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County staff maps known mines, recommends internal dashboard and public education rather than parcel‑level publish
Summary
Staff compiled a countywide list of known mines (39 total; 23 on public lands), proposed an internal geospatial dashboard for planning and a public web page of high‑level educational information, and advised against publishing parcel‑level mine hazard maps to avoid attracting exploration.
County planner Alex Keeble Toole briefed supervisors on a year of stakeholder engagement and a county mines inventory intended to inform planning and public safety work. Staff said they identified 39 known mine sites in Nevada County and noted 23 are on public lands, a distinction that affects remediation options and the county’s ability to leverage state and federal partners.
"Of those, there are 39, 23 of these are on public lands," Alex said, adding that mapping public‑land mines supports leveraging partner grants and incorporating mine hazards into wildfire protection and land‑use planning. Staff recommended an internally accessible geospatial dashboard for county departments, plus a simple public web page with educational materials explaining health and physical hazards and where to seek technical help.
Board members raised private‑land concerns and liability questions. Staff clarified that publishing parcel‑level mine hazard locations is not a best practice because it can encourage exploration of dangerous features; instead, staff recommend directing private landowners to technical experts and clarifying responsibility for mitigation and any water‑quality impacts.
Next steps: staff will finalize the internal map and prepare a public education fact sheet and web page; staff will also prepare a short one‑page summary of the county’s roles and authorities regarding mine hazards for future Board review.
