News

At last night's general plan update hearing, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors once again tinkered with the language of the update's guiding principles, largely by blending the original language with new versions drafted in June by 2nd District Supervisor Estelle Fennell. Seven more principles remain to be discussed, and those seven contain some of Fennell's more dramatic revisions. Those remaining principles are scheduled for discussion at the board's next GPU meeting on Oct. 7.

As reported by the Times-Standard, here are the new versions of the five principles discussed last night, with both the original versions and Fennell's versions for comparison:

First principle:

• Original version: Ensure that public policy is reflective of the needs of the citizenry as expressed by the citizens themselves.
  
• Fennell version: Ensure that public policy is reflective of the needs of the citizenry as expressed by the citizens.
  
• New version: Ensure that public policy is reflective of the needs of the citizenry of a democratic society as expressed by the citizens themselves.

Second principle:

• Original version: Preserve and enhance the character of Humboldt County and the quality of life it offers. 
  
• Fennell version: Preserve and enhance the diverse character of Humboldt County and the quality of life it offers.
  
• New version: Preserve and enhance the diverse character of Humboldt County and the quality of life it offers.
  

Third principle:

• Original version: Provide sufficient developable land, encourage development of affordable housing for all income levels, and prevent housing scarcity under a variety of population growth scenarios.
  
• Fennell version: Promote and facilitate the creation of new housing opportunities to mitigate the decline in availability of affordable housing for all income levels.
  
• New version: Promote and facilitate the creation of affordable housing opportunities to meet current and future demands for all income levels.
  

Note: 3rd District Supervisor Mark Lovelace was the lone supervisor to vote against this revision, telling the T-S that the language "didn't accurately capture the county's role in development of housing, which is to provide sufficient developable land that is appropriately zoned."

Fourth principle:

• Original version: Ensure efficient use of water and sewer services and focus development in those areas and discourage low-density residential conversion of resource lands and open space.
  
• Fennell version: Cooperate with service providers in developing efficient water and sewer services and infrastructure and support scientifically proven alternative waste management systems in areas not served by public sewer.
  
• New version: Cooperate with service providers and promote efficient use of roads, water and sewer services by encouraging development in areas with existing infrastructure and discouraging conversion of resource lands and open space to other uses. Support home construction methods and alternative wastewater systems that are proven to minimize threats to human health and safely with a goal of reducing energy and water usage.
  

Fifth principle:

• Original version: Support the county's economic development strategy and work to retain and create living-wage job opportunities. 
  
• Fennell version: Support economic development and work to retain and create living-wage job opportunities.
  
• New version: Support the county's economic development strategy and other efforts to retain and create living-wage job opportunities.