This Thursday's Town Hall meeting on the Land Use Element of Humboldt County's General Plan Update is sure to be lively.  The Land Use Element is critical to forging a path toward balanced and sustainable transportation in the future.  You won't likely walk or bike to the grocery store if it is five miles away, even if the road is bike-friendly.  Land use policy makes proximity possible, and that makes walking, biking and trasnit more cost and time effective.  If we invest in compact mixed-use development, we can get there.  If we don't we won't.

Details on the meeting below.  Hope to see you there.

Housing Element “Town Hall Style”

Planning Commission Meeting

Humboldt County Draft General Plan - Land Use Element

April 30, 2009

The Humboldt County Planning Commission will host an informal public workshop on the Draft Land Use Element beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2009 in the Board of Supervisors chambers, Humboldt County Courthouse, Eureka. The workshop is intended to provide a forum for an open dialogue between the Commissioners, planning staff, and the public. A format similar to a “town hall” meeting will be used to discuss the draft policies contained in the Land Use Element and the Plan Alternatives.

This meeting follows two staff presentations to the Planning Commission on the Draft Land Use Element. During the April 16, 2009 Planning Commission meeting, the Plan Alternatives - Key Issues and Comparison Charts for Sections 4.2 (Growth Planning), 4.3 (Urban Lands), 4.4 (Rural Lands) and the Land Use Classifications were introduced to the Planning Commission. During the April 23, 2009 Planning Commission meeting, the Plan Alternatives - Key Issues and Comparison Charts for Sections 4.5 (Agricultural Resources), 4.6 (Forest Resources) and 4.7 (Public Lands)were presented. This upcoming meeting is open to discussion of all the proposed policies and plan alternatives for the Draft Land Use Element.

Background on the Land Use Element and Key Issues:

The Land Use Element provides for the distribution, location and extent of uses of land for housing, business, industry, natural resources, open space, recreation, and other uses. It guides decision makers, planners, and the general public in fulfilling the ultimate pattern and character of development within the unincorporated areas of the county. The policies of the proposed Plan represent a legislated balance between the individual rights of property owners and the health, safety, and welfare needs of the community.

Background on the Plan Alternatives - Key Issues and Comparison Charts:

The Plan Alternatives - Key Issues and Comparison Charts explain what the major issues are for these sections and list the goals, policies, standards, and implementation measures for Plan Alternatives A, B, C and D in one chart for comparison purposes.  Copies are available on the GPU website at www.planupdate.org and will also be available for viewing at the Humboldt County Library (all branches), Kinkos and the Community Development Services Department front counter. Also available is a “Users Guide” that explains the format of the charts and how they will be used by the decision makers in their deliberation process for ultimately adopting a new General Plan for the County.

For further information, or to be placed on the email list to receive notices of workshops, please contact Martha Spencer by email at mspencer@co.humboldt.ca.us or by telephone at (707) 268-3704 or Tom Hofweber at 268-3738.