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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The Lake Local Area Formation Commission, or Lake LAFCo, voted unanimously at its Tuesday morning meeting to terminate the city of Lakeport’s South Lakeport annexation in light of the annexation’s failure to receive a majority vote in the November election.
Executive Officer John Benoit presented the resolution to terminate LAFCo’s proceedings on the annexation.
The area in question includes 50 parcels totaling 137 acres in the area adjacent to South Main Street and Soda Bay Road and east of Highway 29.
It includes what is reported to be the most lucrative commercial corridor in the unincorporated county, which had resulted in years of disagreements between the city and county of Lake before a revenue sharing agreement was created. The Lakeport City Council and Board of Supervisors approved that agreement in January 2022.
The city of Lakeport has had that area in its sphere of influence since the 1980s and for the last several years has been working to formally annex it.
In August 2019, the city filed its application for the annexation with LAFCo, which is tasked with overseeing “orderly development” and protecting natural resources and agricultural lands in Lake County.
However, as the LAFCo process appeared to be moving toward the annexation’s completion last year, there was push back from property owners.
On March 30, LAFCo adopted a resolution approving the proposed annexation subject to the necessary authority proceedings.
In a May proceeding, LAFCo received protests from owners of 16 of the 50 parcels in the annexation area, passing the 25% threshold requiring an election.
That, in turn, triggered an election, which the Lakeport City Council voted in June to consolidate with the general election on Nov. 8.
The annexation was on the ballot as Measure P, and was limited to the 15 registered voters living in the annexation area.
The ballot question read: “Shall the order adopted on March 30, 2022 by the Local Agency Formation Commission of Lake County ordering the annexation to the City of Lakeport of the territory described in that order and designated ‘City of Lakeport Annexation to the City of Lakeport (LAFCo file 2019-0006) (South Lakeport Annexation)’ be confirmed?”
The final election results certified by the Registrar of Voters Office in December showed there were a total of 14 ballots cast, with two ballots, or 14.29%, favoring annexation, and 12 ballots, or 85.71%, opposed. Thirteen of the ballots were cast by mail, and one in person on Election Day.
With Measure P failing to have majority support of the annexation area’s registered voters, it didn’t meet the requirements of a resolution LAFCo approved in May 18 that would have allowed the annexation to move forward.
As a result, Benoit said the next step was to terminate the hearing.
Benoit said no substantially similar annexation proposal for that area can be filed with LAFCo within one year of the adoption of the resolution, unless LAFCo waives that requirement.
“That concludes these proceedings and I can put the box away,” said Benoit, noting a lot of information has been generated in the process.
He said he intended to speak with Lakeport City Manager Kevin Ingram on Thursday and let him know what his options are.
Commissioner Dirk Slooten moved to approve the resolution, with Commissioner Jim Scholz seconding. The commission approved the resolution 7-0.
Later in the meeting, the commission discussed agricultural lands and LAFCo's role, with Benoit noting that LAFCo is concerned about sprawl.
“We don’t like county developments in the sphere of influence of the city,” Benoit said.
LAFCo’s legal counsel, Scott Browne, said a classic example of that problem is the development that happened in the South Lakeport area, where there are urban levels of development without the accompanying level of services.
He said that development should have been done in the city of Lakeport. “Instead we’re now dealing with a real problem.”
Following the meeting, Lake County News reached out to Ingram to ask him about the city’s plan going forward.
“We are looking at various options for the future of the South Lakeport area but I would not say there is a plan,” Ingram said in an email response.
He said the city will work with various agencies — LAFCo, the California Department of Water Resources and the county of Lake — “to better understand the status of things with or without public services.”
Ingram also acknowledged LAFCo’s rule that the city would not be able to submit a formal application again for a year if the city decides to move forward again.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: State Water Resources Control Board
The listening sessions will include presentations from State Water Board staff and opportunities for public input and discussion.
The remote sessions will take place as follows:
Thursday, Jan. 19, 1 to 3 p.m.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://bit.ly/CLH_Jan19
Meeting ID: 913 5194 9078
Passcode: 046844
Phone: 669-444-9171
Wednesday, Feb. 1, 6 to 8 p.m.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://bit.ly/CLH_Feb1
Meeting ID: 926 4553 6143
Passcode: 103695
Phone: 669-900-9128
The Clear Lake hitch is a large minnow found only in Clear Lake and its tributaries. Historically, the hitch likely numbered in the millions, but recent surveys indicate a significant decline, and in 2014, California designated the hitch as a threatened species.
The hitch has strong cultural significance for several indigenous Pomo tribes of the Clear Lake region that rely on the hitch, or “chi,” for spiritual purposes and traditions and as a primary food source.
The hitch is also of great importance to the lake’s ecosystem, a significant source of food for other fish, birds and wildlife.
Adult hitch migrate upstream in tributaries of Clear Lake each spring to spawn before returning to the lake. Juvenile hitch hatch in the tributaries and move to the lake as well.
While the hitch’s decline can be linked to a variety of factors including habitat loss, passage barriers, poor water quality, and invasive species, the most immediate threat to their survival is little to no water flowing in Kelsey, Adobe, Manning, Cole and Middle creeks during the upcoming spawning and rearing season, which takes place from February through May.
The State Water Board is looking for ways to protect the Clear Lake hitch now and in the long term, including local voluntary actions to keep water in the creeks this year, obtaining data to better understand the problem and potential solutions, collaboration to fund effective solutions and spread important messages, enforcement to ensure all diversions in the area are legal, and regulations if voluntary actions aren’t successful.
For additional information and updates, visit the State Water Board’s Hitch webpage for continued updates on potential board actions. This website will be updated with related documents and information as available.
If you would like to receive email updates about this issue, please sign up for the Board’s “Clear Lake Hitch” email list at the bottom of the Clear Lake Hitch webpage.
Please email questions to
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
At 5:45 p.m. Clearlake Police officers responded to Boyles Avenue near 26th Avenue for a report of a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian.
Upon arrival, officers found the collision involved a Toyota Tundra and a bicycle, police said.
The bicyclist, who police said was a male in his late 40s, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
As a result of the investigation and based upon probable cause, officers arrested Johnny Leon-Rojas, 18, of Clearlake for misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.
Leon-Rojas was booked into the Lake County Jail, where he remained in custody early Wednesday.
He is due to appear in court on Thursday, according to his booking records.
If you witnessed the collision, please contact Sgt. Michael Perreault by email at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
All five council members were present for Tuesday’s meeting, with new Councilman Brandon Disney announcing that he and his wife have a brand new, healthy baby daughter.
Among the council’s main items of business on Tuesday was ratifying an emergency declaration made last week in response to the storms.
City Manager Kevin Ingram, who also is the city’s director of emergency services, declared a local state of emergency on Jan. 10 in response to the atmospheric rivers that have been impacting the city — as well as the rest of the county and the region.
Those storms are part of larger series that began at Christmas.
Ingram’s declaration said the atmospheric rivers began impacting the city around Jan. 4. That was the day that the city had to temporarily close Library Park due to fallen tree branches from the heavy rain and high winds.
Emergency Services Act Section 8630(b) and Lakeport Municipal Code requires that such emergency declarations be ratified within seven days to remain in effect.
Ingram told the council that the city has sustained some damage from the storms that will qualify it for federal disaster assistance funding, specifically, a culvert behind the Lakeport Unified School District fields has experienced some erosion.
To be eligible for that federal assistance, Ingram said the city needed to declare an emergency, which is why he took the action last week.
Councilman Michael Froio moved to adopt the resolution confirming the existence of a local emergency, with Councilman Kenny Parlet seconding and Disney, Mayor Stacey Mattina and Councilwoman Kim Costa joining in the unanimous vote.
Later in the meeting, Ingram said that, for the most part, the storms have treated Lakeport well. He said the water has been needed and was welcomed.
On Tuesday morning, Ingram said he walked down to the city’s boat docks and there was water against the sea wall, which hasn’t been the case in some time. Overall, he said the water looked good.
He noted that one more storm is coming in on Wednesday, after which there is forecast to be at least 10 days of clear weather that will allow things to dry out.
On Friday, the Board of Supervisors ratified a separate emergency declaration that Sheriff Rob Howe issued the previous day in response to the atmospheric river storm event, as Lake County News has reported.
In other business at the Tuesday City Council meeting, the council presented a proclamation designating January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month, supported renewing the Lake County Tourism Improvement District’s plans to renew for 10 years, received and filed the fiscal year 2022-23 first quarter financial update, heard the latest on the plans for the Lake County Recreation Task Force and got an update from City Clerk/Administrative Services Director Kelly Buendia on the city’s communications team activity.
Email Elizabeth Larson at