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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8, online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and on the county’s Facebook page. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.
To participate in real-time, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link.
The meeting ID is 865 3354 4962, pass code 726865. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,86533544962#,,,,*726865#. The meeting can also be accessed via phone at 669 900 6833.
At 9:15 a.m., the board will consider an appeal filed by Tom Lajcik, Margaux Kambara and Associates seeking to overturn the Planning Commission's approval of a major use permit for Highland Farms, LP/Autumn Karcey.
The cannabis operation is set to be located at 7408, 7522, 7527, 7634 and 7746 Highland Springs Road and 7257 and 7357 Amber Ridge Road in Lakeport, which is next to Highland Springs Recreation Area.
Among a host of concerns with the project, the appellants raise issues with the project being less than the required 1,000 feet from public lands and the Community Development Department’s “documented history of procedural mistakes.” They also are arguing that a full environmental impact report should be required for the project.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve continuation of emergency proclamation declaring a shelter crisis in the county of Lake.
5.2: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.
5.3: Approve continuation of proclamation declaring a Clear Lake hitch emergency.
5.4: Approve continuation of local emergency by the Lake County Sheriff/OES director for the 2024 Late January, Early February Winter Storms.
5.5: Approve continuation of proclamation of a local health emergency by the Lake County Health officer for the Boyles fire.
5.6: Approve continuation of a local emergency by the Lake County Sheriff/OES director for the 2024 Boyles Fire.
5.7: Approve continuation of local emergency proclamation by the Lake County Sheriff/OES director for the Glenhaven Fire.
5.8: Approve Grant Deed and Exhibit "A" attached hereto for APN 003-046-77 (Lake County Jail) and Authorize the Chair to Sign and the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors to Record with the County Recorder's Office.
5.9: Sitting as LCAQMD Board of Directors, consideration to: (a) Waive the competitive bidding procedures pursuant to Lake County Code Section 2-39.2 and Section 1.C.2 of the County's Consultant Selection Policy; and (b) Approve Entering into an Agreement with ATA Law Group not to exceed $50,000 and authorize the APCO to sign the agreement.
5.10: Approve Amendment No. 1 of Agreement Between County of Lake and Sacramento Behavioral Health Care Hospital LLC for Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital Services and Professional Services Associated with Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitalizations for FY 2024-25 in the Amount of $250,000.
5.11: Approve Amendment No. 2 between county of Lake and California Mental Health Service Authority Remote Supervision Program with no change to the contract maximum for fiscal years 2024-25, 2025-26, and 2026-27.
5.12: Approve Board of Supervisors meeting minutes for July 25, 2023, and Dec. 3, 2024.
5.13: Approve ratification of the Board of Supervisors' appointment of chair and vice chair for the county of lake for 2025.
5.14: Approve ratification of the Board of Supervisors' approval of the Jan. 7, 2025, consent agenda Item Nos. 5.1 through 5.7.
5.15: (a) Adopt Resolution Authorizing the 2025-2026 Grant Project-Lake County Child Advocacy Center Program and (b) Authorize the Chair to Sign the Grant Subaward Certification of Assurance of Compliance.
5.16: Adopt Resolution Authorizing the County of Lake to Accept Grant Funds in the amount of $383,527 from the State of California Department of Justice, Office of Attorney General, Tobacco Enforcement Grant Program, and Authorizing the Professional Services Agreement with Lake County Health Services.
5.17: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 2-38.4, Cooperative Purchases, and (b) Authorize the IT Director to issue a purchase order to Dell Marketing L.P. for Microsoft 365 G3 'Step up' licenses in the amount of $21,186.
5.18: Approve Amendment One to the agreement between the county of Lake and SCS Engineers for construction quality assurance services for the Eastlake Landfill Phase One Cell Construction Project for a revised total of $577,478, and authorize the chair to sign.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:03 a.m.: Pet of the Week.
6.3, 9:04 a.m.: New and Noteworthy at the Library.
6.4, 9:10 a.m.: Consideration of an agreement between the county of Lake and Paragon Government Relations for professional federal legislative and regulatory advocacy services in the not-to-exceed amount of $187,660.
6.5, 9:15 a.m.: Consideration of appeal (AB 24-02) of Planning Commission's approval of major use permit (UP 20-96), Highland Farms, LP/Autumn Karcey as applicant and Tom Lajcik, Margaux Kambara and Associates, as appellant; location: 7408, 7522, 7527, 7634, & 7746 Highland Springs Road and 7257 & 7357 Amber Ridge Road in Lakeport, CA.
6.6, 10:30 a.m.: Consideration of proposed findings of fact and decision in the appeal of Amy Hewitt-Novoa and Juan Novoa (AB 24-04).
6.7, 11:15 a.m.: Hearing, consideration of request for post-abatement hearing on account and proposed assessment of abatement - 16155 Quail Trail, Clearlake Oaks (Spring Valley).
6.8, 1:30 p.m.: Informational Update on Cannabis Ordinance Task Force recommendations (continued from Dec. 17, 2024).
6.9, 3 p.m.: Public hearing, appeal of vicious animal abatement Case Number #7296, located at Elk Mountain Road, Upper Lake, CA 95485 (Courtney Palmer).
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of approval of agreement between county of Lake-Lake County Behavioral Health Services as lead agency for the Lake County Continuum of Care and Lake County Office of Education for Fiscal Year 2024-27 in the amount of $125,000.
7.3: Consideration of resignation of Lake County Fire Chiefs Association from the Cannabis Ordinance Task Force, and request to remove the position from task force membership.
7.4: Consideration of the following advisory board appointments: Big Valley Advisory Council, Cobb Municipal Advisory Council, First Five Lake County, Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee, Lake County Resource Conservation District, Law Library Advisory Board, Library Advisory Board.
7.5: Consideration of request for board direction regarding the county of Lake serving as lead applicant for the California Department of Conservation's Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program Grant Pre-application.
7.6: Consideration of resolution accepting the work of the Lucerne Harbor Dredging Project (24-13) and directing the Public Services director to file the notice of completion.
7.7: (a) Consideration of a resolution for an exception to the 180-day wait period to hire a CalPERS retiree as an extra-help county employee; and (b) consideration of advanced step hiring of Brian Powers as an extra-help employee.
7.8: Consideration of Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement between county of Lake and Harmony Research LLC to increase the total compensation to the Contractor to a total not to exceed $615,000.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Closed Session Item: Public Employee Evaluation: Title: Water Resources Director.
8.2: Closed Session Item: Public Employee Evaluation: Title: Special Districts Administrator.
8.3: Closed Session Item: Public Employee Evaluation: Title: Air Pollution Control Officer.
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On Sunday night, the National Weather Service issued the advisory, which took effect at 2 a.m. and will remain in place until noon on Monday.
Forecasters said north winds of between 25 to 35 miles per hour were expected, with gusts of up to 60 miles per hour, especially from the northeast.
The National Weather service said wind gusts will be particularly strong along windward ridges, especially those bordering Colusa, Napa and Glenn counties.
True to the forecast, heavy winds were recorded along the Northshore before 3 a.m., causing windows to rattle.
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The kittens and cats at the shelter that are shown on this page have been cleared for adoption.
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.
The shelter is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport.
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Cal Fire said Saturday night that four fires are actively burning in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
They include the Palisades Fire, at 23,654 acres and 11% containment; the Eaton Fire, 14,117 acres, 15% containment; the Kenneth Fire, 1,052 acres, 90% containment; and the Hurst fire, 799 acres, 76% containment.
Combined, the fires have burned thousands of homes, killed an estimated 16 people and led to the evacuations of nearly 200,000 residents.
With Southern California firefighting resources stretched to the maximum, the call has gone out across the state, the nation and to neighboring countries for assistance.
Cal Fire reported that it is receiving assistance from several states — Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington — and from Canada and Mexico.
Lake County Fire Protection District Chief Willie Sapeta responded to assist on Thursday. At 4:30 a.m. that morning he was assigned to the Eaton fire, according to a fire district Facebook post.
Chief Sapeta, a fire service veteran who has fought Lake County’s most devastating wildland fires, is working in the Altadena community as a strike team leader, Lake County Fire reported.
“Immediately upon arriving he reported an immense amount of support from the LA community to all first responders,” the district said in its Facebook post, which was accompanied by a picture of Sapeta and a restaurant staffer who delivered breakfast burritos to the firefighters to thank them for their service.
On Saturday morning, more Lake County firefighters headed south.
The Lakeport Volunteer Firefighter's Association said four Lakeport Fire firefighters set out on at 8:30 a.m. as part of a strike team with engines from Kelseyville, along with personnel from Monterey, Solano and Humboldt counties, on a 10-hour journey to the fires in Southern California.
The association noted, “When staffing allows we take the opportunity to help our brothers and sisters in need.”
On Saturday evening, the Governor’s Office said California's historic deployment of resources to Southern California is being augmented with even more support in anticipation of another round of severe fire weather expected starting Monday through Wednesday.
“The assets will join the ongoing firefight and preposition at strategic locations throughout Southern California to be ready for any new fire starts,” the Governor’s Office reported.
The Governor’s Office said the additional resources being sent to the fires brought the total on Saturday to more than 14,000 personnel, including firefighters, guard service members, highway patrol officers and transportation teams to support the ongoing firefight.
The personnel include 1,680 California National Guard servicemembers after Gov. Gavin Newsom doubled the number of deployed earlier on Saturday.
In addition, these response efforts include more than 1,700 pieces of firefighting apparatus that are in place or on the way, including 1,350 engines, 80 aircraft, 150 dozers and 160 water tenders to aid in putting out the fires, the Governor’s Office reported.
“Even as we pivot to recovery for the thousands of Californians impacted by the devastating Los Angeles hurricane-force firestorms, we’re ready for another round of severe fire weather. Hour by hour, we are surging more people and more firefighting equipment to Southern California. Californians should stay informed and stay ready,” Newsom said.
Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency on Tuesday and has issued two executive orders to support communities affected by the ongoing fires.
On Wednesday, President Biden quickly approved Gov. Newsom’s request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration to support ongoing response efforts.
The state also received continued federal assistance to combat the Hurst, Eaton and Palisades fires.
Cal Fire said 2025 is starting out as a particularly challenging year for fire.
For the first 11 days of this year, there have been 101 wildland fires that have burned 40,198 acres statewide in Cal Fire’s jurisdiction.
For comparison, during the first 11 days of 2024 there were 39 fires that had burned two acres. The five-year average for that start-of-year timeframe shows 46 fires and 13 acres.
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