It Came from the Backyard - Page 4

Teardowns and developers

Buyers have, of course, torn down Eichlers before. That is just what Greg Knell worries about—developers, not homeowners, buying Eichlers and ripping them down for the property.

It is also why Knell is considering seeking historic designation for the Eichlers of Terra Linda. "This is my idea, to try to save the neighborhood," he says.

In Upper Lucas Valley, Mark Neely says, some folks are talking about seeking historic designation as well.

"If neighborhoods are 'historic,' the state will look at that and say 'you have to be careful to incorporate historic character into any increase in units,'" says Sally Zarnowitz, who helped put her own neighborhood, Fairglen, onto the National Register of Historic Places.

Her committee's goal, Zarnowitz says, had nothing to do with accessory units or increasing density, but all to do with preventing demolitions and preserving neighborhood character.

She noted that the state laws provide for regulations set by local jurisdictions. "The city of San Jose is considering allowing for accessible dwelling units in historic districts," she says, "if there are specific design guidelines that would make them compatible with the neighborhood."

How common are ADUs?

To this point, it appears the new state laws have not had much impact on Eichler neighborhoods. But accessory dwelling units, whether backyard or within a house, are not uncommon. Many have been around for years.

"There are legal and illegal ADUs in Terra Linda," says Greg Knell. "Mine is legal. I paid all the fees. There are a lot of them. You see a lot of converted garages with windows and doors—mostly illegal."

Kevin Swartz hasn't seen many backyard dwelling units while selling Eichler homes in the South Bay and the Peninsula. "I have seen one that had an actual ADU in the back, a small studio about 200 square feet, nicely finished," he says. "But to see a full-on ADU, with a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, no, not too many."

"Lots of Eichlers have standalone structures in back, but those are home offices—no plumbing, maybe electric, maybe air conditioning."

"There are 200 Eichlers in Castro Valley, and I know of two people doing an ADU," says Westfall. One of them is his own. "That's one percent, that I know of."

In Upper Lucas Valley, "No one has come forward with an ADU proposal" for a backyard unit, Neely says. Such a project would require architectural committee approval.

In the Greenmeadow tract in Palo Alto, Jeff Kmetec, an active member of the community association, says there is at least one standalone dwelling unit on a "large cul-de-sac lot which had sufficient space."

"Freestanding ADUs are rare in Greenmeadow," he says. "Yards are small." More common, though, are "divisions installed within the house to make separate living quarters, and many houses have already been expanded over the years. There are a few I know of, and probably more. I never hear complaints about this."

ADUs may be uncommon in Eichler neighborhoods today. But that could change, and rapidly, once cities and counties adopt rules to implement the new state laws. It remains to be seen how many property owners will seek to build ADUs.