Lakeport Redevelopment Director Richard Knoll told the council that city officials met with college representatives on Oct. 22 to discuss extending water services to 2565 Parallel Drive.
The college has made an offer to purchase that 31-acre location for the site of its new $7.5 million Lake Center campus, as Lake County News has reported. The college also has been conducting due diligence on a Merritt Road site it entered escrow on in June.
Knoll said the college offered the $550,000 needed to build the water line extension, but also proposed that the city share half of the costs and pay back its share over five years in $50,000 to $60,000 installments.
The agreement calls for the city to be responsible for the water line's design and construction, said Knoll. The city also likely would create an ordinance requiring property owners hooking up to the system to pay a prorated amount at the time of connection.
The city addressed the college's concerns about a city easement through the land by offering instead to use nearby Linda Lane for access, Knoll said. Community Development staff are working on getting a list of permits and other building requirements together for the project.
Kathy Lehner, the college's superintendent and president, also addressed the council Tuesday night.
She said the Parallel Drive was one of the first sites the college had considered for the new campus, but noted that the costs were “fairly prohibitive” at that time.
The college had made an offer to the property's former owner, developer Tom Adamson, who had wanted $2.9 million for the land, which was almost twice its appraised value, as Lake County News has reported. Adamson lost the property to foreclosure over the summer.
As a result of those developments, and with the possibility of cost-sharing improvements with the city, Lehner said it puts the college back in a position where locating on Parallel Drive would have a “reasonable cost.”
Mike Adams, Mendocino College's director of facility services, commended city staff for working cooperatively with the college.
“We think there's benefit for both the city and the college in this agreement,” Adams said.
The agreement could help the college make the decision to come to Lakeport, he added.
Jan Bruns, executive director of the Lakeport Main Street Association, brought to the council a petition with 1,200 signatures collected over the last three weeks in support of keeping the college in Lakeport.
“It's very important to all of the businesses and the people who live here,” she said.
Councilman Roy Parmentier moved to accept the draft memorandum of understanding with the college, and also directed staff to start a request for proposals for engineering services and to prepare a draft reimbursement ordinance for the water main extension. Council member Suzanne Lyons seconded, and the council approved it 4-0. Councilman Bob Rumfelt was absent.
The audience filled with residents and business people applauded the vote.
In its next action, the council voted against having its Dutch Harbor property, located at 901 N. Main St., considered as a possible location for the new $71.7 million Lakeport courthouse that the state proposes to build.
A Santa Rosa firm, Keegan & Coppin, which represents the state in negotiations with the owners of possible sites, had sent the city a letter dated Sept. 23 indicating that Dutch Harbor was on a short list of potential sites.
However, Knoll told the council that the short list had changed. The state Administrative Office of the Courts released the new short list of sites on Tuesday, and it didn't include Dutch Harbor. The sites included were a portion of Vista Point Shopping Center on Lakeport Boulevard; another site at 645 Lakeport Blvd.; and a location at Martin and Bevins, as Lake County News has reported.
However, the state's announcement noted that the proposed sites might not work out, in which case others would be reconsidered.
The central issue for the city, Knoll said Tuesday, was whether the council wanted to have Dutch Harbor considered by the state as a potential site.
City residents warned against allowing the site to be used for a courthouse facility.
Businesswoman Nancy Ruzicka was upset that six properties she had offered the state were turned down, including the Nylander's shopping center on High Street. She pointed out that the Keegan & Coppin letter states that the seller must pay the firm a 6-percent commission, which she said isn't a cost picked up by the state.
George Spurr told the council that Dutch Harbor is one of the most valuable properties the city has.
Jan Bruns agreed, saying she can picture a marina and hotel on the property. “It should not go for a courthouse.”
Parmentier moved to reject the state's offer, which the council approved 4-0.
In other council action, the council approved the update to the city's housing element, selected RAU and Associates to do the engineering, estimates and specifications for phase two of the city's downtown improvement project, and approved three change orders for the Forbes Creek Trail project.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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