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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The agenda can be found here.
The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. Masks are highly encouraged where 6-foot distancing cannot be maintained.
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
Under council business, the council will consider appointing one of three former council members to fill a vacant seat through the end of the year.
The vacancy came about late last month when Mireya Turner resigned after accepting the job of Lake County Community Development director on a permanent basis.
At the council’s Sept. 6 meeting, it directed staff to reach out to former council members to find one who would be interested in filling Turner’s seat through the certification of the November election, which should be completed by early December.
Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Kelly Buendia said that staff reached out to eight former council members and three expressed interest: Suzanne Lyons, Bob Rumfelt and George Spurr.
Buendia suggested the council may opt to interview the former council members at the meeting before selecting one. She could then administer the oath of office and the new member could be seated immediately.
Also on Tuesday, the council will hold a public hearing to consider the approval of entitlements sought by Waterstone Residential for the Parkside Residential Project at 1310 Craig Ave.
Developer Peter Schellinger is seeking approvals to build 128 new apartment units and 48 cluster homes on the 15-acre site, next to the original Parkside Development near Westside Community Park.
The council approved introducing the zone change ordinance and scheduled this week’s public hearing when it met Sept. 6.
This week, the council will be asked to adopt the proposed resolution making findings to approve a mitigated negative declaration for Parkside Residential’s general plan and zone change, approve the proposed general plan amendment revising realigning the existing residential general plan land use designation boundaries for a portion of the 15.16± acre property to reflect 5.97± acres to high density residential with the findings contained in the draft resolution; and approve the proposed zone change request to realign the existing R-1, low density residential base zoning districts to reflect the high density residential, with the remaining 9.19 acres to continue as R-1, low density residential with a planned development combining district overlay with the findings contained in the draft ordinance.
The council also will be asked to provide staff direction on the selection process for appointments to the city’s various commissions and committees with terms expiring this year and receive an update on the city’s GIS and asset management program from Utilities Superintendent Paul Harris.
On the consent agenda — items usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on Sept. 6; adoption of a resolution authorizing continued remote teleconference meetings of the Lakeport City Council and its legislative bodies pursuant to Government Code section 54953(e); and confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm for information on visiting or adopting.
The following cats at the shelter have been cleared for adoption.
‘Mama’
“Mama” is a 2-year-old domestic shorthair cat with an all-black coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 7, ID No. LCAC-A-3884.
Female domestic shorthair cat
This 2-year-old female domestic shorthair cat has an all-black coat.
Shelter staff said she is a “master greeter.”
“She is very talkative and likes softs pets down her back. She is uncomfortable when being picked up, but is more than happy to come to you, especially for pets,” and has a “chill” attitude, the shelter reported.
She is in cat room kennel No. 32, ID No. LCAC-A-3887.
‘Willow’
“Willow” is a female domestic shorthair cat with a gray and white coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 47, ID No. LCAC-A-3762.
Male domestic shorthair cat
This 1-year-old male domestic shorthair cat has a black coat.
Shelter staff said he is a sweet, talkative kitty, who loves head scratches and will rub all over your legs as you walk through the room.
He is in cat room kennel No. 60, ID No. LCAC-A-3932.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — Organizers said a bigger and better Kelseyville Pear Festival is in store for the community this month.
The festival will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, in downtown Kelseyville.
In 2014, Vicky Parish Smith, then the Kelseyville Pear Festival’s publicity director, coined the phrase, “Catch the small town magic,” which captures the event’s spirit.
The event that started as a minor street fair in 1993 now attracts more than 10,000 people to Kelseyville and is the largest one-day event in Lake County.
In the early spring of 1993, a small core of Kelseyville Business Association members met for their monthly meeting to discuss festival plans for the coming year. At one point, a member suggested presenting just one large, major festival for the year.
Kelseyville was considered the main agricultural center of the county and it was a time when the Bartlett pear was king.
The billboard outside of town announced, “Kelseyville is the Pear Capital of the World.”
Someone mentioned that Gilroy had the Garlic Festival and remarked, “Let’s present a Pear Festival.” That was the beginning.
Two women, Tootsie Huggins of Huggins Work Wear and Marilyn Holdenried of Holdenried Farms, volunteered to co-chair the first Kelseyville Pear Festival. Their committee was composed of Main Street business owners.
The mission statement for the festival was to showcase and support the small businesses on Main Street, Kelseyville, and to celebrate the agricultural heritage of Big Valley.
In 1993, the first year, the Main Stage with music was located at the local gas station, Jim’s Arco, now the location of the Kelseyville Fire Department. There were about 20 vendors, including pear pies which sold out quickly.
Fifteen hundred guests arrived that first year. As the years went on, more and more volunteers from the community stepped up to assist, and more and more events were added to the kaleidoscope of the festival.
A precursor to the present day Farm to Fork dinner was the popular Pear Maker Dinner. It was held at one of the local restaurants on the Thursday evening before the festival. Every course showcased a Lake County pear.
That dinner later moved to the courtyard of Wildhurst Winery with the well-known cowboy singer Dave Stamey as entertainment.
But, the COVID pandemic that began in 2019 spread to the U.S. and by 2020 crushed any thought of bringing together thousands of people in one place.
Reluctantly, the Kelseyville Pear Festival Committee canceled the 2020 affair. Following the advice of medical experts, the committee again canceled the 2021 event.
With health concerns waning in 2022, the KPF Committee eagerly jumped back into planning the 28th Kelseyville Pear Festival.
The immediate positive response from the community bolstered the committee’s enthusiasm.
Applications for parade spots came streaming in. More than 130 vendors vied to offer their wares and food.
Three stages were created to provide musical entertainment. Kid’s Town and Horse Faire returned with something for everyone. And the ever popular pear pie eating contest was reborn.
Come to celebrate Lake County’s pear farming history on Sept. 24.
For more information, visit the Pear Festival website.
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- Written by: California Highway Patrol
The California Highway Patrol and the Office of Traffic Safety will help parents and caregivers ensure every child is properly restrained in the correct safety seat for their age and size as part of Child Passenger Safety Week from Sept. 18 to 24.
“When installed and used correctly, child safety seats and safety belts can prevent injuries and save lives,” said CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray. “The best way to protect your child in the car is to use a properly fitted child safety seat and seat belt.”
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children, and the latest research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows 46 percent of child safety seats are not installed correctly.
California law requires that all children under age 2, weighing under 40 pounds and under 40 inches tall, ride in a rear-facing car seat.
All children under age 8 must ride in the back seat of a vehicle, in an age-appropriate child safety seat. Safety experts recommend all children ride in the backseat until age 13.
For more information about child passenger safety, visit https://www.chp.ca.gov/Programs-Services/Programs/Child-Safety-Seats.
“This week is a great opportunity for parents and guardians to get that extra assurance that their child is as safe as possible riding in the car,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “Child passenger safety technicians are here to assist parents with choosing and installing the right car seat.”
As part of Child Passenger Safety Week, CHP Child Passenger Safety, or CPS, technicians will provide child safety seat inspections, education, and hands-on training for parents and caregivers.
National Seat Check Saturday is Sept. 24, however, free inspections by CPS technicians are available all year by appointment at any CHP Area office.
Call the CHP’s Clear Lake Area office in Kelseyville at 707-279-0103 for more information.