FORTUNA — The Fortuna City Council gave conceptual support Monday to a community-led economic development effort that presenters said is meant to help the city respond to long-running pressures in downtown vitality, housing, permitting and business retention.
At the June 1 meeting, council members received and filed the presentation and endorsed formation of a lead community work group, according to the meeting record. The proposal calls for the group to draft a new economic vision and brand for Fortuna and coordinate subgroups focused on downtown revitalization, tourism, business development, remote workers, business support, housing and city services.
Presenters Martha Spencer and John Sapper told the council that Fortuna is at a pivotal point after the decline of timber and the collapse of cannabis revenue. They said respondents in a community outreach effort repeatedly raised housing affordability and availability, weaker downtown activity, slow or unclear permitting, and the need to better promote assets such as the mill site, River Walk area, redwoods and the Eel River. Spencer also said Main Street lacks vibrancy, cohesion and destination appeal.
Sapper told council members that more than 70 business and community leaders signed a letter recommending that a community-led group be formed to tackle the issues. He said the first meeting is expected within about 30 days, at which point the group would sort out responsibilities, scope and priorities.
The council’s action came at the end of a meeting that also included routine consent-calendar approvals, including labor-related side letters, acceptance of a $10,000 grant from the Humboldt Area Foundation, a Planning Commission appointment and an amendment to the city’s solid waste franchise agreement.
The city manager said the effort comes alongside other planning work, including the city’s general plan update and strategic plan. Later in the meeting, the council also approved a hiring-freeze exception for a full-time deputy city engineer position, authorized award of the annual water valve replacement project, and adopted the fiscal year 2026-2027 five-year capital improvement program.
