New Nevada City Courthouse scoping meeting on March 25

The Judicial Council of California (Judicial Council) will be the lead agency to certify an Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”) compliant with the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) for the proposed Judicial Council New Nevada City Courthouse Project (also referred to as “the Project”, “the Proposed Project”, or “Project Site”). In accordance with Section 15082 of the CEQA Guidelines, this Notice of Preparation (“NOP”) provides the Project location, brief Project description, and the probable environmental effects from the Project. This NOP also provides a summary of the anticipated CEQA process for the Project.

The purpose of this NOP is to provide an opportunity to comment on the scope and proposed content of the EIR. The Judicial Council invites Responsible and Trustee Agencies, Interested Parties, and Organizations to provide information relevant to the analysis of environmental resources in the forthcoming EIR. Specifically, input is requested on:

1. Scope of Environmental Analysis – guidance on the scope of analysis for this EIR, including identification of specific issues that will require closer study due to the location, scale, and character of the Project;
2. Alternatives – suggestions for alternatives to the Proposed Project that could potentially reduce or avoid potentially significant or significant impacts; and,
3. Mitigation or Project Conditions – ideas for feasible mitigation, including mitigation that would avoid or reduce potentially significant or significant impacts to environmental resources.

This includes identifying specific environmental issues, alternatives, and mitigation measures that should be explored in the EIR as outlined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15082(b). If there is no response within 30 days, the Judicial Council will assume there are no specific environmental issues, alternatives, or mitigation measures that each Responsible and Trustee Agencies, Interested Parties, and Organizations believe should be incorporated into the EIR.

Written Comments on the Notice of Preparation

Please provide your written comments by April 10, 2026. Comments, along with the name and contact information of the appropriate person in your organization, should be addressed to:

Janell Ramirez
Judicial Council of California
2860 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95833-4336

nvcity-court.project@jud.ca.gov

Information related to the Proposed Project, including how to access Project documents and how to participate in the public review process will be provided at the scoping meeting. Information related to this Project is also available for review on the Judicial Council’s website at: Nevada County, New Nevada City Courthouse | Judicial Branch of California

Project Description

Background

The existing Nevada City Courthouse at 201 Church Street, Nevada City, California is located on a 0.98-acre parcel. The existing courthouse is a three-story, six-courtroom facility and serves approximately two-thirds of the Nevada County population and accommodates criminal, misdemeanor, traffic, family law, juvenile, and civil calendars. The original courthouse was constructed prior to 1850. The courthouse was rebuilt after the 1856 fire and again after the 1863 fire. Since this time, the courts have continually provided justice services from this courthouse for over 150 years. The existing courthouse was remodeled and expanded in 1900 and 1937; and included an interconnected Annex constructed in 1964. Between 1969 and 1984, a new wing of the building was added on the north side of the building. There was an additional remodel done to the building in 1993. The existing courthouse and Annex function as a single, County-owned and managed building. Together, these buildings total 64,864 gross square feet, of which, 24,057 square feet is exclusively occupied by the court and the remaining balance is occupied by various County functions.

Project Location and Surrounding Uses

The Proposed Project would be constructed on an approximately 4.22-acre parcel (Assessor Parcel Number 005-310-009) located just northwest of the State Route (SR) 49 and Coyote Street intersection at the northern edge of Nevada City and within roughly 0.5 mile of downtown (Exhibit 1). The Project Site is currently developed with an approximately 39,000-square-foot, wood-framed United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service office building (constructed in 1964) and an ancillary outbuilding; both would be demolished (Exhibit 2). The property is privately owned and zoned Employment Center, Scenic Corridor (EC-SC), consistent with the Nevada City General Plan designation. Surrounding land is predominantly residential with nearby public services uses, including the existing USDA facility and Nevada County Consolidated Fire District Station 84. The area exhibits a suburban development pattern and infrastructure. The Project Site is presently accessed via a single roadway connection to Coyote Street. A Nevada County Transit Route 1 bus stop is located at the SR 49/Coyote Street intersection.

Topography slopes generally northward with approximately 20 feet of relief. The Project Site is located above the 100-year flood zone. Existing vegetation is limited due to prior development.