This week, Eureka’s Planning Commission is considering putting the city’s 3.9-acre industrial site up for sale or lease.
After acquiring a 14-acre site near Ocean View Cemetery, the city plans to rebuild its operations complex at the new location – including the city’s emergency operations center, fleet storage and administrative offices. The City Council approved the purchase in November 2023.
According to the staff report, the goal for the existing company yard is to dispose of the property at the corner of West 14th and Short Streets under the Surplus Land Act process because the site poses a safety hazard in the event of earthquake/tsunami activity and poses a threat to the city’s ability to respond in the event of an emergency.
The existing site is currently at risk of tsunami flooding and liquefaction, and the buildings are old and located in an industrial area. Both Eureka Police Department and Humboldt Bay Fire vehicles and materials could be damaged in an earthquake, and upgrading the site would be “cost-prohibitive,” according to the staff report.
“Some buildings on the existing Corp Yard site are significantly damaged and none of the buildings meet current construction standards,” the staff report said. There is currently insufficient space for fleet storage and city employees.
The city had already decided to relocate the entire farm and had been looking for a new location for years. In 2017, the relocation plans were put on hold for financial reasons.
The issue of using the site for residential purposes was addressed in the staff report. The farm is in the heart of an industrial area and is not currently zoned for residential use – although the report noted that a developer or agency could rezone the property if necessary. The site is on the Department of Toxic Substance Control’s hazardous waste and substance list (Cortese List) due to underground gasoline and diesel tanks.
Although the case is closed and remedial action has been taken, if future development were to occur on the site, the project would likely not qualify for a categorical exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act, according to the staff report. In 2002, the City was notified by the Department of Environmental Health that the case was closed, but DEH noted that if a change in land use occurred, corrective action should be considered.
The proposed motion for Wednesday’s meeting is to recommend that the city council declare the property surplus, which it would make the decision later.
Sage Alexander can be reached at 707-441-0504.
