I read with great interest and agreement the June 23 Record Bee article entitled: “Mackey asks to preserve open area.” Karan Mackey”s concern for the Natural High School property should be everyone”s concern and not just another apathetic non-response to this extremely important issue. Public indignation might even be appropriate.
As a five-year resident of Lakeport, I like many others, have come to especially appreciate the uniqueness and small town flavor of our town. One of the absolute major amenities offered locals and visiting friends and tourists is Natural High School”s lovely lake property on North Main Street and the excellent accessibility for the public at large to enjoy this precious jewel of public land.
Yes, there is the downtown park with it”s manicured lawn, gazebo and boat launching facilities (and traffic) but there is no “informal place there or anywhere else to play soccer or throw a football or swim or let your Fido enjoy a romp in the grass. Plainly put: it”s country in the city and it is rare in this day and age in any downtown area.
This precious plot of land is a major asset to our town and needs to be protected from shortsighted development. Once it is sold it is gone forever. The question begging an honest answer from our school and political leaders is: will the millions of dollars received as a quick-fix revenue ”solution” when this property is ultimately ”developed”, benefit all the citizens or just a select few with more monies in the coffer for top-of-the-line county benefits and salaries? After all who paid for this land and who owns it? We, the people do.
We have seen the eroding of open spaces and over grazed lackluster inhabitation here in California over the 40-plus years while working here and it is to me an appalling rape of the land in pursuit of the almighty buck.
This is contrasted dramatically by the open spaces and public concern for such in my hometown state. I have a long-range perspective because I come from Maryland and have financial interests in property there. My family has farmed there since the late 1600”s.
Yes, that”s 14 generations and the land holdings are only 45 minutes from Baltimore and Washington DC and quite desirable for developers, if you want to call them that. Marylanders know the incredible responsibilities involved with running out of land and with 300 years experience they are somewhat militant in guarding there open, scenic and public heritage for the benefit of all generations to come.
The land trust there (I have membership there and in Lake County”s Land Trust) has incredible support and funding and a majority, from old landowners to new, are very much aware and guarded of their “inheritance” that is not considered a “right” to plow under in exchange for more concrete! Three of our family farms are in the county land trust there for the sake of our children”s children and our neighbor”s children”s children as well.
I happened to chat with Mike Sullivan concerning his comments in the same above titled article recently, and he mentioned to me that he probably would write a letter to the editor in response to what he was quoted as saying.
He would like an aquatic center there for his personal community interest in sculling and teaching such, he thinks the school district should get out of the speculative real estate business and he was unclear to me about what the best interest would be for the community at large for the property in question. I look forward to his written viewpoint soon.
Needless to say, this is an important issue and one that I hope many of my fellow citizens here will take alarm and concern in regarding not allowing the elected and entrusted employees of our town and schools to “sell us out”.
The last tidbit in the article really concerns me. I quote: “After listening to Mackey, the council unanimously decided to go ahead with passing the General Plan, citing reasons that is was necessary to do so in order to proceed with plans, but assured Mackey that it was not the end of the process and that there would be time in the future for possible amendments to the plan and opportunities for discussion with the community.”
So now this precious property is reclassified from “Open Space” designation to “Residential/RESORT” classification.
Sounds pretty cavalier and decidedly a “put-off” to me from the quote above. Sounds like we may lose this priceless community asset through the political shuffle game. Sounds like we better get a group of “Stand Up and Say NO” people together to make absolutely certain that greed and short sightedness don”t play out in this important community issue.
If you agree with the concerns as outlined above and are interested in banding together to stop the sale of Natural High to the highest bidder, please let me know.
John A. Silver is semi retired and lives in Lakeport with his wife Mary. He can be reached via email at jasilver@cwnet.com.
