LAKEPORT, Calif. – After its last meeting on a senior housing proposal ran nearly three hours, the Lakeport Planning Commission on Wednesday wrapped up business in under a quarter of an hour with approval of a fencing project and an update on a cell tower project appeal.

The main order of business for the commission at the 12-minute meeting was the consideration of Stephanie and Steve Williamson's application to construct a new 6-foot-tall wrought iron fence and a 13-foot wrought iron sliding electronic gate at their property at 4 16th St.

The matter went before the commission because the fence is in excess of the 3-foot height limit within the front yard setback.

It's to replace an existing 4-foot-high picket fence along both the front and eastern side boundaries of the property, which the couple purchased as their retirement home in June 2014.

Ingram explained that the Williamsons' property used to be owned in conjunction with 2 16th St.

Together, the properties previously were operated as Clear Lake Bed and Breakfast, which closed Nov. 30, according to its Facebook page.

The two properties have since been sold separately as residences, according to city documents.

The fence will help clearly delineate the property lines, said Ingram. He said staff supported the design, which has no visibility issues and didn't block views of the lake.

“It's a nice looking fence design,” he said.

Commissioner Ross Kauper said he did a site visit, and believed the fence would be an improvement.

“We're just doing it to try to make it as nice as we can,” said Steve Williamson.

Williamson said it's also meant to offer security, explaining that a drunk person climbed on his roof on July 4, with other people wandering onto his property for various reasons.

“This is the best alternative that we could come up with,” Williamson said, noting the property looks pretty now and he wants to keep it that way.

Commissioner Harold Taylor moved to approve the request, which commission approved 4-0, with Suzanne Russell absent.

Ingram told the commission that it may have another fence project – as well as a proposed project from AutoZone – on the agenda for the Aug. 12 meeting.

In other business on Wednesday, Ingram gave the commission a brief update on the Lakeport City Council meeting on Tuesday night, at which time the council granted a 60-day continuance to Complete Wireless Consulting, which applied on Verizon's behalf for a permit for a 72-foot cell tower at 1875 N. High St.

The commission approved the “monopine” – which is the term used for towers designed to look like pine trees in order to disguise them – in May, but the decision was appealed to the council, which has indicated that it doesn't favor the location due to its closeness to residential areas.

At the commission's last meeting, commissioners voiced concerns that they didn't get the level of public comment on the matter that the council did, indicating that it would have had an impact if they had.

Ingram also reported that the city has hired a new planner, Dan Chance, who is coming from Grass Valley to take the job. Chance starts next week.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.