CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council this week is set to hold discussions on a proposed exemption on commercial organic recycling rules and the offer of a land donation.

The council will meet for a 5 p.m. closed session to discuss litigation filed against the city by Jeri Spittler, the city's former mayor, her husband Anthony Spittler and Robin Farnham over the city's recently passed ordinance banning marijuana cultivation, and the appointment of a new city manager before convening in public session beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 9, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

At the beginning of the meeting, Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin will make a presentation to the council, as will the members of Citizens for a Cleaner Clearlake.

The council also will present a proclamation designating April 2 as Autism Awareness Day.

Under council business, council members will consider a resolution affirming an exemption from the state's new requirements for mandatory commercial organics recycling.

City Manager Joan Phillipe's report to the council explains that last year a bill was signed into law that requires businesses that generate a specific amount of organic waste per week to arrange for recycling services for that waste.

The law also requires jurisdictions to implement an organics recycling program for such businesses by Jan. 2, 2016, along with carrying out education, outreach and monitoring activities, with annual reports due to CalRecycle, she said.

Phillipe explained that the new requirements would be “much the same” as the mandatory commercial recycling program now in place, with some additional components for the city to include “that would be a significant challenge and of little or no value to the city.”

The city already has programs in place to eliminate green waste disposal at the landfill, Phillipe reported, and there are few commercial properties in the city large enough to generate the amount of greenwaste requiring onsite collection, meaning establishing such a collection program would have costs that would be “unfeasibly high.”

There is a provision in the law that allows for an exemption from the requirements for the smallest of counties – with population of less than 70,000 – until Jan. 1, 2020. To pursue that exemption, Phillipe said the council would need to approve the proposed resolution.

In other business, the council also will consider accepting parcels located at 16036 14th Ave. and 16046 14th Ave. from property owner Luana Zellner.

Phillipe's report to the council explains that Zellner contacted the city in November 2014 to indicate she would like to donate the two lots.

In her letter to the city, Zellner – a resident of Austin, Texas – said the total assessed value on the lots is $1,806, with no liability, liens or taxes owed.

“I live in Texas and have no interest in keeping this property,” Zellner said in her letter.

Following an onsite review of the properties, Phillipe said staff is recommending that the council not accept the properties, which are located in an undeveloped area in the Avenues on the east side of Highway 53.

Phillipe said there is no road to the parcels from either Boyles or Irving avenues, and the entire area is overgrown with brush.

“The properties are not conducive to future park space without acquiring surrounding parcels and creating needed access and there is no other foreseeable use of the lots by the city,” she wrote.

On the meeting's consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are warrant registers and a resolution authorizing the addition of supplemental activities to the 2014 Community Development Grant.

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