City of Eureka marsh clean up commences today

The City of Eureka has established a maintenance/clean-up schedule for City owned marsh areas
beginning Thursday, July 3. These areas will have routine maintenance including trash and invasive vegetation
removal on a rotating basis every Thursday.
EPD will provide not less than 72-hour notification to illegal encampments and be present to
ensure compliance during each clean-up. Illegal campers must remove any personal belongings
while the area is cleaned. No personal belongings will be discarded or impounded during this
clean-up. During the initial clean-ups, a front loader will be used to remove trash for efficiency.
Heavy equipment will not be used to remove any living vegetation. Living vegetation removal
will be limited to invasive species only (pampas grass, fennel, non-native berries, spartina,
hemlock, etc.) using a weed whacker.
This routine clean-up program is not for criminalizing houseless or solving our homeless issues.
This program is designed to address the City’s responsibility as a property owner. Those illegally
camping on City property will now be on notice that every Thursday is the day routine
maintenance will occur and to pack up all personal belongings during this clean-up period. Parks
and Recreation is responsible for maintaining the greenbelts and will be the lead on illegal
dumping abatement and encampment remnant clean up. EPD presence is just to insure
compliance with the notification process and make sure order is maintained.
The City has recently improved the PALCO Marsh interpretive walk and intends to extend public
access along the railroad corridor and adjacent properties with the extension of the Waterfront
Trail. The City intends to make the existing public access at PALCO Marsh and future Waterfront
Trail clean and safe for appropriate uses. This on-going program is important to address the
City’s responsibility as a property owner and to address the environmental damage resulting from
existing inappropriate activities.
The clean-up and maintenance will be done by SWAP with assistance from City staff. The clean-
up schedule for those impacted areas will be posted on the City’s web site and social media outlets.