Council approves county purchase of four tax-defaulted parcels for sewer improvements

The Clear Lake City Council voted unanimously Jan. 16 to approve an agreement that allows Lake County Special Districts to purchase four tax-defaulted parcels inside city limits for sewer system improvements.

The parcels—two on Highlands and two on Vallejo—will be used to reroute wastewater into a force main, increase system capacity to accommodate new and existing development, and reduce the risk of sewer spills, Lake County Special Districts administrator Robin Borre told the council. Borre said the parcels are effectively unbuildable because sewer infrastructure crosses them and that the county intends to secure and fence the sites, add odor-control equipment and provide access for pumper trucks and maintenance vehicles.

“These four parcels will help with preventing sewer spills by increasing our capacity and rerouting some of our sewer systems,” Robin Borre said.

Why it matters: City staff and the county said the properties will reduce bottlenecks where gravity-fed flows concentrate in the marina area and at overloaded lift stations. Borre said the parcels will allow flows from the far side of the highway to be redirected directly to the wastewater plant, and will increase capacity needed for the Conoco(que) Gardens development and related flows that could not be accommodated because of a five-year moratorium on improvements to Alvida (as described in the county presentation).

Council members and residents pressed county staff and the city’s manager about two recurring concerns: odor from sewer infrastructure and backup power for lift stations. Vice Mayor Slooten and Council Member Hooten urged that the sites include permanent backup generators rather than rely solely on portable units or pumper trucks during outages.

“We need generators there, not available to come in an hour or four hours,” one council member said during discussion.

County staff said they plan industry-standard carbon-based odor filters similar to recently installed systems elsewhere in the city and that Vallejo site is likely to include permanent backup power; other locations would be assessed for generator needs as part of construction.

A nearby resident who said he lives at 14815 Highlands Way told the council the parcels had been a “drug haven” and encampment site and said he fears increased odors and traffic if the county proceeds. Staff responded that securing the lots and installing odor control should reduce the current nuisance and that road improvements necessary for access would follow standard procedures.

The purchase price for the four parcels within the city was listed in the staff report as $10,000. The City Council’s action approved the agreement and authorized the city manager to sign the purchase documents.

Votes and motion: The motion to approve the agreement was made and seconded on the council floor and passed by a unanimous roll-call vote (Ayes: Council Member Wilson; Council Member Hooten; Council Member Downey; Vice Mayor Slooten; Mayor Kramer). The clerk recorded the motion as passing unanimously.

Implementation notes and next steps: County staff said they will install fencing and odor controls, and coordinate access for maintenance and pump trucks; they also said the lots have been through the county tax-defaulted property process and Board of Supervisors approval. Council members asked staff to pursue generator installation where practical and to report back on construction and timeline.

Public comment: In addition to the resident at Highlands who asked about odors and road access, speakers at the meeting expressed support for odor controls and quicker project timelines to resolve ongoing spill risks.

Ending: City staff will return with implementation details as the county moves into site preparation and construction. The city authorized City Manager Flora to sign the necessary agreement to complete the purchase on the negotiated terms.