Category Archives: Infrastructure

Articles, Infrastructure, Local Government

Del Norte County To Inspect Sewer Lines North of Crescent City Limits, Initiate a Rate Study

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Thumbnail image: The red triangles are areas within the sewage system within County Service Area 1 north of Crescent City limits that have defects. Image courtesy of Del Norte County Engineer Jon Olson

Noting that staff has identified more than 100 defects in the sewer collection system north of the city limits, Del Norte County Engineer Jon Olson got the green light to get an inside view of the pipes using closed circuit television.

Olson told supervisors on Tuesday that his goal is to document the location of each defect in Assessment District 2 of the County Service Area, or CSA. Assessment District 2 includes the unincorporated part of Crescent City North as well as Northcrest Drive north of Washington Boulevard and the area surrounding Sutter Coast Hospital and Walmart. 

The county engineer showed a picture of one of the classic defects — a mowed-over sewer cleanout cap in a low area of the yard. That defect allows rainwater to enter the system, Olson said. Another photo was from the outside of a commercial building, he said.

Continue reading Del Norte County To Inspect Sewer Lines North of Crescent City Limits, Initiate a Rate Study →
Articles, Crescent City, Infrastructure, Local Government

City Pilot Project — A Response to State Water Board Fine — Aims To Reduce Groundwater Infiltrating Sewage Pipes, Treatment Plant During Wet Season

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Thumbnail photo by James Brooks

Noting that Crescent City has five to 10 years to ensure its sewer plant meets stricter regulations governing its effluent, City Manager Eric Wier introduced a pilot project aimed at fixing the system’s defects.

The pilot project involves making spot repairs to a handful of areas within the city’s 17-mile network of sewage pipes to prevent groundwater from getting into the system during the rainy season. 

It’s this groundwater infiltration coupled with aging equipment that prevents the plant from meeting National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit rules governing total coliform and enteral cocci bacteria, according to the city manager. But instead of paying a $258,000 fine, the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board is allowing Crescent City to apply that figure to the pilot project, Wier said.

Continue reading City Pilot Project — A Response to State Water Board Fine — Aims To Reduce Groundwater Infiltrating Sewage Pipes, Treatment Plant During Wet Season →
Articles, Crescent City, Infrastructure, Local Government

Crescent City Council Recap, Oct. 5, 2026

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Thumbnail photo of the Fred Endert Municipal Pool by Andrew Goff

Among the items discussed at Monday’s Crescent City Council meeting:

City Attorney employment agreement: City councilors unanimously approved a five-year extension to an employment agreement they have with City Attorney Martha Rice.

Rice became the city’s full-time lawyer in January 2022 though she had already worked for the city as a contract deputy attorney and attorney since 2009, according to City Manager Eric Wier. Calling the decision to authorize an in-house attorney a game changer for staff, Wier praised the work Rice has been doing as well as her innate knowledge of the community as a Del Norte County native.

According to Wier, the new agreement will be extended through January 2032. Rice’s continued employment also comes with a step increase in the salary schedule from Step 5 to Step 6, according to a staff report from Human Resources Manager Sara Barbour. 

Continue reading Crescent City Council Recap, Oct. 5, 2026 →
Articles, CC Harbor, Infrastructure

Crescent City Harbor Aims To Have H Dock’s Water And Electric Systems Operable By Crab Season, Harbormaster Says

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Thumbnail photo: H Dock in the Crescent City Harbor District’s marina bore the brunt of the wave energy from the July 30, 2025 Kamchatka tsunami. | Photo courtesy of Mike Rademaker

More than a year after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake on the other side of the ocean sent a tsunami into Crescent City, the Harbor District is working to have H Dock available to the fishing community.

The goal is to allow vessels to tie up to H Dock and to access water and electricity by the start of the Dungeness crab season tentatively scheduled for Jan. 1, Harbormaster Mike Rademaker told Redwood Voice Community News on Monday.

The Crescent City Harbor District Board of Commissioners on Wednesday heard a report from GHD Senior Marine Structural Engineer Marc Percher on temporary and permanent fixes to H Dock, which sustained the most damage from the July 30, 2025 Kamchatka earthquake and tsunami.

But before Percher gave his presentation, CCHD Board President Rick Shepherd said he felt the proposed temporary solution would be too expensive. He suggested taking steps to allow vessels to tie up to H Dock and to tap into its water and electricity systems, thereby freeing up the port’s repair dock. 

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Articles, CC Harbor, Infrastructure, Local Government

Three Years After Getting Grant To Build Restrooms, CCHD Commissioners Can’t Agree On Location

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A proposed new location for public restrooms and showers — shown in green — is on Starfish Way about half a block from South Beach. | Images courtesy of the Crescent City Harbor District

Three years after receiving a California Coastal Conservancy grant to build public restrooms near South Beach, the Crescent City Harbor District may have to abandon the plan if commissioners can’t agree on a location.

Not building a public restroom was “the other alternative” to a proposal to build the facility on Starfish Way across the street from Redwood RV Park, Community System Solutions CEO Mike Bair, CCHD’s grants manager, said at a special meeting Wednesday. 

But with Commissioner Annie Nehmer arguing that the new location benefits RV park leaseholder Daniel Dahan more than the public, the Board was unable to reach an agreement. 

Continue reading Three Years After Getting Grant To Build Restrooms, CCHD Commissioners Can’t Agree On Location →
Articles, Business, Crescent City, Economy, Housing, Infrastructure, Local Government

Workshops Delve Into Potential Architectural Styles For Downtown Crescent City

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Thumbnail image courtesy of ccdowntownplan.com.

Before launching into a presentation of the different architectural styles that would preserve Downtown Crescent City’s small-town character, Don Arambula mentioned the opposition some have to the city’s plans.

Arambula, principal planner and urban designer for Portland-based Crandall Arambula PC, spoke at a workshop Wednesday for business owners, nonprofit and other government representatives — members of a steering committee driving the development of Crescent City’s Downtown Specific Plan.

During the workshop, Arambula urged steering committee members to think about context. The city’s architectural guidelines and standards need to reflect its “Redwoods to the Sea” motto, he said.

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Articles, Emergencies, Infrastructure, Local Government

Del Norte, Crescent City, Other Jurisdictions Finalize Local Hazard Mitigation Plan

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Thumbnail photo: H Dock in the Crescent City Harbor’s marina bore the brunt of the damage from Kamchatka tsunami on July 29 and July 30, 2025. Tsunamis were among the potential risks Crescent City and other parts of Del Norte County face, according to its the most recent countywide Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. | Photo courtesy of Mike Rademaker

Del Norte County supervisors on Tuesday adopted an updated plan that seeks to reduce risk to life and property from natural disasters and other hazards.

The five-year two-volume countywide Local Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies the community’s risk from wildfires, tsunamis, earthquakes and other disasters, said Sasha Jones, a senior resilience and climate adaptation planner with Tetra Tech. 

The plan is a product of more than two years of public outreach, meetings, surveys and collaboration with other jurisdictions that must also adopt the plan, Jones told supervisors.

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Articles, Infrastructure, Local Government

Del Norte County Board of Supervisors Recap, Sept. 22, 2026

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Thumbnail photo by Aisling Bludworth

Among the items discussed at Tuesday’s Del Norte County Board of Supervisors meeting.

Board Adopts Final 2026-27 Budget: County supervisors closed a 14-day public hearing and adopted the county’s final 2026-27 budget. 

According to a staff report prepared by County Administrative Officer Neal Lopez and Auditor-Controller Clinton Schaad, the county’s overall recommended budget is $283,790,326 with a general fund budget of $53,614,829.

Continue reading Del Norte County Board of Supervisors Recap, Sept. 22, 2026 →
Articles, Crescent City, Infrastructure, Local Government

Crescent City Council Recap, Sept. 21, 2026

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Mayor Pro Tem Candace Tinkler was absent. Among the items discussed at Monday’s Crescent City Council meeting.

Water system servers: Councilors approved spending $83,045 for two servers from Dell Technologies to run the water system’s supervisory control and data acquisition software, or SCADA.

According to City Manager Eric Wier, the SCADA system monitors alarms, water pressures and enables staff to turn pumps on and off without having it manned 24-7. The system was updated in 2019, however a server’s average lifecycle is five years. With the city’s manufacturer support and hardware replacement coverage expiring next April, “the time to replace them is now,” the city manager said.

Continue reading Crescent City Council Recap, Sept. 21, 2026 →
Articles, Crescent City, Economy, Infrastructure, Local Government

Contractors Selected For City’s RV Park Revamp; Coastal Conservancy-Funded Project Includes Two Cabins, Renovated Apartment

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Thumbnail photo: Crescent City is using a California Coastal Conservancy grant to install two ADA-compliant cabins at its Lighthouse Cove RV Park. | Photo courtesy of the City of Crescent City

After they weren’t able to reach a consensus on vacation rental regulations, Crescent City councilors last week approved contracts to install cabins and renovate an apartment for rent at the city-owned RV park.

Paid for through a $835,000 California Coastal Conservancy Explore the Coast Overnight grant, the project isn’t meant to compete with locals who own Airbnbs or VRBOs, Public Works Director David Yeager said at the Council’s Sept. 8 meeting. 

Though the rates have yet to be set, Yeager described renting the cabins and apartment as a “lower cost opportunity” than booking a privately-owned vacation rental.

Continue reading Contractors Selected For City’s RV Park Revamp; Coastal Conservancy-Funded Project Includes Two Cabins, Renovated Apartment →