Planning commission recommends ADU code amendments, raises maximum ADU height to 18 feet to accommodate pre‑approved plans

The Nevada City Planning Commission unanimously recommended that the City Council adopt updated accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations that incorporate recent State HCD comments and a few local discretionary choices.

Gary Price and staff presented the draft ordinance revisions and said HCD reviewed two iterations and no longer had critical comments. Staff emphasized the mandatory elements driven by state law and a small set of discretionary local options: objective design standards, a parking exception to avoid replacing an on‑street parking space or removing large front‑yard trees when an off‑street space is required, and a maximum ADU height.

Commissioners discussed the maximum ADU height at length. Staff and an outside matrix of pre‑approved plans showed that a 17‑foot limit would exclude several pre‑approved designs; staff recommended an 18‑foot maximum so the city’s pre‑approved ADU plans could be used without redesign. Commissioner discussion acknowledged both the need to protect neighborhood context and the practical benefit of avoiding redesign of plan sets.

Russ, a planning staff member, explained the parking exception’s rationale: the city should avoid a rule that forces a homeowner to widen a driveway or remove a large tree to meet an off‑street parking requirement if that change would eliminate an on‑street parking space or more than 25% of front‑yard landscaping.

A motion to approve the draft ordinance recommendation (resolution PC26‑01) and to set the ADU maximum height at 18 feet carried on unanimous roll call (Commissioner Simmons — yes; Commissioner Nye — yes; Commissioner Han — yes; Vice Chair Cobden — yes; Chair Brown — yes). Staff will forward the recommended ordinance to city council for action and the architect who prepared pre‑approved plans will present those plans to the council.