C/o NEC, 791 8th Street

Arcata, CA 95521
http://www.healthyhumboldt.org

Critical General Plan Hearing

Thursday, October 15th, 2009 at 6 p.m.
County Board of Supervisors' Chambers, 825 Fifth Street, Eureka

On October 15 at 6 p.m. the Humboldt County Planning Commission will start deliberating on the
Agricultural and Forest Resources sections of the Land Use Element of the General Plan Update.
The Land Use Element will determine whether our forest and agricultural lands will become housing
developments or can be protected as working resource lands to provide economic stability and
environmental sustainability for our community.
As they prepare to vote, the Planning Commission needs to hear from those who understand the need
to protect these resources. Some broadly stated points to bring up:
1. Alternative A offers the most protection for resource lands because it has policies leading to
the smallest urban footprint and checking unbridled sprawl and residential development of
Humboldt’s prime farmlands and forests.
2. We need policies that will both prevent subdivision and development of large industrial
timber parcels and allow small landowners to live on the land they manage.
3. We need to preserve large agricultural parcels and keep them safe from development, so
that farming can be economically viable.
4. We need “Riparian Buffer Zones” to keep development far enough from streams and
wetlands so runoff and sedimentation don’t further degrade watersheds and salmon habitat.
5. Alternative A’s “Community Forest Acquisition and Management Program” would create a
Community Forest for Eureka.
6. We oppose policies that result in sprawl, which will raise taxes, increase carbon emissions
and may lead to sedentary lifestyles with increased rates of obesity, asthma and diabetes.
The Planning Commission is also looking for specific policy recommendations. For those interested in
giving more detailed testimony, generally limited to three minutes, Healthy Humboldt has developed
Policy Briefs on Agricultural Resources and Forest Resources with specific recommendations. To see
them, visit www.healthyhumboldt.org.
To read the General Plan policies and the various alternatives under consideration, go to:
http://co.humboldt.ca.us/gpu/documentsKeyIssuesPlanAlt.aspx (Land Use Element is Part 2; see Ag
Resources - Section 4.5 and Forest Resources Lands - 4.6)
Written comments are also important and should be emailed to Martha Spencer at
mspencer@co.humboldt.ca.us and addressed to the Planning Commission.
If you need more information or want to discuss potential testimony or letters, call Elizabeth at
707-822-1143. Hope to see you in Eureka on Oct. 15th!

Healthy Humboldt is a coalition of public interest groups working for a county General Plan
that provides healthy transportation and housing choices while protecting
resource lands and watersheds by focusing future growth in existing communities.