LAKEPORT – In what should prove to be a lengthy Tuesday meeting, the Board of Supervisors will discuss a proposed ordinance to prohibit genetically engineered (GE) crops and hear an appeal from the Sierra Club Lake Group on a subdivision project near Lakeport.

The meeting starts at 9 a.m. at the board chambers in the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St. The PEG Channel, TV 8, has resumed live broadcasts of the meetings, which are rebroadcast at 9 a.m. on Sundays.

Likely to be the hottest issue of the day will be the ordinance Supervisor Ed Robey is bringing to the board to keep GE agriculture out of Lake County, scheduled to be discussed beginning at 10 a.m.

In 2005 an ordinance proposing a 30-month moratorium on GE alfalfa was voted down 3-2, with Supervisors Jeff Smith, Rob Brown and Gary Lewis voting against it, and Robey and Anthony Farrington voting for it.

Since that time, Denise Rushing has succeeded Lewis on the board, which could lead to a new result this time around.

If Lake County were to approve such an ordinance it would be only the fifth California county to do so, joining Mendocino, Trinity, Marin and Santa Cruz. In fact, it's Santa Cruz's ordinance that Robey has used as the model for this local legislation. The cities of Arcata and Point Arena also have accepted such bans, as Lake County News has reported.

In other news, at 3:15 p.m. the board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the Sierra Club Lake Group's appeal of developer Mark Mitchell's Eachus View Estates, located at 3565, 3585 and 3595 Hill Road, Lakeport, near the site of the proposed Cristallago project.

In February, the board voted down a larger version of the subdivision, which Mitchell redesigned and took back to the Planning Commission. The commission, in turn, approved a mitigated negative declaration on an initial study of the project's parcel map on June 12.

As it's currently planned, Eachus View Estates would subdivide 87 acres into three residential lots and rezone 8.7 acres from Agriculture-Scenic-Floodway Fringe-Waterway to Rural-Residential-Scenic-Floodway Fringe-Wetland-Waterway-Special Lot Size). One of the primary reasons the Sierra Club Lake Group opposes the project is the necessity for a rezone of agricultural land.

Other items on the Tuesday agenda include the following.

Timed items:

‒ 9:15 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the week of Oct. 23 through 31 as Red Ribbon Week in Lake County.

‒ 9:20 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of October 2008 as Toastmasters Month in Lake County.

‒ 9:30 a.m.: (a) Discussion/consideration of proposed memorandum of understanding for the implementation of the mercury and nutrient total maximum daily loads for Clear Lake; and (b) consideration of mercury and nutrient total maximum daily loads monitoring and implementation plan for Clear Lake.

‒ 1:30 p.m.: Discussion/consideration of recommendations on cost of service rate study for water and wastewater systems managed by Lake County Special Districts.

‒ 4:15 p.m.: Discussion/consideration to direct staff to begin updating the Lakeport Area Plan.

Untimed items:

‒ Supervisors Consideration of approval of findings of fact in Ray Williams' appeal of the Planning Commission's denial of a subdivision consisting of approximately 53 acres to create 13 one-acre parcels and one 40 acre remainder parcel; project is located at 8999 Miwok Way, Kelseyville.

‒ Second reading of an ordinance amending Section 19-93.1 of the Lake County Code pertaining to the minimum amount of public liability and property damage liability coverage for taxicab and/or public transportation vehicles for hire.

‒ Second reading of an ordinance revising a permit and service fee schedule for Environmental Health Programs of the Lake County Department of Health Services (decreasing fees applicable to the operation of marinas).

‒ Consideration of Change Order No. 2 for Riviera Heights Cape Seal Coatings Project affecting a total decrease in contract price of $1400 (for liquidated damages).

‒ Consideration of proposed agreement between the county of Lake and Sierra Air Helicopters for flight services at a rate of $480 per hour, not to exceed $50,000.

The board also will hold a closed session to discuss labor negotiations and conduct performance evaluations of the Mental Health director and Special Districts administrator.

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