A LETTER to Director Charlton H. Bonham, California Department of Fish and Wildlife requesting the presence of additional Fish and Wildlife officers in Sierra County was discussed during the Sierra County Board of Supervisors’ meeting held Tuesday in Loyalton. Sheriff Mike Fisher explained he sent a letter from his office back in June outlining very little to no coverage in Sierra County. The current warden has a huge area to cover and Fisher asked them to split Sierra County into 2 (west side and east side). Fisher believes a reason for no additional officers is 2023 stats for criminal complaints was 0. He stated if you have 0 enforcement you have 0 stats, adding the stats are here and crimes are occurring and it is impacting locals and visitors. Supervisor Lee Adams said for decades Sierra County had two resident wardens. Fisher said the footprint in Sierra County has not grown and is important they protect. Supervisor Sharon Dryden felt they are now encountering challenges since they changed the name from Fish and Game to Fish and Wildlife, adding no longer managing game. Fisher stated depredation permits now go through the wildlife side, instead of law enforcement. They still have the job of euthanizing animals that are a public safety, but they put the wildlife above the people. He stated he didn’t get a chance to count the number of calls but they are inundated with bear calls from Downieville, Sierra City, Verdi, Loyalton and Pike, adding the amount of hours he’s spent dealing with bears this year is insane. Fisher didn’t want Sierra County to be a police state but added it can’t be forgotten. The letter was approved to be drafted and Board Chair Paul Roen will sign.
SHORT TERM RENTAL (STR) ordinance amendments to Sierra County Code Section 15.10.060 were again discussed during the Board of Supervisors’ meeting held July 16th in Loyalton. Planning Director Brandon Pangman explained last meeting on July 2nd they outlined the changes and conducted a public hearing. This meeting on July 16th was to approve the proposed changes and resolution. Supervisor Lee Adams stated he was one of the no votes last time and would be again, over doing away with the two-year STR hold on home purchases. He felt they would be creating have and have nots and might actually encourage homeowners to get a STR permit so they could include that option when they sell and do just the opposite of why they started this ordinance. He couldn’t support the present language and wanted the Planning Commission to take another look at it. Supervisor Sharon Dryden was confused on the language and thought they were changing it from 2 years to a 1-year waiting period not 120 days. Pangman stated the provision on the two-year wait intended to be a chilling effect to discourage buying solely for an STR. With the new changes, if there’s already an existing permit there would be an opportunity to transfer the permit to the buyer of the home. The new owner would have 120 days to file for the change of ownership information with the Planning Department. Zoning districts were questioned too with Joe Marcy homeowner of Pike, disappointed and discouraged to see extending the zoning restrictions to be more inclusive residential parcels other than R1 zoning. He stated to consider it in the future is devastating financially. The vast majority of residential parcels are unable to participate in the STR program and they bring much needed TOT to the County and provide an opportunity for property owners to subsidize their land. He is struggling to survive in this county and travels 2-3 hours a day to find a job to pay for his property. He wanted the Planning Commission to look this over and make changes to it. A motion was made by Dryden to waive the 2nd reading and adopt the ordinance. The motion failed with Adams, Supervisor Terry LeBlanc and Board Chair Paul Roen voting no. By consensus the Board gave direction to staff to send the item back to the Planning Commission. County Counsel Rhetta Vander Ploeg made the suggestion to have it as a pilot program, so it sunsets and gives the public advance notice that it is under review. Adams stated they went down this road due to the lack of housing because of STRs, adding they were doing this for the right reasons not for income. Supervisor Lila Heuer wanted to see a study done, to see if the ordinance worked the way they intended it to. Pangman will make an effort to find out, adding it was hard to quantify, but would be good to find out if the ordinance had its intended effect.
YUBA SALMON STUDY - A pilot study to reintroduce spring-run Chinook salmon to their historical habitat in the North Yuba River will have a Community Engagement Meeting in Downieville on July 23rd 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the North Yuba Hall.
THE KENTUCKY MINE HISTORIC MUSEUM, Park Trestle and Mine Portal Reconstruction Project funded through agreements with the National Scenic Byways Program (NSBP) FY 2022 Planning and Capital Grant FMIS Agreement and the FY 2022 NSBP Grant recipient – Designated Sub-recipient Agreement was discussed during the Sierra County Board of Supervisors’ meeting on July 16th in Loyalton. Public Works Director Bryan Davey stated the project was eligible because it sits on the Highway 49 Scenic Byway. The project is to restore the trestle and portal opening of the historically significant Kentucky Mine to sustain and promote the byway’s tourism economy, to preserve this historic byway resource for generations, and improve the habitat of a threatened species of bat. Davey commented it was exciting to see this rehabilitated so the Kentucky Mine stays around forever. From the audience, Bill Copren of the Sierra County Historical Society stated he came to the meeting to personally thank Davey and Tim Beals for getting these funds. He stated the Kentucky Mine is the only operable stamp mill left in the world. The Board unanimously approved both agreements.
SHORT TERM RENTAL (STR) ordinance amendments to Sierra County Code Section 15.10.060 were again discussed during the Board of Supervisors’ meeting held July 16th in Loyalton. Planning Director Brandon Pangman explained last meeting on July 2nd they outlined the changes and conducted a public hearing. This meeting on July 16th was to approve the proposed changes and resolution. Supervisor Lee Adams stated he was one of the no votes last time and would be again, over doing away with the two-year STR hold on home purchases. He felt they would be creating have and have nots and might actually encourage homeowners to get a STR permit so they could include that option when they sell and do just the opposite of why they started this ordinance. He couldn’t support the present language and wanted the Planning Commission to take another look at it. Supervisor Sharon Dryden was confused on the language and thought they were changing it from 2 years to a 1-year waiting period not 120 days. Pangman stated the provision on the two-year wait intended to be a chilling effect to discourage buying solely for an STR. With the new changes, if there’s already an existing permit there would be an opportunity to transfer the permit to the buyer of the home. The new owner would have 120 days to file for the change of ownership information with the Planning Department. Zoning districts were questioned too with Joe Marcy homeowner of Pike, disappointed and discouraged to see extending the zoning restrictions to be more inclusive residential parcels other than R1 zoning. He stated to consider it in the future is devastating financially. The vast majority of residential parcels are unable to participate in the STR program and they bring much needed TOT to the County and provide an opportunity for property owners to subsidize their land. He is struggling to survive in this county and travels 2-3 hours a day to find a job to pay for his property. He wanted the Planning Commission to look this over and make changes to it. A motion was made by Dryden to waive the 2nd reading and adopt the ordinance. The motion failed with Adams, Supervisor Terry LeBlanc and Board Chair Paul Roen voting no. By consensus the Board gave direction to staff to send the item back to the Planning Commission. County Counsel Rhetta Vander Ploeg made the suggestion to have it as a pilot program, so it sunsets and gives the public advance notice that it is under review. Adams stated they went down this road due to the lack of housing because of STRs, adding they were doing this for the right reasons not for income. Supervisor Lila Heuer wanted to see a study done, to see if the ordinance worked the way they intended it to. Pangman will make an effort to find out, adding it was hard to quantify, but would be good to find out if the ordinance had its intended effect.
YUBA SALMON STUDY - A pilot study to reintroduce spring-run Chinook salmon to their historical habitat in the North Yuba River will have a Community Engagement Meeting in Downieville on July 23rd 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the North Yuba Hall.
THE KENTUCKY MINE HISTORIC MUSEUM, Park Trestle and Mine Portal Reconstruction Project funded through agreements with the National Scenic Byways Program (NSBP) FY 2022 Planning and Capital Grant FMIS Agreement and the FY 2022 NSBP Grant recipient – Designated Sub-recipient Agreement was discussed during the Sierra County Board of Supervisors’ meeting on July 16th in Loyalton. Public Works Director Bryan Davey stated the project was eligible because it sits on the Highway 49 Scenic Byway. The project is to restore the trestle and portal opening of the historically significant Kentucky Mine to sustain and promote the byway’s tourism economy, to preserve this historic byway resource for generations, and improve the habitat of a threatened species of bat. Davey commented it was exciting to see this rehabilitated so the Kentucky Mine stays around forever. From the audience, Bill Copren of the Sierra County Historical Society stated he came to the meeting to personally thank Davey and Tim Beals for getting these funds. He stated the Kentucky Mine is the only operable stamp mill left in the world. The Board unanimously approved both agreements.
