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District advances Great Redwood Trail segment and Woodley Island dock options; community amenities and sea‑level concerns raised
Summary
Consultants presented early design options for the Samoa–Fairhaven Great Redwood Trail segment and multiple Woodley Island dock upgrade concepts to improve fishing operations and community amenities; presenters and public highlighted sea level rise and tribal consultation as design priorities.
Two related infrastructure presentations covered trail connectivity and local dock improvements tied to the Harbor District’s broader port plans.
Trail: Brett Vivian (GHD) reviewed options for a paved multiuse segment of the Great Redwood Trail between Samoa and Fairhaven, noting coordination with the Great Redwood Trail Agency, Timber Heritage Association and outreach to the Wiyot tribe. The work aims to follow the master plan for the Great Redwood Trail while addressing right‑of‑entry permits, rail‑with‑trail vs rail‑to‑trail tradeoffs, wetland/ESHA considerations, and connectivity to existing parking and neighborhood access. The team said a technical memorandum and 30% design will be the next deliverables ahead of permitting.
Dock and community amenities: Mark Percher (GHD) described condition assessments at the Woodley Island work dock and outlined multiple conceptual options ranging from mirrored wharf designs to new marginal wharf or pier options; a favored concept appears to be a marginal wharf with some landside storage improvements (a mix of overwater work area and landside laydown/carport space). Percher said the current cost level is a class‑5 rough order of magnitude with a wide accuracy band (+50%/−30%). Proposed community amenities tied to grant funding include a sailing and recreation center, ADA kayak launches and other recreational infrastructure.
Public questions and concerns: Sylvia of Humboldt Waterkeeper asked whether sea level rise projections were being incorporated into trail and dock planning, citing new NOAA layers that show low‑lying portions could be inundated under modest future rise. Presenters said sea level rise and design adaptability are part of design discussions and future upgrades could include seawalls, raised structures or replacement works to account for long‑term change.
Why it matters: the trail segment will improve active‑transportation links between Samoa, Fairhaven and the County and may require right‑of‑way work and shoreline stabilization; Woodley Island dock improvements are intended to mitigate impacts to fishermen and provide community benefit uses funded through project grants.
Next steps: continue stakeholder engagement (including the Wiyot tribe and Timber Heritage Association), proceed to 30% design for trail and 5%–30% design steps for dock concepts, hold additional stakeholder meetings and refine cost estimates.
