LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council this week is due to consider a proposal to develop an equestrian center at Westside Community Park.
The council will meet for a closed session at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, to discuss two potential cases of litigation and labor negotiations before convening in open session at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
During public presentations, the council will meet the new Lakeport Police records supervisor and a new Finance Department intern, and get an update from the Seaplane Splash-In Committee regarding this year's event.
Public Works Director Mark Brannigan will take to the council the proposed development of a portion of Westside Community Park's Phase III into an equestrian center.
Brannigan is asking for the council to determine if it supports the proposal; if it does, there are plans to move forward with a market assessment and financial feasibility study.
His report to the council explains that the Lake County Horse Council took the proposal to the Westside Park Committee last fall. Horse council and committee members have since taken the idea to city staff and on June 5 presented it to the city's Parks and Recreation Commission.
The Parks and Recreation Commission unanimously passed a motion to send a minute order recommending that Lakeport City Council “consider the concept and direct staff to work with the Westside Community Park on the concept and feasibility of the Equestrian Center as part of the Phase III Westside Community Park,” Brannigan reported.
He said in his report that the city's plan for Phase III of the Westside Community Park provides for an equestrian center.
“There is a lot of work and cost ahead in the planning, design, engineering, construction, and operation and maintenance of the facility. Staff is not sure at this time if the market assessment and financial feasibility will allow for this project to move forward; but if the City Council is still interested in having an equestrian center as part of Phase III, this is an opportunity to potentially make it happen,” Brannigan wrote. “If the City Council does not believe that an Equestrian Center is appropriate for Phase III, staff requests that the plan be re-evaluated and brought back to Council for consideration.”
In other business, City Manager Margaret Silveira will take to the council an annual update from the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee, or LEDAC, and seek direction for staff regarding the proposed business route designation for Highway 29.
The council will consider a concession agreement with Mendo-Lake SUP for a stand-up paddleboard rental during Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 29 through Sept. 1.
There also will be public hearings for the adoption of proposed changes to the 2009 Housing Element and to adopt the housing element update of the general plan.
Other items on the Tuesday agenda include a proposed resolution changing the city's bank signatories to the city manager, administrative services director, city clerk, and two council members and remove prior staff members as authorized signatories for any and all city-related accounts; a first reading of a proposed purchasing ordinance; and a proposed resolution to extend the terms of the planning commissioner terms to Dec. 31 of the year in which they are due to expire.
On the meeting's consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; July 14 and Aug. 6 warrant registers; minutes of the council's regular July 15 and special July 16 and Aug. 5 meetings; approval of Application No. 2014-017, with staff comments, for the Lake County Fair annual opening day parade to be held Thursday, Aug. 28, from 5 to 6 p.m.; consideration of the League of California Cities resolution packet and determine the city’s position on the resolution in order to provide direction to the city’s voting delegate to represent the city’s position at the annual League of California Cities business meeting at its annual business conference to be held Sept. 3-5, 2014; and authorization for Silveira to sign a purchase order in the amount not to exceed $12,416.46 for a John Deere HPX Diesel Utility Vehicle.
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