Experience Counts
Yes, this is an issue. As a long-time community volunteer, and serving as a Planning Commissioner, I believe I have the experience to address the hard issues that Nevada City faces. A City council person has to deal with the nuts and bolts reality of how to keep a small City afloat. It takes a few years in the trenches to gain that experience.
Issues I am concerned about…
Promote Housing in Scale with Nevada City
I support affordable housing that is in scale and character with our small town and our neighborhoods. The City has plenty of land already within city limits zoned for affordable housing – we should follow and vigorously implement the General Plan.
Like so many of my neighbors, I am an
avid walker and hiker, and I appreciate the feeling that we get here in Nevada City of living in a small town surrounded by the forest. I believe that we can continue to protect the forest using it to create a natural fire break. This can be achieved by working with the City’s FireWise groups, and using the City’s Measure C funds,
to protect us all from the dangers of fire. We need to close the fire break circle around the city using readily available grants to acquire public open space land on the BLM parcels, Hirschman’s Pond area, and Deer Creek.
I’m also glad to live in a community that acknowledges the central role of climate change in creating these new conditions in California that have put us all at risk. I will work hard to make sure that Nevada City does our fair share to achieve Net Zero emissions.
Fire Safety and Open Space can work together
Maintain and expand our Open Space and Trails
I am a big supporter of our wonderful trails and open space system. It is part of what makes this a special place.
Many people and groups worked tirelessly over the decades on the City’s preservation and acquisition of the Deer Creek Environs, Sugarloaf, Hirschman’s Pond and Trail, the Old Airport, and all of the trail segments around town. The 32 acre Nisenan Deer Creek Cultural Reclamation Corridor acquisition is an important recent addition. Pioneer Park is our version of Central Park, with something for everyone.
One of my most important goals as a Council member will be to work on maintaining and expanding our open spaces and trails. Our parks and open space lands should continue to be a proud priority. They have the potential to form a natural fire break around the city. We should consider assisting private landowners adjacent to our public lands with their fuel reduction projects with this goal in mind.
An updated Open Space Element to the General Plan will be adopted by the next City Council. I hope to help see it become a visionary plan that will continue Nevada City’s status as a leader in open space protection. Acquisition of the BLM lands and preservation of more Deer Creek access should be priorities.
Work on Water and Sewer Affordability
We need to get on top of this issue. Let’s look into the possibility of using recent new sales tax sources to help lower our sewer and water rates and help residents out.
Protect our Neighborhoods
I got into public life in Nevada City five years ago when a luxury home developer proposed to tear down a historic wall and pathway in our American Hill neighborhood to build a second driveway into his newly acquired property. We organized our neighbors, circulated a petition and brought the issue to the Planning Commission and the City Council. After 18months of hard work, we prevailed. I promise that, as a City Council member, I will bring the same perseverance and hard work to all neighborhood issues, big and small, to make sure that Nevada City remains the special place that we all love.
The concerns of neighbors must come first. Traffic calming and congested neighborhood parking are 2 issues that have still not been addressed.
Strengthen Downtown and Seven Hills Business Districts
We need to protect our sales tax generating business core, both our tourist dependent businesses in our historical downtown and local serving businesses in Seven Hills. Sales tax accounts for over 40% of our revenues and pays for our police, fire protection and Public Works. As a City Council member, I will do everything in my power to work with the business community to improve the economic vitality of our downtown and Seven Hills.
Protect our Downtown Retail and History
Downtown Nevada City is our calling card and also an important source of sales tax revenue. I will continue to protect the historic integrity of downtown as well as the predominance of retail business on the ground floor.
Stabilize City Staff
Being on the Planning Commission has given me insight into the importance of a stable full-time City Staff. Staff upheaval and turnover, especially the City Manager and the City Planner positions, have cost the City money and have impeded our ability to deal with long term issues, such as dealing with rising water and sewer rates, formulating a new balanced Short Term Rental policy, and working with partners to build affordable housing that is in scale and character with our small town.
Protect the City from State & Federal Overreach
I worked on the campaign to save the County Courthouse in downtown Nevada City and to persuade the State of California not to move the courthouse out of the City, with all the disastrous consequences that move would have on our downtown economy. That campaign made me realize the importance of forcefully advocating for our interests in our dealings with the State and with the Federal Government.
I would appreciate your vote!