Waterfront Eureka Plan

Waterfront Eureka Plan

Project Description 1. Project Location The WEP Plan Area encompasses approximately 130 acres in the northern portion of Eureka, between Humboldt Bay and Downtown Eureka. The Plan Area consists of three districts identified in the City of Eureka 2040 GP: the Commercial Bayfront, Old Town, and the Library District, as more specifically described in the WEP. 2. Project Objectives The intent of the WEP is to be consistent with the goals of the City of Eureka 2040 GP. While the 2040 GP addresses issues relevant to the entire City, the WEP focuses specifically on the revisioning and buildout of the City’s Coastal Core Area, providing detail on regulations, guidelines, strategies, and implementing actions to achieve the community’s visions for three Core Area districts: the Commercial Bayfront, Old Town, and Library District. The 2040 GP Land Use Policy LU-2.11 serves as the impetus to develop a specific plan to implement the 2040 GP’s vision for the Plan Area. 3. Project Characteristics The WEP is a specific plan that provides for the systematic implementation of the 2040 GP within the Plan Area. The prior EIR analyzed gradual buildout of the City over a 20-year period (through 2040), including the addition of up to 1,886 new residential dwelling units to house approximately 3,683 new residents, and up to 1.6 million square feet of new non-residential uses, to accommodate approximately 3,595 new employees. The WEP seeks to facilitate new walkable, infill, mixed-use development, including the redevelopment of underutilized sites, consistent with the growth assumptions of the prior EIR. Existing Conditions, Preferred Futures, and Land Use Designation for the Plan Area Districts WEP Chapter 3, “Existing Conditions and Future Opportunities,” describes the current conditions of the three Plan Area districts, presents a vision for each district’s future (“Preferred Futures”), and defines land use designations and development intensities in alignment with these visions and the 2040 GP. Commercial Bayfront Existing Conditions The Commercial Bayfront consists of the Eureka waterfront north of 1st Street/ Waterfront Drive, and west-east from C Street to Y Street. The western portion of the district from C Street to F Street is part of the nationally-recognized Old Town Historic District. This district features a variety of City-owned public access and recreational facilities including the Madaket (C Street) Plaza and Dock; Coast Guard (F Street) Plaza and Dock; the Eureka Boardwalk and other segments of the Eureka Waterfront Trail; the Adorni Recreational Center (Adorni Center), Pier, and Dock; Halverson Park; Bonnie Gool Guest Dock; and the Samoa Boat Launch Facility. Cal Poly Humboldt also maintains the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center (Aquatic Center) on City-owned waterfront property adjacent to the Adorni Center, and the Humboldt Bay Rowing Association maintains a boathouse and dock on City land and tidelands just west of the Samoa Boat Launch Facility. The Commercial Bayfront was once home to buildings and facilities that supported Eureka’s bustling maritime-industrial activities, but the majority of the legacy maritime structures have been demolished, and much of the district is currently vacant and underutilized. There are a variety of uses on the land that is currently developed, including not only the public access and coastal recreational uses described above, but also visitor-serving commercial uses, artisan manufacturing (including the Dick Taylor Chocolate Factory and Blue Ox Mill Works on the west and east ends of the district, respectively), and a few residences and office buildings. Preferred Future The Commercial Bayfront will transform into a vibrant and dynamic mixed-use district that celebrates its waterfront location and cultural legacy with a diversity of land uses and pedestrian-oriented development, where coastal trails, a shoreline boardwalk, outdoor public spaces, recreational boating and fishing facilities, and other public and commercial recreational facilities are integrated with ground-floor visitor-serving and coastal-related uses. Coastal hazard risks will be minimized through comprehensive, area-wide adaptation strategies. In the western portion of the district, between C and I Streets, development will occur in a manner compatible with the historic character and development pattern of Old Town, with a range of housing and office uses located above and behind active ground-floor uses in mixed-use, multi-story buildings oriented towards 1st Street and the Eureka Boardwalk. In the remainder of the district, new development will be more flexible in terms of form, but will also promote physical and visual access to the bayfront, and connect to Waterfront Drive and the Eureka Waterfront Trail with pedestrian pathways. Land Use Designation Visitor-serving retail, restaurants, multi-story lodging, entertainment, cultural and art facilities, recreation, leisure activities and tourist services; commercial fishing facilities, and other coastal-dependent and related commercial, recreational and civic uses; artisan manufacturing; residences; and offices. Intended to prioritize coastal-dependent, coastal-related and visitor-serving commercial and recreational uses in a pedestrian-friendly environment encouraging physical and visual access to the bayfront. New office and residential uses are primarily allowed only as part of mixed-use developments, on upper floors and non-street/trail-facing portions of buildings. The proposed intensity, expressed as a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 4.0, is consistent with the 2040 GP. Old Town Existing Conditions Old Town includes historic multi-story buildings from the 1850s and beyond with pedestrian-scaled shops and storefronts, restaurants, museums and cultural facilities, art galleries, theaters, lodging facilities, and other related uses lining the sidewalks, and a range of office and residential uses above the first floor. Old Town was once the central downtown core of the historic City of Eureka, and the Old Town Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places (the Historic District includes the majority of Old Town as well as the western portions of the Library District and Commercial Bayfront). Old Town is also the center of the s District. Old Town is a window into Eureka’s rich history and is now a celebrated place, appreciated by visiting tourists and strongly represented in the local identity. Preferred Future Old Town will continue and grow as a premiere historic and cultural district, and as a primary regional center for tourism, recreation, leisure activities, arts, cultural opportunities, and shopping. New development will continue Old Town’s dense development pattern of multi-story, mixed-use buildings, with historic architecture preserved and celebrated, and new buildings complementing, but not copying, existing historic structures. All development, new and old, will support an active and inviting public realm. To support ground-floor businesses and ensure the presence of people around the clock, additional housing will be added above and behind active local- and visitor-serving ground-floor uses fronting the street. Old Town’s status will grow as a pedestrian district where people park once or arrive by bus, bike, or foot. Potential stormwater drainage capacity and rising groundwater issues in the lower-lying, western-most portion of the district will be preemptively addressed as the climate changes and sea levels rise. Land Use Designation Prioritizes visitor-serving retail, restaurants, lodging, entertainment, arts, cultural facilities, leisure activities, recreation, and tourist-related uses, and also allows artisan manufacturing, neighborhood-serving commercial retail and services, as well as residential and office uses. Primarily caters to local and non-local visitors in historic and multi-story buildings with pedestrian-scaled storefronts lining the sidewalks that generate visitor and customer foot traffic and provide visual interest, while residential and office uses primarily on upper floors and non-street-facing portions of buildings. The proposed maximum FAR of 5.0 is consistent with the 2040 GP. Library Existing Conditions East of Old Town, north of Downtown, the Library District is one of the earliest residential neighborhoods in Eureka, and includes multiple historic single-family homes and multi-family residential structures, as well as residential structures that have been converted into professional offices, visitor lodging, restaurants, and entertainment and cultural uses, with the Carson Mansion (Ingomar Club) and the Humboldt County Library in the heart of the district. The western portion of the Library District is part of the nationally-recognized Old Town Historic District and the Eureka Cultural Arts District, and the entire Library District is located on a raised terrace above the Commercial Bayfront, outside of areas subject to flood risk. Preferred Future The Library District will increase in vibrancy as a walkable, self-sufficient, office-residential neighborhood that also includes limited visitor-serving destinations supportive of increased cultural tourism. The Library District will grow through compact, infill development, taking advantage of the District’s prime location outside of the sea level rise hazard area to accommodate additional housing, while preserving historic structures and associated historic neighborhood charm. Retail and service commercial uses will primarily support residents and employees by providing everyday goods and services such as child daycare and neighborhood markets, and will also include limited visitor-serving uses, such as commercial lodging. In addition to traditional office spaces, the District will host home-based businesses and live/work and coworking spaces. Additional housing will take the form of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), owner-occupied condominiums, artist lofts, townhomes, and mid-rise, mixed-use and residential-only infill opportunities. Land Use Designation An eclectic mix of housing, small-scale offices, commercial retail shops and services, artisan manufacturing, and other compatible local- and visitor-serving uses that support both neighborhood self-sufficiency and cultural tourism. Intended to generally retain the human-scaled character and form of the historic residential neighborhood, while accommodating growth and adaptive reuse. The proposed maximum FAR of 2.5 is consistent with the 2040 GP. Zoning and Development Standards WEP Chapter 4 includes zoning regulations and development and design standards to implement the Preferred Futures and land use designations for the three Plan Area districts. Once incorporated in the LCP Implementation Plan and certified by the California Coastal Commission, this zoning will replace the existing coastal zoning regulations for the WEP Plan Area. In addition to required, objective design standards, WEP Chapter 4 also includes non-binding design guidelines, meant to enhance the area's overall visual quality while strengthening visual continuity and reinforcing a human-scaled, pedestrian-friendly environment. Visions, Strategies, and Actions The major driver of implementing the WEP is development that is consistent with, and incorporates and encompasses, the WEP’s vision. In many cases, however, public projects, programs, and other actions are needed to supplement and entice new development. These implementing actions are grouped under overarching vision statements and strategies included in the Housing, Mobility & Access, Community & Culture, Economy & Infrastructure, and Coastal Hazards & Climate Change Chapters 5-9 of the WEP. The five overarching vision statements are as follows: 1. A diverse mix of housing options serving all income levels. 2. A connected and walkable community that is welcoming and accessible to all. 3. A hub for recreation, arts, and culture with a strong identity routed in a rich history and connection to the waterfront. 4. A vibrant and safe destination for residents, businesses, and tourists. 5. A resilient and adaptive community that proactively plans for climate change. WEP Chapter 10 includes an Implementation Matrix listing all implementing actions covered in WEP Chapters 5-9, along with a timeframe and responsible party/City department for each action. 4. Project Approvals The WEP, as a specific plan, must be approved by the City Council and found consistent with the City’s 2040 GP. The WEP contemplates slightly changing the 2040 GP land use designation descriptions (but not intensity maximums) based on community feedback. Any modifications to the existing land use designations of the 2040 GP will be made prior to implementation of the WEP. In addition, the LCP must be updated to reflect the provisions of the WEP as appropriate, with the LCP update requiring certification by the California Coastal Commission before going into effect.

Eureka

Humboldt

Citywide

California Coastal Commission (CCC), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Marin Region 7 (CDFW), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Northern and Eureka Region 1 (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, California Department of State Parks, Division of Boating and Waterways, California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), California Department of Transportation, District 1 (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Transportation Planning (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Fish and Game Commission (CDFGC), California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Natural Resources Agency, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, North Coast Region 1 (RWQCB), California State Coastal Conservancy (SCC), California State Lands Commission (SLC), Office of Historic Preservation, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, District 1, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights, State Water Resources Control Board, Divison of Financial Assistance

Other (Primarily commercial-residential mixed-use specific plan area)

Specific Plan

Air Quality, Cultural Resources, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources