LAKEPORT >> The Lakeport Planning Commission approved AutoZone’s proposal to build a new store on Industrial during its regular meeting on Wednesday.
“AutoZone does a lot of homework,” the company’s contracted civil engineer Bob Eynck told the board. “It is excited to come to Lakeport.”
Although the approval was without dissent, the commission deliberated on concerns and made amendments to the original agreement, including the rejection of a requested variance by the auto parts company to have a double-sided, stand-alone sign.
The board came to that consensus because Industrial Avenue and its surrounding area on South Main Street is dark, meaning that “everyone can see it” without adding more signage.
“This is not a metropolis … we don’t have streetlights,” Vice-Chairperson Suzanne Russell added. Along with her fellow commissioners, ample time was spent combing through the agreement, which contained more than 68 items that required completion.
Some of those changes were items related to the potential discovery of human remains or other artifacts belonging to the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians. The tribe sent a letter and a representative to the commission asking to be included in the monitoring process during construction and to recommend its own archaeologists to AutoZone.
“There’s always a possibility, especially near the water, to find human remains,” said Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Eagle Brown. “We’re on site for projects in the boundary to strengthen the protection of cultural resources.”
The commission and Lakeport Community Development Director Kevin Ingram agreed and asked Eynck to bring the changes back to the company.
“I’m sure we can work something out,” Eynck replied.
However, the hearing wasn’t just criticism and suggested changes. Praise was also offered, especially for the thoroughness of the engineer’s environmental impact report.
According to the CEQA documents in the proposal package, all aspects, such as biological, air quality, and aesthetic etc., were found to have less than or no significant impact on the environment.
“You’ve gone the extra several miles on the environment and engineering,” Commissioner Ross Kauper said.
The plan, originally brought to the commission in 2014, will be forwarded to the Lakeport City Council for final approval.
