CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council will hold a special meeting to discuss extending until next fall the temporary moratorium on building and major renovations on a portion of Lakeshore Drive.

The meeting will take place beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

During the summer, the council – at the suggestion of city staff – passed a temporary moratorium on new construction and significant renovation projects on Lakeshore Drive between Old Highway 53 and Olympic Drive while the city worked on design guidelines for the Lakeshore Drive corridor.

City Manager Joan Phillipe's report to the council for Tuesday's meeting said the urgency ordinance was meant “to protect the city from uses that conflict with the vision of the corridor and to provide for design guidelines for use in processing planning and/or building permit applications.”

The council at its Nov. 14 meeting chose to direct staff to take the recommendations back to the Clearlake Planning Commission for further work, and on Nov. 21 held a special meeting to receive a report on the moratorium that Phillipe said was a required step before extending it.

Phillipe is asking the council to consider extending the moratorium – which expires on Dec. 8 – for 10 months and 15 days.

“Due to the guidelines being sent back to the Commission for further work, there is a need to extend the moratorium,” Phillipe wrote in her report to the council. “Staff does not believe that the full 10 months and 15 days is needed to complete this task.”

She said once guidelines are adopted, the moratorium can be lifted before it expires on Oct. 23, 2014.

Phillipe anticipates a minimal financial impact to the city if the council extends the moratorium.

“The city has not received any planning application for major projects or requests for building permits for currently permitted uses or major remodels of existing buildings,” Phillipe reported.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

120313 Clearlake City Council Special Meeting

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada announced that the city of Lakeport has received the association's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award.

The association said the award “represents a significant achievement” for the city.

The award reflects the commitment of the Lakeport City Council and city staff to meet the highest principals of governmental budgeting, the association said.

In order to receive the budget award, the city had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. The association said the guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity's budget serves as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide and a communications device.

Budget documents must be rated “proficient” in all four categories and 14 mandatory criteria within those capital quarries to receive the award, according to the association.

When the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is granted to an entity, a certificate of recognition for budget presentation also is presented the individual or department designated as being primarily responsible for its having achieved the award.

That certificate was presented to city Finance Director Dan Buffalo at the Lakeport City Council's Nov. 19 meeting.

For budgets including fiscal period 2012, more than 1,340 entities are expected to receive the award. Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.

The Government Finance Officers Association is a nonprofit professional association serving more than 17,800 government finance professionals throughout North America.

The association's Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national awards program in governmental budgeting.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – This week the Board of Supervisors will get an update on the local emergency declared after last month's windstorm, discuss reports on a senior mobile home park rent control initiative and consider the final reading on a proposed lake sales tax proposal.

The board meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport. It will be broadcast live on TV8.

In an untimed event the board will get an update on the windstorm that hit the county Nov. 21 and 22, and consider terminating the local emergency declared in a special meeting last week.

At 9:15 a.m., the board will consider departmental reports regarding the senior mobile home park rent control initiative that has received enough signatures to go on the June 2014 ballot.

Last month the board directed several county departments to complete the reports on the initiative's potential impacts.

At 11 a.m., the board will consider the final reading of a draft ordinance – the “Lake County Clear Lake Programs Transactions and Use Tax Ordinance” – that would place a half-percent sales tax on next June's ballot.

The tax, which would collect an estimated $2.4 million annually, would be used for water quality programs, including efforts to improve the health of Clear Lake.

Also on Tuesday, at 10:30 a.m. the board will receive a presentation on the 2013 Lake County Community Health Needs Assessment.

The full agenda follows.

TIMED ITEMS

9 a.m., A-1 to A-4: Approval of consent agenda, which includes items that are expected to be routine and noncontroversial, and will be acted upon by the board at one time without discussion; presentation of animals available for adoption at Lake County Animal Care and Control; consideration of items not appearing on the posted agenda, and contract change orders for current construction projects.

9:05 a.m.: Citizen's input. Any person may speak for three minutes about any subject of concern, provided that it is within the jurisdiction of the Board of Supervisors and is not already on the agenda. Prior to this time, speakers must fill out a slip giving name, address and subject (available in the clerk of the board’s office, first floor, courthouse).

9:15 a.m., A-5: Consideration of departmental reports regarding proposed ordinance regarding senior rent control county initiative petition, as certified by the registrar of voters.

9:45 a.m., A-6: (a) Consideration of formation of Community Service Area (CSA) for the South Main Street/Soda Bay Road corridor for the provision of will sit concurrently as the water service to area businesses and residents; and (b) consideration of the of potential sources of water supply for service provision within the Kelseyville County Water CSA Works District No. 3.

10:15 a.m., A-7: Public hearing, consideration of proposed ordinance amending Building and Safety Chapter 5 of the Lake County Code and adopting by reference the 2013 California Building Standards Code, known as the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Parts 1 through 6, 8 through 12, incorporating the 2013 Edition of the California Building Code; the 2013 Edition of the California Residential Code; the 2013 Edition of the California Electrical Code; the 2013 Edition of the California Plumbing Code; the 2013 Edition of the California Mechanical Code; the 2013 Edition of the California Green Building Code; the 2013 Edition of the California Energy Code; the 2013 Edition of the California Fire Code; the 2013 Edition of the California Administrative Code, the 2013 Edition of the California Historical Building Code, the 2013 Edition of the California Existing Building Code, the 2012 Edition of the International Property Maintenance Code and the 2012 Edition of the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code.

10:20 a.m., A-8: Presentation of 3rd Quarter Report Committee. Carried over from Oct. 15.

10:30 a.m., A-9: Presentation of the 2013 Lake County Community Health Needs Assessment.

10:45 a.m., A-10: Discussion regarding the mandated recordation of the Right to Farm Ordinance with all transfers of property within the county of Lake. Continued from Nov. 19.

11 a.m., A-11: Consideration of draft ordinance adding Article II to Chapter 18 of the Lake County Code imposing a transaction and use tax (proposed lake sales tax measure for lake-related programs draft).

11:15 a.m., A-12: Consideration of intake policy on accepting stray cats.

NONTIMED ITEMS

A-13: Supervisors’ weekly calendar, travel and reports.

A-14: (a) Update on wind storm event; (b) consideration of termination of local emergency and other related fiscal actions.

CLOSED SESSION

A-15: 1. Conference with labor negotiator: (a) county negotiators: A. Grant, L. Guintivano, S. Harry, M. Perry, A. Flora and C. Shaver; and (b) employee organization: Deputy District Attorney's Association, Lake County Deputy Sheriff's Association, Lake County Correctional Officers Association, Lake County Employees Association and Lake County Safety Employees Association.

A-15: 2. Conference with real property negotiator, (a) property located at: 3980 Gard St., Kelseyville (APN 024-081-01); (b) negotiating parties for county: Supervisor Rob Brown, Child Support Services Director Gail Woodworth, County Administrative Officer Matt Perry and Deputy County Administrative Officer Alan Flora; for seller, Kelseyville Unified School District representatives; (c) under negotiation, lease terms.

A-15: 3. Sitting as the Board of Directors of the Lake County IHSS Public Authority: Conference with Labor Negotiator: (a) Agency Negotiator: Carol Huchingson and F. Buchanan (b) Employee Organization: California United Homecare Workers Union AFSCME/SEIU Local 4034.

CONSENT AGENDA

C-1: Approve minutes of the Board of Supervisors meetings held on Nov. 19 and 26, 2013.

C-2: Adopt resolution expressing support for Lower Lake Parade and Barbecue (May 25, 2014).

C-3: Adopt resolution accepting conveyance of real property located in Nice and Lucerne (paper subdivision lots).

C-4: Approve first amendment to agreement between the county of Lake and Milhous Children’s Services for FY 2013-14 specialty mental health services, reducing the contract maximum from $120,000 to $5,000, and authorize the chair to sign.

C-5: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and St. Helena Hospital and Center for Behavioral Health (CBH) for FY 2013-14 acute hospital services, maximum amount $125,000, and authorize the chair to sign.

C-6: Approve certification of county elections official of result of the canvass of the general district election returns and result of the 1 percent manual tally of randomly selected voting precincts.

C-7: Waive 900 hour limit for extra help Facilities Maintenance Worker Terence O’Boyle.

C-8: Approve 13th Amendment to agreement between the county of Lake and MRO Engineers for engineering services for the Soda Bay Bridge Replacement over Cole Creek, an increase of $15,235, and authorize the chair to sign.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County residents continue to clean up in the aftermath of a powerful wind storm that ripped through Lake County on Thursday, Nov. 21, and Friday, Nov. 22.

Here is a list of some steps to take and available resources to help in the cleanup and recovery process.

If you are still having power outages, contact PG&E at 1-800-PGE-5000.

If your home or business is damaged and you have property insurance, please contact your insurance company.

If your home or business is damaged and you are uninsured, the Board of Supervisors has proclaimed a local state of emergency. The proclamation lays the groundwork for the possibility of receiving state or federal aid for damage.

There is no guarantee of funding and it may take several weeks to determine eligibility. The county will release more information as it becomes available.

Tenants should contact their landlords and notify them of any damage.

If you are a senior citizen who needs repairs done, Hammers of Hope may be able to help you. They can be reached at 707-349-2628.

If you’d like to offer your services as a volunteer, the Northshore Business Association is currently coordinating cleanup efforts in the Northshore communities. The group's Web site is http://northshorebusinessassociation.com/ and its disaster hotline is 707-739-6661.

If you are in need of volunteer help, you may request that through the Northshore Business Association’s Disaster Hotline at 707-739-6661.

The California Office of Emergency Services Web site, www.caloes.ca.gov , also has additional information.

Although county building inspectors are doing door-to-door damage surveys, self-reporting damage assessment forms are being made available to residents who wish to report damages to their property.

The locations of those forms are:

• Northshore Fire Department, 3708 Manzanita Drive, Nice;
• Lake County Visitor Information Center, 6110 E. Highway 20, Lucerne;
• Administrative Office, first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport;
• County Web site – from the home page click on “Departments” on the top banner, then click on the “Administration” link and from there you will find a link on the left hand side entitled “Resident Damage Reporting Form,” http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Administration/Docs/windstorm.pdf?method=1 . Please turn completed forms in to the Lucerne Visitor Center in Lucerne or the County Administrative Office in the Courthouse in Lakeport.

It is very important to note that green waste should not be put in the dumpsters that the county has provided at disposal sites for storm clean-up. Green waste, including branches and trees, should be stacked next to the dumpsters.

The locations of the disposal sites are:

• Upper Lake County Park, 575 East Highway 20;
• Lucerne Harbor Park, 6225 East Highway 20;
• Northshore Fire Department, 3708 Manzanita Dr., Nice.

An additional disposal site for green waste only has been set up near Keeling Park at 1000 Lakeshore Blvd.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County Librarian Christopher Veach has announced that, effective Dec. 16, all Lake County Library branches will have new hours.

“The new hours will be more consistent and correspond to current library usage patterns better than the old hours,” said Veach.

The Board of Supervisors approved the new hours for the branches at its Nov. 5 meeting.

Veach told the board at that time that he wanted to have the new Middletown Library open more, but that would require hiring more staff, which funding constraints prevent right now.

Lakeport Library will be open on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. beginning Dec. 18. The hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays will remain 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lakeport Library is located at 1425 N. High St., telephone 707-263-8817.

Redbud Library in Clearlake will be open on Wednesdays from noon to 7 p.m. beginning Dec. 18. The hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays will remain 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Redbud Library is located at 14785 Burns Valley Road in Clearlake, telephone 707-994-5115.

Beginning Dec. 17 Middletown and Upper Lake Libraries will shift hours and will be open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.

The Saturday hours at Middletown and Upper Lake will remain 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Middletown Library is located at 21256 Washington St., telephone 707-987-3674. Upper Lake Library is located at Main and Second streets, telephone 707-275-2049.

All four library branches will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 24, and Wednesday, Dec. 25 for Christmas, and Wednesday, Jan. 1, for New Year’s Day.

Visit the Lake County Library Web site at http://library.co.lake.ca.us or www.Facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary to learn more about library services, programs and events.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council on Monday confirmed a local emergency declaration issued as a result of widespread damage caused by windstorms that ripped through the city late last week, while local officials finished assessing how much damage the storm caused.

While the emergency is considered to be over, City Clerk Melissa Swanson said the declaration is a formality that will assist property owners in providing documentation for insurance purposes.

According to a report to the council from City Manager Joan Phillipe, the proclamation declaring the local emergency also authorizes extraordinary police powers, if necessary; offers limited immunity for emergency actions of public employees and governing bodies; authorizes the issuance of orders and regulations to protect life and property; allows special purchasing and contracting directly related to the emergency; and sends a proactive message to the community.

City Public Works Supervisor Doug Herren said conditions were dangerous for the public and emergency personnel working through the storm to keep the city safe.

He said crews were working among downed, live electricity wires, cracking and falling trees, flying debris and darkness.

“It was crazy out there,” he said. “Good thing about this whole thing is, nobody got hurt.”

Lake County Fire Protection District Fire Chief Willie Sapeta and Herren have completed a final assessment of the storm damage.

Herren said the major force of the storm began hitting the area around 7 p.m. last Thursday, and was centralized in the Clearlake Park area, where he said multiple wind tunnels were experienced.

About 56 city streets were impacted and about 75 oak trees were felled or damaged, Herren said.

He said 10 structures were damaged, including five that had trees fall into them.

Sapeta said downed power lines on Cache Creek Way caused a fire that destroyed three outbuildings and three boats in the area of Shaw's Shady Acres and Rainbow's End.

Herren estimated four to five Pacific Gas and Electric mainlines were severed in the storm, cutting power to most of the city's residents.

When it came to restoring power, he said priority was on the stoplight on Highway 53 at 18th Avenue in the area of Saint Helena Hospital Clear Lake.

According to Brian Bottari, government relations representative for PG&E, as of 6 p.m. Sunday all main power service connections in Lake County were restored.

However, PG&E's outage map showed early Tuesday that 19 Clearlake residents still remained without power. Power was to be restored to them by 4 a.m. Tuesday.

Anyone with concerns about possible electrical hazards, such as limbs hanging over lines, should call the PG&E service line at 1-800-743-5000.

Members of the Clearlake City Council on Monday commended the actions performed by Clearlake Public Works, fire and police personnel throughout the windstorm.

“I, personally, am proud of you guys. Each emergency we have, you guys really handle it,” Mayor Joyce Overton said.

Herren thanked her and then commended members of the public, many of whom he said were out there with chainsaws ready to assist.

The city has designated a green waste drop off location at the Public Works corporation yard, on Airport Road off of Old Highway 53, to assist Clearlake residents with windstorm related debris.

There is no charge for the service and only tree and brush debris will be accepted, according to the city.

Herren said the dumping of garbage, tires, scrap metal, hazardous materials or other waste will result in the city discontinuing the service, which is scheduled to remain available through Jan. 15.

Email Denise Rockenstein at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .