What is the flood level?
Plan for the elevation of the house to be at least 628’ above sea level. Highest water so far was around 624.8’. The floor level could be higher, but not lower.
Does the site need to be occupied by the 800 square feet houses as whole? Or does the site only need one house?
Village of Winnetka zoning will only allow a single family home, so only one house of 800 square feet (80 meters).
What is the target cost?
Target cost for your design is $100,000. This does not include luxury upgrades, furniture or anything else that is fancy.
Is entry of the site Tower Road north side?
Entry to the site is only from Tower Road on the north side. This driveway is shared with 2 other houses and cannot be moved or significantly modified.
I saw some manholes at the north skinny portion in the site. Are these something I can ignore?
The two man holes are old electric vaults that the Village has told me are no long in use. Just to be safe and in the interests of simplicity if there is a garage floor in this area it can be gravel over stone, or some other paving that water can go thru, in this area. Even raising the elevation of the man holes is feasible if necessary, so you can safely ignore them.
If I design a garage, will it be included into the 800 square foot area?
I have spoken with my Real Estate Tax Attorney regarding a garage. If it is a free standing structure it is taxable (at a lower rate) and included with the 800 square feet. As I mentioned in the meeting a “tent” or soft covering makes it into personal property which is not taxed as real estate. This same logic also applies to the main 800 square feet. Using a removable, soft cover over any area is not counted for taxation or for this competition.