Calling it disastrous for the area, the Grass Valley/Nevada County Chamber of Commerce has taken a stance against the Managed Growth Initiative set for the Nov. 4 ballot.

“In effect, it would snuff out the economic vitality of the city of Grass Valley,” said chamber Executive Director Mary Ann Mueller this morning.

“The chamber has taken a stance against it, our mission is to make economy of Grass Valley and Nevada County vital,” Mueller said. “It’s ballot box planning at its worst.”

The ballot box planning criticism has been voiced by city officials in recent months for the plan that could cause votes on projects needing land-use changes within the Grass Valley’s sphere of influence.

The Managed Growth Initiative was put on the ballot by Grant Cattaneo’s slow-growth group Friends of Grass Valley and the city has officially opposed it as well.

The city has also opposed the alternative Limited Growth Initiative on the Nov. 4 ballot on similar grounds.

That initiative offered by Mayor Mark Johnson, Dennis Cassela and Peggy Levine would limit the number of housing units to 2,820 through 2020 and put boundary changes and annexations to a vote as well.

For the full story, see Friday’s edition of The Union.