Demolition and construction crews are making progress on Healdsburg’s first cottage-court style housing development on Kennedy Lane.
Last week crews cleared the former residence and pump house at 125 and 131 Kennedy Lane to make room for three small one- to three-bedroom homes, communal green space and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on a 0.98-acre lot.
Movement on the project follows the 6-0 planning commission vote in May that approved the design and parcel map for the project.
According to Jim Heid, the developer for the project, last week crews from Davis Demolition cleared the lot to prepare for construction.
Work also included participating with neighbors in a shared fence replacement program.
The new seven foot high redwood fence replaced the original fence that was built 30 years ago, according to Heid.
The next step will be to remove a large redwood heritage tree.
The tree in question, which was discussed during a planning commission meeting, was noted to be in the way of one of the units and four ADUs, according to Heid.
Heid added that the tree wasn’t too healthy.
“It was a little stressed because of the concrete and pavement. We saved all of the trees except for that one,” Heid said.
Heid recalled the planning commission public hearing for the project when one of the commissioners said while they don’t like to see heritage tree removals, “this one died for a good cause.”
On Saturday, Sept. 21 a portable mill will be brought to the site to mill some of the removed tree, which will be incorporated into some of the furnishings and other features of the site.
This is, “Just another small part of our commitment to environmental responsibility and sharing the story of this site with our future owners,” Heid said of the tree.
Moving forward, Broderick General Engineering will continue site work and will remove the remaining pavement and underground utilities.
“We’ll do grading, that will take us through November, then we’ll do the foundations,” Heid said.
He said instead of building units in increments, everything will be built at once.
“It will start to take shape by late winter,” he said
He noted that despite the long three years of planning and permit work the wait has been worth it.
“The objectives for this project are to build on the community’s expressed desire for cottage court as an alternative approach, use the sites we have more efficiently — this is an almost 1-acre site and we are getting almost three on here, provide a more well designed small home but still stay in high quality in terms of the design, bring the stewardship level to the Russian River because it is a part of our project,” Heid explained during the May 14 planning commission meeting.
At the same meeting Commission Vice Chairperson Richard Tracy had said of the project, “Another great use of land that was so underused.”
To learn more about the project, visit riverhousehbg.com/updates.
