Big Bear Lake council authorizes market outreach for 19‑acre Leisure Bear lakefront site

The Big Bear Lake City Council on July 9 authorized staff to issue a request for information (RFI) seeking developer interest in the city‑leased 19‑acre lakefront property that includes the Leisure Bear Mobile Home Park and lakefront open space.

Council members said the RFI — approved 4‑1 — is intended to test market interest and invite creative proposals that protect public access and address the park’s aging infrastructure. City staff and consultants told the council the parcel includes commercial frontage, public lakefront, and 59 manufactured‑home units that provide affordable housing for long‑term residents, including seniors and families.

The RFI follows prior work by the city, including a master‑planning and public engagement process conducted through 2023 and 2024. City staff summarized the technical reports and outreach: two community workshops, more than 250 engagement participants, and consultant assessments that found “serious infrastructure challenges” at the mobile home park, including damaged roads, failing utilities and units that are out of compliance with state housing requirements.

“Now that we’ve completed the studies and received community input, it’s appropriate to test the market,” said Kelly Tinker, the city’s economic development staff lead. Tinker told council the RFI is a market‑outreach tool to identify developers whose proposals would integrate public recreation, economic activity and mitigation for existing residents.

Council members asked whether the city expects developers to propose relocation plans for the 59 residents and whether developers could propose to take only part of the property. Tinker replied the RFI is written to accept a range of concepts, including partnerships in which different parties address housing, placemaking and commercial uses. He said proposals would need to show how they comply with the state’s mobile‑home residency law and HCD (Housing and Community Development) requirements.

Several council members said protecting and minimizing disruption to current residents is the council’s top priority. Mayor Perry Melnick and others said the Leisure Bear subcommittee — Mayor Pro Tem Kendi Segovia and Council member Rick Herrick — would be part of evaluation and follow‑up before any proposal returned to full council for decision.

Mayor Melnick moved to authorize issuance of the RFI; Council member Rick Herrick seconded. The roll call vote was: Herrick — aye; Segovia — aye; Hicks — no; Putz — aye; Melnick — aye. The motion passed 4‑1.

Staff said there is no direct fiscal impact to issuing the RFI; any future development would require separate environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act and follow state and local requirements for mobile‑home park relocation or rehabilitation.

What happens next: staff said the RFI would be posted in the fall and shared broadly through industry channels (Urban Land Institute, APA and public‑private partnership lists) to “cast a wide net,” then returned to council with any responsive proposals for further evaluation and CEQA analysis.

Community members and council members who have visited the site were invited to meet with staff and the Leisure Bear subcommittee for further briefings and resident outreach as proposals are received. The council’s action does not authorize any specific redevelopment or relocation — it authorizes staff to solicit information from the market.