‘Treehouse Masters’ Couple Must Lose Luxury Kitchen Or Break California Development Rules

“Treehouse Masters” have built a couple a 500-square-foot treehouse, complete with luxury kitchen, in California’s Placer County. The treehouse is so luxurious, it cost $60,000 to construct. The treehouse is featured on Animal Planet’s December episode called “Christmas Candy Kitchen Treehouse.” The show highlighted the Splinter family making hard candy for Christmas in the treehouse kitchen. The luxury treehouse includes 12-foot ceilings, running water, a full kitchen, a bathroom and a 10 foot by 10 foot loft with a queen bed upstairs.

However authorities in Northern California say Mike and Pat Splinter have to scale back and take out their full kitchen, including stovetop, oven and wine refrigerator, as well as the loft mattress in order for the county to sign off on the construction.

The reason the “Treehouse Masters” couple have to scale back on kitchen is because they already have a full guest cottage on their property.

Placer County deputy planning director E.J. Ivaldi said, “They can use it for entertaining. What the county approved was a residential accessory structure. For the purpose of them being able to do a TV show, they were allowed to build a kitchen with the understanding that the kitchen would come out.”

Before the rule violations became public, Mike Splinter told a Fox affiliate, “We wanted a nice sitting area inside to watch and have company and a great deck so that we could enjoy the view of our vineyard.”

In a separate interview with the Sacramento Bee, Mike spoke of his fond childhood memories of his treehouse in Wisconsin. He further explained the couple had initially contacted Nelson Treehouse and Supply but then decided to contact the Animal Planet show. Mike said he wanted to have an adult treehouse for his grandkids. The approach that the Splinters’ three-generations-old family tradition of making hard candy were an interest to the “Treehouse Masters” producers and a Christmas episode was born.

The Splinters and show producers did work with the county through the construction process. However after the work is done the county must grant final approval to ensure compliance with local laws.

The “Treehouse Masters” couple haven’t commented yet on getting rid of the kitchen. Final approval awaits.

[Photo Credit: Sacramento Bee]

‘Treehouse Masters’ Couple Must Lose Luxury Kitchen Or Break California Development Rules