ADU rules in Grass Valley, CA β also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances β cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Nevada County Land Use & Development Code Sections L-II 3.19 and L-II 3.19.1 implement state ADU law (Gov. Code 65852.2) and JADU law (65852.22). One ADU plus one Junior ADU is allowed by-right on any lot with a single-family home, conforming to state size ceilings, a minimum 5-foot side/rear setback, and the County's Wildland-Urban Interface standards. ADUs built after April 25, 2019 are recorded with a deed restriction prohibiting use as a short-term rental.
L-II 3.19 (Accessory and Second Dwelling Units) and L-II 3.19.1 (Accessory and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units) bring the County code into alignment with current state ADU law. By state-mandated minimums the County must allow at least an 850 sq ft attached or detached ADU (1,000 sq ft for a two-bedroom unit) and a Junior ADU up to 500 sq ft within an existing single-family home. The County applies a 5-foot minimum side and rear setback per state law for new construction, and ADUs above an existing garage or accessory structure also follow that 5-ft minimum. Height limits follow state defaults (16-25 ft depending on configuration). The County may not require replacement parking when a garage or carport is converted to an ADU. Owner-occupancy of the primary dwelling is not required for an ADU but is required for a JADU. ADUs permitted after April 25, 2019 carry a recorded deed restriction prohibiting short-term rentals (rentals of less than 30 days). Building permits in the unincorporated SRA include CAL FIRE Chapter 7A review for ignition-resistant construction.
Building an ADU without permits is a zoning and building-code violation; the County may issue a Stop Work Order and pursue administrative penalties. Renting a post-2019 ADU as a short-term rental violates the recorded deed restriction and can trigger code-enforcement action plus loss of TOT.
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