Fortuna Seeks Nearly 244-Acre Eel River Purchase for Public Access, Tribal Stewardship

Fortuna city staff are pursuing a purchase of roughly 243 acres of undeveloped riparian land immediately west of the city, a 236-acre tract along the lower Eel River and a 7.2-acre parcel on Riverwalk Drive behind Eel River Brewery, with $1.89 million in state and federal grants already secured, city documents show. The staff report frames the acquisition as a multi‑purpose effort to expand public access, protect wetlands and riparian habitat, and support natural‑resource stewardship along the lower Eel River.

“The City of Fortuna has long sought to improve public access to the Eel River corridor, preserve riparian habitat, and expand opportunities for open space, recreation, and natural resource stewardship through the purchase of property along the Lower Eel River,” the staff report reads. City officials are asking the council to approve a draft purchase agreement and to place a $10,000 deposit to secure the transaction while financing and appraisals proceed.

Funding for the Riverwalk Drive parcel is identified: the 7.2‑acre site would be turned into a Riverfront Park and funded by a California River Parkways Grant administered by the Natural Resources Agency, according to the project application. Acquisition of the larger west‑side tract is contingent on a grant award from the California Coastal Conservancy to cover the fair‑market purchase price; independent appraisals will determine the final values for all parcels.

Tribal stewardship is central to the proposal. A project application by the Wiyot Tribe describes the plan to acquire four parcels “comprising approximately 244 acres” and states, “The remaining 237 acres will be owned by the Wiyot Tribe and will be used to preserve habitat.” Fortuna City Manager Amy Nilsen provided a staff update listing a more specific breakdown: “229.6 acres of wetlands on the west side of the Eel River will be returned to the Wiyot Tribe. The 7.2-acre parcel on Riverwalk Drive will be turned into a park, with plans to build a dock for river access.”

The properties under negotiation are currently held in private title by Troy Elbert Land and Trudy Marilyn Ehmke, and the city’s purchase is conditional on council approval and successful grant awards. City staff say the council will review the purchase agreement at an upcoming meeting and that the $10,000 deposit is part of the contingent agreement while grants are finalized and appraisals are completed.

Not all figures align across documents: city staff materials list the larger tract as 236 acres and the Riverwalk parcel as 7.2 acres (a combined 243.2 acres), a Wiyot project application describes “approximately 244 acres” total, and the city manager cited 229.6 acres as the wetlands acreage destined for tribal ownership. The staff report and grant applications do not list a purchase price; they note appraisals and Coastal Conservancy grant approval will determine the final transfer terms and timing. The Fortuna City Council decision and the outcome of the Coastal Conservancy grant will determine whether the land transfers to the Wiyot Tribe and whether the Riverwalk park and dock move to permitting and construction.