Lakeport Police Department issues alert for man believed responsible for burglaries; subject seen downtown

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is urging the community to be on the lookout for a male subject who police believe is responsible for at least one burglary – and possibly more – on Tuesday afternoon.

The report said officers were dispatched to the 300 block of Sixth Street just before 3 p.m. to investigate the report of a male subject who was burglarizing the residence and loading the stolen items into the victim's pickup truck.

Police said the victim saw the subject, who fled toward Fifth Street with a hammer in his hand.

The subject is described as a white male adult, in his late 20s or early 30s, 6 feet tall with a thin build, short dark brown hair and a goatee, and wearing a black shirt, cut-off jean shorts and black skate shoes. He has tattoos on his arms and hands.

Officers located five firearms and a bag of ammunition in the victim's pickup truck. The firearms were determined to not belong to the victim, according to the report.

Police believe the firearms may have been stolen from another residence in the vicinity and placed there by the burglar.

Another residence from across the street also was burglarized, and the Lakeport Police Department said it's believed that there are other locations that were burglarized that have not yet been reported.

Lakeport Police and Lake County Sheriff's units currently are searching the Lakeport area, with police receiving reports citizens shortly before 3:30 p.m. that the male subject was in the downtown Lakeport area.

Police said it's unknown at this time if the suspect is in possession of any other firearms.

If anyone sees the subject police urge them not to approach or attempt to contact him but to call 911 immediately.

For those who recognize the property pictured above, please call Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491, Extension 32.

 

 

Lakeport Planning Commission approves rezone, general plan amendment for new police headquarters

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Planning Commission on Wednesday gave its unanimous approval to a rezone and general plan amendment for the Lakeport Police Department's new headquarters building.

The 4,400-square-foot building was constructed on half an acre in 2002 at 2025 S. Main St., next to Kmart. The city purchased it for $875,000, with escrow closing March 10.

To help outfit the new headquarters, the Lakeport Police Officers Association received a donation of newer, surplus furniture – including bookcases and desks – from the Sacramento Peace Officers Association.

Community Development Director Kevin Ingram and Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen were on hand Wednesday evening to go over the request for the general plan amendment and zone change for the property.

The building is now zoned for major retail. To make it consistent with the city's general plan, Ingram said the city was seeking the rezone to public and civic uses.

Ingram said the property was created in 1992 as part of the subdivision that established the Kmart shopping center. For several years it housed the Social Security Administration, which was its only tenant, before the agency moved to a location on Parallel Drive.

The Lakeport Police Department has, since July 1, 1999, been housed in a building at 916 N. Forbes St., at the corner of N. Forbes and Ninth streets.

Rasmussen told Lake County News that before it was Lakeport Police's headquarters, the 3,000-square-foot building served as a court annex and offices for the Lake County Sheriff's administration.

Ingram said Lakeport Police's current building is limited in size, which is an issue for future department growth. It also has technology and safety shortcomings.

Regarding the latter, Ingram said the building – originally designed as a multi-unit office building – lacks appropriate safety features, and concerns for officer safety led the council to direct staff last year to explore alternatives for the police headquarters.

Very few upgrades – limited to a slight interior remodel, fencing for police vehicles and an emergency generator – are needed for the 2025 S. Main St. location, Ingram said.

His report also noted that the S. Main Street building is equipped with wiring capable of handling the most up-to-date technology, provides safety features including security devices on doors, has separate access for police personnel and the general public, there's a large lobby that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, plus customer service windows and restrooms for use by the public.

Ingram said the city has had inquiries from the public about why the building wasn't already zoned for public and civic uses if it had housed the Social Security Administration. He said the building previously had been privately owned, with Social Security holding a short-term lease.

With the property now under the city's ownership – and intended to be used by the Lakeport Police Department for the next 20 to 30 years – the public and civic use zoning is the more fitting designation, Ingram said.

Ingram said planning staff also prepared an environmental analysis to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act. As the site's new uses will be similar to the previous uses, and with the proposed general plan amendment complying with CEQA, staff proposed a negative declaration.

Commissioners asked a number of questions, regarding the exact height of the security fence – which Rasmussen estimated will be about 7 feet high – as well as the Lake Transit bus stop that's located there.

Since the building has been vacant, there has been an issue with a large amount of litter, along with people bringing over shopping carts from Kmart that they turn over to use as benches, Rasmussen said.

Ingram said he would speak to Lake Transit Authority about its future plans for the location, and if the bus stop should be moved. If the stop is to stay there, Ingram said he will ask if there is grant money still available for a bench or bus shelter.

Commissioner Ken Wicks Jr. asked Ingram if the city had considered the impact on the nearby commercial retail establishments if, in the future, the police department vacates the property that's been rezoned for public and civic uses.

Ingram said he believed that if that were to happen at some point in the future, that the commission might consider a zone change for another use. He said the city had not analyzed the potential impact on other properties, but said Kmart had contacted the city to express its enthusiasm about having the police station there, as police already have to respond to a lot of shoplifting calls at the store.

Commissioner Suzanne Russell said she wanted a lot of landscaping and trees installed so that it wouldn't look so much like a police station.

Chairman Tom Gayner asked Rasmussen if he thought the agency would need to expand in 15 years. Rasmussen said he thought the 20- to 30-year timeline for the agency's growth was accurate, noting that he doesn't expect the department to grow so large by that time that they outgrow the building.

Commissioner Harold Taylor said it also will depend on the size of the city. “It's grown a lot since I've been here.”

Wicks pointed out that the new building was built to federal standards. “It's a small tank.”

Rasmussen said his department's current location is an office building.

“It's not a safe building at all,” said Russell. “Not even close.”

Replied Rasmussen, “We deal with different people than an office would deal with.”

There was no public comment before Taylor moved to accept the project, with Russell seconding and the commission approving the request 5-0.

The commission's next meeting is scheduled for May 13.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

Lakeport Planning Commission to discuss new police building

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Planning Commission is set to discuss amending the city's general plan and making zoning changes to the property the city has purchased to house its police department.

The commission will meet beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

The main item of business on the commission's Wednesday agenda is the general plan amendment and zone change for the Lakeport Police Department's new headquarters building at 2025 S. Main St.

Escrow on the nearly 4,400-square-foot building, located next to Kmart, closed on March 10, as Lake County News has reported.

The city paid $875,000 for the half-acre property, which has only had one tenant – the Social Security Administration – since it was constructed in 2002.

Community Development Director Kevin Ingram's report to the commission explains that the property currently is zoned for major retail.

Although the building's proposed new use is similar to previous uses, in order to be consistent with the general plan and facilitate the police department's move into the new facility, planning staff is seeking a general plan amendment and rezone from major retail to public and civic uses, Ingram reported.

He said no exterior changes to the existing building – beyond modifications to signage and and security lighting – are being proposed.

There will be a minor interior remodel, including the upgrading of data and telecommunications infrastructure; construction of a chain link fence around the south parking lot area to allow a secure parking area for police vehicles and equipment; and placement of an emergency generator and associated propane tank, Ingram said.

“The proposed use of this site for the City’s police department operations will not result in the generation of additional peak hour traffic or trips beyond that of the previous use of this site,” Ingram noted. “Proposed uses of this site do not include the alteration of circulation patterns beyond that of fencing the parking area south of the existing building. No changes to circulation patterns or ingress and egress are proposed for the KMART Shopping Center.”

On the consent agenda – items considered to be routine and noncontroversial – are minutes of the commission's March 11 meeting.

The commission also is expected to discuss and set its next meeting for Wednesday, May 13.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

040815 Lakeport Planning Commission - Police building rezone, general plan amendment