Three areas of the county in need of a General Plan update were  presented  for action to the Nevada County Supervisors today, but the Planning Commission was asking Supervisors to pick which project would go first.  The recommendations were a plan update  for the Soda Springs area along old Highway 40, updating the 2000 Higgins Corner Area Plan which has experienced a great deal of  development growth , or option C,  an update to the 2000 Penn Valley Village Center.  District 2 Supervisor Ed Scofield, who’s district includes Higgins Corner, says it’s hard to pick because they all need updating.
Click here to listen to Ed Scofield

The Soda Springs Area Update Plan was the least expensive of the three to complete and could be done with in-house staff. Updating the Higgins Corner area plan would need to include all of Combie Road and the services of outside consultants, as for the Penn Valley Village Center, the new Wastewater Treatment Plan proposed for Penn Valley and surrounding areas is likely to require changes in land use once the plant is completed.

The Supervisors voted unanimously to start with an update to the Soda Springs area.   The only commercial land use designation currently in the area which follows Old Highway 40  is “Highway Corridor”  which provides for the needs of highway related and tourist populations, but does not fill the needs of the growing permanent residents of the Soda Springs area. The project was also favored because a Donner Summit Area Association had already been formed and is willing to work with planning and public works on types of zoning the area really needs.  Supervisor Weston says MACs or Municipal Area Councils should be formed in all areas slated for General Plan updates.
Click here to listen to Hank Weston

The Soda Springs Area Plan Update is expected to take 18 to 24 months to complete.