Lake County supervisors uphold nuisance notice for Middletown property, direct staff to seek compliance agreement

The Lake County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to uphold a nuisance notice for a property at 19355 South State Highway 29 in Middletown and directed staff, with assistance from County Counsel, to pursue a compliance agreement with the property owner, Michael G. Burns.

Maria Turner, Community Development Director, told the board that Mr. Burns had not filed a pre-application development meeting request the board had previously required and that staff lacks the internal resources to complete a compliance agreement without County Counsel’s assistance. "I would like to extend the application until I can talk to him and make sure he understands," Turner said while describing staff’s contacts with the owner and his attorney.

County Counsel Lloyd presented formal motion language for the board to "uphold the nuisance notice, prescribing the requirements and completion of such abatement," and to direct staff to coordinate a potential compliance agreement with the property owner as part of that action. Lloyd told the board his office would assist Community Development in drafting the agreement.

Supervisor Spatier argued the owner had missed the board’s 15-day deadline to submit the pre-application and urged the board to proceed with abatement rather than extend the matter. Turner and other staff members replied that they had spoken with the owner and his attorney and that staff believed additional coordination could help bring the property into compliance.

The board opened public comment; no members of the public spoke. Lloyd made the motion to uphold the nuisance notice and direct staff to coordinate a compliance agreement; the motion was seconded, and the chair called for the vote. The board voted in favor, and the chair announced, "Hearing none, that carries 5-0." The item concluded without further action scheduled to return to the board unless staff determines a need to do so.

Next steps: staff, with County Counsel assistance, will work to draft and pursue a compliance agreement with Michael G. Burns to address the health-and-safety violations listed in the notice of nuisance. If staff requires further board direction, the matter may be returned to a future meeting.