Lakeport Planning Commission to consider plans for new shopping center
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lakeport Planning Commission this week will discuss plans for a new shopping center and hotel development.
The commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. In accordance with updated guidelines from the state of California and revised Cal OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards, persons who are not fully vaccinated for COVID-19 are required to wear a face covering at this meeting.
The agenda is available here.
To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here; the meeting ID is 986 6166 5155. To join by phone, dial 1-669-900-9128.
Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the city clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 12.
Please indicate in the email subject line "for public comment" and list the item number of the agenda item that is the topic of the comment. Comments that are read to the council will be subject to the three minute time limitation (approximately 350 words). Written comments that are only to be provided to the council and not read at the meeting will be distributed to the council before the meeting.
On Wednesday, the commission will consider an application from Fremont-based New Vista Developers for “Lakeport Hub Project,” a shopping center and hotel development on 15.5 acres at 1842 Todd Road.
The site, currently an old walnut orchard, is near “Hamburger Hill,” the site of numerous fast food restaurants at the intersection of Lakeport Boulevard and Highway 29.
The applicants are seeking an architectural and design review, tentative subdivision, use permit, zoning permit and environmental review for a new combined development for a vacant commercial property.
The project is proposed to include a service station, six to eight restaurants — including drive-thrus — along with two retail buildings and a 70-room hotel.
Also on the agenda Wednesday is a use permit application from the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians who wants to change a motel at 175 First St. to a residential use.
The project consists of redesigning previous motel rooms to provide seven one-bedroom residential units, one of which will be accessible by Americans with Disabilities Act standards, according to city documents.
“Each residential unit would consist of one bedroom, a bathroom, kitchen and living room area to provide the opportunity to house tribal members currently in need of safe, healthy living environments,” wrote Planning Director Jennifer Byers.
She said the applicant proposes to eventually tear down a building parallel to First Street that is being used as storage and replace it with a one bedroom manufactured unit and two new parking spots to the east of the new unit.
Byers said the shuttered motel has been a nuisance for several years. “Even if the site were to be reestablished as a motel, the circulation and parking would continue to be an issue. Due to the limited options for a viable commercial project and in light of the housing crisis, staff reviewed all the criteria applicable to this project and has determined that the proposed improvements are in compliance with the use permit standards set forth in the Municipal Code at this location.”
Staff is recommending that the Planning Commission approve the use permit application subject to conditions, including having fire alarms and sprinklers, right of way improvements, submission of a detailed landscaping plan and that the applicant/owner maintain a business license.
On Wednesday, the commission also will be asked to consider amending the Lakeport Municipal Code for compliance with Senate Bill 35, which requires that local jurisdictions provide a streamlined ministerial approval process for multifamily residential developments that meet specific eligibility requirements.
The commission also will hold a discussion and study session regarding a process to modify the zoning ordinance to allow a process to approve zoning permits as a replacement to the current COVID-19 emergency temporary zoning permits.
Last week, the Lakeport City Council chose to continue to allow the temporary zoning permits to allow outdoor dining in what the city is calling “parklets” while the commission develops the new requirements.
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.