GRASS VALLEY
Special City Council Meeting
Wednesday, November 05, 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
The meeting was called to order at 6:01 pm.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Hodge led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT
Councilmember Jan Arbuckle
Councilmember Joe Bonomolo
Councilmember Tom Ivy
Vice Mayor Haven Caravelli
Mayor Hilary Hodge
AGENDA APPROVAL -
Motion made by Councilmember Arbuckle, Seconded by Vice Mayor Caravelli.
Voting Yea: Councilmember Arbuckle, Councilmember Bonomolo, Councilmember Ivy, Vice Mayor Caravelli, Mayor Hodge
CONSENT ITEMS -
None.
ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR FOR DISCUSSION OR SEPARATE ACTION AND /
OR ANY ADDED AGENDA ITEMS
ADMINISTRATIVE
1. Downtown Grass Valley Roundabout Project – Approve Engineering Concept CEQA: N/A – CEQA review will be completed as part of the project work Recommendation: That Council approve a selected project alternative for the Downtown Grass Valley Roundabout Project
City Engineer Bejorn Jones presented an overview of the Grass Valley Downtown Roundabout Project and introduced representatives from GHD (consultant engineers) and NCTC. He summarized the project history, background, and current stage within the Project Approval and Environmental Documentation (PAED) phase.
Item # 4.
City of Grass Valley, CA MINUTES November 05, 2025
Staff recommended proceeding with either Option 2 or Option 5, noting both options meet funding and grant criteria while improving safety and functionality. The consultant team discussed accessibility features, bicycle and pedestrian improvements, and compliance with ADA standards.
Public Comment: Jay Straus, Shaun Johnson, Tim McCall, Bob Branstrom, Scott Meadows, Brenda English, Kathy, Ted, Matthew Coulter
Council members discussed; project funding, timeline, and grant deadlines (environmental clearance required by September 2026); Traffic modeling and potential impacts to surrounding streets; Pedestrian and bicycle safety, including design features for visually impaired users; Construction phasing, with preference for nighttime work to minimize downtown disruption; Coordination with Caltrans and other local construction projects on Highway 49; Long-term pedestrian connectivity to the Wolf Creek Trail and downtown.
Council members expressed differing preferences for Option 2 and Option 5.
Concerns included right-turn-only restrictions, potential traffic circulation through private lots, and maintaining safe pedestrian crossings.
Staff brought up the idea with the use of Option 5 to make South Auburn a one way street and eliminate the right out, and utilize the extra space for parking.
Motion by Councilmember Ivy, seconded by Councilmember Bonomolo, to approve Alternative 5.
Voting Yea: Councilmember Bonomolo, Councilmember Ivy, Mayor Hodge Voting Nay: Councilmember Arbuckle, Vice Mayor Caravelli
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 7:48 pm.
_____________________________ ________________________________ Hilary Hodge, Mayor Taylor Whittingslow, City Clerk
Adopted on: __________
Item # 4.
1 Taylor Whittingslow
From: WIRELESS CALLER - Voicemail box 8880 <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, November 5, 2025 6:30 PM
To: Public Comments
Subject: Voicemail from WIRELESS CALLER at on Nov 5 2025 6:26 PM Attachments: 1762396015-00002508.mp3
You received a new voicemail message
New voicemail message
Time: Wednesday, November 5 2025 6:26 PM
From: WIRELESS CALLER
Duration: 1 minute 58 seconds
Voicemail box: 8880
Transcript:
Hello. My name is Hannah English. I live on South Auburn Street in Grass Valley, California. I am completely against this huge roundabout that you guys want to put in. My mother and I walk those streets daily and, I mean, people don't even stop at the stop signs to let us pass, I've almost gone hit multiple times. I've been in the middle of the crosswalks and people just zoom right behind me like I'm not even in the crosswalk. So, and I've witnessed at the current roundabout that we have in Grass Valley that, I mean, even at that roundabout people don't stop for pedestrians.
Same thing, I've witnessed multiple people almost get hit at the East Main roundabout. I've seen people waiting for cars to come to a stop and they don't. So I think adding this huge roundabout with not only multiple roads connecting to it, but the freeway off and on ramps, all those cross logs, I mean, it's not going to be good.
Item # 4.
2 There's going to be tons of accidents. I wouldn't be surprised If there's going to be some vehicle versus pedestrian calls, this is not safe at all. There's going to be multiple accidents. I mean, there's already multiple accidents on Highway 49 at their roundabouts. People don't know how to drive in a roundabout. They don't yield or they just come to a complete stop for no reason. Yeah, thanks.
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Item # 4.
1 Taylor Whittingslow
From: SNYDER BRIAN - Voicemail box 8880 <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, November 5, 2025 5:03 PM
To: Public Comments
Subject: Voicemail from SNYDER BRIAN at on Nov 5 2025 5:01 PM Attachments: 1762390887-000024c2.mp3
You received a new voicemail message
New voicemail message
Time: Wednesday, November 5 2025 5:01 PM
From: SNYDER BRIAN
Duration: 40 seconds
Voicemail box: 8880
Transcript:
Hello, this is Brian Snyder. I live at 319 Chapel Street in Grass Valley. And I am blind, and it's very important for me to hear the surge of traffic or when it stops. With a roundabout, I am not able to hear that. So traffic is constantly moving, so I don't know when to go. So that is a problem for those that are blind like myself, and so I oppose the roundabout at that intersection. Thank you for your time and have a good evening.
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Item # 4.