Memorandum
Date: June 4, 2025
To: Zoning Administrator
From: Laura Hall, Senior Planner
Subject: Consideration of Design Review Permit (PL-25-23; DR 23-03); Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 23-08) Belwood Motel for construction of a short-stay motel located at 10336 Loch Lomond Road, Middletown (APN: 011-067-18). Applicant: Belwood Investments LLC
Executive Summary:
Belwood Investments, LLC is proposing a short-stay motel with six 800 sq. ft. cabins, two units each, plus 11 parking spaces with one Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) space (12 total), and a new trash enclosure. Cabins will be accessed from walking paths and the site would be enclosed on three sides with a 6-foot wooden fence. Access to the site would come from Loch Lomond Road. The site is part of the Loch Lomond Lodge today includes the Market & Deli with two additional attached buildings that support a gift shop, fitness studio, and an eatery.
Points of Interest:
An Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared for the project in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The 30-day review period for the original environmental document (IS 23-10) was May 21, 2024, to June 20, 2024 (SCH 2024050605). However, during the public review period, Code and CEQA violations occurred on the property requiring a recirculation of the mitigated negative declaration (MND) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15074.5. The 30-day public review period was February 3, 2025, to March 6, 2025. Additional comments were received by the Lake County Public Works Department and a neighbor which have been added to the Conditions of Approval (Attachment 2). The Recirculated Mitigation Negative Declaration is available at the State Clearinghouse by searching the SCH 2024050605 at: <https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/> and is also attached to this staff report (Attachment 3).
On June 14, 2024, the Lake County Grading and Stormwater Inspector opened an investigation, and a site visit was conducted on June 18, 2024. Both Code and CEQA violations occurred that included grading, removal of trees, and construction of a fence. A Stop Work Order was posted on the site by the Lake County Stormwater and Grading Inspector on July 2, 2024, citing the Lake County Code Chapter 30-Grading Ordinance Sections 30-46.1 and 30-46.2, and in violation with Chapter 13, Article 1, Section 3.1(e)(5). As required to clear the Code violations reported on June 10, 2024, the applicant completed the Correction Action Plan prepared by the Grading and Stormwater inspector. A Violation Clearance Post Corrective Action Plan Inspection was completed by the Grading and Inspector Stormwater on July 16, 2024, and the Code violations were cleared.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends the following actions:
A. Adopt Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 23-08) for Design Review Permit PL-25-23; DR 23-03 Belwood Motel with the following findings:
1. Potential environmental impacts related to Aesthetics can be mitigated to ‘less than significant’ levels with mitigation measures AES-1 and AES-2 added.
2. Potential environmental impacts related to Air Quality can be mitigated to ‘less than significant’ levels with mitigation measures AQ-1 to AQ-3 added.
3. Potential environmental impacts related to Biological Resources can be mitigated to ‘less than significant’ levels with mitigation measures BIO-1 to BIO-4 added.
4. Cultural Resources can be mitigated to ‘less than significant’ levels with mitigation measures CUL-1 and CUL-4 added.
5. Potential environmental impacts related to Energy can be mitigated to ‘less than significant’ levels with mitigation measures ENG-1 and ENG-2 added.
6. Potential environmental impacts related to Greenhouse Gas Emissions can be mitigated to ‘less than significant’ levels with mitigation measures GHG-1 to GHG-5 added.
7. Potential environmental impacts related to Hazards and Hazardous Materials can be mitigated to ‘less than significant’ levels with mitigation measure HAZ-1 added.
8. Potential environmental impacts related to Hydrology and Water Quality can be mitigated to ‘less than significant’ levels with mitigation measure HYD-1 added.
9. Potential environmental impacts related to Tribal Cultural Resources can be mitigated to ‘less than significant’ levels with mitigation measures TCR-1 to TCR-4 added.
10. Potential environmental impacts related to Wildfire can be mitigated to ‘less than significant’ levels with mitigation measure WILD-1 added.
B. Approve Design Review Permit PL-25-23; DR 23-03 Belwood Motel with the following findings:
1. That the proposed use is permitted use in the district where located.
2. That the site for the project is adequate in size, shape, location, and physical characteristics to accommodate the type of use and level of development proposed.
3. That there are adequate public or private services, including but not limited to fire protection, water supply, and sewage disposal.
4. That the project is in conformance with the applicable provisions and policies of this Chapter, the Lake County General Plan and any approved zoning or land use study or plan.
5. That the streets, highways and pedestrian facilities are reasonably adequate to safely accommodate the specific proposed use.
6. That no violation of Chapters 5, 17, 21, 23 or 26 of the Lake County Code currently exists on the property, unless the purpose of the permit is to correct the violation, or the permit relates to a portion of the property which is sufficiently separate and apart from the portion of the property in violation so as not to be affected by the violation from a public health, safety or general welfare basis
7. That the project meets all requirements found within Articles 18, 41 and 56 and complies with all applicable Plans adopted by Lake County.