The Idaho Maryland Mine project is inconsistent with numerous Nevada County General Plan goals and policies which provide justification to deny the project independent of the environmental analysis.
Land Use Element
GOAL1.5 - Within Community Regions, ensure that development reflects our small-town character, the characteristics of the land and the natural environment.
GOAL 1.6 - Allow for growth while protecting, maintaining and enhancing communities and neighborhoods.
Policy 1.8.3 - Within the City/Town spheresof influence, the Nevada CountyGeneral Plan Land Use Maps will generally reflect the City's/Town's General Plan land use mapping. In some instances, the County may provide for a less intensive land use due to infrastructure capability, environmental constraints or effect on land use and development patterns outside the city's sphere. However, the County's Plan will not preclude implementation of the City's/Town's Plan by providing for a significantly more intensive land use than the City's/Town's Plan.
GOAL 1.8 - Coordinate with the cities/town in land use planning and development within their spheres of influence.
Policy 1.7.10 - The County shall provide for facilities for the management of hazardous waste produced on-site in the Commercial, Business Park, Industrial, and Public land use designations, and shall provide for facilities for the management of hazardous waste produced on or off-site in the Industrial and Public land use designations. All facilities shall be located in a manner consistent with criteria established in the State-approved Nevada County Hazardous Waste Management Plan approved by the County.
Economic Element Goal 2.1 - Provide for a strong economic base while protecting and maintaining communities and neighborhoods. Objective 2.4 - Encourage economic development which favors a high economic multiplier effect. Policy 2.9 - In support of the County Economic Policy, develop and implement an ongoing, aggressive business recruitment and marketing program featuring the County’s strengths in areas such as education and quality of life. Target the program to prospective types of business (particularly those that are entrepreneur-oriented) that are best suited to provide significant long-term job opportunities in industries such as biotechnology, electronics and communications, and energy-related products.
Objective 2.14 Encourage protection and enhancement of the natural scenic beauty of this County in support of the tourist trade.
Safety Element GOAL CC-10.13 - Build Climate-Resilient Communities and Protect Neighborhoods, Public Infrastructure and Natural Resources Through Mitigating Climate Change. Policy CC-10.13.4 - Require new discretionary development to include an analysis of potential affects to climate change impacts and water resources in the project review process. Projects shall reduce or limit impacts as feasible. GOAL HM-10.5 - Protect public health, safety, natural resources, and property through regulation of use, storage, transport, and disposal of hazardous materials. Policy HM-10.5.5 - The County will actively promote prompt clean-up or remediation of properties contaminated by mine waste or other hazardous materials and shall not grant any discretionary or ministerial land use approvals to develop or change boundaries or reconfigure parcels believed to be contaminated, unless and until the nature, extent, type and location of the contamination is determined and satisfactory arrangements are made for clean-up or remediation, in accordance with Nevada County standards or State regulations. Noise Element GOAL 9.1 - Provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Nevada County through a set of policies designed to encourage an environment free of unnecessary and annoying noise. Policy 9.1.10 - Strongly discourage those General Plan amendments and zone changes that would likely create land use conflicts relative to noise. Aesthetics Element Goal 18.1 - Promote and provide for aesthetic design in new development which reflects existing character. Water Element Goal 11.1 - Identify, protect and manage for sustainable water resources and riparian habitats. Policy 11.2 - Encourage the protection of resources which produce water for domestic and agricultural consumption. Objective 11.2 - Preserve surface and sub-surface water quality and, where feasible, improve such quality. Policy 11.4 - Cooperate with State and local agencies in efforts to identify and reduce to acceptable levels all sources of existing and potential point-and non-point-source pollution to ground and surface waters, including leaking fuel tanks, discharges from storm drains, Chapter 11: Water Element Volume I - Page 11-4 Nevada County General Plan auto dismantling and dump sites, sanitary waste systems, parking lots, roadways, logging and mining operations.
Objective 11.3 - Preserve and, where economically feasible, restore the density and diversity of water dependent species and continuous riparian habitats based on sound ecological principles.
Mineral Management Element
Goal 17.1 Recognize and protect valuable mineral resources for current and future generations in a manner that does not create land use conflicts.
Policy17.6 Encourage extraction of mineral resources in compatible areas prior to intensified urbanization or conversion to other incompatible land use development.
Policy 17.11 - Recognize the importance of water conservation and quality for the present and future needs of the County by: 1. Requiring the conservation of on-site water during mining operations. 2. Requiring that off-site water discharge complies with State water quality standards. 3. Requiring that any increase or decrease of off-site discharge is not detrimental to the downstream environment or downstream water users.
Policy 17.14 - Already existing development - commercial, residential, and community - as well as undeveloped private lands, shall be protected from adverse environmental effects caused by mining through enforced use permit conditions and mitigations measures, or denial of the projects. The County shall be the enforcement agency.
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