Tiny Houses, Tiny Communities

Respectfully Submitted To;

Planning Advisory Committee
Submitted By: Caroline A. Robertson, BCD, MPS
Date: April 15, 2016
Request for Direction

Subject: Tiny Houses

Recommendation: For information and Discussion.

Key Issues:
At the March 10th, 2016 Council meeting, Council moved that the matter of the
Town of Yarmouth incorporating tiny home regulations through the Land Use By-
Law and Planning Strategy be referred to the Planning Advisory Committee.
As a result of this request, the following report is respectfully submitted to the
Planning Advisory Committee for discussion.
Tiny houses have many definitions; for the purpose of this report, tiny homes
shall be defined as a single-family home with a ground floor area of less than 700
sq ft. They can be built independently and in remote locations but may also be
found in a community setting with shared communal spaces. A tiny community
shall be defined as a number of single-dwellings grouped on a property with
shared facilities such as, but not limited to, laundry, kitchen, garden, storage, and
social meeting space. Tiny communities are often managed through a co-op or
condominium model however they can also function as private family homes or
rental units.
Tiny homes are being credited with solving a number of social problems; 1.)Tiny
houses are an affordable, safe and secure housing option for communities of low
income. 2.) Tiny houses offer affordable, easy to maintain and communal
lifestyles for seniors. 3.) Tiny houses are being called eco-homes as they
incorporate many sustainable features and are built within the existing landscape
to reduce their impact on the local environment. As tiny homes are often owned
and not rented, local governments that welcome these homes have found that
the properties and buildings are often better maintained then rental units and
more affordable.
Many tiny homes are built on wheels. This can be to provide mobility and
freedom to the resident but is mostly a result of conflicting Building Codes and
Planning Regulations (see memo from Town Building Official).

1
Tiny homes and communities are a relatively new type of development. There is a
new trend in which society is moving away from bigger is better attitude and
choosing to downsize. There is also a new focus and importance being placed on
sustainability and the impact of our lifestyles on the local environment and
landscape. As this movement is just beginning, Municipal Planning Policies and
Building Code Regulations are struggling to keep up and adapt with the change of
building styles and design. As the Town of Yarmouth is currently performing a
review of the Municipal Planning Strategy there is a unique opportunity and
advantage to implementing a progress policy that supports and encourages tiny
homes and communities to develop in the Town. As the Town would be the first
Municipality to adopt such policy, the Town could become a place of great
interest for tiny home enthusiasts.

Financial:

Follow Up Action:

Recommendation: Proceed with the proposed Municipal Planning Strategy and

Land Use drafts that support tiny house and group dwelling development in the
Town of Yarmouth.

Provisions from the NEW Municipal Planning Strategy (Draft):

The following provisions are from the draft Municipal Planning Strategy currently
being proposed. These provisions would support the development of tiny homes
and communities within the Town of Yarmouth.

4 Infilling in Existing Residential Areas

Encouraging infilling in existing residential areas is prudent and cost effective in
that it consolidates neighbourhoods and makes good use of existing
infrastructure. It is in the interest of the community that new development
respects the architecture of the area and is compatible with adjacent properties.
New buildings permitted under Site Plan Approval will be in scale with the other
buildings in the area including setback, main floor elevation, roofline, and height.
Proposals will support the urban character of the area and allow for side-yard
parking and access to the rear yard.

2
Proposals will have landscaping elements that are visually appealing and assist in
storm water run-off control. Site-grading plans will limit water runoff onto
adjacent properties to current (i.e. pre-construction) levels.
Walking, cycling, and the use of transit will be encouraged.

5 Large Mixed-Use Developments

Council wishes to encourage a comprehensive approach to development in the
South-east quadrant of the Town and in undeveloped areas south of Starrs Road
to consolidate existing development and optimize the use of Developments
eligible for site plan approval or development agreement will be designed to
discourage through vehicular traffic and limit pedestrian and vehicular
interaction. Walkways and bikeways will prioritize use of these modes of
transportation and provide access to public transit routes. Local businesses
(goods and services) will also be encouraged along main arteries at appropriate
locations such as intersections.

A. South-East Quadrant
Currently most development in this area is taking place as one-off developments
on existing individual properties. It is in the interest of the community that
properties in the general area described above and indicated in the map below be
consolidated into larger land holdings that allow for the preparation of a
comprehensive development plan that includes some businesses and a mixture of
housing types including affordable housing. Consolidation into larger land
holdings facilitates infrastructure planning and the design of storm water run-off
control elements. Comprehensive planning allows for integration of mixed-uses
and an increase in housing density without compromising quality. This will require
the creation of a Comprehensive Development zone. The general development
approach intended for this area is illustrated in the following figure. Council also
recognizes the reality of periodic flooding in the Broad Brook area which is
encompassed within the southeast quadrant development area, and wishes to
see the areas surrounding Broad Brook develop in such a way as to minimize the
impact of flooding on private and public buildings. In the Broad Brook area,
building is currently not permitted below the 16 metre contour. It is in the
interest of the community that the creation of basements in the area between
the 16 and 18 meter contour will be either avoided or use slab-on-grade
construction.

Policy 4.14 [NEW] Notwithstanding Policy 4.13, side yards may be varied for
existing residential lots.

Policy 4.15 [Old 1.6] It shall be the intention of Council to include in the Land Use
By-law minimum lot frontage, minimum lot area, minimum front, side and rear
3
yard set-backs, maximum building height and set-backs between buildings for
group dwellings [new] including Tiny Homes and enable them only by
Development Agreement subject to Residential Policy 4.1 [Old 1.11].

Development agreements required for certain residential uses

Development agreements will be used to accommodate certain types of uses in
the residential designation. Uses which will be permitted by development
agreement are the construction of new multiple unit dwellings (high density
apartments and group dwellings) containing more than six (6) units; expansion to
existing residential buildings containing more than six (6) units; hostels and
institutional uses that are to be developed on over 2323m2 (25,000 sq. ft.) and
which exceed 371.8m2 or more (4000 sq. ft.) in gross floor area exclusive of
vestibules, washrooms and closets. Development agreements will also be
required for developments which are incompatible with applicable Statements of
Community Interest.

The following are Council's policies with respect to Development Agreements in

residentially designated areas:

Policy 4.18 [Old 1.11] It shall be the intention of Council to consider the following
uses within the residential designation by development agreement pursuant to
Section 225 of the Municipal Government Act provided the lot meets the
minimum lot frontage and minimum lot area requirements as identified in the
Land Use By-law subject to Implementation Policies 9.8 and 9.9 [old 7.8 and 7.9]:

(7) New multiple unit dwellings (apartments, townhouses, group dwellings)

containing more than six (6) units per lot (High Density Residential (R-3)
uses), or expansions that would create more than six (6) units, located
within the Residential designation and provided they are not located within
the Architecturally Sensitive (A-S) area;
(8) Expansions to existing apartment buildings or townhouses containing
more than six (6) units per lot (High Density Residential (R-3) uses) located
within the Residential designation provided they are not located within the
Architecturally Sensitive (A-S) area;

Policy 4.19 [Old 1.24 REVISED] It shall be the intention of Council to consider site
plan approval in accordance within the Comprehensive Development Zone for
sites in excess of 5 hectares, that shall include a mixture of uses including single
detached dwellings; two unit dwellings; local commercial; mobile homes, group
dwellings and Tiny Homes; and apartment buildings.

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Provisions from the NEW Land Use By-Law (Draft):
The following provisions are from the draft Land Use By-Law currently being
proposed. These provisions would support the development of tiny homes and
communities within the Town of Yarmouth.

Part 14 [NEW] Comprehensive Development (CD) Zone

13.1 CD Zone Permitted Uses

(A) Where the lot is less than 5 hectares in size:

* Single Detached Dwellings;

* Two (2) Unit Dwellings;
* Semi-Detached Dwellings characterized by not more than one shared
property line with a maximum of one (1) unit per lot;
* Apartment buildings with six (6) units or less

Approval must proceed by Development Agreement.

(B) Pursuant to MPS Policy (4.1x and 10.x), and where property or
assembled property is 5 hectares in size or greater in size:

* Single Detached Dwellings;

* Two (2) Unit Dwellings;
* Semi-Detached Dwellings characterized by not more than one shared
property line with a maximum of one (1) unit per lot;
* Local commercial (C-4)
* Mobile Homes (M-H 1) or Group Dwellings or Tiny Homes provided
the number of units does not exceed 20 percent of the total number
of units.
* Apartment buildings

As decided by the applicant, approval may proceed by Site Plan Approval or

by Development Agreement.

(C) In addition to the uses permitted by Part 13.1(A), agricultural uses

except those prohibited by Part 5.39 of this by-law may be established in
conjunction with any permitted use or as a stand alone use for community
or individual purposes.

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13.6 One Main Building

No person shall erect more than one (1) main building on a lot in the
Comprehensive Development (CD) zone, except for Group Dwellings or Tiny
Homes as stated in [R-2 or R-3].

13.7.2 Evaluation Criteria for Site Plan Approval

The following evaluation criteria shall apply to any development undertaken
pursuant to Section 13.7.1:

(a) that the proposed development is located on the property, so as to

minimize any adverse impact on the surrounding neighbourhood;
(b)That the site plan clearly indicates how the proposed development will
respond to the statement of community interest for the CD Zone.
(e) that the existing vegetation, where possible and deemed practical, be
retained so as to lesson or reduce any adverse impact on abutting
properties or the surrounding neighbourhood;
(i) that storm and surface water management plans are provided.

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MEMO
To: Caroline Robertson, Director of Planning

From: Lorelei Atkinson, Building Official

Date: April 14, 2016

Subject: Tiny Homes

During the Nova Scotia Building Officials Spring Training Conference in April 2016, Tiny Home
Enthusiast Carrie Thornhill, accompanied by contractors Mathew Willox of Hell & Dog
Construction and Carey Rolfe of Underway Tiny EcoHomes, who have been building tiny homes
in Nova Scotia, presented to a group of Building Officials.

Although the presenters defined tiny homes as homes occupied year round, 400 square feet or
less in size, it would be fair to say that their concerns in meeting current Building Codes would
be similar to many tiny home constructions.

Presently, because Building Code requirements cannot be met with the 400 square foot tiny
homes, all the tiny homes these particular contractors have had dealings with are mobile (on
wheels and exempt from requiring a Building Permit). These tiny homes have been built to
Recreational Vehicle (RV) Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Standards which are specific to
RVs. As a result, they have been built within Department of Transportations maximum
allowable size permitted on roadways, i.e. 8.5 feet wide by 13.5 feet high.

Because of the road size restrictions, the contractors have not been able to meet some Building
Code standards such as minimum ceiling height and required rise and run for stairs to loft areas.
They do however have fully functioning kitchens and bathrooms. The electrical is up to RV
codes which enables them to connect the home to a power source the same as an RV would.

Page 1 of 2
The group presenting to the Building Officials believe if they are unable to meet Building Code
requirements that they will either continue building to RV Standards or request modifications to
the CSA Standard for Mobile Homes. The standard for Mobile Homes was developed for many
of the same reasons tiny homes are looking for a separate set of regulations, they were unable
to meet all the requirements of the Building Code so the Canadian Standards Council developed
a standard specific for Mobile Homes that are still used today.

Tiny Homes placed on a foundation require a Building Permit. In order to acquire a Building
Permit, minimum building code standards would have to be met. The following is a summary of
items that the Building Code requires:

Health and Safety

o Plumbing
o Electrical
o Heating
o Ventilation
o Means of Egress(including bedroom windows)
o Stairs
o Fire protection (smoke alarms)
Structural
o Footing/foundation/anchorage
o Roof/wall/floors (i.e. spans, type of construction, snow and wind
loads)
Energy Efficiency
o Insulation values
o Windows/doors
o Water consumption

Over the past three years Building Codes are including a lot more requirements around energy
efficiency in homes and buildings, one of the reasons tiny homes are so appealing to some.
Until a standard is created for these tiny homes they will continue to be required to meet
minimum building standards when placed on a foundation.

Page 2 of 2

TINY HOUSES
TINY HOUSES,
ENTREPRENEURSHIP,
AND REGULATION
By Jenna Robinson
Tiny houses are all the rage. They attract environmentalists,
adventurers, and scrooges alike by offering their owners
sustainability, mobility, and debt-free living. But tiny homes
are often illegal.
While new homes in the United States now average 2,600
square feet, tiny houses can be as small as 100 square feet. And
theyre gaining popularity. Tiny houses are cropping up in urban
alleyways in progressive communities like Portland, Seattle,
and Washington, DC. In July 2014, the television show Tiny
House Nation debuted on FYI Network. And the Tiny House
Conference is holding its second annual meeting in April 2015.
TINY SOLUTIONS FOR LARGE PROBLEMS
The tiny-house movement may be a countercultural trend,
but its more than just a fad. Tiny homes are popular because
10
Image credit: Tamy Strobel
they offer entrepreneurial solutions to serious social problems.
In urban neighborhoods where housing is hard to findor too
expensivea tiny house can be a solution. Social entrepreneurs
are making plans across the country. In Boise, a nonprofit called
Idaho Tiny Houses plans to help families in need to build their
own 200-square-foot homes. Their business model calls for selling
tiny homes at market value, then using the profits to pay for the
cost of building for homeless families. And in Sonoma, California,
the founder of Four Lights Tiny House Company is planning a tiny
home co-op, where residents will own separate tiny houses but
share amenities. The goal is to create an example of responsible,
affordable, and desirable tiny housing.
Likewise, tiny, ecohomes can work on lots where there
is no city water or sewer and no electricity. Because of their
small footprints, tiny homes can be powered with a relatively
inexpensive solar array. They often also use wood or propane
stoves for heating and cooking and fans or passive cooling
techniques instead of air conditioning. Water can come from
cistern tanks or a well. And the use of gray water, rain barrels,
and composting toilets decreases water use.
These features make tiny homes appealing for both
environmental and economic reasons. With a moderate initial
investment, the monthly cost of utilities for a tiny house is $0. Tiny
homes are also cheaper to build than the average American home.
Most cost between $20,000 and $50,000. But some creative do-it-
yourself aficionados have built homes for as little as $2,000.
 Image credit: Tammy Strobel
SPRING 2015

Unlike traditional houses, you can take your tiny house

with you. Most tiny homes are built on 8' x 20' trailers; legally,
theyre RVs, not houses. But that means tiny houses can be an
alternative to renting for cost-conscious young people who move
often to chase economic opportunity. With a tiny house, theres
no landlord, no shared walls, and no rent check to write each
month. Most importantly, theres no debt.

Local land-use and building codes

are often the most difficult obstacles
to building tiny.

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE HOUSING

But local ordinances and the nations tax code stand in the
way. Building a tiny house is often illegal. Finding a place to park
one is fraught with difficulty. And federal housing and tax policy
favor large homes and mortgages.
Local land-use and building codes are often the most difficult
obstacles to building tiny. According to the American Planning
Association, the power of communities to regulate the use,
height, coverage and setback of buildings and the density of
residential development is firmly established by law.
Municipalities also regulate minimum lot sizes and
minimum dwelling sizes. And entrenched interests mean
that change is not easy. In San Francisco, where housing is
If allowed to flourish, the tiny-house
notoriously scarce and expensive, developers tried to build
150-square-foot efficiency apartments but met opposition movement could be a boon to society by
from the city council. Spur, Texas, might be the only place
offering less debt, more mobility, and more
in the United States to allow detached homes smaller
than 500square feetthe city council passed a resolution creative solutions to housing problems.
permitting them just last year.
Some cities even ban detached backyard cottages or
granny apartments. In Raleigh, North Carolina, such
backyard dwellings have been illegal for decades. When the residence. Even if it did, the amount of the deduction would be
city considered lifting the ban in 2013, opponents claimed that less than a single filers standard deduction. In that way, the
allowing backyard cottages would be an invitation to create government not so subtly incentivizes the purchase of larger,
slumlord kingdoms. The NIMBY crowd also complained that more expensive homes.
adding potential rental property to a neighborhood could drive Moreover, the 1933 Home Owners Loan Corporation (part of
down home values. the New Deal) and the 1934 National Housing Act created funding
Because of the prevalence of this kind of ban, many owners preferences for larger homes. These standards were reinforced by
of tiny homes choose to build their homes on mobile foundations. the 1935 Federal Housing Administration (FHA) building codes
The Tumbleweed Tiny House Company sells plans for homes and the 1938 FHA underwriting manual. The FHA implied that it
designed to be built on trailers less than eight feet wide. But would conditionally commit to underwriting mortgages for the
parking can still be a hassle. Some mobile home and RV parks new, larger houses. (At new, larger prices, of course!)
allow tiny home parking, but many owners of tiny homes park If allowed to flourish, the tiny-house movement could be a boon
on land owned by friends or relatives. to society by offering less debt, more mobility, and more creative
Not only do local ordinances make living small difficult; solutions to housing problems. But for those entrepreneurial
federal policies push would-be homeowners in the other solutions to really take off, government must get out of the way.
direction. The mortgage-interest deduction doesnt apply to
houses built on trailers, even when they are the owners primary Jenna Robinson is director of outreach at the Pope Center for Higher Education Policy.

11
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without
permission.
Photo Ross Chapin Architects

Small Homes in the Pocket Neighborhood of Conover Commons, Redmond, WA. Architect: Ross Chapin Architects, Developer: The Cottage Company

Tiny Houses, Tiny Neighborhoods

By Wendy Priesnitz

B ack in 2005, when I first wrote in this magazine

about tiny houses, they were a novelty for many
people, and an extension of the pursuit of a minimal-
ist lifestyle for others. But that was before the reces-
sion and the escalation of concern about climate
change spiked interest in the idea of reducing ones
costs and ones possessions (and therefore ones
ecological footprint). So a full-fledged tiny house
movement has developed in recent years, and it
continues to grow stealthily. There are an increasing
number of people attending workshops and open
houses, and visiting blogs, in order to learn about liv-
ing in and building tiny houses. And there is no lack
of alluring examples to be found online.
Like any disruption of the status quo, there are
barriers to building very small houses, including
building codes, zoning bylaws, and financing con-
straints (see sidebar on page 14). Some people are
working on those issues, but in most cases they are
working around them. One tactic often used is to
build the house on a steel frame with wheels, mim-
icking an RV. However, some people wonder why
you wouldnt just live in a real RV or boat, instead.
Then there are those who think that, in colder

Page 12 www.NaturalLifeMagazine.com
climates, the ubiquitous tiny condo spaces are pref-
erable than standalone tiny houses, since they use
resources more efficiently.
One interesting development accompanying the
increasing interest in small and tiny houses is a re-
turn to village-scale living. We are, I think, at the be-
ginning of a new movement that will see tiny
communities of tiny houses popping up. The ones
currently in place or being planned include an urban
demonstration project designed to advocate for tiny
houses, planned communities designed to accom-
modate the homeless, a few attempts at developing
what are legally RV parks, a boutique hotel thats a
collection of four tiny houses on wheels, and more
upmarket developments of cottage-style housing
small but not tiny designed to fit within existing
regulations. There are also some existing eco-vil-
lages that allow tiny houses to be built.
When youre living in a small space, its nice to get
outside and important to know (and cooperate with)
your neighbors. So grouping tiny houses into neigh-
Photos Jay Austin

borhoods or villages makes sense, allowing for

shared amenities and central gathering spaces.

Boneyard Studios
Boneyard Studios, founded in 2012 in a dense,
walkable, urban neighborhood in the Washington
DC area, is a micro-village of four tiny houses on
wheels, with the largest measuring just over two
hundred square feet. The houses are situated on

Boneyard Studios photos, from top right:

The Matchbox, Jay Austins 140-square-foot house, de-
signed by Jay Austin and built with assistance from Tony
Gilchriest.
Pera House, Lee Peras 145-square-foot-house (200
square feet including loft space); designers and builders
include Matt Battin of Urban Density Lab (designer and
builder), Tony Gilchriest and Ronnie Wills (builders) and
Robin Hayes (systems designer and builder).
Minim House, Brian Levys award-winning 210-
square-foot house, designed by Foundry Architects and
built by Element Design.
Indulgent Restraint, Elaine Walkers 120-square-foot Lusby
house, designed by Tumbleweed Tiny Houses.

www.NaturalLifeMagazine.com Page 13

The four tiny houses of Boneyard Studios on a small infill lot in Washington, D.C. are a demo project.
what was a vacant, triangular alleyway lot full of
overgrown grass, broken concrete, pooling water,
garbage, illegal parking, and occasional criminal ac-
Bureaucratic Constraints
Regulations restricting the construction of tiny houses vary
from place to place. However, its common that to be in
compliance with building codes and therefore occupied
full-time, a house must be built to a dictated minimum size,
usually eight hundred square feet. (Basic principles of de-
sign state that there should be an absolute minimum of 200
square feet per human occupant.)
During his tenure as a building code regulator based in Col-
orado, Tom Meyers was building official for the US Depart-
ment of Energys Solar Decathlon from 2005 to 2011. He
also served as the Chairman of the International Code
Councils International Residential Code (IRC) B/E Commit-
tee for the 2006-2012 editions and as a member of its Fire
Code Committee for the 2015 edition. His blog at
http://sustainablebuildingcodes.blogspot.com includes infor-
mation about tiny houses the kind on foundations, rather
than wheels and the code.
He points out that the IRC (often used as a basis for local
codes) prescribes minimum areas for dwellings: At least
one room must be 120 square feet in area. All other habit-
able rooms except the kitchen must be 70 square feet in
area. Minimum room width and minimum ceiling headroom
must be seven feetTraditional tiny houses simply cannot
comply with the IRC if they are determined to be dwelling
units. Meyers would like to see these minimums removed
from the code, which some jurisdictions use as the basis for
their local regulations.
Of course, there are other considerations beyond your local
building code. Zoning regulations and/or restrictive cove-
nants on property may also preclude the construction of a
tiny house. Meyers advice? Always do your homework
first. Know the rules before you build or purchase. Under-
stand the loopholes provided by the code and local case
law. Query your code official on the requirements prior to
bringing your building on the site. Be prepared to surmount
some hurdles before enjoying your new-found minimalist
venture.
Page 14 www.NaturalLifeMagazine.com
Photo Jay Austin
tivity like the dumped stolen vehicle they had to
have moved.
Now, in addition to the collectives three tiny
houses and one theyre looking after for a friend, the
rehabilitated lot houses a small fruit orchard, green
open space, a community garden, a cistern for gar-
den watering, and a shipping container thats used
for bike storage and a workshop.
Calling themselves Boneyard Studios, friends
Brian Levy and Lee Pera (joined by Jay Austin shortly
thereafter) hope to demonstrate creative urban
infill; promote the benefits of tiny houses; model
what a tiny house community could look like; build
capacity of tiny house designers and builders; and
advocate for DC zoning/code changes to allow con-
struction and habitation of accessory dwelling units
and tiny houses.
Since, under current city restrictions, the houses
cannot be lived in full-time, Boneyard Studios acts as
a showcase for what could be.
Tiny Houses for the Homeless
The idea that community matters is at the root of
the emerging tiny village philosophy, which ad-
dresses affordable and sustainable housing at the
same time. Local non-profits have embraced the
idea of tiny houses grouped in a village format as a
way to help the growing number of homeless or
low-income people. The model is reminiscent and
somewhat based on the self-organized tent cities
that have become a common way for the homeless
to provide for themselves. A group will typically
 Photo Ross Chapin Architects
Third Street Cottages, Langley, Washington, a cluster of eight small homes around a shared garden, that be-
came the first Pocket Neighborhood. Architect: Ross Chapin Architects, Developer: The Cottage Company

acquire a piece of land with the co-operation of local
government, then fundraise and construct a group
of simple micro-housing structures surrounding
shared, common space.
Opportunity Village in Eugene, Oregon is a transi-
tional housing community with thirty micro-housing
units for otherwise homeless individuals and cou-
ples. In Austin, Texas, Community First! Village, a
program of Mobile Loaves & Fishes, is a twenty-
seven-acre master-planned community that will
provide affordable, sustainable housing and a sup-
portive community for some two hundred disabled,
chronically homeless people. It has been in the plan-
ning and fundraising stages for nearly ten years and
breaks ground this year. There will be tiny houses,
mobile homes, teepees, refurbished RVs, a three-
acre community garden, a chapel, a medical facility,
a workshop, a bed and breakfast, and an outdoor
movie theater.
Quixote Village in Olympia, Washington is a
two-acre community of thirty tiny cottages and a
central community building that includes showers,
laundry facilities, a shared kitchen, and social and
meeting space. With the help of government grants,
fundraising, a donation of municipal land and zoning
changes, and support of the faith community, the
village replaces a tent city housed in church parking
lots. On the new site, residents hope to plant a vege-
table garden and fruit trees, and to start one or more
micro-enterprises that could bring in income to
support the Village and its residents.
Pocket Neighborhoods
In 1996, architect Ross Chapin and developer Jim
Soules collaborated on building the Third Street Cot-
tages, a cluster of eight small cottages around a
shared garden in Langley, Washington. The cottages
were tucked off a busy street, which seemed to Ross
like a pocket safely tucking away its possessions
from the world outside. He began calling it a pocket
neighborhood and the term stuck.
Third Street Cottages was the result of involve-
ment of people on every level who paved the way: a
forward-thinking state government, a pro-active

www.NaturalLifeMagazine.com Page 15
 Photo Ross Chapin Architects
The small houses in the Greenwood Avenue Cottages Pocket Neighborhood face a common area but re-
tain their own personal space as well, Shoreline, Washington. Architect: Ross Chapin, Architects, Developer:
The Cottage Company

planning director, an innovative architect, a sensi-
tive developer, an enlightened banker, and a sup-
portive community. Facing the same growth
pressure as many towns across America, the City of
Langley, WA (pop. 1,100) adopted the innovative
Cottage Housing Development (CHD) zoning code
provision that made these small homes possible.
The codes aim is to preserve housing diversity,
affordability, and character, and to discourage the
spread of sprawl. It allows for up to double the den-
sity of detached homes in all single-family zones
providing the ground floor area is less than 700
square feet and total area including the second floor
is less than 975 square feet. The cottages must also
face a usable landscaped commons, and have park-
ing screened from the street. To ensure good fit
within existing neighborhoods, each project pro-
posed is reviewed by the planning and design review
boards.
The Third Street Cottages, designed by Ross
Chapin Architects and developed by The Cottage
Company, was the first to utilize this innovative
code.
The award-winning community of eight detached
cottages is located on four standard single-family
lots. The homes are approximately 650 square feet,
with lofts up to 200 square feet, and are conveyed as
condominium ownership. The design imperatives
were to provide well-defined personal space while
fostering a strong sense of community. w

Page 16 www.NaturalLifeMagazine.com
 Entry to the community is through implied
gates into the semi-public Commons, which is a
shared garden area edged with a perennial border
and a low split-cedar fence. A swinging gate opens to
each private yard, and a walk leads to steps, the
front porch, and front door. The porch railing is at a
height just right for perching and is adorned with
flower boxes to further define a personal boundary.
Within the cottages, the layering continues with ac-
tive spaces in front and private spaces in back.
To ensure privacy between cottages, the houses
nest together: the open side of one house with garden tools.
large windows facing the side yard faces the
closed side of the next, which has high windows
and skylights.
The first line of defense for personal security is a
strong network of neighbors who know and care for
one another, and the houses are situated to encour-
Questions & Answers with Architect Ross Chapin
About Pocket Neighborhoods
Q: Just what are pocket neighborhoods?
A: Pocket neighborhoods are clustered groups of
neighboring houses or apartments gathered around
a shared open space which can be courtyard, a
lively pedestrian street, or even conjoined back-
yards that provides a clear sense of territory and
joint stewardship.
Q: How is a pocket neighborhood different than a
regular neighborhood?
A: A pocket neighborhood is not the wider neighbor-
hood of several hundred households connected by
an impersonal network of roads, but a close knit
realm of a dozen or so neighbors who interact on a
daily basis around a shared garden, quiet street or
alley a kind of secret garden, or secluded neigh-
borhood within a neighborhood.
Q: What kinds of people are attracted to live in a
pocket neighborhood?
www.NaturalLifeMagazine.com
age that. They also have ample porches that extend
living space and encourage interaction with neigh-
bors in the adjacent Commons.
Parking is intentionally situated away from the
cottages but screened from the street. When resi-
dents walk from car to home, they can interact with
neighbors and enjoy the landscaping in the Com-
mons, which is the locus of community. In the mid-
dle is a combination of flowers, vegetables, and
lawn, while to the side is a workshop with terrace on
the roof. A tool shed provides a place to store shared
A variety of singles, couples, and small families
have been attracted to these pocket neighborhoods.
They, like everyone else interested in small or tiny
houses and the communities they create, care about
increasing their connection to community while de-
creasing their impact on the environment.
A: Anyone who wants to live in a close, tight-knit
neighborhood. Although not for everyone, an ever-
growing segment of the population wants a stronger
sense of community. For them, pocket neighbor-
hoods offer a longed-for alternative.
Q: Why are pocket neighborhoods good for
children?
A: Children need increasingly larger zones of play as
they grow up. A baby explores the room their parent
occupies, while an older sibling is free to play in the
next room, or in the back yard. At some point,
though, a childs desire to explore the world beyond
the front gate is blocked by the real and perceived
stranger danger and traffic. Children are then
chauffeured to friends houses and organized activi-
ties until they can drive on their own. Too often, chil-
dren feel painfully isolated and lack access to safe,
unplanned play.
w
Page 17
 Pocket neighborhoods provide a protected, traf-
fic-free environment for a childs widening horizon
a place for unplanned play alone and with other
children, and a place to have relationships with car-
ing adults other than parents. This matches their
growing curiosity, need for increased responsibili-
ties and maturing social skills.
Q: Why is shared outdoor space so important?
A: The shared outdoor space at the center of a clus-
ter of homes is a key element of a pocket neighbor-
hood. Residents surrounding this common space
take part in its care and oversight, thereby enhanc-
ing a real sense of
security and iden-
tity.
During the daily
flow of life through
the common space,
nearby neighbors
Photo Ross Chapin Architects
offer nodding hel-
los, or stop for a
chat on the porch.
These casual con-
Conover Commons, Redmond, WA. Architect: Ross versations can ev-
Chapin Architect, Developer: The Cottage Company
entually grow into
caring relationships
and a meaningful sense of community all fostered
by the simple fact of shared space.
Q: Community sounds good, but does it come at the
expense of privacy?
A: While there are many examples and kinds of
pocket neighborhoods, privacy is an essential ingre-
dient that allows residents to have a positive experi-
ence of community. In a classic pocket neighbor-
hood, there are several increasingly private layers of
personal space between the shared commons and
the front door.
To ensure privacy between neighbors, the cot-
tages nest together: the open side of one house
faces the closed side of the next. You could say the
houses are spooning! The open side has large win-
dows facing its side yard (which extends to the face
Page 18
of neighboring house), while the closed side has high
windows and skylights. The result is that neighbors
do not peer into one anothers worlds.
Q: What are the design principles?
A: Successful pocket neighborhoods start with the
central idea of a limited number of dwellings gath-
ered around a shared commons. As the number
grows larger than eight or twelve homes, new clus-
ters form around separate shared commons. Multi-
ple pocket neighborhood clusters can form a larger
community. These communities are not isolated to
themselves, like a gated community, but connect
and contribute to the character and life of the sur-
rounding neighborhood.
Q: Why are pocket neighborhoods important now?
A: The fabric of social health in our society has been
fraying, in part because many people lack networks
of social support. Pocket neighborhoods help mend
this broken web of belonging, care, and support. The
protected setting encourages informal interaction
among neighbors, laying the ground for caring rela-
tionships. An elderly neighbor may need assistance
trimming a hedge. Another person needs help look-
ing after the kids while going for a short errand, or
feeding a cat while away on vacation. Neighbors be-
come what they used to be, the ones most available
to respond to daily needs. They are also the ones to
hear a story, admire a newly planted garden bed, or
reminisce about old times. All of these encounters
strengthen webs of support and friendship, which
are the basis for healthy, livable communities.
Q: Is zoning an issue for pocket neighborhoods?
A: Most towns and cities have zoning regulations
that limit housing to detached, single family homes
on large private lots with a street out front. For-
ward-thinking planners are seeing pocket neighbor-
hoods as a way to increase housing options and limit
sprawl, while preserving the character of existing
neighborhoods. The zoning section of my pocket
neighborhoods website [see sidebar, next page] has
more information about this. w
www.NaturalLifeMagazine.com
The Eco Trailer Park
Zoning and building codes are
the bane of tiny house advocates,
and are perhaps the next frontier
for so-called smart growth and
eco-development. But for now,
many enthusiasts have settled for
hidden, backwoods lots or trailer
parks. And, says Canadian eco ar-
chitect Andy Thomson, thats not
such a bad thing. He points out

Photo Andy R Thomson

that the trailer park is probably the
most overlooked form of sustain-
able and affordable housing.
Thomson says he has had a love
affair with trailer parks since 1995
An eco trailer park could provide all the right conditions for a convivial,
when he realized it was next to im-
green neighborhood of tiny houses like Andy Thomsons miniHOME.
possible to design off-grid homes
to be compliant with obsolete
building codes. He then discovered that RVs, tents,
and trailers fell under different standards.
So he began designing to the trailer code, creat- Learn More
ing a different kind of small, green, affordable, pre- Pocket Neighborhoods: Creating Small Scale Community
in a Large Scale World by Ross Chapin (Taunton Press,
fab home. He realized that trailers are inherently 2011)
greener than conventional housing (because fewer Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter by Lloyd Kahn (Shelter
resources are used to build them, and for heating, Publications, 2012)
The Small House Book by Jay Shafer (Tumbleweed Tiny
lighting, and cooling). And trailer parks satisfy House; 2nd edition, 2009)
eco-development goals and provide an affordable Little House on a Small Planet by Shay Salomon (Lyons
alternative to conventional housing with minimal Press, 2009)
disruption to existing flora and fauna. He also points Tiny House Design & Construction Guide by Dan Louche
(Tiny Home Builders, 2012)
out that trailers do not require permanent founda-
Small is Beautiful by Wendy Priesnitz in Natural Life
tions or expensive infrastructure and landscaping, Magazine, May/June 2007
and roads are often designed to preserve their www.naturallifemagazine.com/0706/smallhouse.htm
Nomadic Small Space Living by Wendy Priesnitz in
parks natural features. (See Thomsons website Natural Life Magazine, November/December 2005
www.earthstream.ca for much more information, www.naturallifemagazine.com/0512/no-
madic-small-space-living.htm
including photographs, about his well-developed
www.tinyhousecommunity.com
concept of an eco trailer park.)
www.pocket-neighborhoods.net
Thomson and other architects have many designs
www.boneyardstudios.com
ready to go as soon as developers get over the trailer www.earthstream.ca
park stigma and see it as the truly green community www.tentcityurbanism.com
it could be. We have heard of a few such projects at www.tiny-themovie.com
or just beyond the dream stage across North Amer- www.tinyhousetalk.com
ica, reinventing the trailer park into a true tiny house www.tinyhousemagazine.co
community. So its just a matter of time! - NL -

www.NaturalLifeMagazine.com Page 19
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without
permission.
 Back to previous page

document 1 of 1

Tiny Houses: Niche or Noteworthy?

Wyatt, Anne. Planning 82.2 (Feb 2016): 39-42.

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Abstract
Tiny houses -- loosely defined as abodes with less than 500 square feet -- are on a roll. Cool and often over-the-top cute, they star in a number of television shows and documentaries.
Many people live in tiny houses of the not-so-cute variety -- toolsheds, parked RVs, and other under-the-radar, small structures used as dwellings -- and they tend to keep mum about it.
Perhaps the appeal of the simple life ties in with living quietly, especially if you don't want to tangle with code enforcers. But interest is increasing. Tiny house living offers a wealth of
potential benefits and solutions to a range of housing challenges; they are more economical and sustainable than conventional housing and add to the range of housing choices available.
The tiny house movement offers opportunity for planners to look at some of the planning assumptions and status quo factors that make tiny houses challenging to locate and live in.

Full Text
Headnote

These darling dwellings have gotten a lot of attention, but their fanatic followers just might be on to something.

TINY HOUSES-LOOSELY DEFINED AS ABODES with less than 500 square feet-are on a roll. Cool and often over-the-top cute, they star in a number of television shows and documentaries.
The first National Tiny House Jamboree (Colorado Springs, August 7-9) drew 40,000 participants. Hardly a day goes by that a tiny house photo doesn't show up in a news feature or my
inbox. Advocates call their fascination a "movement," even.

Getting at just how many there are is difficult. Many people live in tiny houses of the not-so-cute variety-toolsheds, parked RVs, and other under-the-radar, small structures used as
dwellings-and they tend to keep mum about it. Perhaps the appeal of the simple life ties in with living quietly, especially if you don't want to tangle with code enforcers.

But interest is increasing. One indicator is the experience of Ross Beck, of Tumbleweed Tiny Homes in Sonoma, California: He says that the company had received 19,000 inquiries about
tiny homes as of last October.

The tiny house movement is definitely worth a closer look. Tiny house living offers a wealth of potential benefits and solutions to a range of housing challenges; they are more economical
and sustainable than conventional housing and add to the range of housing choices available.

A niche for women and millennial

"I might rather have a composting toilet than a mortgage," says enthusiast Rachel Carrigan, a single woman in her 30s who is constructing her own home in upstate New York. This
explains some of the appeal, especially to women buyers, less willing or able than their male counterparts to assume debt. (According to the information services company Experian, men
carry 4.9 percent more loan debt than women.)

That jibes with what tiny home builders say. Bo Bezdek reported in an April 2015 article in Austin Woman Magazine that 80 percent of his home buyers are women; Beck, at Tumbleweed in
Sonoma, reports a 65 percent or higher rate of female buyers.

Jan Burton, owner of Rhino Cubed, a company that converts shipping containers into tiny homes, says only 28 percent of owners of tiny homes have mortgages, compared to more than
two-thirds of other home owners. The lower cost of the smaller homes helps; while frugal self-builders boast of homes constructed for under $20,000, most manufactured homes sell from
about $20,000-for a nofrills unit-to $80,000 for more amenities.

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 Millennial have different ideas about housing than their elders. The website of the Millennial Housing Lab (millennialhousinglab.org) at Harvard sums up changes: "We are trading stability
for experience . . . seeking community... delaying marriage, career tracks and all other forms of settling down . . . following our dreams, building the future, living an authentic life, and
having a purpose greater than ourselves." The tiny house fits into this paradigm. Lab students have created two models, which can be rented nightly for tiny house living trial runs.

Dreams and reality

The tiny house movement can't float endlessly in a vacuum. Talk of eco-friendly simplicity merges with practicality, and brings reason for concern. Infrastructure, zoning, minimum size
requirements, and community issues-often missing in the jargonneed consideration.

Tiny home dreamers may be less enthusiastic after actually living in one. Hauling water in, wastes out, and scrimping on electrical appliances or going without because small solar arrays are
underpowered may not be the dream they'd imagined. My own experiences living in tiny houses offand on over the last 20 years (before the marketing and the movement, we called them
toolsheds) suggest, especially for short periods, that they can work well in good weather, in good health, and with adequate common infrastructure nearby.

But doing physical chores in less than robust health, feelings of isolation if far removed from others, and the constraints of small spaces in poor weather conditions may become challenging.
And then there's the infrastructure issue: Photographs of tiny homes often depict them placed alone in natural settings, as if roads, garages for storage, water tanks, and other supports can
be dispensed with.

As planners, we're not always quick to adopt useful trends. Trained to think critically, anticipate consequences, and mitigate problems, we should be asking questions and considering all
options.

Do tiny house dreamers have their heads dangerously high in the clouds? Already, a number of tiny houses sit empty, with nowhere to legally house residents. There's one parked in a
church parking lot near my house in San Luis Obispo, California, constructed by the nonprofit Hope's Village, which aims to start a small community nearby. The irony of the home's
emptiness struck me, as it sat empty by the church-which itself served 30 clients nightly as an overflow homeless shelter-in a county with amongst the highest percentage of homeless
individuals in the nation.

Are we being cautious for good reason or impeding a movement that offers solutions to some of our greatest challenges-diversity of choice, affordable housing, and sustainability?

Notions about houses

For now, questions outnumber answers. This doesn't mean we shouldn't keep asking them. Adjusting our codes and our notions of safe, decent, and suitable housing may be what it takes
to get more of our unhoused into homes. Micro living spaces stretch our notions, conflict with existing codes, and bring up liability issues.

SAFE, DECENT, AND SUITABLE HOUSING

The Housing Act of 1949 set forth the federal goal of "a decent home and suitable living environment for every American family." Since then, quality standards in local, state, and federal
codes (e.g., fixed heaters, running hot water, waste disposal, electricity, permanent foundations, so much square feet per resident) have quantified notions of "decent" and "suitable"-often
invoked as "public safety" in terms of policing powers.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES

Where are the heated water and electricity going to come from, and what's going to happen to the wastes? Codes generally mandate these in every housing unit. In tiny house villages
serving extremely low-income occupants, such as Portland's Dignity Village, these are provided in common areas, similar to a campground. Could we accept this?

SIZE AND CROWDING

Small houses are contrary to the usual assumption about size-that more is better. Noise, moisture accumulation and condensation, smells, and accessibility for the physically impaired
underlie notions of "crowding." Community rules of conduct, clever design, and more single-person households can eliminate or mitigate these challenges. Some people specifically seek
tight spaces. Is it really in the public interest to force people into larger spaces?

ZONING AND BUILDING CODES

These are how we define allowable versions of "home" in our jurisdictions. Local codes protect not only safety for residents but also property values. This means keeping certain residents
and home types out. A survey of codes shows that most have minimums that would make small houses illegal.

Room width and ceiling heights have a clear relationship to the height of most Americans. Anybody who's bumped a head on a low ceiling or had to try to sleep curled up can understand
this. A safety argument in requiring large lot and home sizes and excessive widths of homes, however, is weak at best. As planners, we may want to question our implicit roles and conflicts
in protecting property values over provision of decent housing for all Americans.

Other sticking points include requirements for permanent foundations. Part of the appeal of tiny houses for many is that they are mobile. Requiring permanent foundations defeats this. Grid-
tied utilities requirements are another hurdle. This makes the additional goal of off-grid (decentralized) living impossible in many jurisdictions.

COMMUNITY AND CAMPING

Tiny houses offer options for community connectivity while still maintaining privacy and options for mobility. Think about camping: Americans pay upward of $30 a night (which translates to

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 nearly $1,000 monthly) for a small patch of ground on which to pitch their own tent and park a car. Campers happily share bathroom facilities and cook outside. Why is it we frown on and
often exclude people who choose to extend their happy camping experience to regular living? Camping spaces can be livable with necessary services, Internet reception, safe access roads,
and mailboxes.

What next?

We can help ensure that tiny house living is practical and actually works for people who choose it-as well as for their surrounding communities. Broadening our perspectives as planners and
working past our own skepticism will be a start.

INVENTORY OUR OWN PREJUDICE, ASSUMPTIONS, AND STATUS QUO BIAS.

Are our assumptions about minimum home and room size evidence- based? Small spaces are probably a step up from sleeping on sidewalks for many and are clearly spaces many now
choose-even Americans who are not economically challenged. Should these people effectively be locked out of houses in many jurisdictions?

SURVEY PLACES WHERE TINY HOME COMMUNITIES WORK.

Dignity Village (Portland, Oregon, since 2001); Quixote Village (Olympia, Washington, 2013 (see more about this community in "Housing for All" page 34); and Opportunity Village (Eugene,
Oregon, 2015) have proven the concepts success. Mark Lakeman, an architect and planner involved with founding Dignity Village, offers a few suggestions for success: "Build community
facilities first." It gets harder to build them, he says, if individual homes are constructed first. "Minimize car parking spaces and other spaces where junk can pile up. If it can, it will."
Finally, "It took some hand holding," but Lakeman says it was gratifying to observe many village residents-initially unskilled in community building and management techniques-become
highly skilled with training and assistance.

CONSIDER THE TINY HOUSE MOVEMENT WITHIN A BROADER CONTEXT.

Thoreau's story of building his small house on Walden Pond is one of our most enduring narratives. Walden speaks to appreciation of nature, simplicity, intention, and self-reliance. Todays
tiny house movement shares similar values, even if many homes are not sitebuilt by hand but are a type of manufactured home.

RECOGNIZE LIFE CYCLE AND EVOLVING HOUSING NEEDS.

Thoreau lived on the pond for only two years. As with other housing types, there may be times in the life cycle when small homes work and times when they don't. Singles may enjoy their
singlebed lofts and tight quarters; couples may need more separation; families with children may find it challenging; elders may be unable to climb stairs to reach their loftbeds; and
individuals may need proximity to nature and to community at different times. As planners, we can consider trade-offs and evolving needs.

DO A COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS.

Weigh potential risks of action against cost of inaction. Are we meeting our stated public policies-providing safe, decent housing to all Americans? A bold rethinking of our codes and
attitudes may be warranted, particularly given the increasing numbers of unhoused and housing-challenged persons in the U.S. The shared bathing and cooking facilities of inexpensive tiny
home villages work for many and compare favorably to having no such facilities on the streets.

CONSIDER USE OF EMERGENCY POWERS.

People filling shelters and sleeping on our streets because they have no options for housing is a state of emergency. Los Angeles, recognizing this, declared a state of emergency in
response to increasing numbers of homeless residents. Emergency powers could allow the issuance of temporary permits to nonprofit groups seeking to place tiny houses on designated
plots of land. Nonprofit oversight bodies could ensure safety of residents and adjacent neighbors.

REVISIT BUILDING AND ZONING CODES.

"Get rid of minimum home sizes," Ross Beck of Tumbleweed Homes says, when asked about necessary code revisions. Shrinking minimum lot sizes, home widths, and room sizes could also
help make smaller abodes legal.

ADJUST PUBLIC FACILITIES FEES.

In many jurisdictions, fees for small homes and larger ones vary little. This penalizes those who aim to keep their footprint small.

ALLOW CAMPGROUNDS AND CAMPING.

Movable homes on wheels may never meet the definitions of "home" in some jurisdictions. Allowing legalized campgrounds in communities could provide access to housing. Fees, such as
transient occupancy taxes, could be collected from residents at such sites to help defray public costs associated with additional residents.

The tiny house movement offers opportunity for planners to look at some of the planning assumptions and status quo factors that make tiny houses challenging to locate and live in. With
active participation we can minimize risk and better meet more of our housing goals.

Sidebar

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 Tiny houses, big benefits

LIVING SPACE may be at a premium, but advocates say that tiny houses offer plenty of worthy trade-offs.

ECONOMY

They tend to cost less in materials and land than larger homes. If built efficiently and with high-quality materials, they also cost less to heat, cool, and maintain.

SUSTAIN ABILITY

Smaller homes use fewer resources to construct and maintain, and more housing units can fit on less land, bringing a density benefit.

COMMUNITY

Interest in the tiny house movement is split between people seeking community and those who want to get away from neighbors. Tiny house villages can serve community-minded
residents, while individual homes on rural parcels offer privacy.

CHOICE

They increase housing options.

SIMPLICITY

A smaller house can mean fewer repairs and reduced chores.

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

The small, off-the-grid home surrounded by nature and fertile gardens offers potential for self-sufficient lifestyles.

CUSTOMIZATION/CONTROL

If you're willing to hand over the money, you get a tiny house the way you want it-and with a Starbucks-like smile. On the television show Tiny House Nation, the keys to the tiny homes
come with hugs from the show hosts. The desire for customization ties in with the desire for control over one's own housing choices.

OWNERSHIP POTENTIAL

Because tiny homes often cost less than larger homes and can be purchased separately from land, they make home ownership possible for many who could not afford conventional housing.

MOBILITY

While moving homes isn't easy, many tiny homes are constructed on wheeled trailers. This appeals to homebodies who dream of going places. As with other manufactured housing,
placement can become challenging.

'We are trading stability for experience ... seeking community ... delaying marriage, career tracks and all other forms of settling down ... following our dreams, building the future, living an
authentic life, and having a purpose greater than ourselves.'

-MILLENNIAL HOUSING LAB

Heather Stewart at her home in Containertopia, a village of 160-square-foot shipping containers, in Oakland, California. These containers and tiny houses on wheels are making a mark in a
city where rents are rising with an influx of newcomers.

How They Do It in Rockledge

ONE FLORIDA COMMUNITY has taken a big interest in little homes. Rockledge's code regulates these so-called "pocket neighborhoods," defined as clusters of from four to 12 tiny homes
around common greens with an association to manage common spaces. See how they compare to more typical code requirements.

LOT SIZES

1,200 minimum to 3,000 maximum square feet (often 5,000 square feet and up)

HOME SIZES

170 +100 square feet per extra person (from 700 to 1,100 square feet)

HOME WIDTH
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 8.5 feet minimum to 20 maximum (14 to 20 feet)

ROOM SIZE

70 or 50 square feet per person (70 to 150 square feet)

CEILING HEIGHT

6'8" to 7'6"

HALLWAY WIDTH

36 inches (36 inches)

More Codes for Tiny Homes

OTHER COMMUNITIES have shifted their codes to make space for these structures. Many are in Colorado, home of Sprout Homes, which is in the process of building tiny home
communities in Salida, Walsenburg, and Buena Vista.

WALSENBURG

Home must be on a permanent foundation, tapped into municipal utilities, but can be any size in any residential zoning category. The city has paved the way for a tiny home community on
the site of a high school football field, but a spokesperson says placing underground infrastructure is still a hurdle, so construction could be a ways out.

SALIDA

In December, the city council began considering annexing 19 acres to accommodate Sprout Homes' Riverview at Cleora, a community of 200 tiny rental homes with common park and
exercise areas, a restaurant, and storage.

SPUR, TEXAS

A 2014 resolution established the city as the "First 'tiny' house friendly town." The Spur ordinance says that the structures can be of any size or type, but do need to be attached to a
permanent foundation within city limits and are subject to a city utilities fee, whether using them or not.

References

RESOURCES

FROM APA

"Tiny Houses, and the Not-So-Tiny Questions They Raise," Zoning Practice, November 2015: planning.org/zoningpractice/open/pdf /novl5.pdf.

ONLINE

American Tiny House Association: americantinyhouseassociation .org.

Tiny House Jamboree: www.tinyhousejamboree.com.

Experian, on debt, credit, and loan payment differences between women and men: tinyurl.com/q4s6qnk.

AuthorAffiliation

Anne Wyatt is a housing policy planner based in San Luis Obispo. She can be reached ata.reneewyatt@gmail.com.

Copyright American Planning Association Feb 2016

Details
Subject
Home building;
Houses;
Trends;
Area planning & development

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 Location
United States--US
Classification
8370: Construction & engineering industry
9190: United States
1200: Social policy
Title
Tiny Houses: Niche or Noteworthy?
Author
Wyatt, Anne
Publication title
Planning
Volume
82
Issue
2
Pages
39-42
Number of pages
4
Publication year
2016
Publication date
Feb 2016
Year
2016
Publisher
American Planning Association
Place of publication
Chicago
Country of publication
United States
Publication subject
Housing And Urban Planning
ISSN
00012610
CODEN
PLNNDB
Source type
Trade Journals
Language of publication
English
Document type
Feature
Document feature
Photographs
ProQuest document ID
1771400351
Document URL
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Copyright
Copyright American Planning Association Feb 2016
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