Board conveys surplus parcel to Plumas District Hospital for perinatal/alternate birthing center

The Plumas County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 21 approved conveying county-owned parcel APN 117-021-001 to Plumas District Hospital to facilitate an alternate birthing center and a standby perinatal program.

Darren Bailey, operations officer for Plumas District Hospital, told the board the hospital would use the property to site an alternative birthing center and, under California Senate Bill 669, develop a pilot standby perinatal center to support labor-and-delivery services in rural areas. Bailey said the hospital ceased routine labor-and-delivery operations about three years ago and that the SB 669 pilot could help restore services within about a year if funding and approvals proceed as planned.

Planning staff noted the sites zoning and permitting context: the preferred parcel sits partly in c-2 peripheral commercial and a small MR (multifamily residential) zone, and the state is not bound by local zoning when the state acquires property for a state facility. The board discussed a special-use permit previously approved by the county zoning administrator for an alternative birthing center on the parcel and confirmed that the countys surplus-property finding and transfer would proceed with standard conditions.

Vote and next steps: The board adopted the surplus-land resolution and approved transfer of the parcel; the motion passed on a roll-call vote with the board voting in favor. The hospital said the immediate focus would be on preparing and converting the commercial building on the parcel for an alternate birthing center; other residential portions of the parcel will be assessed for future use.

Provenance: Planning and hospital presentations recorded in the public transcript beginning at approximately 01:42:30 and during the consent action segments.