LAKEPORT – The county's long-awaited purchase of property on Mt. Konocti entered escrow on Tuesday after the Board of Supervisors gave its final, unanimous approval.
Public Services Director Kim Clymire got the board's go-ahead to purchase the remaining 1,344-acre piece of land from the Fowler family for $2.6 million.
“This is a very exciting and anxious day for me,” Clymire said.
The county already has purchased a 176-acre parcel on Buckingham Peak, where several telecommunications towers are located, for $1.2 million, as Lake County News has reported.
The $2.6 million for the larger parcel came from a federal Bureau of Land Management geothermal lease on Cobb, which county officials stated previously was the largest geothermal lease in US history.
That unexpected windfall is being complemented by private donations – now totaling about $61,000, including a $10,000 donation from a private individual that just came in last week, said Clymire.
Ongoing maintenance for the Konocti property will be supported through the $80,000 in annual revenue generated by the communications towers, which Clymire said will grow by another $24,000 thanks to a recently signed agreement with T-Mobile. He said the board already has given its approval to using the funds for those purposes.
While the board's approval Tuesday seemed a foregone conclusion – the board had voted unanimously on all previous steps in the process – Clymire wanted to make sure he had approval to enter escrow, as Tuesday was the last day for escrow to start under the terms of the county's first right of refusal.
The Fowlers approached the county in November 2007 to offer them the first option, said Clymire. Escrow has to close by Nov. 15 for the deal to be complete.
Clymire thanked the Fowler family, whose “goals and dreams are the same as ours” – to preserve the mountain. He also thanked county staff for their work, and acknowledged community support and donations.
“This is a grassroots movement, it's very exciting,” he said.
He said members of the local tribes also have attended the six community forums on the purchase, and their input is very much desired as the process continues forward in creating a master plan.
“We anticipate having the property open to the public next spring,” he said.
The escrow was starting on its last “drop dead day” on Tuesday because Clymire said staff had to work out some final details. The purchase option included a $100,000 nonrefundable deposit.
He added that the Bureau of Land Management is expected to bring in as much as $400,000 to assist in the purchase plan.
Ten community members spoke to the board about the purchase, with only one of them, a tribal representative, not offering outright support.
Renee Felciano, who chairs the county's parks and recreation advisory board, said that group offered its wholehearted and enthusiastic support, “not only to preserve its beauty for our county but also to give it to all residents, all citizens, of the county and visitors.”
Victoria Brandon, chair of the Sierra Club Lake Group, which has consistently supported the project, called the Mt. Konocti property purchase a “tremendous opportunity” both for preserving a symbol of the county and providing low impact recreation opportunities.
She added that the openness of the purchase process is a model for the future, and that future conservationists will result after people are able to visit the mountain.
Clearlake Oaks resident Chuck Lamb, who along with wife Holly Harris built the www.preservekonocti.org Web site, pointed to the 1916 formation of the National Park Service and the state's 1982 purchase of the land that would become Anderson Marsh State Historic Park for examples of important preservation actions.
He credited county staff and Clymire in particular for his tireless support of the purchase.
Sybil Frances, who lives in the shadow of the mountain, said Mt. Konocti has important lessons to teach people.
“I speak to the mountain and the mountain speaks back to me, of course. It has its own heart and soul and its own personality,” she said.
The mountain is there to be treated in a sacred way, she explained. “Mt. Konocti can help us know how to treat each other,” Frances said, adding that it needs to be treated carefully, because it is a fragile place.
She urged county leaders to “keep it simple, go slowly,” and keep visiting groups small, and don't allow night visits or campfires.
“I'm thinking that everyone is kind of in the same place I am, loving the mountain and the lake,” said Frances. “This whole county is so precious.”
Dennis Jensen of the local chapter of the Back Country Horsemen of America said the group believes the purchase is a “wonderful thing,” and they wanted to be involved in the project.
Jensen said the group is responsible for trail maintenance throughout the county and state. They're also currently putting in a horse camp on Boggs Mountain.
Anderson Springs resident Joan Clay said she also supported the purchase, but wondered if the one-time geothermal funds shouldn't have been used in Middletown and particularly Anderson Springs, the latter being directly affected by geothermal operations.
County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox said the board is setting aside money on an annual basis for mitigation projects in Anderson Springs and Cobb, with more than $460,000 allocated this year plus an additional $100,000 set aside for Middletown improvement projects. He said that once the Mt. Konocti purchase is complete they'll ramp up those amounts.
Elem Colony tribal member Batsulwin Brown said his tribe currently supports preserving the mountain but they can't support the acquisition at this time. He said they wanted the board to consider the tribes partners in such projects, with the tribes able to offer resources in efforts like this one.
“We have things to offer. We want to be partners in this county with projects,” Brown said.
He added that there are a number of tribes in Mendocino and Sonoma counties that will be affected by the purchase, and he doesn't believe they've had input.
Board Chair Denise Rushing explained that there are two processes at work with the mountain's purchase. One is the option to acquire the lands, the other is how the lands will be used. She said if the purchase didn't go through the property could end up as ranchettes.
“I just want the process to be fair, transparent and open to all people,” said Brown.
Clymire told Brown that the county wants tribal representatives to be part of the focus committee that will work on the mountain's master plan.
Rushing noted that the county had received indications of support from four of the county's seven federally recognized tribes.
Board members offer their support for purchase
All of the board members spoke of their belief in the importance of purchasing the lands on Mt. Konocti.
“I'm really proud to be a part of this board at this point,” said Supervisor Jeff Smith. “It's the largest thing I think we can ever do for the county.”
Smith said the lands' property will be remembered more than anything they ever do.
Supervisor Anthony Farrington noted, “Our board is asserting itself in terms of leadership” and the county's future. Preserving the mountain and Clear Lake will be two of its major accomplishments.
During the initial purchase discussions, Farrington said he dug in his heels and wanted to see the county also purchase Buckingham Peak, which he said the Fowlers had considered keeping but will provide much-needed revenue for sustaining and maintaining the mountain.
Farrington added that the county wanted to partner with the tribes. “This is the first of many steps.”
Supervisor Rob Brown said the county did receive support from the tribes through an allocation of SB 621 gaming funds toward the purchase. “That was big.”
The local SB 621 committee gave $12,000 toward the Mt. Konocti purchase as well as park and trails development in its recent allocations for the 2008-09 fiscal year, according to committee records.
There was more money for such plans a few years ago, Brown said. “It is easy to second guess ourselves when economic times are like they are.”
Nevertheless, with the money not coming from the general fund Brown said he supported the purchase.
“This is a huge investment, not just for us,” but for the county's future, Brown said. He noted that the purchase will be important “long after we're gone.”
He told the Fowlers of the lands on Mt. Konocti, “We'll take good care of it.”
Rushing thanked staff and Clymire, telling him, “I know this has been a career-long effort on your part.”
She also thanked the Fowlers for their efforts to preserve the mountain.
“I want to challenge everyone to think preservation versus utilization,” she said. “This mountain is sacred to all of us who live here.”
Rushing also challenged the community “to let the mountain be what it is.”
“The mountain is alive, it has value all by itself, without any use at all,” she said. “We are in the position in history where it really could have gone the other way and not been preserved at all.”
Supervisor Jim Comstock, who said he's taken Boy Scout Troops up on the mountain over the years, noted they can't put a price on the mountain's value. He encouraged everyone who visits it in the future to take only memories and leave only footprints.
Brown offered the two motions to begin the final step in the process, both of which the board approved unanimously. The audience rose to its feet and gave the board a standing ovation following the votes.
The final paperwork was expected to be delivered to the Fowlers' attorney, Peter Windrem, by day's end, triggering the escrow process, Clymire told Lake County News later Tuesday.
He said he expected the land to be open by permit only through the winter, before the official public opening next spring.
In preparation for the mountain's public debut, Clymire said he'll appoint a focused group to continue work on the master management plan. The group will consist of representatives from Cal Fire and Kelseyville Fire Protection District; BLM; the Lake County Land Trust, Sierra Club or Redbud Audubon; the tribes; a representative with a degree in biology or botany; the Public Services Department; a recreational users representative; and Fowler, who asked to be included.
Clymire said Tuesday was “a great day” for the county, thanks to the purchase.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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