CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council last Thursday discussed a contract for a feasibility study for a roundabout on Dam Road and the city's participation in a regional recycling program.
The items, originally on the July 10 meeting's consent agenda – which consists of items considered to be routine in nature and generally acted upon with a single motion – were pulled for discussion at the request of members of the public.
Neither item impacts the city financially. There is no cost for participation in the recycling program and the feasibility study is funded through a Lake Area Planning Council (APC) grant.
Authorization was provided for the city's renewal in the tri-county Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ), which also consists of Mendocino and Sonoma counties.
The RMDZ is a state program focused on promoting industry that uses recyclable materials as feedstock.
City Manager Joan Phillipe said the program offers a variety technical assistance services as well as access to a low-interest loan facility.
She said while there is no financial impacts to the city, there exist the potential for significant impact for local businesses providing access to low-cost loans and support.
Phillipe said Hospice Services of Lake County is currently the only local business participating in the program.
She said the business often receives donations of unusable clothing, which, through the program, are being recycled into usable cloths.
The RMDZ is administered by the Mendocino County Economic Development and Financing Corporation with the support of the Mendocino Solid Waste Management Authority. More information regarding participation in the program, is available through Clearlake City Hall at 14050 Olympic Drive.
The council also provided authorization for execution of a contract to perform a feasibility study for construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Dam Road and Dam Road Extension. The contract is with Omni Means Engineer Planning and is not to exceed $24,826.
“These are planning funds from the APC and are not directly from the general fund,” City Engineer Bob Galusha said, in addressing financial concern expressed by citizen Bill Shields.
Galusha said certain priorities are set by the APC to alleviate pressures from the state highway system. The project, he said, is in line with those priorities.
Galusha said the APC conducted a State Route 53 Corridor Study that focused on the area between highways 20 and 29.
He said the study was completed in 2011 and included a recommendation that the city plan to construct a roundabout at the Dam Road/Dam Road Extension intersection by 2020.
“This intersection is problematic in that it is so close Highway 53 and Dam Road there is not enough queuing or stacking room for cars coming off Highway 53 onto Dam Road,” Galusha said. “That is the primary reason that the State Route 53 Corridor Study recommended consideration for constructing a roundabout rather than installing traffic signals at the Dam Road and Walmart intersection.”
Galusha said the purpose of the study would ensure the recommended improvement can be constructed at a reasonable cost.
“The study would determine what additional right-of-way may be needed for the roundabout, which is very important at this time as we have interest from the property adjacent to Carl's Jr. to develop a commercial building on that site,” he said.
In addition, Galusha said the study includes a “fast path” analysis to ensure that the roundabout will provide the desired effect to slow entering, circulating and exiting traffic to maximize safety and improve traffic operations.
A detailed construction cost estimate also is to be prepared for the proposed roundabout.
Both items pulled from the consent agenda passed unanimously, with Councilwoman Jeri Spittler absent from the meeting.
Email Denise Rockenstein at
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