Re: A cohousing metropolis
From: Virginia Moreland (vmorelandmindspring.com)
Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 06:36:31 -0600
We're trying to do this with just two clusters and two common houses, but
we're really struggling right now with decision making. Maybe someone will
have some words of wisdom.

We've assumed that each cluster will make all their own decisions regarding
their common house, their meal-organization, etc. They can then use
face-to-face consensus as we had always planned. 

The touble comes with all the decisions that affect both phases, which are
contiguous and the jointly share a much larger common property. You can't
very well have two different sets of rules for, say, dogs running loose or
use of pesticides, and we need to handle as one community things like
insurance, dealing with the utilities, etc.

Yet when we're full there will be sixty-seven units, some with additional
renters, and probably something like 100 to 120 adults. Since this group
started with a very strong commitment to consensus, some are unwilling (or
at least very uneasy) to use any kind of representational smaller group, or
to let the HOA Board (which is specified in our legal documents) have any
more than the most minimal responsibility for actual legal and busines
issues. 

The heart of the problem seems to be that even if your operating committee,
Board, whatever - makes their decisions by consensus, it isn't the same as
having every member present and consenting to every decision. 

I think we'll work it out, but it's not easy. (Every so often I say that if
we can figure this out and make it work it will be a great contribution to
the advancement of cohousing as a mainstream option.  :)  I'm not sure that
helps!)

Ginny Moreland
East Lake Commons
Atlanta

where, by the way, our office was also swamped with emails and phone calls
after the Dateline piece.

>
>Why not plan the whole community as a cohousing village with ten 30 unit
>neighborhood clusters and ten common houses.  I guess I have delusions of
>grandeur, now don't I?
>
>Joani Blank
>
>

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