Despite a number of residents’ objections, consolidation of Grass Valley’s Historical Commission with the Development Review Committee was approved by the City Council at its Tuesday night meeting. Assistant City Manager Taylor Whittingslow told the Council that the ordinance change adds a Council-appointed historical representative to the Committee. That may be one of the members of the Historical Commission, which will no longer be a separate city entity. Among its functions, the Commission’s has been identifying, verifying, and encouraging the preservation of historically and architecturally significant properties, recommending landmarks to the Council, and promoting local heritage. Terry McAteer has been a Commission member.  He said the change will allow Council-endorsed projects to die…

But Mayor Hilary Hodge was among other Councilmembers who said the consolidation won’t eliminate such programs and efforts, that the Nevada County Historical Society’s knowledge and expertise will still be available. The Society will recommend a historical representative to the Development Review Committee…

Whittingslow says the consolidation is intended to better coordinate historic preservation considerations with project reviews and facilitate timely, consistent decisions. She also notes that the Historical Society and the city are already collaborating on the preservation and digitalization of historical records currently housed at City Hall.