LAKEPORT — Plans to redevelop a small island in Clearlake Oaks are moving forward. The Lake County Board of Supervisors approved the $500,000 purchase Tuesday from Santa Rosa resident Carlton Clark.
The county redevelopment agency (RDA) plans to relocate eight permanent residents on the island at the agency”s expense, according to RDA executive director Kelly Cox. Long-term plans include turning the island into open space park area. In addition, Cox said a Community Development Block grant is in place to pay for a study into the possibility of developing the island into a marina. Dist. 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing reiterated Tuesday that a community survey in Clearlake Oaks named the island as a top priority for redevelopment.
“If we determine that it”s (developing a marina) feasible and the board moves forward, at that point we would apply for other grant funds to help us do that, because that would be an expensive project,” Cox said Thursday. His office sent out a request for proposals two months ago, and is in the process of revising it. Cox said he hopes to send out the request again soon.
“We haven”t closed escrow yet; we”re hoping it will happen sometime next week,” Cox said. He said the price is locked in and will not change.
According to an appraisal completed last week, the island is worth $662,000. Cox writes in a memo to the board, “It (the appraisal) also does not take into consideration several liabilities associated with this property.”
Cox said liabilities include an estimated $230,000 in relocation costs, the condition of the wooden bridge that provides the only access to the island title issues around an easement Clark has on the land where the bridge connects with the shore. Cox said eventually the county would develop a new bridge access from county property on the south side of Island Drive along the shoreline.
“Right now we just want to clean it up and help the residents get relocated,” Cox said. Some of the mobile homes on the island may not be movable because they are too old, or current ordinances may prohibit certain types of trailer homes.
Carol Martin and her husband have lived on the island full-time for seven years, coming on weekends for 48 years prior. Martin said her future is uncertain. Her travel trailer is one of those that is either not allowed on most mobile home parks or too old to move. “I don”t know where I”m going to go or what I”m going to do, but I”m not chewing my fingernails over it. They (the county) said they would assist us, and I”m going to take them at their word.”
Current owner Carlton Clark, now a Santa Rosa resident, said the island has been in his family for more than 60 years. His father bought it from John Stubbs of Stubbs Company in the 1940s. After living on the island among rows of corn, tomatoes and string beans that the family would sell to surrounding businesses, Clark”s father turned the island into a trailer park in the 1950s.
“Nobody wanted to leave, it”s such a lovely place, it”s home sweet home,” Clark said. Clark said he didn”t like the idea of the island becoming a marina. “I”m not against growth, but in my estimation that”s not what the island is intended for. If the Indians could be happy there, and white people like the Clark”s could be happy there, that”s what matters.” Clark said he remembered his father allowing people to camp on the lush, green bed of grass surrounding his home, surrounded by weeping willow trees.
Martin said camping eventually gave way to trailer homes. A “different breed of people” moved in through the years, Martin said, and the island fell into disrepair. “How can you argue with what your eyeballs can see? I wouldn”t be going if I didn”t have to, but maybe it”s just time.”
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com. record-bee.com.
