Plans for a new Mill Street parking lot have taken a step forward. The Grass Valley City Council has authorized the advertisement of bids for the 32-space project on a city-owned lot. It will help replace some of the parking lost from the Promenade. But work is still several months away. All the winter precipitation resulted in some unexpected wetlands, including cattails. And that means the city has to obtain a state permit to mitigate it. Meanwhile, one neighbor told the Council the project won’t be an aesthetic upgrade…

click to listen to concerned resident

The unidentified neighbor also told the Council that the project would close up a spring running under her home and cause flooding. But City Engineer Bjorn Jones indicated the concern will be addressed…

click to listen to Bjorn Jones

And due to the steep topography of the property, significant grading and retaining wall construction is also required. Jones estimates probable construction costs at around half-a-million dollars.