CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council this week will consider adopting the city's new fiscal year budget and discuss pursuing a temporary moratorium the city manager is proposing on building and remodel projects on Lakeshore Drive.
The council will meet in closed session at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 27, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive, to discuss property negotiations before convening at 6 p.m. for the public portion of the meeting.
The main item on the Thursday agenda is the acceptance of the proposed 2013-14 fiscal year budget.
City Manager Joan Phillipe's report to the council shows that the proposed budget has $10,735,631 in appropriations and transfers from the city's general fund, and the redevelopment and housing successor agencies.
The budget document is the product of staff work and two council budget workshops, on June 6 and June 20.
In her budget message, Phillipe said the proposed budget is one where appropriations are balanced with revenues and other resources. However, she notes in her report to the council, “the City does need to grow its reserves and still faces many budgetary challenges.”
She said the city's general fund budget was balanced with appropriately $300,000 in one-time revenues.
In addition to considering adoption of the final budget, the council will discuss fiscal year 2013-14 goals and objectives and the revised budget and investment policies.
In other business, Phillipe is asking the council to consider giving her direction to craft a temporary moratorium on building construction and major remodels on Lakeshore Drive between Olympic Drive and Old Highway 53.
The reason, Phillipe said in her report to the council, arises from the city not having adopted design guidelines for any of its “design district” zoning areas, “meaning that there is no ability for staff or the planning commission to review projects and require design features that would be compatible with the area.”
She continued in her report, “It makes sense to consider taking a step back and stopping future development on the Lakeshore Drive corridor for a short period of time to get the corridor study adopted and consider guidelines that it sets forth along with design guidelines that have been previously suggested,” in order that development in that area is consistent with the vision that has been set forth.
If the council is on board, Phillipe said staff will return with a proposed ordinance at the July 11 council meeting. She's also suggesting that the matter be referred to the Clearlake Planning Commission for recommendation on the guidelines from the Vision Task Force combined with the Lakeshore Downtown Corridor Study.
Also on Thursday, the council will discuss placing a 1-percent sales tax measure on an upcoming ballot to be used specifically for street improvements, maintenance and code enforcement.
A similar sales tax measure, Measure G, failed last November in the city.
Other agenda items include discussion of sending a letter in opposition to SB 7, introduced by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), which Phillipe said would post a threat to local city authority; award of a contract for a long range property management plan as part of the continuing process of dissolving the Clearlake Redevelopment Agency; and endorsement of the legislative agenda of the League of California Cities Redwood Empire Division of the League of California Cities, the Public Agency Risk Sharing Authority of California, Area Planning Council, Local Agency Formation Commission and the Lake County Vector Control District.
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