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I have a very narrow lot that will accommodate a 36×10 foot house. It has a gorgeous view along the 36 foot side. I don’t know where to start looking for such narrow plans. I am hoping to get a variance for a 15 foot house, but it doesn’t look too promising. It can be three floors tall plus a daylight basement. Any ideas?
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Replies
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Sounds like you oughta head for a marina & have a look inside some small sailboats. Joe H
*Perry, I may be mistaken, but I think architect Rob Wellington Quigley did a couple of these narrow, trapezoidal (or not) footprint buildings (homes) here in San Diego county (one downtown, and one in Del Mar, Carlsbad, or thereabouts). (If he is not the architect, a call to the Chamber of Commerce could probably elicit the correct person.) Sorry, I can't seem to locate a website for him, however, and an overview of our Yellow Pages doesn't list him under any of those names--that I can find. Of course, I doubt he will be in a position to sell you off-the-rack plans, but he might be a starting point. A 36' view would be lovely! Best wishes.
*I seem to remember a home in FHB (a houses issue?) which dealt with a very narrow lot. I couldn't find it in my stack. It was sub-15 foot I believe.Just a thought: I don't know how you apply for a variance, but you may want to have a proposed structure designed that would meet the current setback/restrictions. Whoever is reviewing the variance will realize that you can build, and will. THis way, their decision to not allow the 15ft size would just be punative or beauracratic, and might lead to a less desireable situation (a 3 story, 10 ft wide house) as opposed to a 2.5ft incursion on the set back on each side.Good luck,Adam
*FH # 108 "FIT FOR A TIGHT LOT by Michael Nius - The constraints of a narrow lot result in an elegant design for an old New Orleans neighborhood"I also seem to recall there was another FH article, the house was actually sited in the city I live in - or maybe that was some other mag...Just out of curiosity, what's the view from your lot?
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THANKS A LOT FOR THE INFO. I WILL CHECK INTO IT. PB
*YOU BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT THAT I HADN'T THOUGHT OF. THANK YOU. I WOULD AGREE THAT A VARIANCE WOULD BE MUCH MORE DESIRABLE THAN AN EYESORE. I JUST HOPE THE COUNTY AGREES. PB
*THANK YOU FOR THE INFO. I THOUGHT I HAD READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT A NARROW LOT SOMEWHERE, BUT I WASN'T SURE WHERE. THE VIEW IS OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE- A VERY BEAUTIFUL PLACE WITH A RIVER AND MOUNTAIN VIEW ALONG THE WIDE SIDE OF THE LOT. UNFORTUNATELY IT ISN'T A VERY DEEP LOT, BUT HEY, I CAN WORK AROUND THAT. THANKS AGAIN. PB
*YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT A BAD IDEA.
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Perry, you're too late!! AlGore was there last week declaring all views of Columbia River Gorge now property of US Government & the Bill Clinton Legacy Department. Joe H
*Nah, Joe, that was only the glow in the dark portions of the Gorge (that area most heavily contaminated by the weapons research at Hanford, WA). In the rest of the Gorge we're still buying our little piece of wilderness, subdividing it as small as possible and building as big and conspicuous a house as we possibly can so that when we are all finished, all we will have to look at is each other's houses without all those pesky trees in the way. You don't really need to worry, as I am sure that by the time we're finished we will have eradicated almost all traces of nature and turned the Gorge into a reasonable facimile of LA's Mulholland Drive or Topanga Canyon... I mean, who would want to have to look at oaks, waterfalls, and wildlife when you can have Greek Revival or faux Beaux-Arts mansions climbing the hills for as far as the eye can see...
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I have a very narrow lot that will accommodate a 36x10 foot house. It has a gorgeous view along the 36 foot side. I don't know where to start looking for such narrow plans. I am hoping to get a variance for a 15 foot house, but it doesn't look too promising. It can be three floors tall plus a daylight basement. Any ideas?