News

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council is planning a special meeting to discuss the application to annex an area along South Main Street and a resolution regarding the formation of an underground utility district.

The council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

On the agenda is a resolution to authorize the city’s application to the Lake Local Area Formation Commission, or Lake LAFCo, for the South Lakeport Annexation project.

The 136-acre area along South Main Street – which includes 50 parcels – is reported to be the most lucrative commercial corridor in the unincorporated county.

As a result, the potential annexation has been a source of dispute between the city of Lakeport and the county of Lake for nearly a decade.

Community Development Director Kevin Ingram’s report to the council explains that the proposed annexation area has been within the city's adopted sphere of influence – which he defined as “a planning boundary outside of an agency’s legal boundary (such as a city limit line) that designates the agency’s probable future boundary and service area” – for more than 25 years.

“There are number of reasons that this area of unincorporated South Lakeport is recognized as an area of logical expansion for the City but perhaps the greatest reason is the fact that Lakeport’s municipal sewer district has been providing service to these properties since 1985,” Ingram’s report explains.

He said the Lake County Sanitation District operates the wastewater collection system, but the wastewater is treated at the city's wastewater treatment facility. The city also plans to install a new water main in the annexation area in conjunction with the upcoming South Main Street and Soda Bay Road Rehabilitation Project.

“The water main is necessary to establish a looped system connecting the City's dead-end water mains on South Main Street and Parallel Drive. Establishing a looped system will reduce maintenance requirements and improve water quality in the system,” Ingram said. “The installation of the new water main will also make it possible for properties within the annexation area to choose to connect to the City's system. The extension of water service to the annexation area will also benefit public safety by enabling installation of fire hydrants along South Main Street and Soda Bay Road.”

Ingram’s report explains that, based on a 1997 tax-sharing agreement between the city and county, the city would pay the county $210,000 in sales tax payments over the first six years after annexation takes place.

Also on the agenda is the adoption of a resolution declaring the council’s intent to form an underground utility district along 11th Street and North Main Street.

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.

081319 Lakeport City Council special meeting agenda packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd

LAKEPORT, Calif. – An apartment building that sustained major damage in a November fire is slated for repairs and renovations, with the plans to go to the Lakeport Planning Commission this week.

The commission will meet beginning at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

On the commission’s Wednesday agenda is an architectural and design review for the Bel Aire Apartments, located at 1125 N. Main St.

The art deco-style building, which city officials said was constructed in the 1930s and 1940s, was damaged on Nov. 11 by a fire that appeared to have burned primarily on the second floor and on the roof, as Lake County News has reported.

The fire rendered the building uninhabitable, and since November it has been kept closed off to the public.

Jonathan Bridges, on behalf of building owners Mike and Pat McCollum of Sebastopol, has applied for the architectural and design review that the commission is set to consider.

Specifically, the owners want to redesign the exterior of the two-story, 14-unit, 10,720-square-foot building.

The staff report for the meeting explains that the owners want to demolish the existing flat roof and change it to a pitched roof with brown roof shingles.

The renovation plans also call for keeping the existing concrete walls, but covering up or removing the building’s notable art deco fixtures – many of which were damaged or destroyed in the fire – and replacing them with modern trim, according to the staff report.

The owners plan to paint the building and the trim a light tan color called “Swiss coffee.” The report said there are no planned changes to the building’s 12 carports and two uncovered parking spaces in the rear of the building.

Planning staff indicate in the report that the proposed changes conform to city planning rules and design criteria.

Regarding the building’s art deco design, the report notes, “Although there is a significant desire to protect the historical integrity of the downtown area, this building does not reflect the time period or the historical appearance the City is working to preserve. A condition shall be added that the applicant shall provide detailed photographs of the ‘art deco’ elements of the existing building that can be used if any future developer would like to return the building to that ‘art deco’ design.”

Also on Wednesday, the commission will receive an update on the 11th Street Corridor project.

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.

081419 Lakeport Planning Commission agenda packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Fair has announced that the grand marshal of this year’s event is Dr. Brian L. Grey.

The Lake County Fair will be held Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.

Qualifications for the fair grand marshal include exceptional leadership skills, longtime involvement with the fair and a life of service to their community.

Grey has been a long-time fair supporter. He was recognized by the Lake County Fair Board for his outstanding contributions to the youth of Lake County.

“Brian is the epitome of what we seek in a grand marshal,” said Lake County Fair Chief Executive Officer Courtny Conkle.

“I'm thrilled that Brian accepted our nomination as grand marshal,” Conkle said. “He is an outstanding member of our community, and he has a long history with the fairgrounds, especially supporting the kids at the Junior Livestock Auction. He is an incredibly humble person, so him accepting the nomination to represent the fair means the world to us."

Grey will lead the opening night parade on Thursday, Aug. 29, along with the fair board and will cut the ribbon, officially kicking off the 2019 Lake County Fair.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The latest testing of nearly two dozen sites on Clear Lake shows that there are four areas where cyanobacteria levels have triggered warnings.

Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians and Elem Indian Colony are conducting the water testing on a regular basis.

The most recent results reflect testing largely conducted on Aug. 5, and four areas of Clear Lake demonstrated concerning levels of cyanotoxins, which are produced by blue-green algae, officials said.

Readings of 20 micrograms per liter, or µg/L, trigger “danger” level warnings.

Testing results from July 26 and Aug. 5 showed the following areas of concern:

– Lily Cove (LC01) with a lab result from July 26 of 150 µg/L; danger zone (red). This site is not yet a regular sampling site; however the danger level from preliminary Abraxis strip testing done on July 26 was confirmed with a lab result.

– Austin Park Beach (AP01) had a lab result of 48 µg/L on July 22, which decreased to 1.9 µg/L on Aug. 5; caution zone (yellow).

– Sulphur Bank Mine (SBMMEL01) with a lab result from Aug. 5 of 0.92 µg/L; caution zone (yellow).

– Cache Creek Shady Acres (SHADY01) had a lab result of 25 µg/L on July 26, which decreased to 0.87 µg/L on Aug. 5; caution zone (yellow). Lab results improved from danger to caution or below caution level from additional testing done in between sampling events, July 26 to Aug. 5.

In addition, Redbud Park (RED01) had a lab result of 32 µg/L on July 26 which decreased to 0.41 µg/L on Aug. 5, which is below the caution zone. Its results also improved because of additional testing between July 26 and Aug. 5.

Lake County Public Health urges boaters and recreational users to avoid direct contact with or use of waters containing cyanobacteria in Lake County.

The recommendation is based on the potential health risks from cyanobacteria, which is currently blooming at varying levels in the Lower Arm and Oaks Arm of Clear Lake.

Cyanobacteria can pose health risks, particularly to children and pets. Health officials urge people to choose safe activities when visiting natural bodies of water, particularly where blooms are visible.

It is strongly recommended that people and their pets avoid contact with water and avoid swallowing lake water in an algae bloom area.

For current cyanotoxin lab results, please visit the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians cyanotoxin monitoring Web site.

For more information and resources, visit the County’s cyanobacteria pages at http://www.lakecountyca.gov/cyanobacteria/ and http://www.lakecountyca.gov/cyanohealth/ .

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Firefighters are trying to stop a wildland fire that is burning between Hopland and Ukiah.

Cal Fire’s Mendocino Unit said the Moose fire was at 85 acres and 25-percent contained as of Monday evening.

The fire started off Moose Road and Bus McMcGall Road – in the area known as McNab Ranch, north of Hopland – shortly after 5 p.m. Monday, Cal Fire said.

Officials said the fire was burning to the southeast in brush and grass oak woodland in steep terrain.

Lake County residents reported seeing the fire’s smoke plume, especially from the Lakeport area.

Structures are threatened, which prompted evacuation orders for the McNab Ranch area including Valley View Road, Bus McGall Road and Moose Road, and an evacuation warning for another part of the McNab Ranch area covering the north end of Feliz Creek Road and Feliz Creek Drive, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire said Bus McGall Road at Valley View Road is closed.

There are approximately 300 firefighters at the Incident with additional personnel and equipment arriving throughout the night, Cal Fire said.

Other resources Cal Fire said are assigned include 10 crews, two helicopters, 15 engines, three dozers, four water tenders and fie air tankers.

Authorities said the fire’s cause is under investigation.

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.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Cal Fire said the Golf fire has reached 100-percent containment.

The fire, which began burning at around 1 p.m. Thursday off Soda Bay Road at Golf Drive in the Black Forest, was fully contained as of Sunday evening, Cal Fire said.

It burned a total of 20 acres but did not damage or destroy any nearby homes, dozens of which were evacuated for a day due to the fire’s close proximity. Evacuations and road closures were lifted on Friday afternoon.

Officials said one firefighter of the hundreds that had been assigned suffered a minor injury.

Cal Fire said over the weekend that its investigators concluded that the fire was caused by an “improperly discarded cigarette,” as Lake County News has reported.

Four firefighters and an engine remain assigned to the incident. Cal Fire firefighters will be checking for smokes in the fire area over the next several days.

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.