Lakeport >> It has taken years, not to mention a significant portion of one last three-and-a-half hour meeting, but this week a Sphere of influence update for Lakeport finally cleared the Local Agency Formation Committee (LAFCo) of Lake County.
The process has been in the works since at least 2010, but due to a conflict between the representative organizations, namely the county and the city of Lakeport, no resolution was reached until now.
The Sphere of Influence defines probable growth boundaries and serviceable areas for the city. Under the new definition, Lakeport takes a 600-acre reduction, with the residential area north of the city’s northern city limits, and some areas toward the southwest and southeast corners of the city limits removed. These areas were identified by the City of Lakeport and LAFCo as areas of either high agricultural significance or areas with the majority of services and utilities provided by other agencies.
Though there were some mixed emotions expressed about the removal of the areas in the northern part of the sphere, the real focus of the discussion was the commercial areas along the South Main/Soda Bay corridor.
Representatives of the county and others opposed to an expanded sphere consistently raised the issue of annexation — the fear that, if that corridor is in the city’s sphere, then Lakeport might eventually annex it into the city proper. This caused particular concern for the county, as the businesses along that area generate almost half a million dollars in tax revenues annually, according to County Administrative Officer Matt Perry. However, according to LAFCo Executive Officer John Benoit, should an attempt at annexation actually occur in the future, LAFCo has a policy of “revenue neutrality,” meaning that there would have to be some agreement in place between the city and the county to account for any potential loss of funds caused by the annexation before any such action could be undertaken.
It was brought up repeatedly throughout the meeting that there is no current plan in place by the city to address potential annexation of the corridor, which has actively been in the city’s Sphere of Influence since 1983. An annexation would also have to be approved by legal registered voters who reside in the affected area; if there isn’t a sufficient number of those, the matter is then settled by the registered property owners. According to Commissioner and Lake County Supervisor Anthony Farrington, the majority of residents are against such a move.
Ultimately it could be said the vote came down on partisan lines. Of the seven voting members of the commission who were present, the two county representatives — Farrington and Jim Comstock — both voted against the adoption of the sphere. The remaining five — city representatives Stacey Mattina and Martin Scheel, Special Districts members Frank Gillespie and Gerry Mills, and resident Ed Robey all voted in favor.
