Judicial Council begins CEQA process for proposed Quincy courthouse; county planning staff to review and submit comments

The Judicial Council of California has issued a Notice of Preparation (NOP) to prepare an environmental impact report for a proposed new Quincy courthouse, and the council scheduled a public scoping meeting for Oct. 23 at the Plumas County Fairgrounds, county planning staff told the board Oct. 21.

Tracy Ferguson, Plumas County planning director, briefed the board on the NOP and said the Judicial Council identified a preferred site (the Feather Publishing site on Lawrence) in June 2025 and is coordinating real-estate due diligence and purchase negotiations. Ferguson said the state is leading the CEQA process and is the lead agency; local review will be in the form of comments from county departments and affected agencies during public scoping and later EIR circulation.

Ferguson also flagged inconsistencies in the project materials: the NOP and backup materials list different comment deadlines in some places (November 14 vs. November 17) and provide differing site-area figures (1.88 acres vs. 2.86 acres for three parcels). She said she has asked the Judicial Council for clarification and would review traffic, access and the proposed emergency-access arrangement that would convert a local cul-de-sac to an emergency ingress/egress connection.

The planning director reminded the board that the state is not subject to local zoning when it acquires land and that the site is currently zoned c-2 (peripheral commercial) and in a Quincy design review district; however, the states ownership could make local zoning inapplicable should the state acquire the parcel. The county will coordinate with agencies such as the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District where relevant.

Provenance: Fergusons briefing and subsequent board discussion appear in the transcript beginning at about 01:17:40.