County Chief Administrator Kelly Cox took a proposed option agreement on the property to the board after the island’s owner, Carlton Clark of Santa Rosa, agreed to sell it to the Redevelopment Agency for $500,000. {sidebar id=8}
The 1.48-acre property is located at 12565 E. State Highway 20.
Cox told the board Tuesday that the $500,000 purchase price is half of the amount Clark originally sought.
The purchase option runs out Dec. 15, and in that time Cox said the county has a lot to do to determine whether or not buying the island is feasible. The county has received a grant to will fund the property study, including possible uses, an appraisal, an environmental assessment and a relocation plan for the island’s residents.
Clark told Lake County News in a Wednesday interview that the island currently has 13 rental spaces, all of which are filled. Of those, six of the spaces are occupied by full-time residents, and seven spaces by those who visit the county on the weekends.
Some of the residents have lived there for 35 years, Clark said.
One of the spaces, Cox said Tuesday, is occupied by a motor home. There are no stick-built structures on the island, he added.
Cox said the matter of relocation is the deal’s biggest obstacle. “We think the relocation costs may be significant.”
So significant, that it could put the project beyond the county’s reach. Cox estimated that relocation could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
However, buying Clark’s Island has a great deal of community support, said Cox, citing a Clearlake Oaks community survey last year.
In order to afford the property, Cox suggested the board not pursue a proposed park near Schindler Creek, which had much less support in the survey. The $365,000 set aside for that property could go toward buying Clark’s Island, Cox said.
The homes on Clark’s Island would be removed and the island would be used as a park and picnic area, connected to a county park on Island Drive by a foot bridge, said Cox.
If the Redevelopment Agency buys Clark’s Island intending to remove the structure, Cox said the county’s new mobile home park conversion ordinance will come into play, which will require relocation costs. It will be the first time the Redevelopment Agency has carried out a relocation project, he said.
The process will be further complicated, Cox said, by additional state and federal rules the county must follow.
One of those requirements includes immediately notifying the island’s residents that the county is considering the purchase.
Plan gets unanimous support
Supervisor Rob Brown, who has in the past questioned Redevelopment Agency projects and how the agency’s expenditures, had no qualms about this project.
“This is probably the best deal we’ll make for a long time on property,” said Brown.
It also solves the county’s concerns about the condition of the residences on the island and their impact on the environment, Brown said. “This would be good for us to do.”
Replied Board Chair Jeff Smith said he had to pause while he picked himself up off the floor. “I can’t believe what I’ve heard. God, Rob, you are coming around.”
Supervisor Denise Rushing said the environmental issues would go away if the residents were relocated. “This is one of the highest priorities as indicated by the citizens of the Oaks.”
Rushing said the island has great potential as a community space and a gateway to Clear Lake.
It’s a very visible space, she said, which currently has a significant amount of what the community considers to be blight. Investing in it would come at a time when the Clearlake Oaks community also is seeing increased investment by residents. Rushing said she considers Clearlake Oaks’ revitalization one of the best examples of how government, private partnerships and citizen involvement can work together successfully.
Supervisor Anthony Farrington said it was an “exciting moment” to arrive at a point where buying Clark’s Island could actually be feasible.
He said a marina is one possible use for the island that is sorely needed on the lake. “I hop that’s a fit down the road.”
Later in the meeting he mentioned grants that could help fund the marina plan. Cox said there are many grants they could pursue.
He added, “All we intend to do right now is clear it off. That will be a huge improvement.”
Both Smith and Supervisor Ed Robey said they also supported the purchase, saying that it would benefit Clearlake Oaks and exemplify the proper use of redevelopment money.
There are some immediate concerns, said Cox, such as the condition of the bridge that vehicles use to access the island. Clark has applied to have a few of the rental trailers removed through the county’s resort revitalization program, but Cox said the county is concerned that the bridge might not be able to support the weight of the trailers.
“I’m really excited about this,” said Cox, although he cautioned, “It can’t be considered definite at this point.”
There’s still the matter of the appraisal, said Cox. If the property were to be appraised for a significantly higher amount that the proposed purchase price, Clark could require the county to pay it.
A higher appraised price, coupled with relocation costs, could make the project too expensive, said Cox. “Hopefully, we’re paying fair market value when all things are taken into consideration.”
Rushing moved to accept the proposed option agreement, which the board accepted 5-0.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
