CLEARLAKE — On Thursday, the Clearlake City Council will consider revamping an ordinance that allows the city to inspect rental housing units for code compliance.
Police chief Andrew White, who will bring the item before the council, notes that a 2001 ordinance still on Clearlake’s books allows the city to inspect and register local rental housing units.
“The ordinance was enacted in 2001 in response to dilapidated dwelling units throughout the city,” White writes in a report to the council. “It was intended to force landlords to improve their housing stock to meet requirements of city codes along with uniform codes.”
But the law hasn’t been enforced in nearly 15 years.
“The program was suspended in 2005,” White writes, on recommendation by the interim city administrator at the time. Since then, the city’s rental housing inspection program has been “unfunded and not enforced.”
On Tuesday, the council will consider reimplementing the program, and potentially amending it. The cost to being enforcement of the ordinance is “unknown at this time,” White writes, “and will be impacted by any changes to the existing program that may be proposed during the discussion and direction.”
As it was once enforced, the inspection and registration ordinance required any housing unit offered for rent to be inspected and registered by and with the city. Units that were found to be compliant with local and state standards were then inspected less often, while units with violations were inspected more. “Administrative citations, condemnation and other remedies” were among the tools at the city’s disposal to bring units into compliance with the law, White notes.
Other business
A new policy for how the City of Clearlake keeps and destroys its documents will also be up for council approval on Thursday.
The policy will apply to records in all aspects of the city’s operations, including those pertaining to police investigations, citations, and recordings, employee tax forms and payroll and benefit reports, financial statements and audits, and more.
The council will also consider appeals from three Clearlake property owners who the city says were each found to be cultivating outdoor marijuana illegally. The properties in question are located on Vallejo Avenue, Armijo Avenue and Madrone Street.
In each case, city staff recommends denial of the appelant’s requests.
Also on Thursday, the council will consider approving a renewed two-year agreement between the City of Clearlake and the Clearlake Police Officers Association.
Grand jury response
A short letter that constitutes the city’s response to this year’s Lake County Civil Grand Jury report regarding animal care in the county will also be considered for submittal to the jury on Thursday.
The grand jury had recommended that Clearlake “encourage participation and regular meetings” of its animal shelter advisory committee.
In response, CPD Chief White writes that the city agrees with the jury’s recommendation and has “implemented” such changes already.
“In the current calendar year,” White writes, “we held meetings on April 30, 2019 and June 11, 2019 with the Animal Control Ad Hoc Committee. Our regular participants include city staff, Council members, our district Supervisor, community members, volunteers, a veterinarian and members of the Lake County Animal Coalition.”
Meanwhile, as White mentions in his response, the city is planning upgrades to its animal shelter.
The Clearlake City Council regularly meets at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at city hall, located at 14050 Olympic Drive. The public is welcome to attend all council meetings. Agendas are available at www.clearlake.ca.us.
