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Nevada City weighs higher ADU heights and roof‑pitch bonuses to unlock livable small units
Summary
After a staff presentation and consultant review, commissioners signaled support for loosening ADU height limits—linking higher maximums to steeper roof pitches and slope bonuses—to allow preapproved ADU plans that better match Nevada City's architectural character while protecting neighbors; staff will return with draft code language.
Nevada City planners spent the latter half of the meeting reviewing a staff‑commissioned ADU height study and a set of five proposed preapproved ADU plans intended to make ministerial ADU approvals simpler and more compatible with the city’s historic character.
Staff and consultants explained that the city’s current 16‑foot ADU height limit and a 6:12 minimum roof pitch make it difficult to deliver compact, livable ADUs that also have the steeper roof profiles common in Nevada City. The consultant presented measured examples showing that modest ADU footprints with steeper 8:12 or 9:12 pitches commonly exceed the 16‑foot cap, particularly on sloped lots when height is measured from average natural…
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