Council approves rezone and use permit for Granite Wellness treatment facility

The Grass Valley City Council on May 20, 2025, voted to rezone a 3.31‑acre parcel to allow Granite Wellness to add withdrawal management and inpatient services at an existing treatment campus and approved a conditional use permit for the expanded medical/residential program.

City Planner Amy Wolfson explained the application sought to rezone a portion of the property from Central Business (C2) to Community Business (C1) to permit “medical use — extended care” that is not allowed in C2 without the use permit. The site, built in 2011 as the Center for Hope and now operated by Granite Wellness, contains three buildings; the proposal would convert an adjacent building to add 16 beds of inpatient treatment, expanding the campus’ existing residential services.

Wolfson said both C1 and C2 are consistent with the commercial general-plan designation and that the change is generally considered a “down zone” because C1 allows fewer, less‑intense uses. She told council the Planning Commission reviewed the application on April 15, 2025, and recommended approval (3 yes, 1 abstention, 1 absent).

Victoria Blacksmith, CEO of Granite Wellness, said the campus already serves many Nevada County residents, including perinatal programs for pregnant women and women with children, and that the expansion will add capacity and on‑site medical care for higher-acuity clients. “We currently provide residential treatment…we serve 11 surrounding counties,” Blacksmith said, and noted the facility provides discharge planning and transportation assistance to counties of origin as needed.

After public comment and questions from council about community impacts and whether nonlocal patients would be served, a council motion to adopt the zoning ordinance amendment, introduce the ordinance, and approve the conditional use permit passed with no recorded opposition.

Nut graf: The council’s action rezones the parcel to allow withdrawal-management (detox) and expanded inpatient services on the existing treatment campus, authorizing Granite Wellness to increase residential capacity by roughly 16 beds and to provide higher-acuity care at that location. Wolfson stressed the proposal did not require a general-plan amendment and the Planning Commission recommended approval.

Ending: Council’s approval was recorded without a roll-call vote count in the meeting transcript; staff said the ordinance language and findings were updated to reflect required municipal-code findings and the applicant will proceed with required building and operational approvals.