Clearlake Oaks Town Hall Summary
Dear Friends and Neighbors:
Thank you to everyone who attended the Clearlake Oaks townhall meeting on January 24, 2007! Your energy, enthusiasm and especially your presence energized those engaged in County service roles. The community enabled a number of decisions this past week and are excited to move forward on projects and ideas that will benefit the Oaks. MANY good ideas and thoughts emerged from the meeting, and the subsequent plaza design meeting the following week. Thank you for your involvement--it is truly inspiring!
By now, if you signed up for one of the four ad-hoc "hot topic" groups, you should have been contacted by a topic organizer with a status update and (in some cases) a follow-on meeting. Eric Seely and Kelly Cox are busy with the next steps for both the plaza project and Nylander park and the county has initiated discussion for the Schindler Creek park property. In addition, the Oaks task force is being evaluated and the processes updated by Voris Brumfield--look for her analysis and recommendations at a future Board of Supervisors meeting.
A summary of the Town Hall is pasted below (thank you to citizens Chuck Lamb and Holly Harris for their help compiling this) and I have posted the compiled results of the "quick survey" and comments online:
Survey results
Open Forum Notes
The above results include surveys from some of the seniors who attended a lunch-time update the Friday following the town hall. (A few of you filled out the survey quite creatively, so compiling the results was a challenge!) The "score" assigned to any one of the 12 items is the inverse of the ranking. Example: if everyone ranked an item as #1, the "average score" would be 12.
I'll do my best to focus on the issues that you have indicated are the most important and provide periodic updates of our collective progress on the projects and hot topics going forward. Thanks again for your involvement and for your interest in your community!
Denise
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Synopsis from the Jan. 24th Clearlake Oaks Community Meeting
Over 200 people attended Supervisor Denise Rushing's first Town Hall Meeting, held at the Moose Lodge in Clearlake Oaks on Jan. 24th. Also in attendance were many county employees. Local businesses, local government, organizations and groups set up tables around the Moose Lodge to disseminate information to attendees.
Following is a synopsis from the meeting:
1) Welcome and Introduction - Denise Rushing
Purpose of the meeting was to enlist community help in improving CLO, and feedback on projects/survey results.
2) Clearlake Oaks Survey Results - Eric Seely, (Redevelopment Deputy Director)
- Overview: The purpose of the survey was to develop a plan to revitalize Glenhaven and Clearlake Oaks. 2200 surveys were mailed out to local residents and businesses, with a response of 281 surveys. Questions were posed on community identity and architectural themes, as well as a section for comments.
- Community Identity Responses: 27% Fishing & Water; 23% Gateway to Clear Lake/Konocti;
17% Oak Trees; 17% Old Time Family Vacation Spot
- Architectural Theme: 72% wanted a theme. Types of themes: 25% Oaks/Mixed Architectural Styles; 24% Country Charm; 20% Fishing Village.
- Conclusion: Strong preference for country charm/mixed architectural/oaks theme.
3) Survey Comment Section - Denise Rushing
Following is an overview - via ranking - of the survey comments
- (1) Clean Up Town/Code Enforcement and Law Enforcement (60 comments)
- (2) Facelift businesses on Hwy 20, Red & White (45 comments)
- (3 & 4) Keep rural small town charm/traffic calming and truck elimination on Hwy 20
- (5) Better local stores and services
- (6) Don't spend a lot of money fixing things
- (7) Community park
4) Survey Project Rankings/Costs - Denise Rushing
The survey results ranked projects in the following order: Clark's Island Park/Marina; Hwy 20 Park next to Nylanders; Hwy 20 Calming and Beautification; Plaza Project; Schindler Creek Park.
Denise gave an overview and graph ranking the projects by popularity, ease of implementation, length of time, and cost. Based on the results, the Clark's Island project (at roughly $3.5M & up to 5 years) was deemed too costly, compared to other projects such as the Hwy 20 Park and Schindler Creek Park. Based upon those factors, the first priorities would be the community park, then the plaza and schindler park. She requested feedback from the Public.
5) Plaza Restoration - Eric Seely
The CLO Plaza project will be located in the "parking lot" across from the CLO Senior Center and Methodist Church (behind Nylander's). Currently it is in the design/engineering phase, with a projected completion date of Sept. 2008. Plans include a grassy/tree-lined area with picnic tables, middle concrete section for fairs/events, water fountain feature, covered gazebo for concerts, one-way traffic around the Plaza and peripheral parking.
5) Downtown Park - Kelly Cox (County Administrator)
The County and Gary Nylander have reached a sales agreement on 11 parcels located just west of Nylander's Red & White, and behind. This will give a downtown park fronting on Hwy 20 and contiguous to the Plaza Park. The agreement has been publicly noticed, and will be (hopefully) finalized by the BOS at their meeting February 13th.
6) Highway 20 Improvements - Kelly Cox
The BOS has approved a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to install/construct curbs, gutters and sidewalks, decorative street lights on Hwy 20 from the Tower Mart to the Fire Station, and from the Windmill building to Foothill. Eventually hope to put in sidewalks down to the school. The speed of this project is dependent on approval by Caltrans.
7) Business Attraction Study - Kelly Cox
The County hired a consultant to give suggestions on increasing visitor/spending in CLO. Kelly felt the final report was disappointing, but it did give some ideas, such as expanding restaurant choices and local services; creating/promoting annual events.
8) Shoreline Plan - Rick Coel (Community Development Director)
The Lake County General Plan is nearly completed and will be out for Planning Commission review this spring. The second highest priority is now completion of the Shoreline Plan, an area plan covering Lucerne, Glenhaven, Clearlake Oaks and down to Lower Lake - this has been on hold for 3-years. Emily Minton with handle this project. Mapping has been completed, a draft document will be available in 4 months. The original Advisory Committee will be contacted and vacancies filled. Once the document has been reviewed, it will be out for public and agency comments.
9) Community Parks and Recreation - Kim Clymire (Director Public Services)
Kim has roughly $500K in grant/funds money for purchase and improvement of a park in CLO. He wanted input on where to spend it. After much discussion, the majority of attendees indicated they would like Kim to pursue purchase of the Schindler Creek property (located on Hwy 20, separated from the school by Schindler Creek), which could be held until future funds are available for development. Plans included a future agreement with the school for joint use of play fields, footbridge connecting the two properties.
10) CLO Community Task Force:
The Task Force is currently funded, but not fully staffed. This is partly due to hiring difficulties in the Sheriff's department. This will be readdressed in the near future.
11) Workshops:
Flip charts were set up in each corner of the Moose Lodge, for attendees to offer ideas/sign-up on the top four concerns, as compiled from the survey:
Hwy 20 Beautification; Business Attraction; Parks and Recs; Blight/CleanUp/Law Enforcement.
12) Open Forum - Denise Rushing
The meeting was then opened up for public comments/suggestions/feedback on the survey conclusions. Some of the comments:
- Keep CLO rural; theme of "Pleasant Place to Walk"; better trash pickup; cleanup by the boat ramp; cleanup houses; sky-friendly streetlights; trees by PO and Happy Garden; fix potholes; weed control in the Keys; need reasons to stop in CLO.
A recap meeting was held on Jan. 26 at the CLO Senior Center. For those not able to attend either session, a video copy of Moose Lodge meeting is available at the Senior Center, and the Keys POA. For further questions, feel free to call 998-0135. Denise Rushing can be contacted at 263-2368, deniser@co.lake.ca.us
Upcoming Meetings:
Feb. 17th at 12:30 pm - Lucerne Community Town Hall Meeting hosted by Denise Rushing at the Lucerne Senior Center, 10th and Country Club Drive. Topics of concern to Lucerne include redevelopment; community clubhouse; promenade; community parks; Shoreline Area Plan; public safety; water organizations. For more info contact Donna at 274-8482 or email panhead49@mchsi.com
March 25, 12pm to 3pm. Waterwise/Solar Energy Seminar sponsored by the Spring Valley Homeowners Association to be held at the Community Center in Spring Valley. Topics to include soil types and amendments; landscape design; native, deer-resistand and drought-tolerant plants; drip irrigation; solar energy for garden and home; star thistle management; blue oaks management. For more info call Jeannie at 998-9272.
Future Town Hall Meetings will also be held in Spring Valley, Nice, Upper Lake and Blue Lakes over the next few months, though dates have not yet been confirmed.
Once again, thanks for your interest!
(Summary by Holly Harris / Chuck Lamb 998-0135)
