Bed & Breakfast Emergency Moratorium Upsets Nevada City Business Owners

NEVADA CITY (CBS13) — An emergency moratorium on bed and breakfasts in Nevada City is leading to a backlash from some business owners.

"I feel it's been a real conflict for everybody in this town that cares and loves for this town as we do," said Nevada House innkeeper Katherine Doolittle.

In the town of old-fashioned charm and wonder, the quaint comfort of bed and breakfasts is becoming hard to find.

"There's an exhausting battle back and forth between all of this hard work being done to promote this wonderful beautiful location, and the ability to actually service those people," she said.

Her bed and breakfast is one of just four in Nevada City.

"There are exciting things going on," she said. "This weekend is the Wild and Scenic Film Festival, people come from all over the world, there aren't enough rooms for everybody."

A law imposing strict rules for opening new bed and breakfasts is up and now being strengthened with the emergency moratorium.

Tom Coleman owns National Hotel in Nevada City, established back in the 1860s. He says he'd like to see more of them in Nevada City to help house tourists.

"You would expect to go to a B&B in a residential area, be in the neighborhood, enjoy the neighbors and the people, and. It be in the downtown business district or next to a freeway," he said.

A group called Friend of Nevada City backs the moratorium. They're concerned more bed and breakfasts could jeopardize affordable housing and become neighborhood nuisances.

Nevada City leaders plan to replace the emergency move with a permanent solution later this year.

Last year, Nevada County also imposed strict restrictions on outdoor events like weddings, limiting commercial venues to just four a year.