Cottages, co-housing will improve community

Gov. Gavin Newsom approved a new policy to allow for denser housing in single-family home neighborhoods. This is good news. This is the opportunity to provide a cottage for your kids who can’t find affordable housing or to a relative who needs some help as they age, and also as extra income as rental housing. However, just plunking down a cottage in your backyard could cause friction with your neighbors and complaints to local officials who are somewhat powerless.

Most people living in traditional single-family neighborhoods know the people next door, but few know beyond that.

We are community-based people, but with the automobile and our enclosed environments, the opportunity for meaningful social interaction is diminished.

So rather than bemoan the changes that are coming, Marin residents have the opportunity to redesign their places and make it more friendly.

What is needed is a plan with full neighborhood participation.

Hamilton in Novato demonstrates how a standalone cottage can successfully be integrated into a traditional tract house layout. There are charming gardens and courtyards separating the housing units. Parking seems to work well.

Planning departments are under the gun to provide for new policies that will need to allow construction in the front yards as well as other setback requirements.

Unfortunately the infrastructure of power, sewage and water have been sized for what is there currently, so new buildings will need to have high efficiencies for those utilities. And the master house will need to upgrade its utilities as well.

Additionally some lessons can be learned from the cohousing movement, perhaps a community house could be a part of the mix. It will bring a richer living experience and provide a greater social connectedness.

— Allan Nichol, Novato