I have a sustainable design blog http://green-fab.com/blog/ for my new development company GreenFab that is attempting to highlight these and other sustainability issues. I live and breath Seattle too, check it out and we should chat.

FWIW, I’m approaching 50, and I’ve never held a driver’s license. I’ve always felt that cars, albeit useful sometimes, are our planet’s Enemy No. 1.

But it could be that technological evolution is about to fundamentally alter the equation - and our discussions. Check this out:

http://www.aptera.com/

Apparently, at a recent Shell Oil-sponsored eco-car marathon in California, vehicles were recording mpg figures far surpassing those of the Aptera. The marathon winner reportedly achieved 2,843mpg!

Building Townhomes different than they are now requires different applications of the building code (sprinkling systems, increased fire protection, etc.). This all equates to cost for developers. It is short sighted to think that all developers are about the bottom line. Many do see themselves as providing a needed service to the community but modifying the design produces more costs in turn raising the sale price of these homes.

Our landuse code may not approach density in proper and realistic ways. I’ve always wondered why north green lake is zoned low-rise residential. It’s clearly close to only automobile oriented commercial. Above there is a comment about building apartment buildings in place of townhomes but that would require a rezone or more property to get the increased density needed. Which makes me wonder if we had too much low-rise zones to begin with and not enough high density zones.

It also seems the size of the lots to density is not right. If any of you attended the Tuesday forum on Portland’s courtyard housing design competition it was clear that to make courtyard housing work lower density zoning and a minimum of two lots are needed. Which means that a developer has to be involved in so good timing and a certain amount of luck to get two 50×100 lots to develop courtyard housing on.

All in all, what DPD is proposing at this time are baby steps in a long and rooted problem.

Actually no, 5-storey housing unit density is too high to fit a 1 stall per unit parking ratio in the rear of the building. Unless you’re proposing very large units, which of course means they would be more expensive and lower density.

I’m not sure what you mean by 5-storey townhouse - a single unit on five-levels is a very impractical design. Some projects in Seattle have two or three floors of flats over 2-storey TH base with street entries, which works well - e.g., the back side of Brix on Broadway. But these buildings couldn’t really be called townhouses.

Those London townhouses may have parking behind them, but the higher the parking ratio, the more expensive the housing, and the less space left for people.

Yes, townhouses with parking can be done well. But my point is that accomodating cars is at odds with affordability, density, and livability (i.e. urban design). And given the prospects for the future we are dumb if we let the cars dominate the equation.

No garages, but space was available in a garage building about 2 blocks away. Rent for garage was equivalent to my rent controlled apartment rent, and you were allowed to take the car out once a day. An attendant would bring it down on an elevator.

The author makes extremely incisive observations about the lack of community connection and economics as a driver of the townhouse ‘problem’. But, we are also being told about all the newcomers we have to accommodate, and developers are developers.

Can we expect the houses we build to solve our aesthetic angst about their existence?

Don’t know. Maybe limiting units per plot would be a start. No more 4-packs or 6-packs, just doubles or 3 packs.

I’m counting on Seattle’s “Boomtown” history to put a stop to the townhouse issue. The money will dry up, and no more will be built for a while. Maybe we can figure out something before the next boom.

Thanks for the chance to spout off.

Is there a significant market for detached accessory dwelling units? Has much come out of the legislation allowing them in SE Seattle?

(To be clear: I really like the DADU concept — I just haven’t seen many going up, so I’m curious if I’m missing them or if they just haven’t happened.)