The Sierra County Board of Supervisors met in regular session October 4th with a relatively light agenda on the docket. After Standing Orders were completed, the floor was opened up to public comment. Downieville resident Greg Johnson voiced concern and requested an update about the Community Center renovation project, pointing out the possibility of losing out on the grant expected to fund the project if deadlines for the grant application are not met.

The Department Managers reports followed and Tim Beals began by providing information pertaining to local projects and related grant applications. He pointed out the Green Acres project is in danger of being postponed due to the inherent complexity of the project and looming deadlines and Beals estimated the project could cost over one million dollars. The Board was implored to address this issue as quickly as possible.

Brandon Pangman, Assistant Planning Director, followed and gave an update on the FEMA flood mapping project in the Sierra Valley. FEMA began this task in 2018, and after numerous public comments were submitted highlighting problems and discrepancies with the preliminary maps, it was determined more time and technical expertise would be needed to address those issues before issuing a finalized map. The current timeline calls for new preliminary maps to be completed in the next six to twelve months. A review period will then commence, giving the public an opportunity to again provide input and comments.

Some good news was presented during the Forest Service update regarding the recent Mosquito Fire in nearby Placer and El Dorado counties. The overall destruction of the fire is not as bad as originally projected, freeing up the Forest Service to shift resources to other priorities, including campsite renovations here in Sierra County. A reminder was issued most campsites in the county will be closing for the year in mid-October, although some will stay open until the end of the month to accommodate hunters. Campers are encouraged to check the National Forest Service website for the most up to date information regarding campsite reservations and closures.

The Supervisors then moved to the only timed agenda item for this session, a Resolution of Appreciation to Vickie Clark, the Sierra County Health and Human Services Director who will be retiring soon. The Board wanted to publicly recognize her service to the county before the end of her tenure. Clark's replacement has not yet been selected.

The remainder of the agenda items addressed by the Board were fairly mundane and uncontroversial, with the exception of the introduction and waiving of the first reading of an ordinance concerning regulations for Short-Term Rentals in Sierra County.

Previous Board meetings on the subject were ripe with public comments, as the proposed rules would affect many local residents and landowners moving forward. Beals gave a brief introduction, and although a few changes were made since the Board last met, it was determined a first reading of the ordinance could commence because none of those changes was determined to significantly change the scope or intent of the ordinance. Probably the most notable change is an effective date of January 1st, 2023. Previous iterations of the ordinance omitted a timeline for the rules to take force.

Beals went on to point out that other jurisdictions are constantly revising their short-term rental ordinances, so changes to Sierra County’s ordinance are anticipated. The first reading was waived by the board unanimously. A second reading is scheduled for when the Board of Supervisors meeting continues on October 18th in Loyalton.