Show: Insight Station: KNCO File: 10:15.mp3 Air date: 2026-10-15 Source: OpenAI whisper-1 · shrunk from 98.6 MB to 12.3 MB --- transcript --- Welcome to KNCO Insight, Nevada County Action, KNCO's local issue talk show. This is your chance to gain insight into issues affecting Nevada County. Be a part of the show. Call with your questions or comments. The number, 477-5626, that's 477-KNCO. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and callers and do not reflect the opinions of the advertisers, staff, or ownership of Nevada County Broadcasters. Now here is your host, Tom Fitzsimmons. Okay, NC News time, just about 907, 69 degrees, going to get up into the mid-80s or so today for a daytime high. It is already windy out there with wind gusts that are going to be pretty strong because of that. I just want to update everybody on PG&E power safety shutoffs that have hit California. Nearly 90,000 customers across 29 counties are in the PSPS events. That includes 1,600 people in Nevada County. You know, when it's not in the middle of Nevada County and happening here in the Greater Grass Valley, Nevada City area, you feel like you're maybe isolated from that, but it's not that far away where these PSPS events are happening. Basically the town of North San Juan, North San Juan Ridge area, along with the town of Washington, the Highway 20 corridor above there, where I used to live off of Cache Road, past the Five Mile House, and then the IED corridor up towards Immigrant Gap, all have power safety shutoffs up there affecting 1,600 customers. So what that means as you go through the day today, if you have plans to do some outdoor activities and such, make sure you don't have any indication that you could have a spark fly. Make sure that you use power equipment. Just wait a few days for the wind to die down. There'll be plenty of opportunities to get that defensible space and be able to take care of your properties and the like. Just be very cautious out there. We'll keep you updated if these PSPS events happen and grow. You know, what's ironic about this, my guest, one of my guests today, Jerry Serino, who is here from Serino's at Main Street, his son Ryan, is one of my go-to people because he's been so good about taking care of his property, Jerry, especially about residential burning and all that stuff, and he's a great resource for people to do it properly. Absolutely. He's pretty responsible and he's got the skills to be able to take care of those projects out there. Yeah. And, you know, you kind of hold your breath. You know, if we go back to the 49er fire on that very windy day, September 11, 1988, you were in charge of the fairgrounds in a lot of respects, not the CEO, but you were on the fair board and helped open that thing up because all of a sudden that became ground zero for a fire camp. It absolutely did. And just within a very short period of time, this entire county changed. We lost close to 200 homes during that fire. Yeah. All within like a one-day period in that first day, it was carnage. It was amazing. Yeah. It was just an amazing time. So just be aware of that. When we talk about Hidden Grove today, that's one of the things we'll probably touch on. I'm not even sure exactly where we'll go. I think about Hidden Grove and I think about fire safety with something like Hidden Grove, helping out the Cedar Ridge area. And we are going to touch on that. And I'd like to introduce Barbara Parker. Okay. Barbara Parker is here with me. She has, through her past experience, become closer and closer to the younger generation in this county. And I've heard her speak of that. That's why I asked her here today. I've heard her speak of her amazement at how mature and intellectual and deserving these young people are. So Barbara, welcome. Thank you. Thank you, Jerry. Yeah. Great having you here, Barbara. Thank you, Tom. All right. The Hidden Grove Project. Do you know much about it? I do. I've studied all the blueprints and walked the property. And I've heard about it from Jerry. And I was also at the first meeting with the supervisors. All right. You know, I'm just kind of curious. What was your take on that meeting? Were you surprised? A lot of people were taken aback by how vocal the opposition was. And I used to cover the Board of Supervisors and things like that. So sometimes that was a Planning Commission meeting and I think it can get real vocal there in particular. I was very impressed. I was also impressed by the supervisors that were on the panel, especially, I'm sorry, I can't remember her name, but she was in charge of the environmental and spoke a lot about all the new septic tank technology. That was Amy Irani. Okay. Thank you. I was really interested in that because, you know, I have property also in septic tank. And so it was interesting to hear about that. But it was also interesting to hear there was another member. And she talked a lot about the architectural changes that are happening. I'm sorry, I can't remember her name either, but that was also very interesting. And she asked very well thought out questions. That was Joe Garst on the Planning Commission. There you go. Thank you. And her questions were really great. Very penetrating, you know, it was kind of like, you know, she, what about this? And the planners all had answers and the architects. So it was really very informative. And everything was just so well thought out. And so many, you know, tests had been made. And, you know, just, it was just the intuition of what could be was all addressed. And so I enjoyed listening to all of that, gave me a thorough knowledge of it. Yeah. Okay. Let me explain a little bit about what we're talking about, which is a project called Hidden Grove that I will build in the Cedar Ridge area. And it can, it is comprised of three buildings, living upstairs and a legal workspace downstairs. And there are 15 residential units, and only nine commercial units. And it has to be, it has to be understood that, you know, I came here in 1956 with my family and I graduated from high school in 1964. And all of my, I was, I was just amazed at all of my classmates left immediately. And that's been going on for decades and decades. And it's just not acceptable. And we'll explain a little bit about that later here. But I want to, I want to let people know that we, in the last 10 years, we have graduated over 8,000 students. Okay. And sadly, most are gone and not to return. And ambition and entrepreneurship go where it's treated the best. And we've ignored this issue long enough. Times have changed after COVID, drastically. And few of your listeners know some of these statistics that I'm going to announce today. And I'm, that's not because, that's not because they're not informed. It's because their lives are busy in other directions. But words talk, but numbers scream. In the last 14 years, from 2010 to 2024, Nevada County grew at 3.3%. That's population wise? That's the population. Okay. All right. Over that period, the age bracket over 65, that population over 65 grew from 19.6% to 29.5%, almost 30%. 30%. Yeah. So 30% of our population is over 65. But our housing stock didn't keep pace. The rental stock is being purchased and taken off the rental market. Lack of new home construction combined with growth and other, and our older population created an inflated home cost due to competition. I mean, the younger people just can't compete with the cost of homes. We all understand that. And unfortunately, younger families have felt the brunt of the demographical shift. So what has happened is things became uncomfortable elsewhere. It's more comfortable here to move when you're older, and the older population has the economic ability to purchase homes away from our younger families. And that's certainly no fault of anyone's other than world conditions. It is the way it's been happening, right? The cliche is like Bay Area people coming up here and buying homes for cash. Correct. Yeah. But today, young people, two working couples, okay, both are working. They do not qualify to purchase a home. They just do not qualify. Their income level isn't high enough. The only way to increase that eligibility is for them to make more money. It's very simple. The side gig industry has become an industry. Just go on the internet and click on side gig. People need an additional income. And as a result, in Nevada County, hundreds and hundreds of illegal businesses are working out of homes. And that's why we have a huge fleet of UPS trucks and FedEx trucks operating daily in residential neighborhoods. Yeah. Because people have, for lack of a better term, like an Etsy or Amazon business. Sure. Whatever it may be. Whatever it may be. And the great majority of these illegal businesses have no ill effect on the neighborhood. And I can prove it to you. And I'll repeat that. Most of these hundreds and hundreds of businesses that are operating out of homes in your neighborhood do not affect your way of life. In a seven-year period between 2018 and 2025, only 18 code violations for operating an illegal business in the unincorporated area in Nevada County have been logged. Wow. That's right. That's about two a year. That's correct. That's correct. We do not have... Is that lack of policing efforts for it? No. It's a complaint-driven system. Okay. So lack of complaints. Correct. Lack of complaints. These statistics are so amazing. And the next one will blow you away. Sixty percent of college students today, Pew Research Center and Harvard University did this research. Sixty percent of college students are planning and inspiring to open a business of their own to go into private enterprise for a multitude of reasons. One, they don't want to be manipulated by large corporations. Two, they want to do something good for this world. Three, they want to have control of their lives. And four, they need to increase their income because two college students that are a couple can't afford a house. It's absurd. And it's a normal migration for these people. They're not sitting around pouting about it. These are the best of the best. These are people that you would want as neighbors. And 17% of high school and college students are operating a business while attending school. That's true. Yeah, I totally believe that's true because I've gotten to meet some of these kids at the CTE programs this past year. That's right. Yeah. So we've never seen a renaissance and ambition like this. I mean, it's absolutely incredible. And the concept of Hidden Grove, the live, work, play community, is one of the answers to this contemporary change. It's simply that. It's so obvious to young people. Now I'm in a unique position because I've worked for the last 44 years. I've worked with young people. And I'm astounded at speaking with older people that attentions are elsewhere. I understand that. When I tell them some of the facts that we're going to present to you today, they're just flat blown away. And all of those people that signed the petition in opposition to this project, one, they aren't aware of the facts, the contemporary facts of the situation that young people are in. And two, the project was misrepresented to them. And we're going to answer some of those specifics. All right. So let's take our first break here. We have Jerry Serino here, Barbara Parker also here. So we're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back. Life's most meaningful moments aren't just seen, they're heard. The laughter of family, the voices of friends, the simple joy of feeling connected to the world around you. But when hearing begins to fade, it's not just sound you miss, it's connection. I'm Dr. Kimberly Bonney, audiologist and owner of Gold Country Hearing and Balance. 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Yes, we're going to read some segments in these letters and just to point out other people's perspective on this project. And then we're going to address some of the issues that the opposition has brought up in the website. And then at the very end, we're going to give a list of potential tenants that have contacted me and their enterprises to show how soft and how well they will fit in the neighborhood, how they address these issues that the opposition has brought up. And by soft, you mean not like heavy industrial stuff or computer stuff and stuff? I was thinking about Dennis Pierce's daughter. So go ahead, Barbara. Barbara, you got a letter to read? I do. Here we go. Dear members of the Nevada County Board of Supervisors, I'm a small business owner in Nevada County and I'm writing in support of the proposed Hidden Grove project in Cedar Ridge. Through my experience in small business, I've seen firsthand how valuable thoughtfully designed live-work spaces can be to entrepreneurs and local communities. Early in my career, I worked for a business owner who lived and operated their business in the same space. My father owns a building in downtown Colfax with apartments upstairs and a small business downstairs. These experiences have given me the opportunity to see how this type of development can successfully support housing, local commerce, and small business growth. My own business experiences has reinforced this. I started one of my businesses by working from home and eventually opened a storefront. Following the economic setbacks after COVID, the cost of maintaining both the residence and commercial space became unsustainable. And I ultimately returned to operating my business from home. This experience highlighted how difficult the transition between a home-based business and traditional commercial space can be and how important it is to remain open to alternative models that allow small businesses to start, grow, and operate successfully. The live-work model provides a practical alternative to these challenges. A project like Hidden Grove can provide spaces that allow entrepreneurs to establish and grow businesses while also providing housing, reducing some of the financial barriers associated with maintaining separate residential and commercial spaces. This is especially important in a rural community like Nevada County where opportunities to make sustainable living can be limited. Creating opportunities for small businesses can help younger generations remain in the community, build successful careers, raise families, and contribute to the local economy, rather than having to leave the area in search of opportunity. Small businesses are an important part of Nevada County's economy and community. Providing thoughtfully designed spaces where people can both live and work can help make entrepreneurship more accessible, give local businesses a better chance to succeed, and create opportunities where there are often few and far between. Projects like Hidden Grove can help build a stronger and more sustainable future for small rural communities. For this reason, I respectfully ask the Board of Supervisors to approve the Hidden Grove project. And another letter is that this also speaks to one of the most important issues facing our region, retaining young adults, working families, and future generations in Nevada County. Too often local residents leave because housing and economic opportunities do not align. Hidden Grove offers a model that helps address both challenges while making it easier for families to remain rooted in the community they value. From my perspective, Hidden Grove is the kind of thorough, thoughtful development that supports both economic health and quality of life. It represents an investment in the future where local families can stay together, entrepreneurship can flourish, and Nevada County can continue to grow in a practical, community-minded way. It's apparent that this community has a very aging population. I believe that this project supports the goal of bringing younger adults back to the community. Hidden Grove will give young entrepreneurs home and legal place of business to develop their skills and services to add to our county's economic diversity. It also takes advantage of the established topography and vegetation to conceal buildings, providing a beautiful and peaceful place to live and work. The location is ideal, close to downtown Grass Valley, but in a more rural setting that would not add to the current traffic issues in the downtown area. Most importantly, Hidden Grove provides an infrastructure of combined housing, workspace, and recreation that is appealing to bring young people back to this community. After a perusal of 123 pages of the county report, we applaud Jerry Serino for the thoroughness and attention to detail within the report. In fact, it seems the report goes beyond what is necessary for approval. If I may make a suggestion, I think it would behoove any of the opponents of this project to take a positive approach, meet with Jerry to determine if there is a way that they could assist in making the Hidden Grove project a success for not only Nevada County's future, but in addition, the future of Nevada County youth. I believe projects like this can be a positive addition to Nevada County by creating more opportunities for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and working people. I have gone from operating out of a large shop to working from home again during these times of economic uncertainty. Maintaining the cost of both a home and commercial space is simply not possible for many small businesses. Providing spaces where people can live and work offers a practical option for people who want to work, build a business, and stay in their community. Especially in a rural community, we need to be open to new options and ideas that make it possible for people to build a livelihood locally. Projects like Hidden Grove can give people a place to start businesses and grow over time, helping keep jobs, businesses, and tax dollars here in Nevada County. Creating these kinds of opportunities is also important for keeping younger generations in the area where they can build careers, raise families, and have a chance to succeed without having to leave to find opportunities elsewhere. And this is one of my favorites. This is a local young man. I am a local youth advocate. I am writing to offer my public support for Mr. Serino's building project. As a Nevada County local deeply invested in the interest of our youth, I have observed a significant challenge. While this is an ideal place to raise children, many are eager to leave once they grow up. The issue is that instead of returning to contribute to Nevada County after their education, these young people leave and stay away for good. In all fairness, it is very difficult for a young person to truly thrive here today. Affordability has become a fantasy across California, particularly in rural communities. Rising prices paired with limited employment opportunities and few paths for career advancement have made this community unappealing to our youth. If we do not create these opportunities, we will continue to lose our young population. I support this project as a vital effort to create opportunities for young business owners and entrepreneurs to contribute to our community. I am a fourth generation Nevada County resident, and I have seen firsthand how our county has changed over the years. Nevada County is a wonderful place to live and raise a family, but it has become increasingly difficult for younger people to remain here because of the limited availability and high cost of housing, as well as the challenges of finding stable local employment. Many young people who were born and raised here would like to stay in Nevada County, work here, raise their families here, and become part of the next generation of our community. Unfortunately, without additional housing opportunities and continued economic development, many are being forced to leave the area. I believe projects such as Hidden Grove can help address this problem by providing needed housing, while also creating construction jobs, supporting local businesses, expanding the local tax base, and contributing to the long-term economic health of Nevada County. Growth should always be thoughtfully planned and consistent with the character of our community. At the same time, we need to recognize that a community must provide opportunities for future generations if it is going to remain healthy and sustainable. As someone whose family has called Nevada County home for four generations, I would like to see our children and grandchildren have the same opportunity to build their lives here. And one final one. I own a local business and can attest to the challenges of getting started and maintaining a small local operation. The concept of being able to combine a home and a work address is very appealing. Cedar Ridge already has a fire department, a post office, a winery, plus a market, a salon, and child care facilities. Hidden Grove would make a practical and affordable addition to Cedar Ridge. Those are some of the thoughts of Nevada County, and they bring up different aspects of the reason why a project like this should be highly considered. There's a lot of common themes there. Yep. As a matter of fact, you read Barbara in particular, had common themes about the cost of people have tried having separate business and home. All of a sudden, COVID, economics change, and all of a sudden you combine those two. It makes it very tough on young people trying to do that. And the economic diversity that it provides for the county here. Yeah, exactly right. Valuable. All right. Well, let's take a quick break. All right. We're going to come back and talk about Hidden Grove a little bit more, maybe get some of the opposition's viewpoints. I think, Jerry, is that what you plan? Absolutely. All right. All right. So let's just take a quick break. We'll be right back. Why suffer through slow, spotty Internet, or worse, no Internet at all? At Smarter Broadband, we believe fast, reliable Internet isn't a luxury. It's essential. 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Sunny and windy again for Friday afternoon with a high temperature 84. Friday night's low 54 and Saturday low 80s. For weather anytime, click on the Weather Center at KNCO.com. I'm meteorologist Dan Holiday on KNCO News Talk 830. KNCO News Time, just about 938 degrees. Welcome back to KNCO Inside. Jerry Serino in the house. Barbara Parker the guest. As we're talking about Hidden Grove, we just had several letters, over a half dozen letters, I think, in support. That went to the Board of Supervisors, is that correct? Correct. I appreciate you sharing those. People that drive 174 have seen the signs, Jerry. Save Cedar Ridge. Absolutely. They're big, bold signs. Save Cedar Ridge. Not sure what they're saving it from, so I've always wondered about that. Save Cedar Ridge. Right. And I understand the dilemma. It's very uncomfortable for neighbors to be approached about a project that has light industry, light industrial. That's the misnomer. Category of it. That's the category that the county had to put on this because the unfortunate, and I really feel sorry for the Planning Commission staff, because they have to deal with codes that are decades old. Decades old. And they're not contemporary, and they don't deal with the problems of today. And so it was very easy for the opposition to be alarmed. I would be, too. I totally understand. But it seems that people will not listen to the actual facts, as their sign says. These are the facts. Here's the thing about Save Cedar Ridge. There's some that have flames around them, as if it's going to burn down, which on a windy day like today, it's on everybody's mind. You bet. All right. So what's that all about? So, Barbara, the first thing we need to talk about is fire, correct? Correct. Right. It's scary, and it's on everybody's mind. A big concern. Let me address that. Okay. Good. Let me address that. All right. First of all, the property needed to be masticated when I got there. You literally could not walk from the road to the property line. You had to crawl. Just under brushing. That's the honest truth. It was that tight. Someone at the fire department across the street gave me a case of beer when I masticated it, because they knew that if it caught on fire, they would lose the gas station. That was their biggest fear. Wow. Think about that. Yeah. Traditionally, you gave the fire department a case of beer when they came out and stood by when you had a controlled burn. Yeah. Now, listen to this. This is the fact. This is the fact, and the fire department and the fire officials have stated this many times to these people, that if there was a fire on my side of the road, on the south side of the road, they would have to pull their hoses across the road, because the only hydrant is in front of the fire station. Okay. All right. Yeah. All right. And this is 174 for people out there. This is 174 across a major highway. Now, the first thing they're going to do, of course, is evacuate the whole area, and they're not going to pull the hoses across the street. So, this development requires a hydrant being placed on the property. Sure. Which will increase the fire safety. And the property will be a campus-like, manicured, landscaped property. Yeah. You already said it was going to masticate, but then it will be improved. Absolutely. Above that. And I have a contract that we will cut all of the ladder fuels up. It's going to be done here in another month, as a matter of fact. Yeah. And so, it will be safer. The fire officials have said this time and time again. Barbara? So, another complaint is traffic. I mean, there's a lot of traffic in that area on 174. What have you done to mitigate that? Okay. This is all coming from the website. Okay. The Cedars, which is a development right across the street. Those big homes. Correct. There are 85 homes there. And each home has at least two cars. And so, you very seldom see a car coming in or out of the Cedars. You drive it all the time. Yeah. And there are only 15 residents in this complex of Hidden Grove. And most of these people in the Hidden Grove project are working on site. So, they won't be. Most of the travel is going to and from work in our community. It will be less traffic. Are they? And I have to say one thing. We are improving. We have to improve the turnout on Highway 174. So, it will be better. The left turn. So, it will be better for the fire department. It will be better for any traffic. Okay. Is there a worry that since there are businesses there, there's going to be a lot of customer traffic in and out? And I'm glad you brought that up. We're going to address that. When we go down the list of potential businesses, it's very, very, very low impact. These are not businesses that require a great deal of retail traffic. Gotcha. Okay. Barbara, what's the next complaint? Noise in the area. How were you able to address that? Right. First of all, there's three buildings. One side of the building. Upstairs is living. Downstairs is commercial. One side of the building, let's call it the front of the building, is the residential entrance. The back of the building is commercial. Okay. One of these buildings, building one, sits up close to the gas station and the highway, where the noise is produced anyway. And the commercial side of that building is facing the gas station. The other two buildings, two and three, the commercial sides are facing one another. Okay. Okay. All right. And we paid $23,000 for a traffic study by an unbiased firm out of the community. And we went over and above what they recommended. We put in sound walls for our neighbor to the east. Okay. Our neighbor to the east is going to be affected more than any of the complaining people from the south or the west or the north. And he is for the project. Yeah. Okay. So the sound walls, the way we've, and we've reduced one on his side of the building. We reduced one of the commercial units on each of those buildings just to protect him and any other neighbor that may move in. And this is really important, and the opposition will not even hear this, is the fact that the county, I gave, as a business entity, I gave up a very important business part of this, if you will, project purposely to make this a model. The county has strict controls on any business or potential tenant that plans to move in and bring their operation that doesn't comply with all of these aspects of noise, toxic chemicals, traffic, or fire. They have strict control over that. I gave that up purposely so that this project can be a model to be built elsewhere. Because this is, this one project is not enough to fill the needs of Nevada County's youth. We have more businesses, more people that would love to move into this project than I could possibly facilitate for. What's the next one? The next one. And that's very, very important. Sure. And there are no light industrial tenants that can live here. All soft impact enterprises. Correct. Correct. So what about toxic fumes and chemicals? Right. And again, the two primary factors is one, the county has strict control, and two, just a little bit of critical thinking. I have tenants upstairs. There are more tenants than, there are 15 tenants and nine commercial units. So no one is going to live in a dangerous place. It just makes sense. And to put a project like this together and to think that you can combine residential with a heavy industrial setting is not a good business plan. And it absolutely wouldn't work. So it's self-regulating in that aspect. Excessive, there's no excessive traffic, toxic fumes, noise, or fire danger. So it's really the hang-up, it sounds like it's the whole idea of it being light industrial. Correct. And the county did not have another category to put this in. They're very, very rigid, and it's hard to understand land use restrictions, if you will. The county needs to update their codes and regulations to contemporize them so that they can facilitate today's needs. And allow growth. That's right. That's right. All right. We're going to take our last break. All right. We're going to come back down the homestretch and talk about Hidden Grove and really where it's heading right now and what possible tenants might be there. Because I'm trying to think. I did meet Dennis Pierce's daughter and stuff, and she had kind of a tech business that she was doing. Correct. And advice, I think, is what she was doing. She's like a business advisor. Anyway, down the homestretch, we'll be right back. When life throws a dent in your day, let Tripp's Auto Body make it shine like new. For over 70 years, the Tripp family has been delivering expert collision repair you can trust. 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In my early adult career as a dental assistant, I fostered a love for helping and caring for people in their individual needs. Such is the emphasis at my skincare salon, Reflection Skin Oasis, where personalized care and real results in high-tech skincare diagnoses, along with 31 years of experience for finding the best treatments and products for your skin. Come in and enjoy the boutique quality that Reflection Skin Oasis is known for, along with skincare design just for your individual needs. Reflection Skin Oasis, 138 Colfax Avenue, Suite No. 2, Grass Valley, California. Phone 530-274-9053 or text 530-277-9706. Enjoying a delicious, colossal-sized pasty is as easy as answering a thoughtful question. You could win one of those Titan-sized pasties from Robinson Enterprises. They are huge in size and massive in taste. Earn a pasty with You Make the Call in the 7 a.m. hour with another chance during the Chris Gilbert News Quiz. Get ready to win an incredible Robinson Enterprises pasty each Wednesday with KNCO News Talk 830. KNC News Time 951-71 degrees down the homestretch here of KNC Windsite. Barbara Parker, the guest of Jerry Serino today, has been talking about Hidden Grove. Barbara, I appreciate you taking time to read letters and stuff like that. It's not the easiest thing to do. No, thank you. By the way. It's important. It's important. It's important. It's important. It's important. It's important. It's important. It's important. It's important. It's important. No, thank you. By the way. It's important. On the air. I did get to meet her. I went to break. I brought up Dennis Pierce's daughter. Lauren is her name. Lauren, exactly. Thank you. I couldn't think of her first name. Once I found out she was a Flyer hockey fan, I kind of pushed her out of my mind. But in remembering that, she lived in the greater Philadelphia area. Correct. Which is a great city of commerce on the East Coast. You bet. It is a major city and a major hub. Absolutely. Especially considering the education opportunities there. Penn University and all the great institutions back there. She wants to bring that expertise she's gleaned to our county to businesses here. I think she was going to be a business consultant, if I recall. She has worked for worldwide firms. She's still working. She works remotely. She's come back to purchase a business here and facilitate those businesses and streamline them. We're going to talk about that next month. About all of the businesses that just closed their doors because they don't have any way to retain them. It's incredible. When I open that subject up, what's going on in the nation. Right. Because boomers are just aging out. But we have a list. People have been contacting me, like Lauren, a daughter of a Nevada County family. She was born and raised here. These are some of the soft impact on the neighborhood type residents that will be living upstairs and working downstairs. That's a lifestyle that they seek. Barbara, we have nine commercial units. There's nine potential tenants. Even though there's more tenants, there's more people interested in this project and moving in than I have space for. All right. That's incredible. What a great response. The first one, we have sewing antique clothing. Correct. I think, listeners, of the potential of how sewing can create fire, traffic, noise, and toxins. It's a soft industry. Right. It definitely is. And it's going on in your neighborhood now, but you don't realize it because it doesn't affect you. Yeah. Your grandmother's back room. Right. Computer repair. These are people that buy clothes and redo them. Or there's another woman that makes dolls, if you will, sews dolls together. She sells them all over the world. Yeah. It's incredible. Yeah. Another one, Barbara? Computer repair. Computer repair. That's a soft industry. The gentleman can't wait to move in. Go ahead. Business service enterprise and national companies. That almost sounds like Lauren. And that's Lauren. Oh, it is Lauren. Okay. That's what it sounds like. Right. Okay. Financial services working remote for worldwide corporations. Off-site antique business, which would allow storage of antique inventory. Correct. I have two people that are interested in that category. Web design and tech support. Okay. So that's the second one that has kind of a techie type of thing. One is computer repair. Correct. This is design. Okay. Social media management. People that are advertising and promoting their businesses through social media and need help, which they do because it's a very complex and confusing world out there and constantly changing. Photography and event management. Right. Okay. All right. Lots of storage area for your cameras and such. Right. You know what's amazing about that? We had a young lady that just graduated from Nevada Union whose grandmother, remember they were the ones that put on the driving simulator fundraiser. Oh, right. And she wants to be an event manager. So it's kind of interesting you mentioned that. That would be perfect for her. Raised down in Penn Valley. Wedding prop and equipment storage. Right. The wedding props have a great, they're usually large and they need storage for this. You know, all of these are soft industries. All of the, if you call it industry. And that is the misnomer that scared the residents. And if I put up a booth at the fairgrounds, like the opposition did, and it said don't industrialize our neighborhoods, I would be concerned. And I would be concerned with the nomenclatures of fire, traffic and noise and heavy chemicals. And I may be, I may sign a petition, but it's false pretense. And the, unfortunately, the signers of those propositions didn't have the chance or used critical thinking to investigate this project for what it is. And it's a shame. It's really a shame. And it's really a vulnerability in the system that has divorced us from a great deal of opportunity here in Nevada County. And we need to change that. And it's a big job changing that. I understand when I say changing that, I mean updating these codes and allowing more categories. Because it's in the general plan in a certain nomenclature. Right. And it has to be followed through that way by law. So we've kind of shot ourselves in the foot in the past. And we're feeling it now. And the people that are really feeling it are the young people that are leaving and never coming back. Can I say something about just living here and just driving 174? When Arts Gas Station sold and the new owners came in and stuff and they brightened it up and they made it look more presentable and more active, I don't know how you feel because you're really close. You're right next door to it. For somebody that drives by there, it made me feel kind of good. It made me feel happier about Cedar Ridge. I don't know if the people in Cedar Ridge are that way. But as somebody that drives it, it seems like, wow, this is a happening area a little bit. Just a little bit. Right. It's a positive. That's right. That's right. That activity needs to be in the neighborhood, spread out. The county estimates that there's over 1,000 businesses in the unincorporated area. Okay? Yeah. If all of those unincorporated area businesses were jammed together in one location, obviously it would be a chokehold for traffic and noise and all of the other complaints. Yeah, those are the things that are put up by airports, like Loma Rica area is that way. Correct. Correct. But as far as this model, who wants to live up in the airport? Yeah. You know? Yeah. Those buildings weren't built for that type of projects or enterprise. Well, it's just funny because fixing up a gas station and making it more viable, I never thought about the county. There's no extra chemicals, no nothing. Correct. There's probably more traffic because it's a more presentable station, but it seems like it all absorbed fine. It all boils down to wordsmithing, actually. Industrial equals business. That's exactly it. It's just wordsmithing. Well, hopefully the education will go on on both sides, Jerry. I hope so. I hope so because there's a lot at stake here. There really is. All right. And these young people deserve a chance. I'm not sure we found this Barbara Parker, but she read letters fine. She did a good job. Yeah. Thank you, Tom. All right. Great job, Barbara. Great job, Jerry. I'll see you on the town here in a little bit. Yes, sir. We've got ABC News up next. --- end of transcript ---