The Landing: Can City Leaders, Community, Planning Team, and Developers Join Forces to Create a Win-Win for Mount Shasta City?

Acting City Manager and current City Planner Kim Fowler led the community gathering on September 1st, 2026 at Mount Shasta City Park Upper Lodge

September 1st Town Hall: A Promising Effort Towards Conscious, Intentional, Community-Considerate Development

By Anastasia Sprout | Mount Shasta Observer

September 1st was the second Mount Shasta City Park Town Hall I attended focused on the proposed planning and development for The Landing project. Per its website, https://thelandingmountshasta.com/

The Landing is Mount Shasta's long-running effort to redevelop the former Roseburg lumber mill property at the south end of town. It is roughly 120–127 acres, immediately accessible to Interstate 5 and the railroad, making it one of the largest and potentially most consequential pieces of developable land in the city. The City owns the property.

How we got here

The former mill property became a brownfield after the mill closed in the 1980s. Mount Shasta eventually acquired the property and annexed it in 2000 for economic development and visitor-serving uses. For more than two decades, the City has worked with the EPA and other agencies to investigate and clean up contamination left from the site's industrial history.

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A "brownfield" is previously developed land where actual or suspected contamination makes redevelopment more complicated.

According to the City of Mount Shasta website, Mount Shasta received a $707,740 EPA cleanup grant towards the property in 2023.

Originally, the vision was primarily a commerce park. The existing land-use plan contemplated commercial, industrial and visitor-oriented development, taking advantage of the property's freeway and rail access.

The vision is now changing

The City's current approach is much broader. Rather than simply selling industrial parcels one at a time, Mount Shasta commissioned a new conceptual master plan in 2026 to reconsider approximately 120 acres as an entire district.

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March 12, 2026: City of Mt. Shasta Mixed-Use Development Plan "The City is seeking proposals from qualified planning and design firms to participate in a selection process to provide high-level conceptual master planning services for an approximately 120-acre site located on the southern edge of Mount Shasta, California (the Project Site or the Landing). This procurement shall be conducted in accordance with applicable federal procurement requirements under 2 CFR Part 200 and all applicable state and local procurement regulations. The purpose of this Master Plan is to establish a strategic roadmap and guiding framework for future development by the City of Mount Shasta, either independently or in partnership with private development entities. The Master Plan will define a long-term vision and organizational structure for this emerging district and serve as a foundational document to guide phased implementation. The RFP may be reviewed here: https://www.mtshastaca.gov/media/7211"

The Planning Team selected was GHD Inc.

2600 Capitol Ave Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95816

GHD Inc. is the U.S. arm of the global engineering and planning firm GHD. From the GDH global website:

"Creating lasting community benefit"

GHD is a global, multidisciplinary professional services network providing clients with integrated solutions across advisory, digital, engineering, architecture, environmental and construction.

Our future-focused, innovative approaches connect and support communities around the world, building resiliency and sustainability for generations to come.

Jonathan Linkus, AICP — An urban designer/planner whose background includes Harvard Graduate School of Design and extensive master-planning, land-use and urban-design work. What gets built and where.
Todd Tregenza, AICP — Based in Sacramento and specializes in transportation and mobility planning. He's currently identified as GHD's US West Transport Planning & Mobility Business Group Leader. (not present at the September meeting). Roads, circulation, transportation.
Linda S. Congleton — real-estate economics, market feasibility and development analysis; she operates Linda S. Congleton & Associates and has worked as the economics/real-estate member of GHD project teams. She specializes in retail, mixed-use projects, hotels, residential developments, town centers, tourism/resort retail, market feasibility, sales projections and financial analysis. Whether the whole concept works financially.

🏅The GHD winning proposal: https://www.mtshastaca.gov/media/7651

This planning team has worked together on California municipal planning projects in the past, including the City of La Quinta, CA 2025, the City of TwentyNine Palms, CA, and the City of Beaumont, CA.

Landing Site Permitted Uses
Arboretums and horticulture gardens, art galleries, exhibit centers, automobile rental agencies (offces only), barber and beauty shops, bicycle rental shops, eating and drinking establishments, gift, novelty and souvenir shops, hotels, motels, and accessory shops, indoor commercial recreational facilities such as ice skating rinks, amusement centers, bowling alleys, travel agencies, ticket agencies, theaters, dance halls, community assembly halls, and any other visitor serving uses as determined by the City Council to serve the purpose of this Area.
Administrative Uses
Administratively the Planning Department can issue permits for antennas and communications facilities on undeveloped lots.
Permitted Uses in DA-II, retail business establishments permitted in the C-1 zone, as set forth in the City’s Zoning Ordinance, and service stations.

See Land Use Plan: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54ad7d2de4b09209a6149b65/t/5829f4bf893fc0eadc774e11/1479144640835/The+Landing+Development+-+City+of+Mt+Shasta+Land+Use+Plan.pdf

The Landing property is included in the City's Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD), which can use some of the additional property-tax revenue generated by new development to help pay for infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer improvements. The EIFD does not raise property tax rates.

Developers John and Brian Power also answered the call, here at the September 1, 2026 Town Hall.

John Power to the left, darker blue shirt; Brian Power to the right/closer.

The Power brothers are proceeding with the same spirit as the GHD planning team and city leaders: in concert with the wishes of the participating community of Mount Shasta. The Landing Town Halls are free and open to everyone. The process is slow, steady, and transparent, not rushed and "back door."

Planning vison to date.

Given the painful lessons of the former Crystal Geyser Bottling Plant vs. local land/water protector activists, slow, transparent, and steady are welcome approaches for many.

“Mount Shasta is a very special place. John and I believe the first step is to listen and learn. The Landing represents a unique opportunity for Mt. Shasta, and we want to give the community and the City’s master planning process the time and space to help define what that opportunity should become.”

--Brian Power, of The Power Group, Developers

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The Landing is Mount Shasta's attempt to transform a publicly owned, environmentally contaminated former lumber mill into a new mixed-use district—with housing, businesses and potentially tourism, industrial and community uses—while the City simultaneously considers selling or partnering on portions of the property with private developers including Brian and John Power.

The July 14, 2026 Town Hall Meeting, as reported by Siskiyou News:

At the July town hall meeting, City staff and the Conceptual Master Plan consultant team presented a number of possible uses for The Landing, then engaged in a two hour-long discussion as Mt. Shastans provided feedback and suggested changes. Several key themes emerged:

Locally-controlled small businesses

Housing that will be affordable to Mt. Shastans

Possible space for performing arts or outdoor recreation

No data centers

The full recording of this meeting can be viewed on our YouTube channel.

The September 1, 2026 Town Hall Meeting:

Here are most of the slides presented at the recent Town Hall by the GHD planning team and city leaders:

GHD planners used a "delphi method" to invite community participants to place three sticker votes on their highest priorities, and one vote on a NO.

I look forward to the ofifcial results of this community poll, but recall that housing got a lot of stickers and a "Mountain Resort Motorcoach Park" did not.

Outlining what's changed since earlier Landing efforts.

Dynamic Linda Congleton and Jonathan Linkus were clear about wanting community input as they advance the team's master plan.

Homes to own and homes to rent were prioritized in community feedback in the July Town Hall meeting.

The Landing could include a new Public Safety Center, opening up prize downtown real estate for something new.

An up to three-story chain hotel was proposed near I-5 to be built with limited services, for example no kitchens, to draw guests to local restaurants and area amenities.

The "upscale motorcoach" idea wasn't as popular as others...

"Row Rentals" have been successful in other communities.

More venues for small weddings and visitors were proposed.

Mountain Lodge Cabins? - yes that is a fabulous soaking tub!

"Well made pre-fab houses" of 650' - 1000'

Places for families to gather and kids to play were included.

Retail spaces like this one were envisioned for later in the project's development.

"Retail follows Residents."

Planner Linda Congleton's quote emphasized the goal to create more spaces for permanent residents of Mount Shasta to live and support a strong downtown core, before adding additional, non-competitive retail shops. This reassured some residents who don't want to see boarded-up stores along Mount Shasta Boulevard.

To help keep local properties local, the idea of pre-selling housing to first time local homeowners was raised. While these may be larger than typical "tiny home" structures as championed by the Shasta local Y.E.A.H. movement/Ohanamalamalama founders Afa Garrigan and Aurea Wolf, they were proposed as rental and starter homes to help the ongoing community efforts to keep locals in town.

What about the Sewer Line?

Community questions revealed concerns that the existing sewer structure would need revamping to become functional. Could the line be plumbed to run under the freeway? Apparently the property may need a separate sewer system.

Planners spoke of maximizing the view of Mount Shasta by building a taller hotel property closer to I-5.

There was an active community question/answer and discussion period following the presentation, which included a stated need for an acoustically-designed musical venue to host bluegrass and other area bands looking for spaces. Naturally-themed mini golf for families, a great mountain-view pond park, bike paths, green spaces and a trail system were proposed.

Locals wanted to support Native American tribal places and participation, to honor and accommodate indiginous community events.

Local resident Dave Reynolds from http://www.shastamusic.org/ requesting more spaces specifically designed for high quality acoustical music performances.

What the Landing Project will NOT Include:

Amen!

Watch the recording of the September 1, 2026 Town Hall here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2Ao4lQLjYM

The Next Town Hall has not been announced, if there is another to be scheduled, but the Landing will certainly be on the agenda at future Mount Shasta City Council meetings.

City Hall Contact: Acting City Manager and City Planner Kim Fowler: 530-408-9258 or email.

Planning Team Point of Contact: Jonathan Linkus T: +1 949 585-5265 | E: Jonathan.Linkus@ghd.com