CLEARLAKE – The city's goal of developing the Austin Resort site may take a step forward tonight, when the Clearlake City Council discusses an environmental study of the parcel.

Under Redevelopment Agency business, the council will consider approving a contract with the firm Jones and Stokes to conduct the study, which the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires.

The environmental study will be a key to developing the site, Interim City Administrator Dale Neiman said earlier this month.

At its meeting Feb. 8, the council extended an exclusive negotiating agreement with Income Property Specialists (IPS), a company interested in building a mixed-use development on the site that includes a hotel, retail space and town homes.

Neiman said before that meeting that the council would like to add some elements to IPS's proposal. The council, at Neiman's recommendation, extended talks with IPS 30 days to finish the agreement.

Before a plan to develop the lakeside property can be approved, Neiman said the city has to conduct an environmental study on the site.

That study, Neiman said, could impact the final design on any project proposed for the Austin Resort site; it will tell the city and developer what can and can't be done with the land.

Once the study is completed, and the city and IPS reach an agreement on the site's development, Neiman said the city would sell the land to IPS.

An appraisal would be required before a sale, but Neiman said an appraisal would come at at a later state of the process.

The Clearlake City Council meets at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

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

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