Healdsburg has an interesting architectural history with ornate Victorians and classic Craftsman era homes downtown interspersed with more humble bungalows, and the rare, but ugly, 1970’s condo complex.
Healdsburg’s Growth Management Program mandates an average of 30 new homes per year. For the past several years, that program has funneled growth into Area A, in the northern part of Healdsburg. Part of the planning was to encourage diversity of style, and that has turned out to be as architecturally interesting as was hoped for when residential development was encouraged in this small, hilly neighborhood.
Almost half of the lots in Area A have been built on, and the Clear Ridge subdivision, which was the first to start building, is looking quite complete. There’s a strong Mediterranean feel in general in this neighborhood, but there’s been a lot experimentation with roofs, wall textures and materials, and styles.
The amount of experimentation is very interesting in itself, and the end result of all the variation adds to the charm and visual interest in these view-rich homes.
At the foot of Clear Ridge Drive where it intersects Poppy Hill a new house is nearing completion that is a beautiful example of the designer’s vision. Stone foundations with natural wood siding and copper flashing and gutters are traditional elements that are used to great effect by the designer. The repetitive roof planes and eaves are beautiful. For my taste, this is one of the most elegant and timeless houses in Healdsburg.
If you have some time on one of these harvest weekends, have a drive through this area to see what’s going on. We do have a couple of buildable lots for sale if you think you might like to live in the neighborhood.