projects
Location Description Cost per
Location
Project 1: Systemic Improvements at Unsignalized Intersections Lake Street and School Street/Highway 1 Install/upgrade larger or additional stop signs or other intersection
warning/regulatory signs within the state
right of way. Implemented in Project.
$1,400
Port Road and Main Street $280
Iverson Avenue and Main Street $980
Project 2: Improvements at Unsignalized Intersections
Lake Street and School Street/Highway 1 Install flashing beacons as advance warning.

Not implemented in Project.
$28,000
Iverson Avenue and Main Street $14,000
Project 3: Systemic Roadway Segment Improvements
Main Street/Highway 1: Riverside Drive to
Southern City Limits
Install/Upgrade signs with new fluorescent
sheeting (regulatory or warning).

Implemented in project.
$10,710
Project 4: Pedestrian and Other Roadway Segment Improvements STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
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School Street/Highway 1: Northern City Limits
to Lake Street
Install delineators, reflectors and/or object
markers. Implemented in project $14,840
Project 5: Pedestrian Set Aside
Corner of Main Street and School Street near
Methodist Church
Install Rectangular Rapid Flashing
Beacon (RRFB).Not fundable in project. $58,800
Main Street/Highway 1: Riverside Drive to
Southern City Limits
Install/upgrade pedestrian crossings (with
enhanced safety features). Crosswalks
will be upgraded except for Riverside
Drive which cannot be upgraded due to
ADA difficulties.
$39,200
Please see Attachment 5 for illustrations of each safety feature.

The City Council may want to review the attached safety plan (Attachment 2) and recommend that Caltrans implement some of the safety measures in MCOG’s plan, especially those that are part of a normal paving project. Caltran’s had indicated that they do not have sufficient funding to install the Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) in a conference call with Caltrans, and then in a subsequent email indicated that they did not have sufficient funds to install any of the safety measures.

Staff recommends the Special Condition 3 to ensure that these featured are implemented because they don’t currently appear on the submitted plan set.

Special Condition 3: Caltrans shall include the following features:
a) Replace stop signs and other intersection warning/regulatory signs within the state right of way at Lake Street and School Street/Highway 1, Port Road and Main Street and Iverson Avenue and Main Street.
b) Replace signs throughout the project site per current design standards. c) Install delineators, reflectors and/or object markers throughout project site to meet current design standards.
d) The existing Mill Street crosswalk shall receive new bulb outs and the crosswalk will be replaced in kind.
e) Caltrans shall repaint curbs and install signage as required under AB 413 for the intersections of Main Street with Port Road, Riverside Drive, and Mill Street.

GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The table below analyzes project consistency with relevant policies of the City’s General Plan.

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May 19, 2026
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Economic Development
Element 4 Policies
Project Conformance to Policy
Goal 4..3 To provide job opportunities for
the local population, and new tax revenues
for the City, by making it possible for the
city's economic base Downtown, along
Highway 1, at the Cove, and in the city's
industrial area, to expand and grow.

The project would ultimately improve the economic
base of downtown in the long term. However, the
project has the potential to substantially disrupt the
business success of small businesses located along
Highway 1 in the short term. Therefore, staff
recommends Special Condition 4 to minimize such
impacts.

4.4.4 Develop Tourist Facilities. Encourage
development and expansion or upgrading
of tourist facilities and opportunities, and
prioritize lower cost visitor and recreational
facilities, in the core area, along Highway 1
and at the Cove, including bed and
breakfast inns in residential areas by
use permit.

The proposed project would upgrade sidewalks along
Route 1 in downtown Point Arena. However, this
facility currently does not include many pedestrian
safety features that are common in sidewalk
improvement projects. Staff therefore recommends the
addition of Special Condition 1 and 3 to address this
deficiency.

4.4.5. Promote Small Business
Development. Point Arena's setting and
potential for small business development
(nonindustrial) suggests that through
zoning it is possible to accommodate
modern small business and office uses
within commercial areas or within multifamily areas. Very small businesses may be accommodated in homes as home
occupations, in live-work spaces, in
studios, and as commercial enterprises
within commercial districts. In addition to
accommodating such activities and uses,
the City should positively promote the
creation of such small businesses and the
opportunities they present for job creation
and increased municipal revenues.

Again, the project has the potential to disrupt small
businesses along Route 1, especially if the sidewalks
are torn up for weeks. Therefore, Special Condition
4 is recommended.

Traffic & Circulation
Element 5 policies

5.3.1.5. Curbs and gutters should be
installed on existing streets, which are
built on steep topography, where traffic
safety would be improved by doing so.
(The availability of curbs would permit
drivers to curb their wheels when parked
to prevent runaway vehicles).

The proposed project complies with this policy in the
downtown by providing curb and gutter from the
intersection of Main Street and School Street to the
intersection of Main Street and Iverson Ave. Except
that the project does not include sidewalk: 1) on the
parcel just north of Iverson on the west side of the
street nor from school street through the end of town.

Caltrans has indicated that installing curb and gutters in front of the house on the northwest corner of Main
Street and Iverson is not feasible due to limited right of way.

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May 19, 2026
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5.3.4.3. Port Road is very narrow and
should be widened from the intersection of
Port Road and Iversen westward, and the
junction at State Route 1 should be
improved immediately.

The proposed project stops just before the intersection with Inverness Road. City Staff Recommends Special
Condition 5 to improve the Port Road Main Street
intersection or the Inverness intersection with State
Route 1.

5.4.5. The City shall implement the
following measures:
c. Apply to all future transportation projects,
where applicable, the recommended
mitigation measures outlined in the State
Route 1 Corridor Study for the County of
Mendocino, prepared by TJKM
Transportation Consultants.

Please see the discussion regarding the City’s
Community Action Plan above. Compliance with
Special Condition 1 & 3, above, is recommended as
the Community Action Plan and the Local Roadway
Safety Plan supersede the Route 1 Corridor Study
described in this policy.

5.3.5.2. Accommodations for bikeways
shall be considered in all new
developments and on all new collector and
arterial streets unless right-of-way or
physical constraints preclude their
inclusion.

Route 1 is considered an arterial street through Point
Arena and is part of the Pacific Coast Bikeway. The
City has many cyclists that ride north to south during
the busy summer months. Bike lanes are included in
the project plans, however the plans do not illustrate
sharrows which would be added per Special
Condition 1.

Overall, the streetscape and roadway improvements are anticipated to have a positive long-term impact on Point Arena’s economy. However, in the short-term, during the construction project, this kind of project can potentially impact business success and even drive some businesses out of business. Therefore, it is very important that the City Council include adequate requirements in the Coastal Development Permit to minimize construction impacts on the downtown. Special Condition 4 is recommended to minimize impacts. Both City Council and the public may have additional recommendations to add to this special condition to further reduce impacts of the construction project to Point Arena’s economy.

Special Condition 4: The applicant shall:
a. The applicant shall deliver a “Project Communication Plan” to the City’s at least one month in advance of construction activities. The plan shall include the planned sequencing of construction. Applicant shall notify the City of any changes to the schedule a minimum of 24 hours in advance of altered construction activities. Caltrans shall also submit a two (2) week construction activity look-ahead to the City, every two weeks, to ensure that the City is informed of daily activities.
b. Construction of the sidewalks in the core downtown (Between Riverside Drive and Mill Street) shall occur prior to July or after September of each construction year, to minimize impacts to visitor use of the downtown and STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
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thereby impacts to the success of the commercial businesses in the downtown.
c. Caltrans and the Contractor shall coordinate all construction activities with the City and other potentially impacted agencies, such as the City of Point Arena, Point Arena Water Works, the County Sheriff’s Office, Redwood Coast Fire Department, and Redwood Waste Solutions (Garbage/Recycling Pick-up and Container Delivery).
d. Caltrans and the Contractor shall provide a minimum of one (1) week notice, prior to the initiation of the construction of a sidewalk in front of an impacted business or residence, to that business or residence. Caltrans shall also post regular updates to the Caltrans website.
e. The Contractor(s) shall provide temporary public access to all businesses while sidewalk construction is underway.
f. The Contractor(s) shall sequence construction activities so that sidewalks replacements are completed in front of two or three businesses at one time and are opened up and closed up in sequence as quickly as feasible.

A specific stretch of sidewalk shall remain under construction for no longer than three weeks maximum. Temporary access shall be provided to front doors while construction is underway as much as practical. The scope and schedule of sidewalk construction activities shall be defined to meet this goal and communicated to the City.
g. The sidewalk construction in the downtown core (from Riverside to Iverson Street) and the project pavement overlay on main street which overlaps the sewer line project shall occur in 2028 and the construction schedule shall be coordinated, to the degree feasible, with the City’s sewer line replacement project on Main Street. If the City’s Sewer line replacement project is not scheduled for construction in 2028, Caltrans may proceed with the proposed project independently of the sewer line replacement project.

Caltrans indicated in their email to the City that they would install an additional sidewalk at Port Road with a new bulb out on the west side. The requirements of Policy 5.3.4.3 can be interpreted to apply to the intersection of Port Road and State Route 1, and/or to the intersection of Inverness Road and State Route 1, as the through-connection on Port Road to the Port has been eliminated since this policy was adopted. Visibility was identified as a key issue at the intersection of Iversen Avenue and Main Street in the 2010 Community Action Plan. However, while a new crosswalk and bulbouts might make more sense at the intersection of Inverness Road and Highway 1, this location is not feasible per Caltrans due to an existing light pole and utility (AT&T) vault on the east side of Highway one at Inverness Ave. Staff recommends Special Condition 5 below.

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Special Condition 5: Caltrans shall install a high visibility sidewalk at the intersection of Main Street and Port Road with a bulb out on the east side of the road.

LAND USE AND ZONING
Route 1 is the only arterial street in Point Arena. The City’s zoning code does not include development standards, landscaping or screening standards for roadways.

PUBLIC ACCESS
Ongoing public access to tourism related businesses is a key component of the Coastal Act. Likewise, the project should not interfere with public access to Arena Cove.

Therefore, staff recommends the following additional Special Condition:

Special Condition 6: The applicant/contractor shall provide continuous access via Iversen Road to Arena Cove from Route 1, during the entirety of this project. Public access to the Pier shall be well signed from both directions during the project.

NOISE IMPACTS
The General Plan Community Health and Safety Element includes the following relevant noise policy.

Policy 8.4.5. No noise-generating industries shall be allowed to operate between the hours of 8 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Therefore, staff recommends the following condition. The City Council can further limit hours of construction, if desired.

Special Condition 7: Project construction hours are limited to the hours of 7am to 8pm.

VISUAL RESOURCES
Visual resource policies apply to how
development is viewed from public areas, with
the intent that any adverse impacts to public
views are avoided to the extent feasible.

However, the proposed project is not located
within the City’s mapped viewshed, as depicted
on the Point Arena Scenic Corridors map.

Therefore, the project will not have an impact on
scenic resources.

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NATURAL RESOURCES
The project as conditioned below will comply with the following polices of the Open Space & Conservation Element
Policy 7.1. Environmentally sensitive habitat areas shall be protected against any significant disruption of habitat values, and only uses dependent on such resources shall be allowed within such areas.

Policy 7.3. Every effort should be made to enhance wildlife habitats and maintain wildlife travel corridors along waterways and within riparian corridors, within the city and its environs.

Policy 7.14. Since the Point Arena Mountain Beaver was listed as an endangered species on December 12, 1991, with beaver habitat potentially located along Point Arena Creek, the City shall establish a 500 feet riparian setback area ("Mountain Beaver Buffer Area") from the centerline of the stream as recommended by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). In addition, fences are prohibited within 15 feet of the center line to allow for wildlife migration along the travel corridor. Disturbance of the streambed is prohibited. Through zoning and subdivision regulations, the City shall restrict development in areas which contain identified rare or endangered species of plants and animals, including the Point Arena Mountain Beaver.

Section 18.25.220 provides standards for development to protect natural resources. This section includes policies prohibiting and regulating new development (including vegetation removal) within or adjacent to environmentally sensitive habitat areas (ESHAs), and ESHA buffer zones are required between proposed development and identified ESHA.

The proposed project includes repair of sidewalk curb and gutter and street paving near Arena Creek on the southern end of the project site. A Natural Environmental Study was prepared for the adjacent project in September of 2024. Per that biological report Caltrans has concluded that the project would have no impact on wetlands or waters of the US and state or sensitive natural communities. The report found the project has the potential to impact the following species:
• California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii)–federal threatened • Point Arena Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra)–federal endangered And Caltrans has obtained a Concurrence (PLOC) (File No. AFWO-12B0001-12I0001) (USFWS 2022a) to prevent potential effects to the above species.

Caltrans’ Standard Measures and Best Management Practices shall be implemented to avoid or minimize impacts to those species potentially affected by the project. Standard STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
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measures would protect sensitive terrestrial and aquatic animal species, rare plant species, migratory birds, natural communities, and jurisdictional waters.

The following Special Conditions are recommended for this project:

Special Condition 8: Caltrans shall implement all standard measures included in the Natural Environmental Study and its addendum, which are excerpted below.

BR-1: General. Before start of work, as required by permit or consultation conditions, a Caltrans biologist or Environmental Construction Liaison (ECL) would meet with the contractor to brief them on environmental permit conditions and requirements relative to each stage of the proposed project, including, but not limited to, work windows, drilling site management, and how to identify and report regulated species within the project areas.

BR-2: Animal Species
a) To protect migratory and nongame birds (occupied nests and eggs), if possible, vegetation removal would be limited to the period outside of the bird breeding season (removal would occur between September 16 and January 31). If vegetation removal is required during the bird breeding season, a nesting bird survey would be conducted by a qualified biologist within five days prior to vegetation removal. If an active nest is located, the biologist would coordinate with CDFW to establish appropriate species-specific buffer(s) and any monitoring requirements. The buffer(s) would be delineated around each active nest and construction activities would be excluded from these areas until birds have fledged, or the nest is determined to be unoccupied.
b) Pre-construction surveys for active raptor nests within one-quarter mile of the construction area would be conducted by a qualified biologist within one week prior to initiation of construction activities. Areas to be surveyed would be limited to those areas subject to increased disturbance because of construction activities (i.e., areas where existing traffic or human activity is greater than or equal to construction-related disturbance need not be surveyed). If any active raptor nests are identified, appropriate conservation measures (as determined by a qualified biologist) would be implemented. These measures may include, but are not limited to, establishing a construction-free buffer zone around the active nest site, biological monitoring of the active nest site, and delaying construction activities near the active nest site until the young have fledged. c) To prevent attracting corvids (birds of the Corvidae family which include jays, crows, and ravens), no trash or foodstuffs would be left or stored on-site. All trash would be deposited in a secure container daily and disposed of at an approved waste facility at least once a week. Also, onsite workers would not attempt to attract or feed any wildlife. d) Artificial night lighting may be required. To reduce potential disturbance STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
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to sensitive resources, lighting would be temporary, and directed specifically on the portion of the work area actively under construction.

Use of artificial lighting would be limited to Cal/OSHA work area lighting requirements.

BR-3: Invasive Species. Invasive non-native species control would be implemented. Measures would include:
a) Straw, straw bales, seed, mulch, or other material used for erosion control or landscaping which would be free of noxious weed seed and propagules.
b) All equipment would be thoroughly cleaned of all dirt and vegetation prior to entering the job site to prevent importing invasive non-native species.

Project personnel would adhere to the latest version of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Aquatic Invasive Species Cleaning/Decontamination Protocol (Northern Region) (CDFW 2016) for all field gear and equipment in contact with water.

BR-4:Plant Species, Sensitive Natural Communities, and ESHA a) Where ground disturbance would occur (e.g. guardrail replacement) seasonally appropriate, pre-construction floristic surveys for sensitive plant species would be completed by a qualified biologist prior to construction in accordance with Protocols for Surveying and Evaluating Impacts to Special Status Native Plant Populations and Natural Communities (CDFW 2018).
b) Prior to the start of work, Temporary High Visibility Fencing (THVF) and/or flagging would be installed around sensitive natural communities, environmentally sensitive habitat areas, rare plant occurrences, intermittent streams, and wetlands and other waters, where appropriate.

No work would occur within fenced/flagged areas.

BR-5: PAMB Species-Specific Conservation Measures (from Addendum) a) Prior to implementing proposed vegetation-altering or ground-disturbing activities within the current range of the subspecies, as defined by the Service, habitat assessments and presence/absence surveys for (PAMB) must be conducted by a Service-approved biologist using the Service-approved protocol (Service 2017). Survey and habitat assessment results are valid for 2 years if conducted within 200 feet (61 m) of the impact area. Therefore, if proposed activities do not begin within 2 years of surveys, additional surveys will need to be conducted prior to conducting the work.
b) No vegetation removal or ground disturbance will occur within occupied habitat or within unsurveyed suitable habitat. However, roadside mowing along State Route 1, in occupied habitat or unsurveyed suitable habitat using motorized equipment is allowed from 1 June through 30 November (i.e., during much of the non-breeding season), provided a STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
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maximum 4-foot horizontal strip of vegetation will be mowed, to a minimum height of 2 feet (0.6 m).
c) Vegetation removal or ground disturbance may occur farther than 100 feet from occupied habitat or unsurveyed suitable habitat during the PAMB breeding season (i.e., from 1 December through the following 30 June) and may occur farther than 50 feet from occupied habitat or unsurveyed suitable habitat during the PAMB non-breeding season (i.e., from 1 July through 30 November).
d) No vibratory drilling, pile driving, blasting, or hoe-ramming will be used within 200 feet (61 m) of occupied or unsurveyed suitable habitat from 1 December through 30 June (i.e., during the breeding season), and within 100 feet (30 m) of occupied or unsurveyed suitable habitat from 1 July through 30 November (i.e., during the non-breeding season). e) Night lights should be at least 100 feet (30 m) from occupied or unsurveyed suitable habitat at any time of the year. In addition, lighting should be temporary and directed specifically on the portion of the work area actively under construction. Drone beacon lights required by the Federal Aviation Administration are exempted from this measure.

Nighttime drone use may occur less than 100 feet from occupied or unsurveyed suitable habitat provided they are not equipped with downward facing lights. The drone flight crew and observers must avoid walking through occupied PAMB habitat while conducting drone investigations.
f) Heavy equipment must remain on the road prism when adjacent to occupied or unsurveyed suitable habitat.
g) Staging areas will be placed in unsuitable habitat areas only or on the road prism to avoid habitat disturbance. No staging areas are allowed within occupied or unoccupied suitable habitat.

Staff recommends the following additional Special Condition to mitigate potential impacts to Steelhead and Coho Salmon.

Special Condition 9. The following measures will be implemented to reduce construction related disturbance of special-status Steelhead and Coho Salmon. a) No construction related debris will be staged within the 50-foot buffer, or in areas where such debris may wash into the creek. Any refueling of equipment should also occur outside of the 100-foot riparian buffer. b) Under no circumstances should any wash water or wastewater from construction be allowed to enter Arena Creek.
c) Land disturbance activities will occur during the general dry season June 1 through October 15. Erosion control measures (i.e., weed-free jutes straw waddle, weed-free straw bales, silt fencing, tarps) should be staged and installed on-site prior or at initiation of land disturbance activities in case rain- STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
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event may occur.

WATER QUALITY AND STORMWATER RUNOFF
Section 18.25.34 regulates water quality in the City of Point Arena, and it requires “site design, source control, and where required, treatment control best management practices (BMPs) to minimize polluted runoff and water quality impacts resulting from the development.”
The applicant provided a Natural Environmental Study which outlined proposed mitigations to minimize pollution runoff and water quality impacts from the project constructions. These measures have been excerpted below as a Special Condition of the Permit.

Special Condition 10: Caltrans shall implement all standard measures related to water quality included in the Natural Environmental Study and its addendum, which are excerpted below.

WQ-1: The project would comply with the provisions of the Caltrans Statewide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit (Order 2022-0033-DWQ), effective January 1, 2023. If the project results in a land disturbance of one acre or more, coverage under the Construction General Permit (CGP) (Order 2022-0057-DWQ) is also required.

Before any ground-disturbing activities, the contractor would prepare a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) (per the Construction General Permit Order 2022-0057-DWQ) or Water Pollution Control Program (WPCP) (for projects that result in a land disturbance of less than one acre) that includes erosion control measures and construction waste containment measures to protect Waters of the State during project construction. For SWPPP projects (which are governed according to both the Caltrans NPDES permit and the Construction General Permit), soil disturbance is permitted to occur year-round as long as the Caltrans NPDES and CGP and the corresponding requirements of those permits are adhered to. For WPCP projects (which are governed according to the Caltrans NPDES permit), soil disturbance is permitted to occur year-round as long as the Caltrans NPDES permit is adhered to.

The SWPPP or WPCP would identify the sources of pollutants that may affect the quality of stormwater; include construction site Best Management Practices (BMPs) to control sedimentation, erosion, and potential chemical pollutants; provide for construction materials management; include nonstormwater BMPs; and include routine inspections and a monitoring and reporting plan. All construction site BMPs would follow the latest edition of the Caltrans Storm Water Quality Handbooks: Construction Site BMPs Manual to control and reduce the impacts of construction-related activities, STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
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materials, and pollutants on the watershed.

The project SWPPP or WPCP would be continuously updated to adapt to changing site conditions during the construction phase.

Construction may require one or more of the following temporary construction site BMPs:
• Any spills or leaks from construction equipment (e.g., fuel, oil, hydraulic fluid, and grease) would be cleaned up in accordance with applicable local, state, and/or federal regulations.
• Accumulated stormwater, groundwater, or surface water from excavations or temporary containment facilities would be removed by dewatering.
• Water generated from the dewatering operations would be discharged on-site for dust control and/or to an infiltration basin, or disposed of offsite.
• Temporary sediment control and soil stabilization devices would be installed.
• Existing vegetated areas would be maintained to the maximum extent practicable.
• Clearing, grubbing, and excavation would be limited to specific locations, as delineated on the plans, to maximize the preservation of existing vegetation.
• Vegetation reestablishment or other stabilization measures would be implemented on disturbed soil areas, per the Erosion Control Plan. • Soil-disturbing work would be limited during the rainy season.

WQ-2: The project would incorporate pollution prevention and design measures consistent with the 2016 Caltrans Storm Water Management Plan. This plan complies with the requirements of the Caltrans Statewide NPDES Permit (Order 2022-0033-DWQ). The project design may include one or more of the following:
• Vegetated surfaces would feature native plants, and revegetation would use the seed mixture, mulch, tackifier, and fertilizer recommended in the Erosion Control Plan prepared for the project. • Where possible, stormwater would be directed in such a way as to sheet flow across vegetated slopes, thus providing filtration of any potential pollutants.

STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
16 | Page

ARCHAEOLOGICAL & HISTORIC RESOURCES
Historic Resources.

Caltrans prepared an
Environmentally Sensitive
Action Plan (ESA Plan) to
protect the historic district of
Pointe Arena and six historic
structures. See Table.

The ESA action plan proposes
to place ESA fencing or
“markings” 10 inches from the
face of each building in the
historic district as well as the 6
additional buildings, at the
discretion of Caltran’s Historic
Architect. However, ESA
fencing is likely to cause a
significant decline in
commerce in downtown as it
will be unsightly and further dissuade visitors from stopping in town to shop, eat or stay.

Additionally, all of the individually eligible historic structures are set well back from the edge of sidewalk and ESA fence is simply not necessary. Therefore, City staff recommends the following special condition.

Special Condition 11: The Historic Architect shall mark ESA location on the plans and specifications and require chalk marking or flagging on the sidewalk illustrating the locations of the ESAs. ESA fencing is not allowed in Downtown Point Arena.

Special Condition 12. Caltran’s contractor shall inscribe the year of construction in front of each building that is listed on the national historic register. In many cases these dates are already in the sidewalk.

Cultural Resources. A cultural resources inventory has not been prepared for the project. However, the project will take place within the area that is already developed for Route 1 through town. Staff recommends the Special Condition below to address any accidental discovery.

Special Condition 13: Unanticipated Discovery of Cultural Resources.

If cultural resources are encountered during construction activities, all onsite work shall cease in the immediate area and within a 50-foot buffer of the discovery location. A qualified archaeologist will be retained to evaluate and assess the significance of the discovery, and develop and implement an avoidance or STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
17 | Page
mitigation plan, as appropriate. For discoveries known or likely to be associated with Native American heritage (precontact sites and select historic period sites), the Manchester Band of Pomo Indians (contact: F. Jaime Cobarrubia, Chairperson, (707) 882-2788 or (707) 882-3417) should also be contacted immediately to evaluate the discovery and, in consultation with the project proponent, the County, and consulting archaeologist, develop a treatment plan in any instance where significant impacts cannot be avoided. Precontact materials which could be encountered include obsidian and chert debitage or formal tools, grinding implements, (e.g., pestles, handstones, bowl mortars, slabs), locally darkened midden, deposits of shell, faunal remains, and human burials. Historic archaeological discoveries may include 19th century building foundations, structural remains, or concentrations of artifacts made of glass, ceramics, metal or other materials found in buried pits, wells or privies.

Special Condition 14: Encountering Native American Remains.

If potential human remains are discovered during the project, the following steps will be taken:
• Stop all work within 100 feet;
• Immediately contact the City of Point Arena and the county coroner; • Secure location, but do not touch or remove remains and associated artifacts;
• Do not remove associated spoils or pick through them; • Record the location and keep notes of all calls and events; and • Treat the find as confidential and do not publicly disclose the location.

Provided that these treatment measures are undertaken, the project will not have a significant impact on cultural resources and is consistent with the City’s cultural resource protection policies.

PROJECT FINDINGS AND CONDITIONS
Recommended Action
Approve CDP 2026-01 subject to the findings, standard conditions, and Special Conditions of approval as supported by the analysis of the staff report.

Coastal Development Permit Findings (18.30.080)

1. The proposed development as described in the application and accompanying materials, as modified by any conditions of approval, conforms with the city of Point Arena’s certified local coastal program and will not adversely affect coastal resources.

STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
18 | Page

2. Feasible mitigation measures and/or alternatives have been incorporated to substantially lessen any significant adverse effects of the development on the environment.

3. The proposed use is consistent with the purposes of the zone in which the site is located.

4. The proposed development is in conformance with the city of Point Arena’s general plan.

5. The proposed location of the use and conditions under which it may be operated or maintained will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare, or materially injurious to properties or improvements in the vicinity.

6. Services, including but not limited to water supply, sewage disposal, solid waste and public roadway capacity have been considered and are adequate to serve the proposed development.

Required Findings for Development Located within ESHA and ESHA Buffers Sec. 5.22

1. The proposed development has been sited and designed to prevent significant impacts to the habitat values, functional capacity, and species diversity of the adjacent riparian habitat area.

2. The proposed development is compatible with the continuance of such habitat areas.

3. Soils and vegetation removal and disturbances shall be minimized.

4. Non-native vegetation shall not be planted except for the continuance of existing agricultural practices.

Standard Conditions

1. This action shall become final on the date of approval. No appeal periods apply. The permit shall expire and become null and void at the expiration of two years after the effective date, except where construction and use of the property in reliance on such permit has been initiated prior to its expiration. To remain valid, progress towards completion of the project must be continuous. The applicant has sole responsibility for renewing this application before the expiration date. The City will not provide a notice prior to the expiration date.

2. The use and occupancy of the premises shall be established and maintained in conformance with the provisions of Title 18 of the Point Arena Municipal Code.

3. The application, along with supplemental exhibits and related material, shall be considered elements of this permit, and that compliance therewith is mandatory, unless an amendment has been approved by the City of Point Arena Planning Commission or its successor agency.

4. This permit shall be subject to the securing of all necessary permits for the proposed development from City, State and Federal agencies having jurisdiction.

5. The applicant shall secure all required building permits for the proposed project as required by the Building Inspection Division of the Mendocino County Department of Planning and Building Services.

6. This permit shall be subject to revocation or modification upon a finding of any one or more of the following:
a. The permit was obtained or extended by fraud.
b. One or more of the conditions upon which the permit was granted have been violated.

STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
19 | Page
c. The use for which the permit was granted is conducted so as to be detrimental to the public health, welfare or safety, or to be a nuisance. d. A final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction has declared one or more conditions to be void or ineffective or has enjoined or otherwise prohibited the enforcement or operation of one or more such conditions.

7. This permit is issued without a legal determination having been made upon the number, size or shape of parcels encompassed within the permit described boundaries. Should, at any time, a legal determination be made that the number, size or shape of parcels within the permit described boundaries are different than that which is legally required by this permit, this permit shall become null and void.

8. A two-year limitation applies to all coastal development, variance, conditional use, design review, planned residential development, or comprehensive development plan permits. If development has not commenced within two years from the granting of a permit, the permit shall be void, except where construction and/or use of the property in reliance on such permit has been initiated prior to its expiration. To remain valid, progress toward completion of the project must be continuous. On or before the date of expiration of a coastal development permit, variance, conditional use permit, design review, planned residential development, or comprehensive development plan, the person holding the permit shall apply for a renewal of said permit if the use is to be continued beyond the date of expiration or the development cannot be initiated prior to expiration. A renewal could be processed under Administrative review by the City, on a cost-recovery basis, for a renewal period of two years.

Special Conditions

1. Caltrans shall include the following pedestrian and traffic safety features in Point Arena’s street and sideway improvement project:
a. The cross section of Main Street shall include Class III bicycle route with painted sharrow markings included on the paving in both directions. b. Existing sidewalks along Main Street shall be replaced and beveled to allow people to open and close their vehicle doors in areas with high curbs, as feasible.
c. The existing sidewalk elevation along business storefronts will be retained to allow for easy access to businesses, as feasible.

2. In order to comply with City master planning documents related to the Main Street corridor in Point Arena the City of Point Arena requests that Caltrans include the following improvements as part of any future Caltrans Project in Point Arena:
e. Install a new pedestrian crosswalk and bulbouts across highway 1 at Riverside Drive.
f. Install a new pedestrian crosswalk and bulbouts across highway 1 at City Hall.

STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
20 | Page
g. Install new Intersection treatment at Lake Street and School Street.

Consider in consultation with the City of Point Arena either installation of a Roundabout or other safety improvements for this intersection. h. Install new pedestrian warning signage on the centerline of the street in advance of the crosswalks at the School Street/Main Street/Route 1 intersection and the post office at route 1.

3. Caltrans shall include the following features:
a. Replace stop signs and other intersection warning/regulatory signs within the state right of way at Lake Street and School Street/Highway 1, Port Road and Main Street and Iverson Avenue and Main Street. b. Replace signs throughout the project site per current design standards.
c. Install delineators, reflectors and/or object markers throughout project site to meet current design standards.
d. The existing Mill Street crosswalk shall receive new bulb outs and the crosswalk will be replaced in kind.
e. Caltrans shall repaint curbs and install signage as required under AB 413 for the intersections of Main Street with Port Road, Riverside Drive, and Mill Street.

4. Noticing & Scheduling. The applicant shall:
a. The applicant shall deliver a “Project Communication Plan” to the City’s at least one month in advance of construction activities. The plan shall include the planned sequencing of construction. Applicant shall notify the City of any changes to the schedule a minimum of 24 hours in advance of altered construction activities. Caltrans shall also submit a two (2) week construction activity look-ahead to the City, every two weeks, to ensure that the City is informed of daily activities.
b. Construction of the sidewalks in the core downtown (Between Riverside Drive and Mill Street) shall occur prior to July or after September of each construction year, to minimize impacts to visitor use of the downtown and thereby impacts to the success of the commercial businesses in the downtown.
c. Caltrans and the Contractor shall coordinate all construction activities with the City and other potentially impacted agencies, such as the City of Point Arena, Point Arena Water Works, the County Sheriff’s Office, Redwood Coast Fire Department, and Redwood Waste Solutions (Garbage/Recycling Pick-up and Container Delivery).
d. Caltrans and the Contractor shall provide a minimum of one (1) week notice, prior to the initiation of the construction of a sidewalk in front of an impacted STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
21 | Page
business or residence, to that business or residence. Caltrans shall also post regular updates to the Caltrans website.
e. The Contractor(s) shall provide temporary public access to all businesses while sidewalk construction is underway.
f. The Contractor(s) shall sequence construction activities so that sidewalks replacements are completed in front of two or three businesses at one time and are opened up and closed up in sequence as quickly as feasible.

5. Caltrans shall install a high visibility sidewalk at the intersection of Main Street and Port Road with a bulb out on the east side of the road.

6. The applicant/contractor shall provide continuous access to Arena Cove from Route 1, during the entirety of this project, either via Port Road or via Iversen Road. In either case this public access shall be well signed from both directions during the project.

7. Project construction hours are limited to the hours of 7am to 8pm.

8. Caltrans shall implement all standard measures included in the Natural Environmental Study and its addendum, which are excerpted below.

BR-2: Animal Species
e) To protect migratory and nongame birds (occupied nests and eggs), if possible, vegetation removal would be limited to the period outside of the bird breeding season (removal would occur between September 16 and January 31). If vegetation removal is required during the bird breeding season, a nesting bird survey would be conducted by a qualified biologist within five days prior to vegetation removal. If an active nest is located, the biologist would coordinate STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
22 | Page
with CDFW to establish appropriate species-specific buffer(s) and any monitoring requirements. The buffer(s) would be delineated around each active nest and construction activities would be excluded from these areas until birds have fledged, or the nest is determined to be unoccupied. f) Pre-construction surveys for active raptor nests within one-quarter mile of the construction area would be conducted by a qualified biologist within one week prior to initiation of construction activities. Areas to be surveyed would be limited to those areas subject to increased disturbance because of construction activities (i.e., areas where existing traffic or human activity is greater than or equal to construction-related disturbance need not be surveyed). If any active raptor nests are identified, appropriate conservation measures (as determined by a qualified biologist) would be implemented. These measures may include, but are not limited to, establishing a construction-free buffer zone around the active nest site, biological monitoring of the active nest site, and delaying construction activities near the active nest site until the young have fledged. g) To prevent attracting corvids (birds of the Corvidae family which include jays, crows, and ravens), no trash or foodstuffs would be left or stored on-site. All trash would be deposited in a secure container daily and disposed of at an approved waste facility at least once a week. Also, on-site workers would not attempt to attract or feed any wildlife.
h) Artificial night lighting may be required. To reduce potential disturbance to sensitive resources, lighting would be temporary, and directed specifically on the portion of the work area actively under construction. Use of artificial lighting would be limited to Cal/OSHA work area lighting requirements.

BR-3: Invasive Species. Invasive non-native species control would be implemented.

Measures would include:
c) Straw, straw bales, seed, mulch, or other material used for erosion control or landscaping which would be free of noxious weed seed and propagules. d) All equipment would be thoroughly cleaned of all dirt and vegetation prior to entering the job site to prevent importing invasive non-native species. Project personnel would adhere to the latest version of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Aquatic Invasive Species Cleaning/Decontamination Protocol (Northern Region) (CDFW 2016) for all field gear and equipment in contact with water.

BR-4: Plant Species, Sensitive Natural Communities, and ESHA c) Where ground disturbance would occur (e.g. guardrail replacement) seasonally appropriate, pre-construction floristic surveys for sensitive plant species would be completed by a qualified biologist prior to construction in accordance with Protocols for Surveying and Evaluating Impacts to Special Status Native Plant Populations and Natural Communities (CDFW 2018).
d) Prior to the start of work, Temporary High Visibility Fencing (THVF) and/or flagging would be installed around sensitive natural communities, environmentally sensitive habitat areas, rare plant occurrences, intermittent streams, and wetlands and other waters, where appropriate. No work would occur within fenced/flagged areas.

BR-5: PAMB Species-Specific Conservation Measures (from Addendum) STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
23 | Page
h) Prior to implementing proposed vegetation-altering or ground-disturbing activities within the current range of the subspecies, as defined by the Service, habitat assessments and presence/absence surveys for (PAMB) must be conducted by a Service-approved biologist using the Service-approved protocol (Service 2017). Survey and habitat assessment results are valid for 2 years if conducted within 200 feet (61 m) of the impact area. Therefore, if proposed activities do not begin within 2 years of surveys, additional surveys will need to be conducted prior to conducting the work. i) No vegetation removal or ground disturbance will occur within occupied habitat or within unsurveyed suitable habitat. However, roadside mowing along State Route 1, in occupied habitat or unsurveyed suitable habitat using motorized equipment is allowed from 1 June through 30 November (i.e., during much of the non-breeding season), provided a maximum 4-foot horizontal strip of vegetation will be mowed, to a minimum height of 2 feet (0.6 m). j) Vegetation removal or ground disturbance may occur farther than 100 feet from occupied habitat or unsurveyed suitable habitat during the PAMB breeding season (i.e., from 1 December through the following 30 June) and may occur farther than 50 feet from occupied habitat or unsurveyed suitable habitat during the PAMB non-breeding season (i.e., from 1 July through 30 November).
k) No vibratory drilling, pile driving, blasting, or hoe-ramming will be used within 200 feet (61 m) of occupied or unsurveyed suitable habitat from 1 December through 30 June (i.e., during the breeding season), and within 100 feet (30 m) of occupied or unsurveyed suitable habitat from 1 July through 30 November (i.e., during the non-breeding season).
l) Night lights should be at least 100 feet (30 m) from occupied or unsurveyed suitable habitat at any time of the year. In addition, lighting should be temporary and directed specifically on the portion of the work area actively under construction. Drone beacon lights required by the Federal Aviation Administration are exempted from this measure. Nighttime drone use may occur less than 100 feet from occupied or unsurveyed suitable habitat provided they are not equipped with downward facing lights. The drone flight crew and observers must avoid walking through occupied PAMB habitat while conducting drone investigations.
m) Heavy equipment must remain on the road prism when adjacent to occupied or unsurveyed suitable habitat.
n) Staging areas will be placed in unsuitable habitat areas only or on the road prism to avoid habitat disturbance. No staging areas are allowed within occupied or unoccupied suitable habitat.

9. The following measures will be implemented to reduce construction related disturbance of special-status Steelhead and Coho Salmon. a. No construction related debris will be staged within the 50-foot buffer, or in areas where such debris may wash into the creek. Any refueling of equipment should also occur outside of the 100-foot riparian buffer.
b. Under no circumstances should any wash water or wastewater from construction be allowed to enter Arena Creek.
c. Land disturbance activities will occur during the general dry season June 1 through STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
24 | Page
October 15. Erosion control measures (i.e., weed-free jutes straw waddle, weedfree straw bales, silt fencing, tarps) should be staged and installed on-site prior or at initiation of land disturbance activities in case rain-event may occur.

10. Caltrans shall implement all standard measures related to water quality included in the Natural Environmental Study and its addendum, which are excerpted below.

WQ-1: The project would comply with the provisions of the Caltrans Statewide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit (Order 2022-0033- DWQ), effective January 1, 2023. If the project results in a land disturbance of one acre or more, coverage under the Construction General Permit (CGP) (Order 2022-0057-DWQ) is also required.

Before any ground-disturbing activities, the contractor would prepare a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) (per the Construction General Permit Order 2022-0057-DWQ) or Water Pollution Control Program (WPCP) (projects that result in a land disturbance of less than one acre) that includes erosion control measures and construction waste containment measures to protect Waters of the State during project construction. For SWPPP projects (which are governed according to both the Caltrans NPDES permit and the Construction General Permit), soil disturbance is permitted to occur year-round as long as the Caltrans NPDES and CGP and the corresponding requirements of those permits are adhered to. For WPCP projects (which are governed according to the Caltrans NPDES permit), soil disturbance is permitted to occur year-round as long as the Caltrans NPDES permit is adhered to.

The SWPPP or WPCP would identify the sources of pollutants that may affect the quality of stormwater; include construction site Best Management Practices (BMPs) to control sedimentation, erosion, and potential chemical pollutants; provide for construction materials management; include non-stormwater BMPs; and include routine inspections and a monitoring and reporting plan. All construction site BMPs would follow the latest edition of the Caltrans Storm Water Quality Handbooks: Construction Site BMPs Manual to control and reduce the impacts of construction-related activities, materials, and pollutants on the watershed.

The project SWPPP or WPCP would be continuously updated to adapt to changing site conditions during the construction phase.

Construction may require one or more of the following temporary construction site BMPs:
• Any spills or leaks from construction equipment (e.g., fuel, oil, hydraulic fluid, and grease) would be cleaned up in accordance with applicable local, state, and/or federal regulations.
• Accumulated stormwater, groundwater, or surface water from excavations or temporary containment facilities would be removed by dewatering. • Water generated from the dewatering operations would be discharged onsite for dust control and/or to an infiltration basin, or disposed of offsite. • Temporary sediment control and soil stabilization devices would be installed.
• Existing vegetated areas would be maintained to the maximum extent STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
25 | Page
practicable.
• Clearing, grubbing, and excavation would be limited to specific locations, as delineated on the plans, to maximize the preservation of existing vegetation.
• Vegetation reestablishment or other stabilization measures would be implemented on disturbed soil areas, per the Erosion Control Plan. • Soil-disturbing work would be limited during the rainy season.

WQ-2: The project would incorporate pollution prevention and design measures consistent with the 2016 Caltrans Storm Water Management Plan. This plan complies with the requirements of the Caltrans Statewide NPDES Permit (Order 2022-0033-DWQ). The project design may include one or more of the following:
• Vegetated surfaces would feature native plants, and revegetation would use the seed mixture, mulch, tackifier, and fertilizer recommended in the Erosion Control Plan prepared for the project.
• Where possible, stormwater would be directed in such a way as to sheet flow across vegetated slopes, thus providing filtration of any potential pollutants.

11. The Historic Architect shall mark ESA location on the plans and specifications and require chalk marking or flagging on the sidewalk illustrating the locations of the ESAs.

ESA fencing is not allowed in Downtown Point Arena.

12. Caltran’s contractor shall inscribe the year of construction in front of each building that is listed on the national historic register. In many cases these dates are already in the sidewalk.

13. Unanticipated Discovery of Cultural Resources. If cultural resources are encountered during construction activities, all onsite work shall cease in the immediate area and within a 50-foot buffer of the discovery location. A qualified archaeologist will be retained to evaluate and assess the significance of the discovery, and develop and implement an avoidance or mitigation plan, as appropriate. For discoveries known or likely to be associated with Native American heritage (precontact sites and select historic period sites), the Manchester Band of Pomo Indians (contact: F. Jaime Cobarrubia, Chairperson, (707) 882-2788 or (707) 882-3417) should also be contacted immediately to evaluate the discovery and, in consultation with the project proponent, the County, and consulting archaeologist, develop a treatment plan in any instance where significant impacts cannot be avoided. Precontact materials which could be encountered include obsidian and chert debitage or formal tools, grinding implements, (e.g., pestles, handstones, bowl mortars, slabs), locally darkened midden, deposits of shell, faunal remains, and human burials. Historic archaeological discoveries may include 19th century building foundations, structural remains, or concentrations of artifacts made of glass, ceramics, metal or other materials found in buried pits, wells or privies.

14. Encountering Native American Remains. If potential human remains are discovered during the project, the following steps will be taken:
• Stop all work within 100 feet;
• Immediately contact the City of Point Arena and the county coroner; • Secure location, but do not touch or remove remains and associated artifacts; • Do not remove associated spoils or pick through them; STAFF REPORT CDP# 2026-01, (City of Point Arena)
May 19, 2026
26 | Page
• Record the location and keep notes of all calls and events; and • Treat the find as confidential and do not publicly disclose the location.

Staff Report prepared by:
________________________________ 4-6-2026
Marie Jones, City Planner Date
ATTACHMENTS – Please see attachments to the May 19, 2026 staff report

1. 2010 Point Arena Community Action Plan

2. Caltrans Complete Streets Policy

3. Email exchange with Caltrans

4. Local Roadway Safety Plan

5. CDP Safety Improvement Images

6. Project Plans

7. Notice of Exemption
Submitted to T H E C I T Y O F point a ren a
Ap ril 5 , 2 0 1 0 men docino Cou ncil of gover n ments Point arena community action plan

Submitted by
Fehr & Peers, Inc.

Mark Thomas & Company, Inc.

Submitted to
T H E C I T Y O F point a ren a
men docino cou ncil of gover n ments
In Association with
Point arena community action plan

COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN Acknowledgements i

CITY OF POINT ARENA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you to all who participated.

The preparation of this report was programmed through the Mendocino Council of Governments’ 2008/09 Transportation Planning Work Program with Local Transportation Funds and Caltrans’ Community Based Transportation Planning Grant Funds. The total budget for the project is $169,782 (DC&E: $101,584, F&P: $43,245, MTCo: $24,953).

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
Caltrans
Jesse Robertson, Associate Transportation
Planner Caltrans District 1 Regional &
Community Planning
City of Point Arena
David Hillmer
Kenneth Jowers
Lauren Sinnott, Mayor, City of Point Arena
MCOG
Phil Dow, Executive Director
Loretta Ellard, Assistant Executive Director
Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC)
Lena Bullamore
Martin Hillscan
Greg Jirak
Eloisa Oropeza
Dave Paoli
Tom Reid
Peter Reimuller
Lisa Riboli
Project Team
Design, Community & Environment
Bruce Brubaker, Associate Principal
John Hykes, Senior Associate
Sadie Mitchell, Project Landscape
Designer/Planner
Bill Bogenschutz, Project Urban Designer
Fehr & Peers, Inc.

Matthew Ridgway, Principal
Meghan Mitman, Senior Transportation Planner/
Engineer
Todd Henry, Transportation Planner
Mark Thomas & Company, Inc.

Matt Brogan, Senior Project Manager
Megan Henderson, Senior Design Engineer
ii
AcknowledgementsCOMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

CITY OF POINT ARENA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS 7
CHAPTER 3: COMMUNITY VISION 27
CHAPTER 4: CIRCULATION 37
CHAPTER 5: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 65
CHAPTER 6: UTILITIES REVIEW 81
CHAPTER 7: FUNDING AND IMPLEMENTATION 89

APPENDICES
Appendix A: Summary of Design Roundtable
Appendix B: Existing Transportation Conditions Memo
Appendix C: Conceptual Cost Estimates

TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Figures
Figure 1-1. Design Roundtable Flyer.................................................................................................................................. 4 Figure 2-1. The City of Point Arena..................................................................................................................................... 7 Figure 2-2. City of Point Arena Land Use and Development Map............................................................................10 Figure 2-3. Landscape Setting of Point Arena................................................................................................................12 Figure 2-4. Existing Street Width .......................................................................................................................................13 Figure 2-5. Existing Park Locations in Point Arena........................................................................................................14 Figure 2-6. Level of Service Analysis for the Intersection of Main Street and Iversen Avenue...........................17 Figure 2-7. Existing Pedestrian Facilities ..........................................................................................................................18 Figure 2-8. Existing and Proposed Bicycle Facilities......................................................................................................21 Figure 2-9. Existing Parking Conditions ...........................................................................................................................22 Figure 2-10. Collision History (2003 – 2009)...................................................................................................................24 Figure 3-1. Action Plan Framework...................................................................................................................................35 Figure 4-1. Potential Circulation Improvements............................................................................................................38 Figure 4-2. Proposed Main Street Cross Section (Looking North)............................................................................40 Figure 4-3. Existing High Curbs on the East Side of Main Street...............................................................................41 Figure 4-5. Side (top) and Front (bottom) View of the Proposed Step-like Transition from the Street to the Existing Sidewalk Height.....................................................................................................................41 Figure 4-4. Plan View of the Proposed Step-Like Transition.......................................................................................41 Figure 4-6. Streetscape Improvements Near the Intersection of Mill Street/Main Street ....................................42 Figure 4-7. Proposed Intersection Treatment at Main Street/Port Road..................................................................42 Figure 4-8. Proposed Pedestrian Improvements on Central Main Street................................................................43 Figure 4-9. Proposed Pedestrian Improvements at the Main Street and Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road Intersection.............................................................................................................................................44 Figure 4-10. Illustration of Existing (top) and Proposed (bottom) Intersection at Lake Street/ School Street...................................................................................................................................................................45 Figure 4-11. Proposed Intersection Re-Alignment at School Street/Lake Street ......................................................45 Figure 4-12. Potential Mill Street Roadway Extensions...................................................................................................45 Figure 4-13. Existing Sidewalk Conditions on the East Side of Mill Street.................................................................46 Figure 4-14. Mill Street Sidewalk Improvement: Alternative A.....................................................................................46 Figure 4-15. Mill Street Sidewalk Improvement: Alternative B.....................................................................................46 Figure 4-16. Mill Street Sidewalk Improvement: Alternative C ....................................................................................46 Figure 4-17 Proposed Pedestrian Improvements at the Intersection of Route 1 and Iversen Avenue..............47 Figure 4-18 Roundabout Improvement at Windy Hollow Road/ Riverside Drive /Eureka Hill Road Intersection........................................................................................................................................................47 Figure 4-19 Basic Recommendation at Windy Hollow Road/Riverside Drive /Eureka Hill Road Intersection........................................................................................................................................................48 Figure 4-20. Proposed Crosswalk at Harper’s Trail Head...............................................................................................48 Figure 4-21. Proposed Roundabout at Lake Street/Highway 1....................................................................................49 Figure 4-22. Near Term Improvements to Lake Street/Highway 1 Intersection.......................................................50 Figure 4-23. New Street Trees Planted in the Bulbouts in front of the Post Office.................................................53 Figure 4-24. New Street Furniture and Landscaping Located in the Widened Sidewalk.......................................53 Figure 4-25. Sample Shared Lane with Sharrow (graphic courtesy of Seattle Department of Transportation)................................................................................................................................................54

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Figure 4-26. Proposed Trail and Access Route Improvements....................................................................................56 Figure 4-27. Harpers Cut-Off Trail.......................................................................................................................................56 Figure 4-28. Potential Parking Areas...................................................................................................................................58 Figure 4-29. Potential Parking Improvements East of Downtown...............................................................................59 Figure 4-30. Proposed Parking Area behind Post Office................................................................................................60 Figure 4-31. Location of Potential Gateway and Signage Improvements..................................................................60 Figure 4-32. Existing (top) and Proposed (bottom) Gateway Improvements at the Southern Entrance to Point Arena...................................................................................................................................................62 Figure 5-1. Potential Development Scenario for Point Arena ....................................................................................65 Figure 5-2. New Development within a Quarter and Half Mile Radius from Downtown Point Arena.............66 Figure 5-3. Potential for a Variety of Housing Types in Point Arena.........................................................................67 Figure 5-4. New Development and Environmental Constraints................................................................................68 Figure 5-5. Potential Locations for a New Senior Center Campus............................................................................70 Figure 5-6. Conceptual Design for Rehabilitation and Addition to the Existing Post Office................................72 Figure 5-7. Conceptual Design for Development at the Post Office Site ................................................................72 Figure 5-8. Rendering of Post Office Bulbout and Façade Improvements .............................................................73 Figure 5-9. Post Office Parking: Option 1........................................................................................................................73 Figure 5-10. Post Office Parking: Option 2........................................................................................................................74 Figure 5-11. Post Office Parking: Option 3........................................................................................................................74 Figure 5-12. Post Office Parking. Option 4........................................................................................................................74 Figure 5-13. Potential Location for New Public Parks at Arena Cove .........................................................................75 Figure 5-14. Potential New Recreation/Community Center Locations.......................................................................76 Figure 6-1. Existing Water and Sanitary Sewer...............................................................................................................82 Figure 6-2. Existing Drainage Patterns .............................................................................................................................85 List of Tables
Table 2-1 Point Arena Properties Listed on the National Register of Historic Places........................................... 9 Table 2-2 Existing Transit Service to Point Arena........................................................................................................23 Table 7-1 Conceptual Cost by Location ........................................................................................................................91

TABLE OF CONTENTS
COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 1. Introduction 1

CITY OF POINT ARENA
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
The Community Action Plan for the City of Point Arena identifies recommendations for a widerange of transportation and circulation improvements, promotes the community character of the City, and helps to visualize long-term and sustainable growth consistent with the City’s General Plan and the community’s vision.

1. STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT
This planning process was comprised of four stages, culminating in the creation of an Action Plan for the City of Point Arena, which identifies issues and concerns within the City, offers recommendations for improvements, and identifies potential funding sources to implement the recommendations. The stages included an existing conditions analysis, the Design Roundtable event, the preparation of a draft Community Action Plan, and the finalization of the Community Action Plan.

Each of these stages resulted in a number of memos, interim reports, and detailed transportation analyses that have been used to develop this Plan. The following are included as Appendices of this Plan:

Appendix A: Summary of Design Roundtable
Appendix B: Existing Transportation Conditions Memo
Appendix C: Conceptual Cost Estimates
This document contains the following seven chapters:
♦ Chapter 1 – Introduction. A summary of public outreach efforts and description of the process of developing plan concepts.
♦ Chapter 2 – Existing Conditions. An analysis of the existing transportation, circulation, and urban design conditions of the City of Point Arena.
♦ Chapter 3 – Community Vision. A distillation of community desires for the future of Point Arena as expressed during the visioning process, including an illustrative plan that identifies the major recommendations and design concepts presented in Chapters 4 and 5. ♦ Chapter 4 – Circulation. A plan for circulation, parking, and streetscape improvements in the City, showing width and alignment of pedestrian sidewalks, locations of pedestrian crossings, streetscape furnishings and lighting, landscape treatments including street trees, and pedestrian and bicyclist improvements. Also included is a description of locations and dimensions of vehicular travel lanes, bicycle facilities, and pedestrian crossings proposed within the City.
♦ Chapter 5 – Sustainable Development. A conceptual development plan for the City of Point Arena based on the City’s General Plan, including a discussion of key land use and programmatic issues identified during the Design Roundtable. 2 1. Introduction COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

CITY OF POINT ARENA
♦ Chapter 6 - Utilities Review. A review of water, sewer, and storm drain issues in the downtown area, including the replacement of existing facilities and upgrades due to anticipated future development. Dry utility upgrades or undergrounding (electric, cable, telephone, fiber optic) are also discussed.
♦ Chapter 7 – Funding and Implementation. An implementation strategy that prioritizes the improvements outlined in the Plan, provides conceptual costs for improvements to Main Street, and identifies potential funding sources.

2. COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
The Caltrans Office of Community Planning works to promote and participate in community based planning by funding the Community Based Transportation Planning (CBTP) grant program. CBTP grants are given to local communities to encourage planning that promotes efficient land use and transportation infrastructure investments, and helps communities to address their existing and future needs while maintaining community value and integrity. Caltrans, upon award of the grant, provides eighty percent (80%) of the planning cost, with the additional twenty percent (20%) provided by the local grantee.

The Point Arena Community Action Plan project is funded by a Caltrans Community Based Transportation Planning Grant awarded to the Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG). MCOG is a Joint Powers Agency comprised of the County of Mendocino, and the Cities of Fort Bragg, Point Arena, Ukiah, and Willits. Transportation planning in Mendocino County is the responsibility of MCOG, which is the designated Regional Transportation Planning Agency.

3. PURPOSE
The goal of the Point Arena Community Action Plan is to work with a diverse group of stakeholders, including local residents, City staff, and public agencies, to create a comprehensive vision for the City of Point Arena. The Community Action Plan is comprised of a Downtown Streetscape Plan, a Circulation and Parking Plan, recommendations for gateway, signage and traffic calming elements, a conceptual framework for future growth, and funding and implementation strategies.

4. PROJECT TEAM & ADVISORY COMMITTEES
The Project Team for this project included staff from Design, Community & Environment (DC&E), Mark Thomas & Company, Inc., and Fehr & Peers, Inc.. DC&E was responsible for community outreach and participation as well as plan development. Fehr and Peers, Inc. was responsible for helping to develop conceptual plan designs and recommendations, and vetting the feasibility and potential of the proposed transportation solutions and recommendations. Mark Thomas & Company, Inc. was responsible for assembling the base survey information and performing the utilities review.

COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 1. Introduction 3

CITY OF POINT ARENA
To ensure that the Plan is consistent with the needs of the community and standards of other agencies, a Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) and a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) were formed to help guide the planning process. The committees were involved throughout the planning process to make sure that the proposed concepts and recommendations were feasible and consistent with the vision of the community.

The TAC was formed to provide input on technical issues regarding the existing conditions of the Plan Area and the feasibility of proposed recommendations. The TAC included members from MCOG, Caltrans, and the City of Point Arena.

The CAC was formed to help represent the needs of the community and provide high-level guidance for the Plan. Members of the CAC included a representative of the Band of Pomo Indians, a representative of the Arena Union School District, a minority representative, and Point Arena business owners.

5. PLANNING PROCESS
Extensive community participation is key to the development of a Community Action Plan. The planning process for the Community Action Plan was developed to create an open and public dialogue to solicit input and consensus building from all members of the community. Extensive community outreach was performed to encourage community-wide participation and reach out to all members of the community, especially those who have not participated in community planning events in the past.

Community Outreach
Multiple types of community outreach methods were employed to engage the community in the planning process. To invite community members to the Design Roundtable events, 181 postcards advertising the Design Roundtable were mailed to households in the City of Point Arena, and property owners living outside of the City. Postcards were also provided to the Band of Pomo Indians CAC representative for distribution to the Pomo India community. Additionally, flyers announcing the Design Roundtable were distributed to businesses in the City by members of the Citizens Advisory Committee. The Project Team made phone calls to residents of the City of Point Arena and either spoke with community members or left voice messages regarding the upcoming Design Roundtable event. A flyer advertising the Design Roundtable was displayed on the City of Point Arena’s website, and a banner was displayed on the façade of the building on Main Street during the Design Roundtable to advertise the event. Announcements advertising the Roundtable were included in the local newspaper and broadcast on the local radio stations.

TAC members discussing design
recommendations
4 1. Introduction COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

CITY OF POINT ARENA
Design Roundtable
A Design Roundtable for the Point Arena Community Action Plan was held the weekend of September 18 – 21, 2009. The roundtable included three community meetings, a number of focus group meetings, a walking tour, and open studios. A broad segment of the Point Arena Community attended the various events, and a number of community members attended multiple events.

A memo containing a summary of the Design Roundtable and a documentation of community input is included in Appendix A.
a. Focus Group Meetings
The Project Team met with a number of community stakeholders in small focus group meetings, which allowed the stakeholders to talk at length about the issues most important to them. The Project Team met with members of the following groups:
♦ Downtown Merchants Association,
♦ Point Arena High School and Pacific Community Charter School Associated Student Body Representatives,
♦ City Officials concerned with safety and infrastructure, ♦ Representatives of South Coast Seniors,
♦ Point Arena Library Volunteers.
b. Walking Tour
On the morning of Saturday, September 19th a number of community members met on Main Street in Point Arena to participate in a walking tour of Point Arena. The walking tour was designed to give community members the opportunity to show and discuss, with the Project Team, their areas of concern and ideas for potential solutions.

Figure 1-1. Design Roundtable Flyer
Walking tour participants discussing high curbs
on Mill Street
COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 1. Introduction 5

CITY OF POINT ARENA
c. Community Meetings
The following three community meetings were held as part of the Design Roundtable:
i. Community Workshop #1
The first community workshop was held on Friday, September 18, 2009 at Point Arena VFW/City Hall. There were approximately 30 participants at the meeting. The participants were asked to list things they valued the most about Point Arena. The topics that people mentioned the most included: the City’s coastal setting, the people, the cove, the small town character, and the downtown. During the meeting the Project Team presented an analysis of the existing urban design, traffic, and circulation conditions within Point Arena. The workshop participants then had a discussion about their vision for the future of Point Arena, which included areas and opportunities for improvement.
ii. Community Workshop #2
A second community workshop was held on Saturday, September 19th. Approximately 25 community members participated in the workshop. The Project Team gave a presentation and discussed some potential types of solutions, which might be implemented to solve some of the issues previously identified. After the presentation, the participants broke into small groups and used a set of table maps to discuss and draw potential improvements for Point Arena. The small groups then presented their ideas back to the whole group. iii. Community Workshop #3
The third community workshop was held on Monday, September 21st. Approximately 35 community members attended the workshop. During this workshop, the Project Team presented the first iteration of recommendations to be included in the Point Arena Community Action Plan. The recommendations were developed out of the input received by the community during the roundtable event. The Project Team presented the ideas and gave the community opportunities to comment on the ideas. The recommendations were grouped into seven categories: Gateways, Main Street Streetscape, School Area Streetscape Improvements, Roundabouts, Parking and Circulation, Parks and Open Space, and Land Use. In general, the participants agreed that the plan was headed in a favorable direction, and offered positive feedback on the recommendations. d. Open Studio
On Sunday, September 20th 2009, the Project Team held an open house in the studio work space.

The community was invited to visit and observe the Project Team as they worked to distill the community’s ideas into recommendations to present at the third workshop. Approximately 15 people dropped in the studio during the open house. They had the opportunity to ask further questions or provide further insight on the proposed recommendations.

Community Workshop #4
On Thursday, January 28th 2010, the Project Team presented the Draft Community Action Plan to the community. The Public Review Draft of the Point Arena Community Action Plan was made available for public review for one week before the workshop. Approximately 50 community members attended the meeting. The Design Team presented an overview of the outline of the Plan and the Plan recommendations and then solicited input and questions regarding the plan.

Workshop #1 participants discussing the
aspects of Point Arena they value the most
Workshop #2 participants working in small
groups to develop potential improvements
Community members dropping in during the
Open Studio to discuss ideas and concerns
6 1. Introduction COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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The community participants had the opportunity to ask questions or provide comment on the Plan. Community members gave significant input on many aspects of the Plan. Items that were discussed at length included the proposed locations for the proposed Senior Center, Main Street bulbouts, the Post Office Improvements, wind breaks, and infrastructure.

After the discussion regarding the plan, community members were asked to prioritize the elements of the Plan. The prioritizations of the Plan elements are further discussed in Chapter 7.

Community members were given an additional two weeks to provide comment to the Project Team. The community’s comments were then incorporated into the Final Community Action Plan document.

Workshop #4 participants discussing the prioritization of the Plan elements COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 2. Existing Conditions 7

CITY OF POINT ARENA
CHAPTER 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS
The following chapter discusses the existing urban design, transportation, and circulation conditions of Point Arena that create opportunities and constraints for future planning in Point Arena.

The top community priorities and community goals identified during the planning process are also reviewed.

1. PROJECT CONTEXT
The City of Point Arena is a small City situated along the coast in southwest Mendocino County.

Point Arena’s history is linked to the lumber industry of the late 1800’s. Arena Cove proved to be a safe location for ships to anchor, and as a result, a wharf was built to serve ships transporting lumber from the Mendocino coast to San Francisco. The wharf quickly became a major shipping location for the lumber industry and consequently the town grew. When Point Arena was incorporated in 1908, its layout and size were much as they are today.

The mountainous terrain of coastal northern California makes Point Arena relatively isolated from the rest of the county, accessible primarily by coastal State Route 1. Although the town has its own post office, schools, and medical services, other services for the residents are located in other communities in Mendocino County, such as Mendocino (34 miles north), Gualala (15 miles south), Fort Bragg (45 miles north), and Ukiah (50 miles northeast). Point Arena is the smallest of four incorporated areas of Mendocino County; the others being Ukiah, Willits, and Fort Bragg.

Point Arena is also located immediately to the west of the Manchester/Point Arena Rancheria, a community of the Pomo Indian Tribe.

Figure 2-1. The City of Point Arena
View of downtown Point Arena
8 2. Existing Conditions COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

CITY OF POINT ARENA
Downtown Point Arena is oriented along Main Street/State Route 1, and although many of the buildings have been replaced since the town’s founding, the scale and architecture of the buildings have remained consistent, creating a rich historic character in downtown Point Arena. Like most small towns along State Route 1, tourism during the summer months brings a substantial number of visitors into and through the City.

Community
According to the 2000 U.S. Census the population of Point Arena is 474 residents, who live in 191 households. In 2000, approximately a third of the population of Point Arena was under the age of

18. The U.S. Census data on race states that 73.6% of the Point Arena population identify themselves as white, 3.8% of the population identify themselves as American Indian or Native Alaskan,

1.1% of the population identify themselves as African American or Black, 0.2% identify themselves as Asian, 18.8% identify themselves as an other race, and 2.5% as more than one race. Similarly,

28.5% of the population identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino, and according to the 2000 Census, approximately 25% of the population speaks Spanish in their homes.

The Manchester Band of Pomo Indians of the Manchester-Point Arena Rancheria is located adjacent to the City of Point Arena. Approximately 212 people live on the Rancheria, which is 364 acres in size. Downtown Point Arena serves the Rancheria community, especially by providing education through the Point Arena Public School system.

Character
Point Arena is a unique town set in a picturesque location along the Mendocino coast with a long and rich history. The residents of Point Arena value its small-town rural character and modest and unpretentious atmosphere, and hope to protect this character in the future. Although small, as an outcome of its long history, the City of Point Arena has many features of a larger town that allow it to be relatively self-sufficient, including retail, employment, and recreation opportunities to meet the needs of its residents and visitors.

Although most of the buildings in Point Arena have been rebuilt since the City’s inception, the downtown has retained an historic main-street atmosphere. Key to retaining this atmosphere has been maintaining the historic street and sidewalk right-of-way, creating quality architecture at the appropriate scale, and continuing to allow a mixture of uses within downtown.

The small size and relaxed nature of Point Arena has created a community with an open dialogue that allows people from numerous backgrounds and opinions to live together. Within Point Arena there is a clear sense of pride, which is evident in the high level of care invested in all the stores, houses, and public spaces. There is also a creative and artistic spirit in Point Arena which is articulated throughout the town in the form of creative building colors, banners, murals, and window displays.

Point Arena’s unique coastal setting
School students walking home together
A local gallery exhibits local artist’s work and the
City’s creative character
COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 2. Existing Conditions 9

CITY OF POINT ARENA
Historic District
The City of Point Arena has two historic districts, the Arena Cove District and the Main Street Commercial Historic District, and a number of individual buildings which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register is the official federal list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. The Point Arena locations were added to the National Register of Historic Places in September of 1990, they are listed in Table 2-1. The City of Point Arena values maintaining the historic attributes of all of these locations, and the Point Arena Planning Commission shall review all permits for alteration and demolition of these structures based on specific architectural and historical criteria.

TABLE 2-1 POINT ARENA PROPERTIES LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACESa
Address Property Name
695 Arena Cove Captain’s House
785 Arena Cove Wharfmaster’s House
Arena Cove Life-saving Station Boathouse
Arena Cove Corrugated Shed
Arena Cove Coast Guard Garage
Arena Cove Captains Garage
Arena Cove Water Tanks
Arena Cove Historic
District
Arena Cove Flag Pole
165 Main Street Standard Oil Station
170 Main Street Point Arena Garage
183 Main Street IOOF Hall
185 Main Street Feed Barn
190 Main Street Point Arena Hotel Garage
195 Main Street Pedretti Building, Cypress Realty
200 Main Street Bank of Point Arena, WestAmerica
205 Main Street Garcia Center
207 Main Street Arena Press Print Shop
211 Main Street Everything Under the Sun
213 Main Street Cypress Realty
214 Main Street Arena Theatre
215 Main Street Point Arena Post Office
225 Main Street Point Arena Mercantile Company
240 Main Street Arena Feed & Seed
245 Main Street Ancient Order of Foresters Hall
Main Street Historic Commercial
District
265 Main Street PA Record Building
Historic building scale and architecture
10 2. Existing Conditions COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

CITY OF POINT ARENA
Address Property Name
40 Iversen Avenue Iversen House
200 Lake Street Point Arena High School
105 Main Street Italian Hotel, Kentucky Forge Works
284 Main Street Annie Palmer House, Community Art
365 Main Street Legrand Morse House, R. Mari
40 Mill Street E.P. Gillmore, J.H. Halliday House
50 Mill Street Sid Groshon, Bill Walsh House
10 Riverside Drive Hoyt/Scott House
40 School Street St. Paul’s Methodist Church & Parsonage Individual Listings

10 Scott Place Billy Ketchum House, Larksong a
City of Point Arena, Zoning Ordinance, page 54.

2. PREVIOUS PLANNING
Land Use and Development
The Land Use and Development Map, illustrated in Figure 2-2, was developed as part of the Point Arena General Plan, updated in 2001. This map and its associated designations depict the land uses permitted for each parcel of land within the town. The map illustrates the desired and permissible land uses within the town that will likely occur as the town gradually builds out.

Figure 2-2. City of Point Arena Land Use and Development Map COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 2. Existing Conditions 11

CITY OF POINT ARENA
The majority of the parcels along Main Street/State Route 1 in downtown Point Arena are designated as Commercial Core. ♦ The Commercial Core designation applies to “types of retail and consumer/professional service uses that are appropriate for the maintenance of the City’s downtown purposes and character and which will further the objective of strengthening downtown as a viable commercial, business, and cultural center. To achieve these objectives downtown uses may also include a limited number of dwelling units, and shall include adequate off-street parking, including improved commercial or public parking lots with easy access from Main Street.”1 The parcels south of Mill Street on the east side of Main Street/State Route 1 are designated as Highway Commercial.
♦ The Highway Commercial designation applies to “areas requiring maximum exposure along State Route 1 on larger lots, with ease of access and all parking provided on-site.”2

3. URBAN DESIGN ANALYSIS
Much of downtown Point Arena was developed prior to the development of modern standards, which creates a number of opportunities and constraints for future planning. The pedestrian experience of downtown Point Arena is shaped and influenced by many different factors including landscaping, sidewalks, lighting, and adjacent building facades, some of which can be improved to make the experience more pleasant and safe.

Surrounding Landscape
Point Arena is situated within the picturesque landscape of the Mendocino Coast. Point Arena is surrounded by coastal prairies and bluffs, riparian hillsides, and working farmlands. Figure 2-3 illustrates the landscape context of Point Arena.
a. Topography
Downtown Point Arena lies within a narrow ravine, which is drained by Point Arena Creek at the south end of the town. From the south to the north, Main Street/State Route 1 ascends a fairly steep slope approximately 115 feet in elevation. This steep topography creates a clear view of the entire downtown from both the top and bottom of Main Street, which can be helpful for drivers to see what is ahead. However, steep topography can also contribute to accelerated speeds in both the upwards and downwards directions, which contributes to an unsafe pedestrian environment. b. Streams
Point Arena Creek runs adjacent to Port Road from Main Street to the cove, at the base of a north facing slope. The creek is bordered on both sides with riparian vegetation, and inaccessible from 1 City of Point Arena, Point Arena General Plan, Land Use Element, 2001, page 18. 2 City of Point Arena, Point Arena General Plan, Land Use Element, 2001, page 19 View of topography from the top of Main Street
12 2. Existing Conditions COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

CITY OF POINT ARENA
the road. The Point Arena General Plan and Zoning Ordinance define a riparian buffer area of a minimum of 100 feet to “protect the resources of the particular habitat area from significant degradation caused by proposed development3 .” The Point Arena Creek is known habitat for the
Point Arena Mountain Beaver, which is a federally protected endangered species. The Point Arena General Plan and Zoning Ordnance establish a 500-foot buffer area along each side of the creek for the preservation of the Point Arena Mountain Beaver habitat by minimizing and mitigating disturbances to the Point Arena Mountain Beaver. Any noise-generating or habitat-modifying projects within the buffer area require an environmental survey, and if evidence of beavers is found within the project area then additional project mitigation or the development of a habitat conservation plan shall be required.4
c. Views
The topographic change within Point Arena creates amazing views towards the coastal bluffs, the ocean, and the inland forests from the downtown. The Point Arena General Plan identifies five viewsheds and scenic corridors that shall be protected from “inappropriate development and unavoidable alterations. 5” These viewsheds are to the south from School Street, along Windy Hollow Road, along and from Riverside Drive, along Port Road, and at Arena Cove. 3 City of Point Arena, Zoning Ordinance, page 65.
4 City of Point Arena, Zoning Ordinance, page 70.
5 City of Point Arena, Point Arena General Plan, Open Space Element, page 7.

Figure 2-3. Landscape Setting of Point Arena
COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 2. Existing Conditions 13

CITY OF POINT ARENA
Buildings and Façades
The buildings that front onto Main Street/State Route 1 are predominantly a mixture of single-story commercial buildings and two-story residential buildings. The one-story commercial buildings typically have a minimal setback and are situated close to the back of the sidewalk. If the commercial buildings have private parking it is generally adjacent to the building rather than in front of the building. Additionally, many of the commercial buildings have large windows that allow pedestrians to view inside the building from the sidewalk. This minimal setback and visibility into the buildings helps to enliven the pedestrian realm by creating an active and interesting sidewalk experience.

The two-story residential buildings are located at the north end of Main Street. These residences are setback from the sidewalk an average of 25 to 30 feet. The residences typically have driveways with parking adjacent to the building and a lawn or landscaped area between the sidewalk and the building. The well maintained and attractive lawns or landscaped areas also contribute to a positive pedestrian experience.

Streetscape Quality
The width of Main Street/State Route 1 varies within Downtown Point Arena between approximately 42 to 52 feet, as illustrated in Figure 2-4. The street is widest at its center point, near the Arena Theater, and narrower at its north and south ends. The right-of-way of the street is the public domain of the street, or area outside of privately owned parcels; which varies along Main Street, between approximately 52 to 68 feet. The width and right-of-way of the street influences the potential for a number of streetscape interventions, such as widening the sidewalk width and the addition of bicycle lanes.

Figure 2-4. Existing Street Width
Main Street building facades
14 2. Existing Conditions COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

CITY OF POINT ARENA
a. Lighting
The only lighting present within the downtown area are cobra-head street lights, that are mounted on 35 feet tall metal poles and cast a wide circle of light onto the roadway. Along Main Street there are 10 cobra-head lights that are spaced between 110 feet and 250 feet apart on alternating sides of the road. On other roads, where the utilities are not underground, there are cobra head lights mounted to the utility poles. There is no pedestrian scaled lighting along Main Street in downtown Point Arena. Pedestrian scaled lights are lights mounted between 10 to 14 feet above the ground that illuminate the sidewalk or pathway to create a safer and more pleasant pedestrian environment.
b. Street Trees/ Landscaping
There are very few street trees in downtown Point Arena. The street trees that exist are located on either side of the street near the Arena Theater and are planted within cutouts in the sidewalk.

The trees are small trees approximately 10 to 20 feet tall.

Given the narrow sidewalk width and the majority of buildings in downtown built without a setback, there is little room for individual landscaping. A few of the buildings have small potted plants or retaining walls with low shrubs.

Open Space
The existing parks in Point Arena are illustrated in Figure 2-5. Point Arena has made recent improvements to the parks adjacent to Downtown and identifies the establishment of three additional parks as a General Plan Action Program (Harper Park, a park at Arena Cove, a park east of Figure 2-5. Existing Park Locations in Point Arena
One of the few trees in downtown Point Arena
Recently constructed Fisherman’s Playground
Project
Centennial Plaza Memorial Garden under
construction
COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 2. Existing Conditions 15

CITY OF POINT ARENA
Downtown). The Fisherman’s Playground Project is a recently built playground and amphitheater that is located to the west of Main Street. The playground was built on a small portion of a larger parcel (4 + acre) which is designated in the City of Point Arena Parks Master Plan. The Point Arena Community Garden is also located on the same parcel. The Centennial Plaza Memorial Garden is a small plaza/park currently under construction, which is adjacent to the bus stop and will provide seating and a place for community gatherings. Additionally, the City of Point Arena owns three other parcels, which are designated as parks and are presently undeveloped.

In addition to the parklands adjacent to downtown there are playing fields that are associated with the Point Arena Schools. There is one playing field south of Lake Street associated with the Arena Union Elementary School and two playing fields north of Lake Street, which are associated with the Point Arena and South Coast High Schools.

4. CIRCULATION
State Route 1 is the only regional connector along the California Coast, which results in a significant amount of through traffic on Main Street in Point Arena. The road fulfills a number of different roles within Point Arena because the one road functions as a state highway, regional arterial, and primary local thoroughfare.

Main Street/State Route 1 is a little over a quarter-mile in length (~1,520 feet) and is the only north/south connector within Point Arena. As a result of its small size, many travelers along Main Street/State Route 1, who are unfamiliar with Point Arena, pass through the downtown without seeing a place to stop and park within downtown, and as a result continue driving. Given this situation, and because there is no turn-around on either edge of the Town, many travelers who might visit Point Arena pass it by.

The Existing Transportation Conditions Memo in Appendix B provides a more in-depth analysis of other existing Traffic and Circulation Conditions of downtown Point Arena.

Existing Roadway Network
This section describes the primary roadways within the City of Point Arena. Most roadways in the City were constructed prior to current street design standards, so most streets are narrow, are missing curbs and gutters, and have pedestrian facilities that do not meet current guidelines for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.
♦ State Route 1 is a two-lane, state-maintained roadway that runs along the coast of California and serves as the primary access State Route for most of the smaller communities located along the rural coastal areas of Mendocino County. According to the Mendocino County General Plan and Point Arena General Plan, State Route 1 is designated as a minor arterial. In the General Plan Circulation Element, the City recognizes State Route 1 as its principal evacuation State Route. Within downtown Point Arena, State Route 1 is designated as Main Street and is fronted by commercial and residential land uses. At the northern end of the downtown area, State Route 1 makes a sharp westerly turn and is designated as School Street until the intersection with Lake Street.
16 2. Existing Conditions COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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According to the Mendocino County General Plan, State Route 1 is eligible to be a California Scenic Highway but has not yet been officially designated as such. Caltrans’ Department of Landscape Architecture maintains a list of the designated and eligible roadways throughout the state. The purpose of this designation is to protect and enhance the natural scenic beauty of the highway and adjacent corridor through special conservation treatment. Typically, jurisdictions that have these facilities must adopt policies that regulate and conserve the land use, density of development, site planning, advertising, landscaping, and design around the roadway. Although this designation does not preclude future development or widening, the program ensures that the future activities are consistent with the community values and compatible with protection of scenic resources. ♦ Port Road is a narrow, two-lane collector street that connects the City to the harbor and port located on the coast. Although Port Road intersects with Main Street (State Route 1), the section of Port Road between Iversen Avenue and Main Street is not considered the primary connection to Main Street because it is barricaded at the end. Vehicles must use Gillmore Alley to access the westerly half of Port Road. Most parcels along Port Road are residential.

Speed bumps are present, indicating speeding may be an issue on this roadway. ♦ Iversen Avenue is a two-lane collector street that provides the primary connection between Port Road and Main Street (State Route 1). Most of the parcels along Iversen Avenue are residential. Speed bumps are present, indicating speeding may be an issue on this roadway. ♦ Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road is a two-lane collector street that provides access to inland areas east of the City, as well as the Pomo Indian Reservation. Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road is also designated as an evacuation State Route for the City. ♦ Lake Street is a two-lane local street running parallel to State Route 1 in the northern part of the City. Point Arena High School, Elementary School, and Pacific Community Charter Schools are located on Lake Street, as well as several residences. Speed humps are present, indicating speeding may be an issue on this roadway.
♦ Mill Street is a two-lane local street that runs east from Main Street (State Route 1) before dead-ending. The street is residential in character; however, there are medical offices located near Center Street and Main Street (State Route 1), as well as a motel. ♦ Center Street is a narrow alley running from Mill Street to Starboard Way. It provides access to the medical office parking lot and library parking lot, as well as a rear access for commercial properties with storefronts on Main Street (State Route 1). ♦ Starboard Way is a 10-foot public access way/fire lane, which exists on the north side of the General Store parcel between Center Street and Main Street. ♦ Gillmore Alley is a narrow alley running between Port Road and Iversen Avenue. The intersection of Gillmore Alley and Iversen Avenue replaces the barricaded Port Road and Iversen Road intersection.
♦ Windy Hollow Road is a north/south, two-lane connector street that begins at Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road and continues as a County-maintained road, County Route 508 , to State Route 1 north of the City. However, the road is not entirely accessible because it is bisected by the Garcia River, and a bridge is not provided. The Manchester-Point Arena Rancheria has conducted a feasibility study to install a bridge across the river, to provide better connectivity and emergency access.

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Roadway Traffic Volumes and Intersection Levels of Service6 No new roadway or intersection traffic counts were done for this study; however, the State Route 1 Corridor Study Update (W-Trans, 2008) contains existing and future year (2020 and 2030) summer PM peak hour and Saturday afternoon peak hour turning movement counts for the intersections of Iversen Avenue/Main Street (State Route 1) and Riverside Avenue/Eureka Hill Road/ Main Street (State Route 1). The turning movement volumes and resultant intersection levels of service (LOS) are shown in Figure 2-6. 7
Existing Level of Service

Future 2020 Level of Service
Future 2030 Level of Service
6 Level of service is a qualitative description of traffic flow based on such factors as speed, travel time, delay, and freedom to maneuver. Six levels are defined from LOS A, with little to no delay, to LOS F, where demand exceeds capacity and long delays occur. LOS E represents “at-capacity” operations. The City maintains a LOS B standard for its roadway and intersections. 7 W-Trans, 2008, State Route 1 Corridor Study Update.

Figure 2-6. Level of Service Analysis for the Intersection of Main Street and Iversen Avenue8 18 2. Existing Conditions COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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As shown, these two intersections operate at acceptable (LOS B or better) levels during the peak travel periods until 2030, when Iversen Avenue/Main Street (State Route 1) is projected to operate at LOS C. The State Route 1 study also conducted left-turn lane warrant analysis to see if these locations would qualify for dedicated turn pockets. The Iversen Avenue eastbound approach met left-turn lane warrants under year 2030 conditions, which would improve conditions to LOS B.

Existing Pedestrian Facilities
Pedestrian facilities include improvements such as sidewalks, crosswalks, pathways, and trails. A survey was conducted of the City to identify these facilities. Existing sidewalks and crosswalks are shown in Figure 2-7.
a. Sidewalks and Curbs
As shown in Figure 2-7, most streets in the City have sidewalks along at least one side of the street.

Main Street (State Route 1), the City’s main commercial corridor, as well as Mill Street, have sidewalks on both sides of the street. School Street (State Route 1) has a sidewalk on the north side of the roadway. Portions of Lake Street along school properties have sidewalks; sidewalks along opposite sides of Lake Street are connected by crosswalks. 8 W-Trans, 2008, State Route 1 Corridor Study Update.

Figure 2-7. Existing Pedestrian Facilities
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The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards for accessible design require that there is a minimum of 4 feet width of smooth and unobstructed sidewalk (with allowances for certain exceptions or existing conditions, which allow sidewalks to be narrowed to a minimum of 3 feet wide).

Throughout downtown Point Arena the width and condition of the existing sidewalks vary from approximately 4 to 10 feet in width. Although generally the sidewalks are wide enough to meet ADA standards, in some instances along Main Street/State Route 1 the sidewalks are not ADA compliant because of the sidewalk surface or obstructions such as signs, plantings, or steps, which narrow the sidewalk to less than 4 feet of a clear path of travel.

ADA standards also limit the slope of sidewalks and ramps, to the extent that is technically feasible.

Main Street/State Route 1 has a significant amount of topography, which varies from a slope of approximately 5 percent at its shallowest incline (near the center of the street) to an approximate

12.5 percent slope (on the north end of Main Street/State Route 1). Given the natural terrain upon which Main Street/State Route 1 was built it will be impossible for much of the sidewalks in downtown Point Arena to meet this ADA standard. However, through closer study it may be possible to improve portions of the sidewalk, especially those areas that have a high public demand, such as bus stops and parking lots.

Additionally, within downtown Point Arena there are areas where the curbs are especially high. A normal curb is typically 6 to 7 inches high. On Mill Street in downtown Point Arena the north side of the street has curbs which vary in height up to approximately 38 inches. On the south side of the street, the curbs are more typical. This condition exists because the street is perpendicular to the slope and the north side of the street is higher in elevation than the south side of the street.

The high curbs make parking and walking difficult and limit the accessibility of the sidewalk.

There are also areas within downtown Point Arena where there are no sidewalks or curbs and gutters, specifically on the east side of Main Street above the State Route 1/School Street intersection and on the south side of Port Road near the intersection with Main Street. The lack of sidewalks, curbs and gutters contribute to an unsafe pedestrian environment; do not meet ADA requirements, and also make it difficult for people to park along the street. b. Crosswalks
There are few intersections in the City with marked crosswalks. Most marked crosswalks are uncontrolled, where vehicle movements are not controlled by stop signs or traffic signals. Marked crosswalks across State Route 1 are located north of Mill Street, mid-block between Port Road and Riverside Avenue, at the intersection of School Street/Main Street (yellow ladder crosswalk, west leg), and at the intersection of Lake Street/State Route 1 (yellow ladder crosswalk, north leg). The two yellow ladder crosswalks (school crosswalks) were recently installed. However, their visibility is limited by topography, curves, and skewed intersection angles. There are also two mid-block crosswalks across Lake Street located near the schools.

Since Point Arena does not have a traffic signal, it is legal to cross the street at any location. However, drivers legally only have to yield to pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks. There are three marked crosswalks within downtown Point Arena, located at the intersection of State Route 1/Main Street/School Street, a mid-block crossing Main Street near the Fire Station, and across Main Street at the intersection of Mill Street. As previously mentioned, the crosswalk at the Crosswalk at the intersection of Lake Street/Main
Street
Lack of ADA compliant curb ramp at the mid-block
crossing adjacent to the old fire house
Existing sidewalk conditions
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intersection of State Route 1/Main Street/School has a sharp turn which creates poor visibility for drivers. The mid-block crossing near the fire station is not ADA compliant because it is situated between two driveway aprons and lacks ADA compliant curb-ramps. This crosswalk is also faded and hard to see from afar. Additionally, many people cross Main Street in locations without crosswalks, and this crosswalk could potentially be utilized more if it were located more centrally.

The crosswalk at the intersection of Mill Street and Main Street/State Route 1 also has visibility problems and the ramp on the west is a driveway apron rather than an ADA compliant curb-ramp.

Additionally, given the number of destinations on either side of Main Street, pedestrians tend to cross the street at random.
c. Trails
The City also has formal and informal trails connecting State Route 1 with Port Road. These trails are shown above in Figure 2-7. A paved section of trail connects Main Street with a playground located approximately 300 feet west of Main Street (State Route 1). After the playground, a worn, informal trail continues west to connect to Port Road. A second informal, worn trail connects School Street (State Route 1) with the informal trail leading to Port Road; the two paths connect approximately 800 feet west of the playground.

Existing Bicycle Facilities
The Mendocino County Regional Bikeway Plan (Dow & Associates, 2006) designates existing and planned bicycle facilities throughout the County, including the incorporated areas. Bicycle facilities consist of bicycle lanes, trails, and paths. Typically, bicycle facilities are grouped into three categories:
♦ Class I facilities consist of off-road bicycle paths and are generally shared with pedestrians.

Class I facilities may be adjacent to an existing roadway, or may be entirely independent of existing vehicular facilities.
♦ Class II facilities consist of striped bicycle lanes on roadways. These facilities reserve a minimum of 4 feet of space along each side of the roadway for bicycle traffic. ♦ Class III facilities consist of signed bicycle routes. Class III facilities do not have striped, reserved right-of-way for bicycles, but are signed and ideally designed to accommodate and encourage bicycle traffic.

Within Point Arena, State Route 1 is designated as part of the Pacific Coast Bike State Route, a Class III facility running most of the length of State Route 1 within California. The City also maintains bike lanes on Port Road between Iversen Avenue and the coast. Bicycle lanes (Class II) now exist on Port Road; however, they have substandard width in some locations. The bike facilities in the City are shown in Figure 2-8.

Figure 2-8 also shows proposed bike lanes on Port Road and Iversen Avenue. These Class II lanes are proposed as high-need projects in the Regional Bikeway Plan.

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Existing Parking Locations
The City has indicated that parking can be particularly difficult, especially during the summer, when tourism traffic on State Route 1 peaks. Parking availability was reviewed qualitatively during midday, weekday hours in June 2009. Figure 2-9 shows the areas of the City with on-street or offstreet parking. The associated table describes the observed occupancy and estimated supply for each of these parking areas.

On-street parking is provided along Main Street (State Route 1). On-street parking is also permitted along Mill Street, parts of Lake Street (near the elementary school), and sections of School Street and Riverside Avenue/Eureka Hill. During the observed weekday, these on-street parking areas were approximately 50 percent occupied. Several businesses along Main Street (State Route 1) have off-street parking areas for their patrons. During the observed weekday, these parking areas were approximately 50 percent occupied.

These estimates are based on an informal parking survey conducted during field observations, and may not represent peak conditions. Some areas, such as Port Road, east of Iversen Avenue, have informal on-street parking. Several lots are unpaved or marked, so a true parking supply was not available. However, the observed occupancy does not indicate that the City has a significant parking shortage. Parking concerns may be exacerbated by the limited U-turn potentials in downtown, which makes on-street parking access challenging. Furthermore, the City has limited signage that directs drivers to off-street parking areas, limiting their visibility.

Figure 2-8. Existing and Proposed Bicycle Facilities
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In addition to the parking areas identified above, several areas in the City have informal areas where drivers may park. These areas are typically found on roadways with wide shoulders (such as along School Street (State Route 1) west of Main Street and Main Street across from the elementary school).

Existing Transit Service
The Mendocino Transit Authority (MTA) operates twelve fixed bus State Routes throughout Mendocino County, including service between the coastal communities along State Route 1 and the inland communities of Ukiah and Santa Rosa (Sonoma County). Riders can connect with other regional transit operators in Santa Rosa (Golden Gate Transit) and Ukiah (Lake Transit). A new bus stop/pocket park with restrooms is under construction near the Point Arena Theater.

The following two MTA routes, summarized in Table 2-2, serve Point Arena:
♦ Route 95 provides bus service between Point Arena and Santa Rosa once a day. Monday through Saturday, route 95 departs from the Point Arena Theater bus stop pavilion at 8:00 AM and arrives at the 2nd Street Transit Mall in Santa Rosa at 11:00 AM, with stops in Anchor Bay, Gualala, Sea Ranch, Stewards Point, Fort Ross, Jenner, Bodega Bay, Freestone, and Sebastopol. Service can also be extended to the Amtrak Depot and Sonoma County Airport Express by request. From the 2nd Street Transit Mall in Santa Rosa, riders can connect with Figure 2-9. Existing Parking Conditions
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Golden Gate Transit and Sonoma Transit buses. Route 95 departs Santa Rosa at 4:15 PM and returns to the Point Arena Pharmacy at 7:05 PM. On Sunday, route 95 begins its trip at 10:00 AM, arrives in Santa Rosa at 1:00 PM, and departs Santa Rosa at 4:15 PM. ♦ Route 75 provides bus service between Gualala and Ukiah once a day. Heading northbound on State Route 1, route 75 stops at the Point Arena Pharmacy and the Point Arena High School at approximately 8:10 AM. Passengers arrive in Ukiah at approximately 10:35 AM.

The return trip leaves the Ukiah Library at approximately 3:05 PM and arrives at the Point Arena Theater at 5:30 PM. There are intermediary stops at Elk, Navarro, Philo, and Boonville.

Passengers can connect with other MTA routes and Lake Transit Authority (Lake County) routes in Ukiah. Route 75 also has connecting service to Mendocino and Fort Bragg. Riders connect at a timed transfer at Navarro River Junction at 8:55 AM and arrive in Fort Bragg at 10:25 AM. In the afternoon, Route 75 departs Fort Bragg at 3:35 PM and arrives at Navarro River Junction at 4:45 PM.

TABLE 2-2 EXISTING TRANSIT SERVICE TO POINT ARENA
Route Start End
AM Stop in
Point Arena
PM Stop in
Point Arena
75 Gualala Ukiaha 8:10 AM (Pharmacy)
8:15 AM (High School)
5:25 PM (High School)
5:30 PM (Theater)
95 Point Arena 2nd Street Transit Mall
(Santa Rosa)b
Monday-Saturday:
8:00 AM (Theater)
Sunday: 10:00 AM (Theater)
7:05 PM (Pharmacy)
a
Timed transfer to/from Fort Bragg at Navarro River Junction at 8:55 AM and 4:40 PM. b
Extension to Sonoma County Airport Express by request. c Several stops require passengers to flag the bus or request a stop.

Source: Mendocino Transit Authority, Effective September 14, 2008, Accessed June 2009.

In addition to service provided by MTA, the South Coast Senior Center operates a small, handicap accessible van for senior citizens at the center wishing to do errands in other areas of the county.

Recent Collision History
Collision history for the City for the past six years was obtained from the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). This system contains all collisions involving motor vehicles in the state, including those that occur between vehicles and pedestrians and vehicles and bicycles. The California Highway Patrol officer assigned to Point Arena, Sgt. Greg Stefani, was also consulted to obtain additional background information for the collisions. Between 2003 and 2009, Point Arena had six reported collisions. Their locations are shown in Figure 2-10. In general, the collision records for the City do not indicate any substantial collision patterns, except at School Street / Main Street (State Route 1).
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As shown in Figure 2-10, one broadside collision occurred at Main Street (State Route 1)/Iversen Avenue. According to Sgt. Stefani, this collision may have been associated with limited visibility due to the grade and angle of the intersection.

Three vehicle-vehicle collisions occurred at the intersection of School Street (State Route 1)/Main Street (State Route 1). State Route 1 makes a 90-degree bend at this location without any stop control. Northbound drivers unfamiliar with the area may make last minute turning decisions if they wish to stay on State Route 1. While no pedestrian collisions were recorded for this location, the presence of a school crosswalk at a location with confusing traffic control and wayfinding may be a safety concern.

One vehicle-pedestrian collision occurred just south of Mill Street. A pedestrian was hit crossing Main Street (State Route 1) outside of a marked crosswalk. Based on discussions with Sgt. Stefani, this collision was associated with pedestrian behavior rather than roadway design concerns.

5. TRANSPORTATION PLANS AND POLICIES
Existing Roadway Plans and Policies
The Point Arena General Plan Circulation Element was reviewed to identify current policies and plans related to the transportation system. The City has proposed the following roadway improvements in its Circulation Element:

Figure 2-10. Collision History (2003 – 2009)
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♦ A new, north-south collector street between Port Road and State Route 1. ♦ The abandonment of Gillmore Alley and the construction of a new connection between Iversen Avenue and Port Road.
♦ The widening of Port Road between Iversen Avenue and the coast. ♦ Improvements of the State Route 1/Iversen Avenue intersection. ♦ A long-term State Route 1 bypass to replace the current Main Street (State Route 1) alignment. While the City has recognized a need for this improvement, no alignment has been determined.

In general, the City’s policy is that all new and upgraded streets shall meet current design standards for right-of-way and paved width, while being consistent with the goal of maintaining the City’s small-town rural character.

The City has a goal to maintain its roadways and intersections at LOS B. New development that would cause a roadway to fall below LOS B would likely be required to develop mitigation measures to return the facility to acceptable operating conditions. However, the City recognizes that several roadways are physically constrained by existing development and topography. Therefore, the City’s Circulation Element also includes a goal to maintain roadways consistent with its small town character.

Caltrans maintains State Route 1 at LOS D through Point Arena, but Caltrans, Mendocino County, and the City of Point Arena wish to maintain State Route 1’s cross-section wherever possible due to physical constraints along the roadway that make capacity improvements costly.

Existing Parking Policies
The Point Arena General Plan Circulation Element sets guidelines for how and when parking should be provided in certain developments. While parking requirements are set in the City’s Zoning Ordinance, the City encourages joint use of parking facilities and is supportive of a “downtown” parking district. The Circulation Element also identifies a two-hour parking limit during the week on Main Street (State Route 1); however, it does not support metered parking. Anecdotal evidence indicates that the time limit is enforced; however there is no parking “police” for the City.

Existing Pedestrian Plans and Policies
Caltrans’ Safety Office has initiated a crosswalk safety project in District 1; and the project has been approved and is currently in the design phase. The City of Point Arena does not have a stated crosswalk placement/removal/treatment policy or a Pedestrian Master Plan in place. 26 2. Existing ConditionsCOMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 3. Community Vision 27

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CHAPTER 3: COMMUNITY VISION
The following chapter discusses the top community priorities and community goals that were identified during the planning process.

1. VISION FRAMEWORK
The City of Point Arena currently contains the necessary elements to create a safe, walkable, and livable community that meets the needs of its residents and appeals to visitors. The Community Action Plan builds on the foundation of the existing town and community input to create a Vision to:
♦ Improve access, circulation, and safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles throughout the City.
♦ Promote and maintain the City’s unique character.
♦ Encourage and guide sustainable and appropriate development of new housing, commercial establishments, and open space.

2. GOALS
During the Design Roundtable residents participated in activities to determine their priorities for developing a vision for the future of Point Arena. The goals and priorities listed below are a distillation of the community’s priorities for the future of Point Arena.

Goal 1: Maintain and Enhance Point Arena’s Unique Character At the first community meeting, when participants were asked what they valued most about Point Arena, the most prominent response was related to the community’s unique character. The rich history, picturesque location, small population, and creative citizens of Point Arena coalesce to create a very unique community character. This unique character creates a sense of place for the citizens of Point Arena, which strengthens the community, and draws visitors from near and far to visit.

With this goal, the Community Action Plan recommendations strive to emphasize and strengthen the unique qualities of Point Arena, avoid any solutions that might generalize the City, and allow for flexibility in the recommendations to encourage the unique character of Point Arena to remain. “Welcome to City of Point Arena” sign portraying the City’s unique character
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Goal 2: Beautify the Downtown
Downtown Point Arena has historic origins, and although it has undergone various iterations since its inception, the downtown’s layout and architectural style have remained fairly consistent. As a result, downtown Point Arena has an authentic “Main Street” atmosphere that many other places attempt to recreate. However, given that much of the streetscape infrastructure is original, and many of the buildings have survived a number of decades, there is the potential for recommendations to improve the aesthetics of the downtown, so that it achieves its full potential.

Goal number 3 of the City of Point Arena’s General Plan is to encourage economic growth and development and states that “improving the City’s appearance and otherwise giving the driving public a reason to stop,” 1 should be a technique implemented to stimulate economic development. Chapter 4 of the Action Plan includes a number of downtown streetscape recommendations that will enhance the beauty of downtown Point Arena through landscape, street lighting and signage.

Goal 3: Reduce Speeding along Main Street and Alert Drivers they are Entering a City
Speeding along Route 1 through Point Arena is a major safety concern. When entering the City of Point Arena the speed limit for Route 1 changes from 45 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour. 1 City of Point Arena, Point Arena General Plan, Community Character Element, 2001, page 3.

The speed limit changes from 45mph to 25mph
within the limits of Point Arena
Point Arena’s historic “Main Street” atmosphere
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However, many drivers do not understand they are approaching a Main Street environment, do not heed the speed limit signs, and continue speeding throughout town, putting pedestrians, bicyclists and other vehicles at risk.

Research has shown that “quality landscaping along the roadway, close to highway, or in medians can increase driver awareness of the immediate environment and may alter driver behavior, resulting in slower speeds and a safer main street.” 2 Additionally, trees or other vertical elements at the edge of the roadway may calm traffic by making the roadway appear narrower. Visual queues, such as gateways, pedestrian signs, and traffic islands, alert drivers that they are entering an area of increased activity and encourage them to slow down. Streetscape design interventions that encourage and force drivers to slow down are included in Chapter 4, Section 3 of this Plan.

Goal 4: Improve the Main Street/Lake Street/School Street Intersection The intersection of Main Street/Lake Street/School Street was identified as a problem by numerous workshop participants, stakeholders, and by the California Department of Transportation. This 2 Caltrans, Main Streets: Flexibility in Design & Operations, 2005, page 17.

The Main Street/Lake Street/School Street intersection has limited sight distance for pedestrians and vehicles
Cars exceed the speed limit along School Street, the northern entrance to downtown Point Arena 30 3. Community Vision COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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intersection suffers from poor visibility because it is a sharp, uncontrolled left-turn at the top of a hill. Additionally, the intersection is located adjacent to Arena Elementary School and because of limited connectivity within Point Arena it is a highly traveled intersection without an alternative route.

Design interventions that improve the visibility of this intersection are discussed in Chapter 4, section 3 of this Plan.

Goal 5: Improve Downtown Circulation and Parking
Route 1/Main Street is the only north/south connector roadway within Point Arena and as a result there are few options to safely turn around within the City. There is limited on-street parking in the downtown area, which is often filled to capacity. Additionally, people who might like to stop and explore Point Arena often continue driving through town because they didn’t see a parking spot along Main Street, weren’t directed to potential parking areas, or have driven through town and don’t know how to turn around and return. Local merchants, who rely on tourism for part of their livelihood, blame this situation for a loss of tourists and potential customers.

Each year the City of Point Arena hosts its annual Point Arena Independence Day Celebration, which includes a parade, street fair, and community picnic. To enable the parade to march through Downtown, Route 1 is closed to through traffic. However, the parade and celebration is limited to a short window of time given that there is no alternate route for Route 1 through Point Arena. Many Design Roundtable participants cited the complications of closing down Main Street for the 4th of July Parade and other potential celebrations as a reason to explore potential new connections through downtown Point Arena, which could be used as an alternative to Route 1.

Potential improvements to circulation, connectivity, and parking are addressed in Chapter 4, section 7 of this Plan.

Public parking within downtown Point Arena is
typically at capacity
The Point Arena Independence Day Celebration
Parade (photo courtesy of www.cityofpointarena.com)
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Goal 6: Create New Open Space and Trails and Improve Access to Existing Open Space Point Arena is located in one of the most picturesque and beautiful locations along the California Coastline and is surrounded by windswept coastal bluffs and redwood forests. These landscape features are of great value to the local community, and the accessibility to these amenities is a priority for the community. New trails have recently been developed adjacent to the downtown area, and the City owns other easements and rights-of-way that have the potential to be developed as trails to provide a more cohesive trail network.

Point Arena has benefited from the creation of two public open spaces recently, the Community Garden and Centennial Plaza Memorial Garden. The City owns a large parcel of land surrounding the Fisherman’s playground, for which they developed a Park Master Plan in 2003. The City has begun implementing the Maser Plan with the current construction of Centennial Plaza Memorial Garden, which includes restrooms, a public plaza, and parking as called for in the Park Master Plan. The community is anxious for the development of more aspects of the Park Master Plan, especially a community skate park. Additionally, during the Design Roundtable a number of participants voiced their support for other open space and public amenities needed in Point Arena.

Chapter 5, of the Action Plan outlines recommended new trails, trail improvements, new open space recommendations, and connectivity and parking recommendations that suggest further refinement of the Parks Master Plan.

Current construction of the Centennial Plaza
Memorial Garden
Arena Cove is a destination for locals and visitors alike Informal trail from Port Road to downtown Point Arena
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Goal 7: Provide Emergency Access to Arena Cove
Arena Cove is home to a number of local businesses and is a working harbor where commercial and private fishing vessels unload their catch. Arena Cove also provides access to the ocean, which draws many tourists. The Cove is well used and loved by local residents, many of whom walk or ride their bikes daily to the Cove to gather, have a cup of coffee, or check in on the ocean and weather. Each September the Harbor and Seafood Festival is held at the Cove to raise money to keep the pier open to the public. This festival attracts locals and tourists and highlights the many delicacies harvested from the sea and the beautiful setting.

Arena Cove is located one mile west of downtown Point Arena and accessed by Port Road and Iverson Avenue. There is only one access road to the Cove and many Design Roundtable participants highlighted the need for an emergency evacuation route from the Cove in the event of a major flooding event or a tsunami. Additionally, participants suggested that an alternate connection to the Cove would be an amenity during large community gatherings at the pier such as the festival.

Recommendations for circulation improvements that would provide emergency access to the Cove are addressed in Chapter 4, Section 6 of the Action Plan.

Goal 8: Improve the Accessibility and Safety of the Downtown Area The layout of Main Street/Route 1 in downtown Point Arena predates the City’s incorporation in 1908. As a result, many of the streetscape features and infrastructure predate modern accessibility and safety standards. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards for accessible design Port Road is the only vehicular connection to
Arena Cove
The pier at Arena Cove
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require that sidewalks are smooth, continuous, and present no tripping hazards, and a minimum of 4 feet of unobstructed sidewalk (when there are unavoidable restrictions or barriers, clear width of travel may be reduced to 3 feet). In many instances in Point Arena the sidewalks are not ADA compliant. There are also numerous instances where the curbs are unusually high and make the downtown area inaccessible for people with disabilities.

Chapter 4 of the Action Plan outlines pedestrian facilities recommendations which will improve the pedestrian accessibility and safety of the downtown area.

Goal 9: Encourage Sustainable Development
The City of Point Arena General Plan and current zoning allows for a limited number of new housing units to be built within the City limits and states that growth should “occur within the annexed area and also as a result of City-inspired infilling within and adjoining downtown on undeveloped and under-developed existing lots.” 3 There is concern among the community about the availability and affordability of housing within Point Arena; and with the potential for new housing to not integrate with the existing housing in Point Arena.

A sustainable community is a community that provides for itself, by including multiple housing options to meet the needs of various household types and sizes and various levels of income. The Community Action Plan visualizes potential for housing development as allowed under the current zoning and General Plan. A conceptual graphic depicting potential sustainable development is included and discussed in Chapter 5 of this Plan.
3 City of Point Arena, Community Character Element, Point Arena General Plan, 2001. page 3.

High curbs in downtown Point Arena are difficult to navigate Vacant lots in downtown Point Arena
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Goal 10: Provide More Employment Opportunities
Point Arena has experienced slow growth over the last few decades. One of the reasons for the City’s lack of population growth is that there are limited employment opportunities, and as a result many people are forced to go elsewhere to seek employment.

Many of the existing employment opportunities are tourist based, which are important because they bring in outside dollars. However, during the Design Roundtable it was noted that some community members are concerned that too many tourism related services can make Point Arena vulnerable to tourism trends. Additionally, it was suggested that a sustainable City is one that meets its own service and retail needs, in addition to those of tourists, and that perhaps some local needs and services are not presently met.

A number of Design Roundtable participants shared their concern that without increasing the employment opportunities within the City, people would continue to leave and the City would continue to suffer from limited resource base that provide for municipal services and capital improvements. Chapter 5 includes a discussion of the potential to increase employment opportunities in Point Arena.

3. ACTION PLAN FRAMEWORK
Figure 3-1 is an illustrative plan showing the major opportunities and design concepts of the Action Plan. The individual aspects of the Framework are further discussed in Chapters 4 and 5.

COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 3. Community Vision 35
CITY OF POINT ARENAFigure 3-1. Action Plan Framework
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COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 4. Circulation 37

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CHAPTER 4: CIRCULATION
In September of 2008, the California Complete Streets Act of 2008 was signed into law. Complete streets are roads that are designed to accommodate all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, transit riders, and motorists. The legislation requires that cities and counties include complete streets policies as part of their General Plans so that roadways are designed to safely accommodate all users. The California Department of Transportation followed suit and issued a revised Deputy Directive titled Complete Streets – Integrating the Transportation System.

This Action Plan is an opportunity to lay out a framework for multimodal and streetscape improvements in Point Arena following complete street principles. The improvements presented in this Plan were chosen to recognize the goals identified previously in the Community Vision Chapter.

This chapter outlines the types of circulation, streetscape, and parking improvements that will promote a vibrant and attractive pedestrian environment while improving safety and connectivity throughout the City of Point Arena. The following sections describe the proposed improvements to the streets and roads, pedestrian facilities, bikeways, trails and emergency access routes, parking, as well as gateways and signage.

1. DOWNTOWN CIRCULATION
Main Street acts as the only north-south through street in downtown Point Arena. To improve circulation in the downtown area and create a pseudo-grid system providing opportunities for turning around, a set of minor side street improvements are recommended. These circulation improvements are illustrated in Figure 4-1. The recommended circulation improvements are coordinated with other parking and land use recommendations and will need to coordinate further design and implementation with other potential changes. ♦ Center Street. Center Street provides access to parking spaces and rear entrances to Main Street storefronts between Mill Street and the existing Starboard Way. A road continues north on private property to connect to the Pharmacy parking lot. The acquisition of land behind the Pharmacy will allow Center Street to be a public access, improved and maintained to provide minor access between Mill Street and Main Street. ♦ Starboard Way Extension. Starboard Way is a 10 foot public access way/fire lane, which exists on the north side of the General Store parcel between Center Street and Main Street.

The proposed Starboard Way Extension is a new one-way alley that could be extended from Center Street to a potential parking lot on the property located behind the existing multifamily housing. A second entrance and exit to the Starboard Way Extension from Mill Street could be provided at a narrow and currently undeveloped easement which is part of a larger undeveloped Parcel (APN 27-131-04).
“The Department views all
transportation improvements as
opportunities to improve safety,
access, and mobility for all
travelers in California and
recognizes bicycle, pedestrian,
and transit modes as integral
elements of the transportation
system.”
– Caltrans Deputy Directive 64 (revised)
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♦ Post Office Access Road. A new two-way road adjacent to the south side of the post office will provide access to the proposed parking lot at the park. The new roadway could provide a turn-around with an exit to Main Street at three potential locations, which will be further elaborated in Chapter 5. The first potential location for an exit from proposed parking lot is the existing pedestrian easement on the Feed Supply property. As a second option, the roadway could also be extended farther south to exit onto Main Street at the existing public parking lot adjacent to the theater. A third option would be to create a new road north of the proposed parking lot across the Redwood Credit Union Parcel and out the existing Credit Union driveway.
♦ New Streets. The opportunity exists for additional development east of Main Street between Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road and Mill Street. To accommodate new development, a new north-south roadway could be provided between Mill Street and Riverside/Eureka Hill Road.

A new north-south connection within the City would help relieve some of the existing circulation and turn around difficulties.

2. PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES
This section describes the proposed improvements to the width and alignment of pedestrian sidewalks, locations of pedestrian crossings, and conceptual locations for informational and direcFigure 4-1. Potential Circulation Improvements COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 4. Circulation 39

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tional signage for pedestrians. The proposed elements of the streetscape include the following tools that are meant to slow vehicle traffic and improve pedestrian safety at crosswalk locations:
♦ Bulbouts are extensions of the curb and sidewalk into the roadway that reduce the distance of roadway pedestrians must cross and improve the visibility of pedestrians to approaching vehicles. By reducing the width of the roadway, bulbouts often result in lower vehicle speeds. Although they may require the loss of some parking, they are typically located at a corner where no parking is allowed. Caltrans requires that a minimum of a four foot shoulder be required between any new bulbout and the edge of the travelled way. A Design Exception will be required from Caltrans for all cases where a bulbout reduces a shoulder width below the minimum standard.
♦ Bus Bulbs are specific forms of bulbouts that are designed to accommodate additional amenities for transit, such as bus shelters and bicycle racks. Bus bulbs eliminate the need for buses to pull out of the travel lane to pick up passengers. These types of bulbs typically replace on-street bus stops, so they do not result in a substantial loss in parking. ♦ Marked crosswalks are typically located at intersections and at key midblock desire lines. Desire lines are locations where pedestrians may wish to cross on a direct path between destinations. Placing marked (and in some cases enhanced) crosswalks at desire lines can improve connectivity and pedestrian safety. Crosswalks can be also be unmarked. According to the California Vehicle Code, legal crosswalks are present at intersections, whether marked or unmarked, unless otherwise prohibited.
♦ Refuge islands are physical elements located in the center of roadways that allow pedestrians to wait safely if an on-coming vehicle does not stop. Typically, these are used on multi-lane roadways, but they can also be relevant at locations with slower moving pedestrians. These islands can also result in slower vehicle speeds.

3. STREETS & ROADS
The street forms the primary circulation element in most cities and towns. A goal of this Action Plan is to enhance downtown Point Arena for all roadway users (pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles), while improving vehicular circulation on and adjacent to State Route 1/Main Street. This section describes the proposed roadway cross sections in Point Arena, as well as potential concepts for improvements to Main Street and adjacent and parallel roadways.

All recommendations for street and sidewalk improvements along State Route 1 will need to be further designed and coordinated with Caltrans. Any proposed design feature to the State Route is subject to Caltrans' Highway Design Manual, the California MUTCD, and State Standard Plans. Any deviation from the Highway Design Manual will require a Design Exception from Caltrans. Work done on the State Route by others will require an encroachment permit from the District 1 Permits Office.

Bulbout with high visibility crosswalk
Median with a pedestrian refuge island
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Main Street
A new design for the cross section of Main Street will allow for pedestrian and bicycle enhancements. The proposed cross section, shown in Figure 4-2, will provide an 8 foot parking lane, and 13-foot mixed vehicle-Class III bicycle route with sharrows in the southbound (downhill) direction.

Sharrows are pavement stencils that indicate to drivers the need to share the lane with bicyclists.

An 8-foot parking lane, 5-foot Class II bike lane, and 11-foot vehicle travel lane will be provided in the northbound (uphill) direction. The reduction of the travel lane to 11-feet will require a Design Exception from Caltrans because it is narrower than the 12-foot minimum. However the Caltrans document Main Streets: Flexibility in Design & Operations, supports the idea that “for highways that serve as main streets, particularly those that operate at lower speeds, lane widths narrower than the standard 12 feet may be appropriate1
.”
As a result of the varied right-of-way within the downtown area, this proposed configuration will be able to be implemented along Main Street from the intersection with Iversen Avenue in the south, to the intersection of Riverside Drive in the north. The proposed configuration will allow for the sidewalks to be widened 2 to 3 feet on the west side of the street, between the WestAmerica Bank Building and the new Centennial Park Plaza, and 2 to 3 feet on the east side of the street, between Mill Street and Fogeaters Market.

The proposed uphill bike lane will transition to a Class III shared lane at Riverside/Eureka Hill Road at the northern end and at Iversen Avenue at the southern end, where the roadway cross section width narrows. Additional details on the pedestrian and bicycle enhancements are discussed in subsequent sections.

1 Caltrans, Main Streets: Flexibility in Design & Operations, January 2005. page 8.

Figure 4-2. Proposed Main Street Cross Section (Looking North) COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 4. Circulation 41

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Main Street Improvements
Several improvements will be made to the pedestrian environment along Main Street between Iversen Avenue and School Street. The Project Team identified these improvements to enhance existing pedestrian facilities, improve crossings of Main Street, and enhance the pedestrian environment. In particular, these treatments are designed to indicate to drivers that they are in a downtown area with more pedestrian activity than is present on State Route 1 outside of Point Arena.
♦ Sidewalk Improvements. Existing sidewalks along Main Street will be widened 2 to 3 feet on the west side of the street between the WestAmerica Bank Building and the new Centennial Park Plaza, to approximately 10 feet wide. The existing sidewalks on the east side of the street will be widened 3-4 feet between Mill Street and the bus stop, to approximately 10 feet. At locations with bulbouts, the effective sidewalk width will be extended by 6 feet. Figure 4-2 illustrates that on the west side of the street the extended sidewalk can be utilized as a combination of a wider sidewalk that could accommodate benches, lighting and signage, or as a planting area that could accommodate landscaping.

On the east side of the street, the extended sidewalk is located adjacent to the areas that have extremely high curbs of approximately 18 inches or higher as illustrated in Figure 4-3.

Figure 4-4 and 4-5 illustrate how a new sidewalk extension will create a step-like transition from the roadway to the existing sidewalk, utilizing a normal 6-inch curb height. This curb extension will improve the accessibility of the sidewalk and provide area for new landscaping.

There is great potential to highlight the downtown’s existing historic charm with the design of the new sidewalk transition/curb/planting area. A railing would be required at the front of the existing sidewalk, and offers a great opportunity for the exhibition of local artistry and metal work skills.

Figure 4-3. Existing High Curbs on the East Side of
Main Street
Figure 4-5. Side (top) and Front (bottom) View of the Proposed Step-like Transition from the Street to the Existing Sidewalk Height Figure 4-4. Plan View of the Proposed Step-Like Transition 42 4. Circulation COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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♦ Main Street/Mill Street Intersection. The existing marked crosswalk across Main Street at Mill Street will be relocated to the south of Mill Street, as illustrated in Figure 4-6. By relocating the marked crosswalk, pedestrians will exit onto a sidewalk on the western side of the crosswalk, instead of a driveway as occurs today. The new marked crosswalk location also provides a more convenient crossing for the South Coast Senior Center. Bulbouts will be constructed on both the east and west sides of Main Street at the new crosswalk. The bulbout will extend into both Main Street and Mill Street on the southeastern corner of the intersection, providing traffic calming for both Main Street and Mill Street. ♦ Main Street/Port Road Intersection. A new marked crosswalk will be provided across Main Street at Port Road, as illustrated in Figure 4-7. Bulbouts will be constructed on either side of the new crossing, as well as on the northwestern corner of the intersection into Main Street to improve visibility from Port Road and calm traffic.

Figure 4-6. Streetscape Improvements Near the Intersection of Mill Street/Main Street Figure 4-7. Proposed Intersection Treatment at Main Street/Port Road COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 4. Circulation 43

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♦ Central Main Street. The existing mid-block crosswalk located at the old fire station will be removed, but two new marked crosswalks will be installed approximately 110 feet to the north and 120 feet to the south of the existing location, illustrated in Figure 4-8. The new marked crosswalk to the north will be located at the post office and include a bulbouts in front of the post office. The new marked crosswalk to the south will be located at the bus stop/Centennial Memorial Plaza facility and feature larger bulbouts (“bus bulbs”) that will accommodate the existing Mendocino Transit Authority buses. The bus bulb on the eastern side will provide extra space for the construction of ADA-compliant curb ramps where the grade currently limits access.

Figure 4-8. Proposed Pedestrian Improvements on Central Main Street 44 4. Circulation COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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♦ Main Street and Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road Intersection. A new marked crosswalk will also be constructed across Main Street at Riverside/Eureka Hill Road. The west side of the crosswalk will have a bulbouts, illustrated in Figure 4-9. The bulbout on the east side of Main Street will connect to existing and infill sidewalks along Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road.

Sidewalks on the east side of Main Street between Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road and Lake Street will be widened to make the sidewalk meet minimum ADA requirements. This widening will require reducing the roadway width. ♦ School Street/Lake Street. The proposed treatment at this intersection will realign the intersection so that Lake Street forms a T-intersection with School Street approximately 20 feet west of the current intersection, as illustrated in Figures 4-10 and 4-11. The right-of-way gained from relocating the Lake Street approach will be converted into a pedestrian plaza that forms the northern visual node at the north end of Main Street. Vehicles traveling north on Main Street will be required to make a sharp right turn onto Lake Street. The purpose of this improvement is to reduce vehicle speeds at the intersection, make a more clear indication that northbound through traffic on Route 1 must turn left onto School Street, and to improve pedestrian spaces at the intersection.

Figure 4-9. Proposed Pedestrian Improvements at the Main Street and Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road Intersection COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 4. Circulation 45

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Mill Street
Mill Street could be extended to the east and north to provide access to developable land, as discussed in subsequent sections. This proposed roadway extension falls within the Point Arena Mountain Beaver Buffer Area and would require an environmental survey, and if evidence of beavers is found within the area then additional project mitigation or the development of a habitat conservation plan shall be required. The potential extension of Mill Street is illustrated in Figure 4-12.

Figure 4-11. Proposed Intersection Re-Alignment
at School Street/Lake Street
Figure 4-10. Illustration of Existing (top) and Proposed (bottom) Intersection at Lake Street/ School Street
Figure 4-12. Potential Mill Street Roadway Extensions
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Mill Street’s existing street width will be maintained; however, the street should be re-graded at the Intersection with Center Street as suggested by the City’s engineer. Re-grading the Street will improve access to Center Street and also reduce the drastic curbs on the north side of the street.

Additionally, the sidewalks on the north side of the street should be improved to remove the high curb. Figure 4-13 illustrates the existing high curb conditions. Figures 4-14 – 4-16 illustrate three potential solutions to the high curb condition. Figure 4-14 illustrates Alternative A, which modifies the existing condition to put in a handrail on the edge of the curb to prevent people from falling off the high sidewalk. Figure 4-15 illustrates Alternative B, which modifies the curb by creating a retaining wall at the back of the walk and lowering the sidewalk and curb to a typical height of half a foot above the street. Figure 4-16 illustrates Alternative C, which modifies the existing curb by extending the curb four feet and creating a new stair/planting area. This is similar to the recommendation for the Main Street sidewalk illustrated in Figure 4-4.

Port Road
One possible solution to eliminate confusion because Port Road does not lead to the water is to rename Port Road. The cross section of the street will be designed as a bicycle boulevard between Main Street and Iversen Avenue to improve bicycle circulation. Bicycle boulevard design elements are discussed in subsequent sections. Minor improvements will be made to enhance the visual character of the barrier between Port Road and Iversen Avenue. Bicycle and pedestrians will still be permitted through this barrier.

Iversen Avenue
To help guide visitors to the Cove, it is recommended that Iversen Avenue be renamed to a name that includes the words Port or Cove to indicate that the roadway provides the most direct access between Main Street/Route 1 and the Point Arena Cove. Visibility was identified as a key issue at the intersection of Iversen Avenue and Main Street. As illustrated in Figure 4-14 bulbouts will be constructed on the northwest and southwest corners of the intersection. These bulbouts will allow the existing stop bar to be relocated closer to the intersection and improve visibility.

A new sidewalk will be constructed on the west side of Route 1, beginning at Iversen-Cove Avenue (Iversen Avenue) and continue south to the tileworks shop and proposed trails at the southern gateway of the City, as illustrated in Figure 4-17. To connect these shops with the downtown, a new crosswalk will be installed across Iversen Avenue. As noted above, a bulbout will be constructed on the northwestern corner of the Iversen Avenue/Main Street (Route 1) intersection to reduce crossing distances for pedestrians, improve site distance for drivers, and reduce vehicle turning speeds. A sidewalk will be provided on the west side of the street north of Iversen Avenue to connect to the existing sidewalk which ends in front of the Druids Hall. In coordination with the proposed bulbout and new sidewalk, a new retaining wall will need to be built along the southeast corner of the house located at this corner. This retaining wall has previously been identified by the City engineer as a method to increase visibility at this intersection.

Figure 4-13. Existing Sidewalk Conditions on the
East Side of Mill Street
Figure 4-14. Mill Street Sidewalk Improvement:

Alternative A
Figure 4-15. Mill Street Sidewalk Improvement:

Alternative B
Figure 4-16. Mill Street Sidewalk Improvement:

Alternative C
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Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road
To improve access to the Manchester-Point Arena Rancheria and potential future development on the eastern edge of the City, as well as provide a gateway treatment on the eastern approach to the City, a single-lane roundabout is proposed for this intersection, as shown conceptually in Figure 4-18. If a roundabout is not considered feasible at this intersection, the Project Team identified that realigning the intersection so that Windy Hollow Road meets Riverside/Eureka Hill Road at a 90-degree angle may be feasible. Figure 4-19 shows the alternative design for the T intersection.

Figure 4-17 Proposed Pedestrian Improvements at the Intersection of Route 1 and Iversen Avenue Figure 4-18 Roundabout Improvement at Windy Hollow Road/ Riverside Drive /Eureka Hill Road Intersection
Existing roundabout (Hopland, CA)
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School Street
The existing cross section of School Street will remain as it exists; however, up to two new median islands will be installed as traffic calming devices. One median will be installed at the proposed Harper’s Cut-Off Trail/School Trail crossing, as shown in Figure 4-20. This median will serve as a pedestrian refuge island for a new crosswalk installed in the same location. The second median island will be installed at the School Street/Lake Street intersection near the High School, as shown in Figure 4-22. Both medians will be 6-feet wide. The pedestrian safety benefits of these medians are described in subsequent sections. A new sidewalk will also be added on the south side of the street between Harper’s cut-off and Main Street, this sidewalk will be discussed in subsequent sections.

Figure 4-19 Basic Recommendation at Windy Hollow Road/Riverside Drive /Eureka Hill Road Intersection Figure 4-20. Proposed Crosswalk at Harper’s Trail Head
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The following improvements along School Street (Route 1) are designed to improve pedestrian circulation across the roadway and to transition drivers from high vehicle speeds north of the City to slower speeds and an increased number of pedestrians along Main Street:
♦ Harper’s Cut Off. A new crosswalk will be installed across School Street to connect the proposed Harper’s Cut-off Trail to the proposed School Access Trail. It will also serve a proposed parking lot to be located at the Harper’s Trail trailhead (serving the trail, nearby churches, and the port overflow parking). The crosswalk will have a 6-foot-wide pedestrian refuge island in the center of School Street to improve pedestrian safety at the crossing and reduce oncoming vehicle speeds. ♦ School Street Sidewalk. A new sidewalk will be constructed along the south side of School Street between Harper’s Cut-off Trail trailhead and Lake Street. The sidewalk will improve pedestrian circulation from the trailhead to downtown. It will also replace the existing informal on-street parking spaces on the west side of School Street with an off-street parking lot. ♦ School Street/Lake Street Intersection. The Project Team identified significant improvements at the intersection of Lake Street and Route 1 to calm traffic, improve pedestrian safety, and enhance the visual identity of the City. Two design treatments were developed for this intersection. The preferred design option for the intersection is the Roundabout Option; however, Caltrans staff and community members expressed concern about the feasibility of implementation given the significant cost. The alternative treatment is a design that can be implemented in the short-term to improve pedestrian facilities and provide some traffic benefits similar to the roundabout option.

Roundabout Option - A single lane roundabout will reduce driver delay on the east and west approaches of the intersection, reduce vehicle speeds of Route 1 through traffic, provide a gateway feature at the northern entrance to the City, improve pedestrian visibility at the interFigure 4-21. Proposed Roundabout at Lake Street/Highway 1 Existing roundabout (Walnut Creek, CA)
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section, and create a location for vehicles passing through the City to turn around and return to Main Street. Figure 4-21 shows a conceptual diagram of a single-lane roundabout at the intersection. Further study would need to be conducted to determine the design of the roundabout. Access to the Pirate’s Cove Restaurant would need to be reconfigured to implement the roundabout at this location, and the City would need to work with adjacent property owners. A further discussion in Chapter 6: Utilities Review will outline the potential right-of-way requirements that would be necessary to implement to proposed roundabouts.

Near Term Alternative Option – For this option, illustrated in Figure 4-22, the four corners of the intersection will be reconstructed to provide sidewalk access to existing and proposed crosswalks and to reduce turning radii to the minimum possible and still maintain emergency and bus access to Lake Street. A new 6-foot pedestrian refuge island will be constructed on the northern leg of the intersection to act as both a pedestrian safety treatment and a traffic calming device. A new sidewalk will be constructed on the northwestern corner of the intersection to create access to the existing restaurant on the corner, and continue along Route 1 to the City Hall/VFW. Pedestrian push button-actuated overhead flashing beacons will be provided at the crosswalk and on the northbound approach to the crosswalk to slow traffic.

Manchester-Point Arena Rancheria Access
The Manchester-Point Arena Rancheria is comprised of two parcels to the northeast of Point Arena.

The Rancheria is divided by the Garcia River, which runs through the southern end of the northern parcel. There are 24 homes on the northern parcel. The southern parcel has 46 homes, a community center, tribal offices, and a health clinic.

The northern parcel is served by Rancheria Road, a county road which connects to Mountain View Road and then to Route 1. The southern parcel is served by Windy Hollow Road, which connects to Route 1 via Riverside/Eureka Hill Road. Several years ago, a bridge across the Garcia River was removed, eliminating any access between the two portions of the Rancheria via Windy Hollow Road.

A new bridge across the Garcia River on Windy Hollow Road was identified as a primary need for the Rancheria in the Redwood Coast’s Community Based Transportation Plan, Moving Toward Action, September 2004. The southern parcel of the Rancheria contains the majority of services, such as the health clinic. In order to access these services, residents north of the river must leave the Rancheria, drive several miles south to Point Arena, and re-enter the Rancheria from the south on Windy Hollow Road. A bridge over the river will connect the two sections of the tribe and provide access to services south of the river on the Rancheria and in Point Arena. A new bridge over the Garcia River will also provide for emergency access when flooding closes Route 1.

Tribal leaders, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and local residents support construction of a bridge across the Garcia River. In June 2005, the Manchester Point Arena Band of Pomo Indians was awarded an Environmental Justice Program planning grant to study the feasibility of constructing the needed bridge.

Figure 4-22. Near Term Improvements to Lake
Street/Highway 1 Intersection
Site of bridge removal on Windy Hollow Road
(source: maps.google.com)
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4. CITYWIDE PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS
In addition to the area-specific improvements identified above, this Plan includes recommendations to enhance the pedestrian environment and accommodate pedestrians whenever feasible.

The placement, landscaping, irrigation, and maintenance of any streetscape amenities along State Route 1/Main Street will require coordination and agreements between Caltrans and the City of Point Arena. Recommendations include:
♦ Sidewalk Repair and Infill Missing Sidewalks. The existing sidewalks need to be repaired or replaced so that they offer a smooth ADA-compliant walking surface. New sidewalks should be provided along streets where sidewalks are missing and/or desired and feasible.

The following segments were identified to have inconsistent or missing sidewalks:
y Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road between Main Street and Windy Hollow Road y Lake Street between Scott Place and the Elementary School (east side); between the Elementary School and the High School (north side); and between the High School and approaching School Street (south side) y School Street between Lake Street and Main Street (west side) y Main Street south of Iversen Avenue
y Iversen Avenue
y Port Road (sections of the south side)
y Mill Street (sections of the south side)
♦ Provide ADA-compliant Curb Ramps and Devices. New ADA-compliant curb ramps should be provided when a sidewalk or intersection is reconstructed. This enhancement is needed citywide. Any new pedestrian activated devices should meet ADA requirements for placement. Accessible parking spaces should be provided with new off-street parking lots. ♦ Pedestrian Warning Signage. Pedestrian warning signage is signage for motorists to warn them of the potential presence of pedestrians. The pedestrian warning signage recommended for Point Arena are simple plastic signs that are placed on the centerline of the street in advance of a crosswalk, in both directions, as illustrated in the adjacent photo. Caltrans has approved the use of these signs at three locations along State Route 1: in advance of the proposed crosswalk at the School Street/Main Street/Route 1 intersection, in advance of the proposed crosswalk in front of the post office, and in advance of the proposed crosswalk at the bus stops on central Main Street. Caltrans will provide only the sign panels, but not the base/stand, which the City of Point Arena would need to purchase and maintain. ♦ Pedestrian-Scaled Lighting. The Action Plan incorporates pedestrian lighting as a way to improve the visibility and safety for pedestrians throughout the Plan Area. Pedestrian lighting is oriented to provide light within the pedestrian realm and is typically smaller in scale than street lighting, approximately 10-14 feet in height. The drawings in the previous Main Street Improvement section identify the potential locations of pedestrian lights throughout the downtown. The pedestrian scaled lights have been strategically located to coordinate with the existing and proposed locations of trees, existing cobra head style street lights, and areas of high pedestrian activity. Pedestrian lights are also limited to areas where their placement still allows for the ADA accepted minimum of 4 feet of unobstructed sidewalk. Caltrans requires that pedestrian scaled lighting is located beyond the minimum horizontal clearance Pedestrian signage in advance of a crosswalk
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distances as specified in the Highway Design Manual. The proposed pedestrian-scaled lighting improvements would need to be funded and maintained by the City, as Caltrans does not fund, design, construct, maintain or participate in utility cost-sharing for continuous street lighting.

The addition of pedestrian lights would require extending or providing the appropriate electrical requirements to the lights, which also has the potential to influence the placement of the lighting depending upon the existing infrastructure. Chapter 6, Utilities Review, outlines preliminary analysis of the potential to implement new pedestrian lights within the existing electrical infrastructure.

The style of the pedestrian scaled lights should be chosen to complement Point Arena’s character and to coordinate with other potential street furniture. The pedestrian lights should be similar to the examples shown in that the light they cast is focused down towards the sidewalk, and avoids overspill of light that would contribute negatively to being able to observe the night sky.

Pedestrian-scaled lighting requires electricity connections, and decisions about the types of lights should be based upon sustainability. Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting should be considered for pedestrian lighting because they require low energy consumption and little maintenance. LED lighting has high initial costs, but are longer lasting, and thus are a cost effective option. Other sustainable pedestrian lighting options include new solar- and windpowered lights, which generate enough power to run the lights. Although, Solar- and windpowered lights are more expensive per light, they can save money in installation because they do not require connecting to underground wiring and conduit wires, as traditional lights do.
♦ Street Trees and Landscaping. Street trees and landscaping contribute to the safety and beauty of the pedestrian realm and improve the environmental quality of a community.

Street trees improve safety by defining the edge of the road, which helps drivers to guide their movements and assess their speed, resulting in speed reduction. Additionally, street trees act as a buffer between pedestrians and vehicles and improve the pedestrian environment by providing shade and contributing to lower summer temperatures. Trees also improve the health of the environment by filtering pollutants from the air, reducing green house gases and absorbing precipitation, which would otherwise become stormwater run-off.

Street trees have been included in approximately twelve locations in the downtown Streetscape Plan. New street trees have been located strategically to coordinate with the proposed bulbouts/curb extensions. The trees will work in conjunction with the bulbouts to make Main Street feel narrower at these specific locations, which will force drivers to slow down. Caltrans requires that trees are planted a minimum of 18 inches from the face of the curb. Figure 4-23 illustrates the proposed street section in front of the post office, the location of a new pedestrian crosswalk and two new bulbouts that contain new street trees.

During the stakeholder interviews a number of downtown merchants suggested including areas for more landscaping as a method for beautifying downtown. Merchants suggested planters in which they could coordinate annual plantings to provide color and create eyecatching displays. The widening of the sidewalks in specific locations along Main Street will Wind- and solar-powered street lights. Photo courtesy of Lumi-Solair www.lumisolair.com.

Pedestrian scaled lighting.

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provide space for additional landscaping. New landscaping could be facilitated by providing cuts in the concrete or landscaping wells, which would allow for plantings within the sidewalk. As another alternative, the widened sidewalk could provide space for new landscaped containers or raised planters that could be planted with annual or perennial plants. These landscaped areas would need regular maintenance either provided by the City or adjacent business owners.
♦ Street Furniture. The Action Plan includes the addition of new street furniture in locations where appropriate to enhance the pedestrian environment. The street furniture includes new bicycle racks, trash cans, and benches. Street furniture would help to improve the aesthetics and cleanliness of the pedestrian environment, and also enliven the pedestrian realm by encouraging pedestrian use and activity. The Plan calls out the location of street furniture, however exact placement and the appropriateness for inclusion in the streetscape should be determined during further design development and in coordination with business owners. ADA requirements necessitate that when street furniture is placed along the sidewalk a minimum width of 4-feet of unobstructed sidewalk must be provided for access. Additionally, Caltrans requires that all street furniture is located beyond the minimum horizontal clearance distances as specified in the Highway Design Manual. As illustrated in Figure 4-24 the widened sidewalk areas make a good location for new street furniture.

Preliminarily, new bike racks are located near the southbound bus stop, in the new northbound bus bulbout in front of the library, in the bulbout in front of the post office, and in the bulbout in front of Arena Market and Café. The Plan also includes two new benches, which are located adjacent to the bus stops, in the new bus bulbout on the east side of the street, and in the widened sidewalk on the west side of the street. Since there are a number of existing trash cans in downtown, only one new trash can is recommended adjacent to the new bench at the bus stop on the west side of the street.

Figure 4-23. New Street Trees Planted in the Bulbouts in front of the Post Office Figure 4-24. New Street Furniture and Landscaping
Located in the Widened Sidewalk
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5. BIKEWAYS
This section describes the proposed improvements to the Citywide and Regional Bikeway network.

Bicycle facilities discussed in this section can be classified into several types, including:
♦ Class I Paths – These facilities are located off-street and can serve both bicyclists and pedestrians. Class I paths are typically 8 to 12 feet wide excluding shoulders and are generally paved.
♦ Class II Bicycle Lanes – These facilities provide a dedicated area for bicyclists within the paved street width through the use of striping and appropriate signage. These facilities are typically 5 to 6 feet wide.
♦ Class III Bicycle Routes – These facilities are found along streets that do not provide sufficient width for dedicated bicycle lanes and are also provided on low-volume streets that have no bicycle lanes. The street is designated as a bicycle route through the use of signage informing drivers to share the roadway with bicyclists. Class III routes may have “sharrows,” pavement stencils which indicate to drivers the need to share the lane with bicyclists.

Main Street Bike Facilities
Main Street is currently a segment of the Pacific Coast Bike Route, a mostly Class III signed bike route that runs along Route 1 in California. As part of the streetscape plan for Main Street, the City will stripe a 5-foot dedicated northbound Class II Bike Lane and a southbound Class III Shared Lane (with sharrows) along Main Street between Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road and Iversen Avenue.

A northbound bike lane will improve the safety for bicyclists who may be uncomfortable traveling uphill mixed with vehicular traffic. North of Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road, bicyclists will merge with vehicle traffic because of limited right-of-way and a flatter topography.

A southbound Class III bike route with signs and sharrows will indicate to drivers that bicyclists may be present. Figure 4-25 illustrates a typical sharrow. A bike lane was not recommended on this segment because of limited right-of-way. Bicyclists traveling downhill will typically be traveling at faster speeds that are more consistent with vehicles speeds along Main Street; therefore, vehicles will have less need to pass bicyclists. The location of the sharrow stencil will encourage bicyclists to ride outside the “door zone” in the downtown area.

Riverside Drive/ Eureka Hill Road to Windy Hollow Road
Class II bike lanes will be constructed along Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road between Main Street and Windy Hollow Road. Class II bike lanes will also be constructed along Windy Hollow Road between Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road and the Manchester-Point Arena Rancheria on Windy Hollow Road. These new lanes will connect with the facilities proposed on Main Street and provide continuous bicycle facilities between the Manchester-Point Arena Rancheria and downtown.

Figure 4-25. Sample Shared Lane with Sharrow
(graphic courtesy of Seattle
Department of Transportation)
Class III bicycle route
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Windy Hollow Road connects with Route 1 north of Point Arena and could provide an alternative bicycle route (with bike lanes) for cyclists if a bridge is constructed over the Garcia River, as described above.

Iversen Avenue
Class II bike lanes will be constructed along Iversen Avenue between Main Street and Port Road in order to connect with the existing Class II bike lanes on Port Road.

Port Road
To improve bicycle circulation, Port Road will be designed as a bike boulevard between Main Street and Iversen Road. A bicycle boulevard is a design concept that prioritizes bicycle circulation over vehicle circulation; however, the design will still permit existing vehicle access to homes and businesses along the roadway. Typically, a bike boulevard design will include new signage and pavement legends, such as oversized sharrows, as well as traffic calming.

South of the Intersection with Iversen Avenue, Port Road currently has designated Class II bike lanes, although the facilities are not constructed to current recommended practice. The City has indicated that it wishes to maintain these facilities; however, it does not have plans to increase right-of-way along Port Road to widen the bike lanes to the recommended 5-feet width.

6. ENHANCED TRAILS AND ACCESS ROUTES
There are a number of existing formal and informal trails within Point Arena, which are used by the community as connections and recreation. Trails and access routes promote healthy lifestyles by encouraging people to walk, rather than drive, and offering opportunities to get outside to enjoy the environment. The existence of trails also helps to promote tourism by providing recreational opportunities to tourists who are attracted to the outdoors.

Point Arena is unique because of the great amount of support the community has given to the development of new trails. The City of Point Arena’s small size and existing trail right-of-ways make trail improvements an important and effective means to improve circulation throughout the City and provide more recreational opportunities. The following trail and access route enhancements are proposed and illustrated in Figure 4-26.

Harper’s Cut-Off Trail
Harper’s Cut-Off Trail is an existing pedestrian trail right-of-way between School Street and Port Road. The trail will be widened and improved to create a mixed-use trail that will provide sufficient width (20 feet) and conditions for north-south emergency access, illustrated in Figure 4-27.

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The trail will be a 12-foot asphalt path that will be able to accommodate cars and bicycles, with an adjacent 8-foot decomposed granite walking/jogging path. The trailhead (located on School Street approximately 500 feet west of Main Street) will be enhanced with new signage, a marked crosswalk with a median refuge island, and small parking lot, as discussed above.

Devil’s Cut-Off Trail
Devil’s Cut-Off Trail is an existing informal trail between Lake Street and Port Road. The existing right-of-way will be improved to provide formal pedestrian access.

School Trail
Right-of-way easements will be obtained for a new multi-use trail between Lake Street and School Street. The new trail will provide additional access for students through property across from Harper’s Cut-Off Trail. A new mid-block crosswalk and pedestrian island will be constructed across School Street where the Harper’s Cut-Off Trail and School Trail meet.

Park-to-Port Trail
Several informal trails currently exist between the park located behind the post office and homes along Arena Avenue (Port Road). These trails will be maintained and improved to provide formal pedestrian and bicycle access between these two areas.

Figure 4-26. Proposed Trail and Access Route Improvements Figure 4-27. Harpers Cut-Off Trail
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Coastal Access Trail Plans
The Moat Creek to Arena Cove Trail Feasibility Study is currently being prepared for the Moat Creek Managing Agency (MCMA) by Louisa K. Morris, a Conservation and Trails Consultant. The study focuses on the area between Arena Cove and Moat Creek, and the MCMA would like to develop a year-round, low impact, blufftop trail from Moat Creek north to Arena Cove. The objectives of the study, which is funded by a grant from the State Coastal Conservancy, are to:
♦ clarify property ownerships along potential trail alignments, ♦ solicit donations of public access trail easements,
♦ survey the physical, biological, geological, social and historical context of potential trail alignments, ♦ gather public input regarding potential trail development and alignment, ♦ determine the best alignment for the trail from Moat Creek to Point Arena Cove, ♦ anticipate maintenance requirements for the new trail.

The study is working to develop three potential trail alignments; a northern Bluff Top Trail Loop in the Bluff Top Road area, a coastal trail potentially between southern Bluff Top Road parcels and parcels north of Moat Creek Road, and a southern Coastal Trail Loop just north of Moat Creek Beach. The specific trail alignments have not yet been determined, as the study is not yet complete.

In addition to these trails already being studied, the Beaver Habitat/Coastal Trail, Hilltop Trail, and Creek Trail will be pursued to provide formal pedestrian access to additional important community destinations. The alignment of these trails will need to consider existing property owners and environmentally sensitive habitat.

Inland Trails
As the areas east of the City are developed new trails should be created to connect any new development to the downtown, and to provide access to the beautiful forests and grasslands to the east of town. The location for Inland Trails are not specified because they will need to be identified based upon easement availability, potential development and destinations. It is recommended that a study, similar to the Moat Creek to Arena Cove Trail Feasibility Study be performed to identify potential locations and destinations for Inland Trails.

7. PARKING CONCEPTS
This section describes parking strategies to increase parking capacity in the downtown. The location of potential new off-street parking areas is shown on Figure 4-28. The parking plan identifies spaces within downtown that could be developed for off-street parking. One of the goals for the Plan, identified by downtown business owners, is to free up more on-street parking along Main Street. The creation of off-street parking will provide an area other than Main Street for downtown employees to park. Additionally, in conjunction with the circulation improvements and proper signage, the off-street parking will encourage visitors to stop and enjoy Point Arena. 58 4. Circulation COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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Some proposed parking areas are conceptually illustrated. The development of all proposed parking lots will require close review and further design development. All parking areas are recommended for public use. All parking areas should be designed to include clearly marked pedestrian paths, lighting and landscaping. All new parking areas should be designed to handle all stormwater on site, through the use of swales and landscaping. Any parking that is adjacent to residential areas should include fences or landscaping to buffer the view of the parking. When deciding to develop new parking areas, the city should consider the potential to provide Electric Vehicle Charging stations. Further analysis will be needed to determine the number and recommended locations of potential charging stations.

East of Main Street Parking Lots
The following areas were identified as potential locations for new public parking lots and illustrated in Figure 4-29:
♦ Behind the Point Arena Medical Center. The reorganization and formalization of a parking area behind the Point Arena Medical Center will create approximately five (5) new parking spaces. The parking area is designed to continue to allow access to the garage located at the back of the adjacent parcel. This parking area would be accessed from Center Street.

Figure 4-28. Potential Parking Areas
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♦ APN 27-122-15. This property is located behind the existing multi-family apartments located on Center Street behind the Medical center, and illustrated in Figure 4-29. The owner of this property has suggested its potential use as a parking area for downtown. The parcel could be redeveloped and used as a new parking lot with access from Center Street. Depending on the final design, this parking area could accommodate approximately 31 parking spaces.

The creation of this parking lot would entail a significant amount or grading to create a flat parking area and significant removal of existing vegetation. ♦ Behind the Lions Hall. A reorganized small area behind the Lions Hall on Mill Street will permit an additional two (2) off-street parking spaces near the medical center.

West of Main Street Parking Lot
The following areas, also identified in Figure 4-25 were identified as potential locations for new public parking lots:
♦ Trail Head Parking Lot on School Street. A parking lot is proposed at the new Harper’s Cut-Off trailhead. This parking area will be accessible via a new sidewalk along the south side of School Street and a new crosswalk across School Street at the trailhead. The parking area will have approximately eight (8) new off-street parking spaces and replace the informal parking areas now used on the south side of School Street.

Figure 4-29. Potential Parking Improvements East of Downtown 60 4. Circulation COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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♦ Parcel APN 27-121-39. This large parcel, which is located on the south side of Port Road in the center of the block, is undeveloped except for a large shed. This parcel is currently used as parking during high capacity events such as the Forth of July Parade or the Harbor and Seafood Festival. The City could either acquire or develop a lease agreement or reciprocal parking agreement, to use this property as an overflow parking area during high capacity events, or develop it as a typical parking lot for daily use. ♦ Behind the Post Office. A parking lot is proposed adjacent to the community park behind the post office, as illustrated in Figure 4-30. This parking area will be accessible via the existing post office driveway and the proposed turn-around road discussed further in Chapter 5 with access from either the parking adjacent to the theater, the Feed Supply lot, or the Redwood Credit Union. The area behind the post office could accommodate approximately 30 new off-street parking spaces.

8. GATEWAY & SIGNAGE
Physical signs or elements announcing the arrival into Point Arena will help to calm traffic through town and help to attract visitors. Figure 4-31 illustrates the locations for potential gateway, and signage improvements.

Figure 4-30. Proposed Parking Area behind Post
Office
Figure 4-31. Location of Potential Gateway and Signage Improvements COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 4. Circulation 61

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Gateways
Presently Point Arena has some gateway signage on the north and south entries to town; however, during the Design Roundtable the community expressed concern that these gateways are not successful. The signs say “Welcome to Point Arena” next to a colorful and attractive rendering of Arena Cove. Unfortunately, the signs get lost within the surrounding vegetation because they are uniquely shaped cutouts which do not stand out from the vegetation behind and the signs are held up with two wooden posts, which are similar in form and texture to the surrounding trees.

Caltrans design standards require that gateway monuments must observe a minimum setback of 35 feet from the edge of traveled way, or be located a minimum six feet upslope from the traveled way. The location of the existing gateways likely meets this Caltrans standard, which unfortunately contributes to their lack of visibility. A design exception would be needed to allow the gateways to be located closer to State Route 1; and the decision should consider the surrounding context of the roadway within Point Arena to an environment where buildings are within 10-feet of the traveled way.

Three gateway locations were identified during the planning process, these locations include:
♦ Northern Location: North of VFW/City Hall. There is an existing “Welcome to Point Arena” located on the VFW/City Hall parcel. Similar to the other existing sign, this sign is situated away from the road and blends into the background vegetation. Relocating the sign to the northern portion of this parcel and directly adjacent to State Route 1 will improve the visibility. ♦ Eastern Location: East of the Hay Industrial Park. This is a new location proposed for a new gateway. The specific location is to be determined, but it would likely at the top of the hill on Eureka Hill Road east of Windy Hollow Road.
♦ Southern Location: South of Arena Creek. Presently the existing “Welcome to Point Arena” signage is located between the Point Arena Tileworks shop and Lisa’s Luscious Kitchen at the southern end of town. The sign is hidden within the existing vegetation. It is recommended that the signage be improved and relocated further south on Route 1 to a location before the Tileworks shop and at the bottom of the hill coming off the bluff into town.

These gateways are envisioned to be signs marking entry into the town similar to the example above, accompanied by rumble strips and speed feedback meters at the outermost limits of Point Arena. The aim of these elements is to work together to accomplish the goals of a successful gateway – to be informational, alerting drivers that they are entering town, but also to function as a natural safety feature that will cause drivers to slow and pay closer attention to their surroundings as they enter town. The gateways also have the potential to be opportunities for the City of Point Arena to showcase its City’s character by creating artistic and creative introduction gateways that represent the town character. Figure 4-32 illustrates an example of how relocating and updating existing signage could have a more dramatic effect.

Existing signage adjacent to the VFW/City
Hall, northern end of town
Potential eastern location for the proposed
gateway
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Caltrans Signage
There currently is typical Caltrans signage at the north and south entrance that states the name and population of the town. Community members are unhappy that the sign says “Pt. Arena” instead of Point Arena, and would like the signs to be replaced. Caltrans suggests that the new signage be created after the US Census 2010 numbers are released so that the population number can be updated at the same time. The City of Point Arena should continue this discussion with Caltrans to ensure that the proper City name is placed on the sign in the future.

Roundabouts
Two potential intermediary gateway elements are the roundabouts that were discussed previously.

The first roundabout will be located at the intersection of School and Lake Streets and the second will be at the intersection of Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road and Windy Hollow Road. These are preliminary ideas and will require a much more in-depth study to determine the feasibility of implementing roundabouts at these locations.

Figure 4-32. Existing (top) and Proposed (bottom) Gateway Improvements at the Southern Entrance to Point Arena COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 4. Circulation 63

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The roundabouts would provide additional opportunities for the City of Point Arena to showcase its unique character. The roundabouts can contain landscaping and additional artistic signage that will be viewed by drivers entering and exiting the town.

Wayfinding Signage
A system of wayfinding signage should be implemented to direct visitors to the main attractions in town. This signage could be either formal standard wayfinding signage or more informal and created by the community themselves. The one important point is that this signage should be clear and easy to understand and use. Signage should be created for the pedestrian and the auto.

Important pedestrian wayfinding signage would direct pedestrians to the public restrooms, trails, library, etc. Important automobile wayfinding signage would direct drivers to turn-a-round opportunities, public parking areas, the Arena Cove, etc.

Historic Character Signage
Banners created for the Point Arena’s Centennial Celebration are currently displayed in various commercial venues. These banners could be duplicated as street light banners. Additionally, historical character signage similar to the one show at the left could boost Point Arena’s historic district and building classifications and promote the City’s heritage for tourism.

Community Kiosk
A community kiosk is envisioned for somewhere in the center of town such as the new Centennial Plaza Memorial Garden, which is adjacent to the bus stop and new public restrooms. The kiosk will be a physical structure for people to post public messages and share information. The kiosk could be designed to be as simple as a blank sign board, or something slightly more elaborate that could house informational brochures or maps of the area and businesses for visitors. The design of the kiosk is an opportunity for the City of Point Arena to showcase its unique character.

Communication Improvements
Community members requested access to a payphone and emergency telephones within Point Arena. Emergency Phones could be located at Arena Cove, the Pubic Restroom, and at the VFW/City Hall. The City of Point Arena should partner with the local police agencies to provide the emergency phone amenity to increase the safety of the citizens of Point Arena.

A payphone could be located in conjunction with the recommended community kiosk located in or near the Centennial Plaza Memorial Garden. A payphone would benefit both local community members and tourists who are visiting the City and would like to make arrangement based upon the information posted at the Community Kiosk. The City of Point Arena will need to partner with the telephone or internet service providers to implement a new payphone in Point Arena.

An example of potential community
wayfinding signage
Historic signage can illustrate the histroical
heritage of Point Arena.
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CHAPTER 5: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

1. HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
The Community Action Plan provides principles for ensuring that any development in Point Arena will be appropriate and sustainable. These principles were developed from the community vision and build on land use policies in the Point Arena General Plan. Figure 5-1 represents a potential development scenario based upon principles outlined in this chapter.

The conceptual scenario shown in these diagrams illustrate development that will be appropriate to the character of Point Arena and respect views and environmental considerations. It will also help existing local businesses thrive by providing more housing opportunities for employees and creating more local customers. The development shown is approximately 124 new units of different types, sizes, and configurations of housing.

Figure 5-1. Potential Development Scenario for Point Arena 66 5. Sustainable Development COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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Principles for Sustainable Development:
♦ Encourage Walking and Biking. The simplest way to encourage biking and walking is to locate new development in close proximity to existing development, amenities, and destinations. A walkable area is typically defined as an area within a half-mile radius, or a 10-minute walk. Figure 5-2 depicts a quarter-mile and a half-mile radius centered on the post office in downtown Point Arena, and illustrates that the majority of the existing housing in Point Arena is within a 10-minute walk of downtown. Figure 5-2 also illustrates the potential for new development on vacant parcels within a 5- to 10-minute walk to downtown. Focusing new development on parcels that are within a short walk to downtown will encourage residents to walk or bike to local destinations, rather than drive.

Figure 5-2 represents new development organized along new public roads that mimic the existing roadway network. The new roads make improvements to the existing circulation of the City by creating new connections between the existing roadways or pathways. Direct connections, including trails and pathways, are important to encouraging walking and biking because they shorten the distance between destinations.

Figure 5-2. New Development within a Quarter and Half Mile Radius from Downtown Point Arena COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 5. Sustainable Development 67

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♦ Use Fewer Resources. Infill development is new development built on underutilized parcels within an existing built-up neighborhood. Infill development facilitates growth, while conserving ecological resources by preventing the conversion of natural and agricultural lands into new housing. Promoting infill development within Point Arena will maximize the amount of housing built within or adjacent to existing housing.

Infill housing and the clustering of new development, as illustrated in Figure 5-2, are also methods to limit the consumption of infrastructure resources, such as plotting and paving new roads and sidewalks, construction and extension of sewer and storm drain utilities, and maintenance of City infrastructure.

The rehabilitation of existing structures is also a sustainable method for conserving resources.

The rehabilitation of an existing structure reduces waste produced by tearing down existing structures, limits the amount of new resources needed, and energy required to produce and transport new materials. The rehabilitation of existing structures will also help to retain the existing building character of Point Arena.
♦ Enable Affordable Housing. Affordable housing is rental or purchased housing which is achievable for people who make a median household income. The affordability of housing is influenced by supply and demand of available housing. Supplying more housing, and a variety of different housing types to meet the needs of varied household sizes, is one step to creating affordable housing in Point Arena.

Figure 5-3 depicts the potential for new housing development that incorporates differing types of housing, including multi-family housing, co-housing, and single family housing.

Multi-family housing and co-housing are typically less expensive and more flexible than sinFigure 5-3. Potential for a Variety of Housing Types in Point Arena 68 5. Sustainable Development COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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gle-family housing. Co-housing is community housing that is designed as attached or singlefamily homes that are clustered around a shared common house and/or open space. Cohousing development is economically and ecologically beneficial, as it allows residents to share resources, space, and non-household items. Co-housing also creates strong communities, in that the sharing of common spaces encourages community activities and interactions. ♦ Accommodate all Ages. As the baby boomers age, the demographic make-up of the country will change. Older individuals have different physical and social needs and it is important for cities to plan to meet these changing needs. As they age, many seniors have limited mobility and may require varying degrees of assistance for daily activities. Additionally, many seniors have limited incomes and face housing insecurity because of the limited availability of affordable senior housing.

Figure 5-3 depicts senior housing sited in a strategic location, which is large enough to house a senior housing complex, but close enough to downtown for ambulatory adults to walk to downtown. Given the potential spectrum of need for care, this senior housing should include a variety of living options ranging from assisted living to long-term care in order to accommodate the south coast senior population. Additionally, the housing should be designed to meet the universal design needs of the senior population. ♦ Respect Environmental Constraints. The conceptual layout of new housing illustrated in Figure 5-4 was planned in response to the City of Point Arena’s General Plan guidelines developed to protect the City’s unique environmental setting. The guidelines prevent new development from interfering in creek habitats and from disturbing the existing view corridors, Figure 5-4. New Development and Environmental Constraints COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 5. Sustainable Development 69

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which influences where new development can be located. As a result, the majority of the new development is located away from existing view sheds and beyond the buffer of the creek. The conceptual layout proposes to work with the existing topography to prevent new housing from blocking the views of existing housing, and also by locating housing away from the steepest slopes. Any proposed new development within a view corridor would need to be analyzed in relation to views potentially lost, in order to preserve important view corridors and mitigate any potential loss of view. Additionally, new development should be oriented to strive to maintain solar access for existing development and other buildings.

The new conceptual development diagram also respects the existing creek to the east of the City. New roads cannot extend across the creek, which is why the new housing and roads east of the City are designed as cul-de-sac clustered developments that do not extend across the creek. In the future, if the area east of the creek were to be developed, public pedestrian paths should be dedicated to create connectivity to the downtown.

The new north/south road that runs between Mill Street and Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road runs adjacent to the existing fault line. Roads are often located along fault lines because ordinances require a buffer that prevents the establishment of new buildings on top of fault lines. Windbreaks are also proposed along the proposed new north and south roads and trails. These windbreaks emulate the historic landscape character of the area, and help to ameliorate winds from the west. Historically windbreaks have been created with cypress trees, but if not maintained they have the tendency to grow very tall and lose branches during high winds. Other species, such as Douglas Fir trees, Ceanothus, and Wax Myrtle are species recommended by the community. It was also recommended that shrubs could be planted on berms to create a mounded wind break.

2. SENIOR CENTER CAMPUS
The Mission of the South Coast Seniors, Inc. is to identify needs, provide programs, and promote the well being of seniors in the coastal communities from Stewarts Point to Irish Beach. South Coast Seniors has identified the need to develop a campus for seniors within Point Arena. The details of the Senior Center Campus are sin development, however primary concepts include affordable senior housing, a senior nursing/care facility, and a new senior center that will provide meals, recreation opportunities and health resources. A new Senior Center Campus would greatly benefit the aging populations of Point Arena and the surrounding South Coast community by providing much needed senior facilities an increase in the amount of housing available to the growing senior population.

Three potential locations for a Senior Center Campus have been identified and are identified in Figure 5-5. There are benefits and drawbacks to each of the potential locations. The goal of this plan is not to identify a preferred location for a Senior Center Campus, but to identify the need and identify the potential benefits and drawbacks of each of the potential locations. 70 5. Sustainable Development COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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♦ Location #1 (End of Mill Street)
Location #1 is on a portion of a large parcel (APN 27-131-04) which is currently zoned Urban Residential/Multi-Family Residential. Because the parcel is over 10 acres in size the Planned Residential Development (PRD) overlay zoning classification would apply to this parcel.

Overlay zoning is a regulatory tool that creates a special zoning district, placed over the existing zoning, which identifies special provisions in addition to those in the underlying zoning classification. This PDR overlay would allow flexibility in the zoning’s yard, set-back and building height limits, and minimum lot size requirements and is authorized to encourage innovative mixtures of permissible land uses, building types, and site layouts. The underlying density limits established for the underlying zone shall remain in effect and may not be exceeded, although density bonuses for providing very-low, low- and moderate-income and senior housing units may approved.

A potential benefit of this location is the proximity to downtown and the fact that it is within an existing residential context allows seniors the ability to walk to downtown for exercise or entertainment. Some community members have expressed concern that this location on too steep of a hillside for seniors and there is a potential conflict because of the nearby fault line.

♦ Location #2 (Windy Hollow Road/Eureka Hill Road)
Location #2 is on a portion of a larger parcel (APN 27-221-04), which is currently zoned Suburban Residential – One Acre. Because this parcel is over 10 acres the PDR overlay zoning classification would apply as with location #1. This parcel is part of Phase II of the Mill Street/Hay Annexation Memo of Understanding (MOU). The MOU defines two areas of the annexation which are to be developed in two different phases, Phase I and Phase II. This Figure 5-5. Potential Locations for a New Senior Center Campus COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 5. Sustainable Development 71

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parcel is subject to additional General Plan regulation because it is part of Phase II of the Mill Street/Hay Annexation. The General Plan outlines a plan for development of Phase I and Phase II, and states “that development of Phase II areas cannot commence until 2 years from the commencement of Phase I and when the developer can provide verification that 50% of the development of Phase I sites have been sold.1
” Currently no development has been
processed or approved for Phase I, which according to the General Plan limits the potential development on this parcel.

The South Coast Seniors representatives greatly favor this location because there is a potential land donor. Donation of land is very important because the South Coast Seniors lack the funds to purchase property at this time. A number of seniors voiced support for this location because they feel there is more potential for progress on this parcel, given the potential opportunity of acquisition, while other senior community members felt the location on Windy Hollow Road/Eureka Hill Drive is ideal because it is quiet and set away from the bustle of town.

However, other community members expressed concern because this location is not within walking distance of downtown and there are no sidewalks along Windy Hollow Road/Eureka Hill Drive, and the presence of high tension wires overhead on the parcel is not ideal. ♦ Location #3 (Belden Property)
Location #3 is a large parcel (APN (027-061-03), zoned Highway Commercial and located on State Route I, across from the VFW/City Hall. This parcel is over 10 acres and the PDR overlay zoning classification would apply as with locations #1 and #2. Similar to Location #2, some community members expressed concern with this location because it is not within walking distance of downtown.

3. POST OFFICE
During the Design Roundtable it was discussed that the post office will soon reach its capacity and will either need to expand in its current building, or relocate to a different location. If the post office relocates, it might be to a location outside of downtown Point Arena. Since all mail to Point Arena is delivered to post office boxes, visiting the post office is a daily ritual for many community members, and as a result the post office is a very important social center within the City. The community expressed concern about the potential relocation of the post office and felt efforts should be focused on keeping the post office in its current location and expanding its capacity.

Two concepts for expanding the existing post office are presented. The first concept, illustrated in Figure 5-6, entails a rehabilitation of the existing post office layout and a small addition at the rear of the building. The addition would include approximately 450 square feet of space, to be used for storage and mail sorting, etc. The addition would free up room to reorganize the existing building to include a new rear entrance and a new corridor along the southern wall of the building lined with mailboxes to accommodate existing and future need. The concept also includes an

1 City of Point Arena, Point Arena General Plan, Land Use Element, 2001. page 29 72 5. Sustainable Development COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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improved building façade and sidewalk improvements as depicted in Figure 5-8. The façade and sidewalk improvements would include a widened sidewalk, area for a new community kiosk, benches, and bike racks.

The second concept, illustrated in Figure 5-7, could either be built in addition to, or instead of, the first concept. This concept calls for a new building to be built on the privately owned post office parcel, behind the post office. This building, with an approximately 2,000 square foot footprint, could be either one or two stories. The building would be designed to front onto the center of the parcel, with a loading area to the west of the building. The new building could be designed to house some or all of the post office activities, or as a separate office space.

Both of the concepts would also include façade improvements and be incorporated into the new streetscape plan, which proposes a new bulbout and crosswalk in front of the post office. The bulbout would extend the sidewalk and create more space for pedestrian facilities such as bike racks and benches, which would enable the post office to be utilized as the social meeting place that it is. Figure 5-8 illustrates these improvements.

The post office building is presently rented to the U.S. Postal Service by the building’s private owner, the same person who owns the entire large parcel. Both of the proposed concepts would entail cooperation between the private owner, the U.S. Postal Service, the City of Point Arena, and the community.

Figure 5-6. Conceptual Design for Rehabilitation and Addition to the Existing Post Office
Figure 5-7. Conceptual Design for Development at the Post Office Site
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It is recommended that the City proactively approach the US Postal Service and the owner of the Post Office building to discuss ways to meet the future needs of the US Postal Service to ensure that the Post Office remains at the present location. With the recent Community-driven renovations to Arena Theater, the community of Point Arena has demonstrated their capacity to organize to save precious community resources. Thus, the community has the potential to work together to take on some of the recommended improvements, such as the façade improvements to the existing building.

Post Office Parking
Both of the post office concepts incorporate the idea of utilizing the rear portion of the large parcel to create new parking adjacent to the community park entrance. This new parking would dually serve the post office and the park, and help to increase the visibility and activity of the park. There are four options for creating access to this parking lot; each option utilizes the existing driveway south of the post office as a driveway to access the new parking at the rear of the parcel.

Option 1, illustrated in Figure 5-9, uses the existing driveway and parking to the south of the post office building as a two-way access road to the rear parking. This option could be implemented by reorganizing the current uses on the parcel, and would require the removal of the existing diagonal parking on the post office parcel.

Figure 5-8. Rendering of Post Office Bulbout and Façade Improvements Figure 5-9. Post Office Parking: Option 1
Existing post office
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Option 2, illustrated in Figure 5-10, uses the existing post office driveway as a one-way entrance, connecting to a one-way exit on the existing easement across the northern portion of the Farm and Feed Store Parcel. This option utilizes an easement that already exists that is being used as a paved pedestrian trail and driveway.

Option 3, illustrated in Figure 5-11, uses the existing post office driveway as a one-way entrance, connecting to a new one-way exit on the adjacent Redwood Credit Union Parcel. At present the Redwood Credit Union has a two-way driveway that leads to parking behind the building. This option utilizes the existing driveway as the one-way exit onto Main Street. This option requires coordination with the property owner of the Redwood Credit Union parcel to create a public easement across their property.

Option 4, Illustrated in Figure 5-12, utilizes the existing post office driveway as a one-way entrance and connect to a one-way easement across the Farm and Feed Store property, to the existing public parking between the Centennial Memorial Plaza and Arena Theater. This option, originally presented as part of the Parks Master Plan, goes through the area presently used as the Farm and Feed Store’s outdoor yard, and would require coordination with the Farm and Feed store to reorganize the use of the property. This Option also requires the development of a new easement across the Farm and Feed Store parcel and some reorganization of the existing public parking.

Figure 5-10. Post Office Parking: Option 2 Figure 5-11. Post Office Parking: Option 3 Figure 5-12. Post Office Parking: Option 4 COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 5. Sustainable Development 75

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4. PARK AND OPEN SPACE
The City of Point Arena Park Master Plan was developed in 2003 and includes a design for a park located on the City-owned parcel west of downtown. The Concept Plan includes an extensive number of program elements, some of which have been implemented since the Plan’s creation, including a new playground and community gardening plots. During the Design Roundtable the community generally supported the vision of the plan, with widespread support for the idea of a skate park.

This Action Plan supports the general aspects of the Plan, with the exception of the post office parcel. As detailed in the parking section in Chapter 4, and more extensively in the post office discussion above, this plan recommends the post office parcel be utilized for new parking and post office expansion.

Arena Cove Parks
In addition to the park/open space suggestions in the Park Master Plan the community was supportive of the creation of a new public park and Point Arena Mountain Beaver Conservation Area at the Arena Cove. As previously identified in the Point Arena Mountain Beaver Biological Surveys for the Arena Cove Conservation Project, the acquisition of these parcels would:
“accomplish actions cited in the Point Arena Mountain Beaver Recovery Plan as necessary for down listing and recovery of the species…. and…..provide safe public access to the beach and tide pools, while restoring and protecting the natural resources within. The proposed land uses will include public beach access, park land, and boat parking.2 ”
The City of Point Arena and the community have identified the parcels south of the pier, where Arena Creek flows into the ocean, as a potential location as shown in Figure 5-13.

Recreation Center/Community Center
Throughout the Design Roundtable, the youth who participated identified the need for a recreation center/community center to meet the afterschool activity needs of the young adult population in Point Arena. Many people expressed the desire for a swimming pool and basketball courts. A new recreation center/community center could be developed to provide recreation opportunities and house areas to provide social services. The center could provide social services similar to the Action Network services, or offer a new space to house the Action Network in Point Arena. Potential social services noted by the community as needed in Point Arena include, women and children resources, adult education and community college extension classes, counseling, and senior services/activities.

2 BioConsultant, Point Arena Mountain Beaver Biological Surveys for the Arena Cove Conservation Project, 2002
Figure 5-13. Potential Location for New
Public Parks at Arena Cove
“I’m fifteen and I’m in the 9th
grade. When school is over my
friends and I always want
somewhere to hang out to have
fun. Like a bowling alley, or
Starbucks, or even a Recreation
Center.”
– Vanessa Ramirez
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There are three alternative solutions to creating new recreation/community opportunities within the City. The first alternative is to create a joint-use agreement between the City of Point Arena and the Point Arena School District to secure regular access to the school district’s recreation resources, especially gymnasium spaces. The second option is to rehab a building the City already owns to provide recreation opportunities. One potential location is the old firehouse building on Main Street (APN 27-111-26), which is currently used by City of Point Arena staff to house maintenance equipment. This building would require significant rehabilitation to make it safe and usable as a recreation center. The building and parcel are limited in size and would only be able to provide indoor recreation opportunities, but has the advantage of being in the heart of downtown.

The third option for a recreation center/community center would be for the City to build a new recreation/community center. Three potential options for a new recreation center/community center are illustrated in Figure 5-10. Location 1, on the post office parcel, is a preferable because of its proximity to downtown and the City-owned Community Park. Location 2, the undeveloped parcels bridging Lake and School Streets, is on private property (APN 24-091-14 and APN 27-091- 10) and could be developed in coordination with the Post Office renovations as described above.

Location 2 is a potential site because these parcels are vacant, and they are located near Point Arena High School and Harper’s Trail, which connects to downtown, and are the same parcels identified for the new School Access Trail. Location 2 is also on private property, which would require that the City either buy, lease or gain easement rights of the property. Location 3 is on the City Hall/VFW parcel, which is owned by the City. This location is less optimal because of the distance from downtown, but favorable because the parcel is already owned by Mendocino County.

Community Gardening/Farmer’s Market
Figure 5-14. Potential New Recreation/Community Center Locations COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 5. Sustainable Development 77

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Throughout the planning process a number of community members vocalized the need to provide more community gardening space within Point Arena and the need for a farmer’s market area in town. The City has created a successful community gardening area west of Main Street. Community members support the desire for more community gardening area because it provides opportunities for people to grow their own food and become more self-sufficient. A farmer’s market would provide the mechanism for people to sell their excess produce and for community members to buy local products. Farmer’s markets often take place in parking lots, parks or streets, and there are many locations within Point Arena that could host a farmers market, including the open space adjacent to the community garden or the public parking lot adjacent to the Arena Theatre.

5. ECONOMIC GROWTH
Building on the principles of the Community Action Plan, economic growth strategies should reflect the desire for locally owned and operated business development within the City of Point Arena. Additionally, community members expressed the need to both draw more tourism dollars to the area and provide more services geared towards the local community. Recommendations and strategies for a sustainable, walkable community, including designs for traffic calming and pedestrian safety/access are intended to capitalize on and celebrate the character of Point Arena, which will benefit both the local and tourism economies. The following is a discussion of ways which the City of Point Arena and local leaders and business owners can encourage economic growth consistent with Point Arena’s goals.

Encourage Business Growth and Development
Contrary to the dominant trends in America today, the majority of Point Arena businesses are locally-owned and operated. This means that for every dollar spent or earned within the City a higher percentage of those dollars stay within the City of Point Arena. The City of Point Arena should foster the existing small businesses and help to encourage more small business development.

The Center for the Study of Rural America has sponsored studies on how communities can encourage small business in rural America. They found that there are three challenges which are unique to small businesses, infrastructure, labor and capital3 .
♦ Infrastructure in Point Arena. The study found that quality infrastructure, including roads, schools, water, and communication technologies are important for creating a supportive environment for small businesses. The City of Point Arena has previously identified a number of physical infrastructure improvements needed in the City, and this Plan recommends a number of roadway improvements. However, of the necessary infrastructure improvements, improving the availability of communication technologies, such as high speed internet access,

3 McDaniel, Kendall. Small Business in Rural America, The Center for the Study of Rural America, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, 2001.
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seems the most important for bettering the small business environment in the City of Point Arena. The City of Point Arena should pursue bringing high speed internet access to the City.

Chapter 6 of this report discusses the potential to bring fiber optic internet access to the City.

Additionally, Chapter 7 provides information about government assistance for rural communities to gain Telecommunications access. ♦ Labor. Local small businesses need available employees, and the ability to provide benefits to their employees. Lack of available jobs is one reason why younger generations leave smaller communities. One method for businesses to be able to offer better benefits and wages to attract good labor is by creating small firm partnerships to negotiate collectively for health insurance providers, retirement benefits, delivery providers, and telecommunications rates.4
The lack of affordable housing is one of the reasons people cannot make their lives in Point Arena. Not only is there a limited number of affordable homes to rent and buy, there is a limited number of homes within the City. The lack of affordable housing consequently limits the work force in the City available to be employed by new businesses, as well as limits the consumer base to support local serving businesses. To ensure that Point Arena benefits from a diverse and sustainable community, the City should provide incentives for developers to build affordable housing units, and provide a variety of housing types as previously discussed. ♦ Capital. Available capital is important for the survival of existing businesses and encouraging entrepreneurship of new businesses. Typically, many small businesses have been funded by small local banks; however, the number of small banks has decreased over the last years as smaller banks merge with larger banks. Additionally, within the last year the availability of loans has continued to decrease. There are a number of federal and state programs that have been developed to help small businesses gain funding.

The Office of Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) is a partnership between private sector, the educational community and federal, state and local governments, with the goal of providing assistance to current and prospective small business owners. SBDC help provide business plan development, start-up basics, financing, procurement & contracting opportunities, regulatory compliance, money management, international trade, and manufacturing operations. The Northern Regional Network of the California SBDC is located in Fort Bragg, CA5 .

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes a number programs to encourage small business growth, help existing small businesses, and encourage lenders to continue lending to small businesses6
.

4 McDaniel, Kendall. Small Business in Rural America, The Center for the Study of Rural America, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, 2001.
5 http://norcalsbdc.org/
6 http://mendosbdc.org/
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Local Services
Providing local goods, amenities and services to meet the local community’s needs is important for the City of Point Arena in that it helps the community become self-sufficient and reduces the distances community members need to travel to meet their daily needs. Additionally, some community members expressed concern that if a community has an abundance of tourism-based business they are highly susceptible to the potential economic downturns of those industries.

During the Design Roundtable the community identified a number of local services desired by the community. In addition, letters received from some community high school members outlines some of their desires. These services/businesses include:
♦ Copy/reprographics Shop
♦ Music Store
♦ Butcher Shop
♦ Laundromat
♦ Thrift Store
♦ Restaurants
♦ Book Store
♦ Movie Rental Store
Other ideas developed by the community to encourage local businesses include:
♦ Encouraging the niche farming industry that already exists in Point Arena, ♦ Creating a local Farmers Market, and
♦ Creating “Buy Local” campaign to encourage local residents to buy from the local businesses.

Tourism Services
Many businesses in Point Arena depend on tourism for a significant amount of their business.

There are two types of tourists in Point Arena, those who are driving along State Route 1 and “discover” Point Arena and decide to stop, and those who visit Point Arena as a destination.

This Action Plan recommends a number of improvements that will help to capture more “discover” tourists by:
♦ Relocating and improving signage along State Route 1
♦ Providing turn-around opportunities to allow tourists to navigate Point Arena ♦ Slowing traffic as they enter downtown Point Arena, so they might see all of the available amenities/services
♦ Creating more off-street parking to provide more spaces and to free up on-street parking for visiting tourists.

However, during the stakeholder interviews, local business owners suggested that many tourists come to visit Point Arena as a destination. They come to enjoy the scenic location, the community’s festivals, the ocean access, and the unique downtown. There are a number of ways which the City or the Point Arena Business Owners can work to encourage this type of tourism, including:
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♦ Create a Visitor Center for destination tourists to come and learn about all of the potential activities and destinations within and around Point Arena. ♦ Create signage or plaques that highlight the National Register of Historic Places Districts and Buildings listed in Table 2. The National Register does not provide plaques, but they support the use of plaques and recommends language such as the “Arena Cove Historic District has been placed on the national register of historic places by the United States Department of the Interior.”
♦ Advertise Point Arena’s two national Historic districts and numerous historic properties listed in National Register of Historic Places in promotional tourist materials. ♦ Create and provide a history walk/tour to educate Point Arena visitors about the elaborate history of the City and surrounding area, and/or develop a Point Arena History Museum. ♦ Update the City website to give a better description of all of the destinations and amenities in Point Arena, or create a new website owned and updated by the Point Arena Business Owners. ♦ Work with Tour companies to put Point Arena on their Coastal California Scenic Tours. ♦ Develop more trails in and around Point Arena and advertise them to potential outdoor travelers. ♦ Develop a new campground within Point Arena to provide another option for lodging in Point Arena and appeal to outdoor adventure tourists.

An example of signage identifying the historic character of the surrounding area COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 6. Utilities Review 81

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CHAPTER 6: UTILITIES REVIEW
A review of the existing utility conditions and potential upgrades, including dry and wet utilities and vehicle and pedestrian facilities is included as part of the Community Action Plan to help inform the feasibility of the recommendations.

This analysis considers the planning and streetscape improvements recommended as part of the Action Plan. Improvements include the addition of bulbouts at intersections and mid-block crossings, new or widened sidewalks, installation of ADA-compliant curb ramps, and two potential roundabouts at the intersections of School Street and Lake Street, as well as Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road and Windy Hollow Drive. Concepts for circulation improvements are also recommended, including improvements to Center Street, the extension of Starboard Way, and a new north-south roadway connecting Mill Street and Riverside/Eureka Hill Road. Modifications to the utilities due to these recommendations are evaluated below, including utility upgrades, relocations and new facilities.

Water
a. Existing Facilities
Water facilities are owned by Point Arena Water Works. Untreated water from Garcia River is carried in 6-inch Class 160 PVC along Windy Hollow Drive to storage tanks south of Eureka Hill Road.

The water facilities extend out from the storage tanks and reservoir accordingly:
♦ Lake Street – 12-inch C900 Main
♦ School Street – 4-inch Transite Main
♦ Main Street – 4-inch Transite Main (north of Mill Street) ♦ Main Street – 2-inch Steel Main (south of Iversen Avenue) ♦ Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road – 12-inch C900 Main
♦ Port Road – 6-inch C900 Main
♦ Iversen Avenue – 6-inch C900 Main
♦ Mill Street – 6-inch C900 Main
A 12-inch C900 main extends from a storage tank to Mill Street. The existing facilities are shown graphically in Figure 6-1.

Existing fire hydrant spacing and coverage within the City was examined. A single hydrant can generally serve a 350-foot radius and with spacing ranging from 250 to 500 feet, the existing coverage appears to be sufficient. However, testing of the fire hydrants and water lines completed by the Redwood Coast Fire Department in 1996 determined that the hydrants do not satisfy the requirements of the Uniform Fire Code for water pressure, particularly along Main Street, Mill Street, and Port Road, which are serviced by an older line.
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b. Proposed Conditions
The DC&E team reviewed the layout of the existing water distribution system and compared it to the recommended streetscape improvements and anticipated developments in the area. This review does not include an analysis of the existing or future system capacities. As specific developments come on-line, an analysis of the required water system upgrades will need to be completed. This should include modeling of the existing and future systems to examine water demand and fire flow needs. It is recommended that the necessary upgrades to the water system be implemented by specific developments as they are proposed to the City. The City could also complete a full system analysis based on anticipated land uses.

Water lines for future development along Center Street and the Starboard Way extension could be tied into the 6-inch main in Mill Street or the 12-inch main connecting the storage tank and Mill Street. The potential new north-south road between Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road could also connect to the water system from these lines, or from the 12-inch main in Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road.

Figure 6-1. Existing Water and Sanitary Sewer
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A majority of the fire hydrants can remain in their current locations with the proposed streetscape plans. The exception is one hydrant on Lake Street approximately 175 feet from the intersection of School Street and Main Street, which may need to be relocated pending further design development.

Sewer
a. Existing Conditions
An analysis of the sewer system was completed by Coastland Engineering in 2006, and included recommendations for improvements to maintain the status quo by fixing existing problems, as well as alternatives to accommodate projected growth of Point Arena.

Existing facilities include 5.5-inch polyethylene-lined pipes in School Street and Main Street, 6-inch APC in Lake Street, 6-inch PVC within Eureka Hill Road and Mill Street, 6-inch clay pipe in Iversen Avenue, and unknown diameter and material in Port Road. As part of recent improvements to Scott Place, a 8-inch sewer line was installed along with paving improvements. A private sewer line connects businesses and residences on the west side of Main Street ties into the line in Port Road. These facilities are shown schematically in Figure 6-1, “Existing Water and Sanitary Sewer.” To remedy the existing deficiencies within the system, the following recommendations for sewer mains and manholes were suggested in the 2006 report:
♦ Abandon the private sewer line along the west side of Main Street and install laterals. ♦ Abandon existing manhole in Main Street just north of Scott Street. ♦ Replace 75 linear feet of 5.5-inch lined pipe with an 8-inch sewer on Main Street between School Street and Scott Place.
♦ Replace the 6-inch clay pipe with an 8-inch pipe along Iversen Avenue.

Further improvements suggested by Coastland Engineering to accommodate future development include:
♦ Replace the last 740 feet of 6-inch pipe on Iverson with 12-inch sewer pipe. ♦ Replace 840 feet of 5.5-inch lined pipe on Main Street with 8-inch pipe. ♦ Repair laterals and plug leaks in manholes to reduce inflow and infiltration.

Recommendations for improvements to treatment ponds were made by Coastland Engineering, and are included in the Wastewater System Study.
b. Proposed Conditions
Future development along Center Street, Starboard Way, and a new north-south road between Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road and Mill Street, as conceptually illustrated in Chapter 4, would likely require sewer mains which could tie into the 6-inch sewer system along Mill Street. Depending on the final size and land use of new development, the capacity of the 6-inch PVC sewer in Mill Street and pipes downstream would need to be reviewed, and possibly upgraded.

There is also potential for a new sewer line to be constructed from School Street to the wastewater treatment plant along the “Harper’s Cut-Off” access trail. A new line would relieve the existing 84 6. Utilities Review COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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mains along School Street and Main Street, and could allow for future development west of Main Street.

Sizes of proposed sewer lines for future development depend on the nature of anticipated land usage. A single family home can be expected to generate approximately 250 gallons per day; a restaurant would have a much higher rate, and a retail store would have very little. In general, a 6- inch sewer line would be sufficient to service 100 homes, however it is common for agencies to utilize a minimum of 8-inch lines for ease of maintenance. With a 2% slope, an 8-inch line could be expected to serve over 200 single family homes. It is our recommendation that an 8-inch sewer line be installed at the Harper’s Cut-Off trail to relieve the system in Main Street and to provide for future development.

This review does not include an analysis of the existing or future sewer system capacity. As specific developments proceed, the incorporation of recommended improvements as proposed in the sewer study by Coastland Engineering should be considered.

Storm Drainage
The project team was not able to obtain mapping of existing storm drain systems within Point Arena, and the evaluation of drainage needs was determined from base mapping and site review.

Information on the sizes, locations, capacities, and conditions of underground drainage systems were not available, and no analysis or recommendations for these existing systems are made.

However, a majority of the drainage within Point Arena is not captured into underground systems, but flows across the hilly topography to a naturally occurring swale draining to the creeks, and the impacts to these existing drainage patterns were evaluated. The general drainage patterns in the Plan Area are shown in Figure 6-2. The drainage improvements discussed are preliminary, and as projects move forward into final design, a formal drainage study should be completed to document the required drainage upgrades.

The streetscape recommendations will not require modification of existing drainage patterns or systems in Mill Street, Port Road, or Iversen Avenue. The following sections outline the existing drainage conditions and the proposed conditions at locations with modifications to drainage patterns:
♦ School Street. The north side of School Street has an existing curb, gutter, and sidewalk along its full length from Lake Street to Main Street, and is unimproved along its south side.

West of the proposed new pedestrian crossing at the Harpers Cut-Off Trailhead, there are three existing inlets along the curb and gutter on the north side of the street (two at sag locations and one at-grade). There are no inlets east of the proposed pedestrian crossing, and at a low point approximately 175 feet from Main Street, the roadway grades to drain towards the unimproved south side. The south side of the road drains to adjacent fields.

The recommendations proposed on School Street include approximately 850 feet of new curb, gutter, and sidewalk along the south side of the roadway from Main Street to the Harpers Cut-Off Trailhead. The runoff from the west 400 feet of the proposed improvements will COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 6. Utilities Review 85

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leave the gutter at the trailhead driveway to surface flow across the terrain. The new curb, gutter, and sidewalk will alter the existing drainage patterns along the east 450 feet of improvements by preventing the runoff from entering the fields to the south. It appears that - the longitudinal grade along the proposed gutter will carry the water to Main Street without requiring an inlet; however the added runoff on Main Street could result in increased water spread on the roadway, and will result in higher flow accumulating at the downstream end of the road, which is already a problem. A new storm drain system along Main Street is recommended to alleviate this issue, and is discussed in more detail below. ♦ Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road. The north side of Eureka Hill Road is unimproved, and drains towards a ditch box at the corner at Main Street. The south side of the road has curb, gutter, and sidewalk that stops 60 feet from the intersection. The runoff continues around to Main Street.

The proposed recommendations include the installation of curb, gutter, and sidewalk along both sides of the road to connect to the sidewalks along Main Street. The existing drainage Figure 6-2. Existing Drainage Patterns
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pattern will be maintained on both sides, and the ditch box will need to be replaced with a grated inlet located in the new gutter.

A ditch along Windy Hollow terminates at the intersection of Eureka Hill Road, where it appears to enter an inlet discharging into a possible combined storm/sewer system. The proposed sidewalk improvements would cover the end of the ditch, and the inlet and pipe would need to be replaced.
♦ Main Street. Adequate gutter drainage should be provided at the bulbouts. Main Street has existing curb, gutter, and sidewalk along both sides for a majority of its length, and has two inlets: at the north-east corner of Eureka Hill Road, and on the west side of the midblock crosswalk near the Farm and Feed Store The inlet at Eureka Hill Road will need to be replaced with the sidewalk improvements.

Improvements to Main Street generally involve the addition of bulbouts at corners and midblock crossings to improve pedestrian visibility. The addition of bulbouts often creates drainage problems, but Main Street has steep slopes ranging from 4-14% and water would be able to continue positive drainage down the roadway. However, the reduction of roadway width at the bulbout could cause the storm water to extend out into the roadway.

The steep slope of Main Street and the presence of only one inlet on each side of the road results in a concentration of runoff accumulating at the south end of Main Street. Just south of Iversen Road, the runoff from Main Street drains west towards Arena Cove. The channelized flow resulting from the lack of inlets and steep grade of Main Street creates flooding problems and water spreading into the roadway. The addition of a new storm drain trunk line, with inlets at intersections and bulbouts, will reduce flooding and the channelized flow spreading across the roadway.

The Project Team has laid out a preliminary drainage system in Main Street to collect the stormwater within the roadway. A drainage analysis was not performed at this level of planning, but an initial calculation of flow rates along Main Street was made for the purposes of estimating pipe sizes. The following assumptions were made in this calculation:
y Rational method was used for flow calculations: Q = CiA. y A runoff coefficient, C, of 0.5 was used.
y Tributary Area, A, to Main Street, based on aerial mapping contours and Google Earth, is approximately 20 acres.
y The intensity, i, was assumed to be 2 inches/hour for a 10-year design storm, based on the Intensity/Duration/Frequency chart for Point Arena provided on the Mendocino County website. The time of concentration assumed was a conservative 15 minutes, as recommended by the Mendocino County drainage standards for shed areas over a half acre.

With these parameters, an estimated 20 cubic feet per second (cfs) would be captured into the drainage system. The preliminary drainage system recommended would include 1,600 feet of storm drain pipe, ranging from 12-inch to 24-inch in diameter, and would maintain the existing drainage pattern, discharging to the naturally occurring channel south of Iversen COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 6. Utilities Review 87

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Road leading to Arena Cove. Inlets would be placed at curb returns and bulbouts to minimize channelized flow across the road and pedestrian walkways.

Dry Utilities
Electric service in Point Arena is provided by PG&E. The existing electric facilities on a majority of the streets are overhead, with the exception of Main Street, which has underground electric.

Overhead electric lines are located along Iversen Avenue, Mill Street, Port Road, Center Street, Eureka Hill Road, Scott Place, and School Street. Electric facilities are underground east of Main Street for 150 feet along Mill Street, Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road, and Scott Place.

AT&T (formerly Pacific Bell) provides communications services in Point Arena. A majority of the conduit is underground, sharing a joint trench with PG&E’s electric lines.

The community expressed interest in undergrounding utilities along Port Street. Communication utilities along Port Street are underground for approximately 250 feet west of Main Street. Overhead electric and communications lines run for 850 feet on the north side of the street and 570 feet on the south. These utilities could be undergrounded together into a joint trench to connect to the existing underground facilities, with pull boxes or vaults for access placed as needed. This joint trench would likely be placed within the existing roadway.

Fiber optics and cable have been discussed many times in Point Arena. The Point Arena Cable Station is the eastern terminus of several undersea cables owned by AT&T. In 1992, AT&T installed fiber optic cable from the station to San Francisco, passing through Point Arena along Highway 1 and Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill Road. The City expressed interest in gaining access to fiber optics, but connections would go through Pacific Bell, who stated that there were not enough users to justify the cost of laying the cable. In 2007, Central Valley Cable ceased its television and internet service in Point Arena, and as part of its franchise agreement, removed its cable lines. Internet service is available in the area by satellite, wireless broadband through Esplanade, or AT&T signal.

MTCo has been in contact with AT&T to discuss the process that would have to occur for fiber optics to be brought to Point Arena, but they declined to comment due to the proprietary nature of the information, other than to state that there are no current plans to extend service to the City.

However, on March 16, 2010, the Federal Communications Commission released their National Broadband Plan (http://broadband.gov/download-plan), which was a result of a direction from Congress for the FCC to have a plan to provide broadband capabilities to every American. The objective of the plan is to connect approximately 100 million un-served users by 2020, with a focus on reaching low income and rural areas that have been left off the grid.

Because service providers generally cannot earn enough revenue in rural areas to cover the costs of deploying and operating broadband networks, there is little business incentive to extend service in these areas. The Plan acknowledges that it is unlikely that private investments alone will be enough to fill the gaps in service, and has recommended that billions of federal dollars be appropriated for fiber and wireless connections, and has outlined additional recommendations for policies and regulations to make the extension of broadband more feasible for service providers. If 88 6. Utilities Review COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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the recommendations outlined in the Plan become policy, Point Arena may be able to capitalize on the opportunity to bring fiber optics service into the region.

Roadway Improvements
Main Street is a heavily-travelled road with speeding concerns. The addition of bulbouts at intersections and mid-block crossings increase pedestrian visibility and decrease their crossing distance of the roadway. Bulbouts, however, make truck turning movements more restrictive. An initial review of the truck turning movements at the intersections of Main Street and minor side streets confirms that heavy vehicles, such as semi-trucks and trucks carrying wide loads, will be able to make their turns around the bulbouts, but will do so at lower speeds and may need to wait for oncoming traffic to clear to use additional roadway width.

As discussed, there are two potential roundabouts included in this Plan; one at the intersection of School Street and Lake Street, and the other at the intersection of Riverside/Eureka Hill Road and Windy Hollow Road. Common issues for roundabouts include right-of-way impacts, utility conflicts, conforming around buildings, maintenance, and drainage.

Roundabouts at these two locations will result in a larger roadway “footprint” and could require right-of-way acquisition from the following parcels:

Parcels Impacted by Roundabout Design Features (by Assessor’s Parcel Numbers) School St and Lake St
Riverside/Eureka Hill Rd and
Windy Hollow Rd
27-081-20 27-111-21
27-081-07 27-092-27
27-082-01 27-131-02
27-082-42 27-111-30
27-082-10 27-111-37
APN
27-111-36

Along with impacts to right-of-way, the design of the roundabouts will need to consider access to the properties and the locations of businesses and residences. At the Windy Hollow and Riverside/Eureka Hill Road roundabout there is a driveway to APN 27-092-27 to maintain. At the Lake Street/School Street roundabout, there is a driveway to the Pirate’s Cove Restaurant on the northwest corner and homes at the northeast corner to maintain.

Finally, because Main Street is a Caltrans facility, any proposed roundabouts will require their review and approval. The formal process for these approvals is a Roundabout Concept Acceptance Report. The process is the first step in Caltrans approval of a roundabout, and it requires a high level of technical information, including traffic analysis, geometric layouts, and a review of impacts to adjacent parcels.

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CHAPTER 7: FUNDING AND

IMPLEMENTATION
This chapter of the plan prioritizes the improvements outlined in the plan, provides conceptual costs for improvements to Main Street, provides funding recommendations and identifies potential funding sources.

1. STEPS FOR IMPLEMENTATION
The Community Action Plan is both a near-term and a long-term plan. Many of the design concepts and discussions in the previous chapters can be used immediately by the City Council and community members to support sustainable development in Point Arena. The majority of action items will require additional research to implement and an investigation into the costs for implementation. However, it is important to include these types of actions in the plan to ensure that they move forward and are ready to be implemented when the partnerships, funding, or additional information are available. The following is a list of steps for implementation:
♦ Adopt the Community Action Plan
♦ Further Design and Engineering as Necessary
♦ Environmental Review and Permitting
♦ Apply for Grants to Fund Improvements
♦ Construction

2. COMMUNITY PRIORITIZATION
At the Community Workshop #4 the recommendations of the Public Draft Community Action Plan were presented to the community members. The workshop participants were asked to prioritize the recommendations, which were grouped into three categories: Main Street, Action Plan Framework, and Sustainable Development. Each of the three categories had a map (or maps) and a listing of some specific recommendations that the community was asked to prioritize. The community prioritized the recommendations by using three stickers, labeled 1, 2, and 3 to vote for the recommendations they thought were the most important, second most important and thirds most important for each category. The following table lists the recommendations in the order prioritized by the community. 90 7 Funding and Implementation COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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MAIN STREET PRIORITIZATION
1 School Street/Lake Street/Main Street Intersection Improvements 2 Iversen Avenue/Main Street Intersection Improvements
3 ADA Sidewalk Improvements
4 New and Relocated Pedestrian Crossings
5 Bike Facilities
6 Traffic Claming bulbouts
7 Wayfinding Signage
8 New Street Trees and Landscaping
(Pedestrian Lighting and Street Furniture received no votes)

ACTION PLAN FRAMEWORK PRIORITIZATION
1 New Parking Areas
2 City Sidewalk Infill/Repair
3 Lake Street/State Route 1 intersection Improvements
4 Downtown Internal Circulation Connections
5 Harpers Trail/Emergency Access
6 Pedestrian Trails
7 Eureka Hill Road/Riverside Drive/Windy Hollow Road Intersection Improvements 8 Gateway Signage

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIZATION
1 Senior Center Campus
2 Post Office Improvements
3 Infill Residential Development
4 Economic Growth
5 Recreation/Community Center
6 Open Space and Parks
7 Wharf Park/Mountain Beaver Conservation Area
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3. CONCEPTUAL COST ESTIMATES FOR MAIN

STREET STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS
Conceptual cost estimates were developed for the downtown streetscape improvements. Conceptual cost estimates are based on 2010 construction costs with a generous 20 percent contingency added for unknown conditions and further design development of project improvements. The total cost of all projects, including Civil Engineering and Utility Cost, analyzed is estimated at $3,747,345. This estimate includes all of the projects and the additional soft costs: Project Management (5%); Design Fee (12%), Construction Management, Survey, Testing (10%). A list of the conceptual cost estimates per location is included below (not including soft costs). The estimates below have been rounded up to the nearest thousand dollars to simplify the numbers and keep the estimate within a conceptual realm. The complete cost estimation for all locations and additional Civil Engineering components is included in Appendix C.

TABLE 7-1 CONCEPTUAL COST BY LOCATION
School Street/Lake Street Intersection Improvements $90,000 New Sidewalk between Eureka Hill Road and Scott Place $32,000 Riverside Drive Bulbout (west) $25,000
Post Office Bulbout $25,000
Extended Sidewalk Bus Bulbout (west) $46,000
Extended Sidewalk/Stair/Planting Strip including Bulbout (East) $146,000 Port Road Bulbout (west) $33,000
Port Road Bulbout (east) $27,000
Mill Street Bulbout (east) $33,000
Mill Street (west) $25,000
Iversen Avenue Intersection Improvements $52,000
Harpers Cut-off & Parking Area $153,000
Landscape Improvements $16,000
Site Furnishings $31,000
Street Striping and Signage $15,000
Lighting Improvements $207,000

4. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
The purpose of this section is to identify funding opportunities that might be utilized to fund the implementation of the recommendations presented in this Community Action Plan. This section outlines the types of funding available and briefly describes how the funds can be used, and the 92 7 Funding and Implementation COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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process of attaining the funds. The funding opportunities listed below include funding for further planning and construction/implementation.

Available funding is affected by the economic climate, and as a result this list is subject to change.

Applications for the majority of the grant funding opportunities would need to be pursued by the City of Point Arena or the Mendocino Council of Governments.

Local Financing Opportunities
a. Revolving Loan Fund
A revolving loan fund (RLF) is a gap financing measure primarily used for development and expansion of small businesses. It is a self-replenishing pool of money, utilizing interest and principal payments on old loans to issue new ones. The City of Point Arena manages two revolving loan funds that are offered to citizens to promote real estate and business development including affordable/low income housing. b. Taxes1

The City levies taxes to raise revenue for general government purposes. The property tax is the principal one; it depends upon the assessed value of property in the city, and as assessed values rise, so do city revenues. Other taxes are sales taxes, admission's taxes, hotel/motel room taxes, parking taxes, payroll and gross receipts taxes, and business license taxes. By a two-thirds favorable vote of the people the city may also levy special taxes to finance specific facilities and services.

Not all of the allowable taxes listed above are levied in Point Arena. The sales and room taxes currently produce most of the city's tax revenue.
c. Mello-Roos Community Facilities Districts
The Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act of 1982 allows any county, city, special district, school district or joint powers authority to establish a Mello-Roos Community Facilities District (CFD) which allows for financing of public improvements and services through taxation within the district.

The services and improvements that Mello-Roos CFDs can finance include streets, sewer systems and other basic infrastructure. A CFD is created by a sponsoring local government agency and includes all properties that will benefit from the improvements to be constructed or the services to be provided. A CFD cannot be formed without a two-thirds majority vote of residents living within the proposed boundaries. Once the CFD is approved, a Special Tax Lien is placed against each property in the CFD and property owners pay a Special tax annually. d. Development Impact Fees
Developers may contribute funding in support of neighborhood infrastructure and needs in the form of development impact fees (payments required by local governments of new development for the purpose of providing new or expanded public capital facilities). Also, the City may require, as a condition of approval for new development, that the developer provide certain improvements, such as sidewalk improvements or transit amenities.

1 City of Point Arena, Point Arena General Plan, Implementation, page 6.

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e. Redevelopment Funds
The City Council of Point Arena also acts as the redevelopment agency. Redevelopment agencies develop a plan and provide the initial funding to launch revitalization of identified areas. The goal of the redevelopment is to encourage and attract private sector investment that otherwise wouldn’t occur. Redevelopment Agencies have the ability to create a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District to raise funds. State law allows redevelopment agencies to pledge tax increment so that they can repay bonds and other types of debt incurred to make investments in project areas. Redevelopment funds can be used to develop new housing, create or rehabilitate public infrastructure, create or rehabilitate community facilities, beautify and landscape public areas. f. Tax Increment Financing District
A TIF District is a tool used by local governments to use future tax gains to publicly finance current improvements within a defined area. These improvements usually are undertaken to promote the viability of existing businesses and to attract new commercial enterprises to the area, which would help to create the future tax gains. TIF expenditures are often debt financed in anticipation of future tax revenues.

The City of Point Arena could create a Downtown TIF District to provide for a number of the Plan’s proposals, such as streetscape improvements, or improving the sewer infrastructure, etc.

State Funding for Transportation-Related Improvements
The following discussion describes State funds that could be used for transportation solutions that were identified in the Community Action Plan. Each of the fund sources requires a competitive grant application process. Funds for transportation-related projects are available from the Transportation Development Act (TDA), and from various State programs and agencies including the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). a. Local Transportation Fund (LTF)
Local Transportation Funds are generated by the Transportation Development Act (TDA) which returns ¼ cent of the general state sales tax to the source counties to fund transportation projects.

TDA Article 3 provides for 2 percent of County TDA funds to be set aside for bicycle and pedestrian projects. Eligible projects include right-of-way acquisition; planning, design and engineering; and construction of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure (including retrofitting to meet ADA requirements) and related facilities. TDA funds are available annually and are administered by Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG) to Cities and Counties. b. Caltrans Community-Based Transportation Program (CBTP) The Caltrans CBTP grant program is primarily used to seed planning activities that encourage livable communities. Caltrans CBTP grants assist local agencies to better integrate land use and transportation planning, to develop alternatives for addressing growth and to assess efficient infrastructure investments that meet community needs. These planning activities are expected to help leverage projects that foster sustainable economies, increase available affordable housing, improve housing/jobs balance, encourage transit oriented and mixed-use development, expand transportation choices, reflect community values, and include non-traditional participation in transportation 94 7 Funding and Implementation COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

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decision-making. CBTP grant-funded projects demonstrate the value of these new approaches locally, and provide best practices for statewide application. CBTP grants require a local match. c. Caltrans Environmental Justice: Context-Sensitive Planning The Caltrans Environmental Justice program provides funding for planning-related projects that promote environmental justice in local planning, contribute to early and continuous involvement of low-income and minority communities in the planning and decision-making process, improve mobility and access for underserved communities, and create a business climate that leads to more economic opportunities, services and affordable housing. Caltrans Environmental Justice grants require a local match.
d. Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA)
The Caltrans Bicycle Transportation Account provides State funds on a competitive basis for City and County projects that improve safety and convenience for bicycle commuters, including design, engineering, and construction of bicycle lanes and paths. To be eligible for BTA funds, a City or County must adopt a Bicycle Transportation Plan that complies with Streets and Highways Code Section 891.2. As the Regional Transportation Planning Agency, MCOG routinely prepares and adopts this required Plan (Regional Bikeway Plan), however, each local agency must then also adopt the Plan in order to be eligible for BTA funds. Nineteen projects throughout the state received BTA funding during FY 2008-2009, for a total of $7.2 million in BTA funds. BTA funds are awarded by Caltrans on an annual basis, with a call for proposals typically in the fall. e. Safe Routes to School (SR2S)
The California State Safe Routes to School Program pre-dates the newer federal program established under SAFETEA-LU in 2005 (discussed in the section below). This program provides funding for sidewalk improvements, traffic calming and speed reduction measures, pedestrian and bicycle crossing improvements, on-street and off-street bicycle facilities, and traffic diversion improvements. To qualify for this program the project must be within the vicinity of a school. The Community Action Plan is within the vicinity of four schools. The State program was established by State legislation with a sunset date of January 1, 2008. However, with the passage of AB 57 in 2007, the State SRTS program was extended indefinitely. An eighth cycle (for FY 08/09 and 09/10) was announced on January 15, 2009 with a total of $48.5 million available for statewide funding.

As part of this Plan Fehr and Peers developed a grant for SR2S and provided the documents for the use of the City when moving forward.
f. State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)
The STIP is a multi-year capital improvement program of transportation projects on and off the State Highway System, funded with revenues from the State Highway Account and other funding sources. The STIP is composed of two sub-elements: the Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) and the Interregional Transportation Improvement Program (ITIP).

As the Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA) for Mendocino County, MCOG is responsible for developing regional project priorities for the RTIP. The biennial RTIP is then submitted to the California Transportation Commission for inclusion in the STIP. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is responsible for developing the ITIP. STIP programming generally oc- COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN 7. Funding and Implementation 95

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curs every two years. The City of Point Arena should work with MCOG to nominate projects for inclusion in the STIP.
g. State Highway Operations and Protection Plan (SHOPP) SHOPP is a multi-year program of capital projects whose purpose is to preserve and protect the State Highway System. The State Highway Operations and Protection Plan (SHOPP) is administered by Caltrans. Funding is comprised of state and federal gas taxes. SHOPP funds capital improvements related to maintenance, safety, and rehabilitation of state highways and bridges. Just over $1 billion is allocated to SHOPP annually. Typically Caltrans decides where this money will be spent. Specific projects can be brought to the attention of SHOPP by contacting the appropriate program manager or appealing to the District's upper/executive management. Projects include rehabilitation, landscaping, traffic management systems, rest areas, auxiliary lanes, and safety improvements. Each project must have a completed Project Study Report to be considered for funding. Projects are developed in the fall of every odd numbered year. h. Environmental Enhancement & Mitigation Program (EEMP ) 2 The EEMP is a state fund established by Caltrans to fund beautification improvements to roadsides to mitigate the effects of transportation projects. It offers a total of $10 million each year for grants to local, state, and federal governmental agencies and to nonprofit organizations for projects to mitigate the environmental impacts caused by new or modified public transportation facilities.

Typical grants range from $200,000 to $250,000. Up to 25% local matching is usually required.

Eligible projects must be directly or indirectly related to the environmental impact of the modification of an existing transportation facility or construction of a new transportation facility. Grants are awarded in three categories. Highway Landscaping and Urban Forestry grants are given to projects designed to offset vehicular emissions of carbon dioxide. Resource Lands Grants are given to projects for the acquisition or enhancement of resource lands to mitigate the loss of, or the detriment to, resource lands lying within or near the right-of-way acquired for transportation improvements. Roadside Recreation Grants provide for the acquisition and/or development of roadside recreational opportunities.
i. Proposition 1C Housing Bond3
The Proposition 1C Housing Bond was passed by voters in 2006, and will raise funds to provide $2.85 billion to affordable housing and infrastructure across California. Funds will be available from the California Department of Housing and Economic Development through a number of different grant programs for a variety of types of projects, including multifamily housing, TransitOriented Development projects, transitional housing, lower income housing, rehabilitation of owner occupied housing, assistance to low- and moderate-income home buyers, farm worker housing, housing for homeless, housing for homeless youth, and emergency housing. The bonds will also be available for infrastructure improvements, including parks or open space; water, sewer, or other utility service improvements; streets, roads, parking structures, or transit linkages and facilities; pedestrian or bicycle transit facilities; and traffic mitigation.

2 http://resources.ca.gov/eem/.
3 http://www.hcd.ca.gov/.
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The HCD has temporarily suspended funding of Prop 1c programs until further notice. j. Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) 4
The goal of the CDBG program is the development of viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income. "Persons of low and moderate income" or the "targeted income group" (TIG) are defined as families, households, and individuals whose incomes do not exceed 80 percent of the county median income, with adjustments for family or household size. This is achieved by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.

Each year the program makes funds available to eligible jurisdictions through several allocations.

Projects must meet specific criteria of either of benefiting low-income households or persons, or creating new jobs or accommodating specific business expansion/retention. CDBG funds are available for a number of different types of projects, including housing rehabilitation, new housing construction, community facilities, public services and public works projects.

Federal Funding for Transportation-Related Improvements The following discussion describes federal funds that could be used for transportation solutions that were identified in the Community Action Plan. Each of the fund sources requires a competitive grant application process. a. Safe Routes to School (SRTS)
Building on Safe Routes to School programs initiated in California and other states, a new federal program was initiated under SAFETEA-LU. The program is intended to promote bicycling and walking to school among children in kindergarten through 8th grade and to provide for increased safety for children bicycling and walking. Both infrastructure projects and non-infrastructure projects (such as educational programming) are eligible for funding. Eligible applicants include State, local, and regional agencies; schools or school districts; and non-profit organizations. Caltrans administers the SRTS program through its Division of Local Assistance. The annual apportionment to California for the federal SRTS program was $22.58 million in 2009. b. Surface Transportation Program
The Surface Transportation Program (STP) was established by the 1991 Federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) and continued with the passage of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) and the TEA-21Restoration Act in 1998. Both new Acts are jointly referred to as TEA-21. Funds are directed to projects and programs for a broad variety of transit and highway work (including work done to streets and roads). i. STP Safety Program
This funding source is a 10 percent set-aside from the federal Surface Transportation Program that provides funds for safety programs defined by Sections 130 (railroad-highway crossing improvements) the Hazard Elimination Safety Program (HES). Funds are available for safety improve-

4 http://www.hcd.ca.gov/fa/cdbg/about.html.

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ments on all public roads and highways, including publicly-owned bicycle and pedestrian pathways. These funds serve to eliminate or reduce the number and/or severity of traffic accidents at locations selected for improvement. Eligible activities include roadway modifications, installation of traffic signals, roadway striping, installation of curb ramps and crosswalks, and project engineering and construction. The program is administered by Caltrans, and funding is awarded annually on a competitive basis.
ii. STP Transportation Enhancements Activities
This funding source is a 10 percent set-aside from the federal Surface Transportation Program that provides funds for a variety of “transportation enhancements” that go above-and-beyond standard transportation projects, including pedestrian and bicycle facilities, safety and education for pedestrians and bicyclists, and rail trails. Transportation Enhancements are selected and programmed through the RTIP and STIP. Both programs are eligible to the City of Point Arena. The RTIP Transportation Enhancement (TE) program is administered by MCOG. $1,674,000 was available for federal TE projects in Mendocino County in 2009.
iii. Regional STP
The Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) was established by California State Statute utilizing Federal Surface Transportation Program Funds. Federal statute divides the remaining 80 percent of the STP apportionment among the urbanized and non-urbanized areas. Seventy-six percent of the State’s RSTP funds must be obligated on projects which are located within the 11 urbanized areas of California with populations greater than 200,000 people, the rest may be used in any area.

Infrastructure Development
a. Community-Oriented Connectivity Broadband Grant Program5 The Community-Oriented Connectivity Broadband Grant Program, is funded by the USDA Rural Development’s Telecommunications Program, and is designed to provide financial assistance to extend broadband service to rural, economically challenged communities where such service does not currently exist. Grant funds may be utilized to bring broadband service to public and private developments and to construct, acquire, expand or operate a community center that provides free access to broadband service to a community center that provides free access to residents for two years. Grants are awarded, on a competitive basis, to entities serving communities of up to 20,000 inhabitants to ensure rural communities have the same quality and availability of telecommunications service as are available in urban and suburban communities. In Fiscal Year 2009, $13.4 Million was available in grants. b. Revolving Fund Grant Program6
The Revolving Fund Grant Program (RFGP) was established through the Water and Environmental Program of the USDA to assist communities with water or wastewater systems. RFGP provides financial and technical assistance to help communities to bring safe drinking water and sanitary,

5 http://www.usda.gov/rus/telecom/commconnect.htm.
6 http://www.usda.gov/rus/water/index.htm.
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environmentally sound waste disposal facilities to rural Americans in greatest need. Qualified private non-profit organizations will receive RFGP grant funds to establish a lending program for eligible entities. Eligible entities for the revolving loan fund will be the same entities eligible to obtain a loan, loan guarantee, or grant from the Rural Utilities Service Water and Waste Disposal and Wastewater loan and grant programs. As grant recipients, the non-profit organizations will set up a revolving loan fund to provide loans to finance predevelopment costs of water or wastewater projects, or short term small capital projects not part of the regular operation and maintenance of current water and wastewater systems. The amount of financing to an eligible entity will not exceed $100,000.00 and shall be repaid in a term not to exceed 10 years. c. Rural Community Assistance Program7
The Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting rural communities achieve their goals and visions by providing training, technical assistance and access to resources. RCAC provides; ♦ Technical assistance to develop affordable housing,
♦ Water, wastewater or solid waste assistance
♦ Financing for housing, environmental infrastructure or community facilities ♦ Resources for Native Americans,
♦ Resources for agricultural workers.

RCAC is a certified Community Development Financial Institution, and RCAC's Loan Fund provides financing for affordable housing, community facilities, and water and wastewater systems. RCAC has assisted 478 rural communities (including 150 Native groups) build, improve, manage, operate or finance drinking water, wastewater or solid waste water systems. Communities can request assistance from RCAC at any time.

Economic Development
a. Rural Business Opportunity Grants (RBOG)8
The RBOG program is funded by the USDA Rural Development program, and provides grants that promote sustainable economic development in rural communities through the provision of training and technical assistance for business development and economic development planning. The grants are open to any area with a population less than 50,000 and priority is given to communities suffering from natural disaster, long term population decline or job deterioration. The program primarily funds training and technical assistance programs. The types of programs Point Arena might try to fund would be feasibility studies, assistance with technology based economic development, centers for training or economic development planning. RBOG grants are administered by the State Rural Development Office of the USDA. 7 http://www.rcac.org/.
8 http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/RBS/BUSP/rbog.htm.

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b. Federal Historic Registry Tax Credits9
Owners of properties listed in the National Register may be eligible for a 20% investment tax credit for the certified rehabilitation of income-producing certified historic structures such as commercial, industrial, or rental residential buildings. Administered by the National Park Service in conjunction with State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO), the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program offers a 20% federal tax credit for qualified rehabilitation expenses. Federal tax deductions are also available for charitable contributions for conservation purposes of partial interests in historically important land areas or structures. To qualify for the funding the project must be on a building within the Historic District that contribute to the historic character of the district (i.e. Buildings listed in Table 2-1), the cost of the project is deemed “substantial”, and the Historic Preservation Certification Application must be submitted.

Greening & Conservation
a. Urban Greening for Sustainable Communities Program10 The Urban Greening for Sustainable Communities Program will provide funds to assist entities to develop urban greening master plans or implement urban greening improvements. Urban Greening projects will preserve, enhance, increase or establish community green areas such as urban forests, open spaces, wetlands and community spaces. The Program is funded by Proposition 84, the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006 authorizes $5.388 billion in general obligation bonds to fund safe drinking water, water quality and supply, flood control, waterway and natural resource protection, water pollution and contamination control, State and local park improvements, public access to natural resources, and water conservation efforts.

The Strategic Growth Council is currently ironing out the funding requirements, for the Urban Greening Implementation and Planning Programs. They anticipate for the implementation program a total of two funding cycles with up to $31.5 million available in Fiscal Year 2010/11 and up to $31.5 million in Fiscal Year 2011/12. Grant Funds will be awarded to a city, county or nonprofit organization. They anticipate a total of $60 million dollars available to cities, counties, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), Joint Powers Authorities (JPAs), Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPAs), and Council of Governments (COGs) for the Planning programs to be distributed in 2 or 3 funding cycles.
b. Acres for America11
Acres for America is National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's land conservation program, and was established to provide funding for projects that conserve large, landscape-level areas that are important habitat for fish, wildlife, and plants. Acres for America helps to gain ownership or property for conservation. Acres for America was launched in 2005 with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc as the founding partner. Wal-Mart's goal as a founding partner is to offset the footprint of their domestic facilities on at least an acre-by-acre basis through permanent conservation of important wildlife habi-

9 http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/tax/index.htm.
10 http://www.sgc.ca.gov.
11 http://www.nfwf.org..
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tats. Approximately $2.5 million will be available annually through 2014 for conservation investments. All grants require an equal match. c. Five Star Restoration Program12
The Five Star Restoration Program seeks to develop community capacity to sustain local natural resources for future generations by providing modest financial assistance to diverse local partnerships for wetland, riparian, and coastal habitat restoration. The National Association of Counties, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Southern Company, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) are the agencies which fund the program. Projects eligible for consideration must include:
♦ On-the-ground wetland, riparian, in stream and/ or coastal habitat restoration, ♦ Integrate meaningful education into the restoration project either through community outreach, participation, and/or integration with K-12 environmental curriculum, ♦ Involve diverse set of community partners to accomplish the projects objectives, and ♦ Result in measurable ecological and educational/social benefits.

Applications for the 2010 round of funding are due in February 2010. 12 www.nfwf.org/FiveStar.

A PPENDIX A

S UMMARY OF D ESIGN R OUNDTABLE

DESIGN, COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT
Offices in Berkeley and Ventura
1625 SHATTUCK AVENUE
SUITE 300
BERKELEY, CA 94709
TEL: 510 848 3815
FAX: 510 848 4315
www.dceplanning.com

MEMORANDUM
DATE October 15, 2009
TO TAC and CSC
Point Arena Community Action Plan
FROM John Hykes
RE Point Arena Design Roundtable
A design roundtable for the Point Arena Community Action Plan was held the weekend of September 18th – 21st. The roundtable included three community meetings, a number of focus group meetings, a walking tour and open studios. A broad segment of the Point Arena Community Attended the various events, and a number of community members attended multiple events. This memo is a brief summary of the roundtable events.

Attached are copies of the workshop presentations and agendas.

1. Focus Group Meetings
The Design Team met with a number of community stakeholders in small focus group meetings that allowed the stakeholders to talk at length about the issues most important to them. The following is a list of the stakeholder groups, and a brief summary of each groups main concerns and issues.
a. Downtown Merchants Association
y Speeding on Main Street through downtown
y A lack of pedestrian crosswalks
y Downtown sidewalks are in disrepair with high curbs and limited access ramps y City needs more signage at entrances to town
y Merchants are working on beautification, but there is the potential for more y The Cove needs to be better advertised along Highway 1 y The downtown could have better signage to communicate to visitors what is available
y The City should provide affordable housing and more jobs to grow and build the community.
y Industry and jobs could include tourism, technology industry, and niche agricultural farming

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b. Point Arena High School Associated Student Body Representatives y There is a lack of places for youth to go and lack of things for youth to do in Point Arena (and Gualala).
y There is the need for a recreation center to provide the youth with a place to hang out and activities to engage in after school.
y Teens and youth desire activities and amenities such as basketball courts, skateboarding, crafts, computers and dances.
y The limited transit options and timing of the transit options make it hard for youth to use it.
y The businesses in town are friendly to youth, but the youth does not have much money to spend there
y The Action Network is a great resource for Middle School Aged Youth, but not so much for high school students.
y More activities for youth would result in less kids doing drugs and just hanging out. c. Safety and Infrastructure
y Point Arena needs to grow logically and slowly and retain its uniqueness y Emergency access to the Pier is important because there is only one access which is within a flood zone.
y The pier parking lot often floods.
y Alternative access within the town and to the Pier during the Harbor festival and Labor Day Parade is an important safety concern.
y Poor visibility for drivers at the intersection of Iversen Road and Main Street is a concern.
y The rate and volume of stormwater flow along Main Street is a major concern during heavy rains.
y The sidewalks are incomplete and curbs are inaccessible y The crosswalk at the intersection of Main and School Street is unsafe y Many of the sewer lines need to be replaced or repaired d. South Coast Seniors
y Parking for seniors during the lunches and breakfasts at the Senior Center is a big issue.
y South Coast Seniors is trying to buy the Druids Building; however that is not yet definitive. If the deal doesn’t go through the Senior Center will need to find another location because the Druids Building will not work without significant renovations. y There is the need for a senior community in or around Point Arena, including Senior Housing, Adult Day Care a Senior Center, residential Facility and Low-income housing
e. Library Volunteers
y Point Arena library is a huge amenity for the area (Sea Ranch, Gualala, Annapolis, Manchester)
y Parking and access for the library is an issue (staff of the library tend to park on the street in front of the library.)

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y Beautification and façade improvements should be a focus of the Downtown. y Accessibility is an issue with the high curbs of the sidewalks. y Additional signage for the public library.
y Shade trees in the community park for sitting and passive recreation

2. Community Workshop #1
The first community workshop was held on Friday, September 18th at 5:30pm at Point Arena City Hall. There were approximately 30 participants at the meeting. The participants were asked to list things they valued the most about Point Arena and the topics that people mentioned the most included; the coastal setting, the people, the cove, the small town character and the downtown. During the meeting the design team presented an analysis of the existing urban design, traffic and circulation conditions within Point Arena.

The workshop participants then had a discussion about their vision for the future of Point Arena, which included areas and opportunities for improvement. A selected list of the items mentioned includes:
y Emergency access to the Cove
y A recreation center
y Need for more public parking
y New streets/access parallel to Main Street
y Maintaining Point Arena’s uniqueness and funkiness
y Beautifying downtown, adding more trees
y Improving sidewalks
y Creating more town-focused businesses
y Pedestrian and bike access on City-owned easements
y Preventing people from driving too fast on Main and School Streets

3. Walking Tour
On Saturday, September 19th at 9am a number of community members met on Main Street Point Arena in order to participate in a walking tour. Approximately 15 people participated in the walking tour. The walking tour was designed to give community members the opportunity to show and discuss with the Design Teams areas of concern and their ideas for solutions.

4. Community Workshop #2
A second community workshop was held on Saturday, September 19th from 2-4pm.

Approximately 25 community members participated in the workshop. The Design Team gave a PowerPoint presentation and discussed some potential types of solutions that might be implemented in Point Arena to solve some of the issues and optimize some of the potentials previously identified. After the presentation, the participants were asked to break up into small groups and use a set of table maps to discuss and draw potential improvements to Point Arena. The small groups then presented the ideas back to the whole group. A list of the ideas presented by each group is listed below. ♦ Table # 1
y Pedestrian street lights are a good idea for downtown

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y There is a need for a new connection across the block between Lake/School Street for kids attending the high school
y The park needs better amenities, including basketball, picnic, family activities y The roundabout is a good idea for a turn around.
y Extend sidewalks along Highway 1 to City Hall because kids walk to City Hall from School
y Create sidewalks on Lake Street
y Improve sidewalk/crosswalk at the intersection of School Street and Main Street ♦ Table # 2
y Gateways would help visitors identify they are entering town and slow down locations include:
-South Entry: South of tile shop, could utilize the creek as a marker -North Entry: Roundabout prior to Pirate’s Cove or a historic marker prior to VFW
-East Entry: By the preserve, could be a “zebra crossing” sign y There is a need for markers along downtown to have people slow down, possibly “Pedestrian Crossing” signs
y A new crosswalk is needed at the city easement (trail) and School Street y Roundabout at Windy Hollow Road
y U-Turn Area at Main/Eureka
y More development at the Pier
y Main Street: move crosswalks located at Port Road, Senior Center and Post Office.

Eliminate crosswalk at Mill Street
y Park footpath needs more signage and better access
y Vehicle parking or turnaround behind Post Office
y Farmers market
y Turn the Highway 1/ School Street Intersection into ‘T’ Intersection, with crosswalks on three sides
y Change the name of Iversen Road and Port Road so they are not confusing. y Banner on poles
y New solar powered lights
y New road from HIGHWAY 1 to Port for emergency access
y Preserve view shed from Highway 1
y New recreation center/gym
♦ Table #3
y HIGHWAY 1 Turnarounds- at Mill Street and maybe Riverside Drive y Create a new trail up to hill on Tony Gaussoin’s property y New recreation center/Senior Center, several possible locations, including David Hillmer’s Property
y The types of retail missing in Point Arena is video rentals, clothes, laundry mat, business center
y New bike lanes on School Street
y Gateway or Roundabout at VFW
y Include a speed feedback sign as traffic calming

DESIGN, COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT
PAGE 5
y “T” intersection at Highway 1/School Street
y Roundabout and gateways at Windy Hollow Road
y Parking behind Post Office
y Parking at Lions Hall
y Point Arena Creek trail
y Housing on Harper’s land
♦ Table #4
y Parking behind Post Office
y Protect and improve pedestrian access to Park
y Include a dog park on public property
y Highway 1/School Street Intersection could include a pocket park and opportunity for public area with new intersection redesign
y Roundabout at Windy Hollow Road
y Gateways
-Southern gateway could be a recycled boat, no consensus on location y New retaining wall at Iversen Road/Main Street to improve visibility y Mountain beaver sign as a gateway
y New trail to bluff and with proposed signs
y Pedestrian access at gas station needs to be improved y New crosswalk at senior Center
y Strengthen the axis mundi of town near bathrooms/park y Connect with coastal regional trails
y Extend sidewalk down to Tile Shop and Lisa’s store

5. Open Studio
On Sunday, September 20th, the Design Team held an open house in the studio work space. The community was invited to visit and observe the Design Team as they were working to distill the communities’ ideas into solutions to present at the third workshop.

Approximately 15 people dropped in the studio during the open house. They had the opportunity to ask further questions or provide further insight.

6. Community Workshop #3
The third community workshop was held on Monday, September 21st at 5:30pm.

Approximately 35 community members attended the workshop. During this workshop, the Design Team presented the first iteration of solutions to be included in the Point Arena Community Action Plan. The solutions were developed out of the input received by the community during the roundtable. The Design Team presented the ideas and gave the community opportunities to comment on the ideas. The recommendations were grouped into seven categories: Gateways, Main Street Streetscape, the School Area Streetscape Improvements, Roundabouts, Parking and Circulation, Parks and Open Space and Land Use.

In general, the participants agreed that the plan was headed in a favorable direction. The workshop participants’ comments are listed below:

Gateways
y Signage entering Point Arena should say Point Arena, not Pt. Arena

DESIGN, COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT
PAGE 6
y Look at including gateways at the Windy Hollow/Eureka Road Intersection y Speed limit entering from south, check the location of the signs y If pulling back the retaining wall on Iversen, include signage or mural directing people to Cove?
y Signage in advance of proposed roundabout
y “Harbor” not Wharf
Main Street Streetscape
y Check the bus and truck turning radii on all bulbout proposals. y There may be too many crosswalks in the design.
y There is still some skepticism about bulbouts and the outcome of Fort Bragg’s Franklin Street.
y Think more about the school crosswalk location; the main entry to the school is not in the front
y At the intersection of Lake Street, Main Street and School Street the driver’s view could be increased by pulling back the existing retaining wall even further.

School Area Streetscape
y Ensure that the median and crosswalk on School Street doesn’t preclude any development on empty lots
Roundabouts
y Support for the idea of good/beautiful landscaping at entrance to town (north of town)
y Connect the roundabout (north of town) to Devil’s Cut-off with sidewalks or a trail y Improve the safety of the right turn onto Highway 1 from Lake Street y Make sure the roundabouts are able to accommodate the length of trucks and houses on tractor trailers (Eureka Hill Road)
y Develop a cheaper and faster to implement solution for Lake Street/Highway 1 intersection
y Research the traffic counts at Lake Street
Parking and Circulation
y Could the building behind the Post Office include a REC Center? Basketball? y Support for the bulbout at the Post Office entrance, be sure to replace the short term parking directly in front of the Post Office for people with big packages y Incorporate bike racks into the bulbouts
Parks and Open Space
y The skate park should not be isolated
Land Use
y Look at Development proposed on Lena Bullamore’s property and its relation to steep topography.

A PPENDIX B

E XISTING T RANSPORTATION

C ONDITIONS M EMO

332 Pine Street, 4th Floor San Francisco, CA 94104 (415) 348-0300 Fax (415) 773-1790 www.fehrandpeers.com

MEMORANDUM
Date: July 17, 2009
To: John Hykes - Design, Community & Environment (DC&E) From: Todd Henry and Meghan Mitman – Fehr & Peers
Subject: Point Arena Community Action Plan: Existing Transportation Conditions SF09-0442
Fehr & Peers reviewed the transportation system in Point Arena, California to identify the existing traffic circulation, bicycle and pedestrian circulation, transit access, and parking characteristics within the City. In addition, background data, such as collision history and previous transportation studies, were reviewed. This memorandum summarizes the project study area; existing plans, policies and data; and the existing transportation network.

PROJECT STUDY AREA
Point Arena is a small, incorporated coastal community straddling State Route 1 in Mendocino County, California. The City is just south of the Point Arena lighthouse, which is located on a rocky point jutting into the Pacific Ocean off of Lighthouse Road. Given the mountainous terrain of coastal California, Point Arena is relatively isolated from the rest of the County and is accessible primarily by Route 1. Although the town has its own post office, schools, and medical services, other services for the approximately 500 residents are located in other communities in Mendocino County, such as Mendocino (34 miles north), Gualala (15 miles south), Fort Bragg (45 miles north), and Ukiah (50 miles northeast). Point Arena is the smallest of four incorporated areas of Mendocino County; the others being Ukiah, Willits, and Fort Bragg. Point Arena is also located immediately to the west of the Manchester/Point Arena Rancheria, a small community of the Pomo Indian Tribe.

Like most small towns along Route 1, tourism during the summer months brings a substantial number of visitors into and through the town.

Although the entire City was surveyed for this memo, the primary study area is the business and commercial district, and adjoining residential areas, along Main Street (Route 1). This corridor will be the focus of the City’s Community Action Plan.

EXISTING ROADWAY NETWORK
This section describes the primary roadways within the City of Point Arena, as shown in Figure 1.

Most roadways in the City were constructed prior to current street design standards, so most streets are narrow, are missing curbs and gutters, and have pedestrian facilities that do not meet current guidelines for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.

F I GUR E 1

S T U D Y I N T E R S E C T I O N S

C I T Y O F P O I N T A R E N A , C A L I F O R N I A

POINT AR E NA C OMMUNITY AC TION P LAN
0 0.04 0.08 Miles
Source: F ehr & Peers, 2009
Source: DC&E and F & P, 2009
Legend
Study Intersection
Route 1/School Street
Lake Street
Windy Hollow Road
Riverside Drive / Eureka Hill Road
Scott Place
Mill Street
Starboard Way
Center Street
Iverson Avenue
Route 1/Main Street
Port Road
Gillmore 8Alley
7 1
2 3
5 6
10 4
9 9.

8.7.6.5.4.3.2.1. #

10. Center Street and Starboard Way
Mill Street and Center StreetGillmore Alley and Iverson AvenueRoute 1 and Lake StreetMain Street (Route 1) and School Street (Route 1)Main Street (Route 1) and Riverside Drive/Eureka Hill RoadMain Street (Route 1) and Starboard WayMain Street (Route 1) and Port RoadMain Street (Route 1) and Mill StreetMain Street (Route 1) and Iverson AvenueIntersection John Hykes, DC&E
July 10, 2009

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Point Arena City CouncilJuly 21, 2026

Point Arena City Council
July 21, 2026