City Council Meeting Agenda: 02-10-2026 cc Page 1
Posted: Friday, February 06, 2026
NOTICE AND CALL OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE
TRINIDAD CITY COUNCIL
The Trinidad City Council will hold a regular meeting on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2026, at 6:00 PM
at the Trinidad Town Hall, 409 Trinity Street, Trinidad, CA.
CLOSED SESSION BEGINS AT 4:30PM
For your convenience, this meeting will also be held via videoconference, hosted on the Zoom platform. Learn more about Zoom here: https://zoom.us
PUBLIC COMMENT: Public comment may be submitted via email in advance of the meeting, or in an orderly process during the meeting. If you do not have access to email and you would like to provide a written statement, please deliver your comments to 409 Trinity Street, Trinidad CA, by 2:00pm on the meeting day, or email to [email protected] HOW TO PARTICIPATE: You are invited to participate in person at the Trinidad Town Hall, or by Zoom. The City will publish a direct link to the Zoom teleconference, along with the participant code, on the City Calendar page online at https://www.trinidad.ca.gov/calendar
To phone in, dial 1-888-278-0296, Conference Code: 685171 Meeting ID: 814 3194 3732 Passcode: 881342 PLEASE NOTE that live meeting logistics will be prioritized. Connectivity issues on the part of the City may result in the meeting being delayed or rescheduled but technical challenges experienced by individuals will not interrupt or halt progress of the meeting.
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
III. CLOSED SESSION
1. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation (Calif. Gov. Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)) (1 Case: City of Trinidad vs. Tsurai Ancestral Society, et. al, Humb. Co. Sup. Court Case No. DR180684 IV. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION
V. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 01/13/2026 cc
VII. COUNCIL REPORTS/COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS.
VIII. PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT (Sheriff and Pacific Coast Security) IX. ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR
At this time, members of the public may comment on items NOT appearing on the agenda. Individual comments will be limited to 3 minutes or less. Please direct your comments to the Council as a whole, maintain decorum and avoid personal attacks on staff, members of the Council and/or other members of the public. Council and staff responses will be minimal for non-agenda items.
City Council Meeting Agenda: 02-10-2026 cc Page 2
X. CONSENT AGENDA All matters on the Consent Agenda are considered routine by the City Council and are enacted in one motion. There is no separate discussion of any of these items. If discussion is requested by any Council member, that item is removed from the Consent Calendar and considered separately. A single opportunity for public comment on the Consent Agenda is available to the public.
1. Financial Statements – December 2025
2. Law Enforcement Report – January 2026.
3. Task Order 6 with Pacific Watershed Associates (PWA) to provide continuous Luffenholtz Creek bypass flow measurements, monitoring, and reporting for the 2026 water year.
DISCUSSION/ACTION AGENDA ITEMS
1. Conduct the Urban Residential Zone (UR) Short-Term Rental Lottery.
2. Update/Discussion regarding Upcoming City Council Election Year and Key Calendar Dates.
3. Staff Activity Report – January 2026
X. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
XI. ADJOURNMENT
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR:
JANUARY 13, 2026 CC
Supporting Documentation follows with: 6 PAGES
01-13-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE TRINIDAD CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2026 (LIVE/HYBRID)
I. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Kelly called the live-hybrid meeting to order at 6:00pm. Council members in attendance: Kelly, Tuttle, Breckenridge, Kenny, and Waskiewicz. City Staff in attendance: City Clerk/Interim City Manager Gabriel Adams, Administrative Assistant Anton Souza, and Grant Administrator Angela Cather. Approximately (8) participants were present by video-conference, and (4) were present live at the beginning of the meeting.
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
III. ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION
1. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation (Calif. Gov. Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)) (1 Case: City of Trinidad vs.
Tsurai Ancestral Society, et. al, Humb. Co. Sup. Court Case No. DR180684 IV. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION – No reportable action taken.
V. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Kenny recommended pulling consent 3 for discussion.
Motion (Kenny/Tuttle) to approve the agenda as submitted. Passed 5-0.
VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 11/12/2025 cc
Motion (Kelly/Breckenridge) to approve the minutes as written. Passed 5-0.
VII. COUNCIL REPORTS/COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
Tuttle: Nothing to report.
Waskiewicz: Nothing to report.
Kenny: December HCAOG meeting, presentation by California Transportation Commission, pay-as-you-use system to recoup revenue otherwise received through gas tax; mileage-based system. RHNA allocation discussed and the Board endorsed a variation of staff’s version. Regarding Trinidad, the method selected required us to build 3 units for acutely low-income, 4 for extremely low, 3 for very low, 5 for low, 2 for moderate, and 10 for moderate income for a total of 27 units for the next cycle. Very optimistic what jurisdictions can do.
Breckenridge: Summarized the November RREDC meeting, and noted Waskiewicz will be taking over this role moving forward.
Kelly: Attended Mayor Cities Select Committee. Kimberly White (Arcata Mayor) appointed to LAFCO. Also attended quarterly Hazardous Materials Response Authority meeting.
VIII.PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT – City Manager & Law Enforcement HCSO Lt. McCall summarized November and December stats. Interim City Manager Adams echoed the low call volume from these months, and thanked the City’s public safety team (HCSO and Pacific Coast Security) for proactive service to this community.
IX. ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR. – NO ITEMS PRESENTED
(Three (3) minute limit per Speaker unless Council approves request for extended time.) X. CONSENT AGENDA
1. Financial Statements – October/November 2025
2. Law Enforcement Report – November/December 2025.
Motion (Kelly/Waskiewicz) to approve the consent agenda as submitted. Passed unanimously.
XI. DISCUSSION/ACTION AGENDA ITEMS
1. Update/Discussion regarding the January 03, 2026, Scenic Drive Water Main Leak and Water Shortage Emergency Status.
01-13-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2
Interim City Manager Adams explained that the purpose of tonight’s discussion is to present a full account of the water leak incident and response, with technical and operational staff present to provide a post-incident summary, current status update, help answer questions, and receive feedback that will help guide future decisions regarding the water system.
Staff present and available to help respond to questions included; City Manager Gabriel Adams (Management/Outreach)
City Engineer Steve Allen (Technical)
Contract Chief Plant Operator Eric Sanders (Regulatory) Public Works Supervisor Kyle Shipman (Operations)
The water main service line break that occurred on a problematic section of Scenic Drive during the overnight hours on January 03, 2026 rapidly drained the storage tanks (nearly 400,000 gallons of potable drinking water) and triggered the first Boil Water Notice issued by the City in over 20 years. The impacts of this event were significant and disruptive to the community. The incident further emphasizes ongoing concerns about the vulnerability of a small water system challenged by increasing costs, regulatory, and environmental pressures.
The discussion is intended to open the conversation with the Council and community, provide access to management, technical, and operational staff for questions, capture feedback, identify areas that can be improved, and recognize how staff response and community support helped rebound from a water shortage emergency.
LEAK LOCATION, TIMELINE, DETAILS
With a significant rain event forecasted, water treatment production was shut down by staff at approximately midnight on Saturday, January 03, with the 400,000-gallon storage facility at 90% capacity. Water department staff began receiving alarm calls from the plant shortly after 3:00am warning of storage/distribution system issues. The first emails/calls/texts received from customers nearest the tank elevation were received shortly after 5:00am when their water pressure began to drop. This trend continued until the pressure drop reached Main Street just before 8:00am. City staff mobilized and immediately began troubleshooting and analyzing the information available. Trinidad Rancheria staff contacted the City Manager at 7:00am to report a leak observed near a hydrant near 824 Scenic Drive.
Based on the information gathered, approximately 72,000 gallons of water were lost per hour over a 5-hour period, beginning sometime after 2:00am Saturday morning. Water service was reported out completely in parts of the distribution system highest to the tank elevation. Pressure drops were reported on Main, Trinity, and Edwards Streets.
STAFF RESPONSE & RECOVERY
Public Notification: Staff began implementing the Water Shortage Contingency Plan as soon as the incident severity was realized. Public Works isolated the leak and began assessing production challenges.
Management began implementing the communication and emergency response notification systems (website, phone calls, email lists, social media outlets).
Potable Water Trucking: Potable water trucking services were dispatched at 11:00am and a convoy of four, 1650-gallon capacity vehicles operated by Puryear Water Delivery and Norcal Water began shuttling water from the McKinleyville Community Services District (Humboldt Bay Municipal Water), direct to the City’s water storage tanks. They operated non-stop for four days with their last loads delivered on Tuesday when the tanks reached approximately 7’ in elevation (of the 18’ height peak).
Water Plant Production/Treatment: Extremely turbid water flowed through Luffenholtz Creek following a series of potent storms Saturday-Monday, slowing treatment and production, significantly to approximately 20,000-gallons per day. Treatment and production improved steadily as the storm passed and the creek cleared, increasing production to approximately 65,000-gallons per day from Tuesday on, relieving the city from its reliance on the trucking companies. By Friday the tanks reached 55% capacity. 01-13-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3
Staff Impacts: Public Works and City Management worked round the clock starting with the first sign of trouble early in the morning Saturday. All four shift operators rotated plant duty every 5-hours, 24-hours per day through Saturday when operations stabilized and storage capacity reached 65%.
Coordination and distribution of Boil Water & High Turbidity Notices took a team of five people approximately six hours to execute, from drafting, duplicating, preparing, and delivering. The Mayor, Mayor Pro-Tem, and a third Councilmember joined public works and administrative staff in a door-to-door distribution campaign that lasted approximately 4-hours.
Daily updates were provided on the City website through an emergency alert notification, and red banner directing visitors to a page dedicated to the emergency. Leak repair status, water storage recovery progress, and boil water notice outreach was provided. Push notifications sent for messages of significance; 1) Notification of Emergency, 2) Boil Water Notice, and 3) Boil Water Notice lifted.
FISCAL IMPACT // TRUCKING
Saturday, January 03: 30 Loads 49,950 gallons delivered $5,400.
Sunday, January 04: 27 Loads 44,145 gallons delivered $4,860.
Monday, January 05: 31 Loads 50,685 gallons delivered $5,580.
Tuesday, January 06: 16 Loads 26,160 gallons delivered $2,880.
Total: 104 Loads 170,940 gallons $18,720
FISCAL IMPACT // LEAK REPAIR
The city has not yet received an invoice from GRS for the emergency repair. The preliminary estimate is approximately $10,000.
COMMUNITY / BUSINESS IMPACTS
Reports were received from businesses that single-use (disposable) items were used in place of dishware to minimize water use during the shortage. The Humboldt County Department of Environmental Health sent officials to Trinidad on Saturday to confirm adequate hot water temperatures required for food handling, and to verify methods used by restaurants to reduce water consumption were not compromising public health.
The Boil Water Notice, however, prompted County Health Officials to notify restaurants and the Trinidad School to close. The ripple effect of this impact was significant. Preliminary estimates calculate taxable prepared food sale losses during the 2-day closure to be in the tens of thousands. Employee wages were also lost.
Council questions included:
Kelly: Thanked Public Works and Rancheria staff for their emergency response.
Tuttle: How would this situation had been different if we were connected to Humboldt Bay Municipal Water? Adams stated he spoke with HMBWD General Manager Michiko Mares during the emergency, an in anticipation of this question coming up post-incident. Mares mentioned the tanks would have been refilled much more rapidly, that the 24/7 staff oversight of the pumps and distribution system would have likely captured the pressure irregularity instantly and responded with either increased supply and/or boots on the ground, and that the segment of pipe along that stretch of Scenic may be unnecessary if the Rancheria and City had independent supply connections.
Breckenridge: Astonished with the efficiency of communication and commitment by staff in response to this emergency. How much did the water lost cost to produce? 01-13-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4
Adams explained the price per gallon of water produced requires a calculation he doesn’t have, but there could be additional unknown costs if we discover any damages that are a result of the water flooding downslope from the leak location to private property.
Kenny: Was the pipe break due to the geologic instability of the location, or due to the material of pipe and internal pressure? Can flexible pipe be used? Can both tanks drop at the same rate? Is there a way we avoid losing both tanks in the future?
City Engineer Steve Allen noted this area along Scenic Drive is unstable. The Rancheria is proactively working on a project to stabilize a road segment. The amount of stress on the pipe as a result of the instability is not perfectly clear, but may very well be related. An emergency bypass line was installed when another segment of road failed in 2024. HDPE, PVC with constraints, or ductile iron are all alternative pipe materials worth looking into, but there’s no magic flexible pipe that is immune from failure. Infrastructure will continue to be compromised by the instability of that area. The tank levels are equalized. We have had internal discussions with staff about running power to the tank site to automate things such as valves, but haven’t identified a funding source. A manual valve exists between tanks that could be closed to prevent water from draining completely, but ideally you isolate only the section leaking – not the main tank supply - and prevent the entire customer base from being out of water. The challenge is finding a leak in the distribution system and understanding what and how fast it’s happening, especially in the middle of the night. There are also situations such as a fire, where you wouldn’t want an automated valve shutting off your supply.
Kenny: Questions about the water department alarm system. Someone gets a phone call when it goes off? T3 Chief Plant Operator Eric Sanders explained that the Verbatim Alarm Dialer is a basic alarm system connected to the phone system with several alarm channels available. When it calls out, it tells you what the channel is and a brief description. Pressure, chlorine, turbidity… the basic Title 22 Drinking Water regulations.
It calls out on a loop until the call is acknowledged. Once the condition changes, it will restart the call rotation until someone acknowledges the abnormality. The operator uses their key pad to acknowledge the alarm. It’s a rudimentary system that many plants – at least half that I know of – use. The alarm was answered by an operator. Multiple operators may have responded since several alarms were triggered through the early morning hours. Nuisance alarms or real alarms have to be checked. There is no data collected by the machine, but Water Operators may be able to say in more detail what happened.
Kyle Shipman, Public Works Supervisor
I was not on call that night, but the first call was “tank level low” around 3:00am. This alarm often resolves itself when the tank automatically starts up. The second call around 3:30am was “distribution flow rate high”, which is the one we don’t want to see. By the time we wrapped our heads around it, find, and isolate the leak it just after 7:00am.
Kelly: This was a good review of what happened. One of the things we can talk about down the road is to improve our emergency communication system.
Tuttle: Was the Trinidad-Westhaven Intertie active at this moment? Adams explained that the project was within a week of activating, but not ready to activate as the construction deadline was January 15. Regarding production, the MOU calls for 20-30k gallons per day. On a good day Trinidad consumes approximately 50K gallons per day, so even at peak function it may not be very effective.
We were able to get that same amount of water in 5 hours from the water delivery companies.
Kelly: We covered the root cause, and understand there’s a long-term plan for the Scenic Drive distribution system. We talked about redundancy, communications, and fiscal strategy. There’s a turbidity bottle-neck. Is there a capital improvement path to help improve this?
Steve Allen explained that the most recent project to address this happened in 2014. Eric Sanders may have some additional suggestions that can be reasonably implemented. 01-13-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 5
Eric Sanders, CPO/T3 explained that the turbidity exceedance notice was issued because of the fact that the backwash system isn’t large enough. The water plant is usually offline during the big storm events – when the source water is extremely muddy. In order for staff to treat the highly turbid water, adjustments had to be made with the chemical feed system. The highly turbid, treated water was sent directly into the distribution line between the plant and storage tanks. Normally that batch of water would have been pushed into the backwash tank for later recovery and treatment. The first thing I’d recommend is to add a second backwash tank and upgrade the chemical feed with a heavier coagulant that can handle more turbid water. This could be completed for $50-60k to ensure emergency water can be treated during heavy storm events. There’s a host of other things - new storage in other areas, extra distribution loops, intertie with Humboldt Bay, or a complete plant upgrade or replacement. In 10-15 years this plant will be in need of significant replacement. It works well, but it is 1960’s technology. There are new technologies out there that are relatively inexpensive ($200-300k) for a 100-150gpm treatment plant.
Public comment included:
Jacque Hostler-Carmesin – Trinidad Rancheria
Appreciative of the work that your staff did during the event. Trinidad Rancheria has put out to bid an emergency Scenic Drive repair project to improve the failing area shown in photos tonight. We will be improving the road with a soldier pile wall to stabilize the roadway. No improvements to the water line are included. What we know is that the roadway is actively moving. It is not surprising that stress in this area was responsible for this leak. Also hoping for an update on the ALMT.
Anita Thompson – Trinidad
Thanked everyone so acting so quickly. The weather was horrible Saturday – wind, rain, etc. I felt badly for everyone involved. Special thanks to Public Works for working around the clock. Also appreciate the City Manager for transparency and bringing in the experts, and “what if” analysis. Witnessed the downtown fire last Saturday in Arcata, and I’m also a survivor of the Camp Fire. I appreciate the City Manager’s reminder to not only be water-wise, but also fire-wise in the outreach sent during the emergency.
Council comments:
Waskiewicz: Question about how many commercial vs. residential hookups. Adams explained that he would review the rate study and provide a response.
Kelly: Support the local restaurants this week and help them recoup their losses. We should also remember to utilize our CERT team during emergency situations like this.
Information item only. No decision was made.
2. Update/Discussion regarding the Axel Lindgren Memorial Trail (ALMT) Repair, Coastal Commission CDP Appeal Status; Agency Roles, Procedure, & Progress.
Interim City Manager Adams explained that the purpose of this discussion is to provide information and context to the Council in response to questions that have come up during this process that began back in September when the Coastal Commission took jurisdiction over the project by upholding the appeal filed by the Tsurai Ancestral Society and Yurok Tribe.
City Planner Trever Parker explained that this isn’t a straightforward process. The appeal is complicated by the fact that this is a closure of a public trail. The current process is the most efficient at this point. Coastal Commission has taken the role as facilitator. We’re looking at a phased reopening plant that is similar to what the Council approved in May, but with the difference being the first phase as a partial reopening, and phase two rerouting the bottom to the traditional path requiring slope stabilization. Commission staff want to permit both phases with responsibilities and requirements to ensure the process continues.
Council questions included:
Kenny: Presented photos and argued that the current trail condition landing on the beach is not much different than many other coastal trail access points in our area. The fences should come down and the trail should be open. Trail immunity protects the City from injuries that occur on trails. 01-13-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 6
Kelly: I believe we discussed this, and the city determined the trail was unsafe – at least based on engineering solutions that have been presented (cable steps, etc.). I don’t agree with Kenny about the trail being in a safe condition. Are all the stakeholders aligned on this phased concept? We have the options of continuing down the path or to pulling the application, but tonight’s discussion is focused on gaining more information about the status.
City Planner Parker noted that the TAS is very opposed to reopening the trail in its current alignment.
City Engineer Allen confirmed that he has not made any safety assessment, but those questions should be presented to the City Attorney and/or Insurance provider.
City Manager Adams explained that the ALMT working group is still trying to reach a consensus on the improvements needed that satisfy the TAS.
Melissa Kraemer – Coastal Commission
The staff report is informative and does a good job laying out the status. We have a pending application from the City before the Commission, and requires more information before it is ready to be brought to a hearing. We’re in the process of facilitating this process. More detail on the realignment is needed. We would like to permit both phases, and see the trail opened in a way that’s safe and protects resources. Your Council decided in November not to direct up to $10k in resources for the City Engineer to begin developing the traditional trail plan.
This was not a request from the Commission.
Kenny: The Coastal Commission doesn’t seem interested in our offer to provide $10k in exchange for resolving the appeal.
Kelly: This is an informational item for discussion. No decision was expected. The City can revisit the application status (continue or withdraw) and $10k conditioned approval in a future agenda item, possibly in February or March.
Information item only. The Council may choose to revisit this in February or March.
3. Presentation/Annual Update from the Trinidad Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).
Informational item only, with the presentation led by CERT volunteer Larry Goldberg.
4. Staff Activity Report – November/December 2025
Presentation item only. Interim City Manager Adams provided a detailed summary of staff activities in November/December, included in the meeting packet. No decision was made.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
ADJOURNMENT: 8:45pm.
Submitted by: Approved by:
_____________________________ _____________________________ Gabriel Adams Cheryl Kelly
Trinidad City Clerk Mayor
CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 1
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED
1. Financial Statements – December 2025
CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 2
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED
2. Law Enforcement Report – January 2026.
CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 2
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED
3. Task Order 6 with Pacific Watershed Associates (PWA) to provide continuous Luffenholtz Creek bypass flow measurements, monitoring, and reporting for the 2026 water year.
Geologic and Geomorphic Studies • Wildland Hydrology • Erosion Control Planning • Septic Evaluation • Environmental Services PACIFIC WATERSHED ASSOCIATES INC.
PO Box 4433 • Arcata, CA 95518-4433
Ph 707-839-5130 • Fax 707-839-8168
www.pacificwatershed.com
TASK ORDER #6 – January 20, 2026
under
City of Trinidad/Pacific Watershed Associates 2021 Master Services Agreement (MSA) 01 Statement of Work: Provide continuous bypass flows using PWA MkII Telemeter and InfluxDB Data Analytics Platform Maintenance
This document serves as Task Order #6 under the Master Services Agreement for As-Needed Geologic and Hydrologic Services (2021-MSA-01) between the City of Trinidad (City) and Pacific Watershed Associates (PWA). Task Order #6 includes the following tasks related to the ongoing projects at the City’s drinking water treatment facility located along Luffenholtz Creek in Trinidad, California.
Task 6.1. 2026 Bypass Flow Measurements, Monitoring, and Reporting Continuous flow monitoring during the 2026 water year requires physical discharge measurements to calibrate the PWA MKII Bypass Flow Telemeter each low flow season. Flow measurements and monitoring occurs downstream of the stream diversion infrastructure at the City of Trinidad's municipal water treatment plant intake facility. Using the physical discharge measurements a low flow rating curve hydrograph will be linked to the City of Trinidad's computer for continuous flow monitoring using the MKII Bypass Flow Telemeter. PWA will develop rating curves, technical evaluations, and calibration for continued operation in 2026. Maintenance of the telemeter, as well as associated data collection, analysis and regulatory reporting is included in this agreement.
PWA has previously ensured that the installed system is acceptable to the State Water Resources Control Board as an adequate method for monitoring flow in accordance with the requirements of the City's Water Rights Permits.
Cost Estimate – Task 6.1. 2026 Bypass Flow Measurements and Monitoring Senior Hydrologist .................................................................... 48 hours @ $156/hr = $7,200 Principal .......................................................................................... 4 hours @ $190/hr = $728 Subtotal $8,248
Current meter and data logger rental (12 days)........................... 12 days x $160/day = $1,920 Mileage (12 round trips x 30 miles)................................................... 360 mi x 0.75/mi = $270 Subtotal $2,190
Total $10,438
Task 6.2. Maintenance of PWA MkII Bypass Flow Telemeter with Data Analytics Platform The PWA MkII telemeter has been accurately recording stream stage (water levels), and documenting bypass flows, during annual low flows in Luffenholtz Creek just downstream of the Trinidad pump station’s point of diversion site since 2017. Currently, data is being streamed directly to a computer terminal and receiving gateway City of Trinidad January 20, 2026
MSA 01, Task Order #6: PWA MkII Telemeter and Data Analytics Platform Maintenance Page 2 of 2 Geologic and Geomorphic Studies • Wildland Hydrology • Erosion Control Planning • Septic Evaluation • Environmental Services via a LoRa radio link at the drinking water treatment plant. Completion of this task in October 2024 has allowed PWA to send bypass flow data to a cloud-based data analytics and visualization platform so the bypass flow data can be remotely accessed.
Continued maintenance of the developed Micro PC that runs the telemeter’s LoRa gateway to connect with the InfluxDB cloud-based data visualization platform provides continuous posting of low flow streamflow data. The benefits for the city result in 1) accessible hydrologic data remotely over the cloud 2) the data displayed as a hydrograph for ease of data interpretation by the City, and c) authorized City personnel are alerted if bypass flow falls below either the 0.86 CFS or 0.15 CFS regulatory thresholds. PWA suggests a small amount of funds to maintain and/or upgrade for monitoring and reporting purposes. Maintaining the system set up will allow the City to remotely view the hydrograph for ease of visual interpretation even when the desktop is off-line.
Cost Estimate – Task 6.2. Maintenance of PWA MkII Bypass Flow Telemeter with Data Analytics Platform Senior Hydrologist .................................................................... 10 hours @ $156/hr = $1,560 Telemeter Programmer ............................................................. 10 hours @ $156/hr = $1,560 Principal ........................................................................................... 1 hour @ $190/hr = $190 Subtotal $3,310
Total: $3,310
Tasks 6.1 and 6.2....................... Grand Total: $13,748 The services described above shall be provided by PWA on a time and materials basis for an estimated cost $13,748. Any additional costs, should they be needed, will not be charged without prior written authorization from the Client.
Professional services by PWA shall commence when authorization is signed by Pacific Watershed Associates and the City of Trinidad.
Pacific Watershed Associates
_________________________________ __________________
Danny Hagans, Principal Date
City of Trinidad
_________________________________ __________________
Gabriel Adams, Trinidad City Clerk/Interim City Manager Date DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM 1
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED
1. Conduct the Urban Residential Zone (UR) Short-Term Rental Lottery.
CITY OF TRINIDAD STAFF REPORT
DATE: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Gabriel Adams, Interim City Manager
DISCUSSION AGENDA TITLE
1. Conduct the Urban Residential Zone (UR) Short-Term Rental Lottery.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION / SUMMARY
Conduct the STR lottery to allocate the vacant license available in UR Zone, randomly drawing two numbers from the wait list – a primary and runner-up.
STAFF PRESENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS DISCUSSION
Interim City Manager Gabriel Adams (STR Ordinance Administrator)
DISCUSSION/BACKGROUND
The Short-Term Rental (STR) license cycle runs on an annual basis, beginning February 01 and ending January
31. A license in the UR Zone became available following the 2025 renewal cycle, which typically are issued by March, but staff restructuring delayed permit issuance until May.
There are currently 28 licenses issued with an overall citywide cap of 32.
The current STR License count is as follows:
UR (17) Ordinance limit (18) *1 available
SR (6) Ordinance limit (7) *1 available
PD/C (5) No limit, but subject to the overall cap of 32.
The citywide cap of 32 was carefully considered when it was codified into the STR ordinance for many reasons, including the city’s financial well-being. The annual 12% Occupancy Tax revenue represents the second most vital revenue stream for the City, second to Sales & Use Tax (first), and Property Tax (third). Minimum nights annually (60) of taxable rent was also contemplated and codified by the City to discourage licenses from being underutilized. The waitlist and lottery system were established to fairly administer issuance of new licenses in the two zones (UR & SR) with limited inventory applied.
The waitlist period closed on May 31 at the conclusion of the 2025 renewal cycle. At that time, the waitlist included the following addresses deemed eligible by staff, following a preliminary review of minimal requirements necessary to submit a complete and successful application within the codified timeline of 90-days following notification of lottery selection:
- 540 Edwards Street
- 730 Edwards Street
- 584 Pacific Street
- 462 View Street
- 783 Underwood Dr.
- 396 Wagner Street.
Other properties on the wait list are determined to have unresolved issues that would prevent them from receiving a permit within the 90-day deadline such as building permit violations, septic system challenges, or conflicts with limitations outlined in the STR ordinance.
SELECTION PROCESS
The City will utilize a rotating cage filled with numbered ping-pong balls corresponding to the addresses identified above. Two numbers will be drawn – a primary and runner-up. The runner-up will be invited to make application if the primary winner is unable to obtain an STR License within 90 days of selection, or unable to meet the applicable location standards, for instance a Planning Commission exception if there is an adjacent property boundary conflict with another STR.
ATTACHMENTS:
- STR Ordinance Reference: 17.56.190 (6.26) E. Application Requirements, 6. Application Wait List & Lottery
DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM 2
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION SUBMITTED
2. Update/Discussion regarding Upcoming City Council Election Year and Key Calendar Dates.
DISCUSSION/ACTION AGENDA
Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Item: 2026 Calendar Year Orientation, Meeting Schedule, Project Priorities and Updates Background: With the second half of the fiscal year and upcoming general election season ahead, it is helpful to chart a course that keeps City priorities in focus, is adaptive to new challenges that arise, and provide a discussion check-point on the short and long-term missions to achieve City goals.
The first half of January forced the City into an adaptive mode when the Scenic Drive water leak disrupted a pre-established set of goals to kick-off the new year. That emergency, however, gave us a real-time understanding of how vulnerable the City’s aging water system is, and how well a small staff with limited resources worked through the most severe water emergency experienced in over 30 years.
Immediately following the conclusion of the water emergency, the second half of January tested the City’s Tribal partnerships. Following the series of early January extreme weather and tides that impacted the shoreline of Old Home Beach, the City directed its energy to demonstrating its commitment to preserving the history and culture of this area. More headwinds are expected this year that will test these partnerships and stress the City’s time and financial resources.
Sticking to a game plan, being able to adapt when needed, and balancing competing demands for limited resources are all important aspects of a well-structured government. With an election year fast-approaching and outgoing City leaders hoping to see some results of years of work volunteered come to fruition, and the plan forward should help set the rails and us get to June 30 and beyond with a sense of accomplishment we can all be proud of.
Election Schedule & Council Discussion Topics
February
• Council meeting on February 10; Closed Session emphasis, Short-Term Rental Lottery and year-ahead preview discussion, Council election year kickoff.
FPPC Form 700: The FPPC has emailed all required filers representing the City (Council, Planning Commission, and select staff) alerting them of the April 01, Conflict of Interest Form 700 annual filing deadline. Staff has migrated all filers to the online portal, and highly encourages everyone to take a moment and renew your annual filing electronically. If you have had no changes to your previous filing schedules, the renewal process could take less than 1-minute once you’ve logged into the system.
Please reach out to staff if you have any questions and we’ll walk you through it.
March
• Mid-Year Budget discussion
• Continued discussion from July 08, 2025 regarding alternative drinking water supply, Humboldt Bay Municipal North Mainline project.
April
• Begin Fiscal Year Budget preparation/preliminary FY2027 Budget Kick-off • 2024 Water Rate structure 2-year review/analysis results May
• Resolution deadline calling for General Election Consolidation with the County • Final phase of FY2027 Budget preparation
• STIP, Main Street repave and south sidewalk improvement project.
June
• Adopt FY 2027 Budget
• Prepare/Present/Announce the upcoming election season calendar: (3) 4-Year terms (Kelly, Tuttle, Breckenridge), and (1) 2-year term (Waskiewicz)
July-August
• Council election candidate nomination period.
Presentation item only. No decision required.
FY2025-26 General Fund Summary - Operating Revenue vs. Expenses REVENUE Budget Actual
General Fund Revenue Projection: $ 913,975 $ - *CIRA grants available as needed Cemetery Plot Purchases $ 30,000 $ -
Humboldt Sanitation Franchise Fees $ 12,500 $ -
TDA Transfer-In for TPW Labor $ 11,248 $ - *Reserve funds available as needed Total Revenue $ 967,723 $ -
EXPENSES
General Fund Admin $ 615,784 $ -
Public Works $ 284,709 $ -
Fire $ 26,850 $ - *Transition fund place-holder included Police $ 25,667 $ - *Private security option included
Cemetery $ 26,773 $ -
Waste Management $ 12,500 $ -
Total Expenses $ 992,283 $ -
Balance $ (24,560) $ - *Reserve funds dedicated to cover this Highlights:
General Fund Funds a significant portion of the following positions:
City Manager, City Clerk, Project Manager, Asst. Clerk & Consultants.
Provides staffing to meet increased regulations and higher government mandates.
Legal support to address ongoing litigation and consulting challenges.
General service level increases with full-time staff.
Continued support of Library, Museum, Land Trust
Continued progress on the General Plan Update
Continued commitment to optimize fees for services to sustain.
Includes 3% pay increase determined by the City Manager.
Public Safety Contract renewal with HCSO for full-time 24/7 coverage Budget includes 1248 hours of funding for private security Emphasis on enforcement of current laws and increased public safety challenges.
Public Safety paid entirely with COPS Funding (HCSO Coverage/Animal Control/PCS) CERT $3,500 included for program expenses.
Public Works Includes (1) FT Public Works Supervisor, and (2) maintenance workers Provides support to STIP and other grant funded construction projects underway Provides for City Engineer to oversee regional funding sources. $10,000 set aside for Trail Maintenance projects per Trails Comm.
Pays for ongoing, routine trail maintenance and supplies.
Pays for street lighting, routine building maintenance, and energy costs.
Reserve funds committed for larger-scale Town Hall improvements.
Staff reduction from 2.0 FTE to 1.8 FTE
Water Fund New T3 Consultant Contract with fixed cost of $4,000/month.
Revenue includes new rates adopted October 2024, and will be monitored closely.
Includes (1) Chief Operator, (3) Shift Operators/OIT's. 1.5 FTE.
Luffenholtz Creek Flow monitoring and reporting
$25,000 allocated for priority valve replacements and/or distribution line breaks Overall operating expense reduction of $60k.
Measure Z $40k award for water plant equipment replacement Streets/Roads Special Revenue Funds (Gas Tax, TDA, RMRA) used as needed.
No special projects budgeted at this time, but funds are available.
TDA Funds in reserve can be transferred to General Fund to offset TPW labor.
Reserve Funding Town Hall Exterior Wash and Trim Paint, and deck repair.
Town Hall Window Replacement Project - reserve funded.
Grant Projects
Fund Grant Award Grant
215 $ 200,000 LCP Update Grant 3 Coastal Commission
218 $ 75,000 CalRecycle SB1383 Assistance Grant 2
532 $ 825,800 HSIP Street Improvements
533 $ 177,000 OGALS Per Capita
535 $ 800,000 STIP Patricks Point & Scenic Drive
607 $ 2,000,000 MBDRP Intertie (with Westhaven CSD)
Rate Adjustments/Optimization 2% Transient Occupancy Tax Increase (from 10% to 12%) Water Rate Anaylsis
Building Permit Fee Schedule Update (in-progress, June 2025) Cemetery Plots; Rate Analysis/Adjustment (in-progress, July 2025) ...to help fund and secure future northern expansion.
Planning Admin Fee; 5-10% for in-house Staff time cost recovery Bench Policy Implementation; (30) benches at $1k each
Big Picture / Future Planning
Water Source Alternatives
Annexation Discussion
DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM 3
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WERE PROVIDED
3. Staff Activity Report – January 2026
CITY OF TRINIDAD STAFF REPORT
DATE: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Gabriel Adams, Interim City Manager
DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM: Staff Activity Report – January 2026 STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Review content, discuss, and receive public input.
DRAFT MOTION TO CONSIDER: Accept Staff Activity Report for January 2026.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 SUMMARY
- STAFF PRODUCTIVITY
o ADMINISTRATION: City Management focused the first half of January on the water shortage emergency that occurred on January 03 due to a main distribution line leak on Scenic Drive. This situation was incredibly time consuming and developed into the primary agenda topic at the January 13 meeting. Follow up public records requests for documents related to the incident are currently being processed.
One week later the City was notified by the Tsurai Ancestral Society (TAS) of shoreline erosion on Old Home Beach that threatened cultural resources. This incident developed into an eleven-day situation that involved numerous agencies and representatives of the Yurok Tribe. Due to the sensitive nature of the valuable coastal and cultural resources within the 12.5 acre Tsurai Study Area, and awareness of concern raised by its Tribal partners, the City diverted all available resources to the matter.
The management/clerk position still requires between 45-50 high-frequency hours/week to meet the demands of both positions. Support staff also has to operate at a high-level while juggling several projects in various stages of completion. The team is looking forward to beginning recruitment for the vacant grant coordinator position that was delayed over the holiday to ensure the outreach effort was effective. o FINANCE: Routine bi-weekly payroll, weekly invoice payables, and monthly cash flow analysis is performed to ensure the City’s revenues are invested appropriately while preserving adequate resources for ongoing construction invoices for the Intertie and Tank & Pipeline projects.
Financial statements included in the February meeting packet indicate business as predicted this time of year, with no anomalies or areas of concern that aren’t anticipated. There are a few invoices paid that inflate the budget – such as the Town Hall window replacement. The adjustments will be made during the mid-year budget review, and reflected in the statements showing a transfer in of funds from reserve, balancing the budget-to-actual percentages stated.
General Fund Admin, Police, Fire, and Public Works are right on target with wages, currently showing expenses proportional to the number of months that have passed since the beginning of the fiscal year, July
01. Some of the savings are attributed to the grant coordinator position that has not yet been filled, and from the currently merged Manager/Clerk positions. The savings will compound further at the end of the fiscal year when the grant payroll allocation is applied.
The Water Fund will be analyzed in depth over the next few weeks, with results provided in the mid-year review. The City received a minor Technical Assistance grant award last month to fund a deep-dive into the current water fund budget status, in hindsight from the October 2024 rate implementation. 60 hours of RCAC staff time will be used to determine if the rates are performing as intended. We’re lucky enough to have Samantha Ryan back to conduct this analysis with the City Manager. Results will be presented to the Council in March.
With mid-year approaching and a watchful eye on the budget, we can focus our attention at upcoming budget meetings on bigger picture strategies.
o PUBLIC WORKS: In addition to their daily routine, Public Works staff continued significant oversight to the Intertie Project, maintained city storm drain systems, performed routine public space and trail maintenance, and provided support during the Town Hall painting projects. o WATER: In addition to performing regular, daily routine water sampling and maintaining adequate water supplies available for distribution to all customers, the water department kept a close eye on the water plant during the onset of winter as Luffenholtz Creek’s dynamic condition during heavy rain events requires constant monitoring and response.
As the City reaches closer to having full control of the water system in-house, we anticipate continued reliance on an outside agent, third party T3 contractor to ensure compliance with State water laws.
Management is exploring local options with neighboring water agencies to provide this service, through a mutual aid agreement, until such time the City is fully independent with certified operators. Currently operating with T3 Contractor Eric Sanders providing his service for a flat fee of $4k/month. In-house staff member Carl Anderson (T3 in training) passed exam several months ago and is working towards fulfilling the 1800 hours required to receive the license, and recently passed his D2 certification test.
Kyle Shipman (T2) and Say-gep Brown (T2) are studying for their Distribution exam (date yet to be determined)
Dereck Shadle is expecting to take his T2 as soon as possible. o LUFFENHOLTZ CREEK: A water year hydrograph was presented to the City per task order 5 agreement with Pacific Watershed Associates, and included with this packet. o PLANNING: Met for their regular meeting on January 21. o ENGINEERING: City Engineer Steve Allen has been busy overseeing the Emergency Intertie Project with GHD Construction Manager Dagan Short.
o BUILDING: City Building Inspector Dan Dimick has kept busy handling routine inquiries, progress inspections on active projects through town, and providing construction oversight and liaison services between the City and contractors working on Town Hall improvements. STOP WORK ORDER: A Stop-Work Order has been issued to Charles Garth at his property located at 1 North Westhaven Drive (corner of Westhaven Drive and Frontage Road). Numerous complaints have been issued regarding unpermitted construction on the property, excessive vehicle storage, and unpermitted/over occupancy of a facility zoned public & religious. (See photo).
o CEMETERY: Routine burials of pre-purchased plots in January. No sales reported.
- FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS UNDER DEVELOPMENT
o Underground Utilities: Staff engaged with Underground Utility Project Specialists at PG&E in an effort to coordinate a presentation for the Council at a future meeting. Due to other pressing matters, this task has been postponed until later this year or when time allows.
o Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District, RFP: On July 08, 2025 the City Council directed staff with the following motion: Motion (Kelly/Breckenridge) to direct staff to proceed with a comparative analysis and feasibility study that evaluates the two options for water provisioning in the City of Trinidad: 1) connection to HBMWD in partnership with the Trinidad Rancheria or independently; 2) continuing to operate its own independent municipal water plant. The study should include comparative long-term costs, developmental (growth) impacts, environmental factors, regulatory/legal guidelines, technical/engineering and operational requirements. Staff will bring the RFP for the study back to the Council for final review and seek grant money to fund. Passed 3-2. Yes – Kelly, Breckenridge, Varela. No – Kenny, Tuttle.
The former City Manager made an attempt to visualize a path forward prior to his resignation effective August 28, but nothing concrete materialized. Staff invested time in September to revisit this topic and strategize next steps. After several meetings with technical staff and a follow up with HBMWD General Manager Michiko Mares, staff has received enough information to reprioritize the task given by the Council on July 08, and assemble the findings into either an actionable item for consideration prior to the end of year, or a meaningful update that will give the Council an opportunity to help fine-tune or steer the proposal.
Certain preliminary tasks have been distributed among staff to begin developing materials to support the next phase of discussion that will support carrying out the motion in the most efficient manner. City Planner Trever Parker developed some preliminary findings associated with the potential growth inducing impacts (concerns) from a connection to Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District. The report is attached as a supplemental document to this staff activity report, and is intended as an introduction to the research gathered following concerns raised during the July 08 meeting. This document and many others will be added to more information leading up to any actionable item reached during this process. City Grant Administrator Angela Cather was tasked with narrowing down grant funding opportunities available to the City for comparative analysis, or RFP’s that focus on consolidation projects. Cather’s report is also attached as a supplement to the staff activity report. City Engineer Steve Allen was tasked with reviewing several prior memos drafted by GHD over the last 20 years specifically comparing operation of the City’s water plant to an alternate source through HBMWD over the long-term.
Interim City Manager Adams was tasked with an introductory meeting with HBMWD GM Michiko Mares, and to help connect the dots and strategize next steps that are in sync with the July 08 motion, and a realistic timeline and funding options.
November 2025 update: HBMWD General Manager Michiko Mares reached out to the City to notify staff and Council of an upcoming presentation to the Board of Directors entitled “Overview of Next Steps for Proposed North Mainline Extension – Informational Presentation. City Staff will attend. Council and anyone interested in this topic are also encouraged to attend.
HBMWD’s November 13 Board packet and agenda are available on their website, along with the videoconference participation link (on the agenda cover). The meeting begins at 9:00am on Thursday:
https://www.hbmwd.com/2025-11-13-board-of-directors-meeting Staff will consider information presented at this meeting into its formula for determining how best to approach revisiting the Council’s July 08 direction to conduct a comparative/feasibility study. - GRANT PROJECTS
o Trinidad-Westhaven Emergency Intertie Project: Construction concluded successfully on deadline January 15. Grant staff is working on final grant reporting. o Per Capita Parks & Recreation: The Racquet Court improvement project was rejected by Council in July.
Staff shifted attention to utilizing these funds to develop a shovel ready repair plan for the decaying boardwalk-sidewalk surface leading down Edwards Street from Van Wycke to the Harbor. The City failed to achieve a land tenure agreement with the Rancheria due to an issue discussed at the special meeting on August 06. The City filed a right-of-way use application to the BIA as directed by the Rancheria. Staff filed the completed application with the BIA as advised, but without familiarity with such process, we are unable to forecast a timeline for approval. There has been no response from the BIA to date. We will update the Council regularly as information is received.
o HSIP (2025 CROSSWALK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT). The City received the grant closeout payment of approximately $630k at the end of January.
- TRIBAL GOVERNMENT CONSULTATIONS: The Council appointed Mayor Kelly and Pro-Tem Kenny to serve as representatives for G2G consultations with the Yurok Tribe and Trinidad Rancheria. City Manager Adams, Mayor Kelly, and City Planner Trever Parker met with the Trinidad Rancheria in January. City Manager Adams, Mayor Kelly, and Mayor Pro-Tem Kenny met with the Yurok Tribe in January as well. Discussions primarily focused on closed session/pending litigation matters.
- TRAILS:
• ALMT: There has been no progress or updated activity on the appeal. Old Home Beach shoreline erosion concerns overshadowed any possible movement towards consensus on this topic. • GALINDO TRAIL: There has been revived chatter on social media to urge the city to close this trail, but the ongoing, unresolved ALMT issue will overshadow any attention that could be devoted to this discussion. - PUBLIC SAFETY
o HSCO Reports/Statistics: A full list of calls/stats for January are included in the meeting packet. o The call ratio based on all stats is approximately 3:1 County/City for the “Trinidad Coverage Area” included. - CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS UNDERWAY
o Town Hall Painting: Hamanaka Painting has done a tremendous job painting the Town Hall. Their crew is skilled and professional. They are now focusing on the front porch treatment. The Town Hall sign is getting a refresh from Victory Signs. A three-week turn-around time is expected.
STAFF REPORT SUPPLEMENTAL
Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Background Info: The City of Trinidad is responding to the Governor’s Order calling on all Californians to do their part by reducing consumption.
Luffenholtz Creek flow readings are presented to the Council on an as-needed basis - during drought events or when requested. As we enter into the summer low-flow months, the focus of these reports (during the dry season) will be to share and put into perspective how Trinidad’s water consumption metrics compare to those of recent years.
The amounts represent the total water sold, captured by 323 customer meters, measured in cubic feet (7.48 gallons = 1 cubic foot).
July 2021 251,168 cuft January 2022 189,201
July 2022 198,081 January 2023 154,543
July 2023 223,806 January 2024 148,407
July 2024 264,491 January 2025 131,229
July 2025 292,315 (17.37% Water Loss) January 2026 128,006 (16.59% Water Loss) August 2021 269,771 February 2021 178,545
August 2022 227,681 February 2022 154,634
August 2023 265,808 February 2023 136,626
August 2024 233,215 February 2024 132,690
August 2025 218,593 (19.53% Water Loss) February 2025 131,537 (20.66% Water Loss) September 2021 227,831 March 2021 187,607
September 2022 216,470 March 2022 184,103
September 2023 200,348 March 2023 152,813
September 2024 200,050 March 2024 125,188
September 2025 208,873 (19.32% Water Loss) March 2025 136,579 (22.52% Water Loss) October 2021 203,176 April 2021 192,287
October 2022 180,065 April 2022 173,115
October 2023 188,335 April 2023 145,504
October 2024 206,875 April 2024 176,413
October 2025 206,839 (23.22% Water Loss) April 2025 171,808 (17.31% Water Loss) November 2021 204,438 May 2021 242,529
November 2022 169,144 May 2022 154,634
November 2023 151,914 May 2023 211,380
November 2024 159,316 May 2024 182,738
November 2025 151,829 (9.13% Water Loss) May 2025 216,497 (10.83% Water Loss) December 2021 201,160 June 2021 269,087
December 2022 170,419 June 2022 233,692
December 2023 122,937 June 2023 209,336
December 2024 159,299 June 2024 229,339
December 2025 157,803 (14.27% Water Loss) June 2025 203,350 (23.71% Water Loss) Water sold (consumed) in January hit a 5-year record low, showing signs that the 3-year downward trend following Covid are back in line with typical winter occupancy rates. We will continue to monitor consumption each month and report this information (along with summary trends and analysis) to the Council for review, comparison, and questions at each meeting.
Pacific Watershed Associates • PO Box 4433 • Arcata, CA 95518-4433 / 707-839-5130 / www.pacificwatershed.com Geologic & Geomorphic Studies • Civil Engineering • Farm & Ranch Planning • Environmental Services • Regulatory Compliance PACIFIC WATERSHED ASSOCIATES INC.
PO Box 4433 • Arcata, CA 95518-4433
Ph 707-839-5130 • Fax 707-839-8168
www.pacificwatershed.com
December 9, 2025
Gabe Adams, Trinidad City Clerk/Interim City Manager
409 Trinity Street
P.O. Box 390
Trinidad, CA 95570
Re: Hydrograph for Water Year 2024 to 2025, Luffenholtz Creek, Humboldt County, CA.
The Luffenholtz Creek Bypass Flow Monitoring Project provides continuous bypass flow data using the PWA MkII Telemeter (Photo 1). This project is related to Task Order #5 under the Master Services Agreement for AsNeeded Geologic and Hydrologic Services (2021-MSA-01) between the City of Trinidad (City) and Pacific Watershed Associates (PWA). Task Order #5 includes tasks related to the State Water Resources Control Board monitoring and reporting requirements and ongoing projects at the City’s drinking water treatment facility located along Luffenholtz Creek in Trinidad, California.
Photo 1. On June 10, 2025 PWA visited the site to measure discharge and identified a log influencing the PWA telemeter readings. The log was removed so the telemeter could measure the elevation of the stream, which is related to bypass flow discharge.
Gabriel Adams December 29, 2025
City of Trinidad Page 2
Pacific Watershed Associates • PO Box 4433 • Arcata, CA 95518-4433 / 707-839-5130 / www.pacificwatershed.com Geologic and Geomorphic Studies • Wildland Hydrology • Erosion Control Planning • Septic Evaluation • Environmental Services Streamflow data was remotely accessed from PWA’s office to develop the hydrograph for Water Year 2024-2025, which is between October 1 and September 30, 2025 (Figure 1). During that time period, the watershed near the municipal water treatment plant’s point of diversion received a total of 73.45 inches of rainfall (OSU PRISM dataset). PWA routinely conducted site visits multiple times a year to measure stream discharge; measured discharges were used to determine a relationship between streamflow discharge and water surface elevations (Photo 2). During Water Year 2024-2025, PWA measured discharge seven times at various flow rates. PWA measured 54.24 CFS, the highest flow measured by staff. The lowest flow measured was 3.79 CFS. The discharge measurements are utilized to calibrate the hydrograph, and the rating curve helps us project peak flows. Discharge was measured following USGS stream discharge measurement methods.
Figure 1. The annual hydrograph displays the peaks and troughs of stream discharge and rainfall throughout the year. On the primary axis, peak discharge is immediately triggered by large intense 24-hour rainfall periods. A bar graph of 24-hour rainfall in Westhaven, California is displayed on the secondary axis. Summer baseflows begin after the last rainfall. Each discharge measurement is dated and displayed with a yellow star.
The PWA MkII telemeter has been accurately recording stream stage (water levels) and documenting bypass flows during annual low flows in Luffenholtz Creek just downstream of the Trinidad pump station’s point of diversion site since 2017. Currently, data is being streamed directly to a computer terminal and receiving gateway via a LoRa radio link at the drinking water treatment plant; a second dedicated computer and battery backup that is always left operating the telemeter was installed in the summer of 2025. This computer can only be accessed by PWA, from here the data is continuously transmitted to a cloud platform. In addition to the telemeter, water surface elevations are measured continuously by a pressure transducer deployed in the water column and calibrated using another pressure transducer that captures atmospheric barometric pressure in the project area.
This data can be downloaded quarterly to help support and calibrate the hydrologic instrumentation.
Gabriel Adams December 29, 2025
City of Trinidad Page 3
Pacific Watershed Associates • PO Box 4433 • Arcata, CA 95518-4433 / 707-839-5130 / www.pacificwatershed.com Geologic and Geomorphic Studies • Wildland Hydrology • Erosion Control Planning • Septic Evaluation • Environmental Services Photo 2. PWA discharge measurements bolster the accuracy of the regression equation developed from the project’s rating curve. A large number of discharge measurements at various flow rates and elevations increases the relationship and strength of the hydrograph.
Peak storms and rainstorms have an immediate impact on stream discharge. Annual rainfall amounts and late season rains impact baseflow levels, which is important to monitor at the municipal water treatment plant. The hydrograph can help determine the rate and volume of water bypassing the water treatment plant. The hydrograph shows Luffenholtz Creek receded to less than 3 CFS a total of 66 days during summer 2025. No flows were less than the low water threshold (0.86 CFS). The hydrograph shows Luffenholtz Creek exceeded 100 CFS a total of 11 times during Water Year 2024-2025. The largest peak event exceeded 200 CFS after receiving 3.18 inches of rain in 24 hours. A total of 6 storms brought us more than 2 inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period. Annual rainfall has huge implications in summer during the Critical Low Flow Period, while peak storm events help shape the creeks geomorphology.
PWA is pleased with the results of our 2024-2025 bypass flow monitoring efforts for the City of Trinidad. PWA will continue to measure streamflow in Luffenholtz Creek through December 2025. We appreciate the community’s support and collaboration, PWA is committed to helping with this project in 2026. If there are any questions or project needs, please feel free to call me (707) 496-7091.
Sincerely,
PACIFIC WATERSHED ASSOCIATES INC.
Todd Kraemer, Project Manager/Hydrologist
[email protected]
CITY OF TRINIDAD STAFF REPORT
DATE: Tuesday, October 14, 2025
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Angela Cather, Grants Department
AGENDA ITEM: Staff Activities Report - Grant Opportunities for a Comparative Analysis and Feasibility Study in Connection with Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
The following information is provided as supplemental information for the staff activities report based on City Council’s direction at the July 8, 2025, meeting regarding a consideration of connecting to Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District.
DISCUSSION/BACKGROUND:
Staff sought out grant funding opportunities in response to the City Council’s motion to: “Proceed with a comparative analysis and feasibility study that evaluates the two options for water provisioning in the City of Trinidad: 1) connection to HBMWD in partnership with the Trinidad Rancheria or independently; 2) continuing to operate its own independent municipal water plant. The study should include comparative long-term costs, developmental (growth) impacts, environmental factors, regulatory/legal guidelines, technical/engineering and operational requirements. Staff will bring the RFP for the study back to the Council for final review and seek grant money to fund. Passed 3-2. Yes – Kelly, Breckenridge, Varela. No – Kenny, Tuttle,” and found two promising funding opportunities: the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program and the SAFER (Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience) Program. Both programs are funded by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).
*To ensure full eligibility, City staff sent the full City Council motion to the SWRCB, who confirmed that all items we are seeking to fund are eligible.*
More about the programs:
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program: The program is in place to assist public water systems in financing the cost of drinking water infrastructure and planning projects needed to achieve or maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements.
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) – Division of Finance Assistance, confirmed that a comparative analysis and feasibility study are funding eligible items. The SWRCB also confirmed that the City of Trinidad qualifies for up to 100% grant forgiveness for a planning project.
SAFER Program: The program was established from the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water (SADW) Fund that provides yearly funding to aim to reach sustainable operations for all the State’s drinking water systems and is a critical element for achieving the goals of safe, accessible, and affordable water for all Californians. As the City of Trinidad is listed as a small, at-risk water system, we are eligible for up to 100% of planning costs being covered by consolidation and drought resiliency.
Technical Assistance: Additionally, while the City is eligible for grant funding, eligibility does not equal approval of an application. With that in mind, it would be in the City’s interest to submit a Request for Technical Assistance (TA) application. If submitted, a TA provider may be assigned to the City to assist in submitting a planning application and navigating the application portal.
Why are we eligible for both programs?
The City of Trinidad is listed as a small, At-Risk water system (see attachment).
Why are we considered At-Risk?
We fall under all four categories for the “Drivers of Risk” per the State Water Resources Control Board:
• Water Quality (Medium Risk)
• Accessibility (High Risk)
• Affordability (High Risk)
• Technical Managerial Financial Capacity (TMFC) (Medium Risk).
To note, while having an intertie with Westhaven Community Services District in place may decrease our Accessibility Risk Factor, we need to remember that the intertie is only to be used in an emergency. The intertie is not in place to serve as an indefinite replacement to our water system if it fails.
What is the application deadline?
The SWRCB is always accepting applications for both programs, so there is no hard deadline to apply.
Other funding options available:
• USDA – The Water and Environmental Programs – Rural Development. The chance of getting 100% funding is much lower, if at all possible. Additionally, in many cases, funding would be via a loan or require a 25% match. • FEMA – First there would have to be a declared disaster in the area, and then the City would have to explain how our project reduces risk from natural disasters, including a benefit-cost analysis. Clarity of what type of funding is available (a loan or grant) is unclear currently for planning projects. • Department of Water Resources (DWR) – While we did not have a match for either DWR projects, there usually is a required match, and at this time there are no available grants.
ATTACHMENTS
• SAFER Dashboard – City of Trinidad Risk Status
CITY OF TRINIDAD STAFF REPORT
DATE: Tuesday, October 14, 2025
TO: Trinidad City Council
FROM: Trever Parker, City Planer
AGENDA ITEM: Staff Activities Report: Preliminary Staff Findings on Potential Growth Inducing Impacts from Connection to Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District (HBMWD)
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
The following information is provided as a supplement to the staff activities report related to subsequent research based on direction given to staff at the July 8, 2025 meeting regarding consideration of connecting to HBMWD. No further discussion or action is required or requested from the Council at this time. However, staff wanted to make this information available to the Council and the public sooner rather than later in order to help stop the spread of misinformation.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
One of the main concerns about a possible HBMWD connection has been the potential for it to lead to growth in the Trinidad area. That is a critical issue, and it is likely that there are circumstances where a parcel may not be developable now but could be developed if connected to municipal water. However, growth and development can and will be controlled in a variety of ways. Many of the comments made about growth have overstated the potential impact and/or are inaccurate. The following information is intended to correct some of the assumptions and misinformation that has been presented at past meetings. This is not meant to be a comprehensive analysis, but an overview of some of the steps in the process and land use considerations that will be made in planning for a potential connection to HBMWD and for controlling growth.
Fact: Bringing HBMWD water to Trinidad will not result in rampant, uncontrolled growth.
Connections to HBMWD water can and will be controlled and restricted in a variety of ways.
There are numerous ways to control growth that are more orderly and equitable than by limiting the overall water supply. These are a few of the primary ones:
• Land use designations and zoning are the primary method of planning for and regulating growth over large areas and long time spans. This is done through general plans and zoning ordinances.
• Much of the developed area is in the Coastal Zone where either the City or County Local Coastal Program (LCP) applies. LCPs include policies and standards that limit and control growth based on the Coastal Act.
• The Coastal Act includes limitations on growth and growth inducing development such as service extensions (e.g. §§ 30250, 30254) and the Coastal Commission will enforce those limits through LCP amendments and the Coastal Development Permit process. • There are and will continue to be specific planned service area boundaries for water providers, and extensions of service outside those boundaries are limited in a variety of ways, including State laws.
• Development density will also continue to be limited based on wastewater treatment (septic) capacity. Current county standards require new lots to be a minimum of 1-acre if using onsite wastewater treatment, even if the property is served by public water.
The water service area(s) can and will be crafted to control growth. • The HBMWD will need to apply to the SWRCB for a change in the place of use for their water right. The new place of use can be narrowly drawn, and water service cannot be provided outside of that area without a new application to the SWRCB. • Similarly, HBMWD will likely need to annex Trinidad and the Rancheria into its service area (if just the Rancheria is being served, it could be an Outside Agency Service Connection without annexation). The service area does not have to be contiguous with other HBMWD service areas, and therefore, does not have to include the pipeline corridor or other areas outside of Trinidad’s existing water service area. Water cannot be provided outside of the service area(s) without additional annexation, review, and approvals, including LCP update(s) and CEQA compliance.
• One of the primary purposes of LAFCo is to ensure that service area boundaries are orderly and well thought out and that services are not extended beyond those boundaries except under specific circumstances.
• LAFCo is required to analyze growth over the next 10 years when reviewing changes of boundaries.
• The environmental review process will analyze growth as well as alternatives to minimize impacts.
The pipeline will not be constructed to serve individual connections; it will feed into existing water system(s).
• HBMWD is not a retail water service provider; they do not provide individual connections. They will wholesale water to Trinidad and/or the Rancheria, and it will generally be Trinidad and the Rancheria, along with LAFCo and other agencies (e.g.
Humboldt County, Coastal Commission), that decide how, where, and when to extend future services.
If the City is a participant in the connection planning, then it will have a significantly greater say in how the process is implemented, how the service area maps are drawn, and how water is distributed in the future.
• As noted above, approval by various agencies is required for both the initial pipeline construction and the future extensions of services. Planning for the water line should be done on a regional scale with a long-term view of community water needs. The City is a stakeholder and should be an active participant throughout the process. • The City’s General Plan / LCP already contains policies related to growth and extension of services that should be considered and amended as needed. • Annexation by HBMWD should include the City’s service area, and then the City would have authority over when and where to extend individual connections via the same LAFCo process as is currently required for connections outside City limits. • The City can choose to not connect to HBMWD at this time and still be an active participant and plan for potential future connection.
• Growth (annexation) may be beneficial to the City now or in the future, and having adequate water supply will allow the City more flexibility to consider if and when that should occur.
Fact: Not participating in the HBMWD planning process will not stop the Rancheria’s hotel • There is no reason to believe that the Rancheria won’t eventually get a connection to HBMWD regardless of whether the City is a participant. And if the City is not a participant, it will have much less say in the process and the final result. • The Rancheria, as a Tribe and a disadvantaged community, has access to a variety of funding sources, and there are currently active funding sources for water supply and consolidation projects.
Fact: Trinidad will not be forced to consolidate with or absorb nearby water service providers • The SWRCB does have some authority to require systems to consolidate:
o https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/programs/compliance/docs/202 1/rfaq-mandatory-consolidation.pdf
• However, in practice, this is not something they do. I spoke with Barry Sutter, District Engineer of District 1 of the Division of Drinking Water of the SWRCB, who oversees more than 400 small water systems throughout Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity, and Siskiyou Counties. In his almost 10-year tenure, there has never been a mandatory consolidation, even for systems that have been out of compliance (e.g. under boil water orders) for years.
• In the last 10 years, there have only been two mandatory consolidation orders in the entire state, both in the same location.
• SWRCB will encourage, support, and facilitate voluntary consolidations. • Barry would be in support of Trinidad connecting to HBMWD, because he considers Trinidad’s system to be vulnerable, because it is a single water plant with a single source.
Fact: Connection to HBMWD is not expected result in increased septic pollution. • Based on the growth controls discussed above, a connection to HBMWD is not expected to result in significant growth, and therefore, would not contribute to significant additional wastewater.
• Pollution is not expected to occur from modern, permitted septic systems. So even if some growth occurs, that growth will be subject to current standards and requirements for septic systems. Resulting upgrades could benefit water quality. • Although people who go from individual water supplies to a municipal supply tend to use more water, the same level of increase would not be expected from those already connected to the City’s system.
• The City can implement water conservation policies and rate structures for those connected to its system.
• Additional water supply could allow the City to annex some areas thereby expanding the jurisdiction of its OWTS Management Program.
Other considerations
Another important consideration is the current funding landscape. Initial research indicates there are currently grant funds available for this type of project, particularly considering that the Rancheria is classified as a disadvantaged community and the City’s water system is classified as being at-risk. If the City does not participate and the pipe is sized to only serve the Rancheria, there will be fewer options for the City should the existing water supply and/or plant become compromised or too difficult (or expensive) to treat in the future. There would not be a huge difference in the costs for physically installing a pipe sized just for the Rancheria verses a larger one that could also accommodate the City and its water service area. But once a smaller pipe is installed, the feasibility of the City ever connecting to HBMWD in the future would be significantly curtailed, if not eliminated.
Summary
It should be understood that any connection to HBMWD will be a significant undertaking and a complex process that includes many agencies and several checks and balances with opportunities to control growth in various ways. This is a project that should be viewed in the very long term (50+ years) as well as shorter terms. The decisions made now are going to have repercussions for the City’s water supply for decades. This is a regionally important process, and the City is a stakeholder, so should be a part of it. It is to the City’s benefit to be proactive in working with all the various agencies, decision-makers, and stakeholders to plan this regionally important project. Staff’s recommendation would be that the City should be a participant in the process, even if electing not to connect at this time, in order to have some control over the outcome and to preserve a key water supply option for the future.
Home Drinking Water Certlic Drinkingwater Saferdashboard SAFER Dashboard
This dashboard contains data for the 2025 Drinking Water Needs Assessment. The Failing list of systems is updated daily using the State Water Board's Failing criteria. The other SAFER statuses of water systems are based on the results of the Risk Assessment, which is refreshed quarterly as new data becomes available. More information about the dashboard is available in the user guide. Public feedback should be submitted to [email protected] and water systems may submit a data change request if information in the dashboard is inaccurate.
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Total Count of Systems: 1. Total Population: 1,072
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