Fort Bragg Plans Public Study Session, Website to Boost Transparency on Mill Site Development

City officials say planning for the redevelopment of the former Georgia-Pacific mill site is advancing on several fronts, with new efforts underway to increase transparency and public engagement.

Mayor Jason Godeke reported that the city’s mill site ad hoc committee, which includes Councilmember Lindy Peters, met last week to discuss progress on a categorical exclusion zone application to the California Coastal Commission. The exclusion would apply specifically to rail-related areas and activities on the site.

“That is a process that will take quite a while,” Godeke said. “It will take approximately a year to work that application up, and it is specific to the rail-related areas and activities of the mill site.”

Next steps include a series of archaeological, botanical, and visual studies, according to Godeke. The city also recently requested a 12-month stay in its ongoing litigation with Mendocino Railway to allow continued planning and environmental work in coordination with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and other agencies, Godeke said.

“We expect to be holding a study session on that whole process in early December,” Godeke said. “That will be an opportunity to hear more about all of these various processes that’ll be working in parallel and to get input from the public on this very important topic.”

To improve communication, the city will also launch a dedicated web page with documents and updates related to mill site activities and planning.

“There’s a lot going on,” Godeke said. “We’re going to have a web page dedicated specifically to mill site activity so the public can go to one space, get updates, see documents, and try to make that as easy as possible for folks to access.”

Councilmember Peters said the December study session will be open to the public and intended as an “information exchange.”

“I know the public has not had a chance to comment on things that are going on — a lot of it has to do with closed session and lawsuits,” Peters said. “But I want the public to know we’re not trying to hide anything. We’re really going to try and make an effort now with the web page and a series of public meetings to get the information out there and start drawing the public into this process as much as we can going forward.”

Read Mendo Local’s continuing coverage of ongoing mill site development efforts:

Skunk Train, Fort Bragg Jointly Agree to Set Aside Default in Mill Site Suit

U.S. Supreme Court denies Skunk Train appeal

Federal Railway Agency Affirms Mendocino Railway’s Carrier Status

Default Notice Issued as Stormwater Contamination Battle with Fort Bragg Escalates