To: Zoning Administrator
From: Planning and Building Department
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Scott Cyr, Coastal Development Permit and Special Permit
Assessor Parcel Numbers (APN) 514-014-001
Record No.: PLN-2024-18989
Westhaven area
A Coastal Development Permit (CDP) for the construction of an approximately 783 square-foot one-bedroom single-family residence with an attached approximately 993 square-foot two-car garage and an on-site wastewater treatment system. The parcel is served with a shallow well. A Special Permit is required for the removal of several redwood clumps and redwood trees, one Douglas-fir, and one Grand Fir that exceed 38-inches in circumference at 4-1/2 feet above the ground subject to Section 313-64.1 of HCC, Major Vegetation Removal. A Less Than Three Acre Conversion Exemption is proposed for the removal of the stumps and trees
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Zoning Administrator:
1. Adopt the resolution (Attachments 1), which does the following:
a. Finds the proposed project complies with the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance; and
b. Approves the Scott Cyr Coastal Development Permit and Special Permit subject to the recommended conditions of approval (Attachments 1A).
Body
DISCUSSION:
Project Location: The project site is in the Westhaven area, on the north side of 6th Avenue, at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Redwood Avenue, on the property known as 735 6th Ave.
Present General Plan Land Use Designation: Rural Village (RV); Trinidad Area Plan (TAP); Density: Range is 0 to 1 unit per acre; Slope Stability: Low Instability (1).
Present Zoning: Residential Single Family with combining zone designations: No Further Subdivision Allowed, Manufactured Homes, and Steams and Riparian Corridor Protection Combining Zones (RS-X-M/R).
Environmental Review: The project is categorically exempt from environmental review pursuant to Sections 15301 Existing Facilities, 15303 New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures, and 15304 Minor Alterations to Land of the CEQA Guidelines.
State Appeal: Project is NOT appealable to the California Coastal Commission.
Major concerns: None.
Monitoring: No
Executive Summary: A Coastal Development Permit (CDP) for the construction of an approximately 783 square-foot one-bedroom single-family residence with an attached approximately 993 square-foot two-car garage and an on-site wastewater treatment system. The parcel is served with a shallow well. A Special Permit is required for the removal of several redwood clumps and redwood trees, one Douglas-fir, and one Grand Fir that exceed 38-inches in circumference at 4-1/2 feet above the ground subject to Section 313-64.1 of HCC, Major Vegetation Removal. A Less Than Three Acre Conversion Exemption is proposed for the removal of the stumps and trees.
Water Resources: The site is served with a shallow well and an on-site wastewater treatment system.
Biological Resources: Kyle Wear, Botanical Consultant, conducted biological surveys on the project site in November 2023, January 2024, and October 2024, to provide information on biological resources needed to complete the environmental review of the project. A subsequent Biological Resources Assessment document was prepared in April of 2024 with an addendum on October 2024. The parcel has low potential for most special status wildlife species on the scoping list. It is likely used predominantly by common mammals and birds accustomed to rural residential areas and human activities. There is potential for northern red-legged and nesting birds protected by the MBTA on the parcel. The existing well is in the setback for the adjacent wetland and will require plumbing from the well to the pump house. Potential options for running lines to the pump house include trenching a direct route from the well to the pump house through the wetland or running the lines around the wetland to the south and west. This would create minor and temporary disturbance to the wetland or forest understory. The following recommendations were included in the assessment to reduce the risk impacts to sensitive biological resources to less than significant:
1. Any trenching for underground lines should first remove the top approximately six inches of soil. Once the rest of trench is completed and line installed, that original topsoil is replaced. The top few inches of soil contains hundreds of seeds and rhizomes that should allow for rapid regrowth of the natural vegetation.
2. Because of the potential for special status plants, a formal seasonally appropriate botanical survey should be conducted by a qualified botanist in the spring/summer 2024.
3. Nesting bird surveys should be conducted by a qualified biologist before any major vegetation removal that occurs within the nesting season (February-August).
4. Northern red-legged frog surveys should be conducted by a qualified biologist prior to major vegetation removal regardless of the time of year.
Subsequent botanical surveys were conducted in May and July of 2024 as recommended in the Biological Resources Assessment and an Addendum to the Biological Resources Assessment was prepared in October of 2024. The botanical assessment found that while there is moderate habitat to support some special status plant species within the project area, no occurrences were detected during surveys for the parcel. All potential special status plant habitats, particularly where ground and conversion disturbance are anticipated, were surveyed during appropriate times of the season. Some areas of the parcel have received historic disturbance in the form of rocking soil surfaces, vegetation clearing, past logging activities, and introduction of non-native plant species. The vegetation on the parcel is consistent with Sequoia sempervirens Forest Alliance. This is a recognized vegetation alliance on the California Sensitive Natural Communities List (CDFW 2019) with Global and State rarity rankings of 3. While considered relatively rare elsewhere in California and globally, redwood forest is widely abundant in the coastal northwest region of California and Oregon. Redwood common in its region, even when disturbance occurs, due to its ability to re-sprout and rapid growth. Regardless of the proposed conversion activities, redwood is intended to remain onsite.
The project was referred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). CDFW responded requesting the following: 1) If the landowner chooses to upgrade the existing structure with a shallow well or more permanent cistern, it should be shifted farther away from the mapped wetland boundary, or at minimum, installed within the existing footprint. Measures should be taken to avoid or minimize impacts to the adjacent wetland, such as flagging its perimeter and avoiding ground disturbance or staging within that area; and 2) That the project be conditioned for avoidance of disturbance to nesting birds, which was also recommended in the Biological Resources Assessment. These and the remaining recommendations within the Biological Resources Assessment have been made conditions of project approval.
Energy: The applicant utilizes PG&E as a power source.
Access: The project takes access from Westhaven Road to a non-county-maintained road. The project was referred to The Department of Public Works who stated the project does not have roadway improvement requirements. Note: To reduce confusion the address should be changed to reflect the access road applicant is using for this project.
Geologic Suitability: Slopes are the subject parcel are less than 15% as shown on the Humboldt County WebGIS (GIS). The subject parcel is in an area designated as having low geologic instability. The parcel is not located within an Alquist-Priolo Fault Hazard Zone or area of potential liquefaction.
Timber Conversion: No timberland conversion is associated with this project.
Tribal Consultation: The project was referred to Big Lagoon Rancheria, Trinidad Rancheria, the Yurok Tribe, and the Northwest Information Center. The NWIC requested a cultural resources field survey. In May 2025, William Rich and Associates conducted a Cultural Resources Investigation and concluded that there are no known culturally sensitive sites located in or around the project location. Standard inadvertent discovery protocol shall be in place for any ground disturbing activities, which is added as an Informational Note within the Conditions of Approval.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The project was referred to responsible agencies and all responding agencies have either responded with no comment or recommended approval or conditional approval. (Attachment 4)
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. The Zoning Administrator could elect to add or delete other conditions of approval. The Planning Commission could deny approval if unable to make all the required findings. Staff has concluded the required findings in support of the proposal can be made. Consequently, Staff does not recommend further consideration of these alternatives.
2. The Zoning Administrator could also decide the project may have environmental impacts that would require further environmental review pursuant to CEQA. Staff did not identify any potential impacts. However, the Zoning Administrator may reach a different conclusion. In that case, the Zoning Administrator should continue the item to a future date at least two months later to give staff the time to complete further environmental review.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Draft Resolution
A. Conditions of Approval
B. Site Plan
2. Location Maps
3. Applicant’s Evidence in Support of the Required Findings
4. Referral Agency Comments and Recommendations
A. CDFW
Applicant
Scott Cyr
322 Westgate Drive
Trinidad, CA 95570
Agent
N/A
Please contact Derek Wiles, Planner, at dwiles@co.humboldt.ca.us or 707-268-3727 if you have questions about this item.