CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The city of Clearlake is positioning itself favorably for a progressive future, according to City Manager Joan Phillipe.
Continuous progress in the updating of city planning and growth documents and in the dissolution of the former redevelopment agency as well as the hiring of a permanent finance director, Phillipe said, are accomplishments significant to improving the city's solvency.
“The city has situated itself to be on the cusp of really moving forward,” she said.
Updating the city's general plan, which describes the city's future growth, has been a multiyear process.
It has included numerous opportunities for public input, in a variety of forms; and the completion of an environmental impact report (EIR).
“The level of participation from the public throughout the process to update the general plan is a very positive statement that the community is looking for the city to move forward,” she said. “Updating the general plan is the city's the foundation to do that.”
Updating the document and completing an EIR is typically quite costly and can range from $600,000 to more than $1 million, she said.
Phillipe said the city saved a substantial amount of money by utilizing the services of a team of grad students from Cal Poly, who worked under the direction of Professor Cornelius Nuworsoo. Ultimately, Phillipe said, the city's cost was about $100,000 to $120,000.
Goals of the general plan include concentrating growth in focus areas and intensifying land use; redeveloping and reusing built-up areas by way of general land use; improving quality of housing stock and reducing the vacancy rate in residential use and diversifying economic base; and targeting land uses and jobs that provide living wages in commercial use.
The plan incorporates findings of the Clearlake Vision Task Force and the Lakeshore Drive Corridor Plan.
The EIR addresses and mitigates potential impacts (in 16 areas) of the general plan. The comment period on the draft EIR, which was presented in May, closed at the end of August. The process now enters review and response of those comments.
Phillipe said additional opportunities for public input will be available when the documents are brought before the Clearlake Planning Commission and then again when they are considered by the city council.
In relation to updating the general plan, the council recently amended portions of the housing element within the city's zoning ordinance to bring them into compliance with state regulations that were mandated in June.
Phillipe said, overall, the zoning ordinance is outdated and inconsistent with the general plan. She said after the new general plan is adopted, work will begin on updating the zoning ordinance.
Phillipe said the zoning ordinance will be updated in conjunction with design guidelines of the Vision Task Force and Lakeshore Corridor Downtown Plan. She said there will be “tremendous” opportunities for public comment throughout the process.
The dissolution of the redevelopment agency has also been a lengthy process that Phillipe said is winding down. It has included the formation of a successor agency and an oversight committee to oversee the dispersal of interests in properties acquired through the redevelopment agency and compliance with state mandates.
Phillipe said the long range property management plan, which describes properties that will be retained by the city and for what purpose, was recently approved at the state level.
“It is at a point now to take it forward to the oversight committee to transfer those properties to the city. Then we can release the request for proposals for the Highlands Park project,” she said, adding she expects such actions to take place within the next 30 days.
Additionally, in relation to the Highlands Park project – which envisions a visitor center for both the chamber of commerce and the county – Phillipe said the city anticipates the assistance of a Community Development Block Grant for planning and technical design. She said award announcements are expected sometime this month.
With the approval of the long range property management plan, “we are now situated for meaningful negotiations for commercial development. In conjunction with that, we are already conducting outreach to potential business in our community,” Phillipe said.
Additionally, she said, volunteers are developing a comprehensive inventory of vacant storefronts and properties for possible development.
The dissolution process also involves the sale of other properties that will not be retained by the city, she said.
Phillipe said that plan and list of properties is will go before the state, followed by the successor agency and oversight committee, then back to the state for financial approval to ensure fair market value.
Additionally, Phillipe said the hiring of a permanent finance director is a tremendous asset for the city.
“It's just an integral part of the structure of the city,” she said. “Having someone there is going to allow us to continue to develop the budget format so it's more user-friendly. Like I've always said, the budget tells the city's stories – where we are going and what we are doing.”
In addition to hiring Finance Director Chris Becnel, who came on in July, the city became current in its auditing process in June.
“We are on top of where our finances are,” Phillipe said. “We've made significant progress in identifying the health of the city's finances. We've been able to bring the audits up-to-date and combined with the establishment of financial management policies, along with economic development goals, the city is situating itself to become financially stable.”
In her capacity, Phillipe is responsible for executing the policies established by the city council and for providing support and advice to the council.
She's tasked with providing leadership and advice as well as support to the city's department heads and fosters interagency cooperation and collaboration, and also provides guidance and recommendations on policy and finance to the city council.
Phillipe also is responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the city's program and services and is the essential connection between the policy planning process and the execution of such policies.
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