Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Founder of WolfCraft details 15‑acre craft‑school campus plan for Nevada County
Summary
Leslie Barbazette told the Nevada City Public Arts Commission she has a conditional use permit for a 15‑acre WolfCraft campus on Wolf Road, proposed to host craft workshops, short residencies and lodging. She said the nonprofit school expects 4–10 full‑time staff, 40 students under the use permit and a two‑year build timeline after permits and funding are secured.
Leslie Barbazette, founder of WolfCraft School and Collective, presented plans for a 15‑acre craft‑education campus on Wolf Road to the Nevada City Public Arts Commission on July 2.
Barbazette said the project — roughly three‑quarters of a mile from Highway 49 — combines a nonprofit school (WolfCraft School) and a for‑profit landlord entity (WolfCraft Collective). “WolfCraft is sort of two different entities right now,” she said, describing the nonprofit school as the program operator and the Collective as the owner and landlord of new buildings.
The proposal calls for phased construction. In phase 1, Barbazette said, the site would include three classrooms (one long classroom and a ceramic studio), an office, a barn for animals and platform cabins for overnight stays. She told commissioners the conditional use permit limits enrollment to 40 students and allows up to 30 overnight guests; she anticipates 4–10 full‑time employees when fully operating. “We’re planning on having permaculture gardens, plant dyes, and other materials,” Barbazette said, and added the campus could host pottery, fiber arts, blacksmithing and woodworking classes.
Barbazette described program design aimed at both local residents and destination learners. Short, evening or weekend classes would serve locals, while weeklong, immersive retreats with on‑site lodging would target out‑of‑town visitors and cultural‑tourism markets. She also said online classes have expanded WolfCraft’s reach, with international participants in recorded programming.
On logistics, Barbazette said the site plan locates cabins along a ridgeline overlooking a pond and that designs favor materials that blend with the landscape, noting plans for Corten steel buildings and roll‑up doors to encourage an indoor‑outdoor feel. She said the barn would be for animals and not a commercial event barn, and the ceramics studio would include about 18 wheels for local potters.
On schedule, Barbazette said a grading permit is currently with the county and that, once funding is secured, the project could likely break ground next spring; she estimated approximately two years from ground‑break to opening. She also said funding remains a major contingency: whether phase‑1 cabins are tent platforms or permanent structures depends on available financing.
Commissioners praised the vision and asked about partnerships and instructor recruitment. Barbazette said she has worked with local teachers and organizations such as Sierra Harvest and is exploring food‑service options with nearby vendors. She also emphasized hands‑on curriculum ideas, including “sheep to sweater” classes that follow fiber from animal to garment.
The presentation concluded with commissioners offering to share artist contacts and to explore potential partnerships as Barbazette pursues permits and fundraising. The commission took no formal action on the project at the July 2 meeting.
