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Keeping the historic flair in downtown Grass Valley and within the boundaries of the surrounding 1872 townsite will be studied during Tuesday night’s meeting of the city’s Planning Commission.
Early last year, the City Council passed an ordinance to stop the demolition of historic structures within the original townsite’s 370 acres, which has 1,165 lots and 1,928 buildings. The ordinance was a precursor to the Historic Preservation Ordinance to be discussed Tuesday.
The proposed ordinance “Would establish a process to review historic buildings not only for demolition or removal, but also for structural or architectural changes,” according to a report by city associate planner Dan Chance.
Since then, the city has hired Historic Resource Associates to prepare the ordinance for the townsite with four components: A historical context report, a historical survey, the ordinance itself and guidelines for historic preservation in the original townsite.
Preparation of the report included examining historical records, field review of the structures and interviews with Grass Valley historians, according to Chance’s document. The historic survey will develop a rating system to establish the historic value of each building.
When the historical survey is done, the city will call a public workshop to reveal which buildings have the most historical significance.
Also on the agenda is a review of the major area
s that have been proposed for development on the outskirts of town for years, but which have not been developed.
The Kenny Ranch project was taken over by Nevada County, according to City Administrator Dan Holler. The development on land west of Grass Valley along Rough and Ready Highway — a much-reduced proposal compared to that brought to the city several years ago — is no longer under the city’s authority.
A contract has been awarded for the environmental report for the Loma Rica Ranch project on the eastern boundary along Sutton and Brunswick roads, Holler said. The environmental report for the South Hill project, at the old Bear River Mill site on Highway 49 at La Barr Meadows Road, is slated for late spring or early summer completion. The North Star plan has been resubmitted to developers for changes, Holler said, but they have not sent those back to the city yet. That proposed development along Alison Ranch Road at the south end of town is also slowed by a bankruptcy issue.
To contact Senior Staff Writer Dave Moller, e-mail dmoller@theunion.com or call 477-4237.
Early last year, the City Council passed an ordinance to stop the demolition of historic structures within the original townsite’s 370 acres, which has 1,165 lots and 1,928 buildings. The ordinance was a precursor to the Historic Preservation Ordinance to be discussed Tuesday.
The proposed ordinance “Would establish a process to review historic buildings not only for demolition or removal, but also for structural or architectural changes,” according to a report by city associate planner Dan Chance.
Since then, the city has hired Historic Resource Associates to prepare the ordinance for the townsite with four components: A historical context report, a historical survey, the ordinance itself and guidelines for historic preservation in the original townsite.
Preparation of the report included examining historical records, field review of the structures and interviews with Grass Valley historians, according to Chance’s document. The historic survey will develop a rating system to establish the historic value of each building.
When the historical survey is done, the city will call a public workshop to reveal which buildings have the most historical significance.
Also on the agenda is a review of the major area
s that have been proposed for development on the outskirts of town for years, but which have not been developed.
The Kenny Ranch project was taken over by Nevada County, according to City Administrator Dan Holler. The development on land west of Grass Valley along Rough and Ready Highway — a much-reduced proposal compared to that brought to the city several years ago — is no longer under the city’s authority.
A contract has been awarded for the environmental report for the Loma Rica Ranch project on the eastern boundary along Sutton and Brunswick roads, Holler said. The environmental report for the South Hill project, at the old Bear River Mill site on Highway 49 at La Barr Meadows Road, is slated for late spring or early summer completion. The North Star plan has been resubmitted to developers for changes, Holler said, but they have not sent those back to the city yet. That proposed development along Alison Ranch Road at the south end of town is also slowed by a bankruptcy issue.
To contact Senior Staff Writer Dave Moller, e-mail dmoller@theunion.com or call 477-4237.
