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Coming Soon to a Backyard Near You

Curious about those small looking houses popping up in people’s backyards? Additional Dwelling Units are on the rise in Bend for plenty of reasons.

By Chris Williams

Dense housing is on the rise in Central Oregon. Multi-story apartments have started to appear in the skyline and condos and duplexes have seen an increase in construction, but one option where locals are seeing a particular boom is the construction of accessory dwelling units, commonly known as ADUs. Since 2001, 702 ADU applications have been approved in the city, with 516 approvals since 2016. This shows an exponential growth trend that is likely to continue as issues of housing affordability and desire to live closer to city amenities increases. The American Planning Association defines ADUs as “a smaller, independent residential dwelling unit located on the same lot as a stand-alone (i.e., detached) single-family home.” They differ from tiny homes in size, and function. The average ADU is around 400 to 800 square feet, while tiny homes are generally less than 300 square feet and often include some aspects of portability.

Although sometimes controversial, Larry Wright of Tekneek Architecture believes they are a more socially accepted aspect of dense housing. “Unlike apartments and [other] high density housing, ADUs have been the most socially acceptable way to add density ‘in my backyard’ as opposed to the NIMBY’s (not in my back yard),” Wright told the Source.

Although construction of these units is a relatively recent phenomena garnering attention, ADUs have been around for a long time, and have obtained different names, such as granny flats, coach houses and the mother-in-law suite. Given these names, there has been a historic stereotype associated with who builds and dwells in these units, but in Central Oregon, locals have diverse reasoning to live in ADUs. Reasons might include a desire to live a minimalist lifestyle or finding an affordable space, or being able to harness some extra income from a single-family property.

“The demographic that finds ADUs attractive are young people that likely have not yet started a family, single parents (usually due to lower rental rates), and seniors that are simplifying their lives and no longer need a lot of space.”

—LARRY WRIGHT OF TEKNEEK ARCHTECTS

The transition phase

Moving to Bend as a recent college graduate isn’t easy. With high student loans and an average rent of around $1,800 for an 800-square-foot space, according to the rental database RentCafe, there is a big risk moving to the area when trying to establish financial independence. Nik Eriksson is a recent college graduate who found that the affordability aspect of living in an ADU brought a sense of financial freedom as he transitioned from academia into the full-time working world.

“I was able to add a little break where I could figure out what’s going on and get some direction.” Eriksson says. The affordable aspects of a smaller space made it possible for Eriksson to work full time and actually save some money in the process. This is important in a growing city where the average age of residents is 38, and trending upward. Eriksson also found that although not intentional he appreciates some of the more minimal aspects of living in this space.

“I’ve come to enjoy more minimalist living. It only takes four minutes to clean the entire place,” he said. There are some hurdles to minimizing space, though. In lieu of a kitchen, Eriksson uses a single sectioned hot plate for daily cooking. “I’ve never had to microwave rice before moving here,” he joked. In spite of these trade-offs though, living in the unit has allowed Eriksson to gain a foothold in a community that’s becoming increasingly more expensive.

Credit Chris Williams

Above is an ADU unit on the south side of town. Below shows what one could expect for an interior space of an ADU.

The Architect’s perspective

Wright, in his experience as an architect, lists the people who are living in ADUs: “Number one is a market renter, two is relative or friend and three is the landowner themselves.” For homeowners, ADUs can expand financial opportunities and present some flexibility as aspects of their lives change.

“The vast majority of local homeowners that do not have children living with them are interested in downsizing, and some are choosing to live in their ADU and rent out the big house for a better cash flow,” Wright said. Homeowners and those from more established demographics may see ADUs as a positive economic asset that complements downsizing needs.

As far as the reasons for building one, “Additional income is the runaway winner,” Wright said. “A place for ailing parents or relatives to live close by is second and third is designing an ADU into a new house build to help justify the high purchase cost by being able to offset some of the mortgage payment with rent from the ADU.” Wright believes that not only do ADUs help folks improve their financial situations, but they can also provide benefits for the community as a whole. “It really helps society with the rising cost of housing. They provide lower cost places to live, provide ancillary income to the average homeowner and allow young family members a transitional place to live before they can afford to rent or buy their own place. With the cost of real estate so high now, an ADU can also help buyers offset the costs on a property they may not otherwise be able to afford,” Wright says.

With the state recently eliminating single-family zoning in favor of building allowing more duplexes and multi-family units in areas formerly only zoned for single homes, denser housing is a growing reality for all of Oregon. While there are diversifying reasons for seeking alternatives to traditional single-family housing, a lot seems to stem from people in transition periods of their lives. “The demographic that finds ADUs attractive are young people that likely have not yet started a family, single parents (usually due to lower rental rates), and seniors that are simplifying their lives and no longer need a lot of space,” Wright explained. With the multitude of reasons, expect ADU interest and construction to remain on the rise.

If You Like to Eat, Support Local Bees

Plant a pollinator-friendly garden or become a backyard beekeeper

By Donna Britt @foodlifelove.com

Honeybees are a crucial link in agricultural production. To put it another way, about one mouthful in three in our diet directly or indirectly benefits from honeybee pollination, according to the USDA Agricultural Research Service. Yes, you can thank the small honeybee for one of every three bites of food you ingest. However, honeybees are in trouble.

The Center for Biological Diversity reports more than 40% of bee species are vulnerable to extinction and over 20% of U.S. native bees have declined. Habitat loss, pesticides, climate change and disease are among factors causing the decline. Should that decline continue, entire ecosystems will be affected and food supplies will be at risk.

That’s the bad news. The good news is we can do something about it. There are two ways to contribute to the wellness of bees: Become a beekeeper and/or provide a pollinator friendly garden.

“It’s almost better to provide the garden,” states Central Oregon hobbyist beekeeper Muffy Roy. That’s not to discourage anyone from keeping bees, but as Roy points out, beekeeping is not for everybody. “Hives are a huge commitment,” Roy continues, “And keeping them is a wonderful, thought-provoking pursuit with challenges.” If you’re up for such a challenge and interested in having a hive for honey, there is local support to help.

A good place to start is the Central Oregon Beekeeping Association, whose mission is to promote successful beekeeping through education, collaboration, communication and research. It offers beginner beekeeping courses, among other things. Oregon State University also has an apiary at the Central Oregon Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Madras where workshops, field days, etc. take place.

Roy got into beekeeping after visiting a friend’s beehive, becoming fascinated by the bees and respecting the fact that pollinators are responsible for our food supply. She remembers the first time she took honey from a comb out of her own hive. “It was like liquid gold, and the most special thing on the planet.” She has some advice for other beekeeping wannabees. “It’s important to have respect for the neighborhood. Your hive or hives must be kept healthy. If a hive becomes infected with the varroa mite for example, it can infect neighboring hives.”

Mites and starvation are the main causes of death of local bees. An interesting item to note is honey bees are not native to Central Oregon, although they are now well established. Mason bees are native, and while they don’t produce honey, they are still pollinators.

For those inclined to plant a garden to provide pollen for the pollinators, Roy recommends a booklet published by OSU that can help you with your “bee” garden, “Water-Wise Gardening in Central Oregon,” by Amy Jo Detweiler. Bees are not the only pollinators that benefit from a pollinator-friendly garden; others include hummingbirds, butterflies, moths and bats.

Other great resources for creating a garden that will support your local honey bee (or Mason bee or butterfly) are available online at Deschutes Land Trust and the U.S. Forest Service. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Think purple. Bees love purple plants such as lavender, borage, flax and Bluebeard, among others.

Plant in clumps, such as 4-foot by 4-foot squares. Why? Because bees only collect one type of pollen each flight out from the hive so a clump of the same plant will provide them plenty of pollen in a single visit.

Plant in succession so that something is blooming every month during the growing season, thus keeping the pollen supply steady.

Whether you’re interested in becoming a backyard beekeeper or planting a garden that attracts bees, you may be concerned about getting stung by a bee. Bees are typically only aggressive if their home is threatened. That means you shouldn’t stand in front of a hive or poke or jiggle a hive.

If you see a swarm of bees, don’t be alarmed. A swarm happens when a hive is overcrowded. The hive will split and up to two-thirds of the bees in the hive will leave (in a swarm) to find a new home. The bees in a swarm are full of food and therefore quite docile. If you see a swarm, contact the Central Oregon Beekeeping Association for professional help.

Central Oregon Beekeeping Association

541-420-0423 Central Oregon Beekeeping Association @cobeekeeping Local Honey Bee Swarm

Credit Muffy Roy

If a honeybee swarm like this is found, call the professionals.

“Beekeeping is not for everybody. Hives are a huge commitment and keeping them is a wonderful, thought-provoking pursuit with challenges.”

—MUFFY ROY

Credit Muffy Roy

Building a Pollinator Garden

Crucial steps to creating “pollinator pathways” for the creatures that keep our food systems humming

By Barbara Rumer

Credit Barbara Rumer

A variety of flower shapes will attract a wider assortment of pollinators.

Many people in Bend are helping to curb the drastic decline of pollinators in the world by planting pollinator gardens in private and public spaces. Let’s do it! You can create a larger space or have pots of flowers on your deck. With some planning, you can attract those wonderful, beneficial creatures such as bees and butterflies, hummingbirds and moths.

The City of Bend has as part of its 2021-2023 goals to “Preserve Bend’s natural environment.” The City aims to continue to nurture native plants, pollinators and will continue to improve and assist environmental practices including water-wise landscaping. Pollinator gardens are perfect for incorporating native plants that naturally use less water in dry Central Oregon.

Why native pollinator plants? Why drought proof?

Use as many native plants as possible. Native plants are well suited to meet the needs of native pollinator species. In fact, these creatures are actually dependent on them. Also, high desert plants evolved to be drought tolerant. They need less water to be happy. An average yard with high desert native plants uses only 1,669 gallons per year, while a similar normal turf lawn uses 15,000 gallons of water per year. Natives require less maintenance and tend to be heartier. A double plus!

Pollinators thrive on flower nectar and pollen. Designate a section of your landscape strictly for a pollinator garden filled with a multitude of wildflowers and grasses, trees or shrubs. Seek out a site that receives at least six hours of sun each day. If your space is limited, consider growing in containers filled with rich, well-drained soil. Be sure to provide water sources for the pollinators (water bowls or birdbaths). Research pollinator varieties. Whether using native or non-native plants, choose from a wide range of flower shapes and sizes to suit the feeding preferences of a variety of pollinators. Pollinator Pathways Bend (see Facebook site) has developed many pollinator gardens in Bend. Last year they planted 2,000 plants and gave away thousands to help our habitat. Seek a Diversity of Flower Shapes and Plant Families

Different insects are attracted to different types of flowers. Some bees have long tongues, some short tongues, thus needing different types of flowers. Butterflies and moths require plants for their caterpillars to feed. Appeal to the needs of pollinators through color, fragrance and flower form.

Ensure continuous bloom in each season.

Early spring flowering blooms: pollinators need early food. (ex.: Oregon Grape, Willow, Camas) Summer flowering: (ex.: Russian sage, catmint, Galardia, Globe Gilia). Early fall flowering: for migrating butterflies and late season pollinators. (ex: goldenrod, Rabbitbrush) References below.

Include Native plants

Some nursery plants are great for pollinators, but native pollinators prefer to forage from native plants. Ex.: bluefield gilia or Douglas’ aster, blanket flower.

Plant single-petaled varieties of flowers

Double petaled nursery varieties are beautiful, but their breeding reduced the flower’s pollen and amount of nectar. Pollinators can access more pollen produced in single- petaled plants.

Credit Barbara Rumer

Creating a Good Pollinator Habitat 10 Principles for a Good Start

Group pollinator plants in larger blocks

Use blocks 30 square feet or larger (if possible). Native bees are attracted to larger beds compared to smaller disconnected clumps.

Include bulbs, shrubs and trees

Pack pollen and nectar resources into your landscape design by also using these. See examples in the references below.

Extend Bloom time

Keep plants blooming longer by planting the right spots and deadheading flowers before they go to seed.

Create Bee Habitat Have small areas of bare soil, as 70% of native bees nest in the ground. Make bee “hotels” using pithy stems, also holes drilled into wooden blocks.

Reduce or Eliminate Insecticide Use

Read labels! Neonictinoids kill insects. (Avoid using if product names acetamiprid, clothianidin, imidacloprid, nitenpyram or dinotefuran.) There are safe insecticide alternatives if you have aphids or borers in trees. Avoid problem-prone trees or shrubs that might need insecticides to stay healthy.

Ask for Bee-Safe Plants from your nurseries.

These are plants that have not been grown with bee-killing insecticides. Use pollinator friendly practices. Remember, if a bee comes in contact with these toxins, it goes back to its hive or ground space and contaminates these toxins onto others. Bees can forage up to a mile from their nest. The City of Bend as well as Bend Park and Recreation District have not been using these insecticides for years. We should follow suit. Never use pesticides or herbicides of any kind in or around the pollinator garden. Even organic pesticides can potentially be harmful to pollinators. Herbicides, too, can actually wipe out some of the most important food plants for pollinators.

Plant and enjoy!