The three-hour-and 45-minute meeting devoted just over three hours of discussion and public comment to Lake County Resort Partners Inc.'s Provinsalia proposal, the 292-acre nine-hole golf course and subdivision project that would be located along Cache Creek at 17012, 17055 and 17065 Dam Road.
For about the first hour of the discussion, City Administrator Dale Neiman and planning consultant Melissa Floyd presented background information on the project, its demographics, California Environmental Quality Act requirements, and staff's assessment of the potential benefits and impacts of Provinsalia's 565 homes and 100 condominiums.
That discussion included a lengthy list of the qualifications of city staff to deal with the project, which Neiman felt it necessary to give in response to recent comments and articles in the local media.
He reviewed the history of Provinsalia's main documents and the actions taken so far by the city, including the Clearlake Planning Commission's unanimous Dec. 16 vote in support of the city moving forward with the project.
Neiman said the city did additional analysis on the project because of AB 32, state legislation requiring agencies to make efforts to address global warming. He said the climate change issue is “a moving target.”
Provinsalia would be built in 10 phases. Floyd explained that the first phase would include 50 lots for single-family homes, rough grading for Provinsalia Avenue relating to phases one through four, water and sewer would be extended to the site, a propane gas storage facility would be constructed as would the entire golf course, onsite street drainage for the homes and the golf course. The golf course pro shop and maintenance yard also would be built, the easements for the entire trail system would be dedicated, and phase one's trail portions would be constructed and a playground built.
At that time there also would be a dedication of open space to the city, and the developer would enter into an agreement with the city for potential golf course abandonment, in which case the land would be converted to open space in perpetuity, Floyd said.
Community members offer thoughtful perspectives
Following the staff presentation, the council received two hours of public comment from approximately 18 people, of which 15 spoke against the project or outlined serious concerns, and three expressed support. Several speakers noted the quality and thoughtfulness of the comments.
The first person at the microphone, Sierra Club Lake Group Chair Victoria Brandon, started off by taking exception to a comment made during the staff presentation that Provinsalia is an infill project.
“It seems to me the absolute opposite of infill,” she said, pointing out there are other areas of the city where infill could be pursued but hasn't been.
She outlined numerous concerns, including reduction in carbon sequestration due to the remove of hundreds of trees, which would be replaced by baby trees that don't take in as much carbon. She also questioned the millions that it may cost to make the city's sewage collection system capable of handling the new homes, the possibility of no credit being available to build, the struggling economy and the wisdom of approving such a project in light of that situation, and the perceived hurry the city is in to get the project through, despite the fact that it's been around for years.
Brandon made two specific suggestions: require a performance bond to guarantee that site alternations – such as grading or removing trees – would take place before the permits are granted, and a sunset clause included in the rezone request so that, if work doesn't start in a specific period of time, the rezone runs out.
Longtime Clearlake resident Shirley Howland said the project “just won't work right now,” although it might in 20 years. She questioned that anyone would buy a $250,000 house on a 5,000 square foot lot when nicer, larger homes can be bought at better prices in places like Hidden Valley Lake.
Konocti Unified Superintendent Bill MacDougall explained that the district has made several recent improvements – new libraries and a new gym – with the help of bond funding.
“I don't think I can go to that well again,” he said in trying to look for other ways to improve district facilities.
The district is facing tough budget times and looking at cutting personnel and consolidating some schools because of the challenges ahead, said MacDougall.
If Provinsalia brought 500 new students to the district, they would need accommodation. The environmental impact report had noted that the project may come up short in the developer fees that support school facility improvements, so that would mean, in essence, another cut on top of the cuts the district already is facing from the state budget crisis, MacDougall said.
Provinsalia also would bring more traffic onto Dam Road and then onto Lake Street, which runs in front of Lower Lake High and Lower Lake Elementary. “There's a lot of traffic in front of them, right now,” he said.
Oak Hill Middle School has modular buildings that need to be replaced at an estimated cost of $12 million, he said.
“I'm concerned about this project and I hope you'll take great consideration on how it impacts our children and our schools,” he said.
Glen Goodman said the project would end up costing the taxpayers money to cover the necessary services. He also questioned why no environmental impact report has been done on the necessary road construction.
Goodman called Provinsalia “classic sprawl” that would lead to destruction of natural resources, more traffic congestion, less water, more roads and a lot more money for taxpayers, who he said needed to be told how much they stood to pay.
Dante DeAmicis said Clearlake's redevelopment theme should be “Forever 50s,” since it's taking a 1950s-style approach – using a golf course to sell lots.
DeAmicis anticipated big problems with the loss of trees and the “big teeth” the Air Resources Board has and is likely to use due to the new power granted to it in AB 32.
Big Valley resident Roberta Actor-Thomas said the city can't legally approve the final environmental impact report because it's still deficient. She said they shouldn't depend on a development to save the city.
She said the oak groves that would be removed would impact the watershed, because the oaks allow the soil to hold 100 times more water.
“This project is so ill-conceived that we can't help but question the motives of its supporters at city hall,” she said, adding that it seemed that city staff was trying to sell the property when the city should appear neutral.
Debra Sally said the Provinsalia project, with its Cache Creek frontage, should be used as a park, or even as a resort. “I don't think it's too late to consider what could happen here.”
Angie Siegel, who has been involved in land use advocacy issues for eight years, said she wants to see Lake County grow intelligently.
“It's important not to act out of desperation,” she said.
She suggested city staff shred a PowerPoint used to explain Provinsalia's benefits as opposed to other residential areas of the city. “You've made the rest of the city of Clearlake look like a hellhole.”
Provinsalia will have a huge impact, much of which cannot be mitigated, she said.
She said she respects that they're trying to make the city a better place, and asked them to consider the public's comments and act wisely.
Clearlake native Ed Robey, who recently retired from District 1 supervisorial post, complimented city staff on taking a project with incredible flaws and making it better.
However, Provinsalia still has big problems, he said, pointing to concerns about there being enough capacity in the pipeline that transports wastewater to The Geysers for injection in the steamfields if Provinsalia hooked up to it.
Robey then referenced a letter from Caltrans that was submitted to the city, asking that the council turn down the project until traffic impacts are mitigated to the agency's satisfaction.
“My bottom line about this project is it's premature,” he said. “What you've got is a 1960s subdivision project and it's kind of been spruced up a bit.”
He added that the city can do better.
Project also has supporters
Lakeport resident Ron Rose, who owns several properties in Clearlake, voiced his support for Provinsalia, which he said would benefit every city resident over time.
He said the project wasn't perfect. “You have to take the good with the bad.”
Rose agreed that the city needed to make sure the project followed rule and regulations so that, if things are done wrong, taxpayers don't get stuck paying for the fix.
Robert Riggs delivered to the council the opinions and observations offered by the city's Vision Task Force Steering Committee, which has discussed Provinsalia at several meetings.
“I think there is very healthy skepticism about many aspects of this project,” said Riggs.
City staff has done a good job of drilling down into the project's details, but there are still areas that need work to make sure it doesn't go sideways and result in a failure for the city, he said.
Some of the project's specifications aren't in the specific plan but in a memo Neiman wrote, which doesn't have the force of law, Riggs said.
He said a sunset clause should be written into the project's approvals. “This should not be a vehicle for land speculation.”
Summarizing the group's stance on Provinsalia, Riggs said, “We are not desperate to have this.” The council, he added, needs to “button down” certain aspects of the project to make sure it's done right.
Planning Commissioner Al Bernal, who voted to support the council's approval of Provinsalia, addressed various points of concern, including tree removal. He said there actually would be a net increase in trees, with trees replaced and 1,100 other trees of various types will be planted.
Bernal said that although the economy is in bad shape now, it will recover just as it has before. He estimated it will be two to three years before a shovelful of dirt is turned. Provinsalia will put a lot of people to work and result in additional commerce with the purchase of building materials.
Pointing to the proposed development at the city's airport property, Bernal said that development will provide places for Provinsalia's residents and residents from the rest of the city to make purchases rather than leaving the county.
“This ties together and it fits very well,” he said.
The council voted to continue the public hearing on Feb. 26, at which time council members will have a chance to ask questions and carry on their own discussion of the project's merits.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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