Guest Column: Save Our Coast Launches Anti-Amazon Petition Drive

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Amazon logo superimposed on an artist’s perspective of the Amazon site.

A grassroots citizens group has completed the required paperwork to gather signatures on a petition for a November ballot initiative to restrict the size and impact of a proposed Amazon distribution facility near the Humboldt Airport in McKinleyville.

The Humboldt County Clerk’s office approved the petition Thursday. Volunteers with the Save Our Coast campaign now launch a furious effort to collect 4,678 signatures from registered Humboldt County voters by Aug. 7. Volunteers in red sequined hats will be spreading out, especially in Eureka, Arcata, McKinleyville and Trinidad, to collect signatures.

“You’ll be seeing us at the Arcata Crabs games, the Eureka Friday Night Market, farmers’ markets, 4th of July festivities and everywhere in between,” said Tina Freeland, organizer of Indivisible Trinidad, a local community activist group. “The outpouring of support has been overwhelming — we have many hands helping and a lot of signatures to collect.”

If approved, the measure would direct the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors to limit warehouse and distribution centers in the county’s coastal zone to a maximum of 20,000 square feet — protecting one of California’s most pristine coastlines from industrial sprawl.

Amazon’s proposal is for a 40,000-square-foot facility in the McKinleyville business park next to the airport that has drawn loud opposition from residents, including at a public hearing on the plan in April.

Humboldt County Clerk/Registrar Juan Pablo Cervantes said last week that time is short to get a ballot measure approved for November. “I’m not saying it’s impossible, but these are some really tight timelines we’re talking about,” he told Lost Coast Outpost.

But Save Our Coast supporters are undeterred. Large warehousing can be located anywhere, they say. There is no reason to put it here.

“Communities up and down this coast have watched industrial development hollow out the very thing that made them special,” Freeland said. “Humboldt still has what those places lost. This is how we keep it.”

Beyond preserving Humboldt’s coastline, organizers oppose Amazon for several reasons: Amazon deliveries threaten U.S. Postal Service and UPS jobs; Amazon Web Services has a $50 million contract with ICE, thus supporting federal surveillance and deportation efforts; Amazon competes directly with Humboldt’s locally owned businesses and does not pay local sales taxes.

“This is not the kind of neighbor we want here in Humboldt County,” supporters said.

Further, a massive warehouse directly on the coast would be a major noise and light disruption affecting an estimated 850,000 shorebirds whose migration flyway passes almost directly over the proposed Amazon site.

“We invite all registered voters in Humboldt County to sign the petition,” Freeland said. “Your signature ensures you have a voice in this decision.”

To volunteer or sign up, email [email protected].

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