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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors this week will discuss a proposal to pause commercial cannabis permitting while zoning rules are developed, and review Behavioral Health contracts totaling more than $19 million.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5, 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 9:30 a.m., the board will hold a public hearing on Northshore Fire Protection District’s request to raise fire mitigation fees with annual inflation adjustments.
At 10:30 a.m., the board will consider Supervisor Helen Owen’s proposal to place a moratorium — a temporary pause — on issuing permits for commercial cultivation of cannabis within the county’s unincorporated area. The item was held over from the July 15 meeting.
The staff memo noted that in March, the board disbanded a task force working on the county’s zoning ordinance that comprises the “Cannabis Ordinance.” Now, the Community Development Department staff is drafting a new article of the zoning ordinance.
Owen is proposing a temporary halt to permit issuance while the new regulations are developed.
“I have significant concern moving forward with additional permitting of Cannabis operations in the absence of appropriate regulation is not in the interest of our county and the residents we were elected to serve,” said Owen in the staff memo. “Pausing permit issuance and taking reasonable time to amend and adopt zoning regulations, as needed, make good sense.”
At least four votes from the five supervisors are required to adopt this interim urgency ordinance, according to the staff memo.
In the untimed items, the board will consider multiple county agreements on Behavioral Health services totaling $19,392,301.47.
Also under review is a three-year contract with Redwood Community Services for services to foster children and their families, in the amount of $485,000 per fiscal year, starting July 1, 2025.
The board will also be asked to officially accept the responsibility for the water and sewer systems in the Westlake Homes subdivision, after 32 years of not doing maintenance for the area, due to a “technicality.”
"Over the years Special District has not performed general maintenance inside the subdivision due to a technicality related to the actual acceptance of the water and wastewater lines and the piping materials that were installed may not have met County specifications," the staff memo noted.
In the closed session, the board will evaluate the Water Resources director and conduct interviews for the Public Works director position. The board will also discuss existing litigation regarding the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Adopt proclamation designating the month of August 2025 as Breastfeeding Awareness Month in Lake County.
5.2: Adopt proclamation designating the month of August 2025 as Child Support Awareness Month.
5.3: Adopt the final Lake County Housing Action and Implementation Plan (HAIP), as amended.
5.4: Approve agreement between County of Lake—Lake County Behavioral Health Services as Lead Agency for the Lake County Continuum of Care and Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital, Inc. in the amount of $184,000 for the period June 1, 2025, through October 31, 2026, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.5: Approve the second amendment to the agreement between the County of Lake and June Wilson-Clarkin, LMFT for Fiscal Year 2024–2025 to (1) authorize the contractor to initiate 5150 psychiatric holds upon designation and completion of required training, and (2) increase the contract maximum by $25,000 for a revised total of $110,000, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.6: Approve the updated bylaws of the Middletown Area Town Hall (MATH).
5.7: Approve Board of Supervisors meeting minutes June 3, 2025, June 17, 2025, July 8, 2025, and July 15, 2025.
5.8: Approve Fiscal Year 2025/2026 renewal of Veterans Subvention Certificate of Compliance and Medi-Cal Cost Avoidance Program Certificate of Compliance and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.9: Adopt resolution approving right of way certification for the Willow Tree Monitoring and Reporting Project for 14C-0048 N. Fork Cache Creek Bridge (Chalk Mountain Rd) Replacement Project, Federal Project No. BRLO-5914(135).
5.10: a) Adopt resolution approving right of way certification for Kelseyville Sidewalk Project, Federal Project No. HIPL-5914(133); and b) approve the plans and specifications for the Kelseyville Sidewalk Project and authorize the Public Works Director to advertise for bids.
5.11: (Sitting as the Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors) Authorize Special Districts Administrator/Assistant Purchasing Agent to issue a purchase order not to exceed $220,000 to Sealing Systems, Inc. for the purchase of HDPE manhole inserts.
TIMED ITEMS
6.1, 9:02 a.m.: Public input.
6.2, 9:03 a.m.: Pet of the Week.
6.3, 9:04 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of August 2025 as Child Support Awareness Month.
6.4, 9:06 a.m.: a) Presentation of proclamation designating the month of August 2025 as Breastfeeding Awareness Month in Lake County; and b) consideration of presentation by Mother-Wise.
6.5, 9:10 a.m.: Consideration of presentation of Community Development – CalRecycle Illegal Disposal Grant activities and results.
6.6, 9:30 a.m.: Public hearing – Consideration of resolution approving Resolution No. 2025-5 submitted by Northshore Fire Protection District and making findings and requesting the County of Lake to implement fire mitigation fees with the automatic inflation pursuant to the Lake County Fire Mitigation Fee Ordinance FY 2025/2026.
6.7, 10:00 a.m.: Consideration of presentation on the UC Cooperative Extension Diversified Agriculture Program.
6.8, 10:30 a.m.: (Continued from July 15, 2025 meeting) Consideration of an interim urgency ordinance placing a moratorium on the issuance of use permits for commercial cultivation of cannabis within the unincorporated area of the County of Lake (recommendation to continue to a future date/time).
6.9, 11:00 a.m.: Consideration of an update on County Economic Development and Housing Initiatives.
6.10, 11:30 a.m.: Presentation of Community Development Department – Code Enforcement on Body Worn Camera Policies.
NON-TIMED ITEMS
7.1: Supervisors’ weekly calendar, travel and reports.
7.2: Consideration of Amendment No.1 to the agreement between the County of Lake and Vista Pacifica Enterprises, Inc. for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services in the amount of $745,000 for Fiscal Year 2024-25.
7.3: Consideration of the agreement between County of Lake and California Psychiatric Transitions, Inc. for inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation services, inpatient competency restoration services, and professional services associated with inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation in the amount of $350,000 for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
7.4: Consideration for approval of Amendment No.1 to the agreement between County of Lake and Lake County Office of Education-Safe Schools Healthy Students Program for school-based specialty mental health services in the amount of $825,000 for Fiscal Year 2024-25.
7.5: Consideration of the agreement between the County of Lake and Hilltop Recovery Services for ASAM Residential Level 3.1 & 3.5 and Intensive and Outpatient Levels of Care 1.0 & 2.1 in the amount of $2,000,000 for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
7.6: Consideration of agreement between County of Lake and New Life Health Authority DBA New Life, LLC for substance use disorder outpatient drug free services, intensive outpatient treatment services, and narcotic treatment program services in an amount not to exceed $12,000,000 for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
7.7: Consideration of agreement between County of Lake and Willow Glen Care Center for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services in an amount not to exceed $500,000 for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
7.8: Consideration of agreement between County of Lake and Women’s Recovery Services ASAM Level 3.1 residential treatment services to continue vital SUD treatment services for Lake County residents in the not-to-exceed amount of $300,000 for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
7.9: Consideration of the agreement between County of Lake and Archway Recovery Services, Inc. for ASAM Levels 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, and Withdrawal Management Levels 1 and 2 in the amount of $500,000 for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
7.10: Consideration of the agreement between County of Lake and Redwood Quality Management Company, Inc. in the amount of $1,212,019.90 for Fiscal Years 2025-2029.
7.11: Consideration of the agreement between County of Lake and Sierra Pathways, a licensed social worker corporation, in the amount of $960,281.57 for Fiscal Years 2025-2027.
7.12: Consideration of update regarding Public Guardian Conservatee “BB”.
7.13: Consideration of contract between County of Lake and Redwood Community Services, Inc. for Wrap Around Services, in the amount of $485,000 per fiscal year from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2028, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.14: Consideration to a) accept the water distribution system (previously known as the Western Mutual Water Company) inside the Westlake Homes subdivision; and b) accept the wastewater collection system inside the Westlake Homes subdivision.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1, 2 p.m.: Public employee evaluation: Water Resources director.
8.2, 4 p.m.: Public employee appointment pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b)(1): Interviews for Public Works director and appointment of Public Works director.
8.3: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9 (d)(1) – FERC Proceeding No. P-77, Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project.
8.4: Employee grievance complaint pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54957.
Email staff reporter Lingzi Chen at
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport City Council this week will hold a public hearing to confirm a list of delinquent utility accounts, discuss letting the Lake County Arts Council operate the Silveira Community Center, and consider declaring a former transfer station site on Bevins Street as surplus property — a move to open the door to a future sale.
The council will meet Tuesday, August 5, at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The agenda can be found here.
If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.
The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.
Comments can be submitted by email to
The city council will hold a public hearing to confirm and approve the utility billing delinquency list of accounts owing utility fees from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025.
Once approved, the list will be submitted to the County Auditor-Controller for inclusion on the property tax roll.
Under council business, the council will consider declaring city-owned property at 910, 912, and 916 Bevins Street — totaling 2.09 acres — as “surplus property” and directing staff to issue a Notice of Availability under the state’s Surplus Land Act.
This step would allow the city to begin discussion about potentially selling the property.
The property used to be utilized by Lakeport Disposal as a transfer station until 15 years ago when the Waste Connections facilities were constructed on Soda Bay Road.
The staff report noted increasing interest in the site recently, “likely spurred by nearby development activities including Lake County Tribal Health’s expansion and the future courthouse project.”
“This action does not obligate the city to sell the property, but it is a necessary first step to preserve that option and respond appropriately to future opportunities,” the staff report said.
Following that, the council will consider sending a letter to State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant, voicing concerns about the adoption process for the new Fire Hazard Severity Zone map for local responsibility areas, which the city approved in June.
The council will also receive a six-month update on the Silveira Community Center interim operations and is asked to approve continuation of the temporary use plan
The city has been awarded a $1.27 million Community Development Block Grant to fund critical plumbing and ADA compliance upgrades, with construction targeted for completion in spring 2027.
As of now the center has been operating under an interim plan, approved by the council in January
In the meantime, city staff have been in talks with the Lake County Arts Council, which approached the city about relocating its gallery to the community center, after learning its current landlord intends to sell the gallery’s leased space, according to the staff report.
Rather than paying rent, the current discussion between the city and the Arts Council has focused on “the idea of exchanging Arts Council staff and volunteer time in lieu of rent.”
“The proposal envisions the Arts Council operating the community center in exchange for use of approximately 800–1,000 square feet of space,” the staff memo said. “With comparable retail space leasing at around $1 per square foot, the city would seek equivalent in-kind services.”
Although this proposed “partnership” is not up for council action this week, the staff report states that the Arts Council has identified mid-September as a target move-in date.
On the consent agenda — items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the previous meeting on July 15, 2025; approval of the warrant register for July 21, 2025; approval of application 2025-038, with staff recommendations, for the Cinema by the Shore event; approval of application 2025-039, with staff recommendations, for a 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament at Xabatin Community Park; receipt and filing of the draft minutes of the Measure Z Advisory Committee’s July 16 meeting; and approval of out-of-state travel by Utilities Director Paul Harris and Finance Director Danielle Dizon to attend the American Water Works Association’s Water Infrastructure Conference & Exposition.
Email staff reporter Lingzi Chen at
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lake County Resource Conservation District and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service invite farmers, ranchers, agriculture professionals, range owners, forest landowners and other stakeholders to participate in the first meeting of the local work group of Lake County.
The meeting will be held in two sessions on Thursday, Aug. 7, in the Mendocino College Lake Center Round Room at 2565 Parallel Drive in Lakeport.
Local work groups, or LWG, are held by Natural Resources Conservation Service, or NRCS, field offices in partnership with resource conservation districts to seek input on conservation programming at the local level.
The LWG creates a pathway for landowners and farmers to identify, prioritize and provide feedback on natural resource issues and related concerns within the county.
Input gathered at the local work group meeting will be submitted to the State Technical Committee to guide NRCS programs in California.
The LWG will bring together a diverse group of partners within Lake County to discuss, prioritize, and develop recommendations around local agricultural and forest health concerns.
Participation is open to nonprofit organizations, state and federal agencies, local governments, and members of the public with a vested interest in the natural resources of Lake County.
These meetings are required to be held annually, are advisory in nature, and have no enforcement or implementation authority.
This meeting of Lake County’s LWG will consist of two separate sessions.
Attendees will have the option of joining this meeting in-person or virtually via Zoom. The morning session, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., will focus on agriculture and rangeland, and the afternoon session, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., will focus on forest health and wildfire resilience.
Due to space constraints, please limit attendance to a maximum of three representatives per organization.
Please reach out to Wren Ward, LCRCD Forestry Technician, at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Firefighters from multiple agencies and counties are in Clearlake this afternoon fighting a wildland fire that has prompted evacuations in some parts of the city.
The Lake fire was first reported at 2:20 p.m. Sunday at Nacimiento Lake Drive and Oak Street, south of Borax Lake in Clearlake.
As of 4:30 p.m., Cal Fire reported over the air that the blaze had burned 340 acres, making it the largest fire of the summer season in Lake County so far. As of 5:15 p.m., it was 5% contained.
Radio traffic indicated at least one structure may have been burned.
Mandatory evacuation zones as of 4:30 p.m. were CLO-E113, CLE-E123, CLE-E126 and CLE-E13. Advisory evacuation zones by that time were CLO-E109 and CLE-E124.
Just after 5 p.m., all but one of the mandatory evacuations were reduced to advisory, according to a radio report from Lake County Fire Chief Willie Sapeta.
The one remaining mandatory zone at that point was CLO-E113, and it was reduced to advisory a short time later.
Zones can be seen here.
Shortly before 2:30 p.m., the Clearlake Police Department issued a Nixle alert asking people to avoid the area of East Lake Drive and Second Street due to the fire.
About 10 minutes later, the agency issued its first evacuation advisory for everything east of zones CL-E126, which includes Borax Lake, and CL-E123, which is to the east of that zone.
As of 3:30 p.m., mandatory evacuations were ordered for the area of Acacia Street to Highway 53 and north of Eastlake Drive, with advisory evacuations for Highway 53 east from Ogulin Canyon and north of Ogulin Canyon Road.
Fifteen minutes later, Clearlake Police reported the mandatory evacuations were expanded from Acacia Street west to 16th Street and Eastlake Drive north, Acacia Street east to Highway 53 and Old Highway 53 north of Burns Valley Road east to Highway 53. At about the same time, cell phones lit up with the warning.
Incident command has pulled in firefighters from Colusa and Mendocino counties, with air resources coming from Ukiah. Lake County Fire Protection District and other Lake County resources are part of the multi-agency firefighting effort.
A report of a fire on Mark West Springs Road near Santa Rosa just after 4:15 p.m. resulted in a brief redirect of two tankers from the fire, but after air resources for that new fire.
Scanner traffic shortly before 4:45 p.m. indicated good progress is being made on the Lake fire, with retardant and dozer lines being strengthened ahead of bringing in ground crews.
Reports from the scene stated that firefighters are working to protect structures, with retardant drops a key part of that work.
Cal Fire said the cause remains under investigation.
At 5:20 p.m., dispatch reported receiving a report about a spot fire near Pomo Elementary, with firefighters responding.
The remaining tankers were released about 5:30 p.m., at which point the retardant work was done, according to radio reports.
Three helicopters continued to work the scene at that time, along with dozers on the ground.
Forward progress was reported to have been stopped at 6:13 p.m., according to radio traffic.
Incident command said the fire was holding at 340 acres, with containment up to 25%.
By that point, incident command was arranging to have the helicopters prepare to begin departing the fire in order to be back at base by dark.
All evacuation warnings and advisories were lifted as of 6:56 p.m., according to radio traffic.
Cal Fire said the cause remains under investigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — On July 10, the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument celebrated its 10th anniversary, a milestone that showcases what becomes possible when communities unite to protect irreplaceable landscapes.
The monument's designation in 2015, followed by its expansion to include Molok Luyuk in 2024, stands as a testament to grassroots conservation success in the heart of Northern California's inner coastal range.
Spanning 344,476 acres, the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument holds exceptional biodiversity and ecological integrity that ranks among the top 5% of all United States Forest and Bureau of Land Management properties in the contiguous United States.
The ancient serpentine soil of the monument is the foundation of the vast landscape, creating one of California’s most unique ecosystems.
These distinctive soils nurture rare plant species found nowhere else on Earth, including the delicate adobe lily (Fritillaria pluriflora) and the scythleaf onion (Allium falcifolium).
Such botanical treasures represent thousands of years of evolutionary adaptation, harboring genetic diversity that, if lost, can never be recovered.
The specialized ecosystems that serpentine soils support have evolved in isolation, creating rare biological communities.
But the monument's significance extends far beyond its botanical rarities and unique soils. It holds a deep history of indigenous culture and heritage. This landscape has witnessed 20,000 years of documented cultural change and development.
The monument served as a key connector and trade route used by indigenous communities. Historic trail networks once connected Patwin, Pomo, Lake Miwok, and Wappo peoples, positioning this area at the center of extensive trade networks that linked the Clear Lake Basin with the Sacramento Valley.
Beyond the ecological and cultural significance, the same serpentine geology that creates the monuments unique biodiversity, also shaped early California history.
From the 1860s through the 1970s, the Sulphur Creek mining district extracted mercury that was used for gold mining throughout the Sierra Nevada and regional mines.
Miners and their families established the Sulphur Creek village during the mid-to-late 1800s, creating communities and infrastructure that led to the broader economic development of California during the Gold Rush era.
The geological foundation weaves together the monument's environmental treasures, Indigenous heritage, and Gold Rush history into a singular narrative of place demonstrating how landscape, ecology, and human story interconnect across millennia.
Today, the monument represents a new chapter in conservation leadership. Co-stewardship agreements between the Bureau of Land Management and indigenous communities create a powerful model for partnerships in land management, directly supporting federal and state mandates to integrate traditional ecological knowledge into land management practices.
The monument's protection also contributes significantly to California's ambitious 30x30 initiative aiming to protect 30% of lands and waters by 2030. These efforts address the biodiversity crisis and climate change by safeguarding critical habitat corridors and carbon storage capacity.
Perhaps most importantly, the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument proves that conservation enhances public access rather than restricts it.
The monument provides improved trail management and diverse recreational opportunities including OHV use, mountain biking, and hiking, welcoming visitors to experience these protected landscapes responsibly.
As we celebrate this 10th anniversary, the monument stands as proof that grassroots organizing and local advocacy can achieve federal conservation action.
Community voices influenced national policy and secured permanent protection for the Berryessa Snow Mountain landscape.
Demonstrating how our public lands are cherished by recreationists, Indigenous communities, scientists, and nature lovers alike.
The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument showcases that when communities come together around shared values of protection and stewardship, remarkable conservation victories become possible.
Its first decade marks not an ending, but the beginning of a conservation model ready for replication across California and beyond.
Bryan Pride is policy director for Tuleyome, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization based in Woodland, California. For more information go to www.tuleyome.org.
California is expanding its historic commitment to local journalism with a $15 million budget allocation for fellowships to early-career reporters and editors and training to strengthen the economic viability of news outlets.
This commitment will fund another infusion of California Local News Fellows — the nation’s largest publicly funded journalism initiative based at UC Berkeley Journalism — and will expand the program to include editing fellows.
Lingzi Chen, staff reporter for Lake County News, is a California Local News Fellow and part of the program’s second cohort. She joined the publication in September 2024.
Leadership and sustainability training and support for California newsrooms will be provided by the Maynard Institute’s Propel Initiative, in collaboration with California Black Media, the Latino Media Collaborative and American Community Media.
“California is stepping up once again to support local journalism at a time when our democracy and the cohesion of our communities depend on fact-based reporting,” said Elena Conis, interim dean of UC Berkeley Journalism. “The state’s historic commitment signals that journalism is a precious public resource that contributes to the health and well-being of our state.”
“This funding strengthens the people and organizations anchoring local journalism in communities across California,” said Martin G. Reynolds, co-executive director of the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. “It recognizes that the work these outlets and journalists do every day is essential to a democratic and informed society. By investing in those closest to the story, California is building a future where local news is not only sustainable, but truly reflective of the people it serves. The Institute is proud to work alongside Berkeley Journalism and our Propel partners in this historic, community-led coalition — a model for how states can support journalism that serves all of their residents.”
The FY26 budget will support California Local News Fellowships — in reporting and editing — to begin in 2026 and continue through 2028. The Maynard Institute’s Propel Initiative will equip journalists and publishers with practical tools for leadership and business sustainability, helping local outlets build long-term strength and resilience.
“Even in tight financial times, independent journalism, which underpins a citizen-informed democracy, is deserving of priority support,” said former State Senator Steve Glazer — who spearheaded a $25 million allocation in 2023 to launch the California Local News Fellowship Program. “I appreciate the legislative leadership by Senator Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas) and Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) for championing this program’s renewal and expansion. They were supported by budget leaders Senators Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) and Assemblymembers Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) and David Alvarez (D-San Diego).” Glazer championed this latest effort as a volunteer.
The California Local News Fellowship program currently supports more than 70 full-time reporters (with full-time pay and benefits), who report approximately 100 stories per week.
Fellows such as Chen cover critical stories on immigration, climate change, and federal policies that affect Californians, especially in largely underserved communities.
They are based in newsrooms across the state, in counties that account for approximately 92 percent of California’s population.
A third cohort of full-time reporting fellows, supported by the state’s initial investment, will start working in newsrooms this fall.
The Propel Initiative is a statewide training and leadership program that supports the people who power California’s local newsrooms. The initiative prioritizes support for ethnic media and community-based outlets, while also serving journalists and publishers across the journalism sector.
Through coaching, business sustainability training, editorial leadership development, and peer learning, Propel equips participants with the tools and support needed to build a more resilient and representative local news ecosystem.
“This approved fund is significant in terms of the state recognizing and supporting the crucial role of local news media in helping promote and preserve democracy in these trying times,” said Sandy Close, executive director of American Community Media.
“How we got here is historic,” said Julian Do, American Community Media’s co-director, “as all media sectors and groups — from mainstream and multicultural news outlets to journalism schools, unions, and media groups — have come together with one goal: to serve the public.”