ADU News

A Prefab Tiny Home Takes Root in a Northern California Vineyard

RSS Feed January 17, 2023

Surrounded by rows of cabernet grapevines, olive trees, a centenary oak, and bright blue sky, this cedar-clad prefab looks as if it has always stood on its cinematic site in Healdsburg, California. But the 540-square-foot Dwell House landed on the lot only a few months ago—just in time for Thanksgiving, which was homeowner Leslie Scharf’s plan.

One of the first Dwell Houses recently landed near Leslie Scharf’s vineyard home in Healdsburg, California. Norm Architects led the design of the 540-square-foot prefab, which is wrapped in Real Cedar siding.

After living on the property at the start of the pandemic with her adult daughters, Sophie and Sarah, and their families, Leslie decided she could use more square footage. “I needed flex space so that we could comfortably spend time together here,” she says.

“Natural materials bring tactility and warmth,” says Norm partner Sofie Thorning. Marvin windows and a folding NanaWall provide epic views of the landscape.

It turns out that Sophie was feeling slightly squeezed as well. “It was really tight, and we didn’t know how long the pandemic would last,” she says. She started researching accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and she was drawn to the materials and detailing of the Dwell House. “My mom and I love design, and the Dwell House is beautiful compared to a lot of other ADUs,” Sophie adds.

Abodu managed the build and delivery of the turnkey one-bedroom ADU. “The cost is up-front, transparent, all-inclusive— excluding taxes, fees, and custom site-specific work—and locked in before construction begins,” says cofounder Eric McInerney. The kitchen includes a full suite of Bosch appliances.

Designed by Norm Architects, the backyard house is as artful as it is efficient. “Natural materials bring texture and depth, and we always strive for richness in our detailing,” says Norm partner Sofie Thorning. “The different scales of the cedar cladding align, creating a thoughtful rhythm that gives the house a calm appearance. The presentation is never flat, but it blends in wherever it goes.”

A Ravenhill Studio sconce hangs on the exterior siding.

“The interior’s muted palette is calming anddoesn’t overpower the home’s relationship to nature.When you’re inside, you note what’s outside.”

—Sofie Thorning, architect

Strategically placed glazing—including a 12-foot-wide folding glass wall that opens the living area to the deck—frames the bucolic setting. “I love the home’s relationship to the outdoors,” says Thorning. “No matter where you are, you catch a view of the landscape, which enlarges the feeling of the small house.”

“The interior’s muted palette is calming and doesn’t overpower the home’s relationship to nature. When you’re inside, you note what’s outside,” says architect Sofie Thorning.

Leslie and Sophie were taken with the design, but they also loved that home-builder Abodu would oversee construction and transport the ADU to their property in a seamless process. “After the Dwell House is fully constructed in-factory, it’s loaded onto a flatbed truck for transport to the homeowner and arrives as a complete, ready-to-move-in unit,” says Abodu cofounder Eric McInerney. “Prior to arrival, we handle all on-site construction work—from building the foundation to preparing plumbing and electrical.”

According to McInerney, prefabricating the unit off-site limits the on-site construction time to about six weeks. “This allows for greater control and oversight of the construction process and materials, which decreases the timeline to completion and lets Abodu deliver the Dwell House in as little as six months,” he says.

Leslie and her daughter, Sophie, stand on the deck with their labradoodle, Bean. “The two things about the home that caught my eye were the cedar siding and the folding glass wall that opens it up,” says Leslie. “You don’t get a better view than this,” Sophie adds. “We pretty much live on the deck, so to be able to walk in and out is ideal.”

On delivery day, Leslie, Sophie, and Sophie’s four-year-old son, Luca, watched Abodu crane the Dwell House over the grapevines in only a couple of minutes and then situate it between a massive oak tree and the main house on the property. Once it was in place, they couldn’t help but think that their new flex space was more than they’d hoped for. “I looked inside, and I was surprised that there was really nothing for me to do,” says Leslie. “It was all there—appliances and everything.”

So far, the Dwell House has made the family’s special gathering place that much more special. “My parents bought this land in 1982, and I kind of grew up here,” says Sophie. “When I was younger, my sister and I would run through the vineyards all the time, chasing rabbits and birds. Now, my son explores while we sit and watch from the deck or the living area. Our family is growing—and we finally have the space we need.”

—

Head back to the January/February 2023 issue homepage

Surrounded by rows of cabernet grapevines, olive trees, a centenary oak, and bright blue sky, this cedar-clad prefab looks as if it has always stood on its cinematic site in Healdsburg, California. But the 540-square-foot Dwell House landed on the lot only a few months ago—just in time for Thanksgiving, which was homeowner Leslie Scharf’s plan.
One of the first Dwell Houses recently landed near Leslie Scharf’s vineyard home in Healdsburg, California. Norm Architects led the design of the 540-square-foot prefab, which is wrapped in Real Cedar siding.
After living on the property at the start of the pandemic with her adult daughters, Sophie and Sarah, and their families, Leslie decided she could use more square footage. “I needed flex space so that we could comfortably spend time together here,” she says.

“Natural materials bring tactility and warmth,” says Norm partner Sofie Thorning. Marvin windows and a folding NanaWall provide epic views of the landscape.
It turns out that Sophie was feeling slightly squeezed as well. “It was really tight, and we didn’t know how long the pandemic would last,” she says. She started researching accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and she was drawn to the materials and detailing of the Dwell House. “My mom and I love design, and the Dwell House is beautiful compared to a lot of other ADUs,” Sophie adds.
Abodu managed the build and delivery of the turnkey one-bedroom ADU. “The cost is up-front, transparent, all-inclusive— excluding taxes, fees, and custom site-specific work—and locked in before construction begins,” says cofounder Eric McInerney. The kitchen includes a full suite of Bosch appliances.
Designed by Norm Architects, the backyard house is as artful as it is efficient. “Natural materials bring texture and depth, and we always strive for richness in our detailing,” says Norm partner Sofie Thorning. “The different scales of the cedar cladding align, creating a thoughtful rhythm that gives the house a calm appearance. The presentation is never flat, but it blends in wherever it goes.”
A Ravenhill Studio sconce hangs on the exterior siding.
“The interior’s muted palette is calming anddoesn’t overpower the home’s relationship to nature.When you’re inside, you note what’s outside.”
—Sofie Thorning, architect
Strategically placed glazing—including a 12-foot-wide folding glass wall that opens the living area to the deck—frames the bucolic setting. “I love the home’s relationship to the outdoors,” says Thorning. “No matter where you are, you catch a view of the landscape, which enlarges the feeling of the small house.”
“The interior’s muted palette is calming and doesn’t overpower the home’s relationship to nature. When you’re inside, you note what’s outside,” says architect Sofie Thorning.
Leslie and Sophie were taken with the design, but they also loved that home-builder Abodu would oversee construction and transport the ADU to their property in a seamless process. “After the Dwell House is fully constructed in-factory, it’s loaded onto a flatbed truck for transport to the homeowner and arrives as a complete, ready-to-move-in unit,” says Abodu cofounder Eric McInerney. “Prior to arrival, we handle all on-site construction work—from building the foundation to preparing plumbing and electrical.”
According to McInerney, prefabricating the unit off-site limits the on-site construction time to about six weeks. “This allows for greater control and oversight of the construction process and materials, which decreases the timeline to completion and lets Abodu deliver the Dwell House in as little as six months,” he says.
Leslie and her daughter, Sophie, stand on the deck with their labradoodle, Bean. “The two things about the home that caught my eye were the cedar siding and the folding glass wall that opens it up,” says Leslie. “You don’t get a better view than this,” Sophie adds. “We pretty much live on the deck, so to be able to walk in and out is ideal.”
On delivery day, Leslie, Sophie, and Sophie’s four-year-old son, Luca, watched Abodu crane the Dwell House over the grapevines in only a couple of minutes and then situate it between a massive oak tree and the main house on the property. Once it was in place, they couldn’t help but think that their new flex space was more than they’d hoped for. “I looked inside, and I was surprised that there was really nothing for me to do,” says Leslie. “It was all there—appliances and everything.”
So far, the Dwell House has made the family’s special gathering place that much more special. “My parents bought this land in 1982, and I kind of grew up here,” says Sophie. “When I was younger, my sister and I would run through the vineyards all the time, chasing rabbits and birds. Now, my son explores while we sit and watch from the deck or the living area. Our family is growing—and we finally have the space we need.”
—
Head back to the January/February 2023 issue homepage
A Prefab Tiny Home Takes Root in a Northern California Vineyard Dwell

Facing mounting pressure, Atherton adds multifamily housing back …

RSS Feed January 16, 2023

Uploaded: Mon, Jan 16, 2023, 11:43 am

After hearing feedback from town consultants, local housing advocates, some residents and even a former council member, the Atherton City Council opted to add multifamily housing back into its state-mandated housing element plan, but some sites were left on the cutting room floor.

The council opted to include a swath of lots along El Camino Real and an empty lot on Oakwood Boulevard, which the owner plans to develop, during a Wednesday, Jan. 11, meeting. The revised plan is due to the state Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) on Jan. 31.

Bob Polito, who finished his council term last month, attended the meeting via Zoom to urge the City Council to ditch its mostly accessory dwelling unit (ADU) strategy to meet the state’s requirements to plan for 348 new units, across various income levels, in town over the next eight years. The state rejected this initial plan in a 16-page letter in October. He said he “begrudgingly” went along with the draft as a starting point for a housing plan when he was on the council.

He suggested lots along the El Camino Real corridor would be best for development. He said the current plan at best would get a “D” grade from HCD.

“A handful of well-planned, well-located and carefully controlled projects with multifamily will be much more impactful and will lead to an approved housing element from HCD,” he said. “Time is of the essence. … We need to be ready with a well-vetted plan before our housing element is denied and before litigation and a builder’s remedy have a chance to blossom.”

During the meeting, town consultants said the plan that was submitted to HCD over the summer will not get approved without adding multifamily housing.

“(Meeting) lower income housing (goals) with ADUs is not going to fly with the state,” said town consultant Diana Elrod.

Council member Rick DeGolia was more hesitant to add multifamily housing to the plan, as he’s previously said that because of the land value in Atherton (about $8 million per acre) there’s no way to build new affordable housing through townhouses. He has supported the ADU strategy.

“I personally don’t think HCD is going to approve anything that we submit,” he said.

Residents and council members described the planning process as a bit of a “whack-a-mole” as once a housing site is proposed in town whoever lives around that area objects to development there.

Others are concerned about the so-called builder’s remedy, which allows for residential projects to move forward even if they do not comply with local development standards, taking effect come Feb. 1. With the builder’s remedy, cities and towns could be required to approve any project that has 20% of its units designated for affordable or low-income households, or 100% moderate income households, even if the project exceeds the zoning and general plan density requirements.

Several residents wrote a Jan. 11 letter telling the town it can be part of the regional housing solution while maintaining its character as a family-oriented, residential community. They said they support strategies including reducing minimum lot sizes and dimensions, adding multifamily overlay zones, and allowing higher density at sites on Oakwood and Atherton Avenue, especially where owners are interested in developing denser or multifamily housing.

“We also support the idea of exploring multifamily housing on town property including a portion of Holbrook-Palmer Park,” wrote Ellen Jamason, Giacomo Marini and Serena Marini. “We believe that even if the state accepts our housing element in January without these features, it is likely that the town will need to identify additional housing units before the end of this 8-year cycle, and that the town should start preparing for that situation now. More importantly, we believe that we all benefit by welcoming neighbors of diverse income and cultural backgrounds, and that there is room for more here in Atherton.”

Not everyone was thrilled about the prospects of upzoning Atherton.

Toward the end of the meeting, one resident had an angry outburst against multifamily housing in town, and Mayor Bill Widmer urged the resident to settle down.

“There are five people up here who have to make this decision,” he told the resident. “Everybody has said ‘yeah I support it (multifamily), but anywhere but here.’ We’re not going to have any more public comment please.”

23 Oakwood Blvd.

The council’s biggest fear going into the meeting was the builder’s remedy applying to 23 Oakwood Blvd., a 1.52-acre property where the owner has expressed interest in building townhouses. There’s currently a 3-bedroom, 2-bath, 2,370-square-foot home on the property, according to Zillow.

The owner, David Arata, wants to upzone his land and is interested in moving the project forward. Although he doesn’t want to pursue a builder’s remedy, he’s well aware of state requirements of the town if the remedy is enacted, town staff said.

Arata, who inherited the land from his mother who died two and a half years ago, originally brought his plan to develop the site for townhouses, which he plans to sell, to the Planning Commission about two years ago. He said he knew that townhouses wouldn’t fly in Atherton, but plans also froze as the town begin figuring out how it would meet it state-mandated housing goals.

“It would be more a little village than a big apartment building,” he said. “‘Housing element’ when you mention that people snap; they think it’s going to be low income and it’s going to massive buildings stuck together.”

Initially the council voted 4-1 to rezone 23 Oakwood Blvd., which the council had designed for 16 units per acre in a previous draft of the element, to 20 units per acre (the number of units per acre that HCD deems necessary for affordable housing). With 20 units per acre, Arata could have built up to 30 units.

With DeGolia dissenting in the initial vote, the council voted again, 5-0, to zone it 10 units per acre instead. The town would require 20% of the units to be affordable. This means Arata could build up to 15 units.

“We would probably make it up by just making bigger units, which is OK,” Arata told The Almanac on Monday, Jan. 16. He said he understand the council is under a lot of pressure from residents not to allow multifamily housing in town.

Rodericks noted that 10 units per acre does show that the town is building multifamily housing and lets the town have more control of the space.

Neighbor Scott Wylie urged the council to not let the owner change the residential nature of the neighborhood. He also worries about the traffic impact on the neighborhood, which he described as “countrylike.”

El Camino Real corridor from Stockbridge Avenue to Cebalo Lane

The council voted 4-1, with DeGolia voting against, to rezone 17 lots along the western border of El Camino Real from Stockbridge Avenue to Cebalo Lane to allow up to 20 units per acre, and to start a program to encourage the consolidation of parcels.

The total acreage is roughly 6.7 acres, said Town Manager George Rodericks in an email. Development and aggregation would be up to the property owners.

One hiccup in the plan is that the lot sizes along El Camino Real are fairly small compared to others in town.

“Any site less than half an acre can not be included in affordable housing,” said town consultant Diana Elrod. The town would have to aggregate the sites in some way, they said. Most of the sites are under 1 acre, with several being about 0.3 acres.

“The town would encourage lot aggregation through policy programs such as waiver of fees, ministerial processing, etc.,” he said. “But development would be property owner dependent. A develop(er) could, of course, purchase property from willing sellers and move things forward that way; but absent that — it is up to the underlying owners.”

Polito said the town could buy property for an affordable debt level. It could be no more than an $8 million investment and an affordable housing group could lease the space, he said. If the town just purchased two parcels and helped develop housing, it could lead to “significant number” of affordable housing units, he said.

“This is all part of the vetting that needs to be done,” he said.

DeGolia doesn’t think the town has the funds to build property on the corridor. Widmer also had some hesitancy.

“How much liability are we taking on?” he said, noting that the town still has to pay off the costs of the Town Center and Atherton Channel.

The town sent a letter to residents on Jan. 12 explaining that upzoning, under consideration in multiple locations, does not “discontinue” current uses of a property, but opens the door for redevelopment under revised zoning requirements.

“Properties highlighted on the attached map are being considered by the City Council for inclusion in the housing element as properties that could be upzoned to allow for the development of multifamily affordable units,” the letter states. “As part of the process, the town would develop specific development standards for those properties to ensure harmony in surrounding land uses and protect the interests of adjacent properties.”

Housing at Menlo College

Both council members and housing advocates voiced concerns during the meeting that a good portion of the housing plan banks on 40 moderate- to low-income homes being built at Menlo College along El Camino Real, which hasn’t yet committed to building the units.

The four-year, private college’s president, Steve Weiner, expressed strong interest in building more housing on campus, but he has previously said that building the homes is dependent on if the school can land financing, an estimated $20 million.

DeGolia previously said that a letter from the college with an update on its commitment to housing could be expected this month, but no such letter has yet surfaced. DeGolia said the latest he’s heard is that the college has been offered funds for a schematic plan of new housing.

Elrod said that there could be a potential issue with fair housing if only people affiliated with the school could live in the units.

Housing advocates said HCD might have doubts the development will come to fruition since a similar housing project at the college was included in past housing element cycles and was not built.

Sites off the table:

Gilmore House

Hawkins-Manuelian again brought up building on the nearly 1 acre property where the Gilmore House currently stands near the exit of Holbrook-Palmer Park, which is town property. DeGolia warned that building housing in the park could put the town’s ownership of the park in jeopardy.

Again, the majority of council members pushed back against the idea and ultimately it was taken off the table.

Widmer said he’d be open to the idea if the housing were restricted to workforce housing.

Olive Holbrook Palmer deeded her family’s 22-acre Elmwood Estate to the town of Atherton after her death in 1959 on the condition that the town use it only for recreational purposes. If Atherton did not want the property, or if it ceased being used as a park, it would go to Stanford University, according to the deed. The deed specifies that the park should not be used for “commercial or housing” purposes.

“It hasn’t happened with the one house (Gilmore house),” he said “I don’t think our residents want to risk losing the park.”

Zoning overlays ditched

The town approved four sites for upzoning, with split votes, including the 23 Oakwood Blvd. site back in May, but these were ultimately scrapped from the plan.

The council previously designated an approximately 1.42-acre empty field at 97 Santiago Ave. for 6 units per acre. The site is located off Valparaiso Avenue and sold last month for $9.3 million, according to Redfin.

The property at 170 Atherton Ave., which was formerly part of the Gap founders’ Doris and Don Fisher’s estate in West Atherton, which is about 4 acres, was set at eight units per acre. The lot was listed for sale along with the 2-acre 154 Atherton Ave. and 2-acre 178 Atherton Ave. for $100 million in 2021, according to Trulia. The current property owner at this site expressed interest in developing high density housing, according to the town.

The property at 290 Polhemus Ave. near Alameda de Las Pulgas and Stockbridge Avenue, is approximately 5 acres, was set at eight units per acre. The overlay was approved unanimously. This site was removed because the owner isn’t interested in developing it.

The City Council will discuss revisions of the housing element during Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m. The meeting takes place on Zoom and in Council Chambers, 80 Fair Oaks Lane.

Watch a video of the meeting here:

Uploaded: Mon, Jan 16, 2023, 11:43 am
After hearing feedback from town consultants, local housing advocates, some residents and even a former council member, the Atherton City Council opted to add multifamily housing back into its state-mandated housing element plan, but some sites were left on the cutting room floor.
The council opted to include a swath of lots along El Camino Real and an empty lot on Oakwood Boulevard, which the owner plans to develop, during a Wednesday, Jan. 11, meeting. The revised plan is due to the state Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) on Jan. 31.
Bob Polito, who finished his council term last month, attended the meeting via Zoom to urge the City Council to ditch its mostly accessory dwelling unit (ADU) strategy to meet the state’s requirements to plan for 348 new units, across various income levels, in town over the next eight years. The state rejected this initial plan in a 16-page letter in October. He said he “begrudgingly” went along with the draft as a starting point for a housing plan when he was on the council.
He suggested lots along the El Camino Real corridor would be best for development. He said the current plan at best would get a “D” grade from HCD.
“A handful of well-planned, well-located and carefully controlled projects with multifamily will be much more impactful and will lead to an approved housing element from HCD,” he said. “Time is of the essence. … We need to be ready with a well-vetted plan before our housing element is denied and before litigation and a builder’s remedy have a chance to blossom.”
During the meeting, town consultants said the plan that was submitted to HCD over the summer will not get approved without adding multifamily housing.
“(Meeting) lower income housing (goals) with ADUs is not going to fly with the state,” said town consultant Diana Elrod.
Council member Rick DeGolia was more hesitant to add multifamily housing to the plan, as he’s previously said that because of the land value in Atherton (about $8 million per acre) there’s no way to build new affordable housing through townhouses. He has supported the ADU strategy.
“I personally don’t think HCD is going to approve anything that we submit,” he said.
Residents and council members described the planning process as a bit of a “whack-a-mole” as once a housing site is proposed in town whoever lives around that area objects to development there.
Others are concerned about the so-called builder’s remedy, which allows for residential projects to move forward even if they do not comply with local development standards, taking effect come Feb. 1. With the builder’s remedy, cities and towns could be required to approve any project that has 20% of its units designated for affordable or low-income households, or 100% moderate income households, even if the project exceeds the zoning and general plan density requirements.
Several residents wrote a Jan. 11 letter telling the town it can be part of the regional housing solution while maintaining its character as a family-oriented, residential community. They said they support strategies including reducing minimum lot sizes and dimensions, adding multifamily overlay zones, and allowing higher density at sites on Oakwood and Atherton Avenue, especially where owners are interested in developing denser or multifamily housing.
“We also support the idea of exploring multifamily housing on town property including a portion of Holbrook-Palmer Park,” wrote Ellen Jamason, Giacomo Marini and Serena Marini. “We believe that even if the state accepts our housing element in January without these features, it is likely that the town will need to identify additional housing units before the end of this 8-year cycle, and that the town should start preparing for that situation now. More importantly, we believe that we all benefit by welcoming neighbors of diverse income and cultural backgrounds, and that there is room for more here in Atherton.”
Not everyone was thrilled about the prospects of upzoning Atherton.
Toward the end of the meeting, one resident had an angry outburst against multifamily housing in town, and Mayor Bill Widmer urged the resident to settle down.
“There are five people up here who have to make this decision,” he told the resident. “Everybody has said ‘yeah I support it (multifamily), but anywhere but here.’ We’re not going to have any more public comment please.”
23 Oakwood Blvd.
The council’s biggest fear going into the meeting was the builder’s remedy applying to 23 Oakwood Blvd., a 1.52-acre property where the owner has expressed interest in building townhouses. There’s currently a 3-bedroom, 2-bath, 2,370-square-foot home on the property, according to Zillow.
The owner, David Arata, wants to upzone his land and is interested in moving the project forward. Although he doesn’t want to pursue a builder’s remedy, he’s well aware of state requirements of the town if the remedy is enacted, town staff said.
Arata, who inherited the land from his mother who died two and a half years ago, originally brought his plan to develop the site for townhouses, which he plans to sell, to the Planning Commission about two years ago. He said he knew that townhouses wouldn’t fly in Atherton, but plans also froze as the town begin figuring out how it would meet it state-mandated housing goals.
“It would be more a little village than a big apartment building,” he said. “‘Housing element’ when you mention that people snap; they think it’s going to be low income and it’s going to massive buildings stuck together.”
Initially the council voted 4-1 to rezone 23 Oakwood Blvd., which the council had designed for 16 units per acre in a previous draft of the element, to 20 units per acre (the number of units per acre that HCD deems necessary for affordable housing). With 20 units per acre, Arata could have built up to 30 units.
With DeGolia dissenting in the initial vote, the council voted again, 5-0, to zone it 10 units per acre instead. The town would require 20% of the units to be affordable. This means Arata could build up to 15 units.
“We would probably make it up by just making bigger units, which is OK,” Arata told The Almanac on Monday, Jan. 16. He said he understand the council is under a lot of pressure from residents not to allow multifamily housing in town.
Rodericks noted that 10 units per acre does show that the town is building multifamily housing and lets the town have more control of the space.
Neighbor Scott Wylie urged the council to not let the owner change the residential nature of the neighborhood. He also worries about the traffic impact on the neighborhood, which he described as “countrylike.”
El Camino Real corridor from Stockbridge Avenue to Cebalo Lane
The council voted 4-1, with DeGolia voting against, to rezone 17 lots along the western border of El Camino Real from Stockbridge Avenue to Cebalo Lane to allow up to 20 units per acre, and to start a program to encourage the consolidation of parcels.
The total acreage is roughly 6.7 acres, said Town Manager George Rodericks in an email. Development and aggregation would be up to the property owners.
One hiccup in the plan is that the lot sizes along El Camino Real are fairly small compared to others in town.
“Any site less than half an acre can not be included in affordable housing,” said town consultant Diana Elrod. The town would have to aggregate the sites in some way, they said. Most of the sites are under 1 acre, with several being about 0.3 acres.
“The town would encourage lot aggregation through policy programs such as waiver of fees, ministerial processing, etc.,” he said. “But development would be property owner dependent. A develop(er) could, of course, purchase property from willing sellers and move things forward that way; but absent that — it is up to the underlying owners.”
Polito said the town could buy property for an affordable debt level. It could be no more than an $8 million investment and an affordable housing group could lease the space, he said. If the town just purchased two parcels and helped develop housing, it could lead to “significant number” of affordable housing units, he said.
“This is all part of the vetting that needs to be done,” he said.
DeGolia doesn’t think the town has the funds to build property on the corridor. Widmer also had some hesitancy.
“How much liability are we taking on?” he said, noting that the town still has to pay off the costs of the Town Center and Atherton Channel.
The town sent a letter to residents on Jan. 12 explaining that upzoning, under consideration in multiple locations, does not “discontinue” current uses of a property, but opens the door for redevelopment under revised zoning requirements.
“Properties highlighted on the attached map are being considered by the City Council for inclusion in the housing element as properties that could be upzoned to allow for the development of multifamily affordable units,” the letter states. “As part of the process, the town would develop specific development standards for those properties to ensure harmony in surrounding land uses and protect the interests of adjacent properties.”
Housing at Menlo College
Both council members and housing advocates voiced concerns during the meeting that a good portion of the housing plan banks on 40 moderate- to low-income homes being built at Menlo College along El Camino Real, which hasn’t yet committed to building the units.
The four-year, private college’s president, Steve Weiner, expressed strong interest in building more housing on campus, but he has previously said that building the homes is dependent on if the school can land financing, an estimated $20 million.
DeGolia previously said that a letter from the college with an update on its commitment to housing could be expected this month, but no such letter has yet surfaced. DeGolia said the latest he’s heard is that the college has been offered funds for a schematic plan of new housing.
Elrod said that there could be a potential issue with fair housing if only people affiliated with the school could live in the units.
Housing advocates said HCD might have doubts the development will come to fruition since a similar housing project at the college was included in past housing element cycles and was not built.
Sites off the table:
Gilmore House
Hawkins-Manuelian again brought up building on the nearly 1 acre property where the Gilmore House currently stands near the exit of Holbrook-Palmer Park, which is town property. DeGolia warned that building housing in the park could put the town’s ownership of the park in jeopardy.
Again, the majority of council members pushed back against the idea and ultimately it was taken off the table.
Widmer said he’d be open to the idea if the housing were restricted to workforce housing.
Olive Holbrook Palmer deeded her family’s 22-acre Elmwood Estate to the town of Atherton after her death in 1959 on the condition that the town use it only for recreational purposes. If Atherton did not want the property, or if it ceased being used as a park, it would go to Stanford University, according to the deed. The deed specifies that the park should not be used for “commercial or housing” purposes.
“It hasn’t happened with the one house (Gilmore house),” he said “I don’t think our residents want to risk losing the park.”
Zoning overlays ditched
The town approved four sites for upzoning, with split votes, including the 23 Oakwood Blvd. site back in May, but these were ultimately scrapped from the plan.
The council previously designated an approximately 1.42-acre empty field at 97 Santiago Ave. for 6 units per acre. The site is located off Valparaiso Avenue and sold last month for $9.3 million, according to Redfin.
The property at 170 Atherton Ave., which was formerly part of the Gap founders’ Doris and Don Fisher’s estate in West Atherton, which is about 4 acres, was set at eight units per acre. The lot was listed for sale along with the 2-acre 154 Atherton Ave. and 2-acre 178 Atherton Ave. for $100 million in 2021, according to Trulia. The current property owner at this site expressed interest in developing high density housing, according to the town.
The property at 290 Polhemus Ave. near Alameda de Las Pulgas and Stockbridge Avenue, is approximately 5 acres, was set at eight units per acre. The overlay was approved unanimously. This site was removed because the owner isn’t interested in developing it.
The City Council will discuss revisions of the housing element during Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m. The meeting takes place on Zoom and in Council Chambers, 80 Fair Oaks Lane.
Watch a video of the meeting here:

Facing mounting pressure, Atherton adds multifamily housing back … The Almanac Online

Chicago ADU program hasn’t sparked granny flat, coach house wave

RSS Feed January 12, 2023

The Khamlins’ new home is one of three basement apartments that developer Gabe Horstick added to nine existing units in the 1930s brick building on Kedzie Boulevard after buying it in July 2021. Horstick’s firm, Base 3 Development, was able to add the three because of the city’s two-year-old ordinance allowing new additional dwelling units, or ADUs, including basement or attic apartments and detached coach houses, for the first time since they were banned in 1957.

The ordinance allowed Horstick to add three units if one met affordability requirements. He says it worked for him, “because I could turn a nine-unit building into a 12,” enhancing rental income.

And it worked for the Khamlins, who pay about $1,500 a month for the three-bedroom unit, a little more than half the monthly rent Horstick plans to charge for the other two ADUs.

In-demand Logan Square got a few new housing units, one of them within affordability guidelines, the landlord got to boost his profitability, and a struggling immigrant family found a comfortable spot.

Now, if that success can be replicated dozens or hundreds of times around the city, the ADU program will trigger a wave of new affordable housing in Chicago. So far, however, it’s more like a ripple confined to affluent North Side neighborhoods. Of 403 applications that have been approved, 84% are in the North and Northwest Side pilot zones, according to Department of Housing policy director Daniel Hertz.

The applications cover 454 units, 40 of them meeting the city’s affordability guidelines. The great majority are not yet built. As of late October, according to the Department of Housing, construction permits had been issued for 122 units, with permits pending for 78 more.

The ADU ordinance—approved in December 2020, with the first applications for permits available in May 2021—has not yet set off big changes in the city’s housing profile, although city officials and developers say some tweaks and expansions that are pending could speed it up. To be fair, it should be noted that the COVID-years supply-chain disruptions and increased construction costs contributed to the seemingly slow pace of new units getting built.

Even so, changes are needed. Two that are crucial, says city Housing Commissioner Marisa Novara, are adding a staffer to focus on getting ADU financing and expertise to property owners on the city’s South and West sides and opening the ADU ordinance to the entire city, not just the five pilot zones approved in 2020.

Novara told Crain’s in late December that she’s been authorized to add a staff position whose brief will include ADU assistance that may bring more such units to places like Grand Crossing and Washington Park.

Expanding beyond the pilot zones is not yet scheduled but is a goal, Novara said. Limiting ADUs to pilot zones initially was a compromise made to get City Council approval.

One developer of ADUs says it dramatically undercut the rollout. “At least half the inquiries I get are from people who are outside the pilot zones,” says David Wallach, a longtime Chicago builder who heads the ADU-focused firm Chicago Granny Flats. “There’s demand from all over the city, if we were allowed to build all over the city.”

Wallach’s firm is building its fourth new coach house-style ADU. One is in Evanston, which also approved ADUs in 2020, and two of the city projects are for homeowners who told Crain’s they’re adding the space for home offices, but with bathrooms and kitchens so they can be lived in by family members or become rental tenants later if the need arises. That is, they’re essentially expanding their own living space thanks to an ordinance intended to create new housing units.

While that may seem to evade the spirit of the ordinance, Wallach and the two city officials defended them as creating at least potential new living units. On top of that, Wallach says, building a coach house on a Chicago alley has the added benefit of putting eyes on that alley, potentially making it safer.

The ordinance allowed Horstick to add three units if one met affordability requirements. He says it worked for him, “because I could turn a nine-unit building into a 12,” enhancing rental income.

And it worked for the Khamlins, who pay about $1,500 a month for the three-bedroom unit, a little more than half the monthly rent Horstick plans to charge for the other two ADUs.

Expanding beyond the pilot zones is not yet scheduled but is a goal, Novara said. Limiting ADUs to pilot zones initially was a compromise made to get City Council approval.

Chicago ADU program hasn’t sparked granny flat, coach house wave Crain’s Chicago Business

St. Helena lifts restrictions on accessory dwelling units

RSS Feed January 11, 2023

The city of St. Helena is rushing to comply with a new state law removing local restrictions on accessory dwelling units.

Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

ADUs can now be taller — up to 18-25 feet, depending on their location — and are no longer subject to front setback requirements under some circumstances.

The city must approve or deny an ADU application within 60 days. A denial must be justified with detailed comments explaining how to remedy the application’s deficiencies.

Attorney Anne Branham, who is advising St. Helena and other jurisdictions on ADU policies, said the urgency ordinance will allow the city to maintain “the small amount of local control the state has left you.”

Senate Bill 897, which took effect Jan. 1, is part of a wave of California legislation that limits the ability of local governments to regulate housing. Other limits on local control will be reflected in the city’s new zoning code.

In San Francisco, homeless people and their advocates are asking a federal judge to issue an emergency order to stop the city from destroying tent encampments.

Photos: Accessory dwellings get another look in tight housing market

In this example of an Accessory Dwelling Unit, a small home is separate from a main house. Proponents say ADUs are a low-impact, energy-efficient way to create more living space.

Tripp Smith Photography for Bigger Than Tiny, Smaller Than Average via AP

Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs, are also know as granny flats, in-law units or backyard bungalows.

Eric Staudenmaier Photography for Bigger Than Tiny, Smaller Than Average via AP

Mark Woods Photography for Bigger Than Tiny, Smaller Than Average via AP

Eric Staudenmaier Photography for Bigger Than Tiny, Smaller Than Average via AP

Mark Woods Photography for Bigger Than Tiny, Smaller Than Average via AP

You can reach Jesse Duarte at (707) 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com.

Be the first to know

Get local news delivered to your inbox!

The city of St. Helena is rushing to comply with a new state law removing local restrictions on accessory dwelling units.

Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

The City Council adopted an urgency ordinance on Tuesday amending its ADU policies. The new regulations make it easier for property owners to apply for and build the structures, also known as second units or granny units.
ADUs can now be taller — up to 18-25 feet, depending on their location — and are no longer subject to front setback requirements under some circumstances.
The city must approve or deny an ADU application within 60 days. A denial must be justified with detailed comments explaining how to remedy the application’s deficiencies.
Attorney Anne Branham, who is advising St. Helena and other jurisdictions on ADU policies, said the urgency ordinance will allow the city to maintain “the small amount of local control the state has left you.”

In San Francisco, homeless people and their advocates are asking a federal judge to issue an emergency order to stop the city from destroying tent encampments.

Photos: Accessory dwellings get another look in tight housing market

In this example of an Accessory Dwelling Unit, a small home is separate from a main house. Proponents say ADUs are a low-impact, energy-efficient way to create more living space.

Tripp Smith Photography for Bigger Than Tiny, Smaller Than Average via AP

Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs, are also know as granny flats, in-law units or backyard bungalows.

Eric Staudenmaier Photography for Bigger Than Tiny, Smaller Than Average via AP

Mark Woods Photography for Bigger Than Tiny, Smaller Than Average via AP

Eric Staudenmaier Photography for Bigger Than Tiny, Smaller Than Average via AP

Mark Woods Photography for Bigger Than Tiny, Smaller Than Average via AP

You can reach Jesse Duarte at (707) 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com.

Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox!

St. Helena lifts restrictions on accessory dwelling units Napa Valley Register

State of the State: N.Y. Gov. Hochul proposes legalizing basement apartments in NYC

RSS Feed January 11, 2023

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul outlined her sweeping plans to expand access to New York housing, including a proposal that New York City be given the authority to legalize basement apartments, during her State of the State address on Tuesday.

During her speech, Hochul emphasized that the Empire State’s increasing job opportunities are outpacing development of new homes.

“Over the last 10 years, our state has created 1.2 million jobs — but only 400,000 new homes. Many forces led to this state of affairs,” she said. “But front and center are the local land use policies that are the most restrictive in the nation.”

The governor’s New York Housing Compact, which she described as a “groundbreaking strategy to catalyze the housing development we need for our communities to thrive,” includes various plans to mitigate “red tape” that is slowing down development and create 800,000 new homes over the next decade.

One such a plan in the “State of the State Book” would create a pathway to legalize basement dwellings that are currently barred by law in New York City and “bring these homes out of the shadows” into a regulated market.

The policy would allow the city to provide amnesty by local law for existing basement units — known as accessory dwelling units (ADU) — that meet health and safety standards set by the city. This builds on the $85 million capital program in the governor’s housing plan in fiscal year 2023 to assist New York homeowners with converting basements to safe residences.

Hochul initially proposed ADU expansion that involved changing statewide zoning laws for last year’s state budget, but pulled it after being met with bipartisan pushback.

Staten Island residents protested, arguing that the zoning changes would change their neighborhoods forever.

According to estimates from the New York City Comptroller’s office, Staten Island has some of the highest numbers of basement apartments alongside Queens and Brooklyn. Exact numbers are unknown, due to the secrecy of ADUs in an underground market.

City Comptroller Brad Lander released a report in August 2022 in which he proposed the creation of “Basement Resident Protection Law” to institute a board to regulate basement apartments with a particular interest in safety compliance.

Flooding during storms has brought concerns about the welfare of ADU residents to the forefront. Lander pointed to the devastation Hurricane Ida wrought in 2021 to illustrate the need to bring ADUs into a regulated market.

Of the 13 deaths recorded after the September storm, 11 died in illegal basement apartments located in Brooklyn and Queens. The city’s Buildings Department reported that five of the six basement apartments had been illegally converted.

As Hochul walks back mother-daughter apartment plan, Staten Islanders continue push against housing changes

State of the State: New York Gov. Hochul announces new climate proposals

FOLLOW GIAVANNI ALVES ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

During her speech, Hochul emphasized that the Empire State’s increasing job opportunities are outpacing development of new homes.

Hochul initially proposed ADU expansion that involved changing statewide zoning laws for last year’s state budget, but pulled it after being met with bipartisan pushback.

Staten Island residents protested, arguing that the zoning changes would change their neighborhoods forever.

What To Do With The ADUs?

RSS Feed January 10, 2023

They are called Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs for short, and it was this subject that consumed the best part of a two-hour Marysville City Council meeting Monday.

ADUs are just as described, additional housing units – which can be either attached or detached from a single-family home – inside the city limits. While there are a number of ADUs in use in the city right now, the Marysville City Council is seeking to codify their existence. New ADUs will have to meet certain standards to include matching architectural styles, living space minimums and maximums, height requirements and so on. As of now, the City of Marysville has no standard code for the use of ADUs and two ordinances that were before Council Monday for second readings and public hearings would regulate their construction and use. ADUs that are already in use will be grandfathered in; the legislation will mostly affect only new construction.

After the measure was first introduced to the Marysville City Council at its last regular meeting in December, a number of questions were raised, again concerning the architectural styles, minimum space requirements and zoning changes which would codify their use. The ordinances would not allow for a recreational vehicle, for instance, to be used as an ADU, but would allow a garage conversion into living space or an addition – again either attached or detached to the original structure – on a single-family lot. Often called “In-Law” homes or “Grandma” homes, these small units are often used for just that, a place for elderly relatives to live with their families, yet retain a certain amount of independence as the ADUs have their own kitchenettes and water/sewer lines.

Several members of the public addressed – both for and against – the codification of the ADUs at Monday’s meeting. As many sections of the city have Homeowners Associations, where ADUs are not permitted under the HOA’s rules, Donald Boerger, who represents the city’s 4th Ward, noted that the 4th Ward would most likely be the areas that ADUs are to be utilized and expressed his dissatisfaction for the measures, fearing that an expansion of ADUs would harm the historical and architectural significance of his ward, leading to a spike in rental units, which he said are often neglected and in disrepair, which in turn leads to falling property values where the ADUs are to be located.

But the real debate of the subject Monday concerned matters of semantics and governmental intervention. That ADUs exist and will likely be codified is a matter of fact, it’s the manner on how future ADUs will be regulated that is at the heart of this ongoing debate.

A number of changes were made to the original ordinances that were given during their first readings at the last Marysville City Council meeting which include the size limits as noted above (ADUs may not be larger than the existing structure in term of square footage, nor may they be taller than the existing structure or over 30 feet in height), architectural integrity by using with the same materials, colors and styles of the existing building, and paved or concrete driveways. These updates were welcomed as a whole, but the bone of contention remains as it has been since the ordinances introduction: Which city board or commission will have the final say on the matter?

This is the very heart of the matter, deciding whether or not the ADUs should be considered incidental use or conditional use and whether or not both the Planning Commission and the Design Review Board will have a say in the matter as applications for ADUs are made. There are those who argued that an application and approval by the DRB should be enough, while others insist that ADU applications must go before both the DRB and the Planning Commission and receive approval from both.

Again, it appears likely that the Marysville City Council will eventually recognize and codify the use of ADUs in the city – numerous cities in Ohio and throughout the country have already done so – with the added stipulations, but how the city plans to advance the matter remains up in the air. Both ordinances dealing with the ADUs will be up for a third reading and final vote at the next Marysville City Council meeting.

In other action, the Marysville City Council passed a resolution allowing the city manager to apply for transportation alternative funds from the Ohio Department of Transportation for the State Route 31 widening project. The project is expected to be started in 2024 and will add turn lanes, sidewalks and traffic lights on Maple St/SR 31 from Elwood Ave to the U.S. Route 33 interchange. The city already has $2,000,000 earmarked in the budget for the project and will be asking the state to kick in a similar amount for its completion. President of Council Henk Berbee looks forward to the project, noting that the Maple St./Elwood Ave. intersection has been a “nightmare” for years and estimated that by the time ground is broken on the project, costs are expected to be north of $4.5M.

Also passed on the third reading and final vote was an ordinance amending the city code in regard to connection of city utilities to properties that border the city limits. The measure passed without a dissenting vote.

Prior to the council meeting, the Public Safety/Service Committee had its monthly meeting where City Engineer Kyle Hoyng outlined the acceptance of public dedicated infrastructure which includes Chestnut Crossing Phase 1 (street/water/storm/sanitary), Warner Rd (water & sanitary only), Village of Timberlakes Phase 5 Section 1 (water & sanitary only), Village Neighborhood 3 (water only), Residence at Bethel Woods (water & sanitary only), Eversole Run Neighborhood 2 (sanitary only), Marysville Flats (water only),Woodside Phase 1 (water/storm/sanitary) and Keystone Crossing Section 3 (street/water/storm/sanitary). No official action was taken by the PSSC on Mr. Hoyng’s report Monday.

The Marysville City Council is scheduled to meet again Monday, January 23 at 7 p.m.

They are called Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs for short, and it was this subject that consumed the best part of a two-hour Marysville City Council meeting Monday.

The Marysville City Council is scheduled to meet again Monday, January 23 at 7 p.m.

What To Do With The ADUs? Union County Daily Digital

Affordable housing laws descend on Del Mar

RSS Feed January 10, 2023

“ADUS (granny flats) are being used as extra bedrooms and offices; people are gaming the system.”

Over 40 new state laws are casting shadows over local control of housing, and cities are choosing their battles. In Del Mar, officials are turning to the Coastal Act to fend off increases in height, density and bulk, plus parking reductions.

The new laws, they say, are one-size-fits-all, a burden on local infrastructure, and were drafted more for inland communities. The changes affect affordable housing, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and multi-unit housing in commercial zones. Cities in the coastal zone must also comply with the Coastal Act.

Is there a right to a view that existed prior to a neighbor’s new 2-story accessory dwelling? It’s the sort of question the city is asking as they look for ways to maintain as much local control as possible.

“Clearly your strongest ability is through the Coastal Act,” said Ralph Hicks, assistant city attorney at a city council meeting yesterday. “It could take reinventing your local coastal plan, a different look at your parking standards” or environmentally sensitive resources.

State law allows a detached ADU up to 16 feet above grade. But the height can bump up to 18 feet if it’s within one-half mile walking distance of a major transit stop or high-quality transit corridor, or it’s within an existing multi-story residential development.

Things can get even bigger, up to 25 feet above grade or two stories, if the ADU is attached to a main home. The city can’t set a lower maximum height in its local ordinance.

As the city sees it, incentives provided by state law to spur ADU production are in the way of local strategies to build more low-income units to meet Housing Element obligations. That is: to create fifteen low income units by making incentives available.

Del Mar commercial and professional commercial zones (shown in blue and purple) could allow 20-50 dwellings, with a 45-foot height.

Because state law accommodates large, two-story ADUs through a by-right process, officials say it’s harder for Del Mar to promote the creation of low-income units. They’ll have to adjust their strategy by focusing on sites with existing multi-unit development instead of single units and duplexes.

But accessory dwelling units aren’t being built as low-income housing, councilmember Dave Druker said.

“ADUS are being used as extra bedrooms and offices; people are gaming the system.”

A new concept within the laws is low-income housing in commercial zones, planners said. It can be 100 percent affordable or mixed income. In Del Mar, it applies to the central commercial and professional commercial zones, allowing 20-50 dwellings, with a 45-foot height.

It won’t apply in beach commercial zones, where housing is a lower priority use under the Coastal Act, city staff said.

At this point, the Coastal Commission hasn’t yet provided any guidance on the new laws, some of which take effect in July.

The council tossed around ideas like identifying major public view corridors where “massing” could be in conflict with the local coastal plan, changes to the views ordinance and using open space easements to block ADUs in “inappropriate locations.”

For years, Del Mar’s housing element, which shows how cities will meet their fair share of housing for all income levels, was out of compliance with state law.

“We spent a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to do the 6th cycle” housing element, said mayor Dwight Worden – “how we’re going to get our 175 housing units,” which must be built by 2029 to meet state-mandated housing requirements.

“This other stuff, just more units coming into our town – it doesn’t feel right.”