The Clearlake City Council has approved a new budget. It calls for 83.3 million dollars in spending, with just over 81 million in revenue. It’s by far the biggest budget in the city’s history. The current budget is just 50 million. Mayor Alan Flora says the difference is more grant funds for several projects, including more than $45 million in grant funds to support the Clearlake Apartments project near Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital. The city will pass that money through to the developer. The mayor says even though the budget is up, the city has taken a conservative approach, setting priorities and evaluating expenses. The budget has 15 million dollars for capital improvement projects, including the Arowhead/Burns Valley Road Rehabilitation Project, Burns Valley Sports Complex, and the Austin Park Skate Park. City officials say the county economy is stable, but with tax revenues down, the next budget could be more of a challenge, especially without as many one-time grants.
If you live in Clearlake along the Rt. 53 corridor, the Lake Area Planning Council wants to hear your ideas to improve transportation safety. They’re doing a study of transportation needs and priorities and hope to get public comment. There’s an online survey including an interactive map, or you can fill out a paper survey at City Hall, the Lake Transit Authority, or the Lake County Social Services Department in Lower Lake. The Planning Council has more information.
The Ukiah Planning Commission is putting off potential annexation. The commission says it wants to make sure there’s enough opportunity for the community to review annexation plans and to allow for more discussion of future land use options. Mayor Doug Crane says the goal is to make sure annexation is well thought out and reflects community concerns. He says there have been no annexation applications submitted and that the city won’t consider any draft proposal until there’s enough community input.
CalFire has issued another burn permit suspension. This one from the Mendocino unit takes effect Monday and prohibits all outdoor residential burning, including landscape debris like leaves and branches. CalFire’s Lake-Sonoma-Napa unit issued a similar suspension for the area it oversees earlier this week. Both units are urging property owners to create defensible spaces around buildings of up to 100 yards if possible. Cal Fire says the risk from the drier and hotter conditions is rising quickly. They’ve responded to almost 2,800 wildfires across the state so far this year. The permit suspension does NOT cover campfires on private property or organized campgrounds as long as the fire is properly maintained. Permits for essential fires will be allowed after a CalFire inspection shows the burn would be safe.
The latest report from the US Drought Monitor shows dry conditions are increasing across the state. A 39 percent of the state is in a moderate drought, 23 percent is under severe drought, with another percent classified as in extreme drought.
