Sierra County Supervisors Tackle Road Delays, Fire Risks, and New Services

LOYALTON — Sierra County’s Board of Supervisors met today, diving into updates on infrastructure, wildfire threats, and community support tools. Amid routine approvals, discussions spotlighted bureaucratic hurdles in road projects, urgent forest fire restriction warnings, and a proposed 2-1-1 hotline for emergencies and daily needs.

Bureaucratic Snags Stall Smithneck Road Rehab, Prompting Hard Choices

Public Works Director Bryan Davey’s update on the Smithneck Road rehabilitation project, which would reconstruct the road and establish a bike lane from Highway 49 through Sierra Brooks, revealed that NEPA-driven requirements would cost an extra $185,000. Davey reported that extra work would be needed for archaeological assessments near an ancient Native settlement, despite no new land disturbances in the county’s estimation.

Davey stressed that the project’s scope included “No expansion efforts” and “no additional disturbance.” Davey called the requirement for broader evaluations excessive: “I really believe that they’re requesting greater work... just because we happen to be working in the area.”

Supervisors expressed frustration, questioning the inconsistency with past projects. “Who or what brought this up this time?” asked Supervisor Sharon Dryden. Davey clarified that the standard evaluation process, followed by other public works projects, found evidence of ancient civilization that sparked the additional hurdles. Still, the county is appealing to Caltrans for a categorical exclusion.

Alternatives surfaced, including ditching bike lanes to cut costs. Chair Adams flagged tough trade-offs: “If it comes to allowing this road to further deteriorate, at the expense of the bike path, that may have to be an option we talk about.” Davey agreed, proposing a scaled-back scope excluding Sierra Brooks. Dryden linked it to wildfire access: “That road accesses our forests... It would be awfully nice if [relaxed NEPA rules for forestry] would apply.”

The issue heads to the Transportation Commission next week, with supervisors praising Davey’s efforts. “Well, we’re progressing and, and, you know, maybe there’s hope,” Supervisor Adams said.

Forest Officials Sound Alarm on Fires, Push Fuel Reduction

Wildfire updates from Plumas and Tahoe National Forests highlighted escalating dangers. “Over the holiday weekend, we had over 40 abandoned but active campfires,” warned Beckwourth District Ranger Mike Rahe, predicting a shift “probably this week or early next week.” He also detailed progress on Dixie Fire recovery and fuel projects: “We’ll be doing work around Portola, Graeagle... a little bit actually in Sierra County, just south of Sulphur Creek.” The Forest is also developing an implementation plan for a 16,000-acre project on the Feather River Ranger District, which would impact western Sierra County.

Amber Nelson, representing the Yuba River Ranger District, noted minimal responses but emphasized the importance of recreation site upkeep. Nelson also highlighted the Packer Lake Kids’ Fishing Day, scheduled for July 19th.

211 Hotline Debated for Crisis and Everyday Aid

Connecting Point, a 211 services provider, gave a presentation outlining the free-to-the-public info line for health, human services, and non-emergency disaster services. Executive Director Tim Landon explained that the service would cost the county around $8,000 to set up, with a potentially fixed annual upkeep cost to be agreed upon. The organization operates 211 lines across northern California.

“In a disaster, this takes some of the load off... calling 9-1-1 when it’s not necessarily emergency related,” Landon explained. Supervisors weighed pros against “false expectations,” as many of the resources 2-1-1 directs residents to will only be available outside of Sierra County.

Adams called the hotline a “new world” necessity: “We’ve come to a world in which 2-1-1 is expected... this is going to be such a minimal impact.” The board directed staff to draft an agreement blending full and disaster-focused services.

Health Facility Upgrades Approved

The board approved remodels at 202 Front Street ($759,680 to ICOR Inc.) and 704 Mill Street ($332,500 to Belz Construction) in Loyalton, for Public Health and Behavioral Health, respectively. No general fund money was diverted for the projects.