CLEARLAKE >> The Clearlake City Council approved the General Plan that outlines projects and goals for the next 20 years.
The last time the General Plan for Clearlake was in 1983, leaving the current plan over 34 years old.
According to the plan, the city intends to amend the Zoning Code, approve of new parks, development plans and agreements, find funding projects and develop resource management plans.
Greg Folsom, City Manager of Clearlake said what has to be considered when making the General Plan are adequacy of the EIR and public outreach, general consistency of the General Plan and public comments.
“It really depends on the community and how much work there has been and what is happening in the world,” Folsom said. “At a certain point in time, there’s addition things you have to bring into a General Plan as well, like greenhouse gas analysis.”
Gary Price, Contract Planner for Clearlake said the General Plan is to establish a policy direction for future development and redevelopment.
“The staff have a really good understanding of what the community’s needs are, and with the planning commission on top of that having a really good understanding that and coming to the public meetings and understanding what this document is all about. I think it’s a refreshing approach to the General Plan,” Price said.
Clearlake Mayor Russell Perdock said he remembers being a part of the Planning Commission in Clearlake in the late ‘90s and waiting for the General Plan to come up. It never did because of the lack of funding.
“We need to stay on top of it and need to update it regularly,” Perdock said. “I hope that future leaders of this city will see that that’s done so we don’t end up in this place again.”
Perdock added that the General Plan will give the Council direction and a vision to work towards when making decisions. Before a General Plan is approved with all projects included, an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) must detail the approved actions that may take place under the plan.
Other mandated elements that are required by the state for the General Plan are land use, circulation for transportation, conservation, open space, noise and vibration from community growth, housing,
