HTML Coverpage Q1Board of Supervisors 2023
Financial Stability and Core ServicesEmergency PreparednessEconomic DevelopmentBroadbandHousingHomelessnessRecreationClimate Resilience
Initiative DetailsTrack Deliverables for the Economic Development Service Contract with Sierra Business CouncilImplement Last Mile Broadband Projects (Round 1)Maintain GoNevadaCounty.com to promote sustainable tourismAdopt a policy declaring “Broadband is essential infrastructure” to signal this is a County priority. Complete the Programmatic EIR and expand the permitting “tool kit” to facilitate broadband.Manage the “Last-Mile” Broadband Grant program with Sierra Business Council.Evaluate the feasibility of a pilot “line extension” grant program. Update the County's “Broadband Strategy.”Fund and implement the "Dig-Once" policy.Develop a map of projects in the County to show service areas and gaps. Engage and inform the community about County efforts to expand broadband.Seek grant funding and advocate at state and federal level for broadband.Partner with the Sierra Business Council to support Economic Development countywide.Provide support to small businesses impacted by Covid-19 pandemic.Provide support to small businesses impacted by Covid-19 pandemic.Support development of the Higgins Area PlanDevelop a cannabis business tax programHousing Master Plans ProjectSupport development of the Penn Valley Community CenterIdentify lessons learned and opportunities to enhance permitting processesEconomic Development ProfileSupport potential high growth sector developmentCultivate economic diversification, sustainability and equityEstablish infrastructure, further projects and plans to support economic vitalitySeek funding and advocate for economic development prioritiesSupport business attraction, retention and growthFinalize and approve the Nevada County Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan.Promote health and safety at river crossings, lakes, trailheads, and other high-use or high-risk areas.Enhance recreation access, health and safety, economic development, and resource conservation.Support capacity and sustainability of Western Nevada County organized recreation.Identify funding mechanisms and act on advocacy priorities to sustain recreation.Staff recreation collaborative(s) to promote countywide coordination.Establish partnerships to advance and undertake broadband construction projects.Community CoordinationMonitor economically sensitive revenues Reduce Hazardous Vegetation on County-Maintained Roads and County Owned PropertyTruckee Lofts ProjectEvaluate the options and feasibility of establishing a Business License process in the County.Ensure healthy fund balances in major operating fundsPrepare and implement long-term financial plansDevelop and manage County budgetClimate Strategic PlanHarden Critical InfrastructureEnhance Carbon Storage and SequestrationFunding and AdvocacyHazard MitigationRecoveryIncrease availability of rental and mortgage assistance funding to prevent individuals and families from slipping into homelessness and implement a CoC-wide diversion strategyExpand services and housing opportunities to transition aged youth and families with children to prevent entry into the adult homeless system and long-term homelessness.Strengthen housing focused case management and post housing supportive servicesExpand year-round shelter capacityImplement a centralized Landlord Liaison Program (LLP)Facilitate and promote partnerships for the development of affordable and supportive housingExpand and strengthen non-congregant, navigation-based, interim housing optionsSupport system wide improvement to data collection measures, collaboration on funding opportunities, and implementation of the County-CoC joint strategic planStrengthen the coordinated multi-disciplinary case conferencing team (Homeless Resource Team)Continue to support and strengthen outreach, engagement, and case management
Below Plan

Manage the “Last-Mile” Broadband Grant program with Sierra Business Council.

Board of Supervisors 2023

Description

Expediting access to the internet for all residents is the goal of the County’s “Last-Mile Broadband Grant Program.” The Board established the program in 2019 with Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) dollars intended to promote economic development. The program is managed under contract with the Sierra Business Council with oversight from the County's Broadband Work Group.

In April 2021, the County awarded $500,000 for the second round of the "Last-Mile Broadband Grant Program" to four local internet service providers (ISP); broadband service will be offered to 440 households to support distance learning, remote working, and tele-medicine.  The four ISPs include Nevada County Fiber, Inc., Northern Sierra Fiber, Oasis Broadband, and Spiral Fiber, Inc., who each offered unique and innovative approaches to expanding broadband in areas challenged by both the geographic infrastructure challenges and the low population density. 

Following the Board's 2022 Workshop, the Board directed staff to allocate at least $250,000 for Round 3 “Last-Mile” grants from the Economic Development Infrastructure assignment of the General Fund. 

Progress Update

Q1-23

Highlights from the past quarter (January through March 2023) include:

  • Nevada County Fiber completed four fiber connections under the Nevada County Grant, and 8 connections under the State CASF grant on Banner Mountain.
  • Northern Sierra Broadband is meeting with Nevada County to discuss an extension to their Last-Mile Grant Agreement with the County. Adjustments to the budget and project scope are being determined following a meeting with homeowners in the project area (Buck Mountain).
  • Oasis Broadband formally withdrew from their grant agreement due to unexpected and significant project costs related to a 96-foot cell tower that was not thought to be needed in the original project scope. Oasis will reapply under a subsequent Last-Mile Grant round with a revised project budget.
  • Generally, we are seeing that internet service providers (ISPs) in our Last-Mile Grant Program face long timelines in equipment acquisition and increasing costs, such that -- in some cases -- our original grant agreements are no longer sufficient to allow projects to be financially feasible. We will explore ways to rectify this challenge in future Last-Mile Grant rounds.
  • A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was finalized on March 31st and released for solicitation on April 4th. The RFQ will be used to vet ISPs, recommend competitive state and federally funded grants,
    identify each ISP's area(s) of interest, and request future proposals for the County-funded Last-Mile grant program. The County looks forward to vetting and partnering with new ISPs from neighboring counties and continuing to work with existing ISPs. Vetted ISPs will receive free planning and consulting services.
  • Nevada County is working with Nevada County Fiber to explore a micro-trenching pilot project. In compliance with SB 378, the County is in the early inquiry phase of supporting a local internet service provider’s pursuit of a state-funded micro-trenching project in Nevada County, if County compliance can be achieved.
  • Supported internet service providers (ISPs), responded to inquiries, and met with ISPs regarding priority areas in Nevada County and state grant opportunities.
  • The County worked with Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA) to outline preliminary areas for high-level engineering under the Local Agency Technical Assistance Grant (LATA) for future fiber to the home connections.

Linked Measures

Not Defined
Last-Mile Broadband Connections
Board of Supervisors 2023

Next Steps

Q1-23

Plans for Q2 (April through June 2023) include:

  • Review, score, and interview request for qualifications (RFQ) applicants.
  • Continue to support ISPs who are applying to the California Advanced Services Fund Broadband Infrastructure application and federal funded last-mile applications.
  • The County will continue to work with Golden State Connect Authority to move from high-level to low-level engineering designs for last-mile fiber-to-the-home projects and analyze them from the perspective of Federal Funding Account (FFA) dollars that have been allocated to Nevada County.
Not Defined

Last-Mile Broadband Connections
Last-Mile Broadband Connections

Chart

Bar chart with 2 data series.
Last-Mile Broadband Connections (Chart Type: Column) Plot Bands 2021 # of connections: 450.00 County investment (in thousands): 500.00 2022 # of connections: No Value County investment (in thousands): No Value 2023 # of connections: No Value County investment (in thousands): No Value
The chart has 1 X axis displaying categories.
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Range: 0 to 600.
End of interactive chart.

Objectives

On Target
Broadband
Board of Supervisors 2023