Yuba County touts area developments

Michaela Harris, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
·3 min read
1

Jan. 9—The Yuba County Board of Supervisors received a quarterly update from the Community Development and Services Department on Tuesday to highlight a number of residential, commercial and public works projects coming to the area.

Business and Community Engagement Manager Rachael Downs said Tuesday's presentation reflected the progress made during the last quarter of 2023, such as the Yuba County Planning Department's launch of the new zoning tool Gridics. According to Planning Manager Kevin Perkins, Gridics provides an online search function for available development lots, which will help streamline site selection for potential developers.

Several residential projects were approved during the last quarter, including Blue Ruby Farms, a three-bedroom agricultural homestay in Loma Rica. Downs believes that bed-and-breakfast lodging is another step toward generating more ag tourism in Yuba County.

"In search of a tranquil haven, Paul and Stefanie Ladeira arrived in Yuba County to really escape the urban hustle and bustle from their Bay Area life. They wanted to share their passion for food, land, community, and regenerative agriculture. Here, they can engage and impart their knowledge on holistic cooking, lifestyle and effective land management practices," Downs said.

County officials also recorded two tract maps for neighborhoods in the Rio Del Oro subdivision in Plumas Lake, which will bring about 113 single family homes in total. Despite challenges in the housing market, Yuba County maintained an average year-end home occupancy rate of 400 single family houses in 2023.

Downs also shared a wave of new development applications that were submitted during the last quarter, including a possible expansion for the Pottery World manufacturing plant in Wheatland. According to Downs, Pottery World founder Jim Radda and his team are currently manufacturing out of Wheatland, but are working toward annexing 140 acres of property into city limits to expand the site.

"In collaboration with (Local Agency Formation Commission) and the city of Wheatland, we're very happy to support the proposed expansion of a Pottery World manufacturing facility and footprint around the city of Wheatland," Downs said.

Developers also submitted an application for a tentative parcel map to North Beale Commons, a commercial subdivision on North Beale Road and Linda Avenue in Marysville. Downs believes that building permit applications will be processed in the next few months, which will be reflected in the department's next quarterly update.

Some commercial building permits are still under review, including the Earle Road Storage expansion in Linda and proposed Jamba Juice and Pizza Hut locations in Plumas Lake. However, commercial permits for Gen II Glass and O'Reilly Auto Parts have been issued, which will result in estimated capital investments of $250,000 and $1.6 million respectively.

Also in the last quarter, the Yuba County Board of Supervisors approved a construction agreement with Dokken Engineering to carry out the Olivehurst Roadway Climate Resiliency Project, which will provide a modern storm drainage system along five miles of roadway.

The drainage project will span the lengths of Western Avenue and Fleming Way, plus most portions of Second, Third, Fifth, Eighth, Ninth and Eleventh avenues. Approximately 26,000 feet of storm drains and 52,000 feet of sidewalks and bike lanes will be added. Residents will see resilient transportation infrastructure designed and constructed with flood risk reduction in mind.