Hummingbird Cottages, a new housing development in Sonoma on Fifth Street West and MacArthur Street West is rising quickly. A combination of 15 homes, including 9 single-family homes and 6 duet homes which include three Affordable Housing units, is being developed under the provisions of the development code covering condominiums.
What in the accompanying photo appears at first glance to be one continuous building is in fact a photo of five of the nine single family homes, which in accordance with condominium development standards allow reduced setbacks. As noted on the De Nova Homes website for Hummingbird Cottages, “The duet homes range from 1,330 to 1,588 square feet, featuring 2-3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Meanwhile, the single-family homes provide 2 floor plans ranging from 1,714 to 1,861 square feet, with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a loft. Notably, one of the duet floor plans even includes dual master suites for added convenience.”
The project description continues, “DeNova Homes is proud to offer three Work Force homes priced below the market rate, making homeownership attainable for those who might otherwise be priced out.”
The project is being built on a parcel zoned “Medium Density Residential,” which the city’s development code says is “appropriate for multi-family developments,” meaning shared-wall buildings with multiple living units in each. State law, however, deems such language insufficiently objective, and thus at the direction of then City Attorney Jeffrey Walter, the Planning Commission was forced to approve Hummingbird Cottages as proposed with nine separate single family homes.
All the pre-existing trees on the parcel were removed prior to construction, and little space remains for their replacement.
Leave the trees alone oops.
Awful development with no regard for its neighbors. The City Planning people were not helpful at all.
Dwellings are too close together. No green space. No regard for the environment and the future of sonoma.
A great loss for the community.