Trinidad City Council Addresses Development Concerns and Moonstone Beach Project
The Trinidad City Council convened a hybrid meeting on July 8, 2025, addressing several key issues impacting the community. While some audio issues hampered complete transcription, key decisions and public concerns were clearly documented. Councilmembers Cheryl Kelly, Kati Breckenridge, and Bryce Kenny, along with City Manager Joe Tagliaferro, were among those present.
The meeting began with the routine approval of minutes from previous meetings on May 13th and 20th, which passed unanimously. Following this, council reports highlighted the ongoing Moonstone Beach Coastal Resilience and Public Access Planning Project. Councilmember Taylor reported on discussions at the June 8th Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services (HCOG) meeting, noting the project's $750,000 funding from the California State Coastal Conservancy. Councilmember Kenny added insights from a June 26th meeting with the Trinidad Rancheria, further emphasizing the project's significance and associated litigation.
A significant portion of the meeting centered on public discussion of a development permit application (2025-001) for five single-family homes on a 3.1-acre parcel near Highway 101 and Northwest Haven Drive. The Planning Commission had already approved design review and grading permits on June 18th. However, public comment revealed significant concerns. One resident voiced worry about the project's density, suggesting three houses would be more suitable for the mixed-use zone. Another, representing the Trinidad Coastal Land Trust, focused on the Moonstone Beach project. Additional public comment echoed concerns about density and the lack of a fence, with one commenter requesting traffic mitigation measures like speed bumps on Northwest Haven Drive due to high traffic speeds.
In response to these concerns, the council decided to postpone a final decision on the development permit application, moving it to the end of the agenda for further discussion. This motion passed unanimously. The council indicated a commitment to addressing the density and traffic concerns before making a final decision. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for September to revisit the development permit application.
Beyond the development permit, the council announced a public meeting on July 9th, 2025, from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Trinidad Town Hall, to discuss the Moonstone Beach Coastal Resilience and Public Access Planning Project. Further details about this and the September council meeting can be found on the city's website: https://www.trinidad.ca.gov/meetings