General Plan Implementation Projects

Zoning Text Amendments and Zone Reclassifications to Implement the General Plan

This is the first General Plan implementation project and proposes to add new Zoning Districts to the Inland Zoning Regulations and amend the Zoning Map to be consistent with the 2017 Humboldt County General Plan. 

This project includes the following:

• Adopt the following proposed new zones [Follow the links to proposed draft regulations]
  • "MU1 - Mixed Use (Urban)" and "MU2 - Mixed Use (Rural)" Principal Zones will be applied to areas that are planned MU - Mixed Use, VC - Village Center, or RCC - Rural Community Center on the General Plan Land Use Map.  Pursuant to per Land Use Element, Urban Lands Section Policy UL-P6 - Mixed-Use Zoning, Standard UL-S1 - Allowed Uses in Mixed-Use Areas, and Implementation Measure UL-IM1 - Neighborhood and Town Centers.
  • “RR - Railroad Right of Way Protection” Combining Zone that will be applied to railroad rights of way held by the North Coast Railroad Authority, and those along the former Annie and Mary Railroad rail corridor between Arcata and Blue Lake.  Pursuant to per Circulation Element Policy C-P14 - Rail Rights-of-Way and Implementation Measure C-IM16 - Mapping of Rail Rights-of-Way as Railroad
  • “MR - Mineral Resources” Combining Zone that will be applied to parcels with permitted surface mining operations.  Pursuant to per Conservation and Open Space Elements Mineral Resources Section Implementation Measure MR-IM4 - Combining Zone.
• Consider alternative new zones [Follow the links to proposed draft regulations]
  • Add a “PR - Public Resource and Recreation” Zone to the Zoning Ordinance and apply it to the publicly-owned lands with a “P - Public Lands” General Plan Land Use designation.
  • Add a “TE - Timberland Exclusive” Zone to the Zoning Ordinance and apply it to the areas with a “T - Timber Production” General Plan Land Use designation that are not zoned “TPZ - Timber Production Zone” or zoned AE-B-5(160) as part of an agricultural preserve.
  • Add a “TL - Tribal Land” Zone to the Zoning Ordinance and apply it to the areas with a  “TTL - Tribal Trust Lands” General Plan Land Use designation or a “TL - Tribal Lands” Land Use designation that are not zoned "TPZ".
• Zoning Map Amendments: 
  • Apply the new zones identified above;
  • Apply the “WR - Streamside Management Areas and Wetlands” Combining Zone to the outer boundaries of Streamside Management Areas as defined by General Plan Conservation and Open Space Elements Biological Resources Section Standard BR-S5, Streamside Management Area Defined,
  • Land Use Element Growth Planning Section Implementation Measure GP-IM6. Zoning Consistency, directs the County to apply specific zones to all areas currently zoned “U – Unclassified” and to make other changes to the Zoning Maps to be consistent with the General Plan Land Use Map
• View the Zoning Map Amendments
  • Humboldt County webGIS,select "Jurisdictional Boundaries and Land Use > Planning Layers > Draft GPU Zones" from the "Layer List."
  • PDF Maps Below

Follow this link to the staff report for the October 4, 2018 Planning Commission Meeting

Upcoming Meetings:

• October 18, 2018:  The Zoning Text Amendments and Zone Reclassifications to Implement the General Plan was continued from October 4th to the October 18th Planning Commission meeting.  Supplemental information for Planning Commission Agenda Item 8:  "County of Humboldt New Zoning Districts" was completed after the agenda deadline and can be accessed at the following link: 10/18/2018 Zoning Text Amendments and Zone Reclassifications Planning Commission Supplemental (PDF)