Earlier this month, the Mendocino College Board of Trustees voted to purchase a 31-acre property at 2565 Parallel Drive for $1 million from Goldwater Bank of Arizona. The land will be the site of its college’s new county campus, as Lake County News has reported.
On Tuesday, the council approved a final memorandum of understanding with the college that, among other things, has the city agreeing to pay half of the $550,000 that will be spent to extend a city water line to the land.
City Redevelopment Director Richard Knoll said the water main project is expected to be completed in August of 2010.
One of the negotiating points for the college and the bank was a request for the city’s support of annexing a 99-acre property that, along with the 2565 Parallel Drive site, the bank took in a foreclosure sale in August. Both properties previously were owned by developer Tom Adamson of Scottsdale, Ariz., as Lake County News has reported. Adamson had turned down the college’s previous offer of $1.53 million for the proposed college site.
In order to encourage the college to locate in Lakeport, the city proposed another access point to the 99-acre property, which will follow Linda Lane and extend westerly, tying into Martin Street at Scotts Valley Road, Knoll explained. That would prevent use of an easement through the campus site.
“What we’re really talking about here is a line on a map,” Knoll said. “It’s the concept that’s important here.”
He said it’s proposed that the roadway would provide access to the western portion of the city’s sphere of influence to the south of the current city limits.
However, he added, “This is not necessarily a road that the city will build,” pointing out that developers have a requirement to provide access to their projects.
Councilman Roy Parmentier moved to approve the final agreement, which Council member Suzanne Lyons seconded. The vote was 5-0.
Community Development Director Mark Brannigan next presented to the council a proposed resolution to initiate the annexation process for the Linda Lane area with the Local Area Formation Commission (LAFCO). The city would act as the lead agency.
Brannigan said the annexation is consistent with the city’s general plan. If annexation were successful, he said it would guarantee orderly urban growth.
Larry Sheffield of Goldwater Bank also addressed the council.
He thanked the college for giving the Parallel Drive site another shot.
“When we took the property over they had pretty much moved down the road and were going pretty quickly on a second site,” said Sheffield, referring to a 14-acre site on Merritt Road in Kelseyville that the college had entered escrow on over the summer.
He said through collaborative efforts between the bank and the city, they were able to regain the project.
Sheffield said he previously came to Lakeport in an effort to bring the proposed sale “out of ashes.”
He said the bank had to sharpen its pencil “not once but twice” to give the college the best proposal. In fact, according to county property records, the bank purchased the property out of foreclosure for just over $1.6 million, and sold it to the college for $600,000 below that price.
In order to recoup some of their loss in the sale, Sheffield said they wanted to have the annexation process start on their second asset – the 99-acre property.
Mike Adams, Mendocino College’s facilities director, said a collaboration that included efforts by the council, city staff, the bank and the college presented the college with the chance to come back to Lakeport for “a pretty exciting project.”
He said it was an example of government and private interests working well together. “It's what ought to happen more often.”
Parmentier thanked Adams for keeping the project alive and not letting it slip away.
Lyons moved to adopt the resolution to begin annexation, which the council adopted 5-0.
Other action Tuesday included the council’s decision to start working with Habitat for Humanity on building affordable housing in the city, and initial passage of an ordinance that would limit recreational riding of off highway vehicles in the city limits, which passed 3-2 – with Lyons and Councilman Jim Irwin voting no.
The council also agreed to retain National Grant Services to work on writing grants for park projects for the city. Firm representative requested a $1,000 retainer fee, but said the city would not have to pay them anything more until they receive a grant.
Council members voted to have city staff begin working on a revised franchise agreement with the city’s franchise trash hauler, Lakeport Disposal. Company owner Joe Butcher requested changes including dropping annual audits at a cost of between $5,000 and $8,000 to the company. Instead, he proposes to submit regular reports from the firm’s accountant. He also wanted a two-year negotiation term, rather than 90 days. City Attorney Steve Brooks offered instead a year, which Butcher accepted.
The council also approved an owner participation agreement for façade improvements to Campos Casuals in the downtown area, approved an agreement with the consulting firm PFM for the Housing Fund Bond Analysis, not to exceed $10,000, and received a report on housing issues.
The council gave unanimous approval on votes to allow the city’s police officers and employees to enroll in the Peace Officers Research Association of California health insurance plan and to award a $14,623 contract for the Martin Street Improvement Project to Granite Construction.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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