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Local developer pitches county land lease for 30‑plus tiny homes aimed at lower‑cost rentals
Summary
Developer Larry Wood proposed a public‑private partnership to build compact 'tiny home' cottages on county or city land under a long‑term lease; he said leasing the land could cut housing costs and proposed a 40‑year lease with the county retaining ownership of land at term end.
Larry Wood presented a conceptual plan for a tiny‑home cottage community and asked commissioners to consider making county‑owned land (or other municipal land) available under a long‑term lease to support construction of small, lower‑cost rental units.
Wood described prior residential projects he developed and said his concept would be a private development on county land under a long lease (he mentioned a 40‑year example). He proposed on‑site management, a small clubhouse, and economies of scale that he said could reduce rent to the mid‑$700s per month for 400‑square‑foot units. Wood said he would seek conventional construction financing with a suggested debt‑service coverage ratio of roughly 1.35–1.4 and would not take developer profit during the construction year.
Commissioners and attendees raised common concerns: long‑term maintenance and capital replacement (roofs, plumbing, electrical) after decades of ownership; potential gift‑of‑public‑funds legal issues if land were transferred at below‑market value; competition with private developers and the local market; and management and prevailing‑wage questions for construction. Wood said he had discussed land‑lease financing with a local credit union and that production residential builders could be used above ground where prevailing‑wage rules apply only to certain subsurface work (he cited a legal opinion he said was provided by county counsel on prevailing‑wage exemptions).
Commissioners asked for more detail and suggested county staff confer with legal counsel and stakeholders about statutory limits on gifting public funds, prevailing wage interpretation, appropriate lease terms, and suitable parcels. Several commissioners praised the creativity of the pitch but said further due diligence — including identification of available land and legal review — would be required before any commitment. No vote or formal board action occurred; Wood said he would return with additional information and sketch plans for pilot sites.
