Arcata planning commission approves 2025 general plan annual progress report

The Arcata City Planning Commission voted March 10 to approve the 2025 General Plan Annual Progress Report and forward the report to the City Council as Resolution PC 26‑01.

Deputy Director Jennifer Dart told commissioners the state requires annual progress reports to the Office of Planning and Research and that Arcata combines housing‑element data with the general plan report for efficiency. Dart highlighted recent and ongoing projects including construction of the Annie Mary Trail, continued implementation of the city’s arts strategic plan in partnership with Playhouse Arts, waterline replacements in older neighborhoods, and the Little Lake environmental cleanup funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

On housing programs, Dart said the city’s grant‑funded mobile home ownership rehabilitation program has assisted 19 units so far and staff expect to assist “somewhere between 30 and 40” before that one‑time state funding is exhausted. She also said two applicants are in process for a CalHome‑linked purchase program in which the city provides a primary loan when private lenders will not. “We’ve assisted currently, I believe, 19 of the mobile homes in the park,” Dart said. “We anticipate getting to somewhere between 30 and 40 before we run out of funding for that program.”

Commissioners sought more detail on scale and outcomes. Development Director David Loya and staff said Arcata has met about 91% of its overall housing‑element goals for the reporting period but continues to lag in the above‑moderate category and that roughly 10 accessory dwelling units were reported in the past year. Loya also noted the city’s homeownership rate is comparatively low, and that encouraging denser, rental‑focused development may free single‑family housing into the ownership market over time.

On state feedback, Dart said the Office of Planning and Research (OPR) accepts the APR and that some housing element tracking is overseen by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD); she cautioned that jurisdictions do not always receive direct narrative responses though state agencies use the submitted data. “It goes into a black hole,” Dart said of some state reporting pathways, adding that the data are used at the state level even if jurisdictions receive limited feedback.

Commissioner Strickland moved to approve the APR and recommend it to council; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. Chair Simmons later acknowledged staff had inadvertently not opened public comment on that agenda item and apologized, saying remote participants would have had the opportunity to speak had the comment period been opened.

The commission did not amend the report; staff said minor typographical edits would be corrected before final packet distribution. The report will be transmitted to the Office of Planning and Research and the city will continue work on implementation measures tied to the next housing element update.