The Lake County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 18 adopted an addendum to the initial study and mitigated negative declaration for the South Main Street and Soda Bay Road widening and bike lanes project, allowing the county to evaluate nighttime construction and move ahead with final steps needed to seek construction funding.

Lars Ewing, interim public works director, told the board the corridor project runs from the Lakeport city limits along South Main Street through a portion of Soda Bay Road near the Lakeport Transfer Station and was the subject of a joint NEPA–CEQA review completed in 2012, with a General Plan conformity finding by the Lake County Planning Commission in 2013. Ewing said design is about "99% complete," nearly 50 right-of-way acquisitions have been secured with three properties remaining, and key permits are in hand or imminent: an Army Corps of Engineers Section 404 permit and a Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board Section 401 permit are secured, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife 1600 stream bed alteration agreement was "in the mail."

Ewing described the reason for the addendum: "the original initial study and mitigated negative declaration did not evaluate nighttime construction," and the addendum includes an exhibit that "did conclude that there are no new significant environmental effects," language he noted was consistent with a Caltrans NEPA revalidation. He said the allowance for nighttime work is intended to "preserve all the options, and attempt to minimize . . . disruptions to the public and to business owners and residences along that corridor."

Michelle Iris, senior planner in the Community Development Department, outlined the CEQA analysis and updates included in the addendum, saying the document was prepared under CEQA Sections 15162–15164 and that regulatory sections were updated where needed. "The addendum found, that there are no new substantive impacts, and so it can be supported by staff," Iris said, noting updates to traffic analysis methodology (vehicle miles traveled), additions for tribal consultation, and biological updates including Section 7 consultation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife. She confirmed that mitigation measures from the 2012 document remain incorporated and will be implemented.

Ewing told the board the county needs to complete certified environmental documents, permits, finalized design, right-of-way and utility coordination to access about $10,500,000 in State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) funding that the California Transportation Commission is expected to consider in January 2026. He said the county's deadline to submit materials for CTC consideration is Dec. 1. The $10.5 million would fund South Main Street and a portion of Soda Bay Road; undergrounding of overhead utilities would rely on Rule 20A funding through PG&E and contributions from AT&T and Mediacom, and is expected to move to construction around mid‑2026 with road work likely in 2027, subject to funding.

The board opened public comment; no members of the public signed up. A board member moved to adopt the addendum as described in Exhibit A to the initial study and mitigated negative declaration, "as modified based on the findings in the board memo dated 11/18/2025." Michelle Iris seconded. The motion carried on a 5‑0 vote.

With adoption of the addendum, staff is positioned to finalize submittals needed to pursue the CTC STIP allocation and proceed with the planned phasing and utility coordination if funding is secured.