The Fortuna Planning Commission recommended that the City Council adopt zoning map amendments intended to implement land-use changes adopted earlier this year as part of the Mill District specific plan. The commission unanimously approved the recommendation after a staff presentation and brief discussion.

Michelle, a city planner, told the commission that the amendments are map-only (no text changes) and are intended to resolve inconsistencies between the city’s zoning map and the general plan. "There's a state law requirement that a city zoning ordinance be consistent with the land use regulations of its general plan," Michelle said, describing mailed notices to affected property owners and publication in the North Coast Journal.

The amendments include rezoning four former railroad right-of-way parcels that are currently unzoned to Public Facility to facilitate pedestrian and bicycle corridor development associated with the Great Redwood Trail. Michelle said the Public Facility zone provides for orderly establishment of public, quasi-public or private facilities and lists principally permitted uses such as police and fire stations, parks, schools, childcare and community care facilities.

Staff also proposed changing a parcel at 1098 South Fortuna Boulevard from heavy industrial (M2) to Community Commercial Thoroughfare (CT) with an Emergency Shelter (ES) combining zone, to reflect its corrected general-plan designation as corridor mixed use and to better match neighboring commercial uses. Michelle said the ES combining zone was reviewed in a prior staff report and is meant to ensure that zones exist where emergency shelters are permitted by right under state law.

A final rezoning would change a city-owned parcel containing wastewater infrastructure from CT (with the ES combining zone) to Public Facility to align zoning with ownership and existing improvements; staff recommended retaining the ES combining zone to avoid triggering a broader housing-element analysis and potential Housing and Community Development (HCD) review.

After public comment (a gallery speaker confirmed that a separate Parson Riverwalk Drive rezone had been withdrawn), a commissioner moved to adopt the zoning map amendments as Resolution P-2025-3141. The motion was seconded and the commission voted unanimously to recommend adoption to the City Council; clerk read each name and vote during roll call.

Michelle told the commission that the supplemental environmental impact report prepared earlier this year for the general-plan amendments covered these zoning map changes under CEQA, and staff said the next step is for City Council review and action.

The planning commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Fortuna City Council, which will consider certifying CEQA compliance and adopting the zoning-map amendments.