Village of Taholah

The Taholah Village Relocation Master Plan was prepared by the Quinault Indian Nation Community Development and Planning Department and adopted by the Quinault Indian Nation Business Committee in 2017.

Taholah is the largest village on the reservation, located at the confluence of the Quinault River and the Pacific Ocean. It’s location makes it particularly vulnerable to rising water and tsunamis. The QIN has always depended on these water for sustenance and both have played an important role in the Nation’s identity and survival.

Adaptation and Mitigation 

In March 2014, a storm surge breached the seawall that protects Taholah, causing the QIN to declare a state of emergency. The seawall was reconstructed but is not a permanent solution. In 2016, residents could canoe in town because of flooding.

The safety of nearly 700 people (20% of tribal membership) is threatened by rising waters. In addition, infrastructure, buildings and homes are all at risk of being damaged due to flooding.

In 2016, the All Hazards Mitigation plan strongly encouraged started to relocate priority buildings and services tot he Upper Village.

Project Initiation

With support from the community, QIN leadership made the difficult decision to begin planning for relocating the lower village of Taholah to approximately 200 acres of higher ground 1/2 mile from the existing village center. 

In the spring of 2014, the development of the Master Plan was initiated. The project received support from a Social and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS) grant from the Administration for Native Americans.

The Master Plan articulates land uses, private and public development standards, lot lines, and the location and design of public buildings and facilities.

The aim is to provide the residents and businesses of the lower village with the opportunity to move to a safer place in a manner that ensures continuity in government service provision and affordable housing options for those who wish to relocate. 

Process 

The planning process began with gathering information/community visions and identifying the needs of Elders, students, community members and QIN programs. In addition, information was gathered about existing physical conditions of the natural and built environment.

Next, needs and choices related to housing, community facilities, commercial development, parks and open space, streets and trails, and QIN programs and services were identified and assessed.

In the final year, the final plan was prepared based on feedback throughout the other phases. The results were a final land use plans, a phasing plan, a public facilities siting plan, an environmental assessment, plan maps and street layouts, and cost estimate/budget by development area.

Community Engagement 

The Master Plan staff has conducted Village-wide meetings and door-to-door and on-line surveys to gain an understanding of conditions, community aspirations and how best to translate the culture of the Lower Village to the Upper Village. This information influenced community design and priorities that will guide the subdivision and land use plans. This Master Plan incorporates the needs of the community and provides for the appropriate community facilities and housing; infrastructure; and business, administrative, public health and safety and recreation facilities. The community had identified moving the programs of the most vulnerable populations as a priority even before commencement of the planning process. 

Public participation was critical to the preparation of the Taholah Village Master Plan. Staff set up booths at various community events to inform the public about the project and to talk with Quinault members about their concerns. Over the course of the preparation of the plan, seven community meetings and dinners were held at the Community Center. Surveys were distributed and collected in association with the first three of these meetings, both at the meeting and on the project website. Staff went door-to-door in the lower village of Taholah to ask the public additional questions, educate community members about the plan and answer questions.

The first survey question asked of community members was “What do you like about the community and what makes it special?” The most common answers were “our people,” the river, the ocean, family, “our elders,” “the closeness of our community”, “that everyone knows each other”, and “easy access to everything”. From these responses, issues were identified and goals were set. 

Nine major themes emerged from the engagement.

• Elders

• Children

• Housing

• Culture

• Project Funding

• Recreation

• Resilience to Disaster

• Sustainability/Energy/Salmon

Outcomes 

With completion and adoption of the Master Plan, QIN has a blueprint for the redevelopment of the Taholah village, safe from flooding and tsunamis, which incorporates the vision of the community members, sustainable practices, culture, amenities and upgraded community facilities. Design has begun on the first building in the new village and the first residential neighbourhood.

The project used a community-engaged framework and documented their processes to inform future relocation planning in other communities faced with environmental hazards.