LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council on Tuesday took up planning issues for two significant city projects – the moving of the city's police department to its new headquarters and a proposal for a new affordable senior housing project.

Community Development Director Kevin Ingram took the items to the council at its regular meeting on Tuesday night.

In March, the city closed escrow on the new police headquarters building at 2025 S. Main St. that formerly had housed the Social Security Administration, as Lake County News has reported. The building was purchased for $875,000.

The goal is to move the Lakeport Police Department from its current headquarters at 916 N. Forbes St. to the new building by July.

The effort to complete the transition for the police headquarters requires several planning steps, including approving a general plan amendment and a negative declaration, and passing an ordinance for a zone change from major retail to public and civic uses, Ingram said.

Ingram introduced the items and asked the council to schedule them for a public hearing at its June 2 regular meeting.

The current police headquarters is inadequate for the agency's needs, particularly in the area of safety. Ingram said those issues came to a head this past year due to suicidal and violent subjects who came up to the building and posed a threat to officers.

The South Main Street building, Ingram said, is 4,460 square feet – about 50-percent larger than the current police facility – and is ideal for the police department.

He said it has a good design, and separate access for both the public and police personnel.

To accommodate its new use as a police headquarters, Ingram said the building needs only minor remodels, including the installation of cameras, lights and fencing.

With the property now owned by the city – and the plan to use it as the police department for at 20 to 30 years to come – he said it was best to make it compatible with the general plan and rezone it.

Councilman Kenny Parlet said he thought the entire project was an example of serendipity.

“I think it's an incredible coup for the city to get this,” Parlet said of the building.

Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said the building's acquisition has had a positive impact on police morale, and will improve working conditions and safety.

Councilman Marc Spillman said the building, which also has a bus stop nearby, has had a lot of garbage left there by people using the bus stop.

Mayor Martin Scheel and Councilwoman Stacey Mattina, who represent the council on the Lake Transit Authority Board, said there is an effort to find funding to upgrade the bus stop and address the littering issues.

Rasmussen said his department also has hired People Services to take care of the building grounds and improve the conditions.

Ingram said he has called Mark Wall of Lake Transit to discuss the costs for getting a bench, with the goal of having an update by June 2.

Councilwoman Mireya Turner said she toured the new building, and the project was very exciting. “This is a good thing. We need to protect our team.”

Rick Hamilton, who works with Lake Transit on its advertising and attends the transit board meetings, said he believed the transit authority will be willing to work with the city to improve the site. He said the Social Security Administration hadn't been willing to work with Lake Transit on the bus stop improvements.

Turner moved to approve the introduction of the ordinance and scheduling of the public hearing next month, which Mattina seconded and the council approved 5-0.

Council agrees to expedite senior project review

Also on Tuesday, the council gave its support for Ingram and his staff to expedite the architectural and design review of Pacific West Co.'s proposal for a 32-unit senior affordable housing development on a three-acre portion of 1255 Martin St., across the street from the Lake County Sheriff's Office headquarters.

Ingram said he was excited to bring the project proposal to the council.

Pacific West previously built the Bella Vista senior apartment complex at 1075 Martin St. That 48-unit complex is full and has a year-long waiting list, it was explained at the meeting.

Ingram said the issue was that the developer is under some special time constraints as it's seeking to file applications with the state for the HOME grant for project financing. The deadline is the beginning of July.

The city's recently adopted housing element contains language that supports expediting projects to meet special needs like those of affordable senior housing, Ingram said.

He was seeking a finding from the council that the project qualified for that expedited review process under the guidelines laid out in the housing element.

“It's not going to be an easy feat,” said Ingram, noting that there are some key components like architectural renderings and proposed utilities that are not yet completed. He said Pacific West is working to get that information.

Ingram said he and his staff believed the proposed project qualified for the expedited review.

He said city officials and Pacific West, plus key stakeholders, had a “great” meeting on the project on Tuesday afternoon. At that point he said they identified remaining hurdles and solutions.

Ingram said the expedited process may require a special Lakeport Planning Commission meeting on June 24.

He explained that the council was not being asked to make an intended decision on the project as a whole, but to decide if it qualified for the expedited review.

Spillman called the Bella Vista project “wonderful,” and raised the issue of having better sidewalks in the area, including onto Bevins Street, with safety being a main concern.

Ingram said the sidewalks issue has come up with regard to the new proposal, and while there are topographical challenges at the site, he said Pacific West is willing to look at options for creating pedestrian access.

Parlet said there may not have been a good perception in the past of the city's willingness to work with developers, and he said the council needed to send a message that the city is open for business. As such, he supposed expediting the project review.

Turner asked Ingram to clarify how the public review period wouldn't be abbreviated by expediting the project. Ingram explained that public review would not be shortened and that there would still be the normal 20-day review period, which would be facilitated by holding the special planning commission meeting.

Cameron Johnson of AMG & Associates, speaking on behalf of Pacific West, was on hand to give the council an update, explaining that the affordable housing developer has built about 5,000 housing units in California.

He said the reasons they have come back to Lakeport include the significant demand they've encountered for the Bella Vista apartments – with a one-year waiting list – and a great experience working with city officials.

“The site that we've identified is a challenging site,” with issues including topography, wetlands and pedestrian access, Johnson said.

However, Johnson said he believed those issues could be addressed, and he knows that the project, once built, would quickly fill up due to the waiting list, which now has 53 people on it. However, it will take some work to carry out the financing strategy, which includes the HOME grant, tax credits and bond financing.

“We're very excited to be here,” Johnson said. “We really would like to deliver another project similar to Bella Vista.”

Parlet asked Johnson if the firm was looking at a third site in addition, considering that it is aiming to build 32 units but has 53 people on the waiting list.

Johnson said the firm believes it can build another phase on the property, which is 10 acres in total. The 32-unit project would be built on three acres with the possible next phase – with 40 to 60 units – to be built on the remaining seven acres. That could help alleviate the city's affordable housing needs for seniors, he said.

“It was a pleasure to watch your first complex go up,” said Turner, with Johnson replying that the developer is pleased with how the project turned out.

Scheel called the Bella Vista project “an icon of responsible development,” and he supported exploring the project.

Mattina moved to approve expediting the project process, with Spillman seconding. The council approved the motion 5-0.

In other news, the council heard a presentation by Jill Ruzicka of the County Administrative Office on the Lake County Marketing Program; approved a summer concession agreement with Mendo Lake SUP, which will offer paddleboards for rent at Library Park; continued a stage one water emergency for the city first implemented in a resolution passed in September; and approved a May 21 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new docks at Library Park.

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