CLEARLAKE >> Long within their radar, neglected real properties in Clearlake have drawn the ire of the Code Enforcement officers as city officials discussed during the Clearlake Council meeting Thursday. Officials moved to confront negligent property owners to comply with orders to ameliorate their homes.
Beginning in January 2024, city of Clearlake code enforcement office applied for a Cal Recycle grant for the abatement and demolition of real properties, recalled Lee Lambert, code enforcement supervisor, during the Clearlake City Council’s open session Thursday. “Each of the properties had open cases and failed to reach open compliance and abatement violations,” Lambert testified. In the summer of 2024, A Cal Recycle grant in the amount of $477, 469 was awarded to the city.
Then on Nov. 7,2024, orders were issued by the city to abate. But in order to abate, a hearing had to be held before the city council for 16, Phase 1 properties. Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) are vital for identifying potential environmental risks which can affect the value, safety, and future use of a property.
They focus on historical and current use of the property, review records, visual inspections, and interviews. Phase I ESAs are the minimum requirement for prospective purchasers of commercial real estate to attain exemption to liability under federal Superfund law. They allow purchasers to perform due diligence for environmental issues before taking ownership. Three appeals were submitted but they were denied at a city council hearing. Then on Dec. 23, 2024, code enforcement issued a notice inviting bids of demolition and abatement of real properties.
Forwarding to Jan. 15, 2025, 22 contractors attended a pre-bid meeting, the most they ever had remembered Lambert Then on Jan.29, 12 received bids were opened. “The properties were determined to be public nuisance as well as health and safety hazards,” Lambert said. “All required legal notices, were issued, to property owners and posted on each property.” Also, a notice of intention to abate were mailed.
Keith Excavating submitted a bid for $229,400, which was the lowest responsive and responsible bid, while meeting all project requirements. Selection was based on cost effectiveness and contractor qualifications and adhering to the project’s scope. The contract was funded through Cal Recycle’s Illegal Disposal Site grants program.
“This project represents significant step in the city’s ongoing effort to improve public safety, eliminate hazardous structures and enhance resident’s overall quality of life,” Lambert said. He also noted, there was one lower bidder than Keith’s, but they were deemed unresponsive owing to not submitting to everything that was required. in the bid.
Properties to be abated include:16140 Dam Rd., 16272 32nd Ave., 16116 33rd. Ave., 13790 Sonoma Ave., 3273 11th St., 14045 Hale St., 14053 Hale St., 14236 Hale St., 3014 5th St., 1353 Santa Clara Ave., 5740 Hale Ave. 16026 25th Ave. 3971 Pine Ave., 3783 Cedar Ave.
Mayor Cremer then recalled back in Nov./Dec. 2024, at that time, there were two gentlemen … “Hopefully, go in and rehab theirs (properties). Did that ever happen- or are they still on the list?”
“Yes, those two are not on the list,” Lambert confirmed. “As well as one additional one on 5th Streegt, did self-abatement.”
Any leftover funding will revert back to the original grant source.
Staff recommended the council sign a contract with Keith Excavating to complete the abatement and excavation. The council made a motion for a vote, got a second and it passed it unanimously.
In other business, the council heard from Public Works Director Adeline Lebya, regarding a staff recommendation to retain a responsive, responsible contractor for landscape irrigation of the Senior Center. There were four bids from: Keith Excavation, Lehman Construction, Granite Construction and H.D. Construction. The low bid was from Lehman Construction, at $149,000.
“Initially we put this bid out almost a year ago, but no one bid on it,” she said. Acting on advice from the California HCD government office, Public Works used an informal bid process instead. Mayor Cremer asked about the scope of work. Leyba replied that there will be hydro feeding before they install the irrigation system. Cremer then asked, “So they’ll remove the trees? I hate to see those walnuts go.” But there was only turf removal required.
However, Joyce Overton, executive director of the Clearlake Senior Center, asked about the sprinkler system and raised concern over hose splitters in the hoses used for irrigation. Water users relying on the same source can experience a drop in water pressure due to sharing that source. But a hose splitter with dual channels will maintain better water pressure and Overton was reassured by Public Works that the walnut trees will not experience a lack of hydration.
