Through peak fire season, emergency preparedness remains top of mind. In August, the 48-acre Pleasant Fire was another reminder that when we say, ‘one less spark, one less wildfire,’ we mean it.
In September, we approved three additional shaded fuel-breaks, a total of 1,049 acres of protection to western Nevada County’s most populated areas: Woodpecker Ravine along Rattlesnake and Lower Colfax, South County in Alta Sierra, and Phase II of Ponderosa West which protects Grass Valley, Penn Valley, Rough and Ready, and Alta Sierra. These grant-funded projects help our firefighters do what they do best – defend our homes and businesses. I commend the homeowners who have pledged to maintain their pieces of these projects for the next 10 years, but we also need to protect our investment with ongoing maintenance that isn’t guaranteed with future grant funding from CAL FIRE or FEMA. And they are just one small piece of what we could and should be doing as a community.
Our Board put Measure V on the November 8th ballot, a half percent sales tax that would add 50 cents to a $100 purchase, in order to fund community priorities such as preventing wildfires, improving evacuation routes, and providing green waste disposal options – now it’s up to the voters to decide.
Recreation is our newest Board Objective, and we have hit the ground running. We wrote a grant that secured over $1M for Western Gateway Recreation and Park District. These funds will make a huge difference in supporting the community’s vision and benefit our local economy by attracting visitors with a new RV camping area with BBQs and picnic tables, updated ballfields, and new signage along nature trails and park pathways.
We also launched our new Go Nevada County tourism website. Locals and visitors can find new ways to explore Nevada County, whether it’s enjoying the outdoors, going to an event, or supporting your new favorite local businesses.
After many years of planning and building, it was an exciting day to see folks moving into Brunswick Commons this September, adding 41 affordable housing units in Grass Valley. Looking ahead, we expect to see families moving into Cashin’s Field in Nevada City towards the new year.
Lastly, I’ve been thrilled with our progress toward supporting our legal cannabis farmers by strengthening our tools to provide enforcement and hold illegal cannabis operations accountable. This quarter, we updated our Cannabis Ordinance and launched a drone program that increases staff safety when investigating illegal operations.
As we celebrate our progress, we also look ahead toward what we can accomplish next. I look forward to finishing the year strong as we continue to serve our community and move the needle forward on these important community issues.
Sue Hoek currently serves as the Nevada County Board of Supervisors Chair. She is the District 4 Supervisor, which includes the communities of Lake Wildwood, North San Juan, Penn Valley, Rough and Ready, and Spenceville. Nevada County publishes quarterly reports to track progress on Board Objectives and recently published the July-September 2022 report.