LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council on Thursday voted unanimously to pursue a lease agreement that will allow the city to clean up land around Clearlake’s main shopping center that in recent years has been the scene of numerous fires and abatement issues.
City Manager Alan Flora took to the council the proposal to lease the 30.8 acres owned by RM Clearlake LLC at 15900, 15910, 15920 and 15970 Dam Road for a $1 a year in a lease with an initial term of two years.
The properties are next to the shopping center on Dam Road where Walmart, Tractor Supply and Big 5 are located.
Flora said RM Clearlake LLC originally had purchased the land to develop it as the second phase of the Walmart development, but changes in the economy ended those plans.
He said the land hasn’t had a lot of maintenance and over time there have been homeless camps, illegal dumping and fires – about a dozen of them.
There have been a number of efforts over the years to try to do something about the situation, and Flora said the property owners have expressed interest in donating the property to the city.
However, as the city has researched the property, Flora said they’ve come across title issues.
For that reason, Flora said he couldn’t recommend the city moving forward with a donation at this time.
However, due to the danger and blight that have been associated with the property, Flora said the city needed to step in and take a more active involvement.
He said the proposed lease would allow for Cal Fire to be a partner in cleaning up the land.
“Their regulations make it extremely difficult to do fire mitigation work on private property,” Flora said of Cal Fire.
However, there are ways around that. “Things are streamlined significantly if it’s considered to be public ownership and this lease would accomplish that goal,” Flora said.
He said the city has negotiated the agreement for some time and what he was presenting offered a way to protect the city's interest while moving forward.
In addition to the lease, which already was signed by RM Clearlake’s owners, Flora said there were documents necessary to execute for Cal Fire to start fire mitigation efforts.
Councilman Russ Cremer moved to approve the lease agreement, which the council approved 5-0.
Mayor Dirk Slooten said it’s important to do some fire prevention work in that area.
Flora told Lake County News after the meeting that he’s not sure of the timing for when Cal Fire will begin the fire mitigation work on the property, but it’s expected to start in the spring.
“Now that the lease is final we can move forward. Cal Fire really wants to see this cleaned up so they appear to be motivated to move forward as quickly as the paperwork can be processed and weather permits,” he said.
Flora added that the property is very rocky and hilly so he’s not completely sure they can remove all of the brush that covers the property, “but the intent is to remove as much as possible.”
Also on Thursday, the council observed a moment of silence for Marcia Felty Taylor, a former animal control staffer who died following a long battle with cancer on Jan. 29. Taylor was a tireless animal advocate and worked hard on behalf of animals in the city and the county.
Slooten read a proclamation declaring February as Black History Month in the city and the council received the annual Clearlake Police Department from Chief Andrew White.
The council also held a public hearing as part of the process of planning its application for funds through the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CDBG-CV2 and CV3, program.
The city is eligible to apply for and potentially receive nearly $445,000, which staff proposed using to make upgrades to the kitchen at the Clearlake senior center. The council voted unanimously to pursue the funds and use them, as staff suggested, for senior center kitchen improvements.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.