Sunset plans to showcase homes in Belle Haven Sunset plans to showcase homes in Belle Haven (May 25, 2005)

By Rebecca Wallace

Almanac Staff Writer

Two homes being built in Menlo Park's Belle Haven neighborhood will be true showcases. In fact, they'll be splashed across the pages of Sunset magazine.

As part of a housing and park project being planned on Hamilton Avenue near Chilco Street, a Sunset "Idea Home" will be built. These houses display novel construction and design concepts; this one will show off "green" ways of building, city community development director Arlinda Heineck wrote in a staff report.

And the home will have a doppelganger -- with a twist.

"The 'Idea Home' would be built beside an identical demonstration residence where the public will be able to view the mechanics of a green-built home through plexiglass cutaways that will expose walls, floors, ceilings and the eco-friendly features and materials," Ms. Heineck wrote. "Each home is also designed to be energy-efficient enough to send excess energy back to the power utility."

Presumably, the two-story homes will be ready for their close-ups in a matter of months. Construction is expected to begin in late May or early June, and Sunset would then photograph the homes in September, Ms. Heineck wrote. The story on the homes is set to come out in December.

Meanwhile, the houses would be open to the public from this October 7 through January 22 of next year, she wrote.

Sunset is partnering with Palo Alto-based Clarum Homes, the housing and park project's developer; and the state's Sustainable Building Task Force. Clarum officials had said in 2003 that they were envisioning the project as "environmentally friendly" with solar power.

Clarum officials are now getting building permits for the "Idea Homes," Ms. Heineck wrote. The other 45 homes in the project, which includes 20 below-market-rate units and a 1-acre neighborhood park, still need to go through the city's Planning Commission and City Council. Required approvals include a rezoning and a conditional development permit.

A draft environmental impact report is also being prepared for the project.

To read the staff report, go to menlopark.org, click on "City Council" and go to the agenda for the May 24 council meeting.

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