ORDINANCE UPDATE:

The public comment period on the draft Nevada County Communications Towers and Facilities Ordinance closed on August 8, 2025. Thank you to all who participated with submissions. Read the letter submitted by Nevada County for Safe Tech.

According to the Planning Department Staff, the draft ordinance was modified in response to comments received during the public comment period, but is substantially the same and is being reviewed by the Planning Director. In the draft Staff Report, there will be a section that summarizes the changes made. The draft will likely be on the Planning Commission’s Public Hearing agenda in November. The meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month. The fourth Thursday falls on the Thanksgiving holiday, so if the hearing is scheduled for November, the hearing might be on November 13th.  

To be notified of the Planning Commission’s Public Hearings, sign up at the Nevada County Agenda Center

Action Alert: Proposed Cell Tower at Alta Sierra Elementary School

In an effort to improve the wireless cellular connectivity of the Alta Sierra area, the Alta Sierra Neighborhood Alliance (ASNA), possibly working with AT&T, has suggested that Alta Sierra Elementary School, located at 16607 Annie Drive near Brewer Road in Grass Valley would be a good place for a cell tower installation. As a nonprofit, ASNA is committed to promoting safety, and empowering neighbors to come together in pursuit of the common good and long-term well-being of the community. While connectivity is important to the residents and needed in this area, now is the time to help educate ASNA and the school administration why a powerful communications center on school grounds is NOT safe, and is not in the common good or long-term well-being of the children and staff. The telecommunication representatives are required by the FCC to find the least intrusive site. The solution is to locate an appropriate site with substantial distance (1500+ feet) from homes, schools and other sensitive areas.

The FCC's wireless radiation exposure limits were established in 1996 and are not applicable to the 4th & 5th generation (4G/5G) microwave technology of new towers.  Wireless technology was never tested for children’s safety, and a scientific review of the cumulative exposure risk has not been conducted by the FDA, CDC, FCC, NCI nor the EPA. Children's Health Defense (CHD) successfully sued the FCC and in the 2021 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit said the agency must address the environmental impacts of radio frequency (RF) radiation and the “impact of RF radiation on children, the health implications of long-term exposure to RF radiation, the ubiquity of wireless devices and other technological developments that have occurred since the Commission last updated its guidelines.” CHD has petitioned the FCC to ‘quit stalling’ on the court order. To learn more: