Alternative Housing/RV Dwelling

On November 13, 2025, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to review the draft RV Housing/Alternative Dwelling Ordinance and voted 3 (yes) to 2 (no) to recommend that the Board of Supervisors adopt the Ordinance. The Board of Supervisors is expected to consider the draft Ordinance at a date to be determined early in 2026.

The Staff Report and associated documents for the draft RV Housing/Alternative Dwelling Ordinance are available for review below:

Alternative Housing/RV Dwelling Ordinance Staff Report (PLN25-0084, ORD25-1) (PDF)
Alternative Housing/RV Dwelling Ordinance Staff Memo (PLN25-0084, ORD25-1) (PDF)

To Provide Public Comment

Please submit your comments by email to AltRVOrdinance@NevadaCountyCa.gov

Background

At the 2024 Board Workshop, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors directed the Community Development Agency to identify updates to the Nevada County Code to allow for the development of alternative housing types in support of the Housing Board Objective. Specifically, the Board of Supervisors directed the Planning Department to develop an Ordinance to allow Tiny Homes on Wheels (THOWs) and to reestablish and redefine the County’s Title 25 Limited Density Rural Owner-Built Housing Regulations. Both Tiny Homes on Wheels and Title 25 regulations were adopted by the Board on January 14, 2025.

Throughout the Tiny Homes on Wheels project, the most consistent comment received was that the Tiny Homes on Wheels ordinance did not go far enough and that the County should consider additional alternative housing. Similar to the 2024 Board Workshop, during the January 14, 2025, Board Meeting and the 2025 Board Workshop, the Board directed staff to follow up with a review and a potential ordinance that might allow alternative housing types that are not traditionally considered permanent housing.

Work Plan Details

The work plan includes a series of internal meetings between the Housing working group identified in the 2025 Housing Objectives Charter to work through specific regulatory challenges that are anticipated with this project. Staff also anticipates hosting up to five public meetings dispersed throughout the County, while providing the public with a number of opportunities to comment on the County’s approach to the issue following a relatively typical ordinance update process, including initial written feedback on the concept, a review of the draft ordinance and through the CEQA and public hearing process with the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors. It is assumed that the draft Ordinance will be presented to the Penn Valley and South County Municipal Advisory Councils for recommendations on the project.

The anticipated approach to the project, based on input from a variety of CDA Departments, includes updating the County’s Recreational Vehicle Uses and Temporary Occupancies ordinance. Currently, the County already allows for the use of a recreational vehicle for seasonal use for a period of 90 days, during construction of a single-family dwelling with a building permit, for security housing purposes on public sites with a use permit, and as employee housing for a six-month period. This section of the code provides a good starting place as it already outlines specific health and safety requirements, as well as definitions associated with these types of units.

The other part of the ordinance update effort is related to whether the County can allow alternatives to standard septic disposal, which will require an update to the County’s Local Area Management Plan (LAMP), which is administered by the Department of Environmental Health. These processes may need to run concurrently, and it may require additional time to update the LAMP and have it reviewed and potentially approved by the State.

Alternative/RV Housing Ordinance Survey

The Alternative/RV Housing Ordinance non-scientific public survey is now closed as of Aug. 10. Public feedback is extremely important and will directly inform the Planning Department's efforts to ensure the ordinance is consistent with community character and addresses the needs of the citizens of Nevada County. See the public public survey results here.

To receive information on the project, provide written comments, and/or sign up for future noticing emails, please send an email to AltRVOrdinance@NevadaCountyCa.gov.

1	4/22/2025	Alternative Housing Work Plan presented to Board of Supervisors	Complete: Watch Board of Supervisors meeting View Board item documents CBS Sacramento news segment featuring interview with Principal Planner
2	5/27/2025	Alternative Housing Community Meeting in the Board Chambers, 950 Maidu Ave., Nevada City - 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.	Nevada County news flash View media release (PDF) Watch May 27 community meeting
3	7/11/2025	Alternative/RV Housing survey released - Closed as of Aug. 10.	See survey results See survey raw data spreadsheet
4	8/20/2025	Alternative/RV Housing draft ordinance released for public review. - Submit comments by Sept. 22, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.	Review draft ordinance (PDF) View media release (PDF)
5	9/9/2025	Public workshop held at the Grass Valley Veterans Memorial Hall	Watch public workshop video
6	9/15/2025	Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) meeting: 6:00-8:00 p.m., Higgins Lions Community Center, 22490 East Hacienda Drive, Grass Valley
7	9/23/2025	Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) meeting: 6:00-8:00 p.m., Penn Valley Fire Protection District HQ, 10513 Spenceville Road, Penn Valley
8	11/13/2025	Planning Commission meeting, 1:30-5:00 p.m.	The Planning Commission reviewed the draft RV housing ordinance, voting 3-2 to recommend the Board of Supervisors adopt the Ordinance. Watch the Planning Commission meeting
9	3/10/2026	Board of Supervisors meeting, 1:30 PM	The Board of Supervisors will review and consider the Ordinance.

Alternative Housing/RV Dwelling