CLEARLAKE, Calif. – In a brief Thursday night meeting, the Clearlake City Council approved minor updates to the city's signage rules, gave the OK to a rental agreement with the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, and appointed the delegate and alternate for this fall's League of California Cities annual meeting.

Mayor Russ Perdock called the meeting to order and asked for a moment of silence and prayers for the country to heal from its divisiveness.

City Attorney Ryan Jones said there was no reportable action from the closed session the council held immediately before the meeting on Thursday for the purpose of conducting a performance evaluation of City Manager Greg Folsom.

Introducing the amendments to the sign ordinance, Folsom called the proposed changes “essentially minor” and applying only to the elections and sign portions of the city municipal codes.

Folsom said city staff will be conducting a comprehensive and “very significant” zoning code update in the near future. What was before the council on Thursday was to make sure the city is in compliance with the law when it comes to election signs.

Jones said that in June 2015 the United States Supreme Court decided the case Reed vs. The Town of Gilbert, involving an Arizona town.

The court ruled that content-based restrictions on signage violate the First Amendment. In particular, Gilbert had certain regulations for political signs, and different ones for commercial and noncommercial signs, Jones said.

“The Supreme Court said that was illegal,” said Jones, adding that he was concerned because some of Clearlake's rules had mirrored those used in Gilbert.

The amendments before the council removed those content-based requirements so that all signs are generally treated the same. Jones said there are only specific regulations for temporary commercial use, permanent and noncommercial. “Otherwise, a sign is a sign.”

Folsom said the Clearlake Planning Commission reviewed the amendments at its July 5 meeting and recommended the council approve the updated ordinance.

In addition, the commission wanted to change flashing, rotating and moving signs from being expressly prohibited to being permitted with a conditional use permit, Folsom said.

The council held a brief public hearing with no public input and followed up by approving the ordinance 4-0. Vice Mayor Gina Fortino Dickson was absent from the meeting.

Also on Thursday, the council the council approved a rental agreement with the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce for office space at the city's community center building at 3245 Bowers Ave., which also hosts the senior center.

Folsom said the city has a contract with the chamber to occupy the visitor center at 14095 Lakeshore Drive for $1 per year.

However, the opening of the visitor center has been delayed and the chamber has been occupying a small office in the community center. Folsom said the chamber needs a lease to legally occupy the building.

Folsom said the proposed terms include the chamber paying the city $1 a month from Aug. 1 through Dec. 21, with the chamber to occupy the center's office No. 1 and also have monthly meeting space.

He said the city is going to be working hard to get the visitor center opened by year's end. So far, the effort has relied heavily on volunteer help.

Chamber President Jo Bennett said the chamber board met Wednesday night and accepted the proposed contract.

“It's a real benefit for us,” said Bennett, who added the organization likely would be homeless otherwise.

Councilwoman Joyce Overton moved to approve the contract, with Councilman Nick Bennett seconding and the council approving the contract 4-0.

In other business, the council selected its voting delegate and alternate for the League of California Cities conference Oct. 5 to 7 in Long Beach.

Folsom said the organization is an association of California city officials who work together to enhance their knowledge and skills, exchange information, and combine resources so that they may influence policy decisions that affect cities.

He said the conference is extremely valuable due to the educational and networking opportunities, as well as the chance to vote on resolutions establishing league policy.

However, in order to vote, the city needed to designate a voting delegate and up to two alternate delegates, Folsom said.

Overton moved to appoint Perdock as the voting delegate, with Councilman Bruno Sabatier as the alternate. The council approved the motion unanimously.

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