on the cover / By Heidi Walters

Fish In The City

Wheeler, the county planner, said last week that despite the fact that the DFG’s 27-page letter with the 29 recommendations was submitted eight to nine months after the closing of the comment period for the Notice of Preparation of a draft EIR on the general plan, he sent the comments to the staff and consultants still working on various elements in the plan. Wheeler didn’t say much about the comments, except to say he didn’t think a one-size-fits-all buffer system would work. And, as for the suggestion that the county hire a biologist, he said, “The county relies on Fish and Game to be our biologist.”

Rob Wall, a planner for the City of Eureka who’s been working on its greenways and gulches ordinance — in the making since 2002, and an element noted in the 1997 general plan update — says he’s glad the DFG is taking a hard look at urban planning.

“They’re actually sending over a critique of my latest draft,” he said last week. “It’s nice to be able to pick up the phone and get an answer right away. I think the only friction — and I think it’s unintended on their part — is the 11th hour in which Fish and Game has come in. It’s like, ‚ÄòWhere were you?’”

City of Eureka Manager Kevin Hamblin said he and his staff recently met with Fish and Game on the greenways and gulches ordinance — which was ready to go several months ago, until Fish and Game stepped in. That’s delayed things until at least April, when Fish and Game will submit written comments. At their meeting, Hamblin said, Leppig asked the City to change the riparian buffers from 50 feet to 100 feet in the new ordinance. “We said, ‚ÄòThank you for that information.’”

But, he added, he too is glad to have the DFG on board. “Welcome to the party.”

Meanwhile, Fortuna City Manager Duane Rigge relayed a “No comment” through a city staffer when the Journal called last week to ask how things were going with Fish and Game. Later, however, Rigge did offer a reply by e-mail. In it, he noted that the City of Fortuna’s been working on its General Plan Update for more than two years, and has held workshops and has received public comments — all of which were broadcast on Channel 10 TV. He said the draft Program EIR is about to be circulated for its 45-day review.

As for Fish and Game, he wrote: “I have offered on several occasions to schedule a business item on the City Council meeting agenda in order to provide time to DFG staff to address the City Council. The offer has never been accepted. I have also offered to schedule a special time during the Public Hearing process for the P-EIR to allow Fish and Game an opportunity to address the City Council and Planning Commission. Again, the offer has not been accepted.”

Leppig said last week that Fish and Game tried this winter to schedule a meeting with policy staff, Mayor John Campbell and a planning commissioner to talk about the issues raised in his agency’s letters. “But the City determined that was infeasible,” he said. But, he said, Fish and Game would welcome time set aside for it during the public hearing process.

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