Nevada County Land Use & Development Digest

Nearly every major environmental group in California opposes a bill that would modify the state’s signature environmental law to speed up upgrades to power lines. Supporters say it would help free the state from fossil fuels and make the grid more reliable, but opponents fear it would damage state parks.

In their June 25 meeting, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors approved $150,000 in funding to utilize goats and sheep as part of the Livestock Fuel Reduction Program to mitigate wildfire risk.

A push to bolster housing production in California's coastal communities in recent years has led to heated battles over potential state reforms. Below, a veteran elected official believes the debate has created a false choice between housing and protections. The opposing view: A former attorney for the Coastal Commission says the state Coastal Act has failed to deliver on what it envisioned.

On June 19, California YIMBY announced support for the California Forever project going to the Solano County ballot in November.

A new round of litigation began when environmental groups opposed to the Sites reservoir in Colusa County filed an appeal on a ruling which dismissed their suit seeking to halt the project from proceeding.

A recent court ruling exempted five charter cities from a controversial housing law. That’s given anti-density advocates across California an idea.

On June 11, Solano County elections officials announced the verification of necessary signatures for the California Forever sponsored initiative to amend the county General Plan to be on the November ballot.

The two-day CalMatters Ideas Festival wrapped on June 6 with more than a dozen events examining critical policy issues impacting the lives of millions of Californians.

A rendering for a Solano Sports Complex development with facilities for baseball, basketball, football, swimming, tennis, volleyball, pickleball and other sports was released as part of the California Forever project in east Solano County.

On June 6, the Solano Land Trust announced its opposition to the California Forever project to build a new community housing up to 400,000 people in the county.

Researchers say if California could collect and treat more stormwater in cities, it could provide enough water to supply a quarter of the state’s urban population.

These community projects can give renters and low-income homeowners a chance to go solar, but the PUC’s action is unlikely to give them the option.

The Nevada County Board of Supervisors contracted with an architectural firm to conduct a study of uses for the courthouse in Nevada City when local courts move to their new facility.

Volunteers are needed to help Gold Country Senior Service relocate their storage yard for their popular Senior Firewood program.

In its May 28 meeting, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors approved the county's first Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan .

A bill to ban homeless encampments statewide near parks, schools and transit hubs failed to get out of the same legislative committee as last year.

It’s been almost a half-century since I first heard the term “peripheral canal” uttered by William Gianelli, who was then-Gov. Ronald Reagan’s top water official. The project, in one form or another, had already been kicking around for decades.

The final draft of the Nevada County Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan has been released by the Nevada County Community Development Agency and is available for viewing on the Internet.

Closed since the 2022 Mosquito Fire, the Mosquito Ridge Road in the Tahoe National Forest has been repaired and reopened.

The headquarters for the Tahoe National Forest is moving to 15405 Kahele Court, in Nevada City.

A lawsuit has been filed against Nevada County by a subsidiary of the Rise Gold Corporation which is seeking to restart mining operations at the Idaho Maryland Mine in Grass Valley.

A public/private partnership to reduce fuel on 60,000 acres of the Tahoe National Forest begins work this summer.

The Tahoe National Forest has assigned several hundred acres for winter over-snow vehicle use.

The Nevada County Wastewater division responded to complaints in the Pleasant Valley Road and Highway 20 area and installed odor-control mechanisms.

As fire season approaches, the City of Nevada City is beginning defensible space inspections of all parcels in the city limits.

CalFire announced that starting May 1, permits will be required for outdoor burning in Nevada and Placer Counties.

Nevada County is seeking public input for a survey on a pedestrian improvement plan for a roundabout at the Ridge Road and Rough & Ready Highway intersection closes May 9.

Spring prescribed fire projects are set to begin in the Tahoe National Forest as early as April 29, depending on conditions.

Some residents fear development could destroy parts of the historic land.

In an April 17 community meeting in Grass Valley, dozens of area skateboarders gathered for a presentation on design options for the Condon Park Skatepark Project.

Four different master housing plans are available in Nevada County which are pre-approved by the Nevada County Building Department to help reduce costs in housing construction.

Having reached the Phase 1 fundraising goal of $1.5M, the project to acquire the 230+ acre project and return it to the descendants of its original native inhabitants is advancing.