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Washoe County planning staff outline housing-code changes to ease ADUs and 'missing middle' development in Gerlock
Summary
Washoe County planning staff told the Gerlock/Empire CAB that five housing code amendments have been adopted and four are in progress to prioritize housing affordability: ADUs were liberalized, small‑unit and senior density bonuses were created, missing‑middle types were added, and process incentives (administrative review, staff liaison, ADU hub) are being implemented.
Washoe County planning staff presented a package of changes aimed at increasing housing options and speeding approvals for certain affordable and smaller‑unit projects during the Gerlock/Empire Community Advisory Board meeting.
Kat Oakley of the Washoe County Planning Department said the county has adopted five code changes so far and has four more in progress to carry out the Envision Washoe 2040 master‑plan objectives around housing affordability. "Everything I've talked about so far is has been adopted," Oakley told the CAB, and she said the remaining amendments are proceeding toward adoption.
Why it matters: Oakley said the combined changes remove permitting barriers and encourage smaller, lower‑cost housing types in appropriate downtown and suburban areas of the high desert. Major adopted and proposed elements include:
- Accessory dwelling units (ADUs): In most cases ADUs are now allowed by right (reducing an extra administrative review step). Oakley said maximum size allowances were increased — for medium‑density suburban zones the cap rose from about 800 ft² to 1,200 ft², proportionality limits were relaxed (from 50% to 80% of the main dwelling, subject to absolute caps), and a "guest quarters" definition was added to accommodate lots limited by septic systems.
- Missing‑middle housing types: Triplexes, quadplexes and cottage‑court (clustered small detached units) forms were added as permitted or special‑use options in suburban zones so multi‑unit buildings can better blend into single‑family fabric without changing base density limits.
- Multifamily standards and parking: The county updated parking minimums and open‑space standards to reflect current vehicle data and to eliminate costly, unusable turf requirements; bicycle parking rules were added.
- Density and affordability incentives: Oakley described a 25% density bonus for senior housing (55+) and a proposed 25% bonus for small units (≤1,200 ft²). A state‑defined "attainable" category (up to 150% of area median income) may allow projects to move up to the next denser regulatory zone in some cases; limited stacking of bonuses is permitted (for example, senior + attainable).
- State‑mandated changes and process incentives: Oakley said recent state legislation requires jurisdictions to allow multifamily housing by right in commercial zones; Washoe County added residential density figures where none existed (for example, 14 units/acre in general/tourist commercial and 5–9 units/acre in neighborhood commercial, depending on housing type). For certain income‑restricted, state‑funded projects, Oakley said a public hearing may be replaced by an administrative‑review process with public notice (circulation to 500 feet) and a staff liaison to prioritize processing.
"ADUs are huge," Oakley said, noting the ADU hub and a planned library of pre‑approved ADU models intended to fast‑track building permits for commonly used designs. She encouraged local designers to participate in preparing pre‑approved models that could speed approvals in rural locations.
Residents and board members pressed on implementation details. Jason Walters said several Main Street commercial buildings are deteriorating and contaminated with asbestos, making voluntary redevelopment economically unviable. He asked whether the county could help owners with asbestos abatement to enable redevelopment. Oakley said zoning changes ease procedural barriers but cannot by themselves fund hazardous‑material removal; financial assistance would be a separate policy conversation and is not guaranteed.
On inspections and rural logistics, staff acknowledged long travel times and said there is a new county building official and that online permitting and pre‑approved models are intended to reduce trips and accelerate work in outlying areas.
Next steps: Oakley said the four in‑progress amendments are expected to be considered by the board in coming weeks and that, if schedules hold, the planning team anticipates final adoption in June. Staff also pointed CAB members to the county's ADU hub and master‑plan implementation webpages for details and application resources.
Authorities and proper names mentioned in the presentation include the Envision Washoe 2040 master plan and recent state legislation mandating multifamily allowances in commercial zones. Royal Ambulance and the Gerlock Volunteer Fire Department were referenced in earlier service updates at the same meeting.
