Though I am a huge supporter of liberty and the right of expression, I have to ask if the owner of those buildings is doing what he wants or is he catering to what “government officials” want? What I saw were not colors picked by an individual but colors picked by committee.

It reminded me of when my parents painted their house blue and then were told by the housing association that it was “too blue” and that they would have to repaint it “slate blue” or pay a hefty fine. It also reminded me of colors I have seen hundreds times before in strip malls and cookie cutter houses everywhere.

This really concerned me and it should concern you. We all really should be asking ourselves, is this the direction our charming little city is going, the way of cookie cutter buildings and strip malls? Where is the originality and charm that makes our city different from all the rest? Have we, as individuals, completely lost it?

I don’t know about the rest of the Lakeportians but I moved here because it was different from anywhere I had seen. This town has a great amount of quaint charm and originality.

In fact, back then – only two years ago – I considered Lakeport to be heading more in the direction of Calistoga rather than the direction of Santa Rosa. Unfortunately, now, I see it headed more in the direction of Santa Rosa and every other little town turned cookie cutter big city.

I believe we are at a point where we need to be asking ourselves, do we want be just another precut Santa Rosa or do we actually want to make our city into something special like Calistoga? Do we want our unique value to be appreciated or do we want our value to be lost to a preselected committee or even to a trend? Do we want to be just another city on the map or do we want to make a place for ourselves on the map?

Consider the quality and value of having a place with quaint charm and individuality, as opposed to the value of being just another city with a strip mall and cookie cutter houses. Consider the value of property of Calistoga, as opposed to the value of property in Santa Rosa. Ask yourself, what direction do you want our city to take?

I see two different paths we could take and I am hoping we choose the one that will do the most to preserve and protect the uniqueness of our city rather than the one that will simply allow for us to be just like every other cookie-cutter, committee-run city.

Andrea Anderson lives in Lakeport.

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smurf - ? Registered | 05-19-2008 11:11:45 the paintwork on some Lakeport commercial buildings in the downtown area in recent years could best be described as "tragic", and the city HAD to step in and stop the desecration of the historic architecture. the author doesn't say what colors are being approved and what aren't, so her gripe is difficult to understand without any context. Also worrisome is the mention of blue houses, one of those colors that almost never should be seen on a dwelling of any kind. Calistoga? When lakeport becomes another useless avenue of botiques and bars serving upscale tourists while ignoring the needs of the locals I'm outta here! There are more than two paths Andrea, the one we should take is the one that puts the needs of the citizens of Lakeport first.

Donna Christopher - Good questions Andrea Author | 05-19-2008 11:42:57 I have been wondering why they restore facades only to paint them colors that can best be described as technicolor vomit. Have yet to have a visitor NOT ask whats up with the color schemes. I hope Lake County remains Lake County and doesn't end up being a suburb of Santa Rosa or go back to being Upper Napa County. The citizens deserve far more than they are getting. Such as the local print media NOT covering the fact the city is being sued over Vista Point. Good thing I'm a flappy lipped windbag - nice try local print media but the word is still getting out While the suit itself illicits response the truly constant theme is no one is surprised at the lack of coverage by the print media. One person actually thought the local print media was run by a Chamber of Commerce. Certainly looks like it most daze.

purplegirl - My Point IP:208.106.99.xxx | 05-19-2008 12:31:53 "the city HAD to step in and stop the desecration of the historic architecture" Actually, technically, the city really has no right over private property unless it is a threat to the safety or health of the public. Paint color is not a threat to the health or safety of the public. If the city is so concerned about historic accuracy, the city should purchase the buildings so they can do whatever they choose with them. Those who are concerned about the integrity of the building should be concerned less about the "tragic" colors but that the "historic architecture" is not earthquake reinforced (which is a health and safety issue) nor is it accessible to the physically challenged (which, is a tragedy, in itself). I would have thought the city would have stepped in long before now to correct these two issues but they haven't. Yet, they step in about the color of the buildings? Makes very little sense, to me. As a matter of fact, I hated the color of the pink buildings (I hate the color pink) but I do respect the owner's right to pick the color pink if they so chose. They could paint it lime green, for all I care, because it is their property to do so. The buildings (to my knowledge) do not belong to the city and the reason why I wrote the article is to simply question Why we are allowing committees/governments to dictate over personal property and personal taste when it is our right to exercise that personal freedom and personal taste? As for the color blue, I am not fond of the color blue either. In fact, I hate blue jeans, have never even owned a pair, but that does not give me the right to tell people they can't or even suggest that they shouldn't wear them or anyone else blue, even though I am the one who has to look at them in them.

tom Registered | 05-19-2008 13:00:32 When individuals decide to desecrate historic old victorian buildings by being "clever" and "unique" and painting them lime green and purple (purple?), it makes me think that maybe a little oversight is not a bad thing. Believe me, know one will ever mistake Lakeport for Calistoga, St. Helena, or any other precious boutique town - all they have to do is show up on a Saturday night and listen (then cover their ears) to the stock car races, which dominate the town like a boombox on steriods. Have no doubt, we're still a little country town (which I like, minus the thunder of beat up jalopies spinning around in the mud).

smurf - well... Registered | 05-19-2008 14:57:06 name just one self-respecting town that doesn't regulate the colors you can paint a commercial building in it's core business district. Lakeport has decent standards now, they just have to be enforced and yes Ms. Fowler, I AM looking in your direction!

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