Arcata’s City Council opened a public hearing March 4 on the city’s Local Coastal Program update and heard staff describe revisions to sea-level-rise mapping and outdoor lighting rules before the item returns March 18.
In the meeting transcript, staff said the latest draft removed some parcels from the sea-level-rise “zone one” map after feedback from the California Coastal Commission and revised outdoor lighting standards to align more closely with dark-sky guidance. The agenda packet says the item is old business and notes that the update is statutorily exempt from CEQA under Guidelines Section 15265.
Council members and residents then raised questions about building heights, the commercial visitor-serving overlay and gateway-area zoning. The transcript also shows discussion of boundary and zoning corrections in places including the Barrel District, the North 40 area and the area south of Samoa, suggesting the draft still had unresolved details.
Ben Noble, described in the meeting materials as a consultant on the coastal program, worked on outdoor lighting and bug-rating language. Public commenters including Sylvia Van Rijn of Humboldt Waterkeeper and Joanna McGarry also weighed in on lighting and planning details.
Staff said the coastal plan update mirrors recent general plan and zoning work and will come back March 18 for possible adoption. The transcript available here does not show final council action on the item.
The full March 4 council meeting also included proclamations, a solar and energy-efficiency presentation for the Arcata Community Center and routine consent items.
