NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR INFORMATIONAL ITEM

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the County of Lake Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 9:03 a.m. in the Board Chambers of the Lake County Courthouse located at 255 N. Forbes Street, Lakeport, California 95453.

OWNER/APPLICANT: County Initiated

REQUEST: County of Lake staff will present the County’s 2022 Housing Element Annual Progress Report, to be submitted to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research and the California Department of Housing and Community Development. The item is informational only. 

ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: CEQA does not apply to the subject matter of this report as it is not considered a project.

LOCATION: Countywide

STAFF CONTACT: Katherine Schaefers, Assistant Planner II

ALL INTERESTED PERSONS are invited to be present at the public hearing. All persons may provide public comment at the time and place indicated above. Additional information regarding this item may be obtained from Katherine Schaefers, Assistant Planner, with the Community Development Department at (707) 263-2221 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Due to Covid-19, the hearing may be a virtual hearing using Zoom. 

A staff report will be available for review 72 hours prior to the hearing upon request.  If you challenge the action of the Planning Commission on any of the above stated items in court, it may be limited to only those issues raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Lake County Planning Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing.  The following is a link to the Planning Commission Agenda posted 72 hours before the hearing: https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx . Zoom information can be found on the Agenda.

Mireya G. Turner, Director, 

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

By: 

Katherine Schaefers, Assistant Planner

OUNTY OF LAKE PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Supervisors of the County of Lake, State of California, will hold a PUBLIC HEARING to consider a Draft Ordinance Amending Chapter 5, Section 5-6, Article 1, Section 5-6 6.24 (Exempt Agriculture Structures) and Adding Chapter 5, Section 5-6 6.25 Temporary Ag Structures) of the Zoning Ordinance of the County of Lake in regards to Agricultural Structures. 

The Ordinance would amend the Lake County Code to create an expedited, streamlined permitting procedure process for cannabis-related structures. The process would include access to exempt agriculture structure permits including hoop structures, temporary use of cargo containers and tents as drying structures. 

The public hearing will be held in the Board of Supervisors Chamber in the Courthouse on WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2023, at 9:05 A.M., at which time and place interested persons may attend and be heard. Copies of the proposed Ordinance are available at the Office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors. 

If you challenge the action of the Board of Supervisors on any of the above stated items in court, it may be limited to only those issues raised at the public hearing described in this notice or in written correspondence delivered to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors at, or prior to, the public hearing. 

MIREYA G. TURNER

Director

By: 

Mireya G. Turner, Director

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY | PROPOSED BIG VALLEY RANCHERIA COMMERCIAL CENTER PROJECT  EA AND FONSI 

Notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Pacific Regional Office, has  received an Environmental Assessment (EA), dated August 2022, to comply with the National  Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended [Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title  40, Section 1500); Department of the Interior (DOI) NEPA regulations (43 CFR Part 46); and the  United States DOI, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) 59 IAM 3-H NEPA Guidebook Instructions. 

The EA analyzes the potential effects of a proposal by the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians of  the Big Valley Rancheria ("BVR" or the "Tribe") to develop a commercial center (the "Project" or  "Commercial Center") that will lease operating space to tribally owned businesses and other third party retail entities. The anticipated cost of the Project is $18 million.  

The Project will be located on approximately 14 acres of raw land at 1135 Soda Bay Road in  Lakeport, California, on BVR Tribal land. Approximately 5 acres of the BVR land will be  developed with the commercial center and associated parking/driveways, and approximately 1.6  acres will be solar panels.

The regional location, general location, proposed Site, and Site  Drawings can be seen in Figures 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, and 1-4. The BVR land is designated for the  exclusive use of and governance by the Tribe. It is located in Lake County in Northern California,  is adjacent to the small community of Lakeport, California, and sits on the southern waterfront of  Clear Lake.

Clear Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in California, with 68 square miles of  surface area. The Tribe has the highest quality marina on Clear Lake and has historically hosted up to 25 televised ESPN bass fishing tournaments annually. The location is also located near water  infrastructure needed for Project development.  

With the favorable location near Clear Lake on one of the most frequented thoroughfares in Lake  County, CA, the Project location has been strategically chosen to capitalize on its proximity to  local and tourist traffic.

The Tribe is seeking to improve local accessibility to needed services and  to further encourage additional business growth, creating new jobs by developing this modern,  environmentally friendly (with solar systems and a storm water basin), and well-equipped  commercial center.

Excluding jobs created by construction, it is anticipated the commercial center  will create 20 to 30 permanent full- and part-time jobs.  

In addition to the positive community impacts, the Project's need is directly related to increasing  the recovery and resilience of the Tribe's local economy. Lake County was designated as a disaster  area in 2017 by three separate Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Major Disaster  Declarations: California Wildfires (DR-4344), California Severe Winter Storms, Flooding,  Mudslides (DR-4308), and California Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides (DR-4301).  These natural disasters suppressed tourism, which had a significant negative impact on the local  economy, evidenced by a rise in unemployment claims.

The Tribe's goal is to build economic  resilience through the new commercial center by providing jobs that capitalize on tourism but are  sustainable in the event of future natural disasters. The design of the Project includes a solar  capable micro-grid, which will allow the tenants to operate during power outages or other disasters. 

The local utility company has implemented frequent power outages to avoid fire hazards during  fire season, which has negatively impacted commercial activity in the surrounding areas.

Based on the analysis and impacts in the EA, any input received during this public review period,  and the entire administrative record, the BIA will decide whether to reach a Finding of No  Significance Impact (FONSI), direct further work on the EA, or initiate the preparation of an  Environmental Impact Statement. A draft, unsigned FONSI has been prepared and is available for  review along with the EA.  

The EA and unsigned FONSI are available for review as of March 3, 2023 on the Big Valley  Rancheria Website: https: www.bvrancheria.com/economic-development. No further action  will be taken on the environmental process for at least 30 days after the publication of this notice. 

For more information, please contact Eddie Dominguez, Environmental Protection Specialist,  Bureau of Indian Affairs, Central California Agency, 650 Capitol Mall Suite 8-500, telephone  (916) 517-6340. Written comments should be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Superintendent.