Clearlake council denies tribal appeal, upholds 22-lot Danco subdivision

Clearlake '024 'The Clearlake City Council on Thursday voted 5-0 to deny an appeal by the Koi Nation of Northern California and to uphold the Planning Commission's Dec. 18, 2023 approval of a 22-lot subdivision proposed by Danco Communities on a roughly 30-acre city-owned parcel.

The decision came after a staff presentation and testimony from Koi Nation representative Mister Chisholm, who argued that the city's AB 52 consultation was premature and that the mitigated negative declaration (MND) did not adequately address tribal cultural resources. "The city prematurely declared consultation was complete without considering the Koi Nation's expertise," Chisholm said, urging additional mitigation including a designated on-site reburial location, a timeline to register the site with the California Register of Historical Resources, tribal monitoring of ground-disturbing activities and incorporation of the tribe's proposed protocols.

City staff and the project consultant, identified in the record as Dr. White of Subterra Heritage Resource Investigations, reported…