LAKEPORT – The Lakeport City Council will hold a public hearing this evening on a new right-of-way ordinance and continue a discussion on a catastrophic leave policy for city employees.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at City Council Chambers, 225 Park St.

The public hearing will be a second reading and adoption of Ordinance 867, amending Chapter 12.04 of the Lakeport Municipal Code by revising the construction right-of-way improvement regulations.

Under current city rules, homeowners or business owners who make $26,000 of property improvements over a five-year period must install curb, sidewalk and gutter improvements, which in some cases can be prohibitively expensive.

Last month the city approved the ordinance on a first reading. As amended after the last meeting, the ordinance would raise valuation from $26,000 to $45,000 over a five-year period, rather than three years, as city staff originally proposed.

The ordinance would offer exemptions for accessibility improvements, but at the urging of Councilmen Jim Irwin and Buzz Bruns, the council removed exemptions for increasing energy conservation, such as installing solar power and energy efficient windows.

The council also will adjourn and reconvene as the Lakeport Redevelopment Agency, at which time it will consider approving disbursements of redevelopment tax increment pass through payments to affected local taxing agencies. Local agencies that benefit from redevelopment tax include Lakeport Unified School District and Lakeport Fire Protection District.

After reconvening as the council, members will continue a discussion from the last council meeting about a catastrophic leave policy. The proposed policy, which City Attorney Steve Brookes is writing, would allow employees to donate their own sick time to fellow city staffers who are missing work for long periods due to serious illness.

The issue is being brought back at this meeting because the council asked Brookes to refine the policy before it's accepted.

The council also will consider a request for a right-of-way deferral from Carol Scarbrough and award a bid for a cape seal project to Valley Slurry Seal.

Following the regular meeting, the council will adjourn into closed session to discuss property negotiations on the Vista Point Shopping Center.

Last month the city decided to begin discussions for sale of the property to Sonoma County developer Matt Riveras, who also is Bruns' son-in-law.

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

{mos_sb_discuss:3}