LAKEPORT, Calif. – After taking community input at its Tuesday evening meeting, the Lakeport City Council voted to approve a resolution to form a groundwater sustainability agency for a portion of the Scotts Valley basin.
 
The council unanimously approved the resolution, the next step in creating the agency, after holding a public hearing that ran less than 20 minutes.
 
The State Legislature’s passage in 2014 of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act required that groundwater sustainability agencies be formed to govern basins that are rated medium or high priority.
 
In Lake County the Scotts Valley and Big Valley basins have been rated as medium priority. That means that, according to the state’s timeline, groundwater sustainability agencies to manage them must be formed by June 30. A groundwater sustainability plan for them must be adopted by Jan. 31, 2022.
 
Community Development Director Kevin Ingram explained that the agency the city proposes to form will cover the entire city plus a 350-acre unincorporated area just west of the city limits that include portions of Riggs and Scotts Valley roads.
 
He said that area outside of the city limits has city infrastructure and is served by water the city draws from wells at its Green Ranch property.
 
Ingram said he’s had several conversations with interested parties, including Yolo County Flood Control & Water Conservation District, which holds the main water rights to Clear Lake.
 
Most of the concerns, he said, have come from people who live in the 350-acre area outside of the city. He said they’ve raised questions about whether the city intends to increase the amount of groundwater pumping or if it will meter wells. He said the city intends to do neither.
 
Ingram said the city originally had wanted to form a joint powers agreement with the county of Lake to jointly manage the Scotts Valley groundwater basin.
 
However, he said that the county has decided to pursue a different direction to put all county groundwater basins into one agency, which would only give the city a technical advisory – not a voting – role.
 
During the meeting it also was explained that the county has submitted to the state an alternative plan seeking to reduce the ratings – and the subsequent requirements – on the Scotts Valley and Big Valley basins to low priority.
 
While he said the city intends to continue working with the county, the city wants to have its own voice in the process and is moving forward to meet the state’s timelines.
 
During the public hearing, Rhonda Armstrong, chair of the Scotts Valley Advisory Council, said residents have several questions about the agency’s formation, including who would be part of the agency’s leadership and how members would be selected. Ingram said those specifics haven’t yet been determined.
 
Armstrong said the residents wanted assurances that the groundwater sustainability agency’s power to levy fees, limit pumping and dig new wells wouldn’t extend past the city service area. Ingram said the regulation measures will come from the state, and the city isn’t yet sure what will be required.
 
Ingram noted that the city supports the county’s attempt to downgrade the Scotts Valley basin to low priority. In response to other questions from Armstrong, he said the groundwater sustainability agency’s meetings will be public, and that the Scotts Valley Advisory Council already is on the mailing list of interested parties.
 
“We appreciate being included,” Armstrong said.
 
Councilman Kenny Parlet explained that the county is trying to reduce the basin’s priority so a groundwater sustainability plan wouldn't be necessary. If that were to be approved, a lot of the effort the city is going through now may become irrelevant.
 
Parlet added that he believes major groundwater management issues aren’t likely to happen locally, but in other parts of the state, such as the Central Valley.
 
He said Ingram is making sure that the city will have the opportunity of weighing in on the basin’s management should its rating not be reduced.
 
Joanne Ruddock, whose property overlies the aquifer, said she is concerned about recharge.
 
She asked if the city will take more water from the basin. Ingram said the city isn’t permitted to do so under is agreement with Yolo Flood.
 
“It's important to move forward,” said Mayor Stacey Mattina.
 
Mattina encouraged people with questions to call the city and speak with Ingram. “We're not trying to take anything from anyone,” she said, but rather trying to jump through the State Legislature's hoops.
 
Lake County Water Resources Director Phil Moy told the council that he had checked with the California Department of Water Resources about the status of the county’s basin priority reduction proposal.
 
He said the county probably won’t hear anything back from the state about its decision until the end of this year or the start of next year.
 
“My personal opinion is, Lakeport is doing the exactly right thing,” said Moy regarding the city’s effort to form its own agency, protect its groundwater and ensure that is has a place at the table.
 
Councilwoman Mireya Turner moved to approve the adoption of the resolution forming the agency, with Councilman George Spurr offering the second and the council approving it 5-0.
 
The council also voted unanimously to adopt a resolution affirming its support for the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, which is now under review – along with 21 other national monuments nationwide of 100,000 acres or more created since the Clinton Administration – because of an executive order signed earlier this year by President Donald Trump.
 
Sierra Club representative Victoria Brandon briefed the council on the effort to protect the designation of the Berryessa monument, formed in July 2015 by President Barack Obama. She said two-thirds of the monument is located within Lake County.
 
In other business, Police Chief Brad Rasmussen presented the Lakeport Police Department’s illegal fireworks operation plan, which covers the 30-day period – June 17 to July 16 – surrounding the July 4 holiday.
 
Last year’s July 4 celebration resulted in large amounts of trash being left on city and private property, much of it associated with safe and sane fireworks, Rasmussen said.
 
In years past, the groups that are allowed to sell safe and sane fireworks in the city had been involved in the cleanup process, although that hasn’t happened for the past two years, he said.
 
Rasmussen said the city is reaching out to those groups and he hopes to soon meet with them and a representative of the fireworks company to finalize a cleanup plan for this year’s event. He said he believes city ordinance dictates the groups have responsibility for cleanup.
 
“That’s a great idea,” said Mattina. “It was a big mess last year.”
 
The council voted unanimously to accept and file Rasmussen’s report.
Rasmussen also presented to the council the application for the Lakeside Car and Boat Show, which will take place Aug. 18 to 20 in downtown Lakeport.
 
The event was held for the first time last year. This year, major changes include the expectation of more cars and boats, and the request to close a portion of Main Street between First and Third streets, Rasmussen said.
 
The event will close the Third Street boat ramp to the public. The Fifth Street boat ramp will remain available to the public except for a brief period during the morning launch of high speed boats that will do high speed runs as part of the event, according to Rasmussen.
 
Event organizer Tony Barthel told the council that 100 percent of the proceeds go to Operation Tango Mike, which sends care packages to troops overseas.
 
He said it’s also meant to bring money to Lake County. Hotel rooms already are filling up, and he said feedback from local restaurants last year included reports that they almost ran out of food in serving the customers the event attracted.
 
The council unanimously approved the event’s application.
 
Also getting the council’s approval was Ingram’s request to advertise for competitive bids for the Carnegie Library Accessibility Upgrades Project.
 
“I’m excited to bring this one to you guys. We’ve been working on this for quite some time,” said Ingram, noting it’s a major economic development efforts the city has undertaken in the last few years, specifically getting it reopened for public use.
 
Garavaglia Architecture Inc. of San Francisco has finished the design phase for the building’s accessibility improvements, which include a lift/elevator, Americans with Disability Act-compliant bathrooms, accessibility upgrades to the southern end of the building, repairs to the second floor’s failing ceiling, and lighting upgrades, Ingram said.
 
“All improvements have been specifically designed to respect the historic features of the building,” Ingram said.
 
The total estimated cost of the upgrades is between $200,000 and $225,000, and will be paid for by Community Development Block Grant funding the city received for the project in 2014, he said.
 
Ingram said city staff hopes to turn the bid process around quickly so the council can make a decision.
 
“It seems like we're getting a lot for $200,000,” said Mattina.
Ingram said it’s always an interesting process to see how the bidding turns out.
 
Parlet moved to approve the request, which Spurr seconding and the council voting 5-0.
 
In other business on Tuesday, City Clerk and Administrative Services Director Kelly Buendia introduced new Administrative Specialist Pam Samac to the council.
 
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