REDMOND — In response to community dismay over its plethora of tract-style houses, Redmond changed its development code last year, adding design standards for new homes. But after living for nearly a year with new rules that dictate features new homes must include to avoid bland or downright ugly exteriors, contractors are pushing back.

“I started with Hayden Homes in its early days 20 years ago and I don’t want to do that again,” Hayden Homes’ Mike Newell said during a Redmond Planning Commission workshop Monday night, referring to the large expanses of nearly identical homes built during Redmond’s first boom. “I understand everyone wants great-looking neighborhoods.” But with demand high and the homebuilding market heating up, he added, builders are finding the rules hard to meet while still filling market demand.

To keep costs down for buyers and allow more flexibility for contractors, the builders are asking the city to reduce or eliminate some of the design requirements, particularly those with minimal visual impact, such as elements on facades not facing a street or screening mechanical equipment in narrow side yards.

The goal of the code changes was to target features that might add to the positive perception of Redmond neighborhoods, things like street trees, screening mechanical equipment from view, and variety in home styles and architectural details.

Representatives from Hayden, which has built more than 90 percent of Redmond’s new homes in the past year, and three other builders met with city staff recently to voice concerns about the rules, which they view as too restrictive. The Planning Commission, which crafted the new rules, agreed to a workshop with builders to revisit the rules.

“We had no residential standards before,” Community Development Director Heather Richards told the builders. “The rules were a reaction to what hit the ground over the last 10 to 20 years, a response to complaints from the community. But we do want a balance, we want it to be cost-effective for you.”

The trouble with the new rules is the cost for those extras are passed on to the buyer and the buyer doesn’t always see the value, said Jeff Harris of Hayden. Hayden’s goal is to build homes under $170,000, a price point that makes every addition a potential deterrent to buyers, he explained.

“If you give us a list of design elements and say every home needs a minimum of four or five, we’ll pick the same four or five every time, which just gives it a different kind of monotonous look,” he said. Buyers usually want to spend their money on upgrades inside the house, not outside, Harris said.

Builders with new residential permits are given a checklist to follow. For example, single-family homes must have at least five different design elements on the front facade, like balconies or porches, recessed entries, variations in wall surfaces, window trims, columns or shutters.

“Our goal with the standards was not to create obstacles for builders but to ensure when they are finished the neighbors like the house as much as the guy who bought it,” said Commissioner Dean Lanouette.

Richards agreed, explaining that while Redmond wants to be a friendly environment for builders and those seeking new homes, the city also wants to raise the bar for the quality of its neighborhoods, both to enhance livability and to draw higher-paid homebuyers looking for more expensive homes. That would, in turn, boost the city’s tax base.

The builders also requested the city loosen rules on how close together identical home models can be situated, pointing out that the new rules don’t allow them to respond to requests from the homebuying market.

“There’s a lot of gingerbread we can add to facades that can make it so you’ll have no idea it’s the same house inside,” Harris said. Several commissioners expressed doubt that waiving that rule could still achieve their ‘anti-monotony’ goal and asked the builders to bring visual examples to a future workshop.

The builders also agreed to bring alternatives that could be used in lieu of current rules that require periodic masonry pillars along lengths of fencing, a rule they said can add thousands of dollars to a home’s fencing costs.

“Your proposals would take us quite a way back from where we are but maybe I just need to see the visuals,” said Commissioner Anne Graham. The Redmond Planning Commission will take up the issue at another workshop May 19.

— Reporter: 541-548-2186, lpugmire@bendbulletin.com