LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — For the foreseeable future, the city of Lakeport’s efforts to annex an area along South Main Street are on hold.
The Lake Local Area Formation Commission, or Lake LAFCo, voted unanimously at its Tuesday morning meeting to terminate the city of Lakeport’s South Lakeport annexation in light of the annexation’s failure to receive a majority vote in the November election.
Executive Officer John Benoit presented the resolution to terminate LAFCo’s proceedings on the annexation.
The area in question includes 50 parcels totaling 137 acres in the area adjacent to South Main Street and Soda Bay Road and east of Highway 29.
It includes what is reported to be the most lucrative commercial corridor in the unincorporated county, which had resulted in years of disagreements between the city and county of Lake before a revenue sharing agreement was created. The Lakeport City Council and Board of Supervisors approved that agreement in January 2022.
The city of Lakeport has had that area in its sphere of influence since the 1980s and for the last several years has been working to formally annex it.
In August 2019, the city filed its application for the annexation with LAFCo, which is tasked with overseeing “orderly development” and protecting natural resources and agricultural lands in Lake County.
However, as the LAFCo process appeared to be moving toward the annexation’s completion last year, there was push back from property owners.
On March 30, LAFCo adopted a resolution approving the proposed annexation subject to the necessary authority proceedings.
In a May proceeding, LAFCo received protests from owners of 16 of the 50 parcels in the annexation area, passing the 25% threshold requiring an election.
That, in turn, triggered an election, which the Lakeport City Council voted in June to consolidate with the general election on Nov. 8.
The annexation was on the ballot as Measure P, and was limited to the 15 registered voters living in the annexation area.
The ballot question read: “Shall the order adopted on March 30, 2022 by the Local Agency Formation Commission of Lake County ordering the annexation to the City of Lakeport of the territory described in that order and designated ‘City of Lakeport Annexation to the City of Lakeport (LAFCo file 2019-0006) (South Lakeport Annexation)’ be confirmed?”
The final election results certified by the Registrar of Voters Office in December showed there were a total of 14 ballots cast, with two ballots, or 14.29%, favoring annexation, and 12 ballots, or 85.71%, opposed. Thirteen of the ballots were cast by mail, and one in person on Election Day.
With Measure P failing to have majority support of the annexation area’s registered voters, it didn’t meet the requirements of a resolution LAFCo approved in May 18 that would have allowed the annexation to move forward.
As a result, Benoit said the next step was to terminate the hearing.
Benoit said no substantially similar annexation proposal for that area can be filed with LAFCo within one year of the adoption of the resolution, unless LAFCo waives that requirement.
“That concludes these proceedings and I can put the box away,” said Benoit, noting a lot of information has been generated in the process.
He said he intended to speak with Lakeport City Manager Kevin Ingram on Thursday and let him know what his options are.
Commissioner Dirk Slooten moved to approve the resolution, with Commissioner Jim Scholz seconding. The commission approved the resolution 7-0.
Later in the meeting, the commission discussed agricultural lands and LAFCo's role, with Benoit noting that LAFCo is concerned about sprawl.
“We don’t like county developments in the sphere of influence of the city,” Benoit said.
LAFCo’s legal counsel, Scott Browne, said a classic example of that problem is the development that happened in the South Lakeport area, where there are urban levels of development without the accompanying level of services.
He said that development should have been done in the city of Lakeport. “Instead we’re now dealing with a real problem.”
Following the meeting, Lake County News reached out to Ingram to ask him about the city’s plan going forward.
“We are looking at various options for the future of the South Lakeport area but I would not say there is a plan,” Ingram said in an email response.
He said the city will work with various agencies — LAFCo, the California Department of Water Resources and the county of Lake — “to better understand the status of things with or without public services.”
Ingram also acknowledged LAFCo’s rule that the city would not be able to submit a formal application again for a year if the city decides to move forward again.
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.