LAKEPORT ? After almost six hours of deliberation and more than three years of negotiations, the Lake County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday to approve the Cristallago development in north Lakeport.
Developers propose to build a golf course, 325 resort units, including a hotel, and 650 houses on Scotts Valley and Hill roads. The project also includes a clubhouse, community center, spa, restaurant, conference facility and nature preserve. Chairman Anthony Farrington and Supervisor Denise Rushing voted against the project as proposed.
Supervisor Rob Brown said he supports the project, in part, because of the jobs it will create.
“I have five kids. My worst fear is to have one of my kids leave Lake County because there are no opportunities here,” Brown said. “I want them here. I want my grandkids here.”
Supervisor Jim Comstock said that everyone”s house has an impact on the area around it when it”s built but that he thinks Cristallago will be beneficial for the community, especially marketing.
“This is a dream,” he said. “This is what we want.”
Farrington said he wanted the project to succeed, but that he didn”t think it follows the Lake County General Plan because the number of residential units exceeds resort units. Farrington proposed either the developer reduce the amount of homes to 325 or fewer or to have a North Lakeport Area Plan Committee review the plan and consider the development project.
Developer Matt Boeger said he couldn”t fiscally support the project with so few homes and that they weren”t willing to wait a year for a committee”s decision.
Rushing said she was tempted to say yes to the project because of its dreams and promises of creating jobs.
“I can”t support the project as it exists, but I think there could be ways we can change it,” Rushing said.
Supervisor Jeff Smith said he struggled with approving a project that Farrington, whose district is home to the project, didn”t support but that he thought the general plan is a tool, not law.
Lakeport City Councilman Bob Rumfelt said he supported the development and read a letter by Councilman Roy Parmentier that said Cristallago could make Lake County a name to be proud of.
Melissa Fulton of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce said she signed the petition presented to the board along with 499 other people in support of Cristallago.
Nancy Ruzicka said she supports the project.
“We desperately need the construction jobs and we need the sales tax revenue,” Ruzicka said. “I think this would be a good project and I think you can give it a go.”
John Lee of north Lakeport said he didn”t think the board should support the project because it doesn”t fit Lake County”s future.
“I oppose this project, I will die opposing this project,” Lee said. “I live right next to this. This is exactly the type of project I came up here to move away from.”
Victoria Brandon of the Sierra Club said this project would ride behind an economic upturn, not be the driving force of economic improvement in the county. Brandon said the project doesn”t play by the rules of the general plan and that the resort may not be feasible without lake access and a marina.
The board addressed a few other items at its meeting in the County Courthouse.
Board members sitting as the Board of Directors of the Lake County Sanitation District unanimously approved an urgency ordinance that establishes temporary restrictions on connection to the Southeast Regional Wastewater System. The system had sewage spills diluted by rain for years in the Clearlake area.
The board also unanimously approved repairs to the system and testing that may show illegal hookups causing spills.
Board members approved the Clear Lake Integrated Watershed Management Plan that discusses water resources, land use impacts, recreation, invasive species, climate change and many other issues and offers mitigation measures.
The board approved an amendment between the county and the Ford Street Project Residential and Social Model Detoxification Services for $10,000 to provide treatment for Lake County residents.
Board members advanced an ordinance amending the nuisance animal code, giving more authority to Animal Care and Control to abate nuisance animals.
The board took information under advisement to consider an appeal of the Human Resources Department”s decision to deny the formation of a new District Attorney Investigator Association.
Contact Katy Sweeny at kdsweeny@gmail.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
