To: Board of Supervisors
From: Planning and Building Department
Agenda Section: Time Certain Matter
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
9:30 A.M. - A Local Coastal Plan Amendment to Update the Humboldt Bay Area Plan and Amending Section 311-7 of the Humboldt County Code by Rezoning 35 Properties within the Humboldt Bay Area Plan as Itemized in the Ordinance and Removing the Zoning from the Waters of Humboldt Bay
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Open the Public Hearing; and
2. Request staff present the staff report; and
3. Receive public comment; and
4. Deliberate on the Humboldt Bay Area Plan and Zoning Changes; and
5. Close the Public Hearing; and
6. Adopt the resolution (Attachment 1) which does the following:
a. Finds that the proposed Humboldt Bay Area Plan update is exempt from environmental review under Section 15265(1) of CEQA Guidelines; and
b. Finds the plan is consistent with the Coastal Act; and
c. Adopts the Humboldt Bay Area Plan (Attachment 1A); and
7. Adopt the resolution (Attachment 2) which does the following:
a. Finds the proposed Zoning Changes are exempt from environmental review under Section 15265(1) of CEQA; and
b. Finds the Zoning Changes are in the public interest, are consistent with the General Plan and Local Coastal Plan, and do not reduce housing opportunities; and
8. Adopt the Ordinance (Attachment 3) Amending Section 311-7 of the Humboldt County Code by Rezoning the 33 Properties Within the Humboldt Bay Planning Area as Itemized in the Ordinance and Removing the Zoning from the Waters of Humboldt Bay.
Body
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Core Services/Other
Strategic Plan Category: 9999 - Core Services/Other
DISCUSSION:
Project Location: All unincorporated areas of Humboldt County, within the Humboldt Bay Area Plan.
Present General Plan Land Use Designation: All land use designations within the Humboldt Bay Area Plan.
Present Zoning: All coastal zoning districts within the Humboldt Bay Area Plan.
Environmental Review: Exempt from environmental review under Section 15265(1) Exemption for Adoption of Coastal Plans and Programs of CEQA Guidelines.
State Appeal: Changes proposed to the Local Coastal Program must receive final certification from the California Coastal Commission before they become effective.
Executive Summary:
The Board is being asked to approve a comprehensive update to the Humboldt Bay Area Plan (HBAP) including text changes, zoning changes, and land use changes. The most significant changes to the document include reorganization of the document to remove redundancy and provide logical flow, Chapter 2 has new sections on Tribal History and Environmental Justice, all amendments from 2016 and 2021 have been incorporated into the document, out of date language has been removed, Coastal Dependent Industrial has been updated to include provisions for a Port Overlay Zone, a new Cultural and Paleontological Resources section has been added, provisions for aquaculture have been expanded, environmentally sensitive habitat areas (ESHA) policies have been updated, a new chapter on Coastal Hazards addresses Geologic and Seismic, Tsunami, Sea Level Rise, Fire Hazards, and Flood Hazards.
The Samoa Town Master Plan has also been correlated with updated policies. There are modifications to the land use plan that were recommended as part of the 2017 General Plan process. Where there are changes to the land use plan, there are changes to the Zoning Ordinance. The Planning Commission considered these changes over the course of 4 meetings devoted to the HBAP and recommends approval with a vote of 4-1. The no vote was based upon the commissioner not being ready to vote on the plan update. Staff has continued to work with Coastal Commission staff to refine questions and concerns, and there appear to be no unresolved issues.
Background
The amended HBAP has been prepared as a collaborative effort between the county and California Coastal Commission (CCC). The HBAP was originally certified in 1982 and establishes policies that govern the use of approximately 21,500 acres of land in the unincorporated area around Humboldt Bay and over 20 miles of Pacific coastline. The LCP has not been comprehensively updated to reflect the significant changes that have occurred locally and regionally over the last 40+ years and therefore, portions of the HBAP are no longer reflective of the current conditions or priorities of the County or Coastal Commission. While an updated HBAP was certified by the California Coastal Commission (CCC) in March 2022, the recent updates were focused on HBAP text changes related to the Samoa Peninsula Wastewater Project. Additional changes are necessary to reflect current conditions, priorities, and guidance.
Update Process
Some of the changes to the land use plan were brought forward from the General Plan update completed in 2017. These changes the Board accepted as part of the General Plan update but need to be completed as part of an action on the Local Coastal Plan. As part of the staff work, these have been evaluated, and some have been found inappropriate and were not recommended to the Planning Commission and are not included in what is being presented to the Board. Those that are not inconsistent with the land use pattern are incorporated into this update. There is a complete description below of the Land Use and Zoning Changes and those that were brought forward during the General Plan Update are identified.
Starting in 2019 staff began reaching out to property owners in the HBAP to see if there were changes to land uses that would be desired. There were meetings with property owners to discuss the desired changes. One of the more significant proposals that came out of this is the City of Eureka’s changes to the Samoa Airport Property. There were also discussions about how to address Coastal Dependent Industrial (CDI) designated land which at the time was still not seeing a lot of demand. There was also a significant amount of work around Sea Level Rise in the Humboldt Bay Area Plan.
In 2023 a grant was received from the Coastal Commission to update the Humboldt Bay Area Plan. LACO Associates was engaged to work on the plan and prepare a Coastal Dependent Inventory, a Wetland and ESHA mitigation framework, and mapping of potential ESHA. Staff assumed completion of the HBAP in 2024.
The initial drafts of the plan for the public workshops and early Planning Commission Workshops were in redline/strikeout so people reviewing the document could see where the changes were being made. At the Planning Commission the plan was converted to the organization as shown in the document being presented to the Board.
Public Engagement
Prior to presenting the plan to the Planning Commission, four public meetings were held via Zoom as follows:
• Feb. 17, 2026, was focused on presenting the process for updating the HBAP and re-engaging property owners who had asked for changes previously.
• June 16, 2026, presented the initial Public Draft, provided the opportunity for public comment, and answered questions.
• July 7, 2026, focused on questions and concerns about the Samoa Town Master Plan. This meeting was created in response to public comments.
• Aug. 31, 2026, was a follow up meeting for the Samoa Town Master Plan.
Planning Commission Workshops
Three Planning Commission Workshops were held on July 16, 2026, Aug. 6, 2026 and Sept. 3, 2026. At the first workshop the Planning Commission received an overview of the amendment to the HBAP, received public comment and began discussing the HBAP. Comments were received and there was discussion about keeping the High-Density Residential Land Use Designation, and the impact of the Port Overlay Zone on the Samoa community.
At the second workshop the Planning Commission held a detailed discussion on the Port Overlay concept and Coastal Dependent Industrial. The Commission ultimately decided that the Port Overlay should not be limited to only offshore wind, that the permitted uses could allow other things, which could benefit from a Port Overlay, and that the document should acknowledge the significance of offshore wind to the state and community. The Commission also wanted to see aquaculture addressed in the agricultural section in addition to in CDI, asked for more information on Sea Level Rise, and word smithed various sections.
At the third workshop, the Planning Commission received a presentation on the changes that had been made in response to comments at the first two workshops and received public comments. The Commission wanted to keep the High-Density Residential Housing Land Use Designation even though it is not applied any place, commissioners discussed what level to establish for Sea Level Rise, and concern that the environmental justice section does not adequately address future port development concerns.
Public and Coastal Commission Comments
Throughout the workshop and hearing process, comments were made by members of the public and Coastal Commission staff. An effort has been made to address each of these comments in the drafts that were presented to the Planning Commission.
Planning Commission Hearing
The Planning Commission held a public hearing for the Humboldt Bay Area Plan on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. The Planning Commission modified the criteria for who could prepare a tsunami evacuation plan, discussed access points and the comments received that week from the Coastal Commission staff, and decided that the sea level rise projection should be the intermediate projection provided by the Ocean Protection Council. Four of the five commissioners expressed that they had completed their work on the Humboldt Bay Area Plan, but one commissioner was not ready to vote without expressing a reason. The Planning Commission recommend the Humboldt Bay Area Plan to the Board of Supervisors with a vote of 4-1.
Description of Humboldt Bay Area Plan
The Humboldt Bay Area Plan November 2026 (Attachment 1A) represents the comprehensive update of the document as recommended by the Planning Commission, with a few minor edits to address Coastal Commission staff comments. The following is an overview of the organization of the document with the changes made to each chapter.
Chapter 1 - Overview and Coastal Act: Chapters 1 and 2 of the 1982 HBAP were combined and updated into Chapter 1.
Chapter 2 - Tribal History and Environmental Justice: These are two new sections to provide the tribal history of the Humboldt Bay Area and integrate environmental justice principles into the LCP planning and regulatory framework, particularly regarding access to coastal resources, protection from and remediation of environmental hazards, and participation in decision-making processes.
Chapter 3 - Land Use and Development: Chapters 3 and 4 of the 1982 HBAP were combined into this chapter for clarity and readability. An effort was made to simplify the distinctions between urban and rural provisions, so the provisions appear in the appropriate location. Most policies are applicable to both urban and rural development and so those are grouped together. The Coastal-Dependent Development Section needed to be updated to add and modify policies which could support the potential development of the heavy lift terminal and offshore wind energy project and Port Overlay Zone. The Port Overlay Zone was created to allow the property owner to request modification to the zoning standards to accommodate development of a heavy lift marine terminal. A more robust set of policies was added to this chapter to address cultural resource protection, and this chapter includes the Aquaculture use within the Agricultural designation.
Chapter 4 - Coastal Resource Protection: This is a new chapter that discusses natural resource protection and scenic and visual resources protection. The natural resource protection policies address Environmentally Sensitive Habitat and Wetland- and Transitional Agricultural-related policies.
Chapter 5 - Coastal Hazards and Adaptation: This is a new chapter and has sections addressing hazard identification and risk reduction including geologic and seismic hazards, tsunami, sea level rise, fire hazards, and flood hazards.
Chapter 6 - Samoa Town Master Plan: This was previously a section within Chapter 4 of the 1982 HBAP, now it is included as its own chapter.
Chapter 7 - Definitions: This was previously Chapter 5 in the 1982 HBAP.
Planning Commission Focus Areas
Sea Level Rise
The Planning Commission was somewhat split on how to address Sea Level Rise. Some were concerned that there is not enough science to favor the Intermediate High scenario over Intermediate scenario. Some of the Commission believed taking a conservative approach was better. The Commissioners agreed that it was important to not unnecessarily affect property values or insurance rates for existing property owners. The Planning Commission was mixed on whether to choose the Intermediate versus Intermediate High scenario but leaned towards Intermediate, citing that Intermediate High may be too high of a projection without sufficient scientific evidence to support it and also the concern of how much more it will cost to construct structures to meet the Intermediate High scenario compared to the Intermediate scenario. There was unanimous support to add the condition of re-evaluation every five years. The Commission decided to go with the Intermediate scenario with the condition to re-evaluate every five years with a vote of 4-1.
The information considered by the Commission was based on California Sea Level Rise Guidance: 2024 Science and Policy Update (2024) from the California Ocean Protection Council. This guidance provides five projected scenarios for sea level rise as follows: Low, Intermediate Low, Intermediate, Intermediate High, and High. Staff presented the Intermediate and Intermediate High scenarios for discussion at the Planning Commission workshops and hearing. The Intermediate scenario is “based on sea level observations and current estimates of future warming and is considered a reasonable estimate of the upper bound of most likely sea level rise in 2100.” In a very high emissions scenario with lack of effective measures to address greenhouse gas emissions, there is about a 50% chance of exceeding the Intermediate scenario in 2100. The Intermediate-High scenario is “heavily reflective of a world where rapid ice sheet loss processes are contributing to sea level rise.” With lack of effective measures to address greenhouse gas emissions, “the probability of exceeding this scenario is approximately 20% for very high warming levels.”
The Intermediate scenario is an appropriate scenario to use for planning purposes, and since the science around Sea Level Rise continues to evolve the requirement to be monitoring this and look at a possible reevaluation every five years allows the county to ensure the Sea Level Rise projections are adaptable.
Samoa Town Master Plan (STMP)
There were numerous public comments regarding STMP, especially after the public draft was released on June 1, 2026. The main concerns were that the STMP was being revised to be less restrictive and different than how it was explained to landowners. There were also comments received regarding other projects related to the Town of Samoa but that are not part of the STMP as part of the HBAP update. An explanation of what the HBAP update will consist of, and public comments were addressed during the June 16, July 7, and Aug. 31 public meetings via Zoom and at the July 16 and Aug. 6 Planning Commission workshops.
The changes made to the STMP were the addition of “Completed in (date)” for any STMP Policy that has been completed, revision to “Preservation and Enhancement of Community Character and Visual Resources” STMP (Community Character/Visual) Policy 6 by not requiring a Coastal Development Permit to repaint or reroof a house, addition that exterior lighting shall be consistent with the Outdoor Lighting Ordinance in STMP (Community Character/Visual) Policy 8, addition that signs shall be consistent with the Signs Ordinance in STMP (Community Character/Visual) Policy 9, addition of CCC recommended changes, and removal of STMP (Hazards) Policy 1.
Land Use Incompatibility
A significant number of comments by the public and Planning Commission were made about the potential incompatibility of the envisioned Heavey Lift Terminal and the town of Samoa and Cultural Resources in and around the bay. The Planning Commission ultimately added language to the environmental justice provisions and found that the Port Overlay Zone would be sufficient to address these issues. To implement the Port Overlay Zone a modification to the zoning on the site will require the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors to consider the proposal. The EIR for the Heavey Lift Terminal will need to address these compatibility issues.
Modifications After Planning Commission Action
Coastal Commission
Staff have continued to coordinate with the Coastal Commission staff who have made comments and continued to recommend changes that would improve the document for consideration by the Coastal Commission. The changes listed below are part of that process. These are considered minor changes that do not require reconsideration by the Planning Commission.
Sea Level Rise
The Coastal Commission staff is supportive of the Intermediate Sea Level Rise projection, but recommend the engineering analysis required by the policies of the HBAP to allow development in an area projected to be impacted by sea level rise should be specific about including king tides, wind driven waves, and the potential for flood water levels to affect the elevation of the finished floor elevation for new construction. In addition, the following changes were made:
1. In last sentence under background provided a short description of why the Intermediate Sea Level Rise project was chosen.
2. Definition of Sea Level Management Area. The policies require that the SLMA be based on the Intermediate projection for Sea level Rise (3.9 feet) and that the effects of possible flooding, king tides and wind driven waves be accounted for in preparing a hazard analysis for new development. There is not currently a program that will address this, the closest program is from USGS’s Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS). This models 4.92 feet of Sea Level Rise which will consider the 3.9 feet OPC projection and potential for flooding, king tides and wind-drawn waves. The SLMA requires a hazard analysis to be submitted with a Coastal Development Permit application so that the potential for Sea Level Rise to adversely affect the development or redevelopment at a given location can be known. This is not a perfect match, but it is representative of the considerations necessary for development in areas potentially affected by Sea Level Rise.
3. Inserted requirement for land divisions to demonstrate that parcels will not be subject to hazards. Policy was relocated from Samoa Town Plan.
Coastal Access
Based on comments from Coastal Commission staff, county staff have visited every listed coastal access point in the Humboldt Bay Area Plan. The following access points have been added to the list of coastal access points:
a) City Wallflower Mitigation Bank
b) Samoa Beach (10 access points)
c) Samoa Drive/Peninsula Drive Junction (“Birks Trailhead”)
d) Jackson Ranch Rd
e) Jacoby Creek Mouth
f) Bracut
g) Walker Point Drive
h) Freshwater Farms Reserve
i) South Spit - Mike Thompson Wildlife Refuge
Each of the access points has a description of the amenities available at the access, or the constraints to using this as an access point. Recommendations have been made where appropriate for certain public access sites.
Samoa Town Master Plan
Several Hazard Policies have been removed from Chapter 6 because they conflict with the Hazard Policies established in Chapter 5. These include:
a) Hazard Policy 2 Sea Level Rise. This policy projects a lower level of Sea Level Rise than the policies in Chapter 5, and the Chapter 5 policies require the same studies to be performed. Retention of this policy would only confuse people and provides no improved policy.
b) Hazard Policy 3. Design of important Public Facilities is addressed in the Tsunami Hazard Policies with updated language, and the Sea Level Rise reference is inconsistent with the Sea Level Rise projections in Chapter 5.
c) Hazard Policy 5. Addresses residential structures minimum floor level and tsunami resiliency. Retained first sentence, as that is now embedded in CDP requirements, but removed the because the statements are inconsistent with new Sea Level Rise Polices which are written to address current best available information and there is a different approach to tsunami adaptation. Inconsistency would cause confusion.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
CDFW sent an email with requested changes on Nov. 4, 2026. The requested changes have been reviewed and many of them have been made. Attachment 6 is the email with the response to the requested change.
Land Use and Zoning Changes
Consistency with HBAP
These changes are proposed to achieve consistency between existing land uses and associated plan implementation (zoning) or are land use/zone change requests that were reviewed and subsequently endorsed by the Board of Supervisors in 2015 as part of preparation of the 2017 General Plan.
Commercial General (CG) Land Use Designation and Zoning Change - Giuntoli Lane
There are three parcels proposed to update the land use designation from Agriculture Exclusive/Prime Soils (AE) to CG and zoning from Agriculture Exclusive (AE) to Commercial General (CG). The APNs are 507-141-025, 507-141-026, and 507-141-032. The proposal was endorsed by the Board of Supervisors in 2015, and the parcels support commercial use; however, the western and northern portions of APN 507-141-032 do not support commercial use, have prime soils, and are within the mapped floodway. As such, only the southeastern portion of APN 507-141-032 where the commercial use exists (approx. 7.2 ac.) will be redesignated as CG. To maintain consistency with the land use plan, the zoning for APNs 507-141-025 and 507-141-026 will be reclassified from AE to CG, and the southeastern portion of APN 507-141-032 will be reclassified from AE with a 60-acre minimum parcel size and Alquist-Priolo Fault Hazard (G), Flood Hazard Areas (F), and Streams and Riparian Corridors Protection (R) combining zones (AE-60/G,F,R) to CG/G,F,R.
Rural Residential with a maximum density of one dwelling per two and a half acres (RR 2.5) Map Update - Bayside Cutoff
There are eight parcels along Old Arcata Road near the Bayside Cutoff where the land use map will be updated to add 2.5 to the RR designation currently shown on the map. The eight APNs are listed in the List of APNs Receiving Density Map Changes (Attachment 1B). The HBAP currently provides the maximum density of one dwelling per two and a half acres for these parcels within the RR land use designation. This change is proposed to provide consistency between the plan and the map.
Industrial General (MG) Land Use Designation and Zoning Change - HWY 255 at Mad River Slough
APN 506-061-006 is proposed to update the land use designation from Natural Resources (NR) to MG and the zoning from Natural Resources with Archaeological Resource Area Outside Shelter Cove (A), Beach and Dune Areas (B), and Coastal Wetland Areas (W) combining zones (NR/A,B,W) to MG/A,W. The parcel is part of a larger holding that was used for industrial uses and is not within a natural resource area. In addition, that parcel is paved and records show the parcel was in industrial use predating the adoption of the Land Use Plan. The Coastal Commission staff would like parcel to remain in a Natural Resource land use and zone, but given the history, the parcel is better suited to industrial use rather than resource protection. This is proposed to be changed.
CG Land Use Designation and Zoning Change - Bracut (Removed from proposal)
It was requested that APN 501-261-009 have the land use designation changed from Commercial Recreation (CR) to CG and the zoning from CR/A to CG/A. The proposal was endorsed by the Board of Supervisors in 2015. The parcel is comprised entirely of general commercial uses and does not support commercial recreational use. The Coastal Commission staff noted the uses on the site have expanded illegally, and there are other resource issues associated with this parcel. The site is better suited to Commercial Recreation and is removed from the proposed changes.
RR (2.5) Land Use Designation and Rural Residential Agriculture (RA) Zoning Change - Indianola Cutoff east of HWY 101
The eastern upland portions of APNs 501-201-025 and 501-261-039 (approx. 5 ac.) are proposed to update the land use designation from AE to RR(2.5) and the zoning from AE with F and Transitional Agricultural Lands combining zones (AE/F,T) to RA with Manufactured Homes (M), Design Review (D), and F combining zones (RA-2.5-M/D,F). The proposal was endorsed by the Board of Supervisors in 2015. The change will increase opportunities for residential use of the upland portions of the parcels that are not in used for agriculture.
RR (2.5) Map Update - Indianola Cutoff
There are 84 parcels on either side of Indianola Cutoff Road where the land use map will be updated to add 2.5 to the RR designation currently shown on the map. The 84 APNs are listed in Attachment 1B. The HBAP currently provides the maximum density of one dwelling unit per two and a half acres for these parcels within the RR land use designation. This change is proposed to provide consistency between the plan and the map.
RR (3) Map Update - Walker Point
There are 20 parcels on either side of Walker Point Road where the land use map will be updated to add 3 to the RR designation currently shown on the map. The 20 APNs are listed in Attachment 1B. The HBAP currently provides the maximum density of one dwelling unit per three acres for these parcels within the RR land use designation. This change is proposed to provide consistency between the plan and the map.
RR (10) Map Update - Old Arcata Road
There are seven parcels along Old Arcata Road south of Indianola Cutoff Road where the land use map will be updated to add 10 to the RR designation currently shown on the map. The seven APNs are listed in Attachment 1B. The HBAP currently provides the maximum density of one dwelling unit per 10 acres for these parcels within the RR land use designation. This change is proposed to provide consistency between the plan and the map.
RR (1) Map Update - Three Corners
There are two parcels near the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Freshwater Road where the land use map will be updated to add 1 to the RR designation currently shown on the map. The two APNs are listed in Attachment 1B. The HBAP currently provides the maximum density of one dwelling unit per acre for these parcels within the RR land use designation. This change is proposed to provide consistency between the plan and the map.
RR (2.5) Map Update - Mitchell Heights
There are 195 parcels in the Mitchell Heights area where the land use map will be updated to add 2.5 to the RR designation currently shown on the map. The 195 APNs are listed in Attachment 1B. The HBAP currently provides the maximum density of one dwelling unit per two and a half acres for these parcels within the RR land use designation. This change is proposed to provide consistency between the plan and the map.
RR (5) Map Update - Mitchell Heights
There are 38 parcels in the Mitchell Heights area where the land use map will be updated to add 5 to the RR designation currently shown on the map. The 38 APNs are listed in Attachment 1B. The HBAP currently provides the maximum density of one dwelling unit per five acres for these parcels within the RR land use designation. This change is proposed to provide consistency between the plan and the map.
RR Land Use Designation Change and RA Zoning Change - Swanlund Lane
APN 403-061-030 is proposed to update the land use designation from RR to RR(2.5) and the zoning from RA-5/T to RA-2.5/T. The proposal was endorsed by the Board of Supervisors in 2015. The parcel is 4.33 acres in size and further subdivision would not be allowed as a result of the change.
Public Facility (PF) Land Use Designation and Zoning Change - Mitchell Heights
APNs 403-051-026, 403-161-034, and 017-161-022 are proposed to update the land use designation from RR to PF and the zoning from RA-5/T, RA-2.5-M/R, and RA-2.5/R to PF2. The proposals were endorsed by the Board of Supervisors in 2015. APNs 403-051-026 and 403-161-034 are owned by Humboldt Community Services District and are water tank sites. APN 017-161-022 is owned by Pacific Gas and Electric and is an electrical substation site.
Public Recreation (PR) Land Use Designation and Zoning Change - McKay Community Forest
APN 017-031-013 is proposed to update the land use designation from Timber Commercial (TC) to PR and the zoning from Timber Production Zone (TPZ)/R to PR/R. The parcel is owned by the County and is utilized for recreational purposes.
CG Land Use Designation and Zoning Change - Myrtle Avenue
APN 016-151-016 is proposed to update the land use designation from Residential Low Density (RL) to CG and the zoning from Residential Single Family (RS) with a 5,000 square-foot minimum lot size (5) (RS-5) to CG. There is no residential use of the property and the site has been historically utilized for commercial use.
PF Land Use Designation and Zoning Change - Harris Street
APNs 016-222-008 and 016-222-018 are proposed to update the land use designation from CG(5) to PF and the zoning from CG with a qualified combining zone (CG-Q) to PF1. APN 016-222-008 is owned by the City of Eureka and is a water transmission facility site. APN 016-222-018 is owned by Humboldt Bay Fire and is occupied by Humboldt Bay Fire Station 5.
Residential Medium Density (RM) Land Use Designation Change and Residential Multi-Family (RM) Zoning Change of one parcel - Myrtle Avenue
APNs 016-141-003, 016-141-010, 016-141-012, 016-141-017, 016-261-001, and 016-261-002 are proposed to update the land use designation from CG(8) to RM to align with the existing RM with a 30 units per acre maximum density (RM-30) or RM-30/Q zoning. APN 016-141-014 is proposed to update the land use designation from CG(8) to RM and the zoning from RS-40 to RM-30/Q to align with the neighboring land use and zoning.
CR Land Use Designation and Zoning Change - Vance Avenue
APN 401-031-077 is proposed to update the land use designation from Industrial/Coastal Dependent (MC) to CR and the zoning from MC/A to CR/A,D. The proposal was endorsed by the Board of Supervisors in 2015. The parcel is owned by the Timber Heritage Association and supports commercial recreational use. There is no coastal dependent industrial use on the property and no direct access to the waterfront.
RM Land Use Designation Change - Spruce Point
APNs 305-111-004, 305-111-005, 305-111-012, and 305-121-003 are proposed to update the land use designation from AE to RM to align with the existing RM-15/W,T,F zoning. None of the parcels are utilized for agricultural production.
AE Land Use Designation and Zoning Change - Spruce Point
APN 305-051-002 is proposed to update the land use designation from Resource Dependent/Residential Low Density (MR/RL) to AE and the zoning from RS-5 with Coastal Resource Dependent (C), W, and F combining zones (RS-5/C,W,F) to AE/W,F. The proposal was endorsed by the Board of Supervisors in 2015, and the change is necessary to correct a mapping error.
Removal of Urban Reserve (RV) Land Use Designation - Humboldt Hill
There are 39 parcels proposed to have the RV land use designation removed. The 39 APNs are listed in Attachment 1B. These parcels are currently designated RV/RE or RV/RL. RV is proposed to be removed as those areas are now served or are able to connect to public water and sewer. The parcels would maintain the Residential Estates (RE) or RL land use designation. No zoning change is proposed.
MR/MG Land Use Designation Change and MG Zoning Change - Fields Landing (Removed from changes)
APN 306-122-002 was proposed to change the land use designation from PF to MR/MG and the zoning from PF1 to MG/F,W. This is a privately owned parcel and not part of a public facility, but it is in the center of other Public Facility zoned and designated parcels and is mapped wetlands. This has been removed from the proposed changes. The Coastal Commission staff asked for this to be removed.
RL Land Use Designation Change and RS Zoning Change - Fields Landing
APN 306-211-003 is proposed to update the land use designation from MR/MG to RL and the zoning from MG/F,W to RS-5/F,W. This is a non-industrial area where the parcel is comprised of residential structures.
MR/MG Land Use Designation Change and MG Zoning Change - Fields Landing
APNs 306-221-007 and 307-101-001 are proposed to update the land use designation from MC to MR/MG and the zoning from MC to MG. The proposal was endorsed by the Board of Supervisors in 2015. The parcels support commercial warehousing and light industrial use. There is no coastal dependent industrial use on the parcels and no direct access to the waterfront.
Public Facilities (PF1) Zoning Change - Fields Landing
APN 306-201-082 is proposed to update the zoning from MC to PF1 to align with the underlying PF land use designation. There is no coastal dependent industrial use on the parcel and no direct access to the waterfront.
RL Land Use Designation Change and RS Zoning Change - Fields Landing (Spring Street)
APNs 306-052-012 and 306-061-011 are proposed to update the land use designation from RR to RL and the zoning from RA-5/A to RS-5/A. This change would provide an appropriate density for these small parcels.
Removal of RV Land Use Designation - Fields Landing (Spring Street)
APNs 306-061-020 and 306-061-022 are proposed to have the RV land use designation removed. These parcels are currently designated RV/RE. RV is proposed to be removed as those areas are now served or are able to connect to public water and sewer. The parcels would maintain the RE land use designation. No zoning change is proposed.
RR Land Use Designation Change and RA Zoning Change - Fields Landing (Spring Street)
APNs 306-041-014, 306-041-011, 306-041-012, 306-041-013, and 306-052-010 are proposed to update the land use designation from RR to RR(2.5) and the zoning from RA-5/A to RA-2.5/A. The proposal was endorsed by the Board of Supervisors in 2015. APN 306-041-014 would be eligible for a lot split as a result of this change.
RR Land Use Designation Change - Humboldt Hill
The portion of APN 307-041-007 within the area plan is proposed to update the land use designation from AE to RR(5). The proposal was endorsed by the Board of Supervisors in 2015; however, the property contains multiple earthquake faults, trees, steep slopes, and historic landslides. It is acceptable to modify the land use at this time; however, the zoning should be modified at the time a future project is proposed. Given the constraints, a Planned Development zone developed with a complete set of technical studies would be most appropriate.
AE Land Use Designation Change - Tomkins Hill Road
APNs 311-221-022 and 311-221-034 are proposed to update the land use designation from PF to AE to align with the existing AE-60/F,W,R,T zoning. These parcels are not part of any public facility.
PR Land Use Designation and Zoning Change - Table Bluff Lighthouse Ranch
APNs 308-041-003, 308-041-004, and 308-041-006 are proposed to update the land use designation from CR to PR and the zoning from CR/B to PR/B. The parcels are owned by the State of California and the Federal Government and are utilized for recreational purposes.
Removing NR Zoning from Humboldt Bay
The open water bay lands have no land use designation and are outside the jurisdiction of the County.
PF Land Use Designation and Zoning Change - New Navy Base Road
APN 401-252-002 is proposed to update the land use designation from MC and MG to PF and the zoning from PF1 to PF2. The parcel is owned by Fairhaven Fire Protection District and is vacant and has no direct access to the waterfront.
PF, PR, NR, and CR Land Use Designation and Zoning Change - New Navy Base Road
Per request from the City of Eureka, APNs 401-141-004, 401-141-005, and 401-151-003 are proposed to update the land designation from MC to more appropriate designations and update the zoning to align with the changes. All three parcels are owned by the City.
APN 401-141-004 is the site of an airport, drag strip, social club, and a natural resource area. The MC land use portion of the parcel will be updated to PF, PR, NR, and CR to align with the existing use of the parcel. The MC/W zoning will be updated to PF2/W, PR/W, NR/A,W, and CR/W to align with land use designations. This parcel does have direct access to the waterfront but there is no history of or proposed industrial use of the property.
APN 401-141-005 is a vacant parcel the City intends to utilize for public recreation. The land use will be updated from MC to PR to align with the desired use of the parcel. The zoning will be updated from MC/A,W to PR/A,W to align with land use designation. This parcel does have direct access to the waterfront but there is no history of or proposed industrial use of the property.
APN 401-151-003 is a vacant parcel the City intends to utilize for public recreation and natural resource protection. The MC land use portion of the parcel will be updated to PR to align with the desired use of the parcel. The MC/W zoning will be updated to PR/W to align with land use designation. This parcel does not have direct access to the waterfront within the bay.
CR Land Use Designation and Zoning Change - New Navy Base Road (Oyster Beach)
APN 401-141-003 is proposed to update the land use designation from MC to CR and the zoning from MC/A,W to CR/A. Use of the parcel is associated with the commercial uses on the City of Eureka parcel on the opposite side of New Navy Base Road. This parcel does have direct access to the waterfront but there is no history of or proposed industrial use of the property.
MC/A Zoning Change - Samoa Industrial Waterfront
APNs 401-112-013 and 401-112-024 are proposed to update the zoning on the waterfront portions of the parcels to MC/A to include the shoreline that was not previously included due to a mapping error. These parcels are coastal dependent industrial sites.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
California Coastal Commission Grant
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
California Coastal Commission
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Planning Commission has analyzed the HBAP and provides a sound recommendation. The Board always has the ability to accept the work of the Planning Commission or make modifications as deemed appropriate.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Draft HBAP Resolution
A. Humboldt Bay Area Plan November 2026
B. List of APNs in Land Use Map Changes
2. Draft Resolution to Adopt Zoning Changes
3. Draft Ordinance No. ___________
A. Exhibit A to Ordinance
4. Planning Commission Resolutions Recommending Approval
5. CA Coastal Commission Comments 11.4.26
6. Responses to CDFW
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: Planning Commission Hearing October 15, 2026
File No.: 26-1071
Meeting of: Planning Commission Workshop September 3, 2026
File No.: 26-931
Meeting of: Planning Commission Workshop August 6, 2026
File No.: 26-830
Meeting of: Planning Commission Workshop July 16, 2026
File No.: 26-718