How to resolve AdBlock issue? Clearlake City Council takes no action on proposed car wash moratorium
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council discussed a possible car wash moratorium during its regular meeting on July 10 at Clearlake City Hall.
Ultimately, no action was taken to enact such a moratorium.
The topic was discussed at the request of Councilwoman Joyce Overton, who said she thought it was important for the council to show concern for the water shortage.
“The reality is, we have water problems and people need to be aware of it,” she said. “There are other things you can do to raise money.”
Conrad Colbrandt said he was in attendance for clarification of the discussion.
“I want to make sure it is not affecting homeowners,” he said, “and be aware, there are many groups that fundraise with car washes.”
“If it weren't for the fundraising car washes, my car wouldn't get washed,” Clearlake resident Dave Hughes said.
Hughes said such fundraising events are needed by many charity organizations in the area.
Mayor Denise Loustalot said most car wash fundraisers are held on private property and those hosts are responsible for their water bills.
Overton said she also wanted to address a lack of regulations concerning runoff attributed to car wash fundraising activity.
She said – as stated in City Manager Joan Phillipe's staff report – that currently there is no requirement for an organization to obtain a permit for a car wash.
Overton said, in addition, there are not any regulations in place to protect the environment from run-off contamination.
Tom Walker, who owns a public, coin-operated car wash on Lakeshore Drive, said he is required to have two collection bays and is subjected to penalties when they overflow.
“It's an environmental issue,” Walker said.
Hughes also voiced concern for environmental protection as did Councilman Joey Luiz. However, Luiz said the council was not going to be able to stop people from washing their cars.
Vice Mayor Gina Fortino Dickson said people should be aware of water issues but she did not want to see Clearlake take the brunt of rationing without similar action by Yolo County.
She also took issue with how such a moratorium would be enforced, which Phillipe said would be based on complaints or staff observation.
Fortino Dickson said most fundraising car wash events take place on the weekend, when staff is not working.
“People doing their car washes should be conscious of how much water they are using and the run-off,” Fortino Dickson said. “My biggest concern is zero enforceability.”
She added support for raising awareness to a possible water shortage and said personal communication goes a long way.
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Lakeport City Council to discuss Carnegie Library report, Soper Reese project plans
LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday the Lakeport City Council will host discussions on a report regarding the work to complete a feasibility study on the city's historic library and plans for upgrades to the Soper Reese Theatre.
The council will meet beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
During the meeting the council will meet summer intern Kari Miller; witness the swearing in of new Lakeport Police officers, Dustin Roderick and Tyler Trouette; and present a proclamation declaring Tuesday, Aug. 5, as National Night Out in the city of Lakeport.
Under council business, consultants with San Francisco-based Garavaglia Architecture Inc. will present to the council a report on the Carnegie Library.
The firm has been hired to complete the Carnegie Library Reuse Feasibility Study Report, which will consider possible future uses for the 96-year-old building.
City Manager Margaret Silveira' report to the council explains that the consultants are in the final phase of completing the feasibility study. During Tuesday's presentation there will be the chance for the council, city staff and the public to provide additional input before the final report is completed.
City Engineer Scott Harter will present to the council future building plans at the Soper Reese Theatre on South Main Street.
Harter's written report to the council explains that the theater board is looking ahead to future projects at the historic theater, which already has undergone extensive renovation.
One of the projects the board hopes to tackle in the near future is Americans with Disabilities Act-related improvements, including the restrooms and access ramp.
“As the theatre group began the planning of the ADA ramp and bathrooms it was discovered that the existing property line on the Martin Street frontage is about 6.4 feet north of the back of sidewalk, not at the back of sidewalk,” Harter wrote in his report.
Harter reported that he and Silveira have met with Michael Adams, the theater's executive director, to discuss options, and as the roadway at the Martin Street intersection is fully developed, staff supports researching options to relocate the right of way line further south to accommodate the future projects.
Harter also will present the council with an updated report on a proposal to enter into a five-year contract with Mediacom for dedicated Internet access at a cost of $1,034 per month. The matter was held over from the council's last meeting.
Also on Tuesday, Public Works Director Mark Brannigan will present information from Siemens Industry Inc. about solar-related services.
Brannigan is seeking direction from the council regarding a request for the city to issue letters of intent, or a contract, to provide a solar array at the wastewater treatment facility and to conduct an investment grade audit of city facilities.
In other business, Planning Services Manager Andrew Britton will present the first reading of an ordinance to amend Lakeport Municipal Code in order to make updates identified by the Housing Element related to condominium conversions, mixed use residential development, multifamily development, emergency shelters, extremely low income and special needs household incentives, employee housing, residential care facilities, residential care homes and reasonable accommodations.
The council is expected to set a public hearing and second reading for Tuesday, Aug. 19.
On the meeting's consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; minutes of the July 1 council meeting; rejection of claims by the family and estate of James Smith; approval of Application No. 2014-015, with staff recommendations, for a Senate
Town Hall meeting at Library Park on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014; and approval of Application No. 2014-016, with staff recommendations, for Sponsoring Survivorship's annual walk/run for women or men with breast cancer and survivors on Oct. 4, 2014.
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Supervisors to receive crop report, mark Invasive Weed Awareness Week
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Crops and invasive weeds are topics on this week's Board of Supervisors agenda.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 15, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
At 9:10 a.m., the board will present a proclamation designating the week of July 21-27 as California Invasive Weed Awareness Week.
In an untimed item, Agricultural Commissioner Steve Hajik will present to the board the 2013 Lake County Crop Report.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
7.1: Adopt proclamation designating the week of July 21-27, 2014 as Invasive Weed Awareness Week.
7.2: Approve contract between county of Lake and High Country Security for security monitoring and testing at various Department of Social Services locations, in the amount of $5,048 annually and authorize the chair to sign.
7.3: Approve contract between county of Lake and the Lake County Office of Education for FY 14-15 Probation Family Positive Response and Outcomes (PRO) services, in the amount of $36,000, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.4: Approve out-of-state travel for Child Support Supervisor Deana Clausen and Staff Services Manager Cindy VanLanen to attend the National Child Support Enforcement Association annual training conference in Portland, OR August 10-13,2014.
7.5: Approve lease agreement between the county of Lake and Gary and Sheila Sada for office space at 926 S. Forbes, Lakeport for Child Welfare Services, in the amount of $80,400 annually for July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2017, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.6: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and MGT of America Inc. to claim cost reimbursement of state mandates and to develop countywide overhead plan, an annual cost of $15,000, for FY's 14-15, 15-16 and 16-17, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.7: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and California Forensic Medical Group for FY 2014-2017 Medical Services in Lake County Detention Facilities, in the amount of $2,279,071.10 for FY 2014-15 with cost increase in subsequent years, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.8: Approve two-year contract between the county of Lake and Bar-O-Boys Ranch, in the amount of $39,600 annually, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.9: Approve three-year agreement between the county of Lake and Peterson Tractor Co. for field maintenance and repair services for the off-road heavy equipment, annual amount not to exceed $150,000, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.10: (a) Waive county consultant selection procedure; (b) approve three-year contract between county of Lake and Lake Family Resource Center for domestic violence services, in the amount of $25,000 annually, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.11: (a) Waive county consultant selection procedure; (b) approve three-year contract between the county of Lake and Lake County Office of Education for the Pediculosis Anti-Lice Program for lice eradication services for CalWORKs families, in the amount of $55,000 annually, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.12: (a) waive county consultant selection procedure; (b) approve agreement between the county of Lake and Archeological Services Inc. for South Main Street/Soda Bay Road Water System, in the amount of $61,200.15, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.13: Sitting as the Watershed Protection District, approve amendment three to agreement for appraisal and relocation assistance services for the Middle Creek Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Project between Lake County Watershed Protection District and Paragon Partners Ltd. at the negotiated cost of $74,700, and authorize the chair to sign.
TIMED ITEMS
8.2, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the week of July 21-27, 2014, as California Invasive Weed Awareness Week.
8.3, 9:15 a.m.: Public hearing, sitting concurrently as the Board of Supervisors, Kelseyville County Water District No.3 Board of Directors and Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors, consideration of resolutions for collection of delinquent water, sewer and annual lighting fees.
8.4, 9:30 a.m.: Public hearing, CDBG Annual Grantee Performance Reports.
8.5, 9:35 a.m.: Hearing, Nuisance Abatement Assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of Notice of Lien in the amount of $8,781.46, located at 16200 Bottle Rock Road, Cobb, CA (APN 050-143-22 - Christopher P. Whitehead).
8.6, 9:40 a.m.: Presentation of update on Code Enforcement activities.
UNTIMED ITEMS
9.2: Consideration of Resolution Supporting the Renewal of the county of Lake's participation in the Sonoma/Mendocino/Lake Recycling Market Development Zone.
9.3: Presentation of 2013 Crop Report.
CLOSED SESSION
1. Conference with Labor Negotiator: (a) county negotiators: A. Grant, L. Guintivano, S. Harry, M. Perry, A. Flora and C. Shaver; and (b) employee organizations, Deputy District Attorney's Association, Lake County Deputy Sheriff's Association, Lake County Correctional Officers Association and Lake County Safety Employees Association.
2. Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code Sec. 54956.9(d)(1): Rickel v. Lake County Board of Supervisors, et al.
3. Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code Sec. 54956.9(d)(1): Coakley v. County of Lake, et al.
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Clearlake Planning Commission sends proposed zoning ordinance updates to city council
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Planning Commission has completed its recommendation for a proposed amendment to the city's zoning ordinance to update, among other things, the housing element.
The recommendation is to be presented to the Clearlake City Council for its consideration on Thursday, July 24.
The proposed amendment concerns the updating of the city's housing element and related zoning code changes that need to be brought into state compliance.
Planning consultant Gary Price said the zoning code revisions are included to satisfy a number of commitments in the current housing element.
According to Price, a number of local housing related regulations were required to be adopted by the end of June.
He said while the city will not make that deadline, it is important that it show diligent effort to do so to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), the agency that approves the housing element.
Price said failing to complete the task could present legal challenges for the city if a situation arises that relates to the zoning code that's awaiting revision – such as if a disabled person wants a design change.
Price said the city needs to secure the 2014-19 Housing Element as quickly as possible to maintain eligibility for grants.
For a period of time, he said, the city would not be eligible in a grant cycle without an adopted housing element.
The next grant cycle begins in December, he said.
Price said he expects the process leading to the adoption of the housing-related regulations to be complete within 60 to 90 days.
The council will conduct a public hearing to consider adoption of the zoning code amendment, he said. The ordinance will become effective 30 days following its second reading.
“Adoption would result in demonstrating that the city has made diligent effort to satisfy the commitments made in the Housing Element and to comply with more recent State Housing Law,” Price stated. “This paves the way for pursuing an update to the city's Housing Element, which requires HCD approval.”
The current Housing Element incorporates programs – or commitments to the state – concerning adoption of several new regulations, including:
- Allowing community care facilities serving six or fewer persons as a permitted use and requiring a conditional use permit for facilities serving seven or more persons in all residential zones.
- Adding “transitional housing” and “supportive housing” definitions and treating these as permitted uses.
- Defining “emergency shelters” and, in accordance with state law, allow them in the R3 zoning district.
- Updating the language for density bonuses to comply with state requirements.
- Adding new provisions for reasonable accommodations.
- Revising density standards in R3 zones to allow up to 20 units per acre.
- Eliminating the requirement for a conditional use permit for densities between 10 and 20 units per acre.
- Defining and providing for development of single residential occupancy (SRO) units in its R3 zones.
Other various changes to definitions and clarifications also are being proposed to maintain compliance with state law, according to Price.
Additionally, two new articles to the zoning code are proposed: Section 18-5.2, repealing and replacing the Density Bonus Ordinance; and Section 18-17, Reasonable Accommodation Ordinance. Section 18-4.8 concerning granny units is proposed to be deleted.
The commission has been working on the amendment for several months. Price said a considerable amount of time was spent on converting relevant material from its permanent file form to a workable document. He said the converted form is more understandable.
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New report illustrates drought conditions across California, United States
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The same week that the Lake County Board of Supervisors once again extended a declaration of a local drought emergency, a new report is showing the impacts of drought across the nation.
The US Drought Monitor is produced in partnership between the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Its latest report shows conditions worsening around parts of the United States.
California, in particular, appears to be the state with the worst overall drought conditions, with about a third of the state in “exceptional drought” conditions, while “extreme” conditions are reported in 42 percent of the state and “severe” drought conditions exist in 21 percent of the state.
Lake County – and much of Northern California – is in the extreme drought category, based on the report.
Drought conditions are showing no sign of letting up any time soon around the region.
For the coming week, there's no expectation of rain in Lake County, with the National Weather Service forecasting highs in the 90s and 100s.
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