LAKE COUNTY >>The Lake County Board of Supervisors amended the county’s General Plan and zoning designation on a lot just off Highway 29 in North Lakeport, approving the request made by developers who plan to build a 48-unit apartment complex.
The decision changes the parcel’s designation from a Planned Development-Scenic Combining District (PDR-SC) to a Multi-Family Residential (R3) zone and modifies the General Plan to be consistent with the rezoning, making it a High-Density Area instead of a low-density one.
According to county documents, these amendments were requested by developer Mark Tanti because the original designations limited the proposed multi-story complex’s height and required further setbacks from property lines.
Tanti already received approval from the Planning Commission in October.
“These restrictions substantially limit any future development of this property to primarily low density single family residential housing,” a staff report from the Planning Department, which recommended the approval, argued.
However, the approval wasn’t without conflict as local environmental groups and District 3 Supervisor Jim Steele voiced their opposition, especially towards the rezoning request.
At issue was the possible precedent the board’s decision could set for other properties in the area.
“What is the board going to say to the next developer who wants to come forward and put an apartment building in the middle of a rural area and wants to remove the scenic combining district?” Victoria Brandon of the Lake County Sierra Club said. “How can you turn them down if you give a precedent to go ahead with this project? It think it’s a really dangerous thing to do.”
Brandon and Steele were also concerned about the scenic view from that section of Hwy. 29, which is located near the Nice-Lucerne cutoff.
In response, Principal Planner Audrey Knight noted that there is no view of Clear Lake from the location.
Additional support for the project also came from District 5 and BOS Chair Supervisor Rob Brown, arguing that the Valley Fire created a greater need for housing, which was a problem before the summer blazes.
“Getting them back into the county is better than nothing, if that’s the only option we have,” Brown said. “There’s not enough for the middle class.”
The only voice missing from the council was Anthony Farrington who was absent from the meeting. The proposed project is in his district.
Yet, this isn’t the final approval for the project. The building plans still need to be passed by the BOS.
According to James Andrews, Tanti’s partner, those plans will be completed in two weeks.
The vote was 3-1 with Steele opposed.
