Safe Routes to Schools is meant to improve safety for children in grades K-12 who walk and bicycle to school, Caltrans reported.

“Nothing is more important than the safety of our children,” said Caltrans Director Cindy McKim. “By improving safety, more children are encouraged to walk and bicycle to school, ultimately resulting in healthier children and less traffic congestion around schools.”

Caltrans officials said the funding will pay for new crosswalks, curb ramps, sidewalks, bicycle paths, traffic signals, flashing beacons, signs, striping and pedestrian countdown signals.

One of the awarded projects was in Lake County.

The city of Clearlake will receive $130,050 in state funds to construct curb, gutter and sidewalk along Austin Road and Pine Street to benefit students traveling to Burns Valley Elementary School.

The total project cost is $144,500, with the city providing a $14,450 match.

Clearlake City Administrator Dale Neiman had informed the Clearlake City Council at its Oct. 14 meeting that the city was eligible for the funds, and that City Engineer Bob Galusha was finalizing the paperwork.

Caltrans said California was the first state to legislate its own Safe Routes to School program with dedicated funding in 1999.

To date, the state has awarded $268 million for Safe Routes to School projects, Caltrans reported.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, in the board chambers at the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport. TV8 will broadcast the meeting live.

At 9:30 a.m. the board will hold a public hearing on Plum Flat LLC's request for a rezone and a general plan of development for the Plum Flat subdivision.

The 30-lot development would be built on 100 acres at 10929 Point Lakeview Road, Kelseyville.

The Lake County Planning Commission voted down the rezone and plan of development at its Aug. 26 meeting because of concerns about plans for water, sewer and road access, as Lake County News has reported.

The Plum Flat partners, including Scott Bennett and Vincent Price, then asked the Board of Supervisors to consider the plan.

In other board business on Tuesday, at 1:30 p.m. the board will get an update on potential short-term and long-term revenue options to fund the county's efforts to control aquatic weeds and algae on Clear Lake.

In an untimed item, the board is expected to take its second vote on an ordinance to raise fees and charges in the Southeast Regional Wastewater System.

The board also will hold a closed session for a performance evaluation of the animal control director.

Other items on the agenda are as follows.

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.

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.:Presentation of proclamation designating the week of Oct. 19-26, 2010, as Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week in Lake County.

10:15 a.m.: Presentation of Annual Conservation Award to the Redbud Audubon Society.

10:20 a.m.: Presentation of Lampson Field Airport 2010 Capital Improvement Status Report.

10:45 a.m.: Public hearing, appeal of Houser Holdings CA LLC (U Wanna Camp) of the Planning Commission’s denial of administrative appeal to the notice of violation issued on Sept. 3, 2009, in conjunction with Case #RC98, regarding the long-term occupancy of RV spaces on a site with an expired use permit; located at 2699 Scotts Creek Road, Lakeport, CA (APN 005-026-27). Continued from June 22, Aug. 17, Sept. 14, Sept. 21 and Oct. 5.

11:30 a.m.: Assessment appeal hearings: Darron Jordan – Application No.s 32-2010 and 33-2010 - 1250 Martin Street, Lakeport, CA - Assessment Nos 995-020-675-000 and 995-020-676-000.

Nontimed items

– Supervisors’ weekly calendar, travel and reports.

– Consideration of appointments to various advisory boards.

– Consideration of appointments of a director and alternate to the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) Board of Directors for 2011.

– Consideration of proposed Agreement between the county of Lake and Gary Briggs, for rental properties located at 4960 Golf Avenue and 4960 Golf Avenue, Units A, C, D and E, in the amount of $2,725 per month (with a one-time security deposit of $5,400) for mental health facilities (including Addendum for future rental of 4960 Golf Avenue, Unit B, when vacant, at an additional monthly rate of $475, and a one- time security deposit of $950).

– Update on the alternative selection process for construction-related activities.

– Discussion/consideration of proposed agreement between the county of Lake and Quincy Engineering Inc., for engineering services for replacement of the St. Helena Creek Bridge, No. 14C-0072, at Hilderbrand Drive, near Middletown (amount not to exceed $360,000).

– Consideration of proposed resolution accepting and confirming ballot tabulation for the establishment of Zone Q (Orchard Shores) of County Service Area No. 23, approving formation of Zone Q and assessments for Zone Q road maintenance.

– Update on emergency action taken Oct. 12 regarding roofing repairs at the Lucerne Hotel.

Consent agenda

– Approve minutes of the Board of Supervisors meetings held on Oct. 12.

– Adopt proclamation designating the week of Oct. 19-26 as Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week in Lake County.

– Adopt resolution revising the fiscal year 2010-11 Adopted Budget to provide interim financing from the General Fund to Fund 141 for the AODS Contract with the Lake County Community Action Agency.

– Adopt Resolution declaring intent to vacate portions of roadways, Washington Street (County Road No. 117L) and Douglas Street (County Road No. 117E), in the county of Lake and set the public hearing for Nov. 16 at 9:30 a.m.

– Adopt resolution of intention to change the name of a portion of an existing road in the county of Lake (Osprey Court) and set the public hearing for Nov. 16 at 9:45 a.m.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

County redevelopment agency and Mental Health staff went to the board with the request.

Deputy Administrative Officer Matt Perry said the county wants to have the Lucerne Hotel, which it recently purchased, as the anchor property in the town, and now wants to develop properties along 13^th Avenue, which the redevelopment plan proposes to be the town's new commercial center.

Perry said Mental Health's lease at its Lakeport offices expires next June, and staff was proposing to relocate to Lucerne's 13^th Avenue.

He said they wanted a 9,000-square-foot building, with 8,000 square feet for office space and 1,000 square feet to use as separate commercial space.

The goal is to have a building with a Swiss alpine architectural theme and other design elements in keeping with the town's theme, he said. Mental Health would then lease the building for 10 years.

County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox said the county currently doesn't own any properties on 13^th Avenue.

Board Chair Anthony Farrington asked how many employees would be moved to the facility. Staff said about 40 employees.

Cox said the county was trying to spread the wealth of its employment base.

Farrington asked why they weren't looking at purchasing land. Cox said they were, but added that the Mental Health Department could draw down state and federal funds to cover rent. It doesn't have any funds for an office building, but can fund other facilities.

County staff told the board that they were looking not to exceed $1.40 per square foot. They're currently spending $1.65 per square foot for the Lakeport offices.

Mental Health Director Kristy Kelly said the Lakeport location, on Parallel Drive, serves both administration and clinic purposes.

She said Clearlake has the largest number of clients, but the Nice and Lucerne area is second.

The Lakeport building is 12,000 square feet, and they only need 8,000 square feet, especially after eliminating a number of positions, Kelly said.

Kelly said she met with the building's owner, Nancy Ruzicka, about a year ago when the department suffered cuts of about $500,000.

Supervisor Denise Rushing said the vision for 13^th Avenue is a business district, and Cox suggested this is the first step in fulfilling that vision. Cox added that it would show investors that the county is serious.

Deputy Redevelopment Director Eric Seely said that, beginning in the 1920s, 13^th Avenue has been seen as Lucerne's downtown core, and the redevelopment agency is attempting to implement that vision, which had been put off until after the agency had site control of the Lucerne Hotel.

He said the architectural vision the agency is working towards would be a two-story, mixed-use building with a downtown feel such as was common from the 1920s through 1940s.

Cox noted that 13^th Avenue is incredibly wide, and could facilitate a lot of parking, including a large center median.

“It would be a downtown street area that I think no other community in Lake County has,” he said. “It was really planned to be this from the start, and then it got lost in the depression.”

Supervisor Jeff Smith noted that the county has property in Clearlake. Cox said Mental Health has a presence in Clearlake, including a drop-in center, but doesn't envision moving all of the department's facilities there.

Farrington suggested that, sooner or later, there will be a shift of dollars and requirements for department expansion, and he was concerned about the department being locked into a 10-year lease.

He also suggested there will be a demand on parking, which Cox said the redevelopment agency could develop. There also is a parking area near the Lucerne Hotel, he added.

Supervisor Jim Comstock said he thought it was fitting that the original vision for the building is finally being implemented. Comstock suggested it will eliminate some travel for Northshore residents, and asked about the percentage of clientèle from Middletown. Cox said they're being served in Clearlake.

Farrington asked if there was a dialog about acquiring the current Lakeport facility or the square footage cost. Kelly said she had several talks with Ruzicka, who was willing to reduce the costs if they extended the lease another five years.

Kelly said the Mental Health Department owns a nice-sized parcel on Bevins Court in Lakeport, and had anticipated developing it as a clinic site, but the county hasn't been able to do the planning because the Lake County Superior Court is looking at an adjacent parcel. Then this opportunity came up.

Farrington asked what they would do with the Bevins site. Kelly said she wants to hang onto it until they know what can be done with it.

Ruzicka told the board that she offered to freeze the rent at $1.36. She said the square foot rates around the county range from $1.35 to $2.22.

Noting that she would like to see the county do more lease purchases, Ruzicka suggested the county was putting the cart before the horse. She said the county should buy the lots first, then sell them to the developer.

Rushing moved to approve the request to issue the proposals, which Smith seconded. The board voted 4-1, with Farrington voting no.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Clearlake City Council will hold a public hearing at 9:00 a.m., or soon thereafter, on November 12th 2010, at Clearlake City Hall, City Council chambers, 14050 Olympic Dr., Clearlake, CA to consider any and all protests pertaining to the following abatement of a public nuisance, Order to Show Cause:

1. Why the dilapidated abandoned, unsafe and hazardous single wide mobile home dwelling structure with additions, as well as all outbuildings, trash and debris should not be removed as a public nuisance from property located at 3161 6th Street, (APN 038-181-630). Property owner(s): Dock Venson.

2. Why the dilapidated abandoned, unsafe and hazardous single wide mobile home dwelling structure with additions, as well as all outbuildings, trash and debris should not be removed as a public nuisance from property located at 14820 Laguna Vista Way, (APN 039-291-270). Property owner(s): Robert W. Cole.

3. Why the dilapidated abandoned, unsafe and hazardous single wide mobile home dwelling structure with attached covered porch, as well as all outbuildings, trash and debris should not be removed as a public nuisance from property located at 14830 Laguna Vista Way, (APN 039-291-280). Property owner(s): Robert W. Cole.

Copies of staff reports are available for public viewing during normal business hours at the Office of the City Clerk. Interested persons are encouraged to review said reports and submit written comments prior to the time of said hearing or to attend and speak thereon.

The free event is set for Sunday, Oct. 31, from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., in the parking lot at Tatonka Trading, 14240 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake.

A parade for children will be held at 4:30 p.m., with a carnival taking place from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Barbara Grier, a city resident and a candidate for city council this fall, came up with the idea for the event over the summer, and is organizing it.

She announced her plans to put on the Halloween festival at the Clearlake City Council on Oct. 14.

In past years, the city has held Halloween events for area children, but due to a staff shortage the city isn't able to do it this year. Mayor Judy Thein thanked Grier for her efforts.

Grier said she is getting assistance from local businesses, and also approached city officials, who are assisting in a variety of ways.

Clearlake Police Chief Allan McClain is having members of his department's Volunteers in Policing group help with the event, while City Clerk Melissa Swanson also has offered assistance, Grief said.

Additionally, the Lake County Fire Protection has donated props for the haunted house, which Grier picked up on Wednesday.

Grier is seeking donations of candy and sweatshirts for the children who attend the event. One woman has donated blankets.

“We see so many children walking around without proper attire for the winter,” she said.

She's also looking for volunteers to help run games at the event.

Food – including hot dogs, French fries and cotton candy – will be sold, with 10 percent of the proceeds going toward Lower Lake High School's Sober Grad program, Grier said.

Grier said donations can be dropped off at Tatonka Trading; Burger Time, 14530 Lakeshore Drive; or Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

For more information, contact Grier from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at Burger Time, telephone 707-995-1004.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

Workers with Lucerne Roofing & Supply replace a portion of the Lucerne Hotels' roof on Thursday, October 21, 2010. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

LUCERNE, Calif. – For the past two days the sound of roofers' hammers has floated through the Lucerne air, as work has gotten quickly under way to reroof the historic Lucerne Hotel.

The hotel – or “The Castle” as it's called by those who know and love it – is in the first phases of needed repairs and renovations since the county took ownership of the building at the start of the month.

On Oct. 12 the Board of Supervisors, sitting as the Lake County Redevelopment Agency, approved hiring Lucerne Roofing & Supply to replace half of the building's roof for $263,000. The roof's other half had been replaced by the building's previous owner, Castlepoint Ministries.

County staff had told the board on Oct. 12 that the roof was among the priority items, and it was important to get the roof replaced before the rainy season arrives.

County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox also emphasized the desire to have the building's renovations be an economic engine for the area, and so the county went with Lucerne Roofing & Supply for the work.

Thirty pound base sheets are put down around a dormer on the roof of the Lucerne Hotel on Thursday, October 21, 2010. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

The company's owner, Paul Parlee, used to live in an A-frame on Foothill Drive, within sight of the building, and he's looking forward to dressing the Castle up.

“That building is outstanding,” he said. “I love that building.”

He's also grateful that county leaders agreed to keep the work in the county, because he's got 15 families depending on him, and the job is helping him keep local people employed in a time when he's down in job volume by 60 percent.

Parlee said he was having his roofers get to work on the easiest side of the building, the back facing the hillside, which requires they only be 50 feet off the ground, versus the 90 feet off the ground that they'll be when working on the building's front. They started work on Tuesday.

Deputy Redevelopment Director Eric Seely, who is checking in on the work daily, said Thursday that it was going well.

“They did get the tar paper up, so we actually are watertight and we can take a little rain right now,” said Seely.

Roofers plan to work from Friday through Sunday, weather permitting, he said. Rain is forecast for Friday, and some rain fell overnight in the town.

“We're anticipating that we are going to have weather delays, and that will stretch this job out,” Seely said.

The project to replace half of the Lucerne Hotel's roof is expected to take between two and a half and four months, depending on weather. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

Depending on the weather, replacing half of the roof could take between two and a half to four months, Parlee said.

Parlee, who has been in business for 51 years in Lake and Mendocino counties, said he's done some big roofing jobs, including the WorldMark Resort in Nice and government projects in Ukiah.

“This is one of the biggest but it's one of the most dangerous jobs we've ever done,” he said.

His men wore harnesses and cables as they scaled the steep pitch of the roof on Thursday.

The unique job has required both extra safety measures like harnessing plus scaffolding, which Parlee had to bring in from Santa Rosa. County officials said in the Oct. 12 discussion that the scaffolding was a big expense in the job.

Both Parlee and Seely said the building's original redwood roof structure is in excellent shape. Seely said the roofing boards measure 1 inch by 8 inches, a size that isn't in common use today.

Parlee said the building's construction “is absolutely fabulous,” with little dry rot to speak of, which he said is unheard of for an older building. He said he's pulled off roofs on 15 year old homes to find serious dry rot.

“It is in excellent shape – and I mean excellent – for an 85 year old building,” Parlee said.

Seely agreed, saying the roof structure is “as sound as the day it was put in.”

Roofers removed three layers of roofing to expose the original redwood roofing structure of the Lucerne Hotel on Thursday, October 21, 2010. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

There are two small areas on the roof where they found discoloration because the original wood shingle roof had leaked, and those areas are being addressed, Seely said.

Parlee said his crews are putting down a 30 pound base sheet which will make the roof 100-percent water tight. They will then put down a “lifetime shingle” that's good for 50 years. Placing the composite shingles is something that can be done during the rainy weather, he said.

Woodpeckers have eaten through the redwood on the front of the roof's dormers, so Parlee's workers are putting up new 1-inch by 6-inch boards with 1-inch by 2-inch single molds.

Parlee said they've discovered in taking off the composite tiles that they're actually removing three roofs – the original wooden shingles, plus two different composite roofs. Each time a new roof had been put down, it was simply layered over the previous roof, he said.

Roofers on Thursday were tearing the layers off and dropping them to the ground, where they'll remain until Cal Fire's Konocti Conservation Crew arrives next week. Seely said the crew will separate out the wood and divert it from the landfill, and remove the other tiles.

The crew also will trim bushes and pull away dirt that has accumulated against the building's foundation, he said. “We'll have them out here for a couple weeks doing general maintenance and cleaning the place up.”

A 17-man crew with a fire chief will cost the county $250 a day, said Seely. “It's a good deal and these guys produce. They're not going to lean against a shovel,” he added, noting he has worked with them on the Ely Stage Stop project in Kelseyville.

Other work around the building already has taken place, including a visit from an arborist, who pruned back trees over the roof, removed two dead trees and took out two live trees that were in danger of damaging the building, he said.

Seely said the county plans to soon put out a bid packet for repainting the building, which will help seal the stucco, which in in pretty good shape overall but has some areas of damage that will be repaired in a future job.

“We're doing one step at a time so we don't overstep our budget,” he said.

Roofers wear harnesses while scaling the steep roof of the Lucerne Hotel on Thursday, October 21, 2010. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

Once the building's paint job is awarded, then they will look at the building's 330 double hung windows, most of which are original and in need of reglazing. Seely said reglazing usually has to happen every 20 years, but these windows have lasted 80 years.

Some windows will need to be rebuilt, and a local company – B&D Window Sash Co. in Clearlake Oaks – does such specialized work. Seely said the company also has rebuilt replica windows for the Ely Stage Stop.

There are plans to rebuild the Castle's dormers, which are currently weather-tight but will be reconditioned, Seely said.

No decision has yet been made about what should be done with the building's swimming pool. “It's a very nice pool and it's in good condition,” said Seely, adding that they've not surveyed it to see if it meets commercial standards.

As the county moves forward with fixing up the building, Seely said one of the areas they'll explore will be a new heating and cooling system. As county officials start looking at that system and energy efficiency, they'll have a discussion on whether a solar installation makes sense. Seely has talked to Pacific Gas & Electric about conducting an energy efficiency audit on the building.

Work on the Lucerne Hotel's roof is being expedited to get ahead of the rainy season. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

Seely said the county already is getting inquiries from individuals and groups wanting to hold events at the Castle.

Before they even closed escrow they had a request to use the building for a November wedding, and got another request this week for an event next year.

“We don't want to commit to dates yet,” said Seely, but county officials are moving forward with getting the interior ready to provide meeting and event space.

See videos of the roofing work at Lake County News' YouTube Channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .