County of Humboldt - Government

07/24/2026

Heads up, Humboldt! Environmental health officials are warning community residents to be on the lookout for harmful algal blooms after a dog died on Thursday, July 23, a short time after swimming in a slow, stagnant pool of water off the Eel River near Scotia. Please see the post below for more information.

Environmental health officials are warning community residents to be on the lookout for harmful algal blooms after a dog died on Thursday, July 23, a short time after swimming in a slow, stagnant pool of water off the Eel River near Scotia.

Click here for more information: https://humboldtgov.org/m/newsflash/home/detail/6286

07/14/2026

Scam alert, Humboldt! 🚨 The Humboldt County Planning & Building Department has received several new reports of another scam targeting Humboldt County permit applicants. Learn more at: tinyurl.com/PermitScam

Scam Alert! 🚨
The Humboldt County Planning & Building Department has received new reports of another email scam targeting the community.

In this scam fraudulent emails claim to be from Humboldt County Planning & Building Director John Ford and/or the Humboldt County Planning Commission. The scammer tells the victim that they have reviewed their permit application and an “application review and approval fee” is required before “official approval” can be finalized. The emails also include instructions on how to wire funds to pay the fee and settle the account.

The county’s Information Technology Security team has confirmed Humboldt County’s system has not been hacked. The scammers appear to be using information gathered from publicly available documents, such as Planning Commission meeting agendas and staff reports.

The County of Humboldt wants the public to know that the Humboldt County Planning Commission does not issue invoices, so anything from the Planning Commission asking for payment is a scam.

While the Planning & Building Department may contact you regarding an application or legitimate past due fees, the County of Humboldt will never ask you to:

• Mail large sums of cash
• Wire funds to a private account
• Use a credit card over the phone, or
• Pay with gift cards or pre-paid money card

If you have any questions about the status of your pending permit application or past due fees, please call 707-445-7541.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone who believes they may have been targeted or have been a victim of this type of fraudulent activity to report the incident immediately by calling 707-445-7251.

Stay Informed Sign up for the Federal Trade Commission’s scam alerts and visit USA.gov/Where-Report-Scams to learn how to report scams.

To learn more about some of the common scams reported to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, please visit HumboldtGov.org/ScamInfo.

07/10/2026

Hey Humboldt! You're invited to participate in the update of the Humboldt Bay Area Plan.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻?
The Humboldt Bay Area Plan is plan that is certified by the California Coastal Commission that establishes policies on how the unincorporated area around Humboldt Bay and its coastline can be used. It is in the process of being comprehensively updated to address issues including sea level rise, tsunami awareness and land use requirements.

The public draft document was released on June 1 to give the community the opportunity to provide input. It can be found on county’s website now at: HumboldtGov.org/HumboldtBayAreaPlanUpdate

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲
If you would like to be part of the discussion on the update of this plan, please consider attending Humboldt County’s Planning Commission workshop on this topic during their regular meeting on Thursday, July 16 at 6 p.m.

Community members have the option to attend on Zoom or in person at the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors’ Chamber, located at 825 Fifth St. in Eureka.

Check out the Humboldt County Planning Commission's meeting agendas, find details about how you can join via Zoom or watch the meetings online at: humboldt.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁
Following the workshop, the Planning & Building Department will update the plan based on the feedback received. The plan will then enter the hearing stage where the Planning Commission will make their recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, who will consider those recommendations and make a decision regarding the updates to this plan.

To receive community meeting updates or ask questions about the Humboldt Bay Area Plan, please email: [email protected] or call 707-268-3713.

📸 Pictured: Boats in Humboldt Bay. Photo courtesy of Jill Duffy. Additional text reads, "Humboldt Bay Area Plan Workshop at the Planning Commission meeting. In person or on Zoom, Thursday, July 16 at 6 p.m. For more info, visit HumboldtGov.org." The County of Humboldt logo is shown.

07/09/2026

The Humboldt County Planning & Building Department is developing an ordinance to allow low-impact camping areas in rural unincorporated Humboldt County and is seeking public input.

A draft of the Low-Impact Camping Area Ordinance is available for review at: HumboldtGov.org/LICA

A public workshop will be held on Wednesday, July 15 at 6 p.m. to share information about the draft ordinance and receive input from the community.

𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱
Assembly Bill 518 was passed in October 2025. This bill allows counties to permit small-scale and low-impact camping on private rural lands without requiring a state permit. Since the bill was passed, the Planning & Building Department has been working to develop a Low-Impact Camping Area Ordinance that follows state law and local standards for fire safety, solid and human waste, and other zoning and permitting requirements that protect public health, safety and welfare.

A draft of the ordinance has already been reviewed by relevant regulatory agencies, including the Building Division, Department of Environmental Health, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, California Coastal Commission and the Farm Bureau. Their input has been considered for incorporation into the draft document.

𝗟𝗼𝘄-𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽
If you would like to be part of the discussion on this ordinance, please consider reviewing the draft ordinance and attending the virtual public workshop on Wednesday, July 15 at 6 p.m.

Community members and other interested parties have the option to attend the workshop on Zoom, or by calling in.

Following the workshop, staff will update the ordinance based on feedback received and a second workshop will be held at a subsequent Planning Commission hearing. The ordinance will then enter the hearing stage where the Planning Commission will make their recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, who will consider those recommendations and make a decision regarding the proposed ordinance.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺
Members of the public may attend the workshop on virtually by visiting Zoom online and entering the password 200525. To access it on the phone, call 346-248-7799, enter the meeting ID: 853 5938 9091 and password: 200525.

For more information about the workshop, please email [email protected] or call 707-441-2634.

For more information about Humboldt County’s draft Low-Impact Camping Area Ordinance, please visit: HumboldtGov.org/LICA

📸 Pictured: A line of trees in Humboldt County. Photo courtesy of Molly Isaacson. Text states,"Draft Low-Impact Camping Area Ordinance Public Workshop. Wednesday, July 15 at 6 p.m. on Zoom. For more information, visit HumboldtGov.org/LICA." County of Humboldt logo is shown.

07/08/2026

Heads up, Humboldt! Route 96 in Hoopa is closed from Carpenter Lane in Hoopa to north of the Sidehill Viaduct (post mile 14.85 – 19) due to wildfire. Please avoid the area and check quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or use the QuickMap app for information on the latest road conditions before you head out on the road.

07/08/2026

Stay safe, Humboldt! For more information and evacuation updates regarding the Mile Post 16 Fire in Hoopa, please visit HumboldtGov.org/Emergency, or call the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services at 707-441-5000.

07/02/2026

Hey Humboldt! Just checking in to remind you that County of Humboldt offices will be closed tomorrow, Friday, July 3 in observance of Independence Day.

Public lobbies will be closed, but essential services such as law enforcement and emergency operations will continue to be available. Regular office hours will resume on Monday, July 6.

For a full list of the county's office closures, please visit: tinyurl.com/HumCoOfficeClosures

📸 Pictured: Forth of July fireworks over Humboldt Bay. Photo courtesy of Visit Eureka.

06/30/2026

Hey Humboldt! Now is the time to share your thoughts on the proposed Amazon Distribution Facility and submit comment on the project's potential environmental impacts.

𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱
On Oct. 21, 2025, the Humboldt County Planning & Building Department received an application for a Coastal Development Permit to construct a 40,290 square-foot commercial warehouse and several parking lots. The proposed project would operate as an Amazon Distribution Facility that spans across six parcels, located at 3110 Boeing Ave. within the Airport Business Park in McKinleyville.

The County of Humboldt’s Planning & Building Department has circulated a Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed project. The notice of preparation serves as an opportunity for the public to make comments regarding the potential environmental effects of the proposed project.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲
The county invites all interested parties to review the proposed project and provide written comments about specific concerns related to the project’s potential environmental impacts.

The notice is available for review at HumboldtGov.org/MajorProjects

Comments will be accepted now through Wednesday, July 29 at 5 p.m. and can be sent by mail to Steve Lazar, Senior Planner, Humboldt County Planning & Building Department, 3015 H St., Eureka, CA 95501 or by email to [email protected].

Written comments should identify specific topics of environmental concern and your reason for suggesting the study of these topics in the EIR. These comments will be included in the appendix in the draft Environmental Impact Report when it is completed.

𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
The Humboldt County Planning & Building Department will host a virtual public scoping meeting to receive public comment from the community on the scope and content of the EIR. The meeting will be held over Zoom on Tuesday, July 14 at 6 p.m. and will include a brief presentation of the proposed project, a summary of the general EIR process and the opportunity for attendees to provide input.

Access the meeting by visiting Zoom online and entering the meeting id: 810 6499 9815 and passcode: 200525.

To access the meeting by phone, please call 669-900-6833 and enter the webinar id: 81064999815.

All interested community members are encouraged to attend and to note that no final decisions regarding this project will be made at this meeting. Additional opportunities for public comment will be provided before a final decision is reached.

For more information about this proposed project, visit: HumboldtGov.org/MajorProjects

📸 Image includes map depicting the proposed Amazon Distribution Facility project area. Map courtesy of the Humboldt County Planning & Building Department. Source image courtesy of ESRI Aerial Imagery. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.

06/26/2026

Heads up, ACV travelers! Due to wet weather, road repair work on Airport Loop Road has been suspended and will resume tomorrow, Saturday, June 27.

Airport Loop Road is currently open, however, parking in front of the airport terminal is limited. If you're headed to the airport tomorrow, be sure to plan to arrive early and allow for extra time.

For more information about this project, check out the full press release at: tinyurl.com/AirportLoopRoadUpdate

ACV travelers! Due to wet weather, road repair work on Airport Loop Road has been suspended and will resume tomorrow, Saturday, June 27.

Airport Loop Road is currently open, however, parking in front of the airport terminal is limited. If you're headed to the airport tomorrow, be sure to plan to arrive early and allow for extra time.

We appreciate your patience as we work to make these improvements.

For more information, check out the full press release at: tinyurl.com/AirportLoopRoadUpdate

Humboldt County Public Works - Roads

06/26/2026

We are hiring a Director of Library Services! The Humboldt County Public Library system is a vital community institution serving all county residents through a main library in Eureka, ten branch locations throughout the county and a bookmobile serving remote areas. The Director of Library Services will assume full management responsibility for all programs, services and activities of the county’s Library Services Department. ✨📚✨

The Humboldt County Public Library system is dedicated to supporting lifelong learning, local heritage and the cultural, recreational and information needs of its communities. This is a meaningful opportunity for an experienced leader who is passionate about public service and the important role libraries play in our lives. The deadline to apply is Monday, July 6.

Learn more and apply at: tinyurl.com/LibraryServicesDirector

For more information on all other county job openings, please visit Humboldtgov.org/Jobs.

📸 Pictured: The Humboldt County library in Eureka. Additional text notes that the county is hiring a Director of Library Services with an annual salary range of $119,537 - $135,241. Image courtesy of the Humboldt County Library Services Department.

Humboldt County Library - Eureka Main Branch
Humboldt County Library - Arcata Branch
Humboldt County Library - Fortuna Branch
Humboldt County Library - Rio Dell Branch
Humboldt County Library - McKinleyville Branch
Humboldt County Library - Trinidad Branch