LAKEPORT >> After receiving strong opposition from the Lakeport Senior Center, the Lakeport City Council sent the proposed Downtown Improvement Project to the city engineer and decided the plan will keep the Meals and Wheels Thrift Store parking lot accessible from Main Street.
Representatives from the center and senior citizens from the community pleaded their case to the council during its regular meeting on Tuesday night, claiming that the plan’s original intent to close the store’s driveway would cripple the business and create a greater safety concern.
“Our parking lot is vital to our economic advantage,” Lakeport Senior Center Executive Director said to the council. “This driveway has existed for a while without any safety issues.”
Phase II of the improvement project, which is expected to break ground in late March, planned to remove the entrance when the sidewalks are widened by two and a half feet, leaving the only opening to the small lot on First Street.
According to the city’s website, the closure was consistent with the transportation aspect of Lakeport’s General Plan, which plans to keep driveways and parking lot entrances on side streets and alleys. Another reason to close it was for safety hazards to pedestrians walking on the new sidewalk, Community Development Director Kevin Ingram said.
Evidence for that argument was unfounded as no one in the meeting had any recollection of incidents occurring on that driveway. When asked if he could recall any such events, Chief of Police Brad Rasmussen said he did not know of any.
Opposing comments from the public were met with support throughout the board, especially from Council Member Kenneth Parlet. With an anecdote about aging and his developing cataracts, Parlet concurred with the public and said entering and leaving the four car lot would be much more difficult.
“I see a greater danger,” he said. “I also don’t see it working without the main street entrance.”
To the senior center, the thrift store is vital to the success of it and its Meals on Wheels program which delivers about 200 meals senior citizens throughout the day. Furthermore, according to center board member Doc Starin, the program isn’t just about feeding the town’s seniors.
“When seniors open the door for these people, sometimes that’s the only person they see that day,” Starin said. “Anything that would interfere with that wouldn’t help them.”
The plan could see other issues stemming from noise complaints during the anticipated nighttime construction. In order to appease Main Street businesses, crews will work from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day.
Addressing the issue, Ingram said crews will stop loud activities—such as jackhammers, etc.— at 11 p.m., conduct decibel levels tests, and host a public hearing to inform citizens, hoping to receive their input. That hearing is yet to be announced.
Ingram estimated that project would cost a little less than $2.6 million and efforts will be made to complete it by early August, with crews working 6 days a week. The project will plan a Fourth of July break and possibly a Memorial Day weekend stoppage.
The plan will also add new trees, relocate the streetlights, and install storm drains.
