Trinidad City Council
October 13, 2026

City Council Meeting Agenda: 10-13-2026 cc Page 1
Posted: Friday, October 09, 2026

NOTICE AND CALL OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE

TRINIDAD CITY COUNCIL
The Trinidad City Council will hold a regular meeting on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2026, at 6:00 PM
at the Trinidad Town Hall, 409 Trinity Street, Trinidad, CA.

CLOSED SESSION BEGINS AT 5:15PM
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: 880 1800 3126 Passcode: 624585 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

2. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation (Calif. Gov. Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)) (1 Case: Yurok Tribe v.

City of Trinidad, et. al, U.S. District Court (Northern Dist.) 1:26-cv-05240) IV. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION
V. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 09/09/2026 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 item City Council Meeting Agenda: 10-13-2026 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 – August 2026

2. Law Enforcement Report – September 2026.

3. Resolution2026-08; Authorizing Trinidad Volunteer Fire Department’s Application for the Federal Excess Personal Property (Fepp) Program In Accordance With Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act (CFAA) Of 1978 (16 U.S.C. Chapter 41 § _2101)

4. Memorandum of Understanding Between Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP) Local Agencies and Partner JPA’s Regarding Establishment of the Regional Climate Committee and Climate Program Manager.

5. Letter of Support for the Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) application, co-led with Humboldt Transit Authority (HTA), for the Caltrans Strategic Partnerships Transit (FTA 5304) grant program for the Comprehensive Operational Analysis and Connections for Humboldt (COACH) project.

6. Letter of support for the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria (Trinidad Rancheria) and its application for FY 2027–28 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant (STPG) funding through the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for the Trinidad Rancheria Multi-Parcel Context-Sensitive Active Transportation Master Plan.

7. Letter of support for the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria (Trinidad Rancheria) and its application for funding through the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program for the Trinidad Harbor Access and Evacuation Resilience Planning Project.

DISCUSSION/ACTION AGENDA ITEMS

1. Proclamation 2026-02; Domestic Violence Awareness Month

2. Annual Unmet Transit Needs Hearing

3. Discussion/Decision regarding Luffenholtz Creek Low-Flow State 2 Alert and Activation of the Water Shortage Response Team (WSRT) per the Water Shortage Contingency Plan.

4. Discussion/Decision regarding Contract with SHN for On-Call City Planner Consultant Services.

5. Discussion/Decision to Begin the Recruitment Process to Fill Expiring Planning Commissioner Terms.

6. November General Election Update.

7. Staff Activity Report – September 2026.

X. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
XI. ADJOURNMENT
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR:

SEPTEMBER 08, 2026 CC
Supporting Documentation follows with: 6 PAGES
09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE TRINIDAD CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 08, 2026 (LIVE/HYBRID)
I. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Kelly called the live-hybrid meeting to order at 6:00pm. Council members in attendance: Kelly, Kenny, Tuttle, and Breckenridge. Waskiewicz was absent. City Staff in attendance: City Clerk/Interim City Manager Gabriel Adams, Special Project Manager Angela Cather, Administrative Assistant Anton Souza, and City Planner Trever Parker. Approximately (6) participants were present by video-conference, and (7) 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

2. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation (Calif. Gov. Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)) (1 Case: Yurok Tribe v.

City of Trinidad, et. al, U.S. District Court (Northern Dist.) 1:26-cv-05240)

3. Personnel Exception 54957 - City Manager Performance Evaluation IV. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION – No reportable action taken.

V. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Motion (Kenny/Breckenridge) to approve the agenda as submitted. Passed 4-0.

VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 09/08/2026 cc
Motion (Kelly/Breckenridge) to approve the minutes as written. Passed 4-0.

VII. COUNCIL REPORTS/COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
Tuttle: RCEA discussed rate structure changes. HTA discussed 10 hydrogen fuel public transit busses are offline due to fueling station issues. Would love to have my updates included in the meeting packet or updated to the website for sharing with the public.

Kenny: HCAOG introduced new Executive Director Rob Homlund, heard from a group of Bayside cut-off residents concerned with extended emergency response times due to Caltrans eliminating all the 101 exits and turn-off’s near Indianola, and discussed the Safe Routes to School plan acceptable to Caltrans to make grant funds available.

Kelly: Nothing to report.

Breckenridge: Nothing to report.

VIII.PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT – City Manager & Law Enforcement Interim City Manager Adams summarized stats included in the meeting packet and thanked the public safety team for all their effort keeping the community safe and patrolled. Noted stats for this period indicate a 25% reduction in calls for service from last year August/September. HSCO Deputies and Pacific Coast Security presense was felt during the summer, including though the Labor Day weekend.

HCSO Lt. Holt oversees 8 Sargents, including Sargent McKenzie from McKinleyville. He works weekdays with Corporal Esket who works graveyard shifts. Trinidad’s public safety success has a lot to do with good communication between myself and City Manager Adams, as well as the cooperation between members of the public safety team. Trinidad residents are supportive of HCSO and we are appreciative of that.

Mayor Kelly complimented HCSO, and also Pacific Coast Security for the fabulous service. Kenny agreed.

Public comment included:

Anita Thompson – Trinidad
Concerned about the issue of speeding and traffic violations observed throughout the summer. Edwards Street stop sign gets rolled very often, and overall speed has increased. 09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2
Holt explained that HCSO Deputies are responsible for traffic violations in our contract cities, but generally they are handled by CHP and City Police Departments. Adams noted that public meetings offer engagement opportunities for the public, to share their feedback and help shape the service requested.

IX. ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR.
(Three (3) minute limit per Speaker unless Council approves request for extended time.) Jack West – Trinidad
Trinidad School and the Six Rivers Running Club will hold a cross-country meet on September 22, beginning at 4pm, with between 300-500 kids expected. We will be doing direct outreach to every house on the race route, and coordinating parking in the field behind Murphy’s, and thanked the City Manager for his support and enthusiasm coordinating the public safety team to help make this a safe event (CERT, PCS, State Parks, HCSO, and the Trinidad Rancheria).

X. CONSENT AGENDA

1. Financial Statements – June & July 2026

2. Law Enforcement Report – July & August 2026.

3. Adopt Resolution 2026-07; Approving and Adopting the Humboldt County Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP)

4. Support a League of California Cities Resolution Initiative to Strengthen Local Authority Over Housing and Land Use Matters.

5. Update of the On-Call Planning Consultant Professional Services Procurement Process.

Regarding Item 5, Kenny inquired about the committee members for reviewing the RFQ’s. Special Projects Manager Angela Cather explained that the committee members are the City Manager Adams, Special Project Manager Cather, and Mayor Kelly.

Regarding Item 3, Kelly asked if the Planning Commission has engaged in the RCAP. City Planner Trever Parker explained that the RCAP is an ambitious plan with bigger commitments and benefits for the larger jurisdictions involved. For Trinidad, its more about standing with the other cities and county, and it is not an overcommitment. The MOU will be brought back in September or October as the final step moving the RCAP adoption process towards completion.

Motion (Kenny/Tuttle) to approve the consent agenda as submitted. Passed 4-0.

Xl. DISCUSSION/ACTION AGENDA ITEMS

1. Discussion/Decision regarding North Coast Children’s Services request for Supplemental Funding Support for Salmonberry Preschool FY2027.

Interim City Manager Adams explained that Salmonberry Preschool children parents raised awareness of a funding shortfall anticipated for the 2026-2027 school year due to declining enrollment. This was brought to the Council’s attention during the budget workshop in May. Updates were provided to the Council in June and July on a grassroots fundraising effort coordinated by organized parents. With enrollment numbers still unclear in July, NCS agreed to table any request for funding support until September.

Adams further explained that the City Council has complete authority over discretionary General Fund spending. General fund revenues are generated from property, sales, and tourist occupancy taxes. The Council, for example, currently budgets 10% of the annual occupancy tax revenue total as a contribution to services provided by the Greater Trinidad Chamber of Commerce, Museum, Library, and Land Trust ($21,580 was distributed in May).

The current budget adopted in June for FY2027 projected an overall spending deficit of approximately $100k this year, with the caveat being much of that may be balanced by savings realized from the current staffing plan.

In July the City accepted the FY2025 Audit that confirmed the general fund reserve of $2.1 million, of which approximately $326k is unassigned and eligible for consideration per the city’s reserve policy structure. 09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3
FY2026 Audit season has yet to begin, but preliminary year-end financial analysis suggests the general fund will gain positive flow.

Public comment included:

Rodney Oien – North Coast Children’s Services
There are currently 8 children enrolled. We made changes to staffing to reduce costs. Projected $10k program deficit with 8 children enrolled all year. The community really helped secure this program, and our outlook beyond this year is positive. Hoping the Council may be willing to contribute $5k, to buy time to find more children and help stabilize this year’s budget.

Cecelia – Salmonberry preschool parent
Today was the first day of school. We had 2 children at the end of last year. Now there are 8 with a possible

9. Hope this engagement raises the importance of this program. What makes Trinidad special are the people that live here. Imagine this headline; “A coastal town that puts children first.” Let’s build on this legacy so we don’t have to keep asking how these programs stay funded. I live in Westhaven, and there are nearly 25 kids in the 6th Avenue neighborhood.

Ana Davis – Greater Trinidad Chamber of Commerce
Would love to share this message with the wider group that is part of the Chamber. Oein agreed to reach out directly to the Chamber ED and connect.

Council comments included:

Kenny: We’re in good financial shape this year, but I could support a one-time $5k commitment.

Kelly: Agree with Kenny. I support Salmonberry and education. We’ve heard compelling comments from the public. Oien has stuck with us for three meetings and I appreciate that engagement.

Motion (Kelly/Breckenridge) to approve a one-time $5,000 General Fund contribution to North Coast Children’s Services to support FY2026-2027 Salmonberry Preschool program. Passed 4-0.

2. Discussion/Update on the Water Source Comparative Analysis, Request for Technical Assistance through the State Water Resources Control Board Submitted in June 2026.

Mayor Kelly explained that the City has been on a fact-finding mission by conducting a grant funded comparative analysis but has not been able to successfully find funding. I’m hoping to re-fence this discussion based on what our next steps are to get this done.

Interim City Manager Adams explained that on May 12, 2026, staff presented a list of options to the Council to conduct a water system comparative analysis. For several months leading up to that meeting, city staff worked closely with State Water Board staff who presented two viable funding programs the City could pursue to receive the support needed to answer the complex questions framed in the Council’s May 12 decision; 1) Technical Assistance (TA), and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Based on several limiting factors such as budget, timeline, and the level of burden and involvement of staff resources to implement, the Council selected to prioritize the TA route.

On May 29 the City submitted a preliminary request for TA through the Water Board website. On June 10 the Water Board denied the City’s application for TA for the following reason:

We have completed our review of the TA request for City of Trinidad. The request is not eligible for the TA program at the State Water Board. Per our Intended Use Plan (DWSRF) only systems that are failing or consolidation projects are eligible for the TA program. The request to explore interconnection is not an eligible project at this time.

City staff followed up with the Water Board representatives who shared this information:
“About two weeks ago our upper management began to raise the alarm that our Division was going to be losing multiple sources of funding over the next few years. As a result, we expect to see changes on what 09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4
we can fund this upcoming fiscal year (ie only funding “Failing” systems). Our 2026-2027 DWSRF IUP, grant prioritization guidance document, is expected to be posted in July 2026 and there will be a public comment period/workshop which I encourage the City to participate in.

On July 07, 2026, as advised staff attended the State Water Board’s public workshop/hearing on the FY2027 Intended Use Plan (IUP). During that meeting the Interim City Manager read a prepared statement and submitted the public comment packet on behalf of the City of Trinidad (see meeting packet).

In preparation of the final IUP presented to the Water Board on August 18, Lisa Hong and Michael Downey, Financial Assistance Section Managers who advised redirecting our engagement to the Technical Assistance Program Engineer James Garrett who supervises the Fund Expenditure Program. That program, according to Garrett, would have public comment period and workshop beginning in September, similar to the IUP process.

I met with Garrett on August 28 by video-conference (MS Teams) who reaffirmed that the TA program has prioritized failing systems and consolidation projects, and advised the City pursue two other routes:
“Based on the information that you shared with me I think that the best opportunity for you to explore is through the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) RealWaterTA Program (Real Water Technical Assistance (RealWaterTA) Information | US EPA). The priorities of the funding administered by this US EPA program are separate from the State Water Board’s Technical Assistance program. I would encourage you to submit a request for assistance to the RealWaterTA Program.” As advised by Garrett, staff submitted a preliminary inquiry/application to the RealWaterTA program on September 02 and received confirmation of receipt on September 04.

STAFF RECOMMENDED PATH FORWARD
To be sure staff is moving forward in a direction supported by Council, the following workplan is proposed for discussion:
1) Prioritze grant funded opportunities to fulfill the Council’s motion on July 08, 2025 and reaffirmed on May 12, 2026 to conduct a water system comparative analysis, continuing with EPA RealWaterTA Program engagement.
2) Continue engagement with the State Water Board Fund Expenditure Program to ensure the City of Trinidad’s interests are being included as their funding priorities are shaped for FY2027. 3) Maintain communication with outside engineering firms that specialize in water planning as a self-funded option should viable and timely grant funded opportunities continue to dry up. 4) Revisit the DWSRF Planning Grant Program (OPTION 2 – May 12, 2026 staff report) and self-funded path (OPTION 3) and begin examining a possible loan structured from the General Fund to the Water Fund.

Council questions:

Breckenridge: Whatever happened to coordinating with the Trinidad Rancheria to avoid having to duplicate data? Adams explained that there was a sense of urgency to participate in this process, but we’re unclear where the Rancheria is in their process. My goal is to find answers to the Council’s questions, which aren’t necessarily the same as what the Rancheria is looking for.

Jacque Hostler-Carmesin – Trinidad Rancheria Executive Director We are moving forward with pre-development, discussions of environmental and design with our engineers.

Kelly: If we received a grant from the DWSRF Planning Grant Program, would they manage the whole project? If we were to go out to bid and get a research firm to cover all the bases, staff won’t need to coordinate all the specialties. That would be handled by a contractor. If the Council would support using General Fund money, could we get reimbursed or will we need to be awarded the grant first? Adams explained that the Technical Assistance route would be handled entirely by the State, but the DWSRF planning grant would be handled inhouse, coordinated by our grant team, in the same manner we manage most of the City’s grants. Special Project Manager Angela Cather explained that the format of reimbursements depend on the grant program. 09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 5
Breckenridge: Did we pay for RCAC to conduct our rate study? Adams explained that the rate study was funded by USDA, not by the City.

Kenny: At first you don’t succeed, try, try again. I think Adams has a viable strategy and is on the right track.

Tuttle: I agree with Kenny.

Kelly: We’re talking about delivering a report, not a project. We may end up spinning our wheels on this and not convinced we’ll be as successful. Grant funded pathways being explored are not for planning or construction.

They are for research. We have discussed cost-sharing with the Rancheria, but we don’t know what they have and what their overlap is. We would be happy to hear from the Rancheria on this, but believe they are beyond this phase.

Public comment included:

Jacque Hostler-Carmesin – Trinidad Rancheria ED
Grant reimbursement eligibility is dependent on the program. The Council needs to be aware that negotiations need to be made between the Rancheria and HBMWD in order for the City to be part of the project. I’m concerned about the amount of time being contemplated doing a study and not moving forward. The sooner you make a decision, the wiser you are. This is important for the general welfare of the tribe and the people, not just the Casino. We are blessed to have an amazing team and grant writer and plan to move forward as quickly as possible.

Anita Thompson – Trinidad
I’m concerned too. It feels like this is taking a long time and we’re back where we were a year ago. We need to make a decision how it will be funded. I’m frustrated by this and confused because we applied for TA with the Water Board, were denied, then engaged in the hearings, but haven’t had any success due to funding issues.

This is so important, and I don’t know what’s going on. Is there a timeline with the EPA grant? Will there be overlap with the Rancheria’s data? Can we share it? Can we have GHD be included in any project being proposed?
Jacque Hostler-Carmesin – Trinidad Rancheria ED
We haven’t moved on so far that we wouldn’t be more than happy to figure out how to move forward together.

We have a feasibility study for the Rancheria – two alternative routes for the pipeline to get to the Rancheria from McKinleyville. Understanding that we’re applying for funding and receiving funding to enter into the CEQA/NEPA phase, but to get it we need preliminary design and engineering. Bearing the entire cost of bringing it to the Rancheria is significant. There needs to be cost sharing. This could be initially discussed in a G2G consultation.

Paula Levine – Trinidad Area Resident and Water Customer Trinidad is having multiple, complex water service issues. Many upgrades are needed in the future. There are basic, obvious cost savings to work with HBMWD. We would not need T3 Operators, for instance. I encourage the City to have a conversation with the Rancheria and determine the cost savings for Trinidad in the long-run.

The obvious advantage of fire resiliency is a no-brainer. What’s going to happen in 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 years from now. Plan for water resiliency for the next 100 years.

Andrew Davis – Trinidad
Move more quickly. I appreciate the effort so far. This feels like we have an opportunity to share costs. We may have to call a spade a spade and move on. Not a fan of GHD either.

Patti Fleschner – Trinidad
Agree with Paula Levine, and encourage the City to move forward working with the Rancheria.

Council comments included:

Kelly: I share the frustration with others in the community with how slowly this is moving, so I’m prepared to make the following motion:
09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 6
Direct staff to continue to look for grant funding for the next 4-6 weeks, appoint representatives to meet with the Rancheria to discuss collaboration and cost-sharing opportunities, and approve not-to-exceed $100,000 from the General Fund to hire a consulting firm to perform the comparative analysis.

The motion does not say to work with the Rancheria to connect with Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District. I feel like we’re spinning our wheels. We’ve discussed funding this work directly in the past. We need to bite the bullet and pay for it. I want staff to have the ability to go out to bid and find a consultant to conduct this study.

Kenny: Procedurally this is not an action item tonight. The public has not been notified that this was an action item, spending $100k of the General Fund, and that would be a Brown Act violation.

Kelly: Motion withdrawn. I would like to get this on the agenda for October for a decision. This extra month gives more time to gather additional information.

Adams explained that it feels like we’re coming back to what I proposed in the staff report as a path forward. I also agree with Kenny in that authorizing $100k from the General Fund tonight could be perceived as a violation of the Brown Act. We have solicited information from contractors that specialize in this work, and bring back a more detailed proposal that’s agendized properly.

No decision was made. Staff will return with a more detailed proposal to the Council, as soon as possible.

3. Discussion/Update on the Luffenholtz Creek Low-Flow Monitoring Season and Water Shortage Continency Status.

Interim City Manager Adams explaine that on February 10, 2026 the City Council approved Task Order 6 under the Master Services Agreement with Pacific Watershed Associates to provide continuous bypass flow monitoring of Luffenholtz Creek during the 2026 water year. This monitoring is a requirement of the City’s Water Rights Permit through the State Water Resources Control Board and of the Streambed Alteration Agreement with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to ensure measures are taken to protect fish and wildlife resources.

PWA Hydrologist Todd Kraemer is responsible for implementing Task Order 6, and keeping the City informed during the low-flow season with the creek flow rates and trends. Certain thresholds require notification of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and also trigger various water conservation alert stages identified in the City’s Water Shortage Contingency plan adopted following the most recent significant drought period that ended in 2021.

Prior to the recent rain event that occurred on Wednesday & Thursday, September 02-03, no significant rainfall occurred since mid-May. PWA has been monitoring the flow rates of Luffenholtz Creek since July and in mid-August alerted the water department of flow rates nearing the notification stage identified in the water rights permit (.86 cuft/sec). Low-flows nearing this stage also trigger a Stage 1 alert in the Water Shortage Contingency Plan.

The rain helped swell Luffenholtz Creek levels, but the trend observed so far echo’s the summer 2021 trend when flows diminished quickly to (.60 cuft) after an early September rainfall triggering the Stage 3 water conservation measures to be implemented through October.

As we get deeper into the dry season staff would like this discussion to raise awareness of the monitoring program and shortage contingency plans in place, identify possible scenarios and/or alerts that may come up as creek flows diminish, and make technical and operational staff available to the Council and public for questions. If flow rates continue to diminish, the City will need to activate the Water Shortage Response Team (WSRT) and declare and implement various drought stages per the Water Shortage Contingency Plan.

Council questions included:

Tuttle: It would be great to have all water customers on a text messaging alert system. Could we pull water from Mill Creek during a water emergency. Adams explained that it would be easier to truck in water. 09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 7
Kenny: It would be a good use of our technical staff time to dig into the data behind each shortage alert stage. Does anyone know if our average annual rainfall meets or exceeds the definition of Stage 1 alert? Todd Kraemer – Hydrologist, Pacific Water Associates
Stage 2 will be triggered with three consecutive days of .86 or below average bypass flows. The meters take 3000 readings per day. The average is based on the average of these readings. The word “sustained” is open to suggestion, so we determined three consecutive days would equal sustained. Unsure about the annual average rainfall total question.

City Planner Trever Parker suggested this document be updated if it’s confusing. Trinidad is different from most system due to the lack of storage. The main purpose of conserving early in the season is to get people use to doing it.

Kenny: This time of year is a good time to get people thinking about conserving, but I think it’s possible that we’re at stage zero. I don’t think we should scare people for no reason. We may have jumped the gun declaring Stage 1. The other question I have related to your telemetry system. Do we have to make any adjustment factor in prior year comparisons? I would think that people graph historical data to ascertain trends. Seems like a common scientific practice. I have an inquisitive mind.

Kraemer responded, stating the new system monitors continually, 24-hour days. We also do direct measurements to develop the hydrograph and combined give us a lot of faith in the daily averages we’re delivering to the City. We typically don’t do too much historical comparisons. We’re trying to give real-time data. We have reviewed Don Allan’s rainfall data, and Oregon State University’s PRISM data and see annual, downward rainfall trends. The data we see this year is similar to 2021. After Labor Day the trees shut off and draft less water.

Kelly: A quick Ai review of rainfall data shows average of 56% of that period rainfall, so we should be in Stage 1.

Presentation item only. No decision was made. Staff will continue this discussion through the low-flow season and update the Council with new information in October.

4. Discussion/Update on Wet-Weather Season/Super El-Nino Forecast Preparations.

Interim City Manager Adams explained that on August 06, Councilmember Jack Tuttle attended a video webinar hosted by Senator Mike McGuire that brought climatologists and meteorologists together from all parts of California to discuss the forecasting models for this year’s wet-weather season. https://sd02.senate.ca.gov/video/town-hall-us-senator-adam-schiff-and-california-senator-mike-mcguire Several models and climate experts are seeing signs that indicate a “super el nino” is setting up to bring increased precipitation and to the west coast this winter. Although the models vary as to which part of the north coast could see the highest impact of these systems, messaging from state and local level emergency preparedness agencies are consistent – to be prepared for higher-than-average rainfall and for extreme weather events that have a serious potential to impact coastal communities vulnerable to erosion.

Tuttle shared the following objective to base the discussion on:

Prevent what we can. Monitor what we cannot prevent. Prepare before an emergency occurs. Reduce avoidable bluff saturation and erosion, protect critical public infrastructure and coastal access, and ensure Trinidad can respond quickly and intelligently when major winter storms and king tides arrive.

Several proposed items Tuttle suggested the City Manager develop into a 2026-2027 El Nino Coastal Preparedness Program and return to the Council with include:

1. Identifying Trinidad’s highest-risk coastal locations.

2. Conduct a pre-winter drainage and bluff inspection and implement maintenance needs identified. 09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 8

3. Early coordination with emergency service and permitting agencies.

4. Re-visit the purpose and recommendations identified in the Coastal Resiliency Plan, funded by the Ocean Protection Council (OPC) and potential implementation grant funding opportunities Council comments included:

Tuttle: Organizing a resilience fair in October that showcase emergency system preparedness (water, heat, power) and share information for what we can do to be prepared.

Kenny: Appreciate you bringing this item forward. I’ve read several articles on this topic, including the kelvin wave moving through the ocean to raise sea level temporarily 6 inches, expected to arrive in October.

Combining this with king tides in Thanksgiving and Christmas could be devastating to our most exposed, cultural resources in the Tsurai Study Area. The Coastal Commission is pushing for managed retreat. Armoring the shoreline takes years. I’m hoping that the three Tribes that have interest in this property will come forward and move any known human remains that could be harmed by shoreline erosion from the potential el nino devastation.

Kelly: Resilience plan for Luffenholtz Creek, and landslides that cause water line breaks. We need to keep our culverts clear through town, and also on the Parker Creek Trail. Make sure your generators are working, and you have auxiliary power if needed.

Public comments included:

Jacque Hostler-Carmesin – Trinidad Rancheria ED
We’re asking our households to prepare for 4 weeks of survival. The Rancheria monitors Scenic Drive and the Harbor regularly. The prediction is to prepare for severe winter storms. Regarding cultural resources, that would be very important to discuss in G2G meetings, and/or possibly hold a Management Team meeting.

Presentation item only. No decision was made.

5. November 2026 City Council Election Calendar Update.

City Clerk Adams announced that Trinidad will have a full ballot this November, with three incumbents (Tuttle, Breckenridge, and Waskiewicz) and one new candidate (Gretchen Riddle). Outreach will begin in October to announce three vacancies on the Planning Commission as well.

Presentation item only.

6. Staff Activity Report – July & August 2026.

Highlighted various accomplishments listed in the report, included in the meeting packet. Presentation item only.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
- Honoring Mary Klein and Dorothy Cox for their service to the community pickup up litter. - Comparative Analysis/TA application status.

ADJOURNMENT: 9:00pm.

Submitted by: Approved by:
_____________________________ _____________________________ Gabriel Adams Cheryl Kelly
Trinidad City Clerk Mayor
CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 1

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED

1. Financial Statements – August 2026

CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 2

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED

1. Law Enforcement Report – September 2026.

CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 3

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED

3. Resolution2026-08; Authorizing Trinidad Volunteer Fire Department’s Application for the Federal Excess Personal Property (Fepp) Program In Accordance With Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act (CFAA) Of 1978 (16 U.S.C. Chapter 41 § _2101) TRINIDAD CITY HALL Cheryl Kelly, Mayor
P.O. Box 390 Gabriel Adams, City Clerk 409 Trinity Street Trinidad, CA 95570
(707) 677-0223
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-08
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TRINIDAD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT’S

APPLICATION FOR THE FEDERAL EXCESS PERSONAL PROPERTY (FEPP) PROGRAM IN ACCORDANCE WITH COOPERATIVE FORESTRY ASSISTANCE ACT (CFAA) OF 1978 (16 U.S.C. CHAPTER 41 § _2101)
The City Council of the City of Trinidad, on behalf of the Trinidad Volunteer Fire Department finds:

WHEREAS, there is a need for excess personal property from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service through the Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) program to help actively engage in the prevention, protection, and suppression of all wildland, rural, structural, or other fires in the City of Trinidad, and County of Humboldt and, WHEREAS, the loan of certain FEPP items is available for local fire agencies as described in the USDA Forest Service FEPP Desk Guide, in accordance with the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act (CFAA) of 1978 (16 U.S.C. Chapter 41 § _2101).

THEREFORE, be it resolved that the City of Trinidad, on behalf of the Trinidad Volunteer Fire Department accepts the agreement between the State of California, Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) and the Trinidad Volunteer Fire Department for the acquisition of FEPP, and, authorizes The Trinidad VFD Chief to sign the agreement on behalf of City.

Attest:

Gabriel Adams Cheryl Kelly
City Clerk, City of Trinidad Mayor, City of Trinidad

CLERK'S CERTIFICATE
I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of Resolution No. 2026-07, passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Trinidad, County of Humboldt, State of California, on the Tuesday, October 13, 2026, by the following vote:

Ayes:

Noes:

Absent:

Abstain:

Gabriel Adams
City Clerk, City of Trinidad
STATE OF CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY Gavin Newsom, Governor “The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection serves and safeguards the people and protects the property and resources of California.” July 8, 2026
Fire Chief Shawn Worth
Trinidad Volunteer Fire Department
P.O. Box 390
Trinidad, CA 95570
Subject: Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) Cooperative Agreement Number 991208 Dear Chief Worth,
Enclosed is a renewal Cooperative Agreement with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) for the Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) Program. Currently, your department does not have any federal property, as noted in Attachment A.

A Want/Wish list form has been included for you to complete, at your option. This form gives our office an idea of your fire department’s needs, allowing us to work more efficiently as a team to acquire property.

Please review the agreement for accuracy, ensuring that all details are correct, and then complete the following:

1. Review the Cooperative Agreement and sign page six (6).

2. Include a signed *resolution from the governing board/council approving participation in the FEPP Program. A blank resolution letter is included, but you may use your own version.

3. GSA PPMS Screener Request Form – gives access to selected individuals to view available property on the GSA website.

4. Email your completed agreement and additional paperwork listed above to:

[email protected].

Alternatively, you may mail your completed packet to:

CAL FIRE BSO Federal Property Unit, P.O. Box 944246, Sacramento, CA 94244-2460 Attn: Taylor Simmons.
*NOTE: Per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, the signed resolution from the governing board/council is a crucial part of the agreement. Without it, the agreement is considered incomplete and will prevent CAL FIRE from completing the agreement process.

A copy of the agreement will be emailed to you when the additional signatures have been obtained.

If your department no longer wishes to participate in the FEPP Program, please let me know so I can close the agreement file. The agreement can be re-established at any time should your department wish to participate in the FEPP Program later.

We appreciate your prompt assistance in completing this agreement. Your cooperation is instrumental in this process. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

TAYLOR SIMMONS
Federal Property Coordinator
cc: Neal Baker, Humboldt-Del Norte Unit Forestry Logistics Officer, CAL FIRE (HUU)

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY & FIRE PROTECTION

BUSINESS SERVICES OFFICE
Federal Property Unit
P. O. Box 944246
Sacramento, CA 94244-2460
Website: www.fire.ca.gov
Agreement #: 991208

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

THE NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION (CAL FIRE)

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FOR THE

USDA FOREST SERVICE

FEDERAL EXCESS PERSONAL PROPERTY (FEPP) PROGRAM
Under the United States Forest Service Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act (CFAA) of 1978 This agreement is entered into by and between

THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION (CAL FIRE)
AND

TRINIDAD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
This agreement made and entered into this day of , 20 , by and between the State of California acting by and through the Director of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), hereinafter referred to as the STATE and the Trinidad Volunteer Fire Department, hereinafter referred to as the COOPERATOR, covenants as follows:

I. PURPOSE
The STATE has been approved as an agent of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service for administering Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) as part of the Cooperative Fire Protection Program, which allows the COOPERATOR to take custody and use FEPP property for wildland and rural community fire protection services.

II. MUTUAL INTEREST OF PARTIES
Both the STATE and the COOPERATOR have a mutual interest in the prevention, protection and suppression of all wildland and rural community fires near and adjacent to the property and the people of California.

III. AUTHORITIES
The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended (40 U.S.C. § 483) and the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. § 2106(c)) authorizes the FEPP Program as an element of the Cooperative Fire Protection Program (16 U.S.C. § 2106(b)). Under these authorities, the USDA Forest Service may lend FEPP property needed for wildland and rural community fire protection to the STATE and to local paid or unpaid fire departments for their use.

IV. RESPONSIBILITIES
THE COOPERATOR AGREES:

1. Primary use of FEPP property must be 90 percent for activities directly related to wildland and rural community fire protection; however, situations may occur that make this exclusive use impractical.

Non-fire emergency use of FEPP property is authorized and limited to no more than 10 percent total usage. Abuse of the 10 percent non-fire use standard could result in recall of the property on loan, suspension from the program, or other sanctions.

Agreement #: 991208

2. FEPP property acquired by the COOPERATOR is not permitted to be rented, leased, loaned, or traded to another party; no exceptions. FEPP property is not permitted to be transferred or sold without prior approval from the STATE or the USDA Forest Service. FEPP property is for official use only; personal use of FEPP property is prohibited, violates the law, and this Cooperative agreement.

Any personal use violations found, subjects the COOPERATOR to penalties and FEPP property recall as determined by the STATE and the USDA Forest Service.

3. To immediately notify the STATE of receipt of FEPP property during the acquisition process.

4. To bear the entire cost of transportation, retrofit, modification, maintenance, repairs, and operation of acquired FEPP property while in the COOPERATOR’s possession.

5. The COOPERATOR must paint any FEPP rolling stock acquired directly from the USDA Forest Service that has the distinct Forest Service green color. If the FEPP property is acquired from the Department of Defense (DoD) and has military colors or markings, it must be painted. This is mandatory per the STATE and the USDA Forest Service. The painting of the FEPP vehicle must be accomplished within one (1) calendar year of the acquisition.

6. To register all FEPP rolling stock with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within 60 days of receipt of property. Lien Holder will remain as the USDA Forest Service. This is mandatory as ownership remains with the USDA Forest Service. Registered Owner will be the COOPERATOR.

7. To obtain prior to operation of any FEPP property the minimum liability insurance in the amount required by State law to cover the operation of FEPP rolling stock. The COOPERATOR must maintain adequate insurance to cover damages or injuries to cover persons or property relating to the use of the property. Proof of insurance coverage must be provided to the STATE in the form of an insurance policy or a self-insured statement on an official letterhead.

8. Drivers of FEPP property must take the necessary equipment training and have a valid California operator license to operate the loaned vehicle(s).

9. To make FEPP property operable and ready to be placed into service for wildland and rural community fire protection, including fire suppression and prevention. Operational condition of the property will be achieved within one (1) year to the date of property pick up/receipt.

10. FEPP property cannot be modified or cannibalized without prior authorization from the STATE and the USDA Forest Service. The COOPERATOR shall contact the STATE with a request and justification to modify or cannibalize any FEPP property. The request must be submitted for approval before any modification or cannibalization to FEPP property takes place.

11. The COOPERATOR is responsible for the proper care, maintenance, security and storage of all acquired FEPP property.

12. All FEPP property must be identified as property belonging to the USDA Forest Service and for fire use only. The STATE will provide USDA Forest Service property tags along with a property number assigned to accountable FEPP property.

Agreement #: 991208

13. To promptly report any FEPP property when it is no longer needed by the COOPERATOR to the STATE and the USDA Forest Service for disposal authority. The COOPERATOR is not to release FEPP property to anyone unless the STATE and the USDA Forest Service have provided the proper authorization and documentation needed. The COOPERATOR is to provide reasonable access to authorized personnel for inspection and removal of FEPP property.

14. Ownership of all accessories, tools, light bars, sirens and equipment which is added to the loaned FEPP property remains with the COOPERATOR and must be removed prior to the disposal process.

15. Accidents involving FEPP property must be reported directly to the STATE within 10 days of the situation. This includes accidents that result in death, injury, illness, or property damage (more than $350). Depending on the type of accident, the STATE will provide direction to the COOPERATOR on the information required to be submitted to the USDA Forest Service.

16. Lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed FEPP property shall be reported to the STATE for proper documentation and handling.

17. When FEPP property is lost, damaged, destroyed or stolen, a determination is required whether there was negligence on the part of the COOPERATOR. The STATE shall make a recommendation to the USDA Forest Service Property Management Officer (PMO) whether there was negligence or gross negligence.
a. Negligence: The failure to abide by Federal rules and regulations. i. Repeated instances of negligent damage to FEPP property by staff of the COOPERATOR may be cause for the STATE to suspend further acquisitions by the COOPERATOR until the reasons for the negligence are identified and steps taken to prevent further instances. b. Gross negligence: The intentional, willful, or wanton failure to exercise a reasonable degree of care to protect FEPP property in one’s custody in reckless disregard of the consequences of the actions.
i. If the STATE determines that there is apparent gross negligence on the part of the COOPERATOR staff, the findings plus all supporting documentation shall be forwarded by the STATE to the USDA Forest Service PMO for a final determination. ii. Should the USDA Forest Service submit the final determination is one of gross negligence and sends the STATE a Bill of Collection for FEPP property under the COOPERATOR’s care, the COOPERATOR will reimburse the STATE for all the costs listed on the Bill of Collection.
iii. The COOPERATOR shall be suspended from acquiring any additional FEPP property for a set time as determined by the STATE.
iv. A second case of gross negligence will cause the COOPERATOR to lose all privileges of participation in the FEPP program as determined by the STATE.

18. To perform/participate in the physical inventory process on FEPP property in the COOPERATOR’s possession every two (2) years.

19. The STATE and the USDA Forest Service will periodically conduct joint reviews of the FEPP program to ensure compliance with the USDA Forest Service and other applicable statutes, regulations and policies are being followed. The COOPERATOR must participate and provide access to all physical FEPP property along with access to all FEPP documentation during the review. The STATE is authorized to perform audits and reviews by STATE personnel, in between joint reviews, to provide the USDA Forest Service information for FEPP program improvements.

Agreement #: 991208

20. To retain all documentation on all inventoried FEPP property for six (6) years and three (3) months after the year designated for the disposal of the property. The STATE will send all mandatory documentation required for acquisition, management and disposal of FEPP property to the COOPERATOR as these processes occur.

21. The COOPERATOR must provide access to and the right to examine all records, books, papers or documents relating to the FEPP program to the USDA Forest Service, the USDA Office of the Inspector General (OIG), the Comptroller General of the United States, the STATE and their authorized representatives.

22. To comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (P. L. 88-352) and in accordance with Title VI of that Act, no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or natural origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination, under any program or activity for which the applicant receives Federal financial assistance and will immediately take any measures necessary to effectuate this agreement. To comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. § 2000d) prohibiting discrimination where discriminatory practices will result in unequal treatment of persons who are or should be benefiting from the activity.

V. OTHER AGREEMENT TERMS
IT IS MUTUALLY AGREED THAT:

1. Title to all FEPP property shall remain vested in the United States federal government.

2. The COOPERATOR shall complete a resolution, or a statement from their governing board/council, approving participation in the FEPP program. The resolution must be received with this Cooperative agreement as a requirement of the Terms and Conditions before the STATE will prepare or continue (in the case of a renewal agreement) the COOPERATOR’s access to screen and manage FEPP property.

3. All FEPP property loaned to the COOPERATOR shall be for an indefinite period of time, unless the COOPERATOR is negligent of program requirements as detailed in the Terms and Conditions of this Cooperative agreement as well as any Federal regulations that govern the FEPP program. The agreement may be terminated by either party after giving notice 60 days in advance of such termination to the other party.

4. The STATE will not be responsible for furnishing spare parts for FEPP property and the COOPERATOR accepts all FEPP property “as is” without any warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied.

5. Amendments to this Cooperative agreement covering acquisitions and disposals of FEPP property will be submitted by the STATE to the COOPERATOR for review and signature. These Amendments will be sent upon completion of the action taken and must be returned signed and dated by the COOPERATOR to the STATE to maintain accurate record keeping as required by the USDA Forest Service.

6. COOPERATORS with any FEPP property will cooperate with regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with Federal and State regulations, program and property management requirements.

7. In the event of any dispute over FEPP loaned equipment or any terms or conditions contained herein, the dispute shall be decided by the STATE and its decision shall be binding and final.

Agreement #: 991208

8. The parties hereto agree that the COOPERATOR, their officers, employees, agents, servants, contractors, volunteers, paid firefighters, and all others acting on behalf of the COOPERATOR, performing under the terms of this Cooperative agreement, are not acting as officers, employees or agents of the State or the Federal government.

9. The COOPERATOR agrees to defend, indemnify, save and hold harmless the STATE as defined herein, and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), their officers, agents and employees against all claims, demands, causes of action or liability of any kind whatsoever arising out of the acts of the COOPERATOR, its agents or employees in the performance of any function provided for under the terms of this agreement or the use of property transferred.

10. The period of this agreement is for five (5) years from the date of last signature on page six (6) and entered on page one (1), if no violations or signatory changes occur. Thereafter, the agreement shall be reviewed every other year for compliance by the STATE during the agreement review process and extended if no violations or changes have occurred, not to exceed a five (5) year term renewal. This Cooperative agreement supersedes all prior agreements related to the FEPP program.

11. Either party may terminate this agreement by providing written notice to the other party 60 days prior to the termination date. If the agreement is terminated, the COOPERATOR shall be ineligible to continue participation in the FEPP program. Upon termination of this Cooperative agreement, all FEPP property assigned to the COOPERATOR shall be returned to the STATE. Prior to terminating a COOPERATOR’s eligibility for cause, the STATE shall attempt alternative resolutions.

12. Any information provided to the STATE under this Cooperative agreement is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.).

13. The primary contact information of the parties hereto, for all notices, payments, repayments, or any other activity required or contemplated under the terms of this Cooperative agreement are:

Cooperator Name:

Trinidad Volunteer Fire Department Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
Federal Property Programs Contact Name:

Shawn Worth
Title:

Fire Chief
Street Address:
409 Trinity Street
Street Address:
710 Riverpoint Court
West Sacramento, CA 95605
Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 390
Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 944246
City:

Trinidad
City:

Sacramento
Zip:
95570
Zip:
94244-2460
Phone Number:
(707) 677-0224 Ext.

Phone Number:
(916) 956-7610
Cell Phone Number:
(707) 498-5137
Fax Phone Number:
(916) 894-9880
Email:
[email protected]
Email:

[email protected]
Agreement #: 991208

14. Local CAL FIRE Unit contact information:

CAL FIRE Unit:

Humboldt - Del Norte (HUU)
Point of Contact:

HUU Forestry Logistics Officer
Physical Address:
118 S. Fortuna Blvd.

City:

Fortuna
Zip Code:
95540
Phone Number:
(707) 725-4413 Ext. :

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this agreement as of the day and year of the last signature below.

COOPERATOR
NAME OF COOPERATOR:

Trinidad Volunteer Fire Department
BY (Authorized Signature):

DATE SIGNED:

PRINTED NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING:

Shawn Worth, Fire Chief

STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
BY (CAL FIRE Unit Chief):

DATE SIGNED:

PRINTED NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING:

Jennifer Scales, Unit Chief, Humboldt-Del Norte Unit (HUU) BY (CAL FIRE State and Federal Property and Recycling Manager):

DATE SIGNED:

PRINTED NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING:

Melissa Hillis, State and Federal Property and Recycling Manager Agreement #: 991208

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

THE NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION (CAL FIRE)

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FOR THE

USDA FOREST SERVICE

FEDERAL EXCESS PERSONAL PROPERTY (FEPP) PROGRAM
Under the United States Forest Service Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act (CFAA) of 1978

ATTACHMENT A

TRINIDAD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
ITEM: SERIAL #: PROPERTY #

1. No Property At This Time

2. 3.

4. 5.

6. 7.

Rev. November 2022
AGREEMENT #: 991208

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPLICATION

FOR THE FEDERAL EXCESS PERSONAL PROPERTY (FEPP) PROGRAM

IN ACCORDANCE WITH
Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act (CFAA) of 1978 (16 U.S.C. Chapter 41 § 2101) ______________
Date
The Board of Directors of the _____________________ Volunteer Fire Department finds:

WHEREAS, there is a need for excess personal property from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service through the Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) program to help actively engage in the prevention, protection, and suppression of all wildland, rural, structural, or other fires in the County of _____________________, and,
WHEREAS, the loan of certain FEPP items is available for local fire agencies as described in the USDA Forest Service FEPP Desk Guide, in accordance with the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act (CFAA) of 1978 (16 U.S.C. Chapter 41 § 2101).

THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Board of Directors of the _____________________ Volunteer Fire Department accepts the agreement between the State of California, Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the _____________________ Volunteer Fire Department for the acquisition of FEPP, and, authorizes Fire Chief _____________________ to sign the agreement on behalf of the Board of Directors. ________________________________
Secretary
Board of Directors of the _____________________ Volunteer Fire Department Rev. 1/2024
REVISED 02-2026

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

THE NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION

AAMS/GSA PPMS SCREENER REQUEST FORM

PROPERTY SEARCH ONLY

FOR LOCAL COOPERATORS IN FEPP PROGRAM

PLEASE READ AND COMPLETE ONLY APPLICABLE FIELDS
NEW: ☐ SCREENER ID (Update Only): ☐
DATE OF REQUEST: LFC FEPP AGREEMENT NUMBER: (To be completed by State) SCREENER INFORMATION – STEP 1
NAME (First, Last):

TITLE:

FIRE COOPERATOR NAME:

STREET ADDRESS (No P.O. Box):

MAILING ADDRESS (If different from above):

CITY AND STATE: ZIP CODE:

TELEPHONE NUMBER: (ex. (555)-555-5555) CELL PHONE NUMBER: (ex. (555)-555-5555) EMAIL ADDRESS:

ACCESS LEVEL REQUESTED:

AAMS/GSA PPMS – PROPERTY SEARCH ONLY: ☐
AUTHORIZING SIGNATURES – STEP 2
BY (Fire Chief or Authorizing Signature): DATE SIGNED:

BY (State FEPP Coordinator): DATE SIGNED:

THE SECTION BELOW IS FOR USE BY SACRAMENTO FEPP PROGRAM OFFICE AND THE USFS GSA PPMS LOGIN INFORMATION:

LOGIN ID: TEMPORARY PASSWORD:

USDA FOREST SERVICE
BY (Forest Service Property Management Office): DATE SIGNED:

CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 4

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED

4. Memorandum of Understanding Between Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP) Local Agencies and Partner JPA’s Regarding Establishment of the Regional Climate Committee and Climate Program Manager.

HumCo RCAP October 13, 2026 CC Meeting

CITY OF TRINIDAD STAFF REPORT
DATE: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
TO: Trinidad City Council
FROM: Gabriel Adams, City Clerk/Interim City Manager

4. CONSENT AGENDA ITEM: Memorandum of Understanding Between Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP) Local Agencies and Partner JPA’s Regarding Establishment of the Regional Climate Committee and Climate Program Manager.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on behalf of the City with Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) and Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP) partner jurisdictions. The MOU establishes RCEA as the host agency for the Regional Climate Committee and Climate Program Manager position to coordinate the implementation of the RCAP.

BACKGROUND
In 2019, Trinidad joined the County and the other incorporated cities in signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) committing to develop a shared Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP) to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on a coordinated, countywide basis. The group worked in coordination with regional agencies such as the Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG), Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA), Humboldt Transit Authority (HTA), and Humboldt Waste Management Authority (HWMA), making up the RCAP working group.

After several years of regional collaboration, which included early public engagement and then more formal outreach once the plan moved into environmental review, the County of Humboldt adopted the RCAP on December 16, 2025, along with a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (State Clearing House #2024081319), creating a shared, countywide framework that the unincorporated County and the seven incorporated cities could use to reduce GHG emissions. All the incorporated cities have now adopted the RCAP (Arcata, Blue Lake, Eureka, Ferndale, Fortuna, Rio Dell, and Trinidad). The City of Trinidad officially adopted the RCAP at their regular Council meeting on September 08, 2026, using the County-certified EIR as the environmental document supporting that decision.

RCAP
The RCAP is designed to reduce countywide GHG emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030, consistent with Senate Bill (SB) 32, and to make substantial progress toward carbon neutrality by 2045, consistent with Assembly Bill (AB) 1279. The RCAP is meant to function as a "playbook" that local agencies can use to prioritize actions, coordinate projects, and track progress over time, recognizing that implementation will be phased and dependent on available capacity and funding.

The RCAP is grounded in a 2022 countywide GHG emissions inventory that covers both incorporated and unincorporated Humboldt County. The RCAP also includes future emissions forecasts for 2030 and 2045, which help show how emissions may change with growth and with the implementation of already adopted State programs. These forecast scenarios establish the emissions trajectory absent additional local action and help identify the remaining gap between projected emissions and the RCAP’s 2030 reduction target, which the RCAP is designed to address.

HumCo RCAP October 13, 2026 CC Meeting
Development of the RCAP strategy showed that the region had greater chances to accomplish goals and achieve GHG reductions when working as a region rather than a collection of individual jurisdictions. This approach allows for a consolidation of resources and avoids jurisdictions competing for the same resources. The RCAP is designed with the understanding that meaningful climate action will take sustained effort, long-term coordination, and adequate resources. Given the region’s limited staffing and funding capacity, many higher-cost or complex strategies will rely on extended collaboration and, in many cases, outside funding and partnerships
The RCAP document along with supporting appendices and the full technical and CEQA record are available on the County’s website at: https://humboldtgov.org/2464/HumboldtRegional-Climate-ActionPlan.

NEXT STEPS
A Regional Climate Committee and Regional Climate Program Manager position are cornerstone strategies of the RCAP and essential to successful implementation.

Regional Climate Committee
The RCAP identifies the Regional Climate Committee as a core implementation measure and specifies that the Committee should include representatives from each local jurisdiction and key regional agencies, including HTA, HCAOG, HWMA, and RCEA. The Committee would be comprised of staff members from the participating organizations who have relevant technical expertise and would participate as part of their existing job responsibilities. Committee members would be expected to meet regularly to develop shared tools, coordinate implementation across jurisdictions, and support progress tracking and reporting.

The RCEA Board along with an elected representative from the boards of HTA, HCAOG, and HWMA would act as the Regional Climate Committee. Each official appointed to the Regional Climate Committee is charged with addressing climate change at a coordinated regional level to implement the RCAP. For decisions involving grants, contracts, or other agreements where RCEA is the prime applicant or party, the RCEA Board would serve as the final decision maker. This meeting structure is similar to that of the County’s Airport Land Use Commission and HCAOG’s Policy Advisory Committee.

Logistically, Regional Climate Committee meetings are intended to occur during regularly scheduled RCEA Board meetings. When there are RCAP-specific items to address, the meeting would proceed as follows:

1. The RCEA Board would adjourn its regular meeting

2. The Regional Climate Committee would convene, including representatives from HTA, HCAOG, and HWMA.

3. The Regional Climate Committee would conduct its business and then adjourn.

4. The RCEA Board would reconvene and continue its regular meeting.

Climate Program Manager
In support of the Committee's work, the RCAP envisions a Climate Program Manager as a senior professional dedicated staff position. The Manager would convene and support the Committee, coordinate assigned work items, prepare annual progress reports, and coordinate with staff of the participating jurisdictions and agencies to undertake the work of the Committee. The coordination will take many forms including convening a staff level Technical Advisory Committee that will advise the Regional Climate Committee. Oversight and decision-making authority for the Manager and Committee would reside with the governing board of the host agency, or a subcommittee thereof, consistent with the host agency's governance structure.

Under the RCAP, the Program Manager is intended to represent a larger staff need to fulfill the mission of the Committee to obtain funding to support several staff in implementing and tracking the RCAP.

HumCo RCAP October 13, 2026 CC Meeting
Additionally, the RCAP charges the Manager with developing annual progress reports on RCAP implementation for City Councils and County Supervisors to measure progress and establish accountability in achieving RCAP emissions reduction goals.

This position is funded with contributions from participating jurisdictions for the term of the MOU.

Contributions from jurisdictions will also be sufficient to cover the costs of RCAP implementation measure tracking software. Contributions consistent with Exhibit A to the MOU will be collected from each participating jurisdiction and used only for Climate Action Plan purposes such as the Climate Program Manager position, software, consultant services, or grant program match. The Regional Climate Committee will approve the use of these expenses.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Since 2025, the RCAP working group have been meeting to discuss the best way to structure and implement the Regional Climate Committee and Regional Climate Program Manager. Both HCAOG and RCEA offered to be the host agency. While both HCAOG and RCEA are qualified and relevant organizations to provide the functions of regionally coordinating RCAP implementation, RCEA will have a larger staff base to provide support.

At RCEA’s March 26, 2026, Board of Directors meeting, the Board approved a staffing re-organization concept that would result in the creation of a new Department of Engagement and Regional Climate Planning. This Department is envisioned to be multifunctional and would include support for the Region’s Climate Action Plan recognizing the large role that RCEA is expected to play in RCAP implementation.

Since then, the RCAP working group developed an MOU that would allow RCEA to host the Regional Climate Committee and the Regional Climate Manager position. The purposes of this MOU are to collaborate in establishing an operational framework for the Regional Climate Committee and developing a sustainable funding mechanism for the Regional Climate Committee and the Climate Program Manager.

The RCEA Board adopted the MOU at their meeting of September 24, 2026. The MOU will become effective after adoption by a sufficient number of Municipal Jurisdictions whose respective populations together represent at least 85% of the overall population of Humboldt County. This MOU shall terminate on December 31, 2030, unless extended by mutual written agreement of the Parties BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT:

Implementation of the RCAP through the MOU will require an unknown amount of City staff time and administrative costs. The City already participates as a member of RCEA’s Board of Directors and in implementing GHG reductions strategies. With the MOU, there will be more impetus to direct staff time towards project to reduce GHG emissions. However, the City will still have a choice in how and when it participates.

In addition, the MOU calls for funding a shared regional Climate Program Manager position. The cost for each participating municipality is based on their population. For Trinidad, that amount is $340.00 annually through the term of the MOU (2030).

ATTACHMENTS
• Regional Climate Action Plan Memorandum of Understanding • Exhibit A Funding Commitments
---------- September 18, 2026 DRAFT ---------

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN

RCAP LOCAL AGENCIES AND
PARTNER JPA’S

REGARDING ESTABLISHMENT OF THE REGIONAL CLIMATE COMMITTEE AND

CLIMATE PROGRAM MANAGER
This Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) is entered into and made effective as of _________, 2026 (“Effective Date”) by and among some or all of the local agencies identified below. Each of the agencies referenced below is referred to herein individually as an “Agency” and collectively as the “Agencies.” Each of the signatories to this Agreement is referred to herein as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties”.

Municipal Jurisdictions:

City of Arcata (“Arcata”)
City of Blue Lake (“Blue Lake”)
City of Eureka (“Eureka”)
City of Ferndale (“Ferndale”)
City of Fortuna (“Fortuna”)
City of Rio Dell (“Rio Dell”)
City of Trinidad (“Trinidad”)
County of Humboldt (“County”)
Joint Powers Authorities (JPAs):

Humboldt County Association of Governments (“HCAOG”)
Humboldt County Transit Authority (“HTA”)
Humboldt Waste Management Authority (“HWMA”)
Redwood Coast Energy Authority (“RCEA”)

BACKGROUND RECITALS AND SHARED GOALS
A. The Agencies have collaborated in development of a comprehensive Regional Climate Action Plan (“RCAP”) to address greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions generated within the Humboldt County region. The RCAP and final environmental impact report were completed by the County and adopted by its Board of Supervisors on December 16th, 2025, and adopted by the other Municipal Jurisdictions on the following dates:

Arcata: May 6, 2026
Blue Lake:

Eureka: February 3, 2026
Ferndale: September 16, 2026
Fortuna: May 18, 2026
Rio Dell: March 17, 2026
Trinidad:

B. The RCAP establishes a regional goal to reduce GHG emissions 40 percent by 2030 in line with Statewide targets of Senate Bill 32 and provides measures and actions to achieve this goal. In addition, the RCAP establishes a longer-term regional goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045, consistent with the Statewide goals of Assembly Bill 1279; and quantitative efficiency thresholds for use in evaluating whether the GHG emissions of an individual plan or project would result in a potentially significant environmental impact under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) for plans or projects with pre-2030 buildout or initial operation years (“GHG Emissions ---------- September 18, 2026 DRAFT ---------

Thresholds”). The overall purpose of the RCAP and CEQA GHG Emissions Thresholds is to prepare, adopt, and implement a qualified GHG reduction plan that may be utilized for mitigating and tracking Countywide GHG emissions as well as for streamlining CEQA GHG analyses for future projects within the Humboldt County region that are required to undergo CEQA review.

C. A cornerstone strategy of the RCAP is the establishment of a coalition between jurisdictions and key organizations to guide a regional approach to climate-related challenges through coordinated efforts.

Based on this, creation of a Regional Climate Committee (“Committee”) comprised of elected officials from each of the Municipal Jurisdictions and JPA’s to be responsible for implementing RCAP measures and actions is the first RCAP strategy to be implemented. The purpose of the Committee is to foster collaboration and coordination among the region to address climate-related challenges and implement effective climate action strategies by leveraging collective expertise, resources, and efficiencies to tackle climate change at a regional level. The Committee will support RCAP implementation through information sharing, coordination of RCAP efforts, development of joint initiatives to reduce GHG emissions, support and pursue funding, and promote sustainable development practices. Additionally, the Committee will develop and provide models, pilot programs, and template policies or ordinances that enable each jurisdiction in the region to implement uniform changes and facilitate local communities in making the necessary structural adjustments to reduce GHG emissions.

D. The RCAP also calls for the creation of a Climate Program Manager (“Manager” or “Program Manager”) to lead the coordination efforts of the Committee, and to coordinate with staff of the participating jurisdictions and agencies to undertake the work of the Committee. Under the RCAP, the Program Manager is intended to represent a larger staff need to fulfill the mission of the Committee to obtain funding to support several staff in implementing and tracking the RCAP.

Additionally, the RCAP charges the Manager with developing annual progress reports on RCAP implementation for City Councils and County Supervisors to measure progress and establish accountability in achieving RCAP emissions reduction goals.

E. RCEA has agreed to host the Committee and the Program Manager and to commit staff resources and incidental costs totaling approximately $145,000 per year.

F. This MOU seeks to establish the framework for establishing the Committee and funding the Regional Climate Program Manager. NOW THEREFORE, based on these Background Recitals and Shared Goals, the Parties enter into the following Memorandum of Understanding:

1. Purpose. The purposes of this MOU are to collaborate in the following endeavors:
i. Establishing an operational framework for the Regional Climate Committee; ii. Developing a sustainable funding mechanism for the Regional Climate Committee and the Climate Program Manager.

2. Host Agency. To facilitate the successful outcome of the RCAP, RCEA agrees to host the Climate Program Manager (“Manager”), and provide administrative support to the Regional Climate Committee (“Committee”) and advisory committees created by the Committee. The Manager shall be solely an employee or independent contractor of RCEA and no other Party to this MOU when acting in the capacity of Regional Climate Manager and shall not be entitled to any employment benefits from any other agency. The RCEA Board shall serve as the final decision maker for any RCAP grants, contracts, or other agreements where RCEA is the prime applicant or party to the contract or agreement.
---------- September 18, 2026 DRAFT ---------

3. Regional Climate Committee. The Committee will be responsible for implementing RCAP measures and actions. The Committee structure shall be as follows:
a. Committee Membership. The RCEA Board of Directors, which includes representation from the County and each City as well Tribal nations, together with an elected official appointed from and by each of the Boards of Directors of Humboldt Waste Management Authority, Humboldt Transit Authority and Humboldt County Association of Governments shall be the acting Regional Climate Committee. Each official appointed to the Regional Climate Committee (a “Member”, or “Committee Member”) is charged with addressing climate change at a coordinated regional level to implement the RCAP.

b. Quorum. A majority of the total number of Committee Members shall constitute a quorum for conducting business.
c. Voting. Each Committee Member shall have one equal vote. Alternate representatives may only vote in the absence of the primary representative from that Agency. Completion of any action of the Committee shall require the affirmative vote of the Members present.

4. Committee Operational Rules, Bylaws. The Committee may establish by unanimous vote any additional, non-conflicting operational protocols, guidelines, or procedures as necessary to facilitate its operations (the “Bylaws”). The Committee shall function in accordance with this MOU, any Bylaws, and applicable law. Bylaws shall be amended only upon approval by a unanimous vote of the Committee.

5. Regional Climate Program Manager.
a. Sustainable Funding of Position. The Manager is a cornerstone strategy of the RCAP.

Establishing sustainable funding for the Manager shall be a priority of the Committee.

Funding will occur as direct annual financial contributions from the Municipal Jurisdictions for the term of this MOU. During the term of this MOU, the Regional Climate Committee will develop a long-term funding strategy for RCAP implementation and sustainable funding for the Manager position that may include direct annual contributions, grants, or other available sources.
b. Primary Duties. Using the RCAP as a strategic planning document the Manager will generally:
i. Plan, organize, oversee, coordinate, and manage the RCAP programs, projects, and activities including facilitating RCAP Committee activities; ii. Identify and pursue external funding opportunities; iii. Serve as administrative manager of multi-agency programs; iv. Serve as a liaison and foster cooperative working relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, partners, and contracted service providers; v. Coordinate with staff of the participating jurisdictions and agencies to undertake the work directed by the Committee.
vi. Deliver annual progress reports to City Councils and the County Board of Supervisors to measure progress and establish accountability in achieving RCAP emissions reduction goals
---------- September 18, 2026 DRAFT ---------

c. Interaction with Committee. The Manager will provide staff support to the Committee including ensuring compliance with the California Ralph M. Brown Act and other applicable laws.

6. Regional Climate Technical Advisory Committee. Each Agency may choose to designate staff to participate in a Regional Climate Technical Advisory Committee (“TAC”). The purpose of the TAC is to provide input to the Manager and Committee.

7. Shared Funding Commitments to Support RCAP Implementation and the Climate Program Manager.
a. Principles of Shared Commitment to Sustainably Fund the Regional Climate Program Manager:
i. The Regional Climate Action Plan calls for the creation of a regional Climate Program Manager position to lead and coordinate the implementation of the Regional Climate Action Plan;
ii. A Regional Climate Program Manager position would provide for regional efficiencies and cost-savings in completing the work outlined in the Regional Climate Action Plan;
iii. The successful region-wide implementation of the RCAP is a shared responsibility;
iv. Shared financial responsibility is most equitably determined using the total population of the County and the percentage residing within each Municipal Jurisdiction.
v. RCEA created a Regional Climate Program Manager position within RCEA with the understanding that Municipal Jurisdiction contributions would be required to sustainably fund the position.
b. Municipal Jurisdiction Commitments. Municipal Jurisdictions agree to contribute funds to support RCAP implementation and the Program Manager in the amounts set out in Exhibit A, Funding Commitments.
c. Funding Commitments. Proportional funding contributions by each Municipal Jurisdiction prorated by population are set out in Exhibit A, Funding Commitments.

8. Annual Budget. RCEA will separately account for direct funding contributions, and will develop an annual RCAP implementation budget based on direct funding contributions for annual review and approval by the Committee. The budget shall be applied to Program Manager salary costs and direct RCAP implementation expenses, such as vendors, consultants, climate tracking software, and similar expenses. Any budgeted funds unspent at the end of a fiscal year will be carried over to following years. The Regional Climate Committee may revise the annual budget as needed.

9. MOU Term. This MOU shall terminate on December 31, 2030, unless extended by mutual written agreement of the Parties.
---------- September 18, 2026 DRAFT ---------

10. MOU Modifications. This MOU may only be modified by a written amendment executed by the Parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Exhibit A, Funding Commitments may be amended by simple majority of the Regional Climate Committee. Any such amendments shall automatically replace the Funding Commitments attached to this Agreement. RCEA shall distribute the Amended Contribution Schedule to all Parties.

11. Effective Date. This MOU shall become effective on the date that it is executed by a sufficient number of Municipal Jurisdictions whose respective populations together represent at least 85% of the overall population of Humboldt County as determined by the April 1, 2020 Population Census for Humboldt County.

12. Counterpart Execution: This MOU, and any amendments hereto, may be executed in one (1) or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which, when taken together, shall be deemed to be one (1) and the same agreement. This MOU, and any amendments hereto, may be signed by manual or electronic signatures in accordance with any and all applicable local, state and federal laws, regulations and standards, and such signatures shall constitute original signatures for all purposes. A signed copy of this MOUJ, and any amendments hereto, transmitted by email or by other means of electronic transmission shall have the same legal effect as delivery of an original executed copy of this MOU and any amendments hereto.

13. Authority To Execute: Each person executing this MOU represents and warrants that he or she is duly authorized and has legal authority to execute and deliver this MOU. Each party represents and warrants to the other that the execution and delivery of this MOU and the performance of such party’s obligations hereunder have been duly authorized.

WITNESSETH, each Agency signing below has duly approved and adopted this Memorandum of Understanding in accordance with its respective requirements and duly authorized its execution. ---------- September 18, 2026 DRAFT ---------

City of Arcata:

By:

Title:

Date:

City of Blue Lake:

By:

Title:

Date:

City of Eureka:

By:

Title:

Date:

City of Ferndale:

By:

Title:

Date:

City of Fortuna:

By:

Title:

Date:

City of Rio Dell:

By:

Title:

Date:

City of Trinidad:

By:

Title:

Date:

County of Humboldt:

By:

Title:

Date:

Humboldt County Association of Governments:

By:

Title:

Date:
---------- September 18, 2026 DRAFT ---------

Humboldt County Transit Authority:

By:

Title:

Date:

Humboldt Waste Management Authority:

By:

Title:

Date:

Redwood Coast Energy Authority:

By:

Title:

Date:

Exhibit A
Funding Commitments
This schedule of Funding Commitments identifies the individual funding commitments made by the Parties.

RCEA Commitment to Host Regional Climate Committee and Climate Program Manager:

RCEA commits to host the Regional Climate Committee and by providing the following support (% refers to % of hours devoted to :
• Executive Director- 5%- Participate in high-level RCAP activities with internal staff and regional partners.
• Department Director- up to 40% - Lead launch of Regional Climate Committee and Technical Advisory Committee, engage with regional partners, lead initial grant efforts, supervise RCAP program manager.
• Community Strategies team- 5-10% - Support educational events, regional convenings, and outreach activities related to the RCAP.
• Clerk- 15%- Provide Clerk functions for Regional Climate Committee and RCAP Technical Advisory Committee.
• Miscellaneous: Climate Program Manager office and computer equipment, printing, outreach supplies.

Estimated value: $144,443 annually.

Note: % refers to percent of hours estimated to be spent on RCAP activities for the varying job classifications. Miscellaneous costs are estimated to be $5,000.

Regional Climate Program Manager to be funded through Contributions. Cost Breakdown:

Estimated Salary Range: $105,367 - $128,075 (FY 25/26 dollars, five 5% salary steps) + 40% annual salary for benefits.

Assumes position starts at Step 1.

Year Salary +Benefits
FY 26/27 98,342.53 Assumes a start date of November 1,
2026, or 8 months of FY. Includes
$25,000 for climate tracking software.

FY 27/28 154,889
FY 28/29 162,634
FY 29/30 170,766
Year 1: FY 26/27
For Fiscal Year 26/27, the Cities of Arcata and Eureka, and the County of Humboldt shall contribute the amounts set forth below. Year 1 has reduced staffing costs because it assumes only 8 months of the position being filled but has the added cost of $25,000 for climate tracking software. RCEA will invoice quarterly once position is hired.

FY 26/27 total cost $123,342.50.

Breakdown by population:

Years 2 – 4: FY 27/28 through 29/30
Arcata 19,001 16% $ 20,274.68
Eureka 26,122 23% $ 27,873.01
County 70,471 61% $ 75,194.81
Total 115,594 100% $ 123,342.50
Agency Population Percent FY 27/28 FY 28/29 FY 29/30
Arcata 19,001 14.2% $ 21,993.13 $23,092.79 $ 24,247.43
Blue Lake 1,136 0.8% $ 1,314.89 $1,380.63 $ 1,449.66
Eureka 26,122 19.5% $ 30,235.50 $31,747.27 $ 33,334.63
Ferndale 1,361 1.0% $ 1,575.32 $1,654.09 $ 1,736.79
Fortuna 12,198 9.1% $ 14,118.85 $14,824.79 $ 15,566.03
Rio Dell 3,232 2.4% $ 3,740.95 $3,928.00 $ 4,124.40
Trinidad 296 0.2% $ 342.61 $359.74 $ 377.73
Unincorporated
Area
70,471 52.7% $ 81,568.24 $85,646.65 $ 89,928.99
133,817 100% $ 154,889.49 $162,633.96 $ 170,765.66

Staff Report
Agenda Item # 12.1
Information
Agenda Date September 24, 2024
To Board of Directors
Prepared by Elizabeth Burks, Executive Director
Subject
Approval of Memorandum of Understanding Establishing RCEA as the Host Agency for the Regional Climate Committee and Climate Program Manager Position to Coordinate the Implementation of the Regional Climate Action Plan Summary
The Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP) was first adopted by the County of Humboldt in December 2025, with several other jurisdictions adopting it in the following months. A Regional Climate Committee and Regional Climate Program Manager position are cornerstone strategies of the RCAP and essential to successful implementation.

Since early 2026 RCEA has been coordinating with the Regional Climate Action Plan working group consisting of staff from the County, the seven incorporated cities, and Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG), Humboldt Transit Authority (HTA), and Humboldt Waste Management Authority (HWMA), to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would allow RCEA to host the Regional Climate Committee and the Regional Climate Manager position.

The purposes of this MOU are to collaborate in establishing an operational framework for the Regional Climate Committee and developing a sustainable funding mechanism for the Regional Climate Committee and the Climate Program Manager. After RCEA adoption, the MOU would become effective after adoption by a sufficient number of Municipal Jurisdictions whose respective populations together represent at least 85% of the overall population of Humboldt County. This MOU shall terminate on December 31, 2030, unless extended by mutual written agreement of the Parties.

Regional Climate Committee
The MOU specifies that the RCEA Board along with an elected representative from the boards of HTA, HCAOG, and HWMA would act as the Regional Climate Committee. Each official appointed to the Regional Climate Committee is charged with addressing climate change at a coordinated regional level to implement the RCAP.

Logistically, Regional Climate Committee meetings are intended to occur during regularly scheduled RCEA Board meetings. When there are RCAP-specific items to address, the meeting would proceed as follows:

1. The RCEA Board would adjourn its regular meeting.
53

2. The Regional Climate Committee would convene, including representatives from HTA, HCAOG, and HWMA.

3. The Regional Climate Committee would conduct its business and then adjourn.

4. The RCEA Board would reconvene and continue its regular meeting.

For decisions involving grants, contracts, or other agreements where RCEA is the prime applicant or party, the RCEA Board would serve as the final decision maker.

This meeting structure is similar to that of the County’s Airport Land Use Commission and HCAOG’s Policy Advisory Committee.

Regional Climate Program Manager and Funding Contributions The RCAP calls for the creation of a Climate Program Manager (“Manager” or “Program Manager”) to lead the coordination efforts of the Committee, and to coordinate with staff of the participating jurisdictions and agencies to undertake the work of the Committee. The coordination will take many forms including convening a staff level Technical Advisory Committee that will advise the Regional Climate Committee.

Under the RCAP, the Program Manager is intended to represent a larger staff need to fulfill the mission of the Committee to obtain funding to support several staff in implementing and tracking the RCAP.

Additionally, the RCAP charges the Manager with developing annual progress reports on RCAP implementation for City Councils and County Supervisors to measure progress and establish accountability in achieving RCAP emissions reduction goals.

This position is funded with contributions from participating jurisdictions for the term of the MOU.

Contributions from jurisdictions will also be sufficient to cover the costs of RCAP implementation measure tracking software. Contributions consistent with Exhibit A to the MOU will be collected from each participating jurisdiction and used only for Climate Action Plan purposes such as the Climate Program Manager position, software, consultant services, or grant program match. The Regional Climate Committee will approve the use of these expenses.

RCEA Commitments
This MOU commits RCEA to hosting the Regional Climate Committee and the Climate Program Manager Position for the term of the MOU. It also commits RCEA to providing staff resources and incidental costs totaling approximately $145,000 annually for the term of the MOU. These costs have been included in the current fiscal year budget and would need to be continued in future fiscal years during the term of the MOU.

Staff resources will include participation in RCAP activities by the Executive Director, Director of Engagement and Regional Climate Planning, Community Strategies Team, and Board Clerk.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Process
After adoption by RCEA the MOU will be considered by each party to the MOU. Once the Municipal Jurisdictions whose respective populations together represent at least 85% of the overall population of Humboldt County sign on, the MOU would become effective. 54

RCEA has already received confirmation from the County of Humboldt, City of Eureka and City of Arcata, that they intend to take the MOU to their decision makers in October. Others are likely to follow in future months. The Regional Climate Committee could possibly convene as early as November.

Background
The RCAP is designed to reduce countywide GHG emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030, consistent with Senate Bill (SB) 32, and to make substantial progress toward carbon neutrality by 2045, consistent with Assembly Bill (AB) 1279. The RCAP is meant to function as a "playbook" that local agencies can use to prioritize actions, coordinate projects, and track progress over time, recognizing that implementation will be phased and dependent on available capacity and funding.

The initial drafting of a Climate Action Plan (CAP) began in 2019 through collaboration with the County, all incorporated cities (Arcata, Blue Lake, Eureka, Ferndale, Fortuna, Rio Dell, and Trinidad), and RCEA.

These entities entered into a Memorandum of Understanding committing to develop a shared regional climate action plan to reduce GHG emissions on a coordinated, countywide basis. The group worked in coordination with regional agencies including the Humboldt County Association of Governments, Humboldt Transit Authority, and Humboldt Waste Management Authority.

The Final RCAP was adopted by the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors in December 2025, with adoption by the Cities of Arcata, Eureka, Ferndale, Fortuna, Rio Dell occurring in 2026.

Development of the RCAP strategy showed that the region had greater chances to accomplish goals and achieve GHG reductions when working as a region rather than a collection of individual jurisdictions.

This approach allows for a consolidation of resources and avoids jurisdictions competing for the same resources, which is a change from prior drafts of the CAP. The RCAP is designed with the understanding that meaningful climate action will take sustained effort, long-term coordination, and adequate resources.

Given the region’s limited staffing and funding capacity, many higher-cost or complex strategies will rely on extended collaboration and, in many cases, outside funding and partnerships.

In 2025, members of the working group asked RCEA leadership to consider hosting the Regional Climate Committee and the Climate Program Manager position. The RCEA Board reviewed this potential role beginning in January 2026 and continuing through adoption of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget. During that process, the Board supported RCEA serving as the host agency for both the Regional Climate Committee and the Climate Program Manager.

Equity Impacts
Any RCAP implementation activities will be done in the context of RCEA’s Racial Justice Plan initiatives.

Alignment with RCEA’s Strategic Plan
Approval of this MOU supports RCEA's work to further these RePower Humboldt Regional Energy Planning & Coordination strategies, among others, listed in the agency's strategic plan:
• 1.4.3 Assist with Climate Action Planning
Work with local jurisdictions to regularly complete greenhouse gas inventories, set greenhouse gas reduction targets, and develop climate action plans 55

• 1.4.4 Support Countywide Strategic Energy Planning
Coordinate an effective energy strategy based on self-sufficiency, development of renewable energy resources, energy conservation, and electrification that is actively implemented countywide through Climate Action Plans, General Plans and the Redwood Coast Energy Authority’s RePower Humboldt plan.

Financial Impact
The cost of entering this MOU consists of staff resources and incidental costs totaling approximately $145,000 annually for the term of the MOU. This is consistent with budgeted amounts in the current adopted budget. These costs will also need to be budgeted in future fiscal years during the term of the MOU. The cost of the Climate Program Manager position is covered through the contributions from the Municipal Jurisdictions
Staff Recommendation
Approve the Memorandum of Understanding Establishing RCEA as the host agency for the Regional Climate Committee and Climate Program Manager Position to coordinate the implementation of the Regional Climate Action Plan.

Attachments

1. Regional Climate Action Plan Memorandum of Understanding

2. Exhibit A Funding Commitments
56 Exhibit A
Funding Commitments
This schedule of Funding Commitments identifies the individual funding commitments made by the Parties for the term of the MOU. Funding commitments for the full term of the MOU commence the year the Party joins the MOU. Fiscal Year commitments are due to RCEA no later than December 1 of each Fiscal Year.

Agency Population Percent FY 26/27 FY 27/28 FY 28/29 FY 29/30 Arcata 19,001 14.2% 21,821.84 $ $ 21,821.84 $21,821.84 21,821.84 $ Blue Lake 1,136 0.8% 1,304.65 $ $ 1,304.65 $1,304.65 1,304.65 $ Eureka 26,122 19.5% 30,000.00 $ $ 30,000.00 $30,000.00 30,000.00 $ Ferndale 1,361 1.0% 1,563.05 $ $ 1,563.05 $1,563.05 1,563.05 $ Fortuna 12,198 9.1% 14,008.88 $ $ 14,008.88 $14,008.88 14,008.88 $ Rio Dell 3,232 2.4% 3,711.81 $ $ 3,711.81 $3,711.81 3,711.81 $ Trinidad 296 0.2% 339.94 $ $ 339.94 $339.94 339.94 $
County
(Unincorporated) 70,471

52.7% 80,932.93 $ $ 80,932.93 $80,932.93 80,932.93 $
133,817 100% $153,683.10 $153,683.10 $153,683.10 153,683.10 $ 64 CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 5

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED

5. Letter of Support for the Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) application, co-led with Humboldt Transit Authority (HTA), for the Caltrans Strategic Partnerships Transit (FTA 5304) grant program for the Comprehensive Operational Analysis and Connections for Humboldt (COACH) project.

October 06, 2026
Rob Holmlund, Executive Director
Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG)
611 “I” Street, Suite B
Eureka, CA 95501
Email: [email protected]
Dear Rob,
The City of Trinidad is pleased to support the Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) application, co-led with Humboldt Transit Authority (HTA), for the Caltrans Strategic Partnerships Transit (FTA 5304) grant program for the Comprehensive Operational Analysis and Connections for Humboldt (COACH) project. A comprehensive, route-by-route review of Humboldt’s transit network is essential to meeting the mobility needs of Humboldt County residents and growing the ridership of the transit system.

The proposed COACH project will conduct a Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) of HTA’s eight transit systems, the Fortuna Transit System, Yurok Tribe Transit and Karuk Tribe Transit. HTA has not undertaken a full route-by-route operational review for over thirty years. The COA will identify how Humboldt’s transit network should be redesigned to more effectively serve new and existing riders. The project will analyze a range of infill development scenarios to map out how transit operations can adjust to changing population centers while continuing to serve existing users. The project will also study the operational and capital funding needed to achieve the mode shift goals called for in Humboldt’s Regional Transportation Plan and Regional Climate Action Plan.

The City of Trinidad hears directly from residents that reliable, frequent, and accessible transit is a top priority. The City of Trinidad enthusiastically supports HCAOG’s and HTA’s application for Strategic Partnerships Transit funding to complete this much-needed operational analysis and multimodal connections study.

Sincerely,
Bryce Kenny
City of Trinidad, Mayor Pro-Tem
CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 6

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED

6. Letter of support for the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria (Trinidad Rancheria) and its application for FY 2027–28 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant (STPG) funding through the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for the Trinidad Rancheria Multi-Parcel Context-Sensitive Active Transportation Master Plan.

Monday, October 05, 2026
RE: Letter of Support – FY 2027–28 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Trinidad Rancheria MultiParcel Context-Sensitive Active Transportation Master Plan To Whom It May Concern:

The City of Trinidad is pleased to provide this letter of support for the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria (Trinidad Rancheria) and its application for FY 2027–28 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant (STPG) funding through the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for the Trinidad Rancheria Multi-Parcel Context-Sensitive Active Transportation Master Plan.

The proposed planning effort will develop a comprehensive, context-sensitive active transportation framework connecting the Trinidad Rancheria's multiple Tribal land holdings, including its Main Parcel, Westhaven, McKinleyville, and Trinidad Harbor properties. The plan will evaluate opportunities to improve pedestrian, bicycle, and other active transportation connections while addressing the unique geographic, transportation, safety, cultural, and community needs of the Rancheria.

The City recognizes the importance of coordinated transportation planning between the City of Trinidad and the Trinidad Rancheria. The Rancheria's lands, residents, employees, Tribal government facilities, businesses, and community-serving destinations are an integral part of the greater Trinidad community. Improving safe and practical transportation connections between Tribal lands and surrounding community destinations can provide benefits to both Tribal and non-Tribal residents, visitors, employees, and businesses.

The City supports the Rancheria's efforts to develop a locally informed and culturally appropriate active transportation plan that can identify priorities, conceptual improvements, potential funding opportunities, and implementation strategies. The City also supports continued coordination with the Rancheria as appropriate to identify opportunities for complementary improvements and to promote safe and connected transportation facilities within and around the Trinidad community.

The proposed Master Plan is consistent with the City's interest in improving multimodal transportation, pedestrian and bicycle safety, connectivity, and access to community destinations. The planning process will provide an opportunity to identify improvements that can be coordinated across jurisdictional boundaries and help position future projects for competitive state and federal funding.

The City of Trinidad respectfully supports the Trinidad Rancheria's application for FY 2027–28 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant funding and encourages Caltrans to consider the importance of this planning effort and its potential regional benefits. The City Council has not yet had an opportunity to review this letter, since the next meeting is not until October 13, 2026. In the unlikely event that it decides not to adopt this position, I will notify you in writing so that the record can be corrected.

Gabriel Adams
City Clerk/Interim City Manager
707-677-0223
[email protected]
CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 7

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED

7. Letter of support for the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria (Trinidad Rancheria) and its application for funding through the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program for the Trinidad Harbor Access and Evacuation Resilience Planning Project.

The Honorable Sean Duffy, Secretary
United States Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
RE: Letter of Support – PROTECT Program Application -Trinidad Harbor Access and Evacuation Resilience Planning Project Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria Dear Secretary Duffy,
The City of Trinidad is pleased to provide this letter of support for the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria (Trinidad Rancheria) and its application for funding through the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program for the Trinidad Harbor Access and Evacuation Resilience Planning Project.

The proposed project will advance planning and project development activities necessary to address transportation resilience and access challenges affecting the Trinidad Rancheria's Harbor area, including the area surrounding Ue-Kwe'-Won Beach and the Trinidad Harbor. The project will evaluate existing and anticipated coastal hazards, including bluff instability and erosion, and develop the technical information and preliminary project development necessary to identify feasible strategies for protecting critical transportation access and improving long-term resilience.

The City recognizes the importance of the Trinidad Harbor area to the broader Trinidad community and the region. The Harbor serves as an important transportation, recreational, cultural, and economic resource, and the stability of the surrounding transportation network is important to residents, Tribal community members, businesses, visitors, and emergency response. The City particularly supports the Trinidad Rancheria's efforts to advance bluff stabilization and related resilience planning and design in an area of significant cultural and community importance. Addressing these vulnerabilities through early planning, technical evaluation, feasibility analysis, environmental review, and preliminary engineering will help establish a foundation for future implementation and potential construction funding.

The City also recognizes that coastal hazards and transportation vulnerabilities do not stop at jurisdictional boundaries.

Coordinated planning among the Trinidad Rancheria, City of Trinidad, and other transportation and emergency response partners can help identify complementary strategies, improve regional resilience, and strengthen the ability of the community to maintain safe and reliable access during and following coastal hazard events.

The City of Trinidad respectfully supports the Trinidad Rancheria's PROTECT Program application and encourages consideration of the project for funding. The proposed work represents an important opportunity to proactively address existing vulnerabilities, protect critical transportation access, and develop implementable resilience strategies for the Trinidad Harbor area. The City Council has not yet had an opportunity to review this letter, since the next meeting is not until October 13, 2026. In the unlikely event that it decides not to adopt this position, I will notify you in writing so that the record can be corrected.

Gabriel Adams
City Clerk/Interim City Manager
707-677-0223
[email protected]
DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM 1

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED

1. Proclamation 2026-02; Domestic Violence Awareness Month TRINIDAD CITY HALL Cheryl Kelly, Mayor
P.O. Box 390 Gabriel Adams, City Clerk 409 Trinity Street Trinidad, CA 95570
(707) 677-0223
PROCLAMATION 2026-02
RECOGNIZING OCTOBER 2026 AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH WHEREAS, October is annually recognized as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month;

WHEREAS, progress continues to be made toward violence prevention, domestic and intimate partner violence remains a serious issue affecting all people regardless of age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, socioeconomic status, literacy, sexuality, ability, religion, culture, and immigration status; WHEREAS, domestic and intimate partner violence violates an individual's dignity, security, and humanity with the systematic use of control through physical, emotional, sexual, psychological, and economic abuse; WHEREAS, children exposed to domestic violence can experience long-term consequences including difficulty at school, substance abuse, behavioral problems in adolescence, and serious adult health problems;

WHEREAS, Humboldt Domestic Violence Services (HDVS) has been serving Humboldt County since 1977 to continuously support all those living with or escaping abuse; WHEREAS, all survivors deserve access to culturally responsive prevention programs and services to increase their safety and self-sufficiency. HDVS enlists a diverse array of allies, agencies, and community members in supporting survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence; WHEREAS, only together can we change the health and safety of our community by challenging the societal norms that perpetuate violence;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED that the City Council of the City of Trinidad recognizes the month of October 2026 to be DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. The Council celebrates HDVS’s 49 years of effort to improve community safety by breaking the cycle of domestic and intimate partner violence.

Dated: Thursday, October 13, 2026

__________________________
Cheryl Kelly
Mayor
9/15/26, 2:39 PM
https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/inbox/id/AAQkADkxOWYxMDM…jYtNDA4Zi05MTBhLTY4Y2I3NTgyYTFjMwAQAEom1Kr7g3VBmzCF19YqKbM%3D Page 1 of 1 Outlook
HDVS 2026 Proclamation
From Nylah Smith <[email protected]>
Date Tue 9/15/2026 12:24 PM
To Cityclerk Trinidad <[email protected]>
Cc Julia Martinez <[email protected]>
1 attachment (707 KB)
General DV Month Proclamation 2026.docx;
Hello City Clerk Adams,
I hope this message finds you well. Humboldt Domestic Violence Services (HDVS) would like to coordinate with the Trinidad City Council to present the Domestic Violence Awareness Month proclamation at your October 13th meeting.

Could you please let me know if there is room on the agenda for this? Please feel free to reach out if you need any additional information.

Thank you very much for your assistance. We look forward to collaborating on this important recognition.

Nylah Smith (she/they/ella/elle)
Community Outreach and Resources Coordinator
Humboldt Domestic Violence Services (HDVS)
Business Office: (707) 444-9255 | 24/7 Support Line: (707) 443-6042 "The heart of justice is truth telling." - bell hooks
My work is largely conducted in the unceded ancestral territory and current homeland of the Wiyot Tribe.

Our Mission - “Breaking the cycle of domestic and intimate partner violence through services, education and advocacy.”
Nuestra Misión - “Romper el ciclo de la violencia doméstica y de pareja con servicio, educación y abogacía.”
DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM 2

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION SUBMITTED

2. Annual Unmet Transit Needs Hearing

HUMBOLDT COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS
Regional Transportation Planning Agency
Humboldt County Local Transportation Authority
Service Authority for Freeway Emergencies
611 I Street, Suite B
Eureka, CA 95501
(707) 444-8208
www.hcaog.net
Citizen Participation Process for Transit Needs Assessment Transportation Development Act
The Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) is responsible for allocating Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds within the region. The TDA provides two major sources of funding, Local Transportation Funds (LTF) derived from a ¼ cent of the general sales tax and State Transportation Assistance Funds (STAF) derived from a tax on diesel fuel. Together, these TDA funds are a revenue source for public transit in Humboldt County. The “Unmet Transit Needs” process is carried out annually to identify and evaluate the adequacy of existing public transportation services.

HCAOG is required to assess transit needs prior to allocating LTF money for non-transit purposes, while STAF is programmed to public transit agencies.

Each jurisdiction has its own LTF account. The Cities of Arcata, Eureka and Fortuna use the entirety of their LTF allocation for transit purposes and the County of Humboldt increasingly uses all or almost all of its LTF for transit. The City of Rio Dell, Blue Lake, and Trinidad typically have funds remaining after paying their share for eligible transit uses. In these cases, the TDA allows LTF to be applied to local streets and roads budgets, including pedestrian and bicycle projects. The City of Ferndale claims its whole LTF allocation for its streets and roads maintenance.

Public Process to Make a Finding
HCAOG’s Social Services Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC) leads the process.

One required hearing is held at the HCAOG Board, and other jurisdictions may hold hearings as well. Comments are solicited through an online survey, ads, and information sharing between organizations serving people who rely on transit. The SSTAC considers all public testimony and input, determines if the suggestions meet the adopted definition of an unmet transit need and applies adopted criteria to determine if the need is “reasonable to meet”. Public comments are accepted throughout the year and close on December 31st.

The SSTAC will consider the draft Unmet Transit Needs report and forward one of the following findings to the HCAOG Board for consideration:
(a) there are no unmet transit needs; or
(b) there are no unmet transit needs which are “reasonable to meet”; or (c) there are unmet transit needs, including those that are “reasonable to meet” Examples of Past Public Input and Findings
Unmet needs include Sunday service, Saturday night service on Redwood Transit System, and later evening service on the Eureka Transit System. These services are often found “not reasonable to meet” based on projected farebox returns and very low estimated ridership that would result in a high operating subsidy. Additionally, unmet needs must be considered financially sustainable based on there being enough money available from identified sources of funding to pay for the marginal operating cost of the service continuously for three years.

Comments received through this annual process can provide valuable feedback to transit operators. Not all operational requests can be met, but the Humboldt Transit Authority makes every effort to respond where feasible. Public comments are beneficial as a record of community need and can help to secure competitive grant-funded projects such as first-last mile mobility solutions to expand access to transit.

Opportunities for Public Comment on Unmet Transit Needs • Navigate to the project page at https://www.hcaog.net/programs-projects/publictransportation or find the survey at bit.ly/UnmetTransitNeeds • At one of the advertised public meetings;
• Written comments and/or feedback gathered from staff during direct outreach; • Comment submittals by email or telephone: [email protected] or 707-444-8208.

UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS

DEFINITION & REASONABLE TO MEET CRITERIA
Unmet transit needs are, at a minimum:
(1) Trips requested from residents who do not have access to public transportation, specialized transportation, or private transport services or resources for the purpose of traveling to medical care, shopping, social/recreational activities, education/training, and employment; or
(2) Proposed public transportation, specialized transportation, or private transport services identified in the following, but not limited to: a Transportation Development Plan, Regional Transportation Plan, Coordinated Public Transit–Human Services Transportation Plan. (3) Sufficient broad-based community support exists, meaning that persons who will likely use the service on a routine basis demonstrate support with at a minimum two requests for general public service and for disabled service.

Additionally, unmet transit needs do not include:
 Improvements funded or scheduled for implementation in the next fiscal year.  Minor operational improvements or changes such as bus stops, schedules, and minor route changes. Minor operational improvements are changes to service which do not affect the operating cost of the transit service either by requiring additional staff and/or additional vehicle hours of service or miles of service.  Trips for primary or secondary school transportation
 Sidewalk improvements or street and road needs.

Reasonable to meet criteria:
(1) To be considered “reasonable to meet”, a service must be operationally feasible and financially sustainable, as defined below:
a) The service must have adequate roadways and must be safe to operate. b) Enough money should be available from identified sources of funding to pay for the marginal operating costs of the service continuously for three years. (2) The service must be projected to meet a minimum “marginal farebox-return-ratio” of 10 percent within two years. Performance measures including estimated subsidy per passenger trip and passengers per vehicle hour of service will also be considered. For new service, ridership and farebox-return-ratio thresholds will be considered. (3) Pursuant to the requirements of TDA Statutes (Public Utilities Code Section 99401.5c, a determination of needs that are “reasonable to meet” shall not be made by comparing unmet transit needs with the need for streets and roads, for the allocation of TDA funds. (4) Once a service is determined to be "reasonable to meet" and is implemented, it can be expected that the ridership in the first 1-2 years of the new service will be less than the projected optimal ridership. Ridership should be evaluated at 6-month intervals to determine if service is meeting performance standards adopted by the transit provider, and specifically, whether the service meets a minimum 10 percent marginal fareboxreturn-ratio. If the service is being adequately promoted and fails to be within 60 percent of the identified standards after six months, 90 percent with the first year, or 100 percent within two years, the service may be cancelled and deemed "no longer reasonable to meet." An exception to this rule is when a community or group is willing to participate in sharing the ongoing cost of the new service.

CITY OF TRINIDAD STAFF REPORT
DATE: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Gabriel Adams, Interim City Manager
DISCUSSION AGENDA TITLE:

2. Annual Unmet Transit Needs Hearing
STAFF RECOMMENDATION / SUMMARY:

Introduce and welcome HCAOG Associate Regional Planner Stevie Luther to introduce the topic, open the public hearing, receive input, and direct staff to forward comments submitted to HCAOG.

DISCUSSION/BACKGROUND:

Background: Each year HCAOG conducts a citizen participation process to assess unmet transit needs within Humboldt County. The public is invited during the hearing to express their opinion, solutions, complaints, or suggestions regarding Humboldt County’s public transportation systems and/or general unmet transit needs.

ATTACHMENTS
- HCAOG FY2027-2028 Unmet Transit Needs Synopsis letter DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM 3

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WERE PROVIDED

3. Discussion/Decision regarding Luffenholtz Creek Low-Flow State 2 Alert and Activation of the Water Shortage Response Team (WSRT) per the Water Shortage Contingency Plan. 10/7/2026 — 10/7/2026 2,372 readings

WATER FLOW

AVERAGE

0.657 CFS
MEDIAN

0.679 CFS

MINIMUM

0.306 CFS

MAXIMUM

0.903 CFS
HEIGHT

AVERAGE
282.52 mm

MINIMUM
272.00 mm

MAXIMUM
372.00 mm

THRESHOLD CROSSINGS
Low Flow
below 0.87 CFS
2,368 readings (99.8%)
Alarm
below 0.25 CFS
No crossings
Critical
below 0.15 CFS
No crossings
BREAKDOWN: 10/7/2026 — 10/7/2026 grouped by week
2026-10-05 0.657 0.306 0.903 282.52 2,372 2,368 —
Period Avg CFS Min CFS Max CFS Avg Height Readings Below 0.87 Below 0.25 10/8/2026 — 10/8/2026 2,406 readings

WATER FLOW

AVERAGE

0.709 CFS
MEDIAN

0.717 CFS

MINIMUM

0.418 CFS

MAXIMUM

0.978 CFS
HEIGHT

AVERAGE
283.90 mm

MINIMUM
276.00 mm

MAXIMUM
290.00 mm

THRESHOLD CROSSINGS
Low Flow
below 0.87 CFS
2,336 readings (97.1%)
Alarm
below 0.25 CFS
No crossings
Critical
below 0.15 CFS
No crossings
BREAKDOWN: 10/8/2026 — 10/8/2026 grouped by week
2026-10-05 0.709 0.418 0.978 283.90 2,406 2,336 —
Period Avg CFS Min CFS Max CFS Avg Height Readings Below 0.87 Below 0.25 p. 1 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 City of Trinidad

DROUGHT AND WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN
Purpose
The purpose of the City of Trinidad’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) is to protect public health, welfare, and safety through conservation of the City’s water resources in times of insufficient water supply, which could be caused by drought, mechanical failure, and other conditions. Implementation of the WSCP is intended to prioritize critical water supplies for fire protection, sanitation, and domestic water use.

Public outreach and conservation in the early stages of a drought or other foreseeable shortage helps people transition to using less water and helps to minimize the adverse effects of critical water supply shortages and emergency water supply conditions.

Scope
The WSCP defines a system-specific drought and water shortage index with associated mitigation measures to be used for water supply management in times of projected shortages and insufficient supply. It is not an overall Water Management Plan. Thus, it does not cover water supply sourcing, improvements to water plant equipment and operations, or water system maintenance.

Definitions
Water User Types:

Residential User: Account serving not more than two residences.

Commercial User: Account serving non-residential uses and accounts serving more than two residences.

Large User: Account that averages 500 gpd or more during the water shortage.

Trinidad Water System Overview
The City of Trinidad’s (City) water supply is from Luffenholtz Creek, which is subject to limitations based on the terms of the City’s water right as it relates to flows in the creek.

The flow in the creek varies significantly throughout the year. Multi-year droughts, other extractions from the creek, and long-term climate change can significantly reduce summer flows. Treatment system characteristics also affect the City’s ability to produce potable water; and storage and distribution system characteristics affect the City’s ability to distribute water.

Luffenholtz Creek is currently the only source of raw water that serves the City of Trinidad system. The City purveys water to approximately 1,000 people inside and outside City limits. The City’s diversion and water plant is located at 1313 Westhaven Dr. p. 2 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 Trinidad California adjacent to Luffenholtz Creek. Water for the plant is pumped from a wet well that is filled through an infiltration gallery of perforated pipes located approximately ten feet below the creek bed. The point of diversion is just upstream of the Westhaven Dr. culvert. The City has current water rights limiting the rate of diversion, the annual maximum diversion, and requiring minimum bypass flows. In addition to water right limitations, the effective water production rates are limited by physical constraints in the processing of the water which include: infiltration gallery limitations, flocculator flow rates, filter fouling rates, backwash periods, and chlorine contact time requirements. In addition, the City has a relatively small amount of finished water storage that could supply typical uses for only a few days and is insufficient for bridging long term supply limitations.

Because Trinidad’s water source is a small creek with no reservoir, the City essentially has no long-term storage. Therefore, the situation is different from most larger water systems that obtain water from a reservoir or groundwater storage. It means that water conservation early in the dry season, when flows on Luffenholtz Creek are normal, does not preserve water for future use when creek flows get low. Essentially, the amount of water the City can supply is a function of how much water it pumps each day. (See the Water Treatment Plant Production Memo dated May 1, 2020 by GHD for additional information.) Once flows in the creek drop to a certain level, the pump outpaces the rate at which the wet well infiltration gallery refills. Once the wet well drops to a certain level, the pump has to be turned off to allow it to refill again, limiting the amount of water that can be pumped into the treatment system each day. There is a tipping point where the City can go from pumping at normal capacity, to a very sharp drop in pumping capacity once the creek reaches a critically low flow level that impacts the City’s intake system.

Roles and Responsibilities
Water Committee / Water Shortage Response Team
The City Manager shall be responsible for monitoring all potential water shortage conditions and shall make recommendations to the City Council regarding the implementation of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan. It is the responsibility of the City Council or its designee to declare a water shortage. At the time of, or prior to the declaration of Stage 1, the City Council shall form a Water Shortage Response Team (WSRT) to make recommendations to the City Council and facilitate implementation of the WSCP. The specific stages and triggers to activate each stage based on the condition of the water supply will be determined in cooperation with the Water Shortage Response Team.

Once a Water Shortage Alert has been declared (Stage 1), it shall be the responsibility of the City Manager, upon recommendation by the WSRT, to declare subsequent stages based on the guidance in this plan. Table 1 summarizes the triggers and degree of water shortage for each stage of action based on the stages described below. p. 3 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 Water Shortage Response Team (WSRT): City Manager, Public Works Director, Planning Commission Representative, and City Council Representative; other City staff may be invited to participate as needed.

Declaration of Water Shortage
Upon recommendation by the WSRT, formal action declaring a water shortage is taken by City Council. The legal requirements for such action are covered in Section 350 et. seq. and 375 et. seq. of the California Water Code. The code requires the following process be followed unless an immediate emergency exists:
• That City Council hold a public hearing on the matter; • That the public hearing be properly noticed (minimum of publishing once in newspaper at least seven days prior to the date of the hearing); • Upon determining and declaring the existence of a water shortage, City Council may then adopt regulations and restrictions governing the use and delivery of water.

In accordance with CA Water Code § 376, water conservation rules adopted by the City Council establishing water use regulations become effective immediately, but the ordinance or resolution, or a summary, shall be posted in three public places within the City within 10 days of its adoption.

Public Outreach and Education
Even before formal declaration of a water shortage, a public information/media program should be activated to provide customers with as much advance notice as possible. The WSRT has developed a Drought Communications Plan to be used to implement the procedures and recommendations of this WSCP. The following section provides an overview of the general procedures for and types of public outreach that may be used in Trinidad. As technology changes, public outreach should adapt accordingly. The purpose is to reach the maximum number of people possible in a timely manner.

Following Council action, all residents and businesses, not just customers of record, would need to be provided notice of water shortage rules and regulations via a variety of media and communications methods, including print and television media, internet, and other methods. The timeline for getting information out to the public is very short. Initial notification would occur though the City’s email newsletter and water billing postcards.

Notifications will also be posted around town and on the City’s website. Large water users and those businesses that are most likely to be seriously affected should be contacted directly.

Coordination between City staff and other public agencies can begin prior to formal declaration of a water shortage and can be accomplished through regular meetings, e-mail group updates, and presentations. Getting the public involved and keeping them informed p. 4 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 will require a significant expansion of existing water conservation public information and outreach efforts. Contracting with an advertising agency to assist with a communications campaign and mass media advertising is one way to expand outreach efforts quickly. A substantial amount of printed information on how to conserve water during a water shortage has already been developed by others and can be put to immediate use.

RVS Software: Brief messages, such as what Stage the City is in can be printed on the postcard sized water bills, and they can be printed on colored paper to indicate the water shortage stage. The software does have robust query options, so the City can search for and flag accounts that used a certain percentage more water than their own average, or an overall average for example. And since the City only has a little over 300 accounts, it wouldn’t be too much work export the data to Excel and produce customized messages or mailings.

Email Newsletter: The City should develop an email list for all water customers and Luffenholtz Creek residents, that is separate from the City’s email newsletter list. The City will send out weekly updates or as conditions change.

Texts: The City may develop an alert notification system that includes sending out text messages to those who sign up.

City Website: Put most current information and conservation requirements, or links to it, on the home page.

City Council meetings: City staff will provide updates at City Council meetings.

WSRT: Regular meetings, forums or announcements as needed. WSRT meetings will be noticed and agendized in accordance with the Brown Act.

Brochures and/or flyers: Brochures and/or flyers with information and tips on conserving water will be mailed to residents in the City, the City’s Water Service Area and within the Luffenholtz Creek watershed. Brochures and flyers will be made available in City Hall and other locations around the City as available. Flyers and posters will also be posted in public locations.

Newspaper: The City does not have a daily paper of general circulation. A local, weekly newspaper may not be able to provide immediate information but may be a good tool for regular updates.

Social media may also provide a platform for public education and outreach.

In addition to outreach to water customers and the general public, the City should also develop and education and outreach program for residents of the Luffenholtz Creek watershed. The City should partner with the Trinidad Bay Watershed Council to help p. 5 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 further this endeavor. In addition to outreach, the City should inventory and monitor wells, diversions and other water rights and uses within the watershed. The City may provide assistance to watershed residents to further the City’s goals of maintaining the reliability of its water supply in dry years. This may include assistance or incentives for registering water diversions and increasing storage capacity and rainwater catchment and other actions deemed beneficial.

Water Shortage Responses
The City will manage water conservation and cutbacks for each water shortage stage.

Public outreach and education are also an important part of these measures.

Water Conservation and Rationing
For each water shortage stage, the City will implement water conservation measures. In the earliest stages, measures will be voluntary and minimal. But as the stages progress, the measures will become stricter.

Early conservation measures will focus on types and times of use. This means required reductions in or prohibitions on certain uses of water. This would include things like filling hot tubs, outdoor washing (cars, boats, driveways, etc.) watering during certain times of the day, providing water only upon request at restaurants, etc.

As water shortage stages become more severe, water rationing will be required based on baseline water use for different types of users. Required cutbacks will be based on a predetermined baseline by type of use (e.g. commercial v. residential). Those who are already below the baseline will not need to reduce water use, or will need to conserve less, and those above the baseline would need to conserve more.

Because of Trinidad’s small size, the City will work with the largest water users to implement conservation/rationing methods that reduce water use without significantly impacting critical business operations. This is important, because modest cutbacks by a few large users could save more water than all residences having to reduce their use by a certain percent.

Rate increases
Water shortage stages will also be associated with rate increases for water service. If people are using less water, revenues will go down, but many of the operating costs for treating and delivering water will stay the same. In addition, more education, monitoring and enforcement will be needed, further increasing costs to the City. Water rates may be based on the baseline water use standards; rates for use in amounts below the baseline volume would be less than rates for use above the baseline. (Also see monitoring, enforcement and penalties section.) Note that an analysis of expected revenue losses may be required in order to legally raise rates.
p. 6 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 Water Shortage / Drought Stages
As part of planning for a water shortage, the City has determined stages, or triggers, for water conservation requirements based on the severity of the water shortage. The City Council declares each stage as it occurs, which then triggers implementation of certain conservation measures or actions. Stages may also be stepped back as conditions warrant and as recommended by the WSRT and declared by the City Council. These measures, outlined herein, are implemented and enforced through Ordinance 20##-##. The Water Supply Shortage tiering system are as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Water Supply Shortage Stages and Conditions
Stage No. Water Supply
Conditions
% Reduced
Production
Capacity
Demand Reduction
Actions
Normal Normal operating
conditions.
0% Typical conservation
with water waste
prohibition
ordinance(s) or
regulations.

Stage 1:

Water Shortage
Alert
DEWS at D2 or above
Rainfall at 75% or less
for the season, or 65%
or less March-June
0% Public outreach and
education, voluntary
reductions.

Stage 2:

Water Shortage
Warning
Luffenholtz Creek flow
rate low at 0.86 cfs
0% Mandatory water use
restrictions, additional
public outreach.

Stage 3:

Water Shortage
Emergency
Reduced pumping
capacity at water plant
0-25% Mandatory water
restrictions and
rationing, work with
individual large water
users.

Stage 4:

Severe Water
Shortage
Emergency
Further reduced
pumping capacity at
the plant, or
restrictions based on
required bypass flows.
25-50% Strict water rationing,
monitoring and
enforcement of water
use
Stage 5:

Critical Water
Shortage
Emergency
Extreme low flow on
Luffenholtz;
emergency water
service disruption due
to disaster or plant
failure; insufficient
50-100% Severe water rationing;
water supply
supplementation
p. 7 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 water for sanitation
and fire protection.

Stage 0
Normal or above water year. Normal conservation measures recommended.

Stage 1: Water Shortage Alert
Description
Based on cumulative rainfall/water year type. This stage is be triggered early in the dry season based on the lack of rainfall over the previous wet season and/or the classification of the California Drought Early Warning System (DEWS). The criteria for entering this stage is a drought classification of D2 or higher, and/or 75% or less of total normal rainfall for the season or 65% or less of normal rainfall during the months of April through June.

These numbers may need to be adjusted in multi-year droughts. This stage indicates the potential for water shortages later in the dry season.

City Actions and Responsibilities
• Form Water Shortage Response Team
• Public outreach will occur to let users know about the potential for shortages later in the season.
• Careful monitoring of flows on Luffenholtz will occur with summary reports provided to the WSRT on a weekly basis.
• Promote regular meter reading and leak detection by residents. • Publish weekly consumption graph on City website and email newsletter.

Demand Reduction Measures
Conservation is voluntary at this point. Water waste is prohibited as usual per City ordinance.
• No watering or irrigating lawn, landscape, or other vegetated areas between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., except when performed with a bucket or watering can, or by use of a drip irrigation system or similar low volume, nonspray irrigation equipment, or for very short periods of time for the express purpose of allowing landscape contractors to adjust or repair an irrigation system; • No use of a hose that is not equipped with a shutoff nozzle for any purpose; • No use of water to wash down hard or paved surfaces, including but not limited to sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, patios, or other paved surfaces, except when it is necessary to alleviate safety or sanitation hazards or to prepare paved surfaces for sealing; and/or
• No irrigation of unlandscaped areas.

Stage 2: Water Shortage Warning
p. 8 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 Description
Based on a low flow. The second stage is triggered by a sustained flow rate on Luffenholtz Creek of 0.86 cfs or less as measured just above the water plant, or just below the water plant with the pumps off. This number is based on the criteria for having to notify CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife in the City’s water right. This stage indicates that water shortages are likely to occur in the near future. The flow basis may be revised as better flow information becomes available. This stage includes public education and minor mandatory cutbacks to get people ready for the potential for more severe shortages.

City Actions and Responsibilities
• Daily reporting on Luffenholtz Creek flows
• Weekly meetings of the WSRT
• (Any changes in City operations, such as no flushing of lines?) • Increased water waste monitoring and enforcement and leak detection • Continue to promote meter reading and self-monitoring for customers • Public weekly newsletter, including consumption graph(s) • Consult with large water users to develop conservation plans Demand Reduction Measures
The demand reduction measures of Stage 1 remain in effect, in addition to the following:
• No washing of the exterior of dwellings, buildings or structures (with the exception of window washing and preparation of property for painting or for sale); • No operating a commercial lodging establishment, including STRs, without offering patrons the option to forego the daily laundering of towels, sheets and linens; • No serving water in a restaurant or other commercial food service establishment except upon the request of a patron; and/or
• Follow WSRT direction to large users to conduct water use audits and to prepare water conservation plans.
•
Stage 3: Water Shortage Emergency
Description
Based on reduced pumping capacity from the wet well that cannot keep pace with demand on a daily basis as determined by the Public Works Director in consultation with the City Engineer. This stage indicates a current water shortage and reduced pumping and treatment capacity at the water plant. Water rationing is required at this point, along with continued public education, monitoring and enforcement of water use.

City Actions and Responsibilities
• Cease flushing of lines and hydrants
• Discontinue filling water trucks
• Institute drought rates and penalties for overuse
p. 9 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 • Water Shortage Response Team to convene as needed to consider exceptions to rationing requirements, appealable to the City Council. • Undertake contingency planning and preparation for continuing/escalating shortage • Develop strategy to mitigate revenue losses
• Prepare to implement supplemental water plan
Demand Reduction Measures
The demand reduction measures of Stage 2 remain in effect, in addition to the following:
• No watering or irrigating of lawns, landscape, or other vegetated areas on days of the week other than the specified day(s) of the week authorized and publicized by the City Manager, except when performed with a bucket or watering can, or by use of a drip irrigation system or similar low volume, nonspray irrigation equipment, or for very short periods of time for the express purpose of allowing landscape contractors to adjust or repair an irrigation system. Hourly restrictions set forth in subsection (B)(1) continue to apply on authorized watering days. This provision shall not apply to residential vegetable gardens/edible plantings watered with a hose equipped with a shutoff nozzle;
• No watering or irrigating of lawns, landscape, or other vegetated areas using an automatic irrigation system for more than fifteen minutes per watering station per assigned day. This provision shall not apply to automatic irrigation systems exclusively using low output sprinkler equipment, including rotors, stream rotors, or micro-spray systems;
• No installation of new landscaping;
• No washing of vehicles, including RVs and boats;
• No initial filling or draining and refilling swimming pools and hot tubs; • Follow WSRT direction to large users to conduct water use audits, to prepare water conservation plans and to submit progress reports, or to immediately repair water system leaks, including leaks attributable to faulty pipes or fixtures; • Follow residential and commercial user water rationing regulations, including regulations intended to preclude excessive water usage and specifying maximum water usage limitations, issued by the WSRT in accordance with the City’s adopted water shortage contingency plan; and/or
• Follow WSRT directives issued to commercial users requiring the prominent placement of “Save Water” signage at specified locations at the customer’s premises. • No exercise of any rights conferred by hydrant and bulk water sales that were issued prior to the severe water shortage emergency declaration absent special permission granted by the WSRT. Said special permission may be granted only for projects necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare where no alternative to potable water exists and for emergency response purposes.

Stage 4: Severe Water Shortage Emergency
Description
p. 10 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 This stage indicates a critical shortage and potential emergency situation. This is based on a 25% reduced pumping capacity at the plant that may only be sufficient to supply enough water for basic drinking, sanitation and fire protection needs. Substantial cutbacks in water use are required.

City Actions and Responsibilities
• This stage requires substantial monitoring and management by the City. As the pumping and production capacity is reduced, additional measures and restrictions may be required.
• Continue to work with large water users to identify additional measures to reduce use • Increased staffing to provide customer service / drought hotline • Increased staffing to patrol and monitor water use
• Publish information on ways to minimize most valuable landscaping damage and loss, including promotion of appropriate use of grey water
• Coordinate procurement of supplemental water source(s) Demand Reduction Measures
The following demand reduction measures shall be implemented during Stage 4:
• No watering or irrigating lawns, landscape, or other vegetated areas with potable water, except with low-flow drip irrigation;
• No irrigation of unlandscaped areas;
• No installation of new landscaping;
• No use of a hose that is not equipped with a shutoff nozzle for any purpose; • No use of potable water to wash down hard or paved surfaces, including but not limited to sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, patios, or other paved surfaces, except when it is necessary to alleviate safety or sanitation hazards or to prepare paved surfaces for sealing;
• No washing of the exterior of dwellings, buildings or structures (with the exception of window washing and preparation of property for painting or for sale); • No washing of vehicles, including RVs and boats;
• No operation of a commercial lodging establishment without offering patrons the option to forego the daily laundering of towels, sheets and linens; • No serving of water in a restaurant or other commercial food service establishment except upon the request of a patron;
• No initial filling or draining and refilling swimming pools, hot tubs, wading pools, or decorative water features;
• Follow WSRT direction to large users to conduct water use audits, to prepare water conservation plans and to submit progress reports, or to immediately repair water system leaks, including leaks attributable to faulty pipes or fixtures; • Follow residential and commercial user water rationing regulations, including regulations intended to preclude excessive water usage and specifying maximum water usage limitations, issued by the WSRT in accordance with guidelines set forth in the City’s adopted water shortage contingency plan; and/or p. 11 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 • Follow WSRT directives issued to commercial customers requiring the prominent placement of “Save Water” signage at specified locations at the customer’s premises. • No exercise of any rights conferred by hydrant and bulk water sales that were issued prior to the severe water shortage emergency declaration absent special permission granted by the WSRT. Said special permission may be granted only for projects necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare where no alternative to potable water exists and for emergency response purposes.

Stage 5: Critical Water Shortage Emergency
Description
Catastrophic failure. This stage indicates 50% or more water loss due to extreme drought, plant failure, pipe breakage, natural disaster, etc. There may be enough storage to provide for a few days of water supply depending on the nature of the emergency.

City Actions and Responsibilities
• Consider shifting to Emergency Operations Center model of command management for overall policy guidance and coordination
• Coordinate with law enforcement agencies to address enforcement challenges Demand Reduction Measures
The following demand reduction measures shall be implemented during Stage 4:
• No watering or irrigating lawns, landscape, or other vegetated areas with potable water, except as authorized by the WSRT;
• No irrigation of unlandscaped areas;
• No installation of new landscaping;
• No use of a hose that is not equipped with a shutoff nozzle for any purpose; • No use of potable water for any outdoor washing purpose including vehicle washing, window washing, and paint preparation;
• No operation of a commercial lodging establishment without offering patrons the option to forego the daily laundering of towels, sheets and linens; • No serving water in a restaurant or other commercial food service establishment except upon the request of a patron;
• No filling or topping off swimming pools, hot tubs, wading pools, or decorative water features;
• No use of potable water for recreational purposes;
• Follow WSRT direction to large users to conduct water use audits, to prepare water conservation plans and to submit progress reports, or to immediately repair water system leaks, including leaks attributable to faulty pipes or fixtures; • Follow residential and commercial user water rationing regulations, including regulations intended to preclude excessive water usage and specifying maximum water usage limitations, issued by the WSRT in accordance with guidelines set forth in the City’s adopted water shortage contingency plan;
p. 12 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 • Follow WSRT directives issued to commercial customers requiring the prominent placement of “Save Water” signage at specified locations at the customer’s premises; • No exercising any rights conferred by hydrant and bulk water sales that were issued prior to the severe water shortage emergency declaration absent special permission granted by the WSRT. Said special permission may be granted only for projects necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare where no alternative to potable water exists and for emergency response purposes.

Monitoring, Enforcement and Penalties
In addition to determining how water use will need to be reduced, the City will also need to monitor compliance, create enforcement mechanisms and set penalties for noncompliance.

Enforcement is carried out in a number of ways during a water shortage. In cases such as a report of water waste, the first step is to communicate with the customer by telephone, letter, door tag, or by making personal contact in the field to educate them about regulations. This contact may be all that is required to get the problem resolved. If not, enforcement progresses to a written notice of violation. Beyond this, there are several methods that can be adopted in the City’s water conservation and water shortage ordinances that can be used to enforce water restrictions and rationing regulations. These methods are described below.

Penalty fees
This method would apply in situations involving violation of water restrictions, if, after multiple warnings had been given, a violation continued to occur at an account. The fee would be added to a customer’s utility bill along with a written notice sent to the customer in advance. The penalty fee shall be set by Resolution of the City Council and would increase with subsequent violations, as in the following example:
• 1st Violation $100
• 2ndViolation $250
• 3rd Violation $500
• 4th Violation $1,000
Additional, higher penalty fees may also be established and applied to large users that willfully violate water restrictions.

Excess use fees
Excess use fees are the primary method for enforcing water rationing and are imposed on customers whose water use exceeds their allocation when rationing is in effect. The purpose of the excess use fee is to make the consequences of exceeding one’s rationing allocation so severe that the customer is induced to keep their water use within their allocation and avoid being fined. Like water rates, there are two components to setting excess use fees: 1) the way they are structured, and 2) the dollar amount. Staff and the p. 13 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 Planning Commission looked at several models from other agencies and recommend utilizing a two-tiered excess use fee structure for billing reasons and for clarity in communicating penalties to the public, and example of which is shown in Table 2. Actual fees shall be set by Resolution of the City Council.

Table 2. Proposed Excess Use Fees
Excess Use
Range
Percent of Water Used in
Excess of Allotment
Excess Use Charge per 100 Cubic Feet
(~25 gpd) for all Water Used in Excess
of Allotment (in addition to ordinary
water consumption charges)
A 0% to 10% over allotment $0.00
B 10% to 25% over allotment $50.00
C More than 25% over
allotment
$100.00
The purpose of a two-tier excess use structure is to avoid very large penalties for households that make a good faith effort to stay within their allocation but wind up going over a little. If a customer’s water use exceeds one’s allocation by a large amount, though, the penalty should be very steep.

Flow restriction
Some customers will continue to exceed their allotment regardless of the amount of their water bill. In such instances, the Public Works Director is authorized to install, or have installed, a flow restricting device to provide minimal water flow, just enough for health and safety purposes. In these cases, the customer is charged a fee to cover the staff time needed to install the flow restrictor and another fee for its removal. The Public Works Director would not use this method where fire suppression sprinklers are on the same supply line as domestic water.

Disconnection/reconnection fees. Water suppliers have the legal authority to enforce water shortage regulations by terminating service for egregious violations. In such cases, the customer would be charged for both disconnection and reconnection.

Citation
Finally, the City’s water shortage ordinance authorizes staff to issue citations that would have to be paid or challenged in court. This method could be used in cases like a multifamily property where terminating service or restricting flow to all households may not be an option.

Exceptions and Appeals
Exceptions
p. 14 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 No water shortage plan can account for all situations. The exception procedure allows the WSRT to provide for special or exceptional circumstances that otherwise would create undue hardship for an individual customer or class of customers. An exception allows a customer to be relieved of a particular regulation or receive an increased allocation for the duration of the shortage. Therefore, it should be granted only when justified on specific grounds that warrant allocating more water than other similarly situated customers and when consistent with the intent of the water shortage regulations, while providing equal treatment of all customers.

This policy is to make the customer first demonstrate the demand reduction efforts taken to meet the restriction or allocation, and places responsibility for managing and monitoring water use on the customer, where it belongs. It also serves to minimize the number of exception applications from those merely seeking more water without having gone to the effort to try to live within their given allocation.

For the purpose of granting exceptions, the City Council representative shall not participate as part of the WSRT in order to avoid having to recuse themselves in the case of an appeal. In order to grant an exception, the WSRT, minus the City Council representative, shall make the following findings as applicable:
• Failure to do so would cause a condition affecting the health, sanitation, fire protection, or safety of the applicant or the public;
• Strict application of the allotment provisions imposes a severe or undue hardship on a particular customer, or render it infeasible for a business or class of business to remain in operation;
• Alternative restrictions which achieve the same level of demand reduction as the restrictions from which an exception is being sought are available and are binding and enforceable;
• The customer has demonstrated to the WSRT’s satisfaction that circumstances have changed warranting a change in the customer’s allocation; • Facilities using industry best management practices are eligible for an exception; • Demonstration by a customer of actions already taken to increase environmental sustainability that have reduced water consumption to the maximum extent feasible, as determined by the WSRT.

Additional recommendations regarding the exception process are as follows: (1) that the denial of an exception may be appealed to the City Council; (2) the City adopt administrative procedures [such as those used by the City of Tampa Bay] for including appropriate information on an exception application, including the requirement that the applicant must demonstrate maximum practical reduction in water consumption; and (3) that a policy be added allowing the WSRT to impose conditions requiring long-term water efficiency improvements from customers as part of the exception process.

Appeals
p. 15 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 A. Any person affected by a decision on water allocation, rationing, fines or enforcement by the WSRT or City staff as authorized herein may appeal to the City Council by filing a notice of appeal with the Clerk of the City within 10 working days of the action of the WSRT or City staff. The notice of appeal shall be accompanied by a filing fee set by resolution of the City Council of the City in an amount sufficient to cover costs to the City. The appeal shall stay the effect of the action of the WSRT or City staff.

B. The appeal shall be in writing and addressed to the City Council. The applicant shall file the appeal with the City Clerk. The City Clerk shall forward copies of the appeal to the City Council and WSRT. In the notice of appeal, the appellant shall state in full the facts and circumstances which make the action of the WSRT or City staff unreasonable.

It shall also state the date of the claimed unreasonable action of the WSRT or City staff.

C. The City Council shall cause the matter to be set for hearing not earlier than 14 days after the appeal has been filed with the Clerk of the City. The Clerk of the City shall cause notice to be mailed to all affected persons (within 100 feet of the property boundaries) at least 10 days prior to the hearing.

D. At the time and place set for the hearing, the City Council shall proceed to hear the testimony of the WSRT or City staff, the testimony of the owner or their representatives, and the testimony of other competent persons concerning conditions upon which the action of the WSRT or City staff is based and other matters which the City Council may deem pertinent. Any person affected may be present at such hearing, may be represented by counsel, may present testimony, and other witnesses. The hearing may be continued from time to time. The City Council may request an opinion from the City Attorney.

E. The City Council may upon the appeal either affirm the action of WSRT or City staff or modify the WSRT’s or City staff’s action in whole or in part. The decision of the City Council upon an appeal shall be based upon the facts presented to it and shall be final.

Water Shortage Recovery and Plan Termination
A water shortage ends when local rainfall, runoff, and aquifer storage levels improve to the point where the water system is once again capable of supporting unrestricted water demand. Any water use rules and regulations in effect at the time are officially rescinded by City Council and public notice is given that the water shortage is over. The WSRT would then oversee any remaining termination and plan review activities. These activities could include:
• Publicize gratitude for the community’s cooperation
• Restore water utility operations, organization, and services to pre-event levels • Document the event and response and compile applicable records for future reference
• Continue to maintain liaison as needed with external agencies • Collect cost accounting information, assess revenue losses and financial impact, and review deferred projects or programs
• Debrief staff to review effectiveness of actions, to identify the lessons learned, and to enhance response and recovery efforts in the future
p. 16 of 16
Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan Revised – August 10, 2021 • Complete a detailed evaluation of affected facilities and services to prepare an “after action” report
• Update the water shortage contingency plan as needed. • Continue to evaluate and implement measures to increase supply and security.

DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM 4

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WERE PROVIDED

4. Discussion/Decision regarding Contract with SHN for On-Call City Planner Consultant Services.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

CITY OF TRINIDAD

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

FOR CITY PLANNING SERVICES
This Agreement (“Agreement”) for professional services is made on October 13, 2026 between the City of Trinidad, a California municipality (“City”), and SHN Consulting Engineers and Geologists, Inc. (“Consultant”). City’s Contract Administrator for this agreement is Gabriel Adams, City Clerk / Interim City Manager.

1. Scope of Services.

Consultant shall provide to City the professional services described in the Scope of Services, attached hereto as Attachment A and incorporated herein (the “Services”).

Only the City’s governing body or the Contract Administrator may authorize any change or addition to the Scope of Services specified in Attachment A. Specific projects may be assigned to Consultant through issuance of Task Orders. The scope of services, expected results, project deliverables, period of performance, project schedule, and any requirements dictated by the entity (whether local, State, or Federal) providing the funding for the project will be identified for such Task Order, and will designate the City’s Project Coordinator. The Funder Requirements shall be provided to Consultant with applicable Task Orders and if a conflict exists between the terms of this Agreement and Funder Requirements, the Funder Requirements shall control for such Task Order.

2. Term.

This Agreement shall become effective on October 13, 2026 and shall continue in full force and effect until October 13, 2029, unless sooner terminated in accordance with Section 12, below (“Initial Term”). After the Initial Term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for an additional two years, up to a maximum of 5 years, unless either party provides the other sixty (60) days prior written notice before the expiration of the Initial Term of its election not to renew this Agreement for the additional two-year term. Time is of the essence in respect to all provisions of this Agreement that specify a time for performance.

3. Compensation.

For the full and satisfactory completion of the Services, City shall compensate Consultant on a Time and Materials as needed basis as described in Attachment B.

For work relating to the City Planning services (as defined in the Scope of Services) for designated professional employees, Consultant shall be compensated at the rates described in Attachment B. If the Funder Requirements require a specific method of pricing labor, the rates set forth in Attachment B shall not apply and Consultant shall provide a proposal with costs in accordance with the Funder Requirements.

4. Prevailing Wage Laws.

Services by persons deemed to be employees of Consultant possibly may be subject to prevailing wages under California Labor Code Sections 1770-1781. Consultant has the

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

sole responsibility to comply with those requirements, should they apply. If a dispute based upon the prevailing wage laws occurs, Consultant, at its expense, shall indemnify, defend (including Consultant’s providing and paying for legal counsel for City), and hold harmless City, its officers, agents, employees, and representatives from and against all liability, claims, suits, demands, damages, fines, penalties, wages, costs, or expenses pertaining to the prevailing wage laws.

5. Payment.

City shall pay Consultant for services provided according to the prevailing standard of care during each calendar month within thirty (30) days following City receipt and approval of a detailed invoice. The required information may be provided in an invoice, or a combination of an invoice and cover letter. The invoice/cover letter must include, at a minimum:

5.1 A description of the specific Services provided,

5.2 The name of the individual providing the Services,

5.3 The time spent providing the Services,

5.4 The amount due for the Services and the basis for calculating the amount due, and

5.5 An itemized summary of Allowable Reimbursable Expenses.

5.6 Additional details can be provided for individual projects as needed, such as to meet grant requirements.

6. Independent Contractor.

Consultant understands and acknowledges that Consultant is an independent contractor, not an employee, partner, agent, or principal of the City. This Agreement does not create a partnership, joint venture, association, or employer-employee relationship between the Parties. At its own expense, Consultant is responsible for providing compensation; employment benefits; disability, unemployment, and other insurance; workers’ compensation; training; permits and licenses; and office space for Consultant and for Consultant’s employees and Subconsultants. Consultant has, and shall retain, the right to exercise full control over the employment, direction, compensation, and discharge of all persons whom Consultant uses in performing the Services under this Agreement.

Consultant shall provide the Services in Consultant’s own manner and method, except as this Agreement specifies.

Consultant shall indemnify, fund the defense of (including Consultant’s providing and paying reasonable fees for legal counsel for City), and hold harmless City for an obligation; claim; suit; demand for tax or retirement contribution; social security; salary or wages; overtime, penalty, or interest payment; or workers' compensation payment that City may be required to make on behalf of Consultant, an employee of Consultant, or any employee of Consultant construed to be an employee of City, for the work done under this Agreement.

7. Consultant’s Warranties.

7.1 Consultant warrants that all Services provided under this Agreement shall be performed in accordance with generally accepted professional practices and standards for Consultant’s profession in the state.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

7.2 Consultant warrants that all Services provided under this Agreement shall be performed in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, conflict of interest laws.

7.3 Consultant warrants that Consultant has no present interest which would conflict in any manner with the performance of Services on the City’s behalf.

7.4 Consultant represents and warrants that it is now, and will remain for the duration of its Services, properly licensed, qualified, experienced, and equipped to perform the Services.

7.5 Consultant possesses the competence, experience, expertise, skill, facilities, equipment, personnel, financial wherewithal, and other resources necessary to perform this Agreement and the Services in a professional and competent manner.

7.6 Consultant represents and warrants that the Services and the sale or use of the Services shall not infringe, directly or indirectly, on any valid patent, copyright or trademark, and Consultant shall, at Consultant's sole cost and expense, indemnify, defend and hold harmless the City from and against any and all claims and causes of action based on alleged or actual infringements thereof.

7.7 These warranties shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement and are in addition to any warranties provided by law. No payment to Consultant for any Services performed hereunder (including, without limitation, final payment) shall constitute a waiver of any Claims by the City against Consultant relating to the Services.

8. Notice.

Any notice, billing, or payment required by this Agreement must be made in writing, and sent to the other party by personal delivery, U.S. Mail, a reliable overnight delivery service, facsimile, or by e-mail as a pdf (or comparable) file. Notice is deemed effective upon delivery unless otherwise specified. Notice for each party shall be given as follows:

City: Consultant:

City of Trinidad
PO Box 390
Trinidad, CA 95570
Ph: (707) 677-0223
Attention: City Clerk
SHN
812 W Wabash Avenue
Eureka, CA 95501
Ph: 707-441-8855
Attention: Office Manager

9. Indemnity.

Where the services to be provided by Consultant under this Agreement are design professional services, as that term is defined under Civil Code Section 2782.8, Consultant agrees to indemnify, fund the defense of (including Consultant’s providing and paying reasonable fees for legal counsel for City), and hold harmless, the City, its

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

officers, officials, and employees from claims, demands, costs or liability, to the extent caused by the negligence, recklessness or willful misconduct of Consultant and its agents in the performance of Services under this Agreement to the maximum extent provided by law, but this indemnity does not apply to liability for damages for bodily injury, property damage or other loss, resulting from the City’s own negligent acts or omissions, recklessness, or willful misconduct. If it is finally adjudicated that liability is caused by the comparative fault of the City, then Consultant’s indemnification and defense obligations shall be reduced in proportion to the established comparative liability of the City and shall not exceed the Consultant’s proportionate percentage of fault. In no event shall the cost to defend the City charged to Consultant exceed the Consultant’s proportionate percentage of fault as finally adjudicated.

As respects all acts or omissions which do not arise directly out of the performance of design professional services as defined in Civil Code section 2782.8, including but not limited to those acts or omissions normally covered by general and automobile liability insurance, Consultant agrees to indemnify, fund the defense of , and hold harmless the City, its officers, officials, and employees for and against a claim, demands, losses, and liability to the extent caused by the Consultant's negligent performance or failure to perform under the terms of this Agreement, excepting those which arise out of the negligent acts or willful misconduct of the City, its officers, officials, employees and volunteers.

This indemnification obligation shall survive the expiration or early termination of this Agreement with respect to Liability arising during the term of the Agreement.

10. Insurance.

Before providing any services under this Agreement, Consultant shall be required to procure and provide proof of the insurance coverage required by this section in the form of certificates and endorsements. The required insurance must cover the activities of Consultant and its employees or subcontractors relating to or arising from the performance of services under this Agreement, and must remain in full force and effect at all times during the term of the Agreement. All required insurance must be issued by an insurer licensed to do business in the State of California, and each such insurer must have an A.M. Best financial strength rating of “A” or better and a financial size rating of “VIII” or better. If Consultant fails to provide any of the required coverage, City may, at its sole discretion, purchase such coverage at Consultant’s expense and deduct the cost from payments due to Consultant.

10.1 The following insurance policies and limits are required for this Agreement:

10.1.1 Commercial General Liability Insurance (“CGL”). Commercial General Liability (CGL): Insurance Services Office Form CG 00 01 covering CGL on an “occurrence” basis, including products and completed operations, property damage, bodily injury and personal & advertising injury with limits no less than $2,000,000 per occurrence. If a general aggregate limit applies, either the general aggregate limit shall apply separately to this project/location (ISO CG 25 03 or 25 04) or the general aggregate limit shall be twice the required occurrence limit.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

10.1.2 Automobile Insurance. The automobile liability insurance shall cover bodily injury and property damage in an amount no less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) combined single limit for each occurrence, including owned, hired, and non-owned vehicles.

10.1.3 Workers’ Compensation Insurance and Employer’s Liability.

Workers’ Compensation insurance as required by the State of California, with Statutory Limits, and Employer’s Liability Insurance with limit of no less than $1,000,000 per accident for bodily injury or disease.

10.1.4 Professional Liability. Professional Liability (Errors and Omissions) Insurance appropriates to the Consultant’s profession, with limit no less than $2,000,000 per occurrence or claim, $2,000,000 aggregate. The Retroactive Date must be shown and must be before the date of the contract or the beginning of contract work. Insurance must be maintained, and evidence of insurance must be provided for at least five (5) years after completion of the contract of work. If coverage is canceled or non-renewed, and not replaced with another claims-made policy form with a Retroactive Date prior to the contract effective date, the Consultant must purchase “extended reporting” coverage for a minimum of five (5) years after completion of contract work. A copy of the claims reporting requirements must be submitted to the Entity for review.

10.2 Consultant shall provide Proof of Insurance to the City on an annual basis, prior to expiration of each insurance policy period.

10.3 Excluding Professional Liability, Consultant hereby grants to City a waiver of any right to subrogation which any insurer of said Consultant may acquire against the Entity by virtue of the payment of any loss under such insurance.

Consultant agrees to obtain any endorsement that may be necessary to affect this waiver of subrogation, but this provision applies regardless of whether or not the City has received a waiver of subrogation endorsement from the insurer..

However, the Workers’ Compensation policy shall be endorsed with a waiver of subrogation in favor of the City for all work performed by the Contractor, its employees, agents, and subcontractors.

10.4 If the Consultant maintains broader coverage and/or higher limits than the minimums shown above, the Entity requires and shall be entitled to the broader coverage and/or higher limits maintained by the Consultant. Any available insurance proceeds in excess of the specified minimum limits of insurance and coverage shall be available to the City.

10.4.1 Consultant shall require and verify that all subcontractors maintain insurance meeting all the requirements stated herein, and Contractor shall ensure that City is an additional insured on insurance required from subcontractors

10.5 The CGL policy must include the following endorsements:

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

10.5.1 The General and Auto liability insurance policies are to contain, or be endorsed to contain, the following provisions:

The City, its officers, officials, and employees, are to be covered as additional insureds on the CGL policy with respect to liability arising out of work or operations performed by or on behalf of the Consultant including materials, parts, or equipment furnished in connection with such work or operations. General liability coverage can be provided in the form of an endorsement to the Consultant’s insurance (at least as broad as ISO Form CG 20 10 11 85 or both CG 20 10, CG 20 26,
CG 20 33, or CG 20 38; and CG 20 37 forms if later revisions used).

10.5.2 For any claims related to this contract, the Consultant’s insurance coverage shall be primary insurance coverage at least as broad as ISO CG 20 01 04 13 as respects the City, its officers, officials, and employees, . Any insurance or self-insurance maintained by the City, its officers, officials, or employees, shall be excess of the Consultant’s insurance and shall not contribute with it.

11. Dispute Resolution.

In the event that any dispute arises between the parties in relation to this Agreement, the parties agree to meet face to face as soon as possible to engage in a good faith effort to resolve the matter informally. In the event that any dispute arises between the parties in relation to this Agreement and the dispute is not resolved by informal discussions, the parties agree to submit the dispute to mediation.

11.1 Either party may give written notice to the other party of a request to submit a dispute to mediation, and a mediation session must take place within sixty (60) days after the date that such notice is given, or sooner if reasonably practicable. The parties shall jointly appoint a mutually acceptable mediator. The parties further agree to share equally the costs of the mediation, except costs incurred by each party for representation by legal counsel.

11.2 Good faith participation in mediation pursuant to this Section is a condition precedent to either party commencing litigation in relation to the dispute.

12. Early Termination.

12.1 Termination for Convenience. City may terminate this Agreement for convenience by giving fourteen (14) calendar days written notice to Consultant. In the event City elects to terminate the Agreement without cause, it shall pay Consultant for services provided according to the prevailing standard of care up to that date that such notice of termination is given.

12.2 Termination for Cause. If either party breaches this Agreement by failing to timely or satisfactorily perform any of its obligations or otherwise violates the terms of this Agreement, the other party may terminate this Agreement by giving written notice seven (7) calendar days prior to the effective date of termination,

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

specifying the reason and the effective date of the termination. Consultant shall be entitled to payment for all services provided according to the prevailing standard of care up to the effective date of termination, except that the City may deduct from that payment the amount of costs the City incurred, if any, because of Consultant’s breach of the Agreement.

13. Work Product.

City shall be the sole owner of all rights to any work product in any form, which has been prepared by Consultant on City’s behalf pursuant to this Agreement, unless otherwise specified in writing by the parties. The Consultant shall not be liable for claims liabilities, or losses arising out of or in connection with the modifications or misuse by City or third parties of such work product,

14. Audit.

During this Agreement’s Term and for a period of four (4) years after the expiration, cancellation, or termination of this Agreement, or any extension of it, Consultant shall:

14.1 Keep and maintain, in their original form, all records, books, papers, or documents related to Consultant’s performance of this Agreement; and

14.2 Permit City or its authorized representatives, at all reasonable times, to have access to, examine, audit, excerpt, copy, photocopy, photograph, or transcribe all records, books, papers, or documents related to Consultant’s performance of this Agreement including, but not limited to: direct and indirect charges, and detailed documentation, for work Consultant has performed or will perform under this Agreement.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, City's right to examine, audit, excerpt, copy, photocopy, photograph, or transcribe all records, books, papers, or documents related to Consultant’s performance shall not extend to proprietary information such as the composition of the amount of Contractor's fixed rates and fees, standard charges, and percentage multipliers.

15. General Provisions.

15.1 Assignment and Successors. Neither party may transfer or assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement, in part or in whole, without the other party’s prior written consent. This Agreement is binding on the heirs, successors, and permitted assigns of the parties hereto.

15.2 Third Party Beneficiaries. There are no intended third-party beneficiaries to this Agreement.

15.3 Nondiscrimination. Consultant shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations regarding nondiscrimination in employment because of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, age, medical condition, disability, or other prohibited basis. All nondiscrimination rules or regulations required by law to be included in this

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

Agreement are incorporated by this reference.

15.4 Choice of Law and Venue. This Agreement shall be governed by California law, and venue shall be in the Superior Court for the county in which City is located, and no other place.

15.5 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable, in part or in whole, the remaining provisions, or portions of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

15.6 Amendment. No amendment or modification of this Agreement shall be binding unless it is in a writing duly authorized and signed by the parties to this Agreement.

15.7 Provisions Deemed Inserted. Every provision of law required to be inserted in this Agreement shall be deemed to be inserted, and this Agreement shall be construed and enforced as though included. If it is discovered that through mistake or otherwise that any required provision is not inserted, or not correctly inserted, this Agreement shall be amended to make the insertion or correction.

15.8 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the final, complete, and exclusive statement of the terms of the agreement between the parties regarding the subject matter of this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral understandings or agreements of the parties.

15.9 Attachments. If any provision in any attachment to this Agreement conflicts with or is inconsistent with the provisions set forth in the body of this Agreement, the provisions set forth in the body of this Agreement shall control over the conflicting or inconsistent provisions in the attachment.

15.10 Waiver. No waiver of a breach, failure of any condition, or any right or remedy contained in or granted by the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by the party waiving the breach, failure, right, or remedy. No waiver of any breach, failure, right, or remedy shall be deemed a waiver of any other breach, failure, right, or remedy, whether or not similar, nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver unless the writing so specifies.

15.11 Force Majeure. If either party is delayed or hindered in or prevented from the performance of any act required hereunder because of strikes, lockouts, inability to procure labor or materials, failure of power, riots, insurrection, war, fire or other casualty, or other reason beyond the reasonable control of the party delayed, excluding financial inability (“Force Majeure Event”), performance of that act shall be excused for the period during which the Force Majeure Event prevents such performance, and the period for that performance shall be extended for an equivalent period. Delays or failures to perform resulting from lack of funds shall not be Force Majeure Events.

15.12 Headings. The headings in this Agreement are included for convenience only and shall neither affect the construction or interpretation of any provision in

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

this Agreement nor affect any of the rights or obligations of the parties to this Agreement.

15.13 Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one instrument.

15.14 Authorization. Each individual executing this Agreement, or its counterpart, on behalf of the respective party, warrants that he/she is authorized to do so and that this Agreement constitutes the legally binding obligation of the entity which he/she represents.

15.15 Attorneys Fees and Venue for Disputes. If litigation becomes necessary to enforce the terms and provisions of this Agreement or as a result of any breach by Consultant or the City of this Agreement, the prevailing party in any such litigation shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. The Humboldt County Superior Court for the State of California shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of this Agreement or Consultant’s provision of Services hereunder, and shall serve as the venue for any such dispute. All parties expressly consent to this designation of jurisdiction and venue.

The parties agree to this Agreement as witnessed by the signatures below:

CITY: CONSULTANT:

City of Trinidad SHN Consulting Engineers and
Geologists, Inc.
s/ s/
Name/Title [print] Name/Title [print]
Date: Date:

Attachments:

Attachment A: Scope of Services
Attachment B: Consultant’s Fee Schedule

ATTACHMENT A

SCOPE OF SERVICES

PURPOSE OF WORK
The Consultant shall perform City planning services including but not limited to:
• General consulting
• Project and application review
• Council, commission(s) and community consultation, scoping and visioning • Peer review
• Grant Writing
• Design review and permit application processing
• Referral generation and response
• Staff and agency coordination
• Master planning/general plan updates
• Site inventories and inspections
• CEQA and NEPA review, consultation and preparation
• Serving as lead staff to the Planning Commission, including developing staff reports and recommendations
• Computer or manual drafting
• Ordinance and zoning regulation review, consultation and development • LCP implementation, update, and management
• Compliance with State land use laws
• Design standard review, consultation and development
• Proposal review and development
• Infrastructure review and evaluation
• Consultation to public on a fee recovery basis
• May represent the City on various technical advisory boards, committees, and commissions as appropriate
• Plan and report preparation
• Project management for selected State, Federal and locally funded projects • Prepare preliminary project development documents, environmental studies, and CEQA and NEPA documents for City led projects.

Phone: (707) 441-8855 Email: [email protected] Web: shn-engr.com 812 W. Wabash Avenue, Eureka, CA 95501
CIVIL ENGINEERING • ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES • GEOSCIENCES • PLANNING • SURVEYING Reference: 026000.053
August 27, 2026
City of Trinidad
Attention: Gabriel Adams, Interim City Manager/City Clerk 409 Trinity Street
PO Box 390
Trinidad, CA 95570
Subject: SHN’s Billing Rates, Estimated Fee Schedule, and Contract Audit and Review Documents for City Planning Services
Dear Selection Committee:

As required by the RFQ, SHN has prepared the following documents for submittal in a separate sealed envelope from the SOQ:
• SHN’s 2026 Fee Schedule
• Billing Rates for SHN’s Primary City Planning Staff
• Certification of Indirect Costs and Financial Management System Please feel free to contact us if you require any additional clarification regarding these attached documents.

Respectfully,
SHN
Trever Parker, AICP
Project Manager, Senior Planner
[email protected]
Garry Rees, AICP
Planning Principal, Senior Planner
[email protected]
TP/GR:dla
Updated 1/8/26
1 Consulting Engineers & Geologists, Inc.

Fee Schedule
January 1, 2026–December 31, 2026
Hourly charge rates include payroll costs, overhead, and profit. Hourly services are billed portal to portal and are subject to a 2-hour minimum. Rates increase on the order of 5% each year on January 1. Current rates are as follows:

Hourly Charge Rates
Position1 Hourly Rates
Principal $ 180.00 - $ 240.00
Senior Engineer $ 180.00 - $ 230.00
Senior Geotechnical Engineer $ 170.00 - $ 240.00
Senior Engineering Geologist $ 170.00 - $ 230.00
Senior Geologist $ 170.00 - $ 230.00
Senior Planner $ 160.00 - $ 230.00
Senior Environmental Scientist $ 170.00 - $ 230.00
Senior Land Surveyor $ 150.00 - $ 290.003
Project Manager $ 130.00 - $ 220.00
Project Engineer $ 140.00 - $ 180.00
Project Geologist $ 130.00 - $ 180.00
Project Land Surveyor $ 110.00 - $ 290.003
Associate Planner $ 100.00 - $ 150.00
Associate Environmental Scientist $ 130.00 - $ 170.00
Staff Engineer $ 100.00 - $ 160.00
Staff Geologist $ 100.00 - $ 160.00
Staff Planner $ 90.00 - $ 130.00
Staff Environmental Scientist $ 100.00 - $ 130.00
Staff Land Surveyor3 $ 110.00 - $ 290.003
GIS/UAV Specialist $ 90.00 - $ 150.00
Construction Inspector3 $ 120.00 - $ 300.003
Lab/Field Technician3 $ 90.00 - $ 300.003
Survey Technician3 $ 90.00 - $ 300.003
Engineering Technician/Draftsperson $ 90.00 - $ 160.00
Technical Writer $ 100.00 - $ 130.00
Clerical $ 90.00 - $ 120.00
Expert Witness2,4 $ 185.00 - $ 285.00
1 Incidental expenses, i.e., lodging, meals, airplane tickets, etc., are billed at cost plus 15%. 2 Minimum daily charge is four hours.
3 Rates depend on the specific personnel assigned and if prevailing wage rates are required in the area of work. 4 Rates for Expert Witness are charged for preparation and testimony for both deposition(s) and trial(s).

Reimbursables
The following direct charges are charged in addition to the hourly charge rates set forth above.

Direct Charges:

CADD plots (black & white) $ 0.40/sq. ft.

CADD plots (color) $ 0.90/sq. ft.

Copies $ 0.15/ea.

Equipment and other expenditures (required for projects) Cost + 15% Iron pipe, monuments, flagging, etc. Cost + 15%
Mylars $ 20.00
Services of other consultants Cost + 15%
Stakes, hubs, lath, etc. Cost + 15%
Subsistence, air travel, etc. Cost + 15%
Vehicles $ 50.00/day
Phone: (707) 441-8855 Email: [email protected] Web: shn-engr.com 812 W. Wabash Avenue, Eureka, CA 95501
CIVIL ENGINEERING • ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES • GEOSCIENCES • PLANNING • SURVEYING Subject: Billing Rates for SHN’s Primary City Planning Staff, City of Trinidad SHN has typically offered reduced charge out rates for City projects that are not grant funded. For this contract, SHN is offering Trever Parker’s time at the lowest senior planner rate. Other staff will be charged at regular rates. SHN’s rates are already competitive for the region, and SHN offers superior value to the City due to our longstanding position and institutional knowledge. Rates will increase an average of 5% annually in January of each year.

Name, Position Hourly Rate
Trever Parker, Senior Planner/City Planner $160 (City Projects) Garry Rees, Principal Planner $195
Bob Brown, Senior Planner $200
Leanna Brotherton, Associate Planner $105
Penelope Kirsch, Associate Planner $110
Ethan Lawton, Tribal Liaison/Senior Planner $130
Justin Sousa, GIS Specialist $130
Technical Writer $120

Statement of Qualifications
City Planning Services
PREPARED FOR: DATE: PREPARED BY:

City of Trinidad
409 Trinity Street
PO Box 390
Trinidad, CA 95570
August 2026 SHN
812 W. Wabash Avenue
Eureka, CA 95501
#026000.053
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
This page is intentionally blank.

Phone: (707) 441-8855 Email: [email protected] Web: shn-engr.com 812 W. Wabash Avenue, Eureka, CA 95501
CIVIL ENGINEERING • ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES • GEOSCIENCES • PLANNING • SURVEYING Reference: 026000.053
August 27, 2026
City of Trinidad
Attention: Gabriel Adams, Interim City Manager/City Clerk 409 Trinity Street
PO Box 390
Trinidad, CA 95570
Subject: SHN’s Statement of Qualifications for City Planning Services Dear Selection Committee:

SHN is proud to have earned the City’s trust since 19881. We pledge to continue providing a level of continuity and institutional knowledge that would be difficult for others to replicate. Our planners are familiar with Trinidad’s land use regulations, Local Coastal Program, permitting history, prior interpretations, community priorities, and on-going planning efforts.

SHN brings substantial experience securing and
administering grants for small public agencies. For
Trinidad, we have assisted in grant applications,
administration, reporting, and implementation for
planning, watershed, water quality, onsite
wastewater, and Local Coastal Program efforts.

We are currently leading a comprehensive update to
the Trinidad General Plan and land use ordinances.

SHN is also assisting the City as it prepares for
droughts and improvements in water resiliency.

Specialized ordinances that SHN has developed
include the Onsite Water Treatment System
program, the Short-Term Rental Ordinance, and the
Views and Vegetation Ordinance. We are in the
process of drafting an Accessory Dwelling Unit
Ordinance.
1 Bob Brown and Trever Parker of Streamline Planning served as City of Trinidad planners. When Streamline joined SHN in 2016, all senior planners including Bob and Trever, remained at SHN.

SHN’s historical familiarity is particularly
valuable when working with older and
ambiguous regulations; we have tracked
prior interpretations and past decisions, so
City staff and applicants will receive
consistent guidance, avoiding delays or
unnecessary research.

City of Trinidad
SOQ: City Planning Services
August 27, 2026

We have established working relationships with City staff, regulatory agencies, Tribal representatives, applicants, other consultants, and community members. We have assisted the City in both routine matters and those that required extensive public discussion and coordination among many with opposing views.

Our planners have assisted the City in current and long-range planning, coastal development permitting, General Plan and Local Coastal Program work, CEQA and NEPA compliance, ordinance development, grant acquisition and assistance, public engagement, and coordination with regulatory agencies and Tribal representatives.

SHN will bring the following to the City, as your City Planner:
• Institutional knowledge
• Continuity in planning support
• Extensive knowledge of local regulations and their interpretations • Understanding of local community values and priorities • Consistent permit interpretations
• Grant acquisition and administration expertise
• Tribal coordination experience
• Community engagement experience
• Local availability and responsiveness
• Experience and understanding of the challenges that rural and small cities face .

SHN values our long relationship with the City and we remain committed to providing practical and responsive planning support as the City’s needs evolve.

Thank you for considering the SHN planning group to continue assisting the City. Although we have been partners for many years, SHN does not take your trust lightly, and we will continue providing familiar experienced senior staff when needed, and less expensive staff planners for more routine matters.

Respectfully,
SHN
Trever Parker, AICP
Project Manager, Senior Planner
[email protected]
Garry Rees, AICP
Planning Principal, Senior Planner
[email protected]
TP/GR:dla
Reference: 026000.053
Statement of Qualifications
City Planning Services
Prepared for
August 2026
Prepared by:

City of Trinidad
409 Trinity Street
PO Box 390
Trinidad, CA 95570
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
iv
Interior Cover Page
This page is intentionally blank.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
v
Table of Contents
Cover Letter ....................................................... i Interior Cover Page .........................................iii Table of Contents ............................................. v SHN Qualifications and Local Prescence ......01
○ Firm Profile...............................................................01 Project Team and Key Personnel ..................03
○ Team Organization Structure ...........................03 ○ Team Capabilities Matrix ....................................04 ○ Project Management Overview .......................05 ○ Biographies of Supporting Personnel ...........06
Planning Services
and Team Capabilities....................................09 Trinidad and Comparable
Municipal Experience.....................................15 Availability, Responsiveness,
and Local Support ..........................................23 Client References............................................25 Additional Factors ..........................................27 Firm Disclosures .............................................29 Appendix A. SHN Team Resumes
Selected Client Testimonials
“Knowledgeable and dedicated staff who are
always willing to answer questions and address
any issues that come up.”
Jennifer Dart, Director of Community Development
City of Arcata
“We enjoy our working relationship with the
local SHN team. They are personable,
professional, and timely.”
Anna Halligan, Project Director
Trout Unlimited
“As a strength: complimentary skill set that they
[SHN] bring to the table (CEQA component).”
Tim MacLean, President
Sharrah Dunlap Sawyer, Inc.
“The two biggest strengths are CEQA knowledge
and project management...SHN has been very
easy to work with over the years.”
Adam Fieseler, Assistant Director
Shasta County Dept. of Resource Management
“SHN was very helpful in pulling together a
team for the successful sea level rise adaptation
grant for Moonstone Beach.

Don Allen, Representative
Baduwa't Watershed Council
“I have only glowing remarks for SHN's ability
to 1) ask the right questions to help define the
scope very well for SHN's work and for the
project proponent; 2) deliver products on time
and within budget; and 3) staff are very
enjoyable to work with. Their confidence makes
me feel like they are being well supported by a
cohesive team structure.”
Mary Burke, North Coast Regional Manager
California Trout
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
vi
Table of Contents
This page is intentionally blank.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
01 SHN Qualifications and Local Presence
Firm Profile
SHN is a multidisciplinary consulting firm that has
served communities throughout Northern California
and Southern Oregon since 1979. SHN’s staff includes
experienced professionals in planning and permitting,
environmental services, civil engineering, geosciences, biological sciences, surveying, and materials testing/
special inspection.

This range of in-house expertise allows our planners to draw directly on technical specialists when City
projects involve environmental review, infrastructure,
biological resources, geologic conditions, surveying,
permitting, or other technical considerations. For the
City of Trinidad, this means the City can rely on a
familiar planning team while also having access to
additional professional support as individual task
orders require.

SHN’s on-call planning services will be managed
primarily from our Eureka office, allowing our team to
remain readily available for City meetings, site visits, applicant coordination, and other in-person needs.

Trever Parker, AICP, will serve as Project Manager and
Senior Planner, supported by SHN’s municipal
planning team and broader multidisciplinary staff.

SHN Fast Facts
• Founded in 1979
• 100% employee-owned
• North Coast-based planning team
• Eureka office serving Trinidad
• Multidisciplinary in-house support
• Municipal planning experience
• CEQA and NEPA expertise
• Coastal planning and permitting
Primary Office and Project Contact
SHN
Trever Parker, AICP
Project Manager / Senior Planner
812 W. Wabash Avenue
Eureka, CA 95501
707-441-8855
[email protected]
Headquartered in nearby Eureka, SHN has provided planning and permitting services for the City of Trinidad since 1988, and our firm is excited to continue providing solutions for the City.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
02 SHN Qualifications and Local Presence
This page is intentionally blank.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
03 Project Team and Key Personnel
Team Organization Structure
SHN has assembled a planning team that combines continuity with the City of Trinidad, senior-level municipal planning experience, and multidisciplinary support for the range of services identified in the RFQ. Trever Parker, AICP, will serve as Project Manager and Senior Planner. Trever currently serves as the City of Trinidad’s City Planner and has worked with the City in that capacity since 2001, first as Assistant Planner and later as City Planner. Her continued involvement provides the City with an established point of contact who is already familiar with Trinidad’s planning processes, Local Coastal Program, development regulations, active projects, and community.

Trever will be supported by SHN’s municipal planning staff, including senior, associate, and staff-level planners with experience in municipal planning, CEQA/NEPA, coastal permitting, housing, grant administration, tribal consultation, and public-agency coordination. The team structure also provides flexibility as the City’s workload changes. Routine planning assignments can be handled by the appropriate staff level, while specialized or complex assignments can draw on SHN’s senior planners and other in-house technical professionals.

SHN’s Municipal Planning Team
Bob Brown, AICP
◼ Senior Planner
Lisa Lozier, AICP
◼ Senior Planner
Scott Perkins
◼ Senior Planner
Ethan Lawton
◼ Senior Planner
Leanna Brotherton
◼ Associate Planner
Penelope Kirsch
◼ Associate Planner
Natalie McLaughlin
◼ Project Analyst
Justin Sousa
◼ CAD/GIS Manager
Additionally, SHN can draw upon a roster of more than 125 professionals (representing various disciplines) in order to get the job done for the City of Trinidad.

Trever Parker, AICP
◼ Project Manager
◼ Senior Planner
Garry Rees, AICP
◼ Quality Assurance/Control
◼ Principal-in-Charge
City of Trinidad
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
04 Project Team and Key Personnel
Team Capabilities Matrix
The City’s RFQ identifies a broad range of planning, permitting, environmental review, project management, and consultation services that may be required during the on-call contract. The following matrix identifies the SHN team members available to support these services and illustrates the depth of staff available to respond to individual task orders.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
05 Project Team and Key Personnel
Project Management Overview
Trever Parker, AICP: Project Manager / Senior Planner
Trever will serve as SHN’s Project Manager and primary City Planner for this contract.

Trever currently serves as the City of Trinidad’s City Planner and has worked with the City in a planning capacity since 2001, first as Assistant Planner and later as City Planner. She also serves as the City’s Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Management Program Administrator.

Through this long-standing role, Trever has developed extensive knowledge of Trinidad’s Local Coastal Program, General Plan, zoning and land use regulations, permitting procedures, development history, and ongoing planning priorities. She regularly coordinates with City staff, applicants, consultants, regulatory agencies, community members, the Planning Commission, and City Council.

Trever’s broader experience includes municipal planning, coastal development permitting, CEQA and NEPA compliance, environmental review, agency and stakeholder coordination, writing ordinances, grant writing and administration, biological assessments, watershed planning, and public engagement/outreach. She has substantial experience working within California’s Coastal Zone, a thorough knowledge of the Coastal Act and implementing regulations, a good working relations with Coastal Commission staff, and experience processing coastal development permits from both the applicant and public-agency perspectives. Trever is also well versed in State housing laws and the complexities of implementing them in the Coastal Zone Her experience working through complex and sometimes competing regulatory, community, and project considerations is particularly relevant to Trinidad. Trever understands the importance of providing clear and practical guidance while maintaining consistency with City policies, regulatory requirements, and prior decisions.

Trever has also taught upper-division CEQA/NEPA coursework at Cal Poly Humboldt, providing additional depth in environmental review and regulatory compliance.

Garry Rees, AICP; QA/QC and Principal-in-Charge
Garry is a Principal Planner with more than 20 years of experience in municipal planning, permitting, environmental review, and regulatory coordination. His work includes CEQA and NEPA documentation, general plan and zoning ordinance updates, permit processing, mitigation monitoring, grant administration, and coordination with local, State, Federal, and Tribal agencies. Garry will provide senior-level oversight and quality control for the City’s on-call planning assignments.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
06 Project Team and Key Personnel
Biographies of Supporting Personnel
Bob Brown, AICP: Senior Planner
Bob brings more than 40 years of planning and environmental experience involving municipal planning, land use, community engagement, environmental review, and permitting. His work has included general and specific planning, housing, infrastructure, recreation, restoration, and complex multi-agency permitting. Bob also has extensive CEQA/NEPA experience and has taught upper-division CEQA/NEPA coursework at Cal Poly Humboldt.

Dating back to 1988, Bob provided planning services to the City of Trinidad under previous entities, including Streamline Planning Consultants and Rising Sun Enterprises.

Lisa Lozier, AICP: Senior Planner
Lisa has more than 25 years of municipal and rural planning experience, including service as City Planner for the City of Anderson and Deputy Director of Planning for Trinity County. Her experience includes application review, zoning and General Plan amendments, State-mandated planning updates, CEQA compliance, staff reports, public hearings, and management of complex or controversial development projects.

Scott Perkins: Senior Planner
Scott has more than 17 years of planning and grant management experience, including substantial hands-on municipal planning work in the Coastal Zone. His experience ranges from ministerial permit reviews and routine development applications to complex discretionary projects requiring environmental review. Scott also provides project management and grant administration support for public-agency clients.

Ethan “Red Eagle” Lawton: Senior Planner
Ethan provides specialized support related to Tribal coordination, cultural resources, and Tribal cultural resources. His experience includes Section 106, SB 18, and AB 52 consultation; review of project concepts and plans; impact analysis; and development of appropriate mitigation measures. He will support City projects where Tribal consultation or cultural resource considerations are required.

Leanna Brotherton: Associate Planner
Leanna has municipal planning experience reviewing commercial, industrial, and residential development applications for consistency with zoning requirements and CEQA. She has prepared staff reports and presentations for Planning Commissions, City Councils, and other public bodies and has experience guiding applicants through municipal development procedures, policies, and standards.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
07 Project Team and Key Personnel
Biographies of Supporting Personnel (continued)
Penelope Kirsch: Associate Planner
Penelope has more than three years of municipal and rural planning experience. Her work includes reviewing commercial and residential development projects for zoning and CEQA compliance, processing land use entitlements, preparing staff reports and environmental documents, and presenting projects to Planning Commissions and City Councils. She has provided contract planning support to Trinidad and other Northern California jurisdictions.

Natalie McLaughlin, Project Analyst
Natalie has more than 17 years of experience with State and Federal grants, project administration, and regulatory compliance. She has managed more than $5 million in Federal grant awards and provides support related to grant applications, reporting, reimbursement, labor standards, and funding compliance.

Justin Sousa: CAD/GIS Manager
Justin has 23 years of CAD drafting experience and 17 years of GIS experience in the consulting planning, engineering, surveying, and biological fields. His primary role is generating high-quality comprehensive report figures drawing on his experience with data from all disciplines including surveying, planning, engineering, architectural, biological, botanical, wetland, stormwater, soil, photogrammetric, and historical. He also provides spatial analysis and data management services to project managers, professionals, technical staff, and clients.

Depending on project needs, SHN can draw from a deep bench of planning professionals to support the City and complete the services outlined in the RFQ
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
08 Project Team and Key Personnel
This page is intentionally blank.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
09 Planning Services and Team Capabilities
Municipal Planning Experience
SHN provides municipal planning services to cities, counties, tribes, and special districts throughout Northern California. Our planners work directly with public agencies while also assisting private applicants through local entitlement and environmental review processes. This experience gives our team a practical understanding of planning from both sides of the counter.

For our municipal clients, SHN provides current and long-range planning support, planning and technical studies, application review, staff reports and public hearing support, CEQA/NEPA compliance, zoning and General Plan amendments, coastal permitting, housing compliance, grant assistance, and coordination with regulatory agencies and project applicants.

Our experience working with small and rural communities is particularly relevant to Trinidad. These jurisdictions often rely on consultant planners to perform a wide range of duties and to work closely with City staff, elected and appointed officials, applicants, agencies, and the public. Our planners understand the importance of providing clear guidance, maintaining consistent procedures, meeting statutory deadlines, and helping projects move efficiently through the review process. City of Trinidad City of Crescent City City of Blue Lake City of Anderson Trinity County Shasta County City of Redding Modoc CountyCity of AlturasSiskiyou CountyTehama CountyCity of Corning Services to process conditional use/special permits and other projects ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Manage environmental review process ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Prepare staff reports ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Prepare environmental documents and technical studies to meet CEQA/local regulations ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Attend public hearings ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Perform site inspections ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Manage project appeals ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Engagement with other agencies ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Conduct engagement with applicants ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Planning-related Scope of Services
Provided to Select Municipal Clients
SHN is proud to provide ongoing planning services to the municipalities listed above.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
10 Planning Services and Team Capabilities
CEQA, NEPA, and Environmental Review
SHN has provided CEQA services for more than 30 years and has extensive experience assisting public agencies with their environmental review responsibilities. Our planners have prepared Initial Studies, Negative Declarations, Mitigated Negative Declarations, Environmental Impact Reports, and joint CEQA/NEPA documents for public infrastructure, land use, development, and environmental projects.

Our work includes evaluating environmental impacts and alternatives, developing mitigation measures, preparing supplemental documents and addenda, coordinating technical studies, conducting public participation and noticing, responding to agency and public comments, and coordinating with local, State, Federal, and Tribal agencies. SHN staff also assists clients with environmental permitting and mitigation monitoring as projects move from planning through implementation. This experience allows our planners to identify environmental issues early, determine the appropriate level of review, and coordinate the technical information needed to support defensible and practical environmental documents. SHN’s senior planning staff includes experienced CEQA/NEPA practitioners, including planners who have taught upper-division CEQA/NEPA coursework at Cal Poly Humboldt.

Relevant recent examples include SHN’s preparation of CEQA and NEPA documentation for the City of Trinidad, environmental review and determinations for the City of Crescent City, and preparation of the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration and NEPA Environmental Assessment for the City of Arcata Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrades Project.

SHN planners are active members of the Association of Environmental Professionals, leading workshops and panels, and presenting information.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
11 Planning Services and Team Capabilities
Coastal Planning, Permitting, and LCP Support
SHN has extensive experience with coastal planning and permitting in Trinidad and throughout California’s North Coast. Our planners understand the relationship between local land use regulations, Local Coastal Programs (LCP), the California Coastal Act, CEQA, and the State and Federal permits that may be required for development and public infrastructure projects within the Coastal Zone.

SHN has provided coastal planning and permitting
support to the City of Trinidad for decades,
assisting with both applicant-driven and City-led
projects. This work has included coastal
development permitting, Local Coastal Program
implementation and updates, General Plan work,
ordinance development, environmental review, and
coordination with the California Coastal
Commission and other regulatory agencies.

Our coastal work frequently requires coordination
among multiple agencies and overlapping permit
processes. SHN has experience with Coastal
Development Permits, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers Section 404 permits, Regional Water
Quality Control Board Section 401 certifications,
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Streambed Alteration Agreements, State Lands
Commission authorizations, and other local, State,
and Federal approvals.

For Trinidad, this experience provides continuity as
the City implements and updates its Local Coastal
Program and evaluates projects within a sensitive
coastal setting. SHN is familiar with the City’s
existing plans and regulations and has experience
working through Coastal Commission review on
City planning efforts, including Local Coastal
Program update assistance and certification of the
City’s successful short-term rental regulations.

Coastal hazards map prepared by SHN for the
Trinidad General Plan update.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
12 Planning Services and Team Capabilities
Land Use, Housing, and Municipal Planning
SHN provides current and long-range planning support to small cities and rural jurisdictions throughout Northern California. Our work includes General Plan and zoning ordinance updates, development application review, design standards, housing policy, land use studies, downtown and business district planning, annexation studies, recreation and trail planning, and other municipal planning assignments.

SHN’s planners also assist local agencies with compliance with State housing requirements. This work includes Housing Element updates, zoning code amendments, annual reporting, and implementation measures intended to reduce barriers to housing while maintaining consistency with local community goals and development patterns.

SHN has supported the City of Blue Lake through multiple Housing Element planning cycles and has assisted the City with Housing and Community Development review, grant-funded planning efforts, zoning updates, and related implementation work. Our municipal planning experience also includes General Plan and zoning amendments, application processing, staff reports, public hearings, and State housing compliance for other North Coast and Northern California communities.

This experience allows SHN to help Trinidad address both day-to-day land use questions and longerterm policy issues while responding to changing State requirements in a manner that is practical for a small coastal community.

SHN assists the City with trails planning and management, including wayfinding, maintenance, public access, resource impact issues, and land use compatibility.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
13 Planning Services and Team Capabilities
By working on diverse projects in various communities, we have learned several techniques to reduce processing time through the entitlement process. By conducting outreach and identifying issues early, we have been able to successfully respond to community or agency concerns brought up during the review process. These experiences have given us a perspective of how to expedite the permitting and environmental review process for successful projects.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
14 Planning Services and Team Capabilities
State/Federal Procedures and Grant-Funded Projects
SHN has extensive experience supporting projects funded through State and Federal programs and understands that these projects often carry administrative, environmental, documentation, and reporting requirements beyond those associated with locally funded work.

Our experience includes projects funded through Caltrans Local Assistance, the State Transportation Improvement Program, Active Transportation Program, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Proposition 1B, and other State and Federal funding sources. SHN staff has assisted public agencies with environmental review, project development documentation, right-of-way coordination, bidding and procurement support, grant administration, and compliance with applicable funding requirements.

SHN is familiar with the Caltrans Local Assistance Procedures Manual and Federal-aid project requirements. Our planning staff has prepared and supported Preliminary Environmental Study forms, Natural Environment Studies, CEQA and NEPA documentation, and Caltrans permit applications. SHN personnel have also provided environmental management and planning support on projects throughout multiple Caltrans districts.

Grant administration is another important component of SHN’s public-agency work. Our team assists clients with identifying funding opportunities, preparing applications, managing grant-funded work, tracking deliverables, preparing reimbursement documentation, and complying with State and Federal reporting requirements. Project Analyst, Natalie McLaughlin, has more than 17 years of grant administration experience and has managed more than $5 million in State and Federal grant program awards. This combination of planning, environmental, funding, and administrative experience allows SHN to support Trinidad as City projects move from initial planning and grant development through environmental review, permitting, implementation, and closeout.

SHN has helped the City of Trinidad identify, pursue, and administer outside funding for a range of planning, coastal resilience, and infrastructure efforts. The examples below highlight selected grantfunded projects for which SHN has supported the City, representing more than $1.5 million in funding.

SHN’s Selected Funding Assistance Experience for the City of Trinidad Source Project Title Funding Agency
Amount of
Grant
Funding
California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate,
Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access
for All Act of 2018 (Prop 68)
Trinidad Community Coastal
Resilience Planning Project
Ocean Protection
Council $440,000
Local Coastal Program Local Assistance
Grant Funds (Budget Act, various years) Trinidad LCP Updates California Coastal Commission $331,000 Prop 1 Water Quality, Supply, and
Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014
Trinidad Citywide LID Planning
and Construction Project
Ocean Protection
Council $771,500
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
15 Trinidad and Comparable Municipal Experience
SHN has extensive experience providing municipal planning, permitting, environmental review, and related consulting services to small cities and rural jurisdictions throughout Northern California. Our planners frequently serve as an extension of agency staff, providing both day-to-day development review and support for longer-term planning, policy, and regulatory efforts.

Our experience with the City of Trinidad is the
most directly relevant example. SHN has provided
planning and environmental services to the City
since 1988, including current and long-range
planning, coastal development permitting, General
Plan and Local Coastal Program work, CEQA and
NEPA compliance, ordinance development, grant
assistance, public engagement, and coordination
with regulatory agencies and Tribal representatives.

The project examples that follow also demonstrate
SHN’s experience providing comparable services to
other Northern California communities. For the City
of Crescent City, SHN provides comprehensive
contract planning support, including development
review, CEQA/NEPA, Local Coastal Program
compliance, housing, zoning, and public meeting
support. For the City of Blue Lake, SHN has
provided municipal planning services for decades,
including permit processing, General Plan and
zoning updates, housing compliance, grant-funded
planning, and public hearings.

SHN also provides ongoing planning assistance to
the City of Anderson, City of Corning, and
Trinity County, including application processing,
CEQA compliance, zoning and General Plan
amendments, staff reports, and public hearings.

Additional work for the City of Arcata
demonstrates experience with environmental
review, permitting, housing, infrastructure, and
other municipal planning assignments.

Together, these projects demonstrate SHN’s ability
to provide responsive, practical planning support
across a range of small-community settings while
adapting to the specific procedures, priorities, and
needs of each jurisdiction.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
16 Trinidad and Comparable Municipal Experience
Planning Services for the City of Trinidad
SHN’s experience includes providing a wide range of
municipal land use planning and CEQA and NEPA services
for the City of Trinidad since 1988. These aforementioned services include coastal development permits,
subdivisions, annexations, trails plans, vegetation
management plans, tribal consultations, water quality
sampling, and septic management programs. Our team
has provided stakeholder collaboration and many forms
of public engagement. Our experience in Trinidad includes over 400 meetings and more than 100 permit
applications.

General Plan/LCP Update. SHN is currently spearheading
a comprehensive update to the Trinidad General Plan and land use ordinances. We received three Local Coastal
Program update assistance grants from the California
Coastal Commission to assist in this effort. Several
background studies were completed, and all the required and optional elements have been drafted and reviewed by the Planning Commission. SHN is currently working with
Coastal Commission staff and the Planning Commission to incorporate their comments, reconcile differences, and
develop final drafts. SHN is also working on ordinance
updates to implement the new general plan and will
continue to work with Coastal Commission staff to
process a series of LCP amendments on a priority basis.

Water Resiliency Planning. Trinidad has been helping
the City with a series of projects to plan for droughts and increase resiliency in its water system. These efforts
include a water demand assessment to characterize future water use, policies for evaluating water connection
requests from outside City of Trinidad limits, a Water
Shortage Contingency Plan, and a water shortage
ordinance t. SHN has continued to participate in the City of Trinidad’s ongoing water resiliency planning efforts through discussions regarding potential connection to
Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District. This will be a
complex project involving numerous agencies, and SHNs
knowledge of the intersection of the various laws, permits, and other approvals that apply will be indispensable to feasibility planning and the entire process if it moves forward.

SHN has provided an assortment of
services to the City of Trinidad since 1988,
including providing assistance at Town
Hall meetings, fielding questions from the
public regarding City projects, water
quality sampling, and botanical surveys.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
17 Trinidad and Comparable Municipal Experience
Specialized/Customized Ordinances. SHN has
successfully developed several specialized
ordinances for the City of Trinidad. While we
often start with examples from other
communities, due to Trinidad’s unique nature,
many of these ordinances must be substantially
customized to meet the needs and values of
Trinidad residents. A few examples are described
below:
• OWTS Management Program: This
ordinance provides the framework for the
City’s Onsite Wastewater Treatment System
(OWTS) Management Program, which came
about due to community and agency
concerns regarding bacterial pollution in
coastal waters. SHN (previously Streamline
Planning Consultants (SPC)) obtained grants
to conduct water quality sampling, develop
the ordinance, and help residents pay for
OWTS repairs. SHN now administers the
program, working closely with the Humboldt
County Division of Environmental Health,
City staff, and residents to ensure successful
implementation.
• Views and Vegetation Ordinance: Driven
by community concerns over the loss of
views, SHN (previously SPC) developed the
Views and Vegetation Ordinance which
balances the benefits of vegetation, private
property rights, and coastal views in a View
Restoration Permit process.
• Short-Term Rental (STR) Ordinance: The
Short-Term Rental (STR) Ordinance,
developed with significant community input,
addresses the impacts and benefits of STRs
by ensuring they are well-managed and used
appropriately with appropriate caps on the
number of STRs and effective oversight and
enforcement. The Coastal Commission, which
supports STRs as important visitor
accommodations, has cited Trinidad’s STR
ordinance as an example for other
communities looking to regulate STRs.
• ADU Ordinance: SHN is in the process of
drafting an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)
Ordinance for Trinidad, which has been a
goal for the City for many years, as well as a
required implementation measure in the
current Housing Element. It has been very
challenging to draft an ordinance that
complies with State housing laws, satisfies
the Coastal Commission and Coastal Act
requirements, and that is consistent with
Trinidad’s community values and character.

In consultation with the Planning
Commission and Coastal Commission staff,
SHN has developed an innovative framework
that, based on recent discussions, appears to
satisfy the various parties and regulatory
requirements.

In addition to the work previously described SHN
has also assisted the City in:
• Trails planning, maintenance, permitting,
and management issues
• Litigation support and assistance / expert
witness testimony
• Developing a Nuisance Abatement Ordinance & supporting enforcement activities • Writing CEQA documentation (as applicable) for City and private projects • Permitting a wide range of projects from
complicated infrastructure replacement to a
simple additions
• Working with partners to acquire funding
for and to develop the Trinidad-Westhaven
Integrated Watershed Management Plan
• Assistance with stormwater compliance and
providing LID policy and design guidance
• Watershed planning and assessment
• Climate change adaption and resiliency
planning
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
18 Trinidad and Comparable Municipal Experience
Planning Services for the City of Blue Lake, California Through its planning division, SHN has provided the full range of municipal planning services for the City of Blue Lake since 1987. This has included processing both City and private development applications, CEQA and NEPA documentation, completion of special studies, general plan and zoning code amendments, and numerous grant applications. SHN has conducted stakeholder collaboration and presented at a variety of public meetings (City Council, Planning Commission, community visioning, town hall meetings, workshops, etc). Our experience includes facilitating over 400 public meetings. We have also processed and written staff reports for more than 200 permit applications.

Planning, Permitting and Environmental Services
Tasks have covered a full array of development projects and permitting, including single and multifamily residential, commercial, industrial, public utility, open space, restoration, recreational, and public access. SHN has been instrumental in business district development, walkability and sustainability studies, creek restoration, general plan and zoning amendments, and annexation studies.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
19 Trinidad and Comparable Municipal Experience
Planning Services for the City of Blue Lake
(cont.) In addition to the work previously described
SHN has also assisted the City in:
• Annexation Study and Fiscal Impact
Analysis related to the annexation of
property in the City’s Sphere of Influence
• Creation of a Mixed-Use (MU) Zone that
was applied to the edges of the
Downtown area to allow a variety of
commercial and residential uses and
promote a live-work type environment
• Revisions to the Zoning Ordinance to
allow more principally permitted uses in
commercial and industrial zones subject
to performance standards
• Revisions to the Light Industry (ML) zone
to allow retail commercial uses associated
with craft-type manufacturing businesses
in the Business Park
• Housing Element Updates to achieve
compliance with State Housing Law
• Downtown Parking Study to focus on
maximizing on-street parking and
reducing off-street parking requirements
• Update of the General Plan Land Use and
Circulation Elements as part of the SGC
Grant
• Creation of a General Plan Energy Element
as part of the SGC Grant
• Climate Action Plan and GHG Inventory as
part of the SGC Grant
• Community Development Block Grant
Planning & Technical Assistance (PTA)
grant that included the preparation of
studies and development plans for the
Business Park
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
20 Trinidad and Comparable Municipal Experience
Municipal On-Call Planning – City of Crescent City, California Since 2019, SHN staff has provided all land use planning services for the City of Crescent City, a city of just under 6,000 population. SHN has processed City and private permit applications, completed CEQA and NEPA determinations, conducted AB 52 consultations, overseen Local Coastal Program compliance through Coastal Development Permit review, completed special studies, revised zoning ordinance, updated the City’s Housing Element, and provided grant support for numerous projects. SHN also provides support staffing at City Council, Planning Commission, and community meetings.

Site and Land Use Planning
Long range policy development should keep in mind the end result of site development. SHN’s knowledge of project
construction assists in our development of long range planning policies and programs. In 2023, SHN staff received HCD
compliance on its 6th Cycle Housing Element and expedited permit approval of more than 300 targeted income housing units.

This year, staff is assisting in implementing the City’s Economic Strategy Plan in current work towards developing strategies for downtown/ waterfront development through general plan and zoning revisions that will assist in attracting noteworthy projects.

Multi-disciplinary Expertise
Planning projects often require complicated coordination between numerous agencies; SHN’s broad multi-disciplinary experience enables us to navigate these channels to keep projects moving.

While our focus has been on site and land use planning, our team provides diverse professionals (including biologists, geologists, cultural resource specialists, engineers, and planners) to the City, which allows us to address agency concerns with in-house efficiency and control of the final product. In Crescent City, SHN has worked closely with the local, state, federal, and tribal governments.

Funding Support
Developing and permitting City-generated projects can be costly, and SHN staff has identified funding sources for the City to move their projects forward. SHN has helped the City secure grant funding to implement their long-range plans by developing policies and programs that are fundable by known grant sources. These plans/programs have been funded for purposes including recreation and open space, economic development, and housing. SHN’s ability to find resources to support our clients’ needs is crucial in converting plans to projects.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
21 Trinidad and Comparable Municipal Experience
Ongoing Planning Services, City of Anderson, Trinity County, City of Corning, California SHN has provided ongoing planning assistance pertaining to on-site staff services, CEQA compliance, and application processing. Specific efforts include the following:

City of Anderson (2021 – Ongoing):
• On-Site Staff Services (weekly)
• Annual Housing Element Reporting to HCD
• CEQA Compliance
• Application Reviews and Completeness
Determinations
• Zoning Ordinance Revisions
• Parcel Line Adjustments
• Sign Permit Reviews
• General Plan Amendments and Zone Changes
• Staff Report Preparation and Noticing
• Planning Commission and City Council Hearings
Trinity County (2018 – Ongoing):
• Cannabis Application Processing
• CEQA Compliance
• SMARA Reviews
• Application Reviews and Completeness
Determinations
• General Plan Amendments and Zone Changes
• Staff Report Preparation and Noticing
• Planning Commission and Board of Supervisor
Hearings
City of Corning (2024 – Ongoing):
• CEQA Compliance
• Application Reviews and Completeness
Determinations
• Parcel Line Adjustments
• Zoning Ordinance Revisions
• General Plan Amendments and Zone Changes
• Staff Report Preparation and Noticing
• Planning Commission and City Council Hearings
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
22 Trinidad and Comparable Municipal Experience
Planning Services for the City of Arcata, California
SHN has provided various planning and permitting services for the City of Arcata, represented by these projects:

Arcata Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrades Project
SHN was instrumental in developing the Initial Study/MND for this important upgrade project. SHN also assisted the City of Arcata in development of the NEPA EA, the SRF package and Coastal Development Permit application. The project included modeling for air quality and greenhouse gas emissions and addressing FEMA's Eight-Step planning process.

Arcata Entrance Wayfinding Project
SHN managed the policy planning and detailed site analysis as part of a group of consultants working together to redesign and enhance the gateway entrances into the City of Arcata to improve wayfinding. Responsible for coordinating activities of the design group. The project is designed to incorporate multimodal transportation alternatives and wayfinding concepts into the project that will reflect and enhance the unique environmental character of Arcata and the Redwood forest.

Additional Planning Services (since 1988)
• Permitting/CEQA Footprint Recycling Biodiesel Relocation • Permitting/CEQA Cypress Grove Chevre Goat Cheese
Manufacturing and Expansion
• Permitting/ NEPA/ CEQA for Plaza Point 23-Unit Senior Housing Complex
• Permitting/CEQA Robert Goodman Winery in the former
Humboldt Machinery building
• Permitting/CEQA for Schmidbauer Lumber – Los Harbors
12-acre Mixed Use Business Park EA on Former Mill Site
• NEPA EA for the Creamery Row Townhouses Project
• NEPA EA for the Sorrel Place Affordable Housing Project • CEQA IS-MND for the Rebstock Subdivision
• CEQA EIR for the Village Student Housing Project
• CEQA EIR for the Creekside Homes Project
• Permitting/CEQA for numerous projects in the Cannabis Innovation Zone
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
23 Availability, Responsiveness, and Local Support
SHN understands that on-call planning services require more than technical qualifications. The City needs a planner who is accessible, responsive to day-to-day questions, available for meetings and site visits, and able to adjust quickly as priorities and workloads change.

Trever will continue to serve as SHN’s primary point of contact and City Planner. Because Trever already works directly with Trinidad staff, applicants, the Planning Commission, City Council, regulatory agencies, and community members, SHN can provide continuity without a transition period or learning curve associated with a new planning consultant.

The contract will be supported primarily from SHN’s Eureka office, allowing our team to provide timely in-person assistance for City meetings, site visits, applicant meetings, public hearings, and other assignments requiring a local presence.

Flexible Staffing
SHN’s team structure allows staffing to expand or contract based on the City’s workload. Trever will remain the primary City Planner while drawing on senior, associate, and staff-level planners for individual assignments as appropriate. This provides the City with:
• Consistent primary contact • Senior-level technical support • Local in-person availability • Specialized planning expertise • Backup planning capacity • Flexible task-order staffing Routine projects can be completed at the appropriate staff level, while complex or time-sensitive projects can be supported by additional planners and SHN technical specialists. This approach provides staffing redundancy without changing the City’s primary point of contact.

Communication and Follow-Through
SHN places an emphasis on clear communication and continuity throughout each assignment. Our team coordinates with City staff to establish priorities, identify schedule or regulatory issues early, and keep individual tasks moving toward completion.

For Trinidad, this approach is supported by an established working relationship and familiarity with the City’s planning procedures, active projects, and regulatory setting. Our goal is to remain readily available to answer questions, provide practical guidance, attend meetings when needed, and follow assignments through from initial review to final action.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
24 Availability, Responsiveness, and Local Support
This page is intentionally blank.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
25 Client References
The following references represent public-agency clients for whom SHN has provided municipal planning, environmental review, permitting, and related on-call services comparable to those requested by the City of Trinidad. These clients can speak to SHN’s responsiveness, quality of work, ability to meet schedules, and effectiveness in supporting municipal staff, applicants, elected and appointed officials, and the public.

Eric Weir
City Manager
City of Crescent City
377 J Street
Crescent City, CA 95531
707-464-7483
[email protected]
Joey Forseth
City Manager
City of Anderson
1887 Howard Street
Anderson, CA 96007
530-378-6626
[email protected]
Christa Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Elk Valley Rancheria
2332 Howland Hill Road
Crescent City, CA 95531
707-465-2620
[email protected]
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
26 Client References
This page is intentionally blank.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
27 Additional Factors
SHN’s long-standing work with the City provides a level of continuity and institutional knowledge that would be difficult to replicate. Our planners are familiar with Trinidad’s land use regulations, Local Coastal Program, permitting history, prior interpretations, community priorities, and ongoing planning efforts.

That familiarity is particularly valuable when working with older or sometimes ambiguous regulations.

SHN has tracked prior interpretations and past decisions so that City staff and applicants can receive consistent guidance and avoid unnecessary delays or repeated research.

SHN also brings substantial experience securing and administering grants for small public agencies. Our work for Trinidad has included assistance with grant applications, administration, reporting, and implementation for planning, watershed, water quality, onsite wastewater, and Local Coastal Program efforts. This experience helps the City pursue outside funding while meeting associated administrative and reporting requirements.

Another important factor is SHN’s established working relationships with City staff, regulatory agencies, Tribal representatives, applicants, consultants, and community members. Our work in Trinidad has involved both routine planning matters and projects that required extensive public discussion and coordination among parties with differing viewpoints.

For the City, these factors provide:
• Established institutional knowledge
• Continuity of planning support
• Familiarity with local regulations
• Understanding of local/resident values
and priorities
• Consistent permit interpretation
• Grant development experience
• Regulatory agency relationships
• Tribal coordination experience
• Community engagement experience
SHN values its long relationship with Trinidad and remains committed to providing practical, responsive planning support as the City’s needs evolve.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
28 Additional Factors
This page is intentionally blank.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
29 Firm Disclosures
Conflict of Interest
SHN has reviewed the requirements of this RFQ and is not aware of any actual or potential organizational, financial, or personal conflict of interest that would affect our ability to provide City Planning Services to the City of Trinidad.

Should an actual or potential conflict arise during the term of the contract, SHN will promptly disclose the matter to the City and work with City staff to identify and implement an appropriate mitigation measure.

Suspension and Debarment
SHN certifies that the firm and its principals are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from contracting with applicable State or Federal funding agencies.

SHN sincerely appreciates the City’s time and consideration in reviewing our qualifications. We value the relationships we have built with City staff, elected officials, and the Trinidad community over the years, and we are proud of the work we have accomplished together. We hope to have the opportunity to continue serving as the City’s planning consultant and helping the City find practical solutions that serve the needs of Trinidad and its residents.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
30 Firm Disclosures
This page is intentionally blank.

City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
A-1
Appendix A. SHN Team Resumes
Trever has more than 21 years of experience in coastal permitting and environmental compliance. Trever is primarily responsible for coastal developments and coordinating review and permitting of projects within CA Coastal Commission jurisdiction. Trever’s experience includes a broad spectrum of writing environmental documents (CEQA/NEPA), agency and stakeholder coordination, project permitting oversight, grant writing and management as well as biological assessments, and hazard planning. Trever successfully navigates through the difficulties of multiple-agency permitting, balancing the needs of diverse and conflicting opinions while focusing on the priorities of the client. As the City Planner for the City of Trinidad, Trever has developed a working relationship with the local Coastal Commission staff; recent work tasks includes permitting trail and harbor development projects, a major general plan update/ LCP amendment, water policy development and Tribal consultations.

Representative Project
Contract City Planning, City of Trinidad, CA. Provides the fullrange of municipal planning services including processing development applications, CEQA/NEPA documentation, general plan and zoning ordinance updates, and grant administration. Includes close coordination with Coastal Commission staff on a regular basis.

Additional Representative Projects
• City of Trinidad Water Shortage Contingency Plan
• Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, Trinidad Annex
• Trinidad Short-Term Rental Ordinance and LCP Amendment • Trinidad Pier Reconstruction CEQA and Coastal Development Permits
• Trinidad-Westhaven Integrated Coastal Watershed
Management Plan
• Van Wycke Bicycle and Pedestrian Connectivity Project • Willow Creek CSD Park Master Plan and CEQA Documentation • Trinidad ASBS Stormwater Improvement Project – Phase 1 and 2 NEPA, CEQA and Coastal Permitting
• CAL FIRE water line extension LCP amendment and CDP
Years of Experience: 21
Years with SHN: 21
Education
M.S., Natural Resources
(Watershed Management),
Cal Poly Humboldt, Arcata,
CA, 2011
B.S., Natural Resources
Planning, Zoology Minor,
Applied Mathematics Minor,
Magna cum laude, Cal Poly
Humboldt, Arcata, CA, 2000
Professional Memberships
Professional American
Institute of Certified Planners
Association of Environmental
Professionals
Trever Parker, AICP
PM, Senior Planner
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
A-2
Appendix A. SHN Team Resumes
Garry’s expertise focuses on planning, permitting and environmental documentation related to obtaining local, state, and federal permits for a variety of residential, commercial, industrial, and public facility projects. His primary role has been as project manager overseeing CEQA and NEPA work and related technical studies. He also currently serves as the City Planner for the City of Blue Lake.

His experience includes project management working with multidisciplinary teams, permit processing, agency and tribal consultation, preparation of CEQA and NEPA documents, mitigation monitoring, air quality and GHG modeling, and grant administration. For the past 20 years, he has worked as a planner on projects involving various types of residential and commercial development, subdivisions, tribal development projects, in-stream gravel mining and quarries, soil manufacturing operations, general plan and zoning ordinance amendments, economic development, and water diversions.

Representative Project
Contract City Planning for the City of Blue Lake, CA. Providing the full-range of municipal planning services including processing development applications, CEQA/NEPA documentation, general plan and zoning ordinance updates, and grant administration.

Additional Representative Projects
• Elk Valley Rancheria Gas Station Project, Crescent City, CA • Elk Valley Rancheria Messaging Center, Crescent City, CA • Contract City Planning Services, City of Crescent City, CA • Klamath Dam Removal Project, Siskiyou County, CA
• Yurok Indian Housing Authority Child Care Center, Klamath, CA • Blue Lake Annie & Mary Trail – Phase 1, Blue Lake, CA • Annie & Mary Trail Connectivity Project, Arcata, CA
• Creek Side Homes Annexation Project, Arcata, CA
• Sorrel Place Affordable Housing Project, Arcata, CA
• Anavkaam Center Renovation Project, Happy Camp, CA
• Powers Creek District Rezoning Project, Blue Lake, CA • The Lodge Senior Housing Project, Eureka, CA
• Eureka Veterans Housing Project, Eureka, CA
• The Village Student Housing Community Project, Arcata, CA Years of Experience: 20
Years with SHN: 20
Education
B.S., Natural Resource
Planning, Cal Poly Humboldt,
Arcata, CA; 2002
Professional Memberships
Professional American
Institute of Certified Planners
American Planning
Association
Association of Environmental
Professionals
Garry Rees, AICP
Principal Planner
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
A-3
Appendix A. SHN Team Resumes
Bob has worked in northern California for over 41 years to develop SHN’s approach combining land use planning, community
involvement, and environmental strategies. Using his background in planning, natural sciences, and environmental assessments, he provides high-value planning strategies to both public and private clients. He has provided the full range of jurisdictional planning functions, including policy development and community engagement.

With this background he has successfully engaged stakeholders and the public for support of various projects.

He served as City Planner for both the Cities of Trinidad and Blue Lake for over 25 years. During this time, he provided planning and permitting services including general plan amendments, housing elements, annexations, code revisions, permit processing. His grant writing/administration skills have resulted in awards exceeding $1,000,000 total from private, State, and Federal sources. He has represented cities at more than 200 public hearings, workshops or meetings. Projects have included general plan updates/ amendments, city sphere of influence and annexation (LAFCO) reports, housing elements/updates, mixed-use and affordable housing projects. Bob has long standing working relationships with agency staff and private clients throughout northern California. Bob currently teaches (since 2008) the upper division CEQA/NEPA course at Cal Poly Humboldt to Environmental Engineering and Science students and has completed management and facilitation training from the National Charrette Institute.

Representative Projects
• Comprehensive Master Land Use Plan, Resighini Rancheria, Del Norte County, CA
• Land Use Planning and Master Planning Project, Tolowa Deeni' Nation, Smith River, CA • EIR for Removal of Klamath Dams, Siskiyou County, CA
• Highway 101 Corridor Improvements Coastal Development Permit, Caltrans District 1, Eureka, CA
• Northern and Central CA Affordable Housing Projects, DANCO • Randall Quarry Project, So. Fork Eel River, Garberville, CA • Laytonville Quarry Project for Randall Sand and Gravel, Laytonville, CA
• Jacobs Quarry Project, Del Norte County, CA
Years of Experience: 41
Years with SHN: 41
Education
B.S., Natural Resource
Planning, Cal Poly Humboldt,
Arcata, CA
Land Use and Environmental
Planning Certificate, Extension
program, University of
California at Davis, CA
Professional Memberships
American Institute of Certified
Planners
American Planning
Association
California Association of
Environmental Professionals
(CalAEP)
Governor’s Office of Planning
and Research (OPR) Rural
Issues Focus Group
Bob Brown, AICP
Senior Planner
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
A-4
Appendix A. SHN Team Resumes
Lisa has 27 years of progressively responsible municipal and rural planning experience as well as extensive experience preparing CEQA documents. Her professional planning experience includes agency coordination, collaboration and completion of multiple, Statemandated Zoning Plan text amendments, zoning, and General Plan map updates, as well as review and preparation of numerous land divisions and comprehensive Use Permit projects.

Lisa has also participated in project manager oversight of multiple contracts for agency and consultant project collaborations and completion of complex and controversial development projects.

Representative Projects
• Trinity County, On-Call Planning Services, Weaverville, CA • Anderson Municipal Code Updates, City of Anderson, CA • City Planner, City of Anderson, CA
• Tehama County, On-Call Planning Services, Red Bluff, CA • City of Corning, On-Call Planning Services, Corning, CA Experience Prior to Joining SHN
• Deputy Director of Planning/Trinity County, Weaverville, CA • General Plan and Zoning Code Update, Trinity County,
Weaverville, CA
• Airport Land Use Commission/Shasta County, Shasta County, City of Redding, CA
Years of Experience: 27
Years with SHN: 4
Education
B.S., Public Planning/Land
Use, Northern Arizona
University, Flagstaff Arizona,
2003
Professional Memberships
American Planning
Association
Board of Directors, APA
California Northern Section
Association of Environmental
Professionals
American Institute of Certified
Planners
Lisa Lozier, AICP
Senior Planner
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
A-5
Appendix A. SHN Team Resumes
Scott has over 17 years of experience in professional planning and project management, including nine years of hands-on municipal work in Mendocino County. He focuses on the project’s primary objectives to ensure iterative decisions are made leading to the project’s success, and to avoid inevitable challenges to disrupting project progress.

Representative Projects
Wastewater Plant Expansion, CEQA/NEPA/CDP Compliance, City of Fort Bragg. Scott processed the Coastal Development Permits and completed the CEQA and NEPA reviews necessary for the overhaul of the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is located in a sensitive habitat on a coastal bluff and is surrounded by recreational uses.

Scott monitored project construction for compliance with environmental mitigations and permit approval conditions.

Bainbridge Park Master Plan and Phase I Construction, City of Fort Bragg, Fort Bragg, CA. Developed a Master Plan for future improvements at a neighborhood park in Fort Bragg by empowering stakeholders to participate in the planning process. After holding numerous design workshops and stakeholder meetings, he drafted a Master Plan that included a future pavilion, athletic court expansions and rehabilitations, and playground upgrades. Scott managed the construction of Phase I of the project by utilizing Program Income from the City’s CDBG revenues.

Dock Improvement Project, Construction Manager, Noyo Harbor District. Scott was the construction manager of Noyo Harbor District’s grant-funded Dock Improvement Project, which required work to be performed within the narrow scope of a Coastal Development Permit and CEQA exemption. He coordinated with District staff to identify areas where extra grant budget could be used for additional marina improvement, while remaining consistent with the funding agency requirements and environmental/permitting exemptions that applied to the project.

Point Arena Pier Repair, Construction Manager, City of Point Arena. Scott assisted with the CDP and environmental review for the FEMA-funded repair of the Point Arena Pier, which featured driving nine fender piles into the seafloor and anchoring them to the pier structure. Scott then led the construction of the project, which required strict compliance with environmental mitigations and permit conditions.

Years of Experience: 17
Years with SHN: 7
Education
B.A., Urban Affairs & Planning,
Virginia Tech; 2007
Memberships/Volunteering
4th District Planning
Commissioner - Mendocino
Co Planning Commission
(former)
Mendocino Co Economic
Development Finance
Corporation – Board of
Directors (former)
Fort Bragg High School
Basketball Assistant Coach
(2014-2019)
Scott Perkins
Senior Planner
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
A-6
Appendix A. SHN Team Resumes
Ethan “Red Eagle” Lawton has 13 years of career experience working in tribal governments, education, ministry, planning, and the engineering industries that includes: working with Native American people, tribal governments, and various tribal departments for the purpose of improving relationships between tribal and non-tribal entities, promoting understanding on tribal sovereignty, tribal lands (fee/trust), tribal cultural resources, consultation, and confidentiality.

Ethan provides strategic guidance on the consideration and inclusion of tribal issues in development of projects, plans, programs, and policies. Ethan has been responsible for correspondence between tribal and non-tribal entities and coordinates meetings with tribal governments and tribal community engagement. As key tribal contact, he facilitates tribal consultations (Section 106, SB 18, and AB 52), conflict management, and best practices. Specializing in cultural resources, tribal cultural resources, and trust assets, Ethan (having lived on the Reservation), reviews project concepts and plans, analyzes impacts, and develops mitigations unique to Reservations and tribal communities.

Ethan’s planning experience covers, permits, land use projects, municipal planning, and NEPA/CEQA. He provides various trainings on Tribal and Cross-cultural topics.

Representative Projects
• Cultural Ordinances for City, Trinidad, CA
• Cultural Resources Element for General Plan Update, Trinidad, CA
• Land Use Plan for Resighini Rancheria, Del Norte County, CA • NEPA EA for Harbor Point Senior Housing Project, Crescent City, CA
• Land Use Plan for Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, Smith River, CA • Land Use Plan for City, Samoa, CA
• DEIR for Klamath Dam Removal, Klamath River Basin, CA • CEQA EIR for Dignity Health Pavilion, Redding, CA
• CEQA EA for Baker-Davis, Glendale, CA
• CEQA IS and MND, Glendale, CA
• NEPA EA for Monterey Gateway Senior Apartment Project, Gilroy, CA
Years of Experience: 13
Years with SHN: 10
Education
B.A., Interdisciplinary Studies,
(Psychology-Counseling &
Inter-Cultural Studies); San
Diego Christian College,
Santee, CA; 2014
Memberships
American Indian Science and
Engineering (Member)
National Congress of
American Indians (Member)
Association on American
Indian Affairs (Member)
Ethan Lawton
Senior Planner
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
A-7
Appendix A. SHN Team Resumes
Leanna has 4 years of progressively responsible municipal planning experience with a focus on reviewing commercial, industrial, and residential development plans to ensure compliance with zone regulations and CEQA. In this role, she prepares staff reports and presentations for the Planning Commission, City Council, and various committees. The position involves guiding applicants and their consultants on City development, procedures, policies, and standards.

Representative Projects
Visitor Services Survey Study, City of Trinidad, CA. Assisting in a Visitor Serving Facilities Study report aimed at assessing the landscape of visitor-serving facilities (VSF) within the City of Trinidad Planning Area (TPA), with a specific focus on the availability of lowercost options. To the extent possible, this study provides information on existing VSF within and in close proximity to the City’s Coastal Zone, including the number, types, costs, and occupancy on all VSF with special attention to lower-cost facilities. This will allow the City to determine the adequacy of existing visitor accommodation and the potential demand for additional accommodation in and around the City.

City Planner, City of Crescent City, CA. In her capacity as City Planner for the City of Crescent City, Leanna reviews and provides analysis on a wide variety of general and project specific land use inquiries and projects. Typical duties include 1) response to public zoning and land use inquiries; 2) permit application processing for use permits, variances, and other land use entitlements; 3) Prepares and presents zoning and general planning amendments for Planning Commission action; 4) Prepares relevant and project specific CEQA documentation and noticing; and 5) Assist in zoning ordinance updates and revisions.

Housing Authority 25-1 and Prospect Project, City of Eureka, CA.

Assisted in the development and drafting of CEQA and NEPA documents for a multi-phased 256-unit affordable housing project.

She assisted drafting the CEQA Statutory Exemption 15181 report, which pertains to projects consistent with a community plan or zoning, as well as assisted in the preparation of the Environmental Assessment determination and compliance findings for the project.

Trinity County, Weaverville, CA. Provides assistance to the County with processing permits including the preparation of staff reports, referrals, resolutions, and noticing.

Years of Experience: 4
Years with SHN: 3
Education
B.S., Environmental Science
and Management with a
concentration in Policy and
Planning, Cal Poly Humboldt,
Arcata, CA, 2023
Professional Affiliations and
Certifications
Member, American Planning
Association
Member, Association of
Environmental Professionals
Leanna Brotherton
Associate Planner
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
A-8
Appendix A. SHN Team Resumes
Penelope has 3 years of progressively responsible municipal and rural planning experience, with a focus on reviewing commercial and residential development plans for compliance with zoning regulations and CEQA. She has also assisted with preparing CEQA and NEPA documents for projects in Humboldt, Del Norte, and Yolo Counties.

Representative Clients
In her capacity as a contract municipal planner, Penelope reviews and provides analysis on a wide variety of general and project specific land use inquiries and development projects. Her typical duties include: 1) responding to public zoning and land use inquiries; 2) processing permit applications for Building Permits, Use Permits, Variances, Coastal Development Permits, Historic Preservation, Design Review Permits, State Density Bonus projects, and other land use entitlements; 3) preparing and presenting projects for Planning Commission and City Council action; 4) preparing project specific CEQA documentation and notices; 5) assisting with zoning ordinance updates and revisions; and 6) preparing and submitting Annual Progress Reports to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Her municipal planning experience includes work with the following jurisdictions:
• City of Trinidad, CA
• City of Anderson, CA
• City of Blue Lake, CA
• City of Crescent City, CA
• City of Eureka, CA
• City of Orland, CA
• Siskiyou County, CA
• Tehama County, CA
• Trinity County, CA
Representative Projects
• Tehama County LAFCo – Proberta Water District Detachment • McKinleyville Community Services District - CEQA Initial Study • Yolo County Housing Authority - Housing Repositioning Project NEPA Environmental Assessment
• Yurok Tribe Health and Wellness Center - CEQA Initial Study • Del Norte County – 2026 Safety Element Update
Years of Experience: 3
Years with SHN: 1
Education
B.S., Environmental Science
and Management with a
concentration in Policy and
Planning, Cal Poly Humboldt,
Arcata, CA, 2020
Memberships
American Planning
Association (Member)
Association of Environmental
Professionals (Member)
Penelope Kirsch
Associate Planner
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
A-9
Appendix A. SHN Team Resumes
Natalie has more than 17 years of experience in writing, implementing and administering state and federal grants. Her expertise includes data analysis, project management, program administration, and state and federal labor standards.

Representative Projects
Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade, Fort Bragg, CA. Labor Standards Compliance Administration. Provided assistance to the City of Fort Bragg to ensure that the work being performed complied with federal and state labor standards including Davis-Bacon Act requirements. Reviewed certified payroll documentation, pay estimates, grantor reimbursement requests and Project agreements.

1.5 Million Gallon New Water Tank Installation, City of Fort Bragg, CA. Environmental Review and Labor Standards Compliance.

Assisted with NEPA environmental review process prior to work beginning. Responsible for ensuring that all federal Davis-Bacon Act requirements and state labor compliance standards were observed.

Conducted employee interviews, site visits, review of certified payroll, records retention, grant reporting and monitoring tasks. Provided all grant administration tasks for this State CDBG-funded project.

Active Transportation Program/Safe Routes to School Projects, City of Fort Bragg, CA. Grant Administrator. Provided procurement and contract oversight. Completed all required reports and reimbursement requests to Grantor. Ensured that all grant requirements, laws and regulations were followed during the performance period.

Residential Care for the Elderly, Parents and Friends, Inc., Fort Bragg, CA. Grant Administrator. Assisted in the preparation of the City of Fort Bragg CDBG grant application materials and ensured public participation requirements were met. Upon award of the grant, assisted in the environmental review processes, federal procurement processes, contract management, coordination of design team and schedules, wrote technical reports and presented at public meetings.

Years of Experience: 17
Years with SHN: 5
Distinguishing
Qualifications
Grant writing
Federal procurement
Grant management
Data analysis
Program administration
Project management
State and Federal labor
standards
Natalie McLaughlin
Project Analyst
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
A-10
Appendix A. SHN Team Resumes
Justin has 20 years of professional experience and 17 years of GIS experience in the consulting planning, engineering, surveying, and biological fields. He has successfully developed and maintained GIS asset databases for municipalities and clients with detailed infrastructure. As SHN’s GIS expert, Justin supports the firm’s PMs by developing and maintaining GIS mapping, spatial information, and geodatabases as their projects require. His background in surveying and mapping perfectly compliments his dedication to high levels of spatial accuracy and consistency in mapping products and data.

Representative Projects
Municipal GIS, City of Trinidad, CA. GIS Technician responsible for curation of public and private geospatial data for incorporation into the City’s GIS database system. Functions include performing analysis tasks for Planning staff, figure creation for periodic updates of the General Plan, maintenance of the municipal water and storm drain asset management database, and watershed analysis.

Municipal GIS, City of Blue Lake, CA. GIS Technician responsible for curation of public and private geospatial data for incorporation into the City’s GIS database system. Primary functions include performing analysis tasks for Planning staff, figure creation for periodic updates of the General Plan, and maintenance of the municipal water, sewer, and storm drain asset management database.

Site Analysis and Permitting, Royal Gold, Glendale, Humboldt County, CA. GIS Technician responsible for incorporating boundary, utility, topographic, wetland, and biological field survey data, notes, public data, and imagery to facilitate analysis and create mapping products for planning and permitting of existing industrial soil operation.

Preliminary Right-of-Way Analysis, County of Humboldt,
Humboldt County Association of Governments. GIS Technician responsible for researching and collecting pertinent land records, digitizing legal descriptions, and creating a fully referenced set of GIS mapping along 11 miles of railroad corridor deeded in the early 1880s. Information was indexed and cross referenced to facilitate communication between the various stakeholders, and well attributed GIS assets were provided.

Years of Experience: 23
Years with SHN: 23
Education
Post-graduate study in
Computer Information
Systems, California State
Polytechnic University,
Humboldt, Arcata, CA
B.A. in Music (Performance
Emphasis), California State
Polytechnic University,
Humboldt, Arcata, CA
Justin Sousa
GIS Manager
City of Trinidad SOQ: City Planning Services
This page is intentionally blank.
www.shn www.shn--engr.com engr.com
Eureka, CA Fort Bragg, CA Redding, CA Willits, CA Coos Bay, OR Klamath Falls, OR Lakeview, OR DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM 5

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WERE PROVIDED

5. Discussion/Decision to Begin the Recruitment Process to Fill Expiring Planning Commissioner Terms.

DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM
Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Item: Planning Commission Vacancies – Term Expiration
Background: Planning Commissioner terms last 4-years, and appointments are made by the City Council. The 4-year terms expire on a rotating basis in December during each General Election year (even numbered year).

New Councilmembers are seated in January at the conclusion of each general election. At that meeting the Council is asked to make appointments to the Planning Commission to fill the vacancies left by rotating term expirations.

The current commissioners are:

Roland Johnson Trinidad area Resident Term expires December 2028 Tristan Cole City resident Term expires December 2028
Richard Johnson Trinidad area resident Term expires December 2026 Aaron Hakenen City Resident Term expires December 2026
Chris Slay City Resident Term expires December 2026
Trinidad Municipal allows the Planning Commission to include up to (2) Commissioners that live outside the city limits if no qualified City residents apply. Commissioners Richard Johnson and Roland Johnson live outside the City limits. Commissioner Richard Johnson’s term is expiring, along with residents Chris Slay (Underwood Dr.) and Aaron Hakenen (View Street).

With no term limits specified in the Trinidad Municipal Code for Planning Commissioners, current Commissioners are welcome to reapply.

Recommended Action: Authorize staff to begin the recruitment process to solicit public interest in serving on the Planning Commission and bring letters of interest back to the Council for appointment in January.

Attachments: Vacancy Notice (October 13, 2026)
CITY OF TRINIDAD Cheryl Kelly, Mayor
P.O. Box 390 Gabriel Adams, City Clerk
409 Trinity Street
Trinidad, CA 95570
(707) 677-0223
Tuesday, October 13, 2026

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCIES ON THE

TRINIDAD PLANNING COMMISSION
(3) SEATS, TERM: Through DECEMBER 2030
The City of Trinidad is currently seeking qualified individuals to serve as volunteers on the 5-member Planning Commission. There are (3) openings for 4-year terms serving through December 2030.

Of the (3) positions open, the Council may choose to select (1) applicant from the “Greater Trinidad Area”, but the other (2) selected must reside within the city limits.

Experience or an understanding of development or planning-related concepts relevant to the City of Trinidad is preferred - but not required. Commission applicants are appointed by the City Council during open session and attendance is requested for the selection meeting.

Please submit a letter of interest that includes your contact information, connection to the city or Greater Trinidad Area, reason for wanting to serve, and any relevant experience you may have in Planning related matters. The deadline for filing is December 04, 2026, and will remain open until filed.

Send letter of interest to the City Clerk’s Office:

CITY OF TRINIDAD, P.O. BOX 390, TRINIDAD, CA 95570
Deliver letter in person to:

TRINIDAD CITY HALL, 409 TRINITY STREET, TRINIDAD, CA
Or Email to: [email protected]
THE DEADLINE FOR FILING IS 2:00 PM, MONDAY, DECEMBER 04, 2026, OR UNTIL POSITIONS ARE FILLED.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL 677-0223.

Gabriel Adams - Trinidad City Clerk
DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM 6

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WERE PROVIDED

6. November General Election Update.

CITY OF TRINIDAD STAFF REPORT
DATE: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
TO: Mayor & City Council
FROM: Gabriel Adams, City Clerk/Interim City Manager

DISCUSSION AGENDA TITLE
November 2026 City Council Election Calendar Update.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:

Briefly present and review upcoming timeline. No decision required.

NOVEMBER 2026 CITY ELECTION CALENDAR
May
• Adopt Resolution requesting Election Consolidation with the County.

June
• Announce the upcoming election season calendar and prepare candidate nomination packets.

July
• Publish Election Notice for Upcoming November Council Seats on July 08. o (3) 4-Year Terms; Kelly, Breckenridge, Tuttle
o (1) 2-Year Term (Waskiewicz)
• Candidate Nomination Period opens July 13.

August
• Filing period for City Council Candidate nominees closes on August 07 if an incumbent files. • Filing period for City Council Candidate nominees is extended to August 12 if no incumbents file by August 07
September
• Staff works with County Elections to prepare the ballot.

October
• Publish notification of (3) upcoming Planning Commission vacancies November
• General Election, Tuesday, November 03, 2026.

December
• When County Elections results are certified, swear in new Council members, appoint Mayor, and re-distribute or confirm Committee/Commissionership assignments.

DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM 7

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WERE PROVIDED

7. Staff Activity Report – September 2026.