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Development Review Committee backs expanded grading pad for Jada Windows in Grass Valley
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Summary
The Development Review Committee voted 4–0 on April 14, 2026, to recommend that the Planning Commission approve an amendment allowing Jada Windows to add a 36,000-square-foot graded pad at 1011 Whispering Pines Lane; a resident raised air-quality and historic mine-waste concerns, and staff said the air district favored keeping soil on-site.
On April 14, 2026, the Development Review Committee recommended that the Planning Commission approve an amendment to the approved Jada Windows project to add a 36,000-square-foot graded pad at 1011 Whispering Pines Lane in Grass Valley.
Staff told the committee that the original project — a 70,480-square-foot metal manufacturing building approved in February 2025 — had been analyzed under a tiered Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration and that staff prepared an addendum concluding the proposed expansion would not increase overall environmental impacts. The addendum said air-quality and traffic impacts would likely be reduced because keeping soil on-site would lower the need for off-haul and on-haul truck traffic.
Kevin Nelson of Nelson Engineering, representing Jada Windows, told the committee the request was straightforward and intended to accommodate excess material generated by construction. "We're just looking to expand this pad to take care of the excess material that was generated with the project," Nelson said, and he said the applicant agreed with the staff findings and proposed mitigation measures.
During public comment, resident Matthew Coulter urged the committee to consider historic mine-waste contamination near the site and described visible dust and runoff. "We live on a Superfund site," Coulter said, and he said he had multiple videos showing heavy dust clouds, mud runoff, and erosion reaching wetlands and Wolf Creek. Coulter asked whether enforcement actions had been taken against prior violations.
In response, staff said the project had been reviewed by the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District, which "was actually in favor of keeping the soil on-site," because off-haul can be complicated when soil contains naturally occurring asbestos and keeping material on-site could reduce air emissions from trucking.
Chair moved the committee recommendation that the Planning Commission approve application 26PLN-0010, adopt the addendum to the Jada Windows IS/MND, and add a Condition 10 requiring that uses on the expanded pad be compatible with municipal code and that any outdoor storage obtain a use permit. The committee voted 4–0 with one member absent; the motion passed.
The committee's recommendation will be forwarded to the Planning Commission for its decision under the normal review process.
