Nevada City approves consultants for housing‑element update and active‑transportation plan

The Nevada City Council authorized two professional service contracts on May 27: a housing‑element update and an active‑transportation master plan.

Planning Director Jessica Henkins recommended Mintier Harish to prepare the city’s seventh‑cycle housing element (state deadline Aug. 15, 2027). The contract is not to exceed $179,950; staff also requested a project contingency of up to $10,000 for SEQA compliance. Henkins told council Mintier Harish has experience with rural and fire‑impacted communities and a history of successful HCD reviews.

Council also approved a contract with Alta Planning and Design to prepare a Nevada City Active Transportation, Trails and Complete Streets master plan in an amount not to exceed $279,989, with authorization for a contingency up to 5% (not to exceed $14,000). The project is funded in part by a CALTRANS Sustainable Transportation Planning grant (SB1). Staff emphasized the consultant’s experience, community outreach plans, and the project’s role to prioritize multimodal safety and grant eligibility.

Both contracts were approved by roll‑call votes as presented; staff will manage community engagement, data gathering, and follow the timelines presented to meet state and grant deadlines.

What’s next: Staff will execute contracts, initiate community outreach, and return periodic updates to council as the housing element and master plan advance through site inventories, public workshops, and draft reviews.