Interiors Package RCP

Roofing, Siding and Trim, RCP

The small houses I built next door have very similar exterior details, check 'em out!

Shallow Frost Protected Foundation, RCP

Clicking on any image will take you to the album, where you can enlarge and print the images.

Windows & Exterior Doors

Windows & Exterior Door Schedule and Request for Cost Proposal

Proposed Site Plans

Links to PERMITTING

Link to Permitting Information & Reports

Cottage One Model

Here is a slide show of some images exported from a SketchUp model.

STRUCTURAL INSULATED SHELL (SIS)

SIS Package includes:
General Condition Sketches


Component Schedule & Drawings


Detail Sketches

Incentive Planning, Part Two, A Preliminary Decision

My understanding is that the zoning regulations include what they call "incentive planning". In order to get (free enterprise, ie, "for profit") developers to provide specialized housing, which there is a need for, the regs are supposed to help make it attractive to do so. The reason there are shortages of "affordable, elderly and green" housing is that it is NOT (as?) profitable to build. In the long term though, a community can benefit from a greater diversity of housing stock. Young people that grow up here can afford to stay, teachers and service providers don't have to commute from out in the boondocks and older citizens can participate in "village child rearing" etc. A broader range of incomes among the population helps create vibrancy through diversity, but because Jericho is so attractive, profits drive the development of new housing stock and this creates an elitist community..which is NOT healthy.

So, to combat the tendency to build McMansions, which only serve the rich, the regs are supposed to create avenues for profitable building practices which include affordable, elderly and green housing. The density bonus is supposed to allow a builder more profit, if he builds "non-profitable" housing stock. The only way the builder can justify the investment in more intense infrastructure, septic, roads etc, to support the additional non profitable houses, is if he is also allowed to build additional profitable houses. Thus the density bonus.

The reality is that the Development Review Board is comprised of lay people who don't necessarily understand the complexities of creating a diversity of housing stock in the current economic model. The Jericho DRB has interpreted the density bonus to include the incentive housing. So in a nut shell, what they have said is, we'll let you build 25% more houses if you make the additional ones affordable. There is no economic incentive to do this. If my interpretation of the regs is correct, if they are supposed to embrace "Incentive Planning" the DRB has created a short circuit. This Preliminary Decision doesn't respond to the regs in a way that it would be worth it to burden the developer with more intense infrastructure, regulation and pre-development (permitting) costs. In this scenario, if we are only allowed to build the original eight (market rate) units, why would we decrease their value by crowding them with affordable houses? Why would we take on the expensive challenges of regulatory navigation?

My conversations with the Town Planner are to open a dialogue with the people who wrote the regulations so that we can understand their intentions. It's possible that the regs were written to be interpreted the way the DRB is interpreting them, but I don't believe so. It's possible that what they are saying is "if you want to do an all affordable (not for profit) development, we'll let you build a greater (up to 50% more) density" (if we like your project).....but that strategy doesn't apply to us. I firmly believe they have written "Incentive Planning Regs" for the free enterprise developer, which is what we are, but it's possible I'm wrong. In which case, I will recommend doing a simple sub division in which case we can build affordable, elderly and green housing at will, or not, depending on the need to create a viable economically sound development.

Public Safety Information

From Public Safety Information

The current document is a letter of recommendations from the local fire departnment.
One may click on it to access a larger view. If necessary you may choose to enlarge your view by using the magnifying glass in the upper right hand corner.

Preliminary Development Review Board Presentation

Tonight we'll be presenting a shift in our plan. Namely, we're proposing four affordable one bedroom accessory apartments in lieu of the affordable units in the quadplex.

Sketch Plan, April 8, 2010

This is a Preliminary Plan, exploring and illustrating an interpretation of potential density at the site. Click on the image for a larger view.

Density and Incentive Planning, Part One

It wasn’t that long ago that we talked frequently about the Population Explosion. We referred to overcrowding, mega cities and 2.5 children per couple as being the wave of the future. We lamented the loss of our beloved countryside. I remember a surrealistic poster depicting a world literally covered with humans. There was a city reaching to the sky in the background and “humanoids?” were spawling on a rocky shore and even spilling into the ocean in the foreground. The population explosion was the crisis we were facing as a species. The future image to fear, was that of us crawling over each as we struggle for survival.

Recently the discussion has shifted to sustainability. Are we no longer concerned about the population explosion, or are we beginning to be more focused on how we are responding to it? The attention we put to sustainability is positive energy. Looking for ways to manage our behavior so that we have a future, is a much more powerful conversation than simply naming a crisis.

In recent posts I have described how municipalities implement Zoning Regulations to organize growth in a manner consistent with the Town Plan. Town Plans have been developed by elected officials and hired professionals to improve the quality of life for the residents and businesses within a municipality. Two of the key elements to well managed growth, our response to the population explosion as we know it, are organization and efficiency.

Living in towns and developing communities has long been a natural response to our needs and desires as human beings to be more comfortable in our process of survival. We have all heard and should well know by now, how important being more efficient is, in order to achieve sustainability. We expect our organization people, our select boards and Town Managers to guide this process, or we (should) choose to live outside of that support system.

To accomplish efficiency in the process of Town Management, it is logical for planning to organize how infrastructure and maintenance are developed. Municipal services, such as roadway maintenance, waste water disposal, electricity, gas and potable water distribution are highly desirable because they are significantly more efficient when provided to multiple users than on an individual basis. They are also very intensive. (That can be read, expensive.) To maximize the “bang for the buck” of municipal services and infrastructure, they need to be well planned and constructed. Furthermore and most importantly they need to be concentrated, in order to maximize the number of users per unit of infrastructure. What these comments boil down to is that it is for the common good, that towns intensify their village centers.

What does Town Planning have to do with density? Density is the term we use to describe the intensity of land use. It commonly refers to the quantity of human occupation in a given area. Manhattan’s urban environment has a very high density. Montana is predominantly a low density rural environment. In a Village District such as that in Jericho, density is described or prescribed in terms of housing units per acre. As posted previously, the density (prescription) for that area, or zone, has recently been increased four fold, from a one acre minimum lot size required for a single family home or unit, to a quarter acre minimum lot size. Not too long before that, accessory apartments became permissible. These changes essentially suggest that where conditions permit, the density has increased by a factor of eight. This is an extremely important step toward sustainability, a very positive response to the population explosion.

I can hear you screaming from here at my laptop. The majority of people who live in these quaint little villages have chosen them for their scale and charm, and are generally prone to quaking in their boots when progress threatens to consume the image they invested in, oh not so many years ago. Well guess what, we’ve got a long way to go before we’re crawling over each other in our daily routines as we struggle to survive, but if we don’t actively pursue creative, smart responses to the threat of the “population explosion”, our species won’t last long enough to see it. As reluctant as one may be to think about increased density in our neighborhoods, when one honestly understands what smart growth means in terms of efficiency for sustainability, how can one resist and be a part of the solution at the same time?

Link to Meeting Minutes

This is where one can find a slide show of Meeting Minutes. Clicking on the image you wish to read, links you to Picasa Web Albums where you may then zoom in to read the minutes.

Step 4, Check in with Zoning Administrator

Visiting the Municipal Offices where your potential project is located can give you valuable information about the context of your project without spending any money.

Depending on one’s familiarity with the development process, a frank discussion with the local Zoning Administrator should take place either sooner or later. If a building project is just coming into consideration, and you have little to no experience, a chat with the ZA is an easy way to get oriented to your options before investing: highly recommended.

My experience as a light builder and small scale developer has provided a sense of order with regard to the flow of process. I know that in all cases, where formal ordinances exist, becoming familiar with the Town Plan and Zoning regulations is the first order of business. There can be a big difference between trying to do something the town has planned for and is advocating, versus attempting to work in contrast to the plan. If one is in the early stages and has yet to purchase property, it is even more important to have a clear understanding of the current zoning as well as the Town Plan, because zoning on the verge of changing, which it will do over time, can either be a boon or a bust to your investment.

As stated in previous posts, the least expensive next step is to establish how waste water will be managed. If there is no municipal sewer system, determining soil type and depth is prudent. This is important because the cost of waste water management is significant. The type and configuration of soil on the site will determine the site’s capacity. For each bedroom in a new project in Vermont, one must have a certified design for disposing of 350 gals of water per day. Poor soils may require a technically advanced system which will have more fiscal impact than a simple one. Also be aware that site topography will determine whether or not a sewage pump station is required in order to get the waste from the exit at the house to the leach field. Soil quality determines the size of leach area as well as whether or not better soil material needs to be imported. If a municipal system exists, great, but confirm you will be permitted to access it and to what capacity.

In many cases there will be a reasonably up to date survey in the Municipality’s Clerk’s Land Records. If not, you will need to obtain one before you can verify the lot size. We took care of soil capacity and survey steps prior to visiting the Zoning Administrator because we were already familiar with local conditions and development requirements. Knowing the soil capacity and actual plot size permitted us to have a more specific conversation. We are also aware that municipal water and gas services are in place.

If you are unfamiliar with the process and local conditions, visit the Zoning Administrator and Clerk’s Office first. The ZA can show you what zone your property is in and more importantly what you are permitted to build. The clerk will tell what they believe the size to be, based on existing records, or at least show you how to locate it in the tax maps. They’ll be able to identify what municipal services are available, such as water, electricity, sewer and gas. If sewer is not available they will likely be able to guide you to soil type maps. There may even be information about how deep neighbor’s water wells are, or at least who might have drilled them.

Again, the availability or absence of services at the project location are crucial to understand and account for when sizing up a potential project. Services already available at the site limit the need to speculate on what they will cost you to provide, but they increase the value and the cost of the parcel.

Survey Confirmed One Acre Plus!

Great news! Why is a confirmed acre great news? The Town Plan and Zoning Regulations are what property owners are subject to, with regard to how their property is used. The size of the lot is directly related to its allowable use. The Eaton's lot was recently re-zoned in order to promote "smart growth" patterns. Prior to this change in regulations they were permitted by law, to have a single family dwelling and an accessory apartment, because they were in a “Zone” that prescribed a one acre minimum for a single family residence. Previous changes had allowed for the addition of an accessory apartment and it wasn’t long ago that the occupant of that apartment had to be a family member or it would have been a commercial use, which was not allowed.

As our awareness of appropriate land use and how consumption affects our environment evolves, we are gradually becoming more prone to planning a more sustainable future. Before zoning was implemented it was legally possible for your neighbor to erect a factory or manifest a dumping area adjacent to the place you had chosen, and undoubtedly invested in. The freedom for your neighbor to do as they wish with their own parcel could have a tremendous effect on your property value. So, at the expense of having the freedom to do whatever we choose with our property, our chosen Select board members and hired officials have worked together to create, implement and enforce laws which protect us from our neighbors’ whims.

When one purchases or occupies a property, it is critical that he or she understand what rights and limitations go along with that. By choosing to live in a municipality with zoning, one fore goes certain freedoms in exchange for certain protections. As Zoning evolves, as it should with a sustainability movement, it may also encourage some property owners to substantially increase the density of their property. Interestingly enough it allows the opportunity for development, there by increasing its value. Realistically though, that, in and of itself is not necessarily a good thing. Development for monetary gain has a woefully regrettable history.

As population increases, and smarter land use becomes more of a priority, the need to anticipate and prepare accelerates. Municipalities have long term responsibilities to provide infrastructure for controlled growth. This includes limiting sprawl and encouraging consolidation so that services and maintenance can be more efficient. For the Eatons, and all their neighbors within this modified zone, what was previously a single building lot with a modest residence and carriage house is now a potentially valuable parcel, within what the town’s view of appropriate growth, is deemed “Village Center”.

The recent zoning modifications reduced the size of a single family lot, from a one acre minimum to a one quarter acre minimum. For the Eatons, and many like them, (who have confirmed full one acre lots) this essentially means that last year they owned a single lot, most likely with a house and the potential for an apartment. Simply by changing the zoning, they now own enough property for three additional lots. It must be understood that there are several other factors to consider and actions that need to be taken before that potential turns into value, but in consideration of the current state of affairs it will behoove many to do so.

Resistance to change can, and should be anticipated. Many, if not most of the people living in the neighborhoods they have chosen, did so because it felt right to them. More than likely they were attracted to the intensity of land use in the neighborhood. A sense of belonging and adjacency to others with enough room to enjoy the space around one’s enclave is part of the American Dream. It is easy to imagine that for many, “Big Brother’s” new zoning has robbed them of the protections they invested in when they chose these properties for themselves. Pause and wonder for a moment though, step back in time when these rural acres were once active farms. How did our ancestors feel when they had to relinquish sacred land to “progress”? If it weren’t for that shift only decades ago, the current residents would not have the opportunity to “borrow” the space they occupy today. As we move forward in the time space continuum, it is our responsibility to honor our sacred land and be “smart” and proud of what our borrowing leaves behind.

Personally, as blogging visionary for the Eaton’s little project, I struggle with the challenges of “doing the right thing”. I am blessed with the opportunity and burdened with the responsibility. All I can do is to continue to be grateful, and in so doing, be strong enough to ask for your sharing. I want to know how other people feel. I want to know what their experience is. I want to hear about their anger, their frustration, their confusion about their government’s agenda. I want to be someone who doesn’t need to defend my actions, mindful of the perceived conflicts my decisions cause, but comforted knowing I am doing “the right thing”. Help me if you will.

Meet The Eatons, Sue and Dave

These are my lovely, courageous parents, and there I am in the middle. We got together at their house one Friday evening not too long ago, to review sketches I had prepared, (and posted, preliminary design). The goal of the meeting was to convey a sense of starting point so we could begin gathering "bigger picture" information about the project.

I showed them how the proposed design compared in size to the spaces they currently live in so they could make the mental leap from paper to full scale.

Understanding there are still a lot of unanswered questions about the suitability of the design, they agreed it was close enough to develop for budgeting and planning. We still hadn't seen the final survey results at that point so were not prepared to dig in too hard. I was very interested knowing in the actual size of the lot before trying to wrap my mind around what a master plan might involve.

Starting point for their home design established we were looking forward to having the updated survey in hand....I'll write about that next time....very exciting news...stay tuned....

Step Three, Update Survey

View Larger Map

My goal is to "walk you through" the complex process of creating that perfect smaller dwelling for yourself or loved ones. For this blogger, the opportunity has arisen where it's time for my parents to downsize.

Since I was a little kid, I've been fascinated with the creation of personal spaces. Like many youngsters, the urge to manipulate space or to begin the practice of dwelling, starting with blanket "forts" in the play room and tarp draped picnic tables. I've taken it a bit further, spending entire nights a quarter mile from home, in little hand made shacks down by the barn, when I was no more than seven, and tearing down the family garage and building the best tree house in town at maybe ten or twelve years old.

By the end of eighth grade, my brother and I had constructed "The Cabin", complete with glass windows, shingled roof, a wood stove and bunks. A front porch lent an air of sophistication that most kids could only dream of. I had my senior portrait taken there, the place was part of who I was and am. (See Oak Grove Coburn's "Oval" 1976)

After my freshman year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's "Masters in Architecture" Program, I joined up with a local design builder outfit in our new hometown, Jericho, Vermont, and subsequently designed and built Dave and Sue's (first)Dream House, a reproduction colonial salt box. Fourteen some odd years later we renovated a charming old village house that was only about two winters away from complete and utter dis(un)repair. Another twenty years have passed and it's time to go at it again, dividing their little village plot as best they can, and building the ultimate little cottage, (more on that later). If you've been paying attention, you may even have glimpsed the preliminary design sketches. (See 132VTRT15 Prelim Design Post)

The parcel has been recently re-zoned from a one acre single family minimum to 1/4 acre. This dramatically increases it's value and is a wind fall for them, the community and the sustainability revolution at large.

It's time to document the actual size of the lot to determine for sure how it may be divided. Because it was created before any zoning came to be, it's not necessarily a full acre. Bring in the surveyor. Dave and Sue accepted the proposal ($2,900) to establish property boundaries, one foot topographical contours, with buildings' footprints and first floor elevations. We also asked for buildings and their floor elevations on adjacent properties as well as tree heights. The plan is to create a SketchUp model of the site so that the project can evolve with 3D digital manipulation....Stay tuned for that!