Cave Junction, OR
Imagine summer camp with your favorite activities: horseback riding, hiking, crafts - except your sleeping bag is three flights of stairs and two suspension bridges away in a cabin 30 feet above ground! That’s the magical appeal of Cave Junction’s Out ’n’ About Treesort, a 36-acre treehouse resort overlooking the Siskiyou National Forest.
Opening in 1990, the resort grew fast and drew attention to its classification under Oregon codes. As a resort it was classified as a hotel, which required the tree houses to be sprinklered. This was logistically impossible and would have destroyed the natural aesthetics of the resort. In 2018, architect Quince Sterry reached out to Code Unlimited to resolve the dilemma.
After a detailed analysis by Code Unlimited, Josephine County re-classified Treesort as a Lodging House; a hotel category, but for ones that have very low occupancy. Under Oregon’s Commercial Building Code, Lodging Houses are defined separately from other forms of short-term guest accommodations and allowed to meet the residential code requirements, eliminating the need for sprinklers. Code Unlimited provided clear, trustworthy direction for the jurisdiction and maintained the unique character of Treesort for all to safely enjoy.