CLEARLAKE OAKS >> Residents preferred a balanced mix of development and conservation for the Local Area Plan guidelines as the Lake County 2050 vision visited the Eastern Region Town Hall on May 1 at the Moose Lodge.
Mireya Turner, Community Development Director for the county said the point of Lake County 2050 Workshop is to capture resident’s input about what they love about the Shoreline Community Area Plan. She asked the attendees at the townhall about the challenges as well as the boundaries of the Shoreline Plan and whether they reflected the community or if changes had occurred. Turner inquired of the largest crowd to attend an ERTH meeting this year and the ninth meeting of Local Area Plan community gatherings taking the pulse of community residents scattered across Shoreline’s vast geography.
Turner noted local area plans also comprised special study areas. “We looked at the community centers people wanted to keep,” she said. “But with other options, we bring in Spring Valley, it might be something to consider because some are slightly removed from the (actual) shoreline.” She went on to explain that for the General Plan the perspective is on countywide issues. These include noise abatement, geothermal use, agricultural use versus water resources, housing density, as well as aggregate manufacturing. “But because we want the Local Area Plan to equal the General Plan, we took some elements out of the General Plan and apply it to area plans: land use, circulation, open space and (added this year) environmental justice,” she said.
Feedback from residents for this effort will not come cheap. The county has retained the assistance of a contractor (PlaceWorks) to work on the updates of the county area plans. The Community Development Department’s original agreement with PlaceWorks was $1,888,954. That agreement was subsequently amended and approved by the Board of Supervisors, adding $186,000, for a new total of $2,074,954.
The latter element is a state mandate that recognizes low-income people, people of color, and tribal communities which historically have been subjected to greater amounts of pollution owing to vehicle traffic, location of industrial plants and toxic waste pools and which aims to address those inequities.
“This long-range planning is a project by definition of state law and that means we do extensive environmental review of how changes in plan can have an effect on environment and we would have possible identification of pollution measures, to bring those impacts down to (a negligible degree) and require a full environmental impact report, which is a great way to get more input from people,” she said. Yet she added initiatives are underway regarding neighborhoods with certain characteristics, such as Upper Lake with its appearance and atmosphere of an old west town so guidelines will be crafted to retain those specific characteristics. Other guidelines will include housing density. Once produced, local area maps will encompass zoning ordinances, to include aspects such as building height also.
One of the small groups breakout session helped by Holly Harris, who regularly reports out on cannabis issues at ERTH meetings, addressed the audience on their finding preferences. Harris noted the advantages included plentiful open space, retention of wetlands, migratory birds and other wildlife, well maintained parks, fishing, easy access to the lake and preservation of the shoreline. But for challenges they cited poorly maintained roads, the persistence of a homeless population, whom many suspect of vandalism. Other issues raised included the issues of squatting in abandon buildings, panhandling, needed clean up and persistent speeding on the Highway 20 corridor. In addition, there is the matter of illegal cannabis grows, vineyard expansion an illegal dumping of trash.
Other concerns raised at the meeting included map changes, speed bumps in the Keys, a desire for better signage at East Lake School, a desire for restoration of Schindler Creek, restoration of wetlands between the Keys and Orchard Shores. Also there was a recommendation for the county to look into storm water runoff. Residents would like some limit on community development, as well as a mixed-use shopping center and more crosswalks at East Lake School.
In other business North Shore Fire District Captain William Sapeta, recognized resident Summer Trong, for distinctive service assisting traffic accident victims. Driving on New Long Valley Road off Highway 20 in Spring Valley, Trongo spotted occupants of a passenger vehicle that had skidded of the road and hit a rock before coming to a halt. “I called 911 and provided comfort and assistance and waited with the injured until ambulance arrived.
Trongo, works for Lake County Behavioral Health Department. “I am a public servant so, I felt compelled to help,” she said.
