The city of Arcata and Humboldt State University are researching the potential purchase of a plot of land that butts up against the city's Community Forest and the school’s campus.

The 58-acre property on Bayview Street, which recently hit the market with an asking price of $3.2 million, has long been on the city’s radar, as it sits adjacent to the community forest and is plush with redwood, Douglas fir and spruce stands.

“This has been an over 20-year pursuit,” said Arcata Environmental Services Director Mark Andre. “There’s been an interest in that property for a long time. … The timberland part, it’s a good fit for the community forest.”

HSU also has an interest in the property — which spans four parcels with a mix of natural resource, timber production and very low density residential zonings. Kyla Tripodi, the seller’s agent for the property, said she’s discussed the property with both HSU and the city, noting that the city is primarily interested in the timberland portion of the property while the university has some interest in the residentially zoned portion as well. Tripodi said a joint acquisition is entirely possible.

There are currently no residences on the property, Tripodi said, but about 10 acres of it is zoned such that it can be subdivided into half-acre, buildable lots. Tripodi also noted that the popular frisbee golf course on the eastern edge of the university runs through a portion of the property, adding that the current owners would like to see that preserved by whoever purchases the property.

Andre said the city is still in the early stages of looking at the property, noting that any potential purchase would have to go before the city council. The city, Andre said, is always interested in taking a hard look at any property that runs along the community forest’s boundaries and comes up for sale, but has been interested in this one for a long time and has even made inquiries in the past.

Tripodi said the property is hitting the market because its owners have all moved out of town and it has proven a challenge to manage from afar.

Attempts to contact HSU Associate Vice President of Facilities Management Traci Ferdolage for this story were not immediately successful.

Tripodi said anyone looking for more information on the property can view its listing here, adding that a drone fly-over video of the property should be posted to the site sometime next week.

Andre said the Humboldt Area Foundation’s Arcata Forest Fund is integral in facilitating any potential land acquisitions like this, as it allows the city to consult with attorneys, surveyors, appraisers and others to research potential purchases without impacting the city’s general fund. “That remains a small, but key fund in our acquisitions,” Andre said.

Turning his attention back to the Bayview Street property, Andre cautioned things are very early in the process. “I’m glad the land owner and their agents are working with us,” he said, “so hopefully we’ll be able to, you know, pull off something that’s good for the community and good for the landowner — the old win-win.”