Amy Wynn moved to California for graduate school in 1990 to obtain her Masters in Landscape Architecture from UC Berkeley, promising her mother in Pennsylvania that she’d only be here until she received her degree. The Bay Area was love at first sight for Amy, which is where she also met her future husband, Nick Taylor (another love). With Nick being a sculptor and needing more space than was possible to find during the first dot-com real estate boom, Amy & Nick found property in Fort Bragg in 2000 and soon discovered that this place is their real home. They built their own house (yes, in the Coastal Zone) and have been grateful to become a part of this Northern-Northern California community.

Working for design firms since her college years back east, once Amy moved to Fort Bragg she quickly became entrenched in the world of development in the coastal zone. When the civil engineer for whom she was working as a project manager moved out of the area and closed up his shop (in the pre-remote work era), she found a job working for one of our area’s first coastal land use consultants. Having voted for the Coastal Act, her mentor had been an active community member during the creation of the County’s Coastal Element and Coastal Zoning Code in the 80s and 90s. Amy’s deep relationships with the lead and stakeholder agencies are built on Ed’s early work. After he moved out of state, she bought his company and built upon the foundation that he created. Our tiny company ranges from 5 to 9 people, all of whom share in our philosophy of empathy and creativity, with a deep love for the natural and cultural resources that our coast has to offer.

Raised with a deep sense of responsibility to community, Amy has always been involved in one volunteer effort or another. For over a decade, she was a board member of our coast’s local mountain bike club. These days, she’s whittled down her volunteerism to focusing mainly on the next evolution of our local demonstration forest’s management plan as a decade-plus member of the Jackson Demonstration State Forest Advisory Group.

Most days after work, Amy can be found going for a brisk walk on the City’s Coastal Trail, absorbing the negative ions of the ocean’s big waves as her mental-sorbet. When she travels, it’s either to help aging family on the east coast, ski in the west or see live music.

Understanding what’s important in life is what helps Amy lead her team, which ensures that we give our clients and the agencies with whom we work the best of ourselves that we can offer.

Master of Landscape Architecture, College of Environmental Design, University of California, Berkeley, CA 1993

Bachelor of Arts Design of the Environment, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 1989

Introduction to Wetland Delineation, CA State Chico, Friends of the Biological Sciences Herbarium, Chico, CA, 2006

Subdivision Map Act: Parts I & II, UC Davis Extension, Land Use Planning, Davis, CA, 2006

CEQA: A Step-by-Step Approach, UC Davis Extension, Land Use Planning, Sacramento, CA, 2007, 2014, 2018

Endangered Species Regulation & Protection, UC Davis Extension, Land Use Planning, Davis, CA, 2007

Land Use, Real Estate & Environmental Law Update, Abbott & Kindermann, LLP, Sacramento & Napa, CA, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017

Mitigation Measure Development & Monitoring, UC Davis Extension, Land Use Planning, Davis, CA, 2007

Planning in California: An Overview & Update, UC Davis Extension, Land Use Planning, Sacramento, CA, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2019

Point Arena Mountain Beaver Workshop, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Point Arena, CA, 2007, 2010, 2019

CEQA Workshop, CA Association of Environmental Planners, Eureka, CA, 2013

Environmental Negotiation Workshop, Nelson Facilitation, Tiburon, CA, 2016

Vesting Seminar, Abbott & Kindermann, LLP, Sacramento, CA, 2016

Conservation Easements to Keep Ranches Working, Elkhorn Slough, Sunol, CA, 2018

President, Principal Planner, Wynn Coastal Planning, Inc. (dba Wynn Coastal Planning & Biology) ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
June 2007 – present

Consulting City Planner, City of Point Arena ▪ Point Arena, CA
July 2014 – July 2018

Partner, Mendocino Bike Sprite, LLC ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
March 2012 – June 2019

Planner, Ed McKinley Land Use Consulting ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
November 2005 – June 2007

Project Manager, Ridge to River Environmental Services ▪ Mendocino, CA
August 2005 – December 2005

Project Manager, KPFF Consulting Engineers ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
January 2005 – July 2005

Manager, Builders Booksource ▪ Berkeley, CA
September 1993 – December 2004

Meghan Durbin was born and raised in Comptche, a small town 15 miles inland from the Mendocino Coast. After college and work throughout California, in 2007 she, her husband and infant son returned. Together with a daughter born in 2009, their children are the 7th generation of Meghan’s family to grow up in this region.

Upon moving back, she joined her parents’ real estate firm, Coast Real Estate. Beginning as the Office Manager, she later obtained her salesperson’s license, transitioned to full time sales as a Realtor, obtained her broker’s license and managed the day-to-day operations of the firm after her mother’s untimely passing as a result of ALS. She served as the Coastal Mendocino Association of Realtors® President for two non-consecutive terms, 2016 and 2018. In that role she represented the unique perspective of our coastal region at the state level. She also gained insight into the opportunities and challenges of private property rights and related legislation throughout California. Over 10 years as a Realtor she frequently worked and consulted with Wynn Coastal Planning & Biology to assist clients with assessing the risk/reward trade-off amidst the regulatory terrain of the Coastal Zone and beyond.

In early 2022 a series of professional and personal events led her to make the short jump over to working as an Assistant Planner for WCPB. Her real estate background, intelligence, experience working with people and knack for land use resulted in advancing from Assistant Planner to Planner to Senior Planner in the span of just one year. She works diligently to help her clients understand the path ahead of them, guide them through obstacles and help them realize their dreams. She moves with compassion and confidence to help shape and advocate for her client projects from start to finish. A lifelong lover of puzzles, this creative, persistent problem solver will bring talent and skill to your team.

General Education, California State University, Sacramento, CA 2001-2002

General Education, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA 1999-2001

A Guide to California Planning (text by Fulton, Shigley), 2023

Senior Planner, Wynn Coastal Planning, Inc. (dba Wynn Coastal Planning & Biology) ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
March 2022 – present

Broker Associate, Mendo Sotheby’s International Realty ▪ Mendocino, CA
April 2018 – December 2022

Realtor and Manager, Coast Real Estate ▪ Mendocino, CA
June 2013 – April 2018

Office Manager, Coast Real Estate ▪ Mendocino, CA
May 2007 – June 2013

Receptionist / Sales Assistant, Redi-Shade ▪ Cotati, CA
February 2005 – January 2007

Asa B Spade graduated from Humboldt State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science, with a concentration in Landscape Ecosystems as well as a minor in Botany. Since that time he has been working in the natural resources field, first with Mendocino County Environmental Health and later with California State Parks and the Department of Fish and Game. He has been trained in Army Corps wetland delineation by the Coastal Training Program at Elkhorn Slough. He is on the Fish and Wildlife Service approved list for Point Arena mountain beaver surveys and has done surveys for Behren’s silverspot butterfly, Northern spotted owl, and the California red-legged frog. He has contributed to more than 75 coastal development projects in Mendocino County.

Bachelor of Science, Technology – Landscape Ecosystems, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA 2006

Associate of Arts, Engineering Transfer, Shasta College, Redding, CA 2002

Eradication of Bullfrogs within the range of California red legged and foothill yellow legged training by Jeff Alverez and Jeff Wilcox, 2021.

Burrowing owl surveys and conservation by Dr. Lynne Trulio through the Elkhorn Slough Coastal Training Program, 2019.

Townsend’s big eared bat basal hollow habitat assessment and survey methods workshop taught by Michael Baker, Leila Harris, and Adam Hutchins, 2015.

Trained to Survey for California red-legged frog by Elkhorn Slough Coastal Program, 2011.

Advanced wetland delineation by the Wetland Science and Coastal Training Program.

Army Corps wetland delineation by the Coastal Training Program at Elkhorn Slough.
Behren’s silverspot butterfly habitat and presence/absence surveys by John Hunter of USFWS.

Birding by ear surveys: trained with David Jensen and Ron LeValley of Audubon Society.

CDFW and CAL FIRE Townsend’s big-eared bat basal hollow habitat assessment & survey methods.

Classification and Mapping of Mendocino Cypress Woodland and Related Vegetation using CNPS/CDFW Rapid Assessment/Relevé protocol.

CNPS sedge identification workshop taught by CA Fish and Wildlife staff biologist Gordon Leppig.

Environmental compliance process for wetland projects in San Francisco Bay and outer coastal areas.

Foothill yellow-legged frog surveys by Dave Cook and Jeff Alvarez.

Lotis blue butterfly protocol, trained with Dr. Dick Arnold.

Northern spotted owl surveys: trained by Michael Stephens of Strix Wildlife Consulting.

Point Arena mountain beaver survey protocol workshop by John Hunter of USFWS.

Salmonid redd surveys by Sean Gallagher of CDFW.

Sonoma tree vole surveys.

Trained with the Carex Working Group in identifying grasses and sedges of Northern California.

University of California Certified Naturalist program.

University of California Master Gardener program.

Senior Biologist, Wynn Coastal Planning, Inc. (dba Wynn Coastal Planning & Biology) ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
2017 – present

Environmental Scientist / Botanist / Owner, Spade Natural Resources Consulting ▪ Fort Bragg, CA 2009 – 2017

Owl Biologist, Strix Wildlife Consulting ▪ Fort Bragg, CA

California Recreational Fisheries Survey (CRFS) Field Sampler

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission ▪ Eureka, CA

Environmental Services Intern, California State Parks, Mendocino District, Russian Gulch State Park ▪ Mendocino, CA

Environmental Health Technician, Mendocino County Environmental Health ▪ Fort Bragg, CA

Redwood Trail Guide and Ecological Docent, Humboldt State University ▪ Arcata, CA

Field and Laboratory Assistant, Eel Grass and Black Brant Project

Humboldt State University ▪ Arcata, CA

Nuclear Electronics Technician, Reactor Operator, U.S. Navy, Bangor Naval Submarine Base ▪ Silverdale, WA

Christa Walters is a Biology Assistant at Wynn Coastal Planning & Biology, participating in floristic and botanical surveys identifying rare and native plants in Mendocino County. Her dedication to learning the flora and fauna of the redwood forests and coastal zones is fueled by her passion for wildlife conservation.

Christa has lived, worked and played on the Mendocino Coast for more than 35 years. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Literature but finds her true passion in nature. A lifelong lover of hiking, camping and being outdoors, Christa has volunteered with Northern Spotted Owl surveys in Mendocino, Humboldt and Marin counties and California Spotted Owl demography studies in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park. Christa previously worked as a research assistant for Cynthia Ledoux-Bloom at the Department of Fish & Wildlife studying salmon populations in the rivers and streams of Mendocino County. She also has worked as a seasonal aid for the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission working on abalone research and management in Mendocino and Humboldt Counties.

Christa is an RYT 200 and a certified Ayurvedic Wellness Coach. She participates in her local Audubon chapter’s monthly bird walks and events, and loves to volunteer in her community. Her other interests include reading, knitting, history, art, mythology, and learning Italian and Japanese.

Bachelor of Arts English and Literature, Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, NH 2017

Associate of Arts General Education, College of the Redwoods, Eureka, CA 2002

Associate of Science General Education, College of the Redwoods, Fort Bragg, CA 1999

Biology Assistant, Wynn Coastal Planning, Inc. (dba Wynn Coastal Planning & Biology) ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
May 2023 – present

Server / Bartender, Piaci Pub & Pizzeria ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
January 2017 – Present

Inn Manager, MacCallum House Inn & Suites ▪ Mendocino, CA
December 2019 – July 2021

Office Manager / Massage Therapist, Bamboo Garden Spa ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
April 2014 – September 2017

Research Assistant / Technical Writer, California Department of Fish and Wildlife ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
January 2009 – March 2011

Scientific Aid, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission ▪ Fort Bragg and Eureka, CA
May 2003 – December 2006

Tonya Hand was born and raised in Fort Bragg, and is 6th generation on the Mendocino Coast. After graduating from high school in 1999 she ventured to Redding, CA where she attended Shasta College. She made her way back to Fort Bragg and attended College of the Redwoods, graduating with an Associate of Arts in Social Science in 2002.

In 2003 she was offered an Office Manager position for KPFF Consulting Engineers located in Fort Bragg, and managed by Eric Jahelka. Eric had offered her the position with the promise of teaching her to draft. At that time she didn’t know what a drafter was other than the talented people that draw amazing floor plans. Within six months of working with KPFF, Tonya had produced her first complete set structural drawings. When the Fort Bragg KPFF office closed in 2005, she worked remotely for a short time while juggling around the idea of relocating to another KPFF location or trying to find another drafting position locally.

In 2006 she made the transition to the engineering and land surveying firm of I.L. Welty & Associates. She enjoyed working for Lee Welty as a drafter and within months she found herself learning to use surveying equipment, working in the field with land surveyor Forrest Francis. Lee and Forrest showed her the ropes of surveying and civil drafting. Later that year, she married her husband Dwayne Hand, and in 2009 welcomed their first son, Wyatt. In 2013 Amy Wynn asked Tonya if she would join her team creating site plans for Wynn Coastal Planning & Biology. For four years Tonya worked for both I.L. Welty & Associates and Wynn Coastal Planning & Biology. She worked for Lee until his retirement in 2017. At that point, after spending many years on the coast Tonya, Dwayne and Wyatt moved to Redding, CA where it’s much warmer than the coast. Tonya has remained working for Wynn Coastal Planning & Biology from her new home in Redding. When WCPB’s Office Manager position became available, Tonya took over that role and has been holding up the center pole of the circus tent ever since.

In 2019 Dwayne and Tonya had a second son, Graysen, completing their family. Tonya enjoys the opportunity Amy has given her, it allows her a balance of family and work. By allowing Tonya to work remotely from an area her family has fallen in love with, she’s been able to coach her children’s sports, mountain bike on amazing trails, and enjoy the beautiful lakes and snowy mountains with her family.

Associate of Arts Social Science, College of the Redwoods, Fort Bragg, CA 2002

General Education, Shasta College, Redding, CA 1999

AutoCAD Drafter & Office Manager, Wynn Coastal Planning, Inc. (dba Wynn Coastal Planning & Biology) ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
December 2013 – present

Survey Technician, Forrest Francis Land Surveyor ▪ Mendocino, CA
January 2012 – December 2014

AutoCAD Drafter & Survey Technician, I.L. Welty & Associates, Inc. ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
February 2006 – May 2017

AutoCAD Drafter & Office Manager, KPFF Consulting Engineers ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
May 2003 – February 2006

Customer Service Representative, Harvest Market ▪ Fort Bragg, CA
July 1997 – August 2002 & June 2010 – February 2011