LAKEPORT >> The non-profit group Hope City asked the Lake County Board of Supervisors for use of county property to build a dormitory that would house their Valley Fire volunteers. With the county in consent after brief debate, action on the matter will begin soon.
According to representative Kevin Cox, the organization has been in disaster response for 20 years and plans to build up to 140 homes for families with little to no insurance. This would allegedly bring an economic contribution of $16 million dollars to the area. But Hope City claims it cannot find a place to house teams.
“We cannot begin building until we find a place to house our volunteers,” Cox said. “We’ve exhausted every resources we can … but can’t find anything that’s remotely near the ground zero area.”
The planned facililty would provide amenities such as showers, kitchens, and laundry for as many as 60 people.
District 5 Supervisor and BOS Chair Rob Brown said a specific site hasn’t been determined, but made a recommendation for Trailside Park in Middletown. However, special state legislation may be required as the land was purchased with park bond funds.
“Senator (Mike) McGuire said he’d be happy to carry it for us,” Brown said. “But it may take some time.”
According to Interim Public Services Director Kim Clymire, the state may allow an exception to be made without a legislative action.
Joined by Team Lake County’s executive chairperson Shelley Mascari, he claimed that a dormitory in the Cobb/Middletown area can be built with volunteer labor and be repurposed for something else after their work is done in approximately three to five years. Some ideas like a recreation center and 4-H Club building were proposed, but the board came to the consensus that it be used as a disaster relief shelter.
Despite its reuse, Community Development Director Rick Coel advised the BOS to keep the repurpose in mind when an environmental review is done for the building. If it’s built at Trailside, water, sewer, and other basic utilities will need to be build for it.
“We need to keep in mind that the building will be subject to CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) review,” Coel said. While he was supported the project, he also reminded the BOS to consider the building in the county’s budget.
Ultimately, a consensus was met in support of the project. The board plans to take action on it as soon as possible.
