Grass Valley sits above 2,500 feet in the beautiful western Sierra Nevada foothills with a population of under 13,000. The town was the site of two of the biggest mines during the California Gold Rush: the Empire Mine and North Star Mine. Many of the miners immigrated from the equally rugged Cornwall region of England, and that legacy is still alive with the annual Cornish Christmas and St. Piran’s Day celebrations.

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City Council

The Grass Valley City Council consists of five members who are elected at large by all residents. The mayor and vice mayor are appointed by a vote of the council each November. Meetings are open to the public and held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 7 p.m. (Photo: Dream123/Shutterstock)

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Planning Commission

The five members of the Grass Valley Planning Commission act as an advisory board for the City Council on all planning and development projects. Meetings, which are open to the public, take place on the third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.

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California Local Pin Marker From The Union...

10/26/2023
The Grass Valley City Council and staff discussed efforts to procure electric vehicle charging stations. According to Tim Kiser, Grass Valley city manager, EV chargers would bring business to shopping districts of Grass Valley.

California Local Pin Marker From YubaNet...

10/16/2023
By a unanimous vote, the Grass Valley City Council declared a fiscal emergency “due to the lack of necessary funding for fire personnel and land management required to combat wildfires and extreme weather conditions.” This was a necessary step to place a general sales tax measure on the March 5, 2024 ballot.

California Local Pin Marker From The Union...

09/26/2023
Improvements to the McKnight Crossing shopping center in Grass Valley were approved by the Planning Commission. “We’re trying to make it elegant, trying to make it safe,” said Jim Fitzpatrick, special projects for Mesa Management. “We’ve taken inspiration from the community.”

California Local Pin Marker From The Union...

09/16/2023
Property owners in the neighborhoods around the Mill Street Plaza in Grass Valley have inquired about converting upper-level offices into residential space. City staff was directed to prepare a proposal as a first step to drafting an ordinance to incentivize the conversion of under-utilized space for housing.

California Local Pin Marker From The Union...

08/25/2023
The Grass Valley City Council decided that more information was needed before approving $400,000 from the city’s reserves to hire seven firefighters for six months.
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