December 19, 2011
 | |
Now, just a short twenty years later, all of those parcels have homesteads, gardens, orchards, roads and many other trappings of human impact. My walks tend to be confined to the handful of acres that I call "mine." The creek that I nearly drowned in one August now runs dry, as it has been covered over by sediment and diverted for other uses. The point of this article is not to nostalgically pine for the liberating landscape of my childhood. Rather, it is to encourage that we--the residents of rural Humboldt County--have a meaningful conversation about the history and the future of the landscape we live in and love. I hope that we can work together--with each other and with the county--to ensure that our lifestyle--and the landscape that supports it--can continue into the future.
In October 2007, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors imposed a moratorium on new building permits in the Timberland Production Zone (TPZ), in response to a Pacific Lumber plan to develop 22,000 acres of forestland into 160-acre ranchettes. The 45-day moratorium sparked a controversy over whether TPZ landowners should be entitled to build homes on their parcels in all circumstances, only on parcels of a certain size, or just at the county's discretion. After considering a special ordinance governing home-building on TPZ lands, the Board of Supervisors punted the issue into the ongoing update of the county's General Plan. Now, more than four years later, the Board of Supervisors is gearing up for a vote on the topic, expected sometime in the early months of 2012.
The issue is complex in and of itself. The antagonistic political culture which has dominated the conversation has certainly not helped to clarify. In Issue #29 of the Mattole Restoration News, Michael Evenson, a longtime Mattole resident steward and restorationist, described the two camps as "dubiously intentioned speculators and developers" and "northcoast environmental interests" who "relish a fight...[and] do not have the benefit of knowing and working with their neighbors to solve thorny problems."
| |||
No matter what policy is adopted, the effect of zoning and the general plan will likely turn out to be smaller than is hoped. As county staff noted at a planning commission hearing back in 2007, an average of three building permits have been issued annually on TPZ land throughout Humboldt County --a number far less than the actual rate of construction. The reason is simple: many landowners ignore the county's requirements and build without a permit. Due to the limited impact of the county's general plan--and the volatile and contentious nature of the process--we will continue to focus our energy on actualizing the future we have envisioned for our communities. Still, the county's website states:
The General Plan guides the county's development. It expresses community values and goals, and portrays the community's vision of the future. In action, the General Plan is used as a road map to that future.
The Plan provides direction for the growth of Humboldt County for the next twenty years. The Plan addresses land use, transportation, natural resources, and other related development topics.
| |||
We value:
Our way of life and the landscape that supports it, including
* The homes we have built and the communities we are a part of;
* The wildlife habitat, aesthetic, spiritual, intrinsic, and resource values of the Mattole watershed and surrounding areas; and
* The investment--of capital, time, energy, and our very essence--that we have made building our homes and working to integrate them into a recovering Mattole watershed.
Our goal is:
To protect, preserve, and enhance that which we value, through
* Planning and land use policy that is based on local knowledge and understanding of on-the-ground conditions;
* Minimizing and mitigating the negative impact of human development;
* Conservation of large, undeveloped tracts of land;
* Integration of human communities with functioning landscapes;
* Restoration of natural systems and processes that were disrupted or destroyed by human activity; and
* An ecologically and economically sustainable forest products industry, that is innovative, creative, and primarily benefits local residents and communities.
Our vision:
Is of a vibrant human community living in balance and with a wild and working landscape that provides prosperity and health for all species.
One thing we have learned--and are perpetually being reminded of--is that plans are living, just like the people who develop and implement them. So these words are printed knowing full well that they represent dynamic, ever-changing sentiments. The conversation will inevitably continue to develop, refine, and modify our collective values, goals, and vision.
To that end, I would encourage the development, adoption, and implementation of a plan that focuses its attention on 1) protecting and preserving large land holdings, 2) working with residents to minimize and mitigate destructive impacts of human activity, and 3) encouraging and promoting active and ongoing participation of local residents and stakeholders by increasingly empowering community organizations and encouraging community forestry models. These are the three most important roles the county could play in helping us realize our vision for our future.
| |||
There is a lot of responsibility to owning timberland, caring for it, maintaining it, keeping it fire-safe and keeping it safe from vandals. The fires we have witnessed recently in the southern part of the state should be a warning to us. If our forests are not maintained by the collective stewardship of our county's private landowners, we could end up in the same situation.
Whether maintaining forestland for spiritual value or economic productivity, this land needs TPZ protection and incentives. We should be preserving large tracts of forest while allowing "live-on-the-land" stewardship of smaller holdings as it is a proven and effective means for assisting the recovery and management of the landscape. As residents of rural communities, we should be mindful of the impact we do have and work to improve our homesteads and neighborhoods. We should also recognize that our communities will thrive if we learn our stewardship responsibilities and do our best to live up to them.
The most restrictive measures should be applied to the largest holdings, the properties that have the most value absent residential use and are not currently used residentially. However, these measures should be coupled with a concerted effort to develop a sustainable and value-added timber industry to ensure the land continues to be the resource base for our local economy. Increasingly in recent years--through the advent of community forestry and long-term industry business models--this goal seems attainable.
In summary, it is quite clear--given the diverse value of TPZ land--that there is not a "one size fits all" approach to zoning. A clear policy tool to be considered is a two-tiered approach, where larger holdings are subject to more restrictive measures and small to medium parcels--particularly for resident stewards--are afforded the TPZ tax incentive but also allowed ministerial rights to develop a family homestead. This will discourage further fragmentation and development. If this general plan is to articulate the values, goals, and vision of the community, it seems that the dichotomy between functioning timber holdings and over-cut subdivided land could serve as the starting point. Balancing between the value of our rural communities and our sustainable forest resource base is the challenge--and I know from experience the Board of Supervisors would appreciate our input as they seek solutions.
Hezekiah (Kiah) Allen has been the Executive Director of the Mattole Restoration Council since April of 2011. He was born in Miranda on the banks of the Eel River in 1983. Through home-schooling in the Mattole he gained a deep appreciation for the balance that our natural world depends on. This appreciation has stayed constant as Kiah studied international relations at Pacific University and traveled the wide world before making it back home to focus his attention on the majestic Mattole.
More Articles...
TOC for Forest & River News, Winter 2011