Nearly the entire unincorporated Nevada County is mapped by CAL FIRE as a High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) in the State Responsibility Area under PRC 4202. New construction in these zones must comply with California Building Code Chapter 7A (ignition-resistant materials) and the County's enhanced defensible-space ordinance. The Wildland-Urban Interface includes the foothills around Nevada City, Grass Valley, Penn Valley, North San Juan, and the Tahoe-adjacent Truckee basin.
CAL FIRE's FHSZ maps designate the foothill and forested portions of Nevada County as 'High' or 'Very High' under Public Resources Code 4202. In these zones, California Building Code Chapter 7A requires ignition-resistant exterior wall coverings, Class A roofs, ember-resistant vents, double-pane tempered windows, and non-combustible decking within 10 ft of the structure. New subdivisions must demonstrate two means of ingress/egress under SRA Fire Safe Regulations (14 CCR 1273). Sellers must complete a Natural Hazard Disclosure (NHD) identifying FHSZ status and provide a defensible-space certification at point of sale per AB 38. Building permits in the SRA are routed to CAL FIRE for Chapter 7A review.
Non-compliant construction can be denied a Certificate of Occupancy. AB 38 disclosure failures can lead to civil liability between buyer and seller. Defensible-space non-compliance follows the County abatement and lien process described in the brush-clearance ordinance.
Nevada County, CA
Nevada County Code Title 8 (Animal Regulation) makes it unlawful for an owner to allow a dog or other animal to disturb the peace by habitual barking, howlin...
Nevada County, CA
Unincorporated Nevada County applies a tiered exterior noise standard set in Land Use & Development Code Section L-II 4.1.7. At residential receivers the day...
Nevada County, CA
RVs, travel trailers, and boats may be stored on a residential parcel in unincorporated Nevada County, but full-time occupancy of an RV as a dwelling is proh...
Nevada County, CA
Beekeeping is broadly allowed in unincorporated Nevada County. Hobbyist apiaries with fewer than 10 hives pay no County registration fee (Board Resolution 93...
Nevada County, CA
Section L-II 3.4 of the Land Use & Development Code allows backyard chickens (hens only, no roosters) in the R1 and RA zoning districts. Hen counts range fro...
Nevada County, CA
Nevada County Code Title 8 prohibits any dog or other animal from being 'at large' off its owner's premises. An animal is deemed at large when it is off the ...
See how Nevada County's wildfire zones rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.