The Lake County Planning Commission on Jan. 26 adopted staff findings that a proposal to vacate a portion of Roberts Road in Middletown (GPC 22-13) conforms with the Lake County General Plan and the Middletown Area Plan and that the action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under the common-sense exemption.

Assistant planner Trish Turner presented the staff report, saying the review covered only the existing portion of Roberts Road and that staff identified consistency with General Plan chapters on Public Facilities & Services and Transportation & Circulation. Turner recommended the commission find the proposal in conformity, noting the road is a local-access road serving multiple residents and that proposed dedication of a new alignment was considered in the staff analysis.

During public comment, Robert Hall, who said he was participating remotely from Osaka, Japan, opposed the vacation. Hall said he and his wife own three parcels accessed by the current road and alleged the applicant had narrowed the travelway and placed fencing and a trench that now prevents two-way traffic. He also raised environmental concerns, saying there are two mines on the applicant’s property that are under an EPA study and warned that mercury tailings could threaten Middletown’s water supply.

Applicants Sherry and Richard Lacey disputed Hall’s account. Sherry Lacey said the family has lived on the property for 36 years, described repeated efforts to secure approvals and said neighbors except the Halls have used the new road for two years. Richard Lacey said the road is not underlain by serpentine soil and described past maintenance work they performed on the road.

County staff clarified that the formal road vacation is a Public Works project and that the Planning Commission’s role at this hearing was limited to the general plan conformity determination; comments received during the hearing would be forwarded to the county surveyor and Public Works as the vacation moves forward.

A commissioner moved that the Planning Commission find the proposed vacation exempt from CEQA (categorical/common-sense exemption CE 22-66/15061(b)(3)) and that the project is in conformity with the Lake County General Plan. Both motions were seconded and passed by voice vote. Staff reminded applicants and interested parties of the seven-calendar-day appeal period to the Board of Supervisors.

The commission’s action was procedural: it did not vacate or reconfigure title to any right of way. The county surveyor and Public Works retain authority over the formal vacation process and over technical issues such as compliance with fire-turnout standards and any mitigation related to air-quality or hazardous materials raised in public comments.