CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A week of workshops and meetings to engage Clearlake residents in the work of designing an improved Lakeshore Drive Downtown Corridor will culminate Friday in a presentation of preliminary designs followed by a reception for community members.

The city of Clearlake hosted the events this week, which focus on the area of Lakeshore Drive from Olympic Drive to Highway 53.

The Lake County/City Area Planning Council applied for, and received, a Caltrans grant to support the downtown corridor planning events, and also offered matching funds.

The planning sessions are being used to collect ideas on how to beautify and revitalize the area, offer more lake access, and make it more safe and accessible whether walking, biking or driving.

Sessions thus far have included a walking assessment and workshop on Tuesday and an open design studio on Wednesday.

Officials said the community input from those sessions will be incorporated into a final plan.

On Friday, preliminary designs will be presented to the community at a workshop that will take place at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Afterward a community reception will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Austin Park, 14077 Lakeshore Drive.

So far, the community response has been very good and highly positive, and “the process is working,” according to a report the design team gave the Clearlake City Council at the council’s Thursday night meeting.

Team members told the council that more than 70 people participated in the Tuesday sessions, and that overall there has been “robust” turnout at the workshops and meetings.

Among the many California communities where they’ve conducted such sessions, the team reported that Clearlake is standing out for its level of participation and engagement.

There also were more than 25 people at an open design studio on Wednesday evening, more than double what the team has seen in other communities.

Josh Meyer, director of community planning programs for the Local Government Commission, which has assisted the city with this week’s events, said the community should be proud of itself.

He said small steps are happening in Clearlake, and the team could feel the community’s energy during the interactions so far.

Meyer said the team was coming up with proposals for some small scale improvements along the corridor, and said community members should start to see some actual changes.

He said they’re also going to identify long-term strategies for improving the corridor, and identify real projects that the city can complete.

“It’s been a great week, being a part of this process,” said Mayor Joey Luiz.

City Manager Joan Phillipe told the council later that night that she’s been through a number of such planning processes.

“I think the participation level in this particular process has been exceedingly high, I’d say the highest I’ve seen,” said Phillipe.

The participation, she added, also has been positive, with people coming forward with a desire to be involved.

“For me that’s a very gratifying situation,” she added.

Vice Mayor Jeri Spittler called the planning process exciting. “It just really brings the community together.”

Council member Joyce Overton said she was proud of the community stepping up and participating in the Lakeshore Drive Downtown Corridor planning process. She said everybody is anxious to see a real design on the project, which has been talked about a long time.

Officials invited the community to come to the Friday evening preliminary design presentation at city hall, to be followed by a reception – including food, wine tasting and live music – at Austin Park, which will celebrate the community’s involvement in the design work.

If there is a change in the weather, the reception will move from Austin Park to the Highlands Senior Center, 3245 Bowers Ave.

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

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The city of Clearlake and several local agencies kicked off the first of several community events for the improvement of the Lakeshore Drive Downtown Corridor with a walking assessment of the project area on Tuesday, followed by an open studio Wednesday evening.

The Tuesday walking event, followed by a workshop at city hall, had participation from nearly 40 members of the public who met at Highlands Park and, after donning bright orange vests, divided into two groups.

Walking along Lakeshore Drive, and guided by staff from the Local Government Commission and Opticos Design Inc., participants provided feedback, and questions were answered as key areas and issues were pointed out.

Some of the issues included improving parking, placement of sidewalks, bus stops, and bike and travel lanes.

Staff placed emphasis on short-term as well as long-term solutions, including not acquiring properties for road improvements if possible. That matter came up because not all of Lakeshore Drive has the 40 to 60 feet of right-of-way that it technically should.

Back-in parking was a suggested design for some areas of Lakeshore Drive. Safely providing a way for cars to back in and out and avoid hitting bicyclists or pedestrians, as well as other cars, was a reason offered for considering this type of parking feature.

A blind corner by Mullen Avenue and Lakeshore Drive brought up a need for safety mirrors or having high visibility crosswalks; such crosswalks measure 18 inches wide, and are 4 to 8 feet long. They provide not only more road visibility for drivers, but in turn make pedestrians more visible to drivers as well.

Some attendees discussed the need to improve bus stops. Suggested improvements would allow the elderly and those who are less mobile to sit instead of stand, while waiting for buses.

Staff stated that bus stops would be worked into the designs, and small bus stops such as those in Lake Tahoe – particularly the Kings Beach area – were being used as preliminary examples.

Regarding the beautification of the street, John Miki from Opticos Design Inc. mentioned a façade improvement program.

Miki said the program would provide tax breaks to merchants to improve their frontage on Lakeshore Drive. The program could provide up to $5,000 in improvements and could be a cost saving option for business owners.

Another alternative funding option for Lakeshore Drive improvements are government-funded rain gardens, where the collection of stormwater would help the City provide more greening of the area.

Both the façade improvement program and the rain gardens would allow the city to pave the streets on a smaller scale, therefore resulting in less out-of-pocket expense for both merchants and the city.

Another proposal offered during the meeting was creating a tourist attraction for Lakeshore Drive by converting the residence next to Highlands Park into a visitor center. The Clearlake City Council recently approved an agreement with the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce to do just that, as Lake County News has reported.

Development of the center and opening the park to kayak rentals, bocce ball courts and weddings were offered as ways to draw tourists to downtown Clearlake.

On Wednesday evening, the public was invited to an open studio at an office across from Highlands Park. There, they were able to see and share ideas about designs that were already in progress.  

Miki led the group in discussing existing elements of the Clearlake General Plan that could use some fine tuning.

One example was parking; the current requirement for parking is too high and takes away from making several improvements.  

Lakeshore Drive, with its three waterfront parks, can attract the pedestrian traffic, coming in via boats or kayaks. Miki spoke of encouraging the use of floating docks, where people could cross Clear Lake and spend extra money in town.  

The Lakeshore Drive Downtown Corridor is about two miles long. The public was asked to think of nodes, or key areas, to consider for focuses on the downtown's center.  

Staff suggested that the city work with resources that it currently has now, focus on stormwater treatment and offset costs by grants.  

The staff also showed sketches of proposed roundabouts on Olympic Drive and Lakeshore Drive, as well as one by Old Highway 53 and Lakeshore Drive, by the old Shell gas station.  

To allow large trucks to make the turns, proposed roundabouts would measure about 110 feet in a circle diameter.  These could be built without taking out buildings in the long term.    

Safety also was discussed, especially the dangerous area by Mullen Avenue and Lakeshore Drive. Staff proposed not allowing left turns from Mullen onto the busy intersection.

Josh Meyer, director of Community Planning Programs for Local Government Commission, stated that there were 285 crashes in the city of Clearlake in the last five years, according to studies. Two were at Mullen.    

Miki suggested that the city work on reorganizing parking lots down the road, and hire an architect and landscape architect to help implement proposed features on the Lakeshore Drive corridor.  

The three parks were each focused on for their benefits and possibilities. With fishing piers and marinas, the parks have tremendous room for development.  

Other cities close a stretch of their main roads on certain days to allow walking and biking traffic.  Businesses in those cities have noticed substantial increase with the pedestrians stopping by their stores during these road closures.  

Some members of the public expressed concern over whether these proposals could actually happen.  
Some had been on the first Planning Commission, and ideas of improving Lakeshore Drive had been discussed since the early 1980s.  

Miki and his staff said they would leave a report with the city with “bite size pieces” – items that could be done now, in months, not years.  

The report, to be presented Friday, will have short-, medium- and long term goals and how to help reach them. Phasing plans also would be part of helping Clearlake realize its goal of finally improving its vision of a feasible downtown corridor.  

At its meeting Thursday evening, the Clearlake City Council is due to get an update from the corridor study’s design team.

On Friday, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive, the design team will present the preliminary designs.

Afterward, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., the Clear Lake Chamber and the City of Clearlake will host a community reception – complete with food, wine and live music – at Austin Park, 14077 Lakeshore Drive, to celebrate the community’s efforts on the project.

The events this week were organized by the City of Clearlake, Lake County/City Area Planning Council and the Local Government Commission, with support from a California Department of Transportation Community-Based Transportation Planning Grant and the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Email Nathalie V. Antus at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – During a short Tuesday morning session, the Board of Supervisors heard an update on an energy efficiency project which resulted in the county receiving a refund check, and also held a public hearing on a proposed road benefit zone.

Supervisor Jeff Smith was absent for the meeting.

Officials from Pacific Gas & Electric were on hand to present the county with a refund check for $13,992 thanks to an energy efficiency project that began in 2010.

PG&E representative Robert Cherry told the board that in mid-2010 Caroline Chavez, then deputy director and now director of the Public Service Department, contacted the company to ask for help with fast-tracking an energy efficiency project.

He said the county was applying for stimulus funds through a state program that was designed by the federal government.

“There were a lot of bumps in the road, it was tough,” said Cherry, adding that they got through it.

Two years later, the completed project included the installation of 27 air conditioning and heating units, 160 plug load sensors, nearly 200 lighting occupancy sensors installed around the courthouse, new lightning systems throughout county facilities, including the jail, and an algae aerating system at Holiday Harbor in Nice, he said.

That new equipment will save the county an estimated $17,000 annually on PG&E bills, and has reduced the county’s carbon dioxide footprint by 56 metric tons, Cherry said.

As a result, the county was receiving the rebate check, said Cherry, who added that other lightning projects are planned as well.

Supervisor Denise Rushing thanked PG&E and recognized Public Services and Chavez for her efforts, as well as the work of the Community Development Department and its director, Rick Coel.

Also on Tuesday, Public Works Director Scott De Leon went to the board regarding the proposed establishment of County Service Area 23-Zone R, Chippewa South, in the Clear Lake Riviera Subdivision in Kelseyville. There are 385 parcels in the proposed benefit zone.

On Aug. 14, the board had initiated the 45-day balloting process for the proposed establishment of a benefit zone for road improvements.

The Tuesday hearing was a necessary step to receive public input and accept last-minute ballots from property owners.

No ballots were submitted, but resident Tom Nixon, the only speaker, thanked the board for its help.

He said he wasn’t sure what was going to happen. “I’m as anxious as everybody else is.”

Nixon also thanked Board Chair Rob Brown and De Leon for their assistance.

Brown said that the ballot count at that point indicated there were 96 ballots supporting the zone’s establishment and 93 against.

“It appears that it has passed by three,” Brown said.

De Leon said his staff would make a final ballot tabulation and bring back a final resolution at the board’s Oct. 23 meeting.

Brown closed the public hearing – which also ended the time period during which ballots could be received – with the board setting Oct. 23 for consideration of the final resolution and ballot count.

De Leon also asked the board on Tuesday for approval of an agreement with Santa Rosa-based GHD Inc. for engineering services on two bridge rehabilitation projects – the Clover Creek Bridge on Bridge Arbor North Road and the Middle Creek Bridge on Rancheria Road.

The projects are funded by the Federal Highway Administration’s bridge program and California Bridge Toll-Credit funds, according to De Leon’s report to the board.

No local match funds are required, and the projects are 100-funded, De Leon said.

He said of the federal bridge program, “As a taxpayer it’s not one of my favorite programs, but as a public works director, I love it.”

That’s because he said it allows the county to replace structures it otherwise couldn’t afford to fix.

He said Lake is one of the state’s top counties in California in terms of the number of structures for which it’s pursuing the rehabilitation funding.

De Leon said the all-inclusive contract with GHD also calls for the company to handle subcontractors, which will save staff time. He said GHD had hired three local firms for some of the subcontracting work.

Rushing moved to approve the agreement, which the board approved 4-0.

In other business Tuesday, the board approved the findings of fact and denied Old Muddy II’s appeal of a mitigated negative declaration and minor use permit for a small winery at 8200 S. Highway 29 in Kelseyville; allocated a temporary fifth animal control officer position; and approved an amended light duty policy for employees.

The supervisors also held a hearing for a nuisance abatement assessment of $8,402.36 on property at 1956 Big Valley Road in Finley, owned by Cassandra Murphy, and approved the assessment; approved allocations from Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Funds totaling $100,000 for the sheriff-coroner, $25,000 for the jail and $14,000 for the District Attorney’s Office; and presented a proclamation to local 4-H members designating Oct. 7-13 as National 4-H Week.

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

LUCERNE, Calif. – California Water Service Co. will host a rate workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 24, to provide information about the company’s general rate case application filed with the California Public Utilities Commission for its Lucerne water system.

The workshop will be held at 6 p.m. in Lucerne Elementary School's gym/multi-purpose room, located at 3351 Country Club Dr. in Lucerne.

On July 5, Cal Water applied to the CPUC for approval to begin increasing rates in 2014.

Altogether, the company is seeking a 77-percent increase between 2014 and 2016.

The utility’s last general rate case was filed in 2009 and became effective in 2011.

Representatives from Cal Water will provide details about planned water system improvements, how rates are set, and other important information about water rates.

Audience members also will have an opportunity to ask questions.

“We want to help customers understand the GRC filing and the rate-setting process,” said Redwood Valley District Manager Gay Guidotti. “Any increase approved by the CPUC would not become effective until 2014, and our rate workshop will be followed by a formal public hearing hosted by the CPUC next year.”

Concerns about the rate increase and the potential impact on the Lucerne community led to a discussion before the Board of Supervisors over the summer.

At that time, community members raised issues with billing, fairness and concerns about the impact on business and residents.

Cal Water serves about 3,600 people through 1,900 service connections in its Redwood Valley District – including Lucerne – where it has provided water since 2000.

More information is available at www.calwater.com .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council this week will consider naming Austin Park’s playground in memory of a little boy who died last year in the worst shooting in the city’s history.

Council members will discuss the proposal to name the playground after 4-year-old Skyler Rapp when it meets this Thursday, Oct. 11.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive. It will be broadcast live on TV8.

City Manager Joan Phillipe’s report to the council explained that community member Yolanda Hernandez originally requested that Highlands Park be renamed for the child, who died on June 18, 2011.

Skyler died and five others were wounded– including his mother, stepfather, family members and friends – when Paul Braden and Orlando Lopez Jr., both of Clearlake Oaks, shot into the family’s Lakeshore Drive yard late that night.

The shooting had resulted after disagreements between the child’s family and friends of the two assailants.

Braden and Lopez were both convicted earlier this year, with each sentenced to more than 300 years in prison for the shootings.

Phillipe reported that a meeting of city officials that took place before her arrival last fall resulted in the suggestion to rename the playground rather than the entire park, which Phillipe said is consistent with a public parks and facilities naming policy the council approved at its Sept. 13 meeting.

She said that in reviewing the file on the request and having spoken with Hernandez, “this seems to be a fitting recommendation.”

She said there are minimal financial implications for naming the playground, and city staff will install the naming plaque.

In other business, the council will look at adopting an ordinance establishing regulations for taxi cabs and for-hire vehicles within the city limits and and discuss a candidate forum policy for the use of the city council chambers and for broadcast on TV8, the cable access station housed in city hall.

Also on Thursday, the council will consider reappointing Councilman Curt Giambruno to the Lake County Vector Control Board and will receive a briefing from the design team on the Lakeshore Downtown Corridor Study.

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

LAKEPORT, Calif. – This week the Board of Supervisors will consider approving an agreement for engineering services on bridge projects in Upper Lake.

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

In an untimed item, the board will discuss the proposed agreement between the county of Lake and GHD Inc., for engineering services for two bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects – the Clover Creek Bridge and Middle Creek Bridge, both in Upper Lake.

The full agenda is below.

TIMED ITEMS

9 a.m.: 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).

9:10 a.m., A-5: Presentation of Pacific Gas and Electric Smart Energy Rebate for energy savings.

9:15 a.m., A-6: Public hearing, Protest Hearing for the Proposed Establishment of County Service Area (CSA) #23 - “Zone R” (Road Benefit Zone – Chippewa South), and imposing of assessments.

9;30 a.m., A-7: Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien in the amount of $8,402.36 – 1956 Big Valley Road, Finley, CA (APN 024-211-20 – Cassandra Murphy).

9:40 a.m., A-8: Public hearing, consideration of recommendations for allocation of Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Funds.

9:45 a.m., A-9: Presentation of proclamation designating the week of Oct. 7-13, 2012, as National 4-H Week.

NONTIMED ITEMS

A-10: Supervisors’ weekly calendar, travel and reports.

A-11: Consideration of amended light duty policy.

A-12: Consideration of proposed resolution amending Resolution No. 2012- 107, amending position allocation for Fiscal Year 2012-13 in BU 2703 (addition of one Animal Control officer position).

A-13: Consideration of proposed findings of fact and decision regarding the appeal of Old Muddy II – AB 12-02.

A-14: Consideration of proposed agreement between the county of Lake and GHD Inc., for engineering services for two bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects in Lake County (Clover Creek Bridge and Middle Creek Bridge, Upper Lake).

CLOSED SESSION

A-15. 1. Conference with Labor Negotiator: (a) County Negotiators: A. Grant, L.     Guintivano, M. Perry, J. Hammond and A. Flora; and (b) Lake County Deputy District Attorney’s Association, Lake County Correctional Officer’s Association and Lake County Employees Association.

A-15: 2. Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Government Code Sec. 54956.9(a): Estate of Hatfield v. County of Lake, et al.

A-15: 3. Conference with legal counsel: Existing Litigation pursuant to Government Code Sec. 54956.9 (a): Dinius v. County of Lake

CONSENT AGENDA

C-1: Approve minutes of the Board of Supervisors meeting held on Oct. 2, 2012.

C-2: (a) Adopt proclamation designating the week of Oct. 7-13, 2012, as National 4-H Week.

C-3: Adopt resolution amending Resolution No. 2012-107 establishing new classifications and position allocations for Fiscal Year 2012-13 (correcting typographical errors).

C-4: (a) Approve purchase of six bridge funding applications for bridge projects (project locations: Wardlaw Street, Middletown, three on Bartlett Springs Road, Lucerne; Witter Springs Road, Upper Lake; and Big Canyon Road, Middletown); and (b) authorize the public works director/assistant purchasing agent to issue purchase order to Quincy Engineering Inc., in the amount of $18,000, for the preparation of six Federal Highway Bridge Program (HBP) application and project study reports.

C-5: Adopt resolution authorizing transfer of loan reserve funds in the amount of $35,553 to cover loan payment due by CSA #21-North Lakeport.

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