Nevada City

What the published rules say. R2 and R3 list multifamily housing as permitted uses. GB and LB also allow housing and mixed residential/nonresidential buildings, but their mixed-use provisions specify four homes per acre, with at least one home allowed regardless of lot size.

Proposed reform. Retain the mixed-use permission and replace the restrictive dwelling cap with capacity that fits the permitted building envelope.

R2 residential district · R3 residential district · General Business district · Local Business district

What the published rules say. Published base densities are eight homes per acre in R2 and sixteen in R3. GB and LB mixed-use provisions specify four homes per acre. These are base-code provisions, before applicable state-law entitlements or project-specific exceptions.

Proposed reform. Coordinate dwelling capacity, floor area, height and courtyard space in a mapped courtyard overlay. Make an ordinary compliant project workable without relying on a discretionary exception or density bonus.

R2 residential district · R3 residential district · General Business district · Local Business district

What the published rules say. R3 is limited to 40 feet or three stories, whichever is less, subject to individual-site provisions. GB has a 40-foot base limit with character, light, air and privacy qualifications; LB has a 35-foot limit.

Proposed reform. Test a five-to-six-story option on appropriate infill sites, alongside lower-rise alternatives and historic-context transitions. Adopt a coordinated height and roof allowance where the study supports it.

R3 residential district · General Business district · Local Business district

What the published rules say. GB requires no front yard and generally no side or rear yard, with exceptions at residential-zone boundaries and other applicable standards. R2 requires a 25-foot front yard and 9-foot side yards; R3 requires a 10-foot front yard and increasing side yards.

Proposed reform. Build on GB’s existing street-edge permission. In designated areas, allow front-lot-line buildings and properly fire-separated party walls, while retaining deliberate passages and protected internal gardens.

General Business district · R2 residential district · R3 residential district · Development performance standards

What the published rules say. New R3 lots require at least half an acre (21,780 sq ft) and 75 feet of width. R2 also has a half-acre minimum and width starting at 75 feet, increasing with additional homes. R2 expressly excepts qualifying master-planned multifamily maps from its minimum lot-size rule; planned-unit development can alter its yard/width requirements.

Proposed reform. Establish a predictable small-parcel route for 50–60-foot building frontages, with coherent larger corners and recorded shared-courtyard access. Coordinate the subdivision rules; smaller title parcels do not automatically become separate code buildings.

R2 residential district · R3 residential district

What the published rules say. R3 expressly encourages interior courtyards and common space. For qualifying streamlined or ministerial projects, Chapter 17.82 calls for 40 sq ft of adjacent private outdoor space per home above five units, and 3,000 sq ft of common usable space at ten units plus 200 sq ft for each additional unit. Further age-group provisions apply to larger projects.

Proposed reform. Allow a useful protected shared court to satisfy compatible open-space obligations through explicit standards and permanent access/maintenance agreements. Test private outdoor-space rules and minimum common-space thresholds on small buildings.

R3 residential district · Objective design standards

What the published rules say. The general residential rule is two spaces per home, with discretionary reductions. R3 has its own bedroom-based schedule plus one guest space per two homes; an ordinary two-bedroom R3 home therefore generates 2.5 spaces before exceptions. The city reports targeted parking relief, which is not a citywide repeal.

Proposed reform. Remove automobile parking minimums for eligible courtyard infill; permit optional shared or off-site parking while preserving accessible parking and lawful servicing. Apply any stronger state protections first.

Development performance standards · R3 residential district · 2025 Housing Element Annual Progress Report · HCD parking-law guidance

What the published rules say. The published parking standards specify 9 × 18-foot full-size perpendicular stalls and a minimum 24-foot aisle/driveway throat; up to 40% of spaces may be compact. Off-site parking may be approved within 500 feet along public-access routes when on-site provision is unreasonable.

Proposed reform. Where parking is supplied, test a compact access arrangement and a shared parking facility against circulation, accessibility and fire requirements instead of reserving a separate large parking court for every building.

Development performance standards

What the published rules say. R3 provides ministerial site-plan review for qualifying projects at its specified density and unit mix, followed by listed architectural review. Chapter 17.82 supplies objective standards only for projects that qualify for streamlined or ministerial processing; it does not make every residential project eligible.

Proposed reform. Create clear objective criteria for courtyard buildings, coordinate the reviews, and publish the route that applies to each project. Adapt roof, articulation and entrance rules to genuine modest buildings and local historic context.

R3 residential district · Objective design standards