On June 29, the Agency for Sustainable Systems in Science and Technology (ASSIST) conducted a survey of residents in the neighborhoods surrounding the abandoned Simpson Mill site in Arcata, California. Until last month, the mill site and adjoining properties were proposed to be annexed by the city for development. Two-thirds of the respondents were opposed to the proposed development plan, which called for mixed residential, commercial and light industrial use. Two days before the survey was conducted and nearly a week after ASSIST volunteers met to finalize plans for the survey, the Simpson Redwood Company withdrew from the escrow agreement, citing the present demarcation of the flood plain and public sentiment as the reasons for the decision.
The aim of ASSIST is to act as a non-bias source of information and community assistance prompting project coordinators to use volunteers from outside the area with little or no knowledge of the project. The group of volunteers were divided into two teams, interviewing neighbors adjacent to the project area. Of the more than one hundred households directly interviewed, 75% were registered voters in Arcata, 67% were property owners, and have lived there nearly 13 years on average. 13% said that they would like to see the project happen while 67% responded that they would not. The remaining 20% indicated that they were not decided on the issue, many noting that they were not opposed to developing the area but not the present proposal. Almost 80% commented that the realization of this development plan would have a negative effect on the traffic in the area and 71% felt that the environment would be adversely affected. 53% of those surveyed were aware that the city was involved in an escrow agreement with Simpson yet only 23% were aware what the agreement involved. Of those who opposed the project, 25% said it should be reclaimed or stay as agricultural land, 12% suggested a park or recreational area, and 5% favored an environmental or wildlife area.
1. Are you a registered voter in Arcata? 76 Yes 26 No
2. Do you own the property that you live/conduct business on? 68 Yes 32 No
3. How long have you owned/lived on this property? Avg of 102 respondent: 12.75 yr
4. How is your land presently zoned?
Agricultural 14Business / Lt. Industrial 1 High Density 10
5. What is your primary use for this property? Live 64 Grazing 2 Agricultural 2 Business 1 Rental Housing 1 Livestock 2 Rental Pasture 2 Farm / Ranch 2 Housing 3 Dairy 2
What uses would you like to have available for this property? Live 33 Farm / Ranch 1 Agricultural 18 Animals 5 Rental Housing 1 Garden 3 Keep as it is 1 None 1 Livestock 1
6. Do you know about the ‘Janes Creek West Specific Plan’? 77 Yes 24 No
What do you believe this project entails? In keeping with city plan 1 Make town more crowded 1 More people 3 New people 1 Bring property values down 1 Some agriculture 1 Change 1 4 proposed plans 1 Housing 42 Industrial 17 Development by Simpson 10 Development 7 # of houses 500 1 400-800 1 1000 1500 Annexation 2 Light industrial 4 More commercial 7 Good idea 1 Need more information 1 Too many homes 1 Build apartments 2 Don't know 2 Building prefabricated houses 1 Taking farm property 1 Highways / streets 3 Developmental money 1
7. What information have you received regarding this project? What were the sources of this information? When was it received? Council meetings 14 City Planning Commission 4 Citizens / Community meetings 5 Friend / Neighbor 15 At Coop 1 Media 2 Nothing 3 Newspaper 38 At school / work 3 TV 8 Door to door campaign 1 KHSU 1 Posted 3 Letters 1 City Letter 2 Pamphlets 1 Material from city 3 Material from citizens 1 None 3 Too much to put here 1 Word of mouth 1 Telephone call 1 Flier 17 4-5 months 9 2-3 months 8 12 months 1
8. Are you aware that the City of Arcata is involved in an escrow agreement with the Simpson Redwood Company? 55 Yes 30 No
Do you know what this agreement involves? 25 Yes 60 No
What effect do you feel this agreement has on the project? Benefits Arcata City Council 1 Influence decision 1 Seems to be a done deal 3 Push to get it done 1 Detrimental to project 1 Driving force (of the project) 2 Creates false sense of urgency 1 I feel it would be good to develop 1 Probably a lot 1 Don't know 1 Not good 1 Arcata will be too big 1 Development will affect area 1 Increase value of property site 1 Pay for building and Simpson gives land 1 Not too popular 1 Will cause population growth 1 Year project study 1 First step toward final project 1 No effect 1 Lock up property for a period 2 Zoning designed to benefit businesses 1 Commits the city 1 City wants to go ahead 2 Keeps land available to the city 2 More crime 1 Will not benefit homeowners 1 City pays some/ Simpson pays some 1
9. Do you feel that there is a need for additional residential housing in Arcata? 32 Yes 65 No
10. Do you feel there is a need for commercial and industrial property in Arcata? 39 Yes 54 No
11. Will this project have a positive or negative effect on: 1. The City of Arcata 26 Pos 62 Neg 2. Your neighborhood 12 Pos 70 Neg 3. Traffic in your area 13 Pos 80 Neg 4. Downtown parking 4 Pos 64 Neg 5. Property values 24 Pos 50 Neg 6. Public schools 25 Pos 43 Neg 7. Public utilities 19 Pos 52 Neg 8. Stormwater drainage in the project area 14 Pos 63 Neg 9. Taxes 19 Pos 53 Neg 10. The environment around Janes Creek 14 Pos 71 Neg
12. Who will benefit the most from this project? a. The residents of Arcata 2 b. The City of Arcata 6 c. The developers 63 d. Other 14 Politicians Powerful and wealthy Commercial
13. Would you like to see this project happen 13 Yes 68 No
Explain: Don't want development 3 Too much housing 1 More waste 1 Tract homes suck 1 Development unneccessary 1 Keep Arcata small 3 Keep people out 3 Keep small town 3 Negative / Bad idea 3 City cannot maintain what it has 1 Needs agriculture 1 Like it the way it is 1 Not environmentally safe 4 Don't want to create artificially sustained cities 1 More homes, more people, more garbage 1 Not sure 1 If good, go ahead; if bad, do not do it 1 Preserve the environment 1 More housing and business area 1 Lower welfare rolls 1 Open space is valuable 1 I just don't 1 Like rural nature / openness of area 2 Land for wildlife 1 Control slow down building of homes 1 Need more housing 3 Fine the way it is 1 Increased traffic 1 Traffic, congestion, pollution 3 Don't want low cost housing 1 Don't want growth 1 This is ag-land, not for use by city 2 Don't need more people 1 Less security 1 Need jobs 1 City needs money 1 Wrong place to build 1 Wats to keep privacy 1 Would see Arcata as big business 1
14. What would you like to see happen to the proposed project area? Conservation 1 Land Trust 1 Develop like McKinleyville 1 Developed 1 Hemp farm 1 Reclaim for green space 1 Reclaim for agriculture 13 Stay agriculture 13 Don't know 2 Rezone and sell parcels 1 Leave alone 20 Stop growth 1 Community garden 1 Green Way/Arcata Marsh type project 1 Park 6 More parking 1 Nice community development with business and school 1 Industrial & commercial for jobs 1 Industrial and agriculture 1 Light Industrial 3 Residential 6 Affordable housing 1 Grazing land 1 Project cancelled 2 Community Center 1 Careful development 1 For children 3 Recreation 6 Environmental area 2 Wildlife refuge 3 Allowed to happen 1 Ag away (?) 1 Let owners do what they want 1 Keep it open 1
15. Do you feel like you have had an opportunity to express your opinions 55 Yes 32 No
16. Would you be willing to be re-interviewed about this project at a later date? 79 Yes 18 No