The Clearlake City Council sitting as the Redevelopment Agency entered into an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement on Thursday, May 18 for development of the Austin Resort property. The agreement is with Income Property Specialists, a Colorado limited liability corporation. The agency also authorized City Administrator Kathy Kivley to release a “Request for Qualifications” for the development of the “Clearlake Commercial Development Site,” previously referred to as the Clearlake Business Park. According to the report provided by Kivley, release of Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on the Austin Resort property was authorized in February of this year and then sent out to all interested developers; responses were due by April 12. According to Kivley, Income Property Specialists submitted the lone response to the RFQ. The exclusive negotiation agreement is for a period of six months and can be extended with the agency”s approval. The agreement allows Income Property Specialists time to demonstrate its ability to develop a project consistent with the agency”s goals for the property. Furthermore, the agreement prohibits the agency from negotiating with any other person or entity regarding development of the Austin Resort project site or any portion thereof. The project proposal will be subject to agency/city council approval and the process will include opportunities for public review and comment. The intent of the RFQ to be issued on the Clearlake Commercial Development Site “is for the agency to select a capable and qualified developer with experience in developing high quality, regional destination commercial (retail, office, hotel) and mixed-use (retail, commercial, ancillary residential) projects.” The agency is offering the property on either a sale or long-term lease basis. Proposals in response to the RFQ must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 18. A pre-proposal meeting will be conducted at 10 a.m. Monday, June 5 at Clearlake City Hall. According to Kivley, the RFQ will be circulated via the newspaper, Internet and list of interested parties, including the six developers that have already expressed an interest in the property, by May 22, 2006. Responses to the RFQ are due by 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 18. Responses, addressed to the attention of Kathy Kivley, executive director, may be sent to 14050 Olympic Drive, Clearlake, CA 95422. Kivley may be contacted at (707) 994-8201, ext. 120; or by e-mail at kkivley@clearlake.ca.us. Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
