Planwest served as the General Plan consultant to the City of Arcata during their four-year comprehensive General Plan and Local Coastal Plan Update.  This project involved coordinating with local and state agencies, working with four city designated citizen task forces and community groups, and coordinating other consultant work.

The General Plan Update included the six required elements: Land Use, Transportation, Open Space, Resource Conservation and Management, Public Safety, and Noise, plus five optional, elements: Growth Management, Public Facilities and Infrastructure, Design, Historical Preservation, and Air Quality.  Key features of the Arcata General Plan: 2020 are an expanded planning area that includes the watersheds for all creeks flowing through the city; annexation policy; neighborhood conservation areas; and specific considerations for key development areas. Planwest also prepared the General Plan and Local Coastal Program Environmental Impact Report. The PEIR looked at long-term growth impacts on coastal resources and services, and recreational and open space opportunities.

Planwest assisted the City of Arcata with preparation of a comprehensive Land Use Code that included zoning regulations, land use and site development standards including subdivision, flood plain, grading and drainage, sign, historic preservation, hillside development standards, and processes for design review.  This represented a substantial departure from the prior Land Use and Development Guide, in that it added new development code provisions for the City (e.g. chapters on growth management and annexations, inclusionary zoning and affordable housing requirements, telecommunications facilities, and tree preservation and hazardous tree removal regulations).

Planwest has also prepared application forms, checklists and instruction materials for projects to be processed under the Land Use Code. This included handouts explaining subdivision of lands, special permit requirements, planned development permits, use permits, site development permits, and variances.