LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Friday Lakeport Police officers and Public Works staff removed a transient camp along the shore of Clear Lake.

Since Oct. 19, Lakeport Police officers have been investigating the circumstances of a multiple site transient camp, spread across approximately 75 yards, off a vacant private lake side parcel in the 2200 block of Lakeshore Boulevard, according to Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.

Although the land was private, the areas where multiple separate campsites were constructed was believed to be below the high water mark of Clear Lake and within the public trust doctrine, an easement that exists on the shore zone of non-tidal navigable lakes and rivers in California, Rasmussen said.

He said that easement area is, reserved to the people of the state of California for purposes of navigation, commerce, fishing, recreation, and/or retention in its natural condition. However state or local law does not authorize a person to trespass on the private lands of another to access the easement. 

During the course of the investigation, Rasmussen said officers learned that persons occupying the camps believed that they were on state property below the high water mark and had a legal right to be camped there. 

Officers also interviewed the private landowner and determined that he did not authorize any persons to occupy or use his land or to construct camps on it and he requested that trespassing laws be enforced, Rasmussen said.

The Lakeport Police officers talked with several persons occupying the camp and worked with them to attempt to gain their cooperation in cleaning up and vacating the area, according to Rasmussen.

On Tuesday, Lakeport Police officers posted the area for trespassing and violation of the city of Lakeport Municipal Code against camping on vacant lots without sanitary or garbage facilities, Rasmussen said.

“We also gave notice to occupants giving them 48 hours to clean up any trash and remove their belongings,” said Rasmussen.

Then, on Friday, Rasmussen said two Lakeport Police officers and eight Lakeport Public Works staff members entered the camp and abated it, removing a total of 940 pounds of garbage and contaminated debris. The vast majority of the debris was found from between 5 and 30 feet from the water’s edge of Clear Lake.

“At the time of our entry into the camp, we found that it was abandoned,” said Rasmussen. “It is our belief that the occupants had left the area to avoid arrest or citation.”

He said one individual did return and contact city officials, and they were able to confirm that he had cleaned up his area before their arrival. 

On Friday, Rasmussen said the camp site had been the source of complaints and safety concerns from residents in at least two adjacent neighborhoods over the previous 10 days.

He said his agency requested that the landowner post the area regarding trespassing as soon as possible.

The investigation into the site remains ongoing and Rasmussen said as many as five additional individuals may face arrest and/or prosecution for misdemeanor crimes including trespassing, camping on vacant lots, illegal dumping, destroying natural resources or other environmental violations. 

“We are concerned about the safety of our citizens and the quality of life in our city and will continue to work with all persons to carry out our mission of reducing crime and providing the best safety we can,” he said. “Further, we will continue to aggressively enforce all laws affecting the quality of life and safety of our community.”

Rasmussen added, “We also understand that the homeless and transient issue is a larger issue within our community, the county and state and wish to remain involved in working with the community to solve those issues.”