Curious about the move to no backyards

[SD Realtor]

Personally I like and will have a large yard. Conservation wise, it stupifies me that counties make it so darn hard to have grey water systems. Incentivizing or even mandating developers to have solar panels and local grey or black water systems would be a much needed step. In no way should it cost about 7-8k for me to put a simple grey water system in my home to water my yard. That is crazy… However when we do buy a home, that will be the first thing we put in. That way I can have a yard out back so my kids can play football and not get cactus prickles in their legs and I won’t be wasting water on the yard.

SD Realtor

[SD Realtor]

Personally I like and will have a large yard. Conservation wise, it stupifies me that counties make it so darn hard to have grey water systems. Incentivizing or even mandating developers to have solar panels and local grey or black water systems would be a much needed step. In no way should it cost about 7-8k for me to put a simple grey water system in my home to water my yard. That is crazy… However when we do buy a home, that will be the first thing we put in. That way I can have a yard out back so my kids can play football and not get cactus prickles in their legs and I won’t be wasting water on the yard.

SD Realtor

[taz]

Even with an alley design (which I prefer immeasurably over the ugly “snout houses”) the garages generally hold at least two cars. Do that many families out there actually have 3+ cars?!? Do they really NEED that many? I live in an older neighborhood with alleys (Kensington) and I don’t notice a huge problem with all the street parking being taken…

[taz]

Even with an alley design (which I prefer immeasurably over the ugly “snout houses”) the garages generally hold at least two cars. Do that many families out there actually have 3+ cars?!? Do they really NEED that many? I live in an older neighborhood with alleys (Kensington) and I don’t notice a huge problem with all the street parking being taken…

[NotCranky]

SDR: I guess you are aware that the soils will need to have certain absorbtive characteristics to do grey water.The leach fields which are similiar to septic drain fields have to be pretty deep.I wonder about the usefullness of the water infiltrating the soil at 18″ Permitting is tough and on a urban or suburban site I would be surprised if you can get a permit. Hepatitis can be spread by airborne spores from a faulty system. I think that is the biggest risk from grey water. Black water …forget it.

On topic: For fairly dense areas I like Perry’s choice of the front or side of yard courtyard style. That space would otherwise never be used socially(by adults), yet being near to the living room and Kitchen areas is perfect intimate indoor/outdoor living/entertainment. If you have no back yard and open front yard like jeeman is describing,the lack of a private or intimate outdoor setting just seems to provide for a living in a fishbowl effect. One blogger, I don’t remember who, pointed out that the open front yards are nice in that the neighborhood kids have places to play where they are still in view of the various parents. That aspect seems like a plus for families.

[NotCranky]

SDR: I guess you are aware that the soils will need to have certain absorbtive characteristics to do grey water.The leach fields which are similiar to septic drain fields have to be pretty deep.I wonder about the usefullness of the water infiltrating the soil at 18″ Permitting is tough and on a urban or suburban site I would be surprised if you can get a permit. Hepatitis can be spread by airborne spores from a faulty system. I think that is the biggest risk from grey water. Black water …forget it.

On topic: For fairly dense areas I like Perry’s choice of the front or side of yard courtyard style. That space would otherwise never be used socially(by adults), yet being near to the living room and Kitchen areas is perfect intimate indoor/outdoor living/entertainment. If you have no back yard and open front yard like jeeman is describing,the lack of a private or intimate outdoor setting just seems to provide for a living in a fishbowl effect. One blogger, I don’t remember who, pointed out that the open front yards are nice in that the neighborhood kids have places to play where they are still in view of the various parents. That aspect seems like a plus for families.

[speedingpullet]

Couldn’t agree with you more SD!

It never ceases to amaze me that lack of interest in alternative energies, especially here in desertified, sun-drenched SoCal.

Like you, its something I’m intending to install in my house – when we buy – another reason for buying cheap.

[speedingpullet]

Couldn’t agree with you more SD!

It never ceases to amaze me that lack of interest in alternative energies, especially here in desertified, sun-drenched SoCal.

Like you, its something I’m intending to install in my house – when we buy – another reason for buying cheap.

[SD Realtor]

Rus I do understand and agree with the requirements. Yet there is simply no reason why the effort should not be undertaken. There also should be efforts to facilitate the technology and incentivize rather then to discourage it. Since 2000 there have been all of 43 actual systems installed (that are permitted). That is particularly lame. Anyways yes the requirements may be such that we cannot get it done if the soil doesn’t perc correctly or if the yard we have is not large enough. We will see.

SD Realtor

[SD Realtor]

Rus I do understand and agree with the requirements. Yet there is simply no reason why the effort should not be undertaken. There also should be efforts to facilitate the technology and incentivize rather then to discourage it. Since 2000 there have been all of 43 actual systems installed (that are permitted). That is particularly lame. Anyways yes the requirements may be such that we cannot get it done if the soil doesn’t perc correctly or if the yard we have is not large enough. We will see.

SD Realtor

[Anonymous]

I really like garages in the back. I’ve been looking in North Dallas and especially like the style shown here (click on Bird’s Eye if not already clicked):
http://www.zillow.com/HomeDetails.htm?zprop=26607308
There are 2 car garages and enough room to park in the driveway. Then there is often a pool so no grass in the back to have to mow. No snouts and oh yeah, the prices are in the $200k range. Tempting.

[Anonymous]

I really like garages in the back. I’ve been looking in North Dallas and especially like the style shown here (click on Bird’s Eye if not already clicked):
http://www.zillow.com/HomeDetails.htm?zprop=26607308
There are 2 car garages and enough room to park in the driveway. Then there is often a pool so no grass in the back to have to mow. No snouts and oh yeah, the prices are in the $200k range. Tempting.

[desmond]

I am renting in this type of development, pure crap. The alley is a echo chamber,skateboarders etc. No parking, zero lot lines, people on top of each other. Wait till the neighbor parks his POS in front of your house each day. You might as well move back into a college dorm. I feel sorry for anyone buying in a place like this.

[desmond]

I am renting in this type of development, pure crap. The alley is a echo chamber,skateboarders etc. No parking, zero lot lines, people on top of each other. Wait till the neighbor parks his POS in front of your house each day. You might as well move back into a college dorm. I feel sorry for anyone buying in a place like this.

[an]

Even with an alley design (which I prefer immeasurably over the ugly “snout houses”) the garages generally hold at least two cars. Do that many families out there actually have 3+ cars?!? Do they really NEED that many? I live in an older neighborhood with alleys (Kensington) and I don’t notice a huge problem with all the street parking being taken…

I guess it all depends on the people who live there. For instance, Asian in general, tend to stay home with our parents much later than other nationality. I’ve seen many Asian families where their sons/daughters live with then until they get married or at least engaged. Imagine if the parents have 2 kids, that’s 4 cars already. If each kid have a bf/gf that come over often, that’s 6 cars. Now what happen if the parents have 4 kids? See where I’m getting at? These are all adults who NEED cars to get to work. They just decide to live together and want to live together. With these 3k+ sq-ft house & 4-6 bedrooms, there’s plenty of rooms to house all those people comfortable but there won’t be driveways to hold all those cars. Then you have people who live in a certain place for a very long time and start to accumulate things and use their garage as a storage. Now, the 2 car garage can only hold one or none. That would be another 1-2 cars on the street. Then there are people who have project car in their garage being rebuilt, so there’s no room for daily drivers. Alley houses with no driveways are not very suitable for families with 3+ cars. I’m sure that’s the majority, not minority.

[Author]

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