Letters
- Details
- Written by: Chad and Brandi Parlee
The location(s) of the proposed project(s) are 4440, 4460, 4520 and 4550 George Road in Lakeport.
We along with our neighbors on George Road have many concerns about the negative impacts this project will create in our daily lives, for our quality of life and the environment both locally and county-wide.
Some of our concerns include:
● Increased traffic and congestion;
● Groundwater contamination and potential for pollution into surrounding lands;
● Depletion of water table, current drought conditions;
● Storage of pesticides, fertilizers, phosphates and other hazardous materials in close proximity to homes;
● Odor pollution;
● Light pollution;
● Noise pollution;
● Increased risk for crime;
● Potential to lower home and property values;
● Impacts to the lake from groundwater discharge leaching into nearby streams, creeks and waterways;
● Potential for increased greenhouse gases;
● Obstruction of rural countryside views.
This project is literally in our backyard. How we conduct our daily lives will be impacted and changed. Our neighborhood is residential with a mixture of small vineyards, walnut trees and home fruit and vegetable gardens.
George Road was never engineered nor designed to support large volume industry and manufacturing. This is why we chose to purchase property and raise our family here; where our children ride their bicycles up and down the street, where they take their dogs and horses for walks and rides.
If this project were to move forward it would forever change the face of our neighborhood, and not for the better. I ask you to please put yourself in our shoes. Backyard summer barbecues will not be the same with the obnoxious smell that this project brings. Our children will no longer be able to enjoy the freedoms that they do now with increased traffic, congestion and potential for increased crime that can come with these types of projects. The problems associated with the possibility of contamination and depletion to our wells.
This is not the place for an operation of this magnitude. Please support us in our concern and opposition to this project.
Chad and Brandi Parlee live in Lakeport, California.
- Details
- Written by: Deb DePuy
Although hate crime statistics are still being compiled for 2020, one of the most stunning trends are the number of hate crimes being committed against elderly Asian Americans. Older Asian Americans already feel particularly vulnerable with the memories of our racist past still living in their bodies. We should not turn our heads away from the white supremacist legacy in the AAPI community.
As we move forward in the coming months, I urge Congressman Thompson to continue his leadership by supporting the THRIVE agenda which will allocate resources to local communities so that responses can be tailored to specific needs.
Deb DePuy lives in Los Angeles, California.
- Details
- Written by: Anna Rose Ravenwoode
I would like to thank two local government agencies (both management and staff) who have contributed to improved public health and educational services during our COVID-19 crisis.
First, the Lake County Department of Health under the leadership of our Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace. Then add to this the long hours of hard work by Health Department staff. As a result, Lake County residents have greatly benefited from the increased testing capacity in mid-2020, and the increased vaccine offerings, beginning in 2021.
These public health benefits did not “just happen.” They were the result of countless hours of department management efforts and a committed staff, to prioritize and accommodate the medical needs and safety of a rural community.
However, it is, unfortunately, true that Dr. Pace sometimes encountered (from a handful of people) verbal abuse for making difficult decisions. And there is a lesson here: Disagreeing itself is not the problem. But that expressing ourselves in a disrespectful manner is a needless choice. And we must remember: Our children are watching.
So thank you, Dr. Gary Pace. You (and county staff) have saved lives.
The second government agency that warrants a serious thank you is the Lake County Office of Education. Under the leadership of County Superintendent Brock Falkenberg (and his hard working, talented staff) there have been countless hours of meticulous planning on behalf of our students. Good educational administration is steadfast in helping our children, especially during a global pandemic.
Even as a resident, we may not personally observe the hard work and difficult decisions which must be made to ensure our children’s safety. During the pandemic, public school students must be fed and countless other unforeseen obstacles overcome.
In addition, the Lake County Office of Education staff has provided many hours of emotional support to parents and children. Our county superintendent has worked tirelessly with his staff, and all individual school district superintendents to protect our children and bring schools back into session.
So, yes, it is time to thank people who are not recognized for their commitment and perseverance in their respective fields, of public health and education.
Anna Rose Ravenwoode is a lifelong educator who lives in Kelseyville, California.
- Details
- Written by: Barbara Jenichen
The building project comes before the Lake County Planning Commission on April 8.
The 6,000 residents of the subdivision have fought bitterly with each other about the project, often golfer vs. non-golfer, over the last seven years. During those years the likelihood that the proposed “Hartmann Complex” will sooner or later be flooded by one or more atmospheric river events has become increasingly apparent.
The project site shares a high-risk flood zone designation with nearby homes that have been repeatedly flooded. The flood waters don’t come primarily from rising creeks, but from runoff trapped due to inadequate and unmaintained storm drainage infrastructure.
Some residents, including those on higher ground, have also argued that stepped-up wildfire measures should take precedence over relocating and expanding the clubhouse, whose public restaurant is already heavily subsidized by the HOA.
We hope the public will urge the Planning Commission to reject this boondoggle, or at least make it contingent on resolution of long-standing disputes between governmental entities regarding storm infrastructure responsibilities.
Barbara Jenichen is president of HVL Now. She lives in Hidden Valley Lake, California.
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