LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Public Services Department is inviting community members to take part in a second round of meetings this week as part of the process for applying for state park grant funding.

The county is planning to apply this summer for funds from Proposition 68, the Parks and Water Bond Act of 2018, passed by California voters in June. It authorizes $4 billion in general obligation bonds meant for projects that extend from local and state parks to flood protection, water infrastructure, environmental protection and habitat restoration.

The three county parks which staff determined have the best fit for the program are Hammond Park in Nice, Kelseyville Community Park and Middletown Trailside Nature Preserve, as Lake County News has reported.

The first round of public meetings was held on Saturday, with the design process led by Foothill Associates, a firm that has done previous park design work from the county. Last Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved Public Service Director Lars Ewing’s request for a $20,725 contract with the firm to work on these latest grants.

Ewing said this week’s meetings will be led by Public Services staff.

This second round of gatherings to seek public input on potential design and new amenities at the parks will take place as follows on Thursday, April 4:

– 10 to 11 a.m. at Hammond Park, 2490 Lakeshore Blvd., Nice;
– 1 to 2 p.m. at Kelseyville Community Park, 5270 State St.;
– 3 to 4 p.m. at Trailside Park, 21044 Dry Creek Cutoff, Middletown.

People can drop in at any time during the meetings, which are being conducted in an open house format.

Deputy Public Services Director Kati Galvani said Saturday’s meetings had a good turnout, with between 30 and 50 people at Trailside Park and at Kelseyville Community Park, and 10 to 15 at Hammond Park.

“Entire families, dog park goers, skateboarders, b-ball players, baseball, volleyball, community gardens, art lovers, trail lovers, etc. attended and had a great time designing a park just the way they would want it,” Galvani said in an email..

Galvani added, “Lots of shared thoughts and realistic desires made us very happy!”

She said Public Services anticipates holding three more meetings on the design process for the parks in May and June.

Community members who can’t make the meetings also can submit ideas and comments by April 10 through online surveys for each of the three park projects:

– Hammond Park: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PLCHNX9.
– Kelseyville Community Park: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H5NX7L7.
– Middletown Trailside Park: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3LQG6BZ.

In an interview last week, Ewing said he anticipated having park schematics based on the community input ready for release this summer, ahead of the Aug. 5 grant application deadline.

Projects that are selected by the state for grant funding must be completed by March 2022, according to the grant funding timeline.

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.