Nevada County has building codes that contractors and property owners must follow in order t o legaklly build a on unincorporated land within the county. Grass Valley, Nevad City, and Truckee also have a set of codes that builders must adhere to. As part of the process in either of the municipalities, permits are required for new contsrtuction and remodel projects. The county and/or city must review and approve plans and inspect work in process and at completion of a project. However, county public information officer Taylor Wolfe says with so many structures built in the last hundred and fifty years, and numerous remodels or additions done without pulling permits, issues can arise when trying to sell or buy properties. She says the county is working with local builders and realtors on how to best rectify un-permitted situations. It’s an After-The-Fact process to help bring properties into compliance.

She says often times a sale can be delayed or even halted if the property is not properly permitted.

To help gather information from members of the community, the County is offering a generous incentive, a VISA gift card for getting people to share information including pros and cons about the process. The survey is located on the Nevada County Contractors Website.

Nevada County is responsible for permitting structures in unincorporated areas of the county. Grass Valley, Nevada City, and Truckee also have permitting processes used for structures within their jurisdictions.