Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Zoning for Cohousing

[Marganne Meyer (marganne]

At 4:09 PM -0400 6/28/10, Laura Fitch wrote:
> Check out this link to the overlay zoning that Amherst, MA wrote to 
> allow for cohousing like projects.  Look under section 4.5 Open 
> Space Community Development.
>
> http://www.amherstma.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=258

Laura ... this is a great document. So glad some planners are opening 
the way to accommodate changes for building homes that differs 
radically from what the 'norm' has been for so long.

I only skimmed the document, so perhaps you can tell me more about 
the problem of density. I've know of cohousing projects that identify 
locations, get people in the planning department to work with them, 
but then the neighbors protest the project because they feel it will 
increase density enough in an area to affect their quality of life, 
cause more traffic, etc.

Do some of the provisions in this document help projects avoid this 
NIMBY thing?

Cheers!
Marganne