Bonnie Neely

Bonnie Neely is a member of the firm's Environment & Land Use and Public Policy Practice Groups.  Before joining the firm, Ms. Neely was a six-term Humboldt County Supervisor and a 12-year member of the California Coastal Commission.  She served on the Commission — which she chaired in 2009 and 2010 — as a governor's appointee.

This comprehensive experience has given Ms. Neely a keen insight into the land-use and resource issues affecting private development, public infrastructure, and environmental protection throughout California's sensitive coastal zone.  She has been involved in a large number of major coastal projects, many of which were precedent setting, and understands the importance of local government in formulating and updating Local Coastal Programs (LCPs) that govern allowable development.

Representative Work

Environmental Concerns and Coastal Development

During her years of service on the California Coastal Commission, Ms. Neely was closely involved in a large number of major coastal projects, many of which were precedent setting. Among these are:

• Samoa Pacific Group, Humboldt County, California. (HUM-MAJ-1-08).  Re-designate and rezone lands within an approximately 220-acre site located on the North Spit of Samoa Peninsula in Humboldt County.  The local coastal plan was amended to include 300 new single-family homes and 45 new apartments.  Ninety-nine vintage redwood mill worker cottages were retained as existing historical residences, a new business park, general commercial designations for the downtown Samoa area, commercial recreational areas, public recreational areas (parks), public facilities such as sewage treatment facilities, water storage, and service yard and natural resource areas were also permitted.  Unanimously approved by commission in March 2011.
• Cher-Ae Heights Indian community of Trinidad Rancheria, Trinidad, Humboldt County, California. (Application #1-07-46).  Trinidad Pier Restoration Project. Included demolition and reconstruction of Trinidad Pier (a 540 foot long, wooden trestle and plank facility), including construction of a stormwater drainage treatment system and installation of replacement seawater intake pump for Humboldt State University's Marine lab.  Unanimously approved by commission in January 2010.
• PG&E Nuclear Power Plant, Humboldt Bay, California. (E-07-013).  Application to demolish and decommission two gas-fired and one nuclear power generating unit at the Humboldt Bay Power Plant, Eureka, California.  Unanimously approved by commission in December 2009.
• Fort Bragg Master Plan Development and toxic site clean-up. (Application #A-1-FTB-05-53-A6).  Specific Plan re: reuse of 400-acre coastal property – the Georgia Pacific Mill site, west of Highway 1 in Fort Bragg, California.  This site occupies one third of the City.
• Mad River Bridge and the Alton Interchange, Humboldt County, California.  Both projects are in the coastal zone of Humboldt County.  As a Coastal Commissioner, Ms. Neely served on the Commission's Roads Edge Committee, which met with Caltrans District Directors throughout California quarterly to help expedite permitting for many road and bridge projects.
• Noyo Harbor Bridge, State Highway 1, Fort Bragg, Mendocino County, California.  Added a public access walkway on the bridge plus a redesign of railings to address public safety issues and also preserve public views of the coast from the bridge.

Other Significant Coastal Zone Projects

• Poseidon Resources, Carlsbad, California. (E-06-013).  Construct and operate a 50-million gallon-per-day seawater desalinization facility.
• Lane Field, San Diego, California. (A-6-PSD-08-04/A-6-PSD-08-101).  Construction of two hotels (total of 800 guest rooms) with health club/spa, pools, ballrooms and meeting rooms and a three-story building with retail and dining visitor services.
• PG&E Diablo Canyon, San Luis Obispo County. (A-3-SLO-04-035).  Construct and operate a radioactive waste storage facility within the high-security area of the Diablo Canyon power plant complex.
• Caltrans, Mendocino County. (1-06-022).  Replacement of Ten Mile River Bridge, State Highway 1.

Job Creation and Economic Development

As Humboldt County Supervisor, Ms. Neely built an outstanding record with regard to the North Coast and jobs for its people:

• Worked with Sierra Pacific Industries to obtain the Coast Development permits required for processing pulp and shipping it from Humboldt Bay.
• Saved nearly 200 jobs – while insuring resource protection – by developing a precedent-setting agreement between Humboldt County, the California Department of Resources, and commercial operators, which provided for the continuation of gravel extraction on the Mad River.
• As a member of the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission, helped create more than 600 jobs through low-interest loans to small businesses.
• Working with Congressman Frank Riggs (R-Windsor), obtained $1.6 million for economic development in Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties.