Arcata Fire District

The Arcata Fire District is a mostly career organization protecting 37,000 residents living amongst industrial, commercial, residential, agricultural, beaches, and Wildland Urban Interface areas. We are located on the remote and isolated coast of Northern California and protect the City of Arcata, the communities of McKinleyville, Bayside, Manila, Jacoby Creek, and other rural areas for a total service area of 62 square miles. We exist next to the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a seismically active area, which makes our Fire District vulnerable to significant earthquakes resulting in possible fires and natural disasters. The Mad River, one of the six major wild rivers on the North Coast, bisects the District into two potentially isolated geographic areas.

HCAOG (Humboldt County Association of Governments)

The Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) is a Joint Powers Agency composed of the seven incorporated cities (Arcata, Blue Lake, Eureka, Ferndale, Fortuna, Rio Dell, Trinidad), and the County of Humboldt. It is the designated Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA) as well as the Service Authority for Freeway Emergencies (SAFE).

HCAOG’s activities carry out the policies and implementing actions that the Board adopts in the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). HCAOG’s regional transportation goal is for Humboldt County to have a carbon-neutral, multi-modal transportation system that is comprehensive, safe, sustainable, and equitable for all.

The agency is largely responsible for programming specific public funds to improve local streets, roads and state highways, as well as multi-use trails, public transportation and active transportation amenities. The agency performs planning activities to encourage more sustainable transportation, accessible destinations, and more walkable neighborhoods.

Humboldt County Board of Supervisors

Pursuant to the California Government Code, the Board enacts legislation governing Humboldt County and sets policies for county departments and various special districts. The Board adopts an annual budget that provides for programs and services to meet the needs of the community and to achieve the strategic priorities of the county. The Strategic Plan adopted by the Board is intended to provide a strong, workable plan that guides the county’s work and makes our efforts as effective as possible.

The Board also hears appeals of Planning Commission decisions and considers General Plan amendments.

The County of Humboldt is a general law county. The Board of Supervisors, which serves as the legislative and executive body of county government and many special districts, consists of 5 full-time members. Each board member is elected by and represents a different geographic area of the county. To serve on the Board of Supervisors, a candidate must be a registered voter of, and reside in, the district from which the member is elected.

MCSD (McKinleyville Community Services District) 

McKinleyville Community Services District is an independent Special District empowered to provide McKinleyville residents with water, wastewater, parks, recreation, streetlighting, open space maintenance and library services. To provide these services the District employs 29 full time employees and approximately 35 part-time employees. These employees are responsible for ensuring that McKinleyville residents have safe, clean water; for ensuring sewage travels safely away from homes to get treated appropriately at the Wastewater Management Facility adjacent to Hiller Park; for ensuring there are a variety of opportunities for youth, adults and families to engage in healthy recreation and enrichment activities; for maintaining parks, open spaces and public facilities to ensure they are safe and accessible; for ensuring resident fees for services are used responsibly and efficiently with oversight and transparency.

MCFC (McKinleyville Community Forest Committee) 

The purpose of the McKinleyville Community Forest Committee (MCFC) is to make recommendations to the McKinleyville Community Services District (MCSD) Board of Directors regarding plans, policies, programs, and projects relating to McKinleyville Community Forest.

The MCFC is comprised of forest and natural resource professionals, District staff, local tribe representatives as well as members of the McKinleyville public in service to the planning, development, and management of the Community Forest.

The McKinleyville Community Forest (MCF) will be managed for multiple purposes including public recreation, timber production, fish and wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, education and research and soil and watershed conservation.  The development and management of the MCF will rely heavily on input and support from the community.  MCSD will be holding several public input processes as we move forward to ensure that the MCF is stewarded in a socially beneficial, environmentally appropriate, economically viable and sustainable manner.

MCFC Forest Management Plan and Funding/Budget Subcommittee

The purpose of the MCFC Forest Management Plan and Funding/Budget Subcommittee is to develop the McKinleyville Community Forest Management Plan and identify funding options for it. It develops major management goals, finds funding sources, and creates the budget. The subcommittee then forwards proposals to the full MCFC and the MCSD Board of Directors for approval. 

MCFC Trails, Infrastructure, Clean-Ups and Security Subcommittee

The MCFC Trails, Infrastructure, Clean-Ups and Security (TICS) Subcommittee develops proposals for community forest projects, including trail and infrastructure improvements, and handles issues like trail use, regulations, and security. Its purpose is to manage and improve the McKinleyville Community Forest by developing projects, reviewing use conflicts, addressing clean-up needs like garbage removal, and improving security measures. The subcommittee forwards its recommendations and proposals to the McKinleyville Community Forest Committee (MCFC) and then to the Board of Directors for review and approval. 

MIESC (McKinleyville Incorporation Exploration Subcommittee)

The McKinleyville Incorporation Exploration Subcommittee (MIESC) is a subcommittee of the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee (MMAC) tasked with exploring the feasibility of McKinleyville becoming an incorporated city. Its goal is to provide unbiased, data-driven information on the costs and processes involved in incorporation to the community and inform an informed public discussion, not to promote or oppose it. The subcommittee is gathering economic data and technical information, with assistance from local experts at Cal Poly Humboldt and the Humboldt County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo). 

MMAC (McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee) 

The MMAC is tasked with gathering input from the community and commenting on matters of concern that relate to county services provided to the greater McKinleyville area, including but not limited to public works, health, safety, welfare, and public financing. The MMAC is not intended to address countywide topics.

Parks and Recreation Committee

The purpose of the Parks And Recreation Committee (PARC) is to make recommendations to the McKinleyville Community Services District (MCSD) Board of Directors regarding plans, policies, programs, and projects relating to McKinleyville’s parks, facilities, open space maintenance zones and recreation activities.

MUSD (McKinleyville Union School District)

Social Services Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC)

Technical Advisory Committee

Humboldt County Planning Commission

The Planning Commission is established as the planning agency of the County of Humboldt. The commission makes recommendations to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on matters relating to planning, land use regulation and community development.

Humboldt County Zoning Administrator

The Humboldt County Zoning Administrator’s purpose is to implement and enforce local zoning codes, ensuring development aligns with the county’s General Plan for safe, planned communities, by reviewing permits, making decisions on land use, granting clearances, and sometimes referring projects to the Planning Commission, acting as an in-house expert for technical code interpretations. They interpret rules for buildings, businesses, and land, protecting public health and welfare while guiding development to meet county values and state laws.