A poignant and timely video created by our friends at Ecomotive Limited in Bristol. Thanks to Jackson Moulding for interviewing our Mark Lakeman and featuring some familiar projects :) 

As part of the multi-disciplinary Permaculture and Social Equity Team (P+SET) selected to research issues of climate change in the Bay Area and propose design ideas to promote resiliency, Communitecture conceived of this Regional Resource Park on Mare Island.

The Context

Mare Island is a peninsula within the city limits of Vallejo, CA but separated from the city by the mouth of the Napa River. Vallejo boasts a high level of cultural and racial diversity as well as civic engagement but is plagued by poverty, lack of jobs, crime, and disease due to pollution and lack of access to nutrition. The assets of Mare Island include the abandoned buildings of a naval base that was shut down in 1996, a historic cemetery, a marsh, a grassroots volunteer-run wildlife and heritage preserve and a lot of open space. Some of the needs that were highlighted in our research were green jobs, housing, local food production, carbon sequestration, protection from flooding, and a ceremonial place for collective grieving in times of tragedy.

The Solution

This proposal matches a tremendous regional resource with important and timely needs. The extent and scale of the former naval structures on Mare Island is matched only by the scope and scale of the City of Vallejo and the Bay Area’s need to become resilient. By enacting the adaptive projects and features described and illustrated in this proposal, Mare Island can help answer the call to provide equitable jobs in urgently needed resilient technology, more equitable jobs in related educational and cultural fields, and adjacent affordable housing in a smart growth configuration. All adaptive development will ensure that existing wildlife areas and resources are protected and enhanced.

This proposal integrates numerous existing development plans for the island while adding new ideas and features. Art is joined with ecology in the new cultural village at the Southeast edge. An outdoor education village at the southern extent brings regional youth outdoors to explore land and water. This proposal also expands the existing naval memorial site by bringing community to the top of the island where they will find spectacular views from an expanded memorial facility. There is also a proposed energy and food production, job-creating facility located on the highlands of the island. As an educational and productive resource, this facility can generate power for 1800 homes and provide lots of locally grown food. Lastly, on the western side of the island there is an Equity & Livelihood Village where more than 400 people from most vulnerable populations can find family housing and green jobs. In this case, “equity” refers to a village of active engagement and involvement in all processes and decision-making.

Adaptive Reuse Naval Base

• 26 existing buildings, various programs, some beyond service
• 250,000 sf total possible adaptive reuse opportunity
• (130,000 sf for potential resilient tech production at 600 jobs)
• (120,000 sf for potential housing at 400 Residents)
• Activate extensive open space for new Bay Area sequestration tree nurseries

• Enhance wildlife habitat on perimeter

 
Mare Island Heritage Preserve & Interpretive Center

• Add new exhibition areas, office, retail, gathering areas, porches, storage, utilities
• Complete associated trail network to link all sites
• Install interpretive exhibitions at significant heritage site locations
• Enhance wildlife habitat, add buffers

Southern Island Heritage and Wildlife Park with Memorial

• Significant historic naval cemetery remains, good condition
• Add processional path to top of island and numerous memorial and rest locations along way
• New major memorial feature at existing Spirit Boat feature
• Complete existing pathway network, add new to link all sites
• Extensive wildlife habitat restoration, new planting

 
172 Acre Energy and Food Farm (2nd Phase)

• Solar Electric, 50 Ac @ 18 GW/Yr = 1780 Homes/year
• Demo Wind Electric, 43 Units x 17,500 kw/yr = 70 homes/year
• Orchard Crops, 40 Acres Fruit & Nuts @ 5.3 Tons ea. = 212 Tons/year
• Annual Crops, 40 Acres (47 veg) @ 5 Tons ea. = 200 Tons/year
• Carbon Farming Education Program, 10 Acres
• Wildlife habitat enhancement and buffer

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Kol Peterson, the folks at accessorydwellings.org, and the entire ADU community, progress is being made in the evolution of ADU policy. Despite an attempt at a last minute amendment from Amanda Fritz, an outpouring of written support for the original code update directed towards Portland City Council members led to the passing of the Accessory Structures Zoning Code Update . The update includes the following, quite pertinent updates for ADUs:

• Small ( <24' long), single story, detached, covered accessory structures in the side and rear setback are allowed!
• Detached ADU's less than 15' high are not required to look like a miniature version of the main house.
• The height limit on detached ADUs is increased to 20'. 
• Setback from the front lot line is reduced to 40' (instead of 60') or set directly behind the rear of the house.
• Design compatibility standards for larger ADU's have been relaxed to include more design options.

These changes are good news for homeowners who want freedom in the design and layout of their property and their ADU!

The other issue that has put ADU projects in the spotlight is the Multnomah County tax issue regarding the reappraisal of property values (re-MAV). It's clear that detached ADUs are triggering property re-MAVs that account for the value of the new ADU but now also reappraise the existing home on the property as if it were new construction or had been re-zoned. The result is huge annual tax hikes for homeowners that add new, detached ADUs on their lot. Thankfully, Commissioner Loretta Smith and others are speaking out against the new policy for re-MAV-ing properties with detached ADU projects. If you are a homeowner impacted by this you can appeal the new tax assessment and join forces with others through accessorydwellings.org. Consider emailing County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury mult.chair@multco.us and David Austin david.austin@multco.us to let them know how their assessment policy is affecting you! Let's not increase the barriers to affordable, space-efficient housing options in a Portland dealing with such growing pains!