The Planning Department processes many types of land use projects, from the relatively routine lot line adjustment to more complex multi-faceted discretionary projects. Many of the projects that are processed by the Planning Department are considered ministerial and are therefore processed administratively. Others require a public hearing before the County Zoning Administrator, Planning Commission and sometimes the Board of Supervisors. A schedule of upcoming public hearings can be found here.

Current Planning

A variety of ministerial and discretionary land use project applications are processed by the Nevada County Planning Department. Printable applications required to propose new projects can be found here. For questions about proposed projects being processed administratively (by Planning Department staff), please call or email the Planning Department. Discretionary projects are considered by the Zoning Administrator, Planning Commission, or the Board of Supervisors. A list of upcoming public hearings can be found here. 

Pending discretionary projects include:

• Lake Van Norden Spillway Modification 
• Boca Quarry Mine
• Trees Resort at Darkhorse 
• The Event Helper (Initial Study) (Staff Report)
• Commercial Rafting (Staff Report)
• Hobart Mills (Initial Study)
• Rincon Del Rio
• Sawmill Industrial Park
• Pollacek (Tentative Parcel Map) (Initial Study)
• AT&T Wild Life Lane (Staff Report)
• Caldwell Special Events (Staff Report)
• Hilltop Estates Extension (Memo)
• Boreal Extension (Memo)
• Tranquility Lane Extension (Memo)
• South Woodlands Extension (Memo)
• Checkvala Parcel Map
• Royer Parcel Map (Initial Study) (Staff Report)
• Bartlome Conditional Use Permit (Staff Report)

A list of select past projects can be found here. 

Advance Planning

Advancing Planning (sometimes called Long Range and Recreation Planning) works to implement General Plan and Zoning Ordinance updates, complete special projects as assigned by the Board of Supervisors, and coordinate intergovernmental cooperation for complex projects. Projects scheduled to be presented at upcoming Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors meetings will be listed here.

Ongoing Advance Planning projects include:

• Penn Valley Area Plan
• Housing Element Update
• Safety Element Update
• Commercial Cannabis Cultivation Ordinance

A list of select past projects can be found here.

Environmental Documents

Many Planning projects require the preparation and circulation of an environmental document in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act. A list of recent Initial Studies can be found here. Environmental Impact Reports can be found on a project's dedicated webpage.

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Additional Information

If you are looking for information or supporting documents associated with an administrative project, a project not yet scheduled for public hearing, or a project without a dedicated webpage, please go to our Planning Projects Archive or contact the Planning Department. If you are looking to submit a Public Records Request, you can find more information here.