State won't declare emergency at sliding Lakeport homes

State officials have denied Lake County's request for a state of emergency declaration at the site of a landslide that has destroyed some homes and threatened others at a Lakeport subdivision.

The landslide that began in late March and stabilized around mid-May, has left seven homes in the Lakeside Heights neighborhood uninhabitable and triggered voluntary evacuation notices at 10 other homes. The hillside neighborhood is just north of Lakeport

The landslide also damaged the subdivision's public water and sewer systems and several roads.

On April 16, the county supervisors declared a local emergency to pave the way for requesting state and federal money. The supervisors asked Gov. Jerry Brown to declare a state of local emergency.

That request has been denied, according to Christopher Shaver, deputy county administrator. But Shaver said that officials at the state emergency management agency expressed their "commitment" to find ways to help the county cover the cost of damage.

Supervisor Anthony Farrington, whose district includes the Lakeside Heights development, said infrastructure damage alone is more than $1 million. That includes damage to roads and sewer and water mains, which have been abandoned.

"They're pumping sewage above ground in a flex hose from the subdivision down-slope to another pump station," Farrington said. "It's horrible. It's just a temporary fix."

Farrington said the county received some "good news" last week with the disclosure that county will receive $100,000 in grants from the state Water Resources Control Board and the state health department. The funds are to be used for geotechnical studies to find stable soil for new sewer and water mains.

Farrington said he was disappointed that the Governor's office will not declare a local emergency. Such a declaration would have allowed the county to access state matching funds to help homeowners cover the cost of their damaged homes.

The landslide has cost homeowners more than $2 million, he said. Officials with the state emergency management agency could not be reached Wednesday afternoon for comment.