LAKEPORT – Eminent domain dominated the discussion at Tuesday night's Lakeport City Council meeting.

Sitting jointly as the Lakeport Redevelopment Agency and council, discussion centered on using eminent domain to further redevelopment goals in the city.

Both Mayor Roy Parmentier and City Attorney Steve Brookes asserted that eminent domain is a useful tool but neither would specifically identify an intended use.

Acting City Manager Richard Knoll opened the discussion with background and costs of adding eminent domain language.
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Citizens expressed concern that Natural High School might be a future target of eminent domain because of its specific inclusion in a redevelopment presentation by developer Jim Burns to the council last month.

Parmentier suggested that the target is more likely Willopoint, a trailer park near Library Park. However he declined to state that the Redevelopment Agency intends to use eminent domain in the city and stressed that is is just a tool.
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Parmentier declined to state what had precipitated the change in opinion of the agency, which eight years ago decided not to include eminent domain because it was "too controversial."

Brookes also posited that the agency had no specific property in mind but supported eminent domain as a useful tool.

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In Burns' redevelopment presentation last month, it states "The present location of the Natural High School Facility is probably not in the best interest of the City or the district.”

The council then went on to discuss setting up public workshops to explore the issue further.

During the council discussion Councilmembers Bob Rumfelt and Jim Irwin both expressed concerns about the redevelopment agency using eminent domain.

"I'd like it taken off the plate," Irwin said.

E-mail John Jensen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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