Tag Archives: housing

Tuff Shed, ‘Nuff Said?

Photo courtesy of Valerie Starkey

Eric Matson had tiny houses in mind when he and his wife approached Home Depot staff about turning a Tuff Shed into a second home.

Since the “Tuff Shed guy” was at the store, Matson said he and his wife viewed base models and asked if the Denver-based company — which operates a factory in Medford — could extend the overhang, add insulated windows, 2-by-6 exterior walls, a paint job and a gable fence.

The result is the 1,224 square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom, two-story structure at 216 Macken Avenue, which was completed in December 2023. Matson said he paid a total of $140,000. This includes $39,050 for the unit itself plus the concrete pad it sits on, the Home Depot cabinets and carpet and the Ikea island he installed as well as the plumbing.

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Muni Code Cleanup Uncovers Landscaping Standards Crescent City Councilors Didn’t Realize Existed

An effort to set parameters for the amount of open space housing developers need to provide their residents made Crescent City councilors realize that the municipal code contains landscaping standards that likely aren’t applied consistently.

Some don’t make sense, Councilor Kelly Schellong Feola said Monday. One example she gave is a requirement that at least one tree from an approved list be planted in a residential front or side yard every 30 feet. The other is limiting the use of non-vegetative material in residential landscaping to 25 percent, Feola said.

“I know a lot of older people that can’t get out and mow their lawns,” she said. “They like to decorate their yards with river rock and such, and this is saying you can’t do that for more than 25 percent of your property.”

It’s these inconsistencies the Community Development Department and the Planning Commission have been working through, according to Ethan Lawton, a planner with SHN, a Eureka-based engineering and planning firm that is contracted with the city. When it comes to landscaping standards in residential zones, developments that are less than four units aren’t required to submit site plans to the city that verifies their landscaping plans, he said.

But, while there’s no special permit required for a single-family home, for example, under the municipal code, city staff should still review those landscaping standards, City Attorney Martha Rice said.

“No building permit should be issued unless [the development] meets these landscaping requirements,” she said.

Continue reading Muni Code Cleanup Uncovers Landscaping Standards Crescent City Councilors Didn’t Realize Existed

For Valhalla! (The Townhomes, That Is) – Redwood Voice Community News

November 1st, 2023 – For Redwood Voice Community News, a production of Redwood Voice Youth Media, today’s news: Crescent City’s Valhalla Townhomes are getting improvements for incoming low income families; the Mendocino County board faces backlash for violating due process for their suspended auditor-controller; cutting down your Christmas tree is actually healthy for the forest; and the Arcata City Council is coming up with solutions to solve their housing crisis. All this and our regular segments from the Pacifica Radio Network and National Native News.

We’re broadcasting on KFUG 101.1FM and kfugradio.org every day at 12PM, with a rebroadcast at 5PM. We’re also airing on KZZH 96.7FM at 6AM!

Fighting Fire with Thunderstorms – Redwood Voice Community News

August 28th, 2023 – For Redwood Voice Community News, a production of Redwood Voice Youth Media, today’s news: Harbor Point Apartments get housing vouchers; Del Norte’s good fire weather has blown the fire into Oregon; last weeks thunderstorm helped dampen the fires; a precedent surrounding hate speech at Humboldt Board of Supervisors meetings is established; and College of the Redwoods hosts their 18th Dinner and Auction. All this and our regular segments from the Pacifica Radio Network and National Native News.

We’re broadcasting on KFUG 101.1FM and kfugradio.org every day at 12PM, with a rebroadcast at 5PM. We’re also airing on KZZH 96.7FM at 6AM!