News in Brief

Chief Crazy Horse Saloon owner Dianna Hill shakes hands with Chamber President Duane Strawser after she learned he had met with Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control officials on her behalf. In a special City Council meeting on Sept. 9, Strawser informed the Nevada City council he had helped negotiate an agreement that would allow Hill to serve more food, keep live music and stay open later on certain nights. For more news briefs, just click on the link.

Nevada City news briefs

Nevada City man hired as new city attorney

  The Nevada City council voted 5-0 to hire a Nevada City man to be its new city attorney and second one in two years.

  Harold DeGraw replaces Jeffrey Massey of the Sacramento law firm Kronick, Moscovitz, Tiedemann and Girand.

 Massy was hired in July of 2008 after longtime City Attorney Jim Anderson retired.

  DeGraw recently retired from the Nevada County Counsel’s Office. He will be paid $50 per meeting and $50 per hour although it is expected he will not work more than 80 hours a month. In addition, the city agreed to pay $250 for DeGraw’s 2010 California State Bar dues.

  City Manager Gene Albaugh said the city expects to save between $20,000 and $30,000 with the new arrangement.

State certifies city’s 123-page housing element

Nevada City joined rare company when the state approved its 2009-2014 Housing Element.

  City Planner Cindy Siegfried said the city made its certification deadline of Aug. 31, which placed Nevada City in the first 5 percent of municipalities that submitted plans on time.

  The housing element is a 123-page document that includes the city’s plan to meet the state’s affordable housing guidelines. It does so primarily by making zoning changes that allow developments of 16 units per acre in certain parts of Nevada City.

  Siegfried said the city has already rezoned a parcel at 646 Searls Avenue that allows for the increase in density. The Nevada City Tech Center along Providence Mine Road also has had a portion of its property zoned R3, which allows 16 units per acre but requires a variety of unit sizes.

  All housing projects would need the approval of the Planning Commission.

  Siegfried said the adoption of the housing element, which hadn’t been updated since 1976, makes the city eligible for a number of state grants, including the Housing Related Parks Program, which was authorized by Proposition 1C.

  Tom Parillo, a former Nevada County planning director, worked as a consultant on the Housing Element.

  Planning Commission OKs sign applications

At its Sept. 3 meeting, the Nevada City Planning Commission approved one of two sign applications for the historic downtown district.

  The Private Industry Council of Butte County received approval for the new Stone House Hospitality Academy sign at 107 Sacramento Street. The Stonehouse Restaurant, which closed its doors in 2008, was the previous occupant of that space.

  The new sign is two feet by three feet and double sided.

  Peggy and Bob Wright of Nevada City had requested a sign for their new business called Treats, which serves ice cream sorbet, cookies and other items at 110 York Street.

  Bob Wright, who is a member of the Planning Commission, recused himself from the discussion and vote. Commissioner Greg Wolters was absent from the meeting, which meant the commission lacked a quorum on that issue and could not vote on the application.

  Siegfried said the application will be considered at the next Planning Commission meeting.

The sign is 24 inches by 28 inches and double sided.

 The commission also approved the placement of a “Peace Pole” in front of the Center for Sustainable Living at 413 Commercial Street. The application was submitted by the Nevada County Grandmothers for Peace.

Police department makes 29 arrests in July

The Nevada City Police Department made 29 arrests in July, the most recent month that crime statistics are available.

  According to Police Chief Lou Trovato’s monthly report to the City Council, seven of those arrests were for thefts, including three auto burglaries and four categorized as “other.” Five arrests were for assault and four of those involved firearms. Five were arrested for D.U.I.

 Of the 29 arrests, 24 were adults, three were juveniles and two were the result of outstanding warrants.

  Overall, the police department states that 68 crimes were reported in July.

  In July of 2008, 81 total crimes and 34 arrests were reported.

Nevada City seeks $82,000 for street projects

The Nevada City council has approved a resolution asking the Nevada County Transportation Commission for $82,000 for street-safety improvements.

  City Engineer Bill Falconi said the city is requesting the federal funds that are tied to projects that improve air quality. The money, which the city has received in past years, has already been used for sidewalk and street improvements, according to Falconi.

Broad Street resurfacing project rescheduled

City Engineer Bill Falconi has decided to wait until next year to spend $120,000 in federal stimulus money to resurface Broad Street.

  The city was notified in July that it would receive the funding but did not get the final authorization from Cal-Trans until this fall. Falconi said it would be at least mid-October before work could begin, which is too close to winter for the project.

  Falconi said he expects the project to be done in May or June of 2010.

Take Back the Night march set for Oct. 15

The annual Take Back the Night march will be held beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15, at the City Hall parking lot in downtown Grass Valley.

  The Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalition is holding the event as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Guest speakers, victims and a candlelight procession are included in the evening’s activities.

   For more information, call the DVSAC at 530-272-2046.