GRASS VALLEY
City Council Regular Meeting, Capital Improvements Authority and Redevelopment "Successor Agency"
Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Council Chambers, Grass Valley City Hall | 125 East Main Street, Grass Valley, California Telephone: (530) 274-4310 – Fax: (530) 274-4399
E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.cityofgrassvalley.com
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Meeting called to order at 6:03 pm.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Pledge of allegiance led by Mayor Hodge.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT
Councilmember Jan Arbuckle
Councilmember Joe Bonomolo
Councilmember Tom Ivy
Vice Mayor Haven Caravelli
Mayor Hilary Hodge
AGENDA APPROVAL -
Motion made to approve the agenda as submitted by Councilmember Arbuckle, Seconded by Vice Mayor Caravelli.
Voting Yea: Councilmember Arbuckle, Councilmember Bonomolo, Councilmember Ivy, Vice Mayor Caravelli, Mayor Hodge
REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
No closed session.
INTRODUCTIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
1. Jewish American Heritage Month Proclamation
CITY STAFF UPDATE
2. Update on the Measure B work being done.
PUBLIC COMMENT -
In Person Comments: Speakers 1 to 7
Virtual Public comments are attached.
Break taken at 7:18 pm. The meeting was called back to order at 7:26 p.m.
Item # 2.
City of Grass Valley, CA MINUTES May 27, 2025
CONSENT ITEMS -
Virtual public comment attached.
A motion was made to approve the consent as presented by Councilmember Arbuckle, Seconded by Councilmember Ivy.
Voting Yea: Councilmember Arbuckle, Councilmember Bonomolo, Councilmember Ivy, Vice Mayor Caravelli, Mayor Hodge
3. Approval of the Regular Meeting Minutes of May 13, 2025.
Recommendation: Council approve minutes as submitted.
4. City Hall Exterior Stair Repair Project.
CEQA: 15301 Existing Facility – Categorically Exempt
Recommendation: The Council 1) approves the Deputy Public Works Director to execute a contract with Lester Enterprises Northstate Inc to complete repairs to exterior stairs at City Hall subject to legal review; 2) allow Deputy Public Works Director to approve a 5% contingency; 3) allow Finance Director to make any necessary budget adjustments and transfers.
5. Consideration of Waste Management’s annual fee adjustments and new fees for service
CEQA: Not a project
Recommendation: That Council adopt Resolution 2025-09 adjusting service rates to Waste Management’s fee schedule
6. Adoption of Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps as determined by Cal Fire
CEQA: Not a project
Recommendation: That Council holds a seconding reading of Ordinance 835, waive full reading and read by Title only, and adopt the Ordinance hereby designating the Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps as recommended by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Government Code Section 51178,
7. City-sponsored mural project at the Hwy 49 Underpass CEQA: CEQA Exemption Class 1
Recommendation: Receive and File.
ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR FOR DISCUSSION OR SEPARATE ACTION AND /
OR ANY ADDED AGENDA ITEMS
REORGANIZATION RELATED ITEMS
PUBLIC HEARING
8. Rezone and use permit application by Granite Wellness to change the zoning of a 3.31 acre parcel, APN 035-330-021, from Central Business District (C-2) to the Community Business District (C-1) zoning designation, and a Use Permit for an in-patient Withdrawal Management Facility.
Item # 2.
City of Grass Valley, CA MINUTES May 27, 2025
CEQA: CEQA Exemption Class 1
Recommendation: The planning commission recommends that City Council approve the Re-zone application by Granite Wellness from the Central Business District (C-2) to the Community Business District (C-1) zoning designation, and approve the Use Permit project as presented, or as modified at the public hearing, which includes the following actions: 1) Adopt Resolution 2025-17, determining that the Zoning Map Amendment and the Conditional Use Permit are Categorically Exempt pursuant to Section 15301, Class 1, of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Guidelines, as detailed in the staff report and adopt the attached Notice of Exemption (NOE) (Attachment 1; and 2) Introduce the attached Ordinance 836 to adopt a zoning amendment to rezone a portion of APN: 035-330-021 from Central Business District (C-2) to the Community Business District (C-1), waive full reading, and read by Title Only (Attachment 2); and 3) Adopt Resolution-18 approving the Use Permit to allow a use consistent with “Medical Services – Extended Care,” pursuant to Table 2-10, Allowed Land Uses and Permit Requirements for Commercial and Industrial Zone, of the City Municipal Code in accordance with the Conditions of Approval as presented in the staff report (Attachment 3).
Amy Wolfson, City Planner, gave the presentation of the item to the Council.
An amendment was made by staff and Legal Counsel to Ordinance 836.
Virtual public comment attached.
Motion made to approve the Re-zone application by Granite Wellness from the Central Business District (C-2) to the Community Business District (C-1) zoning designation, and approve the Use Permit project as presented, or as modified at the public hearing, which includes the following actions: 1) Adopt Resolution 2025-17, determining that the Zoning Map Amendment and the Conditional Use Permit are Categorically Exempt pursuant to Section 15301, Class 1, of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Guidelines, as detailed in the staff report and adopt the attached Notice of Exemption (NOE) (Attachment 1; and 2) Introduce the attached Ordinance 836 to adopt a zoning amendment to rezone a portion of APN: 035-330-021 from Central Business District (C-2) to the Community Business District (C-1), waive full reading, and read by Title Only (Attachment 2); and 3) Adopt Resolution-18 approving the Use Permit to allow a use consistent with “Medical Services – Extended Care,” pursuant to Table 2-10, Allowed Land Uses and Permit Requirements for Commercial and Industrial Zone, of the City Municipal Code in accordance with the Conditions of Approval as presented in the staff report (Attachment 3) by Councilmember Ivy, Seconded by Councilmember Bonomolo.
Voting Yea: Councilmember Arbuckle, Councilmember Bonomolo, Councilmember Ivy, Vice Mayor Caravelli, Mayor Hodge.
ADMINISTRATIVE
9. FY 2025-26 Preliminary Budget Overview
CEQA: Not a project
Recommendation: It is recommended that the City Council 1) approve the FY 2025- 26 Preliminary Budget and provide further Director to staff as it relates to the preparation of the 2025-26 Final Budget and 2) set June 24, 2025, as the date for the public hearing for the FY 2025-26 Final Budget.
Item # 2.
City of Grass Valley, CA MINUTES May 27, 2025
Jenifer Styczynski, Deputy Finance Director, gave an overview of the preliminary budget for the Council.
Virtual public comment attached.
Motion to 1) approve the FY 2025-26 Preliminary Budget and provide further Director to staff as it relates to the preparation of the 2025-26 Final Budget and 2) set June 24, 2025, as the date for the public hearing for the FY 2025-26 Final Budget by Councilmember Arbuckle, Seconded by Vice Mayor Caravelli.
Voting Yea: Councilmember Arbuckle, Councilmember Bonomolo, Councilmember Ivy, Vice Mayor Caravelli, Mayor Hodge
10. Update on the rollout of SB1383 and the new organic waste recycling program.
CEQA: Not a project.
Recommendation: That Council provide general input and direction to staff.
Zac Quentmeyer, Deputy Public Works Director, along with staff from WM, gave a presentation on the rollout of SB 1383.
Virtual comments attached.
Informational item.
11. Condon Park Skatepark Expansion – Establishing an Ad Hoc Committee CEQA: Not a Project
Recommendation: That the City Council appoint two City Council Members to an Ad Hoc Committee to work on the future expansion of the Condon Park Skatepark.
Tim Kiser, City Manager, introduced the item of the Council selecting an Ad Hoc Committee.
Public Comment: Unnamed, Unnamed, Unnamed, Unnamed, Unnamed Virtual public comments are attached.
Motion made by Councilmember Caravelli to nominate Councilmember Ivy & Bonomolo to sit on ad hoc committee, seconded by Councilmember Arbuckle. Voting Yea: Councilmember Arbuckle, Councilmember Bonomolo, Councilmember Ivy, Vice Mayor Caravelli, Mayor Hodge
BRIEF REPORTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Councilmember Bonomolo had nothing to report. Councilmember Ivy attended a Pioneer Energy meeting, Caltrans Hwy 49 projects are coming, the peanut roundabout is in the early planning stages, attended a Friday Night Live presentation, and participated in the WM Bulky item drop off. Councilmember Arbuckle attended the GVDA and Chamber meeting, Memorial Day event at Memorial Park, was on the On the Town radio program, Savvy women talk at the Hospital, met with the County in discussions of Animal Shelter, a Chamber Mixer, and Bright Futures for Youth event. Vice Mayor Caravelli attended an ERC executive Board Meeting, a Sierra Harvest meeting, a Cultural Arts Planning meeting with Nevada City, a Memorial Day event, a Garden Party at Saint Joseph's Hall, and the Bright Futures for Youth Graduation. She will have the first installation of Art put into City Hall with her City stipend. Mayor Hodge attended the Downtown Association Meeting, the Center for the Arts
Item # 2.
City of Grass Valley, CA MINUTES May 27, 2025
event, and the Memorial Day Event, and will have office hours tomorrow from 9 am to 11 am.
CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC COMMENT
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 9:37 p.m.
________________________________ __________________________________ Hilary Hodge, Mayor Taylor Whittingslow, City Clerk
Adopted on:____________
Item # 2.
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CITY OF GRASS VALLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING
GENERAL PUBLIC COM/V\ENT SIGN IN SHEET
WELCOME to the City of Grass Vattey City Council meeting! Pubtic Comments provide an opportunity for the pubtic to address the City Council on any subject which is not on the agenda but in the jurisdiction of the councit. lf you wish to speak, ptease indicate in the appropriate box when you sign in and take the number corresponding to your name. Each individual can have up to 3 minutes of pubtic comment. At the beginning of the meeting, there will be an attotted 30 minutes of generat pubtic comments and the remainder of comments wit[ be heard at the end of the agenda.
Speakers witt be catled in order of the numbers given.
When you are recognized by the mayor:
1. Please stand before the podium and give your name and address. (optionat)
2. Please limit your comments to three minutes per speaker.
3. lf previous speakers have made the same point, you may simply indicate your support or disagreement, untess you have new information.
Thank you for your participation.
#'s Print Name
Or N/A
Address
(optionpl)
Self/Business
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Item # 2.
Grass Valley City Council
May 27,2025
Sierra Express Bicycle Club of Nevada County
Support for lmproving Bike Safety as Part of East Main Paving Proiect repaving p roject
THANK YOU
. Good evening honorable Mayor and Council members
o Speaker: Katherine Thompson, President, Sierra Express Bicycle Club of Nevada County sierraexpress.org
o Report on two things:
. Our recent Community engagement activities concerning cycling . Meeting with City about the Measure E East Main Paving Project o We dro had booths at the May 3 County Recreation Fair and the April 13 Earthfest to promote bike safety. We had a bike safety quiz and we rec'd community feedback. o The primary feedback we received is the need for a bicycle connection between Grass Valley and Nevada City-the most logical candidate is East Main and the Nevada City Highway. i
Regarding the Measure E East Main Paving Project, we met with City of Grass Valley on April 24 and presented specific written bike safety proposals which the City is seriously considering. We thank the City for meeting with us and hearing out our proposals. (Please note that.much of East Main has existing bike lanes).
Our propbsals deal with restriping to create more of a consistent bike lane for the length of East Main, reducing traffic lane widths, adding bike boxes at intersections and creating more of a separated bike lane using striping and plastic delineators where practical. (Our proposal largely involves stripinB...no parking removal is involved.) o Federal Highways found converting bike lanes to separated bike lanes can reduce serious crashes by up to 53% (Fact Sheet FHWA-SA-21-051) o Federal Highways found that decreasing lane width to add a bike lane/bike box as we are suggesting at busy intersections did not result in an increase in crashes or congestion.
o Federal Highways has specific guidance for repaving projects that highly recommends improving bike lanes as a cost-effei$6',{., ea ns as improving bike safety. (FHWA Workbook, "lncorporating On-Road Bicycle Networks into Resurffcing Projects").
rn .on.trr-io-o *" ,rpport ,fi5firii ESrl-rur.in safer for cyclists as part of the Measure E o
Item # 2.
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-Bicycle Lones
Most fotol ond serious injury bicyclist croshes occur ot non-intersection locotions.
Nearly one-third of these croshes occur when motorists ore overtoking bicyclislsr becouse the speed ond size ditferenliol between vehicles ond bicycles con leod to severe injury. Mony people ore nol comfortoble riding o bicycle becouse of their feor thot this type of crosh moy occur. To moke bicycling sofer ond more comfortoble for mosl types of bicyclists. Stote ond locoi ogencies should consider instolling bicycle lones. Providing bicycle focilities con mitigote or prevent interoctions, conflicts, ond croshes between bicyclists ond motor vehicles, ond creo'le o network of sofer roodwoys for bicycling. Bicycle Lones olign with the Sofe Sysiem Approach principle of recognizing humon vulnerotr,ility-where seporoting users in spoce con enhonce sofety for oll rood users Solety Benefils:
Converling lrodilionol or ,lush
buflered bicycle lones lo o
seporoled bicycle lqne with
flexible delineotor posls con
reduce croshes up lo:
tr" bicycle/vehicle c'osnes.
Bicycle Lone Addilions con
reduce crosheg up lo:
4e%
for totoi croshes.on urbon
4-lone undivided eollectors
ond locol rogds.T
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Applicolions
The FHWA'S,rri ri,,.r ,r, i ,rj ,.ii ri
ond r,.i.,,r'r 1i!'tj | | i,,.' i1t,:) :1,
l,r. iLi, ii.ri ril l:t .i i t: :,tt tt | ' I
ossisl ogencies in determining which
focilities provide the most benefit in
vorious contexts. Bicycle lones con kr'e
;included on new roodwoys or creoted
on existing roods by reollocoling
spoce in the righf-of-woy through
ii, lr, r1 I , Seporoted bicycle lones,
which use verticol elements-such
. os flexible delineotor posts, curbs, or
. vegelotion between the bicycle
lone ond molorized troffic lones
.
provide odditionol sofety benefits.'?3
.For o morked bike lone without verticol
elemenls. o loterol offset with morked
buffer con help lo further seporote
bicyclists from vehicle lroffic.
Considerolions
. ln order to moximize o roodwoy's
suitobility for riders of oll oges
ond obilities. bicycle lone design
should vory occording to roodwoy
chorocieristics (number of lones.
motor vehicle ond truck volumet
speed, presence of tronsit), user needs
(current ond forecosted ridership,
types of bicycles ond micromobility
devices in use within the community,
role within the bicycling network), ond
lond-use context (odjocent lond uses,
types ond intensity of conflicting uses,
demonds from other users for curbside
occess). Seporoted bicycle lones ore
recommended on roodwoys with
higher vehicle volumes ond speeds,
such os orteriols.
. City ond Slole policies moy require
minimum bicycle lone widths,
olthough desiroble bicycle lone widlhs
con differ by ogency ond funciionol
clossificotion of the rood. current
ond forecosted bicycle volumes,
ond contextuol ottributes such os
topogrophy.
. Studies hove found thot roodwoys did
not experience on increose in croshes
or congeston when lrovel lone widths
were decreosed to odd o bicycle
lone.!
. Studies ond experience in U.S. cilies
show thot bicycle lones increose
ridership ond moy help jurisdictions
better monoge roodwoy copocity,
. ln rurol Oreos, rumble strips con
negotively impoct bicyclists' obility to
nde if not properly instolled. Agencies
should consider the dimensions.
plocement. ond ofhet of rumble strips
when odding o bicycle lone.5
. Bicycle lones should be considered on
roodwoys where odjocent lond use
suggests thot trips could be served by
voried modes. porticulorly to meet the
sofety ond trovel needs of low-income
populotions likely to use bicycles to
reoch essentiol destinotions.6
for totol croshes on urbon
2-lone undivided Collectors
ond locol roods.T
Bicycle lone in Woshington. DC
Source: Alex Bocq..Wqshrngton Areo
Blcyclsl Associotion
For more inlormotion on lhis
ond other FHWA Proven Solely
Counlermeosures, pleose visil
https://hiohwoys,dol.oov/
s-oletylBravelo€qle&:ea ter
meqsules ond httPs: / /high
woys.dol.qov/sites/lhwo.dol.
gov ltilesl202247 I
fhwosol8O77.pdf.
I Thornos et .ll Ercycrst Crosh lyrres on Nolronol,
slotc, ond Locol Levols A New Look Iroosportol on
Reseorch aecorcl 673(d). 654-676 (2O)9)
FHWA BEP r 5-025. (20t5)
1( r,,/. D
FHWA HRI23 025. (2023)
4 Pork ond Abde Aly Evoluolion ofsolcty
efccllvcncss o, rnu,liple cross seciionol,eolures on
utbo^ onetials Acc denl Anolysis ond Prevenllon,
Vo 92. pp 245 255. (2016)
5 FHWA Tech Adv sory
. (201l)
FHWA. (20 r6)
7 (CN,IF D )
FHWA"HRT 2t 012. (202t)
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OFFICE OF SAFETY
Proven Sofefu
Countermeobures
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Item # 2.
Date: May 13,202s - UfAtfa, /\q.62) \AO>5
To: Mayor Hodge and Members of the Grass Valley City Council From: Lily Marie Mora
11683 Alta Vista Ave.
Grass Valley, CA 95945-5523
Email: lilvmarie tr.inlbstations.eont
Cell Ph# 530-210-8931
RE: Public Comment- Future land use and boundary extensions of the city limits Dear Mayor and Council Members
AppreciationThanks for all your efforts to work with the public to make our town a great place to live.
Speciat thanks to Duane Strawser for the fire abatement work around the Water Treatment Plant and Cell Tower areas. He has been both through to keep on task to get the job completed as fire season approaches and thoughtful to address neighbors concems.
Points of concem & questions
-
1. As you work on your Strategic Plan take special care to look at the revitalization ofbusiness areas near housing and best use of the open space that we have left. Think park like settings for business and residents / shoppers to live, relax and support the local economy like Mill St.
Generally, look how to develop strong neighborhoods, that support each other through all kinds of situations that will arise in the future.
2. The property surrounding the old Golf course--maybe converting some ofthe office buildings into Hotels, instead ofbuilding the one proposed by Burger King or do a building conversion to housing? Revitalizing those areas without destroying more of our natural beauty that attracts people to our area. Go to Oakland, CA and see what can happen to a city without long term planning. It has a great effect on the economy, the culture and the quality of life / crime rate.
Much of the infrastructure is already there-building, parking, lighting, etc.
Businesses that stand-alone have more difficulty staying in business too.
3. SPIRIT Center Property at the end of Gates Place, maybe Tiny Homes development and Community Garden like proposed at Mautino Park?
4. The Ridge Rd. development that has been at a stands still for a couple ofyears, Maybe, Habitat Homes could be built there? Also, developers need to have strict time lines for their development completions, fees for not staying on time or forfeit these half developed properties to the city to resell or get grant funding to finish the projects.
5. Don't extend the City Limits-we don't need more to take care of and /or increase the degrading of the environment or more city sprawl.
6.Work with local Solar Companies to install solar units over parking lots to create more local power independence and jobs for residents, i.e.-Briar Patch, Nev. Co. Govemment Center, etc.
Thanks for your consideration.
Lily Marie Mora, 70yr. resident of Nevada County and Retired Social Worker
Item # 2.