Opinion

There are many idealistic visions when it comes to public lake access, open shoreline, and city/county parks.

The recent commentary (“Lakeport’s destiny is everyone’s business,” Victoria Brandon) is certainly one of many that most would agree with, at least conceptually. And why not, especially when we look at the extremes: would you rather have a commercial property with a locked gate blocking all view of the lake and available to only the wealthy who can afford to rent a room, or would you prefer another Library Park with complete access to all? Simple decision.

However, it gets more complex when one investigates the reality of when Lakeport (with or without county assistance) would be able to fund the development of another park, let alone have the funds to maintain it. Even open space is costly to provide, maintain, insure, etc.

When it comes time to spend money on this idealistic vision, priorities such as paving roads and filling potholes will trump another waterfront park in Lakeport.

However, it does not have to be black or white as described above. Many waterfront commercial properties (e.g. Lake Tahoe, San Francisco Bay, Southern California) are now developed commercially in such a manner that the water frontage is maintained for public access, viewing, fishing, etc., at no expense to the community.

Visualize commercial development of the Willopoint property, the Natural High Property and the Dutch Harbor property in a manner that resulted in a lake promenade connecting all of them with Library Park, including benches, walkways, bike paths, beaches and wetlands. The public sector part of this property is, for the most part, already developed. The commercial part will be funded by developers adhering to an architected plan approved by all of us. Most of the property will be generating rather than using tax revenues.

Such a plan is a workable solution (not a never-to-be-funded vision) that is a compromise between the extremes described above.

Below is a summary of a “Lakeshore Redevelopment Plan” provided last year to the city of Lakeport by the Clear Lake Advisory Subcommittee (CLAS), towards the goal of providing long-term sustainable public lake access.

This collection of properties on the shoreline of Lakeport could easily be one of the premier waterfronts in the entire state of California. It is up to us because Lakeport’s destiny is everyone’s business.

CLAS LAKESHORE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN

Introduction

The goal of this plan is to manage the development of several key properties and to combine them with other strategic public properties into an architected lakeshore redevelopment zone. The consistency and predictability of this total area plan reduces the financial risk as compared to individual infill development projects thus promoting private investment while ensuring enhanced public access to Clear Lake for county residents and county visitors.

This plan is designed to enhance the commercial success of the private developments while meeting the responsibility of the public sector to provide cost effective access to the lake. All of these key properties will be required to provide and maintain public access as defined in the plan and in return will participate in a planned and controlled shoreline revitalization that will be mutually beneficial to the success of the commercial ventures and to the community.

Location

The area of this redevelopment plan extends along the Lakeport shoreline of Clear Lake. On the southern boundary is the Willopoint property (privately owned), on the northern boundary is the Dutch Harbor property (now owned by the city of Lakeport). Included within the redevelopment zone are many significant Lakeport public properties including Library Park, Lakefront Park, the Third and Fifth Street boat ramps, lakefront public parking areas, and Natural High School and grounds.

Historical Land Use

This stretch of shoreline has provided both formal and informal public access to the lake for many years. The Willopoint property has housed various commercial enterprises (e.g. Will-O-Point Resort) that has allowed various levels of lake access as part of their operations.

Library Park has long been a publicly provided premier lake access point for residents and visitors alike. Three boat ramps in this zone have provided no-cost boat launching to the public.

Natural High’s property has long provided both informal and arranged-event lake access. Commercial ventures (e.g. on Willopoint and Dutch Harbor properties) have been challenging and have had problems with sustained profitable operation. While the Natural High property currently provides a school facility, it is assumed the school will be relocated and improved as part of the redevelopment process.

Why a Redevelopment Plan

The Willopoint property, the Dutch Harbor property and the Natural High property are each being considered for private development. Collectively these properties, should they be developed in a manner that is inconsistent with proper public lake access, will result in a negative change to the lake-access dynamics that have been key to Lakeport (and Lake County) residents and visitors for many years. The proper plan will enhance the local economy, the probability of commercial development success, and ensure and enhance the lake access experience.

Why not make these strategic properties part of Lakeport’s park system?

In a perfect world where local governments have funds to provide all desired as well as mandatory programs, government purchase of all of this lakeshore zone as public park lands would be a viable option. However, in reality, public funding is not sufficient to procure, develop and maintain these properties. A much more feasible plan is to ensure that the development of these properties is done in a way that offers satisfactory public lake access while owned, developed and maintained with private sector funds. It is best for all if these properties generate tax revenues as opposed to using tax revenues.

Redevelopment Plan Overview

The essence of the plan is best described by a fictitious but potential description of this area following the proposed redevelopment: The result is a significant stretch of developed shoreline all of which is connected by a water front promenade. Within the area is a major hotel-conference center which provides Lakeport with its first complete destination resort. At the other end of the zone and the lake front walkway is a hotel/motel property with nicely landscaped RV/camp sites nestled within a natural shoreline setting. Restaurant and retail shopping as well as some premium commercial office space are integrated into these properties.

The water frontage walkway is similar to the existing path along Library Park but supports both bicycle and pedestrian traffic while providing access to many lake view benches. It is obvious the area was developed per an architected plan and not the result of random efforts. The architectural themes are consistent, parking is where needed, and visitors and residents intermingle in a vibrant successful environment.

The draw of the convention business and interest in the new visitor lodging options has resulted in additional foot traffic and business for the existing downtown Lakeport restaurants and shops. The seamless integration of the public access to the newly developed properties and the town access to visitors staying at these new properties is working to the benefit of all. The new businesses have provided defined visitor dockage at their marinas resulting in enhanced boat access to Lakeport.

This access and the new destinations to visit have again made Lakeport a premier Clear Lake boating destination, and these boat-in visitors frequent existing as well as new businesses.

In addition to the interest at new and existing businesses, those wishing to just enjoy the lake, do a little fishing, or paddle a kayak have also had their lake experience enhanced. The Willopoint property has maintained sufficient wetlands and riparian areas to provide nature-walk trails with fishing and lake-gazing space. All admire the joint development that was needed to make all of this happen. In reality almost all of the public development was completed prior to the redevelopment effort.

By carefully specifying the private fill-in development and by ensuring careful teamwork between the local agencies and the private developers, almost 100 percent of the redevelopment cost was privately funded and that private investment proved to be a wise investment.

What is the next step?

While it is easy (and necessary) to conceptually describe a redevelopment plan, a specific plan with details of proposed commercial ventures, architectural guidelines, and defined roles of the public and private sector must be carefully and completely defined. This plan must result from the latest marketing insight into the dynamics of the county and the state to insure that the proposed zone can succeed and that the expectations of the community as well as the return-on-investment goals of the developers are all met or exceeded.

Artist renderings of the area as well as detailed maps and drawings are required for the community to understand and appreciate the plan and for developers to participate and fund the effort. An architectural consulting firm must soon be commissioned to define and complete all aspects of this redevelopment plan.

Time is of the essence, as the key properties are now being considered for development and should any of these current proposals be executed in a manner inconsistent with this plan, the value of this proposal and the quality of the final result will be diminished if not eliminated.

Ed Calkins is chairman of the Clear Lake Advisory Subcommittee. He lives in Kelseyville.

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Details: Written by: Lake County News Reports; Published: 29 July 2007

Newspapers do best when they report news and are not news, themselves. Some publishers don’t understand but their papers can make news headlines, themselves, when they hide news from their readers. Yes, there are papers that hide news. They think it’s OK to keep readers in the dark. Some call it “spiking.” More and more publishers are falling into this trap; publishers of big papers and little papers. Civics students say they’re “part-of-the-news” papers instead of “news” papers.

The New York Times, one of the biggest papers, is itself a stinky story, these days. They no longer publish, “the news, the whole news, and nothing but the news.” They print stories that are flattering to friends or a certain political party and spike reports that are hostile. Some observers say, big advertisers and government agencies apply pressure to kill stories at the Times. Other reports tell how editors slant stories and print opinions disguised as stories in the news section. Apparently, editors think their readers are too dumb to know. It’s embarrassing to watch. Some say it’s no longer a newspaper but a party line for the communist left. Times’ reports have become a tainted tale others are telling.

Most subscribers aren’t dumb and eventually find out when their daily goes off the track. They may be helped in their discovery by the publisher of a rival paper. Good journalists print all the news all the time, even when it’s about another paper. They never cave in to big promoters or government representatives who want stories killed. Trustworthy papers can in fact make money telling horrible stories like that of the Times fiasco.

One Internet newspaper, the Drudge Report, has become a huge success by posting stories other papers spiked. Readers’ ears perk up when they hear a paper is hiding news. Like the elephant, they never forget.

Second-rate publishers think they’re doing nothing wrong when they print part of the news. It’s my paper and I’ll print what I want, they suppose as they entrench themselves in tall ivory towers and lock the doors. Big companies will always send in big checks to pay for big adds, they assume. Little subscribers who made them successful are forgotten. They’re surprised when big advertisers stop sending big checks because little subscribers stop buying a party line rag.

When circulation numbers drop, foolish publishers do all the wrong things to reverse the decline. Sometimes, they think readers want to be entertained so they print entertainment instead of news. Other times, they imagine sex sells so they hire glamorous representatives who look like call girls. They “dumb down and tart up” in a vain effort to stop the slide. Nothing works, however, until they go back to printing all the news all the time and make a sincere effort to rebuild trust with readers.

Good journalists work their trade like a marriage with subscribers. They know the connection between reporting and civic duty. In first year journalism, they learned the Founding Fathers gave American reporters Free Press security with an obligation to use it. Yes, Free Press is a duty as well as a privilege. Free Press guarantees government can’t control reporters to hide part of the news from the people. First-rate publishers practice this freedom and never develop comfy relationships with government agents. Government has three branches; judicial, legislative, and executive. Judges, policemen, congressmen, governors, district attorneys, sheriffs, presidents, council members, school boards, and school superintendents, are all some of the government’s employees. Publishers who’re seduced into informal relationships with government representatives are two-timing their readers. They’re sleeping with the enemy. They betray constituents in the community. Voters can’t vote the rascals out if they don’t know who the rascals are. Disloyal dailies, themselves, make unpleasant news stories that need to be told.

Faithful editors also apply the “Free Press” principle to business promoters who try to control news by canceling adds. Wise editors know, advertising income is directly related to readership numbers so they stay loyal to readers and hang up on fat-cat marketers who want to get them in bed. Dedicated newspapers protect their reputations and are always, of the subscriber, by the subscriber, and for the subscriber.

Unfortunately, two local papers, (Lake County Record-Bee and Observer-American) are following in the footsteps of the New York Times. It’s a great tragedy for local voters and taxpayers. They can‘t get the information they need to make democracy work. Publisher Gregg McConnell has made himself a tall ivory tower and shut himself in. Apparently, he believes he has no civic duty. He’s rapidly losing the respect of his “little” subscribers. It’s a terrible mess and another interesting story worth reading.

McConnell started bad when he came to Lake County, by assigning a daft reporter to code enforcement who immediately developed a comfy relationship with government authorities. Front page stories began to appear showing government is good and taxpayers are bad. One unfortunate Clearlake Oaks resident found his picture on the front page of McConnell’s paper because he had an old car in the yard and a roof leak. Code enforcement red tagged his house. Everyone who took a high school civics class was alarmed. McConnell’s articles made government agents look like heroes and citizens look like criminals. It was clear from the beginning, McConnell understands Free Press backwards. He protects government from the people.

One concerned citizen called McConnell on his infidelity to subscribers. A letter writer from Kelseyville, Darrell Watkins, wrote a civics letter and submitted it for the opinion page. McConnell saw it as criticism and didn’t print it. Watkins also purchased four copies of “We the People” and sent them to McConnell and his top employees for remedial civics training. A credentialed teacher, he also volunteered to tutor McConnell and his editors. McConnell thought this was the height of haughtiness and didn’t accept the offer. Some good did come out of Watkins’ effort, however. McConnell stopped going out with county code enforcement officers and coming home late with government lipstick on his collar. Unfortunately, reports say he’s become an “item” with other government agents and fat-cat marketers around town. Subscribers have a right to know about these indiscretions. He just can’t keep his journalistic pants zipped up.

McConnell’s most recent and ongoing affair is with government representatives at Konocti Unified School District. President Bush’s no-child-left-behind law identified failing schools in that district. Minds are a terrible things to waste and children left behind should make very, very big headlines. A Free Press would ring alarm bells long and loud until everyone knows KUSD trustees are a bunch of rascals. They could quickly be voted out of office. Taxpayers are paying tens of millions of dollars every year to provide schools for their children and they‘re not getting their money‘s worth. Unfortunately, McConnell‘s papers aren’t a Free Press. He can’t keep his journalistic marriage vows with his readers because he and some of his reporters are sleeping with the enemy.

Some readers were utterly bowled over when McConnell splashed the front pages of two papers (March 20, 2007) with the glowing picture of Louise Nan, superintendent of KUSD. Louise was “woman of the year“ burbled McConnell’s reporters for spending “years working in the KUSD.” Her district has failed Lake County for years and she receives front page fame. What was McConnell thinking? Should Lake County taxpayers believe failure is success? Should a government representative of a failed school district receive great honor from the Free Press? Questions continue and the story gets worse.

Nan returned the award favor. Nan nominated and Observer-American editor Cynthia Parkhill received, the prestigious “award of appreciation” from the “Association of California Schools Administrators.” How cozy! Newspaper editor Parkhill puts government leader Nan on the front page of her paper and government leader Nan nominates Parkhill for a grand award from her school organization. One hand washes another. What a snug little relationship! Yes, Parkhill’s own paper did her write up.

From all this, it’s apparent Parkhill has been assigned to cover school news. When she writes a school story (like a recent report on Pomo Elementary) most readers think the schools are getting recognition when they’re failing. Parkhill’s stories lull taxpayers to sleep. She’s like the watchman that whispered when he saw the enemy and the watchdog that ran under the house when burglars came. Education thieves are stealing knowledge from her master’s kids in broad daylight and Parkhill doesn’t want to “alarm” anyone. She returns home late at night to her readers with rumpled hair and government cigar smoke all over her clothes and thinks nobody will notice. Civics students do notice, however. They understand how softball coverage of important news is directly related to cozy relationships between government and the Free Press. Unfortunately, Lake County taxpayers continue to spend tens of millions of dollars for schools that continue to fail.

Former Lower Lake High School (chemistry and physics) teacher, Russell Hunt, wrote about the sad state of Konocti schools in a “Speak Your Mind” letter: “The children are wild and running the school. There is absolutely no discipline and little or no learning going on. The average child is … graduating with an eighth-grade education. Bottom of the barrel state test scores are evidence of this.” This is the news that McConnell hides in a small letter on the opinion page.

McConnell recently added another paramour to his government harem. He met recently with the new Clearlake police chief, Allan McClain (Observer-American, July 18, 2007). McClain, like most highly paid government agents, is very smart. He understands McConnell’s weakness. He knows courting the “Free Press” means job security for him. Yes, McConnell responded. “Police Chief McCain should be applauded for his efforts to reintroduce a personal connection between the citizens of Clearlake and the peace officers who work to keep them safe,” ardently cooed the publisher in his report. How sweet. Unfortunately, McConnell didn’t take the opportunity to report on drug trafficking, burglaries, missing persons, and unsolved murders in Clearlake.

Democracy could work in Lake County. It can’t until the Free Press returns. McConnell needs to find another line of work. Civics students hope the new publisher will be loyal to his readers. They pray papers will print all the news all the time and stop consorting with government fanciers. Voters will get enough information to throw the rascals out when they don’t get what they pay for.

Darrell Watkins is a graduate of Ambassador College, Brickett Wood, UK and a graduate of Pepperdine University School of Education, Los Angeles. He lives in Kelseyville.

Lake County News welcomes commentary items from its readers. Submit them for consideration to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Guest commentaries are the opinions of the writers and do not necessarily represent the views of Lake County News, its staff or contributors.

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